Keep Him There

Enough

Ben released the woman who stood in his arms, feeling the light crash over him just as the dark had before they'd fought.

It hadn't been easy to calm the storm inside of him but when he finally did, he felt like he wouldn't lose control again. The two warring sides in him finally came together, allowing Ben to stay in the middle.

Not dark, not light. Grey.

And he could tell, even without the force bond, that Rey had come to the same conclusion. They had both been tempted but had ultimately maintained the balance inside of them.

He hoped after all he had done, she could see that too. He was done being her monster.

"I'm sorry." he rested his forehead against hers.

"I am too, I shouldn't have left." Rey replied with a whisper.

"It's alright," Ben said, "We're together now."

Scoffs resonated behind them. He turned to see that both the daughter and son had a look of disgust on their face.

"There's still time." the son told his sister.

"Yes. But not to your benefit, brother."

"We will see."

"Yes, we will." Rey interjected, "We will see you finally tamed by Master Skywalker, you shall not rule over us or the galaxy again."

And then she turned to the portal and left.

If the two beings looked disgusted before, they looked appalled now. Ben politely gestured toward the exit, allowing them to go first. He couldn't risk them going into another portal.

He left last, the temple's voices still murmuring behind him.

~

The rising sun greeted Rey when she stepped out of the portal. She checked once to make sure the door was still open for the others and then stepped out into its light.

The temple was certainly a sight to behold, but she'd always be the girl from Jakku. Someone who would always crave the sun.

Finn greeted her with a hug as soon as she had set her two feet on the ground outside.

"Where were you guys? Did you get 'em?" he asked, brown eyes peering over her shoulder.

"Yes, Finn." Rey smiled, "We had a few hiccups though, so you might want to stand back."

The former trooper did as she suggested, taking a step back towards the Ghost and Jacen.

One after another, the daughter and son stepped out of the temple onto the soil. Somehow, the sun of Lothal made the creatures look even more spectral, the daughter glowing and the son growing more sickly.

Shortly after, Ben also stepped out of the portal, one black boot after another. He made straight for Rey, leaving their quarry between them and the mountain.

The son chuckled, "They've brought friends, sister."

"It seems they have," the daughter replied musically, "The Jarrus boy and the other, a new wielder. Such an uncorrupted mind."

"No matter, it shall be soon." the son said.

Instinctively, Rey stepped in front of Finn, raising a hand to the siblings. Ben remained right at her side.

"No," Finn stepped forward, pushing them aside to point a finger in the son's face, "I've escaped one murderous regime, I won't join another."

Rey beamed with pride beside him and turned to board the Ghost. And then the grin fell right off her face with realization.