Force Destiny

One Question

Rey sprinted down the corridor toward Leia's room. If something had happened to him, Leia would know. Though they had been strangers for years, Leia could feel her son in the Force. She would have felt it if something changed, she would have told someone. There would be alarms sounding, Resistance members running through the halls, coordinating whatever people coordinate when they know the Supreme Leader is...

Dead.

Rey refused to believe he was gone. As long as she had hope, she would continue to believe it. It strengthened the closer her feet brought her to his mother. There were no cries of sorrow, not even hushed whispers of half-hearted condolences. It was silent. Disturbingly silent. No, peacefully silent. Rey tried to shut his angry, needy, betrayed eyes from her thoughts. She tried to drown out the miserable words by focusing on the roar of her blood through her veins. Everything will be okay.

She rounded the corner to Leia's room, nearly colliding with Threepio. "Miss Rey, General Leia has been expecting you."

With those eight words, Rey's hope was shaken. Dread pooled in her stomach. The adrenaline rush of hope that carried her to the general dissipated quickly. Had she been expecting her because she had bad news to break to her? Had she felt what happened to Ben? The protocol droid accompanied her to the room entrance, announcing her. If Leia spoke, Rey didn't hear a word of it. She was too focused on remaining standing as her knees shook violently.

Her voice didn't fare much better. Each word was quivering with anticipation. "You've been expecting me?"

There were dark circles under Leia's eyes, and her skin was sickeningly pale, yet the Force was stronger around her than Rey had ever felt before. There were no tears staining the woman's cheeks, but Rey wasn't certain that was enough to reinforce her hope. The Resistance would kill him if they were given the chance. Would she cry for her son after the evil he'd done? Or would she sigh in relief that it was finally over? When Leia spoke, her voice was soft but strained. "Is everything... okay with you, Rey?"

"Me?" she asked quietly, trying to acquaint herself with the notion that these people actually cared how she felt. It was easier to answer with a dismissive "fine," but she wasn't okay, and she wouldn't be until Leia gave her the information she needed. Her stare dropped to her feet. "Well...no."

"Now, I know you can take care of yourself and it's none of my business," Leia said in her no-nonsense, yet motherly way. "However, as another Force-sensitive woman, I can't help but feel protective of you here. Is there something you want to talk about? Just between us?" Rey realized with an exasperated sigh that Leia wasn't talking about her son at all. It should have made her hopeful, but Rey wasn't certain that Leia even felt him anymore. Rumor had spread quickly through the Resistance.

"Poe talked to you."

"Well, yes..."

"Leia, I'm so sorry." Her eyes remained downcast as her cheeks and ears flushed. The woman was trying to lead a rebellion, and she had to resolve a stupid misunderstanding. "You shouldn't be worrying about silly things like that. It was a mistake, and it won't happen again. You have my word."

Leia cleared her throat. She could feel the heat of her stare. Rey slowly dragged her eyes to the woman's face. Perhaps the general had called Rey to her room under the pretense of investigating the kiss, but there was a deeper concern in her eyes. Rey felt a renewed panic tighten in her throat as she awaited the fateful words. Leia only extended her suffering longer. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

Of course, there was one question Rey had been desperate to ask only seconds before. But when Leia asked her, Rey wasn't certain she wanted to know the answer anymore. If it would change everything, what was the harm in waiting one more moment? Perhaps Leia would just tell her and take the choice from her. "Is there something you want me to talk about?"