Keep Him There

Balance

Sweeping the sand out from underneath it, The Falcon touched down on the surface of Tatooine.

Two figures emerged from it, one male and one female. They came around the ship to an aging dome-shaped hut. Beside it was a deep well in the ground, half-filled with sand.

"This was my uncle's home." Ben broke the silence.

"It looks like it's been deserted for a long time." Rey replied.

"It can be fixed."

The woman smiled, "You're just like your father."

"How so?" Ben chuckled.

"You both like to fix up old junk."

"So do you, if I remember correctly," he teased and tapped into the bond between them, "And I know I do."

"You're lucky that I like to fix up stuff too, you're going to need my help with this place."

"Am I now?" he smirked.

Rey laughed again, "Yes, I don't think you can do it solo."

Ben shook his head with a smile, "Really? That's the joke you came up with?"

"I've been waiting to make that one for a year now!"

"Hilarious." he sighed, bringing her into his arms. Rey fought against his arms, pushing him back a few inches.

"What? Rey-"

"Do you hear that?" she shushed him, "That whistling?"

"What whistling?"

"Be quiet, listen, it almost sounds like the holocron."

Both became quiet under the rising suns.

Ben finally nodded, "Yes, I hear it. It's not a holocron, it's a kyber crystal, yours."

"How do you know?" Rey gasped.

"Because I can hear it. Normally, I wouldn't be able to but since we're bonded..."

"Are you sure it doesn't belong to you?"

"Yes, it feels like you. Besides, I've found mine already." Ben said.

"You did? Where is it?" Rey asked.

He pointed at the purple-bladed sword at her hip, "You have it."

"When?"

"I heard it as soon as my mother's saber became cold like Luke's."

"Here." Rey unclipped it from her belt, "You take it then."

Ben pushed the lightsaber back at her, "No, I'll get mine when you get yours. From what I've heard, the Tusken Raiders don't take so kindly to outsiders."

"What happened to 'your lightsaber is your life'?"

"Exactly my point." Ben looked down at the blade between them, "You keep it."

Rey couldn't stop her cheeks from growing red at his sentiment and grinned cheekily at him,
"Well, let's go get mine then, I'd love to return the favor."

Ben's face lightened like a little boy on Life Day, its color matching Rey's. His lips twitched to the side of his face in a secret, little smirk.

"Yes ma'am." he said playfully. Rey took his hand and drug him back into the Falcon. Within moments, they were back up in the air, scattering the sand below them once again.

"Just keep listening to the song, it will lead us there." Ben instructed her from the copilot's seat.

Rey did so, tuning her mind to the Force and blocking out any distractions. The kyber crystal still called to her from below, even as the engines of the Falcon whined and pulled her away from the surface. It was faint, but she could still sense the direction it was coming from. She gently guided the ship in that direction though her eyes were closed, careful to not lose the signal.