Star Wars: Edge of Hope

Chapter Seven: The Heart of Hope...

As Rey appeared at the beginning of the path Leia could sense something was not right. She watched her wipe away the tears and force a smile as she noticed her walking towards her. Her face was full of questions, visibly shaken and upset Leia could feel the vibrations radiating from her.

Leia: Rey? What...what's wrong? Are you okay? When BB-8 came back without you I got worried...

Rey couldn't stop herself, her smile faded...she could see it in her eyes...the apology. Then as Rey reached up to cover her mouth still trying to keep everything inside.

Rey: I'm...I'm so sorry...I tried..I couldn't...

Rey began to fold inwards on herself. Leia watched as her eyes went wide as she felt herself falling forward. Leia reached out to catch her before she could reach the terminus of her trajectory.

Leia: Rey? Rey! What...what's wrong?

Leia catches her feeling her body go completely slack she slowly follows her to the ground. Rey's head bobs in and out of consciousness as Leia tries to bring her back. Leia could feel the warmth beginning to fade from her body, her skin went ashen, and her eyes while struggling to stay open kept searching for Leia's face.

Rey: Leia...Have to...Ben..I'm sor...I'm..

Leia: Rey? Talk to me...stay with me, Rey. Rey!? Tell me what happened Rey? Rey? I need a Medic! I said I need a Medic over here NOW! Over here!

Rey: I couldn't...I tried..I tried Leia...But I couldn't...I couldn't bring him...the dark..so much...Ben..

Leia felt her breath catch as she began to understand what Rey was trying to tell her. The guilt over the loss of Ben was the pain Leia had been seeing float to the surface over the past few years. She had been carrying the secret inside of her, bearing the burden of it so that Leia didn't have to, but now she was breaking under the weight of it. The Medic's came and lifted Rey's limp body onto a litter to carry her off to medical. Rey continued quietly murmuring to herself almost in a cooing way to comfort herself as she faded away into the black.

Rey: Ben...Ben...Come...back..come back to me...Ben...

Leia: I don't know if she's strong enough for this. Maybe she's not ready...

As Leia turned around she watched Luke's Force Ghost walking out of the sun trails in the canopy. She knew he wouldn't be far away. As the years went by Leia felt the connection becoming stronger and stronger between them. And that was when she knew her time was growing short. She had tried to keep her distance from the realization in the beginning, but in time she had found a way to make peace with it. The Force was calling to her...but she wasn't ready to go...she still had so much left to do. There were so many people that still needed her. Her world was connected not just to the Force, but to the thousands of people who put their trust in her. She couldn't let go now...so she held on...and she pushed her pain away where it couldn't touch her. During these moments her thoughts would always go to Ben. She had tried in her own ways to reach out to him, but he was farther away from her than he'd ever been before. Something was keeping them apart, she wasn't sure if it was the influence of the Darkside of the Force, or Ben himself. The thought came to her once that perhaps it was the Will of the Force telling her it was time to accept the reality. That the son she had loved, the son she had given birth to and watched grow strong, was lost to her. And that nothing and no one could bring him back. She couldn't understand it, but when she was near Rey...something inside her whispered to her Ben's name. The smallest voice on the edge of silence that spoke to her...telling her not to be afraid...that she wasn't alone. And that voice was all she needed...if she couldn't reach Ben...she knew there was at least some hope that Rey could. But this didn't make the distance between them any easier to live with. Just as she'd always done...she held onto the only thing she had left...Hope.

Luke: She has to find a way to be strong. Like you did once...she will too...in time.

Leia: Don't do that.

Luke: Do what?

Leia: You're Master Yoda thing..it's irritating and condescending, I know Rey...she's remarkably similar to..Well, you know who. It's not that simple anymore Luke, it's different for them, and keeping secrets isn't doing either of them any favors. Or me for that matter. Are you sure about this? She is the One? I can't...I can't lose them both, Luke, and keeping this from her...it's killing me. Why can't we just tell her the truth?

Luke: When the time's right we will, I promise. But for right now...it's safer this way. For both, Rey and for Ben...I know it's hard...but like you said we can't lose them.

Leia: If you're sure, then I guess, we'll wait a little longer. But Luke, I have to know...I haven't asked before because I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer...but..now? I can feel what little time I have left slipping away from me. So I have to ask you...Can it be done? Can Rey bring him back?

Luke: We can only Hope...

Leia: Hope?

Her face manages a small soft smile as she turns to watch the camp alive with so many people that were holding onto just that...hope.

Luke: Don't be afraid, Leia. You are not alone...You've never been alone. And you never will be...

Leia: I just...

Luke: You feel for both of them. I know...you have a mother's heart, Leia. That's where your real power comes from. All of your strength and your hope, for those that need it and for those you love, that's what they need to bring them together. You just have to have faith in them. They are the future...our future...and it's to them that the galaxy will look to for guidance. We are what they grow beyond...

Leia: I'm just afraid they won't be able to look past the pain. Or the lie.

Luke walks towards Leia and reaches out his hand to touch hers. She smiles at the gesture, and even though they were parted, they were still connected by more than than blood or their relationship to the Force. They were connected by the light and by the love...and the hope that had seen them both through darker days than these.

Luke: You will help them get past it. After all you were married to Han, so in my eyes that makes you a Master at conflict resolution.

Leia: Being married to Han made me a master of many things, conflict and resolution were among them, but never in the same sentence.

Luke: Everything depends on those two. They are our last hope...for peace...for Balance in the Force. Don't give up on them, Leia. They just have to find their own ways back to each other. And that takes time...and patience...and hope.

As he bowed his head he dissipated into the fog floating out over the tall green grass.

Leia: May the Force be with US...

Leia reaches down to retrieve the discarded saber Rey had dropped as she'd been carried off. As Leia picks it up a tremor rushes through her at it's touch. Turning it over in her hand she sees the bright red blood still staining it. And as she rubs it between her fingers she hears a voice in her head. A voice from her past reaching out to her through this object he once used to hold.

Vader.

Darth Vader: Don't underestimate the Power of the Darkside...

Focusing in on the sound of the respirator as it filters his voice through the mask, Leia feels the air go cold and the sunlight dims as she forcuses in on the source.

Darth Vader: Leia....Leia...