A New Force

Chapter XIII: A Galactic Delivery

Night fell quickly on the little Naboo camp, and the new presence of shadows did nothing to relieve the crew's growing anxiety.  Ben had been unnervingly distant, politely joining in whatever pastime Poe came up with, while remaining vacant-eyed and serious.  Rey had tried on multiple occasions to look into his mind, yet his offensive barriers remained too strong to break.

They had all decided to sleep out underneath the stars.  The ground might have been hard and cold, but no one wanted to spend another night cramped in the chambers of the Millennium Falcon.  

Chewie had fallen asleep right after dinner, and Poe followed suit not long after, BB-8 tucked away by his side.  Rey didn't know how long she'd been staring up into the night sky.  It was breathtaking and simultaneously heartbreaking to know that this sort of peace was not something she was made for.

Looking to her side, she noticed Ben meditating quietly on his mat.  He had offered to sleep in his cell-turned-bedchamber, but Poe had insisted he be with the rest of the crew.  "I'll feel better knowing I'll have eyes on you," was his defense, and Ben had only responded with his signature Solo smirk.  Poe was beginning to see him as a friend, and while he was slow to admit it, everyone else saw.

"Even your stares are loud," Ben said quietly, his eyes still closed.

Heat rose to Rey's cheeks, "I'm sorry.  Can't sleep."

She watched as one side of his mouth turned up.  He untangled his legs and turned to look at her.  "Everything will be okay."

"You don't know that." Rey sat up now and hugged her legs against her chest.

"Maybe not here," He pointed to his head, "But here," His finger fell to his heart, "I know."

It was infuriating, the way a simple phrase from him could calm the storm that raged within her.  Her eyes already felt heavier, but she fought to remain awake, indignant that the boy had any effect on her.

"You're upset." Ben's head cocked to the side.

"Yes, actually.  I am."  Rey sent him a cold stare, "You have free reign in my mind but there's something you're hiding in yours." He opened his mouth to respond, but was quickly cut off.

"Listen, if you two are going to have a nice little pillow talk session, can you keep it down?" Poe grumbled from his sleeping mat, and seconds later Chewie whimpered sleepily in accordance.  The heat in Rey's face grew exponentially as she watched Ben quietly move to her own space and sit down right beside her.  

"You were saying?" He whispered now, leaning in for clearer communication but inadvertently making Rey melt into the ground.  

"I..." What was she saying?  It dawned on her again, "There's something you're hiding."  

Ben's eyes fell to the ground between them.  She watched as his jaw stiffened and the muscles tensed and relaxed.  Maybe she had over-stepped.  Was it possible to over-step when you share a mind with someone?

"Rey," The way her name rolled off his tongue, hushed underneath the veil of nightfall, made her lean in closer, yearning.  "I don't want to hurt you anymore."  There was immense pain lacing his voice, a stark emotion he made no effort to hide.

Out of pure instinct, her hand rose to caress the side of his face.  "My sweet Ben Solo.  There's a reason greater than ourselves that we are bonded.  There can't be any secrets."

"I promise," His words were barely audible, although they were close enough to fan across her face, "I will tell you as soon as I know."  This explanation seemed to suffice for her in the moment.  Perhaps if she was more sober-minded, she would have continued to probe, but his proximity was dizzying.