The Revival of The Force

21 the return

21 the return

A huge bag is on her back, she looks tired like she hasn't slept in days. Her hair is a complete mess (she forgot her brush), her clothes aren't as white as when she left. She wanted to arrive and rest, but this happens. One man gives her a briefing, while the fighters wipe their blood, look at their injuries, put order to their clothes and hair.
"They have done great, these are my men. Can I take them from you for a second?" Rey asks, wanting to take her three friends away,
Poe, Finn and Yugantar move through the crowd to the table, their hair unordered and blood running out of their noses. Rose joins them, she had some fists involved too. Rey jumps from the table and walks toward her room. The four follow her, they feel her aura, which is full of tiredness and exhaust.
"This bag is full of lightsabers," she says when she lies it down in a jingle of metal meeting metal. "This must be protected and I will no matter what. I have something for you."
She looks at Yugantar, she dives her hand in the huge bag and takes out a metallic hand.
"We'll have to see how it works, but in case you want to have your hand back."
"Thanks," he smiles and his eyes fill with tears. If this hand works, he will be so overwhelming happy.
"Now tell me all that happens since I left," she says sitting down on her bed.
Finn hasn't even talked a minutes and she nods off. The friends look at each other and smile widely. The smile turns into a laugh, that shouldn't be too loud. For a few minutes they just laugh at the last fight and how they provoked Carl Flair. The joy to have done this mission successfully takes the control of them. It cuts their breath, they hold their stomachs and roll on the ground, tears of happiness leave their eyes. Rey doesn't seem to notice any of it. After having calmed down, they decide to all sleep in the same room, in order to protect the bag and be protected from the Resistance for some time. Before they also nod off, some laughter still comes. In the middle of the night, Rey takes the bag and hide it in the forest. Unfollowed, she hopes. But the Force is with her, it won't be easy to get it back from anyone else, but her. So she rather not die.
Rey enters the canteen, all eyes on her, she hates it. She walks toward the queue, everyone lets her go before them. Mumbling her gratefulness, she takes the breakfast food and sits down on an empty table. People still stare at her, not eating, not making a sound.
"You can keep eating," she says loud enough for everyone to hear.
Movement and discussions come back. She still has so many things to do. Rey wants to rest and take a break, but all the people she has to find don't give her some time. She has to do it and Rey won't be calm until she does. It's haunting her. The strength and force to do it all are on her side, but it all seems so endless. The teaching will come afterwards. With eighty, she'll be fine and have some peace! A life as a Jedi isn't that easy.
"You should've taught Yugantar," Finn announces himself when he sits down in front of her.
Rey stays silent. She knows and she can't bear his eyes on her.
"I'm sorry, I had to say it," Finn adds.
Rey can't stop herself, tears stream done her face. Why here? With all the people gazing at her every second or two.
"Sorry, Rey, I'm sorry. It's okay," Finn repeats, putting a hand on her shoulder. She stands up and leaves for the wood, as always. It's the only place where she can find peace.
"You should check on her," Poe sits down at her place.
"I think she wants to be alone," Finn answers. He stares at his food, feeling guilty that he actually said these words out loud.
"We'll make her laugh. Let's do a surprise for her!"
Finn's eyes instantly cross Poe's and a smile spreads on their faces.
"What about a party? But like a private party, not with everyone here. In the hut."
"Let's do that. Make everyone laugh and smile a little."
"What about the three Stormtroopers?" Finn asks.
"We took them with us instead of giving them away. I gave them names. Charley for CY and Rick for RK. But I don't know for WR yet..." Poe explains. "Maybe Wilbur. I don't think he'll like that though..."
"Windsor?" Finn proposes after some thinking.
Poe remains silent, while he scratches his beard. "I know!" he yells, suddenly hitting the table. "Warren!"
"Yeah, that's good," Finn remarks, honestly fascinated.
"I'll tell him later. The other already agreed."
"You love finding names for people. You should do that with all the other Stormtroopers,"
"Nah, a lot of them will have the same letters and same names. Like five hundred Finns, Charlies, I can't find five hundred versions of FN. Hey Warren 65, come here!"
"Well that wouldn't be so different from the Imperial System."
"That's true," he smiles.

"Ben," she whispers between her sobs. The sun has started to set, the twilight takes over the day. Rey finds herself somewhere in the woods, maybe she has been there once. The tears in her eyes make her see blurred, consequently, she can't find out if she ever set foot here. The exhaust is overwhelming her with the sleepy eyes and her still unbrushed hair.
"Yes, Rey, I'm here," he answers from behind her.
"You're only coming when I cry or what?" she asks without an aggressive tone, just sadness. As she turns around, Ben stands stiffly a few metres away from her. It wasn't the first time he saw her cry, but this time he is even more frozen.
"No, I'm not. I just thought you really needed me right now."
"Or do you need me?" Rey questions with a raised voice.
Ben sighs. "I can leave if you prefer that."
He takes her in his arms. She leans her face against his chest.
"You're more there than the others, aren't you?" she asks calmly.
"Might be true, I don't know."
"Why?"
"Probably because I'm not ready to be really gone," he answers.
"Do you think you could come back?" she sniffles and looks up to him.
"How am I supposed to know?" He leaves a kiss on her forehead.
"Ben, my Dark Side is taking more and more amplification in me." Her sobs start again. She hasn't said it to anyone and letting it out makes fear spread through all of her bones. She can't allow it to happen. "When you are there, I always feel better, safer and the Light Side has so much more presence. But lately, my anger and sadness take over."
"Don't let it take you, Rey," he answers with his low voice. "That's all that it wants. You don't want to end up like me. Everyone will hate you, want you dead and defeated. You get so lonely."
"You were lonely?" she questions.
"Extremely. Even with the Knights of Ren. You were the only person that didn't make me feel like that. That's when I realised – " His words are stuck in his throat, so he stops talking about himself. "Focus on the good, always. You're currently the most powerful woman in the galaxy, you can help people, you can spend time with your friends, you can drink a lot of stuff that will make you crazy, you can take a ship and discover places. Do what is right and what is in your power. Think about yourself for some time, not always the others."
Rey stopped breathing, there was so much truth in that. It was the most words he ever said to her. Ben spoke from his heart, he meant it. She doesn't even realise that he disappears in his black Universe again.