the rise of kylo ren (x reader)

CHAPTER NINE

Starkiller Base is falling to pieces. The trees surrounding the First Order Base are falling, plummeting to the freezing ground, lifting up flakes of snow as you and Ben trudge through. Hand in hand, you both run, eyes set on the tie-silencer on the bases landing pad. A red blast flies past your head and you narrowly dodge it, looking back to see the stormtroopers chasing you and Ben down.

You break apart, both sprinting as fast as you can to the ship as the shots continue. By the rate and speed of them, you'd judge that there are at least two assault troopers behind you. But when they open rapid fire upon the door of the ship, you realise they have heavy troopers on your tail too.

"Y/N!" Ben shouts, his arms pulling you to the side and into his chest.

You both plummet to the ground and you're about to pull away until he shoves his body on top of you, just as a loud explosion emits from the ship. Ben's hand is out toward the explosion as his body shields you from it, with the help of his manipulation of the force to stop the grenade from hurting you two.

"You okay? Are you okay?" He asks, breathless. And all you can do is nod, dumbfounded at his power and protection, "Okay, let's go."

He pulls you up and you only give the flaming ship a single glance before you and Ben face the team of troopers. "Traitor!" One shouts, stepping from the group and aiming his blaster at Ben. Both igniting your lightsabers, you give one another a look before you sprint towards the troopers.

You jump, high, grabbing a trooper by his shoulder before piercing your lightsaber through his chest. You rip it from his body, swinging it around and striking another one down. You spin, gripping your weapon and twirling it rapidly as the heavy trooper attempts to shoot you down. With slow, tentative steps, you head towards him.

You watch every shot he takes ricochet off your lightsaber, flying in opposite directions. Reaching your hand out to him, you use your strength to pull him towards you. His eyes fill with fear as your lightsaber enters his chest. You push him back and he falls to the ground, the wound in his chest warm. A pain emanates in your left shoulder, and you use the force to pull yet another trooper to you. His back dragging against the snow on the ground, and with your ignited saber, you plunge it into his chest when he's beside you. You stand, ignoring the pain in your shoulder.

You look to Ben, who breathes heavily. "There are more." He notes, looking toward the base as another rumble comes from the centre of the planet.

You take a deep breath in, holding your lightsaber high as you stare the approaching men down. A whizzing sound shoots through the air and you snap your head up, eyes following the old ship. Holding back a gasp, you see it hover over a patch of snow, unable to land due to the instability of the collapsing planet.

Forgetting yourself, you take a step towards it as the hatch opens up. But then you turn to Ben. You see his expressionless face as he stares at the ship, seeing a certain Wookie emerge from the hatch and gesture for you both to board. You reach your hand out to him, swallowing the lump in your throat.

"I..." Ben stumbles over his words, instinctively holding his hand out and stopping a blaster shot from hitting you, he sends it shooting back against the trooper who shot it, "I can't. I can't board that ship."

"You can do anything," you tell him, your hand still reaching for him, "I'm with you. And I'm not sure we have the luxury of being picky right now." You tease, lightening the situation. Ben huffs a breath of air through his nose, but he looks down at his feet. "Hey," you get his attention, taking a step towards him, "I'm on your side, remember? I put my trust in you. Now it's time for you to do the same with me. Together. Okay?"

Ben's brown eyes meet yours. He feels sure. He nods, taking your hand and running towards the roaring Wookie. Ben's eyes meet Chewie's, they share a long look before the Wookie stretches his arm out for Ben to take. He does so, still sharing a look with Chewie as he helps him up. The Wookie roars, patting Ben on the back and making the man stumble forward up the ramp a little. Chewie lets out what sounds like a giggle and turns to you, pulling you up the same way.

You grimace, grunting at the pain in your shoulder as Chewie lifts you up quickly. But you take solace in knowing it'll heal soon, thanks be to the Force. You follow Ben up the ramp, seeing his tense shoulders and rigid posture as he slowly walks to the main hold of the Falcon. Both you and Ben nearly lose your footing as the ship rushes into hyperspace, away from the desolating planet that was once Starkiller Base.

You stand beside Ben, your eyes connecting with Rey and Finn, both watching Ben. Their eyes are speaking everything they're afraid to say. Untrusting. Afraid. Sceptical. It's all valid. Though you wish someone would say something. The silence is startling.

"Hey, kid," Han speaks up, exiting the cockpit, Leia by his side. Ben's brown eyes are set on the faces of his parents, the way their eyes take him in, noting his appearance, his posture, his tallness, everything a parent would notice. You can hear Ben's heart beating against the frame of his broad chest and you watch him, seeing the conflict clear on his face.

Leia doesn't say anything. But she's crying as she looks at her son. Ben's eyebrows furrow, the crinkles by his eye become prominent as the tears appear once he sees his mothers face. Leia opens her arms, watching Ben as he makes a decision. He sinks into her arms, cowering into her small frame. And you cry. You look away from this moment; a moment shared between a mother and her child. A moment that took too long to happen. A moment that should have happened a million time in Ben and Leia's life.

You wonder if you ever got to share a moment like this with your own parents. You like to think you did and you just can't remember. Surely, your parents loved you this much too. You can hear Ben crying. When he pulls back, he looks at his father, who stands before his son. Han places a hand on Ben's face, wiping a tear from his pale cheek - though it's pointless. More tears take its place. Like two magnets colliding, Ben and Han embrace each other. Tightly. The hug lasts a while and Chewie roars sadly, making Ben let out a laugh.

Ben pulls away from his father, looking at Chewie with red, wet eyes as he extends an arm to him. "Of course, I missed you too," Ben admits, his voice deep and gentle. Chewie's the only person that Ben doesn't have to lean down to hug. The Wookie's so tall that Ben can just walk into his furry arms, closing his eyes when he's engulfed in the arms of his friend.

Han places a hand on your shoulder, giving you a warm smile. You look up at the man, giving him a small smile back before returning your gaze to Ben. His eyes meet yours and he doesn't care that he's crying. He's back. Ben's back. He feels a weight lifted off of him.

Ben takes your hand in his, giving you a teary-eyed smile before pressing his lips to the back of your hand. He looks into your eye for the entirety of the slow, gentle kiss. You smile kindly at him, blinking the tears away from your eyes. Part of him can't believe he spent all this time alone, isolated, hating everyone and everything, so full of hatred, and darkness.

And he knows nothing will change the past. Nothing will bring back his young years, the moments where he felt abandoned and betrayed. Nothing will take back the years he gave up to the dark. But it won't take any more of his future. He won't let it. Ben's autonomous. He decides things for himself now. Maybe he'll become a pilot like he always wanted to be. He could build a new lightsaber. He could live on Jakku if he wanted to, though the chances are extremely slim. Though the possibilities are limitless. It gives a spark in his chest, thinking of all the things he's yet to do.

Though there's pain leftover from remnants of the past, there's a sense of calm. All the anger is gone. You feel like you could cry forever, hearing the hopeful thoughts in his head. Ben Solo is someone who has hope for the future, and that makes you beyond happy.

You know this won't be easy for Ben, no one expects it to be. But there are conversations to be had. There are apologies to be made. And time will bring everyone there, eventually. Now, everyone is alive, everyone is here. You sniff as he brings your hand down, still encased in his warm ones. You smile, leaning your head against his chest. Ben admires you, looking down at you closely as his hand rubs gentle patterns on your back.

"Now what?" Rey asks aloud, looking to her new-found group of friends.

On his way to the cockpit to enter coordinates, Han Solo's voice rings out into the Millennium Falcon, "Now, we find ourselves an old Jedi."