What If...

Chapter 5: Help!

Ben's POV

When I woke up, I immediately knew something was wrong. Every morning, I always checked using the dyad to see if Rey is alright. Since Exegol happened, and I climbed back over that cliff because...

No, don't think about that, I chided myself.

Right then, I felt Rey. And she was in pain. Severe, fatal, blinding pain.

I ran from my room, with no thoughts in my mind except I had to get to her.

...........

I entered Rey's room in a panic. She was lying on her bed, drenched in sweat, crying.

I ran to her side. "Ben," she whispered.

"No. No, no, no, no," I said and pulled her onto my lap. I cradled her in my arms.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"No, Rey, you are not dying. What happened?"

"I—" she began and then squeezed her eyes shut. She let out a groan of pain.

I kissed her forehead. "Rey, you're burning. What's wrong?"

"I-I'm n-not sure." She was shivering as if she was on Hoth. Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes. No, I couldn't let them. I had to stay strong for her.

"What hurts? If I know that I could try to identify what's wrong with you." I was really scared for her now. More than I'd ever been in the entire time I knew her.

"It's everything. My whole body." She said shakily.

"What kind of pain?" I asked gently.

"It's like someone is stabbing me through the chest. It just hurts everywhere."

I try to think quickly. Force healing? I think. No, I don't know if it could heal something like this. I sighed internally. But what choice do I have?

"Rey, can you hear me?"

She nodded weakly.

"Good. I'm gonna try Force healing, okay? I don't know if it works with diseases or not."

A fresh wave of pain went through and she cried out, tears pouring down her cheeks. She caught her breath, and managed to give a small nod.

I laid my hand on her stomach, and she laid hers on mine. I started healing her.

I concentrated on her, her pain that I got a taste of when I felt her through the Force. The tiny bit I felt was so intense I almost lost my focus. I had no idea how she was still conscious.

I focused on pushing my life essence into her, and easing her pain.

I opened my eyes.

"How's that?" I asked, now exhausted. Force healing drains you.

"A little better, but not much," she said, still crying. But not as much.

"I don't get it. I thought it would work," I said, becoming distressed. "Why won't it work?!"

"Ben," she touched my cheek. "It's okay. I'll be okay," she tried to reassure me.

"I'm gonna take you to the medics."

"No! It's just temporary! It'll probably pass."

"Rey, you're not making sense. You're in pain that's not going away anytime soon. You are going to the medics, and I'm taking you there," I told her sternly.

"No, please don't. They can't see me like this," she pleaded. Rey groaned as more pain came, but she tried to cover it up.

"Would you rather them see you as a corpse?"