What If...

Chapter 13: Distance Between Us

Ben's POV

Rey leaned by her forearms on the holotable which had the map of the caves projected on it. Five red dots marked the entrances they'd found.

"So, based on the mapping, we think there may be a pattern forming. The caves seem to be laid out like a compass, with spokes in every direction. We've mapped where the entrances have been for five days. On the point of a spoke, or in between two. So far, we've seen entrances in this order: southwest, south-southwest, northeast, north-northeast, southeast." Rey concluded. She nodded to Syllia, and the Twi'lek took it where she left off.

"It seems to be going from a spoke and to the right, then moving to a new spoke. So far, this is the case, but we're going to keep mapping until, hopefully, the pattern starts over," She sang formally. Yes, sang. She didn't exactly want to speak normally in front of other Mosianans and be shunned for life.

"And if it doesn't?" I asked skeptically.

Rey shrugged, not meeting my eyes. "Then we'll figure it out. We'll cross that bridge when it comes."

Oliah, standing rather close to me, frowned. "Are your plans usually like this?" She questioned.

Rey gave her a dry smile. "Actually, they usually make much less sense than this one. This is one of our good plans."

What a scary thought.

...........

As everyone started leaving the meeting room, I waited by the door. Oliah took my arm in both of her small hands. "You okay?" She whispered, too quiet for anyone other than me to hear. I nodded.

She gave me a worried look, squeezed my arm, and walked away.

At that moment, Rey walked out the door. I stuck out my arm to stop her, but she pushed it away.

"Hey," I objected. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Ben. I'm fine." There was nothing that constituted "fine" in her voice. She walked on.

I jogged and caught up to her. "Don't shut me out," I said.

"Who says I'm shutting you out?"

"Says the dyad. You've been blocking it."

"Maybe it's just the Force malfunctioning. We are quite deep underwater."

"The Force doesn't malfunction, you know that. And since when does depth matter how strong the Force is?"

"Do I know that? Everything else gets screwed up. Why not the Force?" She ignored my question.

I paused, confused. "What do you mean, everything else?"

Her hands shook. "Orders, rebellions, empires, families, friendships, actual friends, lightsabers, ships, hyperdrives, promises, and," she paused for emphasis. "Relationships, as it seems."

She stormed off, leaving me alone and wondering. I thought I saw her wipe her face. Maybe this underwater thing really was messing up my vision.
..........

Rey's POV

Yeah, maybe I had been blocking our connection. But can you blame me? He was always with that Twi'lek. And he blocked it, too, if you remember.

If it was Finn, I thought, he'd never leave me for another girl. Oh, Force, I miss him.

No. I mean, yes I miss him obviously, but I would not think of how it would've been had we been in a relationship. I would not think like that. Ben would come through to his senses. I was (kinda?) sure of it. No Twi'lek could replace what we'd been through together.

But what if one does? I asked myself. I told myself to shut up. I needed to focus on the task at hand: figuring out these caves. Leave personal problems for later. Specifically boy problems.

I blew a stray hair out of my face and stared intensely at my hologram. It was blurry.
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Hello there! Sorry for the super short chapter and that it's a little late. I have a huge case of writer's block. I PROMISE I don't like Reyfinn!! If I did, I wouldn't be writing a reylo fanfic.