Rising

It's Rey's wedding night, and she gets advice from an unexpected source about her future.

ORIGINALLY POSTED FEBRUARY 26, 2020

Rey snuggled deeper under the covers, making sure her naked body was completely protected from the chill air in the bedroom. She was exhausted, and was at that moment very comfortable, relaxed, and happy. Yes, she smiled to herself. Happy. Probably happier than she had been in a very long time. It had been a busy day, but all of the events that had brought on her exhaustion had also led to this happiness. It was, after all, her wedding day.

The day had started not unlike most of her days now. She had woken alone in her quarters here on Ajan Kloss, she had met with several of her close friends and her fiance for breakfast, then she spent some time with her students. However, that time had been short, as she sent them off to their family residences before the mid day meal, when she stole away for some time to herself before allowing Rose and some other female friends to pamper her and primp her for her wedding. The wedding itself had been simple but beautiful. Though not a strict follower of any regional religion, they had decided to follow a traditional Alderaanian format for the wedding, in honor of the woman who had been such an influence for so many in the Resistance, and was still guiding those who were working on re-establishing the New Republic long after her death: Leia Organa. That tradition had included waiting until the wedding night to consummate the marriage, something that had not been easy to do, but that Leia had once told Rey in private was 'worth the wait.'

It had been very much worth it. Rey smiled again, remembering the celebration that took place after the wedding, which included lots of food, lots of dancing, and a bit too much alcohol. She had slipped out long before the party had ended, though, making sure her new husband was one of the few people to see her leave, and was rewarded when he arrived at their new apartment shortly after her. It was a bit larger than either of their previous living spaces, but it really didn't matter, as neither of them intended to live there for too long. Ajan Kloss had been a great hideout for the Resistance during their final months fighting the First Order, but it was a bit too well known, now. Rey did not feel that 'settling down' meant staying in one place. After living in one area of one planet for most of her life, she wanted to see the galaxy, and she knew her students would benefit from that as well. Fortunately, her new husband felt the same way, though he did have a few things that needed to be finished here first.

The wedding night had continued in the privacy of that new apartment, and now, after several hours of love, laughter, and a brief stop to snack, Rey was amazingly happy and exhausted all at the same time. She felt herself start to fade and knew sleep was near. So it startled her when her eyes suddenly opened to bright sunlight.

******

She was on a beach, a white sand beach. And she was facing out toward an ocean that was so blindingly blue it was almost too hard to look at. The sky above was a paler blue, but still gloriously brilliant, with no trace of clouds. She felt the heat of sand under her bare feet, and she looked down, realizing with a start that she was wearing her wedding dress. It was a simple sleeveless sheath, with a long, flowing skirt that ended just above her ankles. She could see her bare toes as she looked down; she had gone barefoot for the wedding, as Alderaanian tradition dictated. She looked quickly to her left, confused about what was happening to her but determined to solve this riddle. The beach stretched on to her left, but not far down and inland a bit sat a building. Just behind it was what looked like a tropical jungle, not unusual given the heat and humidity she felt in the air, though the breeze coming off the water was cool enough to keep her from getting too warm. She quickly looked to her right, and felt her breath catch as she realized she wasn't alone.

A man stood several feet down the beach from her, facing the ocean. His legs were spread shoulder width, and his hands were clasped behind his back, giving the appearance of a soldier at ease. Though he wasn't looking her way, she sensed that he knew she was there. Heart racing, she took a deep breath and starting walking in his direction.

He was wearing the same clothing she had last seen him in: Black boots, pants, and a loose knit shirt. The shirt and his hair were blowing gently in the wind coming off the ocean. He looked, she thought as she came close, at peace. Rey took another deep breath as she moved through the sand, and spoke. The sound of her voice was startling in the quiet air. "Are you real, or is this a dream?"

His head rose a bit, and she saw a small smile grace his lips, but he still didn't look at her. "Both?" he said with a tinge of humor. Finally, with a deep breath of his own, he turned his head to look at her. She stopped a couple of feet away, feeling relief flood her as she recognized the look in his brown eyes. It was warm, friendly, affectionate. Not angry, intense, and frightening. "I can't communicate with you like we used to from here," he continued. "But our connection is still strong enough that I can touch your subconscious. It's difficult, but easier when you are relaxed in sleep."

Where was 'here?' she wondered to herself. "So I should expect you to show up in my dreams on a regular basis, then?" The thought worried her about as much as it excited her.

He smiled again. "No. I don't plan on making a habit of this."

She watched him, waiting for him to continue and tell her why he was making the effort now. When he didn't say anything, she looked off to her left at the ocean. "What is this place?"

"Kennera. It's a resort on the planet Gundula." He turned back to face the water. "My parents used to bring me here on vacation when I was a boy. They were happy here." He paused. "I was happy here." He brought his hands from behind his back, letting his arms hang loose at his sides. In a quiet voice, he said, "It was the only place I didn't hear the voices."

"Voices?!" Rey felt her heart rate increase again. She was sure she knew what he meant by 'voices,' but she wanted to be wrong.

Ben looked at her again, his eyes sad, now. "Vader," he explained. "Snoke. Of course, we know who they really were."

"You mean you heard them even as a child?" She had known the Emperor had been manipulating the Skywalker heir for a long time in order to turn him to the dark side, but when did he start?

"I had them in my head from my earliest memories," Ben admitted sadly. "I was always too scared to say anything to my parents." He turned to face her. "So many times, here, at this place, I wanted to say something about it to my mother. I was so afraid about what she and Dad would think. That they would fear me. Stop loving me. I always sensed her fear for me, though I never knew why." He paused, his expression turning dark for a moment. "Until I learned just who Vader was to her. To me." He met her eyes, the darkness quickly fading. "Imagine what it would have been like if I had told her. She could have kept me here. Safe." He shook his head morosely. "So much darkness and evil could have been avoided. So much pain and death averted." He sighed deeply, looking down, refusing to meet her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Ben," she whispered. "I am so, so sorry."

He shook his head, and when he looked up the sadness had gone. "It's no use regretting the past. We can't change it. You can only move forward, and you have such a bright future ahead of you!" He paused, a light appearing in his eyes. "I need to tell you something important, Rey. I need you to trust me on this."

Rey tried to pull herself out of the darkness Ben's story had plunged her in. "What?" she asked.

"Please don't be afraid to have children," he replied.

She was startled. "How..?" she started. "I..." She had told her fiance several weeks ago that she wanted to wait to have children, that she wanted their lives together to become more established. Routine. She had lied. She was terrified of having offspring.

"I know how much you want to be a mother, and I know how much you fear becoming one. All because of your bloodline."

Rey shook her head. "If Leia couldn't prevent you from turning dark, how can I keep my own children safe? Palpatine's descendants?"

"My parents didn't stand a chance, thanks to the Emperor," Ben explained. "But, Rey, there is no darkness left strong enough to do to your children what was done to me. By the time the darkness that is out there, and we both know it's still out there, is powerful enough, your children will be old enough and wise enough to fight it." He smiled, and it was brilliant. "Rey, your light is so very bright. It always has been, from the time you were born. It was dimmed a bit by what you went through on Exegol, but every day since it has gotten stronger. You are already spreading your light with your students, but you can do it even more with your own children." He tilted his head, looking at her with the same deep love she had seen from him on Exegol, just before she lost him to the Force. "Don't let that light die, Rey. Don't let your brilliance ever fade."

The emotion churning through her was so powerful she feared she might collapse. This man, whom she had hated with every fiber of her being and then had loved with the innocence of her pure heart all within a short period of time, was making her feel as if she were the most important and unique person in the galaxy. It was overwhelming. And she didn't like it. She shook her head, but before she could counter him, he continued.

"Don't you dare say you're nobody. That you're not that important." The corner of his mouth curled up. "You are the same Rey you were on Jakku, only with a lot more experience. You may carry the burden of the Jedi, now, but you're more than capable of bearing it." He paused. "Besides, you're not alone. You never will be."

She didn't know if he spoke of the rest of the Jedi, the spirits of whom helped her that day not so long ago on Exegol, or the actual people in her life. Her friends and now family. The people she had fought for and was now living for. Either way, she knew he was right. She would continue on as she had been. And she would have children. Of that, she was now certain of.

Ben looked at her then, his gaze dropping to her bare toes in the sand and rising slowly up her body. When his eyes met hers again, there was an appreciative look to them. "You are beautiful." She felt herself blush, not for the first time that day. It was only the second time in her life she had ever worn a dress. The first time had been at a wedding 6 months previous, where her now husband had taken a chance and stolen a kiss. Ben smiled as if he knew what she was thinking. "Tell Dameron he is a very lucky man."

Her face heated even more. "You believe in luck?" she countered, trying to change the subject.

Ben's lip curled again, the smile very similar to a one-time outlaw and smuggler turned hero and legend. "I am my father's son."

Rey felt herself smile in return.

A noise from behind her caught her attention and she glanced back. When she saw nothing, she turned back toward Ben.

But he was gone.

******

Rey sat upright, her eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness of the room around her. Strange, she thought, as she had never really left the room. She realized she was cold; the blankets had slipped off her upper torso when she sat up, and the artificially chilled air prickled her naked skin. Ajan Kloss was a hot, humid planet, and when permanent buildings had finally gone up after the Battle of Exegol, most of the species who lived in them demanded a cooling system for comfort. Rey personally preferred the sultry air of the planet, with its variety of exotic smells, over the stale recycled air of the complex. She carefully tucked her arms back under the blankets in her lap in an attempt to keep warm, and while doing so felt the bed she was sitting in move slightly as the figure next to her shifted his weight.

"Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was sleepy, but she felt the concern in it. That warmed her more than the blankets did.

She turned her head to look at her husband. "Fine," she said with a soft smile. "Just a dream."

Poe Dameron lay on his back next to her, his hands clasped casually behind his head. His dark eyebrows rose at her response. "Dream?" he scoffed, shaking his head. "Rey, you don't dream. You have visions."

She stared at him for a moment, not sure why she was surprised by his observation. He was right, after all. One of the reasons she had fallen for him was his ability to read her, even when she didn't want to be read. She lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. No secrets. It had been one of their promises to each other before the wedding. And she had already broken it by not telling him about her fear of having children. No more. She looked him in the eyes. "I saw Ben."

He tensed immediately, and she saw the conflicting emotions come over his face. He brought his arms down from their casual position and laced his fingers over his bare chest. She knew that he knew of the connection between her and Ben; that was one thing she had not kept secret from either him or Finn. Because of that knowledge, there was a bit of jealousy in his expression, but Rey knew that Poe had his own history with Ben Solo. And with Kylo Ren. Not only had he witnessed Ren's orders to massacre a whole village on Jakku, but he himself had been subject to torture by the man. Long before those events, Poe and Ben Solo had once met as children. Not long enough to become friends, but they had shared stories of their love of flying and their hopes of becoming pilots like their parents some day. Poe's mother had flown with the Rebellion, and his father had served under Ben's father during the Battle of Endor. It was enough of a history to bring confusion and concern to her husband. "What did he say?" was the soft response to her statement.

She felt her heart warm. Though not sensitive in the Force himself, he had never doubted it or the power others could draw from it, therefore he never doubted her or her power. The benefit of having spent so much time with Leia Organa, she guessed; she had been like a second mother to him, as well as a mentor.

"He wanted to let me know that I shouldn't fear having children," Rey told him in a rush.

He looked at her intensely, and she knew he was working out what that meant in his head. "You mean, you're scared of having children? That's why you wanted to wait?"

Biting her lower lip, she nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the whole truth," she answered. "I was afraid..."

His eyebrows rose again. "What? Afraid that I wouldn't want to marry you?" He sat up suddenly, his body close to hers. Touching her. "You know I want babies with you," he said softly. "But I can understand why you would be scared." He reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. "You are a powerful light, Rey. Your children couldn't be anything but light, too."

His words, so similar to what Ben had said, brought tears to her eyes. Poe brought up his free hand and cupped her face, looking at her seriously. "Unless the reason you don't want them is because you're afraid they'll end up like me? Cranky pilots with no Force powers whatsoever?"

The words combined with the glint in his eyes, visible even in the dim light of the room, made her laugh. "I would love them and be proud of them anyway," she said with a smile. He smiled back and softly kissed her on her temple. He leaned back away from her, studying her. She knew he was waiting for another tidbit from her conversation with Ben. So, she complied. "Have you ever heard of Kennera?"

She saw him concentrate. "Kennera? Yeah. Leia mentioned it a couple of times. A group of Alderaanian survivors settled there shortly after their planet was destroyed. They eventually left when a larger colony was established on Thenvernnon, but Leia still visited Kennera frequently. She said it was a place of true peace."

Rey was fascinated with this bit of news, which not only confirmed what Ben had told her but elaborated on it. "I want to go there," she told him. "I know we planned on waiting a few weeks to take our honeymoon, but we never talked about where to go."

"Okay," Poe agreed, but there was caution in his voice. "Why?"

"That's where Ben took me," she said. "In the vision." She could tell his caution hadn't abated. "He said it was a place that made his parents and him happy when he was a child. He said it was the only place he didn't hear the voices."

"Voices? You mean like didn't hear the Emperor?" One of the hardest truths Rey had shared with her three best friends had been who her biological family was. She often wondered why she had been so afraid all those months ago to share the fact with Poe, Finn, and Chewie; they had been amazingly supportive. Chewie's eyes had widened, Finn had commented, "Whoa," and Poe had simply whistled and said, "And I thought my granddad was tough." The trio had then gone on as if she hadn't told them she was a Palpatine. Chewie had later told her that having worked with and loved a daughter of Darth Vader, this bit of news wasn't too shocking to them; they knew where her heart and her loyalties lie.

"Yes," she answered Poe. "There must be some powerful light energy at that place to block even the Emperor from finding it and communicating with Ben. I'll bet even Leia knew about it, and she knew her son found the same peace there she did, so she took him there as much as her life allowed."

"And you want to find it, too." It wasn't a question. Yes, Poe knew her very well. She nodded. He nodded back. "I'm in," he told her playfully. "We haven't had an adventure since we interrupted that robbery on Sorgan."

Rey grinned at him, remembering their first 'date' 6 months previously, shortly after Finn and Rose's wedding, when Poe, remembering her fascination with the festival on Pasaana, took her to another one, only to have to put their fun on hold when they ran across the holdup. It was the first time Rey had used her lightsaber in public. There was no hiding who she was after that.

Poe lay back down, hands under his head again. "Okay, as soon as we're both at a place were we feel like we can take a couple of weeks to ourselves, let's do it." He was currently in the middle of overseeing pilot training for the new New Republic fleet. However, he had no intention of staying on with them once they were established. He was Resistance, and he would stay Resistance. Just as Leia had done years before, he would lead the smaller militia, remaining a 'watchdog' of sorts and ensuring the New Republic didn't get, as he put it, "caught with their pants down. Again." This would also allow him to move about with Rey as she kept her students and their families on the move from planet to planet, learning from the Force as they moved and trained. Rey had been determined on those two things: she would not establish a permanent base for her training, and her students would not be forced away from their families. Ajan Kloss was only the first stop of many.

Rey nodded her approval of Poe's statement. A couple of weeks alone in a peaceful location sounded wonderful.

"And as for children..?" Poe began.

Rey smiled. "If we want them, we better get at it." She twisted her body toward his and let herself fall forward. He brought his arms up just in time to catch her shoulders as she sprawled over him. His grin matched hers as she lowered her face toward his. "I love you, Poe. Never doubt that." Ben Solo would always be a part of her, but this man was now. This man was her future.

"I love you, Rey," he answered, bringing a hand up to tangle in her hair. "Always."

The End