***I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've posted! With everything going on in the world, I've just not had the desire to write. You would think I would want to escape to a different world and stay there a little while. Normally, I do, but my soul has felt heavy the last few months. Everywhere I turn, there's more chaos bad news. I hope this little chapter gives you a glimmer of hope and happiness in the crazy world we are living in right now. I promise to keep writing and finish this story, however long it takes me. Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than others. Hope all of you are safe and well. xoxo***

***Disclaimer: I own no rights to Star Wars, unfortunately. If I did, maybe we would all be happier.***

"Ben! Wake up! It's morning!" Rey's chipper, bright voice pulled Ben Solo from his slumber. He had actually been sleeping soundly for the first time all night. He had laid awake for hours thinking about Rey, thinking about the future, thinking about the Gray Jedi. Surely, it couldn't be morning yet.

Sitting up with a groan, he flipped his messy hair out of his face and opened his eyes. Rey was sitting by his feet, legs crossed, eyes bright, dressed and ready for the day.

"We've got loads to do," she began, "and it's already later than I expected. What do you want to do first?"

Ben was not an early bird, especially after a day of travel. His eyes automatically closed at her happy tone and the light in the corner. As Supreme Leader, he had normally been left alone until around ten or so. Rey was obviously fine with awakening early. He would have to adjust to that, but that would take time.

She had been rambling for a few minutes now, but he hadn't paid attention. He wasn't quite awake yet.

"Are you okay?" she finally asked. He could feel his face set in a grumpy, blank stare.

"Yeah. I'm just not a morning person," he yawned and rubbed his eyes again. "Not everyone can bounce out of bed like you."

Rey cocked her head like she didn't understand what he was saying. It was quite adorable, and that finally pulled him to consciousness. This was what he had wanted - to be alone with Rey. Well, they were mostly alone, anyway.

They worked in tandem for the rest of the morning, moving into the huts at the top of the island. Without asking, Ben piled his stuff in the same hut as her. It was slow work, even using the Force, and he was soon ready to move on to something else. By lunch time, everything was set up for them, though no one had actually discussed what would become of Chewie and the Falcon. Chewie seemed happy enough to help, but Rey feared he would become bored on the island or feel out of place. She wanted him to be happy.

Then, there was the task of establishing the Gray Jedi. Rey thought about it all morning. This seemed to be their path, but she felt so unsure, so uneducated in the history of the Jedi. Ben had loads still to teach her.

There was also the pleasant memory of the first time she and Ben had touched hands in one of these very huts. It was the first time she truly connected with him on an intimate level, and it would always be a special memory in her heart.

Although she tried not to, she missed Master Luke. He might have been a bit of a grump, but his presence still lingered on the island. His power was immense, no matter how hard he had tried to deny it. He had been the son of Vader, after all, and certain in the ways of the Force. If only she could have spent a little more time with him.

A lightsaber's hum pulled Rey from her thoughts. Ben stood at the door to their hut, practically filling the entire opening, with his purple saber ignited.

"Want to practice?" he asked with a grin on his face.

A little bit of movement was exactly what she needed. Her mornings used to be filled with travelling to old Star Destroyers and scavenging for whatever she could find. Resistance meetings didn't quite fill her need for motion. With a quick flick of her wrist, her palm opened and the Force pulled her lightsaber to her. It burst to life underneath her fingers, filling her with energy.

Lithe as a deer, Ben pushed himself backwards, flipping around and landing downhill, yards away. Rey ran to meet him, flying through the air with her saber prepared to strike. As soon as she landed, their blades clashed, electricity vibrating the air around them. It was energizing to move, to feel, to fight. With a smirk, Rey struck at him again and again. Each time, he blocked her in turn.

They were a perfect match, both equally powerful in the Force, both aware of each other's fighting style. Yet, one thing kept them both from releasing their full potential - both no longer wished to hurt the other.

After a few minutes of back and forth motion, they both paused, breathless.

"I have a lesson for you," Ben announced when he caught his breath. "I'm going to teach you how to use the Dark Side."

Rey wiped the sweat from her brow. "Alright?" It was a new concept to not think badly of the Dark Side, but she was interested in whatever he had to teach her.

He pointed his saber at her. "You become distracted and careless when you use the Dark Side. You must learn to control it."

Her hands tightened on her own saber. She wasn't quite sure she knew what he meant.

"Your anger," he continued in between breaths, "can make you stronger. Channel it, control it. Don't let it control you. Don't let it unbalance you."

That sounded easy enough. There was only one problem. She didn't feel angry at all.

Ben lunged at her, and, distracted, she barely dodged him in time, though she wasn't afraid of him at all. Instead, her clumsiness embarrassed her. Quickly, she focused. Using the Force, she jumped on top of a nearby ridge of boulders and ran across it, blocking his strikes. When she landed on the ground, she felt nothing but joy. This wasn't like training at all. This was fun.

She rounded on him, pulling one of his moves by flipping her saber's handle and chopping at him in a backswing. He jumped back, and she missed him.

"That's my move," he chuckled, moving quickly and catching her saber arm in an awkward angle. She twisted beneath him, pivoting her wrist, now pushing his saber down.

He dropped it, catching it beneath their hands and pulling up a new strike with a boyish gleam in his eye.

"And that's mine!" she giggled back, pushing him with the Force. He tumbled but caught himself. It was too late. She had taken off running.

Ben caught her quickly, knocking her forward with a push through the Force, unbalancing her. It was almost too easy to dodge her attack as she rounded on him again. They could practically read each other's minds, seeing their moves just a second before they happened. They continued their sparring until their sabers locked in a clash just in front of their chests, both pushing equally but neither gaining.

Completely breathless, Ben stared at her strained face as she pushed with all her might. He couldn't help himself. He was supposed to be teaching her right now, but all he wanted was to touch her.

He flicked two fingers and both sabers shut off.

Rey's eyes blinked in confusion for only a second before Ben grabbed her waist and pulled her to him in a kiss.

It was a long, passionate kiss, possibly the longest they had shared. The island seemed to fade away beneath them as time stood still. He never wanted to let go of her. She never wanted him to. Every fiber of their beings seemed in sync and connected.

When they finally pulled apart for air, Ben could see her cheeks redden.

"Was that the Dark Side?" she asked with a sideways, sheepish grin.

He laughed. "No, you just distracted me."

She smiled back at him, obviously as undone as he was, before wrapping a hand through his hair and pulling his mouth back to hers. She didn't realize how forcefully she pulled at him, and they began to fall, rolling down a hill together, a delightful pile of laughter. Only one thing stopped their gaining momentum - the caretakers pushing a cart down the hill. The two tumbled right into them, knocking the cart and the two, tired workers over.

Rey couldn't stop laughing. So far, this trip to the island had been nothing like her last one. There was so much work to be done, but it didn't matter because all of this would be so fun. And Ben was here, with her, and she felt nothing but happiness. Never in her life had she felt this light and free.

It almost felt wrong, like she didn't deserve to have such a cheerful existence and belonging in the galaxy that always felt against her. She still felt the weight of the burden they shared to bring the Jedi back to life, but right now, in this moment, she only felt inexplicable joy.

Ben apologized to the caretakers who were fussing loudly. He set their cart back up and sent them on their way before giving Rey a helping hand.

"Did you learn anything?" he asked with a breathless chuckle.

Rey raised an eyebrow. "I may have learned a thing or two," she said with a grin. Never having been romantically involved before, Ben's kisses startled her at first and made her feel uneasy. Now, they were another thing added to the fun list. She quite enjoyed kissing him. It was one of those mind blowing things that simply made her happy when she felt like she didn't deserve it.

"I guess I'm not a very good teacher," Ben dramatically sighed before taking her face in his hands and staring so deeply into her eyes that Rey almost felt unnerved.

"I love you," was all he said, so softly she could barely hear it.

Rey missed her friends, her family, her new home. She had dreams about them last night, but when she awoke most of her fear and anxiety was gone. She felt at home again, deep in her spirit, because she was with Ben.

His love for her was almost too much for her to bear. She had never thought love would be like this - so sure, so deep, so searing. Every inch of her felt redeemed and right, and somehow, she knew this feeling would last forever.

"I love you, too," she whispered before they closed the distance between them. She could kiss him forever, lost in a world of pure emotion and pleasure. There was nothing else like this in the entire galaxy.

Ben pulled away from her quicker than she expected. He ran a finger over her crinkled brow before smiling.

"You're happy."

"I am," she smiled back.

He blinked away from her; his grin couldn't be any wider.

"What is it?" Rey finally asked, not understanding.

"Nothing," Ben shrugged, still grinning. "I'm just happy, too."

She leaned up and kissed his cheek before winding her arms around him. He hugged her back, tightly, holding her as if she was the most precious thing in the universe.

Rey hadn't noticed her hair had come undone in their tumble until she felt a thick piece blow into her face. She pulled away from Ben and fumbled for a tie.

"Leave it down," he said, and she eyed him curiously.

He only shrugged. "I like it."

She left it then, and they made their way hand in hand to a nice, grassy clearing that looked like a perfect place to practice without fear of tumbling down a large hill.

"Okay, let's try this again," Ben said, forcing his face into a stern expression. Their sabers ignited and the clash of blades filled the empty valley with an iconic, reverberating echo that could only mean one thing.

Rey and Ben, the last Jedi, were home.

***Stay safe and well everyone. I'll update when I can. ***