Balance

Summary: Light and dark. Good and evil. Love and hate. The Force was all about balance, and yet neither of them knew exactly where they stood.

Author's Note: Alright, I caved. This is my first Star Wars fanfiction, most likely because I have always been so happy with the ending and the originals that I never felt the need to write any more. However having seen the new movie, I am just so consumed with different feelings and a desire to know what comes next. So, until 2017, this will just have to do.

As a fair warning, the pairing in this story will eventually be Kylo/Rey. I know there are many people who are against this ship, and have a wide variety of reasons for that. But I warned you.

Also, while I am not new to the Star Wars Universe, I have to admit that there is a lot I do not know. If I get something wrong, please let me know. I am trying to be as true to the universe as possible, but I probably will slip up.

Chapter One: Lost and Found

The air was cooler than she expected it to be; the strong winds were whipping her hair all over the place. But Rey paid that no mind. Instead, she concentrated on the task ahead of her. Finding Luke Skywalker had proved to be no easy task, even with the complete map. The First Order was out there, searching for her and the rest of the Resistance. She had to be careful to make sure she was not followed. It had taken her five long weeks to finally reach her destination, as she was dodging First Order pilots in every corner of the galaxy. The last thing that she wanted to do was lead Kylo Ren directly to the location of Skywalker.

When she landed the Millennium Falcon on the island, she could sense something familiar about the place. She knew this island, from a distant memory of a childhood dream. She had no idea that such a place from her own imagination could be real, that she would one day actually see a planet covered in so much water. But then again, there were many things that were turning out to be real these days...

She left Chewbacca on the beach, with instructions to do his best to stay out of sight. While she could not understand or communicate the Wookiee completely, she could sense that he did not want her to complete this task alone. She smiled sadly at that; in the past few weeks, the Wookiee had become protective of her. Rey sensed it was because he was still grieving the loss of his companion, Han Solo. At the mere thought of Han, her heart began to ache. She did not know the man for very long, but she came to regard him as the father that she never had. She mourned the loss of his life, but she also mourned for her own loss – she would never get to know him better, or learn what he could teach her about the Falcon.

Rey pushed those thoughts from her mind. She had plenty of time to grieve; right now, she had a job to do. She began to concentrate, feeling the Force all around her. It was a sensation she was still getting used to. General Organa explained to her the basic ways of the Force; she was also sensitive to it. But, the General had explained, her brother was the one who knew the most about it. Luke Skywalker was the one who had the answers she needed.

"You need a teacher. I can show you the ways of the Force." His voice echoed in her head, and she did everything she could to chase any thought of him out of there. His face haunted her, turning her dreams into nightmares. Every night, he was there. Chasing her, controlling her, tempting her. She could not escape Kylo Ren, no matter how hard she tried to push him from her thoughts.

For the past few weeks, she did toyed with the idea of running away back to Jakku. She could live out the rest of her life, away from the Resistance or the First Order. From him. She could be anonymous, like she always intended to be. But, that was a plan for the other time. Right now, she had a Jedi to find.

Rey used her rudimentary skills to sense what she was supposed to do now. She reached the island, but she needed to find the Jedi who inhabited it. Without thinking too hard about it, she let the Force guide her. Her feet seemed to move on their own. Rey did not question it; she knew that she was supposed to trust her instincts.

And so, she let the mysterious Force guide her to the man who was supposed to have all of the answers…

Rey had been walking for what felt like days. Growing up in the deserts of Jakku, she was used to walking over dunes and through the endless seas of sand. However, this terrain was harsh and rocky. Her joints and muscles were not used to it, and after the first few hours she felt like giving up. After all, she did not even know if Skywalker was still on this planet. For all she knew, he could have left this star system years ago.

No, Rey. She scolded herself, you cannot give up. He has to be here. He is our only hope.

Rey laughed out loud. Her only hope was a man that she did not even know. She was beginning to think that this entire mission was ridiculous. But she also could not help but think that this was something she was meant to do. Something only she could do.

The words of Maz Kanata played over in her head, like a mantra.

"Whatever you've been waiting for—whomever—I can see it in your eyes, you've known it all along…they're not coming back. But there's someone who still could. With your help."

Rey was destined to bring back Luke Skywalker.

And so, her feet kept moving.

It was another hour, climbing up mountainous terrain, when she began to see the ruins. Passageways, doors, remnants of stairs. Ancient relics from the age of fairytales. Less than a month ago, Rey would have believed that the Jedi were a part of a story, told to teach children about the nature of good and evil. And yet, here she was. She could sense the power emanating from the ruins of the island. She could feel the Force around her, within her. With each passing ruin, Rey felt a new sense of vigor. Determination.

It was not five minutes later that she felt something.

She could feel a presence on the island. She could sense that she and Chewbacca were not alone here. What was more, she knew that this presence was aware of her, as well. Rey's feet began to pick up their pace, desperate to find what she had been searching so long for.

It was a half hour later when she finally found what she came to the island for.

Atop the highest point on the island stood a hooded figure. Rey could sense that this was it; Luke Skywalker stood before her. And yet, she could not bring herself to say anything. In fact, she was scared. This was the Jedi who trained Kylo Ren. And yet, he was to be her salvation. Her heart was hammering. She had to wonder if this man could sense her fear. Somehow, she knew that he could.

Slowly, the figure turned around. Rey strained to get a good look at Skywalker's face. And yet, it was not until he pulled down the hood that she could truly see him. His face was lined with the signs of age and stress. His greying hair was blowing in the harsh winds. And yet, his eyes were filled with the wisdom of someone who had seen so much battle and had lost so much.

Rey had never been much of a talker throughout her life. Seclusion on a desert planet would do that to a person. And yet, she had a million things she wanted to ask the man before her. Simultaneously, she could not manage to get the words out. They seemed to get caught in the back of her throat. Instead, she did the only thing she could think to do. She reached into the bag that she had carried all the way up the mountain; she pulled out the item that was the heaviest load she bore throughout this journey.

She held out the lightsaber.

Seconds passed. Then a minute. For Rey, it felt like an eternity. The old man standing before her betrayed no emotion through his features. He stood stoic, as if he was unaffected by the object held out in front of him. Through her mind, Rey willed him to take it. She needed him to. She could not imagine having to go back, and face General Organa and let her know that she had failed her mission. That she failed to bring Luke Skywalker back home.

That was when she felt it. A tug on her arm. And then, another one. She felt the lightsaber move ever so slightly under her grip. Instinctively, she released her hold on the weapon. Instead of falling directly to the floor, it flew across the top of the mountain and into Skywalker's hands. She watched as the Jedi looked in wonder at the object, before fully unleashing the power inside of it.

Rey stood speechless, in awe of the sight before her. This was Luke Skywalker, the one who brought down the Empire.

It was a few more moments before either of them said anything.

Skywalker was the one who broke the silence first, "You should not have come here."

"Sir," Rey began, "I bring a message from your sister, General Organa."

"Leia," His words came out as a half-whisper. Rey could hear the pain that was so clearly evident in his voice. She could only wonder what could have happened between the two of them that could have caused so much pain. "How is she doing?"

"She needs your help, sir," Rey frowned. Being so secluded, there was so much that he did not yet know. And Rey was going to be the one who had to tell him all of it. "The Resistance needs your help. They need you to come back and fight for them."

"Fight," Skywalker said the words almost wistfully. "No, that is not something that I can do for them. Not anymore."

"But you must!" Rey cried out, "We need you. The First Order has destroyed the Republic; they are seeping into every corner of the galaxy. You are the only one who can fix this. You are our only hope."

Rey could have sworn that she heard a chuckle come from the man, "No, I am not. Not anymore."

Not anymore. What the hell did that even mean?

Rey resigned herself to sitting atop the mountain, contemplating the last words that the old man said to her. Skywalker had since disappeared somewhere else onto the island. Rey no longer cared; she truly thought that the man who she spent weeks trying to find was going to save them all. And yet, he flat out refused to help.

She failed her mission.

As the cool night are enveloped her, she built a small fire to keep warm. She would set up a small camp here tonight, and then make her way back down the mountain in the morning. As she stared into the flames, Rey closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the area around her. There was no doubt she was in an ancient, mystical place. She hoped to connect to the ancient Jedi ruins, and to get and sense of what she was supposed to do next.

"You feel a connection with this place as well," A voice broke through the silence, breaking Rey from her thoughts. "You could learn a lot from this place. I know that I have."

Rey looked up to see Luke Skywalker sitting on a ruin across from her. Her lips pursed into a frown; she did not yet know what to make the Jedi in front of her. "It does not matter. Chewbacca and I are headed back to the Resistance, soon enough."

"What is your name, child?" Skywalker asked, seemingly changing the subject.

"Rey," She swallowed as she answered.

"Rey," He repeated. She could have sworn that she saw a flicker of recognition fly across the old man's face. But he did not betray anything else, "You have a connection to the Force, Rey. Just like me."

"So it would seem," Rey mumbled, under her breath. In truth, she was still getting used to the idea of her connection with this power. It was not something that she had asked for, or ever dreamed of having. She would have been very content to live her life out on Jakku, waiting for her parents to come back for her. And yet, here she was, forced to face the fact that no one was coming to find her. And one of the people she felt the closest to was forever gone from the galaxy, murdered. And, now, Luke Skywalker was going to abandon the Resistance in their hour of need. Her life was quickly turning in to one disappointment after another.

"You have your doubts," Skywalker frowned, "I did as well,"

Rey shrugged, "I have seen what the Force can do to people. I do not know if I want to be a part of that."

"It scares you," He countered. Rey could curse him and his observant nature. "You have seen what you could become."

In her mind, Rey could see Kylo Ren. His offer to her at their last meeting played in her head. I can show you the ways of the Force.

"What is more," Skywalker continued, "You have been tempted by it."

Rey looked up at the old man. How had he known that? She had not told anyone of that feeling, that temptation upon her last meeting with him.

"You have been alone, felt different, for all of your life. And, finally, you felt a connection to someone. Someone who could help you, who was like you." Rey tried to stifle her gasp; that had been exactly how she felt about Ren. She hoped that Skywalker could not see her reaction; she did not want anyone to know that.

"He is evil," Rey mumbled as she shook her head, "He is not like me at all."

"He is not all evil," Skywalker sighed, "He does not have to be. I failed him; it is all my fault."

Rey could not stifle the snort that came out of her at that moment, "Oh, he is all evil."

"He could be brought back." The old man breathed, "I tried, but I was not strong enough."

Rey swallowed hard, "There was nothing you could have done. He is dark to the core. He killed his own father,"

"Han?" She could have sworn that she heard the old man's voice break, "He killed Han?"

Rey could feel the tears welling in her eyes, "Han Solo wanted to bring him back. He tried to tell him that he could be good again. But that – that monster did not listen. He killed his own father in cold blood."

"Leia," Skywalker whispered; Rey barely heard him calling his sister's name. She could see the pain in his eyes. The longing to make things right with the sister he abandoned so long ago. Rey wondered if there was some way that she could use that to convince him to come back with him.

"She needs you, sir," Rey pleaded with him. "Come back with me, and help us to fight."

"I would only make things worse. I have failed as a Jedi Master,"

"I don't know if that is true or not," Rey replied, sighing, "I don't even know how much of this Jedi stuff I even believe right now. But I know that there are a lot of people out there that are looking to you. Just for some glimmer of hope in this god-forsaken galaxy. If you run away, and hide from them, they will lose their own will to fight. And only then you will have failed,"

Author's Note: Well, there you are! Please let me know what you think.

Also, I know this chapter is rather short. As the story picks up though they will get longer!