*A/N – Yes, I have recently been binging on ST:TNG and "Darmok" is one of my favorites :)

Temba, his arms wide, y'all.

If you were a previous follower, I have substantially edited the last 6 chapters - the story ends up in the same place, but how they get there has been expanded.

Rey sat on the bed her small chamber. She was lost in her thoughts, watching the system's twin suns set through her tiny window. She couldn't stop reliving the events of the last days, picking over what had gone wrong and what she should have done differently. Her hands absently toyed with the remains of the destroyed lightsaber, occasionally fitting the two pieces together. They fit perfectly, but they would never be joined again. She had not felt Kylo Ren's presence with her since she had closed the door on the Falcon. And that was how she thought of him now. Ben Solo was gone. A tear slipped down her cheek.

The Resistance, now down to just a handful of fighters, fled to the outer rim planet of Dactar, in the Tanagra* system, and had holed up in a tiny, abandoned Rebel outpost that only General Organa had known about. Much like the Crait base, it was supplied with outdated communications equipment and rusting munitions. But the power generators were still working, and the provisions were still good, so at least they were sheltered, warm, and fed.

She hadn't even realized she had slipped into sleep until the comm panel in her chamber beeped. It was deep night now.

"Rey?" It was Poe Dameron.

She sat up, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, yawned and stretched before she answered.

"Yes?"

"General Organa wants to see you" he said.

She sighed. "I'll be right there". She stuffed the pieces of the broken lightsaber under her pillow and headed for the medical bay. Everywhere she looked she saw sadness. They were all prepared for mourning. The blast that had sent the general into the vacuum of space had taken a serious toll. While she briefly rallied during the escape to Crait, she lost consciousness on the Falcon shortly after giving Chewie the coordinates for the Rebel base, and had been taken directly to the medical bay on their arrival on Dactar. Her condition was critical and the outdated medical equipment and supplies were of little help. Rey steadied herself for a moment before entering. Poe was at General Organa's side, holding her hand. She looked so pale and fragile. Her vitality and strength were fading. Poe smiled at Rey and gently shook General Organa's shoulder.

"Rey's here" he whispered.

General Organa opened her eyes and smiled weakly.

"Rey" she whispered. "Come here. I need to speak with you. Poe, can you give us a few minutes?"

"Of course" he said, and he gave Rey an encouraging smile and her arm a gentle squeeze as he left.

Rey sat in the chair Poe had vacated.

"General Organa" she began.

The general raised her hand and stopped her.

"Please call me Leia" she said.

"Leia" Rey began again, but Leia stopped her again.

"I know that I don't have much time," She spoke so softly, Rey had to strain to hear the words over the chirps, clicks, and whirrs of the medical equipment.

"Rey, I need you to tell me about my son. What happened on Ahch-To and on the Supremacy. Poe read me the report, but I need to know what you saw."

Rey's eyes filled with tears. She took Leia's hand and began to speak.

"I saw him, Leia. On Ahch-to. Not Kylo Ren. Ben. He was there, somehow. The first time, I didn't know what was happening. It was morning and I had just woken up. I heard something – breathing that wasn't mine. When I looked, I could see him, as clearly as I see you now, sitting across from me. I was so startled; I grabbed my blaster and shot him!" Leia chuckled.

"But he wasn't really there. I just managed to blow a hole through the hut. The next time, was in the rain. I was under the Falcon, listening to the sound of it, and again it got silent, except for his breathing. I turned and saw him. He said the Force was connecting us, but neither one of knew why. He asked if Luke told me what happened the night he destroyed the temple. I said 'I know everything I need to know.' I called him a monster, and he told me that he was. " She was crying again. It was so hard to tell Leia these things.

"The next evening, it happened again. I have never been able understand what he did at Starkiller base. So I asked him why he hated his father." She hesitated. Was it right to tell Leia all of this? Leia's thumb stroked her hand, letting her know it was all right. She wanted to hear this."Why he killed Han."

"He said," she paused to take a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "He said he didn't hate his father, but the past had to die, 'Kill it if you have to. It's the only way to become what you were meant to be' he said. Then he asked me if Luke had told me what happened the night he destroyed the Jedi temple. I told him that I knew everything. But, I didn't. He told me…" another pause. She was about to tell this dying woman that her brother had tried to kill her son. The words stuck in her throat.

"I know what happened, Rey" Leia managed to say. "Luke told me the truth."

Rey could only nod, and continued.

"The last time, our connection felt so natural. I needed it so badly. That day, I had explored the dark cave on the island, looking for answers. I knew it was not the right thing to do, but Luke was always so distant; he pushed me away every time I tried to find answers. There seemed to be no other way. In that dark place, I found nothing, only more confusion. It seemed that I would never find anything I was seeking. I felt so lost and alone. When I returned to my hut, I sat by the fire, trying to get warm, feeling like the only person in the galaxy, and then there he was. Ben. He took one look at my face and sat down in front of me. All he said was 'Tell me' and it all poured out. He listened to me, heard my fears, and then he said…."

She broke off, tears coming faster at this memory.

"He told me I wasn't alone. And for the first time, I felt that I wasn't. He was so sincere. I have been so confused since I felt this thing in me awakening, I finally felt that someone understood, and wanted to help me. At the same time, I felt his pain and conflict, his loneliness. I said, 'Neither are you' and offered him my hand. He took off his glove and reached out to me, so slowly, like a frightened animal. But he did reach out and he touched my hand. Just for a moment. And in that moment, I saw his future! As clearly as I see this room. I saw him turning back to the light. Leia, I was with Ben that night, not Kylo Ren. And I believe it was Ben I was connecting with every time. That Ben was still there. He could be saved. That's why I left and went to the Supremacy. I knew I could bring him back. And when I was kneeling before him in Snoke's chamber, desperately afraid that I was breathing my last breaths, I looked into his eyes and I saw Ben. I knew he wasn't going to harm me. But it was still such a shock when he killed Snoke. Then we killed the guards. We flowed together as one in that battle. It was glorious Leia, you should have seen it! I've never experienced anything like that." Rey's face glowed with the excitement of that memory, and then fell again.

"When it was over, and I caught my breath, I was convinced that I had done it, that I had brought Ben back! But then…."

She stopped. She didn't think she would ever be able to bring herself to tell anyone the things he had said; about her parents, about her, that she was nothing; but not to him. Her voice became a husky whisper, choked with tears.

"It wasn't real. He still wanted the power the dark side offered. And he wanted me to join him. I failed him…..and you." Her head dropped in shame.

Leia squeezed her hand.

"Rey" she whispered. "You were closer to my son than I have been in so long. And you didn't fail him. Many others had failed him long before you. His father, Luke, me. This was not your doing. But it gives me hope that after all this time, Ben is still there. Thank you for trying. It means everything to me. Can I ask you to do one more thing for me?"

Rey enthusiastically nodded, tears flowing freely now.

"Please don't give up on my son the way the rest of us did. As long as you feel Ben is still there, there is hope. And one day, you will tell him I'm so sorry that I wasn't the mother he needed and that I always loved him. I know you will have the chance."

"Leia, you don't understand! Ben is gone! There is no hope for him!" Rey protested.

"Rey, hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you see it, you'll never make it through the night."

Leia closed her eyes and a single tear rolled her cheek. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Rey watched in awe as a slight glow seemed to envelope Leia. The hand Rey was holding faded away to nothing. The blanket held the shape of her body for for a split second before falling back to the bed.

Leia Organa; princess, rebel, general, friend, wife, mother, the heart and soul of the Resistance, was gone.