What Could Have Been

One Shot. This takes in the elevator before Rey and Ben go before Snoke with some added thoughts between the two and the end before they part ways. Spoilers if you haven't seen TLJ. Reylo.

I do not own Stars Wars

I do not own LucasFilms

All of this belongs to Disney and LucasFilms.

If I owned any of them I would be on a beach for the rest of my life.

Rey stood still looking at the door to the elevator wondering what she was going to see on the other side. Her hands were cuffed and Kylo Ren had her lightsaber. Maybe this was a mistake; maybe she shouldn't have come here. But the tension in this small space was massive. The last time these two were this close, physically this close she had slashed his face with a lightsaber. They hated each other. But now, she didn't know what to feel or how to feel about him. Everything has changed in the last several days. But someone had to break the silence and realize these few days; the shared Force experience was real.

"You don't have to do this." Rey finally spoke. Kylo heard it but continued to look beyond the elevator doors. It wasn't a plea or begging just more of a 'hear me out.' "I feel the conflict in you," Rey slightly turned, not facing him fully. Ben continues to ignore her or at least tries. "It's tearing you a part." She sounded almost sad for him. Rey then finally turned all the way around. Kylo seemed to be in this trans standing there and staring off into something she could not see. "Ben," She called his real name.

Kylo's eye that were fixed on the door shifted hearing his name, his true given name. He looked slightly down seeing Rey stepping towards him.

"When we touched hands I saw your future." She sounded almost joyful, hopeful for him. "Just a shape of it but solid and clear." She then got closer and he stayed still. "You will not bow before Snoke." She declared that to him. "You'll turn," Her voice dropped softly sounding as if there was a resolve, clarity. "I'll help you." She offered to him hoping he would take her up on that offer. "I saw it." Her voice was still a whisper. Kylo or Ben, now he wasn't sure what to be called at least by her, looked into her eyes. Rey looked into his and they held his soul and what demons he's fighting. His face was pale and he looked exhausted.

Just then the elevator stopped. Rey turned around feeling her heart pounding. But she noticed they were in between levels. She then turned back to face Ben. He looked scared and confused. That conflict was rising and she realized he couldn't go before Snoke like this. Rey stepped closer to him as he straightens up trying to gather himself. She then lifted her bounded wrists and hands up to his face. Her fingertips traced his face and just like in the hut she could feel him.

"Let me help." She was still in a whisper. She felt she could free him and save him. She looked at him and Ben stepped closer and leaned in hesitantly like when he reached for her hand. Rey stood there feeling her heart pounding. The gap closed between them and their lips just touched. When she touched hands to him it was like this electric shock but this, this was more than that. He pressed just a little closer to her and even gently placed his hands to her cheeks.

The moment was quick as he pulled away looking at her.

"I saw something to, and because of what I saw I know you'll be the one to turn. You'll stand with me." Ben sounded confidant in that statement while Rey felt a little shaken. She wanted to stand with him but how? But she felt something, he was talking to her through his feelings. His eyes and face were speaking to her. She was trembling just a little. "Rey," She looked back to him. "I know who your parent's are." She then felt the elevator move again as she stepped closer to the door knowing they were nearing their destination. Ben's gaze was now fixed on her but it wasn't this intense glare, it was something else.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened as Rey turned around seeing Snoke down the way. She then felt Ben take her arm as he ushered her to his Master.

Rey was forced to her knees and felt her whole body tighten up. She was then spun around facing Ben. Ben reached for his lightsaber and stood up as she watched him.

"I know what I have to do." He declared and Rey felt the hot tears stinging her eyes. She felt like bursting out into tears.

"Ben," Her whisper was a plea as Ben stared at her, stoic, unmoving and in silence. It was all a lie as he held out his saber to her, his thumb on the button. She could hear Snoke talking but she wasn't listening. She started to fall into her own sadness and her own despair. She was going to die and no one was going to be able to save her. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to find a good memory to hold onto before the end.

Ben watched as Rey closed her eyes and when she opened them he saw tears. He wanted to tell her everything but inside cloaked from his long time tormentor he kept repeating 'keep your eyes on me.' He then flicked his fingers and Rey heard the lightsaber ignite and she closed her eyes, as that's all she could do. But in an instant her body was released and she fell to the floor. She looked up seeing the legacy lightsaber cut through Snoke and then it came flying back to her. She held up her hand taking it and slowly got up while keeping her eyes on Ben.

Ben stepped closer to her as she continued to look at him. Then she could see the red glow of his saber against his face and on his face there was a faint smile. Rey nodded and he got closer as they turned to be back to back and to now fight off the guards.

Ben held back the weapon as much as he could but he was choked too.

"Ben!" He heard his name and saw that Rey threw her lightsaber to him. In a quick reflex Ben reached out catching it and ignited it right into the guard's face. The weapon and the choke hold let up as Ben got up. He saw Rey across the way and she was just as much fixated on him as he was with her. Ben tossed the weapon away and Rey looked almost lost at what just happened. Ben then walked over to her as she stood there letting tears falling. Ben reached out and pulled her in close. This time it wasn't soft or timid. They crashed their lips into one another's. Ben dropped the lightsaber so he could pull in closer. His hands grabbed her cheek and neck and Rey's wrapped around his waist sliding up his back. The kiss was intense and almost desperate.

It was in the moment, this passion that has been building. He wanted to tell her that he was going to kill Snoke but he had to put some sort of shield up. If Snoke even sensed a hint that he cared about her, thought about fighting against him then both of them would be dead. It was all based on chance and they won. Rey then pulled herself a little closer to him letting the kiss last.

They finally pulled away and then embraced one another. It was a tight and comforting embrace. They could have died in this, one or both of them. But they pulled off the impossible, together. Rey buried her heading into the crook of his neck letting everything calm down for them near death situation. Ben held her a little closer feeling his racing heart slowing down now. The adrenaline was wearing down as they relaxed.

Rey then rested her head on his shoulder she felt like she did it, she saved Ben Solo. But then her eyes flashed opened seeing the Resistance fleet or what was left of it still getting picked off. Rey then pulled away from his embrace and Ben felt it. He was in absolute peace and it was disappearing. He felt Rey pull away and he opened his eyes seeing her run to the window. As he watched her he got a glimpse of the throne and of Snoke. It hit him and hit him hard; he just killed Snoke.

Snoke tortured him, manipulated him for a long time. He killed his own father for him, turned his back on everything and everyone he loved for the promise of power. Han was right, Snoke wanted him for his powers and he would be killed in the end when Snoke felt that he was no longer needed. He was pawn in this. Killing Snoke though did not bring back his father and he felt that maybe it should. Standing there looking at his abuser, his oppressor he then felt lost. There was nothing to guide him now whether it was good or bad. He now felt…lost. What was he going to do? If the Order finds out what has happened here? Now what?

"Ben?" He came back to the reality still looking at the throne. There was one way to end this, obliterate the past all of it.

"It's time to let old things die." Ben declared, that's how this was going to go.

Rey woke up with a pounding headache and she had to let her vision clear. She rolled over and sat up slowly. Something wasn't right though; the ship felt like it was falling. She looked out the window seeing debris floating. Rey stumbled a bit as she got up and looked around. The room was darker, sparks would fly around, the lights flickered. She looked around and across the way she saw Ben on the ground.

"Ben!" She raced to him and rolled him over. He didn't move and she checked, he was still breathing. Rey relaxed for a moment and looked around. She needed to leave and on the ground saw the lightsaber in two. She then looked back to Ben and the tears fell again. She leaned in resting her head to his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," She whispered to him. "I can't stay," She continued to rest her head their. "I'll come back for you." She then leaned in and placed a gentle kiss to his cheek. She got up slowly taking one more moment to look at him. This maybe one of the last times she sees him.

Ben felt it and looked up. Rey was standing before him. She felt so close that he wanted to reach out to her. Her look was of pain. They could have had something. The memory of them embracing and kissing, that could have lasted. They may have had future. But they felt betrayed by one another. She was supposed to stand with him, they were supposed to rule together. He was supposed to turn to the light again. The ramp then closed and he couldn't see her anymore. Ben looked down to the dice; his father's dice and they disappeared. He went from kneeling to sitting alone. They could have had more; they could have been something. He felt like lashing out but what was he going to lash out at? This was his mistake.

Rey sat there looking at the broken lightsaber and felt the tears run down her cheeks. Luke was gone and she didn't save Ben. She failed him. Now what will she do? Just then she looked up seeing Leia there and no matter what Leia always seemed hopeful like now. She wanted to tell Leia what happened with her and Ben but would that break Leia? Her son turned back to the light, he did turn, he was Ben Solo even for a moment. And Rey got to see him, truly see him and see him go, it hurt. But are people ever really gone?