CHAPTER 27- EPILOGUE

Three weeks had passed since the Battle of Naboo. It would join the long list of milestones in the history of the galaxy, like the battle of Yavin, or that of Endor, which had led to the victory of the defenders of freedom against tyranny and dictatorship.

Almost the entirety of Hux's fleet had been destroyed. After the explosion, the Allied vessels had returned to the battlefield to find only floating debris and a few survivors in damaged escape pods. Some had managed to flee. But it didn't matter.

The Resistance and its supporters had triumphed. Hearts were now filled with joy and hope, and the inhabitants of the galaxy had celebrated victory as it should be.

The airstrip of Haven was teeming with people. Maintenance teams were busy inspecting the starfighters ready to take off, pilots were discussing the next trips to be made, and groups of refugees were arriving aboard the ships made available by the Galaxy New Alliance.

Arbra had truly become a planet of asylum for all those who had suffered the abuses of the First Order or who had seen their worlds destroyed. Former slaves were now free, stateless people here found land ready to welcome them, and all of them rejoiced at the rout of Hux and his army.

Going down the shuttle ramp, Rey saw Poe waiting for her near the base entrance. When she was finally in front of him, the two rebels stared at each other for a long time without moving.

"He wasn't there, was he?" Poe finally asked.

There was no animosity in his voice, no cynicism. His gaze was even compassionate.

Rey lowered her eyes and tightened her grip on the strap of the bag she was carrying over her shoulder.

"No, he was not there," she sighed.

Poe then took a step towards her and put her hands on her arm. "I'm sorry."

The young woman knew that the pilot was sincere. Ben's contribution to the fall of the First Order had changed many things. And even though most people still thought that what he had done as Kylo Ren was unforgivable, Poe had revised his judgment.

On Naboo, just after the explosion, Rey and Leia had been on their knees on the floor for long minutes, sobbing in each other's arms, thinking that this time they had lost Ben for good.

And then a gleam had shone in the Darkness.

A signal, a pulse…

Rey had felt his signature, tenuous but very present, through the Force. Leia had felt it too. The two women had stopped crying and looked at each other in dismay. Then the bond had opened, and Rey's heart had started to beat again.

"I'm fine, Rey."

Ben's deep voice had echoed in her mind, distant but reassuring. Just three words, covered by the rebels' cries of joy all around her, and then there had been silence again in her head.

Back on Arbra, Rey had to wait three days before the Millennium Falcon came back with Chewie alone at the controls. His friends had wanted to know what had happened and the Wookiee had told them what he remembered.

He and Ben had managed to escape the blast. The enemy warships had been disintegrated one after the other behind them while the cargo ship was hurtling away at sublight speed in an attempt to take shelter. Once out of danger, Ben had turned to him, looked him straight in the eye and then ... Everything had gone black. Chewie had woken up in the co-pilot seat, in a small spaceport on Triffis. Solo had disappeared, but on the dejarik table, the Wookiee had found enough money to buy the parts needed to repair the freighter. After the hyperdrive and damaged circuits had been put back into working order, Chewie had returned to base.

Ben had always said he would never come to Arbra. Rey therefore understood why he had acted this way, and so did Leia. The fate of the former Supreme Leader was already a source of heated debate within the Galaxy New Alliance. Where was the real Kylo Ren now? Was he dead? Hidden somewhere? A bounty had been put on his head, but in the end, few people knew that he was actually Ben Solo.

Ben Solo…who had saved Naboo. Who had saved millions of lives… after being a monster for so many years. But no one, except those who were on Naboo that day and Poe Dameron, should be made aware of this fact… Leia had asked them to keep the secret. And they had all promised her to do so.

One of the rebel pilots arrived behind Poe, announcing to him that his transport shuttle was ready to take off and then hastening back to the runway.

"Are you leaving?" Rey asked, a little surprised.

"Yes, I'm going to Coruscant. It's been decided that our first meeting will be held there."

The leaders of the different systems had finally come to an agreement. With the fall of the First Order, the galaxy needed new rules, and there were even plans to create a third Republic.

"So you have become a diplomat, Poe Dameron," the young woman joked.

The pilot then laughed. "It would appear so ... Even if I always feel more comfortable flying an X-wing than being in the middle of a bunch of senior officials and politicians!"

The two rebels laughed together again and then exchanged a last look. A warm look, full of respect and mutual admiration. The quarrels were forgotten.

"Don't worry, Rey, I'm sure he's waiting for you somewhere."

"Thank you Poe," the young woman whispered, hugging him tightly.

OooooO

When she entered the dining hall, everyone turned their head towards her. People still looked at her as if she were exceptional, but that didn't bother her anymore. She even smiled when someone waved at her.

When she saw Finn and Rose talking quietly at the back of the room, she hastened to join them.

"Rey! You came home!" Rose exclaimed, while Rey sat at their table, her face closed.

Rose understood immediately that the news was not good.

"OK, so he was not on Triffis. That was to be expected," Finn started in a bantering tone.

The technician castigated him with a glance before taking Rey's hand in hers.

"You should go to Naboo, maybe he's there with Leia?"

After discovering that Ben was still alive, Rey had waited patiently for him to contact her. She had hoped he would do it quickly, to tell her where he was so she could find him. But he hadn't. So she had decided to look for him, starting with Triffis.

Before she'd left the base, Leia had come to say goodbye and announce her upcoming departure for Naboo. This time, the rebel princess had indeed decided to hand over the reins of leadership to the young generation. Poe and Larma d'Acy had been designated as the new leaders, and the general had warmly congratulated them. Larma had shed a tear as she hugged her friend affectionately, while Poe couldn't help but sniff when the one he admired more than anyone had whispered in his ear "I'm proud of you, Dameron." Then Leia had left, making Rey promise to come see her as soon as she found Ben.

"Do you really think Leia wouldn't have told Rey if he was on Naboo?" Finn retorted.

The brunette frowned and threw her fist into the ex-stormtrooper's shoulder.

"Ouch! Hey! I'm still recovering!" the young man protested, rubbing his arm.

"You've been out of the bacta tank for over a week, Finn! So stop acting like a baby, and let's try to help Rey find Ben!"

"I hate to tell you both this, but I think Ben obviously doesn't want to be found," he replied. "And I can understand that. Here, opinions are divided on what to do with Kylo Ren. Many would love to see him languishing in one of Coruscant's prisons, or even worse. I'm sorry, Rey …"

"And you? Are you ready to forgive Ben Solo?" the scavenger asked, feverish, looking in turn at Finn and Rose.

Rose nodded shyly as Finn lowered his eyes.

They were trying with all their might to forget, to ignore everything that Kylo/Ben had done. And the young woman's throat tightened.

"He did horrible things, Rey, and even if I know that he was under the influence of the Dark side and Snoke, that there are extenuating circumstances and that he changed, you'll have to give us time… But he saved all of us on Naboo, so that's already a point in his favor." The young man finally raised his head and offered his friend a sincere smile. He put his hand on her arm, and the anxiety that had not left Rey for several days subsided a little.

The discussion between the three young people then continued, and Rey learned from Finn that several First Order facilities had been dismantled. Inside the enemy computers, the allies had found a wealth of information concerning the slaves but also the stormtroopers, their families and their native planets. Finn would have the chance to learn more about his past, and he also hoped to be able to help other boys and girls like him who had been forcibly recruited, deprived of childhood, and turned into cannon fodder in a war that was ultimately not theirs. And what should be done with the captured soldiers? Was it possible to open their eyes too, just as he had opened his own that day on Tuanul? Finn wanted to believe it, and Rey really wanted him to succeed.

"What are you going to do now about Ben?" he finally asked the scavenger.

Rey stared at an invisible point in front of her before answering.

"I'll continue searching for him."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Rose proposed with a sincere smile on her face.

Rey squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"Thank you, Rose, but I have to do this alone."

"Will you still come back to see us when you find him, after the two of you have set up house in a small cabin in the woods and had a bunch of children?" Finn's tone was ironic but his eyes were filled with tears. He knew very well what the next departure of his friend meant.

Laughter and discussions were in full swing all around them. Cova Nell and C'ai were teasing each other at the next table, and Kaydel, Jenx, and a dozen other technicians were toasting for the hundredth time to victory, brandishing their coffees. Rey smiled as she watched all these people who'd become dear to her heart. Her eyes were also a little too shiny now.

"To see my family, I will always come back."

OooooO

She had not really missed the iodine-charged air and breezy wind of the island, nor had she missed the drizzle and the fog. Finally arriving at the top of the stone staircase, Rey turned to admire the view once again. The gray and raging sea was sending its roaring waves crashing against the cliff. The steep green slopes of Ahch-To were darkening along with the sky. A storm was brewing.

The sanctuary was a simple stop on her journey. She had promised herself to come back after Luke's death, and now she was standing at the entrance to the temple, with the holocron in one hand and the Jedi books stored in the big bag hanging from her shoulder.

She then advanced inside the mountain. The room was still so dark, light barely filtering in through the opening overlooking the horizon to illuminate the mosaic covered with water. Realizing that she had never taken the time to really examine it, Rey looked down to admire the sitting cross-legged figure on the ground. A black face surrounded by white and a white face surrounded by black. Light and Darkness, inextricable, and which had no reason to be one without the other.

Then the young woman's gaze went to the rock at the end of the promontory. It was there that she had settled for Luke to give her her first lesson. And it was there that the Jedi Master spent his last moments among the living. She wondered if Skywalker could see her from wherever he was, and if he would return one day for her, in his spectral form.

Maybe she could try to call him? Maybe he knew where his nephew was?

No. Not now. She had something important to do first.

A gust of wind rushed into the cave and fluttered the wild locks around her face. She shivered and closed the sides of her coat. Then she advanced towards the cliff and placed the holocron on the flat rock in front of her. The little pyramid was inert and now seemed harmless. The voice had stopped whispering, and Rey was now staring at the object with determination.

A series of lightning flashes streaked across the sky. The sound of thunder made the mountain tremble, and raindrops began to fall on her face and shoulders. Rey raised her arm to the artifact and stared at it without flinching. She felt the invisible energy of the storm over her head go down into her hand, but also the energy of the animals, grass, flowers, and water all around her. She concentrated more on channeling this flow, this essence, and suddenly, a dazzling line sprang down from the layer of clouds above the mountain. The blinding lightning descended straight onto the promontory, pulverizing the object. The blast made the young woman retreat back to the threshold, and when she looked up, in the middle of the stone slab, there were only tiny fragments of durasteel and red crystals that were carried away by the wind to be lost in the ocean.

Rey had decided to spend the night in Luke's little hut since the one she had occupied during her last stay had been destroyed by the Jedi Master.

Skywalker's belongings were still there. The Lanai guardians hadn't touched a thing.

In a small niche carved into the wall were containers closed by leather rectangles. There was also a strange object resembling a compass. Three tunics and an old brown coat had been carefully folded on the small table near the bed. That was all Luke had.

But when Rey went to the bunk to rest a little, she saw something shiny lying on the pillow—Han Solo's golden dice. Luke must have taken them in the Falcon. Seeing them, her thoughts immediately went to Ben.

Where was he? What was he doing at the moment?

She tried to open the bond again. Nothing happened.

So she put the dice back in her bag, lay down under the covers, and fell asleep.

The next morning, she entrusted the Jedi texts to the Lanais. Rey knew that the creatures were going to watch over them as they had always done for centuries. They would find another place to keep them safe. The ancestral tree was nothing more than a gigantic tangle of burnt branches and roots. But Rey felt that life was still there, in the hollow of these branches and roots, in the depths of the earth. Nothing was finished. And who knows, maybe one day a bud would sprout up and a new tree would grow there.

Maybe she would come back to see that with Ben.

Once seated at the controls of the Falcon, she retrieved Han's dice from her bag and hung them just above the dashboard. When she went to visit Leia on Naboo, she would give them to her. But for now, that's where they belonged. She then launched the takeoff sequence and entered the hyperspace coordinates for her next destination.

OoooooO

Tatooine's twin suns were slowly descending on the dunes. The air here was dry and warm; the smells were different, mineral.

From the small plateau on which she had landed with the Falcon, Rey was observing the farm of Sovan Real with her binoculars. The mother and her son were checking, one after the other, the humidity vaporizers in the small perimeter around their home. The child was playing with a stick and hopping cheerfully around his mother. They looked happy. Rey also noticed that their speeder was brand new—the harvest must have been good. The young woman smiled, happy for their good fortune.

She stopped watching and turned back to the entrance to the canyon. She adjusted her turban around her head and began her ascent to Obi-wan Kenobi's hut.

Inside the cabin, everything was intact. The two goblets and two plates were still sitting untouched in the small sink, and Ben's shirt, which she had put on when she came here, was still curled up on the bathroom floor.

Then Rey went down the few steps leading to the living room, collapsed heavily on the seat, and let herself be overcome by disappointment and sadness. She really thought he would have taken refuge here, but she was wrong again. An irresistible urge to cry overwhelmed her and she closed her eyes, burying her face in her hands to prevent the tears from flowing.

Come on Rey, come on… she castigated herself internally, taking a deep breath and raising her head.

And that's when she saw it, placed in the middle of the table in front of her. Incredulous, she delicately grabbed the little willow branch with her fingertips. How did it end up here? There were no willows on Tatooine.

Her eyes suddenly lit up when she finally realized what it meant. This branch was a message—a message for her. Ben had been there, and now she knew where to find him.

OoooooO

The few customers in the whitewashed tavern barely glanced up at her as she entered. While wandering the streets, she did not meet many people either. The village was peaceful, and she remembered finding it charming the first time she'd observed it from the heights of the mountain. Adarlon was a truly magnificent planet.

Luke's lightsaber was hidden in her bag. One of the rebels had picked it up from the royal office on Naboo, and returned it to her once on Arbra.

She'd landed her shuttle in the same place as they had when they'd first came here on board the Falcon, near the small clearing with the big willow. Then she'd gone down into the valley on foot.

She walked over to the old woman wiping glasses behind the counter, and the latter greeted her with a big smile.

"Good evening, young lady! What can I do for you?"

"Oh ... Good evening, yes, maybe you could help me. I'm looking for someone."

"You're talking to the right person! This tavern is a bit of a gathering place for all the members of the community, and I know everyone here," she replied, pointing to the group of villagers who were laughing and talking quietly in the back of the room.

"In fact, the man I'm looking for must have arrived recently. He is tall, dark-haired, with a scar on his cheek."

The old woman froze and suddenly looked at her with curiosity.

"Are you Rey?"

The scavenger's heart jumped into her throat.

"Yes, I…"

She could no longer speak, a whirlwind of emotions now preventing her from thinking clearly. Then a gleam of mischief lit up in the old woman's eyes.

"He is waiting for you there, in the house on the cliff, at the edge of the village."

Rey stammered a quick "thank you" and hurried out of the tavern.

The evening air was soft, and the white house stood out against the orange background of the sunset. Rey had run along the small stony path leading to the cliff. When she arrived in front of the small house, she was panting and her cheeks were reddened from the effort. She was so nervous. The door was wide open, and the young woman hesitated a moment before finally entering.

With a glance all around, she examined the place. It was warm and simply furnished.

On the table in the middle of the room was Ben's lightsaber. It had been dismantled, and next to the spare parts, Rey saw two white kyber crystals. Her heart raced again, and suddenly the young woman felt a familiar aura right behind her.

She dropped her bag to the floor and turned suddenly.

Ben was there, standing on the threshold.

His dark locks were a mess. He seemed to have run too. He was dressed in a light shirt and pants, and he was barefoot.

"You found me," he breathed.

"I found you," the young woman replied, trembling from head to toe.

She hardly dared to move, so overwhelmed was she by a flood of contradictory feelings. She resented him so much for leaving her like that, desperate and without news during these three interminable weeks, but she was also so happy to see him safe and sound.

But in a fraction of a second, everything was swept away as Rey threw herself forward and captured his lips with her own. She grabbed his shoulders and he hugged her tight against him, his tongue tasting hers eagerly. They were already drunk on each other, unable to stop.

"I'm sorry, really sorry," he mumbled as he kissed his way down the tender skin of her neck.

"I know, I know ..." Rey stammered. "You managed to escape the explosion …"

"I was piloting the ship which made the Kessel run in twelve parsecs," he replied, continuing to cover her with kisses.

The allusion made the young woman laugh, and her hands slipped slowly under his shirt. Ben then took a few seconds to look at her. She was finally there. Nothing could stop them from being together anymore.

Their clothes landed on the ground. When he grabbed her buttocks to lift her up, Rey circled his waist with her legs. Ben's lips met her throat and he kissed every inch of the scar that now crossed her chest. Rey squeezed his dark locks between her fingers and pulled, forcing him to tilt his head back, before claiming his mouth again. Ben then walked to the next room and lowered her gently to the bed. When they finally parted, they were both on fire. Rey slowly spread her legs so that Ben could move even closer. She'd missed so much the smell of his skin, the taste of his lips, his weight on her body… This moment was perfect, and his hard cock pressing against her core felt so good that she let out a sigh of deliverance.

Ben put his forehead on hers and slowly pushed into her as she dug her fingers into his biceps. Their hearts were beating in unison and their souls had merged.

The bond was wide open.

Ben had the most beautiful smile in the world, and Rey knew she was ready to do anything to see him smile for the rest of her life.

When Rey opened her eyes, morning rays were lighting up the interior of the house. Her hand slid across the mattress. The place next to her was empty but still warm from Ben's body.

They had made love all night. She stretched languorously before letting out a moan of contentment. She never thought she could ever feel this good one day. She was at peace, serene and fulfilled.

She got up and went to retrieve her clothes scattered in the living room. While getting dressed, she saw her stick leaning against the wall. She also discovered, on a shelf near the door, her rag doll and the brooch of her great-grandfather.

But how…

She glanced outside. Ben was sitting on the edge of the cliff, facing the ocean. He was watching the sun rise.

She hesitated for a moment before seizing the jewel and joining him outside.

Leia's son greeted her with a long sigh when she snuggled into his arms, settled between his legs, and pressed her back against his chest. She felt his budding beard rub against her cheekbone and the warmth of his body envelop her entirely. She would have stayed like this, without speaking, encircled in his embrace forever, but it was Ben who broke the silence first:

"I'm not going to Arbra with you," he whispered.

She replied with a simple nod and he continued.

"If I didn't contact you earlier, it's just because I wanted to give you time to think things through. I know that the Resistance means a lot to you. That your friends are there."

The young woman then gently stroked Ben's hand and wedged her head a little more under his chin.

"I can go back and see them whenever I want. All that matters to me now is being with you."

As soon as she said those words, Rey felt her lover's shoulders relax and his strong arms tighten around her.

"I found my belongings in the house. Did you get them from the Gungan refuge?"

Ben didn't answer right away. The sun had just emerged on the horizon.

"My mother lives on Naboo now. But you already know that."

"Yes, but how did you know that she left Arbra for Naboo? It was two weeks ago."

"She called me. Through the Force. So I went there to see her. Together, we had a lot to discuss," he added.

The scavenger didn't want to rush him. If he wanted to talk about it, he should be able to do so without constraint.

They stayed quiet a few moments, and when Rey finally turned to face Ben, she saw that a tear had run down his cheek.

Rey knew that the mother and the son still had many things to settle between them, but she also knew that everything would be fine now. Ben and Leia still loved each other deeply, and time would do the rest.

Rey smiled at him and wiped away the wetness on his face with her fingertips. Then she told him what had happened since her return to Haven.

"Two days ago, I went back to Ahch-To," she explained. "I returned the Jedi books to the Lanai guardians, and I destroyed the holocron there."

"Is there nothing left?"

"Nothing."

"Good," Ben muttered.

This time he was the one soft and tender. He replaced a strand of Rey's hair behind her ear and kissed her temple. His fingers were warm against her cheek, his presence reassuring. She took the brooch from her pocket and looked at it for a moment, sliding her thumb over the golden metal.

"I can't deny who I am and where I come from. But now I have a new family, I have you, and my future belongs only to me."

Ben remained silent. He understood so well how she was feeling. When she finally moved, he released his grip to let her get up and watched her go to face the sea. She stood still for a moment before taking a deep breath and finally throwing the jewel into the ocean.

So he got up in turn to go stand by her side and take her hand in his.

The sun was rising slowly in the sky, gradually flooding the earth with its soft light. And while the two young people were admiring the view, the serene and grave voice of Luke echoed in the depths of their hearts:

"The Force will be with you."

And across the vastness of space, Leia's voice, charged with emotion and full of hope, reached them from Naboo to punctuate her brother's words.

"Always."

THE END

Well ... It's really over this time. It's been a year since I started this fic and now that I see the word END written just above, I admit that I have a little pinch in my heart. It's ridiculous, I know. But writing this story was a real pleasure. And then you were there, girls, with your encouragement, your little words for each chapter. It was a real pleasure to have you with me throughout this journey. I can't thank you enough for your help, support and patience : Sonia, Emilie, my betas in the first place, Venice and of course you, Nancy who helped me with the translation. You were all amazing. Thank you also to all those who commented, my dear friends from the Frenching Reylo discord, and also to the silent readers, who followed this story and left kudos/reviews on FFnet, AO3 and Wattpad.

And above all, don't forget: REYLO IS CANON ! REYLO IS LIFE !