(A/N). Hello there! And welcome to my alternate ending to The Rise of Skywalker. Although essentially, it's not an alternate ending as it doesn't change anything that happens in the movie itself. This is more like an epilogue.

Now, to be completely honest with you...I'm not the kind of guy who considers himself to be a big Reylo shipper. I always sensed the connection between the two characters, though, even way back during The Force Awakens. But even so, I can tell when something has gone wrong, as it were. And it's clear to me that the ending of The Rise of Skywalker got one major thing wrong. Ben's death. So this short story (that will be made up of two to three chapters at most) is my offering to the Reylo community, and sequel trilogy (ST) lovers as a whole. And that's one other thing that I plan to do with this short story. To unite lovers of the OT, PT and ST... Anyway, enough of my chatter. I hope you all enjoy.

Wind...the wind on her cheek. That's what Rey could feel on closing her eyes, allowing herself to experience the elements... But this wind was unlike the cool, soft, refreshing breeze that could be felt on the likes of Ahch-To, or Ajan Kloss. The wind on Tatooine was not too dissimilar to the wind on Jakku. Dry, harsh and unyielding.

Many, many, days had passed since she'd arrived on this planet... Or at least it felt that way. In truth, the days were rolling into one. She found it hard to focus, on even the simplest of matters.

Turning her gaze back towards the abandoned Lars homestead, Rey picked herself up off the ground before slowly trudging towards it. She only made it a few steps, though, when a small, beeping, chirp like sound caught her attention. Suddenly recalling that she wasn't alone, Rey turned towards the orb shaped droid. "I'm sorry, BB-8. Maybe tomorrow... It's getting late." Turning her gaze towards the setting, twin suns, Rey headed off back towards the Lars homestead.

Having been looking forward to the prospect of finally being allowed to explore the planet further, a disappointed BB-8 duly followed after Rey. Above all else, the little droid was confused. This trip to Tatooine was supposed to be a small affair. A small venture before returning home to their friends... But on arriving here...she'd changed. Having informed Finn, Poe and all the others that she wanted some time alone, Rey had set about doing...nothing. That's right. Absolutely nothing. Remaining on this planet for a while was one thing, but staying in the one place all the time? That's what was frustrating BB-8. Boredom!

Unbeknown to her droid's feelings on the matter, Rey pressed forward... On making her way down the sandy slope, she froze... There it was again. A memory? A vision? A dream she dare not dream to dream?... She wasn't sure anymore. All she knew was that it hurt. It hurt oh so very, very much... His name was just on the verge of escaping her lips (just as it had done every previous day she had spent in this abandoned place)...when she just managed to stop herself, the word merely echoing in her mind this time.

"Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben."

Rey shook her head strongly, as though willing these thoughts to leave her mind.

Beeping in both curiosity and concern, BB-8 rolled back and forward slightly.

Summoning up all the strength she could, Rey smiled softly at the droid. "I'm fine. Come on." Looking towards the ruined dining room, Rey hesitated slightly... Perhaps it was time to move on. Maybe BB-8's unspoken words were true. She was using this place as a sort of comfort blanket, in order to distance herself from the Palpatine name and draw closer to the Skywalker line. But such a thing didn't come from places, not really. Yes, the history of the Skywalker's ran deep here, but all she was really achieving in this place was finding solitude and isolation from the real world and her friends. And why?... Maybe because she wasn't strong enough to face them yet. And in recognising this, Rey found an inner strength and resolve. But it wasn't a resolve to change, merely one to give her the strength she needed to admit the absolute truth to herself... As she ran her fingertips across the tabletop, Rey finally found the courage to face herself, and BB-8...with the truth... "I'm afraid."

BB-8 let out a small, knowing beep. Suddenly, it all made sense to the droid...

"Yes," she confirmed with a sigh before quickly clarifying. "Not of who I am, but...of what my future is to be, or...what it's supposed to be now." Kneeling down on the sand, Rey leaned back against the stone wall behind her...

BB-8's posture changed slightly, the droid hanging its small head in sadness. He hated seeing Rey (or anyone he cared about, for that matter) so upset.

"I came here to find peace, closure and...acceptance." The word stuck in her throat like a blade. "But I can't." Her eyes widening slightly, Rey found herself fighting back tears. "My whole life has been one, long fight. One...huge struggle. Ever since I can remember, BB." Looking at the small droid with desperation in her voice, Rey practically begged and pleaded for an answer... "How can I be expected to go on without a fight? How can I live without that struggle, that conflict?... I don't think I can, can I? I can't do it all alone... Not without him." Finally, the tears slowly began to roll down her cheeks.

Instantly knowing who Rey was referring to, BB-8 slowly rolled forward in a vain effort to comfort her.

"For one...beautiful, glorious moment I...I was happy." Using the back of her right hand, Rey wiped away the tears. "When it was all over when...when we won...I felt...nothing. Just blackness, darkness...death... But when I opened my eyes and...he was there I...I believed. With all my heart I did..." Closing her eyes tight at the painful memory, Rey uttered her next words in a barely audible whisper. "But then he was gone... Ben Solo was no more." Unable to stop the tears from coming back, the young woman buried her face in her hands...and finally admitted the truth of her heart... "I loved him, BB-8... I did. With all my heart." Removing her hands, Rey felt the tears come forth once more. "And now he's gone... And I must go on without him."

Letting out a sad, confirmatory beep, BB-8 expressed his sympathises...

"I know." Rey found enough strength to give BB a small smile. "I know you are."

Taking this as an invitation to comfort her, BB-8 closed the remain distance between them.

Wrapping her arms around the droid, Rey leaned forward and rested her head against BB-8, trying her best to push Ben's smile from her mind. For every time she remembered it, the pain grew deeper and deeper...

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Nighttime.

The air was calm, soft...and almost comforting to the loan figure standing, observing the silent Lars homestead from a fair distance away...

This place, this planet, held many memories for this individual. And not only memories, but feelings, too. From childhood feelings of happiness and innocence, all the way to the deepest despair he'd ever experienced. For so long he had feared this place. For so long he'd feared awakening his true self within...but no longer. Not since that fateful day on which he'd made his choice, and returned to the Light.

Lost amongst his own feelings and memories, the shimmering Force Ghost very nearly forgot the very reason why he was here. But then, on hearing a familiar voice from behind him, Anakin Skywalker's thoughts immediately returned to Rey.

"She's restless tonight," the male voice said.

"She's the same way every night," Anakin responded in a tired, melancholy tone of voice...

Taking a step forward, the other Force Ghost soon sensed what had been playing on his old friend's mind... "You've been reminiscing, I see."

Anakin's failure to respond spoke volumes.

"Forgive me, old friend," the other spectre said. "I know that you experienced...a great deal of pain in this place." His gaze turned towards the Lars homestead. "But we must concentrate on the here and now, Anakin... For that is why we are here, my old apprentice."

"Yes, Master." Anakin slowly shifted his gaze towards the aged Force Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Rey is the last hope we have of rebuilding the Jedi Order, Anakin," Obi-Wan spoke in a solemn tone. "With Palpatine's evil fully eradicated from the galaxy, this is the moment. But I wonder...does she have the strength?"

"Strength?" Anakin echoed.

"To move past her...foul lineage."

"She already has, Obi-Wan." Anakin fully turned around to face his old Master. "She has embraced the Skywalker name, and I'm honoured for that... But that isn't what's weighing heavily on her mind."

Slightly angry with himself for missing the obvious, Obi-Wan sighed quietly. "Ben Solo."

Anakin gave a grim nod of confirmation before finding the strength to speak from experience. "Losing the one you love, Obi-Wan...it destroys a part of you."

"I know," Obi-Wan whispered, the expression on his face becoming thoughtful... A moment of silence passed before he added... "What can be done?"

"I don't know," Anakin replied. "I doubt the connection that we have to Rey will be strong enough for us to be perceived by her."

"And even if she could...do you think she would listen?"

"Would you listen to a young man and an old man who you'd never met before?" Anakin smiled slightly at his Master, as though feeling smug that his appearance was more youthful.

Arching an eyebrow, Kenobi closed his eyes slightly before taking a step forward. As if by magic, the long, hard years following the Jedi Purge melted away, and a more youthful looking Obi-Wan emerged. "You were saying, my old Padawan."

"Now that's just showing off." Anakin managed to suppress a small chuckle.

"Something you would know nothing about, I'm sure," Obi-Wan responded dryly.

Recalling his youthful swagger and general over-confidence, Anakin smiled. "Point taken."

Another moment of silence was just starting to build, as the two old friends both looked to the Lars homestead, lost in thought...when a familiar voice suddenly pierced their wandering minds.

"It seems like I'm the only Jedi here embracing his long years," the voice said.

Happy at the sound of his voice, Anakin and Obi-Wan both turned around to face Rey's first Jedi mentor.

His shimmering form stepping forward, the figure pulled back his hood, revealing his face. "Obi-Wan." He nodded and smiled at his old friend before looking to Anakin... "Father." With an emotional smile creeping onto his weathered features, the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker stepped forward and embraced his father.

Returning the smile, Anakin patted Luke on the back. "It's good to see you, my son."

Moved by the scene, Obi-Wan's right hand instinctively reached up to the whiskers on his face, stroking his beard while holding back as much emotion as he could...

On catching sight of the emotional looking Obi-Wan, Luke took a small step away from his father and patted his old friend on the shoulder, his eyes carefully examining Obi-Wan's now youthful looking features... Finally, he nodded with approval. "It's a good look."

"You think so?" Obi-Wan smiled.

"Yeah." He nodded again. "I mean, odd...but good."

Finally, the three Force Ghosts allowed themselves a genuine chuckle, each of them simply overjoyed to all be together, here and now in this precious moment...

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The hours seemed to roll by at an alarming rate. The night was no longer young, by any stretch of the imagination... But the hours had not been wasted. The three Jedi had crammed a lot of conversation into those hours. From mild chit-chat to the sharing of thoughts, feelings, regrets and memories... But the Force had brought them together in this moment for a reason. And very soon...they would be forced to acknowledge that.

"No, no." Obi-Wan shook his head obstinately. "As I reminded you many times, Anakin, Cato Neimoidia doesn't count."

Grinning too much to argue, Anakin conceded the point. "Very well, Master."

Observing the two of them with folded arms...Luke Skywalker could still not believe his eyes. His mentor and friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his father, Anakin Skywalker, conversing in high spirits, and both of them having been restored to how they'd looked in their younger years, before the dark days of the Empire. Merely sharing their presence in this special moment made Luke Skywalker feel blessed. And that was a feeling he had not experienced in a long time. Oh, such a very long, long time... However, as he knew in his heart...their coming together in this moment was no accident. There was a common purpose they all shared... Restoring the Jedi Order, and leading Rey towards contentment and acceptance...

Knowing his old friend well enough in order to feel and sense his thoughts...Obi-Wan looked towards Luke... "Is there hope?"

Slightly taken aback by Obi-Wan's words, Luke briefly looked to his father before looking back to Obi-Wan, a small, ghost of a smile creeping onto the fallen Jedi's lips... "Always."

Smiling at his son's words, Anakin took a deep breath before looking forward, to the Lars homestead, allowing himself to feel Rey's thoughts, feelings and emotions... On sensing the bond between her and Luke, Anakin once again smiled slightly before looking to Obi-Wan and Luke in turn. "She's like we all were at some point in our lives."

"Stubborn?" Obi-Wan said dryly.

"Yes." Anakin's smile widened slightly before he slowly got to his feet... "Luke, she will not listen to us. But you?... Yes, I believe she would listen."

Having already accepted this burden, Luke nodded grimly before also standing up, Obi-Wan promptly doing the same... Taking a deep intake of breath, the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker shook his head in slight irritation before remarking. "You know...I'm pretty sure she preferred Leia to me." He smiled slightly.

"But you're the one that's here, my son," Anakin said in a comforting tone. "There's a reason for that."

"Luke," Obi-Wan spoke softly, drawing his old friend's attention... "She will listen."

Giving Obi-Wan a faint smile, Luke slowly turned around to face the Lars homestead... He was just about to begin walking towards it when he felt a hand on his shoulder...

The moment Anakin's hand was laid upon his son's shoulder...he saw them. Within but a flash, an image of Owen and Beru Lars appeared in his mind's eye. Their burnt corpses laid on the ground, hands outstretched... Feeling ashamed that this was (indirectly) of his own-...of Vader's doing, Anakin felt a sense of shame and guilt. But knowing he had to be strong for Luke, Anakin spoke aloud his feelings... "I know what you fear, son. I know the pain that exists here for you... I have felt such pain too in this place." His thoughts briefly turning to his mother, Anakin let out a small sigh... "But you have the strength. You have the strength to do this."

Gazing into his father's eyes for a brief moment, Luke found the courage he needed before turning back to face his old home... And then, taking a single, long stride, Luke began to march towards the Lars homestead...

Observing his son drawing closer towards the entrance dome, Anakin Skywalker folded his arms, the shimmering figure of his old Master walking up behind him..

"That girl is the last hope for the Jedi Order to survive," Obi-Wan spoke in a quiet voice... "I do hope she listens."

"You don't sound so sure anymore, Obi-Wan." Anakin couldn't help but notice...

Feeling ever so slightly guilty at maybe misleading Luke, Obi-Wan cocked his head slightly and furrowed his brow... "He needed to hear it."

"You think that's why the Force drew us here this night? To give him the courage?"

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan remarked casually before suddenly realising the truth behind Anakin's words. Turning towards him, Obi-Wan smiled. "Yes, my old friend... I believe that."

"But why any of us?" Anakin briefly looked to Obi-Wan, as though crying out for answers. Quickly realising that his old Master would be unable to answer this mystery, Anakin looked forward again. "Why isn't he here?... Why isn't the one man who Rey would listen to above all others here to guide her in this moment?"

Before Obi-Wan had chance to reply...another voice spoke. It spoke with depth and commanding authority. It echoed on the wind slightly like a howl, as though the voice was trying to break through to this plain of reality.

"Some sacrifices are greater than any of us could possibly comprehend."

Despite the strangeness of it all...Obi-Wan instantly recognised the voice.

Quickly turning around, Anakin and his old Master observed the sight of a shimmering figure slowly forming into view, gradually taking a familiar shape...

"In your hearts...you know this," the voice said (now lacking its original, ghostly resonance).

Stepping forward slightly in momentary shock, Obi-Wan observed his old Master's face slowly forming into view. Oh yes, he had conversed with the fallen Jedi on other occasions. But never had he actually taken form. But on this night. On this, most special of nights...no such limitations were present... Finally, he uttered his name... "Qui-Gon?"

A smile appearing on his face, the bearded, shimmering Force Ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn smiled slightly at his old apprentice. "Obi-Wan." Slowly, his gaze shifted towards Anakin... "Ani."

Anakin remained silent for a moment and took a small, sharp intake of breath... Finally, he replied... "It's been a long time since anyone called me that. (he smiled softly on hearing Padme's voice echoing in his mind)... It's good to see you, Qui-Gon."

"You too, Ani." Qui-Gon smiled.

"How is this possible?" Obi-Wan questioned his old Master.

"As you are no doubt already aware, this night...is no ordinary night, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon looked to the both of them in turn. "This is the night on which the fate of the Jedi Order shall be decided."

"We've done all we can, Master," Obi-Wan said. "Luke is going to her now."

"Yes, and he may yet accomplish our goal," Qui-Gon responded. "But what of Rey? What of her struggle, her fight, the balance of her very being?.. Can she truly be whole enough to train a new generation of Jedi? A generation which shall be free of corruption and the Dark Side of the Force. Can she truly do this when her soul is fragmented?"

"Fragmented?" Anakin echoed, his face expressing confusion.

"Yes, Ani." Qui-Gon confirmed in a grim tone. "The reason that Ben Solo is not with us this night, the reason why he can never be at Rey's side is because of his sacrifice. A sacrifice that was so great that it has left him incapable of being able to materialise within the living world. He is not even capable of creating an audio connection. He is truly one with the Force now, in the Netherworld."

"Then how can we-"

Raising his right hand, Qui-Gon beckoned for Anakin to remain silent for a moment, as the wise, old, fallen Jedi took a few steps towards them, his tone growing ever more serious. "What if I were to tell you that hope yet remained? Not just for the Jedi order, but for Ben and Rey also... What if I were to tell you...that we could bring Ben Solo back to this world?"

Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged glances...

"What if I were to tell you...that we could bring Ben Solo back to life?"

(A/N). And so we reach the end of the first chapter. Please comment and let me know what you made of it (don't worry, I do not mind constructive criticism). I will try and get the next chapter uploaded within the next couple of weeks if I can.

All the best.

Take care and bye for now.