I touched darkness

Chapter thirty-eight

A few minutes after Ben had given the First Order the signal, several single fighter ships came out of hyperspace. Rey guided the ship away from the series of blasts that followed. Ben quickly calculated the jump to hyperspace and then, they were off. She slumped back in her chair, as they travelled through space at light speed. Ohanso was gone for good.

The pain in her leg began growing. Her chances of an infection were most likely very high. Her right hand lightly touched the cut that ran deep in her left arm and she winced at the slight contact.

"Let's get you patched up," Ben said, turning towards her and lightly touching her right arm.

She swatted his arm away quickly. "I'm fine!"

"Rey, let me help you," he knelt down. "Please." His eyes pleaded desperately.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm going to have to start getting used to saying no to those eyes..."

Ben walked out of the room and came back soon after with a first aid kit. He then began tending the wound on her arm.

As Ben began fixing up her arm, Rey raised her right hand and lightly touched the scar running down his cheek to his collarbone. Ben stopped working on her arm and looked up at her. Rey's eyes are trained on her hand and the scar.

"I'm sorry I did this to you..." She said, her voice filled with remorse.

"I've forgiven you so long ago, my love. The scar reminds me never to mess with you, because I know you'll put me back in my place."

She chuckled lightly at his comment. She moved her hand discreetly to the other side of his face. She then closed the gap between them, resting her forehead on his. "Still," her breath tickled his face, "I've never apologized for it." Ben's brown eyes and Rey's hazel ones were both closed. The Force moved peacefully between them.

Ben's hands were resting in her lap. His eyes still closed, he closed the gap even more, gently placing his lips on hers. The kiss was sweet and gentle. When Rey pulled away, she smiled. She removed her hand from his cheek, as he continued to tend to her wounds.

~/~/~

Finn had given Rey the coordinates to the Resistance's base and given her a special access code that only he would recognize. The codes were already entered into the computer, simply waiting for someone to press a button for them to be sent. Ben had only been able to tend to the wound on her arm. The one on her leg required much more medical attention, which they were hoping she could receive at the Resistance base.

"Rey?" Ben asked. It was practically a whisper. The entire trip after he had put away the first aid kit, he mostly stared out the window at the space around them.

"Yea?" Rey asked, slumped into her chair, with her eyes closed, trying to block out the pain.

"What are we going to do when we land on that planet?" He asked, as inaudible as the last word he spoke.

She opened her eyes and looked towards him, showing him he had her full attention. "What do you mean?" She asked, as she raised an eyebrow.

"Practically everyone in that base wants me dead and you need medical attention, Rey," his voice was slightly louder than before. "I'm not letting you leave until then," his voice slowly began to rise. "I know before the plan was to land on the planet far enough from the base, get Akilah and Anakin and then leave, but we can't do that now."

She smiled at how much he cared for her. "We'll figure it out, Ben. Just like we always do." She closed her eyes again, trying to block out the pain as best as she could and leaned back in her chair. "Like we always do," she added gently. She felt something soft touch her hand and then squeeze it lightly.

"You'll be alright, Rey. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promi..."

She didn't hear the rest of his sentence.

~/~/~

They were one parsec away from the base. Rey had begun to go in and out of consciousness. Ben had moved to the co-pilot seat as delicately as possible, without letting go of her hand.

He had sent an encrypted message to Finn, saying that the plan needed to be changed and that Rey needed medical attention fast. As much as he hated that man, he had to get along with him for Rey's sake. He had responded not so long ago, telling him to land in the base. It would be dangerous, but Finn said he'd keep everyone away.

As Ben exited hyperspace, his hand tightened around Rey's.

You'll be okay, he told her through their dyad. It had been growing weaker, but he knew she heard him.

He sent the access code and hoped that Finn was ready.

~/~/~

Ben landed the ship. He had some difficulties, since he didn't have a co-pilot, but that didn't matter. He saw Finn as he landed. His face looked desperate. Ben knew him and Rey had gone through some stuff together some time ago on Starkiller. He opened the door to the ship and heard heavy footsteps approaching.

"Come on," Finn told him. "We don't have much time before Resistance members come and find this ship."

Ben wanted to push Finn away. Never talk to him. Every single nerve in his body was telling him to do so, but he loved Rey and he had almost lost her too many times. He looked up towards Finn and locked eyes with him.

"What are you waiting for?" Finn hurried.

Ben picked Rey up gently, bridal style. Her head rested gently against his chest.

"Follow me," Finn told him.

A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I think there will be one more and then an epilogue. It's very sad to see this story come to an end...