A Lesson to Learn

Chapter 23

Hux sighed, murmuring about asking Rey about it later before he stepped forward to them. "All we need is for Rey to think of a place so I can mold a meeting place out of it and then we'll be on our way. It can be anywhere you want, Rey. Maybe somewhere you know or somewhere you've only seen in movies. Oh, and we'll need to hold hands. Sorry, brother mine, I know how much you loathe touching an underling," Hux explained, sarcasm dripping from his voice at his last comment.

Rey smirked, shaking her head at their banter before she grabbed each of their hands and closed her eyes, thinking of where she wanted to go. She felt a rush of air, a tingle at the base of her skull and then a sudden jerk, her stomach feeling as if she were going down a big drop from a roller coaster.

"Open your eyes, Rey, we're here."

***

Rey opened her eyes, recognizing the scene as the cliffs of Ahch-To, a place her family had visited when she was younger and her mother was still around. A time when they had all been happy and together before she got sick.

"It feels so real," Rey murmured, feeling the salty breeze sprinkle in her face.

"It is real... kind of," a feminine voice called to her from behind.

Rey whirled around, not having expected anyone else to be here yet, coming face to face with a petite woman with her graying brown hair in an elegant updo complete with a braided crown of sorts and a braided bun at the back. Rey wondered briefly what her complex hairdo meant, but didn't dare to voice it out loud, wanting to speak as little as possible in case her mouth got her in trouble.

"It's a sign of my status," the woman spoke, answering her unasked question. "Don't worry, Rey, I won't find your questions offensive. In fact, I find it endearing that you're curious about the immortal world... it's interesting that you've only been drawn in rather than turned away, especially given everything you've found out in such a short time. Leave it to my only son to mess things up this badly and still somehow have it work out for him."

"Hi to you, too, mom," Kylo sighed, exasperation clear in his voice. "Great to see you after such a long time. Glad you've decided to be subtle instead of scaring away my girlfriend by reading her mind."

"Don't be rude, Kylo. You know I don't deal with humans that are alive that often anymore - that's why we have angels. Forgive me for being rusty, dear," the woman scoffed at her son before turning back to Rey and stepping towards her, offering a hand. "My name is Leia, but I suppose your kind knows me as God."

Rey gave her hand to the small woman, feeling overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time, weary of her thoughts lest she be outed by her traitorous inner ramblings again. "H-hi, hello. I'm Rey," she finally spit out, accepting Leia's hand.

Rey stumbled forward when Leia pulled her into a hug, thrown into a state of confusion for a second before she returned the hug, arms coming to wrap around her. Leia had a strong grip, holding her tight before pulling back to look up at her.

"So, you're the one that stole my son's heart, hmm? The mortal who happened to break his eternity-long streak of being single, even when I sent him my best angels and demons?" Leia laughed, searching her face.

Leia looked down for a moment and then looked back up at Rey's face. "You're not pregnant are you? Am I finally getting children?" she whispered, her tone teasing.

Rey's jaw dropped and she started to stammer out that that wasn't the case before Leia burst out laughing again. "Don't worry - I would know immediately if that was the case. I'm God, remember?!"

Rey was left in a state of whiplash as Leia pulled away from her, making her way to her son whom she forced to bend down to give her a hug, tugging on his ears and commenting on the length of his hair, grumbling about always hiding his ears. Kylo groaned and pushed her away playfully before leaning over to give her a tighter hug, kissing her cheek and whispering, "Missed you, mom. Thanks for meeting us."