Tendril | Kylo Ren x Reader

xxxviii. no one really is gone

A faint gasp left the parted lips of Leia, her focus instantly turning away from what she had been doing as she felt as if something was torn away from her. Just like when she lost Han.

Looking off into the distance, as if searching for whatever it was she had lost, Leia's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She knew what it was. Who it was. "Ben..." She whispered, voice faltering.

Feeling her legs tremble as she tried stabilizing herself on the panel she had been standing by, she only fell to her knees as she clutched her chest. The pain in her heart, it was far worse than what she had felt for Han.

"Leia?" Poe called out at the sight of her collapsing, rushing to her side and kneeling before her. "Leia, is everything alright?" He frantically asked as she stared off, eyebrows scrunched up as tears began to slip, one by one.

"It's time..." She muttered, looking Poe in the eyes as his eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

Getting a hold of her hand and helping her to her feet, Poe rested his free hand on her back. "Leia, what is it? What happened?" He asked, only to see the tears become more apparent. Looking at his surroundings at those looking at either of them, he quickly pulled her away to somewhere more private.

That's when she let it out. All the pent up pain and sadness. All the heartbreak she had felt all those years. The loss and fear. The fading hope. Ben was gone, and this time, for good. "I've lost Ben..." She cried. "I've lost him... For good." Shaking her head, feeling her body tremble, Poe pulled her to his chest. He knew exactly what she meant.

Rushing over to where the two bodies now lied, Luke fell to his knees beside Kylo—Ben... his nephew. "No... no. This was not how it was supposed to go." Luke shook his head, panicking. The two of you were meant to live, to find your freedom. To be away from the cruel grip the darkness had.

The two of you weren't supposed to die on him... or anyone. You were supposed to bring Ben home. The last hope. The one who could give him that last push into realizing where he had belonged.

Safe with his family.

Not out in the vastness that was death.

Eyeing the two of you, Luke forced either of you on to your backs, the incisions the lightsabers made making him cringe. Blinking as tears had filled his eyes, Luke shook his head. He couldn't let this go, not so easily. He had to do something. Try something.

"Master Skywalker..." Rey spoke up, standing from her spot after gaining her breath. But Luke didn't answer. He was focusing all his energy on either of you. All his Force on to the two of you. "Luke..."

Gritting his teeth as he reached out into the Force, exerting every ounce of energy within him, he took in deep breaths. Sweat trickling down his forehead as his tears slipped down his cheek.

Realizing just what he had been doing, the Force that was fading away from him, Rey reached out. "Master Skywalker, you are hurting yourself!" She shouted but he snapped his head in her direction with a shout.

"This is the least I could do!" The tears in his eyes caused Rey to swallow as she took a small step back, watching as he turned his head back down. He was transmitting every bit of his energy into either of you and it was becoming too painful for Rey to watch. "Please... Please come back."

Watching with fear in her eyes, Rey's eyebrows furrowed at the sight, the way Luke begged and cried out. "Master Skywalker..." She gently spoke, voice shaking at the fear of losing him. Just about to walk towards him once again, three lone figures appeared. All glowing in blue.

"Has come... his time has." The shortest one had spoken, Rey faintly remembering him to be Yoda.

"There has to be another way..." She shook her head. "He's killing himself!"

"A life for a life. Force resurrection is a rare ability... And Luke is doing what he knows is right." The second Force ghost—Obi Wan—said as Rey shook her head again.

"I- I can't let him-"

"Luke saved me... and he will save them." Anakin said. "He's putting them before himself."

"Master Skywalker... Please..." Rey begged, feeling his life Force slowly slipping away.

Taking in heavy breaths, fighting through the ache of his body and against the desire to stop, Luke felt Kylo's—Ben's—Force slipping back. A faint grin on his lips as he felt his nephew come back to him. "I'm bringing you home..." Luke whispered.

Seeing the wound heal, Kylo woke in confusion, flinching in his spot as he yelled out, "Y/N!" Heavily breathing as he sat up, Kylo looked down at his stomach, then the hilt of his lightsaber, only to see Luke right beside him.

Realizing what he had been doing, Kylo latched onto Luke's shoulders. "S- Stop! Stop, you're killing yourself!" He shouted, getting a hold of his uncles arms and pushing them down as Luke tried forcing him away. "Luke, stop!"

"I don't care." Luke shook his head. "I need to do what's right. I've saved others from the corruption before... I won't fail to do it again."

"Luke... Please..." Kylo begged, his tears resurfacing at the sight of his uncle, at the feel of his Force fading away. "Please, stop. She's gone..."

Falling weak and holding himself up, Rey only rushed over and got a hold of Luke. "Master Skywalker..." She breathed, eyeing him, only to feel a tear slip.

Turning his attention over to you, he sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry... I failed her..." He spoke in a hoarse voice. Reaching his hand out, Kylo only grabbed onto it.

"N-no, you didn't. You didn't fail anyone. You never did." Kylo shook his head.

Looking up to his nephews eyes, no longer seeing the corrupted pair, but the ones he once remembered from when he was a little boy, Luke pulled him down and whispered in his ear. "Please return to your mother... She's paining and... she still loves you."

Swallowing as Kylo's eyebrows vibrated with how tight they were scrunched up, his grip on Luke's hand tightened. Leia was still alive. She was breathing. She was out there somewhere...

Nodding his head as he looked down at Luke, tear stained skin reflecting off of the binary sunset, Luke smiled and spoke once more. "Tell her, I was right... No one really is gone." At that, he disappeared from Rey's grip, leaving his robe behind.

〉〉〉〉

A/N

One of the few ways I'd want Luke to die: saving Ben, of old age, or because he was protecting Leia...

Thanks for reading! Votes and comments are appreciated!

〉 Nic