Spark of Hope

Chapter XIII

Rey recounted everything that had been said after he had left on sensing his mother. Hearing that the Resistance was close to launching a last-ditch effort against the First Order didn't bother him; what did was Rey's insistence that he get away before the battle, and the fact that Leia was happy about their Force Bond, and she wanted to see him.

Was this a ploy to kill him? Did Leia tell Rey what she wanted to hear? She hadn't cared about him when she sent him to Uncle Luke; why did she care now? He had killed her husband, had made her twin brother die from projecting himself across the Galaxy, had killed hundreds of her Resistance, almost killed her... How could she possibly want to see him?

Ben sat on his bed with his chin on top of his laced fingers as Rey paced. She had every right to be worried—he knew what this upcoming battle entailed: each of them was expected to lead their opposing sides and would be expected to clash. They knew this day was bound to come, but they hadn't thought so soon.

He wouldn't fight Rey—he wouldn't even pretend to fight her. She would obviously do the same because of her nervous pacing and her asking him to leave before the Resistance arrived.

But he couldn't do that. If the Resistance failed, the First Order would view his convenient departure as desertion; he'd be branded a traitor and hunted the rest of his life... and by the expert Knights of Ren. His decision to bring them on board now bit him in the ass. The First Order didn't concern him with their mediocre Stormtroopers; the Knights of Ren was a different story.

His eyes lifted to her, walking back and forth, wringing her hands the whole time with her forehead scrunched, thinking. Rey was strong, but she wouldn't be able to last long against the Knights of Ren by herself—much less without a lightsaber, too. What kind of man would he be if he let her face six Force-users of the Dark Side alone?

A pathetic coward—he wouldn't be able to call himself a man.

Rey threw her hands up as she huffed in frustration and stopped pacing. "I can't think of anything else!" She looked at Ben. "You have to leave."

An eyebrow rose. "I run while you stay?"

"Yes. I can't leave my friends defenseless. You've already said you don't care about anyone in the First Order."

He nodded. "I did, but I care about you; I can't protect you if I'm not there."

His declaration looked to throw her off-guard. Honestly, admitting his concern for her out loud caught him by surprise, too. But he had been tiptoeing around his feelings long enough—it was time she knew.

"I care about you too, Ben," she said quietly. Rey looked at him. "That's why I want you safe."

"You think I'll let you be there in danger while I hide in safety?" He shook his head. "That's not going to happen."

"Ben..." she began, pleadingly.

He got up and headed to her. "No. I'm not running; there's no more discussing this." He pulled her into him. "You're going to need me there."

"Why? You say that like you know what's going to happen..."

Ben hesitated. Should he tell her the reason why he had recruited them: to hunt down and kill Force-users? He decided against it—it wasn't something she had to know. "The Knights of Ren. They're six Force-users I turned to the Dark Side. They were the students I took with me after I burned Uncle Luke's Jedi Temple."

"You don't think they'll listen to you?"

"No. They are set in the ways of the Dark Side, like I was until you showed me the path of the Gray Jedi. And before you suggest it," he began before she spoke, "they won't turn if we show them this new way. Their souls are not as conflicted as mine was. Plus, I don't believe they would politely provide us the time to speak."