CHAPTER 26

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"Mom, I don't want to go to the Jedi temple

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"Mom, I don't want to go to the Jedi temple. I want to stay here with you and dad."

"I know, Ben. I would like to keep you with us too. But you will be fine there. You're going to learn a lot from Luke. And when you're ready, you will have a magnificent lightsaber, like your uncle's."

She'd cried so much that day, and had felt so guilty afterwards. But today was different. There was still water in her eyes, but the pain had given way to joy and relief, but also apprehension.

She was standing over her son, Elias' body stretched out at her feet, and she watched Ben get up slowly with a stunned look and parted lips. She let the lightsaber fall to the ground and, just before her legs gave way, her son grabbed her arm to support her.

It was the first physical contact they'd had in twenty years. Ben's huge fingers clasped hers tightly. She suppressed a grimace. Her wrist must have been sprained, maybe even broken. But she didn't care.

All she wanted, right now, was to feel the warmth of her boy's palm against her skin...and for time to stop.

Now, there was no more mask to prevent her from seeing the man he had become.

A long scar streaked across his right cheek. A hematoma blued at the corner of his jaw and his cheekbone was split. But the moles she used to cherish when he was a child still dotted his face. He had the same mouth as his father's. And he had her eyes.

He was so broad, so tall, so beautiful ...

"You're hurt," he breathed.

She had already heard him speak through the Resistance's communications channel, but he had never addressed her directly. She detected panic in his words and her heart skipped a beat. She had only bruises and a slight head wound, unlike Rey who was still unconscious a few meters away.

"It's nothing. You have to go see to her. Quickly," she replied, overcome with emotion.

Ben released her hand and rushed over to Rey. At the same time Chewie, Ferr Cox, and the rest of the rebels burst into the room. When the Wookiee saw Leia wobbling in the back of the hall while her son was kneeling near Rey's seemingly lifeless body, he let out a raging cry and aimed his crossbow at the former Supreme Leader.

"No, Chewie!" the general yelled, leaning on the column behind her.

The hairy giant hesitated, then groaned before reluctantly lowering his gun. Leia knew very well what the Wookiee was thinking. Ben was her son, and he had left the First Order, but that did not change the fact that he had killed Han.

One of the rebels ran to her.

"General, are you all right?"

"The stormtroopers..." she evaded.

"All the soldiers were neutralized."

"And Finn?"

"Rose is with him. He is seriously injured."

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