Work Text:
A rewrite of the Ben and Rey throne room scene from TLJ. It picks up immediately after they have defeated both Snoke and the guards. Hope you enjoy :)
“BEN!”
He heard her call from across the room, and instinctively reached out, grabbing the lightsaber. With one swift motion the saber pierced through the guard's head, his body dropped limp to the floor behind him. He stood up, dropping the guard's weapon that had previously been held around his neck to the floor.
When their eyes met he could see determination was still etched into her features. She only paused for a moment before turning and running to the image of the rebel fleet being projected onto the screen. She quickly called out to him, “The fleet! Order them to stop firing, there is still time to save the fleet!”
When their eyes met again he felt something tug inside of him. That same tug he felt when their fingers first touched through the force last night. Her eyes were filled with hope. She believed they could save them.
They. The thought of them together just seemed to make that feeling grow.
They could save them.
No.
He shook his head, trying to regain focus. He slowly began to walk closer to her, stopping in front of the now empty throne.
He stared at it for a moment. That throne had caused him so much pain. He had been told time and time again that he wasn't good enough, that he'd never be. Same with the rebels. While training to become a Jedi no one ever believed in him, they cast him out the second they sensed his potential.
It’s time for this to end, time to let old things die. All things...except for Rey.
He turned to look her way. She still had that same hope in her eyes, but it wavered slightly at his expression.
Rey was different from everyone else. She didn't fear him, she understood him. When he was with her he didn't feel alone. Their connection was special, whether created by Snoke or not. He wanted to do this with her by his side, together.
Ben turned back to the throne, and suddenly he was breathing heavily. He was filled with rage by the sight of it, but that wasn't it. He also felt… scared? Suddenly he was scared of Rey’s answer, what if she turned him down? What if she..
“Ben”, Rey called out. He sensed a bit of uncertainty in the tone of her voice, it contradicted her usual confident demeanor.
He didn’t turn his head, he kept his fiery gaze on the throne sitting before him. After a moment he spoke, “It’s time to let old things die. Snoke, Skywalker, the Sith, the Jedi, the Rebels. Let it all die.” His feet began to move on their own while he spoke, slowly making their way towards her. It was as if he was being pulled into her orbit, unable to resist being in her presence. When he stopped he was just a few feet away from her. “Rey,” he noticed the slight desperation in his own voice. “I want you to join me.”
His right hand came up, stretching into the space between them, reaching out for her. Rey’s expression fell. He could see the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly he couldn’t breath, waiting for her to respond.
He added, “We can rule together, and bring a new order to the gala-”
“Don’t do this Ben,” as she spoke, her eyes filled with tears, “please don’t go this way.” That same place in him tugged at the sight of it. He didn’t want to hurt her. Maybe he was making a mista-
No.
She just wasn't seeing the big picture. She wouldn’t rule with him because of their past. She was being naive. He shouted, frustrated by her answer, “No, no, you're still holding on! LET GO!”
He was now furious, but it felt different than normal. That place inside him just continued to tug, he felt as though he was being ripped apart. He had to win her over, he had to...
Suddenly an idea popped into his head. The words immediately began to fall out of his mouth, “Do you want to know the truth about your parents?”
She looked even more hurt than before, that tug grew stronger.
He continued, “Or have you always known?”
A tear slipped down her cheek, and he felt as though something broke inside of him.
“You’d just hidden it away.” Once again, his feet carried him closer to her. They were now barely two feet apart. Suddenly, he was overcome with the urge to wipe the tears from her face. “You know the truth….say it.”
They stared each other down, the intensity of it making him want to squirm, but Rey was rooted in her place. She seemed as though she was ready to break down and ready to fight at the same time. She was so stron-tug.
What is that tugging? And why won’t it stop.
He repeated softly with a nod of his head, “say it.”
He watched her take a shaky breath before replying, her voice strangled, “They were nobody.”
He began again, “They were filthy junk traders. Sold you off for drinking money.”
She inhaled sharply, suddenly he wanted to hug her.
“They’re dead, in a pauper's grave in the junker’s desert.” Tears continued to stream down her face as he spoke. “You have no place in this story, you come from nothing, you’re nothing.”
He wanted to stop. The pain in her eyes was killing him, but he had to tell her this. He needed her to know that he saw her for who she is, he understands her. He needed her to know that the words he was about to say are the truth.
He had never felt so determined in his life. He declared, willing her to believe the truth in the words, “But not to me.”
As he spoke, he saw the hope in her eyes return for just a fraction of a second before they were replaced once again by silent tears streaming down her face.
He lifted his hand once more, stretching in between the small distance that separates them. He repeated softly, the desperation now evident in his tone, “Join me.”
He could see it in her eyes, she wanted to. So why wasn't she? He took a small step closer. His voice now just a whisper ghosting past her, “please.”
The silence that followed seemed to last for an eternity. He could almost see the battle taking place inside her head, but she still seemed so confident. As if her mind was made up, but was just attempting to delay the inevitable.
Waiting for her to answer, he had never felt so scared in his life.
Then, she took a step back, and he could have sworn he was ripped into two. His whole body felt numb. He couldn’t form a coherent thought, much less move.
Then, she reached out her arm, her fingers just inches away from his own. He waited for her to close the distance, but she didn’t budge. She just stood there, her gaze now free of tears and sadness, hope and determination clear in her eyes once more.
When she spoke her voice was clear and kind, “Ben, I see you too. I see the pain these people have caused you.”
His breath was caught in his throat, he still couldn’t move. He just listened intently, taking in her every word as that tugging inside him grew stronger by the second.
“You’re strong, and that scared them. They knew they couldn’t control you so they shut you out, pushed you away. They didn’t even give you a chance, and here it was the same.” Rey’s other arm came up and gestured to the burning room around them, “Snoke belittled you, he made you feel inferior in an attempt to keep you contained.”
The pain of his past came crashing over him in a wave he couldn’t escape. He knew she could see it in his eyes because her expression softened even further, the corners of her mouth twitching up for a moment.
Her voice was so loving as she spoke, “You didn’t mean anything to them...but you do to me.”
Suddenly, he could breath.
“We can do this together, save the galaxy, but not from that throne.” Her confidence didn’t even waiver for a moment as she spoke. He couldn’t understand how she did it. A reassuring smile spread across her face as she finished, “Take my hand Ben, and we can end this war together.”
He just stood there, frozen, unable to look away.
His first instinct was to run. He couldn’t abandon his pride, his position, he couldn’t turn to the light.
But then he felt that tug inside of him, pulling him to her. It was as if that was all that mattered now.
As long as he had her, he would be alright.
Ben’s fingers began to inch forward, closer to hers. When they finally touched, he felt a spark race through him from the contact. Without hesitating he took her hand completely, grasping onto her tight. Never in his life had he been so sure of a decision, nothing else had ever felt this right.
A wide smile spread across Rey’s face before he could notice the grin that had spread across his own.
And then Rey was in his arms, hugging him tight.
In that moment, the tugging inside him disappeared, and was replaced with something so much better. His entire body came alive, every inch of him screaming for her touch. He hugged her even tighter, lifting her up off the ground, but it still wasn’t enough. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck, her soft, dark strands of hair tickling his cheeks, and she did the same.
They both stayed there for a moment, not wanting this to ever end for the fear that it may be all a dream.
But, they were eventually pulled from their trance as the ship began to rattle. They jumped apart, both trying to decipher what was happening. Rey raced over to the monitor as Ben followed closely behind.
He heard a small gasp escape her lips at the sight that lay in front of them. The Rebel’s ship had jumped into hyper-speed, tarring the ship they were currently on in two.
A cold chill ran down his spine, they had to get out of here.
Thankfully the damage was all the way on the other end of the ship, if they hurried, they should be able to make it to his TIE fighter in time.
He turned to Rey, his own urgent expression being matched by hers, “We have to get out of here, now!” She nodded in agreement.
Without a second thought he grabbed her hand, pulling her in the other direction, racing out of the already destroyed throne room.
As they ran, he was suddenly very aware of their joined hands. It was a simple action, but one he decided he enjoyed. And this is not at all what he should be thinking about as they ran for their lives, but he just couldn’t help the joy that was welling up inside him.
Running down these corridors, her hand in his, he finally felt free.
- -
The rest happened so fast. Next thing he knew they were sitting in his TIE fighter, parked in the middle of space, watching the ship burn into an oblivion from a safe distance. The fighter was only a one seater, so Rey was perched in his lap, one arm wrapped around his neck. Both of his arms were wrapped around her waist, holding her close. She leaned her head down to rest on his shoulder, and it was only then that he realized the significance of their position.
Neither one had even given it a second thought. It hadn’t even been 24 hours since they first touched through the force, and yet, the contact just felt natural.
As he watched the ship burn, collapsing more by the minute, a smile began to form on his lips. It was like watching his past fade into nothing, forgotten, never to be returned to again. Then, he looked down at Rey, his future.
How could it have taken him this long to see it? Or maybe a part of him always knew.
She must have sensed him starring. Rey tilts her head up, and when their eyes meet all the air leaves his lungs. Even now when she’s covered in sweat and dirt, he can’t describe her as anything less than glowing. He can literally see the stars being reflected in her eyes.
He just stares at her, attempting to memorize every feature.
He almost believes he’s imagining it as her face starts to drift closer to his. But when he feels her breath brush against his lips, he knows it’s real. Suddenly, he’s frozen once again, unable to move, trapped in her ora.
When their lips meet, he’s sucked back into reality, his hands springing up to cup her face.
Their lips move in a slow dance, his whole body feels fuzzy. All of today’s events are the furthest thing from his mind right now, all he can think about is her.
Next thing he knows her hands are raking through his hair, playing with his dark curls. In return he moves his down, snaking them around her waist. When her tongue brushes against his bottom lip, he begins to spiral. Their tongues are now caught in a hypnotic dance, and he swears that no one else could ever understand this feeling.
After a few minutes, he finally rests his head against hers, both panting heavily, adrenaline through the roof. As they catch their breath, they both just gaze into each other's eyes. It’s impossible for him to believe that just an hour ago they were enemies, or were any of those harsh feelings ever even real?
Suddenly they're both smiling wider than they’ve ever smiled before. They can’t help the laughs of joy that escape their lips.
Ben lets out a soft sigh as he relaxes into her touch once again. He tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear before breaking the silence, “So, where to?”