Rey stood blindfolded amongst the trees of Batuu's forest. Her breathing shallow as she focused. Despite her blindness, she knew the location of the silvery globe the size of a man's fist. It was floating mere metres from her as it slowly circled, but Rey remained stationary. She sensed its newly assumed position before it abruptly executed a lightning-swift lunge before freezing a meter away. Still, Rey remained frozen failing to succumb to the training ball's feint. Rey sensed it back up, and she tightened her hand around the hilt of her lightsaber. Suddenly, the orb darted behind her and with one of its fine instruments prepared to strike her with a thin pencil of red light, but she blocked it and jumped up and over it.

"Good," Leia sat watching her, congratulating her as she oversaw the training session. Rey removed her blindfold and turned to Leia, wrapping the red cloth about her left hand. The seekers with which she had been training went back to Leia, like harmless pets.

"Good, you've done well, remember patience, always patience, feel the Force, let it flow, only strike when it's necessary and never in anger."

Patience, anger, Rey was struggling with both these things. To wait and not strike, to not allow her emotions to control her during a fight. To not allow her emotions to make her decisions for her, to reign in her impulsive desire to act. She was improving, and Leia was pleased. Rey stood calmly surveying her new mentor, was Leia, her master? Had Luke really been her master? Luke had not wanted to train her; three lessons were all he'd been willing to give her, and the third had been the lesson that the Jedi do not always act. Luke had taught her this particular lesson by lying to her about a raiding party coming to the caretakers of Ahch- To. The Jedi of old allowed events in the universe to unfold as they would, it was not their place to interfere; Rey felt she could not adhere to that lesson. Her departure from Ahch-To, to go to turn Ben Solo was testimony to that belief system and Rey's issues with self-control. Leia had offered to help train Rey after Crait, as Luke had once trained her before she became pregnant with Ben. Ben, Kylo Ren. Ben had been there when Rey was scared and alone. He'd taught her and listened to her when Luke had turned her away. With Ben, there had been an understanding; understanding no one else could or would ever really come close to. She'd felt a sense of belonging when they'd touched hands; completeness something she'd sought her whole life. She had friends now, a family with Finn, Poe, Chewbacca and Leia, she was not alone, but that memory of Leia's son haunted her, a memory she could not share. The bond had been more powerful than ever after Crait and kept threatening to open fully, repeatedly sparking into existence. Rey had tried to keep it closed, but it wouldn't stay shut, and for a time she somehow cut herself from the Force, just as Luke had done. She hadn't wholly reopened it, too afraid of seeing him again, seeing that softened pleading expression, but she now felt more alone than ever. She surveyed Leia, who was smiling at her kindly. Rey knew to keep the truth of her link with Leia's son, their enemy was wrong, but how could she tell them, any of them. No one, not even Leia, would understand it; she didn't understand it herself.

Rey recalled how she'd closed the hatchway door as she'd stood on the boarding ramp of the Millennium Falcon. Kylo Ren had been kneeling on the floor of the operations room from where the Resistance had just fled. His face awash with different emotions he had looked heartbreakingly sad, but he was also angry. Angry, his duel with Luke had been purely a distraction. Angry the Resistance had escaped due to his folly and angry at her. How she'd felt about him was of no consequence, he had made his choice for power, and it was a path she could not join him on. They were enemies, complicated enemies, but still enemies. Her vision when they'd touched hands through the bond across the stars had shown him turning from the dark and that hadn't happened. Ben had been there for a fleeting moment, as he killed Snoke and fought at her side, but then Kylo Ren had returned. He was her enemy, but it was so much more complicated than that.

Rey had realised since Crait how right Master Luke had been when he'd told her it wouldn't go the way she'd think, how naive she had been, to believe Ben would turn if she went to him. His choice wasn't as simple as she'd assumed and she wasn't enough she understood now to turn him back to the light; he had to do it: he had to want to. The future she knew now was too complicated to see clearly; visions of the future may come to you but interpreting them was something else. In a way, they'd both been right. He hadn't bowed before Snoke. She had stood with him. They'd both assumed that meant they'd turn; her to the dark and him to the light. They'd both assumed wrongly. There was light in Kylo yes but not enough; his desire for control and power was too strong, and she'd left him there in the throne room. She'd stood for a moment, standing over his unconscious form thinking as Luke once had that one swift strike and so much suffering could be over. She couldn't do it. There were too many possibilities; his death had not been the will of the Force. The Force wasn't finished with him yet. She would wait, however arduous. Her life on Jakku had trained her to do two things better than anyone. The first was to salvage broken things and the second was to wait. She couldn't save Ben Solo; she would have to wait for him to save himself. So far, that had not happened.

Supreme Leader Kylo Ren had not pursued the Resistance as relentlessly as they had expected, but then his time as Supreme Leader had been short-lived. Rumours had reached them of the First Order's new leader, Allegiant General Pryde and how the First Order was searching planets for ancient artefacts. For what purpose they could not say. Poe would be going soon to meet an old acquaintance who believed they were in possession of something significant. As a consequence of not being relentlessly pursued, the Resistance had grown and substantially. Crait had been the spark, as Poe had said it would be. General Organa had been rebuilding the Republic for the last few years with the help of old allies like General Lando Calrissian and new and was finally making headway. The leaders were scattered on different planets and in different systems, it was safer than having everyone in one place. Rey had chosen to stay with the main Resistance fleet with Finn, Rose, and Poe. They still moved about, but it wasn't the terrifying rush it had been before. They'd spent many months on each of the planets before moving on.

After choosing to stay with the main Resistance after Crait, Rey had spent the first few months reading the ancient Jedi texts on Ikkukk with Chewie and Maz trying to find a way to fix the crystal from Luke's lightsaber after it had shattered in it's joint calling to her and Kylo Ren. It hadn't been possible; Maz, however, had known where to go to get a new crystal- Y'Ness in the N'zoth system, not a planet but an astrological object and so she and Maz had left. Chewie had flown them in the Falcon and had waited while she and Maz went in search of a crystal. It took a few days of climbing, but once they had scrambled into the core they found a cave and there had been crystals everywhere. Rey had not known what she was supposed to do, chisel one out of the rock? Maz, of course, in her infinite wisdom did know. Rey had bent while Maz took her hands and had told Rey what she'd told her on Takodana, with those soothing big eyes focused on her.

"Close your eyes, feel it, the Force. It moves through and surrounds every living thing. The light it's always been there. It will guide you."

Closing her eyes and reaching out with her feelings, Rey could feel a pull and keeping her eyes closed she had followed it; a crystal had called to her just as Luke's lightsaber had. As she reached the crystal, it glowed, and as she touched it, no chiselling was required, it had released itself. The crystal itself sadly was not enough, and a new saber still needed to be constructed, so they had returned to the new Resistance base on Batuu. On Batuu was a group known as the Gatherers, who dedicated their lives to restoring balance in the Force. Maz was a member and seemed to know everyone. She introduced Rey to Savi, a salvager like Rey but also a learned member of the Gatherers. He told stories, knew ancient Jedi lore and most important of all- parts for lightsabers. Together Savi, Rey, Maz and Chewbacca had carefully dismantled her lightsaber, studying the inner mechanics and discussing in animated tones about how it must work and what was required. It hadn't been easy, of course, but Rey had been surprised by how deftly the Wookie's skills were with something so intricate, his huge furry paws were impressively adept at working with the parts no matter how small.

"Rey, what's troubling you?" Leia asked her, kindly.

Rey walked over to her master and sat at her side and gazed at her surroundings. This planet was beautiful; she loved trees, and forests so lush and green, so different from Jakku. The forests and mountains of this planet were wondrous to behold. The trees rose densely with thick flora covering the floor. Rey liked how small she felt amongst these immense trees, tens of thousands of years old and tall beyond sight. She left part of their greatness their living breathing spirit but also dwarfed by it. They were older than time; they'd been here long before the Empire, the Rebellion and the Resistance and would be here long after she was gone. At night she loved this planet best, as she sat amongst the trees staring up into the starry blackness above, feeling the soft night air and listening to the forest sounds- breeze upon leaves, hooting night creatures and humming insects. Jakku at night had been almost silent, except for the occasional sound of sandstorms smattering dust and grains upon her metallic home. She'd been to so many wondrous places since leaving Jakku all different, none gratefully as hot. Crait with the white salt and crystal foxes, Ahch-To with the sea surrounding it, Takodana with the lakes and the snowy forest where she'd fought Kylo on Starkiller base.

Rey had sat next to Leia silently for some time, staring out at the forest when Leia pressed her again.

"You can tell me anything. Nothing you say can shock me."

Rey gave her a doubtful look and Leia took her hand smiling.

"Luke told me his father was Darth Vader and then told me I was his twin sister. I've witnessed the destruction of planets, friends and lived through my son murdering my husband. Whatever is burdening you I promise you can tell me."

Rey smiled, Leia had lived through it all, she was right, but could Rey tell her about Ben her bond with Kylo Ren, their enemy? No. Despite everything that had happened, Rey knew Leia wanted her son home, and Rey couldn't promise her that.

"I feel something within the Force. It's calling me. It's cold and dark, and I'm afraid." This statement was a truth and a burden, one Rey felt she could share. At night her dreams were filled with darkness, screaming. A voice whispered to her repeatedly words she'd heard whispered to her before- kill him.

"I feel it too," Leia said concerned.

"What is it?" Rey asked her.

"Nothing good," Leia frowned, "The First Order searching in the places their searching; it's nothing good."

"What is it do you think that they hope to find."

Leia visibly sighed as she considered.

"Ancient Sith relics, but to what end I cannot imagine. That's why Poe is going to meet an acquaintance of ours on Kijimi. He'll leave once Finn returns."

"Should I go with them?" Rey asked

"Let's wait to see what Finn has to tell us," Leia replied as patted Rey's hand and stood to go, "don't train for much longer," Leia said as she handed Rey an old Rebellion helmet, the shield of which had been painted to create a training simulation no light and diminished sound. Rey watched her walk away.

For a while, Rey trained with her staff alone pushing her skills, leaping higher, moving faster yet within herself, she was calm, her breath steady her heart a constant beat in her chest. Anger, aggression fear; these emotions were of the dark side easier and quicker, but she had learnt to resist them. Rey was passive, letting herself go in the Force, it was a river, and she was merely its conduit. She paused and removed her lightsaber from her belt, igniting it and readied herself as the luminous glowing balls spun off, zipping amongst the tall trees. Rey's head tilted slightly to the side, sensing each of the seekers' positions as all three seekers charged simultaneously sending bolts in her direction. Leaning on her staff in her right hand, she threw her lightsaber through the trees slicing trees and seekers alike in two before willing it back to herself and catching it neatly in her left hand. What was left of one of the seeker balls fell to the damp fern-covered earth, along with several trees which had been sawn apart by her lightsabers destructive path. Her saber was an extension of her arm, of her will, and within her, the Force flowed.

Rey placed the helmet on attempting to feel what Leia had said- patience. The more she tried, the more frustrated she felt; stop trying, feel. Rey threw the helmet to the floor as she sprinted off, deflecting a shot from the remaining seeker with her lightsaber. She ran dodging trees and plants, breathing in the fresh forest air, the seeker zipping behind her. Rey somersaulted over a fallen tree and struck the remaining seeker that had been following hard on her tail. The seeker fell to the ground in pieces. Rey looked down upon the seeker's remnants in the dirt and smiled before continuing, spinning on her foot and running on. Faster and faster she ran, ahead in the Force she could sense a chasm. The drop into the gorge below her was deep, within the Force Rey could see the dark hidden canyon far below. As she vaulted over the chasm, she did not fear failure or the possibility of falling, doubt and fear would lead to failure. She landed easily on the other side, rolling onto the forest floor before launching herself back up and continuing to run uphill until she was running along a thin rocky ledge. Instinct, the Force it guided her every move flowed through her. Up here, like this, she felt free. No lessons, no burdens, no hiding the truth. She stopped not because she was out of breath but to enjoy this moment; the serenity, the trees, the endless blue sky, the air and this feeling charging through her veins. At one with the Force, not trying to bend it to her will. I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me.