That night would be Kylo's last on this planet; he did not want to spend it in the clinical white room. Instead, he stood in the dark outside the pyramid staring up at the planet this moon orbited, gazing at the stars above listening to the sounds of the native nighttime creatures. He wasn't meditating in the Force; he wasn't considering the fight ahead he was just being which was possibly why the ghostly blue apparition of his Uncle, Luke Skywalker surprised him stepping out of the trees. Luke didn't look like he had on Crait, his hair was longer, he had a full beard, and he looked weather-beaten.

"Hey, kid."

Kylo's chest heaved against his tightly crossed arms as he breathed deeply, his face devoid of emotion like the mask he had always worn. Kylo didn't say anything he just surveyed Luke. The last time he'd seen him, it had been a deception, an illusion. He'd technically have killed him three times if Luke had been there in the flesh, but he hadn't. The lust Kylo felt for revenge had been quelled; his bitterness, however, had not.

"You know I said to Rey, when I saw you two touching hands across the galaxies on Ahch-To, that she'd opened herself to the dark for a pair of pretty eyes." Luke was peering up at the clear night sky, "Seeing you here I'd say you opened yourself to the light for a pair just as pretty".

Luke turned back to Kylo and smiled at him. Kylo did not return his Uncle's smile and once again remained silent as he surveyed his former master turn back to the stars above.

"We've passed on all we know, a thousand generations live in you now, but this is your fight. Yours and Reys; together you are the Dyad, the balance in the Force. Powerful light and powerful dark and potentially formidable."

Kylo was observing Luke his stature unchanged, but the words from his vision had caught his breath in his throat, his arms clenched tightly against his chest, attempting to steady himself. He must not have been able to hide it from his Uncle; his face must have somehow given him away because his Uncles eyes narrowed with concern.

Luke searched his nephew's face; he'd always struggled to read him. Ben wore his emotions openly, but they were still a jumble that Luke couldn't see through clearly. Unlike the Jedi of old Luke felt attachment, and love should not be forbidden. Emotions were not part of the darkside, so it made sense, due to Luke's teachings that Ben used his feelings, but as a young Padawan, those emotions had been anger and fear. His fears were not always for himself but there was so much fear, so much doubt, so much power always in motion simmering beneath the sullen exterior. Seeing Ben now, Luke could see how little he'd ever been able to comprehend his complex nephew.

"What did you see?"

Kylo pressed his lips before responding.

"A legion of Imperial Star Destroyers, a planet obliterated. Rey," he started, cleared this throat then continued, "Rey having turned to the darkside. Those words, those words are always how it starts. I've seen the fleet of ships, and I saw the planet destroyed."

"It is the destiny of a Jedi to face their fears," Luke responded. Luke knew Rey's fear was facing Palpatine after he'd found her throwing her saber away on Ahch-To, and now he knew Ben's was her turning when she did. It interested him that like his grandfather Ben's fear was not for himself but for another and that his fear involved her turning to the darkside. Kylo had made it clear by his past actions he wanted Rey to join him, to train her but apparently a Sith version of Rey was not what he wanted.

"I'm not a Jedi!" Kylo snarled.

His Uncle's ghost merely cocked his head sarcastic yet sympathetic.

"You're not a Sith either. You never turned to the dark not fully; you never gave in, you were always both. That's why Snoke wanted you, that mighty Skywalker blood. The combination of light and dark in physical form, to be more powerful than just a dark user. You utilise both sides; it's how you were able to deceive him and how you are deceiving Palpatine. The Sith's weakness is their lack of understanding of the light side of the Force."

"As the Jedi's is the lack of knowledge of the dark." Kylo meant it as an insult, but his Uncle merely nodded.

Stubborn boy, just like his mother, and his father, Luke mused to himself as he nodded to his nephew in agreement.

Kylo considered, uncrossing his arms, his eyes down talking to the floor, "Suncas the ancient gatherer on Pasaana he said, 'by the resolving of Grey through refined Jedi sight', what does that mean?"

Luke smiled.

"The Grey Jedi code. There is no light without dark. Through passion, I gain focus. Through knowledge, I gain power. Through serenity, I gain strength. Through victory, I gain harmony. There is only the Force."

Kylo nodded eyes still down absorbing the information he'd been given fitting it into what he'd experienced with Rey.

"Your connection with Rey and hers to you, through the Force is like nothing I've ever heard of. The Dyad. Your union is the will of the Force."

Kylo opened his mouth slightly to speak to ask more about the Dyad. As he did so, he felt a familiar presence, and he inclined his head, sensing it.

Luke spoke, "Here she comes," he smiled winking at Kylo. "See you around, kid."

Kylo visibly shuddered as he inhaled and exhaled. His father had always called him that, and he watched his Uncle's apparition walk away from him slowly becoming fainter almost evaporating and dissolving into the atmosphere as he moved amongst the trees until eventually he was gone. Kylo turned to face Rey as she walked towards him with concern in her eyes.

"What are you doing out here? It's not exactly safe."

Kylo raised his eyebrows at her questioning her meaning. Rey knew as well as he did that nothing out here on this planet was of danger to him; to either of them. Their bond sparked and hummed at her proximity, Kylo hadn't decided yet if it was a good thing that they didn't need to speak to know what the other was thinking. Able to feel each others turmoil or happiness, pleasure or pain within the Force. They were inextricably tied before adversarially and now intimately within the Force; the Dyad, their souls forever bound. He'd felt haunted by her when she'd closed herself off from the Force, and despite her reopening it he was haunted still. Without her presence, physical or merely within the Force, he no longer felt whole. He watched Rey curiously as she stepped closer, reaching both hands up to his face and pulling it towards her own, but it was only to deepen their connection not to continue what his mother had interrupted. Their foreheads touching, she looked into his eyes as he gazed back into hers. The nighttime creatures became silent, and the world around them silenced as electricity seemed to fire through him as their bond sparked and surged. He tried to calm his mind of everything that had happened and everything he'd been told. Her eyes were steadfast and sure. Within that serene gaze, Kylo saw something he'd not seen before an intention, and suddenly he felt nervous. She entwined her fingers around his and without a word, she turned to lead him deeper into the jungle about them, and he let her.

Within a dimly lit clearing, she stopped. Kylo didn't look anywhere, but at her, he didn't speak merely waited as she looked at their interlaced hands.

"I'm afraid of tomorrow," she said eventually, "but not of failure, not of Palpatine."

"What do you fear?" Kylo asked

"What you said earlier, doing what was necessary should Palpatine take hold of you. You believe in order to defeat this evil, you must stand alone, sacrifice yourself, that frightens me."

"I made my choices, and now my fate is sealed. My life is a fair price to pay for all I've done, to bring an end to it all. For peace in the galaxy. Your survival is enough for me."

Kylo reached a hand to her face and gently lifted her gaze to meet his.

"Should the worst happen, you will face that evil, and you will defeat him."

She smiled at him, but it wasn't a reassuring smile; it was a smile that suggested how sadly mistaken he was.

"No Ben, defeating Palpatine isn't what I'm afraid of."

Her free hand brushed his hair from his face and reached up behind his ear to rest upon his jaw. Kylo knew now what she was trying to say, but he didn't believe it, though he wanted to with every fibre of his being. That she cared for him, as he cared for her. Her actions had shown it so many times and yet, how? How could she feel anything for him when she knew everything he'd done?

"Then what?" Kylo asked her searching her face as she tilted her head at him.

"Do you not know?"

Kylo did, but he wanted to hear it, he needed to hear her say it.

"Say it."

"I've been alone my whole life. I don't want to be alone again; I don't want to lose you," she replied her thumb gently stroking his face along his cheek, her fingers caressing the back of his neck.

He smiled just a hint before without a moment's indecision he bent his head, and his lips collided with hers. Rey reached her arms around Kylo's neck as their kiss deepened and around them, the Force rippled and spiked.

From around his neck, Rey's hands were removing his cape. She pulled away from their kiss to plant the garment upon the floor, before kneeling upon it and reaching out a hand to him. Kylo swallowed before placing his hand in hers, allowing her to pull him down to her upon the mossy floor. Rey sat beside him, her hand upon his chest: Kylo could feel his heart hammering against her touch. Around him, he could smell the damp ground, a pleasant moist earthy smell. Kylo lost himself in her eyes as the world around him disappeared, and Rey gently pulled him to her.

-X-

Within her arms, Rey could feel Ben quivering.

"You ok? You're trembling," she whispered.

"I'll be alright," he murmured between exerted breaths before ending their conversation with his lips softly grazing hers before relaxing himself into her arms, nuzzling his face into the warmth of her neck. They stayed within the jungle, within the darkness; the Resistance, the First Order, Palpatine, the Sith, the Jedi all forgotten as they lived this moment within each other as though it were their last.

Ben awoke to the sounds of jungle creatures around him. Dappled light from the trees overhead flittered across his closed eyelids. Blinking, he slowly recalled where he was and with whom. Beneath his cape, he could feel her body gently rise and fall against his. Her soft flesh warm within his arms. He wanted this moment to last, but it couldn't there was work to be done, and someone would surely be looking for them. Gently he extracted his arm from beneath her and sat up looking for the clothes he'd discarded. As he pulled his trousers on and tucked his cape around Rey's sleeping form, Dr Kalonia entered the clearing with D-0. Looking at Ben and then to Rey, the doctor gave him a knowing smile.

"Your mother wants to see you, both of you."

Ben nodded. With another brief look at Ben's semi-naked form and Rey's sleeping one beneath his cape, the Doctor departed with the little droid. Ben ran a hand through his hair before finding and pulling on his tunic and turning to wake Rey.

-X-

In the depths of the pyramidal temple amongst the ships, the Resistance was preparing. The plan had been made; allies had been contacted, supporters of the cause were on their way. The forces needed to be rallied, this was the war to end all wars, and the unease amongst the troops was palpable.

Commander Poe Dameron was stood under the Falcon with all the Resistance leaders- Finn, Rose, Connix, Lando, Chewbacca, Jannah, Altor, Snap, Statura, Calrissian, Nunb and Ematt. The troops and pilots of the Resistance were also present beneath the bellies of freighters, cruisers and ships of all types. Poe stepped forward and raised both his hands and the humming crowd of Resistance pilots, fighters and engineers hushed.

"We have great plans to deliver, but this is the time. We've only ever had a glimmer of hope, a small chance to defeat the First Order, but that glimmer has grown. We have more numbers than we've ever had, we are not alone. We've got friends out there, good people will fight if we lead them, but the First Order is still vast in comparison."

The crowd was silent, Poe looked around as Leia would have. Pausing palpably to make sure he had everyone's attention, making the moment resonate.

"Our losses, our grief, our love unites us and makes us strong. What our mothers and fathers fought for. What We Have Suffered At The Hands Of Our Enemy Will Not Be In Vain. For This Is What We Fight For, We Fight For Our Freedom, AND FOR THOSE WE LOVE!"

The crowd cheered in agreement heads nodding and arms raised in unity.

"Now we take the war to them. We will not surrender, and today we make our last stand. We Are The Spark Of Hope In The Galaxy, and WE WILL NOT BE EXTINGUISHED. WE WILL BRING THE FIRST ORDER DOWN. WE WILL BRING THE SITH DOWN. THIS IS THE LAST BATTLE THAT MATTERS, AND WE WILL WIN! MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US!"

"MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US!" the crowd roared back.

-X-

Within her private quarters Princess Leia, General Organa lay upon her bunk. She was tired she knew she should be down in the depths of the temple rallying the troops but she was so tired. Her eyes were closed, but she smiled at the sound of roars of the crowd far below; Poe had stepped up as he should, as she knew he would.

Leia had asked Dr Kalonia to bring her Commander Dameron, Rey and her son. Since Crait Leia had felt weak; since her time floating in space when the bridge of the Raddus had erupted and the Resistance's entire leadership had perished. That day she'd asked the Force for help. Then she hadn't given up the Resistance had needed her, Rey needed her, but now that need was no longer necessary. She'd trained Rey, Ben had returned, or at least was no longer lost. The Resistance had Poe, and a strong following, greater than it had been in years. She'd seen ships from their allies arriving since the plan had been made and they'd reached out to their supporters in the unknown regions. She sensed the time had finally come to let go, so many losses she could face no more.

"You've been brave for so long, but you can let go now Leia," a voice to her side spoke, and she turned to see her brother a glowing blue ghostly apparition of her brother.

"Luke," she smiled at him, here at the end he was with her. The hope of the last few days was all she needed now to surrender and finally be at peace. Her fight was over, she'd sacrificed much and fought till the end but she could now leave that fight to others, to the next generation. What she'd fought for would never be gone, but she was no longer needed to fight it.

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter," he whispered as he gently stroked her head.

She closed her eyes and took in a long deep breath as she thought of all those she'd loved. Her father Bail and her mother both long gone. Her friends Lando and Chewbacca. Her brother Luke, now with her, Han her husband and her son Ben. Leia's exhale was a long sigh and as she did the Force flowed through her, her body fading to a glittering light as she became one with the Force, disappearing into it. The Force shimmered and rippled luminous vast and eternal.

Upon the stairs in the dark stony hallway heading towards his mother's room, Ben stopped, his eyes searching within the Force sensing what he knew was happening, what had already happened. Ahead of him, Rey paused and turned back to him. Ben looked up at her, and her expression told him she'd felt it too. Not a disturbance but a passing.

"Leia," she whispered.

Poe was ahead of them on the stairs and knocked on the door before opening it to find an empty room. Ben knew that even before they entered, Leia his mother was no longer there, not physically. His mother was in the Force; some part of her would always be wherever the Force was. Poe looked confused and left the room to find Dr Kalonia. Rey stepped to Ben, as silent tears trickled down her face. He pulled her tightly into him and kissed her gently on her forehead, before wrapping his arms about her frame, embracing her tightly and closing his eyes.

No one's ever really gone. We will always be with you. Always.

Whispered in the Force by everyone they'd lost- his father, his Uncle and his mother. He took in a shuddered breath as the items in the room shook as he embraced Rey and his pain. He breathed Rey in, took comfort in her sunlight smell, and how he could feel the warmth from her fingers through his clothing. He tried to imprint this moment on his mind, along with any other beautiful memories. On Chandrila, sitting with his mother as she read to him while she stroked his hair, sitting on his father's lap in the cockpit of the Falcon, his first kiss with Rey so sweet and perfect. These memories would be the ones to power him through fighting Palpatine; his mother was right attachment did not make you weaker it made you strong. That was how they would win by saving what they loved.