When the heavy blanket of unconsciousness lifted and awareness finally came to her, a gentle beep startled Rey. A few seconds later, another one sounded. Where was that coming from?

She tried to identify the noise in the darkness of her closed eyelids; feeling weak and drained, Rey didn't want to spend energy waking. But because she couldn't name the reason for the beeps, she forced her eyelids open.

Blinking to clear the blurriness, her forehead furrowed as holographic screens appeared before her eyes, listing her steady pulse, her blood pressure, oxygen intake, and other vitals. Her eyes shot around to see a white-and-silver room in the Medical Ward through the transparent Medical Tube she lay in. The room was similar to the one she and Poe visited Rose Tico in, except for the tube. What had she done to be put in one?

Rey quickly ran a hand over her body. All limbs were present, and she didn't feel sore. Drowsiness was probably because of injected medicine, but there was also a hint of nausea. Slightly stiff, like from exercising too much, but that was it. Did a practice with Ben go wrong or someth—

Images of their trek under Myrra to the Jedi Temple flashed across her mind. The long and quiet trip down, the beautiful and serene temple, finding the lightsaber hilt and purple Khyber crystal among the destroyed Lightsaber Crafting room, then the fight out with the Uugteens. She and Ben had gotten safely out... or so she had thought. Rey focused hard on her last memory: Ben and Sujux leaning over her, and Ben's lips had moved, looking like he had said 'poisoned'.

Poison. That was why she was here. One of the Uugteens' darts had struck her.

Feeling well enough, Rey swiped a hand over the screens to dismiss them and pushed against the tube to open it. The covering opened so she could sit up. Surprisingly, a medical droid or a medic wasn't watching over her. She thought it was fortunate; she could connect with Ben through the Force Bond and let him know she was okay. With her passing out, their link had broken, so he had to be worried.

The whoosh of the door sliding open caught her attention. A female medic came in followed by General Organa. Relief washed over the older woman's face as she limped over to Rey's bedside with her cane. The woman quickly checked her over, pulled up a chair for the General, then left.

"Oh, Rey," Leia sighed as she seated. "You gave us quite the scare."

She smiled. "I didn't mean to. I didn't even know I had been shot. Where was I hit?"

The General nodded down at her right leg. Rey looked to find the calf bandaged.

"You didn't receive a dangerous dose, just enough to subdue you."

Leia laid both hands atop her cane. "Sujux told me why you ventured into that cave. He said you smiled before you collapsed, so we both think that meant you were successful. Were you?"

"Yes." Rey looked around for her bag; spotting it, she used the Force to float it across the room.

"You seem to have mastered the Force..."

"With the help of your son." She looked at Leia. "He's taught me well and he protected me in the catacombs. I think more than one little dart would've gotten me if not for him."

General Organa beamed as she grabbed Rey's hand and squeezed it. "I'm so glad he's accepted the Light Side in him, instead of fighting it."

She returned the squeeze. "Me too."

Rey pulled her hand free to dig into her satchel. She pulled out the double-bladed hilt and handed it to Leia as she searched for the fragile Khyber crystal. The purple gem sat in its own compartment, undamaged.

"Ooo, purple." Leia's eyes sparkled when she saw the Khyber crystal. "A mixture of the colors usually representing the Light and Dark Side of the Force. Good color."

"Ben said that too. He's a lot like you."

The General gave a small smile. "No. I bet he's more like Han."

Rey chuckled. "He is sarcastic."

They both shared laughter, then the mood turned somber as they reflected on Han Solo's death, dealt by Ben. He was Kylo Ren then; Han would be proud to see his son returned if he was here now.

"Do you think he'd let me... see him... now?" Leia asked hesitantly as she fidgeted with her cane.

She smiled. "No harm in trying."

Rey closed her eyes, focusing on locating the epicenter of the Force Bond and following the thread leading to Ben. Before long, she ended up in his silver-and-black bedroom, but no sight of the owner.

Ben? she asked.

His presence flooded the room at the same time she was attacked from behind. Long arms in black fabric wrapped around her.

You're okay, Ben said in her mind. His speaking telepathically meant someone was near that didn't need to overhear. After you blacked out, our connection broke and I couldn't get back to you. But you're okay.

I am. Rey turned to face him. Now, she felt another presence—a haughty, arrogant one. Who's here?

Hux, he spat. His head jerked to his left. He's in the other room, waiting to give me some field report. I sensed something in the Force, and it guided me in here to you. We must make this quick.

Alright. Leia wanted to see you, but I'll explain it that you can't right now. I also wanted you to know I was okay.

Ben was silent for a moment. Tell her I'll come see her later.

Rey looked up at him, happy at this turn. Promise?

He smiled at her as he tucked some hair behind her ear. Promise.

Just like blinking, the Force Bond ended, and Rey was back in the Medical Ward with General Organa sitting before her, looking expectant and hopeful.

She hated to crush her spirits, but Leia perked back up at hearing Ben's promise to visit later.

"He's making so much progress," the General said. "I'm so proud of him."

"I think that's what he's always wanted to hear from you," Rey said.

Leia smiled with tears in her eyes. "I'll be sure to tell him."