This chapter is the same as the expanded ending I wrote but then goes into a different story. Expect mature content, language and some violence. 

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Rey opened her eyes to see Ben anxiously looking at her. The relief on his desperate face was palpable when she opened her eyes. He was holding her across his lap and supporting her back, his hand on her stomach.

Her face lit up as she saw who it was that was holding her. " Ben," she said simply 

She smiled broadly at him and placed her hand on his cheek, gazing into his eyes. She was trying to capture the moment in her mind, to burn it into her memory. She moved towards him without thinking. Her lips met his in a passionate kiss, a perfect moment amidst the chaos. Ben poured everything he had left into the kiss, using their bond to flood her with his love. He knew that if this had worked then time was very short. he smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges, genuine happiness on his face. He spoke to her through the bond, his words appearing clearly in her mind:

"You will never truly be alone . . . I will be with you . . . always"

Smiling at her he fell back in her arms. She caught him to stop his head hitting the floor, concern starting to cloud her face. What was happening? He looked peaceful but his smile was evaporating, and she knew something was terribly wrong.

As Ben lay back on the floor his body was already starting to fade. She understood in one horrified, sickening moment what he had done. He had transferred his life force to her to save her and there was none left. As she watched he faded away and his clothes fell limply onto the floor. Rey stared at the place where his face had been moments before. She just sat, numb with shock, eyes unseeing. A heavy weight was pressing down on her. They had won, but Ben was gone.

She did not know how much time had passed when she felt a presence next to her. Glancing round she felt hope spring up in her, only for it to be snatched away. For the first time she was disappointed in who was there. It was Leia was looking down at her, outlined in blue.

"Rey you have to go" Leia told her gently.

Rey stared at her dumbly. She tried to understand what her Master was saying to her.

"You do not belong here and there isn't much time. We can't lose you both"

Looking at the ground around her she became aware of the cacophony around her as the floor lurched and masonry pieces crashed to the ground. She stumbled to her feet, not wanting to leave the place she had seen him last but trying to focus her thoughts on getting to her ship. A sudden thought occurred to her and she picked up Ben's shirt and stuffed it into her top. It was nowhere near enough but what else did she have? As she started to run she summoned the lightsabers to her. She couldn't leave them in this place of darkness, even if Palpatine was gone. Parts of ships were raining from the sky and she used the Force to anticipate where they would land and dodge round them. Jumping into the cockpit she pressed controls without thinking, going through the motions of punching co-ordinates. Luke's ship soared into the sky carrying her away from the chaos. As she left the battlefield behind silent tears, that would never be enough, began to course down her cheeks.

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Some time later she approached the Resistance Base, pleased to see that a good number had made it back. She took deep, calming breaths, trying to steady herself to see the others. They would expect her to be celebrating with them, Palpatine was gone and his fleet destroyed. As she landed there was cheering and people were ecstatic everywhere she looked. She saw Poe and Finn turn towards the noise of the X-wing and start running. Jumping out of the cockpit she moved towards them. She tried to hitch a smile onto her face, hugging them both to her with all her remaining strength. Finn drew back, looking concerned.

"What's happened?" he queried. Rey simply shook her head, she did not have the strength to explain and she was not about to spoil the celebrations. Finn seeing her expression didn't press her. For once there would be time for explanations later.

Around them couples, friends, family met each other again, embracing, so relieved to have survived.

The resistance celebrated long into the night. Everyone wanted to hug her or shake Rey's hand. She moved through the crowds in a daze accepting thanks and listening to other people's experiences of the battle. They were all so jubilant that she found she didn't need to do much other than smile and nod. As soon as she could she slipped away into the forest, craving solitude and space where she didn't have to pretend.

She walked for a long time, not really seeing anything or taking note of where she was going. Coming to the top of a hill she sat down with her back resting against a tree trunk. She was simply enjoying the peace after all the noise of the battle, appreciating the stars in what would now be a free sky.

Opening them again she found Leia next to her, her blue form shimmering in the darkness.

"Rey, I'm so proud of you" she said softly. "You did it, you beat Palpatine and you bought my son back to the light. I can never thank you enough."

Rey felt tears starting to run her cheeks again as she turned to look at her former master. "You . . . " She stopped, not knowing what to say. 

Leia smiled faintly, "I have known for some time that my destiny was to save my son, to help him back to the Light. Just as his destiny was to save you".

Rey felt her throat constrict at Leia's words, waves of sadness washing over her. Finally she managed to form the question she longed to know the answer to.

"Why hasn't he appeared to me?" she enquired desperately, searching Leia's face. The tears were flowing freely down her face and Leia looked at her with compassion.

"Because he hasn't really gone".

Rey stared at her, trying to process her words.

"A Force Dyad is an incredibly special and rare thing. The energy given off is tremendous but by the time Palpatine had finished there wasn't enough for you both. Ben was stronger than Palpatine thought and survived being thrown into a pit. When he got back to you . . . " her voice cracked and she paused for a moment, "You were gone".

"He gave you his life force."

Rey probed her feelings a little, not wanting to feel more pain but needing answers. Alongside  her bottomless sadness she could tell that there was less emptiness than before, a residual sense of the love that Ben had shown her in that moment.

"I don't know how to go on" she whispered, grief rolling over her once more.

Leia smiled sadly at her. "You have already done so much. The Galaxy is free because of you. You've been so brave. But there is one more job to do" said Leia, laying her hand on Rey's.

Rey sensed the others around her as she heard Luke's voice behind her:

"Start a new school. Teach balance, tolerance, and love. Train your students to be just and fair. Throw out the strict Jedi rules and replace them with better ones that allow for living life."

Anakin spoke from her other side "Don't repeat the mistakes we did". 

"Come to terms with your grandfather's legacy but use it for good. You have a balance of light and dark within you, and that is what the Force needs." Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice echoed in her head.

"Be there, we will, helping you with your task," the blue form of Master Yoda told her.

Rey felt the heavy weight in her chest shift slightly, still painful but easing a little. She felt a slight comfort in seeing them. The ghosts faded and she was alone in the forest, listening to the insects and all the little noises of the animals, feeling the flow of energy between all living things.

She remained sitting by the tree for some time. Hearing a noise behind her she turned and saw Finn coming towards her through the darkness.

He dropped down beside her. "I noticed you'd gone and thought you might need a friend," he said tentatively. "Want to talk?".

"Palpatine's dead . . . . Ben Solo . . . Ben . . ." Rey started, but found she couldn't continue, her voice catching in her throat. She rested her head on Finn's shoulder as he put his arm around her shoulders

"I will tell you what happened sometime," she said quietly.

Finn accepted her explanation and didn't push it, sensing her strong emotions. They sat in silence for many minutes. Rey thought that she could sit for ever in that night, away from all the fighting and avoiding facing the next day.

Eventually Finn broke the silence "I have something to tell you"

Rey turned to him "I know" she said. Finn started at her.

"You knew and didn't say anything?!" he blurted out.

"I could sense your connection to the Force starting to take shape, but with everything going on there wasn't time to think about it. I can fix that now. Would you like to be my first student?" She asked him.

Finn's face lit up in a grin.

"It depends, are you any good?" he asked cheekily.

Rey stared at him for a second, and then started to laugh. "You had better be ready to start soon" she said, punching him on the arm. "In the meantime you could ask Rose to spend some time with you?"

Finn grimaced. "Actually I'm not sure about Rose . . ." he admitted. "She's great and all, but there's kind of someone else . . ." He avoided her gaze, feeling her look of surprise.

Rey avoided reading his thoughts, however much she wanted to know who this mystery person was. She was so curious but tried to content herself with the thought that he would tell her when he was ready.  

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"I think we're ready to start sir." 

Dakodar nodded to his assistant and turned to the assembled group. 

"Bounty hunters, mercenaries, criminals, welcome! Today I am offering the chance for someone be very generously rewarded for a service provided. The task is simple but dangerous. Kill the last Jedi." 

Murmuring broke out among the groups. 

Someone spoke up from near the front. "How powerful is this Jedi exactly?" 

"She's very strong, one of the best." 

The same voice spoke again from the crowd. "She?" 

"Yes she. A mere girl, twenty years old. What could be easier?"  

There was more muttering, some of the groups looking unhappy. 

"If any of you are squeamish about killing a girl or frightened of the Jedi you may leave. Those of you who are staying come this way. We can get down to discussing terms." 

Dakodar gestured to a smaller side room and proceeded through the doorway, followed by most of  the shadowy figures in the crowd. 

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