A/N: Heya! I changed the name of this book from "The Grey Reborn" to "Dawn of New Force". I thought it suits the story better, but without giving away too much information. And yes, I changed the cover as well, hope you like it :)), let me know in the comments ^^!

~Rey's PoV~

"So that's what you've been hiding from us..." Poe was barely holding the anger from his voice as his eyes roamed her.

"How... How did you find me? How did you know I was here?" Rey's head snapped from where it rested on Chewie's shoulder.

"Oh, we didn't. It just seems you've let my Droid wander off this strange planet." Poe lamented as his arms flailed around in an angry gesture.

"Are you not gonna thank us?" And it shocked her when she could see the same disappointment written on Finn's face, hear it in his voice.

And it was true. So caught up in those events she had been, she had forgotten about this aspect. But she felt consumed. She would have let her tears fall, have her friends not shown her such hostility. And they wouldn't, if it wasn't for Ben next to her.

She and Ben have come abroad with hope that whoever had rescued them, would understand all that happened. Instead, they received hard glares. Rey felt like a stranger in her own ship, like a traitor. For this was how everyone looked at her, standing next to the dreaded Kylo Ren.
And how could those people that have just saved them do anything else than that, given how much they've endured at the hands of the man that now stood at their mercy?

Her friends have always wanted Ben dead, unlike her. Yet without the smallest intention, they have saved him too. But Rey was sure they would have even left him behind in the slaughter, had they known from the beginning who he was.

And suddenly, she wondered, would Ben have turned if it wasn't for her? Would he have turned if she did not persuade and pull him back to the Light? And the answer was yes.
It had been himself that had made the final decision. She had been but a support, a guidance, a string he could grasp to drag himself out of the dark pit he was lost in. The rest, he had done it himself.

When Poe was done pacing up and down the hall, hands clasped at his back, he finally stopped face to face with Rey.

"Rawrgh!" but Rey patted the wookie's shoulder to stay quiet.

Poe was on the point of yelling, when his eyes fell on the small crimson patch on her belly. The patch that seemed to grow by the second as the red liquid seeped through. Yet he ignored it briefly.

"Rey... " his stare was hard on her. And as now he was the General, she seemed to sense that fear everyone feels when facing their masters. He wasn't the same anymore, circumstances have changed him. "What is this man doing here? Do you realize the danger you've put yourself in? The danger you've put us in?" he almost spat in her face.

"Poe, she's wounded!" Rose yelled at him.

But he turned his head sharply to her, and yelled, "Quiet, Rose!"

"She's our friend!" the girl seemed shocked by the General's harsh behavior. "Have you forgotten?! " she scoffed.

Rey drew in a sharp breath, the pain stopping right in her wound, making her squeeze her eyes.

"He's with us, Poe." she said as she threw Ben a glance. "This planet... This planet is a secret base of the Final Order. One of their unknown colonies. And he didn't go to them. Instead he saved me."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes before he spoke again. "Lies, Rey. These are all lies. Can't you see? Someone that betrayed once, will do it again. And again and again. Until there's someone bold enough to get rid of him!"

He threw his arms in the air as he turned on his heels, his paces fast and hard.

In the next few moments of silence, Rey's eyes rose to Finn in hope she will find some remainder of their old friendship in the old days. For a brief fraction of time, they connected. But he turned his head away as quickly. And his gaze bore that look of disappointment, lost expectations, that look of being betrayed. And Rey wanted to scream, to cry. And same intentions were coming in waves from her friend, in the Force he had lately discovered he had. Would he stil want her to train him, after what he perceived as betrayal? She felt a lump settling in her throat she couldn't drown, a dull ache in her heart. What had she done to deserve this?

She looked then at the girl named Jannah. She didn't even get to talk to her at the base. And she turned her head as well.
"You're a shame!" Rey imagined Jannah say in her mind. And she could feel the fear that came from them all. They were afraid to approach Ben, yet they were also confused that he was with her. And that he did not harm her and wasn't attacking them.

Yet it was Ben who took pity on her at last. He placed Annika down and took a small pace toward her and Chewie, one eye always on the resistance members, strangers to him.
And Rey knew how he felt around strangers. For she had been a stranger to him not long ago, when she had tried to touch his face, and he had drawn back in fear.

Warm brown eyes met her own as he faced her. And for a moment, she had expected to find in them the same hatred, the same doubt. Yet they were kind. Too kind, for the situation Ben was in. Was he not afraid of the sentence Poe would give him when he returned? Was he not angry with her friends?

His eyes fell down to the crimson patch she was clutching. To her blood-smeared fingers that held on weakly to that aching place, as if shielding it.

He could sense she was afraid. And he did not want to startle her more. So his eyes remained locked with hers, and told her to trust. As hers had once told him. Slowly, letting her get used to if, he placed a hand over hers.

He would have even kissed her forehead, have there not been so many watching eyes. And each had a different expression.
Finn was angry. Jannah was confused. And Rose was fascinated. Probably they all wondered; why had he not killed her? Or was he going to kill her now, right before their eyes?

Rey glimpsed Finn's hand going down to his blaster and drawing it out, aiming at Ben who was with his back on him, eyes closed as if in deep concentration. For a moment her eyes widened and she thought he will fire. But even if he would never admit it, he was too interested in what was going on to spoil the moment.

And Rey felt something strange next. A flow, a deep, calming sensation. As if it was tying back her shredded insides. Where she felt her knees buckle under her weight, now she felt she could stand up and even walk.

But as she opened her eyes and looked over Ben's shoulder, she could see a pair of eyes glaring at the way Ben looked upon her. Someone that wished he could be in that man's place, being him the one who took care of her instead.

As Ben was finished, Rose was the first to take a step forward, eyes big with wonder and confusion.

"So you didn't kill her?" she asked Ben directly. And it took him a few good moments to process that someone else than Rey had actually spoken to him.

In the instant Rose spoke, Finn and Hannah's blasters were fired on Ben.

"I would never let anyone do that." Ben answered her with conviction.

And Rose nodded as her eyes passed from Ben's hand that gently stroked the girl's hair, to the exhausted Rey in Chewie's arms. And then to the pool of blood in her lap.

"Rawrgh!" and Rey knew it was the wookie's approval for Ben's words. Unfortunately, if was only her and Ben who could understand Shriiwook.

"This will not last long." she heard Ben tell Rose about the wound. "Take her to the med bay. Now." he added in a more urgent voice.

Rose had wanted to ask something more, when Poe burst in from the corridor.

"Him!" he pointed angrily at Ben's chest. "Seize him, now!" he ordered Finn and Jannah.

And Rey knew it was time for a confession. She wanted to cry, yet she found some strength that she had preserved inside her, and used it all. "No!" she screamed in agony. Both from the fear of losing Ben, and from the pain in her abdomen. And the contractions of anger did not do any good. Daggers went through her body and tears splashed her cheeks.

"One good deed does not erase his past." Poe snapped.

"He wants to fight by our side!" she snarled.

~Ben's PoV~

How could the woman he was trying to kill not so long ago, defend him with such ferocity now?

Poe held out a hand to silence her as his gaze turned to Ben, eyes unyielding.

"Strip him of his weapons!" he told Finn. And he hurried and did exactly as he was bid.

And there was only one presence in that room that had been briefly ignored to that point. Annika.
Her eyes filled with tears as the realization dawned on her. She had never seen human interactions until now. And knew nothing of their ways. Yet she could still feel it was not good, that her Master was in danger.

She wrapped her arms around Ben's legs and began to cry. And for a moment it had the desired effect. Poe stopped to look at her, utterly in shock. Ben reached down and stroked her head. He did not know what to say. So he said nothing.

"Well," Poe's patience was wearing thin. Though his astonishment was clear on his face as he saw the dreaded Kylo Ren being hugged by a child. And he reached out and tried to push Anni away. "He's not who you think he is, child." his voice tried to be gentle, yet impatience was mingled in it.

But she shot him a glare as she unburied her head from Ben's knee. "You know nothing!" she yelled at him. And she posted herself in front of Ben, glaring back at Poe.

"Listen here, child." he rolled his eyes. "This man, this man is Kylo Ren! The most dreaded presence in the galaxy." Ben tensed at the name. And he would have given Poe a good punch, had he been in a different situation. "And Kylo Ren was dead, according to some traitors!" his head snapped back at Rey.

She was sad, and she felt betrayed, Ben could feel it. So they left him no choice. "Do not talk to her like that!"

"You're in no place to command!" Poe hissed as he narrowed his eyes. "That girl was too soft to take your life, but I will! I will, for everything you've done! To your friends, to the galaxy, and to your family!" then, he could see Poe's eyes glistening. "To your mother!" he yelled at him. "What had she done to be treated like that by her own and only son?" he was crying now. But he restrained his tears quickly.

And Ben knew that everything Poe had said was true. Ben knew that this moment would come. He knew that his acts couldn't be easily forgotten. And he knew he had to pay, he wanted to. First, for his mother.
His heart, his soul, wouldn't let him live on unless he knew he had apologized.

Gathering his strength, his eyes rose up to lock with those of the commander of the Resistance. "You were right in everything you said." he stated. And the calm his voice bore was rather annoying the man before him. But he rambled on. "And it would be ironic now, to say that I want to forget everything and move on. Because it's harder than it may seem. And I must not forget my deeds, for they are what remind me every day of who I want be from now on. I'm ashamed of what I've done, what I've been. And I want to fix it." then his eyes turned to Rey. And she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Please..." her eyes were on the verge of tears. And could feel the dull ache from her heart transposing inside his own. "Ben, please..."

I know what I'm doing, he pushed a though in her mind. Believe me, I know.
But he didn't. He had no idea what the Resistance would do to him after they reached the base. But there was also no escape now. Where could he go? what could he do? Those people would hunt him throughout the galaxy now, as were already the Final Order loyalists. There was no other way, but facing the truth. Could he run away all his life? No. He had done it until all the time. He had ran from the light, from his parents, from Luke. But now he stopped in front of his fears and was ready to face them.

"I know what I put you through. And I could never live with it. If you'll ever come to forgive me, though, I'll be grateful. But it's too much to hope for. And something I don't deserve." and with that he made himself understood. "I want to change." he said, and looked each of them on the eyes in turn.

"Bind his hands and take him to the cell." Poe gave a curt order, as his eyes faltered between disgust and hatred. "As for you..." his eyes snapped to Chewie. "So fast do you change loialties?" and the wookie let out a guilty groan, lowering his eyes to the ground.

"You're sorry..." he considered for a moment. "Well, you should be." he said sharply. "Fool of a beast!" Poe lashed out at the wookie. But Chewie cursed him in Shriiwook.

" Poe, Ben's his family! " Rey intervened.

" Yeah? But what about us? What are we to him? Weren't us his family? "

" Poe... " Rey pleaded weakly as a stab crossed through her wound. "Ben is with us, he had changed." and she reached out a hand to him, in spite of the burning pain she felt. When she touched his shoulder, her eyes were gleaming with tears, and her other hand was clutching the freshly-opened wound. "I've seen it with my own eyes."

Then Finn came with the pair of iron handcuffs. Passing Rey by, he didn't even spare her a glance. He handed it to Poe, who gestured for Ben to stretch out his wrists.

"After me." Poe grabbed his arm and made to push him toward the corridor, when an angry yell broke the silence.

"No!"

It was Anni who darted forward and wound her arms around Poe's knee. And Ben knew that glare of hers, knew what came next.

"Anni, please don't. I'll be fine." he tried to reassure her. But it wasn't until she ran to him and he had to squat down to her level for a hug. It was hard with bound hands, yet he placed his head on top of her small one.

And in that moment Rose was the one to lower her blaster. Her sister was dead because of that man. Yet it seemed that she couldn't quite get over this new scene.

"Enough?" Poe asked harshly and impatiently.

Slowly, Ben rose his head and looked at the little one. "Take care of Rey." he told her before he stood up. "Whatever happens, stick to each other. She will teach you about the Force."

"But..." her blue eyes glistened with tears.

"Do as I say." he nodded hastily. And she tugged at the hem of his sleeve. He will miss her. And the parting of their ways felt like a hole in his heart. Yet he could not let her see it, it would be too much for her soul to bear.

He was in the middle of the circular room where a sheen light protruded through the small windows, halfway to the dark corridor that would lead him to the quarters where the Falcon had a small cell, when he felt a long stare on him. And his eyes rose up and met hers.

Rey jumped from the wookie's arms, half clinging to him, half falling on the ground, and limped to the center of the room in a haste, clutching the fresh wound at her stomach.

"Rey!" Rose yelled and in an instant forgot about the prisoner, but made to help her. Yet Rey ignored her briefly. Her teary but strong eyes were fixed on only one spot: him.

He would have reached out and stopped her right where she was, had the Force still been in his grasp. But if he yelled at her, it would be of no use. Because he knew just how stubborn she could be sometimes, when things didn't go as planned.

Suddenly, a surge of anger passed through him. Why were they not helping her? It was clear she was struggling.

"Go and help her!" he barked at Poe. Though he knew how foolish it had been almost immediately.

"I will." he said, face impassive as he watched Rey's face cringe in pain. "When she will learn her lesson about betrayal."

And Ben couldn't stand it. He yanked free from Poe's grasp and bolted to Rey.

~Rey's PoV~

And Rey did, indeed, feel like a traitor. Ben had done terrible things, beginning with his own family. He had tortured Poe, and Rose's sister, Paige, had died at his cause too. Yet she had seen she could save his soul. Something others will never see.

He ran to her and they collided right when she felt her knees melting beneath her.

"Ben..." Rey whimpered as her arms wrapped around him, clinging to him as if he was her salvation. And he steadied her, his neck pressed against her head as he tried to return her hug.

It was like an eternity. Yet they didn't care, they didn't hurry anywhere. And the members of the resistance were like statues, frozen in time. Then her eyes rose to to his as she sniffled one tear away. When will she see that love in them again? Or, would she ever see it one more time?
As if sensing her, Ben lowered his mouth and his lips touched her hair. She closed her eyes as she could feel him inhaling her scent. And thus time she knew she couldn't smell of sand and sun, of wildflowers, as Ben had told her. She knew she bore the metallic smell of blood and dust.

Weakly, her head tilted up and her lips caressed his jaw. He was jolted at the gesture, but she continued to do so, as one blood-stained hand went up to touch his chin. And she could feel the burning stares of the others, yet she didn't care.

Ben acknowledged her hand on his cheek as his mouth began to nuzzle her fingers, and his face found a nest in her palm.

Rey couldn't, couldn't hide it anymore. From herself, from Ben and from the resistance. All this time, while she had tried to deny her feelings, to bottle them up, she had only lied to herself.
And what if they never got the chance? She had to say it, to tell him the truth.

So she drew her head back as to look into his eyes. And she could read all the sorrow from them, probably related to her. Yet there was also relief. So much as Ben would have wanted to live, or to be free at least, he was relieved he had finally admitted his mistakes, and told those he had hunted, the truth.

His nose was slightly brushing against her forehead. Rey's fingers grazed his cheek weakly before grabbing his face, and gently pulling him in for a kiss right there, before everyone's eyes. And it surprised Ben as well. Yet his lips welcomed hers with warmth and love.

The crowd erupted into nervous and surprised and angered gasps and murmurs arose, but the sounds passed like the air past Rey.
She couldn't hold back. So many imsaid words, so many concealed feelings. Now at least she was free.

When she felt she was done, her lips remained there a few more seconds, pressed against his.

"I love you. Always remember that, please." She whispered as their eyes met again.

"I will always do, sweetheart."

"What was in your head, Ben?" she whispered, her voice breaking with every word. Though she already knew the answer.

"I did what was right, Rey."

~Ben's PoV~

Big, sad hazel eyes watched up at him. Begging him to stay, begging him to remain alive.
And he would have caressed them, wiped those tears that streaked her fairly tanned skin away, had he not had his hands tied before him. But she had said it. She had said what he had aways been afraid to admit because of his affiliations. First to the sith, now the jedi.

He leaned down and kissed her face. The corners of her eyes, the bridge of her nose, and then all the tears that rolled down her cheeks. He could feel her heart break inside her, could feel even more tears falling down as she moved after his mouth. So he stopped.

And slowly, she opened puffy red eyes. "Please... don't stop." she whimpered and sobbed. And he rested his forehead against hers, touching their noses. She responded by weakly lifting her head, brushing her tiny nose against his, and then burying her face in his cheek, nudging softly. "I love you..." She whispered close to his ear in a thin voice.

"I love you too, Rey of Sunshine." he answered in the same way.

But he could feel something warm and wet touch his knees. And it was then when he saw that her vision was beginning to cloud, that he realized it was blood from her impaled stomach leaking down her legs. And her knees were giving in. He could sense her collapse coming. And this time, he did not have the force. Earlier, it had been but a brief moment. And he couldn't explain how that bit of Force had been in his grasp.

"Rey..." he said. And the girl must have thought he was adressing to her, for her hand that clutched the fresh wound left that place and found his cheek, leaving a huge red sticky mark on his face. Little did she know that he was in fact telling anyone from the damn crowd to catch her before she fell.

And she kissed him again, kissed him with thirst, her salty tears mingling with the blood on her hand so close to Ben's mouth.

"Rey." he kept whispering her name inside their kiss in return. And when she subsided, his lips found hers again.

She made a sound as if there was a dull ache rooted in her soul. And it pained him that he couldn't reach that place now. He knew she was crying for him, yet he couldn't reverse those events. He loved her the most. But first, he had to pay for his deeds. That was what he had always feared about getting too attached in this unstable situation; he had always known this would come, and that he won't be able to be with her anymore. And that it will break her heart.

Her soul was caring, brave. One that needed to be cherished, protected, not hammered against all walls. He knew her friends have hurt her. Yet it was the way he saw her. The Resistance now saw her as a traitor, the way the Final Order saw him.

Lifting his eyes off her, he looked frantically around for help, words drowned somewhere in his throat. But he could feel two pairs of strong hands grab his arms as he was forced away from Rey.

~Rey's PoV~

She had forgiven Ben, given him a second chance. But she found the resistance was less reluctant to do so. They have escaped the first order, but the resistance proved to be just the same thing. She had come to care for Ben, and even feel more. He was hunted by both sides, and now so was she.

Her eyes drowned into Ben's once more.
For a brief short moment their lips touched again. But then he was dragged away from her, the warmth of his body leaving her.
And without his support she was falling, her knees began to buckle beneath her.

Her vision was slowly, yet surely fogging, like her mind. And all she could hear now was Ben's voice, yelling her name.
But he wasn't coming; instead he was walking away. And she couldn't understand what was happening.

A sharp pain shot up through her head as her tears splashed her cheeks and her lips tried to form the word "Help". But nothing came out of her throat.

The last thing she was aware of before she fell limp on the ground, was a last "Rey!" yelled with Ben's voice, echoing faintly in her mind, as if he were a galaxy away.

~Thanks for reading!~

A/N: For those who, just like me, wonder why Ben wasn't left alive at the end of tros, here's my theory:
Another reason they didn't let Ben live at the end of tros, it is because his life would have put the resistance in a bad spot. I always assumed they would never be as eager to forgive him as Rey is, and they would make him pay for the atrocities he had done. And in a way, they're right. And I think that even Ben would agree with it.
But what about the people who have fallen in love with the idea of his redemption? They would definitely see Ben as the victim and the resistance as the new evil. And it does not sound right, in terms of sw. After all, wasn't star wars always about picturing the resistance as the heroes that eradicate the evil? Though it does sound really interesting to see what would happen if the roles were reversed.
Sorry for doing it to the resistance, but that happens when you're betrayed.

Thoughts on that?

Don't forget to vote if you liked it ^^. And spread the word out to people who might like thi book! Thanks!