Author's note: this chapter is full of plot twists :)))

~*~
    It was early in the morning when the sun that filtered through the small gap in the stone wall hit Rey straight in the eyes. The rain has stopped, she thought.
   Her hand shot up in the air and rubbed her eyes clumsily. Then she rolled to the side, expecting to find Ben there, next to her. But the place was empty, the warmth he had left in his wake slowly being replaced by coldness.
    She clutched the woolen blanket to herself, and nestled in it, on the furs where she had slept in.
  
   She closed her eyes again, only to  hear the door creak open. The fresh air of the morning hit her full in the face, making her want to squirm back in her covers. She pulled the blanket up to her nose and sighed in complaint.
 
   "Oh," it was Ben's voice, as his steps stopped in the doorway. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were still sleeping." he blurted out.

   But a warm, sweet smell filled Rey's nose. It was...cinnamon, she could guess.

   Her head rose up, slowly, and she saw Ben holding up a plate through her blurry vision. She propped herself on her elbow and watched as he approached her, leaving the door ajar.

   "Good morning, Rey of Sunshine." he greeted.

   She loved that nickname he had found for her. He sat down on the furs across from her and placed the plate between them.

   "I'm sorry I had to leave you in the cold." he tried to apologize. "But I wanted to make something special for you."

   And Rey's eyes darted to the pie set before her. She examined it closely and ducked her head, her eyes almost touching its borders, a small frown crept between her brows, as if she had never seen such a thing in her life. As she peered at it as if it were something that was going to eat her, instead of her eating it, a new smell invaded her senses. Apples. She had been told about them, but never in her life had she tasted one.

   She waited eagerly for Ben to finish slicing it, so she could finally have a taste. She didn't even know that Ben liked to cook. Or maybe he didn't... Until now.

   He sliced a quarter and pushed it to her.

   "Have a bite. Tell me what it's worth." he smiled.

   It was then when Rey took it in her hand that she realized just how hungry she was. She took a big bite and let the smell of the apples and cinnamon settle in her mouth. She closed her eyes. It's... It's the best thing I've eaten in my life, she thought as she let it slid down her throat.

   Then she felt the back of Ben's fingers caressing her jaw and her chin. She opened her eyes slowly, and her mouth spread in a big smile.

   "I've never eaten something so good my whole life!"

   Ben's hand left her face slowly as he suppressed a smile. His face fell to the ground, as if in embarrassment. He's not used to receiving compliments, Rey thought. Then, still smiling, he shrugged and rose his head again to talk to her.

   "It's the first time I actually try to cook something. If it's bad...you can throw it away."

   Rey stifled immediately at his words. "But it's great! I said it's the best thing I've ever tasted."

  " No one has ever told me I did something so good in my life. "

  " It has... Now. " Rey completed for him. And she would have kissed him, had her mouth not been full with food.

   When they were done she remained alone and changed from her night dress into a pair of grey pants, a dark blue tunic and the vest she put over it was a lighter shape of the same color.
   She grabbed her brown leather belt and fastened it tightly around her waist. Out of instinct, she drove her hand to the place where her lightsaber should have been. And not feeling it there was like a missing part of her.

   Before leaving the Hut for good, she took a look in the small square glass she had on the wall.
   Her hand reached the back of her head and smoothed the hair down on her shoulders. She adjusted the belt and opened the door to go.

   The Falcon was all ready to go. Ben had taken care to prepare it so they would not linger too much.

   Rey could see him now, waiting for her to reach the ramp. She did not have many things; in fact, she had the same few ones she had owned when she had come to this place. And the small bag she carried did not slow her down from running.
   Three swift jumps and she was up on the ramp next to Ben. He flashed a grin at her.

   "Shall we go now?" she asked him.
 
   "Whenever you want." he told her. But she could see the sadness that shadowed his dark eyes, out of nowhere.

   "What's?" she frowned, nudging him.

   He sighed heavily. "I'll miss this place. I'll miss this place a lot."

    "We'll come back." Rey said, staring him in the eyes.

   He nodded. "Maybe in the future..." he began in a thin voice, but was cut off by Rey, who had just remembered something.

   "Still, there's someone we need to visit before we leave the planet."

He cocked his head and frowned. "Whom do you mean?"

    Rey let out a soft chuckle, as she drove the back of her hand to her mouth to suppress it. Then her eyes snapped back to Ben. "Do you not know who lives here?" she asked incredulously.

   And he kept staring at her.

   "Ben... We need to visit Maz before we do anything."

   Rey could see the shock on his face. Could see that he was ready to protest.

   "Rey... We can't." he stated, as he shook his head. "After what I did to my father... I can't see her."

   "It's alright, I'll be with you. And you need her forgiveness. She knows the Force. And, if there's someone out there who could help us restore it, it is her." she reached out and placed a hand on his arm. "We need to go to her."

   "What if she tells someone that I'm alive?"

   "She won't. I promise. She will do it for me. And, if Chewie didn't tell anyone, be sure she won't."

    In the end, he nodded. "Let us go, then." he said and let her in first, then he followed, pressing the sensor to close the door. But he stopped in the way to look one more time at the little stone huts scattered on the hill, like mushrooms in a clearing. Maybe after he and Rey were done with building their sabers, they'll be back. If only there was no bigger threat out there.

  There was something that had been nagging at him in the past days. He was tired of fighting, and Rey was too. And he just wanted a quiet life, just like everybody else. He was even going to tell Rey to run away somewhere that no harm could come to them. But if there would indeed be a fight, his soul would be heavy with guilt. It was not in Ben Solo's nature to leave the people fight alone. And he was wondering what had gotten into his head all those years while he had used the dark side.

   He entered the cockpit and saw Rey in the co-pilot's seat, looking straight at him, a white and orange BB-8 unit at her feet.

   "I thought you wouldn't come." She said as he approached her.

   "Rey, you should drive the ship." he ignored her.

   "No, I'll give you the honor. Your father would have liked to see you piloting it. He would have been proud of you."

   Ben made himself smile, yet her words felt like hot daggers through his heart. He would have been proud, yes, have I not killed him. But he held his words back.

   He sat next to Rey and took off. Being in that ship again, it reminded him of the times when he was a child, and when he would follow his dad everywhere he went. When his father would take him in the co-pilot's seat or in his lap. When his mother would scold them both, because Han didn't tell her he's taking Ben, and because he had ran off after his father.
   And by the time they landed in a forest, on the shore of a great lake, away from Maz's castle, his eyes were veiled by tears.

   He sniffled them away as Rey turned to face him.

   "Ben?"

   "I'm alright, we should go." he tried to look away, but she placed her hand on his cheek and pulled him toward her.

   "No, come here." She said as she came next to him and wrapped her arms around his head. "You've been holding back for too long."

   And he gave in, reluctantly, easing his head on her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair and placing kisses on it. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close.

   After a few more moments, they were out in the woods. The castle could be seen in the distance, over the tops on the trees as it was raised on a hill.

   Rey took Ben's hand and they started together through the forest, when a figure appeared from behind the trees.
   Rey stared in amazement as Maz waddled in front of them, greeting Rey with a smile. How could she know they have come?

   "I already told you that I can feel the Force, child. Even though I can't use it." Maz said as if answering her question.

   But then her eyes darted to the man that stood next to Rey, and her smile faded into a glare.

   "As regarding you, Young Solo..." She said and frowned at Ben, but in an instant he was down on his knees.

   "I know, I know, and I'm so sorry!" he sobbed. "I wish I could turn back the time, anything... But the deed was done... And I have to pay for it, I know that." he gulped down all his guilt. The memories he had lived in the Falcon were too raw now. "I know I did unforgivable things... Things I couldn't ever have imagined myself doing... And yet here I stand."

   And Maz didn't say a word. She only let Ben spill everything he had on his soul. But Rey could see that her features have softened as she went over and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

  " I understand, child. And I know you've learnt your lesson." She said softly, her voice full of wisdom, as she placed both her hands on Ben's hair, like a parent to his child.

   "I should have helped the Galaxy, like my parents before me. But instead I brought destruction."

   "This can be fixed." Maz said. "But there's only one condition."

   But she never got to say which the condition was, for a dark skinned man appeared out of nowhere, and grabbed Ben by the throat.

   "No!" Rey screamed in terror. And coming from the forest, shw could hear Chewie's loud roar as he ran, carrying his crossbow-like blaster.

   "You! You filthy, unworthy, ungrateful... I don't even know how to call someone like you!" the man growled as he pinned Ben to the ground and began to carry fists in his mouth.

    Rey had never seen anyone put Ben down before.

    "Lando! Lando, please stop!" she ran to their side.

    "No, I won't!" he turned his head slightly in her direction. Then back to Ben. "You killed him! He was my best friend, why did you do it!? Why!?!!" he barked as he shook Ben violently.

   But Ben couldn't speak. He knew he was just getting what he had always deserved.

   "He was your father! YOUR FATHER! So why did you do that!?" now tears began to stream down Lando's face. Ben knew just how close his father and Lando Calrissian had been.

   "Please, let him go." Rey pleaded as she touched Lando's shoulder. "He's here to make things right."

    "What to make right!? Han is dead, Luke is dead, Leia is dead. What does he want, to bring them back!?" he said ironically and almost barked at Rey as he got up to his feet, followed by Ben, who kept a decent distance, his eyes put to the ground in shame.

   But all the same, Ben made himself speak." Yes, they are dead. And I will never forgive myself for it. But what they stood up for, what they fought for, that is not lost." he could remember briefly his father's last words to him.

    But Lando turned to him with a burning glare. His dark eyes shot daggers at him, piercing him right through his very soul, turning it to shatters, to million pieces, to shreds. And then, he gripped Ben's arm again, and twisted until he could see the pain etched on the son of Han's face.

    "I wish I could kill you. But I can't." Lando said through gritted teeth with tears in his eyes as he let go of the grip on Ben, and all the hatred seemed to be coming from his voice. He had dug his fingers so deep in Ben's flesh, that now the place hurt and stung. "I'm your godfather, and I promised your parents that, whatever happens, I'll keep you safe. And I'm doing it for their sake, not yours."

  Ben nodded weakly, until he found the strength to speak again. " The right thing to do with me... I should let the people judge me by my crimes." Ben concluded.

  " No! " Rey cried. "No, please no!" and her eyes wandered from Maz to Lando to Chewie, begging them not to take Ben away.

   Chewie stood there, unflinching, though she knew he didn't want something to happen to Ben. Yet he could not forgive him for the death of the one he had considered a brother.

   But Maz gave her a reassuring smile and come to her with slow paces.

    "We wouldn't do that." Maz said. "It would break young Rey's heart to pieces, oh, I know it." She threw Rey one of her knowing smiles. "And the Force... The Force is not done with you." She told Ben. "Even though it seems so, it is not. It will come back to you both. And then, only then, you'll be the last hope that the galaxy holds, for we haven't seen the worst of all; even though that's what it seems. We need not settle down to our houses and let our guard down... For the days to come are dark...and full of terrors,  and pain."

   Then what she did next surprised Rey. Maz waddled to her side and took one of her hands in her own wrinkled small ones, the same hands that had held hers when she had found Luke's Saber. Now she guided her to the place where Ben was standing.

   "... And you're a Dyad in the Force. Your bond can never be broken." She told them both as she looked into their eyes, each of their hands clasped with hers.
   But then Maz's eyes fell on Rey, and then on Ben, before she joined Rey's hand with his.

    Rey looked in astonishment at Maz, and then at Ben. What is she doing? Is she marrying us? She wondered.
   
    But it was Maz who spoke next, as her tiny old hands enveloped Rey and Ben's clasped ones. She looked deep into their eyes, as if reading their very souls. But not before flashing at them a knowing smile. "I'm aware of your feelings for each other." and then, "Ben" she said. "Promise me that you'll protect your Rey with the price of your life, as you did before."

    Your Rey, she noticed it. But her thoughts were cut off by Ben's voice. "I do. I would die a thousand times for my Rey." he said as he looked her deep  in the eyes.

  And her hand began to tremble in his with emotion. He rubbed it to give her comfort.
   So, if they were indeed jedi, Maz was not mad that they loved each other? Or did she not know the whole truth? Or maybe they wouldn't love each other to that point?

   But the old woman's voice interrupted her again. "You shall be each other's lightning sword in the darkness, in the days to come. Will you?"

   "I will." Rey said solemnly, locking eyes with Ben.
  
   "And I will."

    "And you will be the two swords that light the galaxy at its most desperate needs. You are the Light that burns against the Dark, the light that brings the dawn, the shield that  guards the people against the Wrath of the Sith." She said, still holding their clasped hands, looking when at her, when at him.

   And then it dawned on Rey. Maz wasn't marrying them, she was making them Jedi. Officially. And a jedi was not supposed to have attachments, she knew that. But she knew that bringing the light was her destiny, until the balance was restored. And she knew that she couldn't rest until the deed was done.

   "I will." Rey said. And there was that willfullness and wildness that Maz has seen in her for the first time.

   "Always." Ben said in his turn. "I will do it for all the mistakes I've done." And saying those words, he knew in that moment he was pledged to the Galaxy. He knew there was no other way until the war was done. And then, maybe only then, if they both made it out alive, he could live a peaceful life with Rey.

  " Then, do you pledge your life and honor to the The Jedi Order?"

   And this last question slowed Rey down a bit. But she knew it was too late to say no. They were already the ones they called the last hope. And she couldn't let the people deal alone with whatever was to come, it wouldn't be fair. She could never live a happy life if she knew she had stood indifferent. She looked up at Ben, as if to apologize. But he nodded.

   "Yes, I pledge my life to the Jedi Order." She said as her eyes drowned in Ben's. But now they drowned in them because she was afraid. Afraid she had made the wrong decision.

  "And I do, too."

  And that was it. They were Jedi. She was a jedi, Ben was a jedi. She ought to be happy about that. Wasn't that what she'd always wanted? Wasn't adventure what she'd always sought?
  

~*~

    A/N: thank you very much for being with me until this point! I promise you'll like how the events unfurl! Yeah, I know I made up the thing that Lando is Ben's godfather. But it seemed to have more impact on the scene. :))
    And the vows they said are inspired from somewhere, did you guess, though?
   
   And, not before last, I want to give a shout out to those people who had been motivating me to write this story on: @stitch4321 @HeyloReylo Dazzdazzie, @adiyaforever812 and Yanis70

   Go check @stitch4321's story, "Ben with brown eyes" and @HeyloReylo's one, "The Greatest Force of All", they are great, I must say :)))