For allbingo
Feb. 20th, 2021 07:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianTitle: Famous Last Words
Summary: Missing scene/alternate ending for The Rise of Skywalker. After the final battle at Exegol, Poe gets an unexpected visitor.
Prompt: Music
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: This is weird, I know. I figured that I'd use this as an excuse for a songfic.
The war was over, and it felt like Poe had lost everything. He’d failed to save members of his squadron — Snap, just for example. And Ben...
Ben was dead. Poe should have been rejoicing. But Ben had meant something to him. Ben, who had had nothing but love and belief in him even in spite of the mistakes he made starting at sixteen, who had been his best friend, the man he loved, his frenemy —
He was tired. So very tired. He went through the motions on day one after learning of Ben’s death (after Rey had left them for Tatooine), because they needed him...but he was so very tired.
***
It was later that he was called out of a meeting to be told that “some schutta with black hair who looks like he hasn’t showered in a year” (as Klaud put it) was here.
Poe thought that he was hallucinating at first. But it was Ben.
Ben Solo was alive.
It wasn’t fair if someone was just taunting Poe. But he was here.
***
It was in that moment, meeting him in the holding cell, that Poe actually saw him. Ben. For the first time in the flesh for...months, at least. After they had been stranded together like that, after their odd encounters here and there...
He was here. He was really, honestly here. Poe almost wanted to reach through the bars in that moment and touch his face. But he had to be the General here. Someone had to be the General in the room.
Ben was dressed in Sith cultist robes. Apparently, that had been the closest thing he could find to actually wear.
“You came back,” Poe said, softly.
Ben nodded. “If only I’d come back sooner. It’s — I’m sorry about Leia. I’m sorry about everything.”
“She loved you.” That Poe knew.
“She told me as much,” Ben said. “For the life of me, no pun intended, I don’t know why.”
“You’re her son,” Poe said. “My father loved me after everything I did. Why are you different, Ben?”
“That’s not really a fair comparison. To you, that is.”
“It is to you.” Poe took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Then, “How did you even survive Exegol, anyway?”
“My mother. She resurrected me. My uncle too.”
“What — Luke? Leia? Both of them?”
Ben nodded. “Force Healing isn’t just used by the living. It can be used by Force Ghosts too. And I’d been practicing it. Your mother’s death...it led me to look into it. To really try and, when I was old enough, look into resurrecting the dead. Resurrection is possible, but it’s risky. Palpatine...before he fought Rey, he drained some energy from both of us to...rejuvenate himself.” A shudder from Ben. “He was in terrible shape. Falling apart, pallid, decrepit...but when he drained Rey and me, he became something else. Like a monster out of a nightmare. The action — I think that was why Rey died, temporarily, after blocking her grandfather’s Lightning.”
“Because he drained you?”
“It weakened us. That and there was a moment where I wanted to die.” Ben looked down. “After what I did to you, to do many other people...but my mother said that I had the opportunity to rejoin the world of the living, and do the work.” A sigh. “I don’t know where to begin.”
“I just don’t know why Luke would...after he tried to kill you...”
“He said it was a form of redemption for him,” Ben said. “He said that Palpatine had manipulated him. Mind controlled him. He was only able to...listen, Poe. He did scare me. There’s no doubt about that. That moment caused me so much pain for years, the idea that he hated me. But he...well, he didn’t hate me. And he wasn’t a coward in the slightest. He won against Palpatine, in a way.” He closed his eyes. “I just wish I’d been awake to see it.”
“The only one at fault here is Palpatine,” Poe said.
Silence.
“So, Rey...”
“It’s not like that at all,” Ben said. “She did kiss me, but she didn’t know we were related. Palpatine did...terrible things to my great-grandmother, things that only show him as a coward at the core. But Rey...she’s my second cousin.”
“Yeah, she said,” Poe said. “She took it surprisingly well considering the surprise incest thing. I think she was just distraught at losing the last of her family all over again. All she wanted was a family, you know.”
“I know.” Then, “Where is she?”
“Tatooine. Made a quick stop there.”
“You could talk to her,” Ben said. “Since I don’t exactly have a comm with me...”
***
Poe spoke with Rey. He didn’t miss the way Rey’s eyes lit up. Then, “You gave me my family back, Poe,” she said. “I never thought I’d say this, but I owe you.”
“You better get back to Ajan Kloss,” Poe said. “He’s waiting for you.”
Rey’s genuine smile — not that prim little smirk he’d been used to seeing — was brilliant, radiant. It was the face of a woman who finally had something go right about her family.
“I’m going home,” she said.
***
Poe turned towards Ben. Sighed. “Ben, there’s something that I need to tell you. I can’t hate you, even after all you’ve done.”
“You rarely hate anyone,” Ben said.
“No, it’s not just that. I love you, Ben. You mean the galaxy to me. It was why I went looking for you in the first place. I wasn’t afraid to walk the galaxy alone, as long as I eventually found you.”
“You were looking for me. On Jakku.”
Poe nodded. “Always.”
And it was there that Ben actually did smile. All teeth and relief and pronounced cheekbones. Then, “I’m not afraid to keep on living. Whatever I face, whatever I do. And...I love you, Poe. Nothing can make me feel safer than being loved by you.”
“I know.” Poe grinned, despite himself. “Having you back is the first thing that’s gone right for me in a long time.”
Summary: Missing scene/alternate ending for The Rise of Skywalker. After the final battle at Exegol, Poe gets an unexpected visitor.
Prompt: Music
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: This is weird, I know. I figured that I'd use this as an excuse for a songfic.
The war was over, and it felt like Poe had lost everything. He’d failed to save members of his squadron — Snap, just for example. And Ben...
Ben was dead. Poe should have been rejoicing. But Ben had meant something to him. Ben, who had had nothing but love and belief in him even in spite of the mistakes he made starting at sixteen, who had been his best friend, the man he loved, his frenemy —
He was tired. So very tired. He went through the motions on day one after learning of Ben’s death (after Rey had left them for Tatooine), because they needed him...but he was so very tired.
***
It was later that he was called out of a meeting to be told that “some schutta with black hair who looks like he hasn’t showered in a year” (as Klaud put it) was here.
Poe thought that he was hallucinating at first. But it was Ben.
Ben Solo was alive.
It wasn’t fair if someone was just taunting Poe. But he was here.
***
It was in that moment, meeting him in the holding cell, that Poe actually saw him. Ben. For the first time in the flesh for...months, at least. After they had been stranded together like that, after their odd encounters here and there...
He was here. He was really, honestly here. Poe almost wanted to reach through the bars in that moment and touch his face. But he had to be the General here. Someone had to be the General in the room.
Ben was dressed in Sith cultist robes. Apparently, that had been the closest thing he could find to actually wear.
“You came back,” Poe said, softly.
Ben nodded. “If only I’d come back sooner. It’s — I’m sorry about Leia. I’m sorry about everything.”
“She loved you.” That Poe knew.
“She told me as much,” Ben said. “For the life of me, no pun intended, I don’t know why.”
“You’re her son,” Poe said. “My father loved me after everything I did. Why are you different, Ben?”
“That’s not really a fair comparison. To you, that is.”
“It is to you.” Poe took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Then, “How did you even survive Exegol, anyway?”
“My mother. She resurrected me. My uncle too.”
“What — Luke? Leia? Both of them?”
Ben nodded. “Force Healing isn’t just used by the living. It can be used by Force Ghosts too. And I’d been practicing it. Your mother’s death...it led me to look into it. To really try and, when I was old enough, look into resurrecting the dead. Resurrection is possible, but it’s risky. Palpatine...before he fought Rey, he drained some energy from both of us to...rejuvenate himself.” A shudder from Ben. “He was in terrible shape. Falling apart, pallid, decrepit...but when he drained Rey and me, he became something else. Like a monster out of a nightmare. The action — I think that was why Rey died, temporarily, after blocking her grandfather’s Lightning.”
“Because he drained you?”
“It weakened us. That and there was a moment where I wanted to die.” Ben looked down. “After what I did to you, to do many other people...but my mother said that I had the opportunity to rejoin the world of the living, and do the work.” A sigh. “I don’t know where to begin.”
“I just don’t know why Luke would...after he tried to kill you...”
“He said it was a form of redemption for him,” Ben said. “He said that Palpatine had manipulated him. Mind controlled him. He was only able to...listen, Poe. He did scare me. There’s no doubt about that. That moment caused me so much pain for years, the idea that he hated me. But he...well, he didn’t hate me. And he wasn’t a coward in the slightest. He won against Palpatine, in a way.” He closed his eyes. “I just wish I’d been awake to see it.”
“The only one at fault here is Palpatine,” Poe said.
Silence.
“So, Rey...”
“It’s not like that at all,” Ben said. “She did kiss me, but she didn’t know we were related. Palpatine did...terrible things to my great-grandmother, things that only show him as a coward at the core. But Rey...she’s my second cousin.”
“Yeah, she said,” Poe said. “She took it surprisingly well considering the surprise incest thing. I think she was just distraught at losing the last of her family all over again. All she wanted was a family, you know.”
“I know.” Then, “Where is she?”
“Tatooine. Made a quick stop there.”
“You could talk to her,” Ben said. “Since I don’t exactly have a comm with me...”
***
Poe spoke with Rey. He didn’t miss the way Rey’s eyes lit up. Then, “You gave me my family back, Poe,” she said. “I never thought I’d say this, but I owe you.”
“You better get back to Ajan Kloss,” Poe said. “He’s waiting for you.”
Rey’s genuine smile — not that prim little smirk he’d been used to seeing — was brilliant, radiant. It was the face of a woman who finally had something go right about her family.
“I’m going home,” she said.
***
Poe turned towards Ben. Sighed. “Ben, there’s something that I need to tell you. I can’t hate you, even after all you’ve done.”
“You rarely hate anyone,” Ben said.
“No, it’s not just that. I love you, Ben. You mean the galaxy to me. It was why I went looking for you in the first place. I wasn’t afraid to walk the galaxy alone, as long as I eventually found you.”
“You were looking for me. On Jakku.”
Poe nodded. “Always.”
And it was there that Ben actually did smile. All teeth and relief and pronounced cheekbones. Then, “I’m not afraid to keep on living. Whatever I face, whatever I do. And...I love you, Poe. Nothing can make me feel safer than being loved by you.”
“I know.” Poe grinned, despite himself. “Having you back is the first thing that’s gone right for me in a long time.”
