Ben leaned back on the bed and watched as Rey stood up and started to busy herself cleaning the hut.
The wounds on his shoulder and arm throbbed and he felt slightly dizzy. But that couldn't snuff out his feeling of contentment. He had safed her. She was safe now and unhurt. He hadn't really thought things through when he had seen her and the creature. All that was on his mind in that moment was that he could not loose her and that she was unarmed.

And then she had helped him and he had a feeling that she actually cared. He had seen her blush when he had touched her and he couldn't shake off the thought that it could mean something. He sighed to himself. It could still only be imagination. After all he could remember how she had reacted to his offer in Snokes throne room.
Ben closed his eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.

---

When the day dragged on and the afternoon turned into evening, Rey started to worry.
Ben had slept most of the day and had been awake a few times, but the last time had been hours ago.
She went over to the bed and sat down on a low stool next to it. He was sleeping soundly. She let her eyes wander over him and took in how his sweat shimmered lightly on his muscles and how his broad chest slowly rose and fell.

Then she remembered how he had made fun of her earlier and she turned her eyes away to look at the dressings again. The one on his shoulder was rather bloody and she wished she could do something about it, but she hadn't brought anything with her to do so.
The one on his arm looked better but had shifted slightly during his sleep, so she reached out to adjust it. Rey froze in her movement, when her fingers brushed his arm. His skin was burning and she realised that his breathing came out rather shallow.

That was bad, she knew it.
She could feel him stirring underneath her colder hand and when she looked up at him she saw his eyes opening.
"Hey", she whispered softly.
"Hey", he answered and gulped.
"How do you feel?"
"Better now that I can see you!"
Rey stared at him. Where was that coming from?
"You know, you look all shiny and bright. It looks like you have a halo. It's beautiful but then again you always look beautiful. Even when you are angry at me", he rampled on and blinked a few times slowly. His eyes were all glassy and out off focus.
Rey sat there frozen. She knew that when a fever got high, people started to say a lot of crazy things.

"Rey?", he whispered now. "Hey Rey! Do you want to rule with me? I know you said no, but you could be my princess, you know. I'm a prince."
Rey reached out her hand and softly layed it onto his forehead. He closed his eyes again and mumbled: "That feels nice." It was the first sentence since he had woken, that she really believed.
He was quiet for a while and Rey thought he must have fallen back asleep when he opened his eyes again. This time they where still glassy but perfectly focused.

"I feel like a Rathtar hugged me", he mumbled.
Rey smiled a bit. "I know. You look like it, too."
"I'm glad I helped you, you know. I've done a lot of bad things in my life, things that I regret deeply. But that is one of the things I'm proud of. That I could for once do something right." He gulped and panted. "I'm glad the Force brought us here. Together."
Rey didn't know what to say. She knew that this wasn't his fever talking. "Say something", he begged. "Just anything."
"I'm glad, too", she whispered.
Ben smiled weakly. He closed his eyes and panted heavily.
"Ben", Rey whispered. When he didn't open his eyes again, she said it again louder: "Ben!" Still no reaction. "Ben!", Rey stood now and shook him slightly. "Ben! I swear if you are joking again...." Still he didn't wake up. Rey was sobbing now. "Don't you dare to leave me alone in this jungle. Ben!"

"He can't hear you now. He passed out", came a voice from behind her. She turned around.
"Master Luke..."
"Well, that was something to witness at the lake. I haven't seen him act like this in.... well ever, I guess."
Rey wiped at her eyes. "You need to help me. I don't know what to do."
"And what he said just now... Maybe you were right and there is still a bit of light in him", Luke mused on.
"Told you have I", came another voice from behind Rey. There was a small old green being shimmering in the same blue light as Luke.
"Wait... who's that now? Are there more of you?", she asked.
"That's Master Yoda and yes, there are more of us but just the two of us are here right now", Luke said.

Rey was rather desperate right now. Ben needed help, couldn't they see? "He needs help! We can't just stand here and watch him die", she begged.
"Yes, yes", Yoda mused. "Die he could. Poison there is in him." Rey was shocked. "He can't die! I need him. The Force wanted us to be here together!", she turned to Luke. "That was what it kept showing me. There is reason we are here together." Luke smiled at that. "You finally figured it out. I don't think he will die now. The Force seems to have plans for him. What do you think, Master?" "Hmm... unclear his future is. A decision he has to make. But help him I will", the old Yedi master answered. Then he turned to Rey. "Do as I say you must." Rey nodded and thus began a long night for her.