Luke's Final Gift

   Several weeks had passed since the Battle of Crait, where Luke Skywalker had sacrificed his life to ensure the survival of the Resistance. Rey had gone about her daily duties, helping wherever needed, repairing the Falcon alongside Chewie when necessary, helping Poe organize the small remainder of survivors, giving aid to Leia when she needed it. Her health was failing since her spacewalk, and Rey felt a strong connection to her as well. She knew that, as Luke's sister, Han's wife and Darth Vader's daughter, she was a pretty central figure, and she was always very kind to Rey, like a surrogate mother. She also knew Leia was Force-sensitive, as would be expected, given her family tree. When she meditated, she could see the huge Force-aura surrounding her. Leia just hadn't been trained to use the Force much. Rey was told that Luke had offered, but Leia just preferred to remain in the world of politics, where she was most comfortable, and had no interest in becoming a Jedi. However, she had learned a few useful tricks.
   Today, Leia called Rey to her suite at the new rebel base on an undisclosed planet. She was curious what Leia wanted to see her about. She hurried down the corridor to the large sliding doors on the right just before the briefing room.
    The doors slid open to allow her in, whereupon Leia greeted her.
"How are you doing today, Rey? Care for some tea?"
"Fine, thank you. Yes, I'll take some, please," she responded.
Threepio, Leia's faithful protocol droid, hurried off to the kitchen to fulfill the request. He soon returned with the tea, set it on the table, then hurried out of the room just as quickly.
"Please, have a seat," Leia gestured to the couch.
   Rey lowered herself to the couch, but seemed a little nervous, sitting on the edge with her hands clasped. It was unusual for Leia to call her for "personal chats", but this seemed like it was going to be one of those times. Hopefully it was nothing serious.
  "Well, I'd like to get right to the point," Leia said. "Rey, do you have something you need to tell me?"
   Uh...I'm not sure I understand-?"
   "Rey, you know that I am Force-sensitive - AND I'm a woman. I'd say that makes me one of the most perceptive people around. Surely you of all people understand that?"
  "Yes, of course," she replied.
  "And as a Force-sensitive, I can feel the auras of those around me. Life creates these Force-signatures in everyone I see. And in your case, Rey, I see your Force-signature is a little bigger these days. To put it simply Rey, I can sense another life in you."
Rey's facial expression relaxed and her eyes became as round as saucers.
"Rey....are you pregnant?"
"I....I don't know..." she stammered.
"Well, the fact that you don't know tells me one thing. Rey, have you been intimate with my son?"
Rey suddenly felt slightly panicked. "No, I swear I haven't," she countered. "Your son and I have had a Force-connection a few times while I was on the island, but it was a non-physical communication - except for one time where it allowed us to touch hands. But it was never anything more than that."
"It's all right, you're not in trouble. I just wanted to know what was going on." She paused before asking, "So, just for the sake of curiosity, who IS the father?"
Rey's face fell. She was going to have to tell her the truth. Sorry, Luke...
"Well....I promised not to tell anyone, but I think you might be the only exception. Just please don't tell anyone else."
"I promise. What you tell me stays in this room."
"Can you tell me one thing first - girl or boy?"
"Boy," she responded.
A wide grin spread across Rey's face. Leia could sense her joy.
However, it was short-lived, as her gaze fell, and she said, "Well, Leia, the thing is...this child I'm carrying is not your grandson....he's....your nephew."
Leia's eyes grew big as saucers as soon as the realization of what Rey just said registered.
"Ooooooohhh, REY! Not my BROTHER!!"
Rey hung her head in shame. "Yes, I'm afraid so," she whispered.
Leia squeezed her eyes shut and held her forehead in her hand. This was going to take some processing. How did she -? No, she didn't want to know...Oooh, Luke...and now he was gone...
After a few moments and the initial shock had passed, Leia's powers of reasoning returned. Yes, her brother was gone. And somehow he had managed to leave behind an heir. For years she had been afraid he would die old, alone and childless. She wanted more for him than that. It seemed such a waste that he was such a good-looking man when he was young, all for nothing. Even if the child was not conceived in the traditional manner in the sanctity of matrimony, he still found a healthy young woman to be the mother of his child, and there was no better possibility at the time than Rey. She was a good young woman with a heart of gold.
Leia raised her eyes to Rey, and lifted her chin. "Rey, do you love this child?"
Tears ran down Rey's face. "Yes," she sobbed.
"And you will care for him, promise never to abandon him and raise him to be a good man?"
"Yes, I will."
"This child is a Skywalker, so I'm warning you it's not going to be easy, but if anyone can manage it, you can. Welcome to the Skywalker clan," she said. She smiled, and Rey lunged forward to embrace Leia, who laughed and hugged her back tightly.