Leia felt Ben's walls go up, muffling their connection, though they couldn't truly cut it off. As a result, she could indeed sense the emotions that lay under his refusal. Dr. Kalonia might guess, but Leia knew.
She returned Ben's flat gaze steadily, and though her tone was compassionate when she spoke, it now also carried maternal authority. "Ben, I don't have to 'bring' him anywhere," she said. "You said yourself last night; Rey's probably told him what she knows by now. And once he hears about it, he'll want to help, both because you're his nephew and just because he's Luke; stubborn, compassionate, sincere, guilt-ridden, and chronically heroic as he is. He'll be in this sooner or later regardless of what I or Dr. Kalonia say or do."
"The difference is in how it happens," she said. "Whether he feels like a part of our family who we involved by choice because we care about him, or whether he feels like just a consultant who was only brought in for his Jedi knowledge. And I think you know how both of those things feel, and which is preferable."
"I know you're afraid," she said. "And I know you regret what happened. But so is he and so does he. Trust me; he's tried to shield it from me, but we're twins. We've been connected since before we were born and not even a Jedi Master can block that out completely; I've known somewhat how he felt ever since he got back, no matter where he is on base, and the reverse is true too." Which was another reason she knew he'd be involved one way or another; even if Rey's word wasn't enough to convince him, Leia's worry would alert him to the fact that something was badly wrong, and he was smart enough to put it together from there.
"It's just not possible to avoid him forever, no matter how reluctant you both are to take the first step. Especially since you're friends with Rey." Friends was perhaps too mild a term, but neither one of them was in any state to consider that at present. "And having healing be the reason for coming together might just help you both heal."
no subject
She returned Ben's flat gaze steadily, and though her tone was compassionate when she spoke, it now also carried maternal authority. "Ben, I don't have to 'bring' him anywhere," she said. "You said yourself last night; Rey's probably told him what she knows by now. And once he hears about it, he'll want to help, both because you're his nephew and just because he's Luke; stubborn, compassionate, sincere, guilt-ridden, and chronically heroic as he is. He'll be in this sooner or later regardless of what I or Dr. Kalonia say or do."
"The difference is in how it happens," she said. "Whether he feels like a part of our family who we involved by choice because we care about him, or whether he feels like just a consultant who was only brought in for his Jedi knowledge. And I think you know how both of those things feel, and which is preferable."
"I know you're afraid," she said. "And I know you regret what happened. But so is he and so does he. Trust me; he's tried to shield it from me, but we're twins. We've been connected since before we were born and not even a Jedi Master can block that out completely; I've known somewhat how he felt ever since he got back, no matter where he is on base, and the reverse is true too." Which was another reason she knew he'd be involved one way or another; even if Rey's word wasn't enough to convince him, Leia's worry would alert him to the fact that something was badly wrong, and he was smart enough to put it together from there.
"It's just not possible to avoid him forever, no matter how reluctant you both are to take the first step. Especially since you're friends with Rey." Friends was perhaps too mild a term, but neither one of them was in any state to consider that at present. "And having healing be the reason for coming together might just help you both heal."