In her vision, Rey had seen them together in the end. Just not like this.

She hadn't really thought the end would be, well, the end.

Rey's face was covered in dirt, trails of sweat and tears having forged their paths down her cheeks. Her hair had come undone and hung loosely, tickling her shoulders from the intensity of the duel, while her chest heaved unevenly with erratic breaths. A hand was braced against the area under her left breast where a deep wound was slowly draining the life from her as well as few others. She was utterly filthy and spent with her lightsaber extinguished. Rey's light brown eyes were on him.

On Kylo Ren.

His obsidian hair was matted with sweat and plastered to his paled face which was just as dirty as her own as he stood just a few paces before her. He held an arm against his stomach, hiding the deep charred wound of where her lightsaber had been moments before. That wasn't the only injury he had sustained from her and they'd all obviously taken their toll on the weary man. Kylo Ren's eyes were on her and she saw his tears. While Rey's tears had not been for Kylo Ren but for Ben Solo, she understood.

Neither of them had expected it to end like this.

They'd both had seen that they were with each other at the end, allied and alive. But that had been some naivety on both of their parts. Their lonely souls connected so well but their paths were on two different sides of the road. They hadn't had a choice but to fight each other because there was no bringing Ben Solo back. And even if she had succeeded, his payment for his crimes would be heavy. No, it was suiting that it ended here, like this. Even if neither wished it on the other.

Rey's legs were unable to carry her weight anymore and she fell forward into the dirt, shocking the breath from her. Kylo fell with her, although he stumbled to his knees first, as if he was stubbornly denying the inevitable. But eventually they were both lying bellies down to the ground. They both turned their heads to the right, their faces inches away from each other.

Rey just looked at him for a moment. This Supreme Leader. This fallen man. She couldn't see the monster, even if Ben Solo couldn't come back. Rey saw the lonely person cowering behind all the masks and darkness. She saw it in him and herself.

"I think I won this round." Rey's voice sounded like a horrible wheeze and panic surged through her at hearing it. She could barely breathe with one lung functioning. This was really happening.

Kylo managed to pull up a rare small smile reserved for her quips in their duels that was quickly replaced by a wince and an expression she couldn't describe easily. It was like pain, fear, regret, and relief all mixed in one bitter cocktail. Rey watched a tear travel over the bridge of his nose and could feel her own eyes burning before her own tears started to fall. Maybe she could cry for Kylo Ren after all.

"Let's call it a draw." He sounded exhausted, like speaking was too much effort. Rey tried to laugh but all that came out was this horrendous exhale and a fit of coughing which made her go numb.

I'm scared. She could no longer speak aloud and sent her fear mixed with uncertainty through their bond. Her eyelids were beginning to droop but she summoned enough energy to pull her hand up on the ground between them.

You're not alone. His ungloved hand covered hers and it was even more warm and reassuring than the first time they had brushed fingers through the bond.

A shuddering sigh escaped her.

Neither are you. And with their final words unspoken, the life in Rey's eyes faded with Kylo Ren's.