Rey was in Kylo Ren's chambers, once again put there by the Force bond they shared. He stood before her, a look in his eye that was so similar to the ever-present anger bubbling beneath the surface of his every expression, and yet so different. The way he looked at her now had all the same passion and strength, but a softness and pleading she had never seen.
"Tell me you can come," he said. "Just you, and I will come alone. This bond isn't real. We need to talk to each other face to face."
"Why should I trust you?" Rey's voice betrayed her sorrow at having to ask.
"I don't know."
"When we touched hands in the hut on Luke's Island, you were brought into my world in person. We could do that again, maybe it will work again."
"And you wouldn't be afraid, because it's just a trick of the bond," Kylo Ren said, his anger emerging. "Can't you believe me when I say I won't hurt you? I've had plenty of opportunity. I believe you won't try to kill me, because you didn't in Snoke's throne room. Give me the same chance I give you."
Rey sighed, then nodded. "I will meet you."
* *
Kylo Ren steered his craft into a landing on a remote asteroid, hoping he wasn't about to make the mistake of his life. He had asked Rey to meet him here so that he could tell her how he felt about her, and he could only hope she was beginning to feel the same about him.
He saw her, standing lost in thought not far from the Millinium Falcon. He wondered that she wasn't at full attention, lightsaber ignited, waiting for a trap. He headed for her, planning how this would work out.
Ready to dodge a sudden attack, he tapped Rey's shoulder.
To his surprise, she merely turned her head and greeted him. "You're here."
Steeling himself, Kylo began to sing.
Wise men say,
Only fools rush in,
But I can't help
Falling in love with you.
Rey began to blush. "Kylo, no." Her failure at hiding her smile encouraged him to continue.
Take my hand,
Take my whole life too.
Cause I can't help
Falling in love with you.
It was just a piece of the song, and he didn't have any instrumental backup, but for once Kylo felt like what he'd done was sufficient. Rey was really smiling now, but it was a sad smile.
"Ben, what are you doing?"
Her use of his real name was a good sign. "I'm trying to tell you I lo--"
"No Ben," she cut him off. "You know as well as I, that's impossible."
Kylo Ren felt like a bucket of ice water had been thrown in his face. He should have known. It was too late now; he had bared his heart in front of Rey and all that was left was to bear her scorn. He clenched his teeth, waiting for her derision.
Instead, she took his fisted hand. He let her open it and put her own small hand inside. "I wish it weren't, but we're on different sides of all this. I can't live knowing that there are people oppressed by the First Order, and you can't leave it."
His voice shaking with emotion, Kylo tried to get her to see. "It's not about the First Order, Rey. I don't want to be like that. The past is over, it's not like it was anymore. The Jedi, the Sith, those are things of the past. It's time to move on. We can build a new system, together. Please, Rey."
She shook her head. "There will always be good and evil. How can we move on from that?"
"That was the problem with the old way. It was all black and white, good and evil. That's why I don't trust it. Real life isn't like that. Good and evil aren't constant."
Rey shook her head. Kylo was bringing everything she'd ever been taught into question.
"But I didn't come here to argue morality with you, Rey. Just tell me that maybe someday you could feel for me like I do for you, and I'll be satisfied." Kylo, still holding Rey's hand, laced his fingers through hers. "I just want to hear that I'm not alone in this."
Rey looked at their hands and then up into his eyes. "As long as I'm living, you won't be alone."
Kylo Ren closed his eyes and gripped her hand. "Thank you, Rey."
On an impulse, Rey reached up to Kylo Ren's shoulder and pulled him down. She placed a quick kiss on his lips, whispering, "I already love you, Ben."