"No! No! Come back!" Every time she thought about that day, that's all she could remember; just the tears. The plea to not be left behind.
But now, it was like a fog was lifting. Still hazy, but there were fragments creeping through. Another voice. Soothing…attempting to be anyway.
A face… Similar to hers… Down to the tears.
"If there were any other way…" A pause. A moment to compose. A need to demonstrate strength - enough to inspire it… "I promise you - you will be alright. But you must stay here."
The haze renewed. Everything she had just regained felt like it was slipping through her fingers…
"You must stay. I will be back. I will come for you. But you must stay here…"
The images faded more. She felt like she was adrift in a void and clinging to the edge of a cliff at the same time.
"I have to go back. I have to go back. She won't come if I'm not there…" It was barely a whisper and she opened her eyes, confused as to why she even said it. The conflict was so strong though - she knew it was foolish to go back, but that desire to do as the voice said…
"Rey."
She looked up to find wise, sad eyes looking back at her. "Maz was right, wasn't she? The…that person…woman…who left me on Jakku… She's gone."
Head in her hands, she kneaded her head as if she could rub the haziness away. When she looked up again, she found the same sad look - the same one he had given her when she pulled the lightsaber out of her bag and held it out to him.
Sad. Knowing.
"I… We both… I believe it was done with your safety in mind. To protect you."
"But why? Who am I? I'm not that important."
A slight smirk, there and then gone. "We can't know that without knowing who it was that…left you."
She closed her eyes to try and see it again. "I…I can't… The closer I get, the more the memory slips away…"
"Someone has blocked your memory. Hidden it away. Everything you knew before Jakku. It's why Be-… Kylo couldn't see it."
"Who could have done that?"
He hesitated. "Someone…with the ability to use the force. In some way…"
"A Jedi?"
"Not…not necessarily. But…it doesn't seem to be aiding the dark side…"
They both paused, using the silence to consider.
"I know you want to know. To understand. But…"
It was her turn to smirk. Hers, however, didn't fade as fast. "It will come when it comes. There are other things more easily focused on."
He returned the smile; but as she turned and walked away, that same sad knowledgable look returned.
