The object was heavy in her hand and she curled her fingers around the cool metal. It was all still so surreal and she exhaled through her nose, letting her head fall back to rest against the trunk of the tree.
The world moved around her in slow motion and she tried to blink the haze from her eyes; a Jedi. The thought sent a shiver snaking down her spine and she swallowed hard. The weight of the word carried a lot of responsibility and she wasn't entirely sure she could shoulder it all. How could an orphaned scavenger from Jakku possess so much of the Force? How had she missed the signs?
Rey closed her eyes and focused on her own breathing. She knew what she had to do, but the physical execution was going to take some time. Her courage only ran so deep and they were asking too much of her−expecting too much. Luke Skywalker had faded into legend a long time ago and despite all of their confidence, she didn't think she alone had the power to bring him back.
And then there was the matter of the First Order and their dangerous weapon: Kylo Ren.
His name caused anger to flare in the pit of her stomach and she clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth together. For a fleeting moment she had nearly pitied the fool and his troubled soul. But her pity had soon been replaced with contempt and a burning desire to cut him down the middle from nose to navel. He was no man; he was a monster with a mask.
Her fingers tightened around the handle of the lightsaber and her chest gave a violent heave as red stars began to twinkle against the dark backdrop of her eyelids.
"I can feel your anger−your hatred," the voice was smooth and familiar and her eyes opened quickly as her body shot forward in surprise. She was rendered speechless as she took him in; her mind registering his presence and the threat that came with it.
Rey forced herself to her feet, her voice trembling as she spat back a response, "The only hatred I have is for you, you monster."
The corners of his mouth twisted into a dangerous smile, contorting the scar that marked his pale face − a scar that she had left him with following their last encounter.
"A monster, perhaps. But you and I aren't so different," he spoke evenly and she could feel the tug of his words as they slithered around her, reaching deep into her mind. She tried to shake him loose but his hold was too great and she trudged through the fog in her head, feeling sluggish and drained.
"I could teach you to be great. You have the potential to become a powerful Jedi. You think Skywalker would acknowledge that after his last...mishap?" He tilted his head to the side as he moved closer.
"How did you find me?" She asked, grinding her teeth together as she leaned against the tree for support.
"I think you already know," his voice sounded so distant and she narrowed her eyes at him. "I can feel you just as much as you can feel me." He chuckled. The deep throaty sound reverberated within her and she gasped, clutching at her chest in hopes of pulling it out and throwing it into the foliage around them.
"We're nothing alike. You're a murderer. You killed Han; your own father. You betrayed your family. You're sick and you need help," her voice barely sounded like her own, but it was louder now and she could see the smirk fading from his thin lips. "Let me help you, Ben. It's not too late."
Emotion flashed behind his dark eyes and for a brief moment she caught a glimpse of him: Ben Solo, a frightened young man with too much power. But he was gone as quickly as he had come and Rey cried out in surprise and pain as his black gloved fingers curled around her throat, pinning her against the tree.
"It is too late," his voice was barely above a whisper and she closed her eyes as his warm breath hit her skin. "It's too late for me. But it's not too late for you."
Rey forced her eyes open and stared at him in bewilderment. She searched his face and was met again with a gaze that belonged to someone else. "Ben…"
"Rey!" The voice startled both of them and she turned her head towards the sound of rustling leaves.
Her eyes moved back towards the man before her and they widened as he caught her lips with his. An agonizing jolt of electricity shot through her body and ripped a satisfied groan from deep within her, but before she could respond further he was already pulling away. The fingers around her neck loosened and she slumped against the tree, watching him wordlessly.
"We aren't finished here," his eyes burned wildly as he backed away. "Goodbye, Rey," without another word he disappeared quickly into the surrounding green.
"Ben, wait!" But he was gone and she stared at the spot where he had been mere seconds before. She considered pursuing him, but she knew it would have been pointless. She wouldn't even know where to begin searching.
"Rey! There you are," Poe huffed as sigh of relief as he came upon her with BB-8 chirping excitedly behind him. "Good news. We got the Falcon patched up and ready to go. Hey, are you alright?" His enthusiasm was quickly replaced with concern and Rey forced herself to look at him.
"Huh? Oh that's great. Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," she brought her fingers to her lips and glanced up again.
"Great. Let's get you back then. General Organa is waiting."
"Yeah, I'm...coming," Rey pushed away from the trunk of the tree and glanced down at the lightsaber again. His unexpected visit had brought a thousand new burning questions but it had solidified one thing: she had no choice now but to seek out the lost Jedi and that was exactly what she was going to do.