Chapter 1: Into the Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars and any of the characters portrayed in this work except those that I myself create.

Kylo: Of course you don't, get lost.
Mysterywriter321: *evil eye*

The air was thick with sand and the humidity was nearly unbearable. All around me for miles was brown, brown and more brown. A beetle settled on my shoulder. Sighing, I brushed it off and continued walking my feet digging into the sand as I did.

I felt glad to be back in Jakku. Although life was hard here, it was the life I was used to. Scavenging was my way of life, it had been for many years and even though I was no longer waiting for my family, I preferred to continue with this life. Luke had offered to teach me to master the force and I had told him to give me time.

I needed to think about it. Because once I accepted the offer, people would suddenly expect me to do things like saving the galaxy from dangerous men like Kylo Ren and I didn't want that life. Not after I had seen what it caused.

As my thoughts steered towards Ren, I thought of how powerful he was and how I had turned down his offer to be my teacher. I wanted so bad to have mastery over the force but I had just discovered it and other than when I was in danger, it wasn't so easy to use. But there was no way I could have said yes to him. He was a man drawn to power, I could see it in his eyes and that had been all he wanted me for.

Power.

He would use me and then dispose of me.

I swatted away a bug and bent under a particularly low piece of metal. I had recently discovered the remains of a ship in the heart of the desert. Nothing fancy, in fact the thing was ancient and had probably been buried in sand for years. It was a good site to scour for parts. I tried not to think how empty the old ship was. The last thing I needed was to get paranoid when I was all alone in the desert with no blaster, light saber or any other form of weapon except a knife.

It wasn't that stormtroopers would spring out of nowhere guns a blazing but then there were the nomad desert communities who could just as easy take me down.

It hit me then that I should be worried.

I'd been here long enough and it was starting to make me apprehensive, I had a few parts in my bag to get me a good meal until tomorrow but something was telling me to stick around a little longer. I clambered to the ground grabbing a useful-looking piece of metal on my way down. I had never seen anything like it before.

Ancient technology, I reasoned and stuffed it in my knapsack. I heard the sound of metal clanging somewhere.

I frowned.

There couldn't possibly be anyone else here, this place was old and I had found it first. I didn't want to have to kiss my winnings good bye, I'd planned to feed off this place for a few weeks.

"I'm sure I heard something," I heard someone say.

I realised then that maybe I wasn't supposed to be here. So I hid behind a large set of rusty bars, it wasn't the best place to hide but it was the only place to hide. I listened to the sound of footsteps and the two men continuously talking to each other.

They were closing in, once they found me... Hang on a second, this wasn't their ship and it was in the middle of the desert where there were few rules. I had just as much right to be here as they did.

Whoever they were.

This was my find and I wouldn't let them take it away from me.

"Over here, look at this!" someone, probably a trooper, yelled.

I thought for a moment that they had found me.

"What?" the other man called.

I could see the white uniform from where I was hiding and the person was too close for me not to panic. I put a hand over my mouth and concentrated on taking silent breaths. The sight of the blasters in their hands confirmed my suspicions.

Stormtroopers.

But what would they doing here on Jakku and on an abandoned ship at that? Last I'd heard, the Statkiller base had been destroyed.

"Someone's been taking parts from this ship."

"So what? It's ancient and it's not the important thing."

"Check this out."

"What now?"

"Water droplets," the one standing close to me said. "They haven't evaporated yet."

"Which means?"

"Which means that someone's been here and is possibly still here," he said.

"Split up, find whoever it is," I heard the other one say.

"We're already split up," he replied.

My hand reached for the bottom of my knapsack and sure enough it was wet. Whatever little water I had left had been leaking. That meant it wouldn't take long for him to find me. I watched the man move to the side and remained completely silent as I tried to get out of the position I was currently in.

But I ended up tripping on a giant-sized radiator that someone had probably found too heavy to carry and left lying around. I cursed and looked up at the stormtrooper who had his blaster aimed at me.

"Found... her?" he said questioningly.

"You will leave me alone and return to your station with nothing to report," I said and watched confusion cloud his face.

"You will leave me-" I was interrupted by the sound of the other man's voice.

"Sorry, what did you say?" the other trooper said coming from behind what would be the crew's area.

He clearly expected to find his partner arresting me or something.

When his eyes flicked to me then his confused partner, he took off screaming at the top of his lungs. I left the first trooper alone and took off after the second determined to catch him before he said a word but he was too fast. The screaming was a good idea, he couldn't hear a word I was saying.

I stopped and leaned against a crossbar of some sort to catch my breath. Water. I hadn't been able to find much water in the desert (obviously) and I desperately needed some, I'd gone two days without it now and I'd been saving the little I had. I wouldn't survive longer. It was pointless to chase the trooper, he was faster than me and had probably already told them I was here.

The best thing I could do for myself was get away.

Taking a deep breath, I turned and run in the direction of the exit. I wasn't supposed to have seen this ship and the fact that there were stormtroopers here could only mean one thing. But I refused to believe it. I didn't want to. Although I knew Kylo Ren hadn't died when I'd left him in the forest, some part of me had been hoping he had.

Now, with the stormtroopers here, it was highly likely he was here too.

The First Order had another base, right here in Jakku.

An underground base.

I shook my head at the realisation. Of course they would have an underground base in Jakku, the First Order was everywhere.

As soon as I saw the exit, I sprinted for it but something came in my way blocking out the much needed light. I skid to a halt and squinted in the remaining light trying to see who it was.

"No." The word slipped from my mouth before I could prevent it revealing my fear and I was sure he smirked behind that mask.

"Don't come any closer," I said holding out my hand and trying not to hyperventilate but when you saw Kylo Ren stand before you, it was hard not be afraid.

He took a step forward, then another until he was close to me.

Come on force. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to use the power I knew I had in me but nothing happened. I could tell nothing happened from way his boots ground the sand on the floor. It was happening again only this time I was completely powerless.

I started to reach for my knife but before I could pull it out, my entire body froze. This time it wasn't out of fear but because of him, he was using his power on me. Agonisingly slow, he made his way toward me and I wondered what he was going to do to me. Kill me, probably.

He had no reason to keep me alive this time.

With a wave of his hand however, darkness enveloped me.

Ren paced his room wondering why the hell she was back. It couldn't be a coincidence that he had found her in the remains of LostWar ship. Did she want his teaching? He dismissed the idea as fast as it came to mind, she wouldn't be here for that.

She was good and he was bad. Plain and simple. There was nothing she would want from him after her fervent yet silent rejection the last time they had met.

And anyway she was a scavenger, she was here for the parts they'd found in her bag. That was all.

He checked the time and swore, she would be awake now and he had some questions he had to ask her. Picking up his helmet from the bed, he put it on and exited the room.

Rey was back and depending on the Supreme Leader's orders he would torture her or let her go. And knowing Snoak he would not be pleased that their hideout had been discovered. Either way she wasn't supposed to be here and that was why he'd captured her. There was also the underlying fact that he wanted revenge on the Republic but that would come in good time. For now, Rey.

When I woke up, I had to scrunch my eyes for them to adjust to the light. The next thing I realised was that I was incapacitated. Not in the sense that I was hurt or anything, just that I was tied down to what seemed to be a bench (the kind in the lab) that had been raised at an angle.

I looked around and fought to get out of the metallic restraints around my arm but to no avail.

Ugh.

I couldn't believe that I had ended up here, again. What had I been thinking when I had tried to fight him? That he wouldn't overpower me? That I would get away? Obviously, he had been training and getting stronger while I ignored the force an pretended it didn't exist.

The doors opened and Kylo Ren strode into the room his dark attire billowing behind him. As usual he had on his helmet and his light sabre was at his side; I caught sight of it as he moved.

He seemed recovered from the shot by the way he moved, it was with the ease he always had; the grace of a well-trained warrior. I thought of asking him to take off the helmet but quickly decided against it. He wouldn't. Why would he?

"Let go of me," I said but my voice was hoarse due to lack of water.

I coughed and repeated the words but he appeared to have heard the first time.

"No."

That single word made me shiver but I kept my face straight not showing any traces of the fear I was feeling inside. I had beat this man once and was determined to show him that I could do it again.

I hated the sound of his voice and how it was so menacing. I hated how afraid it made me feel.

I hated him.

"Why did you capture me?"

He stood six feet away from me unmoving but keenly observing, I knew, from behind his mask like a coward.

"Why were you lurking around my base?" he countered and I cursed.

It was a base, the First Order hadn't even been crippled by the attack the New Republic had made on StarKiller base. If they had one here then they probably had many others too.

"We've done this before Ren, take off the mask," I said in a desperate attempt to see his face.

If I could see his reactions then maybe I'd know whether or not I had a chance of getting out of here. And whether it would be alive or otherwise.

He didn't respond or make a move to take off the mask but I wasn't taking this sitting down.

"I know why you wear that mask, it's because you're afraid and you don't want anyone to see that. You're a coward," I spat.

"Watch your mouth," he said sharply. "You are a prisoner and where you are, I can do what I want to you."

Despite that warning, I went on.

"Take off the mask Ren," was all I said.

He was silent for a moment before he raised his hands and took off the mask. Dark locks tumbled down his pale face and dark brown eyes stared back at me with malice. He still had the scar I had given him months ago but he wore it proud, like it made him stronger. He strode forward until he was a foot away from me; so close that I could feel the heat radiating off him.

"Well?" he asked.

I looked away.

"Hoping to find I'd changed?" he asked.

"Of course not," I said.

People like him didn't just change. And he was the last person to expect to have changed even after the six months that had passed.

His eyes surveyed my face before taking a step back and circling the table I lay on. He stopped behind me and the silence of the room made me squirm.

"Why'd you capture me?" I asked again.

"You were in my territory," he said.

"That's not reason enough for you to keep me here."

"Says who?"

I scowled.

"It's the middle of the desert, no rules."

"Good because then I can capture you and you don't have any rights."

He was right and I was right so we were both wrong.

"Ok, you found me here. I promise you won't again, can you let me go now?"

He laughed mirthlessly and came into my line of sight.

"It won't be that easy," he said.

I was tempted to ask what it would take but didn't because I knew once I agreed to anything he said, I would be stuck in something I wouldn't be able to get out of. His eyes met mine and I braced myself for what I knew was coming next.

I felt him reach into my mind and the slight feathery touch made me uncomfortable. He went deep at first prodding for thoughts, memories and fears. It hurt so bad it made me yell. It felt as though something was scraping against my raw skin.

"Get... out," I said panting.

I threw up my walls but he tore them down easily.

"Ren," I breathed out in pain.

I could feel him drink in my thoughts and memories.

"Stop," I begged.

It was weak and pathetic but I was in so much pain, I just wanted it to end. He continued drinking in my thoughts and smirked at the image of me stabbing him with my knife.

"I heard them search you already," he said pulling out of my mind.

I didn't bother to wonder who them was. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I struggled to control my breathing.

"Get comfortable," he said as he turned to leave and I didn't have to ask why.

It was days before Ren returned to the room where they held me, I knew because I was hungrier than I had last been and my throat ached for water. Each time I swallowed it burned and my stomach was aching from hunger.

On my left wrist was a piece of cotton stuck in place with tape. They'd been sedating me, of course.

Were they even going to give me food? Water?

I lay there with my eyes half closed whimpering silently, hoping someone would come into the room. But I knew it was pointless because after the incident the last time with the stormtrooper in Starkiller base, only Ren would be coming in here. He was the only who could outmatch me.

"Help," I called softly. "Water..."

But there was no one to hear and I waited helplessly for death wondering how I got into this mess in the first place.

Kylo Ren walked the halls with his light sabre in hand, he didn't know why he did it but he felt the need to be ready for anything. Even if it wouldn't be that much farther on his waist. He had just come from speaking with Supreme Leader Snoak who had said he could do whatever he pleased with his prisoner as long as she wasn't set free. And Ren couldn't be more glad to hear that.

The doors to the room where she was held slid open and he walked in only to see Rey's pale face leaning on the edge of the table, her pink lips parted.

He shook her lightly but when she didn't wake, he did the next obvious thing and checked her pulse.

She was still alive.

Ren didn't like how he felt at that realisation and forced that feeling deep down.

"Water!" he shouted to the stormtrooper who stood at the door hoping it wasn't too late.