Link

Rey yearned for a bit of peace amongst all the chaos. Things had happened so fast, that it was hard for her to gather her thoughts. There were so many people and the noise was overwhelming. Despite the friendly faces and chatter, she felt trapped and suffocated in the crowd. If only there would be silence…

But the journey continued and the clamor never receded. As time progressed, she became silent and sought tranquility in her own mind. She took refuge in the empty cockpit looking out the windshield, allowing herself to become lost in the swirl of stars dashing past. The spectacle became just a breath of clarity to come to terms with everything that had happened.

Luke had been right: nothing turned out the way she thought it would. Ben had turned away from the Light again. She had failed him. And Luke was also gone and with him the dream of learning. Within this sensation of loss, she also knew that there was still hope. The Resistance had miraculously survived. Yes, they had lost so, so much. But they were still alive, and that meant that she could still find a way to save Ben.

She knew him so well and so little at the same time. Over that short period of time, he had become transparent for her, and she knew she had always been transparent to him. He possessed a calm intelligence and was not afraid to be seen by her. A hot flush invaded Rey as she remembered the scars on Ben's body, all drawn in rage by her lightsaber. He had known what those scars would mean to her. They were reminders of how similar they were, of how monstrous she could also be. They were a link that could never be broken.

Rey lifted her eyes and caught a glimpse of her reflection. A pair of jet black eyes looked back.

Kylo Ren overlooked the stars with fury, as if he could find a hint, a glimpse of where they could be. They had escaped in his father's rusty old ship and disappeared in a dash of light. It was infuriating. His fist slammed against the glass and it split in half. The entire Universe threatened to break in, but the window began repairing itself immediately. The fracture mended by sealing the glass and closing the rent.

Kylo regarded his broken face and found a pair of warm brown eyes staring back. It wasn't until their eyes met that both of them realized they had been searching for each other. The rage dissipated, and the chaos died down.

Neither was surprised to find that despite the mutual betrayal, they couldn't bring themselves to hate each other. It was quite the opposite. They were drawn to one another like two halves of a whole. Yet, there were things that had been left unsaid, so many loose ends. Still too many secrets.

Rey feared that he would find hers if he looked long enough. He had a way of understanding her that she could not yet comprehend. The more she sought to close her mind, the more she felt the secret rising and solidifying before him. The loneliness she felt finally came forward, only to find itself mirrored by his own self-imposed isolation. He could see how much she longed for him and was certain that a similar expression was printed on his face.

But there was something else there as well. Hidden in plain sight, yet covered in shadows. A painful truth. Rey's eyes continued to dig through the depths and mazes of Ben's raven eyes, and for the first time, he felt the urge to look away. He wanted to hide from her while wanting nothing more than to be seen.

Not yet.

Rey placed the tips of her fingers on the cold surface. Kylo reflected her movements, reaching out simultaneously. Neither of them felt the smooth, hardness of glass, instead, their skin was met with the light warm touch of another's skin. And both of their minds raced onward.

Kylo's lightsaber came down like a boulder, smashing against Rey's newly constructed Jedi weapon. Sparks leaped as she held her ground and pushed him back. He was massive. He used the totality of his body and size to push down harder. There was no way for her to win this struggle. So instead of fighting a lost cause, Rey pushed hard against the red saber and used the momentum to shove her body down and forward, slipping between Kylo's legs.

His fury spiked, and with it, his strength also rose. Rey showed no sign of worry or impulsiveness. She was calm and ready. Kylo let his anger explode as he dashed towards her. He was faster than she anticipated. She barely escaped a fatal blow directed straight at her face. She evaded the blade and returned it with a fury of her own. Kylo was not phased. He blocked every attack, read every move. Despite her natural talent, she was still no match for his experienced skill. He finally disarmed her and grabbed her by the neck.

There was no fear in her eyes, nor anger in his. "Your win." Rey said with a smile.

"Are you all right?" Ben asked, releasing her from his gentle grasp.

"I'm still rubbish." she answered with a frown.

"As long as you keep practicing, you'll be able to master the power that lies within you. It's only a matter of time." He powered his saber off. "You are a resourceful fighter; that is one of your defining qualities. Others are your size and speed. You just need to make sure you use them to your advantage, not to your enemy's."

"Are we enemies?" Rey asked suddenly, unsure as to why she had allowed for this word to bother her so.

Kylo regarded her for a moment, searching for a weakness in her expression. "Sure we are, Rey. Why else would I be here learning from you?"

His words ignited the flame which quickly became a raging fire.

Kylo felt Rey's anger and it shattered the glass again as the Force burst out of him, and she was gone. He knew that this time, only the window would be repaired. The connection had been temporarily severed.

Rey wrapped her arms tightly around herself, dazed at how cold she felt. Despite the extreme conditions, the weather on Jakku never reached these lows. Beneath her cape, she wore a heavy coat and thick pants that Leia had given her. But still, she could not bring herself to feel warm. She had even let her hair down, in an attempt to bring comfort to her thoughts at least. It hadn't really helped.

It was the first night on the new Rebel Base. She had been given a small room, with nothing but a cold bed propped against a corner. She really didn't need much more. Rey let out a long, slow breath, hoping that peace of mind could help her soothe her senses. Instead, it brought him to her.

She felt his presence before she saw him. He sat behind her, on a bed of his own, where the wall of her room should be. She knew he was also aware of her presence, although both hesitated to speak.

"You're having trouble breathing, as if the air around you was dense, or painful." Ben said, breaking the silence.

"It's cold here." Rey replied, rubbing her hands against her body.

"Not here. The temperature never really changes on these ships." he said. He continued undressing, as he had been doing before she had intruded.

Rey heard the shuffle of cloth and felt his body moving. "What are you doing?" she demanded, unable to control the rush of blood that flooded her cheeks. She was glad his back was to her. But then, it wasn't. Ben was now sitting in front of her, so close their knees nearly touched. Rey's eyes were full of unblinking surprise. His were dark and unreadable. He took his heavy cape and draped it over her. It took with it the warmth of his own body and space and covered her in a bubble of comfort. She closed her eyes.

Rey sighed, letting the heat flow down her spine, into her limbs and up to the tips of her fingers. She felt something soft brush against her cheek and opened her eyes to find a gloved hand reaching out to her. Ben's eyes floated like phantoms before her, asking questions she was not ready to answer.

She was surprised to find a warm half smile on his face, similar to the one she had seen him wear the day they met. Only, this time it was dark and full of secrets. His eyes looked hungry and wild. Terror filled her for an instant, and Kylo felt it too.

Rey's hand jumped away from the glass, as if burnt by the fear she had felt. The Falcon continued to speed forward through an endless sea of stars, as far away from him as possible. Yet, she had never felt closer to finding him. She knew that although the connection had disrupted, it hadn't broken. No matter where they went, they would always discover a way to reach each other.

Her fingers ran over the soft spot left by the wound on her arm from the time she and Ben had fought back to back and side by side. She was certain it would leave a large scar. Another token of their deep ties and powerful alliance. A permanent reminder of their indestructible link.