Rey's wooden sword dully thumped against Kylo's as they sparred halfheartedly, their master watching from afar. Luke could tell that their minds were elsewhere. Rey's hazel eyes were glassy and far off in their gaze, as if amber had encased her soul and had frozen her movements. His nephew's dark eyes were rooted to his partner's face, his brow furrowed as he tried to find his place in her eyes.

Kylo was struggling not to drop his sword and surrender. Not because Rey was getting the better of him- her movements were wooden, steps heavy as she parried his strokes. He understood that the first few days after she woke up would be hard. He had only wished that it wouldn't be the case for Rey.

She had woken up screaming. He had tried to hold her, calm her, stroking her face, smoothing her hair. She had jerked away from him as if his hands were fire, her eyes wild and searching his face as if expecting a dark storm to overtake her. A thought had entered his mind then, and it was enough to make him stalk away, taking his rage out on a training dummy, ripping it to shreds.

Maybe she doesn't remember. Maybe she's forgotten that I've changed. He had been ready to tear out his heart and cast it aside when Finn approached him, face grim, news almost unbearable.

Rey did remember. Every kiss, every word, every night they had spent together.

She remembered that ebony fear that cloaked her mind, made her succumb, now as she looked across the oaken blades at Kylo. She pulled her glance away, retreating back into her mind, tried to focus herself. She didn't want to feel this way, not anymore. She felt as if she was still floating in the expanse of her mind, simply treading thoughts that she had nearly drowned in. Rey shuddered. Her coma had nearly killed her.

Kylo was expecting Rey's sudden sword swing, and he stumbled back, parrying it. She was swinging blindly, her face clouded, eyes soft and dark as her lashes became matted with tears. She wasn't here in the training room anymore, Kylo realized, defending himself, almost afraid. She's completely in her mind right now.

Her next move swiped at Kylo's legs, a movement that left him sprawling. He thanked the gods and his master that the swords were of wood, because her next move had fatal intentions. He closed his eye, waiting for the injury, looking up when it never came. Rey towered over him, her sword lowered, sobbing, trying regain control of herself. She hadn't meant it, and now, as her legs buckled and she joined her lover on the ground, she wasn't sure of herself anymore.

With an almost imperceptible nod to Kylo, Luke excused himself, unable to bear the sight of his padawan falling apart at the seams. He left the two students to consider each other. Kylo sat up slowly, looking at his source of light.

"Rey..." She flinched away at his voice, steeling herself after a moment. She knew he had questions. Who wouldn't, after their lover is revived, only to push them away, forsake their bed, resist their attempts at conversation, attack them in blind fear? Still, she sighed, turned back to him.

"What, Kylo?"

Her words were tinged with exhaustion that rolled off her in indigo waves. He resisted the urge to pull her close, or to peek into her mind, instead taking advantage of her response. "You've been shutting me out."

"No." She knew it was a lie, and that he knew it too.

"You have. You know it; I know it... even Finn knows." There was a heavy sigh that pierced the air, and Rey wasn't sure if it had been from his mouth or hers. She said nothing, toying with her sword where it had landed in her lap as Kylo pushed on.

"I know you think I won't- that I can't- understand everything that happened when Snoke attacked, but I-"

"That's just it, Kylo. You won't understand. What happened with Snoke happened because my guard was down. Because I was focused on other things.."

"Because you were focused on me?" The words hung in the air between them, and Kylo felt an old anger flare as Rey swallowed back tears and nodded. "Snoke must have sensed my weakness. I... I can't slip from this path. Not now."

"So you pushed me away. You thought I wouldn't understand and tried to block me out." He was angry, and wounded, she could tell, but his words set her on edge.

"I'm trying to protect you!" Rey snapped, recoiling as Kylo hissed. "That's what he wants you to think! To do! Don't you see, Rey?" His head dropped to his hands, and she could barely hear him moan the words out between his gritted teeth: "That's how he got me."

She met his eyes, seeing his grief before he lowered his face again. "When I was sent away to train...I had nightmares. I didn't know then that Snoke was sending them, that he'd use the fear to seduce me to his side, but..." He stopped, shook his head, grimaced.

"Every time I would fall asleep, someone I loved would die in my mind." He looked at her evenly as he admitted, "I gave myself over to Snoke because it was the only way that I would stop seeing my mother and father die at my hands in my dreams. The only way that I would become strong enough to protect them- and everyone else." He laughed, the sound hollow. "And what did that get me? Nothing. Just a delusion."

Rey felt her mind split between pity and grief for him, and fear for herself. "Snoke... sent you dreams too, didn't he?" She bit her lip at his question, nodded, seeing Kylo's fists clench tighter. She pushed herself forward, gingerly reaching out to him.

She hadn't expected this surge of happiness, of guilt, of fear, of love, as he received her, arms wrapping around her as if she hadn't locked him out, as if she had never been afraid.

"I missed you." It was a gentle murmur, nearly hidden in her hair, but it was enough to make fresh tears spring to her eyes.

"I know." Kylo pulled her tighter to him, his large frame protective around her. She could feel his mind humming with activity, trying to find a way to ensure her safety. Rey shook her head at him, pulling him down to her face. "I'm fine now, Kylo. Don't worry... not about him."

He raised an eyebrow at her, saying nothing as she pulled him into a kiss. He felt her shudder as their lips touched, could feel the pain that flitted through her as dreams resurfaced, and even he flinched as he saw himself die through her eyes. Still, he didn't pull away. Finn was right- she loved him. Kylo knew that the part of him that was still Ben Solo was more than in love with this little Jedi in his arms, and he had to agree with the side he still was accepting as himself.

He wouldn't be swayed away from her. The Resistance couldn't lose her, not now. He wouldn't lose her, not now that he had her.

Not now that Ben needed her to survive.

It was for the sake of Ben- himself, he corrected in his head- that Kylo remained awake that night, soothing Rey and coaxing her to sleep, anger building towards his former master. He looked to his lover, who was curled around him, hanging onto him as if she would die without his touch. Rey was his now, and he wished the darkness surrounding her would recede now that she had returned to him.

He could only hope that she would stay.