A/N: A big thanks to Biekewieke and SirenBanshee. You are two amazing beta's!
I'm always happy to receive comments; and if you think of a tag/warning I need to add, don't hesitate to let me know!

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He woke with a start, instinctively grabbing the hand that was reaching for him and wrenching it away.

"Ow."

The voice sounded feminine, and very, very familiar. He focused his eyes and stared into the brown, wide-open ones of Rey. Abruptly, he let go of her.

Wait? He could hurt her? "What are you doing here?" he blurted out.

She blushed as she rubbed her wrist.

"Did I hurt you?" he continued, rising from his bed and realising he was wearing only loose trousers when she started blushing even harder.

Her reaction pleased him and he fought hard to hide a smirk when he stepped closer to take hold of her wrist. With his thumbs, he rubbed soothing circles over it.

"I shouldn't be able to hurt you," he murmured.

Rey stood stock still. He could feel her heartbeat racing under his hands. Knowing she was so affected by his presence was a heady feeling. His touch moved from her wrist to her hand, spreading her fingers and rubbing lightly over her knuckles.

"Is there a reason you came by?" he asked softly.

She shifted from one foot to the other. Amused and curious, he looked at her. Rey was staring at her feet, obviously embarrassed. Raising one hand, he put his finger under her chin and tilted her head up.

"Well?"

Standing so close to her—being able to touch her and seeing her innocent, blushing face—made his stomach do a somersault. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, pull her as close as possible, kiss her, never let her go. The feelings scared him. Where did they come from? What had she done to make him feel that way?

"I … uhm..." She tried to look away again but he wouldn't let her. "I didn't want to be alone anymore," Rey finally confessed.

This time, he did wrap her in his arms, unable to resist the urge. Rey's sudden stiffening reminded him he was naked from the waist up—but he didn't relent. He needed her to know she wasn't alone, not as long as the bond connected them. Whenever she needed him, he would be there.

Rey finally relaxed in his arms, her hands slowly sliding up his back, causing him to smirk. He decided to greet her without a shirt more often. Wanting to know what she had meant with 'not wanting to be alone anymore', he guided her to his bed, sitting down but keeping hold of her hand.

"Tell me what happened."

"It's silly," she avoided, glancing at him but quickly looking away again.

"Tell me," he insisted.

Rey sighed. "Finn and Rose have been gone for some time. They're out to save more children; although, we all know it's an endless and impossible task to save them all. Rose seemed very invested in it, and Finn is willing to follow her just about anywhere. We're hoping they can also find more Force-sensitive ones."

At this she did look at him. A mixture of hope and trepidation was plastered on her face. "I still don't know how to teach them. I'm trying, but…"

She shook her head and stared off in the distance, away from him. He watched her profile and saw the sadness slowly seeping into her features.

"Poe had another argument with Maz. They have them a lot but this time was different. He took off and we haven't seen or heard from him for some time. We don't know what he's up to, or even if he's okay."

He resumed rubbing circles over her knuckles, hoping it would comfort her. "Maz? Little, scary Maz Kanata?"

Rey smiled at him. "Yes, you've met?"

"Bombarding her castle was a bit of a mistake," he answered, remembering the scathing hologram that had somehow found its way to him. "She's scary alright, even though we haven't met in person."

"The Supreme Leader, admitting he finds someone scary?" Rey teased him, poking his arm.

He glowered at her, fighting the urge to answer her poking by pinning her down to the bed. "You've met her; what do you think? She knows too much, about everything! She has connections everywhere and, as a result, is untouchable." He deliberated for a moment, before deciding to take a risk. "What's she doing with your people?"

"My people?" Rey laughed, then sobered. "I shouldn't be telling you this," she murmured.

"I promise not to tell anybody important," Kylo tried to joke, hoping to hear her laugh again. He felt accomplished when she did, indeed, laugh.

"You are the important person, you prat!" she hiccuped. "Maz … I think she is the unofficial leader of the Rebellion now, even though she absolutely refuses to acknowledge it. Whenever there is a problem, or a decision needs to be made, we all turn to her." Rey shrugged. "She always seems to know what to do."

"Then why do Poe and she fight?"

"Poe has very distinct ideas on how to proceed," Rey answered with a sigh. "They don't line up with Maz's ideas."

"I'm sure he's—" A bell rang, notifying him that someone was outside his door.

"Ben?" Rey asked at his sudden silence.

"Someone wants to speak with me," he answered. "Don't leave; I'll send whoever it is away."

He got up, checked that his saber was within summoning range, and opened the door. There was a snide remark on his lips, but he halted once he saw it was Phasma waiting for him.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir," she said, "but an irregularity has been reported. I thought it wise to consult you."

"An irregularity?" he asked.

"A single X-wing has appeared, sir, and has started attacking the ship. However, it seems the pilot is holding back. We await your instructions."

Kylo stepped back. "Come in," he invited Phasma.

"Sir? Excuse me?"

"Get inside the room and close the door."

"Ben? What's going on?"

He glanced to where Rey was still sitting on his bed.

"Oh," Phasma said.

"Yes, she's here," Kylo answered her.

"Ben?" Rey questioned again, a tinge of fear edging her voice. She jumped up, her stance tensing, as if ready for a fight.

"Rey, it's okay," he tried to reassure her. "Phasma is in the room with us; she knows we can talk to each other." He glanced at the imposing woman. "I trust her."

The baffled look on Rey's face would have been comical, had the circumstances been different.

"Rey," he said once more, "it seems we have located your missing friend."

"What?"

"A single X-wing is attacking us."

She covered her mouth with both hands. "No! No, he wouldn't be that foolish! He can't be! Please, please don't shoot him down. Ben, I'm be—"

"We won't," he quickly said, unhappy to hear her beg for another man's life. "How did he find us?"

The look she gave him could only be described as the facial manifestation of 'do you really have to ask?'.

"We've known your location for ages," she answered. "I mean, do you know the size of your own ship? Even in space, it is rather hard to miss."

He barked a laugh at that, surprising Phasma. "Valid point. Do you have any idea what he wants to achieve with this?"

"No, no, I don't. I promise I don't; just, please don't shoot him."

Ben nodded and turned to his commander. "Bring him in; escort him to interrogation room 3. Let me know once he's there."

"Sir!" Phasma saluted and left.

He watched the door close behind her. "She's gone," he commented to Rey.

"How does she know we can communicate? And you trust her? How did that happen?"

Dragging a hand through his hair, he sighed. "She's the one who pointed me in the direction of the recruitment process," he said.

"But, how? Why?"

Deciding they had some time before the pilot was captured and brought in, he launched into the story, telling Rey how Phasma had been in the throne room that one day and how her inquiries and resulting behavior had lead him to trust her. He left out the part where Phasma had told him she liked Rey's effect on him, though. He still didn't quite know what she had meant by that.

By the end, Rey was smiling brightly at him. "I'm happy you have a friend, Ben," she said.

"Friend? I'm not sure I can count her as a friend. An ally, yes, but a friend?"

"She's your friend," Rey repeated, adamantly.

He wasn't convinced, but conceded anyway. "If you say so." A thought popped up. "Let me try to get you to see my surroundings."

"Uhm, okay," she answered. "Why?"

"Could come in handy," he mumbled, focussing. He reached out for their bond, trying to somehow widen it into allowing more information to be transferred. A gasp told him he had succeeded.

"These are your quarters?" Rey asked, curiously looking around.

The realisation hit him the moment she spoke the words. He hardly ever allowed anybody in his quarters, and now he was showing them to her. He shook his head and shifted, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Look, I need to get changed and head for the main bridge."

His words caused an array of emotions to flit across Rey's face, only to end in yet another blush. "Oh, uhm, okay, I'll leave you to it?" she said.

"I'll reach out when I … visit the pilot. You can watch, now that I can show you my surroundings."

If she caught his hesitation, she didn't respond to it. Nodding her assent, she started to fade away. "See you in a bit."