One Wrong Step
Disclaimer: I don't own.
Chapter 7: Rey and Ren
Rey easily settled into life at the Jedi Temple. Since Anakin had escorted Padmé back to Naboo, Obi-Wan had begun her training. (Rey had a sneaking suspicion that something more than "escorting" was involved in that trip, but, since, from what she could tell, romance seemed to be discouraged by the Jedi, she hadn't said anything.) She had lived at the Temple for a week and a half before the Council was finally persuaded to allow her to see Kylo in their prison. Rey would have been lying if she had said she wasn't nervous about seeing him-he had recently tried to kill her-but she knew that she needed his help to understand the time period she was now in. When she arrived at the cell, the guards at the door (who both had masks covering their entire face) reluctantly let her in after a long argument. Once she was inside, she had to glare at them for several seconds before they moved away enough to give them privacy. After they finally left, she turned to Kylo, who was sitting on the bed. "Hello."
He raised his eyebrows. "Hello…Why are you here?"
"I told you; I need your help to understand what's going on."
"You never learned about the Clone Wars in history?"
She huffed. "No, I was too busy learning what mechanical parts would earn me enough food to survive to go to school."
"Oh. I see." He looked distinctly uncomfortable.
"So. I need help."
"Are you trying to change the past or just survive in it?"
"I'd like to change it, but you won't help me do that, I'm sure."
"Did I say I wouldn't?"
"I thought you wanted Darth Vader to exist. I don't."
"Let's just say I've had time to think in this cell. In fact, that's all I've been doing."
"About what?"
"Well…that doesn't matter for now. What's been happening? No one will tell me anything."
"Anakin is escorting Padmé back to Naboo, at least officially (I'm guessing they're actually getting married, but that's just my thoughts). Not much has been happening as far as the war goes. I think it's only technically going on for a week, and that Dooku guy has to find more droids somewhere since we destroyed his army."
He nodded slowly. "You need to tip them off about…" He trailed off. "Have you heard of the Death Star?"
She raised her eyebrows. "I didn't go to school; that doesn't mean I'm completely clueless. Yes, I've heard of the Death Star."
"All right. Count Dooku would have received the plans from Poggle-the ruler of the clicking bugs-while on Geonosis. He was supposed to deliver them to Sidious on Coruscant; I don't know how you can stop that, but the Council should know."
"Would they have been on a datastick he kept in a pocket of his cloak?"
"Maybe. Why?"
"Because one fell out when you cut off part of his cloak, and I gave it to Padmé. Should I not have done that?"
"No, no, that's a good thing. However, I would try to intercept her before she shows them to the Senate. The Jedi should know about them first."
"All right." She paused. "How did you know that Dooku would have had the Death Star plans?"
"Well, my uncle destroyed it, and my mom hated it. Therefore, they researched its history a lot. They also happened to share their findings with me."
"I see."
"Also, when Anakin gets back from Naboo, make him tell Obi-Wan about being married to Padmé."
"All right…"
"My uncle told me that that's the one thing my grandfather said he would have changed about his life (besides not falling to the Dark Side, I assume): telling Obi-Wan about his marriage."
"Well, I'll do that."
"Good."
"So…what have you been thinking about? Besides how to change the future, I mean."
"Mostly my parents…my father."
Rey was shocked to see tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.
"He…he had to know that I…what I would do. Why did he still come…?" His voice faded out.
Rey sat beside him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "Because he was a good father. Because he loved you."
Kylo looked over at her. "Why wasn't I a priority then? When I was younger, both my parents were so consumed with their responsibilities to the New Republic that they forgot about their son. Then, when I exhibited my Force prowess, hoping to get some attention, they shipped me off to Uncle Luke's Jedi academy, and I rarely saw them after that. Oh, and did I mention that nobody, not my parents, not Uncle Luke, nobody told me that my grandfather was Darth Vader, the most feared man in the galaxy, a man I had looked up to for most of my life. I found out from the holonet. The holonet! I discovered my family's deepest, darkest secret from a reporter trying to smear my mom's name. I only became a priority in anyone's life after I joined the First Order, though that was more 'either turn him back to the Light or kill him' attention. Can you see why I'm upset with them?"
Rey was silent for several moments before she sighed and said, "I'm not going to try to say I understand your messed up family situation, because I don't. But I will say this. I don't know about your mom, because I haven't met her. But I know your dad loved you, and he regretted what he had done. I could feel it through the Force, and...and I think you could, too."
Before Kylo could respond, the guards returned, signaling to Rey that her time was up. She stood and left the cell, but she stopped and turned to Kylo. "At least you had a family growing up. At least they didn't completely abandon you on some distant planet. Some people aren't that lucky." With that, she left.
A/N: So, sorry if Kylo seemed out of character in turning around so fast, but he has been locked up alone with nothing but his thoughts for a week and a half. Anyway, does anyone have a good grasp on his real character? With only one movie out, not to mention all the theories floating around about him not being actually evil, I imagine not. Also, sorry if I got any facts wrong about Kylo's upbringing; I haven't read Bloodline yet. If I did, feel free to tell me what really happened, and, if it's a big deal, I'll correct it.
