Rey was amazing. After all she'd been through she was still so positive, so full of life. Despite her pain, she still believed that things could be better. She believed that Kylo could be better. With her, he almost felt whole again. She had so much faith in him, she was trying so hard. Rey was trying her best to keep him busy. She'd persuaded his mother to give him a job at the airfield, helping the mechanics repair damaged ships. She invited him to the cantina with her and her friends. When the nightmares kept him awake, she sat up with him. Kylo knew she was too stubborn to ever give up. He hated himself for failing her. Snoke's voice was growing louder, the pull to the dark was getting even stronger. Kylo wasn't sure how much longer he could stand it.

He couldn't bring himself to tell Rey about his struggle, though he knew he should. She was so happy, so proud of how far she believed he'd come. Finn had recently woken up from his coma, giving Rey another reason to smile. Their initial reunion had been awkward, as was to be expected. After all, Rey was now involved with the man that had put him in the coma in the first place. Finn had been confused, angry. He'd told Rey that Kylo couldn't be trusted. That she'd wind up getting hurt. Rey had come to his defense. She'd told Finn how much he'd changed in the last few months. She told him that they were in love. Finn told them he needed some time alone. He'd turned to face the wall.

"I know he'll come around," Rey insisted after they left the infirmary. "He just has to get to know you."

"He didn't seem too eager to try," Kylo replied.

"Finn just needs some time to process the whole thing," Rey said. "I know him. If anyone is going to give you a chance, it's him."

To Kylo's surprise, Rey was right. Upon his release from the infirmary, Finn sought Kylo out and asked if they could talk.

"I can see how much Rey loves you," he said. "I'm going to try for her. Besides, everyone deserves a second chance. Even you."

Finn began making an honest effort to reach out to Kylo. He took to joining Rey and Kylo for meals and made sure to include Kylo in the conversation. He asked questions and made corny jokes. When he and Poe went out for drinks, they asked Kylo to come along. Somehow, the whole thing made Kylo feel worse. Now he had another person to disappoint, another person to let down.

"Do you think they'd stand by you if they knew the truth?" Snoke whispered. "Do you think your precious Rey would love you if she knew how badly you crave the dark?"

"She knows what I've done, she knows who I was. She loves me anyway," Kylo insisted.

"The girl thinks you've changed. She thinks you've abandoned your old ways. If Rey knew the truth, she'd be disgusted. You know I'm right." Snoke spoke softly, soothingly. He seemed sympathetic. "I know everything about you, all your dreams. All your fears. All your weaknesses. Your secrets. Still, I accept you. Come back, where you're appreciated."

"I'm done with you," Kylo replied, but he was less sure now. "I left for good I'm happy now."

"You aren't happy, you're in agony. There's only one way to end the pain. Give in to the darkness," Snoke hissed. "Become my student once more."

"I could never leave Rey," Kylo said. "I'd die first."

"It would be painful, yes," Snoke agreed. "But it would save the girl from a lot of heartache. She's better off without you. You'll only bring her suffering."

Snoke was giving voice to Kylo's worst fears. He loved Rey more than anything but was his love destroying her? She was clearly exhausted, working day and night to keep him out of trouble. She was always worrying, always stressed. He was wearing her out, dimming her beautiful light. He loved her too much to keep putting her through this. Maybe it was better he left. Maybe it would have been better if he'd never come home at all.