AN: I apologise for any typos as this was written on the app. I'll endeavor to fix any I notice. Thank you for reading and have a great day.

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Moving through her forms with the staff the young warrior felt more at calm than she had in recent weeks. Once again she could feel the easy flow of the river in her mind. Recently it felt as if there were blocks, dams, and rocks throughout the river but finally it had calmed. And her forms seemed to help keep it calm.

Rey's recovery had been swift, considering the damage she had suffered but it still agitated the young woman. The constant check-ups and the physical therapy that had been insisted on by the doctor were a small irritant but in truth, the source of her agitation was the barrage of questions from the Resistance. The questions had gotten worse when a video of the incident came to light and was subsequently sent across the galaxy. Of course, it was edited to not show her last near fatal injury. Some were in awe of her and flocked to lifting her even further on the proverbial pedestal, but there were others that feared her.

It was clear that Rey had been brutal in the fight, but she had to be if she wasn't she would have died and the Resistance with her. Knowing this didn't help, she had seen herself crush the skull of the stormtrooper with their own helmet. The stream of blood that ran down the pristine white armor was an image that continued to plague her. A ferocious blow connected with the makeshift training dummy as the image came to her mind once again. The looks of those around her and their fear was something she couldn't escape either. It didn't take a Force-sensitive person to know that there were those in the Resistance that saw her as unhinged - a potential liability. A weapon that needed to be kept in check.

A satisfying 'thwack' resounded as she landed yet another hard blow, breaking the wooden supports. She panted while watching the sack of sand fall before her, letting out a curse she bent to collect the broken pieces. Only when she realized the wood was splintered beyond repair did she begin chucking the broken pieces off into the wilderness that surrounded her. She would have to rebuild her training dummy, again. Rey could ask for help from the Resistance but that would mean explaining that she had broken it again, and that would mean more of those damn looks.

Dejected she slumped to sit on the ground by her broken dummy and tried to catch her breath. If she was being honest the looks, the fear, the adoration were strong in her mind but there was also a certain dark knight haunting her thoughts as well. She had almost expected worry from Finn, as he seemed to be worried about everyone, and the Resistance would care for her because she was their precious symbol. But to feel concern from Ben was not something she expected. He had put her life in jeopardy so many times before, so why would it matter that her meager life was once again on the cusp of being snuffed out.

Resting against her bent knee Rey tried to make sense of the enigma that is Ben Solo. He could be the storm in her life, and in the next moment, he could be the shelter. She could make moves to his destruction, and yet at the same moment, she wanted to be his shield against any further pain. Things were easier before the Bond before she knew more about him. "Ignorance is bliss." she scoffed to herself

"Only for fools." A deep voice echoed out into the secluded area

Rey's head shot up and spun behind to her to find Kylo Ren in his standard regalia, standing impossibly tall and impossibly still. It would be easy for someone to mistake him for a statue. "How do you stand like that?" She snapped and pushed some rouge strands of hair back "It's like you're not even alive." She muttered before standing and dusting the dirt from her clothes.

Dark eyes watched her carefully as she moved to stand, thankfully he detected no hindrance in her movements. "Your recovery seems to be going well." He mused as his eyes finally leveled on her own.

Mutely she nodded and childishly decided to mock his stance. Feet shoulder width apart, back straight, hands clasped behind her and face stoic. "Yes," She responded in a voice attempting to mock his own deep timber.

His lips pursed and pulled to the left in annoyance at her attempted mocking. It was a strange feeling to be mocked so openly, and yet not feel the sting to his pride as he would have before. Kylo couldn't remember the last time anyone had mocked him, at least to his face. Being teased didn't feel particularly good but watching tiny Rey stretch to an unnatural posture and speak in a horrible mimic of his own voice was almost comical.

A flash of sunlight came to his mind, as he wondered what her laugh would sound like. Quickly he shifted his thoughts elsewhere sensing how dangerous that one thought could be.

"At ease," the command easily rolled off his tongue without much thought but he did relax his own posture - slightly.

Kylo watched her eyes roll as she adopted her more natural stance. "Your Resistance must have Bacta treatment, even Pods for you to recover so quickly." He mused unsure if this would be beneficial to his cause.

Almost sensing the shift in his focus Rey narrowed her eyes at him "That doesn't matter." She took several steps closer, hands balled into fists. "Right?" She hissed at the taller man, all venom, and ferocity in her defense.

Dark eyes narrowed as she hissed at him, Kylo easily met her unspoken challenge meeting her stride for stride until they were a breath apart. "Why not?" He asked in a deep but level tone, with only a tinge of anger holding onto his words.

With the two of them so close, Rey kept her eyes directly on his own tilting her head to make sure she met him head-on. "Because we aren't enemies." She snapped with a furrowed brow.

With Rey, Kylo had learned to expect the unexpected but her declaration was so out of what he thought possible that he was stunned silent. Falling back a step he regarded her with widened confused eyes. Of course, they were enemies, she ensured that when she chose to reject him. Of course, the Resistance Jedi and the Supreme Leader were enemies.

For her to naively declare otherwise was folly, and that enraged him. He glared at her "What are you talking about Scavenger?" He sneered, gone was the stoic cold Supreme Leader here in his place was the emotional man behind the mask.

That word had it's desired effect when Rey snapped a fist to connect with his stomach, at the unexpected attack he had no defense and fell back a step recoiling from the hit. "See" he countered in a hoarse voice before righting himself and braced himself for any future attacks.

Rey groaned and roughly crossed her arms in aggravation. "I hit you because you were being annoyingly hard-headed." her breaths panting as she tried to calm herself "Kriff!" she growled out and began throwing the broken pieces of her training dummy at him.

Dodging her attacks were easy enough but he hoped that she would eventually run out of fodder. He found himself hoping she didn't have a blaster. "I'm hard-headed?!" He snapped incredulously as he ducked yet another sailing piece of wood.

Watching her frantically searching her surroundings, probably for more ammo, Kylo saw his chance. Rushing forward he latched onto her hands and pinned them behind her with his own. She bucked, tried to kick, head-butted his chest a few times and he was sure that if he hadn't been wearing his leather tunick she would have bitten him.

He could see yelling would do no good, he needed answers not another assault on his person. Carefully he tried to regain the calm that he used before, using her techniques he found it. In his mind, he could see the river that seemed to present whenever he felt that quiet connection with the Force.

When his dark eyes reconnected with her own they were softer, and it was that softness that gave Rey pause. Finally, she stopped resisting, her ragged breath and racing heart the only signs of her previous rage. And yet he didn't let her go. "You're not going to use this against me or mine." She spoke with steel in her voice, keeping her eyes on his "You're not my enemy."

The moments ticked by in silence until she regained her calmer state. In her calmer mind, all she could think of were two faces both of them his. One filled with fear for her and the other in such relief that she was safe. "You were worried and so scared." She whispered to him

Kylo loosened his grip on her lightly as she calmed, her voice almost seemed to break under the weight as she recalled his fear. Nervously he wet his own lips as he remembered his dread that fateful day. How he had searched and searched for a simple sign that she was alive. His only response a slight nod as he kept his eyes on her trying to detect some manipulation.

His assent helped, saying so in a dream was one thing but to confirm it out here in the open was something else. She pressed on, keeping her eyes on his as she was wrapped in his strong arms. "Do you think of me as an enemy?" she asked in a hushed whisper almost fearful of his answer.

Again he responded non verbally with a small shake of his head. While he stayed non-verbal he stuck to the truth. The topic of their discussion and her body being pressed so close to his own was an - unsettling combination. Keeping him silent for the most part, but seeing her eyes all but demand a response he pushed himself to speak. "Not enemies," he whispered almost afraid to say it.

It was Rey's turn to nod quietly. Hearing his soft whisper did strange things to her heart. But her mind pushed past that to drive home her original point. "You won't use me for your side and I won't use you for mine."She spoke in a declarative fashion demanding this to be true.

Kylo mulled over her statement watching her soft brown eyes for a hint of deception or betrayal. After a long moment, he nodded "Agreed" he spoke softly not wanting to destroy the intimate air they had created between them.

With that finalized Rey relaxed and even gave a brief smile. That was before she finally realized the position they were in. Trapped against his chest with his strong arms wrapped around her and glove-clad hands holding onto her own. Despite his thick garb, she swore that she could feel the warmth radiating from him a warmth that seemed to seep into her very bones. Rey shyly avoided her eyes as a warmth found a home in her cheeks and behind her ears.

Kylo took note of her shift, but it was the small blush blooming on her features that reminded him of the position he had placed them in. It had made perfect sense to restrain her as such, but now new problems were coming forward. He didn't want to let go. It felt warm to have her in his arms, a warmth he'd long been denying. That small spark she had made in him only seemed to grow each time they touched. If he continued to hold her he worried that flame would grow beyond his control. Slowly he released her arms and let his own fall limply at his side. But he refused to take a step back to retreat any further from that warmth. Already his arms felt too cold.

Rey felt coldness creep into where his warmth had been only moments before. She found herself wanting that warmth back again, but she would suffer the cold for now. It was a small comfort that he didn't step back and following that she refused to step back either. But she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. At least not until she was sure that the warmth behind her ears dissipated.

"You were training." He mused as he noted her disheveled appearance again "But you were quick to anger." He continued eyes narrowing as he put the pieces together. "What's upsetting you?" His question seemed to take on a commanding tone, one he wasn't aware of.

A huff was her initial response to his prodding, and her irritation helped to chase away that warmth lurking behind her ears. "Did you know that when you get nervous with me you use that annoying detached commander tone." She muttered before slanting her eyes in his direction.

Those dark eyes remained narrowed "That's not an answer." He growled and crossed his arms as he watched her pace.

It was several moments before she spoke again when she did it was in a quiet and clipped voice. " That stupid holo" In frustration she kicked at the ground.

Kylo only nodded as he watched her pace, working out her frustrations on her own. "I've seen it, You were remarkable." The compliment came easily as to him it was truly remarkable that she had progressed so much in so little time with so little teaching. Luke had not taught her that, there was too much Dark in her actions. No, that was all Rey and it was remarkable. But her scoff seemed to try and disregard all of that. "What do you think of it then?" He asked hoping she would give voice to her thoughts.

Rey paused in her pacing, she hadn't really thought about her actions. "I was just surviving" was her whispered response.

"No." He said softly and stalked closer to her before continuing "If you just wanted to survive you would have run. Like I told you to." He pressed trying not to recall how he had screamed for her to flee. "You wanted to win. And you did, against all odds." He spoke evenly but softly as he recalled how proud she had been to declare her victory in his dream.

She seemed to chew on this and a subtle nod confirmed her agreement. "But why did they have to release the holo she lamented as she turned to face him completely.

Kylo dropped his crossed arms as she turned to him "Simple. It's good propaganda." He shrugged as he spoke the truth they both knew.

"I know that" she scowled at the ground before continuing "It's the talk that's the worst," she muttered and crossed her arms - almost cradling herself wanting some form of comfort. "Everyone thinks I'm this great Jedi that can end this war on my own." She shook her head with a sigh as she kept her head bowed. "Or they are terrified of me."

Standing there alone, curling into herself it only reminded him of a certain young boy and how everyone was terrified of him too. He made sure not to linger on these thoughts for too long, instead he focused on the woman in front of him.

Gently he laid a hand on her shoulder, only when her eyes raised to meet his own did he speak " You're still Rey." he began in a soft voice "That fight didn't change who you are. Not to me." his voice held steel, so there could be no doubt in his words.

Rey watched his dark eyes waiting to find deception, manipulation or cruelty there. Yet all she found was truth. Slowly she released the hold she had on herself and reached to lay a hand on his shoulder mirroring his gentle touch.

The two said nothing, only watching the other. As the sounds around them returned they kept their eyes on one another, for even as the Force separated them they were not alone.

She knew their time was ending but it still startled her when he faded from sight. It was as if someone had suddenly shifted the ground beneath her. As her arm fell to her side she collected herself.

Distantly she heard her name being called. Slowly Rey collected her staff and walked away from her clearing and the shambles of her training dummy.