They hiked back up through the labyrinth of tunnels to the first cave they had first entered at the beginning of Rey's quest. Slowly and in between spur-of-the-moment kisses they set up the tent and the small forge to begin crafting her lightsaber. However, as soon as the blankets were laid down they clung to each other as if it was their last moment together.

Rey never imagined letting another strip her robe off and massage her breast with his thumb and forefinger. She never thought she'd feel safe with another on top of her, kissing her throat. But she moaned as she felt herself open up to him, and she folded her legs over his back and tried to pry his pants off with her toes. He pushed himself up and gazed down at her, panting.

"Do you want to do this?" he asked.

She nodded even though the thought of sex made her both nervous and excited, but she caught the doubt in his eyes.

"I'm ready, I want this," she breathed. "Don't you?"

There it was again, the doubt but his face had become like stone. Rey unwrapped her legs and pushed herself up by her elbows.

"It's okay, we don't need to rush," she said and kissed his cheek.

"I want you, I just don't…" he said and swallowed hard. "I don't know. I panicked."

"It's okay. We have time, there's no rush."

"No, there isn't any time."

Kylo Ren rolled next to her, and they both laid down on the blankets. Rey took his hand and cradled it in hers.

"We can't stay here forever, Rey," he whispered.

"I know," she said, and kissed his rough knuckles. "I don't want to leave here without you."

He wiped her tears away and combed her hair with his free hand.

"I don't either," he said.

Rey had looked forward to crafting her lightsaber for so long, but now every piece she welded together felt like a cruel countdown to when they would have to leave. She felt miserable even though they agreed to each have full portions of their rations. Sometimes she could only stomach half portions. Kylo Ren tried to comfort her, but this made her want to stay with him more. It felt horrendous that she would have so little time with the first person she felt so truly open with.

For the mean time, however, she would weld as Kylo Ren read from the tome she had brought with her from Ach'to.

"Did you read this about the Jedi and Sith being just Jedi?" he asked Rey as she add the finishing touches to the metal chamber that would hold her crystal.

"Yes. Isn't it strange how the Jedi were once fine with tapping into one's emotions when connecting with the Force?"

He lowered the book. "Then why did they separate?"

"It's not in that tome, but eventually the council decided that Jedi must completely dedicated themselves to the Force and let go of all mortal attachments. Not everyone agreed, and they formed into the Sith."

He snorted out a laugh, and looked back down at the book and carefully turned the pages. Rey slid her darkened googles and turned on the small torch to weld two delicate figments together on the flat top of the forge. Putting the lightsaber together brought her back to her days on Jakku, when she would clean or mangle tools together. The menial work always calmed her, as if the nervous half of brain was so focused on making sure she didn't burn her fingers off that the other half was free to meditate. She pulled away from everything so she could look at it all from a new angle.

As a result, after they had eaten and cuddled each other under the blankets, Rey decided to propose her idea.

"When my lightsaber's finished, instead of going our separate ways, let's leave together," she whispered in his ear.

He sat straight up, as if she had poked him with an electric prod. "And go where?"

"The Resistance. Together."

"We can't."

"Why?" she demanded and sat up.

"If we go to the Resistance, I'll be killed."

"No, you won't. Not if you give us everything about the First Order. You'll be imprisoned, but I'll fight as hard as I can so you won't be executed. Your mother will help."

"My mother won't spare me."

"She's the general!"

He looked at her with sad, tired eyes. "Her title would be in jeopardy if she spared my life."

Rey tightened her fists. "That isn't true, and you know it. She won't say it out loud but when she talked to me about you…she still loves you, Kylo."

He pursed his lips for a moment before speaking again. "Even if we weren't going to the Resistance, I can't leave my master."

Her heart sank at those words, but she refused to give up. "Is that why you're still with the First Order? Because of Snoke?"

"You're with the Resistance because of Luke."

"No, not just Luke. For Finn and Poe and General Organa and the fight for a galaxy where people choose their leaders instead of being fearful of a tyrant. Do you truly believe in what the First Order fights for, or are you with them because of the power they've given you?"

He was at a loss for words for a moment, but then he said, "It's true that the First Order gave me power that the Resistance wouldn't have. But you don't understand, Rey, I can't leave my master. There's a bond between us that can't be broken."

"So what happens if you return to the First Order without me? Will he kill you?"

"No, if he wanted to kill me he would have when I came back from Ach'to. I'm not sure what he'll do, but I know that the punishment will be severe."

She shuddered as she remembered his memory of meeting Snoke. Rey threw her arms around his middle, and he embraced her.

"Even if I did go to the Resistance, he would never leave me," he muttered in her hair.

She cried in his dark brown robes and felt ashamed of her tears. This was her fault for giving in and letting herself fall in love with him. If she had kept her emotions at bay, her heart wouldn't be breaking as it did now. Kylo lifted her face with a hand and kissed her tears away. She nuzzled his hand on her cheek, fresh tears rolling on his fingers. He inhaled a deep, shaking breath before speaking again.

"I think there is another way, but I need you to trust me."