Chapter Eleven: Reclamation

Disclaimer: I have no ownership rights. *whispers to unseen person in the dark* "It is done, Master." BTW: to you awesome babes who have reviewed so far, thank you for your lovely support. It has not gone unnoticed, and I have been working harder to make sure that the story does not die while I'm in school. This is to you guys, and thank you for reading.


"Whatever you are physically... male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy - - all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside."

Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel

Ren stormed out of the training room, durasteel saber laying forgotten in the floor. He was so frustrated with himself, Rey, the whole situation. How could she pledge herself and then walk away dramatically, like she was really done? Where could she possibly go? He chuckled to himself darkly, thinking that when he found her, maybe it was time to break her. She was too unruly, too likely to run away from battle when things got hard. He figured that with her past, she would be more stable. Then again, maybe all the new surroundings were a bit much for her. After all, she hadn't had a choice in coming to Starkiller Base. He finally reached their quarters and punched in the code. Expecting to find her sitting on the bed or in the fresher, he searched the area. Nothing. Quiet. His footsteps were the only noise in the rooms, and he found himself growing more and more upset by the moment. "Rey!" His voice echoed throughout the silence. Following a hunch, Kylo opened the wardrobe and searched for her clothes. All her black robes were present, but the one set of beige robes were gone. "No." He stomped toward the refrigeration unit, finding some of the food gone. She was going to get killed. She wanted to get away from him so bad that she had signed her own death warrant. He grabbed the sides of his helmet with his palms and yelled, feeling the frustration and pain flow.


Rey had managed to snatch a blaster and make her way to an exit. The stormtroopers were so deep in their routine, they managed to miss her walking nonchalantly toward the door. As soon as she was outside, the chill bit into her skin harshly and she took down her hair. It would keep her warmer for the time being, but she knew she would need to reach a vehicle soon. The snow was far different from the sand. While snowfall was soft and beautiful, it was also unforgiving. She shivered, realizing that she should have grabbed a coat, but it was too late now. She started moving toward the mountains, hoping she wasn't making a huge mistake.


"How do you miss a girl wearing training robes walking out the doors?" His electronic voice carried his anger, but thankfully not the fear. The trooper standing in front of him was shaking, afraid of what situation he found himself in.

"I'm sorry sir, but we just haven't seen anyone by that description." Kylo's fury boiled over and he slammed the soldier into the nearest wall. Not wanting to cause any more of a scene, he swiftly headed toward the door and made his way outside. She had been gone for about twenty minutes as far as he could guess, and at that rate, she would last about thirty more, best case scenario. That is unless she found a flight vehicle, then she might make it away from the base. He tried to calm himself so he could find her signature. After a minute or two, he found her. She was staying still, about a quarter of a mile away from the base. Her pulse was faint, but it was present, so he ran as fast as his body could carry him. If she lived through this, he was either going to kill her himself or never let her out of his sight.


She had never been so cold in her life. Laying in a fetal position in the snow, Rey found herself not shivering as much as she had been. She hadn't been able to get far, but no one had come after her either. No vehicles had been within sight, and she was just so cold. "Why did you run away?" Her eyes made contact with a huddling figure beside her: a teenage boy clad in beige Jedi robes. Her vision was blurry, but she made out a mop of dark hair and big ears. He was tall for his age, but gentle. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"That's not important. Why are you out here in this horrible weather?"

"I'm trying to get home."

"You'll freeze to death before you actually get anywhere. Go back."

"No." Rey felt her mind start to get hazy and her vision started to go black. "I... can't... go back. They'll... execute me."

"I'll protect you." The boy sat in the snow beside her and put his hand on her face. "I have always protected you, and I always will. Come back to me."

"But you haven't gone anywhere. What... are you...?" Her question trailed off as a figure came skidding up beside her in the snow.


Ren thanked the Maker he wore so many layers. The snow on base was dangerous, and unfortunately for Rey, she had found this out the hard way. Her body had gone hypothermic, and he was almost afraid of moving her. The slightest jarring movement could cause her body to go into cardiac arrest, but the other alternative was worse by far. Kylo carried her back to the base, where the warm air made his skin hurt. He could only imagine how she felt. "Idiotic girl," he muttered to himself. As soon as they were safely inside, he took her down to the medical bay, laying her on a sterile table. "Fetch a medic." The female assistant ran to get the doctor, blonde hair bobbing, and Kylo sat down in a chair nearby. He could mend wounds from the battlefield, but hypothermia was a battle in itself. There were so many things that could go wrong, and he wasn't calm enough to stay and observe. Rey's breathing was shallow, but present, so there was no need for resuscitation. One small consolation prize for reaching her in time. A sharp inhale from the right caught Ren's attention and he saw the medic come through the door. His silvery gray eyebrows raised in surprise. Kylo was sure that his masked face was one of the last anyone wanted to see around the facility.

"Master Ren, what happened?" The doctor started to grab saline bags and tubes as the assistant grabbed a pair of scissors and began to cut away Rey's robes. The female slung the cold, wet robes in the floor and covered Rey's body in warm blankets. Kylo turned his eyes away, unable to watch any longer.

"She didn't realize snow is deadly weather. She's only been in it once."

"Was she trying to run away?" The medic may not be trustworthy, so he couldn't know the truth.

"No, she was just being a fool. Can you help her?" His voice softened on the question, and if the medic noticed, he said nothing. The gray-haired elder continued to lay warm saline bags wrapped in cloth on Rey's chest and around her neck.

"I will see what I can do. Hypothermia is a tricky thing. Can I call you back when we have gotten past the golden hour?" Ren nodded, walking out the sliding doors. He prayed they would be able to help her. Otherwise, the First Order would have to find themselves new medical personnel, although it would be nothing personal.


Rey woke to the sound of soft beeping and pain radiating through all of her limbs. Her breath came out ragged, and she had trouble wiggling her fingers and toes. A blonde female came in with a chart, and when she saw that Rey was awake, she gave a small smile.

"Good evening, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling?"

"Stiff, where am I?"

"You're in our medical unit. You gave your master quite a scare, and he in turn gave us one. Do you remember anything from the past few days?"

"Not really." The nurse wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Rey's arm and began applying pressure.

"My name is Arianna, but you can call me Ari. Doctor Lantis and myself have been caring for you while you've been out." She released the pressure in the cuff and took down Rey's vital signs. Arianna placed a thermometer under Rey's tongue and watched for the reading. "I think your master has decided you won't be going out in the snow alone for a long time now."

"What do you mean, my master?" Arianna frowned at the question, but kept quiet. The thermometer beeped and she wrote down the numbers again.

"Let me fetch the doctor and we'll update you. Would you like a drink?" Rey nodded in affirmation. "I'll be right back with some water. Stay put and don't get up, you're a fall risk right now." Arianna left to retrieve the doctor, vigorously praying that Kylo Ren didn't take his aggression out on them when he heard the news.


"So let me see if I understand you, doctor. She has brain damage?"

"Not necessarily. Amnesia and brain damage are two different things." Ren's hands started to work themselves into a fist, and Lantis swallowed hard. "Amnesia is easier to come back from," he almost whispered.

"What went wrong?" Kylo's voice was raising quickly, and he could feel his frustration boiling over. It had been three days with only minimal news: stable or unstable. For the most part, stable had been the diagnosis, but there had been one time that he had been told that her body was trying to go into cardiac arrest. They had stopped it before it started, but that was still bad news.

"We did everything to the letter, but like I said, hypothermia is hard to work with. It's a touch and go thing the whole way through. Even now, even though she's awake, there may be residual effects that appear."

"Go. Now." Lantis and Arianna ran out of the room, leaving Kylo to his thoughts. He started to shake and his breath got caught in his throat. Amnesia meant his sunlight wouldn't recognize him. She wouldn't remember any of their time together, and she would probably be scared to come around him. What was he going to do? This was all his fault. He ripped the helmet off his head and grabbed a handful of hair.


Rey sat up and worked her limbs out of their stiff state. She laid her empty cup on the table nearby, remembering that Arianna said she would be back again later to check on her. A soft white gown flowed from her body, and her bare feet padded across the cold floor. An IV rested in the crook of her arm, giving her fluids and allowing her body to recover. Doctor Lantis said she had been out for about three days after being out in the snow and nearly freezing to death. She wondered why she was in the snow, but a moment after the thought came, it was gone again. A figure in black from head to toe entered her room, causing her to stumble back into the bed. There was a black and silver mask that covered the figure's face, allowing no recognizance. "Do not be afraid, I mean you no harm."

"Do I know you?" It was their first meeting all over again. But if she was suffering memory loss, he had an opportunity to start new with her. No fear, no backlash. The look in her hazel eyes stopped him though, and he knew she would trust him more if the truth came from him.

"You are my padawan, and I am your master. You have been within this facility for a little over a month, and you are a magnificent warrior. Do you know your name?"

"Yes, Rey. I don't remember much else though. The medic told me it may come back though." She looked hopeful, and he turned away. The look was more than he could bear. What if it didn't? What if all she had to go on was what he told her, or others? That was an existence, not a life. "What is your name?" She gave him a skeptical look as she waited for his response.

"Kylo Ren." He pushed the buttons on the side of his helmet and pulled it off. The look of guilt and sadness must have been written on his face. It was one of the main reasons he liked wearing the mask.

"You look familiar, Kylo Ren. I went to an academy with a boy that looked just like you, only shorter hair. His name was Ben." Her cheeks flushed when she said his name, and she gave a big sigh. "Isn't it funny that I can remember some things from childhood but nothing recent?" He didn't reply, but kept staring at her while she rambled. "Is there anyone else here for me?"

"No, I'm afraid I'm all you have." Her face fell when she heard this. He had rarely ever seen her this disappointed, and he didn't like it.

"I suppose I should be grateful I have at least one person who's with me. When can I leave then?"

"You should ask the medic that, I have no idea." He was afraid to broach the subject of what happened when she left the medical bay. There was no guarantee that she would feel safe with him, but he was afraid to let her go by herself. "Would you like to come stay with me afterward? You have been for a while, but I wanted to leave it to you." She pursed her lips in thought.

"If I have been, it stands to reason that I should continue. Are we in an intimate relationship of some sort?" It was his turn to flush with color.

"No, but like I said, we are teacher and student. I help care for you and keep you safe."

"What dangers are there here?" Lantis entered the room and stumbled backward seeing Kylo without his helmet on.

"Master Ren?" His voice echoed confusion and awe. Kylo pulled on his helmet and stood up straight. He walked to the physician and spoke.

"I'll be back to retrieve her tonight. Will that time be sufficient?"

"It should be. We'll perform one more evaluation, and if you notice anything odd, just bring her back." Kylo nodded and turned back to Rey.

"Don't worry yourself with any dangers here. You'll be safe as long as you're with me." With that statement, he turned and swiftly left the room.


"Grandfather, I've made a mistake. I've allowed her to get hurt, and I don't know what to do." The twisted black mask that stared back at him offered no consolation for his anguish. "If they find out that she was trying to escape, Snoke may try to take her and train her himself, and it will be all my fault. What do I do?" He knew his long-dead grandfather would not be able to give him any answers, but it felt better to be able to talk to someone. "To make matters worse, I'm getting weaker. I can't afford any more distractions, and yet, I'm drawn to her. How can I stop this?" Kylo sat in silence for a moment, contemplating the situation he found himself in. Out of nowhere, a whisper came on the wind, leaving as quickly as it started.

"The answer is not black or white, but instead gray." Ren jumped up, igniting his saber. There was nothing around him except the wind and Darth Vader's mask. He calmed his breathing and disengaged his weapon, placing it back in his belt. Instead of focusing on what had happened, it was time to turn his attention to the matter at hand. As he grabbed a change of clothes from their wardrobe, he contemplated the words from the wind.

Is Kylo going crazy, or is someone trying to communicate with him? Will Rey regain her recent memories? All will be addressed in further chapters. Leave those comments!