A/N: IT'S HERE. I did it. It took a lot longer than I would've liked, but it's here. Writer's block shows up whenever it wants and doesn't like to leave, I guess. Hope you guys think this chapter was worth the wait!

Enjoy!


It felt like she'd been in here forever. It had definitely been quite a while. A lot longer than she'd ever stayed in here before. It was very boring if she was honest. There was absolutely nothing in here for one to do except sit and wait. Only, she didn't know what she was waiting for. Didn't know why she was kidding herself. She only knew that boring as it was, she didn't want to leave.

Rey didn't know how she'd managed to stay here for so long. It was definitely an effort. A few times, she'd felt herself waking up, and only by sheer force of will had she managed to stay asleep. The longer she was out the better. She needed a plan.

What had happened before she'd arrived in this little safe haven...she didn't want to wake up to the result of it. She was more than certain she wouldn't like what she found. She was going to be prepared for what waited for her before she jumped into the fray. And she needed time to process what had happened. What he'd said.

"I'm not here to kill you."

That was the first surprise she'd gotten. But he hadn't lied, or she would be dead now, she was sure. And he'd tried convincing her that he didn't want to do this. Not in the way that she'd forced him to. Surprising as they were, the words didn't bother her very much. These things could be easily said, easily faked. The man had no problem lying through his teeth. What had bothered her was what she saw. What was there that couldn't be easily faked. The things he'd clearly tried to hide.

His eyes. They'd been the biggest tell. The pity in them. The uncertainty. How it had looked like they were begging her to cooperate so things didn't have to get messy. Like he really didn't want to hurt her. And the words he'd clearly uttered against his will.

"I have to take you back. I either take you back, or I kill you. And for some reason, I can't manage to end your life, so it looks like I only have one option."

There were seven words that had been playing in her ears since she'd heard them.

I can't manage to end your life.

He couldn't manage it. As if it were some herculean task placed upon him by the forces of morality. Some burden he had to bear. Why couldn't he kill her? She was certain she wouldn't have that hard of a time doing so to him if given the opportunity. But he, the one who was decidedly on the wrong side out of the two of them, couldn't bring himself to do the same to her. She wasn't sure what to make of that.

And that wasn't even the only thing he'd brought up that had unnerved her. He'd brought up the visions. Even said he'd had them too. What if Luke had been right? He'd even known about the voices. His voice.

"You beat me here again. Making quite a habit of it."

She jumped, her heart skipping a few beats, but as soon as she realized it was only Ben, she allowed herself a small smile in spite of her predicament. "Yes, well...I've been here for quite awhile, this time."

He hummed in response. It was silent for a minute while they both situated themselves to be in a more comfortable position so they could talk. Rey wasn't sure what kind of mood he'd be in today, but she certainly hoped it was a better one than last time. She was very careful in choosing her words.

"Are you...alright? I don't really know what time it is, but it does seem a little later than you're usually here."

He was silent for a very long time, and Rey started to worry that she'd already struck a nerve. So much for being careful.

"I got...held up," he finally muttered. "I'm fine."

There wasn't warmth in his voice, but he didn't seem to be in an incredibly terrible mood. It was better than the last time, at least.

She smiled softly, as kindly as she could manage. "That's good-"

"Why have you been here so long?"

Rey blinked, caught off guard by his abruptness. "I-" she opened and closed her mouth, finding she couldn't come up with a convincing enough lie to spew that she didn't have to tell the real story. "Why do you care?" she finally blurted.

He sighed. "Never mind."

She was incredibly confused. "Really, though, why do you care?"

"I said never mind."

She frowned. What had brought on this sudden change in their dynamic? They hadn't exactly been friends before, no, but they'd at least started to be civil. She'd even wondered once or twice if they were actually warming up to each other. But now, he was colder than he had been when this had all started. These dreams were beginning to occur more frequently; if anything, they should be getting calmer as they grew used to each other.

She just didn't understand.

"Did I do something?" she heard herself ask.

She hadn't given herself permission; her mouth had decided to move on its own.

"What are you talking about?"

Don't say anything. Just let it go.

"Did I do something to you? To offend you? Or is my existence enough to make you irritated?"

He laughed shortly, humorlessly. "It's not like you're very easy to get along with."

Rey was astounded. "What did I do?"

Ben sighed, almost like he realized he'd made a big mistake. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. You wouldn't understand."

"I want to understand," Rey insisted. "That's why I'm asking you this. If you tell me what it is that I'm doing, I can stop."

"I told you not to worry about it," was the weary reply. "It doesn't matter. It's not something you can control; the issue's all on my end. It's my problem to solve, not yours."

Rey shook her head, disappointed. She rolled her eyes. "Fine," she mumbled, and she curled up like she usually did when she was done with the conversation.

Once her knees were pulled up to her chest, her arms folded on top of them, she let her chin rest on her forearms. What an awkward way to kill time. Any hope she'd had of restoring their previous relationship, if you could even call it that, was gone. Vanished along with any comfort she'd taken in this place. She kind of hated herself for it. It was her fault. She'd never been able to do anything but drive people away. Kriff, she'd driven her own parents away when she was six years old. Now, she continued to do the same thing, but this time, she hadn't even had the chance to see the man's face before he'd decided to hate her completely.

"Is there a reason you've been here so long?"

She looked up slowly, surprised. There was real curiosity in his voice. Almost...concern? No. That couldn't be it.

She opened her mouth to lie, but she stopped herself. This was how she pushed people away. Lying got her nowhere.

"Because I'd rather not be awake."

"So you're choosing to be here?"

It wasn't incredulous, he was simply clarifying, but Rey could've sworn there was awe buried beneath all his layers of indifference. She tried not to smile smugly.

"I guess you could say that, yes."

He cleared his throat. "Not that I have any right to ask-"

"You don't."

"Noted. But," he plowed on, "I wanted to know why exactly you don't want to be out there." She heard him shift slightly, almost like he was uncomfortable, "I guess the question I'm asking is, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

He sighed. "Fine, then."

The pang in her stomach was an unwelcome reminder that she'd been dealing with him acting like this only minutes before. She groaned internally but answered him.

"I'm actually not fine," she muttered. "I'm...I'm with the Resistance. Kylo Ren invaded my home and kidnapped me, and I'm fairly certain he's bringing me back to wherever he calls home. I don't want to wake up partially just to aggravate him and partially...partially out of fear." Her voice had dropped so low that she wasn't sure he could hear. "I'm terrified of what he'll do. Of what he might make me do. And I think he works beneath someone. Takes orders from a higher power. If that monster is as bad as he is, how truly awful must his master be?"

She zoned out for a moment, her head spinning with her sudden realization. She really was afraid. Far more afraid than she'd like to admit.

"That's why I've been here for so long."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Her voice echoed out in the black until eventually, it faded away and there was nothing.

"I see," he finally said.

Rey snorted. "How truly enlightened you are. Thank you for your input."

"Never said I was good at advice."

"That's okay."

It was still after that, almost like the words that wanted to be said hung in the air, waiting to be blown about. He inhaled sharply. "There is one thing, though. If you stay asleep, you really aren't going to be able to do much about what's happening out there. You know that, right?"

"I just need time to make a plan. Then I'll wake up. I just have to make this last as long as I can."

He exhaled slowly. "Well, good luck, then."

"Thanks."

She buried her face in her arms. They were silent the rest of the time.


Kylo woke with a start. Already, he knew the day was not going to go his way.

What a joy his existence was becoming.

He rolled over to check the chronometer by his bed, groaning when his eyes landed on the time. He'd overslept. Now, instead of being in there to greet her when she woke up, he was going to be met with an absolute mess. If she had decided to wake up, she would be doing her best to get out, and the mindless Stormtroopers would be helpless to stop her.

'Oh, well,' he thought. 'Let her get out. Let her escape. Snoke will find her, or we will. She won't get far.'

He knew that the reality was that she could escape if she wanted to, and probably would try. He just didn't care enough anymore.

He rolled back over and threw an arm over his face. That girl had been keeping herself unconscious of her own volition. She had such a powerful will that she was actively prolonging her stay in the dreamspace the two of them shared. To spite him. As frustrating as it was, it was remarkable. The power the girl possessed...he wondered if she was even aware of the magnitude of it. Probably not. Skywalker had probably done his best to downplay her abilities so she didn't grow either too sure of herself, or too strong for him to control.

It wouldn't have been the first time.

Eventually, Kylo forced himself to roll out of bed and get ready to meet with the scavenger. He did his best to balance being intimidating and being human. He decided to forgo his mask again and see if it got him further than he expected. His hopes weren't incredibly high.

The walk to her cell block was not nearly long enough, and when he got there, he found at least a dozen Stormtroopers scurrying around, all of them in a panic. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, regretting that he didn't have his mask, and hastened his footfalls.

"What's going on?"

"She's awake, sir," one relatively calm 'trooper reported. "Awake and angry. She's trying to break out."

Kylo growled and shoved through the throng of black and white clad men and women, his temples throbbing in annoyance. The sight that met his eyes in her cell block was enough to make him want to throw his hands in the air and say, "Forget it, Snoke can have her. She's not my problem anymore." At least five Stormtroopers were fighting to seal away the cracks forming in the transparisteel as fast as the scavenger was making them. The sad part was, she was winning. They moved frantically with the sealant, but for some unfathomable reason, she was managing to punch more chinks in the wall than they could keep up with. He succeeded in pulling himself together enough to speak, and he sighed, his faith in those serving under him dwindling.

"Everyone out!" he roared. "Move!"

They all dropped whatever they held in their hands and saluted before rushing out. As soon as the last one was gone, Kylo lifted his arm and curled the fingers of his outstretched hand, causing the girl to freeze. She growled, irate.

"You must be getting incredibly tired of this happening to you."

Her frown deepened in answer. He smirked.

"I'll let you go, but only if you promise to play nice."

She was silent, unblinking.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He released his hold on her and she dropped to the ground, still breathing hard from her outburst. She offered a weak hit to the transparisteel, taunting him. He tutted.

"Now, is that any way to treat your host? Destroying their property?"

"You locked me in a cell," she snarled. "Is that any way to treat your company?"

"How did you manage to break out of those cuffs, by the way?"

She smiled at him humorlessly. "A magician never reveals her secrets."

He quirked an eyebrow, not even bothering to hide the amusement he felt. "Touche."

Her smile dropped back into the set frown she'd been wearing before. He paced in front of her, his conflicting feelings taking a backseat to figuring out what he needed to say and how to say it. Was he kind and inviting? Or was he forceful and direct? Part of him was certain it was the former. But his head insisted the latter. He decided to try for somewhere in between.

"I assume you know why you're here?"

"I have a few ideas."

"Good, good. We can skip the pleasantries, then."

"You can't just keep me in here."

Kylo chanced a glance around the cell. "Yeah, I think I can."

"I'll find a way out."

"No, you won't."

"People will come looking. The Resistance will come. Luke will come."

Kylo flashed her a patronizing smile. "Will he?"

She didn't respond and her head dipped. His smug bearing sobered. It was only meant to be a jab, but it appeared that it was actually an idea she'd toyed with herself. A guilty pang struck him, but it passed through relatively unnoticed. He crammed everything down, per the usual.

'Good,' he mused to distract himself. 'I don't have to worry about planting doubt. Skywalker did a good enough job of it on his own.'

"I'm not going to lie to you," he said, finally coming to a stop in front of her. "I'm going to tell you exactly what's going on. You're here because Snoke believes you need to be. He believes you should be on our side. So, he sent me to find you and bring you back. To train with him. With me."

"No," she responded without even a beat of silence.

"You don't have a choice."

"And if I refuse?"

His words were slow and precise, leaving no room for interpretation. "Snoke will kill you."

He had to give it to her. Her face remained hard and cold, anger flashing in her eyes. To any onlooker, she was not intimidated. But Kylo caught the faintest hint of fear. He didn't know how. There was nothing about her body language or demeanor to suggest it; he just knew. Almost like he could feel it himself.

"We're connected, scavenger," he said in a low voice. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. We are meant for something much bigger than you or I could ever imagine. Train with me. Let me help you. We could do great things."

She looked disgusted.

"It's your choice. You're running out of time to make it."

Her face changed fractionally several times, and he watched her decision-making process play out across her features. It gave him a sick sense of satisfaction, watching her struggle. As much as he hated to admit his much... softer feelings for this girl, he'd never deny the fact that he enjoyed intimidating her. It made her no better than he was. She, too, could be scared. She, too, had weaknesses. The situation was probably more fulfilling to him than it was worth.

"Go away," she muttered.

"Are you going to make a decision?"

"I already told you no."

"He will kill you. I'm not bluffing."

She stood up on shaky legs, but her determination was fierce and the fire behind her eyes was bright. "Fine. I believe you. Let him kill me. You can do whatever you want with me, but I would rather die knowing I hadn't betrayed my friends than live knowing I had."

Kylo's eyes widened. She was serious. Her resolve was prominent in her voice, her face was set. The fear he'd sensed before was there no longer, and it had been replaced with a much stronger feeling of courage. That surprised Kylo, and not in a good way.

"So you'd rather die-" he began incredulously.

"Yes," she interrupted him. "I would rather die. I'm not like you. I'm loyal to those that love me."

He took a step back, almost like her words had affected him physically. It hit him as hard as she wanted it to. All satisfaction he'd received from intimidating her was gone now; clearly, he hadn't done a good enough job.

"Your argument has a few holes in it," he bit back, now angry. "Those people you're referring to? They didn't love me. Ever."

Her face twisted into an even deeper frown. "Liar. They do. More than anything. But don't ask me why."

He turned to the door, ignoring her. "I'm clearly not getting anywhere with you right now. I'll be back in a few hours to see if you've changed your mind."

"They want you to come home, and don't ask me why they want that, either."

He still acted as though he didn't hear her, lengthening his strides to reach the door faster. "I'll be sending someone to make sure you're put back in those cuffs."

"Leia was heartbroken by what you'd done. But she still wants you to come home. She still wants you back-"

"Shut up," he snarled, whirling on her. "Do not speak of her as if you know what happened. As if you know her. You know nothing."

She stared him down, unflinching. "Apparently, I know more than you'd like me to."

He turned away from her quickly to hide his expression. He knew his eyes gave away far more than he would like them to. There were things she'd be able to see in them that he knew he had to hide.

The pain he felt? She brought it up in him like a flame. He felt like he was in constant pain anymore, but when she was around, the pain was worse. There were so many things he had done that he wished he hadn't. So many things he'd done that he still couldn't believe he had. And her presence seemed to remind him of every terrible thing he'd ever done. But the worst thing she'd stirred in him was by far optimism had blinded him. She'd given him hope for a better future. A better future he knew he couldn't have.

No, not just a future he couldn't have. A future he didn't want.

"I've enjoyed myself immensely, scavenger," he quipped, straightening up. "I can't wait to do this again."

He strode out as fast as his legs could carry him.

"I've seen your mother!" she shouted after him as he left. "She wants you back! Even after all you've done, she wants you back! And still, you continue to deny it! To deny her! Coward! Coward!"

He had never known relief like that that rushed through him when the door closed on her and her abuses.


Rey slid down the transparisteel, still shaking. Whether it was from fear or fury, she had no clue. Probably a mixture of both.

She blinked back angry tears furiously, heat rising to her cheeks. It was like her worst nightmares were coming true. She couldn't join them. Wouldn't. There was absolutely no way she would turn against everyone she loved and who loved her. Luke was certainly one thing, but Leia? Finn? Chewie? She wouldn't do that to them. They'd been through plenty already because of the Dark Side. They'd all already lost so much. She wouldn't let them lose her, too.

She curled into a ball, burying her face in her arms. Someone would be here soon to lock her back up. She figured she might as well enjoy her semi-freedom while she could. It would be all of it that she would get for awhile.


Anxiety twisted Luke's stomach into knots. Now that the problem was clear, it seemed even worse than before. He couldn't help but feel that if anything happened, it would be his fault.

Why hadn't he noticed anything sooner? Why hadn't he paid attention and seen the signs? Observation had never been his strong suit. It had been his downfall before. Damn, if he would let it be his downfall now.

As the island came into view, his heart rate soared. He couldn't believe he was actually agreeing to do this. He'd sworn he'd never try it again after the destruction of his previous academy, but now, he had no choice. He had to do it. Regardless of how he felt about it and previous situations like it. He wouldn't let his sister down. Not again. He knew that saving Rey would hardly make up for letting Ben fall, but he had to do something. It would be better than sitting by and watching it happen.

But as he got closer, he realized that something else was nagging at him, too. Something much worse than simple doubts and anxieties about teaching a student. He didn't know what it was.

It was made clear as soon as he landed.

His home looked like a war zone. Every structure had been demolished, crushed within an inch of its existence. Some were still partially standing, most were on fire. Smoke and small bits of debris were floating through the air, filling his nostrils and lungs, but he hardly noticed. There were much more urgent matters at hand.

"Rey," he said, at first under his breath, then louder as the realization that she'd been here alone set in. "Rey! Rey!"

He ran through the rubble, coughing and spluttering as he called her name. He shouted for her until his throat was hoarse, dug through rock until his arms were entirely covered in scrapes and bruises, but he couldn't find her anywhere. There weren't even any signs of a body.

"Rey," he tried weakly, one last time before he gave up.

His legs went out underneath him and he collapsed onto a piece of what had once been his hut. The lack of his apprentice could only mean one thing. And it would break his sister's heart.

He eventually dragged himself back to his ship, setting a course back to the Resistance as soon as he ambled into the cockpit. He had to share what had happened with the group and find a way to get Rey back as soon as possible.

This new development made the situation even more dire than it had been before.


A/N: It's getting interesting, you guys!

Despite having so much inspiration to finish this chapter (the trailers, the pictures, the interviews, the overall rejuvenation of the fandom), it did take a lot longer than expected to finish this chapter, but thank you to all you guys for being so patient with me. I'm so blessed.

It may be a little while until the next chapter, but we'll have to see how life goes for the next few weeks.

As always, thank you all so much for reading!