When they finally parted their heads from this intense much-needed kiss, their eyes met and she whispered to him: "I missed you."
He nodded and answered: "I know. I heard everything you sent me via our bond, while I was in the bacta tank."
"You did? I babbled so much nonsense back then. But I just kind of wanted to talk to you I guess." she answered.
"No, you did not. I loved to hear your voice. I didn't think I would ever hear it again" he answered whilst brushing her hair back a little.

"Then stay! So you can hear my voice every day. If you go now, You might never hear it again." she said with a grim face.
"So Snoke can kill everyone, including you here? That would be insane!" he nearly yelled.
"You should learn to be more patient. Leia and I talked through this already. The base will be moved to another planet in several days, so the First Order doesn't know where we are. Also, you are going to show me how to render you unconscious, so when Snoke attempts to penetrate your mind I will at least help you keep him out like that.
So I beg you - no wait I fucking order you to stay with me, with us and stop fighting on your own! You are not alone anymore and this should finally reach this stubborn, damn beautiful head of yours already! Stay with me!"

He looked at her for a long time, his face was unusually pale right now, contemplating everything she just said.
Then he brushed a hand through his hair, closed his eyes and said:
"I will regret this. No, everyone will regret this. But I'll stay for your sake. If I feel any danger coming to you, General Organa or this base, I will leave for an instant,
as he just wants me right now. There will be no discussion then."

"We will see. But for now, I'll take what I get." she smiled at him and brushed her hand alongside his chest, as in flattening out his clothes.
"You should probably go back to the med bay. You are not at all healed right now. Actually, you look pretty bad right now and I don't quite understand how you can stand like this, but I guess it's part of "gaining strength through pain dark side thing" from you, isn't it?" Rey asked.

"Yes, I use the dark side of the force to keep my body going right now." he answered now looking pretty stressed out while closing his eyes in concentration.

"You are unbelievable! Come on we'll get you back." she gritted out between her teeth. Just when she wanted to help him walk he stopped her and instantly sat himself on the ground. She couldn't believe, that he is now seriously staging a sit-in to not be dragged back, so she just yelled a: "What the actual f..." and interrupted herself when she saw him spitting some dark liquid on the floor between his propped up legs. She kneeled herself down with a hand on his knee and watched him. He was even paler than before and the liquid was blood, which now also dripped down his chin. He whipped it away with the sleeve of his outfit and let his head hung between his knees and whispered through rigged breaths: "Ripped my lung. Fuck.".

Rey instantly stood up and turned herself to the hangar, but let one hand stay on his head like she wanted to reassure him if he even needed it.
"Oi folks! We need a medic over here. Right now!"

All the people in the hangar had watched the whole scene since the moment he stormed out and they argued. But nobody heard what they talked about exactly or why Kylo Ren is now sitting on the floor. Also, everyone was pretty shocked about their kiss, as nobody except for Finn, Leia and Poe knew about their relationship by now.
And they felt betrayed by not being told before that former enemy was already this deeply rooted in ther ranks.

So there was quite some chattering about this situation, but luckily Leia already alerted a medic, who came running through the field with a bag,
whilst cursing through his breath:
"Is this man crazy? He shouldn't be able to walk at all" Is he trying to kill himself?"

When he reached them, Kylo already was unconscious as Rey held him stabilized in a seating position. The medic quickly checked his pulse and put on an oxygen mask and also gave him two injections. When Kylo was carried by a flying stretcher through the hall, while the medic and Rey walked beside him, Leia worriedly asked what had happened.
Rey wanted to answer, but the medic was faster, he cursed: "General Organa, your son is utterly crazy! He just awoke from a coma, fled the med bay, used the force, thus ripping open half of his already weakened left lung again and then nearly choked on his own blood. But we got him, he just needs to stay in bed without moving again.
Don't worry, he'll be alright if he doesn't pull another stunt like this!"

The medic then stormed back into the medical facility room with Kylo in tow as Rey stayed in the hangar and explained Leia why he went out in the first place.
Leia was really emotional about Kylo proving again, that he wants everybody on the base to be safe, putting his life at risk the second time in the last few days.
But she took his concerns very seriously and immediately ordered nearly every pilot to abandon their missions and to start a search for inhabitable planets, which they could use as a new base. They already searched before, but not with the full force of pilots.
But now with Kylo Ren on edge about Snoke taking revenge on them anytime soon, Leia trusted her sons instincts and now put every resource they had left on finding a new base.

Even Rey was assigned together with Finn to search for a base, so she ran back to the med bay to see Kylo one last time before departure. He lay in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask on, his eyes were closed. Going over to his bedside and kneeling down beside it, she brushed some strands of hair out of his face and grinned a little at his still form. She loved looking at him like that, he seemed to be so content, then saw an IV needle on his arm and knew: Yep, he's being drugged. That's good,
so he won't wake up again anytime soon. Then she scribbled down a short note telling him about her leaving for a day with Finn, in search of a new base.
Just to annoy him, she also drew a small heart next to her name. Then she folded the paper and clipped it on his belt, as she knew when he wakes up,
the first thing he'll do will be to search for his lightsaber.

When she was done she planted a kiss on his forehead and ran back to the Millenium Falcon to start her mission.
Since Kylo died in her arms and then was kind of resurrected by her, her feelings towards him grew on an immense level. Even if he wasn't awake the last days.
She just knew how it would destroy her to lose him and she was thankful for every day she saw him breathing, being alive and for now safe. She hoped so much for him to become well again and to have him fully back soon.

She boarded the Falcon with Finn and started her mission to an unknown planet. All the pilots have gotten coordinates of planets which supposedly were inhabitable,
but also not already inhabited, preferably with an already built infrastructure on some parts. Which wasn't exactly an easy task.
"So you left your maniac boyfriend at home?" Finn teased her when they had entered hyperspace.
"He's not...! Ok he is. Kind of. Yeah, he had to be patched up some more. Luckily he is drugged right now and can't get away again." she sighed and leaned back into the pilot's chair.
"What was this all about actually? Everyone just saw you arguing and then making out. Thank maker you already warned me about the second part.
Everybody else was really shocked about it." Finn asked.
"So what. I don't care about the opinion of the others about us. So, where do I start? I'll start at the med bay, he just woke up from the coma and instantly stood up." then she was interrupted by Finn: "What he stood up? No normal human would stand up after this!" "Yeah, he isn't exactly normal, you know. He just used the pain to fuel his dark side and walked through the force giving him the strength to do so.

"Like he did on Starkiller base when he punched into his wound?" Finn asked, thinking about how he was disgusted by this gesture back then.
"Yeah pretty much like that. Back then, when we were on Ahch-To he told me, that he was totally done for when we three met in the forest. He said he couldn't actually stand or walk normally because of Chewbacca's blast into his side. But he used the the force to channel the pain into power, that's why he was still able to fight against us.
On some account this is amazing, but more so over it's absolutely self-destructive. And, to come back to today: He wanted to leave the base." Rey stated.

"What? He wanted to go back to Snoke?" Finn asked angrily.
"NO! No no. He wanted to go because Snoke will take his revenge on him and he thought if he stayed on the base any longer Snoke will come and destroy us all.
That's why he wanted to leave. For us to be safe." she explained.

"Oh ok. Isn't he right about that?" Finn asked. "No! I have never seen him fight with his full force yet. Every time he was either hurt or totally drained or something like that. But even then, he was so unbelievably powerful. I can't imagine how strong he'd be on 100%. He is our most powerful ally against the First Order we could ever imagine right now. Except for that, I don't want to lose him again. It broke my heart to have him die in my arms." she explained and her eyes fell to the floor."

"That's an argument. I mean the power thing. Not your relationship thing. I don't like it, but it's your choice. So what happened after the talk. Why did he drop down like that?" Finn asked her.

"Through the excessive force use, when trying to flee, he ripped his not fully healed lung open and nearly choked on his blood." she answered.

"That dipshit is crazy! Ripping his lung open? Bet that hurt much!" Finn grinned a triumphantly. "Hey! He's not...yeah okay he is kinda crazy. You're right. But the doctor said he just needs a few more days without movement and then he'll be fine." Rey retorted.
"I can't wait for him to linger around the resistance base!" Finn sarcastically said and rolled his eyes.

"Finn, I know he hurt you badly, but without excusing him, we were on different sides of the war. You would have done the same to him if you'd been able to back then.
I know he has changed. Actually, his mindset has changed so long before we met him. He already was on our side even before you even escaped. But he had and still has to overcome so many more dangers and obstacles when he defected. Please give him some kind of chance at least." Rey pleaded with him.

"It's hard to believe that, as I knew him the whole years as the asshole he was. But of course, I saw him fight for us on the base and I believe you.
When I was in the First Order, I have done things for which everybody in the resistance would hate me now. But they don't. So I'll try to accept him someday, ok?
Please just take care of yourself!" Finn stated a little uneasy.

She hugged Finn in a reassuring way and said with a big grin: "I promise you, you'll be the first who's allowed to punch him, if he ever hurts me!"

They flew through hyperspace some more and talked about the upcoming planet and about Finn's new ability to manoeuvre ship's. She was so proud of him and listened while he explained to her all the things he already learned.

Back in the med bay Kylo woke up and felt disorientated. Then he realised he had an oxygen mask on his face, which he instantly ripped off, as it was annoying him.
Of course, his hand wandered to his belt where he found his lightsaber to be missing - again. But there was something else stuck. A small folded paper.
He picked it off and unfolded it in his hands. His vision was still a little bit blurred, so he had to squint his eyes to be able to read it.

"Searching for a new base with Finn. Will be back tomorrow. Don't leave without me. Rey *hand-drawn heart*"

First his face seemed to distort as he read the message from annoyance. Then he sneered while shaking his head in disbelief.
Did this girl really draw a heart on this piece of paper?
This seems so crazy lovey-dovey-couple like. It's not like they are a couple. They just made out sometimes. Also, she saved his life and they share a force bond. And he couldn't stand to see her being hurt by anyone. And he would give his life for her. Again.
Ok, maybe we are something like a couple. He didn't know. What are we actually? Two force users who fell for each other? Something like that.
He already missed her.
But this drawn heart is really childish, he thought as his thumb brushed over it. Then he put the piece of paper away, in the inside pocket of his shirt.

After lying around in bed for some more minutes he already was so fed up with it, he had a hard time not jumping up to trash the place.
So he did something else. He stood up, took his saber, which luckily wasn't with Rey, but laid on a table next to the door. He was more careful this time, listening to his body and diagnosed himself with the force and felt the rupture in his lung wasn't completely healed, but manageable.
So he started to walk out of the room into the hangar, as he needed some fresh air. There were other resistance fighters walking around and working on the ships.
When they saw him, they looked shocked and stopped for a second, then they ducked their heads and kept on working, trying to ignore him.
He didn't care, as he just wanted to go for a stroll for some air. When he went through the hall, there was the voice of this one pilot he interrogated on the finalizer back then.
What was his name again? Pew? Paw? Poe? Yep, it was Poe! He pondered for a moment.

"Oi! Kylo!" he yelled. Kylo closed his eyes and inhaled sharply. Don't get annoyed too fast. He told himself again and again.
Then he opened them and turned his head to the pilot. "Yes?" he answered shortly while breathing out, his eyes drilling holes into Poe's head.
"Aren't you supposed to be in bed right now, or something?" Poe asked as he jumped down from a ship and now was walking over to him.

"Aren't you supposed to mind your own business?" Ok, I fucked it up already. Kylo thought.
Poe looked him up and down, then laughed: "Still an asshole? I see. But seriously, what are you doing here? Don't you start dying around again!
Don't want Rey to be worried sick when she comes back."

Kylo huffed. This guy is so annoying him right now, he felt his hand glide to his belt into the direction of his saber.
But he stopped it there and just let his thumb brush against the hilt.
"I needed some air. The hospital room is driving me nuts. I'll try not to die whilst being out, thanks so much for asking." he said in the most sarcastic voice he
was able to press out.

Then he turned around and wanted to walk away as he thought the conversation was over. Just then there was Poe's voice again:
"Wa...wait a second! You can use the force again, can you?"
Kylo stood still and looked back to him. "Yes. Why?"

"You think you can help me with something from the ship over there?" he asked hopefully. "Why'd you need the force for that?" Kylo asked.
Poe walked over to it and explained: "You see the ship broke off three of its four feet when the First Order attacked the base. That's why it stands so crooked.
Also, I can't get it started because the opening of the engine is underneath. As we don't have any kind of device to..." Kylo interrupted him:
"You need me to pull up the ship?"

"Whoa did you read my mind again? I don't like you doing th..." Kylo interrupted again, sneering: "No. It's obvious." He crossed his arms and walked over to the broken ship.

The other rebels looked at the two-man talking, not knowing what will happen next.
They still feared Kylo Ren will fall back and betray them. They kept on working on their ship, but every now and then looked over to see what they are doing.
But he just plopped himself down on a cargo crate and held his hand up, as the ship started to lift itself up from the ground. Poe just mouthed an "Oh ok." then walked over and let his hand touch the metal.

"Ok fine. I didn't think you'd help me for real. Just wanted to keep you from running off, as Rey forced me to watch you." Poe beamed at him.
"I know. Persistent girl." Kylo lazily said as he watched the pilot start to work. Poe was now under the ship with several tools and started to unscrew parts of it underneath.
"How'd you know that?" Poe asked surprised. "Force Bond." Kylo plainly answered.
"The bond? How does it work exactly?" Poe asked while grunting as he was struggling to detach a metal part.
"It's complex. We don't know it's full potential yet. We can talk to each other through it, also feel the other one's pain and apparently, she can revive me.
There is certainly more, we'll need to explore it further." Kylo answered truthfully.

"Yeah, bet there's lot's of stuff you two need to explore!" Poe sneered.

"I guess, I feel the force leaving me. The ship might crash down any second." Kylo suddenly declared flatly.
Poe shot out from under the vessel, panic in his eyes, he looked over to Kylo, who was still lazily sitting on the cargo crate, with one hand holding up the ship,
the other one was resting as a fist in his cheek as he looked bored about this whole situation. "Are you kidding?" Poe yelled.

"Yeah." Kylo said as he brushed his fingers through his hair annoyed. "Just watch your mouth."
"Yep. Still an asshole. I'll carry on now. If you deliberately crash this thing down on my head, you gotta deal with Rey and your mother afterwards. Think about it!"
Poe threatened half-jokingly.

The pilot kept on repairing the ship until the evening, whilst Kylo held it up through the force. He sometimes had to change his arm, as the outstretched one started to fall asleep. For being literally dead some days ago, he already was pretty powerful again which pleased him as he hated it to be weak.
Sometimes they bickered a little or Poe asked him some stuff about the First Order or the Force, to which Kylo even replied without nagging.

After some time, several pilots came over and watched him holding up the ship. They even asked him some questions about the force and what the heaviest thing was that he ever moved. He just shrugged them off, telling them he doesn't know, as he didn't think the weight determines if something is movable by the force or not.
At some point, a droid even brought them some food.

When the ship was nearly repaired and the pilot was about to weld on the last broken off feet, the Millenium Falcon landed next to them and Rey and Finn hopped out of it.
They walked over to Poe and Kylo. Poe was still under the ship with a welding device and safety glasses, as Kylo sat about 5 meters next to it, chewing on an apple,
whilst holding the vessel up with the force.

Finn just looked totally perplexed at these two men working together, while Rey stood next to Kylo with a half astounded,
half angry face, pressing arms on her hips she asked:
"So that's your idea of "staying in bed to let my big fucking life-threatening chest wound heal" or what is this?"

"I am sitting. That's close to lying." Kylo plainly stated.

"You are unbelievable! But...after all, you didn't run off and nearly killed yourself! So at least you stuck to that part of the deal." she sneered.

"How long you been doing this? When we left, the ship was a wreckage!" Finn stated to Poe. "Phew. I don't know, what'd you say Kylo? Four hours or something?" the pilot asked. "Five hours and about twenty minutes." the force user answered.
"What the...? You held this thing up for five hours now?! What the...what?" Rey yelled. "What?" Kylo asked. "What? I thought you could only lift a ship up for some seconds.
I didn't know this would be possible. You really really need to teach me!" she said with widened eyes looking excitedly forth between the ship and Kylo.

"Come here." he sent her through the bond. "Feel the force. Like you did last time."
She looked at him sceptically but held out her hand and put her palm on the back of his, like they did in the desert when he moved his ship.
She instantly felt the force flow through it in warm waves.
"Concentrate on it. The metallic parts of the ship. The air around it. On us, on you, on your hand, the ground, everything. Try to imagine how it feels against your energy when its flowing" he again messaged her.

Finn was watching them with interest, as he didn't know what they were doing exactly.
Rey looked at her hand and tried to imagine everything as Kylo has told her. She could feel the force now flow through her hand too and tried to keep it like that.
His hand felt warm under hers and she was fascinated by his raw power.

After some seconds he just moved his hand away and took a bite of his apple. Rey panicked as the ship sunk down slightly, but Kylo just whispered: "Don't get distracted. Concentrate!" she did and the ship kept on flying. Poe noticed the movement of the ship and peeked over to them. Just then he realised that Kylo wasn't levitating it anymore, but Rey did. And she looked really stressed like she couldn't hold it any longer. Poe just wanted to start yelling how dangerous this is, but Kylo just shook his head, motioning him to shut up.

When he was done eating the rest of his apple, he placed his hand under hers again and said: "You can relax now, I got it."
She took her hand away and looked in awe at him. "Did I fucking levitate this thing? I did! The fuck! I did! Oh maker! I can't believe this!" she jumped a little at this and Finn and Poe started clapping proudly as they now understood that they just witnessed her using the force successful like this the first time in her life.

She crashed forward and swung her arms around his neck, planting an overjoyed kiss on his lips. When she parted just some centimetres, she whispered: "Mhhm you taste like apples. I love that! You're the best teacher!" "Duh! I just ate one bright spark!" he grinned at her slightly.
She kissed him again still smiling at his joke, wanting to taste his lips again.

Poe interrupted them and yelled:" Yo guys! Less making out, more not trying to crush Poe to death with this levitating ship ok?"