Ben gripped Rey by her neck. His bare hands against her flesh was cold. Unrelenting. Unforgiving. Cruel. His eyes were black. Everything about him was dark. There was no more light in him. His grip on her neck tightened. She couldn't breathe.
"B-Ben please!" Rey tried. But Ben was no longer there.
He continued, his hold never releasing.
Rey jerked awake from her slumber, breathing hard as sweat dripped from her forehead. It had been three months. Three months since she left Ben behind. And things have changed, for the worse.
The Resistance left Crait, and their new base of operations was on Felucia. Felucia was a beautiful planet, filled with the most exotic and unique wildlife Rey has ever seen. Unfortunately, there was also some of the worst lifeforms she has ever encountered on that planet. Flesh eating bacteria, dangerous creatures that could rip a person in half, and other unknowns deep in the vividly colored forests.
Leia has recovered from her comatose state, but she has sat back in the war. She had promoted Poe to now lead the Resistance, while she rested.
The First Order had splintered, with Hux taking over a seperate faction, but it is still strong and more bold. Supreme Leader...Kylo Ren...Has launched multiple operations to try to draw out the Resistance. To draw out Rey. They've attacked and bombarbed Jakku...To spite Rey. They've destroyed Takodana, burned down thousands of acres of forests...Because he knew she liked them. He was playing with millions of lives...To try to get to her. Rey knew he had sent his Knights out in search of her. And it was only a matter of time until she was found.
Rey had packed her bags and left the Resistance to go into hiding. It was difficult and painful. Finn, Poe, Chewie, and BB-8 begged her to stay. But she knew she was only endangering them by remaining there with them. Kylo Ren was determined to find her. And what he wanted with her? That scared Rey. What even scared her more was that she still loved him. She still missed his touch. His tight and protective embraces. The way he said her name. The nicknames he coined for her. His soft lips against her skin. His hot breath. She missed it all. But that man is gone now. Kylo Ren has replaced him. The man set on revenge and fueled by hatred.
She took refuge in Ryloth. A planet filled with twi'leks and other off-worlders. She arrived at a small town, paid to rent a room, and has been here for weeks. She had no company. No friends. Nobody. She was alone. And she found that every night, she wished for his warm body next to her. She almost convinced herself to lower her barriers to contact him via their bond, but decided against it.
Their bond. That pesky thing between them has been excruciating to say the least. At first, it was easy to keep her walls up, ignoring him. But now, after all these weeks and months, he was desperate. And angry. Extremely angry. It was so difficult to block him out now...That when she slept...She knew her defenses faltered. She knew he would reach for her in her dreams. Was he attacking her deliberately? Did he hate her now?
Rey shook her thoughts away, lifting herself from her bed. She looked out the window. The night sky illuminated the dense forests and buildings outside. She loved the view, which was one minor positive in her life recently. But the negatives seemed to outweigh the positives in these times. Luke nor Obi Wan has visited her. She hasn't had any more dreams about Teka...Or her child. It seemed like the Force abandoned her. She still had her powers...But she felt empty. Lost. And she knew why too. Ben. Her bondmate. She felt empty without him. Depressed. But that was a different time. Things have changed.
Rey stretched away the weariness. There was no way she was going to be able to go back to sleep. Maybe...Maybe a beer or two could help. What?
Rey rubbed her face. Was she actually considering drinking? She had only drank once...With Ben...Sitting in his lap. His lips trapped her lips in a tight war of passion. His hands were on her hips...
She shuddered, shaking her head again. Focus Rey. Yeah...She needs to get out, clear her mind. Rey changed from her night outfit- Nothing really other than an old shirt and shorts- And changed into her robes. Dark grey tunic. Tanned pants. Black utility belt, where she kept the blaster she received from Han. Her black combat boots. Instead of a white cape that surrounded her body like her old outfit, she instead went with a light brown. It helped to hide in the shadows at night without resorting to black. And...A small necklace. The one she received from Ben. She would find herself idly rubbing the necklace between her palms, clutching it tightly with tears in her eyes some nights. She pulled the brown hood over her head and left her room. She went towards the desolate streets below.
Rey found herself at a bar. The brightly lit hologram outside had a female twi'lek riding on what appeared to be a jug of beer. Yep, this is a bar alright. Rey entered inside, and the environment immediately hit her senses. Drunken patrons lined the bar, with spilt alcohol covering the ground in a sticky layer. Smoke from chemicals she wished she didn't inhale entered her lungs. She found herself sitting on a stool that creaked. A twi'lek male sat to her right. And to her left was a Quarren. She tried not to bring attention to herself.
"What do you want?" The bartender asked her in a gravely demand.
"One of your lightest drinks, please." Rey practically begged, shoving some credits onto the counter.
The bartender took the credits and placed down a glass filled with a orange liquid. She lifted it to her nostrils. It smelled fruity. She took a sip...And hey, it wasn't half bad!
She kept her head low, focusing on the drink, and the noises she heard around her. Most people were laughing and having a good time. Some were arguing. Some talking about their lives being disrupted from the war. It was all white noise to her. Until she looked up, and her eyes locked onto a person sitting across from her at the other end of the bar.
A woman. In her mid 30s. Red hair...
Rey quickly darted her eyes away. Force, please. She must be hallucinating, right? It's the alcohol, right? There is no way Sia is at the other end of the bar. Rey was starting to get paranoid. She swore she could hear more dangerous noises now around her. The sound of boots clicking. Sound of robes being thrown onto the ground. The sound of lightsabers leaving their utility belts. The murmurs and whispers of the bar patrons.
Rey shook her head and got up, rushing to the exit. A hand suddenly gripped her shoulder, roughly twisting her around.
Ben. He was here. His face was covered by that damn mask. But she wasn't sure if she wanted to see his face. It would stir feelings in her gut that she hasn't had in months. Wait, what the kriff was she thinking?! Kylo Ren is here!
She quickly jerked away from him and out the door, running right into a pack of Knights. They had their crimson blades ignited, surrounding any means of escape. Rey swiftly turned to find Kylo behind her, with Sia. She ignited her red blade, while Kylo held his in a clenched fist.
"Rey." Kylo choked out. His voice was mangled by his mask, but she could hear the anger and venom through his words.
"Kylo Ren." Rey shot back, before she quickly pulled the staff off of her back. She ignited the bright purple and deep yellow blades, twirling it around for a moment.
"I've been looking for you for months." Kylo hissed, the circle of Knights now slowly closing in on her.
"You did this to yourself, Ben." Rey answered, eyes worryingly searching for an exit that didn't exist.
"No, you did this to yourself. You threw away my offer, Rey. I offered you everything." Kylo screamed.
"You didn't offer me everything! I wanted only one thing! And you refused to do it!" Rey angrily retorted.
Rey swiftly clashed against a few Knights who were moving in too close for comfort. Suddenly, they all charged at once. Rey found herself being attacked from all sides. She couldn't stop all their blades, it was impossible. Rey did the only thing she could think of. She raised her hand, lashing out in front of her, sending two Knights spiraling through the air and into a wall. She swiftly rolled into the exit she created, escaping the torrent of sabers...
...Until someone tackled her to the ground. She struggled underneath Kylo, beating her fists against his chest, trying to claw at him. But he soon gripped her wrists, forcing them above her head in a painful hold.
Rey grimaced, her hands tense as the pain in her wrists never left her.
"Stop! You're hurting me!" Rey snarled.
"You hurt me worse, Rey." Kylo seethed.
How dare this scavenger betray him? How dare his little Jedi betray him? His sweetheart? His desert fox? His love. Her face was just as he remembered, maybe even more beautiful. The light freckles on her cheeks and forehead. Her sparkling hazel eyes. Her red lips, slightly parted. Rosy cheeks. But she was paler. Bags under her eyes. She wasn't sleeping well. He could sense her Force signature. It was deflated. Depressed. It wasn't that beacon of light and hope that he remembered months ago. He could now sense her emotions, her feelings. Abandonment. Loneliness. Depression. Anxiety. Being this close to her again...He overpowered her barriers...And finally, he was linked again to his bondmate. It was maddening without her. He felt empty, just like her. But finally, he is full. He is complete.
So lonely... Kylo whispered into their bond, his hand moving down to her cheek, gently brisking against it. He lightened his hold on her wrists, relieving her of the pain.
Fuck you. Rey spat back. She didn't want to admit it, but having her bond open again...It felt so right. She didn't feel like she was missing a part of her. She now felt complete.
You ignored me for months. Left me. Threw me out to dry. Rejected me. You left me for some shithole Resistance fighters! How could you?! Kylo angrily yelled into their bond.
They are my friends! And you lied to me! You threw everything away for the First Order, not me! Rey yelled back, her eyes watering.
Kylo snarled, sending a wave of Force energy out, knocking her unconscious. He lifted her up in a cradle, pressing her head against his chest.
"We're done here." Kylo hissed to his Knights.
Hey guys, sorry for it being late! More is on the way, most likely at some point this weekend! I hope you all are enjoying the story! Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!