He wakes slowly; he's very confused. His head is muddled and he can't quite focus. Rey is gone. He sits up in bed, his head swims, and he looks around.

"Rey?"

"Rey?!"

She's not here. Then he sees it, scrawled across the wall: "Find Me."

He reaches for the Bond but barely feels her, she's so muted. His neck is hurting and he realizes they've been drugged. Sto-Kah. It has to be the Interloper. He's taken Rey, and Ben is filled with such terror it almost makes him sick. He's on his feet and has to catch himself on the bed, he's so woozy.

He pulls his boots on, grabs his saber, and makes his way to the brig. He goes as fast as he can, his head clearing. Soon he's running; he has to get to her. He must find Rey.

He finds chaos and his mother.

"Sto-Kah has escaped!" she says, her eyes wide and frightened.

"I know – he has Rey! He drugged us and he's got her. I have to go find them!" He's panicked and afraid in a way he's never been before. This is a fear that obliterates every other feeling. His head is filled with horrific imaginings; all of Sto-Kah's promises growing in his head, bearing terrible fruit. Rey ...

"You can't go alone!"

"I'm not waiting, I'm leaving, now. I can find her through the Bond." There will be no stopping him. He has to get to her. Now.

"Just give me a few minutes; take a squad with you!"

"There's no time – he's going to kill her!" His mother is holding onto his arm, trying to keep him there.

Just then Finn and Poe arrive.

"Where's Rey?" Finn asks worriedly.

"Sto-Kah has her. I have to go." Ben is striding towards the forest; he knows she's out there, somewhere.

"Well we're coming with you," Finn says. He and Poe are already taking up the blasters offered by the remaining guards. He's not sure how many, but Ben can tell that some are missing. Another piece of the puzzle sliding into place. Sto-Kah's guards. They miscalculated just how much Kylo Ren is hated, clearly. He doesn't stop; he knows his mother will handle this. He has only one priority.

"Fine, just don't slow me down."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Poe says.

Ben stops for a moment, closes his eyes, and feels for the Bond. There … there she is. He's taken her to her clearing. How did the Interloper even know about that? He really did watch her closely.

"Come on. I know where she is."

~BR~

They enter the clearing to find Rey unconscious, stretched out on the forest floor, her head lolling to one side and blood flowing from a split lip. Taric stands in front of her, looking at Ben as if he is the only man in existence. His eyes don't even flick to Poe or Finn. Three of Sto-Kah's guards and a dozen other men are flanking him, their blasters trained on Ben, Poe, and Finn. Clearly Sto-Kah had been busy, sowing seeds within the minds of discontented Resistance fighters.

"Sto-Kah!" Ben bellows. He ignites his lightsaber, ready to fight.

"Ah, Kylo Ren. I'm so pleased you received my invitation. What do you think of your party favor?" He gestures to Rey and grins wickedly.

"What have you done to her?"

"She came to while I was bringing her here. She fought. I'm stronger."

She's so pale and Ben is transfixed by the darkness of her blood against her pale skin in the moonlight. It is a clear night and the moons are so bright that it seems as if it's twilight.

"Now, Kylo Ren. You have a choice to make. Submit easily and I will kill her quickly. Fight me, and she'll die slowly. Painfully."

"No way, freak – you aren't touching her!" Poe yells.

"You are outnumbered; we could kill you all where you stand. In fact …" Fast as a viper, Taric pulls a blaster and shoots at Finn. Ben is faster and redirects the bolt into the leg of one of the kitchen staff. He howls in agony and Ben smiles savagely.

"Do not make the same mistake I made – don't underestimate me, Sto-Kah."

Sto-Kah's eyes burn with fury and he says to his men, "Pick her up. Hold her so he can see her." They do as he bids and two men go to either side of her to haul her up. She's like a rag doll, her head hanging awkwardly and her limbs dangling loosely. Ben sees a bruise blooming on her cheek and an abrasion on her neck and he knows that he's going to kill this man tonight. He does not care about justice. He does not care that he's changed his ways. Tonight he will be Kylo Ren and he will take his vengeance in blood and pain.

Taric walks behind her and places an arm around her neck. Ben sees a wicked dagger glinting in the moonlight. He's so tense and afraid. He wants to kill them all.

"Tonight I avenge my Set and take your love from you. How will it go, I wonder?" He pulls a syringe out of his pocket and roughly jabs Rey with it. Soon she's coming around. He holds the knife to her throat – one cut and she'd be gone in moments.

"Wha- … what?" Rey's eyes are opening and she's trying to take it all in. She jerks suddenly and the knife slices along her throat, a thin line of blood appearing. She gasps at the unexpected pain and her eyes open fully. She sees it all and starts to struggle against the three men holding her. One holds each arm and Sto-Kah is behind her with the knife at her throat. She's cornered. Even if she wasn't disoriented from the drugs, Taric's knife at her throat leaves her with no options.

"Rey," Ben breathes. Through the Bond he says, "It will be alright. I'm here, I've got you."

"I'm going to fight, try to push one of them away with the Force." she says back, keeping their communication a secret.

"No, the risk is too great. As soon as you do anything he'll slice your throat and you'll bleed out in an instant. Please let me handle this."

"I'm not just going to stand here and wait for you to rescue me."

"Darling, now is not the time. I'm begging you. Just hold still. I promise we'll work together. He doesn't know about the Bond."

"Fine." He's filled with hope that her fire is burning so brightly.

"What shall it be, Kylo Ren? Will I slice her apart, bit by bit, piece by piece? Or will you come quietly and she dies clean?"

"Just let her go and you can have me."

"I have promises to fulfill. How do you think I got out? You see, everyone here has a reason to see you suffer. I've promised that I'll do just that in exchange for their help. So, choose." He takes the knife and slowly draws it across her cheek. Rey keeps her silence as the blood drips from down her face. Ben is frantic.

"Please, stop hurting her. Just let her go, please – I'll do anything you want. Just let her go."

"Yes, do keep begging. I like it very much."

"You can have me, I won't fight." His head blooms with incoherent screams as Rey lets it be known that this is unacceptable to her. "No, Ben, you can't, you mustn't let him have you. I won't let you die to protect me. Please don't leave me," she says through their connection. It hurts him to do, but he blocks the Bond. He will do whatever it takes to see her safe.

Ben takes his saber and throws it to the ground at Sto-Kah's feet. "There, a gesture of good faith. Now please let her go."

"She is a lovely little thing. Perhaps … perhaps I could let her live. If you promise that you'll be a good boy."

"Yes, I promise, anything – just let her go."

Sto-Kah cocks his head to the side, thinking. A strange smile crosses his face and he says, "You, Dameron and your friend, come here. I'll give her to you and Kylo Ren will kneel. Make your peace now, murderer."

Slowly, Ben goes to his knees and he's surrounded by several of Sto-Kah's compatriots. They hold blasters at his head. Ben watches as they drag Rey towards Poe and Finn. She's struggling and screaming. "No, Ben, no don't do this, please. I can't lose you, please Ben, please." But he stays silent, on his knees, hoping that Sto-Kah will keep his word. He watches her and she's crying and he loves her so much.

Just as Sto-Kah is about to hand her to Finn – so fast that Ben doesn't realize what has happened until it's too late – he plunges the knife right into her chest. Her eyes bulge and her mouth opens and blood trickles from her lips. Finn and Poe catch her as she falls, gently laying her on the ground. Poe is silent, but Finn is sobbing, "Rey, Rey, Rey."

"No!" Ben roars. "Rey, no Rey!" He's moving towards her, paying no attention to the men with blasters. He just has to get to her. With one mighty Force push the men scatter, and Ben is by her side.

Sto-Kah is laughing; a hysterical, mad sound. "You thought I'd let her live while my Set lies cold?"

Ben strokes her cheek. "Rey, please, Rey, you can't leave …" Her eyes flutter as she tries to look at him, she's trying to speak but she can't. He watches as the light fades in her eyes. He feels her leaving the Bond, feels her Light dimming and then he can't feel … anything. She's gone. He's flooded with Darkness. He stands and turns towards Sto-Kah. His eyes are black with hatred and despair.

Heartbreak for Ben is not like it is for other men. It is a rending of worlds; the destruction of suns. He felt her leave and without her precious Light to guide him he is cracked wide open and the Dark rushes in, howling and dancing in his fragile soul. Licking and tasting, feasting on his bleeding heart. Its claws feel like home as they tear him asunder. He feels the Dark curling through his blood, thick and molten. It rushes through him, an old friend he hadn't realized he had missed. The sheer power of his loathing and his pain riots through his system. Taking control and giving him all the strength and freedom he needs. His grief builds as the pulse of his fury ratchets higher and higher. The Dark is so strong in him now; he's never felt it like this. Pure Darkness. There is no Light. His Light is dead and he is deep in the Dark Side.

He holds out his hand and his saber flies into his outstretched palm, moving so quickly that it can barely be seen. He ignites it and twirls it experimentally. The Dark is coming off of him in waves and Poe and Finn look on in fear and awe.

He advances on Sto-Kah, each stalking step speaking of the death he will bring this man. Sto-Kah's men shrink back. The Interloper himself just grins and ignites his saber, and readies for the fight. They circle each other, and then Ben lunges, striking hard, using the Force to assist. Sto-Kah stumbles and looks afraid for the first time. He blocks Ben's next blow but soon he's retreating, scrambling back as Ben pushes forward, striking again and again, his eyes dark and dead.

Ben isn't there anymore; Ben was Rey's and now there is nothing but hate and rage, anguish and suffering. And Sto-Kah will feel it all.

Sto-Kah just barely avoids a killing blow that would have taken his head as he uses the Force to push Ben back, but it only just moves him enough to keep Sto-Kah from dying in that moment. Ben is fierce and strong and Sto-Kah looks like a man who realizes he's made a grave error. He twists again, dodging another ferocious blow, and manages to hit back once, twice, but then he's retreating again. Ben is relentless.

Ben strikes, slicing along Sto-Kah's shoulder. He howls in pain and Ben grins. He strikes again, catching the other shoulder, gleeful as he thinks he'll take this man apart piece by piece. But Ben is growing bored with toying with Sto-Kah. He reaches out and pulls Sto-Kah to him with the Force, holding him aloft by the neck, watching him twist. Ben's head is cocked to the side, his face expressionless, as if he's watching an insect. He throws Sto-Kah to the ground and growls, "You took her from me. You will die this day, and I will revel in it."

Sto-Kah looks up then, with his odd, light eyes and says "Kill me, please, do. It's all I've ever wanted. At least I know I had my vengeance. You will live a life of emptiness knowing that your sins killed her. That you were the architect of your own endless misery. Go on, kill me."

Ben is about to strike, but then he's struck by a memory of Rey staying his hand. Like a storm cloud rolling back, the Dark recedes and Ben remembers his Rey. Remembers what she thought he could be and he knows – he knows – she would not want him to kill this man. He remembers everything she's given him; all her beauty and her Light, her gentle soul and her joy. He remembers her walking in the forest with her droids, spinning in the sun. He remembers her holding him and keeping him safe. He remembers the glory of joining with her. He remembers her courage and her strength and those fathomless hazel eyes. He remembers it all. He stops then and retracts his blade. He feels himself balancing and his own Light flickering, guttering back to life.

"No. I won't kill you. I am not that man any longer and I never will be again. I am Rey's and she wouldn't want me to do this." He throws his lightsaber to the ground and turns his back on Sto-Kah, going to Rey.

Just then, Chewie, Luke, his mother, and the Resistance soldiers arrive. There is a flurry of activity as the Interloper and his colleagues are taken into custody.

Chewie sees Rey lying in her blood and howls a wounded, broken sound. Leia gasps and clings to Luke, hiding her head in his shoulder. Luke looks on, his eyes haunted, a man watching hope die.

Ben walks to Rey's body. Finn is holding her while Poe stands guard. Finn looks up, his face stained with tears, and wordlessly places Rey in Ben's arms. She's still warm and Ben begins to weep. "Oh Rey, my darling girl. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispers into her hair. He's holding her close; he cannot believe this has happened. "Please wake up, please, my love. I can't go on without you. I won't. I won't."

He's cradling her, rocking and keening, and he's hysterically feeling for the Bond. Her absence is like a wound and he knows he will not survive her loss. His soul is calling out for its mate when he feels it: a flutter, just a flutter against the Bond. He gasps and reaches for it with all his strength. He feels her and she's fighting so hard to come back to him.

Desperately, he goes into the trance, taking her with him. All of his love and devotion wind themselves around Rey, wrapping her up in him. His joy, his heart, his Light. He's giving everything of himself to her, every last part of his reclaimed self. He's full of all she has given him, her endless compassion and fiery devotion. He is a man remade and he will not let her go. She saved him and he's going to save her. His energy is feeding hers and his heart is helping hers to beat again and soon she's breathing and the torn flesh is knitting back together. The Force holds them, cradles them, like calling to like. They're bathed in a gentle light and the Bond is singing. She gasps and opens her eyes.

He's crushing her to his chest and she wraps her arms around him and they're both laughing and crying and the Bond is stronger than ever before.

Thank you so much Meaghan M/Juulna, my wonderful and talented beta!

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