Author's Notes…

So, there hasn't been a chapter this long since chapter five! It's a very close tie, I think this one is, like, three words longer or something. There's a lot going on! And, as always, I have the warning! Proceed with caution, this is NOT WORK SAFE!


The Bond That Ties Us

Chapter Forty-Eight

Psychological Warfare

Rey knocked on Leia's door. It was incredibly early, and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She knew as soon as she got going more, she'd perk up. She hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night. Her thoughts had spiraled around what would happen today. Ben had eventually put up the wall enough so that he could sleep, even if she couldn't.

She wasn't sure where the General was, or when this was supposed to begin. But she couldn't sit around and wait. She was far too antsy beneath the exhaustion.

There wasn't a response, so she knocked again, more clearly. "Leia?" she called.

Rey waited a few minutes before carefully opening the door and peeking her head in. The General was nowhere to be found. Her eyes caught sight of Leia's ring on her desk, the gold one inlaid with two blue stones. Surely the woman couldn't be too far away? She wore that thing everywhere.

"Hellooooo?" Rey kept her voice low. "Anyone there?"

Shoulders slumping, she sighed and came into the room. She supposed it wouldn't hurt to wait for the General to return. It was warmer in here than it had been yesterday, so she took off her gloves and stuffed them in her pockets. She really needed to get some of these heaters in her own room. The cold would be so much bearable then.

She'd even let Ben spoon her last night, and she never let him spoon her, because he was huge and smothered her. It was usually her who did the spooning. But desperate times called for desperate measures. And it hadn't been too bad, really. Not something she wanted to make a habit of, but welcome at the time all the same.

Rey looked at Leia's ring again as she chewed on her lip. She made her way over to the desk.

Is she there?

No.

Ben sampled her thoughts. You're going to wait for her?

I don't see why not. Rey tilted her head to the side. Ben, do you know where your mother got this ring? She showed him.

No. Why does it matter?

I… I've felt this before…

Felt what before? Alarm shifted through the bond.

This pull, I've felt it twice before…

Rey picked up the ring.

The world as she knew it went dark. She stumbled away, caught unprepared each and every time this happened. It was because her surroundings became so real, it was as if she was a part of them. As she fell back, the sounds of blasters going off filled the air. The hallway that engulfed her was the same one she'd first seen on Takodana, something from the imperial era.

What is this?

Ben's voice was so far away, and then it was gone entirely.

Leia was young, so young. She had to be roughly around Rey's age, when Rey had started her adventures. A long white gown trailed to the floor, and she knelt in front of a much shinier R2-D2. She was recording a message, and Rey caught the tail end.

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

The image fell into fragments, and harsh breathing filled her ears. She looked behind her and then gasped, falling away from a tall figure in black. He had on a helmet, and Leia was before him, her hands cuffed. He had his hand on her shoulder, restraining her as she stared, trembling, at the scene before her. An entire planet exploded like it was nothing.

Rey swallowed and turned away, unable to look. She was in a prison cell, and Leia was sprawled out, stirring from her sleep to see a stormtrooper before her.

"Aren't you a little short to be a stormtrooper?" she asked skeptically.

"Huh? Oh, the uniform!" The trooper took off his helmet to reveal Luke, his face so fresh and innocent. "I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you!"

"You're who?"

"I'm here to rescue you! I've got your R2 unit! I'm here with Ben Kenobi!"

Rey was just processing the "Ben" in that when the scene melted into another corridor. Han was heading toward them, also in stormtrooper gear, a blaster in his hands.

"Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route," she said scathingly.

"Maybe you'd like it back in your cell, Your Highness," he snarled.

The memories began trickling faster. There was a stint in a smelly chute, in which they almost got crushed after dealing with some sort of tentacle creature.

"Put that thing away! You're gonna get us all killed!"

"Absolutely, Your Worship! Look, I had everything under control 'til you led us down here!"

Rescued by C-3PO and R2-D2.

"I take orders from just one person: me!"

"It's a wonder you're still alive."

A procession of events that involved close calls with death. It was truly a wonder they had made it off the ship they were on in one piece. Rey could only deduce that it was the Death Star, perhaps the first one. What else could have destroyed a planet like it was nothing? And through it all, Han and Leia's bickering remained consistent.

Rey found herself next in the cockpit of the Falcon. Han was looking smug as he pulled off a glove.

"Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh? You know, sometimes I amaze even myself."

Leia smirked, unimpressed. "That doesn't sound too hard."

The memories whirled, flashing by. Taking on the Death Star, the Rebellion's victory. Tears poured down Rey's face. Not just for Han, but also for Luke. Were these the memories tied to this ring? Were these the things Leia reflected on?

Han's winning over of Leia was slow going. She was resistant to his charms, and they continued to fight. The war with the Empire continued, until they were on Hoth, which looked as cold as Arna III, although Leia had said it wasn't.

"Come on, you want me to stay because of the way you feel about me!"

"Yes! You're a great help to us. You're a natural leader!"

"No! That's not it! Come on. Ah-ha! Come on!"

"You're imagining things!"

"Am I? Then why are you following me? Afraid I was gonna leave without giving you a good-bye kiss?"

"I'd just as soon kiss a wookie!"

"I can arrange that! YOU COULD USE A GOOD KISS!"

Luke was injured, and to spite Han, Leia kissed him. Rey knew they thought they weren't related, but it still made her cringe.

"Why you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!" echoed around Rey as Rey ran away, desperate to be free of these memories. They were painful, she didn't want to be a part of them any longer.

The world swayed, trying to hold her in, trying to enfold her in new memories. Han and Leia's voices rang out around her, chasing her. Rey could see the light ahead—she was almost free.

"You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."

"I happen to like nice men."

"I love you!"

"I know."

"Rey! Rey! Rey, stop—calm down! Rey!"

Rey inhaled deeply, her lungs burning as if she'd been deep underwater. It took her a moment to realize where she was. In Leia's room on Arna III. The other woman was holding her arms. She heard something hit the floor and looked down to find the ring spinning between their feet before coming to a halt.

Leia cupped Rey's face in her hands. She soothed stray strands of hair off her forehead. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Rey shook her head mutely. Her throat was too tight, her thoughts were too tied up. She was shaking, and it had nothing to do with the cold. The other memories had never impacted her like this. The other memories had never starred Han and Luke, not like this.

"I can't—I—I have to go!" Rey sputtered.

"What are you talking about? Rey!" Leia cried as Rey flung herself out of the room, running blindly. She didn't know where she was going. It didn't matter, so long as it was far away from here.


There was a corner in the hangar that was left undisturbed. Rey sat curled up in it, legs to her chest, arms around her shins, the hood of her coat pulled over her eyes. She wasn't crying anymore, but she was numb. Ben hadn't said a single word. Rey knew he had seen it all.

A pair of boots crossed her line of sight. Rey didn't look up, focused on the ground. Her jaws hurt from how tightly her teeth were gritted against the cold.

"Hey there." Poe crouched before her. "The General is looking for you."

"Okay," Rey said hoarsely.

Poe opened his mouth and shut it.

"I'll be back soon," Rey said. "I just need a moment."

His hand reached out and pushed her hood up. He gazed at Rey until she lifted her eyes to his. His softened at the corners, and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Don't," she whispered.

Poe's hand dropped. "If… he wasn't here… would I have ever stood a chance?"

Rey couldn't say anything. She wouldn't even know where to begin. Ben must have been listening more closely than she'd thought, because a wave of anger came from him. Poe was in so much danger, and he had no idea.

She stood up and wiped her nose. "I have to go. I need to see the General."

"Rey…" He touched her shoulder.

"Poe, stop!" She didn't mean to lash out at him, but it happened. "You're my friend. You will only ever be my friend. I don't want to hurt you—please stop making me."

"I'm not satisfied with that answer!" Poe followed her. He grabbed her arm and dragged her back to him.

"I don't care if you're satisfied or not!" Rey shouted. They weren't alone in the hangar, and their voices carried. Heads turned in their direction. She lowered her voice with effort. "Let. Me. Go."

"How can I know you're safe?"

"It's not your job to know if I'm safe!"

"If we really are friends, then it is my job!" Poe jerked his chin up. "You disappeared for four years with Kylo Ren! I'm not supposed to question that?! Do you think I'm the only one worried about it?!"

"I don't care!" Rey was so frustrated, she could scream. This was not the time to be dealing with this. Not with what had happened in Leia's room, and not with what faced her under the base, in the prison cells.

"You should care!" Poe bellowed back. "He's evil, Rey! He's killed hundreds of thousands of people! Do you really think he can just change?!"

"I do!" she yelled.

"Then you're an idiot!"

"YOU'RE THE IDIOT!" Rey finally let her scream out. She ripped her arm violently out of his grip. "And if you continue to act this way, then I can't be your friend!"

"You're making a bad decision!"

"You're the one making a bad decision, Commander Dameron!"

The use of his title made his eyes go flat. "So that's the way it's going to be, then?"

"That's the way it's going to be," she replied.

"I can't believe you won't even listen to reason."

Rey was so exasperated she threw her hands up. "I can't believe we're having this discussion! Right here, right now! Because if you knew a thing about me, you would know to stop! But you don't know, Poe!" She thrust a finger at him. "I'm not as precious as you think I am, and I resent the fact that you can't look past your feelings for me to see the truth!"

"So I imagined all of it?" He stepped close, against her finger. "I imagined the way you looked at me, spoke to me? You kissed me!"

"I kissed your cheek!" Rey snapped, even as Ben's anger boiled to white and blinding.

"It's the same difference!"

"WHY ARE YOU SO STUBBORN?!"

"WHY ARE YOU?!"

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Rey advanced, and Poe staggered back. "I WILL NEVER BE IN LOVE WITH YOU! AND NO, IF BEN WASN'T HERE, I WOULD STILL NOT BE IN LOVE WITH YOU!"

"AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT FOR A SECOND! I KNOW WHAT I SAW, I KNOW WHAT YOU FELT!"

"YOU'RE IMAGINING THINGS, POE!"

"I AM NOT! AND HE'S BAD FOR YOU, REY! THE THINGS YOU TOLD ME HE SAID—HE'S BAD FOR YOU! HE'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!"

"Whoa, hey!" Finn stepped between them, putting Rey at his back. "Poe, hey! Poe! Calm down! Back off, man!" He put his hands against Poe's chest and shoved when Poe refused to relent. "Back off! Walk it off! Walk it off!"

Poe growled and stalked off, kicking something on his way that clattered and rolled. Technicians jumped out of the way, avoiding his wrath.

Finn turned to her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Rey shook her head, ducking it so he couldn't see the tears in her eyes. She was going to burst into sobs at any moment, and she didn't want to do it here, in front of an audience.

"Okay." Finn wrapped his arm around her shoulders and steered her out of the hangar. He shushed her and rubbed her arm until they were deep within the base, in an isolated corridor. "It's okay." Her face crumpled, and he pulled her face against his shoulder, holding her close. "Shhh, it's okay."

He glanced up suddenly. "Oh. Rey, uh…"

Rey sniffled and lifted her head. Ben was there. He looked murderous, but it wasn't directed at her. He held out a hand. She took it, and he pulled her away. She waved goodbye to Finn, who waved back with a weak, worried smile.

Ben didn't say anything until they were back in their room. Rey wrapped her arms around herself, uncertain of what would happen.

"I will kill him," Ben threatened.

"Don't," she said. "I took care of it." She wiped at her eyes, letting her gloves soak her tears.

"Yes, this is clearly you taking care of it." He sat on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. He pressed her face to his chest.

She wriggled until she was comfortable and leaned into him. "We'll be leaving after we interrogate Hux, and then we won't see him again. We should go find your mother."

"Or maybe we should talk about what happened with the ring."

She swallowed. "It's happened before, it's not unusual. With Luke's lightsaber on Takodana, and again on Naboo with your bird figurine."

"And you just… see these memories?"

"Yes."

"That clearly?"

"Yes."

They were quiet for a while.

I've never seen my father like that. They told me stories, but this was different.

Are you all right?

What do you think?

You'll hate me for saying it, but you really are a lot like your father.

You're right, I hate you for saying it. When she lifted her head, he pulled a face. I just want to pretend it didn't happen. Can we do that?

S-Sure. All right.

Are you ready to find my mother, or do you need more time to—?

No. Let's do this. I want to think about anything else. Anything else other than what happened in the last hour.

I am in complete agreement.


"Rey, are you sure you're okay?" Leia's face was creased with concern.

"I am. I promise."

Leia clearly didn't buy it, but she didn't press her. "I'm going to lead you to where the lift is. They know to expect you down there." She hesitated. "If you get anything out of him, don't hesitate to share?"

"Sure," Rey said, knowing they wouldn't be able to share everything.

"Excellent." She took them through a maze of corridors that required clearance after clearance. When they made it to the lift, she cupped Rey's cheek and patted Ben on the chest with her other hand. "All right. I'll see you two later."

Leia watched as they climbed onto the lift and it began to lower. Rey held her gaze until she disappeared from view.

Do you still feel up to this?

Isn't that what I should be asking you?

I'm fine.

So am I.

Okay, then.

Okay.

It got darker the deeper they went into the base. The lighting was sparser down here. The lift rolled to a stop, and they got off it, taking in their surroundings. The ice patches on the walls were numerous. It was colder than above, but not like on the surface.

They came across two guards.

"Ben Solo and Rey?"

Neither of them said a word.

"Come with me." One of the guards departed from the other and started down a corridor.

You need a last name.

Rey wasn't sure what he meant by that statement, and she didn't inquire. She'd never had a last name. She'd had ample time to adjust to it. Did that mean she liked it? Of course not. Who wanted to feel like they didn't belong anywhere? As Ben had told her years ago, she came from nothing, she was nothing.

Poe's shouts that he didn't like what Ben had told her were a phantom whisper at her ear.

You know that I know that you are not nothing. I've said before that I should have worded that better.

I know.

Do you?

I do. She glanced at him.

Good.

They came around a corner, and the prison revealed itself. Unlike the cells on the Death Star, these were bigger, and had a thick wall of glass in front of them, so the contents were visible. As they passed the cells, they were able to see most of the prisoners were likely former stormtroopers. Half of them brooded, the other half were asleep on benches bolted into the walls.

They kept walking. When they finally encountered Hux, he was in a chair similar to the one Rey had found herself in. Bands kept him in place. Like the other cells, there was an intercom next to the glass that allowed speech back and forth. Nothing would get past that glass, not even sound.

The good news was that he was isolated enough that they could conduct their business. The bad news was the guard wasn't leaving. He'd stationed himself against the wall.

I'll do it. Rey waved her hand and said the magic words. The guard hobbled off without a backward glance.

Ben stepped in front of the glass. Hux saw him, and his face went apoplectic. It turned red enough to match his hair, and his mouth moved, no doubt streaming with obscenities. He had a beard on his face that looked like it had been there for a while.

Rey took a breath and held it. She pressed the intercom.

"—and a filthy traitor to the First Order!" Hux finished with a heave of his chest.

The smile Ben gave Hux was more than a little sinister.

"Armitage Hux," he said. "We meet again."

"Did the Resistance send you to question me?" Hux sneered.

"I sent myself to question you." Ben chuckled darkly. "Look at you. Not the grandiose mark you planned to make on the world. Without Snoke, you are nothing. Your aspirations are worthless. Meaningless."

Hux took the taunt. "And you're doing so much better, Supreme Leader? You're garbage! You were then, and you are now, especially since you are allied with rebel scum!"

"Still so loyal to the Order," Ben all but purred. "How long have you been in a cell exactly? Oh, yes. I believe it's been about four years? Yet here I stand, free, while you remain imprisoned, tossed from one organization to the other, useful only for canon fodder."

"If I am so useless, Kylo Ren, why are you here?" Hux snarled. "Clearly I am worth something if you've deigned to grace me with your presence."

Ben tipped his head up a notch in acknowledgment. "I suppose you're right. But I wonder what you'll be once I'm through with you?"

"The worst you could do is kill me, and believe me, you would be doing me a favor!" Hux leaned forward against his restraints. His hands were clenched into fists.

"There are things worse than death," Ben said softly. "You know that as well as anyone. But I suppose you need reminding." He looked to Rey. "You can go first."

She put herself in Hux's line of sight.

"Ah, yes, you must be the girl who has caused so much trouble. Kylo always did have a weak heart. He failed to subvert you, nearly died at your hands, and then lost you once again once you murdered the Supreme Leader." Hux fixed her with an ugly glare.

Rey blinked. You told him I killed Snoke…?

I was angry.

She decided to let that one go. It was time to play good imperial, bad imperial. "My name is Rey, not that you care. Since you're so familiar with Kylo, then you know what will happen. He'll pull your thoughts directly from your mind, and it will be agonizing," she said with emphasis. "You have a chance to tell us what we want to know. I give you my word that if you tell us the truth—and we will know if you're lying—we'll walk away, and you won't see us ever again."

Hux's laugh was derisive. It was more than derisive—it was loud, and quickly escalating into maniacal. From what Rey knew about him, he'd always been a crazy bastard. Maybe he'd finally snapped completely.

He calmed himself a minute or so later, tears in his eyes. "Oh, that's lovely, Ren. Is she as stupid as she sounds?"

Rey was really beginning to resent being called stupid by members of the First Order. She kept her temper in check. "I'm stupid for granting you leniency if you cooperate?"

"You're stupid, girl, for thinking that I would ever agree to such a thing," the redhead snarled. "Or that I would ever believe you."

She chuckled to herself. "I've extended a courtesy, nothing more. I take it that you will not cooperate, then?"

"The two of you can go straight to—" He broke off with a scream as Ben exerted his will upon Hux's mind. It was high-pitched, almost girlish. Ben released him a moment later, and he stayed panting in his restraints, his face glistening with sweat. "Is that all you've got, Ren?" he goaded.

Ben smiled.

He extended his hand, his eyes closing. It was likely out of habit, as he didn't really need to do that anymore. Their command of the Force rarely called for concentrating unless they were doing something very strenuous.

Hux started screaming again, and he didn't stop. Rey tried to remain impartial—she really did. She folded her arms and managed to keep her expression neutral. On the inside, things were much different. Her heart was pounding, for one. For two, watching Ben was, as always… scintillating.

His long lashes brushed his cheeks. His face was almost peaceful, his brows lightly furrowed. She appreciated this profile of him. He looked handsome, and something about his intent was what was contributing to her pounding heart. To take something ugly and make it beautiful. He was so in command of himself.

Rey bit the inside of her lip. Her eyes flickered to Hux, who hadn't stopped his agonized cries. The knowledge Ben was searching for passed through Rey's thoughts. Hux was a pure fount of information when it came to the Knights of Ren. He was fighting Ben's will, and it was only making it worse for him.

This went on far longer than it had with the stormtrooper. The pulse of power Ben was using filtered through her, so that she shared in the high of collecting pertinent information. To have so much control over someone—to know they were useless to fight one's every whim.

Her mouth was dry. She looked down at the floor and tried not to think about the heat that was starting to throb through her. Both guards came running at the screams, and she sent them away again so that Ben didn't have to break his hold on Hux's mind.

Ben abruptly stopped and grabbed her. She had a second to wonder what was happening before he pressed her against the glass and his mouth crashed onto hers. Their arousal was sparking too high, feeding into an endless loop between them. She parted her lips under his, her hands clenching into his coat.

Hux panted out an insult. Rey's fingers squeezed, and he cut off with a strangled gasp. She knew they needed to regain control, to rein it in just for now. But Ben's tongue was hot against hers, and she knew he was hard, and if she pressed herself against him just so—

She wrenched away, breathing hard. She released her hold on the Force before Hux choked to death. Ben buried his face against her shoulder.

I want you.

I know. I want you, too. Let's finish this first.

I want you to do it now.

Okay. She was nervous. She'd only done this once on Coruscant.

I want to see you.

She took a breath and pushed off the glass. Hux managed to look derisive. It didn't last long.

She exerted her will like a hammer, slamming it into Hux's mind. Ben watched her steadily, biting his lip, his lashes lowered as he leaned against the glass. His face was close to hers, and as Hux's yells rang out again, his teeth closed over her ear, his tongue sliding against the lobe. She swallowed a moan as heat prickled her skin. It was difficult to focus on the information they needed when he did that.

He dragged his lips to her neck, his fingers now gloveless as they moved over her thigh. Rey found herself actually concentrating in an effort to keep the interrogation going. Ben's hand slid between her legs, rubbing her through the cloth separating him from flesh.

This is very unfair.

You love it.

That wasn't the point.

Hux screamed more obscenities about how sick they were. Rey barely paid him any mind. Her attention was already split between pulling free what she needed to know, and what Ben was currently doing. Was this a test? Because if it was, she didn't think she was going to pass.

He came up behind her. His hand slid down the front of her trousers, and her breath hissed in as he pushed her panties aside and dipped his fingertips into her wet folds. He bit her ear again, her neck, kissed her throat. His fingers traveled down to her entrance, and he pushed two in, and then quickly a third.

I can't focus—

You're almost done. Finish it.

She was almost done. She could do this. She could.

You're so wet.

Obtaining information. She was obtaining information.

I want to be inside of you.

She was nearing the end of what the ex-general knew. She just had to be a little more patient.

Don't you want me inside of you?

Rey growled as she picked the last of what she needed out of Hux's head. The man slumped in his restraints, unconscious. Rey whirled, tearing at Ben's clothes. It was a mutual endeavor. She was slammed against the wall beside the glass as they both got his trousers open. Then he was lifting her, she was wrapping her legs around his waist, and he was shoving inside of her, not stopping until she'd taken all of him.

He started a hard, fast pace. She clung onto his shoulders, mouth near his ear so he could hear her ragged breathing. His hand came up around her neck, pushing her back against the wall. His fingers curled just under her jaws, not quite cutting off her air, but with enough pressure that she could feel the strength he was holding back. She put a hand over his wrist and kept it there, staring into his eyes as he fucked her.

You are mine.

"Yours," Rey gasped out, and the sound only heightened his arousal. He growled, his fingers digging in a little more. She squeezed around him as she came, wet heat spilling over him, the grind against her clit too much to ignore.

"Yesss…" he hissed, biting his lip, his free hand digging into her hip. He jostled her higher on the wall and then put everything he had into ramming into her. She gripped onto his shoulder, closing her eyes and tilting her head back against the wall.

Then he moaned her name, pulling out of her, grunting as he pumped his cock. Seed spilled onto the floor. Rey didn't even want to think about how that was going to get cleaned up. She was too busy reveling in the aftermath.

His hand left her neck. She shifted onto her feet and pulled her panties and trousers back up. He took a moment to rest against the wall beside her, panting for breath. Rey took this opportunity to fix her hair. The wall had not been kind to her high ponytail, and it was now falling out of its band.

Was that as good as you wanted? A moment of insecurity took her.

He grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers as he lifted it to his mouth and kissed the back of it. It was all the energy he had left in him at the moment.

Good. That's good.

Don't be afraid.

I'm not.

Ben pushed himself back into a vertical position. He kissed her cheek. I love you.

She grinned at him.

I know.