Chapter 15: Tréas

Author's note: Here is chapter 15 guys! Hope you enjoy 3

"Poe….Poe let me explain" she said walking towards him as if he was a scared animal.

His features showed disdain and disgust. How would she explain all of this? How could she possibly make him understand that there is still Light in Ben Solo?

"Explain…..EXPLAIN WHAT? WHY ARE YOU…..HOW….THAT WAS….".Poe was lost for word.

Rey extended her hand, trying to calm him but he jerked away. Her vision got blurry as tears flowed out.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" he screamed.

"Please…..you don't understand…. there-"

"Oh! I don't understand? What is there to understand here? You were standing right there with OUR ENEMY! HE WAS HERE? AND...AND THEN HE JUST DISAPPEARED!HOW?!"

"We….we are connected through the Force. I know I shouldn't have hide that from you. It's just…..it's...complicated but can't see each other surroundings unless …..we have physical contact but I-"

"You're putting the entire resistance at risk. I can't believe it…." he said, looking at her in disbelief.

"I never told him anything about the Resistance. You have to believe me. Poe, please calm down, I swear i didn-" she said taking his hand but he jerked away again.

"HOW LONG?"

She lowered her head, hugging herself.

"HOW LONG?" he asked again, more vehemently this time.

Rey recoiled. His anger outburst was raw. There was something in his eyes that reverberated the rip of something buried deep inside his soul.

"The connection started after I found Luke on Ahch-To and-"

"THIS IS NOT WHAT I ASKED!"

She looked at him, knitting her eyebrow as the tears continued their descent on her cheeks.

" HOW LONG HAVE YOU TWO BEEN THAT INTIMATE? HOW FAR DID IT GO?"

Rey was completely baffled by his question. She wanted to tell him it was none of his business but he actually had every right to ask. She was the one who accepted to be in a relationship with him. Nevertheless, Rey felt no matter what she would say, Poe would not accept it. It was not the Commander who was waiting for answers, it was the man.

" We shared a ….kiss and that's all" . A white lie is nothing….isn't it?

"Shared? You kissed that thing willingly?"

Rey deliberately looked away. She stayed silent but anger boiled through her bones.

"I'm guessing he told you he would change and as the gullible and naive girl you are, you believed him. He manipulated you!"

It was raging….even if what she did was wrong.

A little part of herself got filled with doubt. What if he was manipulating her so his vision of her ruling with him would become true? Could he? She could see what was in his mind to a certain extent but what if he was able to conceal some things from her?

"He told me nothing, there is still Light in him. You don't know the whole story, he was man-"

"WHEN?"

"When?"

" WHEN DID THAT ABOMINATION HAPPENED? THIS KISS!"

"Is that all you care about? Your only concern?" she asked offended.

"I want to know how long you've been lying to me and all of us"

She took a deep breath realizing she cheated on him and she couldn't help but feeling a little disgust creeping in her core. No matter how transcendent the bond was, she already made a commitment with Poe. Accepting this relationship was wrong from the beginning. She cursed at herself for not realizing sooner, for being so blind. She wanted to run away from her true feelings because she knew it would be impossible to be with the enemy. She should have stopped him.

" When I infiltrated the First Order. He...he saved me from Hux"

"Oh! How wonderful. That surely makes up for everything, right?" he said sarcastically.

"That's not what I said. If you could just give him a chance, I know he could may-"

"HE'S A MURDERER! FOR FORCE'S SAKE REY! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? HE'S KILLED PEOPLE! DECIMATED ENTIRE POPULATIONS! CHILDREN,WOMEN! HOW BLIND CAN YOU BE TO THROW YOURSELF THIS MONSTER'S ARMS?"

Her lips were shaking and she recoiled at the violence of his words. At that moment, she wanted to disappear and shove those problems away. She wished Ben wasn't the Supreme Leader of the First Order. She wished just for a moment to go far from everyone. She almost wished to go back to Jakku. With everything going on, her old life felt like a peaceful one compared to this.

"You think I did this on purpose? It's not like I could choose….I….I didn't expect to….to….". Words got stuck in her throat.

Poe's eyes widened. This was a nightmare and he truly wished he could wake up.

" Don't tell me …. you have feelings for him?!"

His tone was wrapped in utter disgust. She could feel his pain and his distrust as she fell on her knees and braced herself. She wanted to say she was sorry but how could she be sorry for something she had no control over?And in the end, was she even sorry to feel something that was amazing? Especially when it is the first time she had such intense feelings for someone? She tried her best to avoid those, thinking of her friends before herself. After the fight in the throne room, she could have joined him but she did not, because it was the right thing to do and because the life of her friends were at stake. The way things are, she felt like will only lose at the end of the war wether the First order wins .

Poe turned to face her and met defiant eyes.

"I joined your cause. Gave my time, and left my life on Jakku. I REFUSED HIS OFFER!" her tone startled Poe.

"Offer?" he asked, unsure.

"He's the one who killed Snoke" she said with a defensive tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Snoke tortured me in front of him and ordered him to kill me but he killed Snoke instead"

Poe flinched, he could not believe what he had just heard.

"So what? You think it's for you?"

"That's not what I-"

"He killed Snoke to take his place and have power. You simply offered him an opportunity."

"Maybe you're right. Or maybe there is still Light in him and if so, this could be how we win"

"You're delusional"

"I'd never betray the Resistance! When the First Order attacked the Resistance. He offered me to rule with him and I declined because else, all of you guys would be dead! You're in no position to question my loyalty to the Resistance!"

"Did you want to join him?"

"Excuse me?" she paused a second then resumed "I didn't want to rule with Kylo Ren if that's what you're asking!"

"Yeah….you wanted to be with Ben" he said, full of sarcasm.

Rey was left speechless as Poe turned her back to her, ready to head back to the camp.

"Are you….are you going to tell everyone?" she asked trying to hold back the sobs threatening to come out.

Her desperate tone did not make Poe flinch. As a matter of fact, he didn't even bother to turn around to answer her. He remained static like a figure in the dark that was evelopping the planet as the sun set.

"You're the hope of the Resistance. I won't tell anyone for now. This news would be devastating for our people an-"

"I'm still on your side. I'm with the Resistance" she said, trying to plead her cause.

She wants to put an end to the First Order and is determined to bring Ben back to the Light; no matter how hard it will be and how long it will take.

"Are you?" he said, clenching his fists. "Tell me Rey, are you aware people here are expecting you to kill the Supreme Leader if you're ever face to face with him?"

Rey felt her chest tightening at his words. If that was to happen, she wouldn't have the strength to do it. Killing him would mean losing a part of her soul. She loved him heartily, intensely, fully. Still, she couldn't help but thinking about the probability of him never going back to the Light. If the Darkness consumed him and the life of her friends were threatened. A cornelian choice. Saving her family or killing her potential future family. Maz's words echoed in her head.

"The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead"

Was she talking about Ben at that moment? She haven't met Ben back then and didn't know him yet. Or did she? Sometimes, when she was young and felt alone, she could hear a faint whispers late at night telling her everything will be alright. She thought at that moment it was the result of dehydration but what if it was him? What if that connection started a long ago? What if their fates were intertwined?

"I trusted you. Kriff you're the first one I…." his voice was trembling.

His back was still facing her but the emotion in his voice was enough to indicate his eyes was likely filled with tears as hers were.

"We have a meeting to attend" he coldly said.

"I'm coming"

The two walked back to the camp and entered the tent in which the meeting was held. Though the others barely noticed her puffy eyes, the General kept staring at her with concern.

Poe sat at the table and so did she.

"General, we have found a potential ally on Anaxes. Their Commander is of the new generation of people and is willing to listen to us. They've got the military force we need, they have technologies that could help us in defeating the empire."

"And what does this man ask for in exchange Commander? In case you haven't noticed, we haven't much to offer" the old woman said.

"I've studied the guy. He'll like the prestige of being a savior to everyone that have suffered from the First Order regime. He's got a lot of ego, we can work on that!"

She pondered the information for a second then looked back at Poe.

"Well, I guess it's worth the try. Take Rey with you and meet with them"

He looked at Rey coldly.

"Roger" Poe said as he left the tent.

Leia was heading towards Rey but got caught by a person to discuss on strategy matters. Rey took the opportunity to flee and go back to the Falcon. As she reached the boarding ramp, Poe called her out.

"We're leaving early tomorrow. I'll meet you at 0600"

"Alright" she said with an almost inaudible sigh.