Ciir'sae

I screamed for a medical droid, and ran over to Ben who was desperately trying to drag himself toward where the ship had been. Screaming, sobbing, his body shaking with the strain.

He lost consciousness just before the droid arrived, and I had him taken to the infirmary, as I went and changed out of my stately gown, and washed the makeup off of my face.

When I returned, I was informed that he was in surgery to remove the darts, and reset his ribs so I sat and waited.

And waited.

I was about to rush into the operating room myself when a doctor, not a droid, walked out.

My blood ran cold. "It's bad, isn't it?" I whispered as soon as he was in earshot.

The doctor hesitated before bowing his head. "Yes, your Majesty."

As soon as I'd gotten the land request from the Resistance, I'd shot up and ran toward the Amidala estate, finding the house empty.

By the time I finally found them on the lake shore, they had Rey, and Ben was a beaten, bloody mess.

I'd stopped the captain, mid-punch, from doing any more damage.

I nodded for the Doctor to continue and he held up two glass vials, each containing darts.

"This," He said, referring to one of the vials, "Is your average black market stun dart. They embedded into his skin and the muscle underneath, and sent out an electrical pulse, rendering him unable to move. We've removed these and the damage is minor."

He held up the other vial. "And, these contain a poison I've never seen before, made from the blood of Ysalamiri."

Ysalamiri were a type of lizard, and the only known living thing able to block Force powers.

"Unknown poison means unknown antidote." I reasoned, and he nodded.

I swore under my breath.

"We don't know what it does, we don't know how much is fatal, we don't know…" He shrugged. "Anything. We've done what we can to make him comfortable."

"Send the darts to the lab and have an antidote made immediately." I told him.

He bowed. "Yes, your Majesty."

oOo

Leia

Finn and Dameron reported to me as soon as they returned.

They'd taken Rey to the medical bay, and provided me with a brief description of her rescue.

We'd suffered no losses, no injuries, due to the sedative Poe had found that blocked Force abilities, combined with the stun darts.

I dismissed them both and made my way to see Rey, afraid of the condition I'd find her in.

I'd expected wounds consistent with being held captive for months, but she, to my surprise, didn't have a mark on her.

She was in new clothes, and boots, and she was clean. While Rey had always been a thin woman, she'd obviously gained weight, the sharpness of her body rounding a bit.

If it weren't for her face being red and swollen from crying, I'd say her claims of being safe and cared for were accurate.

I knew better.

She looked up from where she was seated on a hospital bed.

I'd flown in a psychiatrist, Dr. Doneial, who specialized in traumatic stress. She stood at Rey's bedside.

Our doctor, Dr. Keigher, stood on the other side, and was making notes as she asked Rey a series of routine questions.

"We'll need to examine you." She was saying.

"Why?" Rey demanded.

"To determine the extent of the abuse." Dr. Keigher explained.

Rey's eyebrows shot up. "Abuse?" She repeated.

Our doctor handed her a small paper cup containing a single pill.

"What is this?" Rey asked.

"It will prevent pregnancy. " Dr. Keigher explained.

Rey handed it back. "I don't need it, then."

I exchanged looks with the doctors.

"Rey," Dr. Doneial said, softly. "Its normal to sympathize with your captor, or not want to do anything that will anger him-"

"I wasn't held captive." Rey interrupted. "He didn't take me." She looked at me. "He saved my life on Hoth. If it weren't for him I'd be dead."

I cleared my throat. "I understand that this may be confusing-"

"I'm not confused about what happened, Leia, you are." She insisted.

Her eyes filled with tears. "Poe attacked me before the battle, and I told Ben that I didn't want to come back as long as he was here."

"I've reprimanded Captain Dameron on his behavior." He'd been demoted, taken a pay cut, and was still attending substance abuse classes. "He's sorry. More sorry than you realize."

She ignored me completely. "I don't need this pill because there's no chance I'm pregnant." She explained.

"It only takes one time." Dr. Keigher reminded her.

"I'm a virgin." Rey announced, and the doctors both gave me wide eyed looks.

She went on. "Despite what you think your son is capable of, he never forced anything on me. Didn't even touch me unless I asked him to." She shook her head, her bottom lip quivering. "He didn't kidnap me. You have. And, I demand you take me back." She crosses her arms over her chest like a defiant child.

I motioned for Dr. Doneial to follow me and we exited the room, closing the door behind us.

I wanted so badly to believe Rey. I wanted to trust that she'd found a way to bring Ben back to the Light. No one is ever really gone, Luke had told me. And, despite what he'd done, and what he'd taken from me, I still wanted him back. I still loved him.

"Is it at all possible that she's telling the truth?" I asked, desperation softening my tone.

"The truth to her, I'm afraid." Dr. Doneial sighed. "Kylo Ren is powerful with mind control. It is possible that he made her believe that she wanted to stay with him or engage in whatever acts they did, even if it wasn't coitus." She gave me a sympathetic look. "I believe it's Stockholm Syndrome."

My shoulders sagged in disappointment.

"It's best that we try to be as supportive as we can be. Not force anything else on her. Try to get her back to her normal routine. Healing from something like this takes time."

I nodded and we walked back into the room.

"You'll be bunking with Rose." I told Rey. "If you don't want to take the pill or have the examination, fine."

"When will my abilities come back?" She wanted to know.

I took a deep breath. "You will be required to take a daily dose of the serum that blocks the Force until we find a way to break The Bond."

She looked up at me in utter despair, real devastation on her face, in her eyes. "Break The Bond?" She gasped.

My chest ached, my own connection to the Force teeming with disapproval. "If we don't, he'll always have a way to find you." I tried to reason. But, her face crumpled.

"No. I don't want it broken." She started to cry. "He didn't do any of this, Leia, he didn't do anything." And then her crying became wrecking sobs. "Please take me back."

And I lost my ironclad grip on my patience. "I will not send you back just to be raped or beaten and manipulated into thinking it didn't happen because he has control of your mind. Because no matter what you say, I know that he's still Kylo Ren."

She shook her head. "He's not. He's Ben, I swear he's Ben."

I straightened, fighting an urge to cry so hard it made my throat ache. "You're bunking with Rose." I said again and quickly left the room.