After the longest bath in her entire life, Rey looked in the mirror mesmerised by her own clean face. She had been a bit reluctant to use all those things in the house, but that horrible man pretty much told her to enjoy herself. After all, that was what she wanted and longed for her entire life - a roof over her head and the bare minimum comfort. And that was more than she had bargained for. Maybe it wasn't going to be that bad in the end.

She finished drying herself off and went to the wardrobe. Sometimes, when she stared at the clothes shop windows or even electronics shop windows, she used to see so many beautiful clothes or women having huge closets. She had always wondered what it was like to be that lucky, but also why would one need so many things while others had nothing?

Sighing, she pulled out a simple white cotton nightgown. Regardless of how curious and terrified she was, she was suddenly feeling exhausted. She had barely slept in jail as people kept interrogating her and the fear of never waking up again kept her awake. But then there was the possibility of her new employer and jailer needing her. Scratching her arm where she had her own scar, she eventually gathered all the courage left inside her and got out of the room. With small cautious steps, she reached the other bedroom door and stared at the doorknob. Was she supposed to knock or just enter? If she knocked, he might wake up, but if she just entered and he was awake, he would get angry and maybe punish her. So she decided to improvise. She knocked once to make sure that he wouldn't wake up in case he was asleep and also not make a fuss about her not knocking, then entered slowly. The sun was already setting and rays were creating funky shapes as they were making their way between the branches and the foliage of the trees behind the cabin. But she was not there to admire anything, so she shook her head reminding herself of the reason why she was there. And the reason was sleeping after all. He was breathing heavily and she could see his bandaged hands, but his head was leaning to his right as if he had fallen asleep waiting for the sunset. Overwhelmed by her troublemaking curiosity, she approached the man, with each step feeling more drawn to him. She kneeled by his bedside and put her hand over his. His lips were parted and he looked so much like an innocent child that her eyes got all teary knowing that she was partially to blame for his suffering. She could even see the huge bandage where she had hit him and…

"Kory…" he murmured and opened his eyes for a mere second. Rey's eyes grew wider and she gasped unsure of his reaction. He looked at her for a moment, then sighed and closed his eyes, falling asleep once again. She exhaled loudly, finally relaxing, then got up and returned to her bedroom, not understanding the odd feeling growing inside her. Though, she was going to have all the time in the world to figure things out. Now she was finally going to enjoy a nap in that gorgeous bed.

It was still dark outside when she woke up all startled and not knowing where she was. It took her a while to calm down and keep herself from running outside and get shot by one of the guards. Sighing, she pushed the heavy duvet off her body. It was so hot in that room that it was already suffocating her. She was too used to freezing every single night, except for some warmer summer nights, that now it was weird to sleep in such a clean comfortable and warm place. And she was also hungry and thirsty.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she carefully got out of the bed and went downstairs. She looked curiously at the fridge, then carefully opened it and stared at the vegetables, fruit, labelled Tupperware and bottles. She took a bottle of something dark and by the smell of it, it was some sort of tea, and some grapes. She had tasted grapes only once and they were mostly not in a very edible state. But these ones… She closed her eyes and let out a loud moan. It wasn't just hunger. They were the best thing she had ever tasted. She finished eating them quickly, then went back to the fridge and grabbed some more as she drank the peach flavoured tea. It was not right to feel that good in that place and that knot in her stomach was a constant reminder that her life there wasn't supposed to be heaven on earth, but an alternative to prison.

Chewing on another grape, she stopped at the top of the staircase and looked at her jailer's door. Was that music and noise she was hearing? A piano and thumps and bumps. Yes, that was music and those were noises and he was most certainly very awake.

She swallowed, cleared her throat and knocked on the door.

"Yes?"

Oh, his voice was nice. She opened the door and stepped inside with a shy smile on her face. The music didn't come from an actual piano as the man was in an armchair, taking some medicine or at least trying to take some medicine. He mumbled something which was probably meant to be a curse word and Rey noticed his medicine dropping on the floor one by one. She ran to him and kneeled in front of him, picking up each pill.

"You're just a girl," he observed as he stared at her youthful face and innocent eyes. "Do you have a name?"

Rey noticed that he was struggling to speak as fluently as possible. She put the pills between his lips, one by one, trying her best to not stare at him in an uncomfortable manner or to not blush at the pleasant texture of his lips. Then, she took the glass of water off the nightstand and helped him with the straw.

"I'm Rey," she finally said.

"Rey what?"

She shrugged putting the glass back on the nightstand and turned to face him. She pointed at the grapes, but he shook his head and kept looking at her, waiting for an answer.

"I don't have any other name," she admitted. "I grew up on the streets and sometimes in shelters or very bad foster homes. I don't even know if Rey is even my real name."

The man seemed to ponder her answer, then chuckled with a pained grimace.

"So I was almost killed by a literal nobody."

Rey furrowed at his arrogance and her sudden display of attitude and bravery seemed to have conflicted him as his gaze changed from a rather angry and disgusted one. He licked his lips, then he grabbed her chin, lifting it as he leaned in as well. Rey licked her lips as well, rather nervous. Oh, he had such beautiful eyes. One of them was rather reddish from the fire, but they were so dark and expressive that it was almost impossible to not end up hypnotised. He was most definitely not the most handsome man, but he sure was gorgeous in his own way… even with half of his face burnt.

"I'm so terribly sorry," she said overwhelmed by guilt. "I swear I only entered out of curiosity and then I considered stealing, but I never meant to hurt you."

"You planted bombs in my house."

She shook her head panicking.

"No! Please, believe me! I just wanted to get something to sell. I was hungry."

"You were hungry ," he snorted. "So you killed everyone in the house and almost killed me for a slice of bread."

"Sir, I'm just a scavenger. How would I get bombs and why would I bomb your house? I don't even know you."

He tilted his head analysing her trembling bottom lip and teary eyes. How dare she act so innocent and pretend to be the victim? Now that he was looking at her, he was truly convinced that she had no political interest in killing him or anyone else, but he was not yet convinced that she was not hired by the Resistance to distract him or plant the bombs herself. The poor fool probably had no idea what she was doing and was bought with promises of a nice meal. He swallowed the saliva in his mouth, rather angry at his own self for feeling pity for her.

"You know who else was in that house?" he asked letting her go.

She shook her head and rubbed her eyes like a child.

"Over twenty employees. Ordinary people doing ordinary jobs such as cleaning, cooking, driving and tending the garden. Thirty important politicians, including the Supreme Leader of this country."

He paused for a moment and Rey could have sworn that there was a certain glimmer in his eye as he mentioned the Supreme Leader. She could have also sworn that he even smirked, had it not been for the sudden sadness in his eyes.

"And also my fiancee."

"I'm so terribly sorry, Sir," she said once again, putting her hand on his. His eyes grew wider and his lips thinned in a firm line. She removed her hand unsure whether she was hurting him or whether he was just angry and disgusted by her touch.

"Apologies won't bring back any of those people."

"I know, but I didn't kill them. I'm only apologizing to you."

He furrowed once again surprised by her idiotic courage, then clenched his jaw and grabbed his cane, trying to get up. He did manage to do so and even took a first step, but before taking the second one, his body refused to listen to him anymore. He felt himself falling and closed his eyes as the sudden movement stretched his burnt skin and made him relive the pain from that morning he woke up in the hospital.

"It's ok," he heard her say. "Don't be afraid."

He opened his eyes and saw her tiny body holding him and keeping him from falling.

He? Be afraid? Never! But he did somehow enjoy her touch. So he let her help him lay down.

"Are you in pain?"

He chuckled and she sighed understanding the sarcasm in his gesture.

"Do you want me to stay with you?"

"No," he said with his baritone voice now being rather weak. "I need to sleep."

"Then I'll see you in the morning… umm… Sorry, but how should I call you?"

He blinked rather confused by her gentle smile. Why was she acting so nice and that 'see you in the morning' was more of something he would have heard from a lover… from his dead fiancee. Oh, what was her question? His name. He parted his lips to say Kylo Ren, but the first part remained stuck in his throat, whereas the second one came out rather distorted.

"Ben?" she tilted her head and he almost gasped. That was his real name, the one he hadn't heard in years. Ben Solo had too much history and ties attached to his name, but Kylo Ren… Kylo Ren was the next Supreme Leader now that Snoke was dead. Of course, the Resistance now being in charge of the entire country and the Union was a huge step back, but he would recover. And the girl would eventually betray the Resistance and confess how they had paid her , a poor innocent scavenger, to act as a mercenary.

"Goodnight, Ben," she caressed his hand distracting him from his thoughts and plotting. "I don't think I can help you much, but if you need me, please call. I'm a rather light sleeper."

Ben kept staring at her as she turned off the light. Her body was still visible as she headed towards the door and despite his slight hatred for her, there was something else than pity making him feel conflicted regarding this strange girl. It was that thing he once felt when Kory first snuck in his bedroom after that masquerade. What had been in Hux's mind when he bought that gown for the scavenger? Was the entire country out of plain pyjamas and so she had to get the most bridal, most virginal and yet sexiest gown? When he was going to see Hux again, he had to ask him to investigate that girl a bit more. Maybe her eyes and lips seemed to be telling the truth, but he couldn't trust her or let his guard down around her. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice.