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Disclaimer: I do not nor have I ever owned Star Wars. I simply play in their world.

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Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away...

Rey

I make a move to grab the small blaster strapped to my leg just as the closest male notices and lunges at me.

I'm already turning, snapping my leg out and taking him down. The alley is narrow, but two people can walk shoulder to shoulder with an inch of space between them comfortably.

I feel a hand land on my shoulder and I grab and twist the wrist sharply.

A howl of pain as I hear the tendons snap and I move in time to avoid blaster fire that cuts across my shoulder.

I tuck and roll, coming up on the balls of my feet, right in front of the girl.

"Stay behind me." I tell her, wishing I had my staff but knowing even if I did, it would be useless in these closed quarters.

One man is down, the other wounded but I still have three more in front of me, including the leader.

"Scrappy one," the leader remarks, coming to the forefront. He's of a race I've never seen. Mottled, gray skin that looks like it's pebbled with three, small protruding bone spikes on each side of his jaw.

Eyes of vermilion, slit like a snake's look back at me.

A strip of black hair braided and the rest of his head is shaved.

"Should have minded your own business, Bount. Now you have two choices; put down that weapon and live, in slavery that is, or die in this alley."

"How about a third option."

I snap my head in the direction of Ben's voice. So does everyone else.

He's already grabbing one of the men closest to the entrance and I hear, more than see, the crunch of bone as he slams the man's face into the wall.

It distracts the leader and that's all I need.

I come at him with bare hands. I can't risk the girl getting caught by crossfire if I go for my gun.

But he turns, lighter on his feet than I thought despite his bulk, and deflects my punch.

I pull up my guard, but the force of his fist against my arm is like solid steel and I can't stop the yelp I let out when he connects.

"Rey! Switch!"

Ben's voice. I feel the heat of his back against mine and I roll over him, coming up on my feet, facing his foe as he takes on the leader.

The man in front of me has a nasty grin on his, twin blades in his hands. He's smaller than me but his body is nothing but lean muscle.

I hear the scuffle behind me, the grunts of pain but my focus is in front of me.

I trust Ben, he can take care of himself. I just need to guard his rear.

The man comes at me, trying to swipe me with his blades, but I knock them aside.

I sweep my leg out, connecting, but he's already back on his feet despite my attempt to take him down.

"Pretty, pretty," he mutters at me and there is a hectic gleam in his eyes that makes my stomach clench in revulsion, "not so pretty when I'm done."

He's trying to circle me, to take me from guarding Ben's back.

I refuse to fall for his trick and he growls at me charging with both blades flashing.

This time I'm ready and catch his wrists, the duel blades close to my face as he bares down on me.

I snarl at him and plant my boot right in the middle of his unprotected stomach.

He makes a retching noise as I shove him away from me, his blades scattering.

"This time, stay down!"

I grab him by the back of the hair and slam his face into the ground, hear the crunch of bone as his nose shatters.

He doesn't move and I see the blood seeping beneath him, two fingers on his neck tell me he's alive and that's all I need.

I turn in time to see Ben just barely miss being hit by the leader's meaty fist, his own hand balled into a fist and the small, crack of thunder as he connects with the underside of his jaw.

The leader topples over, his head slamming into a nearby building and he slumps to the ground, knocked out.

"Nice hit." I tell him, admiration in my voice. A whimper and I see a small, huddled figure pressed against a metal container.

Dusky green skin and two-tentacle like tails from her head. Lekku's.

She wearing a faded, yellow tunic torn at the shoulder and loose beige pants that cover the knee's.

A Twi'lek.

"It's okay," I tell her softly as I walk over, getting down on my knee's, "you're safe."

She looks up at me, tears still leaking down her face when her eyes flicker past me. They widen and I see the fear return, despite the fact that the men who attacked her are down. I wonder at her reaction and look behind me.

To see Ben standing over us, his arms folded over his chest.

My lips twitch and I turn back to the girl.

"My name is Rey, what's yours?"

"T-Teilu."

"Teilu, that's a pretty name. Do you live close by Teilu?"

A small, quick nod of her head, her eyes flickering between Ben and myself.

"Would you like to go home? We can take you back, nobody will bother you."

Wide eyes as she looks up at Ben. I don't need to look at him to know he's still standing over us.

I lean down and mock-whisper, "I know tall, dark and scary over there is a bit intimidating but let me tell you a secret," I lean closer and her eyes take up her whole face, "I know his weakness. He's afraid of spiders."

She lets out a soft giggle and looks back up at Ben, a curious light in her eyes.

I hear his sigh and grin, getting on my feet.

I have no idea if he's afraid of spiders but at least the girl won't be so frightened of him now.

I offer her my hand. "Here, let's get you to your feet and get out of here."

I look around the carnage Ben and I did. Five men in various states of unconsciousness, most of them bleeding.

Teilu gets to her feet and I hear her whimper softly.

I see blood seeping from her ankle over the torn strap of her sandal.

"Ben, she's hurt. Looks like her ankle. Here try and put some weight on it."

She tries to walk, making the blood flow a little faster and a tear trickles down as her face scrunches up in pain.

"Okay, no walking. Let me-" I go to pick her up but Ben is already at my side, lifting the little girl into his arms.

Her legs dangle over his arms and I can get a better look at that ankle. Too much blood, but I don't think it's broken.

I pick up my scarf from where it feel, wrapping the material around her ankle. It's bulky, but it'll stop the bleeding until it can be seen to properly.

She sniffs and wraps slender arms around Ben's neck.

I see, for just a second, a panicked look in his eyes.

I poke Teilu's arm softly, she cocks her head at me.

"Hey," I tell her with a teasing smile, "that's my man you're cuddling. No keeping."

She giggles again and snuggles closer to Ben.

I refuse to meet his gaze when he lifts an eyebrow at my comment.

"So, where do you live?"

She rattles off an address and I finally look at Ben, who is shaking his head.

So he has no idea where she lives either.

"Hmm, okay. Well I guess you can give us direction to your home."

She settles into Ben's arms and starts pointing the way for us. The walk takes us a little past the open market and into a quiet part of the city.

The buildings all have a worn-out look to them, but not the shambling mess that I had to live in on Jakku.

"That one!"

She points to her home that aside from the whimsical charm hung on a string, looked like all the other buildings.

With a shrug Ben and I walked up to the door and pressed the small key-pad.

"Teilu why are you-oh!"

"Mama!"

The slim Twi'lek with the same shade of skin as her daughter, her lekku significantly longer and banded with tattoo's of gold, stopped at the threshold.

"Ma'am," I give the woman a respectful nod, "forgive our intrusion. My name is Rey, this is Ben."

"I...I am Sonia." Her eyes come to rest on Ben, I see them widen but then she see's my scarf wrapped around her daughter's ankle.

"Teilu!"

She rushes past me to her daughter.

"It's not a serious wound."

I'm frowning at Ben, I had seen the ankle. While it wasn't broken, I think, there had been a significant amount of blood.

Sonia is already unwrapping my scarf...and I can only stare at the ankle.

A thin line marking her green skin, but there is no blood and the wound...if I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would say it was already healing.

I didn't know much about Twi'lek biology so maybe they healed faster than humans.

"No...but perhaps I think my daughter enjoyed being carried hmmm?"

Teilu giggles and buries her head in Ben's shoulder.

"How did you come to find my daughter in such a condition?"

The mother was quick to note the smudges on her daughter's face and the torn sleeve.

What could I say? That her daughter had been attacked at the market and we just happen to be at the right place?

"Bad men found me! Ben and Rey saved me!"

Well there went the diplomatic approach as the girl eyed her mother with a sunny smile.

It still amazes me how resilient children could be.

"Thank you. Both of you. For helping my daughter and bringing her back home. Time to get down sohsi."

Teilu heaves out a sigh as only a child can pull when Ben sets her gently back down on her feet.

"Did you thank these nice people for coming to your aide?"

The lekku on Teilu's head twitch and she avoids her mother's gaze.

She looks up at both of us and comes over to me. She motions with her hands for me to lean down.

I do and feel her slender arms around my neck.

"Thank you." Soft warmth,a shy whisper and she pulls away.

She turns to Ben and makes the same motion with her arms.

I watch, with faint astonishment, as he gets down on one knee before the little girl.

She doesn't wrap her arms around Ben, instead she moves closer whispers her shy 'thank you'...and plants a kiss on his cheek before running back to her mother.

Sonia is shaking her head at her daughter, but I see the smile on her face. I can feel the grin on mine as I look down at Ben, who is wearing a stunned expression on his.

He gets back on his feet and the look in his eyes dares me to make a comment.

"Thank you both, again. Is there...anything I can do to repay your kindness to my daughter?"

I looked at the woman, her clothing much worn but still usable and the place where she lives.

I doubt she had much money to spare and I didn't help the little girl to get paid for it.

"No need," I tell her, "we just happen to be passing by. Isn't that right Ben?

He gives me a dry look but gives a nod of his head to the mother.

"That's right. But I wouldn't let your daughter roam the streets alone anymore. She might not be so lucky next time."

I see Sonia clutch her daughter's hand as she takes Ben's words to heart.

"I will remember." She bows her head to us, "thank you both."

"Bye Ben! Bye Rey!"

I lift my hand to Teilu...and see Ben mirror my gesture, causing the little girl to giggle and dash back into her home, her mother a slower pace.

"I think you have an admirer." I tease him as we walk back towards the market. The sun is moving lower into the sky now and I can't believe how quickly time has slipped away from me.

Ben takes back my hand, the warmth of his grip a comforting one.

"Then it's good that I'm already spoken for."

He looks at me and I can feel my face heating up. I did tell Teilu that he was mine.

I wanted to tell him that I had just been teasing...except it didn't feel like teasing anymore.

I tighten my own grip around his hand.

"Come on, all that excitement has worked up my appetite. Lets find some food."

I move towards the market but I'm stopped because Ben isn't moving.

"What? Don't tell me you're not hungry."

"I am but not for vendor food."

I can hear the duel-edged meaning behind his words but I don't think I'm feeling that brave at this moment.

So I'll take his words literally instead.

"Okay...so you pick where we eat."

I see the slightest curve of his mouth, he knows what I'm about but he doesn't press me and I let him take the lead.

We move away from the market to a small bar, this one better looking than the one we had left hours ago.

We duck into the opening, he and I still holding hands and I realize that the talking has stopped.

Most of the heads have turned in our direction.

"We don't want any trouble here."

I look to the barkeeper. The bar is also a small restaurant and several patrons look at us with wariness.

Ben and I look at each other, I can feel his amusement and I feel the grin spread over my face.

He inclines his head and I turn back to the barkeep.

"Then offer us none," I tell him with a lift of my chin, "and you'll have none. We just want a drink and a quiet meal, nothing else."

The barkeep stares at us and I hold his stare and then he smiles and inclines his head to us.

"Pick any seat you want."

I let out a silent breath and Ben and I choose a small table, close to the rear exist and far enough away from the rest of the patrons that we have the illusion of privacy.

"What do you want to eat?"

I'm about to answer when a serving droid walks by with a bowl of something...that has tentacles waiving out of it.

"Something that doesn't wiggle!" I shudder and look away. "I want my food dead when I eat it."

A soft breath out of him, almost like laughter but when I look up from my menu, his face is as calm as ever.

I wonder if I would ever see him smile.

"Do you trust me?"

I look up again and see that faint gleam in his eyes and recognize it.

Ben is relaxed and in a playful mood.

"Yes," I tell him and he pulls the menu from my fingers, "hey!"

"You said you trusted me, remember?"

"I-oh," I told him he could pick the food, "oh!"

I release the menu as the serving droid brings us water and is waiting to take our order.

"Two inosuriki dishes."

I haven't even heard of what he's ordering, let alone able to pronounce it.

But he did eat what I picked out, so I can do the same.

"What is it?"

"You'll see."

"Ben!"

Not a smile, but a cocky arc of his brow that makes me want to kiss him.

I slide around the table, the seats connected, and give into the impulse.

"Rey wh-"

My mouth is on his and I feel his arm around my waist, pressing me up against him.

I release him, leaving him slightly out breath, but I like the weight of his arm around me and decide not to move back.

"What..." his voice is rough and he take a swallow of water, "was that for?"

"Because I wanted to," I give a shrug of my shoulder, "you didn't like it?"

"I didn't say that."

His fingers slide into my hair, playing with the ends, the silence between us an easy one.

Our food arrives shortly in two bowls and remembering those wiggling arms from earlier, I give him a questionable look.

But the food doesn't wiggle and the smell coming from it is making my mouth water.

There is a dark, brown liquid filled with noodles, some sort of vegetables and large pieces of meat.

I slide out from beneath his arm so we can eat. But he gives me a pointed look and grabs my hand.

"You can sit by me and still eat your food."

His touch is more than a little possessive but I find that it doesn't bother me.

However I do reclaim my hand so that I can eat. But since I'm not moving away from him, he turns back to his own food.

"Do I use a spoon or a fork with this?" I can't tell if its suppose to be some kind of soup or not.

"Neither," he is picking up two lacquered sticks that was served with our meal, "like this."

Holding both sticks in his fingers, he twirls the noodles between them and scoops up the meat and vegetables on the noodles.

"Uh huh."

I pick up my own sticks and give it a try. I manage the noodles well enough but the rest is beyond me.

I lift the noodles to my mouth, the broth still dripping from the ends and take a bite.

I've never tasted the flavor before, a bit of sweetness and salt and it is strange but delicious.

"Try picking them up separately. It's easier."

He has a piece of meat between his two sticks and I lean over, stealing the bite.

"Mmm," the meat has a sharper spice than the one I had at the market, practically melting in my mouth, "that's really good."

"Glad you like it."

Laughter escapes me at his dry tone. Clearly he didn't appreciate me stealing his food.

"Here," I manage to spear a piece of meat, "since I stole yours."

I lift it up to his mouth and with a cocked eyebrow, takes my offering.

I grin at him and go back to my own meal. Several minutes of peaceful silence between us as we eat.

Our bowls are quickly emptied and I sit back, feeling better.

"I hope you left room."

"For what?"

"Desert."

"What...oooh!"

I'm already leaning forward as the droid puts a single bowl in front of us.

The desert is on fire, a soft blue flame that licks around the edges. A mound of white cream and red syrup, chunks of something brown in the mix.

"How do we eat it?"

It looked so pretty, I didn't want to destroy it.

Ben picks up one of the two spoons, the cream and syrup on fire but the chunks remain untouched and he blows out the flame with a soft breath.

He hands me to the spoon. "Go ahead, try it."

I need no other prompting and close my mouth around it.

I thought it would be hot, but it's not. Cool sweetness, a slight touch of bitter with a hint of fruit.

I close my eyes in utter bliss at the taste.

"Oh this is so good..." I dig in for another bite...only to realize Ben is watching me, not actually eating.

I lift out the spoon and blow out the flame.

"Come on, open."

He blinks at me, "I ordered this for you."

"I'm sharing."

"Are you offering to feed me?"

A low, sensual purr that has me moving closer.

"Yes," I tell him lifting the spoon to his mouth, "so open up."

His mouth closes around my offering, his eyes never leaving my face.

I never knew eating with another person like this could be so...intimate.

I turn my eyes away, a feeling of shyness coming over me.

I use the food in front of me as an excuse to not meet his eyes, my face feels hot but I can't help but glance up at him.

He's leaning against his fist, watching me with secrets in his eyes.

I offer him another bite, just to give myself something to do and he accepts it.

That fluttery feeling is back but for some reason I'm having fun feeding him. I've never done this with anyone else. The desert vanishes in short work between us and as Ben lets me have the late bite, I can't help feeling disappointed that it ended.

We leave the same way we entered, hand in hand.

The sun is already turning the sky crimson and amethyst, the temperature cooling.

This day is almost over with. Soon I'll have my missing part...and then I will have to leave.

Leave him.

I turn away viciously from the thought.

"So...how far to the warehouse district?"

"It's a bit of a walk by foot. If we take a transport, not long."

"I don't mind walking if you don't."

I want to tell myself it's because one of us is bound to be noticed if we take the public transport but it's a lie.

I just...don't want to share him with anyone else.

Not when I have so little time left with him.

"No," he tucks my hand firmly into his, "I don't mind. Let's go."

We keep to an easy pace and that peaceful silence from the bar remains and I cannot help but note that there are other couples on the street, who give us knowing smiles but nothing more.

A few of the women eye my tall escort and give me approving looks.

My face hurts, I'm grinning so hard.

"What has that look on your face?"

"What look?"

"If your smile gets any wider, I fear you might pull a muscle."

I lean my head against his arm and despite our height, we match our stride perfectly.

"I just...I'm having a good day. Isn't that reason enough to smile?"

I look up at him, his dark eyes staring at me with bemusement.

We are losing the daylight with each step we take but Ben seems to know where he's going and I turn my thoughts, with difficulty, away from him.

"So...how much trouble do you think we're going to run into."

I don't trust Praksis. There is something about him that sets my teeth on edge and it wasn't because of the way he was leering at me earlier.

"Expect an ambush."

I sigh and lift my head from his shoulder.

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too. How come you didn't tell me the crystal cradle is illegal to obtain?"

No wonder it took me over a month to actually find one and only because of Maz.

"That particular order came down after...I joined."

He didn't mention Snoke or the First Order. He didn't have to, his words were clear enough.

"Why? I mean about the part? What was the point?"

"To track potential Jedi. The crystal cradle, among a few select pieces, can only be used for one purpose. To forge a lightsaber."

It made sense. A cruel, malicious kind of sense.

"I see...so if a person wanted those parts in particular..."

"Then he would have known that there was another potential Jedi out there."

He could then use that knowledge to turn those who had potential...or kill them before they became a threat.

"We're almost there. Stay alert."

Reluctantly I let go of his hand and keep my finger on butt of my blaster. I stretch out my Force sense and detect several life energies...but nothing helpful. This was a warehouse and even with night falling, there was still work to be done.

"Well...damn."

I know Praksis said to meet him at the warehouse district but I hadn't realized it was so massive.

Dozen's upon dozen's of containers sat in the open, an intricate maze that made it almost impossible for me to guess the actual size of the place.

"A good spot to lay a trap. Wouldn't you agree?"

His words are cool and I can feel the coiled tension in him. He doesn't like this more than I do and I am glad he is here with me.

"Mmhmm. Follow my lead."

I move towards what looks like the front entrance, a civilian standing at attendance.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

"My name is Rey. This is my partner Ben. We're here about some merchandise."

"Warehouse is closed. Come back in the morning, during normal hours."

I narrow my eyes at him, noting the blaster at his side and the comm unit on his wrist.

Time to take a gamble.

"Fine," I tell him without moving, "but then you can let Praksis know that he just lost a marker."

His eyes widen and he takes a step back.

I thought as much. He is no warehouse worker.

"Wait...what was the name again?"

"Rey."

"Rey what?"

"Just Rey."

He moves off to the side, speaking softly into the piece on his wrist.

A few minutes passes and he comes back, a cold smile on his face.

"My mistake. You're expected."

"Great. Where?"

I give a pointed look at all the containers.

"Go straight down, past the fifth container and take a left, keep walking until you get to the third container."

I nod my head and Ben is at my side but the guard shakes his head.

"I wasn't told you would have...company. Only you."

I fold my arms. I know this trick, he's trying to separate us.

"Tell Praksis my name," Ben tells the guard in that soft voice filled with shadows, "go on, we'll wait."

The guard gives Ben a nervous look and retreats, speaking quickly into the comm.

He comes back to us in less time that before.

"You...you both can go in."

I don't trust this sudden compliance but Ben is a silent shadow at my back and I move past the man.

"Trap?" I keep my voice low as I count containers and follow the instructions.

"Most assuredly."

"Any chance we'll actually make it out alive...and in one piece?"

There, the fifth container, I turn left and undo the clasp holding my blaster in place.

"You have me. What does that tell you?"

Pure arrogance and I can feel some of the tension loosen in my muscles at his tone.

A moment of amusement but then we are at the third container and that feeling evaporates as I get a good look at what is waiting for us.

Praksis, of course, but not alone.

Most definitely not alone.

He has seven others with him and one of them I recognize from the alley only hours ago.

The leader that Ben had knocked unconscious. Clearly not hard enough.

The bells in the city begin to ring loudly and Praksis steps forward, the smile on his face cold and cruel.

"Rey, right on time. Welcome."

I move towards him, my footfalls silent thanks to the insulation on the bottom of my boots, and get within three feet of him.

"Some welcome," I fold my arms and flicker my eyes to the...people he's brought with him, "a bit much for a simple transaction wouldn't you agree?"

"Yet I see you brought someone with you," he levels Ben with an insolent stare, "whom I thought was just a 'passing' acquaintance?"

"Funny I don't remember mentioning Ben as any such thing. He's my partner."

"So that 'fight' at the bar was for my benefit?"

I wave my hand at his words, "That was real...but we never stay mad at each other for long."

"I wonder," he tells me softly but his eyes remain on Ben, "if you know him as well as you think you do."

My gut tightens and again I wish I knew what those two had discussed when I had been cooling my heels outside the bar.

But that was neither here nor there.

"Enough," I tell him and allow my impatience to leak through, "do you have my item or not? Patrols could be along any minute and I don't want to answer awkward questions that might come up if we're spotted."

I had no idea about the regularity of patrols, but I was taking another gamble.

"No need for such worries," he is pulling a small pouch from beneath his coat and I can feel the leashed energy from Ben, "I have men stationed around the entire perimeter."

Damn I was hoping he wasn't going to say that. The idea that we were getting out of here alive was not looking good.

"That's it?" scoffing words as I eye the small, black pouch.

"You doubt me?" Mocking tone as he opens the bag and tips the item out. It gleams faintly in the light...but it is an exact copy of my drawing I had shown him.

"So you weren't lying after all." I give him a innocuous smile that bares my teeth and pull out my money.

"You'll have to move closer than that."

I really didn't want to, this whole place was fraying my nerves, but I shrug as if it means little to me and move a few more steps towards him.

I can practically feel Ben's breath on my neck and that is only reason I can keep my calm.

I'm now a foot away from him.

"Closer."

I shake my head. "This is close enough." I open my hand and let the credits catch the light.

"Do you want my money or not?"

I can feel the tension in the air, so thick I'm practically choking on it and I want to scream for him to just do something before the waiting drives me insane.

He pushes the crystal cradle back in the pouch, dangling it in his hands.

"I think...not."

The pouch disappears back into his coat as he moves backward, the men around him closing in.

"Kill her partner, but keep the woman alive." His voice is bored but his eyes are filled with hate at he looks at Ben.

I have but a moment to lock eyes with Ben, a feral light in his eyes and that is all the time we have left.

We are back to back, I hear the click of his blaster and wish it was his lightsabaer instead.

"Can you get to Praksis?"

Soft words that only I can hear as bloodlust coats the air and they begin to surround us.

Clearly they weren't taking any chances. I guess we had that gang leader to thank for that.

Maybe we should have killed them after all.

"Yes," I whisper back, "but if you think for one minute I'm leaving you alone..."

"I can handle them. Go!"

He turns abruptly and the night is filled the crackle of plasma fire as Ben lets loose a hailstorm, scattering our enemies and giving me a clear path to a narrow-eyed Praksis.

"Don't you dare die on me!"

I dive for the opening, firing my own blaster, the screams letting me know I hit a few of them.

The smell of plasma and I barely dodge the blast that cuts through the air, the scorch of burning hair an acrid stink.

I ignore it and focus on the male who is still giving me that death-head grin, retreating into the darkness.

My gun-fire only hits containers and I know he is doing this to draw me away from Ben.

Bastard.

"If you want me," I call out hoping that I get a response, "come and get me yourself you coward."

A shift in the light and I turn, opening fire but he's gone.

Shifty bastard and I keep my senses open.

But not fast enough, he's already behind me, locking his arms around my throat.

Trying to cut off my air flow.

"You shouldn't have brought him," He tells me as we grapple, "I might have let you go otherwise."

He's lying. He never intended to let me go. Not with that many people waiting with him.

I stamp my boot on his instep just as I drive my elbow into his stomach and the two are enough that I twist from beneath his hold, taking in a lungful of air.

I dive as I see the glint of a barrel, managing to duck behind another container.

I have to end this and get back to Ben. I don't care how good he thinks he is, seven against one are not good odds.

"Come out Rey and let's end this. I truly do not like violence."

"Funny," I mutter looking for something I can use against him, the blaster not my favorite weapon of choice, "doesn't look that way to me."

There, just a few meters from me, a long metal pole.

Now that was something I know how to use.

I grab for it, the ring of metal on stone a dead give-away but I'm on my feet and already moving.

Praksis is still aiming for me, but the shots are meant to wound, not kill.

He really wants me alive. For what I don't know and I don't care to ask.

I come at him low, taking a hard swing and hear the crunch of metal on metal as Praksis swears furiously as I knock the blaster from his grip.

He dances out of the way, his moves fluid but I've trained with better than him.

He is no Kylo Ren.

I have to push back the hot rush of anger at the fact that he wants to kill Ben.

I need to keep my focus, despite the fear for Ben wrapping clawed hooks into my soul.

"Why don't you-" His words are cut off as I snap my pole out, his arm coming up to brace the impact, but I am already turning and slam into his unprotected side.

I hear the crunch of bone as I snap ribs and a garbled sound from his mouth.

"That's for me," I snarl at him and twist, coming up behind him as I slam the pole across the side of his face, dropping him to the ground.

Blood pools at his temple and from his mouth but he is motionless.

"And that's for trying to hurt Ben."

I quickly rummage through his coat, finding the small black bag and tucking it safely away.

I don't spare him another look as I race back to where I can still hear blaster bolts being fired.

Don't be dead, don't be dead.

I can barely swallow now, the sound of plasma-fire no longer in the air and the silence is so loud I'm drowning in it.

"Ben! I'm..." I turn the corner with my pose raised and I stop short, "oh!"

The carnage of broken bodies, Ben in the middle of it with his back to me.

He turns at the sound of my voice and I see his clothing splattered with blood...but unharmed.

I'm already running to his side, he's catching me by the waist, pulling me to him.

"Are you hurt?" An urgency in his voice I've never heard and it unlocks the fear squeezing my throat.

I shake my head but there's no time to rest.

I leave his embrace and catch his hand, his blaster is already tucked away.

"Come on, we need to get out of here! There is no way nobody heard that."

He nods his head and we move away from the bodies and from the various positions I don't have to ask if they're dead.

I can see the scorch marks from where Ben must have hit them.

"Here I thought you only knew how to use a saber." I mutter still trying to get over the fact that he took down seven armed men by himself.

"My preferred choice of weapon in a fight, but I do know how to use others when needed."

"Obviously."

We come up on one of the stationed guards and I don't even think, I just slam my pole into his unprotected head before he can let out a sound.

He drops like a stone and we keep moving.

"This way," Ben is tugging me back towards the city and I shake my head.

"No, this way, my ship is closer."

"But my guards," and I cut him off.

"Ben your guards are not going going to recognize you. You're dressed like a Corellian smuggler and most people are mistaking me for a bounty hunter. They are not going to stand around and wait for you to explain who you are. Let's go."

My Force sense is practically drowning me in the knowledge that there are a lot of people on their way here and I don't have time to stand here and argue with him.

I need to him to trust me...

"Your ship will be recognized."

I flash him a relieved smile. "No it won't. Come with me." I flew over the warehouse district when I first landed, not knowing what the place was. Now I do and know where I'm going.

I tug his hand and he moves quickly to my side as we run, quickly, through the shrouded night.

The pole is a weight I no longer need and I cast it aside, our path clearer now.

We make it out of the warehouse district with seconds to spare, I can hear the sound of armor on concrete and my heart in trying to climb back into my throat.

I slam Ben against a wall, pressing my hand to his mouth, as a platoon of Stormtroopers pass by us.

Only when I can't hear them do I let up and nod my head.

"Not much farther," I whisper and we take off again. The docking port for ships, thankfully, is not closed.

I slow down,trying to catch my breath so that we can enter as if we haven't been running for our lives.

"I don't see the Falcon."

He is scanning the area, barely winded, and I seriously don't like him at the moment.

My lungs are burning and I'm gulping air like it's the first breath I've taken in hours.

"Do...I look stupid...to you?"

I see the questions in his eyes as I straighten, rolling my eyes at him.

"I didn't bring the Falcon. Too recognizable and I didn't want to paint a big, fat target on myself when I needed to blend in."

"So then...?"

He lets the question hang in the air and I jerk my head, finally able to breath normally again.

"This way." I glance at his clothing and pray we don't meet up with a dock manager and have to explain why he's covered in blood.

The Force must have been looking out for us because we made it to my ship without incident.

"This is..."

"Interstellar transport from the old Galactic Republic days, decommissioned of course."

She was an old gal but she had been modified so that she could be run with only a single pilot if needs be.

I had to make some minor repairs to her hull and forward drive, but she worked.

I pressed the pad on the side hull as the gangplank opened up.

"Inside, now. Before patrols spot us."

Ben was right behind me as I moved us into my ship and quickly locked her down.

I turned on the recessive lighting, knowing that it was dim enough that it wouldn't be seen from the outside.

The cockpit was small, just enough for two people to sit and pilot, but the main hull opened up into a larger section with the smaller, sleeping quarter off to the side.

I collapse into a chair and lean my head back.

"I can't believe we made it out of there alive. What the hell did you do to piss Praksis off?"

"What makes you think it was about me?"

I open my eyes to see him leaning up against the bulkhead, his eyes guarded.

"Ben, no games. I heard him give the order to have you killed and when I fought him," I closed my eyes still remembering the absolute hatred in his voice when he spoke, "I know what I heard. He hated you...but I get the feeling that you two have never met before today."

"Correct. Until today I have never laid eyes on the man you call Praksis."

I didn't like his wording, there was something there that bothered me. I opened my eyes to ask him...and bolted out of my seat.

"Ben! Your hurt!"

His hand was loose by his side and I could see the blood dripping from his fingers.

"What...oh, this." He lifts his hand and I can see the torn skin around his knuckles, the gashes visible even in the dim light. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. I can't believe you didn't tell me you were hurt."

I grab his uninjured hand and pull him with me.

"Rey...are you mad at me?"

I glance over my shoulder at him, glaring. "What do you think?"

I snap my head back around and keep moving until we reach my sleeping area. There is a small bathroom attached to it and I know I have an emergency medkit stashed there somewhere.

"Sit." I point to the small cot that's my bed, "Don't move. I'll be right back."

I don't wait to see if does what I tell him, I can hear the cot creaking slightly beneath his weight as the door to the bathroom slides shut behind me.

"Stupid. Stupid, idiot male," I mutter darkly as I ransack the bathroom, locating the medkit from beneath a few stashed towels. "He should have told me sooner."

Here I had been dragging him through the dark, slammed him into a wall and chattering on while he was hurt.

He hadn't said a word.

I slam the kit shut, making sure it had everything I needed and grab a towel to put beneath his hand to catch the blood.

He's sitting on my bed, practically dwarfing it and looking at me with a bemused expression.

"Here, give me your hand."

"Rey I-"

"I said," gritting my teeth, feeling my eyes flash, "Give. Me. Your. Hand."

He snaps his mouth shut and lifts his hand.

I quickly put the towel on his leg and begin cleaning the gashes with antiseptic. I have to wash away the blood so I can see how badly he's hurt.

"Ow."

"Oh, now you let me know you're in pain. Good, I hope it stings like hell."

Despite my surly tone, I'm trying to be gentle. The blood is washed away...and I let out a silent, relieved sigh.

The cuts are deep, but not so deep that he needs a med-droids immediate attention.

"How did you hurt yourself? I didn't think anyone got close to you?"

I pull the green-gunk out of the tube, to seal his wounds. It'll stop any infection from starting.

I feel him wince as I apply it but his voice is calm when he answers me.

"That gang leader from before? Decided that he wanted a rematch. With his fists. I obliged him and broke the spikes on the left side of his jaw for his effort."

Which explained the gouge marks on his hand.

"Why weren't you wearing your gloves?"

Gently I began wrapping his hand, making sure that all of it was covered.

"Corellian smuggler, remember?" I look up to see faint amusement on his face, "they don't wear gloves. Ever."

"Oh." Well what else could I say. I had pointed out earlier that he was dressed like a smuggler.

There he was all done. I repacked the medkit and took the towel away and I came back to find him still seated on my bed.

Dark, liquid eyes look up at me and I feel like weeping and I don't know why.

"Did you get it?"

I have no idea what he's talking about.

"The crystal cradle? Did you get what you needed Rey?"

Why is his voice so gentle when he speaks my name?

I nod my head and pull the pouch from where I had tied it to my waist.

"Here."

I empty into his other hand so he can look at it.

"Well...at least it wasn't a complete waste of time. It's real and as far as I can tell, a viable piece. You won't know until you install it."

He hands me back the part and I tuck it away again.

The silence between us is no longer so peaceful.

"I guess...it's time for me to leave."

to be continued...