Chapter 22

Upon seeing Snoke, Rey noticed Kylo immediately bent down to one knee, his head tilted down.

A servant awaiting a warm welcome from his master.

It gave her a sick feeling.

She could see it on his face. How desperate he was for praise and approval. How much of a grip on his soul Snoke truly had. He did his best to exude a neutral reaction and expression, but Rey could sense his feelings.

He'd…missed Snoke.

"Well done, my good and faithful apprentice. My faith in you has been restored."

He flushed visibly with an echo of what happiness looked like, and closed his eyes as if Snoke's compliments were a physical caress he genuinely enjoyed. A soft sigh escaped, so quiet Rey almost missed it.

She couldn't stand to see him like that. She quickly turned away, her shoulders back, standing ramrod straight, trying to hold her composure.

So, this was the monster that had turned Ben Solo. Rey realized she hated him.

Rey wanted to judge Kylo for allowing someone to own him like this, as if he were someone's pet or guard dog. But she'd seen his memories, his past. He truly believed Snoke was the one who saved him from Luke's abuse and deception.

In that regard, Rey was doubtful there was anything she could do to make him see the truth.

"Young Rey. Welcome," he said, turning his attention away from the Knight of Ren and to the newest object of his entertainment.

Rey flinched at the sudden beeping sound that emitted from her handcuffs. They immediately deactivated and fell off of her wrists. Despite this, she knew she wasn't really free.

She glared at him defiantly.

Come closer child," he said.

She didn't budge an inch.

~.~

Kylo held Anakin's lightsaber lightly in his hand, as if he were cradling it.

He'd finally gotten hold of the lightsaber that belonged to him by birthright, but now it felt different. Like he'd taken it from her.

It wasn't permitted to enter the throne room with an armed prisoner. He himself shouldn't have even had his saber on him, but Snoke summoned him so quickly, there was no time to leave it in his chambers.

For the first time, he had two sabers at his disposal. While in the Red room.

He didn't allow himself to plan, or consider the possibilities, or analyze the situation. If it needed to happen, it had to be spontaneous, at the drop of a dime. Snoke would sense his intentions.

"So much strength," Snoke said. In his chair, he gestured with his hands to them both. "Darkness rises, and light to meet it. I warned my young apprentice, that as he grew stronger, his equal in the light would rise."

Kylo didn't even flinch when the lightsaber was force-grabbed from his palm to land gently in The Supreme Leader's and placed next to Snoke on his throne. "Skywalker I'd assumed…wrongly."

Kylo didn't dare look at Rey. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold himself back from shielding her if he saw how fearful she was. He was in no position to protect her. And the Supreme Leader needed to believe that Kylo was without question, at his beck and call. Practically swaying on his feet with desire for praise.

Not so long ago, it hadn't been far from the truth.

"Closer, I said." His words were warm, disarming. Like someone's grandfather.

But Kylo knew otherwise. He felt the anger and disgust radiating off of Rey. Then he heard her feet skidding across the floor.

He blocked it out.

"You underestimate Luke Skywalker,' she said, projecting her voice. "And Ben Solo." She said his old name with such affection, clear adoration.

You can't love him, he thought. I'm not that person anymore. Regardless, he felt a tinge of pride when he realized; She was protective of him. Just as much as he was of her.

"And me," she said. "It will be your downfall."

"Oh," Snoke said in mock surprise. "Have you seen a weakness in my apprentice is that…is that why you came?" He laughed as if he were truly amused.

Kylo blocked out any feelings that rose from his chest. He wanted to be scared for her, he wanted to be frustrated that she was being treated this way, but he did his best to remain in a meditative state. He couldn't betray any emotion.

"Young fool. It was I who bridged your minds."

His gaze went up before he could stop himself.

That…no. How could that be? The bond between them was special, strong…spanned years and miles. The moment when they'd touched hands…That was a moment he and Rey alone shared. They were bonded now, forever. It was a connecting of souls that could never be undone.

In his meditative state, the emotions he felt bounced off of him, but they fought very hard to reach the surface. Betrayal. Hurt. Anger. Denial. Depression. Hatred.

But he'd been taught from day one not to let his emotions get the best of him while he was in the Red Throne Room. He did not exude such feelings towards his own master, and especially not here.

He'd only strayed from this rule once. He still remembered the feeling of his nerves being fried alive with lightning. It was a lesson he would never forget.

No emotions. Not here. Not even for her. He had to be strong or they'd both be killed.

"I stoked Ren's conflicted soul. I knew he was not strong enough to hide it from you. And you were not wise enough to resist the bait."

"And now," Snoke said, gripping Rey's face in his hand, "You will give me Skywalker."

Kylo focused in on Rey's thoughts. She was focusing so hard on blocking them from Snoke she wasn't paying any mind to his intrusion.

She was thinking about the first time he held her face in his gloved hand. The smell of leather still haunted her. She still tasted it on her tongue. Rey was remembering that night, when he'd almost kissed her. How much she'd wanted him to, and how frustrated with herself she'd been for desiring him. She was comparing it to the feeling of Snoke's.

It felt wrong to her. It was evil, and ugly and forceful. There was no love or gentility or tenderness in Snoke's hand. Because there was none in his heart.

A gasp threatened to escape Kylo's throat. He pulled out her mind, his heart racing.

She had to give Snoke what he wanted. She had to join them. He'd seen it. He'd seen her standing side by side with him, back to back, their hearts beating as one. It had felt so real to him.

She didn't have any other choice. If she didn't, Snoke would destroy her. Rey was strong. Beautiful and powerful and strong but even she was no match for Snoke himself.

"And I will kill you with the cruelest stroke," Snoke said.

Kylo placed a mental shell over himself to keep his mind calm. He doesn't mean it, he thought to himself. He's just saying that to scare her, make her give in. She understands now, that Luke betrayed us both. He took her memories from her. Of her training, of her powers, of me. Rey knows who loves her, who would do anything for her. And she'd do anything to not feel alone.

"No," her voice rasped, making Kylo grit his teeth.

Stop being so stubborn, he thought to himself. It's no use. There's nothing you can do. We have to do what he says.

But she was too proud.

"Yes," Snoke hissed, force-pushing her up in the air, where he held her.

Kylo shut his mind down entirely.

He knew what was coming. He knew what Snoke was going to do. It wasn't going to kill her but it was going to hurt and Kylo needed to not. React. To any of it.

Only in this moment did he truly feel powerless. He was pinned. Helpless, useless, unable to protect the one he loved.

But after she'd been broken, she would join them.

She had to.

"Now…Give. Me. Everything," Snoke said.

Her screams echoed through the throne room, but by then Kylo's heart and mind had shut down. He lowered his gaze, entering a state of deep meditation.

It was the only way he had a shot of saving her.

Kylo didn't know how long for certain it went on for. But it felt like an entire eternity of not having his soul. He heard the screams, but he didn't know who they belonged to.

This was the way the boy had been; Ben. The boy Kylo killed. This was who Ben became after Rey was taken from him. An empty shell, where a soul once dwelled. Kylo didn't like remembering those years. His last years with Luke.

The thirteen-year-old boy didn't talk after she left. Occasionally when he was being spoken to, he would look up, but his eyes would be empty. He saw through people, as if they were panes of glass. The boy Ben was a model student, not once straying away from his responsibilities or chores or assignments. Days became months, months became years. It developed into a routine. Wake up, stretch, run on the beach, have breakfast, study, meditate, spar, sleep. Rinse, repeat. He was numb. Food had no taste; life had no meaning. He couldn't even hear the crash of the ocean waves anymore.

Not without hearing her laughter. He wasn't going to allow himself such happiness. The grief it caused him outweighed the worth.

This was how he had to be, in this moment. No feelings, no color, no heart. Every sound was dulled as if he were underwater. He was beneath the surface of the deepest ocean, any sound an echo of a sound, distant and inconsequential.

This. Was. How. He. Survived.

Finally, after holding his composure for three full minutes, he heard the screaming stop.

And the world came in to focus again.

He heard her gasps for air, saw her body trembling with pain.

She was alive.

And Snoke's laughter echoed through the Throne Room. "I didn't expect Skywalker to be…so wise," he said, delighted.

Kylo's gaze went back up, to Snoke.

He waited for some sign from Rey that she'd given up. Given in. Was willing to accept her destiny.

She said nothing.

"We will give him and the Jedi Order the death he desires. After the Rebels are gone, we will go to his planet and obliterate the entire island."

Rey stood up and force-grabbed for her lightsaber.

But it swung around the room, instead hitting her roughly in the side of her head before gently landing back onto the arm of Snoke's Throne.

Rey, stop, he said, mentally trying to speak to her. It's over. You've lost. He'll kill you.

Didn't she understand how pointless it was to resist? Snoke was the most powerful being in the entire galaxy.

"Such spunk," he said, but there was very little care in Snoke's voice. "Look here now," he said, force-dragging her body to a screen that showed the Resistance Fleet. "The entire Resistance, on those transports."

A synthetic red curtain dematerialized to reveal a window, overlooking a small grouping of tiny ships in the distance. He held her in front of what she realized was a cross between a telescope and a magnifying glass.

She could hear the explosions. One by one, the ships were being picked off.

"Soon they will all be gone," Snoke said as she stared in horror. "For you, all is lost."

It's true, Kylo said. We're the only ones you have left. If you leave us, you'll be alone again. Is that what you want?

THAT'S ENOUGH! She screamed suddenly in his head. It reverberated through his cranium with ferocity. SHUT UP AND FIGHT! She exclaimed. To Kylo's shock, she force-grabbed the lightsaber from Kylo's side and turned it on, ready to face off against the Red Guard.

"OH! Still that firey spit of hope. You have the spirit of a true Jedi!"

Her second attempt to fight him, she charged at Snoke fiercely with Kylo's saber before, with barely a flick of Snoke's finger, her entire body was tossed aside onto the ground, with Kylo's lightsaber ending up right back at his feet.

"And because of that," Snoke said. "You must die."

She's really not going to turn, Kylo suddenly realized. My vision was wrong.

Rey would rather die than join the Dark Side. But Kylo couldn't afford to lose her again.

It was in that moment he realized. Once she'd come back into his life, she'd made him alive again. He felt anger, frustration, happiness, joy, sadness, fear, pain. All of these things…she made him feel. She brought color into his life. She'd been the one to save him from despair. Not Snoke.

He knew what he had to do. Kylo wasn't sure how, but this could only end one way.

Kylo stared in horror as Snoke, using the force, tensed Rey's body and compacted her into a kneeling position, unable to move, and slowly turned her body to face him.

For the first time in what felt like a century, he saw her face.

It was still defiant and determined. But behind her eyes, he saw hope. Some part of her hoped he'd turn to the light, do something to save her. She was trembling and her breathing was ragged, but she was still the picture of beauty and strength.

He didn't like seeing her like this. Completely at his mercy, unable to fight back, kneeling before him against her will.

It hurt him.

Snoke was presenting her to him like this in offering. As a present. A reward for his good behavior. But through all of Snoke's manipulations and schemes and orders, he'd never truly understood Kylo's heart. He didn't understand that this was the last thing he wanted.

"My worthy apprentice," Snoke's voice bellowed. "Son of darkness, heir apparent to Lord Vader…where there was conflict, I now sense resolve. Where there was weakness, strength. Complete your training and fulfill your destiny."

Kylo gazed down at her, kneeling to grab his lightsaber from the ground, but not once straying his gaze from hers. "I know what I have to do," he said.