"You must be joking." Ben widened his eyes at Rey. "This is how you fish?"

Warm wind rushed across the island, sweeping through the grass and blowing back his dark hair. He leaned forward and peeked below at the roaring blue waves crashing into the cliff they were standing on.

A cluster of islands were scattered around the Temple island, and the one Rey meant to take him to lay just a quick leap away. The body of water between the islands was considerably narrow, the waters quite shallow. Yet, Rey watched Ben pale at the task before him. Even more when she stepped closer to the edge. She placed a hand on one of the long wooden poles resting alongside the cliff. Their sharp ends disappeared into the water.

"This is how we get to where I fish," Rey smiled. "Trust me, I thought it was mad as well when Luke showed me."

She set down her staff and touched his arm. He straightened up when she did, looking to where she was pointing.

"You see that open space on the other side? Between those two mossy boulders? There's a case of steps that curve around the whole thing and lead down to a cove. That's where all the fish gather."

"But... Leaping across to the other side on these skinny poles? It's insane. Luke's arms are thicker than this." He grabbed one for himself, raising it up and plunging the pointy end back down, expecting it to wobble or break. He looked surprised when it merely sunk into the sand, firm and steady.

"Wouldn't it be safer to take a boat like them?" He gestured at the two caretakers down by the beach beside the cliff.

Dressed in their usual white garb, two gray-skinned Lanai were busy readying a boat for their trip to the smaller island. The most scrumptious oysters were found in the cove, and the caretakers were always eager to collect a bucketload for their supper every night.

"It would," Rey observed and provided the same answer Luke had given her when she'd posed the same question: "But where's the fun in that?"

The way she said it, with such confidence and joy, had him holding back a grin.

"Am I going to have to save you again?" he asked.

His eyes held hers, and his thoughts ran loose as they had done back in his hut. Rey found it difficult to resist letting hers wander as well. She felt so drawn to that light inside him, that warmth she felt building beneath his skin at her touch. It thrilled her. So much, it upset her to have to look away, not wanting to encourage these impossible feelings. This was merely her teaching Luke's nephew to fish in exchange for training to help the Resistance. Nothing more. She had to remember it.

Rey let go of his arm, her face stern. "I think I can handle myself."

"I know you can. I can't look in a mirror without remembering it," he said, relishing the tender smile she couldn't hold back.

He was so much like his father and didn't even know.

"So trust me, Ben Solo. I know what I'm doing."

"Whatever you say, Master Rey," he smirked and stepped back to give her room.

Rey shook her head as she grabbed a wooden pole and tried hiding her blushing smile. He was definitely a Skywalker, alright. As annoying as the rest of them.

Checking that her bag and staff were secure across her back, she lifted a pole out of the water with some effort. She studied the waves, and after locating the perfect spot to give her enough leverage, she plunged the end near the center of the water gap. It made a splash into the salty air.

She stepped back to bend it slightly and, with a quick breath, ran at full speed off the cliff, letting herself fall forward with the pole. Wind cooled her smiling face and lifted the sheer sashes of her clothes until they were waving in the air like long white flags.

It was only a small leap, but the excitement it gave her each time reminded her of hopping around Empire wreckage on Jakku. She kept her eyes on her destination and, lifting her legs, she braced for landing. In one quick jump, she skidded through the grass and dirt of the smaller island and let the pole rest against the edge as before..

Rey had felt concern in Ben's heart even before she'd jumped but looking back now, Ben was both mesmerized and terrified. He felt there was no way he could manage a leap with that amount of skill and grace. He dreaded looking a fool in front of her.

Rey smiled at this silliness and called out: "You'll be fine! I would never let anything happen to my pupil!"

Ben gave her a look and grabbed hold of a pole, adjusting it in his sweaty hands. He located a spot near the center of the water as she had. He struck. Rey watched his dark brows furrow in concentration at what he needed to do next. His eyes locked on her as if she were his goal, and he plunged off the edge with his heart pounding in both their ears.

He was so preoccupied with making sure he was doing it perfectly, he forgot to enjoy the leap. Even as high above the world as he was, Ben Solo only worried about passing the "test." He clutched onto the pole for dear life as he began to fall forward. And at that moment, a strong wind swept throughout Ach-To once more, through the foaming currents, turning them violent.

Rey saw it instantly. Her hand shot up at the same time he began to feel it. The pole was leaning sideways towards the open sea. He would fall right into the water.

Gritting her teeth, she focused on the pole and willed it back to her, but, as with the rocks before, she struggled to make it listen. Ben felt her toil and thought quickly. He jumped from the pole as it fell past the ledge and splashed down into the sea. He jumped high into the air as only the Force would allow and tumbled onto the smaller island, rolling through the grass until he came to a stop on his back.

"Ben!" Her heart sank. She rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. "Ben? I'm sorry - I was trying, but..." I wasn't strong enough.

She couldn't bear to admit it out loud and worried he might've simply heard it in her thoughts. She had willingly shown her enemy how inexperienced she really was. Luke would be furious.

But Ben's focus lied elsewhere. Lying there in the grass, he blinked up at her and his chest began to shake. His eyes crinkled suddenly, and a wide grin spread across his face. Ben was laughing. Deeply, freely laughing as he had not done in so long. It was so absurd and infectious; she couldn't help but join in.

"You were brilliant," she said.

"I landed on my back, Rey."

"But it was fun, wasn't it?"

"It was fun," he admitted, laughing some more. He sat up next to her, resting his elbows on his knees, looking at her curiously. "That happens a lot, doesn't it? Trouble rousing it."

Her eyes cast down. She nodded reluctantly and waited for the tone of pity she'd become accustomed to with Luke.

"Don't be ashamed," he said. "It happens to everyone. Me, I have the opposite problem. I can't get it to quiet down. You wouldn't believe how much First Order equipment I've destroyed when I..."

"Explode in rage?"

"I was going to say 'lose my temper', but sure," he smiled.

She tore bits of grass from the ground, avoiding his eyes. "It's just... Every time it happens, I can't help thinking something's wrong with me. Why I was even chosen for this. I'm nobody."

"There's nothing wrong with you, Rey. You're perfect."

She flushed red at his words, at the kindness of his tone which only sought to comfort her, not scold or embarrass her as she had feared.

"Our only problem is going to be figuring out why it happens," he said.

"How fortunate I have a good teacher, then."

"A good master," he smirked. "Though, my lessons aren't free. I believe I was promised some fish?"

A bright grin lit up her face and she stood back up on her feet, offering him her hand. "Come on then, Master Ren."

He took it straight away and she helped him to his feet.

Rey turned to lead the way but was surprised to feel his hand unwilling to let hers go. His fingers laced through hers, gently, slowly, until their palms met and embraced as they had once before.

He searched her face for any sign of discomfort or refusal and was content to see there was none. Rey thought perhaps there should be. She had resolved not to let herself be swayed by those risky feelings, after all. But she couldn't deny how lovely it was to hold his hand. How safe and happy she felt being this close to him. Her enemy.

She knew she shouldn't, but she did, and it was tiring to keep pretending otherwise. It was only his hand after all. She was sure it wouldn't go any farther than this.

Rey held his hand tighter and pulled him along with her towards the case of stone steps. They climbed down together, both beaming with joy.