It was a long way down to the cove.

The fish only gathered for a short time until the tide pulled them back into the sea at sunset, but Ben didn't seem to be in a hurry. In fact, Rey was beginning to suspect he was delaying her lesson on purpose to hold her hand for longer. She couldn't decide whether this bothered or delighted her.

The steps curved around the smaller island as Rey had said, through the numerous trees growing on either side of the narrow pass. Under the cool shade of their leaves looming above, they went on, hand in hand, ignoring the noise of their pounding hearts.

"My uncle Lando taught me on a speeder first," Ben answered her question. "But I mostly learned from watching my mother's pilots as a kid. They said I had a talent for it."

"And the Falcon?"

"The Falcon? No, I've never flown it. My father never let me go near it again after my powers begun to show. He was afraid I'd destroy or start it on fire."

"He really believed that?" Rey asked incredulously.

Ben shrugged. "He had little tolerance for any of it. At least in those days. Luke and my mother tried explaining, but... He never really looked at me the same way after."

His pace slowed as he spoke, and a grave quiet hung between them as the memories of his father filled his head. Rey watched his face fall as he remembered the look of horror on Han's face when he was four and sent a toy flying across the room in anger. Memories of his parents arguing about his power all his life, a rift growing deeper between them because of it. The sorrow on Han's face as he walked towards him on the bridge on Starkiller Base. Leia's joy when she felt his presence moments before his wingmen destroyed her ship and almost killed her.

That memory stung him to his core.

"Ben," Rey stopped and looked into his gloomy eyes. She squeezed his hand in reassurance. "Your mother forgives you, you know. She wants you to come home. And she isn't the only one."

Rey meant to picture Luke as she said this but was stunned to realize she hoped for it as well. Longed for it. If only to erase the tortured look she so often saw dimming his face.

He smiled half-heartedly. "Even if she really did... It's too late now."

She was aware of the effort he was making to shoo these thoughts from his head. He knew where Rey meant to steer the conversation, and he could not bear it. The remorse was too painful to acknowledge, and he didn't want to breathe further life into it. Worse, it was frustrating and embarrassing to know she was hearing it all because of their bond. He wished she couldn't.

Rey let it drop, for his sake.

"Anyhow..." He held her hand close as they continued walking down. The frothing sound of waves grew louder as he quickly changed the subject. "What about you? How did you learn to fly?"

"Well..." Her own memories flooded her head. Images of a scorching desert sun and plains of sand littered with old ships waiting to be explored. She told him of the flight simulations she used to run on the old computer display of her AT-AT on Jakku. This, she explained, along with her scavenging helped her learn the ins and outs of flying starfighters and other vessels.

"You learned that all on your own? That's incredible," he said. "I wonder how well you'd fly a Tie Fighter."

With these words came images of Rey sitting beside him in his Tie Silencer. Images of her commanding her own squadron of First Order ships. That raw, fierce strength they shared growing stronger within her, growing darker.

Rey stopped once more, a step above him. She let his hand go and placed hers on her hips. "The only Tie Fighter I'll ever fly is the one I'll steal from you. When the war is won, of course."

Ben stepped up and came close, towering over her. "You think you'll win the war?"

"I know we'll win the war. With Luke helping us now Snoke and the First Order won't stand a chance."

"Is that what he's doing on this island? Helping you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was hiding. He's afraid."

"He isn't – "

"He is," Ben nodded. "Has he told you what happened that night? The night I destroyed his temple – did he tell you why?"

She told him Luke had, and, reading her mind, he gathered the story as Luke had told it. He scoffed at it, seething with anger the more he listened.

She pushed him out of her head. "Don't. He will help us. I know it. And when he does, I'll have first pick of all your ships."

Ben's eyes narrowed and he came even closer.

His every step pushed her back against an enormous tree. Her heart leapt into a frenzy when his hands came up on either side of her head and touched the dry bark, trapping her beneath his gaze. There was nowhere to go. Nowhere to look except the brown of his eyes, burning more intensely as he held her there. Something hot and pleasant rippled through them both, and Rey's cheeks burned pink at seeing his nose, his lips, coming closer, and closer.

She had to stop him. To keep this from going further as she had promised herself. To remember whose side he was on. But this powerful yearning to feel his lips on hers, to taste him, was unbearable.

His voice was low and quiet. "If you steal my ship, I'll have no choice but to take something from you."

"I have nothing for you to take."

He smiled, leaning closer. "You have plenty."

"You won't find me, "she whispered.

"Yes, I will," he whispered back. "I'll always find you."

Their noses brushed softly. His lips were inches away. Rey closed her eyes, waiting.

And then she felt him pull away, leaving her breathless.

"Although… We could avoid all this thievery if we were on the same side." He raised a brow in suggestion.

"I suppose we could."

"We could." He offered his hand.

Rey's fingers tingled with temptation. For a moment, she allowed herself to imagine how easy it would be to slip her hand into his. To embrace the dark side and cease being Rey, the penniless scavenger from Jakku. To forget the past. Begin anew as he had. She would have the freedom to be whomever she wanted. A capable force-user of wealth, power, and prominence.

And she would have him.

That, more than anything, attracted her most. Serving with him, fighting alongside him, being close to him. Leaving everything behind for a life with him. She would never again feel alone as long as she had him.

Rey gnawed her lower lip anxiously, but she swiftly remembered whom she'd be sharing all this with. Ben Solo would surely be left behind as soon as this new life began, and frightening Kylo Ren would re-emerge from the dark to take his place. Snoke would continue to have hold of him and twist his mind until there was none of Ben left.

But there was another way... Another way for the war to be over and still be near him, without losing him.

Rey lifted her hand and held it above his, inviting him to make his own choice.

All at once, the glow of satisfaction on his face was extinguished and his jaw tensed. He stared at her hand, and Rey felt his own desire to take it grow heavy on his shoulders. He was as enticed by the light as she was by the dark. Tempted, but also strongly aware it would not lead him where he desired to go, whom he desired to be. For the first time in his life, he was respected and feared as Kylo Ren. His former self had only been a pathetic excuse for a warrior - foolish and weak. He was deeply convinced there was no way he could turn back now, not anymore. Surrendering to the Resistance - going home - was out of the question. Impossible.

Yet there was nothing, as far as he could see, to prevent Rey from taking his offer. Even as Kylo, he would never mistreat her or allow her to come to harm. All that was standing in the way was this puzzling attachment she had to people he knew would one day come to fear her. In his mind, Luke would never rise up. The Resistance was all but lost. She was as alone as he was. Together, on Snoke's side, it would no longer be that way.

But nothing in her disappointed expression indicated she could be persuaded to consider this.

He swallowed his grim reply. He dropped his hand. Looked away.

The pink in Rey's cheeks faded and her hand fell back by her side. She moved away from him, continuing their descent.

"Come on," she called back when he didn't move. "The sun will set soon. Those fish won't spear themselves."

It took some time, but the sound of his steps eventually caught up to her. He followed her down, silent as the grave, keeping his hands buried deep in his pockets.

"Steady... Steady..."

"I see him, I see him," Ben murmured.

Armed with sharp wooden spears, Ben and Rey waded through the lazy waves of the cove's glittering pool. Above, not a single cloud offered protection from the blazing sun, and Ben was well aware of it. Rey, being used to it, found no distraction in the heat of her clothes, the beads of sweat running down her temples. She wasn't too fond of the sun but handled it well. Ben, she sensed, despised it.

For a second, she had caught him wishing she weren't there so that he might peel his clothes off and dive naked into the water. He thought maybe she wouldn't think he was insane if he just went for it. Maybe she would even join him...

A long string of curses had followed when he remembered she might be listening.

Besides scorching Ben's back, the sun warmed the foaming water where their naked feet were shin-deep. Crashing waves spilled through the open gap between the mossy rocks enclosing the cove. Rey could taste the salt of the ocean on her tongue just by breathing. Small fish and their slippery scales tickled their feet underneath the water, but Ben was much too focused to notice. His eyes were set on the plump coppergin swimming lazily by two rocks submerged in the water, covered in small pinching crabs.

Porgs cried loudly from within the trees of the island, and some even fluttered around on the sandy beach. With empty bellies and whining eyes, they watched Rey with great anticipation. They knew she always tossed them whatever she found no use for.

She fell back and lowered her spear, watching Ben tread through the water with an aggressive air. The muscles on his back and arms tensed. He looked about ready to pounce into the water and surface with a great splash, the fish between his teeth. She thought it all very funny and put a hand over her mouth to quiet her giggling. From the beach, a porg fluttered its wings and soared straight onto Ben's shoulder. He tried shaking it off but the porg was determined to stay put. It gave a little cry in his ear and hopped up onto his head, burrowing itself within his dark hair. He shooed it away as Rey erupted in laughter.

"Quiet over there," he hissed and turned away to hide his reddening smile.

He came closer to the coppergin - as close as he could without risking scaring it away - and gripped his spear high over his shoulder. In his head, he recalled her voice and her reminder: Aim low. Feel for the heart. Straight through. Quick and clean.

He did just that, and with one swift throw, Ben speared his second fish.

"You're quite good," said Rey.

"I have quite a good master." He raised his spear from the water to look his fish over. Drops of salt rained down on his head, but he hardly blinked. He was far too engrossed in the success of his efforts. His meals had been someone else's burden to prepare and serve for so long, he never expected to enjoy the task himself. It was a pleasant surprise, as was the unusual lightness of the constant weight he carried on his shoulders.

The air around the cove was drugged by this moment of bliss. And Rey, overwhelmed by this rare calm inside him, felt her heart swell just looking at him. She imagined how at peace he could truly be without Snoke, The First Order, that painful conflict inside him - any of it. How happy he could be. Still, he was feeling it here, now, with her. Perhaps it was a fortunate thing they had been brought together.

"Oh, you think so?" Ben raised a brow at her, half-smiling.

Rey flushed red. It was easy to forget her every thought was being broadcast for him to hear. Nothing around him was private. She cleared her throat, wishing it wasn't so.

"Why, yes I do," she said. "You might find this useful soon when you're in hiding on some unknown planet and need to feed yourself. So... Maybe it's a good thing you got stranded here."

A foaming wave rushed against their shins. He chuckled. "Maybe."

"Maybe... Maybe you could even stay."

Ben blinked. The thought had never once crossed his mind. "What - here? With Luke?"

"Why not? You could start a new life here. Snoke doesn't seem too keen on rescuing you, anyway. Don't you think he would've come by now?"

"He will," Ben said, looking his fish over again to avoid her eyes. "He might be sore with me now and keeping me here as punishment, but he'll come. You don't just leave Snoke. That's not the way it is with him. He'll come." He nodded as he said it, but his tone was that of a man who desperately needed it to be true. Whose heart thumped with rage at the very thought of being stuck here with Luke. In truth, he found it curious that Snoke had not struck yet. The Knights of Ren had surely told him of Luke's hideout by now. The last Jedi, his greatest prize, was here for the taking. Yet, there was nothing but eerie silence from Snoke.

"Besides," Ben went on as if to distract himself, "I still need to finish my training. Once I've fully turned, he's granting me a place by his side. I won't just be master of his knights - I'll be his second in command. Higher in rank than anyone. Just like my grandfather."

Rey bit the inside of her cheek. "And that's what you want most, is it?"

A soft breeze rustled through the trees and filled the silence that followed her question. She couldn't explain why the answer mattered so much to her. Still, she burned with curious hope that it would be something she wanted to hear.

"Yes," he finally answered. "It's what's expected of me."

Rey swallowed the bitter lump in her throat and smiled faintly. "Well, I hope it makes you very happy, Kylo."

He turned. "Kylo? What happened to 'Ben'?"

She shrugged. "There's no point in calling you that when it isn't who you are anymore."

He narrowed his eyes and slid the fish off his spear. He washed the blood away. Water burbled against his legs as he moved towards her, and with a sly look, he pointed the fish at her.

"You are angry at me."

"You're my enemy, Kylo. I'm always angry at you."

"You teach all your enemies to fish, Rey?"

"When that enemy promises something in return, yes." Rey stepped back, holding her frown. Small shells cracked in the water beneath her feet.

"And you hold their hands like you hold mine?"

Her brows quivered. "No..."

"You offer them your cloak? Do you kiss them -"

"I haven't kissed you!"

"But you wanted to." He adored her blush.

The memory of his long nose softly brushing hers, of waiting for his lips, sent a jolt though her being. She couldn't believe her foolishness. How willing she had been to let herself be hooked.

"I'd rather kiss a rathtar," she snapped.

He chuckled at that; at the effort she made to appear like her heart wasn't pounding in her chest, as if desperate to reveal something even she didn't know. She tried changing the subject, but her avoidance only made him more curious.

"Come on, what's the matter? Is it because I won't join the Resistance?"

"Don't." Rey crossed her arms and looked towards the waves crashing against the mossy rocks beyond. She focused on building a barrier between them, one he wouldn't penetrate. She wouldn't give in to this feeling. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. It was futile anyhow. He had made his choice.

"Are you angry I won't stay here?" He pushed on.

She gulped, breathing deeply to calm her pulse. The waves were no help, so she shifted her eyes to the fish gliding under the clear water. But no matter the effort she put forth to keep him out, he slipped in with ease, reading every expression on her face.

He came closer. "Are you angry I'll leave without saying goodbye?"

She scoffed at his words, her cheeks reddening. She wanted to take her spear and whack him on the head. Anything to wipe that cocky smile off his face. Or... wash it away.

The idea struck so fast, she wasted no time worrying whether it was a good or a bad one in case he heard and tried to stop her. She kicked her leg out of the water and splashed him square in the chest, in the face, soaking his dark clothes.

They both jumped from shock - Ben from the sudden spray of water, Rey from how incredibly childish she was being.

Her lips parted in horror. "I'm sorry!"

Both fish and spear slipped from his hands and plopped into the water. He wiped the wet from his face, and he stared as if she'd slapped him. Then, without missing a beat, he splashed her back, dampening her hair and clothes.

She gave a sharp gasp and spit out salty water. Gritting her teeth, she dropped her spear, barking, "Why, you -!"

From the beach, the porgs looked on with puzzled interest at Ben and Rey bathing each other in ocean water. Rey's curses were almost as blaring as Ben's laughter.

"Wait - Stop! Stop!" Rey shouted at once, and the ocean shower abruptly ceased. They gawked at one another, both dripping wet and gasping for breath. Ben shook the water from his messy black hair, and as he moved to comb his fingers through it, Rey bent and splashed him again. She sloshed away towards the beach with a loud triumphant laugh.

"Get back here!" She heard him shout and chase her out of the water into the sand. The porgs scattered in noisy haste.

Thinking fast, Rey extended her arm, and, to her amazement, her staff answered at once. It came flying from where she'd left it buried in the sand just in time to turn and point it at him, thwarting his attempt to grab her. She raised it higher with a playful smile and forced him back, but she was mistaken to think he would surrender that easily. Her defiance only excited him. Blood pumping, eyes glued on her, he reached out as well, and his spear flung from the water and smacked into his powerful grip. She didn't wait for him to be ready; didn't need to. Gritting her teeth, she swung at him fast as lightning. Thwack! The spear and staff collided, and Rey jumped back when she heard his next thought.

He swung at her legs and missed. She drove her staff at his gut. Missed. They chased each other around the sandy beach, fighting until the glowing orange sun began to sink beneath the coming clouds, painting them all a scorching red. Their wet clothes soon dried from their constant battling. Every blow one threw, the other knew where and how to block it, making it impossible for either to gain the upper hand. Yet, after some time, neither could remember why they had begun in the first place. Their duel turned into a kind of game, a dance neither had ever done but knew all the steps to.

Every move she made, he was there to meet her, to look into her eyes before blocking her again. He refused to hold back. Not only because he was determined to win; he also knew there was no point in doing so. No need to hesitate or ease up. When it came to combat, he understood how capable she could be, felt it burning in her blood and eyes. And she treasured him for it.

Rey wiped the sweat from her brow and spun until her staff parried his spear and their gasping faces were only inches from each other. Rey's chest rose and fell. Blood rushed to her face. There was wanting in his dark eyes like she had never seen before, a mix of awe and desire that lit her aflame. The pink in her cheeks, which he liked so much, tempted him to close the space between them. If he had only chosen different, she could tell him how happy it made her and not feel a fool. If he had only chosen different, she might close that space herself.

"I didn't choose you," he said all of a sudden. "That's why you were angry."

Rey blinked. Stepped back. Her heart swelled with fierce anger looking at him. She fought off the desire to whack him with her staff. He would probably hear her and block it, anyway.

"I've asked you not to do that," she said.

He huffed, standing tall. "It isn't like I'm doing it on purpose, you know. You think I enjoy having you hear everything I'm thinking?"

"You're not exactly trying to ignore it either, are you?"

"Well, what am I supposed to do? Just pretend I don't hear it?"

"Yes!"

"Why!"

Frowning, Rey turned on her heel towards their belongings left near the shore. Her skin flamed crimson as she walked away. He'd uncovered what she'd been trying so desperately to conceal. It lay there naked and bare between them now so that even she could see the truth of it. All of it. And it frightened her to no end. She was falling in love with him.

"Rey."

She stopped. Her heart leapt at the low, gentle sound of his voice. She felt his strong hand slip into hers and turn her around.

"I'm sorry." He said it with such sincere remorse, it made Rey feel silly for getting so heated. It wasn't his fault. Not truly.

"I'm sorry too." She squeezed his hand. "Maybe there's some way to - I don't know - lessen the bond?"

"Well, I mean... I don't want to lessen it too much." His fingers brushed one of her white sashes as he spoke. "But it would be nice to have some privacy in my own head."

Rey smiled, an idea forming in her mind after hearing his words. "Hold still."

"Alright..." He said, skeptical yet interested in what she planned to do.

The tips of her fingers touched his temples and she closed her eyes, concentrating. His thoughts raced in a piercing indiscernible mess inside his head. Rey focused on silencing their noise, on building a wall around them, around hers. She called on the Force to aid her. Slowly, like turning the dial on a transceiver, the noise began to fade until she only heard the ocean waves rolling up the sand. Only the dry swish of the trees and their leaves as wind rushed throughout the cove. Only his quiet breathing.

Her eyes peeked open, meeting his, and, with her hands still touching him, said: "Well? Think of something."

"I am," he whispered. It was as tender as the look he was giving her. She didn't need to read his mind to know what he was imagining, what he wanted. The way his eyes wandered over her lips said it all. Nerves fluttered like butterflies in her belly. Her heart pounded faster and faster.

"You shouldn't," she said softly.

His hand touched her waist, pulling her closer. "Why?" he begged.

"We're on opposite sides of the war. We're meant to be enemies. This... It's impossible."

"And if we weren't? If we were on the same side? Not Snoke's side - a side of our own. What then?"

A rush of excitement made her whole being lighter until the heels of her bare feet seemed to float off the sand. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. A side of their own. Away from the darkness of the past and everything that threatened to keep them apart. Would he really turn his back on it all just to be with her?

She smiled with paralyzing happiness and cupped his cheek with her hand. Her thumb ran gently down his scar. "Is that really what you want?"

"I want you. I want this."

"Ben..." Her eyes shined, but the rest of her words were lost in his mouth - in the soft, urgent way he hugged her body to his. Rey's legs trembled from the delicious taste. From the way his insistent mouth was parting her shaking lips, sending shivers down her spine when his tongue tickled hers. Rey gasped. Her skin was steaming with desire.

In a matter of seconds, the First Order, the Resistance, the galaxy, the war - it all became meaningless. It melted away with every single doubt and fear she had ever felt. Only she and him existed in this moment, along with their powerful bond which pulsed like mad when she slid her eyes closed and kissed him back, losing herself in his lips. He groaned low in his throat when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, knotting her fingers in his hair. She loved the sound and licked his lips to hear it once more.

The air around them, once quiet, now cracked and sparked from their feverous embrace. Everything, from the cove, to the island, to the planet itself was suddenly drowning in their soothing peace and happiness. The Force was bursting with warmth and intensity. They felt it deep inside each other as their lips moved. Right here, right now, in each other's arms; everything was as it was meant to be.

Heart pounding, Rey kissed him again, and her eyes fluttered open to see the same raging hunger she was feeling reflected in his face. That same excitement at this new beginning. He wanted her. He truly wanted her. As badly as she wanted him. And there was nothing that could come between that amazing feeling.

"Palis sa malamoli-magna!"

Ben and Rey turned at the high-pitched squeal, and their faces paled.

The two caretakers, who'd been busy preparing their boat before, were just now sailing their way into the cove. Their eyes and mouths were open wide at what they were seeing.

Ben and Rey quickly stepped away from each other, but it was clear the quiet creatures had seen everything. In no time, their boat made it onto the shore, and they hopped out into the water with small buckets to search for oysters. They muttered quietly to each other as they searched, stealing awkward glances at both Ben and Rey.

"What did they say?" Rey hissed at Ben. "Before."

He shook his head. His guess was as good as hers. "Judging by their tone, not anything good."

Not knowing what else to do, and hoping to appease them, Rey took Ben's hand and led him in their direction. Together, they helped the caretakers in their search, and soon the buckets were overflowing with salty oysters. With another squeal, the Lanai motioned for them to climb into their boat alongside them as they prepared to leave. Ben and Rey slipped their boots back on, gathered their fish and belongings, and did as they were told. They sat next to each other as the caretakers rowed the boat back into the water and out onto the blue sea.

And when the Lanai's backs were turned, busy rowing the boat, Rey reached for Ben's hand and held it close to her. He smiled sweetly when she did and leaned to steal a quick kiss, and another, and another. Ach-To trembled when he did, and the water rocked the boat violently, nearly sending the two Lanai flying into the water. Yet, it did little to upset them. All they did was laugh, laugh until their voices were as loud as the sea.