Ben

My saber called to me.

It was easy enough to find in a safe near the brig, and from there I found the corridors and stairwells unguarded.

I found Rey and my Knights exactly as I expected, in the middle of the throne room with Hux, and there were eight guards stationed in two half circles on either side.

I ignited my lightsaber, and he turned to look at me as I stalked in. His guard and my Knights readied their weapons.

Rey's eyes met mine, and relief washed over her face. A quick look over her body told me she was at least physically unharmed.

"Ah, there you are." Hux said, as if he'd been waiting for me. "I was starting to worry you wouldn't get to see this." And then he stabbed Rey in the chest.

All of the air went out of me in one broken heave. No. No no no. "Rey!"

My Knights attacked, clashing with the guard, and Rey looked down at the black object stuck in her chest. She reached up and pulled it free, looking more confused than anything. In her hands was a black housing unit containing six syringes.

Then I watched the color drain from her face and I lunged forward, but not in enough time to catch Rey before she fell, and I watched her crumple onto the floor.

Hux stepped between us with a guard wielding a broadaxe, and they stood between me and my mate.

I charged, swinging a blow aimed at Hux but the guard brought his axe up to block.

He threw my blade aside, and brought the hilt of his axe up to meet my jaw so hard that my teeth went through my lip.

I stumbled back, stunned, and he struck again before I could recover, putting his boot into my gut and ripping the air from my lungs. I went down, and saw him charge forward, his axe raised above his head.

I rolled as he brought the blade down, sparks flying as the metal hit the plasteel floor, exactly where my heart had been seconds earlier.

I got my feet under me, and stepped to put myself between him and the unconscious form of Rey, willing my lungs to take in air.

When he charged again, I ignited my blade and was somehow able to get it up to block his downward slice in time.

He freed his weapon with a grunt, and I twisted and ducked as the axe sailed above me with such force that it would have split open my skull if it had landed.

The guard rushed forward immediately after completing his swing, but I was up, and ready for him, bringing my blade up, and grazing his right forearm. He howled in pain and lunged forward, chopping viciously, his blade missing my shoulder by an inch.

I spun, pointing my saber down to block another blow, and put all of my weight into throwing him back several paces.

I spat out a mouthful of blood, and dared a glance over my shoulder to Rey.

The guard lunged, as I predicted, and I spun, dodging his attack.

He swung recklessly behind him, but I was there, and took his head off of his shoulders.

Pain. Blinding, searing pain, and my left leg went limp.

I fell, dropping my saber, my hand going to the gash on my thigh, and I looked down, finding my palm and fingers covered in dark red blood

No.

I tried to cover the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but the cut was too deep, too wide. Critical. I'd seen wounds like this on the battlefield, but with blood loss and infection, I'd never seen survivors.

Hux knelt down next to me and reached up, putting a hand on either side of his helmet. It whirred as it disengaged, and he pulled it off. He stared at me, then grimaced, as he inspected the wound on my thigh.

He stood, leaving the helmet on the floor, and picked up the fallen axe, straining under its weight.

"It was mine." He said, calmly. "The title of Supreme Leader was meant for me. And you stole that from me." He looked down at Rey, at my hope and love and light and life. 'Well," he sneered. "Now I've stolen what was meant for you."

He raised the axe, the blade shining with my blood, and I knew that his blow would kill me.

And though I knew that I would soon be dead, my thoughts were not on myself, but on my mate. I needed to get to her, I needed to save her. We weren't supposed to end like this.

Please. I begged to the Force. Please save her. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough.

The axe began to fall, and then halted, a shocked, wide eyed expression on Hux's face.

The weapon clattered to the floor, as a strange choking sound poured out of him, a sputtering, and a hiss.

For a moment. I thought the Force had heard me and answered my prayer, then the blade of my lightsaber was pushed through his chest, spraying blood.

He slumped to his knees, and I saw Rey - Rey - standing behind him, her face white as bone. "Don't you fucking touch my Mate." She snarled, and rammed the saber in him to the hilt.

Hux fell at her feet, the blade extinguishing as soon as Rey dropped it.

Her face was speckled with blood, her eyes sunken in, and her lips were white.

But, she was fine. She was up, and she'd killed Hux. My relief had me nearly forgetting my own wound and the blood pooling under me. "Rey?" I called.

She blinked when she heard me, but did not look up. She teetered a bit, and then she coughed, blood erupting from her mouth and trickling down her chin.

I gasped sharply, scanning her again for injuries.

Then, realization hit me as I remembered the six syringes in the black box. Stabbed into her chest above her heart. They were poison.

I dragged myself toward her, my left leg leaving a trail of blood behind me.

A gurgle came out of her as she tried to take a breath, and then her eyes rolled closed and she fell back.

"Rey!" I screamed, crawling toward her.

The giant form of Trudgen knelt down and gingerly lifted her into his arms.

"I've got her." He assured me, and called for a medical droid.

I felt hands on my shoulders, rolling me onto my back, then heard Ap'lek swear and felt pressure on the wound on my thigh.

I groaned in pain, the corners of my vision darkening. "Rey-" I begged.

"Trudgen has Rey, and she will be in the medical bay soon." Ap'lek explained. Then, he was speaking to someone else. "We need to get this bleeding stopped, he's going into shock."

It was so much harder to think, but I had to tell them that Rey was poisoned, not to focus on me, to help her. She needed the antidote.

"Rey-" I tried to sit up, and several hands pushed me back down, then held me there.

I heard them speak, but their voices were far away.

My eyelids were too heavy to keep open, so I let them slide closed.

oOo

Author's note: We're nearing the end. I plan on a few more chapters and a possible sequel. It depends on whether or not you'd want a follow-up.