It was nighttime, but Rey was wide awake. How could she sleep, when there were screams in the distance? All she wanted was for the torture to stop, so she could spring into action. But she had to wait until the time was right. Just a little longer, and then she could silence their screams.

Finally, many hours after midnight, there came the silence that Rey had been waiting for. They were finished, at last.

Rey jumped out of bed, already dressed and ready for action. She had her lightsaber and a gun with her.

She snuck down to the dungeons, her heartbeat throbbing in her ears.

The dungeons were dark, and the smell of blood was strong. A few years past, Rey would've found the stench nauseating. Not anymore, though; she was too used to it now.

It was easy enough to find the prisoner's whereabouts; they were the only people alive down in the dungeons, and Rey made her way into their cell with ease. There, she found two broken shells that belonged to the captives. No wait, only one; the man was already dead. Only the woman remained.

"Who are you?" the survivor managed to rasp.

"I'm here to get you out of here," Rey responded. She knew how naive it sounded, but by god, she had to at least try to save the poor woman. They'd ripped her clothes right off her body when they raped her.

The woman laughed, blood flying out of his mouth as he did so.

"You came too late, sister. I'm just about dead…"

You're worse than dead, Rey thought to herself. They raped you, those bastards.

"I can heal you," Rey whispered, but that was a lie; there's no way she could heal everything they'd done to the woman. All the same, Rey set to work on the shackles.

"Hey, sister," the woman said to her as she worked. Rey grunted in response.

"You killed Annie, didn't you?"

Memories Rey would rather have forgotten flooded into her mind. Cutting flesh, a body falling to the ground with a scream, and then silence.

That's right, she had killed their comrade.

"Yeah," she whispered gravely. "I killed Annie."

The captive sighed of relief. Why? Rey felt the woman's ragged breath on her neck.

"Thank you…"

Rey swallowed down her tears. "Don't thank me. I killed your friend." Please, I don't deserve this.

Rey felt like she was going to cry. But had to stay strong, for her sake, and the captive's.

The woman looked at her fallen comrade's body on the ground, and then at Rey. Her eyes were a stunning blue, Rey noticed. But they were sad… so very sad.

"If Annie had survived, she would've been taken here… and—" the woman choked. "—one person getting defiled is enough."

Oh god, don't say that, Rey pleaded.

The captive bowed her head. "I'm glad Annie died when she did. In battle. Not like this…"

"I—" Rey began, but made it no farther. That's when she heard footsteps; Ben. He was coming for her. She had to move fast.

Rey got back to working on the bindings, so hard her hands bled. The footsteps were approaching fast, and she didn't have the time to finish—

That's when the woman spoke to her again.

"Sister."

"What is it?" Rey sobbed, and then cried out in rage; the metal simply wouldn't give way, even with all her powers.

"Can you do one thing for me?" the captive asked.

Kylo Ren was almost there, Rey could feel his steps approaching.

"Yeah." Rey breathed, her hands shaking. I just wish I could do more.

The woman looked at her, with those sad, sad blue eyes. Pleading.

"Set me free," the woman whispered. How her voice could sound so serene, Rey never understood.

"Goddammit, I'm trying to!" Rey cried, tears of frustration streaming down her eyes.

"No," the captive said. "Not that kind of free."

Realization dawned on Rey.

Free.

Set me free.

A tear rolled down Rey's cheek. She opened her mouth.

"I will," Rey whispered, and nothing else.

The woman closed her eyes for the last time in her life. Rey would never see that beautiful blue again.

"Thank you," the woman whispered. "Thank you…"

Rey used the force to find her neck.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be."

I'm so sorry…

Rey felt her invisible hands wrap around the woman's delicate neck. She closed her eyes. Took a breath.

And tightened her grip until there was no life left.

"There," Rey whispered, when her heartbeat was the only one remaining.

"You're free, now."

Free.