Chapter 8

Varykino was a place for ghosts, haunted by the shadows of its former tenants. It had been abandoned by the Naberrie clan after Padme's funeral. The wedding, which never was, had left a mark on the once serene lake community. Local residents avoided the house at all costs. The property had been untouched for decades with an unseen, but apparent blemish.

When Kylo disembarked his ship, cradling Rey's motionless form in his arms, he barely noticed the overgrowth and decay. His only concern was the unconscious Jedi he carried. Nothing existed outside of her, for she had become his world.

Piloting his Silencer had proven tricky. The TIE fighter had been designed to only carry a single passenger. Its purpose was for war, not as a transport vessel. Kylo was grateful he'd made modifications to the base design. The alterations he'd requested to accommodate his massive size allowed him to keep Rey in his lap while he flew them away from Theed Palace.

Of course, having Rey in his lap introduced a whole array of problems — none of which had anything to do with piloting his prized craft. He'd fantasized about having her in his lap on numerous occasions, sometimes in the Silencer and sometimes on his throne.

One look at her pale face and Kylo pushed those thoughts aside.

Everyone was already waiting in the foyer when they arrived. Archais gave Kylo a curt nod, his hand resting on his weapon, ready to engage if, for any reason, Kylo had been followed. Temiri, who was corralled between the three Resistance fighters in the corner, was the next to notice the Supreme Leader.

"Rey!"

All eyes were instantly on Kylo and the girl he carried. Two glanced at Rey, then up at him, clearly concerned, while the other three glared daggers at him.

"What happened?" The traitor snarled, making a beeline for the Supreme Leader.

Apparently, FN-2187 hadn't learned his lesson on Starkiller. Kylo was prepared to give him a refresher course. The man wasn't getting anywhere near Rey. No one was.

As Kylo summoned a surge of the Force, Archais stepped in the man's path, his staff outstretched as a warning. In response, the pilot pulled out a blaster and the technician aside him yanked out a taser. Three against two were unfavorable odds, but Kylo had learned from a young age to ignore the statistics.

"Give her to me," FN-2187 demanded.

"No," Kylo growled.

"She deserves to be with her friends, with people who care about her," the former Stormtrooper insisted.

"She deserves a level of care that you can't provide," Kylo shot back.

"And you can?" FN-2187 challenged him.

Kylo seethed, reaching for the Force in order to silence the man once and for all.

Tension in the air crackled.

"Is she going to be alright?" Temiri queried, more concerned about Rey than placing blame on anyone. The child's innocent question cleared Kylo's mind and he withdrew his attack.

"I don't know," he admitted defeatedly.

He'd never beheld such power before. In all his research, there had never been a Jedi capable of Force lightning. It was an inherently Dark power, and even then, it was rare for a Force user to control the energy for such a blast. The extended period of time Rey had managed to wield the power was another anomaly.

Kylo was already worried about the poison she had unknowingly ingested. Combined with the dark power coursing through her system, he feared only one outcome was possible. But he'd be damned if he gave her up without a fight.

"Did you obtain a medical droid?" Kylo asked Archais.

"No, master," the knight apologized. "In securing the rebels' safety, I was unable to procure the medic."

Kylo caught the wide-eyed glance the trio shared. Good, he thought bitterly. They should be ashamed of their antics. Their foolishness had once again done more harm than good.

"I need a place to set her down so I can examine the extent of the damage," he declared.

"There's a room upstairs that can offer you the privacy you need." Archais backed away from the trio of friends.

They regarded the Supreme Leader warily, but none made a move to interfere. Perhaps he hadn't been the only one affected by the child's words. They didn't try to stop Temiri when he said he was going with Rey and Kylo. It wasn't until Kylo had moved past the trio that he felt the boy's Force signature. He was keeping them frozen in place. Kylo stifled a chuckle.

Archais guided them out of the foyer and to a large marble staircase. Like the rest of the house, the statues in the landing niches and the decorative end tables had been covered with basic cloth to keep the dust off. Each article was draped in white fabric, furthering the feel of desolation and abandonment.

"She'll be okay, right?" Temiri asked, falling in step with Kylo as they ascended. "She's going to wake up?"

He wanted to tell the boy that she would, but Kylo could feel Rey's pulse weakening with each breath she took. Her light was being extinguished and he had no idea how to stop it. In the end, he remained silent.

They stopped outside a bedroom suite — if Kylo had to guess, one reserved for dignified guests based upon its size. As he took his first step inside, the lingering scent of sage and sandalwood filled his nostrils. The locals must have attempted to cleanse the house of Darth Vader's negative energy. He hoped they had been successful.

For a moment, he stood stock still, clutching Rey to his chest as he scanned the room. After the altercation with the Resistance and fleeing from the palace, he was on high alert, questioning everyone's motives, doubting every shadow that flittered across his line of sight.

"Kylo?" Temiri tugged at his robes.

"Let him be," Archais said gently, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "We must all let them be."

Kylo shot his friend a look of gratitude before his knight shut the doors, allowing him privacy to lay Rey upon the bed.

Since they'd landed she'd grown paler. Her chest barely moved with each inhale and exhale. Her lips were as colorless as her skin, adding to her sickly complexion.

He stood over her, unsure what to do. Without a medic to diagnose her, Rey was on borrowed time. Every minute he spent deliberating was one less minute she spent in his presence. Anxiety gripped him, paralyzing his body until all he could do was stare helplessly at her motionless form.

Was the Force punishing him? Had Rey suffered because of his own misguided decisions?

Misguided.

It was a term he'd heard often in reference to his grandfather from both sides. His mother, who rarely spoke of Anakin, called him misguided in how he came to power. Snoke spoke of Darth Vader being misguided in his use of the power, convinced he had never achieved his full potential.

All Kylo was convinced of was the fact his grandfather had been conflicted and that conflict clouded the galaxy's perception of the fallen Jedi.

The Supreme Leader thought conflict began and ended with the Skywalker line. Based on his schooling, whether on Chandrila, the Jedi Academy or on board the Supremacy, the galaxy's wars were a result of a series of events propagated by the Skywalkers. It was an endless cycle, one he had hoped to end.

And yet, he found himself once again stuck between the Light and the Dark, unable to see a clear path out.

I'll help you.

He recalled Rey's offer in the turbo lift. Why hadn't he gone with her then? If he had, he would have seen his mother before she passed. He wouldn't have another family member's death weighing on his conscious, because Luke would still be alive. He wouldn't have spent the last year searching the stars for the last Jedi, because she would have been with him.

Misguided, indeed.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," he called out, his eyes never leaving Rey's face.

"Master," Archais came to stand behind him. "General Hux has issued a kill order for the last Jedi, the boy, myself and...you."

"Obviously," Kylo hissed.

The rabid cur hadn't even waited a day to send his attack dogs after them. It complicated matters, but it wasn't unexpected. Kylo knew Hux to be a shrewd man, a coward, but crafty. Their timeline had just been cut in half.

If Rey even made it through the night.

If she didn't...well, Hux would be the least of his worries. Kylo would burn the galaxy to ash and he'd take all those who had a hand in Rey's demise with him.

Perhaps he could go back to Theed, sneak in using the secret tunnels and steal a medical droid. Of course, that meant leaving Rey and he would sooner turn himself over to the Resistance than—

Kylo froze.

The Resistance. They had medics — and good ones, if their resilience was any indication. He needed one of them — all of them — here.

"Bring me the pilot," he ordered.

Archais bowed and retreated backward.

Kylo listened to his knight's footsteps as his friend exited the room. He was sure Archais knew of his intentions, but the other man had remained loyal this long. It appeared he'd be loyal to the end.

With a sigh, the former Supreme Leader sat on the edge of the bed. He had only one chip left to play. He would play them all if it meant she'd open her beautiful hazel eyes. She had sacrificed so much, it seemed only fair for him to sacrifice for her in return.

"Hang on for me, sweetheart," he told her, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "I need you."

"Rey."

"Wake up, Rey."

Someone was calling her. Whoever it was, it was someone familiar. Rey had heard them speak to her before, long ago when she'd been on Takodana. Now, she could hear them as if they were right in front of her, but she couldn't see. She was surrounded in darkness, trapped in the cold consuming power of the Dark side of the Force.

"Rey."

She focused on opening her eyes, attempting to call upon her own power to break out of the hold. She couldn't.

"You can," the voice argued.

Whether due to her need to prove the stranger wrong or simply from sheer will, Rey opened her eyes.

She found herself still in the black, but not completely lost to the darkness. Small specks of light dotted the inky black and a long narrow path lay before her. Rey scanned the area, unsure what would become of her if she were to step off the path. Her instincts told her nothing good. The pathway seemed to go on forever — just like the labyrinth, intersecting other paths up ahead.

"What is this place?" She asked the incorporeal entity.

It didn't answer her.

Rey stepped forward along the bridge. Each time her foot connected with the ground, the vibrations of the impact rippled out, as if she was walking upon water instead of a solid surface. She stared at her feet, mesmerized.

"Your focus determines your reality," a new voice stated.

Rey glanced behind her, expecting to see someone before her, but she was met with only darkness.

"Somebody has to save our skins!"

"Leia?" Rey whipped around. Was this a place for Force ghosts?

"In a manner of speaking," the original specter chuckled.

"Lucky me," she replied sarcastically. She reached for her lightsaber, only to find it was no longer attached to her belt.

"In my experience, there is no such thing as luck," he replied. "There is only the Force."

Rey paused, watching as a human male appeared before her on the bridge. He was dressed in traditional Jedi robes, the same ones Master Skywalker had worn on Ahch-To, but he was older than Luke with kinder eyes.

Her body tensed, ready to defend herself if the need arose, but the man merely smiled.

"Welcome, Rey of Jakku to the World Between Worlds."

"You wanted to see me."

Kylo gazed up at the lone figure in the doorway. With a final glance at Rey, he rose from his seat and crossed the room to stand before the pilot.

"It's your lucky day, Dameron," he announced while regarding the shorter man. "I am willing to make you a deal."

The pilot cocked an eyebrow. "A deal?"

"I'll turn myself over to the Resistance," Kylo offered. "In return for a favor."

"A favor?" Poe scoffed. "I don't need to give you a favor. The war is coming to an end. Once Rey wakes up, she's bringing you back to our base."

"Rey isn't going to wake up if she doesn't receive medical attention," Kylo snapped.

"Yeah, whose fault is that?" Poe quipped, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kylo ignored his childish behavior. There was no time. Once Rey was awake and stable, then he'd have words with the pilot. "I will permit you to escort me back to the Resistance. I vow to offer up no fight. If your wish is to try me for my crimes, then so be it."

"Is this a trick?" Dameron queried skeptically.

"No," Kylo confirmed.

"They won't offer you a pardon," Dameron divulged. "Not after what you've done."

"No," Kylo agreed. "I wouldn't expect them to. It doesn't matter either way, because what I want isn't for me."

For the first time since entering the chamber, the pilot's eyes flickered to the last Jedi. "Is she...?"

"I need your medical team," Kylo requested, ignoring Dameron's incomplete question. "And I need them here now ."

The pilot stared up at him, scanning his face as if he was searching for a sign of trickery. "And then you'll turn yourself in?"

"Yes."

"Just like that?"

"Told you it was your lucky day."

Dameron fell silent for a moment, mulling it over as he observed Rey's shallow breathing. When he reached his decision, he focused back on Kylo.

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," the pilot snarked. "Why? Why do this when there's nothing in it for you?"

Kylo blinked, unprepared for this line of questioning. "That is none of your concern." Dameron snorted. Kylo was not amused. "Time is a commodity I don't have. Do we have an agreement?"

"Fine." The pilot held his hand out. "I'll comm Harter."

Kylo nodded in thanks and the pilot turned to leave, before pausing with his hand on the door frame. "Does she know?" he asked.

"Know?" Kylo queried.

"That you love her."

He felt his face heat up with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. Angling his head away from Dameron, he muttered, "I never got the chance to tell her."

"You should," Poe commented. "Before it's too late." With that, he left to contact the doctor.

Kylo returned to Rey's bedside, willing the medic a swift journey across the stars.

"Who are you?" Rey asked the man.

"A Jedi, much like yourself," he replied. "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Rey's body relaxed. Even if she wasn't feeling like much of a Jedi, the man's calm manner put her at ease. "What do you want with me?"

"Oh," he chuckled. "I assure you, it isn't what I want."

She scowled. "It's what the Force wants?"

"No, Rey," he corrected. "This is about what you want, what you need ."

"What?"

"Walk with me," he invited her.

Rey fell in step with Obi-Wan. Together they passed several gateways, each calling to Rey in one form or another. The first showed her the lake on Takodana, the one she had planned on taking a dip in before Han flew her home to Jakku, back when she still didn't fully understand how her life had irrevocably changed. The next showed nothing, but she heard a disembodied voice. "The time to fight is now!" A young woman rallied.

Rey passed each of the portals, giving them a fleeting glance. Nothing more.

"Tell me, Rey of Jakku, what do you think brought you here?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The Force," she replied without hesitation.

"Indeed, but to what end?"

They passed another gateway and what she saw through the portal made her freeze.

Rey saw herself with Ben in the middle of their fight against Snoke's guards. She swallowed thickly, watching the way they moved as one, as though they had been fighting together for years. It was beautiful, a rhythmic dance amidst the fire and fury.

She barely recalled the details of the battle. In the moment, all Rey had been concerned with was surviving. Her sole goal was to get both her and Ben back to the Resistance.

When one of the guards sliced her upper arm open, she witnessed Ben's reaction. His jaw set and his eyes were on her. Only her. In that instant, she saw him mouth, "Hold on." At the time she hadn't noticed, too preoccupied with avoiding a follow-up attack, but in hindsight, her heart ached for him. They'd both been fighting off multiple aggressors and, yet, he had been worried about her.

"Ben."

Obi-Wan placed a hand on her shoulder. "He was named after me, you know." Rey gazed up into his shining blue eyes with curiosity. "I knew his uncle, Luke, and his grandfather, Anakin," Obi-Wan explained.

"You mean Darth Vader?"

"I mean Anakin Skywalker, my Padawan and my best friend," Obi-Wan clarified.

"But he turned to the Dark," Rey pointed out.

"No one is ever really gone," the old Jedi assured her.

"What do you mean?" Rey asked.

"Go," Obi-Wan directed…

…right before he pushed her through the portal.

Labyrinth Easter Eggs
-The Helping Hands = The World Between Worlds scenario reminds me a lot of Sarah's meeting with the Helping Hands in the movie. In a way, all those who Rey meets in the World Between Worlds helps her to reconnect to her purpose and Ben.