Chapter Two

"What do you mean she's not here?!" Poe Dameron had a voice that carried. When upset it was loud, to the point and usually dripping with sarcasm and frustration. This time it was directed at the unfortunate soul who had just delivered the news that his adopted sister had disappeared. That girl was going to be the death of him.

"I went to go talk to her this morning and she was gone, all her things, her droid. BB8 said she left a message."

"What was the message Rey!" He shouted at the small Jedi girl who he also considered a sister. He was quickly losing patience. Addy was his responsibility and if she went and did something stupid….

"If you would stop shouting at me I would tell you." Rey was one of the few who would call him out on his bullshit; Addy on the other hand always seemed to shut down. He should have seen the signs; he should have listened to her. Instead he had dismissed her again telling her she was chasing fairy tales. She always had a strong opinion on what she believed in no matter how fantastical it was. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face in frustration.

"Sorry." He added to which she gave him a curt nod in return. She motioned for BB8 to enter the room. The little droid seemed to be hiding from him due to his outburst. BB8 seemed to have a soft spot for pretty little irritating girls. Since Rey and Addy had entered the picture the once extremely loyal droid seemed to have switched sides. Not that he minded because at least the girls had a companion but during situations like this it frustrated him. "Come on in buddy. What did she leave with you?' He tried to use a soothing voice but BB8 seemed to rock back and forth nervously as if afraid of another outburst. Great now his droid was afraid of him. BB8 hummed softly. "I'm not yelling." It whistled. "No I'm not…! Look I'm just worried can you show me the message, please." Reluctantly BB8 turned on his projector. An image of Addy was displayed. She looked defeated, yet determined as she straightened herself before the droid. It was evident that she had been crying. That alone cut Poe to the core.

"You ready BB?" She had asked. "Oh, right…Hi Poe. If you are seeing this then you have figured out that I am gone, not forever just for a little while." She looked away for a moment as if to gain her confidence and stared right back. "Look, I know you don't want me to go that you are just trying to protect me and I love you for that truly but I need to do this. I know you don't believe me but there is something out there and I need to find it and if I don't then you can tell me you told me so and I will let you hold it over my head for as long as you need to. But if I'm right, wouldn't you rather we are prepared? I know it's a long shot and once you receive this message I will be way out of radio range but I will send a beacon once I find something. Don't worry about me, even though I know you will. I'll be okay. I have KD and everything you and Alec taught me. You are a good brother and I love you but I need this. Please don't hate me, not forever. Give everyone else my love and I will see you soon." She looked down at her feet and shuffled slightly. "I guess…I guess that's it for now. Love you." With that her image was gone. The office was quiet. BB8 seemed to be sulking, Poe defeated and Rey unsure of everything.

"So that's it then? What now?" Rey asked not sure rather to be angry or hurt that she had left so suddenly.

"I don't know Rey? She wants to do this. She's stubborn." Poe was unusually subdued which worried the girl.

"Well we can't just leave her out there."

"We're not even sure where she is or where she is going. I should have listened to her, I shouldn't have upset her." Guilt was eating away at him.

"I should have listened to her too. I hadn't been sensing anything but if by some chance she's right…"

"Then she shouldn't be out there facing it alone. Look I have a council meeting in fifteen minutes, why don't you gather up Rose and Finn, put our heads together and maybe we can figure out where she went. I just need to know that she's okay." Rey nodded to him as she stood up.

"If you want my honest opinion, I think she is just feeling unsettled in all of this. I mean we all have our thing in this new way of life and she has just been stuck since Alec died. We will find her, okay." Poe looked at his friend and nodded his head at her optimistic outlook. He wished he could think the same way.

"Thanks Rey, oh and I am sorry I yelled."

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't." She said with a small smile as she turned and walked out. Poe sat back in his seat with a heavy sigh, worry gnawing at him. He should have been a better friend, a better brother but like Rey had said they all had a place in all of this except for her. It had been his fault really. He had meant to keep his promise to her brother and keep an eye on her, protect her. In the end it had driven her away. He stood making his way to his meeting. Being the top general in the resistance left little time for much else but he vowed to bring his family home whatever the cost.

She woke the next morning just as the sun was peaking over the horizon. They air was already thick and heavy with moisture and she was already feeling the effects. She kicked her blanket off from her with a huff and went to gather things for the day. Unhooking KD from the charger she gathered her water containers, purifying tablets and clothes as she made her way to a river not far from her camp. She had discovered it when she had first landed knowing she would need a fresh water source. The river flowed gently through the thick greenage with a small water fall as its back drop. It was the perfect spot for bathing and such as the water only reached her waist but if she sat on the gravelly bottom it came level with her shoulders. She still worried that she would be watched so this was always a hurried trip with KD watching guard.

She approached the river looking around for any signs of life and seeing none set her stuff down but then stopped. She had that sudden prickle in the back of her head as if someone was watching. She looked around finding nothing once again but she couldn't shake the feeling. There was no way in hell she was getting undressed if someone was watching. Suddenly that feeling went away as if whoever had been there had sensed her discomfort. Could it be a creepy pervert with a sense of honor? She felt the wind shift slightly and if she listened ever so slightly it was as if the wind had picked up a slight chuckle. Her imagination was in overdrive this morning. She quickly filled her water containers and plugged in the purifying tablets. As they set to work she quickly set to getting herself cleaned up as quickly as possible while KD kept watch. As she washed she let her mind drift back to the cavern she had found yesterday. Her plan was to propel down it to see if she hit bottom. Not her best laid plan but it was the only one she had. She had a feeling that something was down there, something that may prove her theory right. She also wanted to explore the lower ruins a bit more. She had found those the first day she was there. Mostly fallen down giant columns that had crumbled with age the odd thig was she had found no writings, no symbols that might tell what this place really was. There had been something her once upon a time but she still wasn't sure what. It had been old, ancient long before anything she had ever dated so she knew she was on to something, she just didn't know what.

Once she has finished her daily routine she set back toward her camp site making a mental list of what she needed with her if she was to descend down a dark creepy hole. Light was her first thought for she was not overly thrilled with the dark. Things lived in the darkness and she hated not being able to see what was in front of her.

"KD help me keep a list will ya?" She asked the droid that gaited along beside her. She started to list off items verbally, rope, light, a holo cam, her tools and so forth.

"Miss Adelaide do you believe that it is wise to descend such a crevasse?" The droid almost sounded worried, almost.

"You worried about me KD? I've done crazier stuff than this. Besides there is something down there, I know it."

"Yes, Miss." The droid answered without questioning it further this just made her uneasy as if she was waiting for an argument.

"Look would it make you feel better if we looked for a different way in?" Truthfully she wasn't overly thrilled about descending into an endless abyss herself.

"I will assist you in any way you need Miss Adelaide." Addy sighed.

"Well aren't you overly helpful." She added sarcastically. She had finally made her to her site and over to the rock she had used to cover the entrance. As she pushed it away she stopped. "What the hell?!" The entrance was gone, not collapsed or flooded as one might expect but gone as if it was never there to begin with. "Hey, KD you want to scan this area. We did see something yesterday right?" She sure hoped that she hadn't imagined it, if she had then she would have to start questioning her sanity.

"Yes Miss, there was something here but now there is nothing."

"Nothing? How can there be nothing?"

"It just no longer is Miss." KD responded. Odd she thought to herself, very odd.

"Well you stay here; I'm going down into the ruins. Maybe I can find a way in. Stay in radio contact."

"Yes Miss." KD responded as it maned its post. A disappearing hole that had led nowhere to begin with was very concerning but what did she expect when dealing with possible Jedi ruins. Maybe coming here wasn't such a great plan but regrets would come later. She made her way down an embankment going off toward the columns. Earlier she had found what would have been considered an entrance and thought that would be the best way to start. She had just climbed over a fallen tree when she had that prickling feeling once again in the back of her head. She stopped mid step and looked slightly to her right. She gasped as she caught a slight movement in the shadow. The movement had been so slight she had almost missed it.

"Hello." She called out. "Is anyone out there?" Nothing, the jungle was quiet, too quiet and yet she still felt being watched. "KD?" She questioned knowing she had left the droid above. She wished she had brought the droid, she wished she had brought a weapon, she wished she had listened to Poe, she wished….She never got to finish her panicked thought as a creature the size of a small bird flew from the tree. She took a minute to settle herself and curse her over active imagination. She wanted to get into that temple so she shook herself out of it and approached the entrance. She turned her light on as she entered.

The girl was entertaining, he would give her that but she was also reckless although cautious. She had almost spotted him too. It was too soon, she couldn't see him, not yet. Not until…his thought was interrupted just then. It was as if something was calling out to him, something from the past but he pushed it aside. The past was dead, gone and it needed to stay this way. And yet he found himself watching over a girl who literally lived in the past, but why? He needed to know more. He watched from his spot high above her as she lite her light before walking into the entrance. He knew she wouldn't find what she wanted there but enjoyed watching her curiosity; she had a very active mind. She had so many thoughts running through them all the time. It was almost a comfort for him after being in solitude for so long.

He dropped down silently following her into the ruins. Little did he know that fate would soon intervene and they would come face to face much sooner than either expected.

A/N So thank you thank you to all who have read and reviewed. I'm glad you like it! Like I said I am very very excited about this one. As for who is following her, well you will just have to stay tuned but have no fear it will be sooner than you think. ;)