CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The sound of approaching footsteps is the most beautiful thing Kylo can remember hearing. He looks up, hopeful that this person—whoever they may be; whatever they may want—will free him from his condemners.

He recognizes Rose Tico—surprisingly, he remembers her name without any difficulty—and grimaces slightly. He had been hoping for Rey.

She smiles down at him. "You doing okay?"

He eyes her suspiciously. Her kind of positivity is murderous. "Did they send you to kill me?"

Rose smirks, shakes her head. "I'm here to protect you."

"Lucky me," he mutters. But her round face enthusiastic kindness gives him no confidence in her providing him any safety.

Rose furrows her brow and brandishes a stunner at him. "Don't test me."

Maybe he underestimated her.

"I like her. She's got spirit."

"Definitely drew the short stick on that one, son."

Kylo groans aloud as those voices return. He doesn't glance back to see if they're there. He can feel them. It's enough. "Go away."

"It'll take more than that to get rid of me," Rose says.

Kylo shakes his head. "Not you." He jerks behind him with his head. "Do you see anyone else there?"

Rose cocks a curious brow. She stares at the spot, then shakes her head. "No... Why, do you?"

Kylo allows himself one quick peek back. But there they are. The men who were Ben Solo's uncle and father. They waggle their fingers at him.

He groans again and turns away from them only to find Rose bug eyeing him. "What?" he snaps at her.

"Are you going crazy?"

"No."

Rose narrows her eyes. "A crazy person would say that."

"I'm not—" But what's the point. He sighs. "Never mind."

Silence fills the space between them, lingers on and on and...

"Will you be joining our side?" Rose asks.

Kylo starts at the bluntness of her question. He has a few choice words he could wield against her, but he holds them back. The thought of insulting her makes him feel like an ass. "I might," he admits. He keeps the caveat to himself. If my m—Leia can assure my freedom afterwards.

"Oh." There's a bright perking in her posture. She even manages to smile again. "That's good."

A chattering rises outside, catching their attention. Rose tightens her hold on her stunner, twisting so that she has an eye on both the entrance and Kylo.

He watches her. And it's the strangest thing as he feels a pang of gratitude to her. He swallows it down. "You really think you can hold them back with that?"

"It won't get to that," Rose replies unsteadily.

The sound outside trebles.

Kylo grimaces. "It might."

#

Poe and Finn are doing their utmost to keep things at bay, but the clamouring for blood is growing ever prevalent. The voices are eager to say that they refuse to include him, to have him on their side. No matter what.

"We don't know what Leia plans—" Poe tries to speak over the rabble.

"And if she plans to let him go?" Snap demands. "He's killed our friends and family. He can't be allowed to pass on without suffering judgement."

A rallying cry of JUDGEMENT explodes from the mobbing crowd.

Poe glances at Finn, hoping to find help from him, but Finn's eyes burn with the same rage. He's almost shouting 'judgement' himself.

If he is honest with himself, Poe knows he would lose himself to the mob mentality too, bring justice to the fiend who destroyed so many. But Leia...

Snap and Beaumont draw their blasters free of their holsters.

Something large sinks within Poe. "Snap—"

"Let us at him, Poe."

He knows he should give up, step aside, let what must be come to pass, but... "I promised Leia. I can't let you through. Please..."

His pleas go unheeded. Poe and Beaumont surge forward, the crowd shifting with them.

Poe stands there, as if he might be enough to hold them back.

They don't hesitate.

Firm hands wrench Poe aside. "He's not worth it," Finn says, holding him closer than he has in days.

Poe loses himself at last, lets go of his sense of duty, turning into Finn as the others trample past them.

#

"Here they come," Kylo grumbles. He rises to his feet. He will not meet them on his knees.

Rose grits her teeth, takes a defensive stance as two men come in, blasters raised. Kylo has no names for them. One is portlier than the other. The other has a weasel face to rival Hux's.

They hesitate before Rose, the determined rage in their eyes easing.

"Not another step. He's not to be harmed," Rose tells them, her voice a frosty wind.

The men flinch, exchange quick glances, but are otherwise unmoved. "You don't owe him anything, Rose," the portlier one says.

"Just get out of the way. Please," the weasel adds.

Rose furiously shakes her head. "I made a promise to Leia. If you want him, you have to go through me."

"There are more of us," the weasel says.

"But I only need one of me."

Kylo smirks at her reply. A mistake. The two men shift their blasters, directing them at him.

Rose kicks out, disarms the weasel man. She caches his blaster in midair and brandishes it at him, her stunner focused on the second man.

"Damn," Kylo mutters just as two voices behind him echo the same.

"Stand down," Rose warns the two men, who exchange one more glance before fleeing out of the cave.

Kylo whistles. "Very impressive."

Rose blushes as she turns to face him, gives a mock bow. Her smile fades as her head comes back up. "They'll be back."

Kylo nods. He's already accepted the inevitability of them returning with more people. An acceptance that's leapt into a rather bizarre decision. "I don't think you should stand in their way again."

Luke's voice punctuates the air behind him. "Hello, there. Is he being chivalric?"

"My son? How disappointing!"

Kylo grinds his teeth to stop himself from retorting. It's nothing so noble. He's just taking a gamble that Rey will sense the unrest and stop it. There's no need for Rose to get caught up in it.

Rose who hasn't yet been able to find words to respond to his declaration. But she does then, as the rabble echoes again. "Why not?"

"I'm not worth it," he says. "So, just let them come, okay? I'll be fine."

"Well, well, well," Luke and Han mutter behind him.

He glowers back at them. "Oh, shut up!"

"They're still there, are they? The invisible people only you can see?"

He nods.

"Can they help you?"

He shakes his head.

Rose furrows her brow. "Kylo... Can I call you Kylo?"

"Sure," Kylo says, amused that she's worried about what to call him.

"I promised Leia—"

"I know," Kylo interjects, knowing the time is short as feet stomp towards them. "But she wouldn't want you to put yourself in dangerous. Not for me."

Eight people appear now, the portly man and the weasel in the lead.

Kylo shuffles forward quickly, placing himself between Rose and the mob. "I'm yours if you want."

Shock registers on the gathered faces as awestruck looks are exchanged.

Rose's hand tightens on his arm. "Are you crazy?"

Kylo shrugs. "I'm seeing people, aren't I?"

He throws a look back in time to see Han and Luke gaping at him. It's almost worth it to see them struck speechless.

"I'm looking for the ulterior motive here," Han says.

"Maybe there isn't one," Luke suggests.

"Impossible."

Kylo turns his gaze again, to meet Rose's this time, and reaches to her with the force, to pass into her mind one request. When you have a chance, find Rey.

She starts at it, but gives a feeble mob as the crowd breaks from their own stupor at last and take hold of him.