AN: TW gun violence
So far spring break was going really well for Rey. Every morning Kylo made her breakfast and every night she fell asleep in his arms. She only had a few days left and she hadn't returned to her apartment. The idea of doing so made her frown. She was so comfortable here. Rey liked her roommates; they were nice girls. But she wasn't close with any of them. If she went back, she would feel lonely. She still couldn't cope with the loneliness. If there was one thing Kylo was good at, it was making her feel whole. They spent the last few days doing everything together. From reading with reys bare legs in his lap, fingers lazily brushing over her skin. She played piano while he showered or with him next to her. Kylo even took her to an empty track to drive his car for fun. They went to the top of the building and had champagne. He went out and bought her a bathrobe because she wanted to have one here. But all good things must come to an end.
Kylo got the call that morning from Hux. The storage facility in Iraq had been raided. A lot of people were dead, even Hux came out with a stab wound. He had to go. Clean up this mess and help with recovery efforts. No doubt any current contracts he had with the government would be canceled. If he can't even protect the assets no one would invest. Sure, enough his stock was sinking. This was his fault. If he had checked his email, he would have seen spike in local terrorist activity. He should have told them to ship out to secondary location. Instead he put everything on hold for Rey and now a lot of men would be returning in caskets. His rage was bubbling back as he paced the hallway outside the bedroom on the phone with an attorney general. He didn't blame Rey, no he blamed himself for getting distracted. He was scheduled to fly out in an hour.
"Kylo? Is everything okay?" Rey was standing in the open doorway rubbing her eyes. It was 4 in the morning.
"Everything is fucked." He was seething with rage; he felt his phone crack as he pushed the end call button so he could talk to Rey.
"What's wrong?" she looked concerned as she reached out a hand for him. Instead he brushed past her, his face set-in stone-cold rage. She felt wounded at him refusing her touch, but he was clearly upset.
"I can't talk about it." he started rummaging through the closet stuffing clothes into a bag. Rey followed him, her heart sinking as she watched him.
"Are you leaving?" her quiet fearful voice filtered through his ears stopping his movements.
"Yes. I have to." He reached out and took her hand in his. He stared at their hands for a moment. "Something bad happened and I have to go clean it up."
Her fingers twitched and she looked at him with pleading eyes. Look at me, she chanted in her head. "Where?"
"Iraq."
"Is it safe to go?" Look at me.
He dropped her hand and resumed packing. "I can't talk about it. but if you watch CNN I guarantee you'll hear about it."
He didn't say yes or no. Panic was rising in her chest. She never really understood the parameters of his job because every time she asked, he would give a vague answer.
"When will you be back?"
Now he was getting dressed for the flight. "I don't know right now." Last time he had to go overseas for a disaster like this he was gone for 3 months. He really hoped that wouldn't be the case this time. Rey had a million thoughts going through her head. What if he came back with another scar? That would mean another story, another bad memory.
"Will you fucking look at me!" She was losing it. How could he stand there perfectly calm?
"What?!" he shouted back and finally looked at her. Her breath hitched seeing genuine sadness and fear alongside the anger. He regretted shouting because it looked like she was about to cry. He sat the bag down and grabbed her pulling her into a hug. He stroked her back and buried his head in her hair. "You don't have to worry about a thing. Ill be back."
She nodded and nuzzled his chest, holding on to his shoulders. "Please keep in touch and be safe."
He smiled and squeezed her tighter. It felt nice to have someone care for him like this. His mother didn't even react like this. "I will, for you." he was promising her too much. He pulled away and picked up the bag again.
"What do I do?" her hands were clutching at one of his. Her eyes looked just the same as when he found her in Ohio. Broken.
"You can stay here, use my cars, ill leave you my black card. Move more of your stuff in or out. Whatever is mine is yours." He pulled out his wallet and sat the card down on the dresser, "Just in case." He wanted her to use it for whatever she wanted. Build a homeless shelter, whatever made her happy. He looked at his watch. Fuck. He had to go. When he looked at Rey he saw her lip tremble. She knew it too.
"I will call you as soon as I can, darling." He cupped her face in one of his large hands and bent down kissing her softly. Rey followed him down to the elevator and grabbed one last kiss. And just like that he was gone, leaving her alone in the dark of early morning.
Xxx
She hadn't heard from all weekend, nothing on the news either. Monday when she went to class, she was a mess. She decided to take one of his cars, only because it smelled like him. In class she couldn't focus again. Mostly because his mother was the professor. She wondered how she was handling it. After class she went up to her.
"Leia have you heard from Kylo?"
Leia took in the mess of a girl that stood before her. She took note that she was wearing her son's army shirt. "No, Rey, I'm sorry I haven't." clearly her words did nothing to deter them from each other.
"Oh, I thought he might have after he left." Now Rey was worried he wasn't okay if no one had heard from him in 3 days.
"Left?"
"Something happened with work and he took off early Friday morning for Iraq, you didn't know?" her brows furrowed.
Leia sighed and stacked her papers on her desk. "No I didn't. My son doesn't tell me everything."
"I don't understand why you aren't close with your son." Her voice was a little snippy. How could she not know her son had left the country?
"Rey, I told you. He has a darkness. The army changed him. Then he joined my father's business. He isn't the son I once knew."
For some reason this angered Rey. "Then you must not really know him. He is the kindest, sweetest man I know. He would do anything for me. He has helped me so many times."
"It's a mask he puts on for you. He did the same to me. Soon he will stop hiding and you'll see what really happens in his life." Leia was getting equally pissed.
"I have seen behind the mask, Leia." She jabbed a finger at her. "It's called fucking PTSD."
Leia took a step back and her eyes widened.
"Let me guess. You didn't know that either? No wonder he doesn't tell you anything."
She cleared her throat. "Rey, I think you dating my son is interfering with our professional relationship of student and professor."
"And I think me dating your son is the first thing to bring him happiness in a very long time." She whipped around, leaving a stunned Leia behind. Fuck this class, fuck school. She just wanted to know Kylo was okay.
Xxx
Rey was eating away at his heart even though she wasn't there. Coms weren't working yet so he didn't have a way to call her. Based on how he left her, she must be worried sick. At least she was safe. He didn't tell her, but he hired personal security for her. It was doubtful anyone knew her but still not a risk he was going to take. Things where he was, it was bad. 25 men had died, and thousands of weapons gone, falling into the wrong hands. Analysis showed it was another attack preformed with his weapons. He had no idea what the fuck was going on, but he had a few theories.
When coms were finally working, he first alerted the families of their sons passing. He spent two days making those 25 dreadful calls. He was blamed for all of them and he took it. It was his fault. If he had just paid attention, they would all be alive. He didn't like the dirty work that was involved with this kind of career. All their bodies had to be burned and disposed of here. They would never really bury their husbands, fathers and sons. He remembered how back in the army he had to let families know. He would stand there holding the folded-up flag and tell them a man on his team was dead. So many of his men had died. He sat on his small bed in the dirty command center, head in his hands. His mind was headed to a very dark place.
You aren't a monster…
Reys voice called to him, pulling him out of the darkness
All I see is you…
He took deep breaths and imagined her hands in his, imagined her voice and smile. Slowly the panic and sadness drifted away. For some reason he couldn't bring himself to call her even though the coms were fixed. If he did he would say what he wanted to, but he wanted to wait to tell her in person.
Xxx
The security he hired was always in the complex watching the cameras to see when Rey would leave so he could have detail follow her. After she hadn't left for 5 days, they decided to call Kylo to ask what they should do. They confirmed all his cars were in the garage and that she wasn't at her apartment. So, in a panic, after 2 long weeks, he called her. She instantly picked up.
Kylo?! What the fuck is going on?! she was frantic, and her voice sounded hoarse.
Rey, Im so sorry, the coms weren't working, and it got busy-
I thought you were fucking dead! Even your mother hadn't heard from you!
Oh god, Rey I'm so sorry. His hands were trembling. She really thought he was dead.
You promised to call, and I was so scared! Now he could tell for sure she was crying
Please don't cry, I will make it up to you very soon. Ill be back in 3 weeks.
Kylo I want you to come home now! She let out another sob and he felt it in his chest. Someone has been following me and-
Wait, someone's following you?! he was going to murder that security guy for missing this.
Yes! Tall bald guy, I haven't left because I was worried. Please, please come back-
Rey! That's your fucking bodyguard I hired! He leaned back onto the bed. She didn't realize it was security, he really should have told me.
WHAT?! WHY WOULD YOU HIRE ME A BODYGUARD?! She was hysterical.
Because I'm dealing with terrorists here and you are 115lbs. Easily abductable.
I will have you know I can punch really hard. She was slowly calming down, all that remained was sniffles.
I believe you but I just want to cover all our bases here. He smiled closing his eyes, just listening to her breathing.
You should have got me a gun then. Rey snorted. The severity of the situation was fading away and she was glad to talk to him.
I mean, that can be arranged. Id have to teach you though. Kylo liked the idea of teaching her to protect herself. He could make a date out of it.
Oh I was joking. Guns are kinda scary.
He chuckled. You do know my entire job revolves around guns, right?
Yea I know but I don't see them all over.
He actually had guns hidden all over the apartment. He was surprised she hadn't found one yet. She didn't seem like the snooping type though.
Rey?
Yea?
I miss you.
You miss your girlfriend? She was teasing him
Yes, I miss my girlfriend. He liked saying it just as much as she liked hearing it.
Well I miss you too.
Outside Kylo's door there was a loud crash and next thing he knew. Gunshots.
Rey, I got to go.
Wai-.
He hung up, grabbing his pistol before running to the hall.
Xxx
They had been attacked by the same group, with their weapons. They hadn't even bothered to file off the serial number. Luckily none of his guys died, only some scrapes and bruises, and they were able to capture one of the shooters for interrogation. Which is what he was trying to do now. But every answer the poor kid gave him was 'red guy'
"Where are you getting our weapons from?" Kylo paced around what appeared to be a teenager. He wasn't above torment to get information especially when it related to a growing pile of bodies.
The boy was shaking. "Red guy." His English was bad and the translator was still hours away
"What the fuck is red guy?" he was growing impatient. Just yesterday he had been shot at and got a black eye.
The boy reached up his tied wrists and pulled on his hair. "Red guy!"
Kylo pulled his hand back ready to hit the kid when his mind froze. Red guy meant red hair. The only ginger in the entire country was Hux. It all made sense now. How they know when and where to attack. Hux was feeding them information and fire power. Its no secret the government funds terrorist organizations. Because it means they still have a war and war is a mother fucking business. But Kylo would never do that. He wouldn't fund terrorists who would in the end kill his own people. he might not be above burning dead bodies but at least he had some morals.
He dropped his hand and stormed off. He was going to kill Hux. He kicked the door open catching Hux by surprise.
"You son of a bitch." In an instant Kylo's fist collide with Hux's jaw. "You know how many people died over this?!" Another hit. "For what?!"
Hux reached for his gun still smirking despite being punched. "Money of course."
Kylo kicked the gun out of his hands and wrestled him to the ground. "Lets see if you bleed green mother fucker." Another punch and when Hux head went to side a splatter of blood came out. All he did was laugh, blood spilling over his lips.
"What's so fucking funny?" he wrapped his hands around the general's neck.
"The image of your precious girlfriends face the next time she looks at you." It happened so fast. Hux had a knife and he slashed Kylo's face. Blood dripped down his neck and onto Hux's face. Next thing he knew he had pulled his gun from his boot and shot him right between the eyes. Not because he cut his face. But because he dared to bring Rey into this.
The room quickly filled with men. A few grabbed Kylo dragging him off Hux and to the infirmary. Once there he was quickly cleaned up and stitched up. No nerve damage and his eye wasn't damaged at all. He was informed he would have to debrief the president about his discoveries of the general and that he would be returning to the states tomorrow. All that was fine by him. Except now he had another scar, another dead body to his name.
AN: Welcome to the world of war crimes! And now we know how Kylo got his scar in this storyline. What's next? His real name or the 'L' word?