Chapter 2

After an exhausting day of training, Rey found it difficult to sleep. Everything around her was quiet as she lay on her bed alone in her room. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the vision she saw. The toughest part for Rey was that she was thrilled by what she saw. It was as if the dark version of herself was truly her deepest desires of how she wanted to be with the man the Force. She did love him, but not as Kylo Ren. Rey loved Ben Solo and wanted to be with him to restore peace to the galaxy as well as pull him from the Dark Side. She saw the conflict in him throughout their connections through their bond and knew that if she went to him, she could try turning him like she had tried on Snoke's Star Destroyer. Rey turned over in her bed and saw that Kylo Ren's back was sitting on the floor right up against her bed. She wasn't afraid of him suddenly appearing before her. She actually felt calmed by his presence and was relieved that he was with her now. Rey leaned up on her elbow, careful not to startle him. With their minds connected, she could see and feel that he was still reeling from the earlier vision as well. Kylo was struggling with who he was on the inside and who he was trying to be with the facade he had fashioned during his journey on the Dark Side. He could feel Rey's gaze upon him and felt the familiar calm he had whenever she was around him. They sat like this for a while without speaking but feeling each other through their bond. Reaching out slowly with her hand, Rey gently placed her hand on Kylo's shoulder giving him a loving squeeze. Chills ran down Kylo's spine at her touch. He was surprised that no matter how many times they've made contact she was still able to make him feel as if he was floating on air. Kylo sighed deeply at her touch, which brought a small smile to Rey's face. Despite everything they've been through, she still held feelings for this boy who turned her heart back when they touched hands on Ahch-To. She so desperately wanted to have Ben back with her as he sat with her in that hut and fought by her side after killing Snoke and his guards. Taking a deep breath, she scooted her body closer to where his head was leaning against her bed while still being propped up on her elbow. Kylo leaned his head against her stomach and they breathed a deep sigh together. Rey moved her hand from his shoulder up to his head and began stroking his hair without truly realizing she was doing so. But she saw the effect it had on him as he closed his eyes. "If I had known what vision would present itself to us, I would have never put you through that," Kylo spoke after they had been sitting in silence for what seemed like hours. Rey was taken aback by how honestly he spoke about the vision they both had. She had felt a connection with him very early when they first encountered each other in the forest on Takodana. Thinking back to that moment, Rey found herself in awe by how much her emotions towards Kylo changed from that time to how she felt about him now. "I'll admit it was shocking to see," Rey began, still stroking his hair. "But, I'm not that surprised by it." Kylo quickly turned to look at her with surprise splashed across his face. Rey's hand had moved to his cheek when he turned to face her and she let it sit there, slowly dragging her thumb across the scar she had given him.
"You're not surprised by it? Rey, it was you and I on the throne of the Sith. You have said you wouldn't join me on the Dark Side. What was so surprising to you? That you will turn to be with me? Or that there is a darkness inside both of us that you are not willing to accept," he replied. "Ben," she began, seeing how his real name on her lips made him react. It always made her heart flutter that just saying that name made him respond to her in such a way. "I wanted to take your hand back on Snoke's ship. Not Kylo Ren's hand. Kylo Ren is just an illusion, something the true man I care about is hidden behind, hiding from me." She saw how his lips parted at her confession of her feelings towards him. A glimmer in his eyes told her that she was beginning to reach Ben and she continued on saying, "I meant I wasn't surprised by how those versions of us were...interacting." Kylo stood up and sat down on Rey's bed, looking down at her as she was still prompted up on her elbow. He brought his hand to hers that still rested on his cheek and brought it close to his heart, squeezing it gently in his big hand. He looked down at her hand and shook his head.
"Rey, you know how I feel about you, but there are things I haven't even told you about yet because I thought they would push you away from me. Seeing that vision of us…" Kylo paused, trying to present his words carefully so he wouldn't push Rey away. They were so close now and sharing feelings about one another that he didn't want to mess it all up. "Rey, you have been the light I have been searching for in my life. When I found you on Takodana, I couldn't believe how much goodness radiated from you. When I was in your mind on Starkiller Base, the light inside me awoke and I knew I had to do whatever I could to have you in my life." He paused, shifting ever closer to her as his thumb rubbed against her hand still clutched to his chest. "As our bond has been growing stronger, I've realized that I cannot bring you to the darkness. I will not let your light become extinguished by my own selfishness. Rey," he looked deep into her deep brown eyes and she saw the longing he seeked from being with her. She felt the same longing and scooted closer to him as she placed her free hand on his arm.
"Oh Rey, every time I see you...you have no idea what I want to do to you. To see you and not be able to truly show you how much I care for you and want you because of the conflict stirring within me. You drive me wild…" he said in his deep, luscious voice that always made Rey shudder in excitement. "I long to be at your side, I need to be at your side. But...no matter what that vision was showing us, I will not drag you into the darkness. I will not extinguish your light. You are too important to me and I can't lose the girl I love."
Kylo started to stand but found he couldn't leave as Rey had snaked her arm around his neck and pulled him into a sudden and passionate kiss. He immediately sat back down and pulled her close, his lips mashing against hers in an urgency that matched her own. Ben had taken over and he banished Kylo Ren for good as he sank deeper and deeper into Rey's kiss. He pulled back briefly to look at her laying before him, his fingers brushing back some of her hair from her face. Ben sighed and smiled at what had just happened between them, so thankful he was finally able to kiss the woman he loved and had turned back to the Light for. He leaned close to her ear and whispered in a low voice, still deep enough that Rey sighed as he spoke to her.
"Come to me, Rey. Come to me and I'll show you what you've done. You've brought me back to the Light and I want to thank you properly, face to face," he whispered with so much love in his heart for her. He kissed her neck gently as he pulled back to once again look deeply into her eyes, seeing the love she felt for him expressed through the gleam in her eyes.
"Tell me your coordinates and I will meet you there," Rey whispered back as she kissed his cheek tenderly. She had succeeded in pulling Ben back into the Light and was so full of joy and love for this man before her that she could hardly contain herself. Ben pulled her close and wrapped her in an embrace, feeling at home for the first time in many, many years.