Halo

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on this story.

Chapter Thirty-Seven-Reclaiming Ben Solo

Rey had been locked in the tiny prison cell on The Supremacy for hours. There wasn't much space to move and her hands were shackled together. As soon as they had been captured, she had been stripped of her weapon and immediately separated from the others. She had no idea where they were and with each passing hour her panic was increasing. As soon as she was locked in her darkened cell the first thing she had tried to do was reach out to Ben through their bond, but to her dismay, she found that their telepathic communication had been cut off completely. Rey had lived most of her life alone, but over the years she had learned to adapt and lessen the pain of her loneliness. Then Ben had come into her life and everything changed. In the time they had come to know each other, he had become her refuge, her safe place. Her home.

Most people didn't realise that lonely and alone are such very different things, so very, very different. Her brutal upbringing on Jakku had turned her into a survivor. When she was very young and vulnerable and surrounded by others who would harm and manipulate her for their own ends, she had set off, finding that isolating herself and being alone in solitude was better than being alone among those who would deliberately hurt her. Rey had learned to love her own company, she became strong all on her own, she had never needed another, not until Ben.

More hours passed that turned into days, or so she thought, it was so hard to tell the passage of time. The only interruption from her solitude were the meals brought to her twice a day by a lone stormtrooper. The trooper didn't communicate with her in any way, just shoved the tray quickly inside her cell, before sealing the doors shut. His action was so quick, Rey didn't even have a chance to try and use the Jedi mind trick on him that Ben had once taught her. It was difficult and humiliating trying to eat the bland food and drink the tepid water with her hands still bound in the metal shackles, but like everything Rey had endured in her life, she adapted.

Surrounded by nothing but four black walls, there was nothing else for Rey to do but stare at them. She wasted some of the time by freshening up in the sonic refresher, a tiny cupboard like room just off the main cell designed for personal hygiene. But when that was done she was back to staring at the walls, studying the marks that had been gouged into them by other prisoners- anything to pass time, to stop herself slowly going mad with worry about Ben and the others, to stop theorizing absurd meanings from the walls blank stare.

If it was the First Orders intent to leave her in solitary confinement until it drove her mad, Rey was determined they were not going to win. She knew all about waiting. Soon she gouged her own marks into the wall.

For the fourth day in a row Kylo was summoned to Snoke's throne room. Like Rey and the others, he had been locked up in solitary confinement, but unlike them he had been starved of both food and water. With his body weakening through lack of nourishment and his face and torso sporting the heavy bruising from Snoke's physical punishment, the young darkside apprentice was in a wretched state. He could endure Snoke's physical torture-he was already an expert at that- it was the mental torture that was killing him. Daily, his former master mocked him about his past failures, berating him for his weakness, gleefully detailing the punishment he was inflicting on Rey, his father and Chewie for their part in his betrayal.

Today, as the stormtroopers dragged him into the throne room, he found his former rival, General Hux, already there. "Tied on a string indeed, General Hux. Well done. The Resistance will soon be within our grasp." Snoke praised him.

"Thank you, Supreme Leader." Hux said smoothly as a self-satisfied smile took over his pasty face. He turned abruptly on his heel, the rubber soles of his boots squeaking on the highly polished floor of the throne room. As he passed Kylo, his smug smile turned into a sneer.

As the doors of the throne room closed behind Hux, Snoke's familiar mocking laughter assaulted Kylo's ears. "You wonder why I keep such a rabid cur in such a place of power?" He jeered. "A cur's weakness, properly manipulated, can be a sharp tool." He paused, his long fingers curling into a fist on the arm of his throne. "How's your wounds?" He said slyly.

"Its nothing." Kylo spat, his dark brown eyes turning almost black with hatred.

"The mighty Kylo Ren!" Snoke derided him as he rose slowly from his throne. "When I found you, I saw what all master's lived to see, raw untamed power. And beyond that, something truly special, the potential of your bloodline. A New Vader."

Hate coloured Kylo's soul as he watched Snoke advance toward him. It spread throughout his entire system, shutting down all other feelings and emotions. All the negative energy was racing wildly around his mind. Cut off from Rey and everything that was good in his life allowed the hatred to fester, until it came close to taking complete possession of him, poisoning his soul and driving him right back to where Snoke wanted him.

His former master towered over him; his horrifically disfigured visage twisted into a calculating expression. "Now, I fear, I was mistaken." Snoke leaned closer, his eyes narrowing in disgust. "Yes, there it is, you have too much of your father's heart in you, young Solo."

The mention of Han sent rage surging through Kylo. All those years that this vile creature, this disfigured monster, had been twisting the narrative inside his mind, convincing him that he was unlovable, that his own family loathed him and thought of him as evil. It wasn't true, at least, not in his father's case. "I would rather have his heart than your empty soul." Kylo hissed through bloodless lips.

"Look at you." Snoke's expression turned deadly as Kylo's taunt found its mark. "You are unbalanced, under the thrall of a girl who you decided to take on as an apprentice without my authority. You betrayed me. I won't stand for it. Kneel, Kylo Ren. Prostate yourself before your master and pay homage to me."

"Make me!"

Fury building within him, Kylo rose to attack his former master, but Snoke quickly suppressed the attack with a surge of lightning, throwing Kylo back violently and stealing the breath from his body.

"Pathetic." Snoke sneered as he turned his back on Kylo and stalked back to his throne. He lowered himself down and glared at his young, darkside apprentice. "Alas, you are no Vader. You are just a wanton child, sentimental and weak, gravitating toward the first young girl who could be bothered to show him some compassion." He paused again, the same mocking laughter spilling from his lips as his eyes gleamed with mischief. "Speaking of the girl…. bring her in." He commanded. "His father, too."

At the prospect of seeing Rey again, Kylo could feel his heartbeat…. every single pound. He struggled to rise, his breathing shallow and hoarse with pain from the new injuries that Snoke had just inflicted on him. As the doors to the throne room slowly opened giving him the first glimpse of Rey and Han he'd had in days, he felt his heartbeat increase its rhythm. Every beat a turbulent push from within, threatening to overwhelm him. When Rey entered the room, her hands shackled by the wrists, he was relieved to see that she bore no physical injuries. Snoke had lied to him about that. Han, too, was remarkably unscathed, a split lip the only sign that he had been mistreated.

Kylo focused his gaze on Rey, drinking her in like a thirsty man craves water. He had been so lost without her. As soon as she was near, the bond that tethered them together and had been suppressed by Snoke's machinations, sprang back into life again. It flowed strongly between them, uniting them, giving Kylo the energy and renewed determination to climb to his feet.

"Rey."

"Ben."

Kylo's heartbeat was now steady like a drummer, keeping rhythm, keeping beat. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but murmuring her name was just enough. He had to be careful, he couldn't give anything away with Snoke capable of reading his every thought, his every emotion. He knew that Rey was taking the same precautions. Her expression was closed off, indifferent as she hid behind the barriers in her mind as she sought to protect herself from Snoke's telepathic invasion.

With a simple wave of his hand, the metal shackles binding Rey's hands together at the wrists fell apart and landed with a clanging echo on the polished floor of the throne room. Rey winced as she rubbed the sore skin at the base of her wrists.

"Come closer, child." Snoke coaxed her forward before his tone turned mocking once more. "So much strength. Darkness rises and light defeated. I once warned my young apprentice that as he grew stronger, his equal in the light would rise. Skywalker, I assumed wrongly." He chuckled darkly. "My young apprentice's defection worked in my favour. He got Skywalker killed and you are all that remains. Closer." He leered at Rey as he used the Force to draw her toward him when she refused to move. Kylo growled, rushing forward in her defence, but Snoke used his powers to freeze him in place. Han remained locked between the two stormtroopers.

Rey's face was set in a determined expression as she hovered before Snoke like a sacrificial lamb. "You underestimate Ben Solo and me. It will be your downfall." She yelled at him.

Snoke laughed derisively. "Oh, have you seen something? A weakness in my apprentice. Do you think he cares for you? Is that it? Young fool. It was I who breached your minds. I stoked Ren's conflicted soul from afar like I have done his whole life." He chuckled again. "Pathetic child, I own him. I've owned him since before he was born." He drew her upwards, propelling her with the Force so she was floating right in front of his hideous face. "And now I will bind him to the dark forever with the cruellest stroke."

With a flick of his hand Snoke sent Rey plummeting to the floor. Just before her head hit the black polished marble, he spun her around, so she was facing forward on her knees in front of Kylo. "Bring his father." Snoke ordered the two stormtroopers. They quickly did his bidding, pushing Han roughly onto his knees next to Rey.

"Are you okay, kid?" Han asked gruffly.

"I've been better."

Han gave her one of his lopsided grins, but there was a tinge of sadness to it that brought tears to Rey's eyes. While they were talking in low voices Snoke had produced their weapons-one was Kylo's cross guarded saber, the other the legacy saber he had gifted to Rey. Rey's eyes flicked to Han's and they exchanged a worried glance.

Snoke rose from his throne again and walked over to where Rey and Han were trapped on their knees before his darkside apprentice. His eyes gleamed with wickedness as he taunted Kylo by igniting the legacy saber and directing the tip of the blue blade to the base of Rey's throat. "It would be so easy." He said silkily.

Kylo's face was contorted with a mixture of anger and fear. Hate for his abuser burned in his heart so deep that it was ingrained in the tissue. Revenge was coming. It was coming real soon. He held on to that resolve as Snoke finally released him from his Force chokehold, causing him to stagger as he tried to remain upright.

"For you all is lost." Snoke told Rey scornfully as he traced the burning blade of the saber across her skin, drawing a line of blood. "Unless…." His beady eyes returned to Kylo. "My worthy apprentice, son of darkness, heir apparent to Lord Vader, you can return to my good graces. You get to choose which one lives and which one who dies-your father or the girl."

Kylo's resolve strengthened as Snoke used the Force to return his weapon into his hands. As his fingers closed around the hilt of his cross guarded saber- his breathing steadied, his chest rising and falling with the sedative qualities of a lullaby.

Snoke's eyes gleamed even brighter with victory as he sensed Kylo's growing resolve. "Where there was conflict, I now sense resolve, where there was weakness, strength. Complete your training and fulfil your destiny as Kylo Ren by striking one of them down and I will once again regard you as my faithful apprentice."

Kylo stifled Rey's cries in his head as he ignited his saber and approached his father. Snoke released his hold on Han, allowing him to rise to his feet. Father and son faced each other. "Somehow, I always knew this day would come." Han said calmly as he looked directly into Kylo's eyes.

Kylo held out his weapon in front of him. Han put his hand over the top. "I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it." Kylo's voice was full of anguish.

"You do." Han encouraged him as a sad smile tugged at the corners of his lips. His eyes flicked to Rey, who was openly crying now. Her tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face. "It's okay, kid." He said gruffly before returning his attention to his son.

"Dad…" Kylo whispered, his chin quivering slightly.

"I know." Han replied, his hand reaching for his son's face in a tender gesture of love. He nodded. "Do it now."

"I am Ben Solo." Kylo roared as he reclaimed his true name. Igniting his saber, he turned away from his father and used all his remaining strength to fling the fiery weapon toward Snoke. It zoomed through the air like a flaming arrow, hitting his tormenter right between the eyes and cleaving his head in two.

A/N-thanks for reading. Please review.