Thank you for all the love this story has been getting so far. I just hope I can live up to the expectations left by Two Parts of a Whole. Anyway don't forget to RandR.

And as Always: Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the amazing characters.

Chapter 3:

Rey

A week later Rey was laying in her tiny bed trying her best to fall asleep. She'd been tossing and turning for hours now. The first of Olara's suns would be up in only a couple more hours, so if she didn't sleep soon she wouldn't be getting any sleep at all.

She'd been dealing with the insomnia ever since she'd woken up back on Olara. She tried to tell herself that it was because Kylo wasn't next to her but the truth was that she couldn't sleep because she couldn't feel him at all. Even if he wasn't next to her she should be able to feel him as if he was, but something was blocking their connection.

She hadn't been able to feel Kylo Ren since being back on Ilum. After so many months of constantly being able to always see, touch, feel and hear him it was unnerving not to be able to. And knowing that the evil that almost killed them both was the cause of the blockage didn't help.

Rey had tried to work herself into exhaustion by training with her knights, teaching some of Kylo's classes along with Leia and Poe, helping out around the hanger and helping with the lightsaber training. The bone wariness she'd felt would only allow her to sleep for a couple of hours so that by this point she was more of a zombie than anything else.

I wish you were here, Rey thought into the nothingness that used to be the bond.

Rey curled around Kylo's pillow and inhaled his scent. Rey had been alone most of her life and had been fine with it. Now she was surrounded by people who cared for her and she was the loneliest she had ever been without the man who was her other half.

Tears burned in her hazel eyes as she laid there.

Suddenly there a pounding knock at the door. Rey sat up, her heart pounding. She got out of the bed and pulled on her robe. She pulled open the door and was shocked to see Asera standing there breathing heavily.

"Sera, what's wrong," Rey asked.

"Rey, you gotta come quick," she said grabbing Rey's hand and all but dragged her away from the hut. "It's Kylo. He's awake and he wants to see you and Leia," she explained.

Rey stumbled along for a second before finding her footing and had to jog to keep up with the doctor. It didn't take long for the impact of Sera's words to hit her. Hope swelled in her heart. Rey broke away from Asera and she started running full out.

Just as she neared the doors to the Med Bay she saw Leia coming toward her. The older woman was breathing heavily as though she'd run here to. She and Rey exchanged a glance before Leia threw her arms around Rey.

"Did Sera tell you anything," Rey asked.

"No, just that he was awake and that you were probably the reason why," Leia said with a smile.

Rey smiled back before she pushed through the doors and running straight to Kylo's bed where he was sitting up with the help of the automatic bed. She wanted to throw herself into his arms but she could tell that he was still hurt, so she stopped just short.

Hi, she said.

Hi, he said back and managed to grin at her even though she knew that he was still in pain.

I can't feel you…Are you okay, she asked.

You can come closer, sweetheart. I'm not going to start spouting blood if you touch me, he said. I'm keeping the bond closed off some so that whatever was keeping me from healing and in that darkness away from you until I am sure you can't be compromised through our bond.

Oh, she said.

"When there are other people in the room can you two use actual words," Poe said breaking the two out of their moment.

"Stuff it, pilot," Kylo muttered.

Poe gave a half smile as he held his hands up in front of his chest in surrender.

Rey felt a smile tug at her lips as she went over and gently put her arms around him. Kylo pulled her up to the bed and kissed her. Rey felt as if some invisible weight had been lifted.

"Sera how is Kylo awake and Zer-o not," Poe asked.

"Rey shared some of her light with Kylo and then just as you said Rey, black mist kept seeping out of the wound. As far as we can tell that is the only difference between the two. Gear and I were able to capture some of the mist and he is currently studying it's make up," Asera explained. "Rey, we were hoping you would try sharing your light with Zer-o to see if the results are the same."

Kylo and Rey shared a glance.

"I don't know if I can. I was able to share my light with Kylo because of the Force bond. I mean I am more than willing to try. I just want you to know that the results may not be what you want," Rey explained and Kylo nodded in agreement.

Rey moved to get off the bed and Kylo seemed reluctant to let her go.

While I try to help Zer-o why don't you talk to your mother? She was just as worried about you as I was, Rey said.

I know. I just don't know what to say to her. Things were so strained between us before Ilum, Kylo admitted.

I don't think any of that stuff matters at the moment. Hug your mother and tell her you love her. We can figure out the rest later, Rey said and squeezed Kylo's much larger hand in her smaller one for reassurance.

Thank you, Rey. I love you more than you could ever know and I will never scare you like this ever again, Kylo vowed as he let her go.

Rey crossed the room to where Zer-o was laying peacefully in his hospital bed. Rey glanced at Leia who had been standing so quietly by the entrance that Sera and the others had almost forgotten that she was there and seemed surprised when she began to move toward Kylo's bed.

"Sera, Poe, Kaiser, why don't we give Kylo and Leia some privacy," Rey suggested. "Sera I could use your help with this anyway," Rey said.

Sera and the others gathered around Zer-o's bedside. Rey stood on his left side and placed one hand over the bandages and the other gripped his left hand. Sera gripped his right hand and then looked to Rey for what to do next.

"Sera, I need you to find your inner light and when you do I want you to pour your light into him. I will do the same. The only reason why I want us both to try is because I am not sure enough of my light will be able to get through to him but with it coming from two sources we should have a better chance," Rey explained.

Sera turned to Kaiser and said, "If we are successful black mist should begin to rise from the wound. Gear designed those jars over there to collect the stuff. I need you to be ready with the jar to capture it and take it to the lab for Gear to study," Sera explained.

"Yes, Doctor," Kaiser said.

"And what do you ladies want me to do," Poe asked.

"Anything but be in the way or antagonizing Leia and Kylo," Rey said with a slight smile.

"Fine. It seems like you guys don't need me for more than retrieving generals so I am going to head off to bed," Poe said and turned on his heel to leave.

"Thank you for fetching Leia for us Poe," Sera said with a half smirk.

"Don't mention it," he said as the doors swung shut behind him.

"Are you ready now, Sera," Rey asked.

"Yes," she said.

The two women fell into meditative states almost immediately.

Rey could feel Sera and Kylo like beacons in the Force but Zer-o's presence was so dim that she almost missed him. Once she was sure that she was connected to Zer-o presence and nothing else she began forcing her light into him. The process wasn't as smooth as it had been with Kylo and Rey broke a sweat from all of the effort she had to put in to even penetrate the darkness surrounding Zer-o.

After a few minutes Rey had to let go of Zer and she almost fell when the connection broke. Luckily Asera was suddenly there to catch her. Rey felt a little dizzy for a few seconds but then she was alright to stand on her own.

"Did it work," Asera asked and Rey looked at her in confusion.

"Weren't you able to do it too," she asked.

"No. I could feel you and Zer but my light couldn't get through that thick darkness that's suppressing his connection to the Force. After a few seconds of trying I almost exhausted myself," Asera explained.

"I got my light through. It was a lot tougher than it was with Kylo," Rey said.

"Doctor, look," Kaiser cried drawing the attention of the two women.

As they watched the black mist began to rise from the wound just as it had with Kylo. Kaiser maneuvered Gear's invention over the wound to keep the mist from escaping and possibly going back to Zoroyais. Zer-o groaned and began fighting in his sleep as they all watched.

"Is that what happened with me," Kylo asked and Rey nodded. "That bastard infected us with his darkness," Kylo said and Rey could tell that he was getting angry.

"We can't do anything about it right now, Kylo. Rey you need to rest. I suppose if it is okay with Kylo you can rest here," Asera said and Rey was grateful.

She really wanted to sleep.

…

Kylo

Kylo had no idea how much longer he was in the darkness with Zoroyais torturing him but when he woke up in the med bay on Olara he was eternally grateful. He thanked gods he had never even contemplated, let alone prayed to. And the Force, because he knew that without his connection to the Force Zoroyais would have killed him for sure.

And he thanked Rey. The moment he awoke he knew that it was her light that had saved him from Zoroyais' darkness. He was glad that his message had gotten through and it led him to believe that nothing could ever truly keep him and Rey apart now.

He tried to sit up and the pain in his chest flared which caused the machine that was monitoring his heart to start going crazy.

Asera and a Jasmenerthian male came running into the room. They both skidded to a halt next to his bed. Kylo tried to sit up again and Asera stopped him.

"You're wounds aren't even closed yet. Sitting up will just agitate them," Sera warned.

Kylo shot her a look that said he hadn't asked.

After a few seconds of watching him struggle, Sera finally grabbed the remote and used it to lift the head of the bed.

"Are you happy now," she asked with disdain dripping from her voice.

"I'll be happier when you get Rey for me," he said in a voice that was rough from not being used.

"Yes master. Anything else," she asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I need to see my mother too."

Asera rolled her eyes.

"I can do that I guess, even though it's the middle of the night. First we need to change the dressings on your wounds," she said.

"Fine," Kylo said.

The male nurse laid out fresh bandages. Kylo lay as still as possible as Asera carefully removed the soiled bandages from his chest. Kylo glanced down at the ruin of his chest and couldn't help but think of Rey marking him. Now her scar would just be one of many that decorated his chest.

With the help of the Force Asera was able to redress Kylo's wounds without touching him. Kylo was grateful for that as he hated the feeling of anyone touching him other than Rey. Before too much time had passed Asera was done.

"Kaiser, stay here and make sure that our patient doesn't try something stupid like getting out of bed. I'll go get Rey and Leia," Asera said shooting Kylo a cold look.

Once the doctor was out of the room, Kylo looked at the nurse, Kaiser and asked, "How long have I been out?"

Kaiser looked at Kylo's chart and said, "You arrived about 7 days ago but according to Asera and the others you've been out for 10 days."

It had been 10 days since the battle on Ilum and Olara was still holding strong. Kylo was glad that Zoroyais didn't seem to be able to track him through the darkness he'd placed in Kylo's mind. Hopefully Olara could be there new home and they would never have to flee from another planet.

"Asera said that the blade Zoroyais used to wound you and Zer-o was made of durasteel as well as some special metal that was laced with a type of poison no one here has ever seen. It made the bacta react like acid in the wounds," Kaiser said.

Kylo remembered an intense burning sensation filling his being when he was still out. It must have been when they tried to use bacta on the wound.

He looked over at Zer-o. The male had fought well and honorably at Kylo's side and he would never forget that, even if the male was a pain in the ass. Kylo wondered if Rey would be able to help Zer the way she'd saved him.

Before he could analyze that thought any further the doors opened and Rey came barreling into the room followed by his mother. Kylo's eyes landed on Rey and it was as though there was nothing else in the world. All he could think about was taking her into his arms.

When the pilot opened his mouth, it was the first time that Kylo noticed him. Kylo shot him an unfriendly look but quickly schooled his expression as he knew Poe was trying to get used to Rey being with Kylo.

"Stuff it, pilot," Kylo muttered.

Poe gave a half smile as he held his hands up in front of his chest in surrender.

Then Poe asked Sera about Zer-o and Kylo could tell that Rey really had no idea that what she did for Kylo could possibly save Zer-o too. Sera explained it all to Poe but everyone other than Kaiser seemed to be learning something new. Rey agreed to give it a try even though she wasn't sure it was going to work and Kylo was reluctant to let her go.

When she suggested that he actually talk to his mother Kylo almost recoiled. When he'd asked Asera to fetch her, he didn't really think his mother would come especially after how they left things before Ilum. It seemed that every pair of eyes in the room landed on his mother as she made her way over to Kylo's bed side.

As Rey, Poe, Asera and Kaiser moved around Zer-o's bed giving Kylo and Leia a semblance of privacy to talk, Kylo and his mother just existed in the same space awkwardly waiting for the other to make the first move.

She loves you. You're her only child. I don't think she cares about what was said or done before you almost died. Just talk to her, Rey said into his head just before she fell into her meditative state.

"Mother, I," Kylo said at the same time that Leia said, "Look, son."

They both stopped and sort of laughed.

"Normally I would allow you to speak first Kylo, but just this once I would ask that you listen to your mother," Leia plead.

Kylo didn't speak just nodded.

"I was so excited to be a mother when I got pregnant with you that I never thought about the type of parents your father and I would make. And then when you were born I was still trying to play Senator and then Rebellion leader while also trying to raise you not realizing that I never really got to raise you. I was always busy, always helping someone else because I feared that you would follow in Anakin's footsteps. I thought that by leading by example you would want to be better."

Leia paused and Kylo thought she might actually cry. He pulled her into his arms and let her continue.

I should have known after Snoke asked about you that I should have kept you close to me, close to your father. I should have noticed the change in you. Han and I were so busy fighting that we didn't realize something was wrong until the day you threw those guards with the Force but it was too late by then wasn't it," Leia asked and Kylo nodded. "I failed you, Kylo when I sent you away. And because of Luke's, Han's and my many mistakes you fell so completely to the dark side that you were forced to kill your own father. You took millions of innocent lives with your actions and it took the love of Rey to get you back to my side. Then I almost screwed that up and you were almost killed again. I am sick of almost losing you. You are the last remnants of my bloodline and I am sick of things being so tense and painful between us. Is there any way that you could forgive me for all that has happened," Leia asked.

Kylo hadn't expected that. In fact he was planning to apologize for the way things were between them. He could only stare at the tiny woman who was his mother and remembered when he was a kid and his mother seemed like the scariest, most powerful being in the entire galaxy. Now she seemed so fragile and weak.

Kylo knew that part of it was definitely his fault. Losing his father and his uncle along with so many of her friends had all been Kylo's fault. He sighed.

"There is nothing to forgive, mother. You did the best you could with a child that was probably going to fall to the dark side anyway. I had to in order to learn about the enemy we were facing even if I didn't know it at first. Plus, if I hadn't fallen to the dark side who knows if I ever would have met Rey," Kylo said reaching for his mother's hand.

Before she could stay anything, Rey swayed on her feet and Asera had to move to catch her. As Kylo and Leia watched black mist began to rise from the bandaged half of Zer-o's face. As soon as Rey let him know that the same thing had happened to him when she'd force fed him her light Kylo knew that his theory about being infected was correct.

It burned him up that Zoroyais seemed even more powerful that Snoke ever was. It had taken every bit of cunning Kylo had to kill that twisted being and that was from the inside. He had no idea how they were going to keep Zoroyais from taking over the galaxy.

Kylo looked Rey over and was upset to see that she looked so drained. He was glad when Asera said that Rey could stay there for the rest of the night. He moved over as Sera helped Rey over to his bed.

Leia gave Kylo's hand one last squeeze before moving away from the bed. Kylo felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders knowing that maybe just maybe things would be okay between them from now on. He nodded at his mother who turned on her heel and left the med bay.

Sera had to help Rey into the hospital bed but then she and Kaiser went back to the office that looked over the floor. Rey settled into his arms but moved away when he flinched a little. His chest was sore and he didn't want to bleed on her.

Are you going to be okay, she asked barely putting any of her weight on him.

I'm much better now that you are here in my arms. I'm sorry I scared you but I would have rather died than to let Zoroyais and Hux get their hands on you, Kylo said again.

Rey just looked at him. He knew that he hadn't answered her question but if he'd told her just how much pain he was in she might have left him there. He gave her a half smile and she settled down more on the pillow but at least she was going to be able to sleep next to him.

Yay! Rey and Kylo reunited makes me so happy. Now we can get back to the action. Don't forget to check out the second part of The Last Hope entitled Star Wars: The Knights of Rey out Monday!