A/N - Get ready for some action!
"What are they doing here?"
Rey shook her head helplessly. How was she supposed to know what they were doing here?
"I don't know, Poe."
"Did Ben tell you about this?"
"No," she retorted in exasperation. "I would have prepared people if he had. I sure wouldn't have been hanging out in a tree with Finn if he had! In case you didn't realize it, they don't exactly like each other."
The look he shot her was more than a little irritated. His eyes were cold and thoughtful, his face dark.
"He may not have known that Hux had planned to come here."
"Of course he didn't know! He wouldn't have left me out here unprepared if he had known."
"Rey…"
"He wouldn't have, Poe," She insisted, infuriated that Poe would even think such a thing. Infuriated that she was also thinking it, even though she knew it was wrong. "He knew we were in that tree, Poe. If he was here to harm us, or to recapture us, he would have turned us in."
Poe paced away rapidly before coming back. He stopped before her.
"I don't know what this bond is between the two of you, I don't know what to say about it or what it means, but I do know it has put us all in danger. Especially if Hux has come with him."
Rey glared at him.
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe Ben is here because Hux decided to come here first? Did you ever think that he is here to offer what protection he can?" She demanded. "You have no idea what kind of man he is!"
"And you do?" He demanded.
Rey stared defiantly back at him.
"Yes."
He cursed loudly before anxiously pacing away again. Rey was unwilling to follow him as he headed toward the base.
"Rey!" He hissed.
"I'm going to the Falcon," She told him. "It's time for me to find Skywalker. Before the Resistance launches their attack."
"No, Rey," He told her. "You're needed here. We can't take the risk of you being captured."
He was coming at her before she even had time to blink, lifting her up and forcefully carrying her toward the base. Rey thrashed against him, trying to break free of his ironclad hold, but he shoved her through the door of the base, slamming it shut behind them as he yanked her down the hallway.
Rey stopped struggling, instead focusing her attention on reaching out with the Force.
Ben, she called out silently into the void. I need you.
Ben froze in mid step, his foot hung in the air as his head turned to the side. He tuned out the normal sounds of the forest, filtering through the noise as he strained to hear what had caught his attention.
He was certain that it had been a voice, certain that it had been Rey's voice. His foot dropped upon the forest floor, crackling the leaves and sticks beneath his boot. The men with him stopped walking as they turned back to him.
"What is it?" Hux demanded.
Ben shook his head. Hux hadn't heard the voice, neither had the others. Rey must have been reaching out with the Force.
"It's nothing," He replied. Though it was far more than nothing. The voice had been anxious if not terrified. And it had come from the only person that he cared about. "I have to go."
"Wait, what?" Hux stammered.
Panic seized hold of him, clawing at his chest and tearing through his insides. He had to get away from Hux, had to find her. He had seen her in the tree with that boy and if he had done anything to hurt her Ben was going to destroy him.
He moved rapidly through the trees, racing across the forest. The others tried to keep up with him, but he was faster and stronger than them, and he lost them easily amongst the forest.
He could sense her, not far from him now. He was getting close.
This past week had been absolute hell. And then they had gotten intel on the location of a Resistance base, and Hux had insisted on leading a scouting party. Ben had known that he'd have to go with him, not willing to take the chance that Hux might find her without him being there.
The thought was horrifying to him. He'd come with Hux to make sure that such a thing didn't happen, but it nearly had.
He skidded on a patch of leaves as he came to an abrupt halt in front of the concealed entrance to the Resistance base. He would have missed it if he hadn't known what to look for; growing up as Leia Organa's son had its perks.
Ben moved quickly through the hallways, keeping his senses attuned to other presences as he continued through the base. He had to get to her, but he had to proceed with caution. He was one of the Resistance's greatest enemies, and had found himself in the middle of their compound.
As he turned another corner, he could make out the sound of conversation. He stopped, his head tilting to the side as he picked up three voices. One of them was Poe, one of them was Finn, and the other was a female voice he didn't recognize.
"What happened?" The girl demanded.
"I don't know," Poe answered. "But we have to get her out of here. We have to move now."
Ben bristled. He assumed they were talking about Rey. He hesitated within the shadows.
"Be careful with her Poe!" Finn demanded. "Damn it, give her to me!"
"I've got her, Finn."
"Give her to me!" Finn snapped back.
"Just give her to him, Poe," The girl said. "You're going to have to keep your hands free if they come in here."
Ben's hands fisted, and a haze of red shaded his vision. He didn't like the idea of that boy holding her.
There was a muted rustling, and then Rey made a disgruntled sound.
"Put me down!" She ordered. "Finn, put me down!"
"Rey…"
"Let go!" There was the sound of scuffling as Rey struggled. "Stop, please."
Her voice was filled with anguish, and it was more than he could take.
He was going to kill someone.
He stepped around the corner, removing his mask as he turned to observe the scene before him.
Rey was struggling against the boy holding her, Finn, as she tried to tug her hand free of his restraining grasp. Poe and the strange girl were standing a few feet away.
"Stop, Finn, let her go." Poe stepped forward, reaching for Rey as her struggles to break free became more frantic. "Rey, we can't let you take off to find Skywalker on your own."
"That's not your decision," She snapped. "Let me go."
Ben stepped forward into the light.
"Let her go."
Their heads snapped toward him, their mouths dropped in surprise.
"Kylo Ren," the girl whispered in dismay.
A small cry escaped Rey; she was finally able to tug her hand free of Finn's relaxed grip. He let his mask fall with a clang to the ground as she ran at him and flung herself into his arms. He lifted her, cradling her against his chest as she buried herself against him.
Wrapping his hand around the back of her head, he threaded his fingers through her hair as he briefly savored the feel of her in his arms again.
"What happened?" He demanded.
"Ben, what are you doing here?" Poe demanded, moving over to Finn and gripping the other boy's arm as the astonishment of Ben's sudden appearance began to wear off and murderous intent emerged in his features.
"You know what I'm doing here," He replied, adjusting his grasp on Rey in order to keep his body in between her and the growing hostility of the Resistance members across from him. Ben grasped hold of her face, smoothly pulling her away from his chest. "Are you okay?"
She managed a nod, her bright eyes questioning as she studied him.
"It's not safe for you here," she whispered.
"I know." He looked back at the others, his eyes resting upon the girl who was gaping at the two of them in shock. Finn looked like he was about to snap, anger radiating from every inch of him as he glared furiously at the two of them.
"Did they hurt you?" Ben growled. He didn't care if they were her friends, he was spoiling for a good fight.
"You shouldn't be here," She whispered fervently, her hands clutching at him as her eyes became frantic. "Ben…"
"It's okay, Rey," He told her. "I'll be fine."
"She's right, you have to leave," Poe insisted. "Where's Hux?"
"Elsewhere."
"Ben…"
"He doesn't know where I am," he interrupted sharply.
"But he could find you, and by doing so, find us."
Ben ignored him.
"Did they hurt you?" He demanded again. He would hate to do it, but he would kill them if they had harmed her in any way.
She shook her head, biting on her lip as dread shimmered in her eyes.
"I was trying to get to the Falcon, to leave and find Skywalker."
"I'll take you to the Falcon."
"No," Poe inserted sharply as Finn and the girl took a step forward. "She has to stay with us, and she needs to be somewhere safe."
"I'll be safe," she insisted.
"No, Rey, absolutely not. We have to meet up with Leia," Poe told her.
"You can't keep forcing me to come with you!"
"He forced you here?" Ben demanded.
"Ben…"
"Back off, Dameron." He growled in warning. "Take one more step toward her, and I swear I will destroy you."
"No," Rey interjected. "You can't fight, not here, not now."
Ben's hands tensed on her shoulders. He was trying to keep her behind him, but she kept insisting on trying to get in front of him.
"Who do you think you are?" Finn demanded.
"Don't push me," Ben snarled at him, fighting the rising tides of hostility surging through him. They had forced her in here, and that was unacceptable. Poe pulled Finn back a step, while the girl remained immobile as she watched them intently.
"Don't push you?" Finn snapped back as he fought against Poe's restraining hand. "You're lucky I don't kill you!"
"You could try, but you will not succeed."
Rage flashed across Finn's face. Poe pushed him back as he tried to lunge forward. Finn strained against him, but Poe was successful in keeping the other man pinned against the wall.
"Stop!" Rey commanded loudly.
He could sense the growing exasperation in her tone. Finn's gaze raked scathingly over her, glaring at her from head to toe.
Ben bristled beside her, pulling her further back from the infuriated boy. He didn't trust Finn. He knew that Finn would kill him in a heartbeat, but he was beginning to worry that he might also injure Rey in his rage and hatred.
The girl shot Finn a dark look as she placed herself in between them.
"I'll go up with her."
"No, Rose," Rey told her. "It's safer for you to stay here."
"I'm not letting you go alone." Her eyes were intense as they turned toward Ben. She considered him, her gaze not trusting, but not hate filled either. Not like Finn's.
"I won't be alone," Rey reminded her.
"Rey…"
"I'll be okay, Rose, really."
Rose remained hesitant.
"No, Rey, that's not going to happen."
"I can keep Rey safe. I can't promise that for you." Ben told Rose.
"That's fine," Rose nodded.
"No," Poe said forcefully. "I can't risk you both being captured."
"I will keep her safe," Ben promised. "And you don't have an option here, Poe. I'm taking her with me."
"Even if you take her, she needs to go find Skywalker."
"Then I will go with her."
Poe's mouth dropped.
"You know what that means if you go there."
"I do. But Rey is my priority," Ben turned his attention back to Rose. "You must stay here."
"No," Rose was shaking her head. "Absolutely not. She may trust you, but I don't."
"You have to," Poe told her. "You can't go with them, Rose."
"You can't seriously be considering letting them leave here! Of letting this monster take her back!" Finn exploded. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Go," Poe encouraged.
"No way!" Rose was coming at them, but Poe grabbed hold of her arm.
"He's not going to leave here without her," Poe's gaze was steady, yet sad as he stared at the two of them. "He won't be separated from her again. This has to happen."
"We should kill him!" Finn snapped. "We can't just give her to him!"
"Finn," Rey said calmly. "I gave myself to him, long ago."
Finn went limp, his mouth dropped.
"Rey," Rose breathed.
"I tried to tell you," She told them softly. "Neither of us intended this, but it's happened."
Ben cradled her cheek for a moment, seeking to give her comfort in this tumultuous situation.
"We have to go," he urged.
"Wait," Rey broke away from him. "Let me say goodbye to my friends."
A/N - Looks like Rey and Ben are back together, and about to head off to find Luke Skywalker! I wonder how he'll react to seeing his estranged nephew?
As always, please leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
~ Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)