A/N - Welcome back to the story!

Ben embraced Rey as her life force flowed freely into him. He should be devastated that she had to sacrifice some of her strength for him, but all he could feel was relief, pleasure, and an all encompassing love that left him shaken.

He'd thought he'd lost her, and yet she was here, in his arms, holding him as she offered herself with the ease that only she could. He could feel his injuries start to heal, his wounds start to close, as Rey finished.

He unhurriedly pulled away from her, nuzzling her neck briefly before leaning back from her. Her tears had left streaks through the dirt that marred her cheeks. Her eyes fluttered open, and the love in her gaze humbled him and made him stronger, radiating like a brilliant ray of sunlight.

For her, he could do anything, even retain control when he was so close to losing it. If this was to be their last moment together, he would make sure that she never saw the monster inside of him again.

"Impressive, Kylo Ren."

Ben grasped her cheeks when Rey moved to face Snoke. He didn't want her to see that bastard again, not right now.

"Look at me. Focus on me, Rey."

"I won't let them take me alive," she whispered.

"They won't take either of us alive."

She swallowed heavily and closed her eyes as she nodded briefly. He savored in the sight of her before turning toward Snoke.

"Very impressive," Snoke continued. "I am actually proud of you for the first time."

Snoke spread his hands out to indicate the bodies littering the floor around Ben. He had managed to take down a good fifteen soldiers before Rey had reached him. Hux stood on the dias next to Snoke, his forehead furrowed as he glared at them.

"I never knew you had it in you. It is her, isn't it? She makes you stronger?" Ben held Rey's head still as she tried to look at Snoke again. "She is what makes you like this. I'm thinking there's a bond. A dyad, perhaps."

Ben stiffened as Snoke hissed out the word.

"After what I've just witnessed, I think I'll keep you both alive and use her to keep you loyal, Kylo Ren. You would be my greatest weapon to control and use as I saw fit, even against the forces trying to take me down now."

So that was why Snoke had told his guards to hold, to stay away from them, Ben realized. He'd wanted to see the lengths that Ben would go to for her. He had needed to see how much he could control Ben by controlling her, and Ben had played right into his hands.

"I bet you'd even kill that pesky mother and uncle of yours if it meant keeping her alive." Rey inhaled sharply, her tears wetting his fingers as he held her still. "I'll make her watch as you destroy everyone and everything she loves, for her."

Ben would destroy himself first.

"That will never happen."

Snoke grinned at him as he gave a brief nod to his guards.

"I want them alive."

The soldiers started moving in to shatter their moment of solitude and peace in this brutal place. He turned his attention back to her, placing her lightsaber in her palm.

"Poe found it in the dungeons," he explained quickly as Rey activated it with glee. "Stay behind me."

She shot him a wild grin that made him realize she would do no such thing, not his Rey. He grabbed hold of her, wrapping her in his embrace as he launched to his feet. He reluctantly let her go to face the soldiers rushing at him.

From the corner of his eye he saw Rey leaping forward as she slashed at the guards closest to her before running toward Finn and Poe. Ben kept an eye on the guards encircling them as he deliberately moved back with her. Three more guards launched themselves at him; he fended them off as he fell back, determined to keep his body between Rey and Snoke. It would be Rey that his former master would go for first, Ben was certain of it.

Finn and Poe launched forward suddenly, shoving their shoulders into two of the guards that were watching over them. They retaliated immediately, raising their swords for the kill, when suddenly a lightsaber shot from behind them and into Finn's hand, igniting on impact and blocking the blows.

Ben watched as Rey paused for a second, clearly stunned by Finn's newfound abilities, before she resumed her dash towards her friends. Ben shoved another guard out of his way as he struggled to get to them too.

Together, Rey, Ben, and Finn tore through the surrounding guards, the latter focused mainly on defending Poe from the chaos.

"Why don't I get a laser sword?" Poe complained briefly, before drawing his blaster and leaping into the fray beside them as the next wave of guards poured in.

They were putting up a good fight, but Ben knew they would eventually be beaten down by the multitude swarming around them. Using his shoulder, Ben rammed back three more guards and dodged three more jabs aimed at him. One clipped across his bicep, but it was only a flesh wound and would heal quickly.

Rey suddenly leapt onto a table, her eyes riveted upon the entrance to the room. Ben continued to fend off the guards as he fell back toward the table in order to try and see what held her so enraptured.

At that moment, the doors to the throne room burst open, and Ben couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief to see his mother and uncle leading reinforcements into the throne room, Paige and Rose hot on their heels.

A/N - I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

As always, please leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

~ Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)