They'd found the Speeder with very little trouble. Apparently Lando had told the man who owned the depot to look for a "small and fearsome woman followed by a large and ominous shadow". The proprietor had taken one look at them and called out from the garage as they passed in the street. His words were unfamiliar; before she could respond in Common, Ben stepped forward and spoke in a similar sounding tone, his low voice carrying on the breeze.

The man looked surprised and said something which sounded somewhat complimentary. They chatted for several minutes before Ben nodded toward her and said something, after which the owner introduced himself in common.

Beez Tindus, local mechanic, repairmen extraordinaire, he had a wise, open face and an easy smile.

"I told your Husband here, that you two shouldn't head down to the point this close to nightfall" He seemed not to notice that Ben's ears turned red at his words. "Don't know if you heard, but the First Order disbanded a few months back and a lot of unsavory characters living in the city under The Order's protection have taken to hiding out there. It's not the kind of place where a young couple like you two should spend time. Though your man there looks like he would take on a bull Rancor before letting any harm come to you." He gave Ben a friendly thump on the back, chatting in a mix of Chandrilan and Common until they were packed, loaded, and fed. He waved them off and smiled, sending a calm blessing in Chandrilan as they headed out.

"Did you tell him we were married?" She asked after some time had passed and the movement of the Speeder started to become hypnotic.

Ben turned to look over his shoulder at her and shook his head. "Just that we were traveling to Junari together. I used the word… companion. Which I failed to remember having a deeper meaning in Chandrilan. It is not uncommon for the people in cities to marry for political alliances or other such reasons." He shifted restlessly, talking more to her than he would to any other in weeks. "Their word for companion is more of an old tradition, held to be archaic by most, it indicates… significance. Something much more than a chosen bond."

"Love?"

"Depending on context." He cleared his throat. "Yes. It was a slip of the tongue."

She could feel the discomfort even above the hum of the Speeder, smiled softly, and dropped the subject, tightening her arms around his waist as they glided across the grass toward Junari Point.

It took longer than she had thought to cross the distance, stopping only occasionally to stretch their legs in nearby towns and eat out of the rations Beez had insisted they take. It was an an easy rhythm, and by the time they arrived, night was rapidly falling.

As they came up over the rise Ben slowed the speeder, to thier surprise the town was packed with lively energy, the main street covered in lights and lanterns, visible even from a distance. He docked the vehicle some ways away, commenting that they should proceed on foot from here, but Rey was already eagerly walking across the shore toward the lights.

Ben stayed close, even amidst the crowd, and from the excited chatter, in a mix of Common and Chandrilan she gathered that it was a yearly festival which began sometime after sundown.

Ben, naturally, felt exposed by the many eyes and the lack of predictability in traffic patterns. Both Luke and Snoke had been master tacticians in their way and this situation from all angles felt like it could go south at any point. He was moving to recommend to Rey that they head toward the Public House that Lando recommended, but, when he saw her delight at the celebrations the words died in his throat. Instead he nervously ran his fingers down the edge of one of the blades tucked into his sleeves and pushed in closer.

For safety.

"Did they have Festivals like this on Jakku?" A pantomime struck up in front of them, stopping their progress. She tilted her head back toward him, still watching the performance.

Their connection swelled, a surge of sensation. To his surprise she was fighting this particular wave of memories.

Heat. Always heat. Sweat beading on the brow. A tall man, ugly with small eyes. Plutt. A greedy, odious smile.

Another man, a town, this one offering a crimson coat, it smelled of spices which made her head hurt. Lights high above her head, fear deep in her belly as she followed the man deeper into the house. Noises, of pain, and something else. He reached back toward her, his smile turned lecherous. She was running from his touch, hiding in the dark.

A distorted reflection in a muddy pool of water, her eyes, young and nearly hysterical, chopping at her long beautiful hair.

Beautiful. Lovely girl. Better life.

No more.

Fireworks exploded overhead, distracting, signaling the beginning of the party. He reached for her, instinct overriding fear, she flinched. But didn't pull away.

"I knew that coming of age Ceremonies are very popular along the Rim." He said finally, before dropping his hand. "I did not realize that Jakku's traditions were so barbaric."

"Only to the slaves." She lifted her eyes to the lights exploding in the sky. "The pretty ones owned by Plutt were leased to pleasure houses during the racing season. It was your only chance to get out of the Lichen Fields until you paid off your debt."

"How did you manage to stay out of the…" He had never asked her about her life before the Resistance, and the Force, the Jedi, all of it. He wondered if anyone had truly taken an interest in Rey of Jakku. Of her life outside of the unchosen destiny as Last Jedi.

"I didn't." She forced a smiled, one that didn't quite convince. "So, I made sure I wasn't a pretty one anymore." Rey inhaled sharply and exhaled, pushing the bad memories away along with the breath. "I think we should find that Inn."

Finn was drunk. He'd been tipsy before on the ship but after waiting for hours outside the Hanna Senate house he had taken matters into his own hands.

Poe stood in the entrance to the bar, affectionately taking in the sight for a long moment before approaching his friend. "Hey, buddy—"

Finn waved his hand blearily. "General." He saluted dramatically swaying dangerously.

"Mmhmm, yep it is me, how many have you had there, General?" He motioned for the bartender. "Water please."

"One… or four…a couple" Finn shrugged and leaned his forehead on the bar with a sigh. "I don't remember."

Concern tugged at Poe's heart, he was narrowly resisting the desire to put his hand on his friend's hair. Finn had let his hair grow long since Exogol, the pilot had to admit though, he was a fan regardless.

"Did they not let Stormtroopers drink or something? What's going on with you? I've only been gone a couple hours, when I left you were fine." He heaved his friend up, and they both stumbled across to a quieter portion of the bar, one with seats that looked less damaging if you toppled.

"Course not." Finn mumbled, leaning sideways until his head rested on the pilot's shoulder. "I just didn't have anything useful to do." He spat the word with unusual venom and sighed once more.

Poe pushed the glass of water toward Finn and stared at it pointedly until his inebriated friend began to drink, "No. Drink all of it. Talk to me, okay? What's got you down?"

"Nothing."

Childish. Great.

"Well I'm pretty sure that's not true, and I'm kinda good at reading people."

"That's the problem!" Finn slammed down his cup sloshing the small amount of water on both and drawing stares. Poe waved politely and apologized before returning to the somewhat infuriating conversation.

"What is?"

"You're sooooo good at people."

Petty too. Even better.

"And why's that a problem dear?"

"Dear… DEAR" Finn groused, rolling word around like it tasted sour. "You just always know what to say to everyone… you can have anyone you want in the palm of your hand… that's the kriffing problem."

Drunk Finn was an interesting problem, on one hand: he was belligerent, frustrated and honestly, at least to Poe, adorable. On the other hand, whatever was at the root of everything happened to be bothering him to the point of this public display of emotion.

"Finn." The word was soft and kind, filled with fondness. "Why is that the problem?"

"I'm not Zorii Bliss. Okay?"

Poe pursed his lips and gave Finn an up-down glance. "I'm not the brightest sun in this System," He retorted. "But I think I know that much."

"I know you've been holo-messaging her since the battle."

"Yep, She's an old friend."

Finn narrowed his eyes. "And I'm your friend too." He let the statement hang in the air.

The normal murmur in the bar had returned, along with yet another glass of water from the attentive bartender. The words played across his mind, until Poe began to see the muddled path.

"Finn, hey, listen to me. Is this about… is this about us?"

Finn shrugged. "It's not important."

"Stop that." The pilot grabbed his hand and squeezed. "It is. You're just gonna have to be a bit more clear about what's going on, cause you know I'm bad with details, but I really really want to understand."

Finn breathed for a moment, thoughts so potent they looked like they were nearly going to scroll across his eyeballs. "I've never… I've never done this before."

"Gotten drunk?" Poe laughed, "I mean I'm not surprised…"

"No. Like this" He pointed between the two of them. "Also not this drunk."

Poe Dameron took a deep breath, suddenly nervous. He never considered himself a good speaker, just let the emotions of the moment say what he'd want to hear.

"Finn, I-I know that you're not Zorii. And to be honest, I don't want you to be her, never have."

"So you don't mind that I'm a guy?"

Poe's mouth fell open, then shut, his face scrunched in confusion. "Do I— mind? Finn why would I—Do—Do you mind?"

"The First Order did." Finn replied heavily, straightening unnaturally like he always did when that time of his life was mentioned. "Thoughts or actions like that were discouraged, or you were re-educated… forcibly."

"Oh."

"Then you were there. And you— you weren't afraid of them, or me— and you trusted me and gave me a name, a real name." Finn smiled, his voice nervous and rushed. "It was great, hard, but so good. Home. For a little bit we— me, you, Rey we were all that mattered— then we went to Kijimi…"

"And then you found out I'm a Spice Runner?"

"No—man, do you think that would matter? I'm a former Trooper for kriff's sake— Dameron, we kissed after after I knew that." Finn shook his head. "I was just sitting here and thinking…It just hit me that you had a lotta life before me. Life that you might want to get back to now that it's all over with…"

"And I was talking to Zorii Bliss…"

Finn shrugged, "I just figured there was no reason why you'd want to try this with me, when you literally could have anyone, and the more time we spend out here, the more I realize that I really have no real reason to stand out. Just a number. 2187."

Relief. Poe understood, he smiled, a real, genuine, Poe Dameron smile.

"I gave you my jacket." He said. "Your Force Sense didn't tingle and tell you what that meant?"

Finn leaned away. "Are you drunk?"

"I don't want anyone else Finn." Poe sighed and shook his head. "Okay? That's it, so, take all the time you need, but no more stress drinking cause you think I'm not into you okay, you scared me worse than when we found out about the Starkiller. And Finn, Zorii has a girlfriend right now." Poe laughed a relieved laugh and stood, reaching out for Finn's hand. "Let's get out of here. There's a festival happening tonight."

As Rey watched the steam waft from under the 'fresher door of the attached bathroom she wondered how to make the best of this situation.

They should have figured, with the Festival ongoing, places for accommodation would be scarce. The Bar where they were told to meet Lando's contact was packed with revelers, any obvious sources would be lost in the throng.

"One room." The bartender told them, one eye on them, one on the drunken group leading yet another rousing group-sing of a local fishing ballad. "That's all we got."

Ben shifted, behind her. Someone had yelled something above the sound of singing causing all to respond with shouts and laughter.

"Then we'll go somewhere else…" She said.

"Good luck. You're gonna have the same problem anywhere you go tonight" The same tone, the same lack of disinterest. "You want the room or not?"

So, she lay in the one room, spread-eagle on top of the one bed and listened to the water splash the tiles. Of course, she'd insisted that he go first. They both needed a moment.

When they walked in, he'd taken one look at the single bed and visibly paled, a flicker of nervous images raced across their connection. Rey pushed into the room with false bravado, smiling over-brightly and dropping her travel bag on the floor next to the bed. Making inane comments about the clean-ness of the room, the niceness of the refresher room. Ben removed his scarf and made noncommittal noises in response to her chatter but his eyes never strayed far from the bed.

Now she was trying not to listen to his mental apprehension, while fighting her own rabbit-trail of emotions at the concept of sharing sleeping quarters. Mostly because she kept seeing his face looking up into hers on the throne. The way he felt when he kissed her…

No.

Rey blushed, threw her arm over her eyes and tried to meditate. Interrupted minutes later when the door banged open and out popped a half-clothed Ben Solo. He seemed as startled as she, eyes frantically searching for his bag, across the room.

Rey leaned off the edge of the bed, eager to hand him the bag and hopefully get this particular temptation out of her physical vicinity. Unfortunately, he was equally as intent on grabbing the bag, bowling her over in the process.

They ended up nearly on the floor, his knees on the floor and her held from falling headfirst into the floor by her shoulders, nose-to-nose, her hands on his chest.

"Are you alright?" Both asked, nearly in sync. Rey smiled, trying not to crumple as he helped her back on the bed and pulled his shirt over his huge shoulders. His hair was tucked behind his ears, still wet. He fiddled with his bag for a long time, Rey, took the brief moment of reprieve to watch.

" You shouldn't stare."

Her throat caught at his voice in her mind, when his eyes finally raised, the glimmer of a smile played around his eyes.

"I can sleep on the floor." He said aloud, folding the long cloak lengthwise.

She hadn't let him sleep on the floor, claiming stubbornly that the bed was big enough for the two of them to sleep comfortably. She had looked at him with such fierceness, unwilling to budge on such a simple thing that he gave in, as though he could ever truly deny her anything now. She'd firmly stated there would be no danger of her moving from her edge of the bed toward his.

Ben woke in the night, the normal grogginess of early morning swirling around his consciousness. Rey's arm draped across his chest, the top of her head tucked under his chin, her legs tangled between his.

The crowd was still singing on the streets, wishing each other fortune and enjoying the night of fun. A particularly loud firework caused Rey to murmur in her sleep, nose scrunching, hand coming up to tighten around his waist, sliding closer.

"You shouldn't stare." She hummed into his mind, he didn't answer, and she cracked open one eye, caught, for the first time unembarrassed in the gentle light from the moons of Chandrila shining dimly through the window. "You haven't had any nightmares tonight." She commented gently.

A wry feeling flickered across the Force, the same feeling from when he'd caught her staring. "I knew you'd protect me."

"You forget that I've seen you fight. I've never seen someone so skilled with a blade." She scooted back to look up into his face, forgetting to be embarrassed or self-conscious about their closeness. "Did you always want to be a Jedi?"

He opened his eyes, "My mother wanted me to be a diplomat, but it was decided that I would be sent to train with my Uncle."

"How old were you?"

His eyes flitted closed to remember. "Fifteen."

"Did you not want to be a Jedi Knight?"

"I wanted to become a pilot, like my father." The way his voice changed at the mention of Han, tight and filled with emotion. "I was planning on joining the academy here when I turned 18. But I was deemed too dangerous to go untrained and was shipped off for the foreseeable future to become a warrior monk, instead I became a monster."

Rey hesitated, wondering if this conversation was healthy, or harming to his psyche. Usually gaining facts from him was akin to pulling horns off a TaunTaun. But the man who lay in front of her now was not the one who held her prisoner on his ship. As each day passed he seemed to trust her more and more as though layers of Kylo Ren were being removed with every passing moment.

" Your mother, she told me Snoke was with you since you were a child. Always waiting and whispering… there was no way anyone could have resisted completely."

"That does not take away from what I did. Forgiveness is only one part of Redemption."

She touched a place on his shoulder, even through his shirt she could feel the deep ropey scar. "He abused you."

The flash of memories accompanying her statement confirmed her suspicion. Despite the fact that it only took him a moment or two to seal those thoughts back into his mind, the mere glimpses of his "Sith Training" left tears in her eyes.

Ben grabbed her hand and pulled it away. "He used his own methods to mold me. To take away any impediments I might have. Love makes the Sith weak. Instead he fed my anger, my rage with pain, until I no longer desired it."

"Ben." She whispered, feeling bold, reaching out to take hold of his face. "You were so alone for so long. And he tortured you inside and out for years. Yet you came back to the Light."

"For you." He replied quietly, pressing into her touch. "I could not let you face him alone."

"And this time?" She was talking about his resurrection, his reappearance in a life that he did not deserve. She was asking questions he had no answers to, and the only answers he did have frightened him.

He whispered it into her mind, saying it out loud made it too real. Too easily answerable. "Why did you kiss me? On Exogol."

She had wondered when it would come up, this was such an obvious side-step to her question and yet he'd asked.

"I was fully prepared to die. After you fell, I knew it was the only chance we had. For peace, for all the people I loved to live on, it was almost… a relief to know that my life has purpose, even in sacrifice." She kept her fingers on his cheek, a Touchstone, for the memories she so rarely allowed herself to relive. "I felt you… like a warm grasp in the ice of winter, reaching out, surrounding me. When my eyes opened it was you, Ben." She opened her eyes, still unwilling to relinquish her hand on his face. "You were there with me, so filled with light …"

"I'm here now, Rey" He placed his hand over hers, kissing the inside of her palm in a gesture so intimate and gentle, her heart thudded in her chest. "If you want it, you never have to be alone again."

He was asking for permission, for consent. Her little nervous nod was all he needed for the dam to break. He nipped at her mouth, at her neck. Eating up the small noises she made at his touch in her hair, down her back. Lack of experience on both their parts was briefly understood and communicated via the bond, but it was utterly overrun by the sudden outpouring of desire shared between them. Rey lay breathless as he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her tightly flush against him. She, rolled on top of him, straddling, panting as though she'd run a mile, she could feel his hardness between her legs and felt suddenly, intensely eager to have less clothes on.

He seemed to feel the same way, only pausing briefly before reaching up to help her remove the thin shirt she wore to bed, eyes wide and worshipful at every new inch of revealed skin. His fingers lingered at the edge of her sleeping tights, she was practically grinding herself against him and he felt the impatience sizzling along their connection.

"Have you… have you done this before?" His question lingered for a moment, shy, yet crackling with emotion. She nodded, but his eyes held none of the reproach she expected at the admission.

"I haven't" He added, finally, a slight blush on his face.

She seized his face, her arching her back and leaning down to kiss him, her lips exploring his, sliding her tongue against his, needy and delicious in every touch. The boundaries for her feelings towards him only increasing at his honest admission.

" Then let me teach you."

Rey woke naked, delightfully sore and pleasantly satisfied. She opened her eyes to the even more pleasure inducing sight of a very naked Solo facedown in her bed. He curled toward her as always, as though his physical presence alone would keep her safe from all harm.

The young Jedi wondered if the low burning feeling in her heart would ever disappear even as other parts of her stirred at the memories of the night before. It had taken many lessons before she felt truly convinced that he had learned. Her face warmed remembering the way his body worshipped hers with very little convincing needed.

Mottled filtered through the cracks in the curtains, the streets now thankfully silent. The Innkeeper knew who they were looking for, and had promised to alert them as soon as they arrived.

She wondered how useful this person would be, why Lando was so insistent to send them this way alone, but, with Ben sleeping peacefully with one long arm draped across her stomach she couldn't say that she had any real complaints at the detour.

"You're thinking very loudly." He said, eyes still closed, though a smile already forming on his lips. Rey was getting addicted to how often Ben Solo smiled.

"It's been a long time." He replied to her mental note and slid his eyes open, they crinkled at the corner as soon as he caught a look at her sleep messy hair strewn around her head. "You're beautiful." He stated simply, unable to keep such ridiculous platitudes from pouring out of his mind and into hers. Watching her blush like he couldn't get enough.

"You're delirious." She informed him, brushing the hair from his face, his smile deepened and the dimples she remembered reappeared. He looked like a prince from some tale she'd heard round campfires on Jakku. She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheekbone and stood, not moving to cover her naked form as she hunted for clean clothes. He watched her from the bed, absorbing the sight of rainy light streaming across her skin and her lively brown eyes glowing at his attention.

Perhaps, in this moment, he could let himself be happy. Perhaps this would be his atonement, to belong to her for the rest of their days. Looking at her, feeling the strength of the bond, he wondered if she knew.

A knock at the door, the telltale slip of paper being slid below the door. She was already clothed in her normal white Jedi Robes when he returned with the message in hand.

"Innkeeper says our informant will meet us tonight after the moonrises."

"Then it looks like we have time to explore until then."

They walked out past the boundaries of the town, through the shimmering rain and toward the Point for which Junari Point got its name. Very few townspeople noticed them, the petite female and the black-clad giant following closely behind, then again, very few townspeople seemed to be awake. Ben had said something about the rain and Rey had laughed back at him about being raised on a Desert planet. So he slipped the Speeder keys back into his pocket and strode after her.

Now, overlooking the massive body of water swept by the incoming storm,

"Do you want to stay with me?" She was regarding him curiously, like you would a specimen, highly inquisitive and very obviously fascinated. These looks were common from a Jedi, half-listening; half-waiting. Ben knew the transient jitters of the Force, how it tended to resonate like a drug in the system especially early on. "I've never asked, not since we stole you from Ach-To."

"Do you not want—"

"That isn't what I asked." She cut in, firmly, circumventing his wave of guilt with a gentle, but unyielding wall. "I asked what you wanted."

"You ask that often." He noted, straightening the edge of his long black cloak.

"And you never seem to answer." Again with that look, the listening, the rain sweeping her hair. She was enigmatic, and fascinating, and still so kind.

They had been similarly rain swept, during their duel on top of the dormant Death Star. He had seen the glimpse of her rage, of vengeance. But at his pain, she had let go, knelt beside him and healed the injury she had caused without ever once thinking of the consequences. It was perhaps that moment that had solidified his return, Ben's return.

" Didn't last night—"

"Last night, was again, showing you what I want. But not the answer to my question." The barest sense of teasing annoyance, she wasn't letting go of this. Not this time.

"I… this is where I want to be." He cleared his throat, switching to his own voice, sometimes their mental connection made him feel far too exposed. "I am just…" He paused, looking young, uncertain. He finally jerked the scarf down in frustration and sighed, gathering himself. "I don't understand how we could be still be connected in this way… how I would be allowed to be with you… I do not deserve this. I thought perhaps, that our bond would be my penance. To remain by your side and to feel… to love you." He stated firmly, dropping his head. "To love you… without ever being able to have you."

Oh.

Ben wasn't sure how to express it. How to explain the draw he'd felt, even from before he'd met her. Even as a prisoner, she had been afraid, and angry, but still a tinny thread of kindness to him, her captor. As time went on, she had utterly eclipsed everything else. Last night had only confirmed that if he were to worship at any alter it would be her. She could be capricious and cruel to him as he deserved, yet he would never stop yearning for her.

She slid her hand into his and nodded. Understanding,

"Ben, I—"

The laserblast came from the trees, Rey felt it before she saw it, a whining line of fire in the Force. She slammed her palms into Ben's chest, driving him backwards with the Force, narrowly avoiding the beam screaming through the air where his head had been moments before. Instinct kicked in, a moment later, he was already crouched on the grass, scanning the trees, the dark blade already unsheathed.

There was a slight lip of cliff above the sheer drop into the body of water. Automatically, both backed off the ledge and onto separate pieces of rock face as three more shots whipped past overhead.

She caught his eye and he quirked an eyebrow. "Are you alright?" He asked, and she nodded quickly in response.

"How many?" Both were trying to listen to the sounds of calls or radio chatter over the storm. Lightning arced overhead, Rey took a sneak peak and saw at least ten shadows moving inside the covering brush and forest. Another crackle of lightning saw six more shots firing at her silhouette above the edge of the cliff.

She relayed the number to his terse nod.

"We know you're there!" A gravely voice called from the trees. "Jedi!" The word was spat. "If you come out now we'll spare the giant."

She could feel the low burn of anger in him, pulsing evenly, stoked up by the threat to her. Spiking down into his hands, curled around his weapon, this is how he felt in the forest of Starkiller base, on the Supremacy, during his final battle with Luke. It was enough to distract her from the current danger.

"There's a pretty bounty on your head" The voice was closer, taunting, their attackers were moving in toward the cliff. "Dead or alive".

If she closed her eyes she could see a hazy outline of their figures out across the Force. A shrinking semicircle. They were running out of time,

Ben was fighting to resist the primal urge to pull the energy of the Universe into his uncertain grip. From above, he recognized a few words shouted in Huttese, perhaps mercenaries. He wondered who sent them, if they were backed by the First Order. If, in another realm of possibility, he would have been the one who sent them. Grieved and vengeful at the knowledge that she had robbed him of his power.

Guilt and shame.

A brave head unfortunately popped out directly above him. Rey watched a single strong arm reach up, a flash of lightning, and then the man was screaming off the cliff into the ocean below.

"Are you ready?" He growled down the bond, she nodded and they swept up and over the edge of the cliff.

The outer door thudded open instantly ruining any sleep Finn and Poe might have had. Rey stumbled through the open portal half-dragging, half-carrying a bloody Ben Solo. Poe frantically pulled on pants, joining Finn who was shirtless and already following Rey's terse instructions.

Lando had gotten them housing in an upper-class residential neighborhood, they all knew the danger of drawing attention to their giant companion and if Finn had learned one thing it's that Chandrilans were nosey.

No one commented on the fact that Finn and Poe were both nearly naked and stumbling out of the same bedroom into the foyer.

"We were ambushed at Junari Point." Rey said. She looked exhausted to the point of tears. She had spent most of the day and night getting Ben back to their speeders and trying to drive them to safety. "They knew I was Jedi."

"Mercs?" Finn responded grimly.

Poe knew before she said no what the answer would be. Mercs were never that informed. They saw a face, a warning label, a price on the head and they were off across the stars in their patchwork ships. Too many details weren't their strong suit.

Rey was kneeling over Ben's prone form, her hands were shaking so badly as she undid Ben's long black cloak.

Finn leaned back on his heels, forcing her to make eye contact. "Rey… why is he tied up?"

She shivered and put her hand over her eyes. "They had some sort of long-range soldier waiting with a syringe-gun, they shot it at me, but he, he took it for me…" Her voice cracked. "He went berserk…"

"Are they still following you?" Poe asked, reaching for the blaster that was noticeably absent along with pants.

She shook her head surely. "They're all dead. He killed them."

"How'd you manage to get him here?" Finn was eyeing the unconscious figure skeptically.

"I knocked him out with our Force bond."

Finn's eyebrows hit the top of his forehead. "You can do that?" He opened his mouth but Poe rested a gentle hand on his shoulder as if to say, Focus.

"So the blood—" began Poe.

"—Isn't his." She replied, exhaustion beyond evident. "For the most part. Nothing serious is… they didn't get close enough to hurt him." Her eyes were wide, uncertain. "He fought like… he obliterated them." She caught herself, reached into her pocket and laid two syringes on the floor now filthy with dirt and blood. "I got these… before we—I'm sorry." She was breathing heavily now. "It's taking everything I have to keep him under. Now please… get Lando and Chewie. I must speak with them."

Lando Calrissian handed Rey another cup of water. She was sweating profusely and leaning bonelessly against the hall's nearby column.

He had been summoned from a nearby home where he had been "entertaining" and had immediately bid his adieu and returned to the opulent townhouse they'd been offered by the Senate. The sight of Rey, still dripping from the storm and smeared with blood, stopped him dead in the doorway. She had relayed the same information once more, her hand never moving from Ben Solo's skin. Lando had no doubt that she could continue keeping the much larger man under, but it was quite obviously taking a toll on her.

He motioned to Chewie and relayed a set of instructions to the Wookie who disappeared into Lando's suite and returned minutes later with two sets of parasteel cuffs.

Poe noticed, of course he did, and maturely refrained from mentioning the fact that Lando happened personally own, two sets of industrial level restraints and helped the Wookie maneuver the unconscious Solo into them. It was only after they confirmed that the restraints were secured on his hands and legs and the gag placed in his mouth that Rey relaxed enough to slowly remove her hand from his arm.

"How long do we have until he wakes?"

She shrugged at Finn, Ben's eyes had started frantically moving underneath his eyelids. His hands were flexing and slackening within the cages surrounding his hands and wrists, nose flaring wildly as his breathing increased.

"How did they know I was a Jedi? How did they know Ben and I would be at Junari Point? They had to be watching our movements, ever since we landed." She turned her eyes to Lando, seeking guidance and answers.

"First Order?" Poe suggested.

"They said something about killing Ben and keeping me. They were only after The Force User— Their words. I don't… I don't think it was them."

Finn kept his eyes on Solo the entire time, his Force energy felt different. Neither like Kylo Ren, nor the man who had slept on their ship this past week. It was darker, nearly choking in its intensity, it felt savage, bloodthirsty. The type of feeling one might get when you stare into the emptiness of space too long, causing a sudden desire to have something at your back.

Finn could tell that Rey felt it too, she was still discussing the attack with the others but her gaze had yet to move from Solo's. He could only imagine what she was going through.

"I think this may come from higher than we expected." Lando said finally, tiredly. "The original message I received was about intel on Chandrila. But my contact was explicit in the fact that Rey was the only one who was Force sensitive enough to discover it. I've had dealings with him for years, before, after, and during the Rebellions." He shrugged. "I had no reason to doubt that he wasn't telling me the truth."

"It isn't your fault Lando." Poe said, for all of them. "No one knows what to expect after Exogol. We need to figure out what's in those Syrin—"

Ben's eyes snapped open, he bared his teeth around the metal between his lips and breathed furiously through them, arms straining with effort as he tried to break the hand-restraints. He spent a second thrashing before Rey stood and without preamble straddled him. Ignoring the questioning glances she placed her hands on either side of his face and breathed deeply. The room went silent, the only sound being a muted growl from Ben's end and the deep breaths from the Jedi.

Finn felt Solo relax in response to Rey's touch, she nodded, and dropped her hands, Finn realized a second too late the trick, Solo's eyes shot open, blown wide with rage, a wave of Force exploded out from him.

A glass vase shattered in the hallway, all others were knocked into walls and onto floor. Rey braced herself, pushing the Force like a cushion before lunging back toward Ben who, despite his inability to move physically, was leaned forward and creating a barrier with his mind. The walls creaked under the pressure, Chewie was yelling for them to take cover in the adjacent rooms.

Inside her head the only sound was a constant furious roar. Not the familiar one, laced with fear that she felt nearly every time he slept and dreamed but a restless energy. He was still bound and twisted on the floor, she could see the veins in his arms standing out with the effort. The lights in the foyer sang with the brightness of his Force. She gathered herself, and with an explosion of energy, launched herself forward. If she didn't contain him soon he would shake the building apart.

Upon impact she had him by the face again, he was panting around the gag. Rey pushed herself into his consciousness.

Fire. Everything was fire. The sound of violence echoed behind her. Ben stood before her, younger, hair shorter. He was screaming for someone to stop, but the shadowy figures contued. A light saber flashed blue.

She ran towards him, her legs felt stiff and sludgy. She shouted his name and he turned, eyes widening with recognition.

The scene tilted crazily and she slipped sideways and fell into darkness.

Another scene, this one somehow older, Ben couldn't be much more than 15, standing in a long hall lined with alcoves. He looked bored, clad in Padawan Robes, hair cropped close to his head, a lightsaber hung by his side.

His head tilted at the sound of a small whimper, the sound echoing across the tiled floors. A tiny figure peeked around the edge of a far-off alcove. A tiny girl, eyes red-rimmed and terrified. Young Ben checked the long passage for any sign of life before softly moving toward her.

She looked up at him sternly, her hands rubbing her eyes, despite her tears, her sobs were nearly silent. Her hair had come loose from it's ties and lay in a dark halo around her head.

" Are you lost?" Ben asked, unsure how to speak to a child of 5. She nodded solemnly, pointing to one of the Hearing rooms, but saying no words, another tear rolled out of her eyes.

" Are your parents seeking council?"

She frowned, and he rephrased quickly. "Did your mom and dad go into one of the rooms?"

Another nod, she was messing with her hair, frown deepening and tears welling once again. He panicked, focusing slightly and causing the doll she clutched to wave at her with his Force.

She giggled and crisis was averted.

" I'm sure they'll be out soon." He said confidently, taking a seat next to her on the floor. "I'm waiting on my Master too. He's visiting… my mother."

Too busy. Always in Council or meetings. It had been years. He tucked the dark emotions back into the corner and turned to the little girl who was trying to tie her hair back up.

" Hey, let me help you, okay?" He waited for her to nod, then she turned to ease his reach.

She was tough, he knew he wasn't the best stylist and his hands were too large and clumsy for his size. But when he finished she gazed at her reflection in the glass windows, and a tiny smile appeared on her face. She reached up and touched the three buns.

" It's how my mom did hers when I was little." He added, "I can show you. If you want?"

Luke Skywalker strode from the room his heart heavy, the sense of foreboding threatening to turn his mood. Ben was not where he'd left him in the hallway, a dark flash of annoyance. He stomped down the hall, turning the corner to find his young apprentice sitting shoulder to shoulder with a small girl.

She'd apparently fallen asleep at some point and had reached her hand out to hold onto his. Ben was dozing himself, but his Master's Force presence quickly alerted him.

The same door opened and a young couple darted out, making a beeline for the alcove where they stood. They stopped upon recognizing Luke, who inclined his head gently.

" Darling," The woman said, kneeling to scoop the sleeping girl into her arms. "I'm sorry it took so long."

Her Father turned to Ben. "Thank you for keeping her company…?"
"Ben." Luke cut in, stepping between them suddenly, guiding Ben Solo to stand behind him. "He is my Padawan."

The man and woman nodded, noticing his stance and taking a step back themselves. "Thank you Master Skywalker, for your direction, and for Senator Organa's."

Luke ignored Ben's curious glance and nodded curtly.

" I am sorry we weren't able to give you more positive directives. You must be on your way. May the Force be with You."

The couple bowed deeply and turned, but a few steps later she stopped and turned, speaking gently to the drowsy toddler.

" Rey, say goodbye to Ben."