—— Rey ——

The hut was small considering it was built for a creature more than half her size. Rey didn't mind it though, it felt almost familiar; reminding her of her make shift home back on Jakku.

There was a small bed made of straw and twigs nestled in the corner of the room, while a table made from the stump of a tree took up the middle. The place was cluttered with clay cooking pots and silverware carved from bones. A dimly lit torch hung on the wall casting a golden hue around the room, while the only barrier to the outside forest was a thin sheet of animal hide that draped across the door frame.

Rey unhooked her hostler that contained a blaster and Luke's broken saber, and laid it gently on the table before taking a seat on the bed. She was alone now, left with her troubled thoughts.

Poe's jacket still draped over her shoulders. Sighing she pulled it off and brought the jacket close to her face letting the leather caress her skin. Poe's scent still lingered on it.

She had offered it back to him when they reached the Falcon, but he suggested she keep it for a while, at least until they found something more suitable for her. Rey felt awkward in the situation, she wasn't used to being around someone as considerate as him. He had been nothing but nice to her since he had introduced himself and his overall essence was pure.

"I need to sleep" she finally told her self laying down on her back. She stared up at the ceiling blankly, her eyes refusing to close. Rens voice was still ringing in her ears. As much as she didn't want to recall today's events, she couldn't keep the images out of her head.

"You're not alone"

"and neither are you"

She replayed the memory again. Stretching her hand towards the ceiling she imagined the warmth of his fingertips against hers. She had let her guard down in front of him. She opened herself up to him and revealed details about her past that she hadn't shared with anyone. It was an intimate encounter that struck a bond between them. It was the first time in her life she ever really felt connected to someone else in that way.

But then she replied the memory on the supremacy.

"Please..." Ben Solo stood before her his hand outstretched pleadingly. A sinking feeling entered her stomach at the thought. In that moment she had felt so lost. For a fleeting moment she had thought about joining him. He wasn't entirely wrong in his views. The galaxy needed a change. It needed to rebuild. Perhaps letting the past die was its only hope for a better survival. But how could she just leave her friends for dead? Ben had given her an impossible choice.

"You could have stopped this" Tears beaded up in Rey's eyes.

"You could have stopped this" A deep voice mimicked.

Rey immediately jumped up from the bed. Instinctively she grabbed for the Saber in holster. She hadn't felt the force connection, too wrapped up in her own thoughts.

"It's broken, remember? It shattered when you fought me on it" Ben emerged from the shadows and revealed himself.

Frustrated she tossed it aside and fumbled for her blaster.

"Looking for this?" Ben mocked. He held the blaster in his hands. She froze in place unsure of what her next action would be. She could force push him, but how effective would that be against him? He was much stronger in the force than her, she could be easily over powered.

"What do you want?" Rey glared at him. Her body was shaking, but not entirely from anger or fear. There was a new mix of emotion forming inside her. She didn't attempt to try and explain it to herself in the moment, but part of her felt relieved. She mustered up all her strength to keep a straight face. She didn't want to reveal to him that maybe, just maybe she wanted him here.

——Ben——

"To explain myself" Ben stated bluntly taking a step towards her. She immediately stepped backwards but was cut off by the bed. He stood a few feet away from her now, placing the blaster on the table. He watched Rey's eyes dart towards it. "Rey" he called to her.

She refocused her attention on him realizing she wouldn't be able to get the jump on him even if she could grab the blaster from the table. There was nothing left for her to do but listen. "Very well, then speak"

Ben relaxed his shoulders from a guarded stance and sighed. "My whole life I've lived beneath the people who were suppose to protect me" His eyes shift toward the ground as he spoke. "Han and Leia were always so wrapped up in their own affairs that my life was upturned by a mother whos only focus was leading the resistance, and a father who found it was more important to maintain a reputation and full wallet than take the responsibility of parenthood. That's when they sent me away to train with Luke. I never had a choice of my own, they just abandoned me."

"They loved you!" Rey butted in.

"They left me!" Ben snarled annoyed. "I've had to deal with the pain of feeling unwanted since I was just a young boy" His fists clench and unclench as he fought to keep his temper at bay. "You of anyone would know what that feels like!"

It was true. She felt guilty for cutting him off. His parents may have loved him but she didn't know his full childhood.

His lip quivered as he continued. "I had no choice but to train with Luke and the other Jedi, and so I did. It wasn't long before Luke started to treat me different, as if I was a danger to myself and the other students. He began to hold me back from my true potential."

"Luke was just tying to protect you" Rey interrupted him again.

"No, he was just trying to protect himself!." Ben took in a deep breath. "All I wanted was to make my mother and father notice me and so I decided, to do so I needed to become the strongest, most powerful Jedi anyone has ever seen. I trained tirelessly day and night! I thought Luke would be proud of me, but instead he feared me, everyone did. He told you the truth of what happened that night. He was my family, and they all let me down!!"

"Ben..." Rey took a step towards him, stopping short of reaching her hand out to touchs his. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him but she knew better. The minute she did so, she would be telling herself that his actions were justified.

"I know you struggle the same way that I have, I know you feel the darkness just as I do. Your parents abandoned you and left you all alone. You and I are one in the same Rey." He collected himself. "The resistance has nothing for you. They will exploit your own conflict to meet their needs, fighting a war that will NEVER end. You know I am right. Your abandonment is just there gain, as mine was to Snoke. Come with me..."

Her mind was racing rapidly trying to process everything he said.

"Rey..." Ben took another step towards her. She didn't attempt to move away this time.

"We don't have to feel abandoned anymore" He slipped one of his hands into hers, his other caressed her cheek. He leaned in. His face was close enough to hers now that he could feel her breath against his lips, he could almost taste the saltiness of her fresh tears. "We share a connection Rey. I know you feel it too. That's why you haven't pulled away from me, right?."

Rey flinched at the realization of him being right. She hadn't even attempted to stop him or push him away. Her eyes darted from side to side trying to figure out her own emotions.

Ben placed his thumb on her chin. "Look at me" he coaxed her. Their eyes finally met. "I am just as lost as you, searching for my place in the galaxy, and now I know where it stands." His eyes burn into hers with a sullen expression.

Rey's heart began to pound in her chest. She didn't intend to let him break her down so easily, but she knew she felt it too. It was all so overwhelming. But could she really turn her back to the resistance? She lost sight of the question as his breath tickled her skin. His face was so close, their noses almost touching. She glanced down at his lips as her own quivered.

"Ben... I..." her words were suddenly muffled by his lips as they pressed into hers...