Finn and Poe waited anxiously in the morning sunlight at the ship port, Poe pacing back and forth in the dirt as Trojor leaned against a wall nearby whilst smoking a cigar, ferociously eyeing any passersby that dared to walk within his vicinity. Finn sat on a shaded bench, head in hands, staring at the wall across from him.

How could I have let this happen? Finn thought incredulously. Rey had now been missing for several days, close to a week. It felt like just yesterday they had been making their way through the busy street market, Rey growing frustrated as he had continually turned around to check on her. Even in her irritated state, Rey was still the most beautiful girl Finn had ever seen. Not that he'd seen many girls, but Finn still knew he would never change his opinion. I decide to give her some space, and the next thing I know, she's gone, he reflected bitterly, feeling he himself was to blame for her disappearance.

As their hope diminished each day, Finn and Poe had spoke less and less to each other. The last full conversation they'd had was when they had decided to send for backup from the Order of Organa, a day and a half after Rey had gone missing.

Finn hopped up as he heard a growing rumbling sound, and he and Poe exchanged a knowing glance. They trotted over to an open section of the nearly-full tarmac where a dark shadow was forming, a large ship lowering to the ground.

Almost as soon as it had landed, the passenger door flipped open, releasing the exit ramp into the compact dirt below. Finn and Poe stopped in place as a Luke, Maz, and a large group of Order soldiers hurriedly made their way to the ground from the ship. They all wore plain, thick clothing to conceal themselves. Still, the people and creatures milling about the port seemed to eye the group suspiciously.

"Oh my god, it's—" Finn began, but Poe pressed a hand over his mouth.

"Don't say his name," Poe said sharply.

"I sense her...Rey's alive, but far from here," Luke declared as he approached Finn and Poe, skipping any form of a greeting. "But I also feel...I'm not sure what." Luke's expression seemed to grow more concerned.

Finn and Poe ignored the last of Luke's statement as they both exchanged looks of excited astonishment, the first true happiness they'd felt for quite a long time.

"In what towns have you looked?" Maz asked, coming up behind Luke. Her tone was not worried, but instead rather firm.

Finn quickly listed all of the towns, villages, and outposts they'd been to in their search for Rey. "That...guy has been taking us around," Finn said, pointing back at Trojor who remained against the wall a ways behind them. Trojor looked in the group's direction, a look of suspicion crossing his fierce features.

"Yeah, but he's been overcharging us," Poe said. "Maybe we should choose someone else to take us around now."

"Not to mention, he's terrifying," Finn added quietly. Each night that they'd camped out or spent in a small motel, he had been convinced that the large Trianii would come and kill him in his sleep.

Maz shot Finn an amused look. "Greedy and terrifying, huh?" She asked skeptically. She waved the Trianii over, who stomped through the dirt towards them. "There are things far more terrifying than a Trianii," she said.

"Maz Kenata," Trojor grumbled in greeting as he approached the group.

Poe and Finn exchanged shocked looks. "You know this guy?!" Finn exclaimed, then looked feebly up at Trojor.

"He's visited my castle many times," Maz said. "Trojor here is a loyal customer, and a good friend."

Trojor bowed his head once at Maz, taking another casual drag from his cigar. Poe and Finn still couldn't hide the shock on their faces.

"I hear you've been charging these two a pretty penny," Maz said, her voice nearly scolding. Trojor shot Finn a fierce look, and Finn shrunk backwards.

"For you, I charge nothing," Trojor said to Maz in his low, animalistic voice.

"I appreciate that," Maz said peering up at him. "As you know, we are trying to find a friend of ours. She's very important," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Do you know where someone like her might be taken?"

A look of curious recognition crossed Trojor's face. "If she is as you say she is, then I might. But I cannot take you there," he added quickly.

Maz looked frustrated. "Why not?"

"That is too dangerous a place," he said obscurely. "No one goes near there."

A flash of frustration flashed momentarily across Maz's face. She took a forceful step towards the giant Trianii, who—to the complete and utter shock of Poe and Finn—took a large step backwards. "Then you will take us as close as you can," Maz declared.

Trojor hesitantly nodded, dropping his cigar and grinding it into the dirt.

Maz nodded towards Luke, who eyed everyone around him seriously. "We will all split up. I will take half of the group with me through further villages. Maz, you and—" He cut himself off, eyeing Trojor expectantly.

"Trojor," the Trianii said.

"You and Trojor will take the other half. Alright, let's go, we have no time to waste," he said.

Finn looked questioningly at Poe. "I think we should split up," Finn said, "since both of us have had some experience with the layout of these roads now."

Poe nodded somberly, sucking in his lips as he looked down dismally at his feet. He then nodded at Finn, and the two hugged tightly.

"We'll find her soon," Poe said, and the two broke apart, going their separate ways.

….

Late the next morning, Rey woke on the couch to a strange sensation. She felt as if there were an added but faint presence in the air. Rey sat in place, trying to figure out what it was she was sensing.

She then felt a familiar pressure at the forefront of her mind, and she blocked it out. Rey stood up, confused, as she gingerly stretched her limbs and rubbed her eyes.

She heard a door open and swift footsteps approaching as Kylo Ren appeared suddenly in the kitchen archway, his shoulders lifting and falling in succession as he seemed to be breathing somewhat heavily. He wore a cloak over his shoulders, and she noticed a fresh bruise on his cheek.

"What is it?" Rey asked coarsely. She folded her arms across her chest.

Kylo visibly hesitated before speaking, his eyebrows knitting together. "Nothing." He turned around and stalked back through the foyer.

Rey tried probing his mind, but of course to no avail. How has he been able to read my thoughts since I've been here? She wondered.

Rey's head began to hurt, and she felt slightly flushed. She went into the kitchen and forced herself to down a small cup of the healing liquid, scrunching her nose at the awful taste.

She stood awhile in front of the wall-sized windows surrounding the sitting area, wishing she knew where she was, how she could get back to her friends. She wondered if they were okay, if they were even still on the planet. Did they know she'd been kidnapped? They wouldn't believe where I am now, she thought.

Rey walked into the bright foyer, seeing Kylo's cloak, a large dark neck wrap, and a pair of black gloves strewn across the table in the entry. She passed down the hallway, sensing for Kylo's presence. She was going to demand that he take her back to where her friends were, although she was quite sure he wouldn't do so. Rey couldn't quite figure out if she was being held prisoner here or not.

She sensed that Kylo was nearby, in his bedroom, and she leaned against the door, listening. It was silent. She silently opened the door, peering around it to find the room quite dark once again. Kylo sat atop his bed facing the wall in front of him, looking directly at her as she opened the door. His right arm was bare and stripped of the black wrap he usually wore, and his left hand was curiously positioned over a large, dark bruise on his right arm.

"Get out," Kylo said, but his voice was not harsh.

"What are you doing?" Rey asked, genuinely curious. Kylo dropped his left hand to his lap, looking at her confusedly.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked.

Rey looked at him questioningly.

"Luke didn't even teach you about Force healing?" He asked confoundedly.

Rey scowled and opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't come up with anything to defend Luke. She didn't know he had refrained from teaching her so many things with the Force.

Kylo turned his body on his bed so he was facing her. "You've never learned how to heal yourself?" He asked, clearly astonished.

Rey shook her head. "No. I didn't even know... that was a thing."

Kylo raised his eyebrows at her. Rey was about to change the subject, to ask if he knew where Finn and Poe were, but her curiosity was burning.

"How does it work?" Rey asked, eyeing the black-and-blue bruise on Kylo's arm.

"It's too complicated to explain. It's something that is learned only through experience," he said, standing from the bed and folding his arms.

"Show me, then," Rey said.

Kylo seemed surprised, his brows furrowing. He seemed to be in deep thought for a moments as he searched her face. Finally, he let out a breath, releasing his hands to his sides. He took a step towards her, motioning for her to move out of the way, and she backed into the hall. Kylo made his way into the foyer, and she followed. In the sunlight, Rey noticed the severity of the bruise on Kylo's exposed, muscular arm, and she wondered what had caused it. She wondered what other injuries lie beneath his clothing.

Kylo led her through the kitchen into the sitting area, silently gesturing a hand towards the couch, and she sat down.

Rey watched Kylo distrustfully as he peered down at her wrists. Rey's heart quickened as his tall frame stood before her. Kylo held his hand out towards hers. "May I look?"

She blinked at him, searching his eyes. They were mild, unthreatening. Rey slowly extended to him her left wrist. His dark eyes broke from hers as he bent down and lightly held her forearm, turning and examining her slightly pink wrist. His eyes flickered to her other wrist. "They've almost healed," he observed.

He then let go of her wrist and reached down, lifting her ankle off of the ground. Rey shot him an angry look, but he didn't seem to notice. He propped her leg upon the coffee table as she continued to scowl at the side of his head. He seemed to observe her ankle closely, frowning. He opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. "What?" She snapped.

"This is still painful?" he questioned, and Rey leaned forward to see observed her red, slightly swollen ankle.

"Only when I walk," she said. She watched as Kylo nodded once and positioned his hand just above Rey's ankle. He closed his eyes, bowing his head slightly. Rey sense his deep concentration in the air around them; it was nearly tangible.

She watched the side of his face closely. He seemed to transcend into a deep focus, his features relaxing, softening. Kylo's fingers began to tense, and Rey winced as her ankle began to burn slightly. A few long moments later, the pain began to subside, and her eyes grew wide as she saw the inflammation on her ankle gradually decreasing, the redness fading away.

After about another minute, the pressure she'd felt on her ankle completely subsided, and Kylo's hand relaxed as he opened his eyes, looking her ankle once more.

"How...where did you learn that?" Rey asked incredulously.

"I taught myself," he said candidly, still not looking at her. Rey watched as he rubbed his hand over his eye. His demeanor seemed changed, and she was intrigued.

"So...I could learn to do that as well?" She asked.

"Yes. But it's not easy."

"Does everyone know about this?"

He shook his head. "Put your leg down," he said, and she dropped it to the floor. He leaned closer to her legs. He then flicked a hand towards her farther leg, causing it to automatically raise onto the coffee table.

"Hey!" Rey exclaimed, alarmed at his casual telekinesis. He looked at her, eyes widening.

"What?"

"Don't do that," Rey scolded.

He sighed as he again positioned his hand over the injury on her ankle, taking a deep breath before closing his eyes and concentrating.

A few silent minutes later, after the redness and inflammation on Rey's other ankle had vanished, Rey watched as Kylo's dark eyelashes quivered, his hand releasing from the Force and his eyes opening halfway, his breathing deep but slow. He pressed a hand on the coffee table as he pushed himself off of the ground. He suddenly seemed very tired. He began making his way out of the room.

"Can you teach me to do that?" Rey asked suddenly.

Kylo stopped and turned over his shoulder, looking at her blearily."Your ankles aren't fully healed. But they're nearly there," he said, obviously choosing to ignore her question. He sleepily waved a hand towards her. "The rest will have to wait," he said, and made his way out of the living area.

Rey observed her ankles, amazed at how much they had healed. There was only a slight redness around them. She flexed them in different directions, then stood and made a quick lap around the couch, marvelling at the complete absence of pain when she walked. She couldn't help but smile to herself.

Rey looked up in the direction of the foyer, silently making her way through to the entry room, turning down the hallway. As usual, all of the doors were closed. She passed by one door, then another, sensing that he again in his bedroom.

She silently opened revealing Kylo's long body sprawled on his stomach across his large bed. She thought Kylo was asleep, but he turned his head and opened his eyes as she entered.

"Let me rest," he said huskily.

Rey remained in the doorway, watching him for a few moments. He turned his face back to the other side, away from the light that cracked in through the open door.

Not wanting to start a fight, Rey left the room, closing the door silently behind her.