Once again, thank you all for the wonderful feedback and for the constructive criticism. I love how much of a two way street the process can be.

A canyon miner opened the door and a girl, not older than nine or ten, stepped into their cell. Clad in light, tribal gear, she kept pointing a long spikey lance at them that she held menacingly with both hands, her expression defiant as she grunted for them to get out. Kylo Ren looked down at her with contempt, his frame practically doubled her size. His nonchalance appeared to make the girl more agitated until, at one point, she tried to poke him in the chest to force him to move, action she immediately regretted when Ren easily deflected the lance as it charged, grabbing the girl by the neck and lifting her body off the ground in a fit of rage. The lance dropped to the floor, rolling away as if scared.

Rey quickly rushed to the girl's rescue, pulling on Ren's steel-set forearm. The canyon miner also sprang into action, running into the cell a second later. An invisible thrust sent him flying across the gallery, effectively knocking him out the minute his head slammed against the hard wall.

"Stop it!" Rey wailed, failing to make Ren's arm move. "She's just a child!"

Two young eyes stared at Kylo Ren in absolute fear. Gasping for air, the girl twisted under his iron grip, her legs kicking wildly a few feet from the ground.

"STOP!" Rey yelled, anger making the Force surge to the surface in a whirlwind.

Kylo Ren felt it, he fed off it for a second before putting his victim down with a grin that could only be described as evil. The girl stumbled back a couple of steps, then fell to the ground and scrambled backwards to put some distance between them. Rey rushed over to where she was, knelt down beside her and tried to put her at ease.

"It's okay. Don't be afraid. We're not going to hurt you," she soothed. Rey couldn't help but wince inwardly at such fallacy, given than Ren had almost choked her to death just a second before.

The child kept gaping at the tall man, terror written all over her small face. Rey tried to smooth a lock of hair from her face, but she flinched away from her touch.

"Please, don't be frightened." Rey offered the girl a sweet smile, a direct juxtaposition to Ren's indifferent scowl. "Do you understand me? Do you speak—?"

A raspy voice travelled down the gallery. "Nia! What's takin' you so long, girl?"

The owner of the voice materialized several seconds later as bearded man with a cane limped into view. He regarded them for a moment before lifting his bushy eyebrows in a gesture of careful observation.

"Well, don't just stand there," he said impatiently. "I'm sure there's some other place you both'd rather be." Looking down at the girl, he added, "Get up, Nia. Now it's not the time to play."

Rey and Kylo Ren exchanged a quick glance before exiting the cell. They both silently followed the old man and the girl out the grotto, walking past the still form of the passed out canyon miner and the other beasts that growled their distaste behind the sturdy bars. The light that greeted them once they reached the outside forced them to squint and shield their eyes against the midday brightness.

"Our home is just a mile down the path," the old man informed them. His white hair was pulled back into a ponytail. His well-worn brown robes swayed around his legs as he hiked easily over a mound of rocks. The girl, wielding her lance once again, stuck to his side. She kept sending furtive glances to Kylo Ren, her expression one of unconcealed fear and blatant distrust.

A short distance away they came across an empty village, where a row of huts seemed to have been ransacked and practically destroyed. It displayed the typical creepiness of a ghost town. Rey felt a rush of residual fear and pain as she walked along the deserted streets, her heart sinking with every step.

"The First Order is not known for its mercy," the old man said somberly. "Teravin was a thriving village once. Now this is all that's left. I guess our contributions weren't substantial enough to deserve the few portions a week the Order refused to spare us."

Rey sent Kylo Ren an accusatory glance that he chose to ignore, but she did not say anything.

"We're all that's left of our little community," the old man continued. "My name is Mac, short for Macadam, but please stick to Mac. This is Nia. She lost her family on that frightful day a year ago and hasn't spoken a word since."

"I'm Rey, and this is Ben. Our shuttle crashed down the canyon a few days ago."

Mac nodded emphatically. "I see," he chortled. "Not the best of places to end up, but I've seen worse."

They finally made it to a small hut partly built into the wall of the canyon where they had to bend down to make it past its threshold. The inside was much more spacious than they would've guessed, with a decent size living area, a hearth against the far wall and a wooden table surrounded by mismatched chairs. A tiny kitchen opened up to the side, plus there were three doors that led to what Rey assumed to be bedrooms.

"There is a washroom down that hallway," Mac told them. "Feel free to freshen up a little if you'd like. You'll also find a stack of clothes to choose from if you wish to change."

They took him up on the offer with a nod of appreciation. Rey had to practically squeeze into the tiny room at the end of the hallway. Once inside, she figured out pulling from a lever allowed her to pour some well water into a basin. She took her time washing up, enjoying the coolness of the water as it covered her skin. There was even a bar of soap, a luxury by her standards having grown up in a place like Jakku. She detected the faint scent of a desert flower and couldn't help but smile.

Feeling better than she had in days, Rey walked out of the washroom wearing a light beige, full body tunic with a wide belt of the same color that she sashed around her waist. Ren was patiently waiting outside the door, looking rather tired and withdrawn—a bit more so than usual. The thought of him barely fitting into such a confined space amused her, and she wondered how he'd even manage to find any clothes to fit his lanky frame. Their host, after all, was no more than an inch taller than she was. Of course, Ren could stroll out of the washroom naked for all she cared.

The moment Rey emerged from the hallway, the old man gestured for her to sit at the table. He was pouring some sort of brew into four clay bowls. It had a wonderful smell she couldn't quite place, but it reminded her of her childhood. The cool water had washed away most of the stress of the past several days, and though it was strange to wear someone else's robes, the gauzy garment was incredibly comfortable. Nia was sitting at the far end of the table, quietly playing with a wooden board with little pegs made of bright colored gems and grey stones.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality," Rey smiled sitting across from the old man. "I don't know how we could ever repay you."

"Nonsense!" Mac huffed. "You can stay as long as you need. I already told your… I apologize, is he your brother? Your husband?"

"Oh, no! He's not my…" she grimaced. "It's complicated."

The old man offered her a knowing smile. "Yes. I suppose nothing is ever simple when it comes to the Jedi."

Rey's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you—?"

"You managed to spook a group of monties who went hunting east of the canyon." By 'monties', Rey supposed he was referring to the canyon miners. "They claim you two were busy making an enormous rock… 'fly up in the air' when they found you," he continued mystically, wiggling his fingers in midair in a hovering motion. "Now, I hadn't seen that trick in a long time, way before the demise of the Empire." His tone turned wistful, his eyes narrowing as he submerged himself in a private memory. "Don't look so surprised, my dear child. I wasn't always bound to this remote moon, you know," he told her with a wink. "Now, drink your tea before it gets cold."

She took a small sip of tea, deep in thought. "What do you know about the Jedi?"

He took several gulps of the brew, set it back on the table and focused on the steam rising from the bowl, either to ignore her question altogether, or trying to formulate an adequate answer. "We've all heard the stories growing up," he finally said. "For many years I thought the Force was just a mythical tale about good and evil. An invisible energy that surrounds us, that keeps everything in perfect balance. Something to give people hope… or to make them submit."

"But you know it's real," Rey whispered, enthralled by his words.

"Yes. I met someone who was Force sensitive when I was a young man. Back then having such abilities was a dangerous business." He waived a hand in the air, as if to dismiss his latest statement. "Of course, not much has changed since I was a child. Evil, after all, will never be abolished. It was the Empire then. Now it's called the First Order," he sighed with resignation. "Many people thought the Jedi would rise again, that they would restore the balance in a galaxy torn apart by tyranny. But that never happened, and now that the Republic has been decimated, I'm afraid there is not much hope for young folks like yourselves to live free of the control of a ruthless military regime."

"The Jedi will rise again," Rey assured him, her voice as firm as her convictions.

"I hope you're right," he shrugged, obviously not persuaded by her certainty. "But I just have lost faith in the old prophecy. Most people have."

"What prophecy?"

"I thought you were Force sensitive." Mac raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. "You mean to tell me you don't know about it?"

"No," she said leaning forward on the table. Luke certainly had never mentioned anything. Although her Jedi Master was not a man of many words, so that in itself wasn't surprising.

"There is talk of an ancient Jedi temple," Mac began. "An old legend claims its walls show the birth of a highly Force sensitive child. A child born out of two powerful bloodlines. It is believed this child will be the one to restore balance to the galaxy." The old man's voice was low, almost reverent. "Several years ago, after the fall of the Empire, there were rumors that a great Jedi Master was building a new Jedi Order in Ossus. So, naturally, stories about the prophecy spread like wildfire. Unfortunately…"

"I know," Rey said, her heart sinking.

The old man's eyes softened at the sight of her pain. "Hey, the whole thing's probably nothing more than a tale parents tell their restless children to help them sleep. Believing in an almighty savior can give people comfort."

"People should be more concerned about their own lives and not give so much credence to childish fairy tales."

Rey turned around to find Kylo Ren behind her, arms crossed, shoulder leaning against the archway. He looked very different clad in cargo pants and an off-white shirt. Had he been wearing a leather jacket, he might have been a close replica of his father. Except, where Han had soft, kind eyes, Kylo's remained cold and cruel. He'd been listening to their conversation and, by the feelings Rey could pick up off him, he was not only aware of the prophecy, but seemed bothered by it.

"Sadly, young man, people are in dire need of a silver lining these days."

"If people need to believe in a ridiculous prophecy to give some sort of meaning to their lives, then the galaxy is in a much more pathetic state than I imagined."

With those words Kylo Ren stormed out of the hut and left both Rey and Mac in awkward silence.

Rey spent the rest of the day getting to know their hosts, playing with Nia and helping Mac collect some vegetables from the small garden adjacent to the house. After a few hours, she became curious as to Kylo Ren's whereabouts, wondering what he could possibly be doing for most of the day in a place where there wasn't really an overabundance of things to do.

She eventually found him sitting quietly on a boulder about a mile away from the house. The setting suns cast a stunning glow over the rocky horizon. His right arm rested on his bent knee while his fingers fiddled with a small gem, shining red against the evening light. He probably felt her approach before hearing her soft footsteps on the dusty path, but did not turn around or acknowledge her presence in any way.

"I want to know more," she demanded standing in his line of vision. "Back in the cavern you implied… You said you knew who I was from the moment you met me. What exactly did you mean by that?"

Ren stopped playing with the red stone and glanced up, a slight frown creasing his brow. The pastel hues of dusk stripped him of his evil façade, made his features look a bit softer, his eyes no longer dark, but almost hazel. Even his ever-rigid stance was somewhat more relaxed.

"I figured you'd bring it up sooner or later," he said quietly.

The light breeze kept playing with his hair, highlighting the occasional strand of light brown in sharp contrast to his otherwise darker locks. Save for the faint scar across his face, he looked like an entirely different person, and that alone shocked Rey more than she cared to admit. But it was what she felt below the surface what tugged at her heart.

As she stood before him, Rey realized she was no longer talking to Kylo Ren. To her utter amazement, she found herself in the presence of Ben Solo.

"Mac's story rattled you," she said sitting beside him. "Why?"

He bit his lower lip, carefully pondering how to broach the subject.

"I was about nine or ten years old when I first felt it," he began, his sight on the horizon. "It was like a ripple in the Force, something I had never felt before." Even the timber of his voice, though no less hypnotizing, had lost its usual eeriness. "I kept hearing this voice calling my name, over and over again… In my dreams, I'd see a baby girl. She was always out of my reach. It didn't matter anyway. No one around me believed she was real." After a beat, he nodded. "Only He knew. He'd whisper to me at night. Soon, the Dark Side became a shelter, an answer to my obsession. My mother sensed it. Her guilt, instead of grounding me, pushed me farther into the darkness. As to my father, he was never around long enough to be bothered by such… intangible issues. He never really cared to understand…" He exhaled, his eyes still fastened on the horizon and, for a moment, Rey thought he wasn't going to say anything else.

"It was fear what drove my mother to trust my uncle with my tutelage. But, like everyone else, he failed to offer any answers. The girl's image kept haunting me throughout the years. Only the sound of His voice in the dead of night could soothe that restlessness that was slowly consuming me." He jutted his jaw, then clenched it tightly. "My uncle witnessed my downward spiral into the darkness, not that he could've ever stopped it. The pull was too strong."

Ben closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again Rey was surprised to see moistness in them. "One night I returned to the academy and overheard my uncle talking to another Padawan," he continued tightly. "They were planning to move the girl out of the quadrant before sunrise." Ben let out a shuddery breath as he struggled with the memory. "Luke had known about her all along," he said between clenched teeth, his expression pained. "He also knew I wouldn't rest until I found her, so he made sure I never did."

Rey heard herself speaking his name.

"The day you were gone I was left feeling… nothing," he whispered. He swallowed hard a couple of times, struggled to keep treacherous emotions at bay. "Anger, rage, frustration… That void had to be filled with something, I suppose."

His despair enveloped them like a cloak. It was tearing her apart.

"He understood that bond from the beginning. He was the only one who encouraged it, the only one who… respected it. I owe him the strength I lacked when I was a child."

His blind faith in the tyrant that was Snoke made her blood run cold. She wanted to tell him that his guidance hadn't been more than a vile opportunity to manipulate him, to use his power for his own benefit, to turn him into a puppet willing to carry out his evil plans. Deep down, however, she could tell he knew that much.

"What the old man said is true," Ben said, being the one to break the long silence for once. "About the two bloodlines."

"You are a Skywalker," she deduced, trying to put all the pieces together.

He turned his head and made eye contact with her for the first time.

"And you are a Kenobi," he stated quietly.

The two powerful Jedi bloodlines…

"Obi Wan Kenobi?" she whispered in wonderment. "As in… Luke's first Jedi Master?"

"As in your grandfather."

It was all too bizarre to digest. A few months ago, she was just a scavenger trying to survive in a desert planet where she'd been abandoned as a child. Then she'd crossed paths with a BB unit and her life had taken a wild turn. Rey still remembered the first time she felt Kylo Ren's presence, how overwhelming it had felt, how scary on so many different levels: fear, attraction, curiosity... She was only now beginning to understand the true meaning behind that crucial moment. And yet, so many things didn't make sense still.

"But, if the prophecy is part of a Jedi temple, shouldn't it be sacred? Why would they work so hard to keep us apart?"

"They're afraid." His attention had turned back to the gemstone in his hand. "Afraid of the First Order, of what I am, of what our offspring would become under the power of the Dark Side."

A loaded silence stretched between them. The Dark Side… The eternal divide… The crushing pressure of reality weighed heavily on them both. Rey struggled to grasp the immense scope of what he'd just told her but, out of the jumble of feelings that threatened to suffocate her, there was one that pierced right through.

"They left me alone in that forsaken planet," she said through a lump in her throat. "I spent years waiting for them to come back; endless nights trying to convince myself they hadn't forgotten about me! All because of you!"

"Yes," he admitted through clenched teeth. "And I hated them for it!"

"They were only trying to protect me!"

"You didn't need protection!"

"They didn't want me turning into a monster!" she shot back. "They didn't want me turning into you!"

As evening bled into night, the shadow of Ben Solo began to fade into the darkness. His eyes had once again turned cold, an unsettling reflection of his frigid soul.

"I wasn't the one who abandoned a five year old to fend for herself in a remote desert planet," he snarled with a coldness that chilled her to the bone.

Kylo Ren pushed away from the rock where they were sitting and stood up, his back to her, his true feelings disguised behind the smoke screen that was his volatile temper. A temper he had learned to control remarkably well in the past few months, but that inevitably flared on occasion in angry waves.

Walking over to him with a determined stride, Rey stood as tall as she could before him, looking up into his eyes with a wrath she was finding impossible to contain.

"You killed your fellow Padawans!" she said furiously. "You became a cold hearted murderer and now you mean to tell me I'm in part responsible for that? How dare you!"

But he wasn't fazed by her outburst. He simply held her stare with the utmost stoicism, not a shred of emotion clouding his features.

"It will happen sooner or later, Scavenger," he said with a certainty that unnerved her. "Sooner or later you will embrace the power of the Dark Side."

[TBC…]