Summary: Rey saw the darkness in him, but she also saw the light. She just hoped that when they met again, she would see Ben Solo and not Kylo Ren standing in front of her. Set after The Last Jedi.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or any characters affiliated with it.

Cover art by elithien, permission for use was given by the artist.

"I can bear any pain as long as it has meaning."

Q184, Murakami Haruki

Keep Marching On

09: Coup D'etate

"Dantooine?"

Leia nodded her head. "There's an old Alliance Base there that's been abandoned for...Gods, decades, but it's a stronghold. It'll hold until we get our bearings."

"That's...a risk, General," Poe muttered what Rey and Chewie had been thinking. "What if there's nothing there now? Nothing that we can use? We don't have the provisions to jump from planet to planet like this – we're running low on fuel as it is." Taking a hesitant look at Leia, the pilot added, "People are refusing to refuel us because they're afraid of the First Order."

The mood in the air heavy, Rey's eyes wandered over to their leader. "I know but it's a risk we're going to have to take," Leia said with a dark look in her eyes. "We're all the Galaxy has now; there's no one else."

With no other plan, Rey and Chewie quickly went to work to set course to their new destination. After a few minutes, Rey felt her fellow pilot place a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up to look at Chewie. "What's wrong?" He asked how she was and there was an understanding in his eyes when she shook her head. "I'm fine," she muttered quietly, only loud enough for the two of them to hear. There was a growl and she saw the disbelief in his eyes. The look he gave her was one that she was getting used to because it was the one he gave whenever he wanted to know about Kylo. She placed a hand on his furry one as they both looked away, both of their thoughts going to the man.

No one gave Chewie enough credit. Most thought that he hated Kylo Ren just as much as the Resistance because of what happened with Han. If only they knew how wrong they were.

The truth was much sadder than it seemed. Everyone overlooked the fact that Chewie had watched Ben Solo – not Kylo – grow up within the ship alongside Han and Leia. He loved him just as much as his parents did and it broke the Wookiee's heart, seeing the boy he helped raised turn to the dark like that. And so when Rey told him about her secret, of her bond…if there was a chance, even the slightest, to bring his boy back to the Light, to him, the Wookie took it. After letting her risk the trip to the Supremacy, she confided nearly every meeting she had with Chewie. He knew it helped sort her thoughts on Kylo as well. Looking down at the girl, he felt hope – hope he thought died when Han did.

Rey would be Kylo's undoing and Ben's salvation.

Rey had been peacefully sleeping in the cockpit hours later with Chewie piloting the Falcon when she shot awake with a loud gasp. Her hand unconsciously flew to her side as her left body began burning in agony. She fearfully looked at Chewie, who was asking her what had happened, as the Porgs all around her began screaming. Rey was crying in pain and the only thing she could say through the pain was, "Ben."

Not knowing what to do, he helped her up from the seat – but when she tried to take a step, Kylo suddenly appeared before her, his panting in tandem with hers. There was an overwhelming scent of burning flesh as he swung to meet something she couldn't see with his lightsaber. She felt the adrenaline pumping throughout his body, alongside the pain that was preventing him from using his full power.

Rey, still feeling Chewie's support next to her, pushed him away and pulled her shirt up to look at the main source of her pain. There was no mark, no redness, and she quickly came to the realization that Kylo had been burned right above his hip judging by the way he was limping. Hovering her hand over the location, a thought came to her.

Could she heal him...through her? Did the Force even work like that?

Hearing Kylo roaring in anger as he fought gave Rey no choice. Without knowing whether or not it would work, she placed her hands on the area and pushed her energy into healing him.

She wasn't quite if anything was happening, but across the galaxy in midst of a battle, Kylo did. He felt the pain that had been preventing him from thinking clearly replacing itself with an unusual itchiness – an itchiness that he felt when Rey had healed him days ago, which meant only one thing.

They were connected at this exact moment. With only a second to spare, he looked around and his eyes fell onto Rey. She was standing away from him with her hands on her hip, her face contorted in pain. Her eyes were closed in concentration with sweat dripped down the side of her face.

However, before Kylo could say something, he heard a voice scream, "Traitor!"

Rey, on the other hand, did not hear this. Instead, she only sensed a sudden flare of annoyance, continuing to further her confusion. She quickly opened her eyes and saw Kylo running in the other direction, his weapon leaving behind a red trail of light. She quickly followed behind as the Falcon's familiar walls melted into the unfamiliar tech of the Star Destroyer Kylo was on. Seeing his surroundings was something that had never happened before – while she may have been able to hear things during their encounters, this was a new development in their bond. Although, her surroundings weren't very clear and she could not see those attacking Kylo, only frustrating her more.

As she took turn after turn, her focus was no longer on healing. This was something she could only do when she kept still and concentrated and after running for what she thought was too long, he slid to a stop in front of a door. With no hesitation, he slammed the button to open the door and rushed into the small room. As his back hit the shelves, rattling the items on it, he turned his lightsaber off as the exhaustion hit him with full force. The moment he was finally able to catch his breath, he whirled towards Rey, who was standing in front of him. "Why now? This is probably the worst time for the bond to connect," he growled through clenched teeth.

She was breathing heavily, her body aching alongside his. She had a hand on her hip once more as it was clear she was trying to heal him. "What's happening? Why are you fighting in your own ship?" she asked, ignoring his question. "Who are you getting attacked by? It's not us – we're as far away from the First Order as we can get."

Kylo brushed off the fact that she just gave him information that would have been detrimental to the Resistance, had he cared. Whether the slip was from his current ordeal or just the fact that she trusted him enough, he wasn't sure of.

Instead, he opened his mouth to answer – however, a sudden wave of agony washed over him, causing him to collapse onto his knees. He was barely able to catch himself from falling onto his face when he saw Rey on her knees, her hands on his shoulder in an attempt to help him. "Ben –"

"A coup d'etat," he managed to say through the pain. "Hux, he's the o-one who engineered it. I've been e-expecting it for weeks."

Curse, he shouldn't be this weak. He needed to stay strong, especially since he needed to find some way off of this damn ship.

With a hand against his wound, he was starting to become disorientated – just like that night when he fought FN-2187 on Starkiller Base. Once, he would have used the pain to his advantage to take power from the Dark side, but now...he found himself holding back, not wanting to do that. He didn't want to because the moment he thought about doing it, an image of his mother appeared in his mind. All those chances to kill her, to capture her, to pull the trigger – the memories of his failures to do all of that would remind him of the imbalance within him.

But why now? Why were these thoughts suddenly appearing?

There was no answer though, not anymore. Kylo's mind remained silent, reminding him that he was alone in his head. When the man had been alive, Snoke would reprimand him through various forms of punishments – or conditioning, as he so called it.

Rey brought him back to the present though, as she pulled his hand away to inspect the wound on his side. "If you knew it was going to happen, why didn't you leave before all this shit happened?" Her jaw was taut with anger as she glared at him.

Their eyes met and Kylo sighed at the anger in her. "I...I figured that the coup was going to happen, just not this soon." She sneered at him as she, with no hesitation, placed a hand not so gently against the wound. He groaned in pain but it quickly quieted as her focus on healing him rushed a sense of calm that soothed his tumultuous thoughts, grounding him.

"What are you going to do now, then?" Her voice was softer, gentle. "Obviously, you can't hide in this closet forever."

"I'll figure something out." Although Rey wasn't finished with her healing, Kylo gently pushed her away a few minutes later before standing up. She couldn't hear them but he could, and the sounds of dozens of footsteps and voices could be heard from the hall – his time for hiding was over. Even if he felt ready to collapse, he couldn't let that happen. He needed to push through the exhaustion and pain because...because he didn't want to die. Not here, not by the hands of those Stormtroopers.

"They're near, aren't they?" Rey wrapped her arms around her stomach, looking worried. "Are you sure you don't need me to heal you more? I can still feel your pain –"

Kylo shook his head as he firmly said, "No, it's fine." Taking several deep breaths, he hovered his hand against the button to open the door. He sensed her panic and he wanted to reassure her that he'd be okay – and so, despite the situation he found himself in, he turned to her and smiled. It wasn't one of those large smiles – no, it was a small tilt on one side of his mouth. It was enough, though. He sensed her slight surprise and relief, which surprisingly gave him strength. Then, without another word, he pushed the button and left the room – and this time, he stayed alone as Rey remained in the storage room.

When the door closed and severed their connection, it returned her back to the Falcon with Chewie next to her. Yet, Rey couldn't help but stare at the familiar doorway of the Falcon's cockpit as Kylo's smile the only thing on her mind.

"...May the force be with you, Ben," she whispered before her eyes rolled back, collapsing.

When she came to, Rey found herself laying on the seats in the communal space with Leia, Poe, and Finn standing around her as Chewie looked at her with guilt.

"Are you okay?" Her best friend asked in concern, offering her a hand to help her up.

She numbly nodded her head and took it, allowing the former stormtrooper to pull her up. Before she could say anything though, Poe pushed him away and grabbed her shoulder. "Why were you saying Kylo Ren's name?" he demanded harshly, causing Rey to flinch. "Are you a traitor? Out of all people –"

Leia placed a hand on him and nudged him to the side, bringing the attention to her. "Poe, before we rush into accusations, let's hear what she has to say." Ignoring the pilot's sounds of frustration, she turned to Rey and asked, "Have you been in contact with Kylo Ren these past few months?"

"I…" Rey wanted to defend her actions – to defend Leia's son, but the defeat in her dissipated. She was exhausted and her entire body ached from her earlier ordeal. "Yes, I have been."

"And you didn't tell us?" Poe demanded from next to their leader. "How can we be sure now that our next destination isn't compromised? Kriff, Rey, are you even with us?"

At this, she shot up from her seat and squared her shoulders as she began defending herself. "Of course I am! I'd never betray the Resistance –"

Once again, Leia was the calm in the storm as she held a hand up to stop the two. "How long has this been going?"

Gulping, Rey turned and looked at Leia. Then, with a quiet voice, she said, "Since Ahch-To."

Poe immediately began cursing as her friend remained uncharacteristically quiet. Leia only nodded her head at this new information as Poe began yelling at her once again. "That's why you went on the freaking ship! It makes so much sense – you left to be with him. All that bullshit about him becoming good was a lie, wasn't it? You fucking liar – I lost my family that day –"

Seemingly heard enough, Leia turned to the pilot and pointed to the hall. "Poe, that's enough. Go cool off before you say something you regret."

"General!"

"I said, go."

Poe looked as if he was going to protest, but decided against it as he shoved Finn out of the way.

The communal space went silent as Rey only felt worse and worse by the second. "Finn, please, I never betrayed the Resistance," she begged.

"I just…" Her friend looked at Leia before he said what was on his mind. "I don't understand – why are you protecting the monster? I saw what he did when I worked under him – he was cruel." Rey's shoulders fell as she sensed the disappointment from Finn. She wanted to tell him that Kylo was changing, that he wasn't the same person that Finn worked under, but how could he understand? He didn't see the change happening – he could only take her word for it and at the moment, she knew that her word meant nothing.

"I know, believe me, I know." She saw the memories, she saw the dreams that haunted Kylo. It was brutal and sometimes, she wondered that herself. She didn't hate the bond that connected them, though – not like before. Now, she was glad that the Force had connected her with Kylo. It showed that he wasn't the monster that they all believed him to be. There was still light in him – hell, she saw it in him during the many times they visited each other. The Force created the bond and it was for a reason – there was a purpose behind it, and she couldn't help but think that the Force wanted her to save him before he drowned in his own darkness. "I can't explain it but he's not the same Kylo Ren you saw – he's conflicted. There's a chance that Ben Solo could come back." In support, Chewie quietly roared the same thing, even though there were only two people in the room who understood him, and one was being accused of treason.

Leia, seeing the look on Rey's face and understanding what Chewie had said, came to a decision. It was one that was difficult but...it was the right one. "Give me a minute with Rey, Finn."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

After taking one last look at Rey, Finn trudged off as Chewie respectfully left as well, leaving her alone with the General. The room was silent as the older woman took a seat next to her."Leia...I'm sorry – I hope you believe me." Her head falling forward, she added, "I should have told you about the bond...but I was scared." After seeing Luke's reaction to that night, she didn't want to tell anybody.

That was why Rey had been expecting some sort of scolding but instead, Leia said, "Tell me everything."

With a heavy heart, she found herself telling the older woman everything – from the first day she met Kylo on Takodana to the private moments between them. As she finished, instead of feeling dread, she found herself lighter, more relieved – it was as if the secret she had been carrying had been weighing her down. However, this relief disappeared as the silence began building once more.

"Is everything you said true?" Leia asked with unfocused eyes and an eerie calm a few seconds later. "Even the coup?"

"Yes. I don't sense any change so I'm hoping he made it off of the ship okay." Leia's eyes turned clear as Rey continued, "I said it earlier but the conflict in him is great, and when I met him on the Supremacy, Snoke only confirmed it."

To her surprise, the General's smiled. "I sensed it in him as well." Leia placed a hand onto hers and told her what happened during the attack that nearly destroyed the Resistance – and after she was done recounting the events, she asked the question that she wanted someone to confirm for her. "Is...is my son in there? Is my Ben still alive?"

At the question, Rey found herself smiling. "He is. I see Ben in Kylo a little more every time I talk to him."

Leia sensed the genuine affection the girl had for her son – and this alone gave her the answer she needed. "I trust you, Rey. I know everyone else won't believe you, but I do. There's been a shift in the Force – even I can sense that and if, somehow, my boy can come back to me...I'm trusting you with this."

However, before Rey could respond, Poe came rushing into the communal space with urgent news. "Leia, you're going to want to hear this."

After giving her a knowing look, the older woman stood up and followed after her pilot, Rey following close behind. They all crowded into the cockpit as they heard on the First Order blasting throughout the entire galaxy that Kylo Ren was now a fugitive, wanted dead or alive – and the credits they were willing to give was a number that most only dreamt about.

As the news began digesting within everyone, Poe left with Finn, still angry with Rey, as Leia sat in the pilot's chair with Chewie adjusting their course. "You were right, Rey." She sounded tired and she looked at the last Jedi with disbelief. "I knew you were telling the truth but to really hear that he's...he's no longer their leader…"

Rey simply nodded her head at this. Despite the situation she was in, she couldn't help but feel so relieved. With a quiet laugh, she looked up. "He made it out, he's okay." Sure, he was on the run now, but the immediate danger of his death was now gone.

And that was all that mattered.

Hours later after the meeting, Rey found herself alone in the cockpit as a porg sat in her lap, her mind wandering to Kylo. She was glad that he was okay, but now she was beginning to worry. All her talk of saving him made her wonder...would she really be able to save him, to bring him back to the light? Hell, did he even want that? And if he didn't...that would mean he would stay in the Dark – and if that happened, how would it end for her, for them? Because realistically, there was a chance that she'd fail – and if she did, the end result would be in a battle that would kill either one of them or both.

"Rey?"

Startling her out of her thoughts, the bond flared as Kylo called out her name. She held the small bird creature in her hand as she quickly maneuvered herself out the seat. Compared to earlier, Kylo looked much better with color on his face and his uniform gone, replaced with an attire that fit him. "Ben!"

Although she called out to him, his attention was on the animal on her hand, much to her amusement. "What...is that thing?"

Rey snorted before gently placing the animal back onto the seat. "It's a porg, but that's not important – are you okay?"

"Yes, my wound has scabbed over thanks to your healing and I've found a place to settle for the night. I'm quite sure I'll be okay."Although Rey felt relief at these words, she still felt uneasy as she leaned against the seat behind her, her earlier thoughts still tormenting her. Kylo watched as she closed her eyes with a sigh, a look of frustration making him feel on edge. "...Rey?"

She needed to tell him. "Don't get me wrong – I'm glad you're okay and safe. I really am."

"...But?"

She opened her eyes and he saw burning emotions hidden behind the brown as she began her assault on him with her words. "You survived today – and I'm happy you did – but when will be the next time you find yourself in the same position? When are you going to be able to wake up and not have to worry about dying?"

Feeling a headache forming from both her emotions and today's ordeal, Kylo pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered, "I see that you've been thinking for the past few hours."

Rey scoffed as she crossed her arms. "Of course I've been thinking! I've been sitting on the edge of my seat for the past day, worrying my ass off about you! Tell me, Ben; when are you going to be able to walk on whatever ship or planet you're on and not have to look over your shoulder for Stormtroopers or First Order vessels? When are you going to be able to talk to someone and not have to worry that they're some sort of assassin sent by the First Order?" Then, as if all the anger and frustration left Rey, she whispered, "When will this all end?"

Kylo froze as the words rang throughout his mind. This meeting took a complete one-eighty – he sensed her torment but he didn't know it was to this extent – hell, he wasn't even expecting them to argue like this. "...When will what end?" he quietly asked.

Rey remained silent for a few seconds before answering. "I don't know." She threw her hands up. "You, me, the Resistance, the First Order, the war – that's what I mean." Squaring her shoulders, she looked up at him. "How does this path end for us?" Immediately, images of his vision all those weeks ago flashed before him as the words Luke said to him began haunting him once more. "Because I can't see an end to this, Ben, and I have the feeling that only one of us will survive – even if you left the First Order."

He knew what she truly meant. Even if he was beginning to lose the darkness within him, that didn't make him free of the Dark side's influence. It would take years for the tendrils that had wrapped around his mind and soul to disappear – and even then, Kylo wasn't a hundred percent sure that he'd be free of the dark. It was too ingrained within him – whether it be because of his genetics or the chaos he created all these years.

Yet, he felt determined, and this allowed him to take a step forward, bringing them closer. "No," was the answer he gave her. Rey flinched from the intensity of the word but to balance the harshness of his tone, he gently placed his hands on the sides of her arms. "I swear, neither of us will be dead at the end of whatever this is."

She returned his gaze and through it, he saw a deep sadness within her that, unsurprisingly, matched his own. Whether it was sadness for their differences or for this current meeting, he couldn't tell. The next words didn't shock him either – because they came from a girl who had been betrayed her entire life. "But that's just a promise, Ben, and those are easily broken. The true challenge is to keep your promise – and tell me, can you?"

His head fell forward as his bangs hid his eyes. His grip on her tightened though, and he felt her place her hands against the outside of his arms. "I can try, Rey." Because that was all he could do.

And that was how their bond ended – both with an unsatisfied feeling within them that would only lead them nowhere.

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter – hope you guys like it! I had this finished much much earlier but my computer broke – it's stuck in a loop of trying to return to its previous windows version and it won't get past the windows logo so...yeah. I'm typing this A/N on my mom's laptop and I'll probably be typing on this computer whenever I can.

This chapter was pretty hard. I wasn't sure if I wrote them properly or not but I'm really excited to write the continuation of this chapter because I have something GREAT planned!

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See ya next time!