"Come," Kylo said to Tessa, offering his hand. She took it and he led her to the living room. They sat on the couch.
"Face me," he softly told her. Tessa faced him. She trembled nervously. She knew what was coming next.
"Don't be afraid," Kylo whispered, as his hand touched her cheek. "I will be as gentle as possible."
"Why are you doing this?" Tessa wondered, her voice quivering as Ren began the mind probe.
"Because I don't want you to lie, and be shocked by that serum Hux injected into you. I should kill him just for that..."
Her eyes widened in fear. She closed her eyes, wishing that this was over.
"But I won't," Ren added gruffly, remembering his promise to Tessa. She grimaced, not because of what he said, but because of the mind probe.
"You are so lonely," Kylo began. "You were so afraid to leave, because of the lies Shaw told you. But you had enough, and to save yourself, you killed him."
"Please," Tessa moaned, the tears streaking down her face.
"He abused you in all sorts of ways..." Kylo stopped, sickened by the images of what Tessa's step-father did to her.
"You blame yourself. It is not your fault. It was a good thing you killed Shaw Harden. He betrayed the Order, by building weapons for the Resistance."
"Yes, Tessa. I know Hux deleted your message about Shaw building the weapons for our enemy. He will be punished for this. But don't worry. You will not be."
"Please don't hurt him!" Tessa begged.
"Why? He covered up his actions."
"But so did you," Tessa countered, her eyes gazing intensely at Kylo. He had a confused look on his face.
"I saw it, Kylo. I saw what happened before you and Rey fought for the lightsaber..."
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Kylo uttered, trying to deny the truth.
"Yes, you do. You brought her before Snoke. He was going to have you kill her. Instead, you used the Force to turn her lightsaber and kill him!"
Suddenly, Ren pulled his hand away from Tessa's face, ending the mind probe. His heart raced and his breathing became heavy. She had stopped crying and was also breathing heavy.
Gathering her courage, she reached up and touched Kylo's cheek. She was amazed that he was allowing her to do this.
"Don't be afraid, I feel it too," Kylo whispered, before closing his eyes.
"You are afraid," Tessa softly whispered. "Everyone in your life has abandoned you. Your parents, Luke, Snoke, Rey..."
"Don't talk about her!" Kylo snapped, trying to break free from her mind probe. Tessa continued.
"All you wanted was for someone to accept you for who you are. But it is you who struggles with accepting yourself. You have the Light as well as the Dark inside of you."
"No!" Kylo denied, tears now streaking down his face.
"Now I understand why you want me. You see yourself in me. Strong in the Force, yet afraid to fail, afraid of being abandoned again." At this point, Kylo's body was shaking. Worried that she may traumatize him, she removed the mind probe.
Tessa gazed up and Kylo and said with conviction,
"Your family, your masters, Rey... They left you. They failed you. I won't!"
Kylo could not hold back any longer. He pulled Tessa into his arms and passionately kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. Both of them trembled as they embraced each other.
"Why are we..." Tessa wondered out loud.
"It's the Force," Kylo replied in her ear. "It's drawing us closer..."
"It's bonding us together," Tessa added, finishing his statement. She gently laid her head on his shoulder. He knew her concerns.
"Tessa, I will be the dream to you and the nightmare to our enemies," Ren vowed, as he caressed her hair. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of his breathing.
A wave of shame came over Tessa. Maybe Shaw was right about her after all...
"Look at me," Ren told Tessa. She moved her head until they were only inches apart. "You are someone. You are smart, powerful and beautiful."
"But I..." she hesitantly said.
"No, Tessa. Don't think that way about yourself. You are not a whore. A whore does not care about the men she sleeps with."
He softly kissed her lips. Tessa was everything Ren wanted in a woman. He was going to make sure she was properly trained in the Force, and that she would feel safe and content with him.
"Do you mean that?" Tessa asked, knowing his thought. She placed her hand on his cheek.
"Yes," Kylo replied, his voice husky. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before standing up.
"I am going to take a shower and get ready for bed," he told her. He paused momentarily, then nervously asked Tessa,
"Would you like to join me?"