Hey guys! Here's chapter 15, I hope you like it :) thank you so much for all the faves and comments!

Ben felt completely detached from the reality around him. His ears were buzzing, his body felt unresponsive. He knew he was lying on the ground; he turned his head slowly and observed his left wrist, the metal cuff around it gleaming. It was much more powerful than the collar the First Order had made him wear. He couldn't feel the Force anymore. He almost threw up at the realization.

Then his instinct told him to turn around, and after a few painful tries, he managed to lift himself on his elbows. Blinking and trying to adjust his fuzzy vision, he saw Rey on the ground, unconscious. Finn and Luke were hovering over her, shaking her shoulders to try and revive her. Ben's heart sank. He tried to move his body to get to her, but he couldn't. He lost his balance and toppled over. He growled in frustration, desperate to get to Rey.

"Hey, let me help you." Poe had rushed to his side, and with a little help from Luke, he lifted Ben up and took him closer to Rey.

"How is she?" Ben asked his uncle.

"Weak. But she'll be fine."

"Why did she faint? I'm the one wearing the cuff."

"You two are linked. She's strong, but she's smaller than you, so her body couldn't sustain the Force-deprivation. She'll recover, don't worry. How are you feeling?"

Ben swallowed.

"Weak. And–" he shuddered. "I think I'm going to throw up," he confessed, shame written plainly on his face at his display of vulnerability.

"Come on, let's get you to my quarters. You'll rest a bit, and then we'll find out which room has been assigned to you," Poe offered. "Finn, help us, please."

Finn was already moving towards them, taking one of Ben's arms and passing it over his shoulders.

"Thank you, both of you," Ben whispered, completely drained.

"Don't mention it, man."

How things have changed, Finn mused, smiling.

Rey was surrounded by darkness. It wasn't the one she was used to, though. There was no thread of light to follow, nothing bright and glowing to lead her out of there.

"Ben?" she called. She didn't know how, but she was sure he was there too, lost in the suffocating blackness. "Ben? Where are you?"

Nothing.

Rey tried to move, but her body was slow and unresponsive. When she finally managed to walk a few steps forward, she tripped over something and fell hard on the ground. Guiding herself with her hands, she touched the object in front of her. It was something soft, silky… her hands moved slowly until–

Rey let out a choked cry. It was a face. She was touching a human face! Her fingers followed the profile of a long nose, a large mouth, a strong jaw…

"Ben!" she cried, half in agony, half in relief. "Ben, it's me! Can you hear me?"

Ben didn't stir. His eyes stayed closed.

Rey felt hot tears glide down her cheeks. She stretched out next to him, resting her head on his chest, and closed her eyes.

Rey slept for a few hours, and woke up in her room at sunset. She felt dizzy and tired; she didn't remember anything from her vision, and when she tried to find the Force, she felt nauseous. It was still gone.

Frantically, she jumped off the bed and walked to the door, leaning heavily against the walls. As she was about to open it, the knob turned and Finn came in.

"Whoa! You're awake, finally!" he smiled. With a look at her face though, his expression grew worried. "Rey, how are you feeling?"

"I can't… I can't feel the Force anymore. Ben… how is he? The collar he had on before is nothing compared to this metal cuff…"

Finn frowned.

"He's sick. He's resting in Poe's quarters for now."

"I'm going to see him."

"Rey, I don't think that's a good idea."

Rey stopped, looking at her friend in surprise.

"Why would you say that?"

He bit his lower lip and cleared his throat, awkwardly.

"Ben, um, Ben told us to keep you away from him." He shifted, clearly uncomfortable. "I'm sorry."

Rey was livid. "Since when do you do what he tells you to do? You are my friend!"

"I know Rey, I actually think he's being a jerk, and I'll take you to him if you want. I just… I don't want you to suffer if – when – he'll send you away."

"Take me to him. Now!" she growled, furious.

"I think this is a bad idea."

"I think it's the best idea I've ever had, uncle."

The Jedi master sighed. Ben had been sleeping in Poe's bed, and when he had woken up, the young pilot had called Luke over.

Since Naboo, Poe had started to hang around Ben, talking to him, getting to know him. He found he even liked him. Ben had quietly – almost timidly – reciprocated. Now Poe was sitting at the end of the bed, frowning.

Luke had asked his nephew to explain how he thought to break the Force-bond, and he didn't like the plan. He was determined to try and dissuade him.

"Ben, you can't be serious. Rey saved you. She brought you back. I understand that you want to protect her, but this isn't the way."

"There isn't another way. I'm going to die– if I don't break the bond, she's going to die too."

"But this is it! You don't have to die! We have people who can help you. People who can clear the way for you on the Elbara base and get you out once you've tampered with the weapon. It doesn't have to be a suicide mission!" Luke said vehemently.

"He's right Ben. I can get you out," Poe told him.

"Involving other people would be way too risky. The last thing my mother needs is more deaths caused by me." Ben spoke with a tone of finality which brooked no response.

After a minute of silence Luke asked: "So how are you going to do it?"

"Since I believe the bond was born thanks to feelings of empathy between us… I'm going to crush that empathy forever. I'm going to make her hate me."

Luke shook his head sadly.

Poe's jaw clenched in worry, then he asked, "Are you sure? Are you really sure you want this? Ben, it's Rey. I know what you f–"

"That," Ben interrupted him vehemently, "doesn't matter at all. It's decided."

Someone knocked shortly after, and a young woman in the dark uniform of the maintenance staff peeked in from behind the door. "Mr. Solo's quarters are ready. Section 2, Corridor C, room 305."

Rey and Finn arrived to Poe's quarters but found them empty.

Rey looked at her friend quizzically. He shrugged.

"Ben's new quarters are probably ready. They must have gone there."

Rey went back to the main corridor, looking for a droid; after she got the information she needed, she dragged Finn towards corridor C.

They were almost there, when a boy ran up to them, calling Finn and breathing hard.

"Tyro! What's with the rush? Is everything alright?" Finn asked.

"They need you… they need you in hangar 9, right now. Qobin's Department intercepted a message, and it's probably from a First Order ship to another… but it's in code. They need your expertise."

Finn turned to look at Rey.

"Go," she said.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked.

"Yes, of course. Go, soldier. Do your duty" she smiled.

Finn smiled back and hurried away, Tyro hot on his heels.

Ben felt a little better. Now he could walk without Poe's help, and he didn't feel exhausted anymore, but he was still tired and ready to lay down. Luke and Poe were following him, and Ben could feel their stare on the back of his neck. He stopped walking. Poe immediately rushed to his side.

"Are you alright?"

Ben smiled, touched. He was genuinely grateful for the young pilot.

"I'm fine. I just wanted to thank you both. But you can go back to your duties now, I can manage on my own."

"You sure? Are you feeling better?"

"I am. I'll get to my room and go back to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Get some rest. I think Leia and the Council will want to speak to you in the morning" Luke said.

Ben nodded, and left. He reached section 2, and just as he spotted corridor C, someone called his name.

"Ben Solo!"

He stopped and turned around, warily. He had recognised that voice.

"Councillor Krieg, right?"

The young councillor stopped in front of him. Her lilac hair were tied in a long, elaborate braid, and her lilac eyes were serious and sharp. She assessed him for a few moments, then her lips stretched into a smile.

"Please, call me Isobel."

Surprised, Ben nodded.

"What can I do for you, Isobel?" he asked, complying with their new familiarity.

"I wanted to apologise to you. What I said to you earlier, about the torture and your loyalty… that was rather tactless."

Ben was speechless, but recovered quickly.

"You, um– you were doing your job. And I know who I am and what I've done, I can't blame you for anything, really."

"Well… now that I know you've changed, I wanted to talk to you about working together."

Ben looked at her. "Working together?"

"Yes. I'm Head of the Reconnaissance Department. Every mission on hostile planets, every raid must be authorized by me and my team, every spy must report to me and my officials."

"And since I volunteered…"

"…since you volunteered, you need to work with me. You must be prepared, you need to learn our protocols, and we have to plan out the destruction of the enemy's new weapon."

"You sure your team will accept to work with me?"

Isobel scoffed. "They're all clever people. They know you're an asset. And if someone has something to say, I'll threaten to remove your cuff."

A corner of Ben's lips lifted slightly. "Well, in that case, I'll report to you first thing in the morning."

Isobel smiled at him, again. She had a pretty smile. Well, maybe not as pretty as…

"Rey! What are you doing here? You should be in bed, recovering!" Isobel exclaimed.

Ben's blood turned ice-cold in his veins. He didn't want to face Rey now, but an invisible, irresistible force made his face turn towards her. She was approaching them slowly, her eyes confused and shifting quickly from him to Isobel. She looked… annoyed.

Useful, Ben thought.

Interesting, a voice in his head added. His heartbeat quickened.

"I feel better, thank you" she replied coolly, without looking at Isobel. She was fixing Ben with a hard stare.

"Oh… well, I'm glad to hear it," said the young councillor. "I was talking to Ben about the…"

At those words, Rey turned sharply towards Isobel. "You were talking to… Ben?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

The councillor blushed and looked away. Ben felt the need to step in.

"Was there something you wanted, Rey? Isobel and I were kinda busy."

"Yes, I can see that. I need to talk to you. Alone." Rey was fuming.

"I can't right now. Isobel, would you like to come with me? We can continue our discussion in my quarters, I need to sit down for a bit, if you don't mind." Ben swayed a little on his feet.

Isobel moved fast and kept him upright. "It's the cuff, isn't it? Come on, you need to rest." She put one of his arms around her shoulders, and slowly led him down corridor C.

Ben didn't say anything to Rey. She stayed there, rooted to the spot. Ben had kept his mind shut off, but he felt the force of her anger very clearly.

Good, he thought. That's good. That's what I wanted.

Are you sure? said a voice in his head, the same one from before.

Shut up.