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As Kylo Ren sat in the midst of the ruin he caused, he took deep breaths. He hadn't been able to bring about as much damage as he usually did (that with him being tied up and saber-less), yet he still felt his inner calm returning. Snoke had taught Ren that to embrace his anger was to embrace the dark side. However, he often carried so much anger within him that it was difficult to maintain a clear mind until he let it out.

"Release your anger," Snoke had taught his pupil, "Then let its residual existence burn within you so that you may now take a calm approach to your objective."

Continuing to release steady breaths, Kylo Ren let his anger simmer within him as he considered Rey's earlier actions. When the girl had angrily probed into his mind, she had done more than simply glance into one of his oldest memories. Somehow, the scavenger had also caused him to relive it all over again. All the emotions he had felt in that moment came flooding back to him, overwhelming his senses. Sadness, confusion, and the beginnings of immense anger were present as he watched the exchange between Han and a young Ben Solo.

I'm no longer that dependent child, Ren firmly told himself as he tried to subdue the lingering feelings of abandonment.

What happened in the past doesn't matter because I killed that man.

Unfortunately at this thought, Kylo Ren felt the internal ache from his dream return. As it began to gradually increase in intensity, the Knight of Ren started to panic. Realizing that his emotions were beginning to affect him, Ren harshly punched his injured shoulder.

Whatever I felt for Han Solo died with Ben when I destroyed him he repeated in his head as his shoulder pulsed with pain. As the throbbing began to renew his sense of self, the ache thankfully faded away.

If Rey thought she could evoke guilt from within him by drawing that memory from his mind, she clearly didn't understand that he no longer held onto sentimental attachments. Foolish concepts like family and love did not dwell in the dark side. Therefore, they held little meaning to him.

Ren had to admit though, what she did was surprising and almost manipulative. He had sensed Rey's anger and was even more amazed when she let it guide her actions. What she did was something more commonly observed in those practicing the dark side of the force, like himself. Perhaps the little scavenger wasn't as filled with light as she assumed?

Regardless, Kylo Ren was still infuriated with her for thinking she could have her way with him. By exploring his mind, tying him up, and locking him in a room, Rey probably felt high and mighty. Just because Ren was restrained did not mean he was harmless, as he had accidently demonstrated beforehand. If he wished, he could probably even escape his bindings and take control of the vessel. The problem with this plan was that Kylo Ren had no idea how to pilot the ship, despite it being his. Even if Ren managed to render Rey unconscious and send a distress signal to the First Order, he would be left in charge of it. If something was to happen to it in the time it took for rescue, Kylo wouldn't know what to do.

Therefore he had to play the part of a good prisoner and wait until they landed somewhere. Then he would escape from Rey and contact the First Order. Once they arrived the girl wouldn't stand a chance against their numbers.

In the meantime, I can discover whether that scavenger truly carries more of the dark side then she would like to admit.

As Rey walked down the hallway towards Kylo Ren's room, her steps remained steady, yet her mind was in a frenzy.

Ever since Rey had accidently pried into his mind, she had felt disgusted with herself. No matter how evil her prisoner was, she had no right to draw out such a painful memory. When she had first reached into Ren's mind on Starkiller she had done so unknowingly. If anything it was a defense mechanism against his own mind infiltration. However, what Rey had done seemed to emerge from her anger. She could have walked away after Kylo read her thoughts, she wasn't his prisoner, yet she didn't.

And that's what bothered her.

Despite how wrongful it was of her to invade his memories, Rey was also stunned by what she found. She knew things were rough between Han and Kylo, but she never imagined that his hate for him stemmed from his father leaving him behind somewhere.

Rey knew firsthand the pain of being left alone. To live every day with the hope that your family would return turned life into a horrible waiting game. She couldn't appreciate the small things in life because she held onto the belief that it had the potential to be so much more, so much better. However, unlike Kylo Ren, Rey had not let her feelings of loneliness turn her towards the dark side.

We all make decisions she decided. Bad experiences don't necessarily have to make bad people.

Witnessing Ben Solo for the first time had also disturbed her. To think that such an innocent child would grow up to kill his own father was difficult to process. When Ben had begged his father not to leave, his young gaze had been so earnest, loving, and full of light that for the first time Rey genuinely feared the power of the dark side. If it could corrupt someone like Ben, it could just as easily corrupt her. Yet even if she was to be somehow seduced by the dark side (Makers forbid) she couldn't imagine it being so easy to let go of the light. Maybe there was still light inside of Ren? Maybe Ben Solo still existed, hiding behind the invented persona of Kylo Ren?

I guess I'll just have to wait and see she concluded.

When she opened the door to Kylo Ren's room, Rey did not look at him as she walked in and opened a cabinet. Without uttering a word, she rummaged around inside of it until she found what she was looking for. With a medkit now in her hands, she made her way towards Ren in order to re-bandage his wounds. As Rey walked she was careful to sidestep the tray from yesterday and its contents, along with the bed's blanket and pillow. Kylo Ren had made quite the mess.

Despite her approach, the Knight of Ren did nothing to acknowledge Rey. For some reason, he sat on the bed with his legs crossed and eyes closed. Even when Rey was standing right next to the bed he continued his strange behavior.

Is he doing some weird dark side meditation or something? She curiously wondered. It was strange to see him so calm after the way he acted yesterday.

"Eh hem," Rey grunted, trying to get his attention.

Nothing.

"Ren?"

Still nothing.

She sighed. Rey didn't have time to deal with his stubbornness when she could be checking navigational charts instead of playing nurse to him. "Listen, I'm so-"

"There is no need to apologize," he said suddenly, cutting her off. After Kylo Ren said this, he finally opened his eyes to look at her. "You shouldn't feel sorry for letting the dark side influence your actions," he calmly stated.

"The dark side…? What I did wasn't intentional. As far as I could tell it wasn't fueled by the dark side," Rey defensively explained.

"The anger, the hate you felt toward me. I sensed it, and I know you did too. There's no need to deny it. In fact, you should embrace it, like I did," Ren stated.

After hearing his strange words, Rey couldn't help comparing the young Ben Solo to the killer in front of her. The eyes of Kylo Ren were intense, but also spoke of emptiness. They were a ghost of what they once were: bright and emotional. Rey shivered when she imagined the dark side altering herself in such a way. No matter what he said, Rey would never allow such a thing to happen.

"I admit, I may have been angry, but that doesn't mean I should embrace how I felt," she began. "Anger and hate may be powerful, but they also have the ability to erode away who you once were," she asserted.

Ren's dark eyes narrowed when he realized that she was referring to him. "The dark side doesn't destroy who you were, it turns you into who you were meant to be from the beginning," he spat.

Rey quietly studied Ren, looking for something that would give away what he was currently feeling. "And is Kylo Ren who you were meant to be?" she finally asked.

When she presented this question, something instantaneously appeared in his eyes before it disappeared behind a mask of indifference. It was so quick that Rey had almost missed it, but she saw it. Unfortunately it was something she was far too familiar, making it easily recognizable in others.

Doubt.

"Of course," he answered evenly.

Bang!

The medkit went flying out of Rey's hands and she was violently thrown on top of Kylo Ren.

"Oof!" they both huffed once they landed in a heap of tangled limbs on the bed.

Mortified that she was currently sprawled across her enemy, Rey haphazardly attempted to detangle herself from him. In order to accomplish this, she clumsily grabbed his shoulder for support. This caused Ren to painfully gasp.

"What are you doing!?" Rey cried in surprise, looking down at him. "If this is some escape attempt, you used the force to push me the wrong way!"

Ren's face contorted in discomfort, as her hand still pressed into his wound. "I…didn't do…anything!" he hissed in discomfort.

Rey frantically looked around to see if someone else had pushed her, but found the room empty. "Then what was-OW!" she yelled when another jolt caused her forehead to slam into Kylo's bandaged one.

"Ughh," Ren moaned as his palm reached up to grasp the pulsating wound on his face. "For Snoke's sake!" he angrily began. "Get off of-mmmh!" his voice was muffled when Rey quickly slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Shhh! I hear something!" she whispered as she continued to lie on top of Kylo Ren.

"Wow, will you look at this ship," a sudden voice said. Rey's head snapped up to look at the door that separated her and the strange voice.

"Sure is nice," another voice added.

Rey's eyes widened at hearing the unfamiliar voices. Who are these people? She wondered. How did they get on the ship?

Even Kylo Ren seemed interested despite Rey's hand still glued to his mouth, and her body crushing his wounds.

"Boss sure is gonna love this," the first voiced said.

"Tell me about it. I just wonder where the pilot and crew is?"

"Probably escaped in a pod the second they saw us coming. It's not like they could have escaped us with one engine working," the first voice snickered.

Based on the way the voice was regarding itself, whoever these people were clearly thought that they were a force to be reckoned with. Rey had experienced enough people like this on Jakku in order to understand what it meant: these guys were trouble. Slowly Rey turned back to face Kylo Ren. "I'm going to go see who those people are," she whispered. "Whatever you do, don't make any noise, okay?"

He nodded.

Finally, Rey removed her hand from his mouth and peeled herself off of him. With a swiftness that even Ren did not possess, she made her way to the door before waiting. When the footsteps were finally heard moving away, she quietly slipped out into the hallway.

Once Ren was sure she was gone, he allowed himself a moment to smile. Rey falling onto him may have been painful and not his doing, yet he made sure to take advantage of the situation.

It's good to have you back Ren thought as he held his beloved light saber in his hand. While Rey had been worrying about the voices, he had carefully unclipped it from her belt.

Whoever these strangers were, he didn't really care. Kylo Ren was just immensely pleased with the turn of events. His unique weapon would ensure that these intruders delivered both Rey and himself to the First Order.

Looks like I won't have to wait until we land after all, he smugly thought.

A/N: I wonder who these people are? Guess we'll just have to find out in next chapter! Make sure to let me know what you think of my story.

Thanks to bluejustice13, megumisakura, marvelgirl03, daughterofthesun, Shippooliver, Colibrii, Siilver Phantom, and the guest to the site for reviewing!