Rey looked from her shaking palms to the still bodies in the mud ahead. She blinked against the pouring rain as a memory flashed through her mind. She remembered how she and Ben had dropped General Hux in the snow on Drecenia, leaving him to the appetite of the ravenous nexus. She recalled the strange, dark elation she'd felt at his death. How could she have ever been glad about death?

Rey certainly felt no elation at the death now, as she peered ahead at the prone forms of the Organa soldiers. Disgust and nausea welled up in her stomach. She'd just been fighting alongside these men, they'd trusted her, and now...now…

"Rey," Ben called from behind her.

Rey swivelled around to see him lifting himself into a seated position. He looked up at her, his gloved hand extending out towards her, supplicating.

"No!" She exclaimed in alarm, scrambling to her feet. Panting, she staggered away from him, her breath coming in constricted gasps. "Don't touch me—I could hurt you!" She yelled, her voice shaking.

"Rey, come here," Ben heaved, struggling to his feet. He bent over at the waist, keeping a hand pressed to his wound for a few moments. He then rose to his full height, his brows lowering as his eyes met hers. "I feel…"

"Stay where you are," Rey warned. She kept her palms aimed at the ground, unsure of her powers. Unsure of herself.

"Master Ren!"

Rey swivelled to the side, her mouth dropping open as she saw a group of tall black figures looming forward through the rain, their helmeted heads outlined by the moonlight. Ben's knights, she realized with a shock. The Knights of Ren.

Ben turned to see his knights, looking equally surprised to see them approaching through the deluge of rain.

"Admiral Thrawn sent us to bring you back," one of the knights announced, stopping at Ben's side. Lightning flashed, and Rey saw the knight's head swivelling between Ben and herself. "Master Ren, you're injured. That Jedi scum—she attacked you!" He exclaimed, jabbing an accusing gloved finger at Rey.

"It wasn't her," Ben countered, his voice firm, but the knight had already begun stomping towards her, seemingly set on his target.

Rey moved backwards, feeling dizzy with nausea and exhaustion as the knight came towards her. In a brilliant crack lightning, she caught a glimpse of Ben punching his wound. As the knight lumbered forward, she stumbled backwards and gasped as her boot caught in a pocket of mud. She fell backwards, the mud splashing as she landed on her back. Rey quickly rolled onto her stomach in an attempt to push herself back up when the light of the moon was suddenly obstructed.

She looked up with a yelp to see the knight standing directly above her, a large metal weapon raised above his head, poised to strike. Rey stared up with wide eyes, frozen, certain that this was it, this was the end as the knight was about to bring the weapon down upon her head.

A hiss and a flaming burst of red suddenly erupted before her, and Rey blinked in bewilderment to see Ben's lightsaber piercing vehemently through the screaming knight's chest. As the crackling saber was retracted, the man's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Rey tore herself from the ground and stared at Ben in disoriented awe, the ends of his black tabard flapping against his legs in the wind. He looked valiant as he lowered his saber to his side, his eyes shifting from the man to her. In that moment Rey felt a surge of love for him, as strong as ever, her breath catching her in throat as she held his eyes for a long moment. As her senses came back to her and she stepped back, fighting to get a hold of her gasping breath as she stared across at him.

"Rey," Ben implored. He moved towards her, his strides quick and lithe through the mud.

Rey shook her head and staggered away, fearful to trip again but unable to tear her eyes from his. "Ben, get away from me. I—I could kill you!" She warned, her throat twisting.

"You won't," he asserted, disengaging his saber. He hooked his weapon at his side and ran at her. "Come to me."

Rey spun around to escape, but in her weariness she could barely manage to run through the mud. She was soon encased in Ben's arms, and he slid her to a halt, holding her tightly and pressing her against his front.

Rey wriggled underneath his grip, trying but failing miserably to escape his embrace. "I don't want to hurt you!" She cried.

"You won't, Rey," he urged, squeezing her tighter before turning her around to face him. "Rey, sweetheart, look at me," he pleaded, gripping her arms tightly. "It's okay, it's all over."

Rey couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. She shut her eyes. "No, Ben, I...I killed them!" she croaked, a sob escaping her.

"No, it was Snoke. He did this, I know it," Ben asserted, tilting her chin up. Rey opened her eyes to meet his. "It's over now, it's okay," he soothed, sliding his gloved hand down the length of her slick hair.

"But I did it, I…" Rey sniffled, shaking her head in hopeless confusion. She was about to continue when Ben cut her off by pressing his mouth to hers.

Rey closed her teary eyes and was filled with warmth from the kiss. It was firm, entreating. Ben's arms grew tighter around her, but she was still shaking, and she found herself able unable to kiss back. She pulled back from his face, another sob wracking her.

"It's okay, I've got you, sweetheart," Ben consoled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He pulled her into his chest, shielding her from the rain by tucking his head over hers. Calm your mind, clear your thoughts.

But Rey couldn't fight her racing mind. Seeming to sense this, Ben placed a hand to the side of her forehead. As Rey cried against his chest, a light, sunny glow began to form in her mind.

She felt her heartbeat slow and her skin dry. As the image in her mind came into focus, she let out a gasp. She saw before her a sparkling blue ocean, a serene cove. Slow, calm waves lapped at the shore, the white beach she stood upon sprinkled with all colors of seashells and smooth stones. She looked down to see the soft sand filtering up between her toes, warming the soles of her feet.

Hearing screeching sounds, Rey looked up to see a group of orange birds with long yellow tails flying overhead. The birds circled around a patch of slim green trees, swaying in the mild breeze. Rey took in a deep breath, amazed that she could nearly taste the salt of the ocean air on her tongue.

Rey blinked her eyes open as Ben lowered his hand from her face. Rey was no longer shaking; she felt calmed, still. "The island," she breathed, her heart fluttering. The same island she had had dreams of for years, though she'd never seen the vision so clearly before. It had never before felt so real.

Ben lowered and kissed her forehead. "Our island," he said, placing a hand against her cheek and searching her eyes. "We have to find it. It's our future...I know it." He seemed about to say something else, but his dark eyes flickered past her, focusing on something.

Rey turned over her shoulder to follow his gaze, Ben keeping her within his snug embrace. Rey saw a tan figure in the distance, and her eyes grew wide with recognition. She tried to call out but found her voice too weak.

She turned back into Ben's chest, her tired knees wobbling. She gripped onto the sides of Ben's tabard for support, feeling woozy. "I...I can't stand…" she stammered, and Ben leaned down to scoop her up into his arms. He held her to his chest, and she tucked her face into his damp, torn cowl, her eyelids feeling impossibly heavy. As her eyes fell shut, her consciousness faded quickly away.

….

Ben cradled Rey tightly against his chest, one arm tucked under her bent knees, the other supporting her shoulders. After everything that had just happened, to say that he was on edge was an understatement, so he attempted to settle his mind as his uncle approached them. He didn't want to have a row with Luke, but he sensed that he was coming to take Rey back.

Ben turned to see his knights approaching gathering behind him, albeit timorously. One of them stepped forward, removing his mask.

"Sir?" Hector Ren prompted, nodding towards Luke.

"Stand down," Ben commanded, looking at all of the knights seriously before turning to face his uncle again.

"Ben," Luke called through the rain as he neared, slowing his pace. He stopped cautiously before his nephew, his eyes scanning Ben's knights before coming to rest on Rey. "Is she hurt? What happened?"

Ben wasn't sure how to answer. "Not exactly. It's a lot to explain and take in," he said, swallowing.

"Trust me, I've seen it all," Luke drawled. "Including your birth. Don't forget that," he chuckled.

Ben stared blankly back at his uncle, astonished how he managed to keep a sense of humor even in the darkest of circumstances. But he realized that this was Luke's way of attempting to lighten the tension between them.

Luke kept eyeing Ben's knights and wavered in place, only the sound of the pouring rain between them for a few long moments. "These are your infamous Knights of Ren, I take it?" He asked, gesturing towards them.

"Yes," Ben said succinctly.

Luke nodded towards Rey. "Why don't you give her to me, I'll bring her back to Trora," he offered, stepping forward, but he stopped as Ben moved back with equal measure.

"She's coming with me," Ben defended. "She's in too much danger, I need to get her out of here."

"Where are you going to go?" Luke asked, frowning. "Ben, don't let your emotions get in the way of rationality. Just give her to me and she'll be safe."

"No she won't," Ben defended. "Snoke's gotten to her. Do you understand? Even the Order of Organa can't save her now."

"And you and your knights can?" Luke asked skeptically.

Ben scowled. He was at the very last of his patience and energy. "I don't need your derision, or your opinions. You don't know the Dark side like I do, you don't know the extent of Snoke's power. Taking Rey to Trora would just be placing a mouse in a trap."

Luke held his hands before him. "Okay, okay, well, let's think this through—"

"I don't have time," Ben cut in, backing away. His knights cleared the way as he stepped through them. "If I don't keep her away from all of this—" he gestured an arm vaguely around them—"If I don't get her away from the war, I'll lose her," he asserted. He was about to turn around when Luke spoke again.

"You know, I'm worried about losing you too, kid," Luke called. Ben's heart tugged in his chest. Kid. The nickname his father had often used with him. Ben knew that Luke had picked up some of his father's lingo through the long years of their friendship.

"Come with me, just bring Rey and we'll figure this out, together," Luke offered, stepping towards him. "Let me make sure the both of you are safe. The whole fleet of the Order will be behind us, wherever we go."

Ben shook his head. "It's not enough. It would attract too much attention and put everyone in danger, including my mother," he said. He slid back a few steps, shaking his head. "I have to leave," he insisted, looking at his uncle a moment before turning and moving away, his knights following behind.

"Then I'll come with you. I'm not leaving you again," Luke called, following. He shoved his way through the knights and moved up to his nephew's side. "I made that mistake once. I'm not about to lose you again."

"You have to stay with the Order," Ben insisted, glancing at Luke and repositioning Rey against his shoulder. "You need to stay with my mother, to make sure she's safe."

"She would certainly prefer that I made sure you were safe, Ben. And Leia, she'll be fine. She's always managed to get out of sticky situations. Her and your father have always had a knack for that," Luke assured.

Ben opened his mouth to argue but knew that Luke had set his mind. He grunted as he picked up a jog, the wound on his stomach stinging. Luke jogged alongside him as they approached the command shuttle. In a flash of lightning, the ship's enormous wings were illuminated before them like two towering spires.

"Wow, that's...that's something," Luke marveled, slowing and staring up at the craft.

Ben balanced Rey in one arm and waved down the red loading ramp. He ascended into the ship carefully, not wanting to jostle Rey anymore than he had. He glanced behind him, seeing Luke climbing the ramp behind his knights.

"Hector, get us out of here," Ben called as he stepped aboard the ship. The knight nodded and jogged ahead to the control room as the others milled into the ship's center. Ben turned left down the hallway that circled the ship, his soaked boots squelching with each step as he carried Rey to his bedroom. As he waved his room's metal door open, BB-8 came careening out, beeping furiously.

"Shhh," Ben hushed, and the droid silenced as it saw Rey asleep in his arms. "Sorry, I meant to give you free reign of the ship," he muttered to the droid as he waved the covers down from his bed. BB-8 released a low, curious sound before rolling out of the room and down the hall.

Ben lowered Rey to the bed and balanced her against his arm as he gingerly removed her boots, armguards, and drenched outer clothing, leaving on her undergarments. He then laid her down and pulled the covers over her, tucking them at her sides. He grabbed a glass of water and a towel from near the bed and began gently wiping the dirt from her face and neck.

A soft groan escaped Rey's mouth, and her eyes slowly blinked open. They came to focus dazedly up on him. "Where...where are we?" She rasped as he slid the towel down her cheek.

Ben removed his gloves and placed them on the ground with the water and towel before sitting on the edge of the bed. "We're safe, Rey. Everything's okay," he said.

"Snoke," she breathed, shutting her eyes tight. "I heard him."

A flash of anger coursed through Ben, but he contained himself. "If you hear him again, tell me, but don't listen to him. Just calm your mind, go back to sleep," he whispered, tracing his thumb across her forehead. "You're safe with me."

Gradually, he watched as her body relaxed and sensed her falling back asleep. He admired her peaceful face, running his fingers gently along the length of her soaked hair. He leaned down to kiss her, but rose as he sensed Luke nearing.

He looked up to see his uncle stopping in the doorway of the room, looking between the two of them. He appeared to be fighting back a smile.

Ben rose and moved towards the doorway, glancing back at Rey before turning off the lights. Luke stepped out of the way as Ben stepped through the doorway and slid the door closed.

"I met your, uh, your knights," Luke said as they began walking towards the front of the ship. "I had thought they'd be Force-sensitive, too, but I was wrong."

"One was," Ben said as they entered the central chamber of the ship where the knights had all seated themselves.

"'Was?'"

Ben waited to respond until they were in the control room, only Hector within earshot. "Nodin. You remember him from the Jedi Academy, I'm sure. He became a knight as well, but I killed him, just before you showed up," Ben explained, shifting his gaze to avoid Luke's shocked expression. "He tried to kill Rey."

"Well...that was certainly justified, then," Luke said, resting a hand on his nephew's shoulder. Ben met his uncle's gaze, surprised. "So that's what happened? Is that why she passed out?"

Ben looked away, grinding his jaw for a moment. "No," he said, glancing at the dark clouds through the glass ahead as Hector guided the ship up through the planet's atmosphere. "But that certainly didn't make the situation any easier."

"Tell me what happened to her," Luke pressed.

Ben hesitated, not wanting to think back through what had just taken place. "Snoke got into her mind. He manipulated her into killing some of the Organa soldiers," Ben said, watching as his uncle's eyes widened. "He weakened me first, as if...come to think of it, maybe he transferred my energy into her. I don't really now. But I believe he willed her into using a Dark power, something known as Force Rage...she was just trying to protect me."

"A purely Dark power," Luke said, nodding slowly as he processed what Ben had just told him.

"Yes," Ben said solemnly. "It takes away all of the user's energy afterwards. That's why she fell asleep."

"I had no idea Snoke could do something like that…" Luke admitted, rubbing his chin and looking down for a few moments. "Well, at least Rey's okay." He slid his hand from Ben's shoulder and opened his mouth to speak when his eyes caught on his nephew's torso. His brows furrowed as he leaned down to get a closer look. "Ben, you're injured. Stars, kid, that doesn't look too good," he said, inspecting the wound at his stomach.

"It's fine," Ben said. He'd forgotten about it, though it was still throbbing. He looked down to see the bright-red gash. "The bleeding's stopped, at least," he observed.

"What is this from?" Luke asked, looking back up at him.

"I was shot by a TIE fighter. Or an x-wing, I'm not sure," Ben said absently, wanting to change the subject.

"And you survived it?" Luke marveled, staring at him incredulously. "Stars, you...you could have been blown to bits!" He stepped forward and pulled Ben into an abrupt hug. "We could have lost you."

Ben stood stock-still, taken aback by his uncle's gesture. He felt Luke shaking slightly, and it took him a moment to realize that his uncle was actually crying.

"I'm fine, Uncle," Ben urged.

Luke sniffled. "All of these years, we could have lost you. I never thought I'd hold you in my arms again. But you're here...I've failed you, Ben, but I'm going to keep you safe now."

"You didn't fail me," Ben insisted, shaking his head against his uncle's shoulder.

"But I did. I know that what I did made it easier for you to sink into the Dark side. You felt abandoned by me, your parents…" Luke sniffled again and squeezed him tighter. "Ben, I am so sorry," he cried, his head twisting against his shoulder. "So, so sorry. I'll never forgive myself for leaving you on Tatooine that day." He slowly leaned back and held Ben at arm's length, his face red and damp with tears. "I know there's no way I could make up for all of these years, but I want you to know that I don't blame you for falling to the Dark side. I would have done the same thing in your shoes. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you when I should have been."

"I don't blame you, either," Ben assured. "I understand. You saw me kill that Padawan, I'd betrayed you. I was a lost cause."

Luke shook his head. "No. You were never a lost cause. Not then, not now. It's my fault. Rey showed me your memory, how Snoke controlled you, manipulated you...and it's been going on for all of these years. I see that now, and I should have known it then." He took in a wavering breath, searching Ben's face. "I'm here for you now, whatever you need. I'm going to get you through this, whatever I have to do. You're my nephew. I love you, and I always will." He pulled Ben into another hug, and this time Ben hugged him back.

"I love you too, Uncle," Ben said. His shut his eyes as a tear slid down his own face. "Thank you."

"Erm, Master Ren?" Hector addressed from the control board.

Luke and Ben parted, both wiping their eyes as they turned towards the knight. Ben read Hector's mind, seeing that he was waiting for coordinates.

"Just direct us away from here for now," Ben instructed. "We need to get as far away from this system as we can." Hector nodded. Ben turned back to Luke, who was sighing and wiping his eyes on the long sleeve of his tan robe.

"Good thing your mother isn't here to see that nasty gash on you, or she'd just be flying you to the nearest hospital," Luke said, smiling quickly. "On second thought, maybe that's where we should go."

"Rey healed it a bit, I'll be okay," Ben said.

"You should go and rest, at least, I can manage here," Luke said, nodding back towards Hector and the control board.

Ben shook his head. "I need to figure out what to do, where we can go to get out of Snoke's grasp," he said. He'd constructed a Force field around and his ship and on his own lightsaber before the battle, but Snoke had obviously been able to breach the Force fields this time, even though Rey had been well within the vicinity of his saber. It was clear that Snoke was becoming more powerful as time passed.

Luke scratched his chin. "As much as I hate to suggest this right now, I think I know of someone who could give us some sage advice," he said.

"Leia?" Ben asked immediately.

"As much as she'd want to see you, no," Luke said, waiting for Ben to guess again.

Ben wracked his mind. "Maz Kenata," he concluded. He hadn't seen her since he was just a boy, but he still remembered her clearly.

"Yep. Good old Kenata. She and I aren't on the best of terms, I'll admit, but I think she's going to be our best bet to help get us out of this mess."

"What happened between you?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.

Luke hesitated, his gaze shifting to the view of space ahead. "Let's just say I may have had her held on Trora after she encouraged Rey...to go off and train with you. Come to think of it, she's probably going to kill me when she sees me."

Ben didn't know that Maz had put Rey up to going after him. But he did know full well that Maz wasn't the type of person to forgive and forget, so he could imagine the grudge she was holding against Luke. "Well, looks like we'll both be in the same boat," he said, cracking a wan smile.

Luke chuckled and shook his head. "Believe it or not, she'd probably prefer to see you over me." Letting out a deep breath, he patted Ben on the shoulder. "Go get some rest now, you need it. You'll have to explain everything to Maz, so it's best to get your energy back."

"I can't, I need to stay here and make sure we aren't being followed," Ben dissented.

"I can do all of that, don't worry. After all I've been through? This'll be a no-brainer. And I'm sure your loyal knights would be happy to help with the ship, right…?" He turned and looked to Hector, who announced his name and gave a nod. "See? Hector agrees," Luke said. Ben frowned at his knight in protest. "Don't worry, kid, I'll wake you up before we get to Maz's. Too much beauty sleep and your hair will probably grow another five inches," Luke chuckled.

Ben looked down and gave a small smile in spite of himself. "At least it isn't an awful Padawan braid," he countered, shooting Luke a smug look before leaving the room.

Ben rinsed off in a refresher before quietly reentering his bedroom. He pulled on a clean shirt and pants and tiptoed over to the bed, sliding underneath the covers next to Rey, who shifted awake.

"Ben?" she breathed, turning towards him.

He rolled onto his side to face her. "I'm here, Love," he assured, brushing his fingers against her warm cheek.

"Where is Luke? I sense him…" She mumbled.

"He's here, on board," he said, tracing his knuckles along her bare arm. "He's coming with us."

Rey was silent for a moment, processing this. "Where are we going?"

"Takodana. We're going to see Maz...hopefully she can help us."

Rey slid her hand over his and pulled it against her chest. Ben felt the warm thud of her heartbeat.

"Ben," she said.

"What is it?" He murmured.

"Thank you," she whispered, squeezing his hand.

"For what?"

"For saving my life, Ben," she said matter-of-factly, turning on her side towards him. "I thought I was going to die when I looked up and saw that knight standing above me. I'd lost all hope. But then you were there, and…" she trailed.

"I'll always be there for you, Rey. Always," he insisted, his eyes flickering over her face in the dimness.

Rey scooted closer to him, squeezing his hand as she leaned in to bring her lips to his. Ben closed his eyes, flushed with velvety warmth as they slowly kissed. He slipped his hand from hers to wrap it around her, pulling her closer. Rey broke from the kiss to yawn, and she released a breathy laugh as Ben yawned back.

"You should go back to sleep, Scavenger," he whispered, lightly kissing the bridge of her nose.

"Ben," Rey whispered, stroking the side of his face. "I'm afraid."

Ben hesitated to speak, unable to bury his own fear. He knew she was still fearful of Snoke breaking into her mind again. He knew that Snoke's power always came in waves, that he was unable to manipulate victims his for long periods of time. Even so, it was just a matter of time before Snoke broke through to one of them again, considering that he'd been able to breach all of Ben's Force fields get into Rey's mind. As he thought about it, his stomach churned with worry.

"Don't be afraid," he said, trying to sound reassuring. He held Rey snugly against him. "I'm here, Rey. I'll keep you safe." He winced as he thought again of seeing Nodin standing above her, his heavy mallet lifted to strike. He kissed the top of her head as she let out a long breath against his chest. "Go to sleep, I've got you. You're safe."

But even as he said the words, he knew she was not. Despite his dizzying anxiety, as he felt Rey's soft breaths against his neck, he too slowly succumbed to sleep.

….

Thrawn sat alone in the back of the transport shuttle, smoking. He stared at the ranks of stormtroopers lined before him, scowling as he noticed that the shuttle was much emptier than it'd been on the way to Storia. He estimated that nearly half of the total trooper divisions had been lost. No bother, he thought. After all, stormtroopers were expendable, replaceable.

Force users were not.

Stamping out his cigarette on the floor with his boot, he traipsed to the back room of the shuttle to use the comm unit. He'd already contacted Snoke not long before, to inform him of yet another instance of Kylo Ren's disloyalty: the Force user had sent his squadron of troopers back to the loading ships, leaving the rest of the troopers under the impression that the Empire was surrendering. Even Phasma had called back her troops, in the confusion. The whole thing had ended up a pathetic instance of mass-miscommunication, an amateur mistake, which in turn had led to the overall loss of the battle.

It should have been easy, Thrawn thought bitterly. After all, he'd been the one to lay out the military strategy. The plan had been flawless. But of course Ren had decided to screw it up. And now, now, Thrawn knew, Ren would finally come to pay for his treachery. He knew that Snoke had never planned to keep his apprentice forever.

As Thrawn stepped before the comm unit, he hesitated to turn it on, not wanting to face the wrath of the Supreme Leader. For a split second, he wished he'd never taken this job, that General Hux was still alive to deal and communicate with Snoke. But Thrawn quickly berated himself for his hesitation. He was one of the most celebrated military strategists in the galaxy, and he was not going to allow himself to be cowed by some old, fanatic Force user.

They're a dying species, as it is, Thrawn thought with growing elation. All of the Force sensitives he'd come into contact with in his life—Snoke, Kylo Ren, the miserable Jedi— had been nothing but a source of needless trouble and annoyance. Let them die out. Good riddance.

As a light flickered on and the signal on the comm unit connected, Thrawn felt sweat beading at his hairline. Was this room hot, or was it just him?

"Admiral Thrawn," a deep, ornery voice addressed.

"Supreme Leader Snoke," Thrawn began, clearing his throat. "It is my duty to inform you that we have not retrieved Kylo Ren. Or his knights, for that matter."

"Admiral," Snoke's voice rumbled through the comm, "I removed his Force abilities, and you're telling me that you still could not manage to secure him?"

Sweat began to dribble down Thrawn's blue face. "I...yes, that's what I'm telling you, Supreme Leader," he admitted.

"But the girl, the Jedi. You have managed to capture her, at least?" Snoke questioned.

Kriff. "No, Supreme Leader, we'd received mixed reports from the troopers of her sighting, but they were lost in the confusion. A TIE pilot reportedly spotted her with Ren, and he also claimed to have shot Ren, but apparently it wasn't enough."

"It wasn't...enough," Snoke repeated, drawing out the words. "You're saying the TIE fighter and stormtrooper fleet of the Empire wasn't enough to secure two people, weakened by my own abilities?"

"Well...yes, that is apparently what I'm saying, Supreme Leader," Thrawn managed. He pulled at the collar of his shirt, feeling as if it would blocking his airway.

"Perhaps it is you that is not enough, Admiral," Snoke declared. "Because of your own incompetence, I shall have to take leave from Mustafar. I'll have to deal with your mistakes myself. I expect to see you on the Finalizer in one standard day. Is that clear?"

"Crystal, crystal clear, Supreme Leader," Thrawn said quickly, and the comm was immediately shut down from Snoke's side. He scowled at the wall before him. How had Hux and Ren managed to deal with this guy all the time? Perhaps Ren's disloyal attempts at escape were beginning to make sense, after all...

….

Rey awoke to a soft knocking sound. Underneath Ben's arm, she propped herself on her side, staring ahead at the door outlined in the yellowish light of the hallway outside.

Ben removed slid his arm from her to rub his face. "Must be BB-8," he mumbled.

"Mm, I sense Luke," Rey whispered, sliding her feet to the ground.

"How long have we been asleep?" Ben asked, his voice deep and groggy.

"I don't know," Rey mused. "A long time, I think." She pressed a hand to her throbbing forehead, surmising that the pain must have been from Snoke prying into her mind. She winced as the memory of the battle resurfaced, and she tried hard to push the nightmarish thoughts from her mind.

"I only meant to sleep for an hour or two," Ben said, sitting on the edge of the bed and folding his hands in his lap.

"You needed the sleep, babe," Rey said. She turned to peer back at him through the darkness of the room, seeing a drowsy smile on his face. "Are your knights on board, too?" She asked.

Ben nodded. "But they won't hurt you, I promise," he said knowingly. "Don't worry about them."

Rey nodded sleepily and gathered a blanket around her, realizing that she was only in her bra and undershorts. She moved to the door and slid it open halfway. She immediately winced, blinking rapidly against the bright artificial light of the hallway.

"Morning, Sunshine," Luke said.

"Hello, Luke. I'm glad to see you," she said, giving him a small small as her eyes adjusted to the light.

"You look like you tried to go swimming in that mud on Storia," he said, gesturing to her dirt-caked hair.

"Ugh, I really should shower," she admitted, scratching her dirty scalp. She turned around to see Ben standing behind her.

"Looks like the dark knight is awake, too," Luke said.

"Hello," Ben mumbled, swiping his forearm over his face.

Rey realized that Ben had already rinsed off seeing his clean clothes and skin. Lifting her gaze, she saw his dishevelled bed hair and held back a laugh.

"What?" He asked, blinking slowly.

"Nothing," she said, fighting her amused expression.

"We're almost to Takodana, a half hour or so and we should be in orbit," Luke informed them, his gaze focusing on Rey. "I bet Maz will be happy to see you again. Us…" he gestured between Ben and himself, "not so much."

"Thank you for manning the ship, Luke," Ben said sincerely.

"Don't mention it. Your knights were a big help. I had no idea how to use half of those fancy controls," he said.

"Where's the refresher?" Rey asked, turning to Ben.

Ben pointed to their right. "Just down the hall, it's a blue door on the left. I'll bring you some clean clothes."

"Thanks," Rey said, smiling at him and then Luke before making her way down the hall, leaving the other two alone.

"She really does like you," Luke said, his brows raising.

"If you say so," Ben said, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned in the doorway. He looked fondly down the hall where Rey had just left.

"Of course she does. I haven't seen her look at anyone else like that. Her true feelings definitely lie with you," Luke said.

Ben's eyes flickered back to Luke. There was something off about his choice of words. "Her 'true feelings?'" He probed.

Luke hesitated. "Well, as you obviously know, Ben, she is a lovely girl—I mean, you don't expect to be the only one whose attention she's grabbed, I hope," he said.

Ben straightened. "Whose attention, then?" He asked, though he had already assumed the answer.

Luke held his hands before him and shook his head. "Look, kid, all I meant was that there are other men who have feelings for her, that's all. I didn't—" he cut himself off, clearly realizing that he was digging himself into a deeper hole.

Ben's face had grown hot, his skin prickling. "The pilot," he said, his jaw tightening. "What did you see?"

Luke shook his head in warning. "Ben don't you dare break into my—" but he was cut off again, this time by Ben's sudden mind probe. Ben's arm was stretched towards him, his fingers splayed inches from his face. Luke winced and sucked in a breath.

Ben retracted his probe immediately after he'd seen the memory. His chest knotting, he found it hard to breathe. He felt like he'd just been slapped. He turned away from Luke, processing what he'd just seen. He had a sudden sense of déjà vu, hit with the memory from Zephus when Rey had run away from him and into Poe's open arms. This time, it hurt even more.

"Ben, I taught you this when you were little, didn't I? Some things can't be unseen," Luke said, rubbing his own head.

Ben faced his uncle, feeling a pang of remorse. "I'm sorry, Luke," he lamented. "I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have done that to you."

"You shouldn't have done that to yourself," Luke retorted.

"Can someone please bring me some clothes?" Rey called from down the hall.

"I'll do it," Luke said, eyeing him. He moved forward to pass by Ben into the bedroom, but Ben pressed a hand to his shoulder, stopping him.

"I've got it," Ben said.

"You're sure?" Luke asked seriously.

Ben nodded. "It's fine, I'm not going to bring it up," he said as he turned and began digging out a shirt and lounge pants for Rey from a drawer. "It's not important."

But his mind was racing. He thought he'd already had enough to worry about, but now the scene of the kiss in the rain was replaying over and over in his head. Had Rey enjoyed the kiss? Had her feelings for him begun to fade? Had he overwhelmed her by bringing up marriage? Did she think Poe was better-looking? he panicked, but he kept his expression stoic as he stepped back into the hall with shirt and pants in hand.

"Look, Ben, don't let it worry you," Luke assured, shaking his head. "Like I said—"

"I know," Ben said, walking past him and down the hall.

"I'll meet you in the control room, then," Luke called after him.

Ben hesitated a few moments before knocking on the refresher door, gathering his breath. The door slid halfway open, revealing Rey with a towel tucked around her. Her damp, dark hair cascaded in waves down her bare shoulders.

She smiled as he handed her the clothes. "Thank you," she said, the line of her mouth straightening as she looked up at him. "Are you alright?" She asked gently.

Ben nodded, forcing a small smile. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Just a lot of things on my mind right now," he said.

Rey nodded, brushing her hand against his side. "Mine too," she said, searching his eyes. She took his hand and urged him into the refresher, a roomy bathroom for a spacecraft. The door slid closed behind him, leaving them in contained silence.

"How's it feeling?" Rey asked, pulling up the bottom hem of his shirt to inspect his injury.

"S'fine," Ben said, shrugging. The throbbing had gone away. He closed his eyes as Rey pressed a kiss to the wound, warm currents spreading out through his skin at her touch.

"Ben," she began, rising, "why weren't you able to stop it?"

He knew she was referring to the blast. "I felt like my Force powers had been taken away from me," he said, remembering how debilitated he'd begun to feel just before he'd been shot. "I tried to use the Force to block it, but it didn't work. Obviously. But my strength began to return after…" He caught himself, wanting to avoid bringing up Rey's attack on the soldiers. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to carry you the rest of the way to the ship."

"And you think it was Snoke?" She asked.

Ben nodded silently, wanting to shift the conversation to her. "What about you? How are you feeling about...everything?" He wanted to give her room to voice her potential concerns with him. "About...us?"

Rey stared at him curiously. "What do you mean, 'about us?'" She asked.

Ben hesitated. "I mean...is this still what you want?"

Rey's brows pinched together. "What are you talking about?" She asked, taking hold of his arm. "Of course I do. You know that, Ben." She paused, her gaze drifting. "It's me I'm unsure about. After yesterday, I don't know how I feel about myself."

"Don't blame yourself, Rey. It wasn't your fault," Ben insisted. "But with all honesty, even if it was...I'd love you all the same," he admitted.

Rey looked up at him with watery eyes, a small smile forming on her lips. She reached up and slid her hand around the back of his neck, pulling his head down to hers in a kiss.

The kiss was more sensual than Ben had been expecting, and it took him a moment to react. He kissed her back gently, hesitantly. Rey leaned into him, her hands sliding through his hair, to his face, his upper arms. Ben's thoughts began to blur with each brush of her mouth.

Rey paused to brush her hair behind her shoulders, unwittingly revealing a delicate silver strand around her neck. Ben felt a jolt of utter surprise; he hadn't expected her to wear the necklace all the time, certainly not during battle. It was in this moment of seeing the necklace that Ben knew that all of his worries about Rey's feelings and the pilot were for naught. Luke was right; whatever potential crush she had on Poe Dameron, her true feelings would always lie with himself.

As if on cue, Rey's eyes flickered up to his, her mouth parted to speak. "I love you, so much," she whispered.

Ben leaned down and pressed his lips into hers, holding her face between his hands. He kissed her firmly, lovingly, his heart pouring through to her. How could he have doubted her? He slid an arm around her lower back, pulling her hips into his and leaning her back over his arm.

Rey released a startled sound. She pulled back from his lips as he held her, his face hovering just above hers. "Stars, Ben," she panted just before he kissed her again.

He pressed her backwards as they kissed, Rey's towel beginning to slip from underneath her arms as she stepped with him. He backed her against the wall, and she released a sigh as his mouth travelled to her warm, still-damp neck. Her towel parted and slid lower, revealing her breasts. Ben slid his hands lower to cup them and he took one into his mouth, savoring it.

"Oh, stars," Rey whimpered, her fingers lacing through his hair. She couldn't seem to stand still.

Ben met her lips again. He began tugging her towel from around her completely, wanting to have her against the wall, his mind and body consumed with eager yearning.

However, to his consternation, he was abruptly shoved away with the Force. Confused and worked up, Ben moved back towards Rey, but she held a hand out in protest, and he stopped.

"Ben, we can't," she hissed. "Luke and your kriffing knights are on board!"

"They won't hear," he insisted, nodding towards the refresher door. "That thing's soundproof."

"Ben!" Rey whispered. "You know what happens when...you know," she said, throwing her hands up.

"So what?" Ben chuckled, mimicking her hand gesture. "They'll just think we clipped an asteroid or something."

Rey shook her head slowly, but he could see that she was fighting back a smile. "Ben...we can't," she insisted, gathering her towel back around her. She stared across at him, an amused smile spreading on her blushing face. Her fingers slid along her necklace in a way that appeared flirtatious.

"You're really something, Scavenger," Ben said admiringly, his eyes locking onto hers. He sighed, lowering his gaze and descending back into reality. "I'll leave you to let you dress. I'll meet you in the control room with Luke," he said, raising his eyes as Rey moved forward to kiss him again. They held the kiss for a few moments, Rey cupping her face between her small hands. Ben smiled at her before slipping out of the refresher and heading down the hallway.

He moved into the ship's central chamber, and after giving his knights an acknowledging nod, he frowned and turned around to look behind him down the hallway. He didn't see what he was looking for.

He strode into the control room, his head swivelling around.

"What're you looking for, kid? Lost your shoe?" Luke teased.

"BB-8. He's here, somewhere," Ben said, crouching to peer underneath the control board.

"I haven't seen him," Luke said.

"Sir, Farren Ren notified me that the droid left the ship before takeoff," Hector said, stepping into the room.

"He left?" Ben repeated, staring at the knight blankly.

"Yes, the droid apparently rolled down the ramp just before it was drawn up—there wasn't time to stop it," Hector said.

Why would BB-8 have left so suddenly, without even saying anything? Ben wondered. Where would he have gone?

Then it hit him: the pilot. BB-8 must have known he was on the planet.

Ben shifted his gaze and stepped towards the front window of the ship. The confusion and pain he'd felt at seeing the memory of Poe kissing Rey in the rain resurged. As much as he tried to bury hit, he was struck with a familiar jealousy. He felt as if the pilot were taking his life away from him. He gripped the edge of the control board until his knuckles turned white, staring absently at the green-blue dot of Takodana ahead. First my mother, then Rey, now BB-8. What next?

"What is it, Ben?" Luke asked, stepping to his nephew's side.

"Nothing," Ben said, letting out a long breath.

Luke patted his shoulder. "You don't have to keep everything so bottled up. Whatever it is...Everything will work itself out in time. We're all under a lot of stress right now, and I know you're worried about Rey, but...everything's going to be okay."

Ben's brows furrowed as he turned to meet his uncle's gaze. "How would you know?"

"Maybe I'm no Maz Kenata, and I know you think I'm just a crumby old Jedi, but I do know some things," Luke said.

"I don't think that at all," Ben said, settling his breathing. "Luke, I've always looked up to you."

Luke turned his face back to his nephew, his eyes beaming. He pulled Ben into a hug, but after a moment he pulled back and wiped his eyes. "I'm sorry, wow. I don't mean to keep being so maudlin around you," he chuckled. "I've just missed you. We all have."

"I know," Ben said.

Luke smiled back and reached up to muss Ben's hair. "My little nephew," he teased. He lowered his hand and they both turned at the sound of Rey's approaching footsteps.

"I feel so much better now," she said, rubbing her clean arms.

Ben smiled as she approached, eyeing her too-big t-shirt and rolled pants. He remembered the clothes she'd borrowed from him on Zephus, when he'd taken care of her in his hideout house.

"Too bad Ben's clothes are too small for you," Luke teased.

Rey self-consciously tugged the sagging hem of Ben's shirt over her shoulder. "Too bad I have to show up to Maz's like this."

"Too bad Maz is probably going to kick my ass," Ben said, turning around with the other two to face the nearing planet.

"From what I heard, I thought Rey already did that on Starkiller base," Luke said, and Rey failed to hold back a laugh as Ben shot him a disgruntled look.

Looks like we're heading back to Takodana! How's Maz going to react to seeing this new trio? Will she be able to shed some light on Snoke's mysterious powers? Good thing Ben and Rey got some rest, they're going to need all of the energy they can muster in the chapters to come. Will our tortured Reylo pair ever find their island? Thanks for reading and being patient! Next chapter will come out in a few days.