After such an intense chapter last week this is a little lighter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters

Please RandR!

Chapter 23:

A week went by with Rey reacclimating to being among the Resistance fighters again. Faces that were once open and friendly were now guarded and cold. Finn came around every now and then but never when Phasma was around. Rose only came around when Kylo and Phasma weren't around. She hadn't seen Poe at all since that day in the hall, not that she was ready to see him.

As rough as it was for her, Rey knew it was a thousand time worse for Kylo and Phasma. They couldn't go anywhere on the base without at least 3 weapons pointed at them. Leia didn't seem like she was going to do anything about it any time soon and Kylo was in a foul mood because of it.

So, while Rey went back to her mechanic duties and helping Phasma build a hut similar to hers, Kylo took to the jungle for hours on end with the bond shut so tightly it was almost though it wasn't there. Rey had no idea what he was doing but she knew every night he would come back in time for dinner. He would have bruises and cuts but wouldn't tell her what he'd been doing.

Today was the first day that the new Force Users approached Rey. After hearing that she was in a relationship with Kylo Ren they had seemed reluctant to seek her training. Rey didn't want to press the issue incase they had totally changed their minds, but it seemed that they did not. Not that she knew what they were expecting her to teach them.

Rey was helping Phasma put up the walls for her own hut when Rey sensed them coming toward her.

"Hey Phas, let's take a break for a while. We can finish the walls once the sun goes down," Rey said. "Sure, thing. I think I'll head back to the ship for a while," Phasma said as the newbies came through the trees.

Rey sat on the steps of her hut and took a drink of water as she waited for them to come closer. They hesitated for a second. Rey shot them a sincere smile.

"Hello," she said in a cheery voice. "Hello!"

The reply came in an equally cheery voice. The voice belonged to a beautiful woman with long burgundy hair which was more purple than red and hung down her back with blunt cut bangs that hung in her light brown, almost beige eyes which were framed by long lashes the same color as the hair leading Rey to believe that it was her natural color. She was shorter than Rey and curvier but what drew Rey's eye were the black antenna hiding under the woman's bangs and the butterfly wing tattoo that cover her entire back.

"What are you," Rey found herself asking.

The woman who had been happily bounding over to Rey stopped in her tracks and frowned at Rey.

"I am Eshreal Mecca of the planet Quycury of the Quinazy system. I am a Curian," she said as though that explained everything. "I am sorry but I've never heard of that planet or that system," Rey said. "Makes sense. Not only was it blown up by the First Order about 2 years after you were born, but it was also outside of the Skyriver Galaxy," Eshreal said with a bright smile.

Rey was shocked. She had never met someone from outside of the galaxy. She found herself wanting to ask the woman more questions but the rest of her group emerged from the trees. Rey was surprised to see the Twi'lek woman who had escaped Jasmenerth with Rey with them. If she remembered right her name was Taliki. Rey swore she hadn't felt anything from her before but right then Rey could feel the Force strongly in all 5 of the beings that had come to learn from her.

Taliki smiled at Rey. On the other hand the three males' faces were a lot harder to read. Curiosity radiated from them but also unease.

"Kylo is nowhere around and probably won't be back for hours," Rey said.

The three sighed in relief and it seemed that they relaxed some. Eshreal held her hand out and the plants near the stairs began to grow together to form a couch like structure. Rey watched in amazement as she plopped down, leaving enough room for Taliki to sit down next to her.

"What about us," the wolf man barked. "You're all big strong guys, go get chairs from inside," Eshreal teased as she manipulated more plants to form three chairs. "Did you do that with the Force," Rey asked and Eshreal nodded. "She's amazing. I can't do any of the stuff she can," Taliki said. "Neither can Cade, Zer-o or Gear, so don't feel bad," Eshreal said.

The girls laughed.

"Leia tells me you are all Force users and that you saved Evanna and her children," Rey said. "Yes, we are. We've been waiting for you," Cade said in his serious voice. "Leia mentioned that you wanted me to teach you but honestly, I'm not even a Jedi. I can't guide you in the ways of the Force the way a true master could. I only got as strong as I am now because of Kylo," Rey said and the group gaped at her.

That was the last thing any of them expected to hear.

"But you were taught by Master Skywalker," Zer-o argued. "For a little while. I actually spent more time trying to convince him to teach me than any actually learning. He taught me to feel the Force but we didn't get to do much more than that," Rey explained. "But you cut down Kylo Ren on Starkiller base and killed Snoke on the Supremacy," Cade exclaimed.

Rey laughed and shook her head. Luke had been right. The rumors and speculations about her had run rampant across the galaxy. She'd become a legend almost overnight.

"I hate to disappoint you guys but sheer luck and will of the Force let me injure Kylo back on Starkiller as much as his reluctance to actually hurt me. I hadn't even held a lightsaber before then. The Force guided me through a technique known as Battle Precognition. As for Snoke…I would have lost my life if Kylo hadn't used Luke's lightsaber to bisect Snoke when he did. The throne room was the first time we had ever fought together," Rey said and she could hear the affection for the Dark Jedi in every word she said.

The newbies looked skeptical especially the Zabrak male with the stringy red hair, horns and red marks on his ebony skin. Rey had seen pictures of Darth Maul and the male did resemble him but his energy was so much more conflicted. The male in front of her reminded her of Kylo. There was darkness in him but there was also light.

"I know when you guys look at Kylo Ren all you see is the monster that Snoke turned him into. I spent two months on the Planet Florn with Kylo Ren all alone. We spent every day inside each other's minds while training in the Force. I know him almost better than I know myself," she said. "Then you know he's a monster," Cade hissed.

Rey rolled her eyes.

"You…You were trained by Snoke. I can feel his taint on you. How did you end up here instead of serving him like Kylo," Rey asked. "Well… my mentor made sure that I learned about both sides of the Force," Gear stuttered and blushed.

Zer-o was about to crack a joke when Rey pinned him with a hard look.

"And you. You grew up on Dathomir, a planet known for training their sons to be Sith Lords. The darkness is strong in you and yet you are here too. How is that," Rey asked.

Eshreal and Taliki watched the conversation as though they weren't even a part of it.

"My mother taught me about the light, the dark and the balance of the two. She taught me that it was all about choice," Zer-o said uncomfortably.

Rey could tell that he didn't like being compared to Kylo or Gear.

"Now imagine if you only had one side, the dark telling you what to do…Imagine if the people who were supposed to love and care for you, abandoned you, were frightened of you, tried to kill you…How would you two react," Rey asked.

Rey could practically see their brains working to comprehend what she was saying. She needed more people to realize that Kylo Ren did not chose to become a monster he was made that way by the choices made by those who were supposed to protect him. She loved Kylo and it would be nice if not everyone on the base hated or feared him.

"I don't care why he is the way he is, to be honest. It's not like he stopped killing people once Snoke stopped pulling his strings," Zer-o grumbled. "Shut it, Zer," Eshreal hissed. "You said that you spent two months in each other's minds…How is that even possible," Gear asked.

Rey thought about it for a minute.

"Well we are connected by something known as a Force bond. It allows us to speak, touch and see each other over seemingly infinite distances. When the bond opens for us we can hear each other's thoughts, see each other's memories, and feel each other's emotions. It's like becoming one person with two bodies. I know everything he knows and he knows everything I do. He knew where this base was but never sent anyone here to check it out," Rey explained but left out that Kylo only knew about Olara for about a week before they were forced to flee the First Order.

The group was silent for a long while and Rey wondered what was going through their heads. She hadn't got a chance to explain this to Leia and her friends but it seemed to be easier than she had expected. She found that this was good practice for whenever they did have to have this conversation.

"If you trust him, then who are we to question it," Eshreal said in her serious voice. "Essie is right. As long as the bastard is fighting for our side I won't complain," Cade said.

Zer-o and Gear grumbled but didn't agree or disagree.

"So, you just learned to feel the Force with Skywalker? He didn't teach you any cool tricks or anything," Taliki asked. "Unfortunately, no. Kylo has taught me some cool things though. And none of them are dark," she added as the males frowned more. "Well at least you could teach us to feel the Force like Luke did. Some of us can only feel the Force by accident," Zer-o said. "I can certainly show you the basics but it's mostly just meditation," Rey said.

Rey stood up from her perch on the steps and stretched. Essie and Liki did the same. When Rey was done she pinned the guys with a look that reminded them a lot of General Leia. Reluctantly they got up and stretched. As they did Rey noticed that the plants went back to the way they were before Eshreal used the Force to manipulate them.

When everyone was done stretching, Rey instructed them to sit on the ground cross legged with their eyes closed.

"I want you all to breathe deeply and clear your minds," Rey said.

She watched them all as they followed her instruction. Meditation seemed easier for Eshreal, Zer-o and Gear than for Taliki and Cade. She waited, watching for the tale tell signs they had joined the others in the meditative state.

"Now I want you to cast out and tell me what you feel," Rey said.

Rey closed her eyes and felt them casting out their senses. After a few seconds she opened her eyes to see Cade's face scrunched up in frustration. Rey went to stand before him.

"What do you feel, Cade," Rey asked. "Air," he said with irritation in his tone. "Master Skywalker took a reed and tickled my hand with it. As a novice, I thought I'd done it right away but it look me nearly an hour to even feel the Force. So take your time there is no need to fret. We can do this every day until you can feel it as easy as the air," Rey said reassuringly.

Rey paced back and forth as she watched the group. She could feel Eshreal, Zer-o and Gear like flood lights in the Force, whereas Taliki and Cade were flickering candles just waiting for a big burst of wind to blow them out.

"Gear, describe what you are feeling right now," Rey said after a moment. "I feel life, all of the plants, animals and sentient beings on this planet. I also feel death, the degradation of organic life that feeds the life cycle. And in between the two is the Force, the balance of things," Gear said and Eshreal and Zer-o nodded. "Me too," Eshreal and Zer-o said at the same time. "I think I feel something," Cade said finally.

Rey could tell that he was feeling more than Taliki, but it couldn't have been much. She reached out with her own energy trying to feel theirs. Suddenly Taliki gasped. Tears trailed down her face and Rey knew that she was feeling the life that ebbed and flowed around them. There was so much more here on Olara then on Ahch-To that it was easy for Rey to understand being overwhelmed by the feeling.

Rey also saw when the others felt Taliki's emotions. Their faces went from slack and trance like to awe stuck. It was amazing. Suddenly 5 pairs of eyes were staring back at her. They'd all felt the Force, for some of them this was the first time that they had done it on purpose.

"Why don't you come back tomorrow, and we can start on some more serious mediation," Rey said as she felt Kylo making his way back through the jungle. "That's it for the day," Liki asked and Rey nodded. "But that was barely anything. There has to be more that you can show us," Cade pled. "I want you guys to practice feeling the Force so when you get here tomorrow we can work on building on your ability to feel and call on the Force," Rey said with a gentle smile.

The group looked crestfallen.

"Come on, guys. I am sure they want to be alone," Eshreal said and Rey knew that she also felt Kylo's dark presence stalking through the jungle. "I know a quiet place we could all go and meditate together," Taliki said. "Cool," Cade said, he was pumped to work on being able to feel the Force more. "Meet me here around noon tomorrow and be ready to work hard," Rey called as Taliki led the group away.

She was still standing there watching after the group when Kylo appeared through the trees. As usual he was shirtless, bruised and covered in blood and sweat. His dark hair was plastered to his head and he looked just as angry as he did when he had left this morning, at least until he saw Rey waiting for him.

"What are you doing out here? Your usually inside with dinner or still in the hanger being the good little mechanic," Kylo teased. "I was helping Phas put walls up on her hut when the new Force wielders finally came to see me," she explained. "Oh," he asked, pulling her against his sweaty skin.

Rey didn't protest, just pressed her cheek to his damp flesh.

"Yeah, they really do want me to teach them. Even though I told them you were far more experienced and a better teacher," she said. "I'm a good teacher for you. I doubt they would see it that way," Kylo said. "I think if you tried, you could grow on them as much as you grew on me. Especially Essie and Liki if you show up looking like this," Rey teased back. "No thanks. The only woman I want ogling me is you," he said with a slight frown. "That was the right answer, Mr. Ren. Besides I was just kidding. I do think they would benefit from your teachings though," Rey said. "Maybe I'll observe your new friends and if I think they are worth teaching, I may sit in and give you a few pointers," Kylo said with feigned indifference. "Great," Rey exclaimed.

She threw her arms around him.

"Now go and shower. I'll get food for the three of us," Rey said before bouncing off toward the base entrance with a smile on her face.