Chapter 6

Kylo slowly came back from the dark, though the pain that greeted him made him wish he could return to it. He breathed shallowly, slowly opening his eyes to survey the damage. Surprisingly his various wounds all looked shallow and already in various stages of healing. Why would Hux take the time to heal him…unless? Kylo closed his eyes and exhaled. Of course. Hux wants to make sure Kylo is alive for a long time.

Despair began to grip him. Without his ability to use the force what could he do? He squeezed his eyes tighter as he realized there was nothing he could do. He was stuck in a coffin of his own making. He should have left with Rey when he had the chance.

His despair deepened as he thought of their last encounter and how he had pushed her away. He supposed now he could add her to the long list of people in his life that he had disappointed. Despite his every attempt he could never seem to please anyone. His parents had shipped him off, his uncle had tried to kill him, even Snoke had never been satisfied with his efforts.

When the door opened, Kylo didn't even bother looking up, sinking even further into despair at his situation. This was to be his life now. Endless torture. He thought himself a fool for ever daring to believe he could escape it. Torture had been his friend in one manner or another for as long as he could remember. He thought of the whispered conversations his parents thought he hadn't heard. He thought of his mother's face as he left her for Skywalker's temple, of the look of relief that had passed over it. He thought of waking to find his uncle standing over him with an ignited lightsaber. This time however he felt no anger at the memory, only a sense of inevitability. He thought of his father, the look of shock on his face when Kylo had ignited his saber, and despite a feeble attempt not to, he thought of the forgiveness in his father's face just before he fell. Kylo retreated so far into his head that his own screams sounded as if they were coming from another room.

Through his haze of despair an image of Rey reaching her hand towards him from her little hut entered his mind. He felt sorrow as he thought of it now, but no…not just sorrow. Hope. Another image entered his mind. Rey looking up at him in the elevator, saying she would help him. Despite his every effort not to, he felt the first stirrings of hope.

As if from a distance he heard someone requesting a light saber. It wasn't until he saw a flash of red that he came out of his head long enough to see his own light saber in Jesmaae's hand, slashing towards him.

Rey fell forward, exhausted.

"Well?" Finn asked. "Did it work?"

Before she could answer, her vision darkened as pain flashed through her eyes. She gasped, terrified. Just as quickly her vision cleared, leaving her wondering what had happened to Kylo.

A hand shaking her shoulder brought her back to the present. Swallowing, she inhaled slowly. "I'm fine. Yes, I think it worked. I could feel the change in his feelings."

"What happened, just now?" Finn asked, frowning at her.

She shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure. My vision darkened for a moment." Dread filled her. She wanted to visit him again, to make sure he was alright, though she supposed she already knew that answer. Impatience at her inability to go immediately to rescue him clawed at her, making her pace in the room, running her hands through her hair.

"Have you had any luck talking to the others?" she asked.

Finn sighed and Rey closed her eyes in frustration. "It's not that they don't want to take down the First Order…"

"It's that they don't want to bet the survival of all that's left on the rescue of Kylo Ren," she finished for him.

Finn nodded, concern on his face. "Right."

Rey flopped down on a chair. "Why is this so difficult?" She put her head in her hand. "When I left Jakku, when I joined the Resistance, all those years I spent wanting family while also eating up stories of the Jedi and wanting to experience it myself, all those times…I never realized how difficult it is to be a hero." She said the last word despairingly. She knew people viewed her as a hero of the Resistance, but she didn't feel like one. At times she felt more like a failure. She failed to bring Luke Skywalker back. She failed to bring Ben Solo back. And now she was failing to rally people to help her take down the First Order. How did Leia continue on, day after day, year after year? She had lost more than any of them. Ben Solo is all she has left, and she's not even guaranteed to have him back; in fact she is actively working towards taking down the empire he's currently running. How did Leia have the strength to do what needs to be done?

"Hey," Finn said, breaking her train of thought. "We'll get them around alright? We're just having a hard time convincing them that a couple dozen people could take down the First Order alone.

"Alone…" Rey said the word quietly to herself, thoughts racing, an idea hatching.

"Rey?" Finn asked.

Rey looked up at him, eyes alight. "What if we could convince people to help Leia?"

Finn shook his head, confused. "I thought that's what we've been trying to do since Crait."

Rey nodded. "Yes, but they don't know what we have here. All they know is that Leia's Resistance is down to a few dozen people."

Finn frowned. "And what exactly do we have here?"

Rey smiled. "Leia Organa, one of the heroes who took down the Empire. Poe Dameron, best pilot in the galaxy. Chewbacca, fighter from not just one, not two, but 3 wars now; one of the mighty Wookie warriors. Finn, former storm trooper with friends on the inside…And me, the last of the Jedi." Her eyes were sparkling by the end, hope alight. "We can do this. We can convince people. We just need to remind them of what we have."

Rey, nervous flutters in her stomach, bowed to the Queen before her, Finn following suit beside her.

"Thank you for agreeing to see us, Your Majesty."

The Queen of Naboo nodded at them and they rose. "Why have you called for this audience, Rey of Jakku?"

Rey swallowed, reminding herself of the reasons she came. "I've come, on behalf of Leia and the Resistance, to ask for your help in defeating the First Order."

The queen regarded her for several seconds, advisors whispering in her ears. "I believe I already told General Organa that the only help I could provide would be a safe haven to hide. The First Order has proven that it is willing to end those who oppose it. I cannot put the safety of my people at risk."

Rey opened her mouth to respond, but before she could Finn stepped forward. "I get it. We're asking you to make a decision that could get this planet blown up, or at the very least this city wiped off the map. It's a huge risk, but we can win." He glanced over at Rey, who nodded at him. "I used to be a member of the First Order. I used to be a Storm Trooper. I…" He cleared his throat. "I have friends there. I'm positive I could get them to help us." He took one step forward, holding his hands out. "Please, at least consider it."

The queen did not respond, but her advisors both whispered in her ears. Eventually she held up a hand and they fell back. "I can make you no promises, but I will consider it."

Both Finn and Rey let out a breath. "Thank you, Your Majesty," Rey said, bowing.

"I know how to contact you," the queen said. "You may go."

After bowing, both Rey and Finn were escorted back out. As they reached the door, Rey turned around and took a hesitant step forward. "It's Padmé Amidala's grandson that we're trying to save, as much as any of us. He…He's been lost to the First Order, but I'm sure we – I'm sure I – can bring him back to his mother…I just thought you should know." With that she bowed her head again and walked out.

"You did what?"

Leia looked between Rey and Finn, shock and the beginnings of anger on her face.

"It was my idea," Rey said. She gave Leia a pleading look. "I've seen Ben. He's being held prisoner and…" she gulped, wondering if she should continue. "And he's being tortured."

All other expression on Leia's face changed to dismay and she fell down onto a chair.

"We have to save him," Rey continued, sitting down next to her. "And this might be how we do it. If we can convince Naboo to help us, maybe others will too." She put a hand on Leia's arm. "I had to try."

Leia rested her forehead on a shaky hand, not responding for several moments. When she looked up she asked, "What did the queen say?"

Rey sighed. "She said she'd consider it. Honestly I'm not sure which way she's leaning. She had two councilors in her ear who I don't think want her to help."

Leia sighed as well. "I can't blame her. When you're responsible for people you have to consider their needs first." She looked around at the people milling about. "I'm beginning to think I'm too old for this."

"The Resistance needs you," Finn replied, stepping forward. "You're Leia Organa. If anyone can inspire hope in the galaxy it's you."

Leia gave him a wan smile. "Thank you, Finn."

He cleared his throat, looking suddenly self conscious. "I think I'm going to go talk to Poe about a few things."

Leia nodded and he walked off. Rey turned back to Leia, a question hovering in her mind, wondering if she should ask it or not. Taking a deep breath, she decided to be brave.

"How have you done it all?" Rey asked. "How have you lost all you've lost and yet not lost your hope?"

Leia considered Rey before answering. "The short answer is I don't always have that hope. There are times," she closed her eyes and swallowed, "when I've truly wondered how I could go on. I still hope for my son, but…" She looked at Rey again. "But I have also realized that I may never get him back." She put a hand over Rey's. "However, if I've learned anything these past nearly 40 years, it's that a leader doesn't have the luxury of falling apart. So I square my shoulders and I go on." She shrugged.

Rey looked between her eyes. "We'll get him back," she promised. "I'm not going to rest until Ben Solo returns and the galaxy is free again." She swallowed and hesitantly continued. "I…I saw Luke."

Shock registered on Leia's face. Rey continued, pulling her new saber off her belt. "He helped me finish this."

Leia looked between the saber and Rey, who kept talking. "Luke has hope for Ben. He helped me so that I could save your son. If Luke has hope, you should have hope." She put both hands over Leia's. "We will get him back, I know it."

Leia swallowed thickly, tears lining her eyes. "Thank you, Rey."

Rey nodded once and then got up to join Finn, leaving Leia to her thoughts.

Kylo came to suddenly, gasping in a breath and immediately feeling the aches and pains in his body respond to the movement. He was disoriented at first, wondering why his cell was finally dark, before remembering what had happened. He moved his eyelids, painful though it was, trying to open them. When he finally managed to open them a crack he was still greeted with darkness. He swallowed thickly as panic gripped him.

Sensing a presence in the room he snapped his head up, demanding "Who's there?"

"I didn't plan this, you know," said a voice to his left. He looked over, trying in vain to see her.

"Jesmaae," he said, attempting to hide his despair, knowing full well she could sense easily sense it.

He heard her take a step in his direction. "I didn't know what Hux would do," she said.

He scoffed, curling his lip. "What did you think would happen? That he'd keep me locked in my room? Locked in here with three meals a day and comfortable bed to sleep in? Get away from me."

"Kylo-"

"GET OUT!" he bellowed, immediately hissing at the pain it caused him. When he heard no movement he said again, voice hollow, "Just go. I don't want your pity and I won't grant you forgiveness. You did this to me."

He sensed her inner turmoil but that only served to anger him further. When he still heard no movement he lunged forward, shoulders on fire as they strained against his restraints. "I never want to sense you again," he hissed. "Go away and forget about earning my pity or forgiveness because you will never get it."

At last he heard the door open and sensed her leaving. When the door closed he fell back, breathing in quick shallow breaths against the pain his outburst had caused him. Though he tried not to, he thought of Jesmaae and her betrayal. He had sensed her regret and helplessness, but thoughts of the rest of his Knights enduring the same torture he did strengthened his resolve to hate her. He didn't care what her reasons for betrayal were. She had turned her back on him and the rest of her comrades.

Out of habit he tried opening his eyes and again was greeted with endless darkness. He swallowed thickly, panic rising at his sudden blindness. He tried not to think of the sight of his own saber slashing towards his eyes, but couldn't stop the image from looping through his mind. The last thing he will have ever seen is the sight of his own saber being used to take his sight away from him.

A/N: Thanks again for reading. If you enjoyed it let me know! :)