His eyes had found hers soon after his feet hit the dusty ground on Jakku. The village raid was routine; another search for sympathizers of The Resistance and any information they may hold. He had not foreseen her being there, however. He had not foreseen that he would once again be staring into the eyes that haunted him whenever he closed his own; eyes that were a ghostly shade of grey, the pupils striking against the light color that encircled them.

He had cornered her, savoring the panic that was etched upon her face but feeling guilty about it at the same time. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the fog that always seemed to accompany his thoughts whenever he was in her presence. A look of recognition crossed her face, mixed with confusion. She recognized the gesture, but could not place where she had seen it before. It did not matter. Before she could contemplate it further, he had used The Force to slip her into an unconscious state before carrying her back to the ship. If she was on that forsaken planet, there had to be a reason, and he would find it even if it killed him.

Now here she was, strapped to the uncomfortable metal contraption in his chosen torture chamber. The memories he had already seen of the two of them together when they were younger had caused a dull ache in an old scar situated on his upper back. He was desperate to know whether she remembered the day that scar was given to him. He once again forced his way into the depths of her mind, the tremor of pain that went through her body as he did so a stark reminder of who he was now.

"Come on, Cara, you can do better than that! I've seen you fight before, try harder." Ben cried out, frustrated at his friend's lack of focus.

"I don't want to hurt you." She said.

"Hurt me? Cara, please, you won't hurt me. I just want to teach you how to fight."

"Why?"

"So that you can defend yourself."

"Why?"

"Because I want you to be safe."

Apparently, that was the only answer she needed. There was a new found vigor to her movements; she swung her practice stick more steadily towards him and blocked his attacks without hesitation.

"So you want me to be safe, do you?" She said, a smirk forming on her lips as she took another swing at him. He blocked it effortlessly.

"Of course I do." He swung at her again, and this time it was her turn to block his attack. Unfortunately, he had already anticipated her move, and used her momentum to make it easier for him to kick her legs out from under her and subsequently pin her to the ground. She laughed as he landed on top her, and blew some of the hair out of her face so as to be able to see his expression better.

"What if you end up being the reason I'm not safe one day?" The question pained him, but he knew why she asked it.

"I'd never do anything to harm you."

"Physical harm isn't the only type of hurt you can cause someone."

"I'll never abandon you either." He said, maintaining eye contact with her the entire time.

"You may have to someday. I heard your mother and father talking, they said The Force is getting stronger within you and –"

"It doesn't matter. I'll never abandon you."

Her heart fluttered at his words. Eleven years of friendship should be enough to assure her his statements were true. She hoped they were.

"I'll hold you to that."

He smiled at her, and she could feel his body relaxing into hers as he shifted his weight above her. As much as she enjoyed being this close to him, their fight was not over. She used his momentary lack of attention to roll him over once, twice, three times until she was on top of him. Before she could rejoice in her victory however, he screamed out in agony as a shard of glass that had fallen on the ground embedded itself far into his back. She jumped up from him, a shiver going up her spine from the sudden lack of his body heat and helped him up, assisting him in getting to the medical officers located on the opposite end of the base.

"I don't believe you'll find the information you're looking for in there." She said, referencing the memory he had just watched play out in her mind.

"I will get it soon enough."

"I wish you luck."

"Everyone gives up their secrets, at some time. It is an inevitability that you will suffer from also."

She was silent for a while, catching her breath, trying to gather her thoughts. It irritated her that he was looking into memories so private, so personal to her. Memories that she had long since buried because they caused her more emotional suffering than she cared to admit. She tried to block him out once again, but her efforts resulted in more agony that she was not equipped to handle. She sucked in a breath, steadying herself. She needed the pain to stop.

"Why do you cower behind a mask?"

Her question garnered his attention. She did not know who he was, why should she care?

"What is it to you?"

"Do you need it, or is just a way for you to hide from the sordidness of your own deeds? I imagine it is the second option."

Her line of questioning frustrated him. He realized that she was merely doing it to get under his skin – a desperate hope that he would leave and she would be allowed to rest. He could not give in.

"Would it comfort you to know that there is some awful creature under this mask? That these horrid deeds you speak of were not committed by someone with a face you could learn to trust?"

She swallowed visibly. "Perhaps."

He leaned in closer to her. He could see her chest rising and falling rapidly as the proximity between them became less.

"Then I will not give you the satisfaction."

He turned away from her, and contemplated his next move.

"What will you do to me if you do not get the answers you seek?" She asked, trying but failing to sound defiant. She was exhausted.

"If it troubles you, I can promise I will not fail."

"That is not what troubles me."

"Then what does?"

"I worry about the things you will unearth if you keep searching."

"Then perhaps I will take my time with you. I have felt the block that has been put up in your mind. I can feel it crumbling now as I search your thoughts. It may be beneficial for me to give that process time. Perhaps it will make my search easier."

"No, please. If you're going to kill me, do it now. I can't take this anymore."

"I will not kill you."

"Why not?"

"I intend to find out whoever it is you are protecting."

She closed her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips as she finally began to give into unconsciousness.

"My friend. I'm protecting my friend."

It was the last thing she said before falling into a troublesome sleep.

A/N: I hope you readers like it so far! Reviews and feedback are always enormously appreciated. I will try to update as soon as I can, please bear with me!