"You will remove these restraints and leave the cell with the door open."

Rey's voice didn't tremble this time. This time, it worked. She felt it before the stormtrooper repeated her words. Still, she couldn't believe it as he removed the restraints. Just like the woman told her it would happen.

At first, Rey had seen no emotion, no remorse in the woman's eyes as she chased her down in the woods of Takodana. But then, in the transport cell, the woman perched in her cell was completely different, a look of pure desperation written across her aristocratic features.

Finn had briefly told them about the apprentice, a force sensitive heir to a Sith Lord. A lot of different stories and rumors seemed to surround her, especially concerning the nature of the relationship to Kylo Ren.

Rey ran out of the interrogation cell, only to bump into her. The Dark Countess simply looked at her, her face motionless and blank as before. She was of a cold, menacing beauty. The way she carried herself exuded control. Rey noticed the long, nourished hair carefully put into a half-do, the slender hands with manicured nails holding a blaster. Those details seemed off for a servant or a prisoner. But who knew what exactly he was doing to her? Only a short time ago, Kylo Ren had violently probed her mind - only to find her resisting him.

The commander was nothing like Rey had imagined him. He was downright handsome. Rey was ashamed for even thinking it. Yet the darkness surrounding him was enough to break that alluring charisma. Somehow, even his voice seemed seductive, deep, and covered with velvet. He had called her his guest, as if she wasn't in fact tied to a chair.

When Rey awoke in the interrogation room after being put unconscious on the transport ship, the countess hadn't been there. But apparently, she had guarded the door. The woman slightly tilted her head, observing Rey with a hint of curiosity. Rey stared back, trying to reach whatever human part was left in that woman. The Dark Countess shrugged, then threw the blaster to Rey, who caught it in surprise.

"Good luck," the woman said and walked away.

OoOoO

Gone. The girl was gone. And Athena, who was supposed to guard her, nowhere to be found. And on top of it all, the scavenger turned out to be force sensitive and immediately able to counter his mind probe.

Snoke was right. He had been betrayed. The lightsaber left red glowing slashes on the walls as he brutally hit them again and again, letting his rage out the only way he knew. Athena was the strongest with the Force when she tapped into both the Light and the Dark, as she had demonstrated during the fight with the knights. How could someone who achieved balance by being everything all at once ever truly be loyal to one side?

The destruction of the Hosnian system was the tipping point. He had lost her. There was no doubt that the scavenger had picked up the technique to resist him somewhere. The Force was strong with the girl, but she had managed to read his mind without any training at all.

Kylo grabbed his hear in despair. It was treason, only punishable by death. Supreme Leader wanted her dead already. Yet Kylo still couldn't imagine killing her, even after her betrayal, a part of him knew, understood why she had done it.

He had put her in this cage, molded her into something she wasn't, pressured her with the safety of her people, made her murder a woman she loved, hurt her over and over again. But even if she forgave him, even if she loved him – Athena couldn't betray her own nature. And nor could he.

Kylo broke down on the floor, devoid of the strength to smash down everything around his with his lightsaber.

His feelings were not permissible in the first place. A mistake. There was only one thing left to do.

OoOoO

He found her easily. Slowly, but with determination, Kylo walked towards the Force he felt radiating from her. Athena seemed to be waiting for him in her quarters. They were even plainer than on the Finalizer, only black walls and a bunk bed.

Dark circles adorned her violet, almost lifeless eyes. It was a shell of the woman he knew. No countess, no apprentice, no politician stood in front of him, but a broken woman.

She nervously looked around as the stormtroopers rallied around her, raising their arms and pointing at her. Kylo had called them in to witness what he was about to do. No one would ever think of him as weak again.

"Kylo", she breathed, her voice hoarse. "She's gone. But she can't be far, we just must find her. Starkiller is under attack, General Hux is taking care of it," then her voice broke away.

He raised her chin to meet his eyes. The sadness in them almost broke his heart if he had one in the first place. Tears pooled in her eyes as she realized that he knew already.

"I… I would die for you, Kylo Ren. But I can't kill for you any longer. I am sorry."

Kylo tightened his grip around her chin, as he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered.

He activated his lightsaber and pushed it in right under her ribcage. The sound tore through his whole being. A moan of pain escaped her lips, but her eyes betrayed no surprise as she sunk down. Kylo held her, letting her down in his arms. There was no hate, no anger in her features. Everything seemed to have vanished around him, leaving only ashes of a burned fire in his heart.

Tears fell on his black armor as she cried silently in pain. For a moment, Kylo sat there, holding her, his own tears falling on the young woman's body.