Rey and Athena landed on Anch-To in the morning. Anxiously, the women took the steps to the green hills. Rey looked at Athena encouragingly, but Athena could see the fear of rejection in Rey's eyes. After a while, they finally arrived at the top, the grey sea underneath the hilltop.

A figure dressed in a long grey cape awaited them, a hood hiding haft of his face. Time had formed deep wrinkles cutting through his face, his eyes spoke of grief and trauma. Dark blonde hair, mixed with streaks of grey, appeared as he lifted the hood.

Rey gasped. With trembling fingers, she opened her cross bag and grabbed Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, handing it to him.

"It's yours, sir", she muttered.

"I don't want it," his words were sharp, bitter. His gaze on Rey was almost hostile.

Athena felt a hinge of disappointment. The greatest hero of the galaxy? In his exile, he resembled nothing more than an old, angry man.

"Bringing her to my doorsteps," he muttered with a look to Athena, then turning around to walk away.

"Please, Master Skywalker. I'm from the Resistance. Your sister Leia sends me," the desperation became clearer in Rey's voice. Athena understood what it meant to her. She wanted a parent, guidance, to belong somewhere. For Rey, it wasn't about defeating Kylo Ren. The girl was in search for a home. The way Skywalker treated her was insufferable, Athena decided.

"Listen, Skywalker. Rey has put a lot of effort finding you here. She has gone through a lot. We all have. Now whatever responsibilities or consequences you are running from, we frankly don't care. She deserves better than to be treated so rudely. Come on, Rey. You don't need this old man," Athena sneered, putting herself right next to Rey, placing her hand on her shoulder.

Rey looked at her in shock. Luke swirled around, his cape dragging on the floor.

"I know what you are. You have no right to even be here," he spat with disdain.

The dark-haired girl next to Athena gasped, while Athena simply rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm just delivering my friend here and then I'll be on my way."

"Wait, no! You can't leave," Rey urged her, grabbing her elbow.

"Just give us a chance," Rey yelled angrily at Luke Skywalker.

Luke shook his head in defeat.

OoOoO

Rey sat silently on the rock, closing her eyes. Athena watched her with her arms crossed above her chest, standing right behind Luke Skywalker. She didn't trust him.

She could feel Rey stretch out, tapping into the Force all around them. It felt like the island was taking a breath, like lungs stretching and filling with air. Athena could feel Rey's raw power – like Kylo's. Then, suddenly the stone began to crack. Luke started to twitch anxiously.

Something changed as the crack grew wider, splitting the rock in two, slowly travelling to the clip. Athena jumped aside in surprise.

"Rey! REY!" Luke yelled agitatedly. Before he could react, Athena grabbed Rey at the fabric of her shirt, touching the skin of her neck.

Athena felt like she was dragged into water head down, her whole body plunged into cold water. "REEY!" she tried to yell, only bubbles escaping her mouth.

She was helpless, unable to move. The cold current dragged her down. Athena tried to find some orientation, but the water was pitch black.

For a second, she saw a reflection in the water. Her own face.

"Rey!" Athena attempted to scream, yet again, she couldn't. The cold seemed to seep into her clothes, her body, her heart.

She felt so utterly lost and powerless.

Suddenly, the water spat her out on the ground. Yet her clothes weren't wet at all.

Behind her, the sea calmed down, while her boots touched the ground. A cave stretched out in front of her.

A woman appeared in front of her. Athena recognized herself again. Dark attire, black boots, a long black cape. Her eyes standing out in her pale face, her lips red like blood. For a second, the woman's eyes flashed yellow.

"We don't have to be helpless ever again," she purred, her voice sultry and sweet like sugar.

"Thena?!" a voice yelled, resonating in the cave. It was Rey. Athena frowned in confusion.

The woman in front of her reached out her hand.

Behind her, Rey continued to yell her name in agony. It wasn't clear where the voice came from.

Athena realized she was supposed to make a choice. Find Rey or take the woman's – her own – hand.

Struggling to find the right path is your strength.

What was the right way? A part of her wanted to become that dark version of herself, knowing she had almost been there already. A powerful version. She wanted revenge against Kylo almost as much as she wanted him back.

And then Rey. The young woman had accepted her so easily, shown nothing but forgiveness and kindness. What was stopping Athena from choosing her?

Athena knew what she wanted. All of it. She didn't want to choose. She loved Kylo – even after what he had done. She loved the intoxicating feeling of power, of passion. And she liked Rey, she liked the light and the kindness, their progressing friendship.

Suddenly, she was plunged into the water again, but it was clearer, warmer. Flashes of pictures appeared in her mind. A crown of pearls and amethysts, the laugh of a child, Kylo, her grandfather, bowing to a hooded figure, Athena holding two lightsabers, red and blue.

Swimming to the surface, Athena saw another figure struggling to swim to the surface. Rey. Grabbing the woman under her shoulders, Athena dragged her to the shore.

Both crawled to the solid ground, coughing and spitting water.

"You didn't even try to resist it!" Luke came down running the cliff, his face distorted in anger. He gestured at Rey.

"The Darkness called for you and you straight went to it."

"It had something to show me. I needed to see it," Rey panted apologetically.

"And you!" Luke spat at Athena. "Your influence is corrupting her!"

Rey shook her head, taking Athena's hand. "No. No. It's not her fault."

"You're both leaving," Luke was still outraged as he walked away, leaving the completely soaked women to themselves.

"It's okay," Athena panted, taking Rey into her arms. Rey looked at her in horror. "Why am I drawn to this thing down there?"

"It showed you something you really wanted. It did to me, too. It's okay. You're allowed to want it, Rey."

"What did it show you?" Rey asked as they walked up the shore to one of the huts.

"It showed me…" Athena hesitated. "I don't know who your parents were… but I know your grandfather now."

OoOoO

"Palpatine." Rey said the word again, devoid of emotion. But Athena felt how tormented Rey felt. After putting a blanket around her frail figure, she grabbed a cup of warm tea and handed it to Rey.

"My grandfather was a Sith," Rey looked at her, pressing her lips together.

Athena shrugged. "I know what it feels like," she laughed softly.

"How did you deal with it?" Rey asked, looking up to her. Athena sat right next to her.

"I always knew. My mother Sidanna, she told me all about him. In her eyes, he was a hero. Someone who defied the Republic, forged his own path, and served the greater good. My father on the other hand, he favored the Rebellion. I never felt ashamed of my heritage. They were both leaders. What mattered most where their own people, their family," Athena explained her, placing her hand on Rey's.

"How is that possible? Two people of opposites sides?" Rey asked, obviously not wanting to offend Athena.

"Not everything is split in light and dark. Luke thinks so… but if he had been able to accept Ben's darkness, maybe Ben wouldn't have listened to Snoke. It's okay you're drawn to it, Rey. That doesn't mean your any less you. Whatever that means. And you're perfect as you are," Athena was at a loss of words. She wasn't the right person to offer any wisdom, but she was tryint to be a good friend.

"Listen, if you ever need a home, you'll always have one. No matter what side you choose. Serenno is a good place. If Kylo doesn't decide to burn it to the ground, that is."

"Thank you," Rey muttered, smiling through her tears. Athena grabbed her necklace with the kybercrystal pendant.
"Kylo gave me this. He wanted me to change the crystal of my lightsaber to make it my own. I didn't want to. I was scared it would show who I really am," Athena muttered.

"He loves you either way. I'm sure of it," Rey assured her, but Athena softly shook her head. "I know. But in the end, I still need to love myself, whatever the outcome. Just like you need to accept yourself and your heritage. No one else's acceptance can replace that."

Rey softly took Athena's lightsaber out of her hands, the weapon of Count Dooku. "I can show you how to build in the new crystal. You'll have to figure out the rest yourself," she offered. Athena nodded. For hours, the younger woman showed Athena how to deconstruct her lightsaber, leaving only the beautifully curved hilt.

OoOoO

"We have intercepted the cruisers, Commander. We're ready to launch," the officer told him.

Kylo hesitated. The helmet wasn't there anymore to hide his feelings, and his scar proved openly of his defeat. The Resistance had been forced to give up D'Quar, but enough of them had escaped. The officer waited for an answer.

General Hux stepped uncomfortably close to him and shushed the officer away.

"I have my orders from Supreme Leader," Hux gloated. Kylo didn't react. All he did was staring into space.

"I know why you're hesitating. You set the countess free on purpose and now you're worried she might be on this ship," Hux lowered his voice. "Supreme Leader put you in a predicament."

Kylo didn't feel like answering to this rat. Two cruisers, small little grey dots outside of his window. He had a feeling Athena wasn't on one of them. Yet, his mother was definitely a passenger. Everything in his body rebelled against the idea of killing her too. He felt drained. Empty.

"She's probably planning to kill you right now. I must say, I would too if I was in her place," Hux added with a thin smile, as if he was pressing his thumb into Kylo's wounds. "What are you going to do?"

Two cruisers left. All he had to do was end it.

Suddenly, another grey blip appeared next to the cruiser. Then a another one. Then countless others, forming a shield around the Resistance cruisers.

"Commander, there's a communication request for you", an officer announced. Giving Hux none of the attention, turned around. "Connect me," he ordered.

A hologram of a woman appeared, a familiar Twi'lek.

"Karelai," Kylo stated. She was as beautiful as ever. Her gloating smile could measure with the general's.

"Kylo Ren," she mocked. The blue hologram showed nothing of the woman's surroundings, but it was clear she was commanding the ORA fleet appearing right under his eyes.

"I told you we have powerful friends. You should have killed me when you had the chance. I must say, I'm surprised you would try to kill Athena, though. You really seemed quite close. What a pity", she teased. Kylo glanced at Hux, whose face turned red.

"She's alive. There is no reason to break the contract," Kylo threatened, clenching his wrists furiously.

"The First Order has powerful friends as well! I know good men of the Outer Rim who would never turn sides – " Hux rudely interrupted, baring his teeth at the hologram.

"Yeah. The men. Why is it always the men, though? You should consider talking to the women. And honestly, your behavior just doesn't make a good impression, Commander."
"She betrayed me first! She is my apprentice, she belongs to me, whatever I do to her is none of your business anymore. I will come for you personally, Karerlai, and I will break every bone in your body one by one until you beg me to kill you," Kylo yelled, only earn a light chuckle from Karelai.

"What exactly did she do? I bet General Hux wants to hear everything about your failures."

Hux leaned forward, his eyes lighting up with curiosity.

Kylo would make the Twi'lek's death extremely painful, he vowed. Maybe the ORA had the element of surprise on their side and the upper hand for the moment, but the First Order would strike back and destroy them just as easily as the Resistance.

"You seem to have a whole fleet at your disposal. So the peace treaty was just a bluff?" Hux inquired, almost seeming professionally intrigued by the woman.

She shrugged and turned towards Kylo. "You know how things go. Hope for peace and prepare for war. Or something like that. Athena and I prepared backup plans for multiple scenarios. Except for one, I guess. But now that you broke her heart… you didn't do yourself a favor, Ren. Athena holds grudges."

"Commander…" the officer started to interrupt. Kylo quickly turned off the hologram. He couldn't watch Karelai's self-satisfied smirk any longer. It wasn't just her doing, but Athena's too. The worst part is that he knew her. She had never once hidden who she truly was.

"Retreat," The word fell from his lips before he could stop it. Maybe Snoke was right. He was a foolish boy, running around in a lightsaber and a helmet, mimicking his grandfather. And while there were maybe two people in the galaxy who could best him in a fight, Athena had played a different game entirely and won. For now.

He walked out of the command center. Troopers and officers made space for him alike, staring at him in fear. The Order couldn't attack. Not with the reinforcements. Without any particular route, he found himself in her quarters. They were as if she had never left. Her smell was still present. Vanilla and orange blossom.

Stars, he missed her.

Suddenly, he felt a shift in the force. Something around him changed, even though he couldn't quite place it.

Suddenly, he saw her.

And as she saw him, she froze.

So much happening at once. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!