Author's Note: This may seem to be a long elevator ride, but I feel like time tends to slow down when the two of them are communicating through a force bond. Especially since it's just the two of them. As locations change, the time in the other location nearly stands still. It's the force at work. Well, that's what I like to tell myself anyway - Just go with it. As for their internal thoughts, they aren't in italics because they can't hear each other at the moment because they haven't opened up completely yet.

Chapter 3 - The other side

Kylo Ren had just stepped into the elevator alone - he was heading up to his new throne room that had been constructed on the Finalizer. He was rocking back onto his heels when he felt another connection to her. He looked up to see Rey breathing deeply with her hands pressed against the wall. Her eyes were closed and her head was leaning against the door. He took the opportunity to observe her and the significant rise and fall of her shoulders. Something had happened and she was clearly struggling with it.

"Bad day?" He found himself asking her.

She sighed with relief. "You have no idea," she said. As she opened her eyes, she turned around to face him, only to realise that she was surrounded by the turbolift. Somehow, she wasn't in her room anymore. "Oh my god," she gasped.

She started considering the familiar space around them. It looked identical to the elevator he had taken her in to see Snoke. The illumined white panels contrasted against the solid black pieces.

"You can't be on the Supremacy," she said, taking a step towards him and observing him with honest curiosity. "Wasn't that destroyed?"

He noticed her relief instantly and how much closer she had brought herself to him. Her eyes had a pull he couldn't escape from.

"Can you see my surroundings?" he asked. He already knew the answer but he wanted her confirmation anyway.

She met his gaze, beaming with excitement, and nodded. "You didn't answer my question," she softly complained.

He was distracted by her smile. It was the first time he had seen hers. She seemed enthusiastic about this new development, her question snapping him back to attention.

"It was," he explained, "I'm on the Finalizer. Most of the internal structures, like the hallways and elevators, are the same."

Why did he tell her that piece of information? She shouldn't know where he was. Not that she probably cared anyway. He used the opportunity to ask his own question.

"Were you able to see my surroundings last night?"

She shook her head and replied, "No, could you?"

"No, this is quite intriguing," he said, his interest growing.

What had changed to make her suddenly see his surroundings? Was the link growing stronger? He needed to figure it out.

"What were you doing right before this connection?" he asked.

She furrowed her brows thinking it over but didn't hesitate to answer him. "I was focusing on my breathing and then I thought of you."

He smirked. "You thought of me?"

The look of shock crossed her expression. "I have no idea why I just admitted that," she whispered.

"No, that's good," he replied. "We need to be truthful to figure this out." He ran his gloved hand through his hair and exhaled hard. Honesty is a two-way street he thought.

"I was thinking about you too," he offered. He dropped his gaze and paced around the room, saying his next opinion aloud. "Maybe that's what sets it off?" He turned back to face her. "What about last night?" he inquired. "What were you thinking of then?"

Her heartbeat began to quicken. It made her nervous to acknowledge that the events of the night before had happened."I was thinking about a lot of things, and you were one of them," she said.

She was afraid to peek at him and gauge his reaction. She didn't like how exposed she allowed herself to be with him. She cleared her throat and began exploring the room instead. "What about you?" she casually inquired.

He shrugged. "You're always on my mind."

She whipped around to gawk at him. "Really?" The tug of another smile trying to take hold.

He lightly chuckled. "Don't be so surprised. I've never met anyone like you." He stepped towards her forcing her head to tilt up to maintain their gaze. "Do you think of me often?" It was barely a whisper.

She observed the amber flakes within his brown eyes and the compassion they held for her. He was silently pleading her to answer him.

She bit the edge of her lip. "You've been on my mind since we met," she said shyly, looking away.

He swallowed and exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Okay, well, that means that thinking about each other isn't enough of a trigger. Maybe it's more of an emotional one," he pondered.

She clearly was upset last night. She must have reached out to him without realising it.

"What happened before we connected?" he asked. "I know something is bothering you."

She heaved a sigh. She wasn't surprised he knew that something was wrong with her. "I got angry, and I tapped into the dark side," she confessed.

He raised his eyebrows at her.

"It was only for a moment," she quickly explained.

He slyly smiled.

She bit her lip again, trying to hide the satisfaction she was feeling from her confession. "I rushed back to my room. I thought of how badly I wanted to be anywhere but here, and then I thought of you," she sighed.

"That could be why you're seeing my environment," he explained. "You wanted to escape from your surroundings and found your way into mine. If it's alright with you," he stated. "I'd like us to try a few things."

"Okay," she softly replied.

He pointed to a panel on the wall. "Try pressing that button," he instructed.

She walked over and attempted to push the button that was labelled '4' but her fingers passed right through it.

She crinkled her nose and allowed her hand to drop back to her side. He reached out and gently grasped her wrist with his gloved hand.

"And now?" he prompted.

She tried again, and her finger made contact illuminating the button. She turned to smile at him.

"Interesting," he said. "You can only interact with my surroundings if I'm touching you."

He closed his eyes and concentrated. When he opened them, he was no longer in the elevator but in a small room. There was a cot in the corner that looked like it would barely fit him. It was pressed hard up against the wall with a bedside table beside it. There was a desk at the other end of the room and a cupboard. It was barely furnished.

"Wow. Did you do that?" she gasped.

His eyes were still exploring the change in scenery. "Yeah," he responded. "Where are we?"

"My room," she explained. "I know it's not much but at least it's private. I don't have to share it with anyone."

He let go of her and walked over to pick up the glass on her bedside table. His fingers passing through it.

"Come here," he requested. He stretched his hand out towards her and she quickly took the steps to become within reach, allowing her fingers to glide over his.

He carefully picked up the glass, examined the clear contents and quickly put it back down. "This is amazing," he declared.

Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door. The interruption causing them to release each other. Neither of them moving or saying a word. The door opened revealing Poe.

Poe peeked his head inside. "Rey, can we talk?"

Rey studied Poe's face, expecting for him to react to the other man that was standing in her room. Surprisingly he didn't.

"Not right now," she replied.

Poe entered the room despite her refusal. "I understand you're upset, but we need to talk," he said.

"You heard her pilot, get out of here," Kylo growled.

Rey was still watching Poe, but he still didn't react.

"He can't hear or see me," Kylo stated. "I wonder what would happen if I touched you right now?"

"No!" she yelled a little louder than she intended. "I mean, not right now." She was addressing Kylo, but Poe thought she was talking to him.

"Okay, but I would like to talk soon," Poe replied.

Rey finally registered what Poe was saying. "Look Poe," she stated. "I meant what I said, I can't support your plan."

"I know, but I was coming to tell you that we've decided to abandon it," Poe replied.

"Really?" she sounded hopeful.

"It was an extreme plan and you're right it wouldn't make us any better than them," Poe explained.

"Good, I'm glad you can see it my way," she replied. She remembered that she had zapped Finn. "Is Finn okay?"

Poe chuckled. "Yeah, it takes more than a minor electric shock to rattle that ex-storm trooper. Care to join us for lunch? I'm starving."

"Okay, but I'll meet you there," she responded. "I need to finish something first."

"You got it." He winked at her and swiftly left the room. Leaving her alone with Kylo again.

"I don't like him," Kylo declared.

Rey snorted. "You don't like anyone."

"I like you," he admitted.

She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again.

He smirked. "You know you get these subtle little creases, right between your eyebrows when I say something you don't expect."

"Do I?" She automatically put her hand up to feel for them.

"Don't worry, it's cute." He stood up to his full height. "I have to go, but I'll see you again soon."

"Is that a threat?" she light-heartedly replied.

His gaze darted to her perfectly curved lips, then back to her eyes, before he replied. "More like a promise," he stated.

He closed his eyes and disappeared.

Rey couldn't help but grin like a fool after he left. He had admitted to liking her and made a promise that she couldn't wait for him to keep.