Hey everybody! We've only got a few more chapters left. Thank you for the reviews/favorites on the last update.

I hope you guys like this next chapter!

One month later...

Come to me, the voice whispered.

It was dark; sinister.

Frightening.

Bring him to me, it echoed again, filling Rey's head and making her wince with the sudden onslaught of pain. She tried to shut it out, but every wall she erected crumbled to the ground, completely shattered under the constant barrage of power that assaulted her.

Rey's subconscious was alert, helping her to focus on where the danger was lurking in her mind. When she was finally able to locate it, she gasped in horror. It was an inky black, staining everything in her mind it touched, as if it was trying to ruin her from the inside out. Rey pushed at it with all of her might, but it barely budged under power, almost seeming pleased with her resistance.

In an instant it tore through her resolve, festering around the power she wielded as if she wasn't a strong Force user but merely a scavenger. As if she was so easy to destroy it was barely a bother.

As she was consumed by the darkness, Rey gave out one scream of defiance.

That was how Kylo woke. He felt her pain as if it was his own, they were so in sync with one another. He sat up and looked over at her, feeling a slight moment of panic as he watched Rey clutching her head and moaning, the bedsheets tangled around her legs. Sweat dripped down her forehead and she moaned again, nearly falling off the bed as she tried to escape whatever plagued her.

Kylo grabbed ahold of her arm with one hand, his other gently placed on her forehead as he felt out to sense what troubled her.

What he found shook him to the core and at the same time filled him with an intense rage.

Snoke!

The bastard was hurting Rey. But how? How could he reach her from such a distance? Kylo knew the Supreme Leader almost never left his massive destroyer, which orbited one of several First Order bases far from them on Tatooine. His physical form was too weak, which is how Kylo knew he wasn't physically near them. He couldn't be. He wouldn't risk being slain by Luke Skywalker or Kylo himself.

Would he?

Not unless he knew that Rey carried his unborn child. But how had he found out? Kylo had dispatched those stormtroopers before boarding the Falcon almost two months ago, leaving nearly all of his possessions behind. There had been no witnesses. Had there? Kylo had been so careful, so meticulous in ensuring Rey would come to no more harm from anyone, especially someone like Snoke. He even endured daily meditation sessions with his half wit uncle in order to rid his mind of that taint that came from the Supreme Leader.

Everything he had done had been to keep the woman he loved safe, even living insufferably with Luke Skywalker and that jackass, 'Finn'. Had it all been in vain?

"Rey," Kylo called out, hauling her into his arms and cradling her and his son close. "Rey, you have to fight it. You have to push him out." Rey's head thrashed back and forth in her struggle to escape the madness locked in her mind. Rey was one of the most powerful Force Users Kylo had ever come across, but she had never faced a threat like Snoke, up close and personal. She was out of her depth and Snoke was far too formidable to be handled on her own.

Unable to bear her pain any longer, Kylo merged his consciousness with hers, hoping that with his presence she would be able to force Snoke out. Rey had to be okay. She had to wake up and be fine, for both of their sakes.

You will bow down before me. Bring Kylo Ren to ME.

Rey struggled against the power consuming her, she could feel it trying to reach out and corrupt the child she carried. She wouldn't let that happen. She couldn't. Her son, when the time came, would choose his own fate, not be influenced by such a vile person. Ben Solo had suffered such a fate, and it took something about impossible to bring him back to neutral ground, if he was even there yet.

Rey didn't know if Kylo could ever truly be redeemed in his own eyes, but as she fought her damnedest to keep Snoke from destroying the life she had helped create, she felt him; Kylo Ren. He came to her, in all of his fierce anger, in his burning rage, he came to her and fought alongside her. She could feel him, using the darker side of the Force, molding it with her own light and wielding it to drive out the destructive influence in her mind.

Rey felt the bonds that had been shackled to her loosening as she brushed her power along Kylo's, letting his darkness guide them through the peril Snoke had created in her mind.

You will never be rid of me, foolish girl. The voice hissed at her once more before her entire being relaxed as the negative influence left her, leaving only the darkness that was Kylo to stir in her mind. This darkness was different, however, almost as if it was the shade provided by the light shining inside of her. They fit, as if they were perfectly matched for one another.

Rey sighed slightly before she was awakened, Kylo enfolding her in his arms and hugging her to him. The grip was almost too tight, but Rey collapsed into him, letting the slight tremor in his body give her the strength she needed to be alright. How close had she come to death? Did she want to know? From the shaking in Kylo's body, it was a close call.

"It's okay," she muttered into Kylo's neck, running her hands through his damp hair in a slow caress. She inhaled his scent, drawing him into her lungs as she clutched him to her, a few tears falling down her face at the thought of never seeing him again. All she kept thinking was that this might have been the last time they had been together. Rey drew in a shaky breath, willing herself to be at ease.

She was fine. The baby was fine. They were all going to be alright.

"Sh," he whispered back, his arms tightening even further around her as they shook.

"It is okay. I promise. You saved me, you did." Rey muttered into him again, hoping her words would calm the steady rage that seemed to be building inside of him. Rey could sense it festering around them like an open wound. Hoping her words would be the soothing balm to cleanse him, Rey muttered them again and again.

Finally, Kylo's rage muted until it throbbed dully between them. When he loosened his arms Rey sat back, cupping his face in her hands and staring up at him with a slight smile.

"What if I hadn't been here?" Kylo asked quietly, his eyes meeting hers, startling in their intensity. "What if he did something I couldn't fix?"

"Don't think like that. You were here. You are here. You kept me safe. You kept both of us safe," Rey gently guided his free hand to her womb, hoping this would help him truly understand that they were alright. She hoped it would help her too. "You protected us, Kylo. You."

Instead of the reassurance she had hoped to bring, Rey was disturbed when Kylo's brow furrowed, both of his hands clasping her womb as he stared down at her. Rey tried to scoot away from him, only to be held in place by his touch. Although not rough, he didn't give her any room to budge from his grip.

"Kylo? What is it?" Rey whispered, almost afraid of the answer that awaited her. Why did he seem so conflicted? What was wrong?

"It's... It's impossible. Sweetheart, do you feel it?" His voice was light and he looked as if ready to pass out. Rey herself nearly fainted from the term of endearment and she might have if the situation itself didn't seem so dire.

"Kylo. You're scaring me. What is it?" She asked again. Aside from the incident with Snoke, Rey felt fine both physically and mentally. Kylo wasn't making any sense, unless he knew something she didn't. "The baby. Is he alright?" Rey didn't know what she would do if he wasn't.

"He's fine, but it's not him I'm talking about." A slight smile formed on his face until he was full on grinning down at Rey's stomach. Rey had never seen Kylo look so blissfully happy before. That's possibly why it took her a bit longer to catch on to what he was saying to her.

"You can't mean... No. No, Kylo Ren you had better be joking." Rey hissed at him, swatting at his hands until he finally looked up at her as if she hung all the stars in the galaxy herself. "No." She pointed at him before poking him in the chest with said pointed finger. "I mean it. If you say what I think you're going to say I will lose it. Absolutely lose it. Do you want me to lose it? I don't want me to lose it, but I swear that I will if you tell me what I think you're going to tell me."

"Rey, you've given me the most precious gifts. I never thought I would have a family."

"Gifts?" Rey muttered faintly. Very faintly. Was the room spinning or was that just her?

"We have a son, but Sweetheart, we very much have a daughter. I don't know how I couldn't feel it before. Maybe because he's so strong, or maybe it's because she feels so much like you, it was hard to distinguish a difference. A little girl."

"I need to lie down."

"We're having twins, Rey. Can you believe it?" He hugged her to him before leaning down and kissing Rey deeply. Too stunned to react, Rey let him ravish her lips before he pulled away slightly so he could lay his head on her stomach. His body wrapped around her as he lay there, just listening. With his eyes shut, he almost looked peaceful, if that was ever a word that could be used to describe Kylo.

Brushing her hands through his hair, Rey looked down at Kylo in wonder and slight morbid fascination. This man, this dangerous, dark, complicated man was hers. And she was his. Not only were the bonded by the Force, they were bonded by the magical ties of family. Something Rey had always wanted and something Kylo had never truly been apart of. Together they had given each other what they needed.

"I love you," Rey whispered. Kylo's arms tightening around her was all the confirmation she needed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Master Luke asked Kylo, a concerned expression on his face.

"Absolutely not," Kylo muttered almost sarcastically at his former teacher. "I don't want to do this at all." He looked down at Rey, who stood by his side. Her belly made it almost impossible for her to walk without waddling. Kylo found it endearing, Rey not so much. There was only a month left before she was due to give birth. "But we need to do this. Rey can't give birth while we constantly orbit space and attempt to dodge the First Order. We need medical staff, an actual medical unit. I don't want her to be worried as she gives birth or what happens directly after. Giving birth on the run isn't safe for her."

Or worrying and scared. Wasn't that how his grandmother had perished?

Rey reached out, holding his hand in hers as she faced Luke.

"It's what we've decided. Together. It's the sanest solution and the best. If Snoke can reach us anywhere, then it doesn't matter where we go. At least we'll be safer with the Resistance than alone, waiting to be captured."

"I understand the reasoning behind this decision. I just want you to think about what this might possibly mean. Kylo Ren is wanted for countless murders. As the righthand man of Snoke, you might be captured as soon as we arrive at the base. Is that what you want?" Master Luke seemed flustered. Rey couldn't discern if it was actual concern for his nephew or if he was having trouble figuring the logistics of it all.

"Kylo Ren hasn't been seen out of his helmet or outfit in years. Who is going to recognize his face?" Kylo bit out. Rey wanted to smirk, but kept it to herself. She knew he was having a hard time adjusting to the outfits he'd been wearing since his arrival. The black vest, black tunic shirt, black breeches and black boots suited him. Even his belt was black. He looked as dark and as dangerous as ever and without his mask, even more darkly handsome.

"I'm glad you approve," Kylo muttered to Rey, who had the grace to blush at being caught with her current thoughts.

"Your mother, for starters." Luke snapped back, losing his legendary cool before he quickly adjusted his robes and looked away briefly before returning to the subject at hand. "What do you plan to do? Avoid Leia forever? She will know when Rey arrives and the fact that her grandchildren are being born. Do you plan to stay away from Rey when we arrive?"

"Not at all. Nor do I have any plans on avoiding the General."

"She's your mother," Luke said, his eyes sad as they looked upon Kylo. "Are you going to threaten her like you did me when she calls you by your birth name? Will you strike down your own mother like you did my best friend, your father?"

"I don't answer to you." Kylo spat back bitterly before turning and leaving the two Force wielders alone, his boots thudding ominously as he departed their section of the ship.

"What that necessary?" Rey asked, one hand on her hip as she glared at her formed master.

"Of course it's necessary. If he can handle me taunting him, then I think he will be fine when we land and gather with the rest of the Resistance. As he didn't destroy anything, I think it is safe to say he is making progress."

Rey rolled her eyes. "I could have told you that."

"Your opinion is biased. For the sake of all of our futures, I needed to be sure."

"I wouldn't have brought him near my children if I thought he meant us harm."

"Do you forget so easily that he almost killed you?"

"That was before he knew. Snoke had corrupted his mind, again, just as he did when Kylo was a child. How can you blame him when he is just as much a victim of Snoke as all of us? He might be the biggest victim of all."

"Maybe once," Luke admitted softly all the while staring at the spot Kylo had been standing. "When he was younger I would have agreed with you. But the atrocities he committed as an adult won't go away so easily. They shouldn't. Your forgiveness is applaudable, but isn't right. He should fight for his place, not just be given one."

Rey sighed, before turning to leave. "He's fought enough. Don't you see that? He has suffered more than any of us. He has lived most of his life being raised by a monster and yet he is doing his best to break free of the shackles imprisoning him to be better for me and for himself. I'm sorry you can't see that, but I do, which is how I can look past his mistakes and can forgive him. Let us know when we are approaching the base." And with that, Rey left in search of Kylo.

It wasn't hard to find him. Their connection made it easy.

Pacing up and down a corridor of the ship, Kylo ran his hands through his hair in aggravation.

"Do you think he's right? That this is a stupid idea?"

"No. But I do think we need to talk about the inevitable." Kylo glanced wearily at Rey before propping his back along a wall and tucking his hands into his pockets. His silent nod urged Rey on. "What are you going to do when you see her? Master Luke is right. You can't avoid her. You shouldn't."

Kylo scoffed and shrugged his shoulders. They both remained silent for a few minutes before Kylo spoke up. "She hates me. Why wouldn't she? I killed my own father."

"She doesn't hate you," Rey denied. "I was with her after Han died. I was there after Starkiller base. She was heartbroken, yes. But she's your mother. She couldn't ever hate you. She just wanted you to come home to her. As Ben Solo or as Kylo Ren. It didn't matter to her how you came back, just as long as you did."

Rey leaned into Kylo, whose turmoil she could feel just as easily as she could see. His eyes were glistening with unshed tears, his face reddened by his need to express his sadness.

"I killed my father." He whispered to her bitterly. Rey's eyes softened as she looked at him with her own sadness.

"I know."

"I killed him to gain power. To become stronger. I was selfish and his last act was to cup my face like he did when I was a child. He would scold me when I did something wrong, but every time, he would cup my face and tell me that he loved me and it would be alright. He would tell me I was loved even when I felt lost. How could I do that to him? How?" Rey grabbed Kylo into a fierce hug, letting him pour all of his angst into her as he clung to her, his face buried into her neck which became wet with his tears.

Unbeknownst to them, Luke Skywalker looked on at the couple as they clung to one another. It was obvious to see that Kylo Ren need Rey as much as she needed him, if not more so. He felt both somber and elated at what he was able to witness.

Ben Solo had finally begun to heal.

Leave a review?

Mo