Kylo Ren descended the gangplank of his command ship onto the volcanic soil of Ryloth. The First Order scouts had uncovered a den of rebel fighters holding out in a make shift bunker inside a cave. The terrorists had been extracted and were being prepared for questioning in a local First Order facility.

Ren was arriving on schedule, just as planned, to complete the interrogations. The illogical resistance had gone on long enough; it was time to destroy it once and for all. The Stormtroopers stepped aside with all due deference as Ren made his way through the indistinct facility. The interrogation rooms were filled with rebels already giving up mountains of valuable information. He could hear the interviews progressing as he passed the windowless doors. It was not that he was pleased with the necessity of interrogations, he took no pleasure in it in fact, and it was simply an evil of war. He had grown cold to the horror of it long ago.

"Sir, the subject in 103A is giving us nothing," an officer approached him.

"Do you have reason to believe the subject has valuable knowledge?" Ren asked the officer.

"Yes, sir, she was in possession of certain artifacts that caused us to believe she was part of the Resistance leadership, as well as the location she was found."

Ren's eyes narrowed, "Where was she found?"

"Clinging to the rafters in the cave ceiling, it required amazing strength. That strength is working against us now as we attempt to wear her down." The words were followed by a choking sound as the man felt his throat constrict.

Ren flung the man into the wall behind him rendering him unconscious.

He crossed into the door marked "103a."

"Rey," he cried, Ren's voice breaking uncontrollably. Rey's body was strapped into the examination chair, the tight restraints already turning her flesh purple with bruising. Her head hung off to the side, with wounds already showing on her forehead and cheek.

The technicians were immediately flying into the walls at unspeakable velocity around Ren. He pulled up their lifeless forms with his gloved hands and threw them forcefully into the hall. The door clanged shut behind them.

The restraints popped open as soon as he was close enough to catch her lifeless form as her body was loosened from the chair.

"Rey," he breathed, feeling through the Force for her essence. He had never expected himself to react this way to her again. He had told Luke he would destroy her, he had vowed it to himself. Seeing her though, he knew it was all a lie. What he felt for her couldn't be denied any longer.

Ren could feel her in the Force, but her pulse felt weak and her breathing was irregular. He pulled off his gloves and bent his head low, pressing his forehead against hers, pushing his power through the Force into her weakened body.

She gasped, suddenly pulling in the air her body so desperately needed. He pulled her closer to him, cradling her against his chest and whispering things into her hair, mostly about how sorry he was for everything.

"The others," Rey whispered, her voice was raspy and airy. Ren grimaced a moment, she always thought of her friends first. Without thinking though, he found himself pulling out his comms unit.

"Stop all interrogations," he ordered in a tone that would not be questioned, regardless how unorthodox the order.

Rey lifted her eyes to his, watching him silently, questioning. He shook his head.

"I'm so sorry, Rey," he said unable to meet her eyes. Shame and guilt were destroying him from the inside.

He felt a movement at his side and out of the corner of his vision he saw his own lightsaber fly past, into her waiting hand. She pointed the edge of it toward him. Ren's breath caught in his throat.

His lips pressed together a second, and then tried to form a word but he came up empty.

"Put me down," she said, her voice already slightly stronger. That realization caused a well of relief to pour over him, in spite of her threatening tone.

He placed her onto the cold floor as gently as he could.

She ignited the lightsaber, still eyeing him like a caged animal.

"Open the door," she said, feebly attempting to push herself to her feet.

She wavered slightly and Ren had to resist the urge to reach out to steady her. She must have sensed his idea because she raised her eyebrows challengingly and made of show of aiming the saber at him again.

"Open the door, Kylo," she reiterated.

"Rey, wait, your friends are safe." He shook his head, "Just stop for one minute." His voice was harsher than he wanted it to be.

She eyed the door cautiously.

"It's unlocked," he said flatly.

She watched him closely. A man with no direction left in life.

"Can you stop fighting me, for once?" he asked, attempting to keep his voice even but his frustration bled through.

"That's ironic coming from you, here in this place." She motioned to the interrogation chair and rubbed her leg with her free hand.

"It's over," he said, his voice low.

"Oh, you'll just let me and my friends go, we can just walk out of here without a fight?" she laughed a strained mirthless sound, "You'll order your people to stand down this time?"

"Yes," he said simply.

That seemed to surprise her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because of you," his voice was husky and hoarse.

"I don't understand," she said, her own emotion charging her words and affecting her voice. Her eyes were wide as she waited for his answer.

"I can't risk hurting you again," he answered softly.

"What?" she asked, her mouth twisting into a pout she was fighting against.

"I love you," he said quietly, just barely meeting her eyes.

Author's Note:

Ok, so this might not be the most realistic way this could go, but sometimes you just need a confession of love from the galaxy's most feared villain! Anyway, I'm here for that. More drama to come!