Chapter 1

"Supreme Leader?"

Kylo Ren gazed out at the stars and wished again for them to burn out that image of Rey shutting the door on him. Not once since he left home had he dared hope that someone might put him first. And then Rey had happened. He had hoped to teach her, of course. She had been powerful and painfully naive to the ways of the force. She needed help, and though they were on opposite sides of a war, he had been willing to help her.

However, he wasn't the one who focused on them in any other sense. It was Rey who kept trying to determine his character. It was Rey who wanted to know the truth of him. It was Rey who confided her fears in him.

It was Rey who reached out first.

Kylo gripped his fist hard enough to hurt, relishing the physical distraction from the fractures in his heart. The man in front of him frowned, and Kylo forced himself to focus. "What is it, Lieutenant Port?"

"The search for the Resistance remnants has been narrowed to the Corel star system. Unfortunately, the trail goes cold there. We believe they must be planetside, but which planet is unknown."

Finally. It had been a week since they lost track of the Resistance on Crait. He would not rest well until this last threat to his heart was eradicated. "Set coordinates for the Corel System. Corellia, perhaps."

"Yes, Supreme Leader," the man said. He bowed and left promptly.

Kylo sighed deeply. He was one step closer to closing that foolish chapter of his life. Just a little longer left…

"Ren, you still intend to eradicate them?"

Kylo jerked his head towards Hux, whom he had forgotten was standing behind him on the bridge. "Do you wish to offer them peace, Hux?"

Kylo's redheaded general eyed him in a way that made him feel entirely too vulnerable. He knew Hux must be thinking of the vision Kylo had. Hux had walked into the throne as it took hold and unfortunately learned of several things he should not. However, the general had been remarkably helpful despite his former animosity, and Kylo found he was not ready to lose Hux's help in leading the First Order. Why the man bothered to help him, however, he couldn't fathom.

Hux calmly shook his head. "No need for that. However, taking them prisoner would gain us valuable information and discourage sympathetic parties from retaliating."

"Hostages," Kylo said, understanding Hux's line of reasoning. "And no other reason?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Hux.

Hux met his gaze evenly. "That would be for you to decide, Supreme Leader."

Kylo nodded carefully. Hux was entirely too clever, and yet, Hux was not wrong. Hostages would be a viable explanation were he to spare their lives… but he had no need. He would hurt less once they were gone.

He opened his lips to respond when Hux's brilliant red hair faded to grey along with everything else. His eyes widened, and he saw Hux shout something to the bridge before stepping in, reaching an arm around Kylo's back, and helping brace Kylo up.

Another vision was coming.

Kylo could barely control his steps as they hurried off the bridge. Another officer stepped up and supported Kylo's other side. Everything swam before his eyes as Hux found a supply closet and pulled him in there along with the other officer. Hux pulled out his blaster, and Kylo wondered briefly is this was finally his end when Hux shot the officer.

Everything went black.

He hated this vision.

Every moment of it rubbed in what he would never have. He saw Rey's delight at an unfamiliar world filled with wooded peaks and waterfalls. His mother's affection for the young woman. The loyalty of those who did not live in fear. It was so beautiful he hated it, and yet, like every time, he held out his hand and screamed in anguish when he saw Rey startle and fall down a cliff, as if he could save her.

The vision ended abruptly, and like every other time, he was caked in sweat.

"We really need to find a better way to manage that," Hux said, crouched over him and looking down at him.

Kylo hastily sat up and discovered the dead body of the officer who had helped next to them. "You killed him."

Hux frowned. "Yes. Unfortunately necessary, given that we cannot afford witnesses. You scream for her every time. They would figure out you care for her, just as I did."

"Cared," Kylo growled, emphasizing the past tense. "She's nothing to me now."

Hux raised an eyebrow and gave the dead man next to them a significant glance. "Clearly."

Kylo stood up, and Hux stood with him. "We'll need to dispose of the body. What do we say for his cause of death?"

"Killed by you in a fit of rage, I presume," Hux said.

Kylo frowned at him. "For all the times I have lost my temper, I have yet to actually kill someone in the First Order in a fit of rage."

"Not even Snoke?" Hux asked.

Kylo felt his mouth curl up into a wicked smile. So Hux suspected. Good, Kylo might have reason to kill him after all. "No, his death was cool calculation."

Hux chuckled, and Kylo's smile fell. "Bastard deserved it in any case. What about the guard? Self-defense after?"

Kylo nodded, wondering why he was suddenly having this strange heart-to-heart with Hux. "What are you planning, Hux?"

Hux smiled serenely. "For the First Order to reign supreme. Preferably with me at its head, but it came to my attention that I am not well-respected by many other officers, and so I would not maintain my power without someone more powerful ensuring my position."

"And you're telling me this because..?"

"Because I know you still need me as well to help you navigate your new position as Supreme Leader. I don't care that you killed the Snoke. I don't care that you care for the girl, but I do need your help, and you need mine, which means we cannot have you falling apart screaming for the scavenger on the bridge. So tell me, what are these fits and how do I help you?"

Kylo Ren stared at the man he had considered his enemy for so many years. Hux was a clever bastard. Yet, Kylo could find no fault with Hux's suggestion, except that he fully intended to kill Hux the moment Hux ceased to be useful. Of course, Kylo had no doubt this plan was mutual. The only real question is which ceased to be useful first.

However, Kylo did not know what could be done. "They're visions. Through the force. Of the future, I expect."

"Is there a pattern to when they occur? Some preceding element in common? Perhaps thinking of her or some other event?"

Kylo Ren frowned. He had been thinking of her each time, but he was always thinking of her, despite his best efforts not to. Still, the visions did not always happen. "Perhaps when I have focused on eliminating them."

"Eliminating her," Hux said.

Kylo merely looked at him. He did not know if Hux were harassing him or clarifying his words.

Hux sighed. "We can destroy the Resistance easily once we find them. Let's focus on finding them for now, and we'll sort what to do after."

"You're not the Supreme Leader, Hux," Kylo muttered.

Hux shrugged. "The force makes you pass out every time you think about killing her, apparently. Do you have a better idea?"

He didn't.

"Indulge me. What's the deal with the force, anyway? Why would it keep showing you this vision? What happens in it?"

Kylo glared, considering keeping his silence,and then deciding not to. Perhaps speaking of it would break the spell over him. "The vision shows her falling off a cliff, presumably to her death. I expect the force intends for me to intervene somehow."

Hux furrowed his brows. "For what purpose? To save her?"

Kylo shrugged. "That would be the obvious conclusion."

"Why?"

That was the real question. "I don't know."

Hux looked at him thoughtfully. "You know, that's something I never understood. You, Snoke, this scavenger girl, the legendary Skywalker… you all use this force to guide and empower you. What is its purpose?"

Kylo sighed. "I don't know. I was taught that the force is the energy between all things, but there's some aspect of it that is sentient enough to send pressing visions. It brought Rey to me on the Supremacy." Of course, Snoke had claimed to be the master of their connection. Kylo had not seen her since the bond with the Falcon. He hoped that meant whatever Snoke had done was now gone.

Hux nodded. "So an unknown entity, yet it wants you to save Rey. Is it possible she's doing this to you?"

"I would know," Kylo said, more out of recognition she wouldn't be so devious than any real trust of his ability to know a vision's source.

"Let's hope so. I'll announce this man was shot for insubordination and take care of the mess. Carry on."

Kylo frowned at Hux.

"Ah yes, with your permission, Supreme Leader, I would like to manage this unfortunate incident without disturbing you with the details. Is that the deference you desire, Ren?"

Cocky bastard. Kylo rolled his eyes and left without another word.

What? Another fanfic instead of more Sugar updates? Sorry, guys. Life has been crazy stressful, and I ended up burning out on the fluff and needed something cranky and a little angry to write to bring me back. This served the bill and had been floating around in my head for a month or two anyway. Hope you like it!

If you're super-awesome, please review or send some words of encouragement while the real world's kicking me around like Kylo Ren does to Hux on a bad day.

Please warn me if there are any weird words, typoes, etc. I wrote this on my phone, and it loves to autocorrect. Hux ends up being either "His", "Him", or "But" most times.

And for those who read Cure to Infatuation, yes, I'm using a modified version of that Hux because I find canon Hux boring with his 2D villainry. If you haven't read Infatuation and don't mind some M content, check it out!