Rey's POV

She could sense that something was wrong with him even before she had begun to make her way over to where he was currently waiting for her. Though it didn't surprise her at all to find that something was troubling him, since she even had to admit that she had been on edge ever since she had awoken the following morning too, but what she hadn't expected was to see that he was missing one essential part of his uniform, which made her quirk her brow in a quizzical manner and momentarily forget to find out if he was still upset about last nights events as she was. Rey didn't know how to go about bringing it up in the first place, so instead she kept her mouth shut and waited for him to say something first.

Kylo had tried his best not to laugh when he sensed her confusion as soon as she noticed that he wasn't wearing his helmet, so he went on to answer her unspoken question that she had projected towards him without knowing with a slight shrug. "I decided that I didn't need it today."

Rey felt her cheeks flush a tiny bit when she realized that she must've been projecting her thoughts a little too loudly this morning, and once she was sure that she wasn't blushing too much, she looked over at him with a coy grin upon her lips as she was about to voice her current thought aloud instead of risking him finding it out through the bond once again. "I think this new look suits you better."

It took him a moment to make sure that she was being sincere and wasn't teasing him like she enjoyed to do from time to time, and as if she had read his thoughts, she allowed him to feel just how she was feeling in this moment as she was admiring his current look of the day, which made the corner of his mouth lift up into a subtle smirk. "Perhaps, I will make this more than a one time thing."

Rey tapped her chin with her index finger as she pretended to ponder over his words. "Hmm… I don't know how I feel about that. Because based on my own personal experience, I know that I can only tolerate seeing your face for short periods of time." Her words came out with a slight teasing lilt to them as she tried her best to not snicker in response to his reaction, but soon she saw that he figured out that she was just messing with him. But she didn't have time to move away when he reached out to swat her behind, which made her yelp in surprise. She then proceeded to glare over in his direction in a semi playful manner as she watched him begin to retreat from her, because he thought that she was going to retaliate, but little did he know that she was going to just wait for the perfect moment to get him back. Which almost brought a smirk upon her face, but instead she tried to play it off by making it appear that she wasn't up to something as she went on to close the distance between them both and followed him to their current destination.

It wasn't until they came across some people that she felt his mood drop almost entirely before she was able to sense his shame. She was confused as to why he would be feeling this way, which is why she gently went on to prod into his mind, proceeding to take notice that he was thinking that she ought to be ashamed to be seen in public with him after the news of the incident that occurred the day before had already been spread all over the ship.

This caused Rey to become a bit angry that he would think that she would ever be embarrassed to be seen with him, which is why she made sure to not let him get a sense of what she was about to do. She reached out to take hold of his hand, making sure that their current company would see what she had done before she went on to narrow her eyes in their direction when she heard what they were thinking as they witnessed that subtle action. Those mere thoughts were enough to infuriate her furthermore, but today she didn't give into those rather reckless thoughts that came almost immediately to her mind and instead she chose to ignore those imbeciles all together, keeping hold of Kylo's hand as she allowed him to lead the way.

To say that Kylo was stunned by what had just happened was a complete understatement. He didn't know how to feel in this moment when Rey had not only shown him that she didn't care if she was seen with him in public, but she even went on to subtly acknowledge that there was something more happening between them both. He was so loss in his thoughts that it took him a moment to realize that they were now alone, and that Rey was in the process of letting go of his hand, which was enough to make him jump into action. He clasped her hand tightly as he peered over at her, whilst trying to figure out what to say, but of course he failed to come up with something smooth and instead blurted out the very first thing that came to mind with a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Did you just basically admit that we are a couple in front of those people?"

"W-What!? No, I absolutely did no such thing!" Rey stammered out as she tried to pull her hand out of his grasp once again, but it became useless. She looked up in time to see that he was fully smirking down at her, which almost made her roll her eyes out of annoyance because she knew that he would never allow her to forget what she had just done.

"I'm almost one hundred percent sure that you just took my hand to make it clear that I'm officially your boyfriend… Though it sure comes as such of a surprise to me since I don't recall asking you to be my girlfriend recently… As a matter of fact… I was under the impression that we were never going to date." He was having trouble with hiding his amusement when he saw Rey begin to blush furiously as she tried her best to try and get herself out of this current predicament, but he wasn't about to let her off that easy.

And that's what led to a very loud and rather explicit discussion about what Rey meant by taking his hand as they were headed off towards the training room together. But as soon as she was finished trying to convince herself that they weren't an item just yet, he went on to tease her once again. And needless to say that, that little argument proved to make their first training session together a little more interesting.

~~

The feeling of dread over the fact that Rey had to meet the one person that was responsible for corrupting the current man in her life (That absolutely wasn't her boyfriend! Or rather that was what she was still telling herself.) was almost forgotten in response to the rather vigorous training that she had been enduring for the past few weeks.

She had found it rather amusing in the beginning when Kylo had been taking it easy on her, along with other shenanigans that occurred on their first training session. That sudden thought made her recall back to that time as she was taking a small break, whilst Kylo had excused himself for a moment.

An exasperated noise emitted from Rey's lips as she looked over to where Kylo had retreated when he had forced himself to hold back from giving it his all while they had been sparring with one another. "You are aware that I'm not some porcelain doll right? I promise that I won't break. Now stop holding back. I'm not going to learn anything if you keep babying me."

Kylo passed his fingers through his slightly dampened locks out of habit since he was feeling slightly uncomfortable with the thought of harming her in any way. But deep down he knew that she was right. If he kept holding back then she wouldn't be able to protect herself. And it was that thought that almost made him have a full on panic attack, because it made him envision what could happen if he brought her to Snoke without having her fully prepared in case he wouldn't be able to protect her for some reason in the near future. He suppressed the urge to sigh before he gave her a subtle nod. "You're absolutely right. Now let's try this one more t—" He didn't even get a chance to finish his last statement when he heard her let out a cry before she immediately lashed out at him.

Rey gritted her teeth to refrain from allowing herself to make a noise when each of their weapons collided with one another's with such force, but that didn't make her falter at all, because in the next moment she gave him a rough nudge that sent him staggering back just enough for her to take a few steps back. A kittenish grin curved her lips as she whirled the makeshift lightsaber that they had been using for the mere purpose of practicing before she beckoned him forward with a subtle motion of her digits of her free hand. "Don't hold back." She retorted in an almost eager manner in response to feeling the familiar thrum that was coursing through her entire body that always occurred whenever she was in battle.

Kylo had to refrain from allowing the corner of his mouth to lift into an amused smirk when he could tell that she was enjoying this a little too much, which made him want to make sure that he lived up to her expectations. He didn't give any slight indication of what he was about to do, and instead he moved in a blur as he lashed out at her without holding back. He grunted in response to her meeting his every strike with such ferocity, but what he hadn't expected to happen was when she suddenly broke contact with him and immediately whipped around, kicking out at his wrist, which cause him to drop his weapon. He barely had a chance to throw himself backward, but Rey was fast for such a little thing, which made him have to think of his next actions carefully. At the last moment he was able to evade her next attack by twisting his whole body to the side, which caused Rey to run straight past him and he proceeded to turn around to face her, whilst he slammed his foot down upon his fallen weapon, holding his hand out in time to catch it after it soared up into the air from his previous action. "You almost had me there. I'm slightly impressed."

Rey gripped the hilt of her lightsaber as she narrowed her eyes in his direction, whilst attempting to catch her breath, and if she had to be completely honest, she was beyond annoyed that she had been so close to winning that little sparring match. And that mere thought is what caused her to elicit another battle cry as she sprinted off towards him, but what she didn't foresee was how quick he was able to act upon her attack, causing her to duck at the very last moment when Kylo slashed out at her, making the lightsaber whirl past her head. She heard him mutter something that was far too low for her to understand, but she didn't try to figure out what was said and instead she did the most stupid thing she could have possibly done, and that was to fling herself at Kylo, whilst momentarily forgetting the countless times that her Master had drilled into her head to make sure to keep a level head when keeping the weight of her grip evenly distributed upon her weapon, along with forgetting balance, precision, and everything he had taught her except the main focus of aiming to win. She knew she messed up when she saw Kylo smirk as he stepped out of the attack and proceeded to kick Rey's legs out from under her, causing her to go down so hard that her breath was knocked out her as well. But that wasn't enough to stop her from continuing on, she rolled away before Kylo could simulate a killing blow, taking hold of her weapon as she did so and got up onto her feet in one quick and fluid motion.

Kylo sucked in a breath when he witnessed what she had just done, feeling completely shocked at how well she was at keeping momentum when it came to defending herself, which is why he was thrown off his game when he clumsily blocked her next attack, and left himself completely vulnerable in the process and that subtle opening allowed Rey to push him back a step before she landed a hard kick to his torso. But she was all but relentless after that ferocious act, and before he knew it, he was somehow on his back on the ground with her straddling him as she demonstrated the blow that would have killed him if they had been using real weapons. His breathing was ragged by this point as he stared up at her with complete bewilderment upon his features, but it was then when he looked up at her that he was able to really get a good look at her. He admired the spark of excitement in her hazel optics, and the way her hair had somehow come undone during their sparring match, which allowed her chestnut locks to fall over her shoulders in delicate waves. She was so beautiful in this moment to him that he was at a loss for words.

It took Rey a moment to come down from her earlier high that had come with the mere act of their relentless sparring to even notice the way Kylo was looking at her, but when she finally did, she was thrown off to say the least. Her weapon slipped out of her hold as her breathing hitched up even more as she gazed into his eyes, and if she thought the look that he was still currently giving her was too much to bear, well she was dead wrong. Because in the next moment she was able to catch a glimpse of the way he saw her through his eyes without both of their acknowledgment, which caused her breathing to falter for just a second, and before she knew what she was doing, it was too late. She had leaned down in time with him as he rose up to greet her lips so eagerly, which caused her to elicit a noise of contentment just in time when his hands suddenly grasped her waist, securing her in place as their kiss deepened into something more. One moment they were subtly sharing a tender kiss, and in the next moment it changed to something more carnal-like.

Rey had a big smile plastered onto her face as she finished playing out that last scene in her mind, savoring her favorite moments of that time they spent with one another. It took her a moment to finally pull out of her thoughts, but a sudden movement coming from right in front of her, caused her to blink multiple times as she peered up at the looming figure that was now standing before her.

An amused grin was tugging at the corner of Kylo's mouth when he caught Rey daydreaming while he had stepped out of the room for a brief moment. He waited until she felt his presence before he held out his hand for her to take. "Care to enlighten me about what you were so shamelessly daydreaming of?"

Rey smiled coyly up at him as she grasped his hand tightly, allowing him to pull her up to her feet, whilst she attempted to not blush since she didn't want to tell him what she had allowed herself to remember in a not so appropriate time. Which is why she ended up just shrugging her shoulder in a nonchalant manner. "It was nothing interesting. I just got really bored since you were taking your sweet ass time coming back." She paused to tilt her head to the side as a curious expression immediately flashed along her features in response to her sudden curiosity getting the best of her. "Now do you care to share just what you set off to go get in the middle of our training session?"

Kylo found it even more amusing when she tried to get the attention off of her, and instead she put him on the spot now. Instead of continuing to mess with her and avoid her question as she had just done to him, he went on to wordlessly remove the hand that he had behind his back, and proceeded to hold a particular object out towards her.

Rey arched a brow in response to his fairly odd behavior as she couldn't help but follow his every move. But nothing could have prepared her for what she then witnessed him holding out to her, which caused her to blink in confusion as she contemplated over what her next move would be. It felt like ages had passed before she reached out a shaky hand, allowing her fingertips to graze along the hilt of the lightsaber, and just as she was about to grasp it fully, she paused and flicked her gaze back up to Kylo. "Is this some kind of test?"

Kylo could feel her bewilderment in this moment, but once the pads of her fingers brushed against the lightsaber, he sensed her uncertainty, which bothered him, because it felt as if she still wasn't sure that she had gained his trust fully. Which is why he went on to practically thrust the lightsaber into her hand in a hasty manner as he held her gaze and shook his head. "No. It's not a test. But it is time for us to practice with real weapons now. Just not here." A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as he gave her a little tease, by projecting the precise location they would soon be visiting into her mind. And he was rewarded with a rush of excitement, which let him know that his reckless decision was actually a good thing.

~~

Kylo's POV

The only thing that could describe how he felt just a while ago was pure pride. He had the honor of watching Rey follow through with the various demonstrations he had shown her with the lightsaber, and as time went on, he couldn't help but notice that during some point, Rey had picked up on some of his fighting techniques. It shouldn't have come as a surprise since their minds were literally linked to one another.

It was just until today that he was able to see the full extent of how much she had learned over these past few weeks that made this current stress level decrease just a slight fraction. He knew now that if for some reason that he was no longer here to protect her, that she would be able to do so on her own. It was that mere thought that made his chest constrict, because he just reminded himself as to why he even chose to bring her to this current planet they were on. He had wanted to enjoy every last moment that he had left with her before he would set out to do something that could potentially lead to his own demise. And if he had to be fully honest with himself, he also wanted to cling onto the newest part of himself that had gradually come to light whenever he was in her presence. It was unsettling at first when he noticed that he was becoming too soft around her, but as time went on he knew that he wouldn't have it any other way.

That brief glimpse of happiness wasn't enough to overshadow that feeling of such dread that came with knowing that what he was about to do soon would not only ensure that Rey would be safe from the most dangerous threat to the galaxy and everyone who lived in it, but it would also shatter a part of himself in the process. And that act that he had been preparing himself to do was to rid everyone of Snoke's looming presence forever.

With a defeated sigh, Kylo shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts, and instead he focused on Rey, whom at the moment was exiting the stream that they had both been swimming in together not too long ago. He patted the extra towel that he had laid down beside his own when she was just within his reach, and was immediately rewarded with the most stunning smile that he had been so grateful to receive. "Did you enjoy the rest of your swim?"

Rey settled down on the towel next to Kylo, leaning into him as soon as their skin made contact with one another before she peered up at him through her lashes in order to answer his question. "Yes, I did."

"Good. I'm glad that you did." He murmured softly before he leaned down to place a kiss against her forehead.

Rey watched as he shut his eyes and went back to bathing in the sun whilst keeping her close to his side, but as she was in the process of marveling over her current view, she couldn't help but notice how the various scars upon his exposed flesh seemed to stand out so much more under the current lighting of the sun. Her smile faded as she gently moved into a sitting position, reaching a slightly trembling hand as she went on to lightly trace the scars with the pad of her fingers. It wasn't until now that she had actually had a real moment to examine the full extent of the marks that she had given him, but it wasn't until he turned his face to look at her that she got a better glance at the scar on his face. A sense of regret coursed through her entire body as she gently caressed his face as tears pricked her eyes.

Kylo placed his hand over hers, attempting to not frown as he couldn't help but sense her change of mood. "What's the matter?"

Rey would have pulled her hand away if it hadn't been for the fact that he seemed to be keeping a very firm grip on hers, but she did avert her gaze downwards because she feared that she would fully lose it if she looked at him. And if she had to be honest, it wasn't until now that she thought she had a chance to use this current predicament to her advantage. But in this case she didn't have to force herself to feel any remorse, because what she was currently feeling, allowed her to be so sincere in this moment. She sniffed softly as she shook her head, knowing that he would press the issue further like she hoped he would. "I never got to tell you, how sorry I truly am for what I did to you."

Kylo arched a brow in confusion as he tried to figure out just exactly what was happening, but within a passing moment, it finally dawned on him. He released her hand from his grip before he gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up to look at him. "Don't you dare beat yourself up over what happened that day. None of that was your fault. It was mine. I was the one who initiated the fight, so if someone is to take the blame then it should be me."

Rey knew that she had to tread lightly in response to how she was gradually leading up to what she wished she could have said to him the very first time that he even showed an ounce of humanity to her, but she couldn't beat herself over that anymore, because now it was finally her chance. "You don't hate me even a little bit for giving you those marks?"

Kylo shook his head as he offered her a subtle smile, wanting to lift her spirits again, whilst also attempting to conceal his emotions in this moment without her noticing. "Don't you know by now that, I could never bring myself to hate you?" What he said was true, but deep down he hated to admit that the only scar that he felt insecure about was the one that marred his face. The others were nothing to him, because he had received so many new marks within the time he had become Snoke's apprentice that they didn't seem to bother him anymore.

Rey reached up to remove his hand from her chin, and intertwined their fingers before settling their hands against her lap as she continued to hold his gaze. She tried to gently brush against the very edge of their bond in order to get a better sense of his emotions, and it was then that she barely got a tiny glimpse of what he was thinking, but she didn't allow what she found to interfere with what she was about to say before she chickened out. "I am pretty sure that if I told you the real reason that I came to you, that you would change your answer."

Kylo's brow furrowed ever so slightly upon hearing her words as he inclined his head to the side just a fraction, whilst holding her steady gaze. "Try me."

Rey drew in a deep breath before she spoke the words that could either break through to Kylo and make him come back to the light or it could do the exact opposite and push him to destroy the very last part of his humanity that was left, causing him to succumb to the darkness fully. "You were right when you mentioned that the argument between your Uncle and I, was just some sort of ruse to get you to believe that I was willingly joining the First Order. I orchestrated the argument and opened the bond more between us in order to get you to trust me and also to study you along the way. That's how I knew when the time was right for me to catch you off guard. It worked as I had hoped, but there was one thing that I didn't expect to happen. And that was getting too close to you."

Kylo felt as if he had just been slapped on the face in response to her words. He didn't want to believe what she had just stated, but what had made it worse was that his Master had all but predicted this happening. That mere thought alone made a spark of anger awaken within him, and without giving any sort of indication of what he was about to do, he bolted up to his feet, grabbing his belongings as he did so before he stalked off without saying a word to her.

Rey sucked in a breath when she witnessed him leave so abruptly, shocking her so badly that it took her a moment to jump into action, but once she found the strength to do so, she scrambled after him as she attempted to place her clothes back on. Her heart ached with the telltale signs of the familiar feelings of abandonment when she could barely see his tall figure in the distance. She wanted so desperately to make him stop and give her a chance to finish explaining herself, and that's how she soon found herself about to follow in Han's footsteps and hopefully break through to his son. "Ben!"

Kylo froze mid-step, peering over his shoulder just slightly in order to see Rey in the distance as he curled his hands into fists at his sides before he spoke through gritted teeth. "That is not my name anymore. And I suggest that you don't take another step before I say something that I won't be able to take back." His voice wavered just slightly near the end, causing him to tear his gaze away from her before he continued to make his way towards his ship, knowing what he needed to do next. Even if that meant hurting himself in the process.

Rey felt her throat constrict as tears pooled in her eyes before she shook her head as if that would help clear her mind before she tightened her hands into fists and forced herself to stand her ground, because she'd be damned if she let him go without putting up a fight. "Fine! If you want to be stubborn then by all means do so. I won't stop you from running away like a coward when times get tough, but what I can't do is let you go without knowing how much I wish I could take back what happened that day on Starkiller Base. I regret my actions every single day, and always wonder what would have happened if I had chosen to go about things another way. But the one thing that I regret the most is not being able to get through to you before Snoke gave you that last order."

Now was not the time that Kylo wanted to open even more wounds, causing him to walk with much more haste, because he just didn't think that he would be able to handle it if she said something else that he didn't want to hear right now that he was already hurting from her greatest betrayal, which was playing him into thinking that she willing came to be with him and join him with his future endeavors.

Rey didn't bother to take another step, but she did raise her voice enough for him to hear everything else that she so desperately had to get off of her chest. "I'm not sorry for what I did to Kylo Ren that day on Starkiller Base, but I am sorry to Ben Solo! I allowed my emotions to get the best of me when I listened to others speak their tales of what the infamous Kylo Ren had done, but the tipping point was when I witnessed him kill Han Solo and attack my friend Finn. I gave into the darkness and lashed out at him, and by doing so I missed the subtle signs of Ben Solo that still existed within the masked villain that once intimidated me. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not too late for you to come back, Ben. That is the true reason why I have crossed the galaxy, and all but thrown myself to the wolves. Is that too hard to believe?" She felt as if she were out of breath by this point after she had all but blabbed everything out in a rush, but it wasn't until she stopped to really focus, did she feel his real reaction. She couldn't quite decipher all of his emotions that were currently coursing through him, but the most prominent emotion was pure disbelief. And as time went on and he still hadn't said anything, she felt a slight ache within her chest as freshly new tears pricked her eyes as her nails dug into the palms of her hands. "Please say something, Ben."

The moment he had secretly yearned for had finally come. And that was hearing that someone still believed in him. He couldn't process how he was feeling in this moment when she had left herself so vulnerable right now, but when she had called him by his birth name, it was as if something had awoken from the very depths of his entire being, and it had taken him a moment to even notice that she had spoken to him again. He turned around to face her, but he wasn't ready to see how she was going to be looking at him when he did, causing him to swallow harshly as a wave of unfamiliar emotions suddenly overcame him, and it didn't help that she was looking at him with so much hope showing in her eyes, because he couldn't help but take in mind that this wasn't some sort of fairytale where the villain could magically be forgiven for everything that they have done, and suddenly become the good guy. Which is why he tried his best to hide his internal turmoil and instead focused on trying to express what he knew to be true out loud. "But it is too late for me, Rey. The recent things I've done are enough to prove that. The Ben that you speak of is long gone. Snoke made sure of it."

Rey felt so desperate in this moment that she didn't bother to filter herself, because she wanted to get through to him before it was really too late. "That's where you're wrong. I was there with you after what happened on Starkiller Base. I am the only one besides yourself that knows how much you struggled to cope with the loss of your father. And how you still can't get a proper nights rest, because you are tormented by that day and for all of the things that Snoke made you do throughout all of these years. You have hid behind a mask for so long, and have been trying to be someone that you were never meant to be if it hadn't been for Snoke. I witnessed through your dreams about how he manipulated you from the very beginning of your life, and how he made you believe that everyone you have ever cared about stopped loving you. That is not true at all. They were the reason that I have tried my best to help guide you back to the light at first, but as time went on and I got to know the person behind the mask, I made it my mission to bring a family back together and help bring balance to the galaxy that it so desperately needs. I don't know what it's like to have a family, but after being around yours, I have gotten a glimpse of what a family ought to be and I'll be damned if I allow Snoke to keep you all split apart. So, don't you dare give up hope, because deep down I know that Ben Solo is still alive and it is him that I have fallen in love with. Not the monster that I had once felt so much hatred for." It wasn't until she finished speaking that she noticed that she somehow had closed the distance between them, her breathing so ragged by this point as she peered up at him.

He had been so ready to deny her claims even though he knew that she was telling the truth. She had been there in the very edge of his mind because of the bond and had seen him at his lowest, but what he hadn't expected to hear was her declaring her love to the person he once was. Not Kylo Ren who had been trying to portray for so long, but to Ben Solo. He felt at a loss of words in this moment, which led to him blurting out the very first thing that came to his mind. "What did you just say?" He inquired in a breathless manner.

Rey smiled through her tears as she reached out towards him with a trembling hand and gently grasped his hand. "I said that I am in love with you, Ben. And have been for so long. I just didn't know it until this very moment. Now will you kiss me already, you big idiot!"

Rey hadn't been expecting him to move so quickly, which is exactly why he caught her by surprise as he pulled her flush against him and crashed his lips down upon hers in a fervid manner as she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck so tightly as if that would be enough to keep him here with her forever where he belonged. This kiss was nothing like their past ones. This one didn't hide the passion that both Rey and Ben had been suppressing for so long. It was as if the emptiness that Rey had always felt was beginning to become whole again, and that revelation caused her to not notice what was happening during this act of love until she felt something trickle down against her cheeks, making her break the kiss out of nowhere before she blinked in confusion and looked up at Ben, and that is when she noticed the reason for her cheeks being wet. He was crying. She was so shocked that it took her a while to process the look they had shared with one another before he had suddenly fallen to his knees with his head bowed, but what brought her out of her reverie was when she felt his arms wrap around her waist as he then buried his face against her belly.

"I don't even know how to even start to be the man that you love. Or how to make up for all of the things that I have done." He retorted with such sorrow laced in his tone as he choked back a sob as he thought of the ones that he had inflicted so much pain upon, but the one person that nearly broke his heart to think about was his mother. The mere thought of having to face her after he had killed the only other person that she cared so much about besides himself and Luke, was his father, Han.

"Oh, Ben." Rey voiced in a distraught tone as she gently ran her fingers through his hair, letting him release all of the emotions that had been built up within him for so long, whilst silently letting him know that she was here for him and nothing could ever keep them apart anymore. But what she didn't voice aloud was the silent vow she made to herself, which was to make Snoke pay for all of the horrendous things he had done to Ben. It was now inevitable that he would die by her hand, but the only question left unanswered was when that would happen.

~~

Rey's POV

Some time had passed now, and within that time, Rey had comforted Ben until he had fallen asleep on her lap. She couldn't bring herself to wake him, even though she knew that they needed to return to the Finalizer before their absence was finally noticed, but this had been the very first time that she had witnessed him sleeping so peacefully, which is why her current discomfort from being in a rather awkward position was the least of her worry.

So to keep herself from focusing on that, she was still trying to process that fact that she had actually broken through to Ben, and it was almost time to bring him home. But there was just one last thing that needed to be done. And as if on cue, Rey heard a noise in the distance that made her straighten up as she tried to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from.

A sense of uneasiness suddenly overcame her within the next passing moment, which made her do just what she had been so opposed to doing and that was to wake Ben. She shook his shoulder with what she presumed was enough force as she scanned the area around them for any signs of a threat. "Ben, wake up. I think someone is h–"

She never got to finish what she was about to say when all of the sudden she felt something embed itself into her neck, causing her to cry out before she felt a sense of drowsiness overcoming her so quickly. She tried to keep her eyes open and attempt to focus on her surroundings, but soon she felt herself drifting off to sleep, and the very last thing she witnessed was Ben bolting up to his feet as the sounds of voices were suddenly coming from all around her.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I apologize for the wait. Between school and the rather annoying writer's block phases, I had a lot of trouble with figuring out how to go about this chapter. I did have help though when it came to the ending portion. If you guys want to cry (like I totally did lol) I suggest you listen to the song Barking Dog by Phantogram. It reminded me so much of Kylo. And some other songs reminded me of Reylo from their latest album. Just thought I'd share. I'm hoping to start the new chapter this weekend. I have one question though. Would you all like any future Reylo smut scenes? Or do the majority of you not like reading those scenes? I skipped writing a scene for this chapter because I wasn't sure. Please let me know in the comments.