Hey guys! I'm brand new to this fandom, but some friends dragged me to see TLJ and I loved it! I'm super fascinated by Rey and Kylo's relationship. If there are any inaccuracies I apologize but really this is just a one shot. Couldn't get it out of my head so I decided to write it down and post it. I hope you guys enjoy!

They could see the shuttle hurtling towards the planet from their screen in the control room. They had picked up the distress signal several minutes ago and were in the process of dispatching several x-wings and a small transport shuttle with Poe Dameron at the head. It was with a great feeling of trepidation that Rey climbed aboard the shuttle. She knew who was on that ship.

Their connection had be quiet for quite some time, though at times she felt an almost-presence lurking in the back of her mind, leaving a dull, aching throb that seemed to run all the way down her neck. She didn't know if it was him trying to break down the barriers she had erected in her mind or something else, but the bond was screaming at her now. Something was very wrong.

Normally, Rey would not be involved in a mission like this. She was busy in full Jedi training with Master Luke, and if it hadn't been for his impromptu mission off planet yesterday, he would be going to meet the shuttle instead of her. They both would have known the force presence on that ship anywhere. It shook her to her core, his anger, his rage. Also his pain, and loneliness. It shook her because while she was fighting to remain calm and in control, to not be affected by his rage, she could not help but be affected by the loneliness. It was too similar to what she had felt in her heart those long years on Jakku.

She shook herself out of her musings and climb on the shuttle, her double bladed saber staff attached firmly in her leg holster. She turned around as she felt a quiet presence. Leia Organa stood at the base of the ramp, looking at Rey with an indiscernible face. She too could feel who was on that ship and that all was not well. "Do what you must to keep yourself and our people safe," she said.

Rey nodded and turned back towards the shuttle, finally boarding. It was time to face Kylo Ren.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The black x-wing lay in ruins. Smoke rose from the rear of the ship and one wing hung at an odd angle. A swath of trees had been taken out by the ship as it crashed into the planets surface; a deep scar in the otherwise untouched landscape. The main door of the ship had been wrenched open about a foot along the top. Rey, Poe and a male pilot she didn't know the name of slowly approached the ship; Poe and the other man holding blasters, Rey with her saber staff out but not engaged. Yet. There was no sign of Kylo Ren.

"I feel him inside, stay on guard and be very careful, somethings not right," Rey whispered as they approached the door.

"Kylo Ren just crash landed not 2 miles from our base. Obviously something isn't right," Poe scoffed. The normally carefree pilot was obviously stressed, but whether from the reputation of their adversary or from bad personal memories of the Knight of Ren, Rey wasn't sure.

"I'll open the ramp, be ready for anything," Rey said. She lifted her hands and focused on the damaged door. Using the Force, she pulled her hands downward and brought the ramp down with a crash.

Immediately, Poe and the other pilot raised their blasters and stepped forward. Glancing inside, they saw no one. The trio stepped into the ship, sweeping the main area with nervous glances.

Looking down, Rey saw a trail of blood between the control panel and a door towards the back of the ship. Signaling to the other two to stay put, she moved forward quietly. She stopped outside the door and focused on their bond. She could feel his presence through the door. "He's in here, I'll go in first. He's dangerous, so don't engage unless you have to. Keep yourselves safe." She could tell Poe wasn't happy but he didn't argue, simply training his blaster on the door.

Taking a deep breath, Rey kicked down the door and ignited her saber staff, the blue twin blades lighting up the ship. As she hit the door, she heard shuffling and then a loud crash from inside the room. Holding the saber in front of her she leapt into the room. She looked around frantically, and finally saw a black cloaked figure crouch on the far side of the room, its side facing her. She stepped forward aggressively, about to say something when suddenly, the figure jerked wildly to the side, throwing themselves into the wall. Rey heard rapid breathing mixed with a deep growling. She stilled. Holding her saber staff closer to the figure, she was shocked by what the blue light illuminated.

Kylo Ren was now facing her, still crouched. His eyes were narrowed at her, but not focused. The growling was emanating from the knight. She glanced down to where his hands were on the ground. It was hard to tell because of the light, but she thought she saw blood running down his hands. She quickly realized that shackles bound his wrists together, and the blood seemed to come from beneath the cuffs. Eyes widening, her eyes wandered up his torso to his face. A mask covered the lower half of it; his hair was in disarray around his face, under the cloaks hood.

"Kylo Ren," she said simply. He stopped breathing for a moment, the growling stopping. They stared at one another for a moment more before Rey reached out with the Force. Slowly, she pulled down the walls that had separated them for months, ready to throw them up again should the knight try to invader her mind. When she didn't feel any aggressive movements from him, she slowly reached out to brush his mind. Rey nearly fell over with the onslaught of emotions and as it was, she stumbled back, gasping.

"What's wrong!?" Poe demanded. She could feel him moving into the room. Throwing her arm out she pushed him back with the Force. "Stay there, don't come in," Rey gasped out, struggling to separate the emotions she was feeling.

"Rey!" Poe said. "It's fine, I'm fine, but he's not. He's extremely unstable. If you come in here right now I don't know what he will do. Stay there, just be ready," Rey said very quietly, never taking her eyes off the knight.

Rey reached through their bond and brushed his mind again. As she did, Kylo Ren collapsed to his side and curled in on himself. He moaned softly and trembled. Rey disengaged her staff and moved slowly to clip it to her leg holster. She crouched to the ground and scooted forward. Quietly, she said, "shhhh, hey, it's okay."

She reached out and brushed his shoulder with her fingers. Flinching violently under her, the knight hit his head on the wall behind him. The growling resumed and he glared unseeing up at the scavenger. He tried to push himself back, but he was already in a corner.

Rey stilled and instead reached out with her mind. His was a swirling mess. Carefully, she pulled at the strongest emotions. Panic. Confusion. And terrible fear. She gasped as she realized that Kylo Ren was having a panic attack.

Not knowing what else to do, Rey threw her mind at his, using their bond to channel the connection. She projected calm and comfort at him, two things she never thought in all her years she would be feeling towards the man she had called a monster. She felt his mind pause, mirrored by a pause in his panting. His eyes closed tightly and he drew his knees to his chest. Suddenly, she felt him grasp her mind with his and hold on for dear life. His hands lifted slightly toward her and she knew what he needed.

Humming softly, she moved to sit beside him on the floor of the broken ship. Pressing her slight shoulder to his much broader one, she felt him press into her side. Rey lifted her arm and he turned to face her. His eyes had cleared for a moment and he looked at her, shuddering, before burying his head in the junction between her neck and shoulder.

They sat like that for several minutes. Him, trembling, her, making soothing noises and running her hand up and down his shoulder. His mind and body slowly calmed, and Rey felt the moment he slipped back into control of himself. He tensed slightly, and she felt him about to pull away. Rey tightened her grip on him and murmured, "it's alright. What happened to you Kylo?"

Rey felt Kylo huff against her shoulder. He didn't speak but took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. She trembled slightly at the feeling of his breath ghosting across her neck.

Kylo projected one word into Rey's mind. "Snoke."

The Jedi in training froze in place. Looking down at the knight, she saw that he was staring straight ahead. She shifted slightly so they were facing each other. Rey reached up and brushed the hood back from Kylo's face. Frowning, she went to pull down the strip of fabric tied across the lower half of Kylo's face. His bound hands dart up to block her. A strangled noise escaped his throat as he stared with wide eyes at her outstretched hands. Concerned, she opened her mouth to speak when she heard him in her mind again, "please, I... it's not..."

"Let me," she said firmly, sensing his reluctance. He lowered his eyes and focused at a point on the floor. Slowly, his hands fell back down. Rey reached up and pulled the mask down.

Gasping in shock, Rey covered her moth with her hands for a moment. A horrible steel muzzle covered the lower half of the knights face. It rested just below his nose and traveled down to his jaw, and across behind his head and neck, locking it in place. Realizing this was why he had only spoken into her mind, Rey reached out to feel around the muzzle. Kylo flinch as she touched it and closed his eyes. She could feel his shame at being reduced to such a state, nothing more than an animal, muzzled to prevent it from biting.

As she followed the muzzle behind his head, her hand brushed against something else. Watching Kylo's face, Rey felt along his neck towards his back. He began to tremble again. Sitting back on her heels, Rey moved slightly back. Moving to her knees, she shuffle around to his side once again. Looking at him once more, she projected her intentions to his mind. Kylo Ren looked up at her for a moment before sighing in resignation and giving the slightest of nods. Rey unhooked the cloak from his neck and pushed it off his shoulders.

Compassion and sorrow for this man nearly overwhelmed her as she stared at the criss cross of old and new wounds across his back. She could see through the tatters of his shirt that he had been whipped and tortured, quite brutally so.

"When I was a young girl, new on Jakku, I once stole a portion from the junk yard master. He caught me, tied me to a post in the square, and gave me 10 lashes across my back." Rey didn't know why she told him this but she kept going. "I've felt this pain. I know how terrible it is..."

He was staring at her now. He narrowed his eyes and spat vehemently in her mind, "I don't need your pity, girl!"

"It's not pity. I just can't believe you survived this. It must have been so painful."

He must have sensed her sincerity as his gaze softened from his glare. He looked tired and worn.

Moving back again she slid her hand down his arms to his locked hands. Pulling them into her lap she looked at the cuffs in the gloom. "How terrible," she gasped softly. The cuffs were cruel; brutal razors covered the inside and cut into his wrists. They were designed to cause great pain each time the wearer moved and she could see that he had attempted to get them off himself.

Gently rubbing above his wrists in a comforting motion, Rey looked into Kylo Ren's eyes. "Let me help you," she said.

Feeling his mind probe hers, she let him in. She showed him her compassion. He sucked in a breath and shook slightly. Slowly, he nodded and leaned down to rest his head against her neck again. "Please," he whispered into her mind. She reached behind his head and hugged him gently to her.