Kylo Ren didn't have time to think, in one fluid motion he grabbed Rey, spun her around and forced her down beneath his weight. They crashed to the floor just as the stone hut around them blew apart from behind him. He shielded her body under his as the earthy debris fell over him. She was frantic under his weight but he held her there until the dust subsided and the chunks of stone stopped hailing down on his back.

Rey's wide eyes scanned the open air around them through the narrow space between Ren's forearms. At fist she thought he was attacking her. It was all very sudden; They stood in silence at a crucial moment in a conversation that probably would have been very enlightening for her if they hadn't been interrupted, then out of the blue, he lunged at her.

At least that part made sense as she now realized he was keeping her safe under his upper body, leaving his own to be rained over by the broken and shattered stones that once made up the wash hut that they stood in. She wasn't sure if she was more shocked when his normally superior and cocky attitude had unexpectedly changed sending him uncharacteristically retreating from her like night from the day or the sudden explosion that followed only seconds after.

The last time Rey saw kylo Ren filled with such consternation had been just after he'd attempted to pull information from her mind during an interrogation. In her struggle to keep him out of her mind she'd somehow found her way into his. She quickly searched the turbulent space for anything to use against him. That's how she'd found and used his greatest fear against him. The one thing that terrified him the most... "You'll never be as strong as Darth Vader!" Her words hit their mark and she twisted them like a dagger in his chest while she stared him down. In truth she'd added the part about Vader because through his mind she could see how he admired and idolized his grandfather to the point of obsession.

His real fear... was weakness. In every sense of the word. It terrified him more then anything else and he'd looked at her with the same insecurities haunting his wide brown orbs then, as he did only moments ago when she'd tried to press him forward in their discussion. She saw the discomfort and the indecision. She took notice of the slight tremble on his otherwise stern lips when she'd questioned his response to her prodding. Of course as soon as he realized he'd shown his thoughts through his face, the telling change in his features hardened again.

When she tried recapping what they had been talking about to discover what she'd missed to cause such a reaction from him the world around them blew to pieces... literally. Now everything was to chaotic and she couldn't focus on anything that'd happened before. The walls around her were flying through the air in particles that now crashed back down to the world below, berating her human shield with bruises and cuts and she was dying to know why.

Kylo growled out in anger. His ears where ringing and he couldn't hear the others around him as he clamored to his shell shocked feet. He helped Rey up and was quickly inspecting her for any damage when a rough hand jerked at his arm. Unfortunately for his instigator, he was already a tense locked down mass of rage. An immovable force that reacted violently to the disturbance at his arm. Instead of being pulled away from Rey, his elbow flew back to meet his assailants face. It was a direct shot to Poe's nose and it landed with a crack.

Impressively, Poe remained on his feet. His head flew back and his right hand came up to cup his face while his feet regrouped to keep his balance. He shook his head and spoke past the towering form of Kylo Ren through an already trickling stream of blood. "

"Rey... ?" Poe's voice was strong, determined and to Kylo Ren, infuriating.

Her name on his lips sent an eruption of fire through Kylo's already heated core. What is it that this guy wasn't getting, Rey chose to stay with him! Rey wanted him! Rey was his! He turned to stare down the pilot who had obviously not gotten the message the first time.

Poe stepped back when he saw the blackness in Kylo Ren's eyes. Ren stared down at the much shorter man in disbelief. The pilot had the audacity to hold a hand out for Rey to take, literally reaching around his body for his girl all while staring up at him as though he were the threat here. When she didn't move the pilot called out to her again.

"Rey?" His fingers gestured her forward while his arm remained outstretched. Ren stepped in front of her, blocking Poe's view of the much smaller girl. Poe's bloody hand fell to his blaster and he leaned on his right leg as though showing he was ready to draw the weapon at any moment. Ren smirked, daring the flyboy to make a move. Poe's eyes narrowed in response and it took every fiber of his being not to see who was faster because he was pretty sure he was faster. Unfortunately, the second the thought crossed his mind there was an intense pressure in his head.

"Go on then... lets see who's faster." Ren challenged as he pushed against Poe's mind with his own.

Poe's eyes widened in remembrance. He felt the slices of pain dragging through his skull like a hot knife as the mental fingernails of the man in front of him racked over his brain for information. His teeth clamped together and he shook the memory free. Ren hadn't hurt him this time, not yet anyway. He was just threatening him. Flexing his power or him to get him to back down.

"Your real tough with those fancy mind tricks aren't you pretty boy?" Poe's chin tilted up as he taunted him and he used his eyes to referenced the long scar that dragged across the full length of the right half of Ren's face.

Kylo leaned closer, a menacing look on his hard lined face. A slow smile spread across his lips and he closed his eyes suddenly flaunting himself, shaking the length of his shoulder length locks around his face which at first left Poe in a very confused state. What the hell...

"Trust me, the lady's already staked her claim." Kylo knew what he was doing. He knew the layout of his taunt led Poe to believe there was more between himself and Rey then there was, not for the lack of wanting on his part, and he hoped the taunt was enough to make the pilot strike out against him so he could bust him in the face again with out incurring the wrath of the woman behind him. He was trying to stay on her good side but as the day dragged on it was becoming more difficult.

...And it had started off so promising too... His internal voice whined.

Poe sneered at the idea of Rey finding Ren anything but repulsive. He puffed and shoved his chest against Ren's initiating a primal challenge. His testosterone was flaring through him in protective surges over her. "In your dreams Sith!" He shouted as much into his face as his height would allow.

The shouting dragged Rey's brain back to their current situation and she blinked trying to gain her bearings in the blinding sunshine of her new surroundings. She knew where she was but her brain lagged while trying to catch up.

Kylo goaded Poe on in such a low whisper that it took him a second of concentration to process what Ren was saying. "Every night since I've met her." He smirked darkly leading the pilot further into the trap. Of course in reality this was a fact. His Force, his alpha, his darkness, even the light that he'd hidden away; They all craved the same thing and she was standing inches behind his back.

Poe's right fist abandoned his blaster and landed in Ren's gut.

Mission accomplished. Kylo thought as he leaned into the hit. He was already expecting physical retaliation, that was after all his goal in the first place. Although he was hoping the man would shoot him again so he could break his neck and claim self defense; but Poe had disappointed and partially surprised him by going for the more manly approach. Admittedly he respected the reaction, he didn't like it because he knew he had no grounds to kill the man, but he'd take what he could get. He was raising his own fist when Rey interjected through his brain.

"Ren please...Please don't..." Her soft voice nearly begged him.

Kylo squeezed his fist until the leather of his glove groaned in it's grip. Poe's hand was already back on his blaster but he found enjoyment just watching as Rey tugged Ren's invisible leash. Some how Kylo had the feeling that Poe knew exactly what or more precisely who, had stopped him and that pissed him off but it also made him smile into the man's overbearing face. His unique bond with the Rey was just another something that Kylo had over Poe and the look of uncertainty that shone through the pilot's eyes was all the victory Kylo needed... for now. Ren dropped his fist and though still very ready to draw blood, he suppressed his anger for the moment.

Poe's eyes were already darting between the warlord and Rey again. "Rey consider your debt to him repaid, because you just saved his life." Seeking better access to Rey, Poe stepped to the side of Ren as he spoke to her. Kylo saw the dismissal for what it was and he quickly let the pilot know he was not going to be brushed aside so easily. He followed his movement and again placed himself between them.

"I think she wants to stay where she's is." Kylo warned through clenched teeth.

Rey didn't know what to do, she wanted to go to Poe... but she also wanted to stay with Ren.

Standing in the open light around them, under the warm sun overhead, she felt suddenly very confused. It was so easy to get lost in the darkness with him. She squinted as her eyes fought to adjust to the painful light from the same sun that warmed her. It was too bright and she wondered how closely the situation paralleled the Force around her. Could there ever truly be a functioning balance between the Light and the Dark.

"Rey? Are you alright?" Luke's calming voice suddenly broke her mixed thoughts. She nodded but she couldn't make out his face through the harsh rays that seemed currently to be directed at her eyes. Ren's form readjusted to protect her from what she realized he took to be a greater threat then the pilot who was pushing his luck by remaining so close to him. When Ren shifted he also unconsciously shielded her from the painful light that was otherwise rendering her sightless. She instantly felt the tension peak in him. The feed she was getting through their bond was causing her nausea. The instant that Luke entered the fray the dynamic of the situation changed. The squabbling before hand had been testosterone fueled men taking turns beating on their chests. Now the threat was real and Ren responded as such.

He stiffened. His insides twisted and his instincts went primal. He truly felt threatened and it changed the intensity of the situation. He hadn't been so bothered by just Poe but now that Luke was involved Rey could feel him viewing Poe as just as much a threat as Luke. Her friend was in a risky position and Rey couldn't imagine him not realizing how dangerous Ren could be when he felt threatened.

Though she could, she didn't have to rely on their bond to see how threatened he currently felt. The second Luke spoke Ren's physique grew. His spine straightened and his high increased. His shoulders tightened and his chest puffed. When he'd stepped in front of Rey his legs stayed apart and his hips lined between the two threats that he watched simultaneously as though waiting for one or the other to make a move.

It took Rey mere seconds to analyze the situation and promptly respond with accordance. In an attempt to reinforce his comfort and ofer him some semblance of peace in an otherwise threatening situation Rey stepped to the side of Ren hoping he would understand that he wasn't in any danger here.

"These are my friends... they trust me and now I'm trusting you!" She pulled at his mind for his attention. "They won't hurt you so long as you don't hurt them." She tried reassuring him through their bond while carefully warning him against attacking them with out challenging his pride or masculinity or what ever it was that made men want to punch each other over silly things. She really hoped that this didn't turn into a fight.

"Scavenger..." He began out loud but she instantly cut him off, not wanting this to back track the progress they made throughout the day, which had shocked her as much as it did him.

"My name is Rey, you should use it sometime." She sarcastically corrected him aloud.

His head snapped in her direction. To the others it would sound like no more then her venting frustration at the would be slight which he'd been using with an obvious hint of fondness lately, but through their connection Kylo could feel the stirring of her nerves as she tried to mask the gift she'd just given him with a protective shield of sarcasm. It gave him an insight he would have other wise lacked. Now he knew how important the simple title was to her. It also explained a little of why she reacted like an angry child last night when he'd used her name when he first approached her.

Woman were so difficult. He surmised realizing that of all of the things he'd ever had to Master in his thirty years of life, she was going to be the most difficult. Still, somehow he'd made so much progress between her reaction to him using her name last night and now, which completely astounded him.

He eyed her wearily. Their relationship was so fragile... frenemies in every sense of the word. He only ever seemed to make progress with her while they stood on ice over fire. If this situation turned out badly he could lose her completely. He'd only just gained her acceptance as his apprentice and that was shaky at best. It was fueled by her eagerness to learn and could easily be renounced at this stage. He needed to solidify that title to be sure it would hold. He'd never lose the Master-Apprentice bond, that had been made years before now but her acceptance of it was another thing altogether. The development was so fresh it felt fragile at best. Now he could feel how nervous she was about allowing him the use of her name. To her is was a special thing and he had to take care of when and how he used it.

Rey could feel those around her watching with burning focus as her allies observed her standing by Ren's side with her eyes locked onto his as though they were exchanging unspoken words. They weren't, it was simply an intense moment in an already intense situation. The way he called her scavenger had changed significantly from the first few times he'd done it. It became something of an endearing title he used for her and she knew it, but for some reason it wasn't enough now. If he was going to hold the title of Master over her head then she didn't want to be a simple scavenger anymore.

It was too much... The Master and the Scavenger, it was too contrasting. No one deserved to have that kind of power over her, titles be damned! She was worth more then that to herself and she wanted to be worth more then that to him.
Why shouldn't she desire to be more to those around her? Why shouldn't she want to be more to him? What if he remembered that she was only that... only a scavenger, a desert rat and a no body. He wouldn't want her anymore. He'd search for a better student to take as his apprentice, maybe even to take as other things. Why did that thought bother her so much? It shouldn't, she didn't really care what he thought about her... These thoughts were jumbled and came all at once, but Rey was very careful to keep them private.

When she realized how long they'd been staring at each other, she assumed by his mental silence that he too must have been lost in his own thoughts, she couldn't help but feel judged by the eyes around her. If her friends could question her and judge her so quickly how long until Ren would do the same? How long until he would judge her and find her unworthy. With Luke barely able to teach her and Ren no longer wanting her as an apprentice she'd be forced to go back to being a simple Scavenger. She'd have no belonging. This morning she'd had too much and now she feared she'd end up with none. Everything was confusing and left her filled with doubt. Her allies gazes weighed heavily on her pressing her further info that spiraling vortex that left her standing alone in the center of the destructive thoughts. She could understand at least Poe's confusion and hesitance towards Rey's desire to see Ren as a possible ally, but Luke shouldn't be so brazen considering she'd be dead right now if not for the man at her side.

After a long moment of silence between the two, Ren responded to Rey's unwavering defense over her friend and their supposed trust in her, particularly Luke's. No matter what he did to her or how he treated her she always seemed so loyal to her abuser and that's how Ren saw him now. No matter how unintentional Luke's damage was, it was always the aftermath of his interactions with his tests and challenges where Rey was concerned. He was slowly chipping away at something Ren himself admired and valued above all else, loyalty. Not to mention how quickly Skywalker was managing to destroy her already shaky trust in others. She offers him her trust because she believes in what he stands for, or what she thinks he stands for. It was the same for Ben Solo. How similar they were, how easily the two we're blinded by the light.

"Rey, who do you think blew up that hut?" Ren tried to be delicate with the question but his darkness was rising and he knew his face was as hard as his cold heart felt right now. He was furious below the surface and only the progress he'd made with her today held him back from slaughtering Luke and the overbearing pilot who stood to close to him right now. Ren thought he and Luke had an understanding this morning, at least where her safety was concerned. Now he was blowing things up around her...

For a moment Rey looked broken. She'd felt the sudden surge of power before the hut had exploded and it had felt like a pulse from the light but she didn't have time to consider what that meant until he just pointed it out. In her already shaky mental state all she could do was stare into Ren's eyes. She felt if she just kept her focus on those unexplainably familiar shades of dark browns, maybe she wouldn't feel the anger or hurt from being threatened by Luke again. She was beginning to feel like he was just as unstable as his nephew but at least Ren's burst of anger seemed to be in her corner.

Maybe the unstable lashing out of emotions was a family thing? She wondered as she found the similarities uncanny.

And then Luke spoke up... "Actually, that wasn't me." He said calmly, very aware that Ren had insinuated that it was and now Rey was clearly avoiding his attention.

All heads snapped to Luke at once. He side stepped and there on the ground behind him was the unconscious form of Finn. Rey instinctively stepped towards him but Ren's hand shot up and locked painfully around her arm. Her body jerked back as she halted to the biting points of his fingers restricting around her muscles. Poe stepped forward to interject. Ren's eyes were still locked on FN-2187 but he sent Poe flying back with a sizable Force push. Rey was stunned. She was instantly upset that Ren was man handling her but she was more furious at his treatment of Poe who essentially was just trying to assist her with the brut that he was suddenly acting like. Kylo ignored the anger that he could feel radiating off of Her. His attention remained fully on the Force sensitive traitor at his uncle's feet.

That boy made it to Luke... His darkness seethed.

This was more then a problem... this was a huge problem... His masters past words rang in his ears now. "If Skywalker returns, the New Jedi will rise!" Ren had assumed Rey would be his biggest Force related problem. He was feeling less threatened by the future his uncle could infect with his false teachings the closer he pulled Rey to him. If Rey became his Luke would remain a useless hermit until the day he died. But now there was another possibility, now he had a new problem. Kylo Ren could do no more then stare at the unconscious form of the boy he thought he'd killed back on the Starkiller. He'd heard the boy survived but he never thought he'd find Luke. His chest heaved. His darkness clung to him. His mind was fading into red.

He couldn't let him live. He couldn't let him live. He couldn't let him live! At some point during his mental mantra his lightsaber had made it into his hand. It was ignited and now he felt one boot lifting from the earth beneath him as he began to unconsciously move forward. Something was tugging against his right arm. Something in his hand struggled against his grip. There was a voice. It was calling to him, but it was so far away. Then it wasn't. Her voice came through their bond. It spoke into his head loud and clear. She doused the flames in his mind just before he could be completely consumed.

"Ren... Ren... please stop..." She pleaded up at him aloud at first but he was too far gone. His face was slack and there was nothing behind his eyes but blank determination. "...Kylo..." She finally yelled through their bond.

His name... his first name through her mouth. Kylo waited for her to finish it with his last. He waited to hear his full name with as much discontent as she always said it, but it never came. Only his first name. He understood suddenly why she was so reluctant to hear hers from his mouth. It was like the world lit on fire around him. There was something personal about it. Maybe it was because he was only ever called Kylo Ren or Ren or some other very formal title that he'd earned himself through out the years and those titles were said with hate or disgust and always laced with fear by the voices brave enough to use them.

That was ok. That was what he strived for. No connections. Nothing to lose and nothing to care for. Being hated made his decisions and actions easier. But not from her. He wanted no fear and no hate from her lips. Not for him. Suddenly he forgot about the boy. He heard nothing else around him.

He didn't hear his former Jedi Master's lightsaber igniting in his hand or Poe shuffling to his feet while his mouth secreted threats as Rey tried desperately to discourage her friend from a fight he couldn't win. Kylo even ignored the blaster in the pilot's hand, deciding in this moment that it was not as threatening as he was to himself. He could feel the ice they stood on melting under his hot headed feet as his inner fire burned to destroy the multiplying threats around him.

The tendrils wrapped around his mind. His darkness hissed and clawed at his insides. His hand squeezed his lightsaber as the blade begged for action, but the small amount of reason in his head tried desperately to bring him under grips with the reality that would be his results if he did what he wanted to do, what he was bred and trained to do. If he killed the boy, if he destroyed all traces of the threats around him which he would have to do to kill the boy, he would undoubtedly lose her. She would fight him always and hate him forever. Somehow she was slowly moving past what he did to Han Solo but she had only known him a very short time. She admired him in that time and from the view of those around her that had loved him but this boy, this traitor who she called Finn... she cared for him. He could feel it through their bond. It made him sick. It made him want to remove his head so he could tear his spine from his body. It didn't feel romantic, but Ren was positive that one side did.

Maybe if he destroyed them one at a time... behind her back... cross them off like to do's on a list, maybe he could keep her on his side. But if he did this now... in front of her, there would be no recovering. If he couldn't regain control of himself now he was going to destroy everything. He was going to ruin it all like he did years ago at the academy. He had nothing to lose then. She was already gone by that time but now he had her back and though he held her firmly in his grip, his real hold on her was weak.

He'd made the headway he had because of their bond and her compassion. Her light left her vulnerable and his uncle's dishonesty helped his conviction. It made Rey vulnerable to the weapon of truth and Ren was glad that he chose that path from the beginning. If he killed them in front of her, it would destroy any humanity she thought she found in him and she'd close herself off to his corruption. She'd never look at him the same... he'd always be the monster and where he had a slight chance to hide that image of himself by other layers now, if he lost her because of this, he'd never get her back. She'd slip right through his hands and he'd be left with nothing again.

The thought of loosing her again weighed him down. He couldn't breath. He was loosing himself and he couldn't find his way back. It triggered a memory that he thought he'd left behind with the boy he use to be. It took him by surprise and it pulled him deeper into his subconscious.

                      *Hey guys n' gals thanks for reading! Please comment and ⭐️ if you liked it. *
-DarkGuardian-