It flashed in his peripheral first.

Wide bulbous eyes repeatedly blinked at the seemingly blank holo screen before them, trying to find it again, the little light that had pulled them from the search they'd been focused on for hours already...

—Nothing.

Tired, gold rimmed, pupils returned their attention back to the center of the data chart which the Mon Calamari, had been plugging the latest set of coordinates into before the little ghost light had appeared.

Then... again!

The corner of his eye caught yet another streak of it; a tiny flicker, far to the left hand side of the screen.

Admiral Ackbar, stared at the little spot he thought he'd seen light up twice now. After a moment of continued inactivity, he grunted. Deciding he'd spent too many stationary hours sitting in this chair, staring at the very lackluster screen, the highest ranking officer on deck set his palms flat against it's arm rests and sprung up from his seated position.

Propelled into a hasty and chaotic search of a small, half uncharted Galaxy, Southside of the Outer Rim, the crew around him, tired and finally starting to run out of steam, had only just recently settled down and the jostling motion of their most seasoned Admiral had startled those positioned closest to him into a near silent sea of turning heads.

Letting out a blurbing sound from his wide, fishy mouth, the Admiral shook his head vigorously before continuing to roll the shakes down his body like a wave set to free the stiffness that had been culminating throughout his muscles while he'd sat for hours, searching every inch of each carefully sectioned quadrant for any signs of the small craft a select panel of his crew had been charged with locating. The tall, aquatic humanoid, had cracked his spine in several places before noticing the many sets of equally tired eyes that now fixed their focus directly on him.

Half turning towards the crew, he gurgled deep in the back of his throat and set a slight smile to a tilt across his embarrassed face.

"Seeing spots..." He promptly, offered a short explanation for his disruptive behavior.

Behind him, there was a single beep. A solitary sound that caught the attention of every member currently stationed on the deck around him. The Admiral whipped around, his sole focus back on the holo field in front of him. The beep rose from the small sector just on the edge of the screen again, and this time, with it, was the same small flash that he'd only just dismissed as his tired eyes playing rude tricks on him in their frustrated fatigue.

Again his hands planted along the console, and just to be certain of his findings, Ackbar craned his thick neck downward, his eyes and ears straining as he set his sole focus to confirming what was transpiring on the screen before he allowed himself to react accordingly.

The crew behind him had gone as silent as the endless body of space that surrounded them, each and every one of them also completely focused on what they could see or hear past the large form of their, Admiral.

The beep came again, and then in a short spans, —again. The flash followed suit, illuminating a dark region off to the corner of the screen in quickening pulses, like lightning, creeping closer. Now, having the confirmation his tired mind needed, Ackbar, was quick to react. His hands flew up to the screen and he redirected the holo image around the blip of light. The beeping grew more prominent as his skillful hands artfully worked the ship's sonar and long distance scanners in the exact direction needed to set the ping ablaze.

With his right hand still working the map so he could pin point the exact location of the ship he'd finally, painstakingly, narrowed in on, his left hand worked the com on his console and he cleared his throat before speaking through the private channel his General had set aside for exactly this reason. To get a visual on the craft, he was tediously working around several solar storms that had been causing severe interference between their tracking system and the tiny vessel that he'd almost missed, and this was where his attention was fully invested when Leia came bursting into the deathly silence of the room. Being the weathered professional that he was, Ackbar didn't even flinch at the sudden disturbance.

"Admiral...?"

His General, and long-time friend, anxiously whispered from across the space of the deck, yet he heard her clearly. So clearly in fact, that he picked up on the un-ease in her voice even over the now constant beeping that was currently ringing in his ears.

In a hasty pace, Leia followed the same path a Ross the deck, as her own insecure plea had, her long, dark grey robes billowing lightly behind her Movements as she cut through the otherwise still space aboard her massive battle cruiser. "Did you Really find it?" She breathed, her still quiet voice, just shy of hopeful.

Not wishing to stir up further distress in his friend, Ackbard replied without hesitation. "It's here." And he brought what he'd found up on the center screen of the battle projector. The holo image filled the space in the center of the deck. Large, and illuminated by thousands of individual light projections set to creat one massive, fully dimensional representation, the personal pod appeared before the General and all of her most trusted crew, leaving her gasping at the undeniable proof before her eyes.

It hadn't been something she'd thought up, after all, she realized. He'd come to her... after all this time, he'd come to her, through the Force; It was the first time since she'd felt the loss of Han through him... that Ben, had contacted her... And here, blown up on the main holo projector for all to see, was her proof.

                                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~

Tethered...

Why had he allowed himself to say that just now? Why had he put himself in such a foolish, vulnerable position; admitting such a deep thing like that to her...? What happened to the steely resolve he'd set himself in only yesterday when he'd told her his helmet would remain firmly in place?

   Such a short time ago he'd seethed about her getting used to the mask he always wore... and yet, now here he was —without it, kneeling before her while admitting things aloud that should never be spoken of...

Deep down, Kylo already knew why, and thinking on it only caused his fingers to grip more firmly into her small hips, possessively kneading the thin flesh that encased her there.

Unable to slink away and even more unwilling to physically fight him, Rey carefully repositioned herself to rest her weight back on her heels, sinking back down below her Dark Side Master's height and unintentionally squirming in his hands along the way, simply because of a little pressure under his fingertips.

Maker, above or bellow, Kylo loved the way he was able to effect her! There was a fluttering sensation moving through her tummy and he could feel the nervous response as she experienced it through their shared bond. Fear and uncertainty wrapped protectively around her innocence like a cocoon Kylo wanted to strip bare piece by piece.

Already though, he could feel her curiosity peeling it back for him, one thin layer at a time. If he just maintained control, held his composure and his end of their agreement a little longer... But Kriff, she felt so good in his hands, his, little scavenger.

Under the grip he had on her, somehow, just between the contact of where his gloves met her clothes, was a very live current of their mixing power and it brought the Force crackling to life between them, setting in stone what he already perceived to be the truth; In his mind, Rey belonged here.

—With him.

—Always.

And he'd do or say almost anything to keep her here at his side.

Of course, the truly terrifying part of that statement was that he meant what he'd said. He is tethered to her. He knew it! Body and soul, he felt undeniably intertwined with her completely.

The question constantly wracking his brain, noisily scratching at the inner surface of his skull at night while he desperately tried to sleep, was why didn't she feel the same? Or if she did, why was she always fighting against what seemed more natural to him, than breathing?

Even now, while he did no more then make this little contact with her, the shade of pink on her cheeks was deepening. Her shallow breaths were coming quicker and her eyes, half hidden by the thick lashes that fluttered around them, were glancing down shyly, adding to a mask of the most endearing innocence.

Even with her obvious reservations, Kylo was sure she wanted to be here too; that is... in his hands.

Hoth, he could feel that truth pulsing from deep within her, strong and powerful. Thrumming like the very beating of his wicked, Dark-side heart. Her Light called to him, reached for his Darkness like it longed to revel in the shadows of his soul.

Kylo recognized the call. He'd felt it's pull for years now. At night it would roar at him, waking him from even the deepest of slumbers. And during the day it would rhythmically thrum, whispering through him like the endless current of his blood, streaming in soft pulses through his veins.

Seeking a visible response he could follow with his mischievous eyes, Kylo squeezed Rey's hipline again, this time even adding a swipe of his right thumb across the under-seam of her uniform.

Much to his delight, from her he'd elicited a shudder as his gloved thumb lightly teased across the bare skin just above her pelvis. Her hands instantly released the steadying grip they'd had on his armor and she brought them darting down with the line of her wide, shocked, hazel eyes, falling over the leather clad hands that so brazenly secured her by the hips.

  Still breathless from the simple interaction between them, Rey could only stare down at her small hands grasping to the back of the larger set of his. In comparison, she looked so small, so delicate with his seemingly massive hands just close to nearly, completely caging her in by her slender hipline.

Bending his face down to meet her lowered gaze, Kylo took the moment of vulnerability for the opening that it was, stopping only when his mouth was skimming the side of Rey's left temple.

"Apprentice," He barely whispered the word over her ear. "Look at your Master, kneeling before you..." He breathed his sultry words over her already flushed skin with the intensity of licking flames.

When Rey squirmed against the heat of his words, he dug his thumbs more possessively into her sides, keeping her in place just beneath him and leaving her gripping nervously over the back of his hands for both support and some slim semblance of a control they both knew was false.

Overwhelmed by their closeness and the satisfaction that it equally brought to both halves of their bond, Rey's eyes closed and she aimed at taking a deep, steadying breath. Kylo, however, giving into his need to dominate her senses in the way that she always plagued his, stole advantage of that moment. Suddenly his fingers dug into her flesh more fiercely and she found herself gasping.

Certain he'd drawn the response out from her on purpose and ever rebellious by nature, Rey brazenly lifted her face up to meet his eyes with a hard stare, which unintentionally, brought the line of their faces even closer together. The front of his full mouth now completely crowded her space as he continued to breath heavily over her skin. As if that wasn't enough, in her haste to scold him with the disapproving gaze she was giving him over the invasion of her personal space, the upward tilting of her face caused the unintentional dragging of his plush lips down her already blushing cheek.

Ignoring the look she was attempting to distance him with, Kylo leaned further into the curve of her soft face, savoring the scent of her blush heated skin under his nose— hovering, just above the flesh he craved to taste, and his mouth watered.

"You make me feel —so weak." He drawled out, his voice thick and smooth as molten steel, with desire.

  Kylo drew back with his confession, his eyes abruptly studying the expression both his words and actions had left Rey working through.

Her innocence was painted in the vulnerability of her face. She was shocked. Surprised to the point of a dumbfounded stun. Her reaction told him that she had no real concept of the power she held over him. It was obvious that his, little desert flower, really didn't understand what she did to him. The Dark sider couldn't help but remember the last time they'd stood face to face in a training room much like this one, and it caused a potent anxiety to well up in his chest. During that last scenario their time together had again, been cut short, because Luke, had again, separated them.

Kylo hadn't even attempted to control the anger he'd been left with in her absence. Immediately he'd taken to slashing and tearing through whatever was within his reach. His blade had seared through everything from practice droids, to full racks of dueling equipment and blast shields. He burned through his rage the same way his Lightsaber ate through the heavy training beams that stemmed up from the floor to the ceiling. When non of it was enough, he'd even taken his blade to the walls. Since then he'd been left craving the heat of her skin this close to his marred face. The brand she'd left him with... it always throbbing with the pain of his separation from her.

Carefully sliding his right hand free from under her left, Kylo cautiously reached upward, leaving her watching as his palm stopped just shy of touching the surface of her chin. Their unique Force essences pulled like a magnet within the open distance between them and for a brief moment of insecurity, Kylo hesitated. His palm opened and closed and he pulled his hand back as he struggled with his deepest insecurities. He worried she'd suddenly disappear like the phantom she'd always been to him. Or worse, that she'd again spurn his advances and cast him out like she had every right to do... but with his thoughts still lingering on each haunting time they'd been torn apart, or been forced to separate from one another, he grew in his determination to touch her, to be connected to her in some physical way that joined them together more then the magnetic push and pull of their manipulative Force essences trying to meet in the middle.

Without further deliberation and with crystal clear intent, Kylo brought the end of his index finger to his mouth, stuck the tip between his lips, and fastened his teeth to the leather that encased it. He'd been waiting to touch her with out the interference of his glove. Wanting to know with his bare hand, if she'd feel as soft as she looked, or as warm as the blushes she seemed to wear solely for him, suggested.

Rey visibly swallowed as she watched him, and Kylo wanted to touch her all the more for her honest display of the same anticipation that he felt. With his left hand still securely fastened to Rey's hipline and his right glove snagged between his teeth, he gave one clean tug, then proceeded to eagerly pull his naked hand free from his armor before flexing it opened and closed, testing the sensitivity of his skin against the cool temperature of his training room.

Opening his mouth only just slight enough for the ebon colored leather to slip free from the hold of his teeth, Kylo moved again for the side of Rey's face. There was a light slapping sound as his glove hit the hard floor just below the line of their sight, and while Kylo made no move to acknowledge the insignificant noise, his Light side counterpart, did the opposite. Very visibly startled, a jolt of surprise shot through Rey, sending her slightly popping up from the seated position she'd been holding on her heels. With only his left hand, Kylo kept her secure, steading her as she lightly rocked forward onto her toes.

Sympathizing with her uncertainty, a very reluctant Kylo slowed to a stop. He'd forced his hand, once again into pausing just before attaining the physical contact that he'd always been denied, and it was a torment that he'd thought he'd never have to endure again... Not since he finally procured control over her...

Hovering just between them, only millimeters away from it's intended destination, Kylo's hand slightly shook with the need to touch her. To add to his strain, the pull of his Darkness was growing stronger then he'd ever felt it. It's need to be alleviated from the constant ache this girl always caused, had sweat forming along his pulled brows and temples.

Something living within him; something he was unable to hide and that he was barely keeping control of, was rising up from the deep pools of Kylo's intense brown eyes until it shone, glimmering just along the surface of his stare, pleading with her in it's own immediate, desperation. It was dark and intangible, wild and dangerous, but strangely enough, familiar and... safe.

Containing himself so securely... once again holding himself back for her benefit; It was destroying him from within. Cutting another thread of his thinning sanity with every passing second, but still he waited for her approval before continuing.

Kylo didn't understand why he craved her consent... it wasn't as though the simple act of touching her would be the same as assaulting her. After all, it would just be his hand on her face —and only for the contact. Not for the advantage of viewing inside the most private recesses of her mind again. Sadly,  like the first time his gloved finger stroked her cheek in the interrogation chamber. This moment wasn't like that. It wasn't because he didn't realize how wrong it was, and it certainly wasn't for the benefit of his Master!

This was just for him, and her.

Hoth, one or the other had initiated lip locking in the past... why then, was he treating this small thing now, like such a big deal?

Around them, the room was thickening with the unspent energy their unstable signatures were putting off. It was creating an uncontrolled current of power that dangerously circulated throughout the area. The Force moved in unstable surges outward from the pair, causing the harsh lights which were tucked into the long, dark grated walls, and the sharp corners of the wide, open space, to dim and eerily flicker with interference.

So much power spilled out into the void space around the two, that Kylo's Knights, from three floors away and in the infirmary with their Second, had now gathered all of their attention in the direction where their Master and his new Apprentice dwelled in the ship. And they were not the only ones who sensed the pulsing swell of the energy that circulated around the two opposing Force users.

  ...There was something— or rather, someone, else. Someone who'd buried themselves deep within their Master's mind years before they were ever considered his knights, and the loyal knights, sensed this presence stirring in their leader now...

With his 'Master-Apprentice' so distracted, it was easy when Snoke slithered to the forefront of Kylo's, much distracted mind. Infiltrating the space had become increasingly difficult lately, but not currently; not with his attention so fully placed upon the girl.

In this rare moment the task was as easy as it had been when his Apprentice was a still a boy. The only real difference was how careful he now had to be not to trip the defenses the young man had since, set in place.

Ren's mind though —he hadn't seen it this conflicted since he was faced with his father on the inner bridge of, the StarKiller base.

It was this girl. His Master knew his desire for her was overwhelming. -As it should be... He agreed.

Snoke was surprised in fact, that the young man was able to keep his control around her as well as he did. But this was something he could help with, something he could remedy. And his intention was to do so now, if only to see how much influence he still held over his young Apprentice's mind.

How couldn't he take advantage of this opportunity? Such occasions were becoming less frequent by the day, and the more they bonded with one another —even less likely than that. As it was, he'd had no control over the growing threat that this, the last male Skywalker, was becoming; Not since that very short period on the island when he'd aggressively sent him after the girl, likely almost destroying the delicate trust that his Apprentice had apparently gained from her in the short time they'd been together there. And even then, something on the Last Jedi's 'hideaway' island, or around them, had interfered with his ability to fully control his Apprentice, leaving his mental hold on him crippled at best. As Snoke often did when the young man was a child, in order to influence his mind long term through the Force, he'd had to manipulate it through his dreams.

If it meant that he could keep a stronger foothold in his Apprentice's mind, then Snoke would gladly encourage the distraction. Besides, if this girl was who the Supreme Leader suspected she was, then that was already a requirement for him to reach the end of his agenda. There was really only one way to find out; He needed the two sides to come together.

It was instantaneous when Kylo felt his insides twisting... the tendrils he so often fought with were back, vining around his innards... squeezing... suffocating, and leaving him completely enamored... as usually, when he was with Rey, the tendrils were nearly all but nonexistent. Why was he so torn when it came to how to handle her?

It didn't take the bond between them for Rey to realize that suddenly something significant had changed in the unstable Dark sider who currently loomed slightly above her. The eyes she hadn't been able to break her gaze from were significantly changing, even while she stared transfixed at them. What she could only describe as, an ancient coldness, seemingly appeared like inching frost over the surface of his once warm brown pools.

Rey stifled a gasp between her own teeth-locked lips. The pressure of Kylo's Force essence was closing in around her, but there was something else there as well. It was completely different from the increasingly familiar Darkness she was beginning to grow more accustomed to encountering. Even different then the dangerous predator her once childhood friend had molded himself into so he could survive in this brutal world he'd been crudely forced to adapt to. Maker, she was sure she'd encountered this imposing energy before, but as she was already on a sensory overload and with her mind still utterly fatigued, Rey just couldn't quite place the source which was triggering every survival instinct she'd ever possessed.

Something she inherently knew as powerful, had managed to deeply tuck itself away within the folds of Kylo's Force signature, and it's ability to elude her natural senses made it almost untraceable. But not completely. The interference between their signatures alone, proved of its existence. The infiltrator couldn't go undetected because her own Force began naturally moving to evade the disturbance that impeded with the mingling of it and her bond-mate. So no matter how cautious it was, while their bond was open, even as slightly as it was, Rey could sense the foreign signature.

—It was there, faint, but certainly there...

  When Kylo's mouth abruptly widened, his lips, shakily pulling further apart to allow an untamed breath the freedom of escaping the confines of the normally well contained warrior, and he unconsciously leaned further forward, placing himself over Rey's cautiously still frame, she was already concerned. The release of control that Kylo had otherwise constantly kept himself under, seemed like a giveaway, but that's not what heightened her initial paranoia.

All of her pending distress had instantly been validated when she saw the path leading from his usually deep, but clear, brown irises change into something frosty. She could see the road to his mind fading into the fog of whatever it was that drifted behind the windows of his eyes. It moved with an unknown, but definitive purpose, leaving behind a thick opacity which slowly settled just upon their surface. It was like mist upon a glassy lake. Mesmerizing and enchanting as it moved.

But this phenomenon was no natural event. It was invasive and calculating. The presence was controlling... and very intelligent. Worst of all, she could tell from the way it was focusing in on her... that it was something... threatening.

⭐️ I hope you all know how hard I'm trying to get this work out and haven't given up on me. To those of you who have stuck around, I say thank you. I am deeply moved and appreciative of all of the support and encouragement you've given me along the way. Furthermore, while I have been slow to update new content, I have been going through and editing some of the earlier chapters, some of which have been heavily edited.⭐️

*Thank you all, and as usual, please vote, comment as much as you wish, and of course —Happy Reading—.*

   -DarkGuardian