Chapter 23.

Her wound was closed, she was sure it. It wasn't throbbing any longer, nor was it bleeding, and for that she was thankful.

She still felt the pain of the kicks though, and beneath her wound, she was scarring.

Everything else, however...

With a start, Rey opened her eyes for the first time since being healed. The room was dark, except for the small lamp that was lit to her left. Trying to sit up, Rey winced and fell back against the bed.

"Stop straining yourself."

Jumping, Rey's head whipped towards her left looking past the lamp and seeing a dark figure sitting in the corner, ignoring the spike of pain shooting through her.

From the shadows, sitting awkwardly in a small chair, Kylo Ren leaned forward, the light illuminating the side of his face.

His soft eyes looked Rey over, feeling the pain she was ignoring. Rey still paid no mind to it as her eyes glued to him in disbelief that he was truly there.

Blinking a few times and trying to close her mouth, Rey tried to think of something to say.

"You... You're here? How di-" She stammered, being cut off by Kylo.

Kylo moved closer to her, studying her face. "It doesn't matter now. How do you feel?" His voice was low, and Rey detected a hint of concern and anger in it. Still in shock, Rey glanced away as she tried to pinpoint what hurt and what didn't.

Now that she was awake, her body felt a bit numb, and her ribs were killing her. She assumed it was from the kicks that Sano.....

Her eyes widened as she looked back to Kylo, who was already answering her unasked question.

"He got away. My mo-.... I was told he was a new member to the resistance? I was not given the details, but he escaped after causing quite the trouble to your base. Everyone is packing up to leave." He explained, watching for Rey's reaction.

Rey glanced away, feeling angry that she had not been more wise or expecting when it came to Sano. She thought about their first challenge, and how she felt his intentions on just his first day there. Cursing herself, Rey couldn't fight the oncoming wave of responsibility and guilt that washed over her for how the situation played out.

Adjusting the pillow beneath her head, she folded it in half and moved up so that she could see him better.

Still, Kylo simply watched her. He was curious as to how she felt, and if she felt anything that had happened only hours before she woke.

He, however, felt sick.

Kylo Ren had been sitting there cursing himself for coming to Excora, knowing that just choosing to do so was a move to the light. And when he channeled it to save Rey, he was overtaken by it for just a moment. He feared the light, he was enraged by it, and for the scavenger, he was fueled by it. The darkness within him quickly ran it out once Rey was brought back, but deep down, Kylo knew there was still traces of it that would never leave him.

He saved his mother twice now, his guilt for killing his father still ate at him, and now, he was the savior of the last jedi...

Shaking his head, Kylo bit the inside of his cheek as he silently reminded himself that he saved her to benefit the First Order for when she turned... The dark vision he had of Rey, would come true. He was certain of it...

"How did you do it?" Rey asked, pulling him from his thoughts. Kylo looked back to her, meeting her warm gaze.

'.' His mind echoed to him.

Tearing his eyes away, he looked to the floor.

"You were still alive. I just found you." He lied. Kylo was not able to bring himself to admit it out loud. He had channeled the light side of the force to save her.

Rey did not believe this to be true. In fact, she felt for sure that it was not.

Letting the lie go, for fear that he would get angry, Rey glanced around the room as she wondered if everyone else was okay.

"There were...causalities." He answered, peering into her mind as he watched her intently, and for once she was not able to object, feeling all too weak.

Her eyes met his, and for a moment Kylo seemed as though he was bracing for a fight, but when he felt the sadness wash over Rey, his anxiousness melted away.

He was... He was feeling for her...

With a loud growl, Kylo stood and moved his chair next to the bed, sitting more comfortably now that he was near Rey.

His sudden frustration made Rey jump, and she was not able to decide if her heart stopped because he was angry with her, or if it was because he was much closer to her now.

"Causalities are a part of war. These people, these rebellious, law breaking thieves and traitors? They will fall in this battle. They are part of your past." He told her, urgency seeping in his voice.

Rey stared into his dark eyes, surprised to find out that she did not have to probe the force to feel that he was unsteady in his own emotions. She knew coming here was a very big decision for him, and Rey wondered what it meant for him when it came to the light and dark side of Ben Solo.

"You're trying to convince me of something you're unsure of ... Ben, what happened?" she softly inquired. His eyes widened, his face softened. He was caught...

Kylo blinked, his breathing growing heavier. He was not sure what he expected, but after the nights events, he knew for sure he did not want to fall to this light, to Rey. His hands began to moisten with sweat, his heart beat pounding in his chest.

Shaking his head to rid himself of whatever emotion was being brought upon him, Kylo stood and went to the medicine cabinet across the room, grabbing a medical syringe that carried a pain relieving sedative. Ontop of everything else, she was easily ignoring the pain she was in, but he could feel every inch of it.

'' he thought, almost worryingly.

Turning back to her, Kylo slowly made his way to the bed, feeling Rey's eyes following him.

"What is that?" she asked.

"For the pain. My mo-...Leia left it. It'll put you to sleep, but your body will heal faster." He said, his own gaze staring down at the needle in his hand. Kylo glanced up to her, and she seemed unfazed. He thought about giving her the needle so she could apply it herself, but decided against it since she was still quite weak.

Clearing his throat, he walked to her other side, gently and awkwardly lifting her wrist and facing it upwards. A jolt rocked through them both at the touch, yet both chose not to mention it. Kylo noted how soft her skin was, and Rey thought of nothing else but the warmth of his large hand cradling her wrist.

Pushing the needle in, he slowly let the clear liquid empty itself into her, watching intently.

Her eyes studying Kylo, Rey could not believe that she lay in this bed now, the dark ruler of the galaxy first having saved her, and now, was of her.