Chapter 44.

They tentatively sat across from one another at the table as MOX hobbled around, carrying their large plates and placing them in front of both Kylo and Rey.

As he placed Rey's down, Kylo watched her eyes grow wide at the amount of food while he unfolded a black cloth and laid it over his lap.

Rey waited until MOX walked away before she tore into the meat with her hands, tearing off the meat from the bone and quickly popping it into her mouth.

Kylo's hand hovered over his own utensils, amused at how quickly she was eating.

This was the first time they had shared dinner together, usually he was in the washer as she ate before they switched places after training.

Each of her fingertips were covered in grease and spices, and as she finally looked up from her near empty plate, she popped the last bit of meat into her mouth and looked up to meet Kylo's gaze.

He was watching her...

More than likely the entire time she had been eating.

Rey's eyes drifted down to his hand that hovered over the utensils, and she glanced down to the side of her own plate, realizing the same tools were there for her as well.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she sucked her fingers clean before drying them with the folded cloth next to her plate as she leaned back in her chair, kicking her feet up onto the table.

He smirked at her. "Lovely manners. Does MOX not prepare you any breakfast?"

Her eyes narrowed even more. "He does."

"So, what's the hurry?" he asked, taking a slow, deliberate bite of his food as Rey watched.

"I just... I don't know. On Jakku, I never knew when I'd get my next meal. Call it an old habit."

The answer interested him as he involuntarily leaned forward in his chair. "And what would you do?"

Rey shrugged. "Scavenge. Try to find the best junk I could, hunt if I could bare the heat. After a couple of days, I'd get desperate... Steal, if I absolutely had to..." Rey made sure to leave out how she'd even turn to bugs if need be.

"Hmm..." Was all he said.

They watched one another some more as he finished his own meal.

She caught glimpse of his cheek, still pink from when she had slapped him. Her own cheeks grew hot as she replayed it over and over in her head, embarrassed and disappointed that it had happened.

"Don't." He said, studying her face, his eyes intense and hard on hers. "It's a solid reaction you had, I deserved it. Heed my warning, though."

Kylo nearly smiled at her, and the look made Rey's heart stop.

'Heed my warning.'

Rey wanted to laugh... Even when he threatened it the first time, she could feel what a lie it was, their bond singing with his fib. As Rey glanced down, she let the smile come to life on her lips.

The way she smiled...

The dimples that creased on her cheeks...

It made his heart stop, knowing that he was the only one here to steal it, to watch as it bloomed to life.

She was the sole cause for the way his world was crashing and burning.

It was nearly delicious in the way she did it.

The way she approached his challenges, his attitudes, always matching exactly what he gave... It was thrilling. As her eyes drifted to his once more, her lashes fluttering upwards, he noticed her eyes still had a hint of sorrow.

He softly shook his head, a smirk still at his lips.

There was no doubt now that he had experienced it first hand, that she was growing stronger, having been able to finally being a mind trick on him, and then raise her hand to him. He recalled as his head had whipped to the side the moment her hand made contact, his cheek stinging and ears ringing.

No one had dared to touch him, let alone smack him.

He admired her courage, and her raw emotion as she rode it out.

It was pleasurable to see.

From across the table, he watched as she shivered before crossing her arms.

With a quick sigh, Kylo stood from his chair, sliding his plate to Rey to let her finish the last few bites, which she quickly accepted.

"I'm going to gather wood for a fire. Try not to cause too much trouble, use paper if you feel the need to write, and don't lay a hand on MOX."

Rey watched as he swiftly left the hut, stifling a chuckle, just as he did the same.

( X )

Later, in the middle of the night, Rey lay in bed, in and out of sleep as her mind played her a nightmare every time she had closed her eyes.

She was on the island, the same island she had dreamt about so many nights when she was alone in Jakku. This place in her dreams was a safe haven, untouched by any darkness, a place of light and peace.

Waves crashed in the background, overlapping one another as she slowly walked down a pebbled path, making her way to a ruined building at the end of the path...

This part was new.

On this night, she had dreamt of this three times, making it right to this point before the screams started...

It was own screams, screams of when Kylo killed Han...Of when Kai died...

Though this time, her body refused to let her wake up, instead, her hands covered her ears as she began to run to the catacombs, tripping over rocks and pebbles in her way, the screams grew louder the closer she came.

Tears streamed down her face, her palms pressing into her ears so hard that it began to throb with pain. The moment she set foot on the first step of the catacomb, the screams abruptly stopped, the only sound in her ears was the ocean...

Rey quickly looked around for any other sign of life, for anyone to answer the confusion, the sadness.

She was alone here...

'So lonely... So afraid to leave...' his voice called to her mind in the distance.

Her eyes widened, again looking around her to find him, knowing he'd help her... Knowing she'd feel better with his presence.

'So lonely... So afraid to leave...' his voice said again. Rey turned, realizing the source of his voice was down in the catacombs, the long staircase descending deep down into the ruined building.

Hesitantly, she made her way down, each step activating a torch that hung loosely on the brick walls. Her heart beat faster, the throbbing in her ears beating hard now as she continued to follow his voice.

Reaching the bottom floor, Rey now stood alone in a small room, a glass tomb sat along the farthest wall, covered in vines and moss.

Her eyes widened, her cheeks still wet from her tears as she forced herself to approach it, already knowing what she'd find...Her breathing hitched as her body prepped a sob.