Lose Control

Bonus Chapter 2

Rey laid Alder's limp body on the floor of the ship, she was exhausted from her fight but she knew Alder was in worse condition than her. The days of being tortured had weakened both of them but it was obvious that Kylo Ren had focused more on him... or had at least managed to hurt him more in the battle. Leaning down, Rey reached out a hand and felt for a pulse and let out her breath as she found one. A moment later Han, who must've left Chewie to fly the ship, joined her.

"My son..." He crouched down on Alder's other side, taking one bloodied hand in his. "He saved my life."

"He's still alive." Rey informed him, though they both knew the chances of him making it back were thin.

"It should be me." Han sighed. "He's too young to die."

"Don't say that." She snapped at him. "No one deserves to be killed by that Monster."

Alder coughed, jerking on the floor, before going still again. Rey brushed stray hair out of his face, he looked so much like Kylo Ren; it wasn't hard to guess they were related... She didn't blame him for not mentioning it. But there were differences between the two, perhaps not physically minus the new scars, but the light inside him that the two Dark siders had lacked. After tapping into the Force as he had called it, she needed him to stay alive... why hadn't she fought harder? Ran faster? She felt his body convulse as his lungs struggled to get more oxygen in them than blood.

"Hold on Alder, we'll get you help." Rey said quietly.

Han stood up and stared at him for a moment before turning away. "How will I ever explain this to Leia...?"

"By telling her the truth."

If he heard her he didn't acknowledge it. Rey went back to focusing on Alder; his wounds would need attention now, which meant she needed to go find something to stop the bleeding and clean him up a bit. She needed to wash some of the blood off too but at least it wasn't too bad, a person could at least see where her cuts were, the only cut on the Jedi before her that she could clearly make out was the one on his skull... and that was only because it was clearly leaking a flow of blood. She knew she shouldn't, but the feeling of joy spread through her at the thought of killing Ren's apprentice, not to mention burning his face with her lightsaber. That would teach him not to mess with her or her friends.

Rey started to stand up to get some supplies when Alder brushed his hand against her arm in a feeble attempt to stop her. She paused to look down at him. "I'm getting something to help you, I'll be right back."

"N-no..." His voice was garbled and blood ran out of his mouth. "P-please... p-please... l-let m-me-me... d-die..."

His gaze focused on her for a second and she mentally grimaced, it held so much more pain than his physical wounds caused. She shook her head stubbornly. "You are not dying and leaving me here to deal with the First Order on my own. We found each other now we are sticking with each other until this is all over... Besides, I hear you still owe Poe a story swap about how the two of you survived your experiences."

Alder gave a laugh but it sounded more like a cough. Rey turned away and left him there, hurrying to find anything she could use to help him. Hopefully his father would be able to get them to a hospital ship or back to the Resistance base soon... Alder didn't have much time left.   

Stay tuned for the last update where I'll announce book 2!