Reylo~Broken Souls--Kylo Ren and Rey

16. The Exchange: Part Two

Breathing in deeply, Rey readied her muscles for landing. And then, with a great surge of power that seemed to come from her soul, from the Force, she leapt, over the open air and with calculated precision, onto the five inch wide railing of Ben's. Grinning, she turned back to Ben.

Ben was smiling, but something seemed different about him. Somehow, his smile seemed forced.

"What is it?" She asked, stepping down from the railing and onto his balcony.

Ben leapt over to join her. "We've got some stuff to talk about."

Rey nodded, and gone was the smiles from both their faces. "You want to tell me about Nico," she realized.

Ben shrugged. "I figured it was time. I owe you an explanation."

"You don't owe me anything," Rey retorted softly.

Ben's eyebrows furrowed, and guilt crossed his face. "You were kidnapped because of me." He paused. "I owe you compensation for that."

Rey looked at him, and because she could hear his thoughts, feel the guilt he was feeling as though it was her own, nodded and allowed him to explain to her what had happened, because she understood what he needed in that moment.

"When I was young, I struggled with the balance of Light and Dark. Even then, Snoke had corrupted my mind, tempted me with the darkness. My parents noticed my power, noticed what I could do, and when they heard Luke was training a group to become Jedi, sent me to him."

Ben furrowed his brows, as though remembering something very terrible. Rey wondered if perhaps he did not mean to send his thoughts to her then, because all of a sudden she was swimming in his memories of deep solitude and loneliness, of jeers and exclusion.

"Nico became my only friend. We got ourselves in a lot of trouble. When we weren't training, we would sneak into the Hangar--the one we we visited today--and beg the pilots to teach us how to fly, or at least to let us come with them when they took off into the air. I remember one time, when I climbed onto a ship, I told the pilot to take me with him. Of course, I didn't realize that when he repeated my words and took off, proceeding to do the tricks I told him, I had used the Force to my selfish, childish advantages. It was my first taste of such power.

"I was never scared of it. It made me feel unstoppable. I was just a boy, and yet I could manipulate adults. I told Nico what I could do, and helped him secure rides with pilots as well. He was in awe of me back then.

"One night, when I returned to my room, Snoke visited me in my dreams. He told me that he could teach me how to use the power I had, that he knew how to make it stronger. I was ignorant, and in my foolishness I confided all this to Nico, and none of it to Luke. Luke noticed the way I hung back during training, how my heart and mind seemed to be other places. I began brushing off anything having to do with my parents. I assumed that they had brought me to Luke in order to prevent the Force from growing inside of me.

"Nico encouraged me to listen to the powerful voice inside my head." Ben paused, and Rey could hear the memory of the voice.

I can make you strong.

You will live up to the past of your grandfather, Darth Vader. Ben...you can be stronger than even him if you try, if you let me teach you.

My parents, a young Ben said, they fought against Darth Vader and his troops.

An unwise decision. They would have been much happier on his side.

Will I be happy with you?