The Light in Her - a Reylo fanfic

Chapter 2 - Searching

He laid there for a few more days, waking up on occasion to groan in anguish. How could he have let her slip away? The Supreme Leader would be displeased, extremely displeased. He was afraid, terrified even, to face him. He cursed himself and his fear, but he couldn't deny it. How could a girl, practically a child, not even trained in basic lightsaber techniques, have outlasted him?

The medics rarely checked on him personally, instead sending in droids to do it when they could. Monster, he heard them think when they saw him. Uncontrollable, dangerous. Good. He thought. They'll leave me alone. Chewbacca had shot him in the side. It tore his muscles, bruised his lung, cracked many of his ribs, they said. The medics did their best to keep the wounds stitched shut, but every now and then he would think of her, of the scavenger, and he would struggle against his bonds, trying to get to her. He tore the stitches open, over and over. He thought of her face, her face when she resisted him, the fear completely wiped away. He thought of how she struck him down, leaving him with the ugly wound across his face and chest. He kept ripping the stitches on that one too.

He connected to her mind, only for a moment. Since then he'd been a little more calm. He knew that if her mind was weak enough for him to hear, she must be nearby. But how, he wondered, had she felt him as well? Normally they didn't. He saw through her eyes a dark room, illuminated by a pale blue. The lightsaber, clearly the lightsaber of Anakin Skywalker that was rightfully his. Rightfully? He was not the grandson of Anakin Skywalker, but of Darth Vader. Was it truly his if he had no family claim to it? Of course it was. It was his prize for defeating Luke Skywalker. But no, he hadn't defeated Luke Skywalker. He was hiding, somewhere. He would find both of them, the girl and Skywalker. His thoughts were jumbled and chaotic, he couldn't make sense of anything. He had no plan, no clue what he could do to atone for all he had ruined, just rage.

He tried again to reach out to her, feel her thoughts. She was talking to... The Resistance General, in a hazy underground room. No, not just talking, laughing. When had he last heard laughter and joy? She had light in her, so much pure and radiating light. It would be a task, bringing her over to the darkness. But it would please the Supreme Leader, make any of General Hux's accomplishments pale in comparison. He only wished he could show the Supreme Leader how magnificent she was, how she flew through battle so easily, how quickly she learned. What a prodigy she would be, if he could capture her.

He looked deeper in her thoughts, watched her memory of the malfunctioning Stormtrooper, comatose in a medical pod. She was talking to him, the words hazy. The Stormtrooper's hand twitched slightly at the sound of her voice. She smiled, hope shining in her heart that he would one day wake up, then kissed his forehead. Almost, almost, Kylo Ren could feel it too. He wanted to revel in it the way she did, he wanted to feel the warmth and joy for the first time in years. This feeling, it conflicted with everything he'd known, everything the Supreme Leader had taught him. He writhed again in frustration, and now jealousy. He didn't want to desire to live in her world, yet he did. The Supreme Leader had just decided to complete his training, according to General Hux. He couldn't ruin it now.

Stupid, stupid girl. He thought. I have much more to offer you than the thieves and liars of the Resistance or Luke Skywalker. Her joy was quickly replaced with the same rage he felt, and she stopped dead in her tracks. She knew he was there.

"Rey...? Are you alright?" A gentle voice asked her as she stopped short. She turned, looked down at the worried face of The General, Ben Solo's mother. He fought the reaction that came, but could hardly smother it. How could she worry so much for this scavenger that she hardly knew? How could she have never worried so much for her own son?

"Yes, I'm just dizzy..." She replied, touching a hand to her forehead. Kylo Ren felt the General wrap a caring arm around her shoulders, and the pang of jealousy that came with it. How dare this Resistance scum comfort her? She was more dangerous than the General knew, and she would do well to keep away from her.