Kylo's Story, Part 12 ...

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My hands are unsteady as I scoop medicated ointment onto my fingertips. Rey's back is turned to me and she's hugging her blankets to her chest. I waited outside the room while she changed into a pair of black pants, then she called me back in and I found her sitting on the bed, hugging her blankets to herself, topless with a shy look on her face.

Now I'm on the bed with her and she's faced away from me, her feet are tucked under her. Her lower back is arched so perfectly it makes me ache. She glances over her shoulder at me and I quickly look up.

"Ready?" She says.

I nod and gently place the lotion onto her back. She stiffens.

"Cold?" I ask, pausing.

"It's fine," she says softly.

I smooth the lotion over her dry skin as carefully as I can. Her shoulders relax and then she sighs so pleasantly that the sound makes me shudder. I take my time, getting every inch of her upper back where she couldn't reach, wishing I had a reason to cream her lower back where the skin looks fine. She tilts her head to the side, drawing my attention to her neck. My muscles stiffen and I clench my jaw. Her hair is gathered up in an elastic exposing her delicate pale skin.Her shoulders rise and fall as she sighs again, more slowly this time. My eyes travel down to the curve of her waist then up and I catch a glimpse of the side of her breast as she squeezes the blankets tight. My pulse races.

I've finished applying the cream everywhere it's needed but I take some more and start again. She tilts her head the other way and I glance at her neck once more, my hands following my eyes as I trace my fingers up her shoulders to her neck.

Rey lets out a small gasp and I quickly pull my hand away. She turns abruptly and I freeze.

"You kissed me!" she says, her eyes wide. "In a dream and... in real life too."

"What?" My brain doesn't want to work. All I can think about is that now she's facing me and only has one hand holding the blankets, the other is on the bed, keeping her balance as she turns. She shifts her knees around so she can use her free hand again, bringing it up to my face. I brace myself for a slap, but instead she touches my lips gently with the tips of her fingers, looking at them like she's lost in thought.

"No," she whispers. " the one who kissed ..." She smiles. "And you kissed me back."

A heat stirs inside of me. I look down at her supple lips, slightly parted. If we start kissing now I won't be able to stop. I'll lose all control. I move her fingers slowly away.

"Rey..."

"Yes?" her breath catches and she moves closer.

"You should get dressed, before you do something you'll regret."

Her eyes flash and then, she slaps me.

* * *

"My data base says ," BB-8 beeps. "And it also says... ."

"Did a male or female compile that report?" I ask her, looking out across the sky. It's a clear day and we're at the amphitheater getting some fresh air. I'm sitting on a bottom step beside BB-8, the sun shining on my face. All those years travelling in spaceships has made me forget how wonderful it is to have the sun on my face. It's also wonderful to know that Rey remembers everything now. Almost everything. She still can't remember how she got in the catacombs or why she even went there in the first place.

"The report was compiled by a team of professors from-"

"There you are." Finn jogs over to us, and I groan inwardly. He looks excited and has been talking about the latest word going around about Snoke's new crystal Death Star, and Hux still being alive. But I've been too wrapped up in my own thoughts to pay much attention. I was trying to hide from Finn mostly, when I came to the amphitheater.

"The General called an emergency meeting at the Headquarters Office," he says, looking way too happy about it.

I sigh and get up.

"It's an officials-only meeting."

"Then why are we going?"

Finn is already ahead of me, BB-8 following excitedly behind him. I take a final moment in the warm sun then follow after them.

* * *

A holographic 3D image of a diamond shaped weapon floats over the meeting table where ten commanding officers are seated along with Rey, Finn, me and Chewbacca the Wookiee.

"Thanks to Chewie's scouting we now have this visual of the new Death Star," my mom says. She stands at the head of the table, looking official in her General's uniform. "We believe it uses a massive amount of Synthetic Crystals to generate an energy field similar to a red light saber, but one that can travel through space to its target-"

"Does it blow up planets?" Finn interrupts. I'm still trying to figure out why he's even here.

"It slowly kills all life on a planet through radiation exposure and leaves the planet itself unharmed."

"Why would he want that?" Rey asks. She has a concerned look on her face and I can't help but think how adorable she looks when she's worried. I should have let her kiss me last night. No it was good I didn't. But at least if I'd kept my mouth shut, or my thoughts...

"Ben?"

Everyone's looking at me and I freeze. "Yes?"

Mom frowns. "Conner asked you if you know anything more about this new weapon and how it works."

I shake my head. "All I know is that Synthesized Crystals are unstable. I don't think the First Order will be successful in focusing it on a particular target if it's travelling through space."

"We have to assume they have already found a way." Mom turns off the holographic image and takes a seat. "Thank you Chewie." She nods to the tall Wookie who yells incoherently in return. Since his return I'm no longer the tallest one on base. I don't even think he knows I'm Kylo Ren. Everyone calls me Ben now. If he knew, I'd think he'd have killed me by now, for killing his lifelong friend and master, my father.

A touch on my leg makes me jump and my knee hits the table hard, getting everyone's attention. All heads turn to me once again and Chewie yells another incoherent reply.

"He says now he's not the only one too tall for all our furniture," Mom explains with a grin. Everyone laughs and I tense for a second. The smiles around the room are genuine and I realize no one's laughing at me, but at Chewie's comment.

Mom clears her throat and starts up again about the location of the new weapon. Rey nudges my shoulder and motions for me to move closer so she can tell me something. I lean down and she whispers in my ear, her breath sending chills down my side.

"Sorry, that was me," she says, patting my leg. "I wanted to say I forgive you."

Now Mom's talking about sending out more scouts before we can decide on the best strategy to destroying this unstable Meth Star, which is what we're calling the new Death Star now. It started as a joke Finn made and stuck as the unofficial name for the new crystal destruction weapon. I don't get the joke but Connor can't seem to get enough of it. He's snickering even now.

I'm about to ask Rey what she's forgiving me for when her hand settles on my leg again and suddenly I can't speak, or think, or breathe. I can only hope that no one asks me any more questions.