𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑-𝐎𝐈𝐃 | Kylo Ren

chapter eleven

We make it to the edge of the forest when Ben stops. The others turn to him, frowning.

"I am not coming with you." Ben says to everyone, but his eyes stay solely on me. 

"What do you mean?" I ask, stepping up to him and grabbing his hand.

"If I go back with you to the Resistance base, I will either be shot on sight or imprisoned. I also have no desire to be on the Resistance base in the first place."

"But-" I stutter out before I am interupted.

"-We don't have time to discuss any of this! The planet is going to blow up! What don't you people understand. If we stay, we die." Finn exasperatly throws his hands in the air.

"I have a ship." Ben says.

"The thing is, since you suddenly seem so happy to cooperate, we kind of have to bring you with us to make sure you don't do anything...-" Rey tries to think of a word,  "-bad. So, you don't actually have a choice." Suddenly, Finn pulls out a lightsaber and points it at Ben. I go to step between them, but Ben pushes me back with the Force. I struggle against it, trying to get to them, but to no avail.

"Start walking." Finn demands, lightsaber hovering closer to Ben then what must be comfortable. But Ben doesn't move.

"If you think that is going to make me come with you, you have sorely misjudged my character." Ben mutters.

"We don't have time for this!" Finn yells. "Do you want us all to die? Do you want Aster to die, simply because you won't cooperate?" Finn points to me, still held back by Ben with the Force.

"No." Before anyone can stop him, Ben pushes Finn to the ground, grabs me, swings me over his shoulder and begins running through the forest. 

"Aster!" Rey yells and begins running after me.

"No! Rey you have to leave! Go! I'll be okay!" I shout, trashing in Bens arms as he takes me further away from Rey. I see Finn grap Rey's arm and begin to pull her back to the ship. My shoulders sag in relief, glad she has someone to look out for her.

"Put me down, Ben!" I say, trying to get out of his tight grip on my waist. "This is so uncomfortable." I mutter as I jostle on his broad shoulder. Ben says nothing as we enter his ship. We quickly enter the cockpit and he puts me down in a chair and rushes over to the controls. 

I wait for him to get the ship in the air and out of the atmosphere before I speak up.

"Why did you do that?" I mutter, watching him put the ship in autopilot and turn to me.

"I couldn't let you leave me again." He says, elbows resting on his knees as he stares intently at me.

"I'm sorry I left on Takodona, but I had to try and save Rey." I say, guilt rising in my chest for how I left. Ben says nothing.

"What if I don't want to be here, Ben?" I sigh deeply, shaking my head.

"You found Rey. You know she's okay, why wouldn't you want to be here?" Ben says incrediously.

"Maybe I'm not all too keen on being taken captive by the Supreme Leader of the First Order when there is literally a war going on, and I would much rather help the opposite side." I argue. "I may care for you, Ben, but that does not mean I agree with you. In no way does it mean that." I throw my arms out in frustration.

"Don't look at it as you being captive, then. Think of it like a mission. You're here to watch me and make sure, like Rey said, that I don't do anything bad." Ben grins and I can't help but melt at the sight of it. It had been so long since I had seen him smile.