Under the Mask

Breakdown and Scars

Poe and Leia both looked at each other, and them immediately started sprinting towards the gardens where they had left Kylo with Chewie.

"It's Ben!" Leia shouted

"I thought Chewie was watching him!"

"Yeah, so did I!"

They rounded the corner, and saw three guards cornering Kylo with stun guns, shouting and yelling. The wheelchair was overturned, and tossed in the corner. Chewie was howling nonsense as the lights sparked and flickered. Poe suddenly felt the energy in the room change and knew what would happen next. Just as one of the guards reached to grab him, Kylo drew up his hands. Sparks flew and suddenly the men were ten feet from Kylo. Poe raced forward and did not miss the look of panic on Kylo's face before he turned and bolted from the room. He's scared Poe thought, he couldn't control it.

"Wait!" Poe shouted, running after him. He chased him down the long hallway and finally cornered him in a dead end.

Kylo held up his shaking hands defensively and stared at Poe. His eyes—both the brown one and the milky blue one—sparkled with both anger, and fear. He took one step back, and then another until back hit the wall.

"Kylo....Ben...please---." Poe started--

More sparks flew and Kylo winced away from them and pressed himself deeper into the corner. Poe stayed where he was, watching silently and trying to figure out what to do next. The only sounds were Kylo's gasps for air as he fought for control over his breathing, and the steady but faint sounds of the other down the hallway.

Kylo clutched his hair and slid down onto the floor. The air crackled with energy and Poe felt his hair stand on end. He took a step closer to him, and then knelt down on the floor so there were at eye level.

"It's going to be okay. You didn't hurt anyone" Poe said, trying to sound comforting. He scooted forward a half a foot towards him, waited a few seconds and then scooted another half foot.

"You are going to be okay. Just breath, it's all going to be okay." He repeated as he inched forward until he was in arms distance of him. Kylo flinched away, and Poe winced as he felt more sparks sizzle around him. Kylo flinched again, and continued to fight for breath.

Poe waited patiently, and soon he felt the electric energy fade away as Kylo's breathes came easier.

"There you go, just breathe. In and out. In and out. It's going to be okay. Just breathe." He said in a soft voice, hoping that he was helping him.

By this time, Leia and the team of medics had found them. Poe heard them rustling behind them. He held up his hand, indicating for them to wait and then he scooted closer and put a hand on Kylo's arm and for once, Kylo didn't flinch away.

Leia knelt down beside them and held out a syringe to Poe.

"It's a sedative." She said quietly.

Poe nodded, "K—Ben. Listen to me, the medics are here now. They are here to help you, okay?" he said.

Kylo didn't move, he continued to tremble and clutched his hair harder in his hands.

Poe and Leia exchanged looks; they couldn't administer the sedative until Kylo gave them access to his arm.

Suddenly, an idea came to Poe. He took the syringe out of Leia's hand.

"Sing to him." He said

"What?"

"Sing. One of those songs you sang to us as kids. Something, anything. Just get his attention." He said

Leia gave him an incredulous look, but after a few moments nodded her head. She leaned forward and gently put her hands on top of Kylo's. Quietly and patiently she uncurled his fingers from his hair and held them in her own. Kylo flinched slightly and tried to push away, the heels of his feet scarped against the floor as he tried to pull away from her but, Leia held on to his hands with a strong but gentle grip.