SAVIOR [Kylo Ren]

Vulnerable

Ree sat on the floor in the middle of the training area, legs crossed. Kylo paced around her in a circle. "Now, I want you to relax," Kylo explained and Ree closed her eyes. "Good now breathe in." Ree followed instructions, "and when you breathe out, open your eyes and you'll be on Ilum." She did as she was instructed and when Ree opened her eyes she was hit by a snow storm.

Quickly Ree rose up from the now icy ground. The wind was strong and loud. Luckily for her the cold couldn't affect her at all since it was just an illusion. "This is amazing." Ree said, she couldn't believe that Kylo's force vision trick actually had worked.

"I know." Kylo's voice echoed from the sky. "Do you see the mountains in the distance?"

"Yes! Is that where the Kyber Crystals are?" Ree had been given a pile of old dusty books about the art of lightsabers which she had gone through in one night. This was her forte after all, engineering and mechanics.

"Exactly. You'll find a cave in one of the mountains. That will be your home while you're there," Kylo instructed and suddenly the vision changed environment.

Ree now stood in a one-room cave. There was a hay bed on the ground, a woodworking table equipped with all sorts of tools and a fireplace in the middle of the room which lit it all up. "Cozy, right?" Kylo's voice echoed.

"Bigger than my room here." Kylo chuckled which made Ree smile. His chuckle was like music to Ree's ears, it was dark but light-hearted. "Where to next?"

"Anywhere that you want. We're done for the day anyway." While Ree was exploring the cave, Kylo explored her face. He had stopped pacing around her and instead knelt down right in front of her. His eyes went over every single detail. Oh, how he wished her eyes were open so he could stare into those icy blue orbs.

"Uhm, I don't know." Ree laughed awkwardly which made Kylo smile. He could imagine her brushing her neck as she always did when she was feeling nervous or awkward.

"What about your home planet?" As Kylo spoke he slowly moved his hand up to Ree's cheek. "Corellia, right?" Kylo's hand was now so close to her skin that he could feel the warmth radiating off from it. He wanted so dearly to cup her face. To touch it. He'd never dare to actually do it. But toying with the idea was certainly entertaining.

"Uhm... yeah." Ree cleared her throat. "I'd rather not go there."

"Why?" Kylo had noticed how her expression went from joyful and curious to pained and hurt and he slowly lowered his hand.

"It's a horrible place. On Corellia, you only look out for yourself. Either you work in one of the factories, constructing starships or you steal. I chose the former." Speaking of her home planet brought up painful memories. The smell of burning coal, the constant sound of hammers hitting steel, unbearable heat from the giant fire, days that started at dawn and ended at dusk and never-ending hunger. "If the First Order hadn't recruited me, then I'd still be stuck in that hell hole I call home. The First Order saved me." Kylo remained silent, he didn't know the First Order had such an impact on Ree's life. Since Kylo kept his mouth shut Ree continued, "I learned everything I know about mechanics there. So maybe I should in some way be grateful but I still hate every single part of that planet."

"There must have been something you enjoyed on that planet." Kylo finally broke out of his trance and surprised Ree with his optimism.

"Well, there was one place..." Ree said with a half-hearted smile.

"Describe it to me and I will take you there." Kylo was desperate to make Ree smile again. He felt this weird connection to her, when she was sad, he was sad and when she was happy, he was happy.