A Reylo Romance: "Don't be Afraid, I Feel it Too"

The Away Team - Part 1

"I'd like to go with the Away Team," Finn says to Mom, stopping us from getting into the elevator. We're on our way to the launch bay to get into our shuttle and start the mission. The X-Wing fighters have already been dispatched to prepare for the faux attack.

Rey stands at my side. We're in our new uniforms, mostly black with dark grey accents. Mom is in her General's uniform and we're headed to see Snoke, under the pretense of a negotiations talk. Our fleet attack is to be considered as a retaliation to Hux's crystal weapon attack on Ahch-To.

"You're not on the Away Team for this mission," I say to Finn. I push the elevator button again and the door opens.

Finn ignores me. "General," he says to Mom. "I'm well trained as an ex-Stormtrooper."

I'm about to interject but then decide to let Mom deal with it. The elevator door closes again.

"I know the layout of the First Order ships-" Finn continues.

"As does Ben." Mom puts a hand on Finn's shoulder. "But I appreciate your enthusiasm to help." She's a lot more patient than I am, and that's what makes her a great leader.

"General, with all due respect," Finn persists, "I'd like to be present at this negotiations talk to protect Rey... in case Snoke gets into Kylo's head again."

I turn to Finn and grab him in a choke hold to shut him up.

"You're the one getting into everyone's head," I growl. "Your distrust and questioning of other team members. That's why you're not on the Away Team."

"Ben..." Rey touches my arm and I let Finn go. He looks like he wants to kill me.

"Finn," Mom says. "You're not coming with us. It's already been decided. We need all the X-Wing pilots we can get, especially one with your shooting expertise."

She's being way too nice. Finn clenches his jaw, his face turning dark red. He turns sharply and, with Stormtrooper precision, marches off.

Mom and Rey let out a sigh of relief once he's gone.

"You're right Ben," Mom says, pushing the elevator button again. "We don't need any doubting thoughts on this mission."

It's true, Snoke will exploit any weaknesses he can, especially doubt. The elevator doors slide open and I wait for Mom and Rey to step in before I do, then I enter and we make our way down. Now Finn's words have put a seed of doubt inside of me and I can't seem to shrug it off. What if Snoke gets the better of us somehow? He always seems to find a way to get to someone's deepest insecurities. I rub my face with my hands. I have to stop thinking about it.

"Are you okay?" Rey whispers to me. I nod, remembering her words from last night, 'I just want this to be over already.'  I clench my fists, wishing we could simply obliterate Snoke with one blast of our combined Force power. But it's not that simple. He can't die, or I will. But he can be locked away, for eternity.

My stomach drops as the elevator comes to a stop. It's time to face Snoke again, and hopefully this will be the last time.

* * *

"Well done Kylo," Snoke says to me. "You've brought your own mother too. How generous of you." He's playing games as usual, only this time he can't get into my head and he knows it. It disgusts me to think that I ever followed him and became his apprentice. He took advantage of my childhood insecurities, my inner battles. But now I'm no longer just a lost boy who believes he has no other destiny than the Dark side.

Snoke sits on his throne ahead of us on the other end of a bridge path that runs across a hollow drop down to the warp drive core of the ship. One false step and you're falling to your death. I stand slightly in front of Rey, not wanting her anywhere near the edge.

"You won't win this time," I say to Snoke, clenching my light saber in my hand.

"Won't I?" Snoke grins and his confidence makes me want to slash him to pieces.

"We're here to negotiate," Mom says in a diplomatic tone. Snoke ignores her, looking at Rey.

"He's betrayed you before," he says to her. "He'll do it again."

"You're a liar," I yell. "Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie. Today you'll speak your last words."

Snoke wrings his gnarled up fingers but doesn't look at me. "We'll see," he says.

The plan is to get him angry and Rey will pretend to be weak and turn to him. Then we bargain for her release with information about the red light saber's location. But I don't agree with the plan.

"We'll tell you where the red light saber is," I say to Snoke.

Mom and Rey gasp and my stomach clenches. I've ruined the original plan, but this will still work.

"If you stop the crystal beam headed for Ahch-To," I add. "I'll tell you where the sword is."

Snoke seems to consider this. "You would give back the sword? To save those crumbling ruins?" he says.

Footsteps approach behind us.

"Supreme Leader." 

I glance over my shoulder. It's Hux. So he is alive then.

He ignores me. "A Resistance fleet is preparing for an attack against us."

Snoke waves his hand at him. "Let them attack."

"But Your Leadership-"

"Aim the crystal weapon at them and disable their ships so they can't fly away. Then destroy them all."

"No!" Rey cries out.

Finn is one of the pilots in the fleet, and once again, Snoke has got the better of us.