Salvation To My Stars • Kylo Ren [2]

XXVIII

Jude's Pov

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I watched my feet take steps across the concrete flooring of the Resistance base, not meeting the eyes of the passerbys. I trudged along the concrete at a sedate pace, my mind focused on the gentle footsteps that seemed to echo throughout the desolate hallway. I hadn't seen Corinthia since her parents got here and it's been awful.

Not to say Uncle Luke was cursed or anything but he only ever seemed to bring me bad news. A long lost Aunt didn't seem so bad but then again, there was a possibility that she was trying to kill us. I didn't want to worry Nalani, she was preparing herself to revisit her home planet even though the First Order was still looking for her.

I open the med bay door with a bit of a shove, smiling confidently at Corinthia's parents. They point at Corinthia, who was sleeping peacefully and I nod my head, indicating I wouldn't speak loud.

"How are you holding up Solo?" Pike questioned, pulling up a chair for me to sit on.

"I've had better days but I'm doing fine," I take a seat, grabbing Corinthia's hand. "How is she?"

"She hasn't spoken much," Yolansa sighs, shaking her head. "The med droids said she may not speak for a very long time."

"Recover comes with time," I urge Corinthia's mother. "Corinthia's a fighter."

"She's an Arlo, of course she is." Pike chuckled and I found myself wondering what it would be like to have a father.

A heavy silence settled over us, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. I knew her parents weren't fond of me. It's not they had a problem with me, they had a problem with Kylo Ren and sadly, I was related to him.

Unsettled eyes glanced around and tried to avoid catching other glances that passed by. Yolansa shifted uncomfortably in her seat and Pike grasped his sweaty, nervous hands before finally speaking. "I think Yolansa and I should get some food, you'll stay with her until we get back right?"

"Of course sir," I promise. "She won't leave my sight." Yolansa stood up and pressed a kiss against Corinthia's head before the two of them exited from the room. The door shut behind them and from the corner of my eye, I saw one of Corinthia's blue eyes open. Then a look of shocked surprise came onto my face of the man and I leaned back in my chair and started laughing uproariously. "You liar!"

Corinthia's subtle face broke and she started laughing along, shaking her head and wiping a false tear away from her eye. "They've been driving me nuts, the only way to escape them was to pretend I was sleeping."

"Genius, pure genius."

"Oh but of course, what more would you expect from me?" She sat up and swung her legs over the bed. "How are you Jude? Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that," I go to sit beside her and lean my head on her shoulder. "I thought you'd become mute or something!"

Corinthia snorted and covered her mouth. "Are you crazy? I'm scarred not emotionally incapable and who else is going to take over for Dameron when he gets old and busts a hip?"

"Corinthia," I take her hand into mine and rub my thumb against her knuckles. "What happened on the Finalizer?"

Her face dropped and it seemed as if all the colour was drained from her face. "Not here," She stands up and pulls me towards her. "Break me out of here and I'll tell you everything."

"Let's do this," I open the door and tilt my head to make sure no one is coming before I take her hand once more and we dart out of the med bay. She was walking unusually slow, almost robotically, as if her brain was struggling to tell each foot to take the next step. "You have to be fast if we are going to do this."

She nodded in acknowledgement and followed my grueling pace without complaint. I could feel my heart throbbing inside my chest. We run, feet kissing the ground. Breathing steadily, I turn my head to make sure she is still behind me- this girl was born to run. We round a corner and I swing my arm out to catch her from going behind the wall, risking our chances at being caught.

I put a finger to my lip and she grinned. I peek my head around the corner and saw no one. "All clear."

She follows close behind me before I take a sharp turn and end up at the door of our shared headquarters. The door opens without either of us touching it and we walk in. Almost instantly, she's taken aback at all my drawings laying on the ground. She slides her hand over the blank canvas' and smiles. "I haven't been in here since I was taken."

I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. "Well you're back now and that's all that matters." Her lips tug upwards and she hums in response. I kiss her cheek before letting go and start collecting the notebooks around our trashed room. "What happened Corinthia?"

She sighed miserably. "It was awful."

"What did Kylo Ren do to you?"

Corinthia shook her head as if she was trying to get the memory out. "He didn't hurt me physically Jude, if that's what you are worried about. He entered my thoughts and stole every piece of information I was sworn to keep secret. I betrayed the Resistance, he knows everything now," She muttered. "His stormtroopers did the beatings, he left before they started. When you came to rescue me, your sister was just doing her job. She was making sure you wouldn't come and rescue me and then escape...but she let us escape."

"I've been trying to figure out why she did that, I've been meditating all day." I scratch my head, looking down at her.

"That's the thing Jude, she is saveable. I saw it, she craves love just like anyone else. I saw the light side in her peer through the cracks as she screamed at us to leave. She doesn't need to be shown the power of the light side, I think she already knows it," She rambles. "I couldn't believe it and I still can't. You were right and now I'm with you Jude Solo, I believe that we can save her."

I pick her up and spin her around, joy coursing through my body like blood. "Corinthia Arlo, I love you so very much!"