We Meet Again - Kylo Ren and Rey

Water and Rescue

Rey was falling.

A feeling of panic and freedom gripped at her chest as she stared up at the cliff and blue sky above. She vaguely heard her name being yelled.

Then silence and darkness engulfed her. It was wet, and it was cold. Very cold. She sank deeper and deeper, watching the sunlight at the surface grow darker. She tried to move her arms and legs, attempting to push herself back to the surface, but it was no use; she couldn't swim. She closed her eyes, giving up. She waited. The seconds seemed like hours. Then a loud splash jolted her eyes open as a body clothed in black appeared next to hers.

She felt a hand grab her arm, dragging her upwards. She saw the light get bigger and brighter above her until she finally broke through the surface. She gulped in the fresh air, gasping and sputtering. She turned to look at her savior. Kylo Ren stared back, eyebrows furrowed. He breathed heavily, his drenched hair framing his face. Rey took another shuddering breath and lost consciousness.

~~~

Rey awoke abruptly to someone shaking her. Her eyelids fluttered open, squinting at the sunlight, and her head jerked forward to find Kylo Ren kneeling over her. She sat up on her arms and quickly scurried backward, stumbling onto her feet only to fall down on her back again with a grunt. She sat up and looked at Kylo Ren. Kylo stood, wiping away the worry from his face and replacing it again with his cold mask of indifference.

Rey looked at him, opening her mouth to say something, but closed it instead. She moved her eyes to the ground.

"Thank you," she said, not taking her eyes off the ground. She had to will herself to say the words; they became stuck on her tongue. "Why?"

Ren hesitated. His eyes wandered around. Rey could tell he wanted to say something, but decided not to.

"You're too valuable to lose," he replied hastily. Rey raised an eyebrow. Kylo held out his hand to help her up, but Rey got to her feet on her own, wiping the grass off her sodden clothes. Ren lowered his hand and walked away. He went over to his dry cloak on the ground and picked it up, putting it back on. The Knights of Ren stood in a group by one of the huts, and Master Luke watched them warily. Rey headed towards Luke and his hut, bending down to pick up her lightsaber along the way. She tried to ignore the stare of Kylo Ren obviously burning into her back.

Rey entered the hut with Master Luke. He promptly found a dry, spare robe and draped it over Rey's shoulders. She pulled it tighter around her. She looked up and glared at Kylo Ren, who was now entering the hut as well. He folded his arms and leaned his back against the doorframe.

"So much for you not saving my life again, eh?" Rey nodded her head at Kylo. He rolled his eyes.
"Well you didn't exactly beat me this time, either," he replied, smirking.
"Alright, that's enough, Ben," Luke reprimanded. Kylo Ren clenched his fists.
"That is not my name, old man. And you are no longer my teacher." Ren sighed. "I didn't come here to argue."
"Then why did you?" Rey piped up. "Why did you come?"
Kylo hesitated. He opened his mouth to speak, but Luke cut him off.
"Come now, Rey, he wanted to take revenge on you for beating him up and leaving him to die, obviously."
"You need a teacher!" Kylo yelled at Rey, stepping towards her.
"I have one!" Cried Rey.
"A proper one!"
"Master Luke is a Jedi! You're saying he isn't a real teacher because he isn't affiliated with the Dark Side?!"
"Would you really like to be taught by a man who was unable to stop one Padawan from destroying the Jedi Temple and murdering all the other students?!"

There was a sharp whoosh and then a loud BANG. Ren and Rey ducked and covered their heads. The hut around them blew apart and splinters of rock flew into the air, landing back down onto the ground in a shower of sparks. Rey slowly lifted her hands off her head and turned to look at Luke. Kylo Ren did the same. The Knights of Ren stared at Luke. Luke stood there, his left arm raised in the air, his hand clenched in a fist.

Rey straightened her posture, brushing off the dust that now clung to her wet robe.
"Are you trying to KILL her?!" Ren shouted.
Rey blinked at Ren, speechless.
"Look," Luke said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I knew you two wouldn't stop arguing without my interference, and you," he pointed to Ren, "Wouldn't miss an opportunity to talk to Rey, considering you can't take your eyes off her." Rey's cheeks flushed pink as her eyes widened, and the tips of Ren's ears grew hot as he sunk down, bending his knees. Kylo's eyes narrowed at Luke.

"Who's to say I care about the girl?" asked Ren.
"The GIRL???" Shouted Rey, "Oh now I'm back to the girl?!" Rey glared up at Ren, who towered about a foot above her. He smirked, crossing his arms, looking down at the small, very angry girl.

"Alright, alright," said Luke, motioning Rey to follow him. Rey narrowed her eyes at Ren before stomping away, making him chuckle.

Master Luke led her to the edge of the cliff again. She looked back at Ren. He was standing with his Knights, telling them something quietly. Suddenly all the Knights burst into laughter, leaving Ren standing there, crossing his arms and looking dejected.

Rey turned back around and stood beside Luke, looking out upon the waves as he was doing.
"Now calm down, concentrate on the water," he said to her. "Focus on how it makes you feel. Meditate on the gentle rise and fall, feeling the force flow through it all, every living thing, big and small." He paused.

"I guess I'll leave you two alone now."
Rey tilted her head at Luke, her eyebrows furrowed. She turned to look around, and jumped, seeing Kylo Ren beside her. Rey rolled her eyes and turned to look at Luke, but he was gone.

Kylo took a step forward to stand next to her.
"Do, um," he coughed, "Do you, uh, love me?"
"Do I what?!"
"Do you love me?" Ren asked, more confident this time.
"Do I love you? Are you insane? I hate you!" She spat.
Kylo Ren sighed.
"I know," he replied, smiling sadly.