Ordered

Chapter 32: In Which Ren and Rey "Reunite"

(Rated: M - explicit sex)

Rey's scream ripped through the night.

The lightning flashed. Something was alive. Smooth. Crawling against her.

Her feet were on the floor. Almost as quickly, Ren threw back the quilt from his pallet and rushed to her side. Instinctively, his arms flew around her. She was too shocked and frightened to fight his concerned embrace. Ignoring, for the moment, he was clad only in his underwear.

He tightened his hold around her. He couldn't fathom her terror. He thought, perhaps, she'd had a nightmare. His voice was frightened for her, desperate to help her, "Rey, what is it?!"

"There's some...thing...in the bed!" She managed against him.

Still holding her tight, he waited until the lightning flashed again and threw back her bed sheet. In the light of the storm, it was finally clear, the creature was a slithering snake.

Rey chilled. The warm room was quickly growing cold. She wasn't afraid of snakes per say. But with no anti-venom in the medical supplies, a poisonous bite would be hard to fight against. She imagined the pain and tried to shake off the fear.

Ren released her and reached for the creature. He allowed it to coil over his hand, unafraid in the darkness. "Not poison," he assured her. "Just looking for a way out of the storm."

She watched wide-eyed.

"I'll take it outside." He said.

As he said it, he was already at her door. He tried the light switch, and cursed, realizing the generator was down. As Rey watched him leave, she stood very still, willing herself to remain calm. It was a harmless animal.

The lightning illuminated the room, allowing Rey to see the outline and shadows of the furniture, her bed, and Ren's makeshift camp beneath her. However, instead of providing reassurance, the energy from the flashing bolt added to her worry. Without power, something else could go wrong. Her mind became unfiltered with horrid scenarios. The storm worsening. Their supplies spoiling. Luke never returning. Being trapped here forever. Dying. The very galaxy being doomed. No way to stop it.

She shook in surprise as Ren's footsteps sounded in the doorway. Returning with a small light, he immediately lifted her pillows and flashed the beam under the bed. Satisfied, he turned the light in her direction.

"I think that was the only one," the corners of his mouth lifted, for an instant, but faded as he observed the tension in her face.

Needing comfort, Rey didn't shrink from his arms. His bare torso was remarkably warm and solid against her shivering body. The feel of his clean, fresh skin consoled her.

"You're shaking," he whispered and tried to ease her shock by running his hands up and down her arms. It solved nothing. He could feel her chill bumps. The thunder clapped, followed by the lightning. Rey released a pent-up sigh against him.

"What's wrong?" He wanted to read her mind.

She took a moment to answer, listening to the repeated strike of his heart against her ear, a loud and fearless sounding pump. "Everything feels so hopeless...like nothing will ever be solved."

He inhaled a deep breath as he considered her words. He flexed his arms a mere second before he slid his hands across her body and lifted her in one fluid motion. Before Rey could protest more than a gasp, he carried her four steps and gently placed her in the center of her bed. Just as quickly, he was beside her, horizontal. Instinctively, she turned on her side and allowed him to encompass her in his arms, again.