Ordered

Chapter 35: In Which Motives and Missions Become Clear

(Rated: T)

Ren frowned at her. "I found your lightsaber."

Rey's eyes widened. He stood next to the scrap pile at the corner of the house, idly holding the weapon. It was well past noon, and she'd been on her way to find him. She'd been so sure he'd camped inside his junked Command Shuttle. To her great surprise, he had finally gone inside the Temple.

Watching him hold the lightsaber in one hand, Rey lacked fear that he would harm her. But the fact that he'd found the weapon changed everything. Especially, when Luke returned. Hiding the lightsaber in a different location each day had been an exhausting game. There were days when he had been a breath away from finding it. When she'd realized the Temple was the last place he'd enter, it'd seemed like a safe bet. He had loathed the sacred place; fearing its contagious light would infect him.

"You know," his voice was mournful. He was examining the weapon with great respect, taking in the small details. "I once dreamed I would give this to my firstborn son." The statement might have sounded sweet if it hadn't been so hierarchical and sexist.

She folded her arms and spoke without thinking. "What about your firstborn daughter?"

Like lightning, a warm, smirk flashed on his face. He moved to her, quickly taking her hand and thrusting the lightsaber in it, before closing her fingers around it. His own fingers lingered too long on top of hers. Too seductively, wanting her to remember his touches from last night. Rey backed away. Ren stood very still, watching her.

"Would it please you if I gave you a daughter?" He asked, renewed simmer in his gaze.

She watched his smile. The idea clearly amused and pleased him. Something about the in sheen his eyes quickly grew haunted. As though keeping a painful secret. He'd gone mad.

She bit the inside of her mouth to keep from yelling at him. He was always complaining about her anger. Jesting that she'd turn dark. She'd show him. She could control it. She refused to answer him.

"That can be arranged, if you wish it. Although, darling, I can't promise my internal hostility won't sire dark brutes just like me." His voice tripped over the words. He was almost laughing now.

She couldn't be certain if he was amused at her or at the idea of having a baby. She remembered the sweet and small babies she'd seen on Jakku, strapped safely to their mothers' backs. Precious and dear as anything the galaxy had to offer. There was nothing cruel or funny about them. Unlike Ben.

"Yes, I've seen your hopes. Desires. You want children." He sounded satisfied.

Still refusing to speak, she tried to burn her angry stare into him.

But his face was equally intense. As always, it startled her a little.

He renewed his reasoning, "Why should we deny something we both want? I can please you, give you a family, and teach you the ways of the Force."

Whatever happened in the Temple, he was obviously over his bitterness from the night before. Her mouth firmly closed, lightsaber in hand, Rey turned to leave. She would return home and finish her droid. They'd get no training done if he was resolved to be touchy-feely again. She would stop training altogether until Luke returned if that was the case. She was resolved to wait and learn what Luke expected of her. Despite her feelings, she had no desire to follow her mother down a path of lies and ruin.

"Rey," Ren called her back deep within in her mind. He was almost sad now. "If only I could make you feel the way that I do. See the potential between us."