"Apologies, Supreme Leader."

Kylo Ren's eyes snap open. His dark, stormy eyes land on the officer now standing at the mouth of his quarters, giving him the coldest look he could muster. The man shifts nervously, suddenly becoming very dry in the mouth and quiet. The longer he stands by the door, the more time Ren is given to observe him. Clearly the officer had never interacted with him before, judging by his behaviors.

Then again, Kylo did look particularly frightening. He had just returned from yet another planet as part of his passionate search. His rather gaunt skin was streaked with a mixture of dust and ash. The thick hair that normally fell so perfectly to frame his face was messy and soaked with sweat. Instead of opting to take a shower first, he had decided to meditate instead. It was the only thing keeping his temper in check since you had left.

The fits of rage Kylo had been experiencing were growing more and more frequent. The ice around his heart that you had managed to thaw was freezing over again. His eyes were glazed over; he was peering through a filter of red, hot hatred. The weapon attached to his belt was put to use multiple times a day. If he could not let out his aggression on a person or creature, he would let it out in the training room.

That crackling red blade had gone crimson from the blood it had spilled. It started that day on Sarka when you had left. Something inside of him had simply snapped. Perhaps that was why he cut Syala's head clean off her shoulders. Or plunged his blade through the chest of his secretary. Not wanting to blame himself, Kylo was targeting all those who had affected you negatively. Any officer or Stormtrooper that had ever had one dirty thought about you was killed immediately. Nothing was stopping Kylo. No one could contain him. And he was loving every second of it. The hatred was fueling him and it had come to a point where he was craving the sound of his lightsaber sizzling through skin.

"Why have you disturbed me?" Kylo's deep voice rumbles within the depths of his throat, blanketing the room with terrifying coldness.

The officer swallows, placing his hands behind his back and straightening up to appear more presentable. "Your Board of Superiors is requesting your presence in conference room 2G. They say it's important."

"Can't they wait?" He snaps.

"N-No, sir." The man's shoulders sag.

Kylo grunts and rises to his feet, his cloak fluttering at his ankles. He fastens his lightsaber to the side of his leather utility belt and approaches the small pedestal beside his grandfather's helmet. Upon it rests his mask. It had been mended, but was now home to a few small dent and was riddled with glowing red cracks. Kylo lifts the mask up and settles it over his head, huffing within its confines. The officer flinches and recoils as Kylo storms out of the room.

The people trudging through the corridors scramble to get out of his path. They had been surprised when his old habits had resurfaced and now knew better than to get in the way. The officers that had once claimed you were useless were now regretting their choice in words. A lot of things suffered around the Supremacy, not to mention their Supreme Leader's sanity was slowly deteriorating. They press their backs against the walls, watching him go by with paled faces and sweaty brows. Fear in their work environment had spiked drastically.

As Kylo approaches the conference room door, his hands curl into tight fists, the seams of his gloves digging into his whitened hands. He grits his teeth and locks his jaw, silently complaining about this useless meeting. He believed that he was wasting valuable time. By now, he could be finishing another meditation round and heading to yet another planet to continue his search once more.

At the first sign of movement, the blaster doors slide open with a low hiss. Kylo storms into the conference room, giving the sleek black table a once over. The men (and women thanks to you) sitting in the uncomfortable seats tense up as he passes by. He was sure they could smell the musk of leather, embers, and death clinging to his robes. Kylo turns and takes his place at the end of the table, not bothering to sit. He ignores the striking view of the glittering stars outside of the wide windows behind him. He leans forward, planting his palms on the surface of the shiny table.

In a voice as cold as Death itself, he snarls, "what could possibly be so important?"

The new Allegiant General Pryde is the first to speak. "There are some... matters we thought we needed to discuss with you."

"You have my time. I suggest you do not waste it." Kylo snaps.

Pryde sucks his cheeks in and takes a breath. "Many of our officers and Stormtroopers have agreed that your new methods are too damaging to the Order."

"What do you mean?" He knew exactly what Pryde meant.

"He means, Supreme Leader," Hux says coldly, "that we are losing more men to your arrogance and temper tantrums than to the war itself."

Kylo clenches his jaw, his fingers twitching. He wanted nothing more than to slam Hux against the windows until his neck snapped or his head was cracked open. "I would suggest watching your tongue, General. Or have you forgotten who you are talking to?"

Hux shifts. He had seen first hand what Kylo Ren's rage was capable of doing. "Forgive me if I only believe that we should be focusing our efforts on the war. The destruction of our Dreadnoughts was unfortunate but if we can-"

"I don't believe you should have an opinion on this." Pryde interjects snidely. "The new assembly of Finalizers and Star Destroyers will grant the First Order even more capabilities. Such a strength in firepower will correct the error of Star Killer Base. Your failed project."

"We will need more men and women to support these new ships. That means harvesting more of the galaxy's young and expanding our armies." One woman adds. "Forgive me, Supreme Leader, but I must agree with the rest of the Council. Our efforts need to be refocused on this war. Once the First Order becomes a true empire, we will crush the Resistance with ease. The commander isn't returning."

Kylo's eye twitches behind the plate of his mask. "You will not question my actions."

"The Resistance is crumbling and that scavenger is next! If we were to focus on-"

"YOU WILL NOT QUESTION ME!" Kylo roars suddenly, slamming both fists against the table. "Do I make myself clear?"

One man leaps from his seat, pointing an accusatory finger at Kylo. "Then you are dooming the First Order! The commander has not returned in seven months! You can't-"

With a burst of anger, Kylo thrusts his hand towards the man. The officer claws wildly at his throat, his eyes bulging and going bloodshot. With a loud crack, his body soars into the air, slamming against the ceiling. When he finally stops thrashing, his limp body goes crashing down against the table, causing everyone to jump. They all go dead silent.

"Anyone else?" Kylo's eyes narrow.

When nobody moves a muscle, he steps away from the table and storms back out of the conference room, his blood boiling from the accusation. How dare that officer accuse him of sabotaging the Order? He had dedicated most of his life into building it into a glorious empire and now they were frustrated with his efforts of finding the commander.

You haunted his mind every single day. He couldn't do one thing in peace without your eyes or your happy smile intruding on his thoughts. At night when he went to sleep, you invaded his dreams. Your voice filled his ears, whispering sweet nothings to him. Kylo never thought he was going to be desperately craving someone else. He wanted to hold you. To touch you. He wanted to take your hand and see how minuscule it looked compared to his. Kylo craved your fingers dancing across his skin, tracing his beauty marks. The scent of your shampoo had been so prominent on his pillows, but now it was fading away. You drove him mad. You drove him to do things that made him feel disgusted with himself. Whether that be slaughtering someone or furiously touching himself at the thought of you.

Kylo's breathing goes ragged as he barges into his quarters, sealing the door behind himself. He rips the mask off and sets it down with a heavy thud. His legs carry him to and fro across his room; pacing was another nasty habit he had picked up. Seven months. Where the hell were you? He didn't know if or when you were coming back. What if you weren't? What if something had happened to you? You were extremely capable, but terrible things seemed to happen to the strongest of people. He needed answers desperately.

The exact number of planets Kylo had charged through in search of you was now blurry. His actions were blind and fueled by the fire that the thought of you had planted in his soul. It was as though you had completely disappeared from the galaxy. And that terrified Kylo Ren. With every passing day that went by, more dark thoughts clouded his mind. If you were truly dead, how long would it be before he stumbled upon your body? His skin crawled every time he pictured seeing you with lifeless eyes and twisted limbs. The scream of pain he would have let out would flatten mountains.

His full lips press together as he forces aside his feelings. The emotions within him were intertwined and he could no longer differentiate them. It was as though he had gone back to the start all over again. Back to the time when you weren't a part of his life. Kylo swallows thickly and gazes around the room, his eyes settling on his grandfather's helmet. He slowly approaches it and cautiously sits down before it, eyes trained on the molten metal. His eyes sink shut as his gloved fingertips touch the coldness of it.

"Show me, Grandfather." He whispers. "Show me the way to her."

Goosebumps explode over Kylo's skin as visions appear before his closed eyes. His teeth gnash together harshly. Hundreds of voices begin to whisper into his eyes, overwhelming his senses as everything flashes before him. A gush of blood spilling from your side as you wept, a peaceful sea turning stormy, a bright gold symbol, the clap of thunder, the bright flash of electricity. Voices scream in agony, crying out for help. Kylo's name was getting torn from your lungs as you screamed it over and over again.

Real tears begin to drip down his face and he could do nothing to stop them. Eyes lock with his and a familiar face appears before him. But it was not the face of the girl he longed for. The scavenger. She opens her mouth, but it wasn't her voice spilling from her lips. It was yours. Two words over and over again, 'help me.' Your voice screams for him and the scavenger disappears, replaced instead by his old master. Skywalker. A bright red saber slashes Skywalker aside. It flickers once, twice, and the blade turns blue. A single word. A name.

"Ben."

Kylo's eyes fly open and he flies out of the chair, toppling to the ground. He desperately scoots away from the helmet, his eyes shining with fear and hot tears. A sob escapes his lips. It was a sound he hadn't heard from himself in a while. Kylo clasps his hand over his mouth as he shakily rises to his feet. A wave of sickness rushes over him. It felt as though his legs couldn't support him anymore. Kylo staggers over his bed, sitting down hard at the edge. He buries his face in his hands and for the first time in what felt like forever, begins to cry. Cry wasn't the right word to describe it. He was weeping. Wailing. For you.

His entire body felt like it was getting torn apart. He was losing his grip on himself. The noises of suffering and sorrow that left him weren't human anymore. Kylo's frame trembles from the concentration he was putting into reaching out towards you. He couldn't sense you anymore. Your Force energy was just... gone. If he couldn't sense you that meant your bond was broken. It meant your heart was no longer beating. He runs his hands through his hair, his fingers digging into his scalp and yanking at the ends.

He finds himself in front of the closet you two had begun sharing. Kylo reaches blindly inside and rips one of your dresses down from the hangar. He sinks back down onto his bed, bundling the dress up and raising the fabric to his nose. With every inhale, he was drinking in the scent that he was being deprived of. It could be the last time. It was the last time. All he had of you were your clothes, the lightsaber, and your necklace. If he never got to touch you again then this was really the end. He couldn't sense you. You were dead. Your heart was no longer beating with his. Kylo slowly lays back in his bed, his head falling into his pillows. His entire body begins to shake as he pulls the dress up closer and curls up on his side, eyes sinking shut to embrace sleep. He had known pain his entire life. He had been stabbed, hit, seared, shot, strangled, and tortured. This was worse. This was so much worse.

Kylo Ren was floating.

Well, not really floating. This was a vision; a dream. He knew the moment he had opened his eyes to darkness. Wind rushes through his thick locks. It prickles his skin as he falls through the abyss of black. The temperature was terribly low, but it was still bearable. The air smelled... strange in a way. It was sweet and fresh, but not overpowering or fake. There was a faint scent of pine, but nothing else was recognizable.

Kylo allows his eyes to sink shut. He was not anticipating the ground nor did he think it would hurt. He knew it wouldn't. Despite his pain and anxiety in the real world, there was no weight on his shoulders in this world. This was his world that the Force had pieced together just for him. Kylo takes a deep breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth, just like he had been taught to. When his eyes slowly flutter open, his feet are planted firmly on the ground.

He gazes around in confusion, brow furrowing. This was not a place he had been before. Something about it seemed so painfully familiar. It was as though a memory was associated with it, but he couldn't place it. It wasn't his memory, but he had seen it before. Where, he had no idea. Kylo turns the corner of the empty street, his feet thudding against the rough cobblestone. It was nighttime wherever he was and the only light offered came from lampposts. For some inexplicable reason, Kylo finds himself walking down an alley. He was being beckoned by the Force, that much he did know. The further he walks through the alley, the less light is given.

Suddenly, as though someone had flipped a switch, his world goes dark again. A soft curse escapes Kylo's lips. His hand settles on the hilt of his saber as an impulse. Or at least, he would have if there was a saber there. Kylo is forced to feel blindly through the darkness. He hisses in surprise when he steps down very suddenly. Water rises to his ankles and submerges his shoes, but it goes no further. It was dark, but not dark enough to where he couldn't see the water. Strangely it was the only thing he could really see.

"Kylo."

He freezes. Kylo's heart begins to race as he turns around quickly. It was your voice, he was certain of it. You sounded so close, yet so distant. There was a soft reverb to your voice and it was throwing him off. Just as your name slips from his tongue, you speak again.

"Kylo."

You sounded frightened. Kylo repeats your name and pauses, waiting for your response. He sloshes through the water that gently laps at his ankles.

"Kylo... please..."

His heart sinks at this sound. Then the hair on the back of his neck stands straight up. Something wasn't right. In fact, something was horribly wrong. It didn't sound like you were pleading for him. No. It sounded like you were pleading with him.

"Don't."

You were so close. Kylo whirls around. His eyes widen at the sight of you curled up in the water with a fearful look on your face. You looked absolutely terrified. He had seen you scared before but this? There was so much fright that it made him sick. You were wearing the same dress that you had worn on the day you left. The only difference now was that the fabric was torn and the white was stained. You looked like you had been through hell and back.

"Kylo," you whimper, tears now freely pouring down your face.

He wanted to reply to you and reassure you that he was there. That was exactly what he would have done had you been addressing him. You were looking directly past Kylo. He follows your gaze and nearly gasps in fright at the sight of what you were gazing upon. It was... him. There was a look of raw anger in that Kylo's eyes. That Kylo was a stranger. Or was he?

The other version of him starts towards you slowly. Kylo grunts as he tries to step in front of you. He didn't have a clue as to what was happening, but he was determined to protect you nonetheless. Even if it was from himself. He tries to take a step, but finds his feet rooted to the watery ground.

"No," he whispers, looking up in horror.

The copy of him pulls his lightsaber free and ignites the crackling blade. This sound causes you to whimper and recoil, but you couldn't seem to move either. That Kylo stares at you with a gleam of hunger and malice. He slowly approaches you and stops just before your trembling body.

"Stop." You cry. "Why are you doing this? Kylo... please don't. This isn't you."

"No!" Kylo reaches towards you. "Stop!"

There was nothing left he could do. The lightsaber is lifted in the air and comes flying down toward you. With a single powerful stroke, the blade is pushed through your chest. You gasp once, twice, before the life drains from your eyes and you slump into the water. Kylo is released from his invisible prison and falls to his knees. He couldn't bring himself to look up at your body. He shudders, but glances up when something glimmering catches his eye. His fingers dig into the cool water and fish out a necklace. Your necklace.

Kylo rises to his feet at once. His head snaps up and he nearly yells out in fright. The other version of him was standing just an inch or so away. They were nearly nose to nose. It was looking into a mirror. Only this mirror showed two halves of the same person.

"Why did you do it?" Kylo whispers.

The other merely stares at him for a few seconds before finally answering. "She's holding you back."

"No."

"She's the reason you're not focused. You're not reaching your full potential because of that girl. I've set you free. Now it's time to do the rest." He replies coldly. He presses the hilt of the saber into Kylo's hand.