Ɓen opened his eyes and instantly wished that he hadn't as a throbbing pain filled his skull. His vision was blurred and he blinked several times to clear it. He looked around to see that he was in the cell, but Rey wasn't there. Perhaps he had been put in a different cell. They all looked the same.

Rey! The last thing Ben could remember before he blacked out was Snoke saying that he was going to kill her.

He sat up a little too quickly and a wave of dizziness washed over him. He shook his head to clear it, placing his hand on his forehead. He swunghis legs over the edge of the bed, then he slowly stood. His legs buckled as he did so. The pain from where the knights had kicked him in the legs ignited, and the stab wound in his abdomen throbbed.

He looked down at his bare chest to see that his wound had been bandaged. Strange that Snoke had allowed it after he had tried to kill him.

He wasn't really in the condition to stand and certainly not to walk, but right now all that mattered was finding Rey. He reached over and grabbed his shirt where it laid on the bed, then pulled it over his head, groaning in pain at the movement.

He turned to look at the cell door to find it slightly ajar. That's strange, he thought. Why would they leave the cell door unlocked? The only reason he could think of was that it was because he was unconscious and there was no way for him to escape. But that didn't make sense, especially because Snoke was normally so cautious, it wasn't like him to make this kind of error.

But he didn't have time to think about that right now, all that mattered was getting back to Rey before she got hurt.

He staggered over to the door, limping and barely able to stand. He pulled the door open and slipped into the hallway. He looked around, he could see a guard standing a few meters away, but his back was turned towards him and Ben hoped that if he was quiet enough he would be able to escape unnoticed.

He continued down the hall at a slow pace, clinging to the stone walls for support as his legs threatened to give out. But the thought of Rey in danger pushed him forward.

He checked each cell as he passed, but saw no sign of Rey in any of them.

As he reached his parents' cells, his mother reached out and grabbed his hand. "Ben...you're oaky?" she whispered.

"I will be as soon as get Rey back. I have to find her, Snoke told me that he was going to kill her."

"That snake!" said Han. "If he so much as lays a finger on my girl, I'm going to kill him."

Ben smiled slightly that his father had called her 'my girl.' He was happy that his father loved Rey like a daughter, he knew that Rey needed the love of a family too, not just his love. He nodded. "And I'll help you."

"Just be careful darling," Leia told Ben.

"I will, mother, I promise," he answered, then he kissed her hand. "I have to go."

"I know," Han replied.

Ben nodded, then continued down the hall.

Finally he was out of the dungeon. He made his way to the throne room, if Rey wasn't in any of the cells, then Snoke must have either brought her there, or he would know where she was.

He opened the throne room door. "Where is she?" he demanded.

Then he saw her standing there, facing Snoke. At the sound of his voice, she turned to face him. "Ben," she said running to him.

He hobbled forward to meet her. They collided together and their lips instantly found each other. Their lips moved together, becoming one for a few blissful seconds. As they shared a moment of passion and affection, nothing else existed. Just them, reunited at last. They clung to each other as though they were on the edge of a cliff, dangling above a deep gully and letting go would mean their deaths.

Rey had never felt anything more wonderful than him returning her kiss at last. Even though he had been with her she had missed him so much while he was unconscious. She had missed his lips moving against hers. She had missed his arms wrapped around her as he held her tightly, and she'd missed being able to talk to him.

She pulled away, gently touching his cheek. "What are you doing out of bed, sweetheart?" she whispered. "You should be resting."

He smiled slightly, and blushed at the way she had called him sweetheart. "I came to get you," he breathed, kissing her palm.

"You have to get out of here, you have to go back," she told him, desperately.

He looked at her confused. She had been so relieved to see him, but now she seemed afraid. "No, I'm not leaving you," he answered.

"You have to, I'm trying to protect you, and this time, I'm not going to let you get hurt." Rey turned to face Snoke, standing between him and Ben. "Don't hurt him," she hissed.

"I told you that you were never to see him again," Snoke answered.

Rey reached her hand back, grabbing Ben's arm protectively. "He didn't know about the deal... please, it won't happen again."

"What deal?" Ben asked, but she didn't answer.

Snoke nodded. "Very well, I'll let this one occasion slide as a warning, but next time I won't be so lenient."

"And you'll send someone to take care of him?" she asked.

"He looks fine to me," Snoke replied.

"He can barely stand," she answered. "Someone has to clean his wounds and change his bandages. Just because he's out of bed it doesn't mean that he's well." And it was true, she could feel him leaning on her slightly for support.

"Why should I?" Snoke answered.

"Because if you don't our deal is off. My bargain is for his life, he will not survive without proper care."

"Very well, I will send a maid to change his bandages and see that he is taken care of twice a day. You should be grateful that you took after your mother instead of your loathsome father, otherwise you would not be able to persuade me so easily."

"What does he mean, Rey?" Ben asked.

Her hand gripped his arm a little tighter, but she didn't answer.

"Take him away," Snoke ordered.

"Wait, won't you at least let me say goodbye? Forever is a long time," she said.

"Forever?" Ben asked, heartbroken.

Snoke nodded. "You will never see her again."

Ben growled slightly and stepped forward about to charge at Snoke, but Rey grabbed him and stopped him. He turned to look at her.

"You're in no condition to fight him, Ben," she whispered. "I won't lose you."

"Rey, remember what I told you," Snoke warned.

"Has your heart really rotted so much that you won't allow your granddaughter to kiss her husband... the man she loves goodbye?"

"Fine but after this, you must forget him," said Snoke.

Rey nodded, though she knew that she never would.

"You have two minutes, make the most of them."

Rey turned to face Ben, touching his face and pulling him closer. "This won't be the last time we see each other," she breathed into his ear, so that only he could hear. "I promise." She placed a soft kiss on his cheek, then she moved to his lips, kissing him affectionately.

He claimed her lips, he poured all of his love for her into the kiss, not caring that Snoke was watching them. He kissed her as if it was the last time he ever would, knowing that it may very well be.

"That's enough! You're time is up!" Snoke yelled, even though it hadn't been two minutes quite yet. He grabbed Ben by his hair and aggressively pulling him away from her.

Ben was struggling to stand as it was, and he fell to the floor as Snoke yanked his hair.

"Ben?" Rey asked concerned. She attempted to go to him and help him to his feet, but Snoke pulled him up from the floor by the collar of his shirt before she could.

He thrust Ben at his knights. "Take this scoundrel to his cell where he belongs."

The knights grabbed his arms.

Rey stepped forward. "Be careful with him, he's hurt," she said, her voice was both a plead and a demand.

The knights didn't pay much attention to her plea as they aggressively drug him away to the dungeons.

Rey allowed a tear to slip from her eye. She had promised Ben that this wouldn't be the last time they were together... and she knew that it wouldn't be. But how long would they be apart? Would she have to wait until her grandfather died before she could see him again?