I pull back immediately, red hot anger burning in my veins. I see Kylo's face in my mind, and angry tears well up in my minds.

"Why did you do that?" I half scream, shoving him away from me.

"I was hoping you'd give me a chance." He admits quietly, looking dejected. I shake my head over and over and over.

What is Kylo going to do? If I even see him again?

Then I feel the worst pain I've ever felt explode in my head; I let out a blood-curdling scream and slip to my knees, putting my hands over my temples.

"What's wrong? Mal, tell me what's wrong!" Poe is yelling now, but I to me his voice is faint.

"Poe, make it stop! Please." I beg, crying. He squats down and pulls my curled up body to his chest, cooing and whispering as if I were a child.

The pain slowly subsides, my heart rate beginning to calm, and I gently remove my hands from the sides of my face. I look to his hazel eyes.

"Thank you." I say tenderly. I finally notice that everyone who'd once occupied the meeting room were out in the hall, watching the scene play out in shock.

"It was my head, I- it's never hurt so bad." My lip trembles.

"What do you think it was?" Poe asks Organa.

"The force. It had to be the force. What else would it be?" A boy from earlier pipes up. My eyes flit to Rey.

"You were in my mind?" I say to her angrily. Her eyes widen.

"I swear on Finn's life it wasn't me!" She clasps her hands together as if she were begging.

"Hey!" The boy from earlier, Finn, shouts.

"Who else could it have been?" I argue.

"Well, if you truly are that close to Ren-"

"What are you insinuating? You think Kylo would inflict pain on me?" I shake my head, not believing it for a second.

"He's the only other known force user in the galaxy; besides Skywalker." She reveals. My lip trembles. She could be right.

"He promised." I whisper to myself.

"He's coming." Organa blurts suddenly.

"What do you mean, he's coming, Organa?" I look to her in surprise. She orders Poe to help me stand and grabs my arm as soon as I do, hurriedly pulling me back into the meeting room. She shuts the door, leaving us alone.

"Listen to me, Mali. I need you to do something for me."

"I'm no longer a member of the Resistance." I resist her plea.

"You're the only one he'll listen to." She begs. I sigh, shrugging in acknowledgement so she'll continue.

"You have to bring Kylo Ren back to the light. I know he'd do it for you."

"How do you know anything about him? About me?" I deny. I can't say I've never thought of taking Kylo back to the Light Side, but it was never my plan.

My plan was to stay with him, even if it meant joining the Dark Side. That's that.

"Who would know someone better than their own mother?" She sighs hopefully.

My stomach drops and I feel weird inside. It all makes sense now. One of the last puzzle pieces has finally clicked into place.

But I can't put my finger onto what this means.

Why would she call Kylo her son?

"You have to listen to me, Mal." She touches my wrist, making my arm twitch.

"Bu-but why me? What makes me so much different?"

"He loves you, Mali. I can feel it." She assures, caressing my arm.

"And please, call me Leia."

Then comes the sudden sound of blasters and crashes. The base erupts in shouts, the door slamming open and papers flying all over.

"He's here!" Leia yells over the commotion; I nod, knowing. I'm not strong with the force at all, but I can almost feel it.

"Poe! Take Mali outside!" Leia calls after him as he rushes down the hallway in his flight suit.

"No way! I'm not taking her to him." He spits, shaking his head.

"Please Poe." I beg.

"I want you to be safe, Mal!" Poe shouts. I watch as he's suddenly thrown against the wall.

I hear the swish and hum of his lightsaber; he appears out of almost nowhere.

"You will not touch her, as long as there is air in my lungs." He threatens, the low buzz from his mask adding an edge that cuts like a serrated knife.

He points the tip of his weapon very close to Poe's throat, forcing angry tears to come out of Poe's eyes.

"Kylo, no." I softly place my hand on his shoulder.

He freezes, his back muscles tensing at my touch. He finally relaxes, his form ever-so-slightly melting, and he switches his saber off.

I let him turn to face me; I can feel Leia standing behind me, and I know he sees her.

"Take it off?" I ask, referring to his mask. He hesitates; he does it, reluctantly.

I can see Leia's heartbreak from the reflection on his mask as he finally shows his face. I see Poe's eyebrows rise in surprise from the corner of my eye.

"You're okay." He places a gloved hand on the side of my cheek. I nod, biting my lip.

He nods once, then raises his hand. I fall into his arms immediately, my body limp and lifeless, but I can still see as if I'm awake. He lifts me and holds me to his chest bridal style, letting his eye drift to Leia.

"You're home." She whispers, a tear slipping down her face. She steps forward, ready to caress him.

"This was never home." He hisses. He spits on the floor at her feet. He refuses to touch her, slipping past narrowly and leaving her in his wake.

He puts on an extravagant show.

I can see the deepest sadness and regret reflected in his obsidian orbs.

As we near the ship, and he finally notices I'm coming to, he kisses my forehead tenderly; still, I can only think of one thing.

Almost scared of his reaction, I utter the words that unknowingly make his heart freeze in its spot.

"You're Ben Solo."

-

hi guys!

does that count as a cliffhanger??

hehehe

I know I said I was posting an announcement, like, yesterday, but I'm postponing it for tomorrow! I'm really hoping that you'll like it!

thank you so much, again, for reading this story:))

you're all gr8

I'll see you tomorrow, for sure!

ily

kait