A heavy gust of wind blew snow fiercely into Jade's face as the doors in front of her parted. Her eyes wide with wonder as she slowly stepped out onto the snow covered balcony. The long, familiar stairs stretched out in front of her as she eyed the beautiful scene. It didn't seem real, it felt more like a dream. One she never wanted to wake from. She had seen this, this exact moment, not long ago. Now that it was real, it was so much better than what was in her vision.

"Wow," was all Jade could muster as she crept further, eyeing every part of the courtyard. She had never seen such beauty, such royalty, as this before. It seemed like it should have been part of a castle. Gorgeous statues, hedges, and sculptures under her. Even the stairs were something to behold with elegant handrails. It seemed so out of place but also so right. She took a deep breath in, smiling as she exhaled, finally feeling fresh air in her lungs.

Kylo watched her gaze upon everything in amazement. He didn't know what urged him to bring her here, but he was quickly satisfied by her reactions. Jade's eyes met his, smiling softly. "This is incredible." Her voice was breathy, feeling a mix of what felt like a million emotions at once. Something possessed Kylo to move closer to her. Both of them stared at each other, hesitant. His shaking hand reached for hers, picking it up, and facing it palm up before taking a step back again.

She smiled wider as she realized what he was doing. Just like he had done before, when she had caught him, now she was catching snowflakes. A soft giggle escaped her throat as she stared closer at her hand, seeing each individual snowflake fall onto her soft palm. For the first time in a long time, Kylo managed a small smile as he watched Jade, enraptured by her childlike wonder.

Her eyes met his again, her hand lingering in front of her, before dropping it slowly. "Thank you," she paused, assessing his emotions. His face was now cold, no feelings present, but she knew there was more to him than his appearance. "For showing me this. I needed it." Her mind went back to her family. Her mom's face when she finally fell to the ground. Lyle's sad eyes. She thought about her dad, too. It's been so long, she was starting to forget what he looked like. Her forearms leaned against the railing of the balcony as her mind raced.

Kylo tilted his head slightly, trying to understand what she was thinking of. He had the ability to read her mind, but there was something different about her, made him rethink doing it. "I-," He began to speak, walking a few steps closer to her. They were now standing with only a few inches of space between them. His breath was staggered as he looked down at her. "I didn't mean to... hurt any of them. They weren't supposed to die." He was taught to swallow his pride and never apologize for his actions. Apologizing was not what a strong leader does. It was something he simply didn't know how to express. However, many things were changing in him.

What felt snowflakes melting on Jade's face were simply tears, she hadn't noticed she was crying. Kylo's confession was, in his way, an apology. She knew that, it felt like one. Her head bowed and she wiped her tears before returning her eyes back to him. "I know. Thank you."

The wind blew harder, feeling the cold air pierce through her bones. She shivered, clutching onto the brim of the cloak, trying to close it as tight as she could to keep warm. Seeing her shiver, Kylo cleared his throat, wishing this moment could last forever but knowing his duties lie elsewhere. "I'm needed in the Command Center now." Jade nodded and they walked back inside, Kylo opening the doors back up for Jade to enter first. The two entered the elevator together, the door sealing them in silence.

So many thoughts were buzzing around her mind. Just as many feelings tugged her in different directions. She stood beside him, hands still clutching her cloak, attempting to come to terms with what just happened. Kylo glanced over at her, not wanting this time with her to end so quickly. It was so foreign to him, these feelings, but he didn't want to rid of them either. He thought of an idea. "Do you need my assistance finding your way back to your quarters?" Pleased with his idea, he slid his helmet back onto his head. Jade found herself feeling slightly excited about his offer. "Yes, please."

The elevator doors slid open to show someone waiting to enter. "Ah, Commander. I was just coming to get you." General Hux spoke as he held the doors open. He looked upon Jade, her eyes averting him. "You must be Ms. Elysar. Commander Ren's new apprentice." Apprentice? I didn't know that's what I was. She managed a small nod before extending a hand to shake his. "This is General Hux." Kylo spoke up as she shook hands with the red head. His hands wrapped around hers tightly, a little too tightly. "Supreme Leader Snoke seems quite intrigued by you. He awaits meeting you." As Hux said this, Jade's hand dropped and her eyes quickly scanned over to Kylo who intervened. "She isn't ready yet, she just got here. She will meet the Supreme Leader when I say she is ready."

General Hux hummed at this response, a sly smirk forming across his tight lips. "Very well. Ren, meet me in the Command Center in 5 minutes. It was nice to meet you, Ms. Elysar." Before she knew it, Kylo was escorting her out of the elevator and away from Hux, a hand lightly placed on her lower back.

They were a few paces away before Kylo's hand dropped and Jade swiftly looked up at him. "Apprentice? What does that mean?"

"It means you are training under me. That's why you are here. I sensed you through the force and knew I had to find you to train you." Those words made her stomach feel sour, for whatever reason. So he just wanted to find me to train me? She didn't know why she thought otherwise, that he had a different reason for finding her. Why would he? She had a unique power, he probably just saw her as a great weapon for the First Order. Nothing more. "What of Supreme Leader Snoke?"

He stopped in his tracks, gripping her wrist in his gloved hand. Her arm raised as he pulled her closer, her eyes widening at the gesture. "Do not ask questions about the Supreme Leader. When you are ready, you will meet him. You aren't strong enough to be in his presence." He dropped her hand and continued forward. Kylo knew exactly what would happen if she met Snoke now. She needed to learn how to build walls around her mind, free herself from her emotions that weigh her down, and most importantly she needed to learn how to fight. This reaction from him left Jade feeling confused but also somewhat protected. Snoke sounded dangerous, from the stories she heard of him. She wasn't ready to meet him, she knew that to be true.

Finally, they reached her quarters and the two slowed their pace to a stop. They stood there awkwardly for a moment, neither of them knowing what to say. The tug in her chest hadn't quit, it was slowly turning into an ache. "Thank you, Commander." For everything. He nodded silently before straightening up his posture. "Tomorrow, we will start combat training. I will be here to get you at 8 AM again." With that, he had turned and began to walk away.

Jade's stomach felt tight, a soft hand placed over it, as she exhaled a breath she was holding. She had seen a side of him she didn't know existed. He was kind, caring, and apologetic. She saw right past his cold exterior, knowing he was not void of emotion behind the mask. It left her with a smile as she placed her palm onto the scanner and entered her room, the door sliding behind her.