Steady On.

Chapter 65.

Her dreams moved fast.

So fast in fact, that even asleep, she began to feel dizzy.

Intense, yellow eyes flashed through her mind, studying her movements, smirking at her thoughts and desires...

She tried so hard to get by, to move past the judgmental, beady eyes that watched her from a far. No matter which way she turned, no matter how fast she truly moved, it was never enough.

Eventually she was caught, a strong, firm hand sliding around her throat, making her heartbeat quicken it's already too-fast paced.

Her own eyes widened as she looked upon the dark figure that caught her, dressed in black robes and the sunken purple colors surrounding those yellow eyes...

She was being hunted...It only just dawned on her...

And now she was caught.

( x )

With a jolt, Rey woke up still curled into a ball on the opposite side of the prison cell where Ben lay, studying the ceiling. It took Rey a few blinks and a hard gulp to shake her thoughts of the odd dream, that felt too much like reality.

Inhaling sharply, Rey sat up and rolled her neck around to ease her aches as she felt Ben's force slowly prod her, a tentative hand asking for permission to seek her thoughts.

The notion made her chuckle.

"Thank you for not intruding..."

From the corner of her eye, Rey saw him glance to her, his head pillowed on his arms as he lay on his back. His black hair sat messy around his head, and Rey was just about to lay back down to play with a lock of it before realizing how late it had gotten.

"Can't say I didn't try... Your block was up while you slept." Ben told her with his tone low but curious.

That fact made Rey's ears perk up, slightly surprised though thankful at her block. The dream, however, still plagued her mind, the image of seeing that pale creature with those eyes that were always followed by the harshest stories back home...

She hated it.

"I'm fine. Really." Rey tried to cover up, turning to meet his eyes and giving him a small smile of reassurance.

Ben sat up with ease, his eyes scanning her features, accusations already filling his tongue though he never spoke to her verbally.

Glancing away from guilt, Rey gathered her pillow and shoved it through the bars to him, in case he required extra comfort.

His eyes never left her face as she moved, and before she got to her feet, Rey reached a small, fragile hand towards his face, cupping his cheek and savoring his warmth.

"Everything is fine. Truly, it was only a dream. It was almost like the times in the cave, back on Ach-To... The force was just so... vivid."

Ben showed little relief, though his eyes did seem to shave a layer of the intense worry he previously showed.

Rey cast a quick glance to the doorway, relieved to see it still empty. With a sigh, she stood back to her full height, stretching her limbs as she began to feel bad for leaving Ben by himself.

Ben rose, silently watching her and dreading the fact that she had to leave. He hated to feel so ... clingy. The word itself left a bad taste in his mouth as he rolled his eyes.

Easily feeling his embarrassment and a small sense of overwhelming anxiety, Rey's thumb moved to brush his cheek in comfort.

"You'll still feel me through the bond. I'll be checking on you. I just need to see what our next step is."