"Yes. Yes." His nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply, and focused on the gentle touch of her hand on his face. "It's just us now. Just you and me."

Better, or worse? Terrifying, to be sure, but he had already chosen to take this risk, for better or worse, and he was no coward, nor anyone who went through life erring on the side of caution.

"No one else," he said again, "it doesn't matter what they would think. If Snoke were here..." Didn't matter how his Master would condemn him for straying from the only true path to power - he thought of the fateful meeting with Darth Vader, of Master Raine casting doubt, of Valdis pointing out his weakness. He placed his hand over Rey's. She who had asked him to walk between light and dark with her. "But he's not here, and you are."

He leaned into her touch. "I still don't know how you can trust me after what you saw... what I did. You're braver than I am."