( what changed? everything, really, and it had been such a gradual thing that he hadn't truly noticed until he had been leading rey into that trone room, turning her over to snoke's mercy. )

A brave girl made a bold play.

( had come for him, despite knowing the risk, as han had. had come to him, sure that he would turn, and a part of him (small and still wary) regrets that he had not been able to follow her as she had hoped. )

And the monster finally showed me its true face. ( then, clarifying: ) You were right. Nothing I would have given him would have been enough, and I was running out of things to offer.