[When Kylo released him, the connection between them was broken, and Jacob's focus snapped, replaced only by profound dizziness. Darkness swirled across his vision and he dropped to his hands and knees, coughing. Struggling to pull it together, he forced his eyes to focus as Kylo got to his feet. Here, Jacob was sure, was where the real pain started.

Too bad he couldn't have been right.

As he stared at the hand Kylo held out to him, he realized just how much he wanted to take it - more, in fact, than he'd ever wanted anything else in his life. But he knew what would happen if he did, knew what kind of bloodshed he'd probably end up being responsible for in the long run, and, unlike Kylo, his self-pity wasn't evolved enough for him to justify that to himself. If joining him was the only way Jacob would make it out of this room alive, he was probably better off dying here, if only he could keep himself convinced of that.]

Not to you.

[Jacob's voice was much steadier than he'd expected it to be, as were his legs when he got back to his feet.]