She was one little body in a huddle of little bodies, clinging to each other in the center of the room as terrifying noises rocked the only home they knew.

Then he was there, so tall his head seemed to brush the ceiling. "Master Skywalker! There are too many of them. What do we do?"

The blue blade flared bright against the dark all around and inside him, and she screamed and screamed and screamed -

Someone grabbed her. She thought it was him and screamed louder. But it was just a big kid saying, "Come on, wake up! It's okay. It's just a dream - Uncle Luke!"

Strong grownup arms picked her up and held her close. "Thank you, Ben. I've got her. You can go back to bed."

"I just want to help!"

"I know, and those feelings do you credit." He gathered her into his lap with one arm and put his other hand on the big boy's shoulder, the funny hand that didn't feel like people and made little sounds inside when it moved. "But she senses your fear, and she doesn't know how to separate it from her own. Do you remember what that was like?"

Eyes on the floor, Ben nodded.

"You can help by letting go of that fear. Go sit somewhere quiet. Find the still place inside you and let the fear pass you by. We'll talk more tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

The hand that cradled her head was warm and alive. She could feel him reach inside and push the bad things away. Her sobs slowed and stopped, leaving a hollow ache in her chest.

Everybody here wore soft clothes she liked to snuggle, but his were the best, and he didn't mind her messy crying face on them.

Everybody's love was mixed up with other feelings, but his was so sad. It wrapped around and around her until all she felt was safe and calm, and soon she was asleep again.


The day had been exhausting but Rey lay wide awake, alert to every creak of the derelict AT-AT and every scamper and scuttle of the desert creatures that eked out their own little existences in its corners.

She was seeing it more and more often now, every time she closed her eyes. So much water, everywhere she looked, except for a few peaks of grey stone topped with green. The weathered strata wound across the face of the largest of them like stairs, and at the top... She didn't know, though she felt as if she should.

She had heard stories of planets covered in water, but nowhere could possibly look like this, could it? It couldn't be real.

And the voice couldn't be real, the one she almost heard, just as she edged into sleep at long last.

"I'm sorry, Rey. You must be strong and brave. But one day you'll understand."