She opened her eyes. Where was she? They were on their way to Cloud City. She had been on the Falcon's main deck just a minute ago. Sat down and closed her eyes ...

Did she fall asleep? Is this a dream? She looked around. It looked like she was lying on the floor of some sort of gigantic cavern. She gets up on her knees and sits back on her heels. This place feels familiar. Dim, spooky, really Dark. It smells like sulfur, blood, and decaying flesh. It's giving her the creeps.

She looks around and sees - something, she's not sure - a chair? a throne? - in front of her. It looks like it has a life support system for the figure sitting on it. Suddenly she realizes where she is, what the chair is, and who is sitting there. The grey crepey skin, the rheumy white eyes, the veined bald head, the air of decay and corruption - the whole disturbing, disgusting presence that screamed 'Undead! Undead!'

Emperor Sheev Palpatine, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

"Ah, my dear granddaughter. So kind of you to visit."

"No!" cries Rey. "This isn't happening! This isn't real!" She looks around. How did she get here? Where are Luke and Leia's lightsabers? Where is Kylo? Why can't she feel the Jedi who supported her?

"Are you certain of that my dear?"

No, she isn't. It looks real, feels real. Oh Gods, maybe it is real.

"And now, granddaughter, it's time to fulfill your destiny."

Rey's fear increases as the creature floats off the chair and comes toward her. She tries to move but can't. She's frozen in terror. The Emperor stretches out a hand toward her face. She tries to scream but her throat closes up as the hand gets closer.

"You are mine, Rey Palpatine, to use up and discard as I choose."

As her fear and terror spike, a figure steps in front of her holding two crossed lightsabers, one lavender and one deep amethyst. Kylo Ren is standing between her and Darth Sidious. "Rey!" he says urgently, "Wake up! This isn't real!"

As the Emperor unleashed Force lightning at the dyad Kylo catches it on the lightsabers and sends it back at the disgusting creature. Palpatine is thrown back into the chair, which breaks loose and flies back into the cavern. Kylo deactivates the lightsabers, kneels down in front of Rey, wraps his hands on her shoulders, and squeezes them. "Rey, wake up! Come on sweetheart, wake up."

She opens her eyes. She's sitting on one of the benches at the Dejarik table. Kylo is sitting next to her squeezing her shoulders. "Rey, wake up! Come on sweetheart, wake up." she hears him say.

She takes a deep sobbing breath. "Gods Kylo!" she moans and drops her head into her hands. He gently pulls her to his chest and she wraps her arms tightly around him. "Just breathe with me Rey."

"I was so scared."

"Me too." he murmured, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I felt how scared you were through the Force bond. Found you back here asleep. I didn't try to wake you up, just used the bond to enter your dream, like you did for me."

"Why is this happening to us? Who is doing this to us?" Rey shivered in Kylo's arms as she tried to get control of her emotions.

"I don't know who. As for why - somebody is afraid that we'll interfere with whatever they're doing. You're a dangerous woman, Rey Skywalker."

"You're pretty dangerous yourself, Kylo Ren."

"You were right a couple of months ago, Rey."

"How's that Kylo?"

Kylo smiled. "You told me that what we were doing with the Falcon was 'just something to earn a few credits and occupy our time while we figure out what the Force wants us to do.' Looks like the Force has a job for us to do."

"It was fun while it lasted," said Rey wistfully.

"I know." agreed Kylo, "Though I never want to slide a hover scoot under a ronto's belly again."

They sat together for a while, letting the tension of the nightmare drain away. Then Rey sat up and pushed herself away from Kylo.

"The Emperor called me his granddaughter in the nightmare. Just as he did at Exegol. Does that mean I lean to the Dark Side? Do you think I might turn someday? Become evil, like him?"

"No.," said Kylo emphatically. "Your family doesn't determine how you will relate to the Force. That's on you. Hell, if family ties decided whether someone is a Lightsider or Darksider then I should be a super Jedi with Light blasting out of every orifice. Luke was Light. Leia was Light. Hell, even Anakin returned to the Light at the end."

"But I'm a Palpatine. I'm not a Skywalker, even if I call myself one."

"I don't believe it," said Kylo flatly. "I don't believe you are a Palpatine. I don't think he knew you existed until you had an awakening in the Force. He found me first and tried to corrupt me and use me. It was only after I killed Snoke and became my own master that he started looking for someone like you."

"With all his power and available forces, I have trouble believing he couldn't find you on Jakku if he had been looking for you. I think he became aware of you when the Force manifested in you on Starkiller. You were shining like a bloody signal flare."

"But I had bits of memories." protested Rey. Everything points towards me being Palpatine's granddaughter."

"Rey, the Sith lie. Powerful Sith can plant memories. I want more than the word of a decaying zombie Emperor before I'll agree you are a Palpatine."

"You may be right, Kylo." Rey said thoughtfully.

"Of course I am," he smirked. "And another thing. I'm the last living Skywalker. You are the bondmate of the last living Skywalker. Therefore, I can give you the name."

He gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Welcome to the family, Rey Skywalker."