The room is small, but neatly decorated. Rey looks around the room. The droid is an outdated model as is all the other technology in the room. She looks to see a woman sitting at a table. She's sipping a glass of wine. Rey looks at her sharp features. The woman has piercing green eyes, dark hair, and an angular face. Her clothing appears to be expensive, but her living space is a bit small for her wealth.

There's a beeping sound. The woman sets down her glass of wine and goes to the door. The door swishes open. Rey is walking to the door, but the woman's body obstructs her view.

"Always looking nice, Mhyra," a male voice says from the doorway. "How did I get so lucky to meet a woman like you?"

"Ah, but it is I who is the lucky one!" her voice seems to light up just by being in the presence of this man. Is this what love feels like?

Rey takes a few steps forward. She feels drawn to whoever is on the other side of the doorway. She's so close…

"Father!" Rey calls out.

Rey's eyes flicker open. She sits up in her bed and releases several heavy breaths. The woman looked like her mother. What was her dream trying to show her - that her parents were once rich before they squandered their wealth on booze and the death sticks? Rey feels a familiar anger swell within her. Her mom looked so different - so beautiful. Her mother's addiction had decayed her face and made her ugly.

Rey sits up and pulls the covers to the side. She's still dressed in her uniform. Not even her boots have been removed. Kylo Ren must have taken her back to her room after she fainted. Rey swings her legs over the bed. Her uniform is wrinkled and disorganized. She pulls off her boots first before she removes the rest of her clothing. Rey crosses through her small room and steps inside the cramped bathroom. She steps inside the shower, turning the knobs until hot water runs down her skin.

Rey's muscles seem to relax underneath the soothing water. She remembers. Rey feels a sense of panic. She sits on the floor of the shower and draws her knees into her chest. A wave of anxiety rushes through her. He saw everything. Rey hides her face in her knees. Her arms wrap around her folded legs as hot water rains on her from above.

He must think her weak. To be so trapped for so long, to be unable to fight back - it must make her look helpless. It shouldn't matter what he thinks. It was her intention to go to The New Republic. That is what she wants, isn't it? Rey forces herself to rise to her feet. She finishes washing herself, turns off the water, and steps out of the shower. Rey goes to a small mirror and looks at her reflection. Her damp hair hangs limb as she looks into her green eyes. She looks so tired. Rey takes in a deep breath, trying to soothe her emotions.

Rey steps outside of her room and folds her uniform, placing it on top of the stack of old clothes that she laid on the desk yesterday. She goes to her closet and changes into a uniform identical to the one folded neatly on her desk. Rey goes back to her mirror in the bathroom. She's worn her hair loose for days now, but today, she decides to put her hair up in three vertical buns. Rey looks to herself, leaning her hands against the counter. She draws in a deep breath and mentally prepares herself for whatever is to come today.

There's a beeping sound echoing in her room. Is it time for her breakfast already? Rey goes to her door, but when she opens it, she sees a white Stormtrooper behind it.

Rey pauses at first. "Uh...hi…? "

"Hi," the Stormtrooper sounds equally nervous.

"Has Kylo Ren sent for me?" she asks.

"Uh...no," there is an anxious tone in his voice. "I...was sent here to take you to the mess hall."

"I think you're mistaken," Rey says. "My food is sent to my room."

"Well, actually," he pauses. "My commanding officer thinks it would be better if you started interacting with other people aboard this ship."

Rey's brow furrows. There is something off about this whole situation, but she decides that she could use some time outside of her room. The less time she has to be stuck in her own thoughts, the better. Rey follows the Stormtrooper outside of her room. Rey expects to be led to the elevator, but the Stormtrooper leads her into a stairwell instead.

"The...uh, elevator is down for maintenance," he explains.

Rey raises her eyebrow. All of this seems so out of place, but even so, she follows the Stormtrooper down three flights of stairs. She follows the Stormtrooper out of the stairwell and into a large hallway. There's a wide open door a few paces ahead of them. Rey follows the Stormtrooper until they reach the room. Her eyes scan the room. There is a pair of Stormtroopers sitting at one table and a group of enlisted men playing cards in the corner of the room.

The Stormtrooper pulls off his helmet, revealing his true face. The Stormtrooper's dark skin is a stark contrast to the white body armor he wears. He places his helmet in a boxed cubical. The Stormtrooper smiles at her and holds out his hand.

"I'm FN-2187," he says. "We crossed paths the other day."

"When I was with Captain Phasma," Rey states. "I remember."

Rey takes his hand and shakes it. FN-2187 leads her to an almost empty line. The cook fills both of their trays and hands one to both of them. Rey looks down at the food. It appears to be a white piece of toast covered in gravy. There's also a cup of steaming hot coffee in the corner of the tray. It doesn't look like much, but Rey has learned never to be picky. Beggars can never be choosers.

Rey follows FN-2187 to an empty table. She sits next to him. There's a period of silence between them. Rey feels her thoughts slipping back to yesterday. She takes a sip of her coffee and looks over to FN-2187. She needs a distraction from the memories that plague her.

"You have a real name, don't you?" Rey asks.

"Not that I can remember," he says. "Just FN-2187."

Rey stabs her food with a fork. She takes a bite of bread covered in gravy. It's chalky, but better than anything Plutt ever allowed her to eat.

"I was there the day The First Order found you," the Stormtrooper says. "Captain Phasma had lead an assault on the Niima Outpost with Commander Ren. I saw him carry you to the ship. You were unconscious. You seemed pretty important to him. So, I got a little bit curious. Jakku is pretty much nowhere. It makes me wonder what they want from you."

"I'm not so sure myself…" Rey's voice trails off.

What does he want? He wants to teach her things, but why? Kylo Ren had promised to take her to The New Republic. Why would he invest so much time in her if they were to eventually part ways?

"Did they make you enlist?" FN-2187 asks.

"As far as I know, I'm just a guest on this ship."

"Rey, that is your name, isn't it?"

"Yes," she answers.

"Okay, Rey, listen to me," he says. "You seem like a real nice girl that's seen her fair share of hard times. You might want to think about your options before you decide to enlist. Just think about it, okay? Enlisting might seem like the only choice you have, but it's not."

Rey looks into the Stormtroopers eyes. She feels a sense of warning resonating from him. If The First Order really is so terrible, why does he choose to stay? Rey looks to Finn. What would he say if she asked him?

"FN-2187!"

A clip voice pulls Rey's gaze forward. She sees a tall, red headed man dressed in a long black coat. He's staring down at the Stormtrooper with narrowed, disapproving eyes. Rey has a suspicion that she isn't supposed to be here.

"Is there a problem, sir?" FN-2187 asks.

The man glowers down at the Stormtrooper. "How did you two meet?"

"I saw her in the hallway, sir," the Stormtrooper replies. "She looked lost."

Rey releases a deep sigh and looks down at her unfinished breakfast. From the start, she had her suspicions about leaving her room with the Stormtrooper. She feels so foolish now. Rey looks back up to what appears to be a high ranking officer. If he discovers the truth, she imagines that FN-2187 will be punished.

The officer looks to her and asks, "Is that how you both met?"

Rey pauses, debating whether to tell the truth or to outright lie. She takes in a deep breath before saying, "I was lost. I'm sorry. All of this is so new to me."

The lie comes out more smoothly than she thought it would. The man looks down on her. His eyes seem to study her for a moment. He motions her upward with his hand. "Rey, come with me please."

Rey rises from her chair, abandoning her breakfast on the table. She follows the man outside of the mess hall. They walk a few paces down the hall before he stops.

"Tell me the truth," he says. "How did you meet that man?"

"I ran into him in the hallway," Rey decides to stick with her lie. "This place is so confusing to me. I'm sorry."

"If you wish to eat outside your room, I won't deny you that," he says. "But, I expect you to eat with officers rather than lowly grunts from now on."

"I'm a guest, not an officer, sir."

"I am aware." The man pauses for a moment and looks her over. "I am General Hux. Commander Ren has asked that I introduce you to military protocol."

"I haven't enlisted yet, sir," Rey says.

Hux looks down upon her. "I expect that you will."

Rey looks up to him. Kylo Ren had promised to take her to The New Republic, hadn't he? She thinks to state this to General Hux, but only three words leave her mouth. "Yes, of course..."

Silence seems to hang in the air like dead weight. It feels as if she's just signed a contract that she can't back out of. Why is she so important to these people? Her heart feels heavy. She needs know.

"There were several slaves under Plutt's control," Rey says. "But, I'm the only one here. Can I at least know why?"

"Our Supreme Leader has deemed you important," Hux answers.

"Commander Ren?" she asks.

Hux lets out a loud chuckle as if she had just told the world's greatest joke. "Kylo Ren is not our Supreme Leader. Our leader goes by the name Snoke. I imagine you two will be introduced in due time."

Rey wonders if Snoke is the dark presence she had felt previously. A part of her wishes that Kylo Ren was the Supreme Leader. It feels so foolish to trust him, but a part of her feels so safe around him. She really shouldn't trust him the way she does, but he's the only person she's ever truly connected with.

She senses him. Rey's eyes turn over her shoulder. Kylo Ren walks to her, his face shielded behind his mask. An overwhelming sense of nervousness runs through her. She remembers the visions of her past. Kylo Ren knows now. He's seen her parents desert her. He's seen the extent of her exploitation on Jakku. Rey's eyes lower in shame. What does he think of her now?

"There you are," Kylo Ren says. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I found her with some Stormtrooper," Hux says. "Apparently, she got lost."

"I see," Kylo looks down upon her. If he asks her for the truth, she won't be able to lie to him like she had to Hux. "Come with me, Rey."

Rey looks to Hux one last time. "It was nice to meet you, sir."

Rey turns back to Kylo and follows him down the hallway. An uncomfortable silence fills the air. She is unsure of what she should say. Rey thinks that perhaps she should address what had happened the other day. It would be easier, but she just can't find the right words. Kylo Ren stops at the end of the hallway. She can tell that he's looking down at her through his visor. Her entire body tenses under his gaze.

"How are you feeling?" he asks with a tinge of compassion in his voice.

Several different words flit through her mind. It doesn't matter what she says. He already knows exactly how she feels. Rey breathes deeply and answers truthfully. "I could be better."

"Do you need more rest?"

The thought of crawling into her small cot and hiding from the world seems so easy, but the thought of being alone for the rest of day frightens her. When she's alone, her inner demons seem to eat her alive.

"I'm fine," she answers. "Just a little overwhelmed."

There's a beat of silence that passes between them. Her entire body trembles. She really shouldn't ask him what she's about to ask.

"You have this power," Rey pauses. "Can you erase memories?"

"I could," he says. "But, they wouldn't truly be gone. They would just be hidden."

It doesn't seem to matter to her. She just wants them gone. "But, I wouldn't think about them anymore?"

"Not consciously," he says. "You might dream of them. If someone had the power to do so, they could pull them back to hurt you. You would be better off learning how to manage your memories than trying to run from them."

"How do I do that?" Rey's voice quivers as she speaks. "They've haunted me all my life…"

"I can show you how," Kylo says. "That is if you'll let me."

A hot tear slips down her cheek. She tries to fight her emotions, but they seem to spill from her regardless. She looks up to him with tear stained cheeks. His gloved hand reaches out and thumbs away a falling tear. Rey gasps. She hadn't expected him to comfort her. She places her hand on top of his and closes her eyes. She feeds off his energy, drawing in his power. Her grief seems to fade just enough to stop her tears.

"I don't want to feel this way anymore," she whispers.

Kylo withdraws his hand from her cheek. "Come with me."

Rey nods. Kylo leads her through the hallway and stops in front of a room. He keys in an access code and the door slides open. Rey steps inside of the room. Her eyes find a window on the other side of the room. Rey steps towards it and places her hand on the cold glass. She looks out into the sea of stars. Kylo joins her, standing to her right. Rey's hand drops from the window as she turns to face him.

"Do you remember anything about your parents?" he asks.

"I wanted to believe they were important for such a long time," Rey answers. "I think I convinced myself that I had this connection with my family. I wanted to believe I was meant for something. Maybe I am, but it's not because of them. I know the truth. I've always known the truth. They were addicts. They sold me to chase their booze and death sticks. I am a nobody. "

"You are not a nobody," he says. "Not to me."

Rey's heart skips when he says those last words. She's never truly had a family or friend. She's always felt so alone. Rey looks up to him. She wants to know him. She wants to know everything.

"Where are you from?" she asks.

"Chandrila," he answers.

Rey tries to think of what and where Chandrila is. She feels so blind to the world around her. Jakku is all that she's ever known.

"I've never been anywhere but Jakku," she says. "We could go to Chandrila. You could take me there..."

"Someday," his words sound like a promise.

Kylo turns away from her. His hands reach up towards his head as he removes his mask. He sets it on a nearby table and turns back to her. Rey steps towards him, her eyes finding his. This feels right. This is where she should be.

"I don't want to go to The New Republic. I want to stay here... with you."

Her heart seems to burn as she looks up into his brown eyes. She's never felt so drawn to one person in her entire life. Kylo steps towards her. They are mere inches apart. She wants something from him, but she's not exactly sure what it is that she wants.

"I had hoped that you would see it this way," he says.

Her breath seems to catch in her throat as she looks up to him. An unfamiliar energy seems to run through her. She feels something, but she's not quite sure what it is.

"I can show you so much," he says.

"Then, show me. I'm not afraid anymore..."

Kylo places his hand on the side of her face. "Close your eyes."

Rey's eyes flutter closed. Her breath slows as she relaxes underneath his touch. Her mind suddenly becomes so clear.

"Search your memories. Find a time you were at peace," he instructs.

The dream resonates in her mind. She see the woman from her dream - the woman that looked so much like her mother. Rey tries to find a memory with her mother. She sees her mother's tired face. She looks so different. Her eyes are sunken in and her hair is frayed. Her mother tips a vile into her shot glass. She takes the glass to her lips and pours the contents into her mouth. She sets the glass back down on the table.

"My mom won't give us anymore money. Stupid bitch," her mother says.

"We're running out of money," her father states. "If I don't pay our landlord next month, he'll throw us out."

"Well, I don't know what to do!" her mother snaps. "My mom wants to take Rey away from us, but won't give us any money! I don't know what my mom wants with her, anyways! She's nothing but trouble! I don't know what to do! We need money!"

"I know a way." Her father's voice becomes dark. "It's not going to be easy, but I know how we can make money."

Her father looks to Rey. This was the week before they gave her away. Rey opens her eyes. Tears are streaming down her face.

"Your parents never brought you peace, Rey," Kylo says. "You'll have to search farther."

Rey breathes and closes her eyes once more. She tries to find one good memory. It comes to her. She remembers the second time she had escaped from Plutt. She watches the sun fall from the sky in a deep orange sunset. This was the time she believed that she'd finally found her freedom. Rey opens her eyes and looks up to Kylo. All of her pain has faded if only for a mere moment.

"Now, I need you to think of a memory that made you feel powerful," he instructs.

Rey closes her eyes. The memory comes almost instantaneously. A blaster is rattling in her hand. She pulls the trigger and takes Plutt's arm off. Rey's eyes snap open. She takes in shallow breaths as she looks up to Kylo.

"My first teacher tried to teach me the value of peace," Kylo explains. "But, as you can see, peace is never enough. The Force is strongest through power not through peace. Rey, you must let your parents go. They may still be alive somewhere, but finding your family will not bring you strength. Let the past die… "

Kylo's words feel so heavy. She knows what he says is true, but she's not sure if she's ready to let go.

"You must let them go," he reinforces. "Their memory only holds you back."

Rey gives him a half-hearted nod. Her grief seems to have returned. Rey takes one final step towards him. She places her hands on his chest. Their eyes meet briefly before she rests her head on his chest. She's not sure what she feels or why she feels it, but she feels something . She feels one arm wrap around her waist, drawing her closer.

"You'll be safe with me... always."

Rey's eyes flutter shut. His promise seems to stick in her mind. Her fingers dig into his clothing. This is what she wants. This is where she is meant to be.