I'm dead. And Heaven is The Last Jedi?

Stay away from her! Kylo Ren raged.

You heard me? Dex asked.

You are the most ignorant Force Ghost I ever heard of! Of course I heard you! You're thinking with my brain! Who are you? Some ancient Sith Ghost trying to steal my body and power? You can't have it! You can't have Rey!

I don't want Rey! I want Amy!

Who the kriff is Amy?!

"Ben?" Rey asked. "You're … different. Why are you blushing?"

"Um... it's the shock of it all. The exertion. What were we talking about before?"

She stared at him as though he'd gone insane.

Look, Ben-

Don't call me Ben! Only Rey can call me Ben. You're a body stealing spirit and I will not condescend to speak to you.

Then Rey will probably die and so will you. I'm not supposed to be here but here we are. We can't deal with whatever this is with Hux and his Stormtrooper Light Brigade liable to run in at any moment. . So cut the tantrum out and tell me what to do so we can get out of this alive!

"Ben? Focus. I need you to stay with me." Rey took his gloved hands between her hands. "I'm here with you. I promise I won't abandon you now. But we have to save the Resistance! We have to save Leia!"

"Mother ..." It wasn't Dex speaking; it was Kylo. So he still had some control over their body …

My body, thief!

Call me Dex. You can go destroy a computer console once we're safe and sound- or do you want Rey to know that the reason you did what she asked was because I made the choice for you?

With an angry curse- which had absolutely no effect on Dex because he had no idea what Kylo was talking about- the tall angry young man made his way to the communication board and turned it on. You wanted it on; you talk. There was something like a plea in Kylo's words. I can't do it. The words would choke in my throat. I gave my life to the First Order. I can't just betray it.

All right. Dex cleared his throat. "This is Kylo Ben … I mean, Kylo Ren. Supreme Leader Snoke is dead. I am now assuming my rightful role as the Supreme New Leader! Cease fire on the Resistance shuttles! We have bigger fish to fry!"

For a moment, the firing stopped, then an angry Armitage Hux's voice was heard through the com channel. "I need a security detail to Supreme Leader Snoke's throne room! Kylo Ren has gone mad! Unless he surrenders, destroy him and anyone with him!"

The firing began again. Another Resistance shuttle was destroyed as they watched.

"Why didn't they do what you ordered, Ben?" Rey asked desperately. "Our friends are dying!"

"Our friends?" She presumes too much. "I had no authority over the military," Kylo told her gently. "If Hux weren't on board- or if he had been in the room with us- I might have been able to compel obediance. Our only choice now is to flee. I presume you have a way to get us back to your friends?"

"Yes. We can take an escape pod. Chewie will pick us up."

"Chewbacca ..."

Is that guilt you're feeling, Ben- excuse me, Kylo? Dex was grimly amused. If this was a dream- some last fevered fantasy of a dying mind- he wanted to enjoy it.

Shut up.

The private Escape Pod that Snoke had placed right off his throne room was somewhat larger than a normal one, but Rey seemed perfectly content to snuggle up against Kylo as the two- three?- of them entered it and blasted off. "I'm so tired," Rey murmured. "I don't feel like I've gotten a good night's sleep since this all started."

Dex patted the circular cushioned couch they were sitting on. "Go ahead." He took off Kylo's cape and wrapped it around her like a blanket. "I'll wake you up when Chewie gets here."

Rey yawned adorably- it was Kylo who had the feeling; Dex who supplied the term for him- and drifted off to sleep with her head in Kylo's lap.

I've lost everything. The First Order will hunt me down. The Resistance wil kill me. I have nothing, but none of that matters as long as she is safe. What is this power that she has over me?

Dexter Ferris laughed inside their shared head. It's called love, Kylo. You're in love with Rey.