Rey's hands felt clammy. She placed her palm on her forehead, right above her brow and felt the beads of sweat. She wiped them off. When she lightly touched her forehead with her fingertips she noticed it felt rather warm.

She thought to herself that maybe she was coming down with something. Maybe she was developing a fever. Maybe she had ignored the sniffly nose and tickle in her throat that plagued her days earlier because she couldn't afford to get sick. She couldn't afford to take a day off as that meant she wouldn't make rent and that she wouldn't see Kylo again.

She had been putting aside all of her tips that week, desperately trying to earn enough to add at least an additional week to her time seeing Kylo. She had calculated previously that she would only be able to afford one additional week before she began working extra hours, taking an additional two shifts just so she could pay for his services for an additional week. She was only about 50 dollars short of his weekly rate and needed the hours this day before she went on her date with Dopheld.

As she stared at the dishes in her sink and the coffee mug on the kitchen counter, whose contents had long gone cold, she forced herself to button up the rest of her shirt, put on her apron, grab her purse and head out the door.

As she huffed down the sidewalks, forcing her legs to keep carrying on. She forced open the door of the café. The door felt like she was lifting 10 pounds of lead.

She was shivering as she walked into the door even though it was 70 degrees outside and far from balmy outside. Her skin felt clammy and she wiped sweat from her brow.

Rey caught Finn's gaze and he frowned. She thought he must have noticed how disheveled she looked. She hadn't taken much care about her appearance that morning. She just had focused on trying to force herself to go into work.

"Oh Peanut, you look awful. If you aren't feeling well, you should take a sick day today", he said. Rey knew there was concern in his tone.

Finn moved closer to her and placed the backside of his hand against her forehead. "You are burning up. You really need to go home, rest, drink plenty of fluids. Believe me we can manage here without you."

Rey shook her head, "I have a date coming up and I need the extra money for unforeseen expenses", she told him.

The unforeseen circumstances were because of a man that she didn't want to stop seeing. She wasn't ready to let go of Kylo yet.

Finn shook his head. "I am sure Dopheld will understand. Hes a man on a mission. He comes in here just to see you. Its obvious that its not for our food. He always asks for you even when your shift has ended.".

Rey shook her head. She didn't know what to think about Dopheld anymore. She was thinking of cancelling their date altogether. She didn't know if she could put effort into dating again when her heart just wasn't in it and her head was still fogged up with memories of her dead husband.

Rose came out from the kitchen and stopped in her tracks when she saw Rey. "Oh honey. Please don't tell me you expected to work today if your condition. Your face is white as a ghost except for the extreme redness in your cheeks. I don't even need to grab a thermometer to know that you have a fever. Finn can drive you home. The car is parked outside. You shouldn't be walking in your condition".

Rey tried to grin at him but couldn't force herself to smile. "I really appreciate the offer, Finn but I need to work today. Its very important. I took two asperins on my here and I am sure that they will kick in at any time. I can handle a cold," she stated.

Everything that happened after she refused Finn's offer of a ride home was fuzzy to Rey. She remembered walking towards the kitchen and glancing at Finn, seeing that his face was marred with a frown. She saw him clearly for a few seconds before her vision started to blur. She recognized that a blurred figure came towards her, she heard shouting and murmuring of voices that she couldn't make out. She remembered feeling a sharp, unexpected pain radiate from her head to her neck.

Then everything went black.

When Rey awoke next, she had to blink a few times to clear the blurriness in her vision. Her head was throbbing with pain and her body ached. She was shivering violently even though she didn't feel cold. In contrast, she felt like her whole body was engulfed in fire.

There was no longer light streaming in from the windows. There was only the filtered light streaming in from the kitchen

She groaned and she caught a glimpse of two figures in the corner of the kitchen. She heard murmuring but couldn't make out what was being said. The voices were deep in conversation. She could make out certain words.

"I hadn't heard from her, she typically texts me before I come over", one deep, guttural voice stated.

"Man, you don't need to stay. She's not up to anything right now, she's been asleep for over 9 hours. My girlfriend and I have taken turns coming over here to check on her throughout the day.", another voice said. knew that it was Finn.

"I want to stay. I can help her.",she deeper voice stated.

Kylo, it was definitely Kylo. She remembered their was supposed to come over after her date with Dopheld. A date that definitely didn't happen. She didn't even remember how she got home and under her covers. She assumed it was Finn,but she didn't remember.

"Why because she paid you? So you feel obligated? Its not your place, man. She barely knows you. I don't know how comfortable I feel about leaving a vulnerable, sick young woman with a mere stranger who gets paid to sleep with her. We'll watch out for you. She'll contact you once she feels better. She passed out. She needs the fever to break.", Finn reiterated.

"It isn't like that. I bring her comfort. I listen to her. Think of me as her night time therapist", Kylo argued.

Finn's voice was raised a few octaves and he was practically shouting, "You aren't needed dude and you aren't a therapist. This cuddler bullshit is to scam innocent woman to give you their money to sleep with you. Sex or not, you aren't any different then a gigolo. She needs support right now, not a man giving her false hope that he's actually there for her. Rey doesn't need you right now."

Rey tried to sit up on the edge of the bed, she stumbled from her bed to the kitchen area.

Kylo and Finn turned to face her, looking startled.

"Rey get back to bed. I'll get you some pain relievers to help bring down the fever. I just need you to ask your friend here to leave. Rose and I can continue to take care of you", Finn requested.

Rey turned to look at Kylo and then back to Finn. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "It is ok Finn, you can go home. I'll be ok. I want him to be here with me", Rey responded.

Rey caught Finn rolling his eyes. "Rey you are half delirious from the fever. You don't know what you are saying. I don't know what good this man is going to do you right now. I've been watching over you for a few hours. He just shows up and thinks that he can do any good for you as you slept", Finn argued.
Rey's cheeks flushed with anger. She may not be feeling like herself but she knew what she wanted. She wanted Kylo to be with her. She just wanted to go to sleep knowing that he was there.

"I want him to be here Finn. I appreciate you taking care of me but you should go back to Rose . I'll be ok, I promise.", Rey said softly, her voice cracking.

Rey glanced at Kylo and he had a smug smile on his face as he looked at Finn. He nodded at Finn and then gestured his head back to Rey, "The lady has spoken, looks like I am staying. You are free to go home now."

Finn frowned but begrudgingly grabbed his coat and started to wal out of the door. "Remember Peanut if you need anything at all, feel free to contact Rose or I. We won't sleep much until we know you are feeling better", Finn told Rey.

Rey watched as Finn left and felt a hand pressed against her shoulder. "Kylo leaned down and brushed her hair away from her shoulder. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Get back into your bed Rey. Take the aspirin.", he told her as he handed her a glass of water.

She gulped the two aspirin down and spun around to face Kylo."Finn is right you know. You have no obligation to be here. I am obviously sick. You could get sick too. You are exposing yourself to whatever crud I have caught", she rationalized.

Kylo gently ran his fingers up and down her left arm and gazed down at her stoically. "Its ok Rey, I am willing to take the chance. I don't feel right leaving you alone right now. We had an appointment".

Rey shook her head and shifted her eyes to the floor, "Its ok, consider the appointment cancelled. You are free to go off wherever you would like and be with whoever you'd like to be with. I don't want to force you to be with me right now , especially not in the state I am in", she argued.

Kylo stared down at her, grabbing her arm and lead her back to her bed. She flopped down and he covered her with the comforter before throwing off his clothing and slipping in bed behind her.

Rey closed her eyes. She drifted into a comfortable bliss of darkness and warmth. She felt his arms grasping her body tightly and his knees tucked behind her calves.

She drifted off into sleep, not feeling the pain of her headache pr the chills that had run through her body. The muscle aches ceased.

Flashes of Armie appeared before her eyes. Him smiling at her. She reached out to grab on to his hand and she saw a dark shadow standing behind him, pulling his body beyond her reach. She ran forward to grab onto his hand again. He was no longer smiling at her, rather he appeared to be screaming, although Rey couldn't hear his cries for help. She could only see the grimace in his smile and his mouth wide open.

A terrifying deep voice creeped up from behind her, whispering. "I have him now. You won't ever get him back. You won't ever be loved again. You only chance of love is gone. I have taken him from you".

Rey screamed back at the overwhelming darkness surrounding him. "Bring him back, I want him back", she shouted.

Rey heard a loud boom as a clap of lightning illuminated the darkened sky. She looked down at her feet and saw a pool of blood. The dark figure and Armie were gone.

"Noooooooo", she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Rey felt someone shaking her. Her shoulders were being pushed back and fourth.

"Rey wake up. Please wake up, you were having a nightmare.", Kylo stated in a calm, soothing voice. He was no longer curled up behind her. He was kneeling on the other side of the mattress, pushing into her shoulders firmly with both hands.

Rey opened her eyes and stared at him. She gasped for air and then took a deep, calming breath.

"Tell me that you love me", she asked him.

Kylo let out a shaky breath as he bit his bottom lip.

"Rey, I can't say that. I'm sorry. I can hold you again if you'd like. I have another hour before I have to go home", he explained.

Rey closed her eyes . Her breathing became staggered once again. "Please, please just tell me that you love me. I just need you to lie to me. I need to hear it", she begged.

Rey's thoughts thick with confusion and agony at the vision she had of Armie. No matter if it were a nightmare or something else, she needed to hear Kylo tell her that he loved her. She needed that false hope in order to move on from the nightmare.

Rey felt Kylo get back into position behind her. She felt his lips brush the side of her forehead. She felt his fingertips catch onto the strands of hair that were stuck on her forehead by sweat.

She could feel his breath tickling the outer shell of her earlobe.

Kylo took a deep, staggering breath. "I love you Rey", he whispered softly into her ear.