Of all the things that had changed with joining the Resistance, one thing had not: The lonely nights. It wasn't that Rey wasn't happy with the Resistance. She had found everything she had ever wanted with them: acceptance, family, belonging. Everything but love. The type of love that General Organa and Han Solo once had. The type of love that Finn and Poe had. She hadn't found that yet, and so her nights were still cold and lonely.

Finn told her how he heard people talk about how beautiful she was, how kind, how generous, yet no one approached her. Not even to have lunch. She always lunched with Finn and Poe. If her time wasn't spent with Finn and Poe, her time was spent alone. While Luke Skywalker had finally returned to the Resistance, he had shown no interest in training her. He was morose and reclusive, unavailable. She certainly wasn't going to pester him and make her chances of being trained in the Force even worse.

The only respite she found was, ironically, at night, yet it wasn't a respite she welcomed. There was no regularity or pattern to the visits, but Kylo Ren came to her in her dreams. She wished he wouldn't, not because he frightened her, but because she didn't feel alone when she woke up. She felt soothed by him, even cared for. She didn't like that feeling coming from an encounter with a monster. It was infuriating. She hated that he could have such a placating effect on her psyche. She wanted to hate him, to outright despise him. Her last dream had been particularly disturbing because she had been unable to be hateful towards him.

"We meet again, Rey."

"Not by my choice," she replied.

"Of course it is by your choice," he said. "You called me here."

"No, I didn't!"

"Rey, stop fighting me. Maybe you did not consciously call me, but you did." He stepped towards her. He wasn't dressed in his usual garb, just a black long sleeve shirt, black pants, black boots and black gloves. He never wore his mask in her dreams. She hated how intense his eyes were, how they seemed to look through her to her very soul. She hated how handsome he was, his full lips, his nose that seemed almost too large for his face but yet was just perfect as it was, his strong chin. "Rey?"

She hadn't noticed that he was holding both of her hands. She pulled back, startled, but her fingertips still rested on his. "Ren." It felt like electricity coursed through their fingers and she looked up at him, alarmed. He smiled down at her…

That was when she woke up. Her fingertips tingled when she just thought about the dream. She was grateful he didn't come to her often; she didn't think she could handle it. She didn't believe him when he said when he said that she was the one calling him to her. It wasn't below him to lie and say such a thing. She couldn't have called him to her dreams. She wouldn't...would she?

"Master Luke!" Rey shouted as she ran to catch up with the Jedi Master. "Master Luke!" He barely paid her any notice when she did catch up to him, trying to catch her breath. "Master Luke, could I please speak with you a moment?"

Luke Skywalker sighed a deep sigh, the sigh of a man who had seen and experienced too much in his years. He looked at her apprehensively, trying to determine what she was going to ask.

She took a deep breath. "Can you..." She paused. "Can you use the Force to see into the future?"

His eyes narrowed a bit. "It's possible, but it's dangerous. I don't recommend it. Many things can cloud the future."

"I just... I just need to know something."

"Rey, looking into the future is a dangerous practice. As Master Yoda said, the future is always in motion. We cannot put too much faith into a future vision, yet there are those Sith and Jedi that had visions that were never wrong. My father was one of those."

"I've been having dreams, Master Luke. I need to know what to make of them."

Luke gave her a curious look, "Do you think they are visions?"

Rey shook her head. "No. I just don't know what they mean."

"Would you like to tell me about them? Maybe I can help you."

"No!" Rey exclaimed. "I mean, I'd really rather not. I'm just wondering if you could see something in my future that might explain them."

Luke shook his head. "It's hard to know what I'm looking for without knowing what I'm looking for, Rey."

She sighed. "I know I'm not being helpful. It's-" She paused. "It's maybe shallow, or you might think it's not important."

"Rey, I know I've been short with you about Jedi training. That's because it's something I truly do not want to engage in right now. This is something different and it seems to be heavy on your heart. What can I do?"

Rey took a deep breath, "Am I ever going to find love?"

Luke gave her a warm smile, "That is neither shallow nor unimportant. It's also not something I can predict. Such things only come with time and the will of the Force."

Rey looked at the ground. "My dreams are of a dark man. He says I call to him. I've only had a few of them."

Luke nodded. "You want to know if your future is with this man." She nodded. "Rey, as I said, the future is always in motion…."

"I have to know!" she interrupted. "I'm sorry."

"I understand." He sighed. "Alright. I will try. But Rey, we may see things we don't want to see."

"We?" she said.

"Yes. You are going to do this with me. I know you are strong enough in the Force to follow with me." They had walked to a grassy area where Luke sat down, straightening his robes around him. Rey followed suit, joining him on the ground. He took her hand in his. "Clear your mind, Rey. Let me in."

Rey did as she was told-for the most part. She had no intention of identifying the dark man she had told him about. She wasn't entirely sure she could hide that from the Jedi Master, but she was going to try.

The vision starts out cloudy perhaps, but as they have difficulty breathing, they realize it's smoky. Buildings are left crumbling, nothing left but burning husks. They walk through the remains of the village to the center, finding a pile of bodies smell of burning flesh is almost unbearable. Rey stumbles back, and Luke steadies her. A pile of confiscated weapons is off to the side. Stormtroopers are organizing the loading of equipment looted from the buildings. Towards the front, a lone body lies crumpled, almost slashed in half by a lightsaber. A dark figure stands with their back to them, hooded and robed, smoke curling around their form. As they approach, a lightsaber comes to life, crackling and unstable….

Rey screamed and jumped up, pulling herself out of the vision. "No! No!"

Luke stood up, "Rey, calm down! I told you this could be dangerous. Is he the man you've seen in your dreams?" She just stared at him. He placed his hand on her shoulder to calm her. "He is, isn't he? My nephew?" She couldn't even bring herself to nod. "It's just a vision, as I said, the future is always changing."

Rey wasn't sure if Luke was trying to convince her or himself more. Was he lying and saying he wasn't concerned with the vision combined with her dreams? It seemed impossible though. Ben Solo had committed himself to the Dark Side. There seemed no way for her to fall in love and have a future with him.

"I need to meditate on this further," Luke said. "This vision is also clouded by the Dark Side. Try not to think about it too hard, please."

"I need to take a walk." Luke nodded as she walked towards the woods but after she had taken a few steps, she broke into a run. She ran through the woods, branches crunching under her feet as she aimlessly made her way to nowhere. She came to a stop before she got lost, trying to come to her senses. Panic would do her no good. The vision had to be wrong. Kylo Ren was not her future, not her love. She could not love a monster, a man whose face she could hardly bear to look upon with a mask as evil as his soul. She put aside what she had felt in her dreams because that was nothing compared to what the reality of his actions were while awake. She started to walk back towards the base. As Luke said, this vision was clearly clouded by the Dark Side. She shook her head as she wondered how Kylo Ren was influencing so much of this.

She was enjoying lunch outside with Finn and Poe as a droid approached. "Miss Rey, this package arrived for you." As she took a bite of her sandwich, a droid walked up to Rey and handed her a package.

"Thank you," she said as she took it from the droid, looking at it with confusion.

"Open it!" Finn said excitedly.

"Settle down," Poe said, laughing. "You would think it's your birthday."

"I don't have a birthday," Finn said, quite seriously.

"We need to work on that," Poe said.

"I don't have one either," Rey said. "Not that I can remember."

"Well, we need to work on that, too. Now what's in that mystery box?" Poe asked.

Rey carefully unwrapped the brown paper package. Underneath, it was wrapped again, but this time in fine paper, lustrous blue with white flowers. A fine white ribbon was laced all around it. Her eyes widened at the fine wrapping of the inner package.

"Whoa," Finn said. "Didn't expect that under there."

"No, not at all," Rey said. "It's almost too pretty to open." She ran her fingers over the ribbon wrapped around the package. She carefully untied it, making sure not to put any excess tears in the paper.

"Tear into it!" Poe said.

"No! I'm going to save it," she replied with a smile.

"You would," Finn said, poking her with his elbow.

"Old habits die hard," she replied. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The box underneath was covered with a soft velvet. Rey opened the box to reveal a handwritten note placed on top of tissue paper. The note read:

Rey,

When I first saw you in the city, I was too struck by your beauty to approach you. You are a rare desert flower. I wanted to find something worthy of you, but there is nothing in the galaxy that can compare. I hope you will find this acceptable. Perhaps we can meet in the near future. It would truly be an honor to be in your company.

Yours,

Venij Amin

"Well, Rey, it seems you have an admirer," Poe said with a laugh.

"Or a stalker," she said, grimacing. "I don't think I like this." She gasped as she took the top off of the box to reveal a stunning necklace; a gold filigree chain with an elaborate emerald pendant. This was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Thin gold bands crossed over the emerald to hold it in place to the gold setting. She ran her finger over it, admiring the craftsmanship. "I, just, I don't know what to say. I can't accept this."

"I don't think you have much choice, love," Poe said. "You don't know who to return it to."

"I don't know if I like this either," Finn looked at the note. "How did he find out you're with the Resistance?"

Rey pursed her lips. "I don't know. That's part of why I don't like this. And where am I going to wear this?" She shook her head. "It's beautiful, but impractical."

Poe laughed. "Always about the practical. Just appreciate the beauty, Rey. Maybe there's nothing sinister at all. You've been complaining that you can't find a date around here."

"Poe, this is serious! What if we have a security leak?" Rey shot him a dirty look.

"We have shipments coming in here all the time. It's not hard to figure out where we are on planet. It's just a matter of trusting our suppliers not to lead the First Order to our doorstep and that's why we're on a friendly planet. Let's think things through rationally before we get too paranoid." Poe leaned back in his chair. "We also might just have to wait and see if this Venij Amin tries to contact you again."

Rey grimaced. "I'm not sure I want that unless it's to return this." She placed the necklace back in the box and carefully wrapped the tissue paper back around it. She replaced the top back on the box. "I will, however, be happy to keep the paper," she said with a small smile.

"Always the scavenger," Finn said, rubbing her shoulder with a laugh.

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as she gathered up to trash to dispose of. "I'm off to put this somewhere safe until I can return it. You boys behave."

"We actually planned on going into town," said Poe. "You want us to ask around about this Venij Amin?"

"Only ask people you trust," she replied. "I don't want to raise any suspicion." She headed off to her quarters to place the necklace in her locker. It was certainly valuable and she didn't want anything to happen to it while she was waiting to return it to Venij Amin, whoever that might be. She didn't understand why they wouldn't just approach her; she certainly wasn't so beautiful as to be unapproachable, not in her own estimations. She shook her head again. Once she figured out who this person was, she would return the gift and be done with all of it. Or so she thought.

A few days later, Rey was sparring in the training facility with Finn. Poe sat back and watched, munching on a bag of chips. Training wasn't exactly his thing. Rey came at Finn with a right jab, which he countered with a left hook. Rey ducked and came around with a leg sweep, missing and almost losing her balance. With a laugh, she said, "OK, I'm done for now."

"So you give up?" Finn said, with a twinkle in his eye.

"No, I just need a break," she said, taking a half-hearted swipe at his head. "I forgot to ask, by the way. Did you guys find out anything about that Venij Amin?"

"Not a thing," Poe replied. "We only asked a couple suppliers, but no one had heard of him. But the amount of money it takes to buy that kind of necklace can also buy silence."

Rey nodded, "True. The more I've thought about it, the more I don't think it's some sort of First Order plot. I just think it's creepy."

As she said that, a droid made its way to her, a medium sized package in its metal hands. "Miss Rey, this package arrived for you earlier in the day."

Rey rolled her eyes with a groan. "Gods, not again." It was wrapped in the same plain brown paper as the smaller one from the other day, a good indication of its origin.

Poe laughed. "Well, you might as well open it."

Rey started to unwrap the package, not being as careful as she was the first time. The same beautiful blue wrapping paper was underneath as before. Rey sighed as she ran her finger along the fine ribbon. She couldn't tear it apart, as much as she wanted to. She knew she would save it again; it was just too pretty. She removed the ribbon and carefully removed the paper from the box, this time more simple than before. She removed the top from the box to find another note.

Rey,

I hope you found my last gift acceptable. While nothing compares to your beauty, I had hoped to find something unlike you had ever received before. I want to give you things beyond your wildest imagination-the galaxy, even-if you will only take them. Until then, please take this and consider wearing it with the necklace when you come to meet me. You can find me in a tent in the woods just outside of the base, two nights from tonight. Please come alone, and be assured that I mean you no harm. Come armed if it makes you feel safer. I will be unarmed, I promise you. I do hope you will consider my offer.

Yours always,

Venij Amin

Wrapped in the tissue was a silken purple sleeveless blouse, the style she favored, made of the softest material she had ever felt. Silken purple arm wraps were included, along with fingerless gloves. It was an absolutely gorgeous set. As she lifted the blouse out, underneath were black silken pants with a silk sash. She was taken aback by the overall beauty of the outfit. It also bothered her how Venij Amin knew how well it would fit her. How did this person have such a knowledge of her?

"Rey," Finn said cautiously, "Are you going to do it? Are you going to meet him?"

"If it's even a him," she said. "I don't know."

"It sounds dangerous. I don't like it," Finn shook his head. "We should go with you."

Poe nodded, "Or at least part of the way. That way we can be there if something happens."

"I can handle myself," Rey said defensively. "I'll take my 'saber and blaster. I don't know though. This is just weird. Yet." She paused. "This does give me a chance to return these things."

"I don't know if you should even go," said Finn. "I don't like this at all. I can go and return this stuff. Tell this person to leave you alone."

"I don't need someone to protect me, Finn. I can take care of this." Rey put everything in the box, including the paper. "I'll go and meet this person and straighten all of this out. It's not like I actually-" She paused. "-like this silky stuff."

"Oh, wait a minute," Poe said. "You do!"

Rey turned red. "No, I don't! OK, maybe a little." She gave him a small smile. "It is awfully soft." She shook her head. "But I can't keep it. I have no practical use for it, nowhere to wear it, especially not to a tent in the woods to some stranger." She rolled her eyes. "I am going to go put this with the necklace. I'll see you guys later." She headed out of the gym to her quarters. This invitation was actually a good thing, because it would end this nonsense. She didn't like the attention, she didn't like the presents, she didn't like any of it. In two nights, this would stop. Or so she thought.