Chapter 2 Dream

Chapter 2

"Kylo Ren," the shorter one whispered, his voice trembling.

Kylo Ren nodded once, his gaze unblinking as it pinned the two snatchers in place.

They swallowed hard, fear stark on their faces. They knew his reputation - swift, merciless, unflinching.

"We were just... just trying to take what was ours," the taller one stammered.

"It wasn't yours," Kylo Ren said, voice low and cold.

"Now leave. And don't come back."

The two snatchers bolted into the darkness without a second glance. Kylo Ren revved his motorcycle, preparing to drive off, when a voice stopped him.

"Wait," Rey said, her voice soft but steady.

Kylo turned his helmeted head toward her. The streetlight gleamed off the black visor, hiding his face.

"Thank you," Rey said, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

"I'm not helping you," Kylo Ren said flatly.

"I just hate petty criminals."

Rey studied him, heart racing. "Who are you? Why were they afraid of you?"

Kylo's voice sharpened. "That's none of your business."

"You think I'll just walk away?" Rey challenged, stepping closer. The neon lights flickered, catching her face - and Kylo Ren flinched, almost imperceptibly.

Something about her. Something from the dreams that had been haunting him.

"Kylo Ren," he said at last, the name heavy between them.

"Rey Kenobi," she replied, her voice steady though she felt shaken.

A strange current passed between them - recognition without memory, familiarity without reason.

Without another word, Kylo gunned his motorcycle and vanished into the night. Rey stood there, staring after him, confusion and curiosity swirling inside her.

---

Rey emerged from the alley into the buzzing chaos of Venice Beach. She spotted Sal standing in front of his shop, worry etched into his face.

"Rey! Are you okay?" he called, hurrying toward her.

"I heard shouting."

Rey quickly recounted the encounter. Sal's expression darkened.

"You're lucky Kylo Ren was there," he said.

"He's dangerous - but he has a code. Not like Snoke's other gang members."

Rey nodded, distracted. Kylo Ren lingered in her thoughts.

Grabbing her bag from Sal, she thanked him and started toward home. The crowds thinned as she reached Oakwood, the cheap apartment block she called home. A cracked stairwell led to her small second-floor unit - beige walls, a pull-out bed, a rickety desk stacked with sketchbooks.

She flipped on the desk lamp, the dim light barely piercing the gloom. After a long, hot shower, she slipped into cotton pajamas and made chamomile tea, letting the sweet scent calm her frayed nerves.

She sat at her desk, staring blankly at her unfinished sketches. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push Kylo Ren from her mind - the coldness, the familiarity.

Finally, she turned off the light and climbed into bed. Sleep came quickly - but it was not peaceful.

---

She dreamt of a skyscraper, towering and endless. Rey wandered its flickering neon-lit halls, searching for a way out. The silence was deafening, the air heavy.

Then, a voice. Her name, carried faintly through the empty corridors.

She looked up.

At the top of the building stood Kylo Ren, his figure silhouetted against a dark sky. He stared down at her - and then he stepped forward.

"No!" Rey cried, but her voice barely carried.

Kylo fell into the abyss. His body vanished into the endless night.

Rey jolted awake, gasping, sweat clinging to her skin. For a long moment, she sat frozen, staring at the ceiling, heart hammering in her chest.

It had felt so real.

She dragged herself to the window. Dawn was breaking over Los Angeles, the city stirring to life. Shivering, she went to the bathroom to wash away the lingering dread.

---

Later that morning, Rey made her way to The Daily Grind, her favorite coffee shop just down the block. The bell above the door chimed as she entered.

Rose Tico waved from a corner table, her wide smile instantly lifting Rey's spirits. Rose's expressive eyes and dimpled cheeks radiated warmth.

"Rey! Finally!" she teased, pushing a mug of coffee toward her.

Rey sat down and told Rose about the mugging - and Kylo Ren.

Rose's face paled. "Kylo Ren? Rey, that's bad news. He's with Snoke's Riders. You were lucky."

"I know," Rey said, stirring her coffee absently.

"But... it's strange. I feel like I know him somehow."

Rose frowned. "Maybe it's nothing. Just be careful, okay?"

"I will," Rey promised, though part of her knew it was already too late. She was tangled in something deeper.

---

After finishing her coffee, Rey headed to Sal's shop to collect her payment for the mural. Sal handed her a thick envelope with a grin.

"You did good work," he said.

"Come paint for me again sometime."

Rey thanked him and stepped into the street - and froze.

A man stood before her mural. Pale, tall, dark-haired, he stared at it as if reading secrets only he could see.

There was something unsettlingly familiar about him.

Their eyes met. Rey's stomach flipped.

"Hi," she said, forcing a casual tone.

"Do you like the mural?"

The man's gaze didn't waver.

"What does it mean?"

Rey shifted slightly, the heavy envelope forgotten in her hand.

"It's about hope," she said. "Finding light in the darkness."

The man's lips twitched - not quite a smile.

"Darkness and light," he murmured. "Two sides of the same coin."

"Are you an artist?" Rey asked cautiously.

He shook his head. "I have an apartment studio. I want you to paint something for me."

Rey hesitated. Everything about him screamed danger - but something deeper pulled at her.

"I'm Kylo Ren," he said quietly.