Confronting Fear

Revelations

"me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
(What follows) has led me to this place
Where I belong, with all erased" 

Girl's Not Grey - AFI

"You're his granddaughter. You are a Palpatine."
The words pierced Rey's chest like a lightsaber.

A million thoughts raced through her mind, "No, no, it can't be true, it's impossible/ I am evil/ What do I do now/ Everyone will hate me/ He's lying!" as her vision of them on the throne of the Sith flashed before her eyes.

But Kylo wasn't finished, somehow managing to speak smoothly even through the vocoder in his mask. "My mother was the daughter of Vader. Your father was the son of the Emperor. What Palpatine doesn't know is we're a dyad in the Force, Rey. Two that are one. We'll kill him together and take the throne."

"He's lying, he's lying, he's lying." The thought repeated through her mind over and over again. Kylo slowly removed his helmet, the scar she had given him stark in the unforgiving light. For the first time since Crait she looked into his almost black eyes, searching for any sign of deception and finding none. Her blood ran cold as she realized he was being truthful, at least from his perspective. She could see it in his eyes and could feel it in the Force.

"You know what you need to do. You know." As he spoke, he slowly extended his right hand, an offering.

She remembered his words from their earlier Force connection, "When I offer you my hand again, you'll take it." But, she also remembered when they touched hands in the hut, when, just for a moment she saw Ben Solo. Could he still be in there? Could the man standing before, cape billowing behind him with an army at his back truly house Han and Leia's son.

Thoughts raced through her mind at lightspeed as she considered his offer. Palpatine is the bigger threat/ I can't destroy Palpatine alone/ Finn, Chewy, and Poe are still in danger. Once again she cast her conciousness out into the Force. She could feel her friends' life signatures. Finn's bright light, Poe's turbulent aura, and Chewy's surprisingly soft green glimmer. They were ok, she needed to make sure they stayed that way. She owed them that for getting them into this mess. For almost killing Chewy.

She focused her thoughts on Kylo, probing the swirling cloud of darkness around him. She encountered a high wall that she couldn't penetrate.

She quickly took stock of the situation. There was no way any of them were getting off this ship. She was surrounded by stormtroopers, more than she could fight off alone, not to mention him. And after all this, there was still Palpatine to stop. There really was no other choice. But, she might be able to swing it in her favor.

With this new truth weighing heavily on her heart she took another small step forward,  knowing the words that she was about to say were going to alter her destiny forever. She hoped her soul could survive the coming battle. "I will join you, but I have some conditions."

A/N This chapter is much shorter than the rest will be since it's mostly a recap. What do you think so far? Let me know!