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Chapter Text

Rey rushed into the lecture hall and almost fell over her own feet. She stared at the rows of students laughing and whispering at her.

‘Late again Rey?’ Came the disapproving voice of Professor Solo.

Rey winced. Professor Ben Solo’s temper was legendary within the university’s walls. His long standing feud with the tenured classics professor Luke Skywalker was well known to the faculty and students alike. She had heard so many rumours of their heated discussions turning violent, she assumed the story she heard about him trying to take a meat cleaver to Professor Skywalker’s arm was just nasty slander though.

‘Sorry Sir.’ Rey managed to squeak. She made a mental note to smack Finn later. It was all his fault, he just couldn’t live without his McDonald’s breakfast. If only she could learn to say no to him but her primary school play mate would always have a special place in her heart and he knew it, the ass.

Professor Solo was staring at her intently, she recognised that look, it was the one that made her feel completely naked. She shivered and he looked pleased. Figures he would enjoy making her squirm.

‘Take a seat.’ He drawled as he turned back to the whiteboard.

Rey trudged up a few rows and pulled out a chair. She opened her notebook and found her favourite blue pen, it was old and she had chewed the lid up bad, but she loved it all the same.

She focused her attention on what Professor Solo was discussing,

‘Over the next four lectures and seminars we will be discussing how literature has often brought conflict into focus, we will be looking at the poets and authors who use their writing to shine a light on the atrocities they see around them in current literature. We will also be examining the popular view point that literature can and should contribute to peace building in our time.....’

Professor Solo was renowned for his lectures. He spoke with such passionate intensity that even the most jaded of students couldn’t help but be enthused. He gestured wildly as he spoke, meaning he frequently had to push his dishevelled hair away from his forehead. A lot of people said he had a stern face but Rey would describe it as interesting and he rarely smiled, but when he did and it reached his eyes he was almost hand.......

‘Rey? REY?’ His voice pulled her out of her daydream.

‘Yyyyes sir?’ She stammered.

She realised that everyone was putting on their coats and collecting their things. Had it really been an hour already?

‘Rey please make sure you collect a handbook on your way out, you need to do the reading before the seminar.’

‘Yes Sir.’ She agreed and headed for the door.

‘Oh and Rey?’

‘Yes Sir?’

‘Try not to be late for the next seminar.’ He walked towards her, ‘If you are late for one more teaching session, there will be repercussions.’

‘Yes Sir.’ Rey could feel his eyes on her as she exited the classroom, she swallowed hard. She was going to have to tell Finn to get his own breakfasts from now on.

Chapter Text

Finn and Poe tried to persuade her to go out for drinks that night but she refused. She didn’t want to risk not getting up in time for Professor Solo’s nine am seminar.

The house they shared off campus was quiet without the boisterous boys and Rey seized the opportunity to do some studying in peace. By ten, she was struggling to keep her eyes open so she dragged herself off to bed hoping the boys wouldn’t be too loud when they finally returned home.

‘Rey,’ Professor Solo boomed.

She was in the lecture hall again but this time they were completely alone.

‘You’re late....again’

‘Sorry Sir.’ She pouted and looked down. She noted she was wearing a plain white blouse and a pleated plaid skirt and knee length white socks? Her old St Augustine’s school uniform? Why would she be wearing that?!

‘Your behaviour is not satisfactory. I expect you to improve.’ He cautioned her with a disapproving tone.

‘I will Sir.’ She eagerly agreed.

‘Do you promise?’

‘Sir?’ His tone had changed, it was almost playful and she found it disconcerting.

He came to stand before her, towering over her tiny frame,

‘Do you promise to be good?’

She noticed his eyes swept over her body as he spoke.

‘Yes Sir, I promise.’ She agreed with wide eyes.

He smiled at her then, and her heart thudded in her chest. He really was handsome when he smiled.

‘I am pleased to hear that,’ he I should hate to have to punish you.’

‘Wwwwhhat?’ Rey asked.

Professor Solo lowered his head to place his mouth to her ear,

‘If you are late for my class once more, I shall put you over my desk and spank you, do I make myself clear?’

Rey didn’t respond. She stood in shock not from his words but from the effect his words had had on her. Hot, heavy arousal clouded her senses. The thought of him lowering her over his desk, standing behind her, slowly pushing up her skirt and taking off his belt.......

‘Rey!’ The sing song voice of her best mate interrupted her dream and the heat that had flooded her body moments before fizzled out .

She punched her pillow in frustration. God, what a dream! How on earth has she developed a crush on the gruffest Professor at UCL! She laughed at the absurdity of it all.

‘Finn! She screamed, ‘some of us are trying to sleep!’

‘Well you’re up now aren’t ya? So come and have some pizza with us!’

Rey rolled her eyes. It was impossible to stay mad at Finn. She dragged herself out of bed and padded bare foot to the living room.

Beep Beep Beep Beep! Her alarm demanded her attention.
‘No!’ Rey moaned, scrunching up her nose and burying her head in her pillow.

‘Rey!’ Finn popped his head around her bedroom door.

‘Don’t you have to be in class at nine!’

‘Yeah but it’s just gone seven!’ She shot back.

Rey knew she had set her alarm to wake her at seven.

‘Wrong! It’s 8:40 and you are going to have to be late for Professor McStuffypants if you don’t get a move on.’

Rey jumped up,
‘Oh god! He is going to kill me!’

Chapter Text

She rushed around the room, grabbing a hair bobble to put her unruly hair into a bun, and throwing on yesterday’s clothes. She ran like the wind through the streets, onto campus and into the building. She arrived just as the clock stuck nine and breathed a sigh of relief, panting and sweating profusely but she had made it. She silently congratulated herself. 

Time moved slowly, images from her dream kept invading her mind and she couldn’t bring herself to look Professor Solo in the eye. To make matters worse he kept calling on her and the questions seemed particularly tricky. She figured he has decided it was pick on tardy Rey day. Luckily she knew the material well and he seemed satisfied with each of her quick responses.

While she was packing up her things, he called her over and her heart went into overdrive. She tried not to look at his desk.
‘Rey I’m afraid your last essay wasn’t up to your usual standard, 42% is barely scraping a pass.’
‘But it’s still a pass.’ Rey suggested optimistically.
Professor Solo lifted an eyebrow at her,
‘Your capable of so much more Rey.’ His compliment touched her but then he ruined it by continuing,
‘Perhaps it’s the company you keep? Are they perhaps leading you astray? Finn and Poe are hardly the scholarly types, just coasting by on football scholarships I hear.’ He said with distain.

Rey’s mouth fell open, how did he know who her friends were? And why was it any of his business who she hung out with? She bristled,

‘Perhaps my grade is the result of your substandard teaching Sir?’ She suggested.

What are you doing?! Her mind screamed at her, but she couldn’t stop the words from coming out of her mouth,

‘Perhaps you should first examine your own teaching methods and question why you are failing your students before you start pointing fingers at my friends, Sir.’

His eyes flashed at her, he was livid and she was the cause. It should have scared her but instead she felt the same arousal running through her body as she had when she was dreaming. Equal parts of bravado and insanity seemed to be invading her mind. 

‘You forget your place Rey,’ he warned stepping closer to her. She could smell his aftershave now, a rich blend of exotic spices. She swayed a little. Why did he have this effect on her! She tried to focus, she has to get a handle on this crush before she got into serious trouble! She rubbed her temples.

‘Are you alright Rey?’ He looked concerned. The change in his demeanour was endearing and helped to cool her temper.

‘Sorry Sir, I don’t know what came over me. I’ll study harder. It won’t happen again.’
She mumbled as she flushed from head to toe.

‘See that you do.’ He frowned at her and then his expression softened,
‘I really meant it when I said you are capable of more Rey, you remind me of myself when I was a student.’

Rey smiled, ‘Thank you Sir.’

They looked at each other for a few moments. His eyes really were so beautiful......shit. I’m in over my head here.... Rey thought.

Then he cleared his throat and looked away,

‘Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Rey.’

Was it just her imagination, or had his voice fluctuated slightly when he said her name? Seriously Rey? Get over yourself!

‘Yes tomorrow, goodbye sir.’

She left the room, and put her back to the wall in the corridor.

‘Oh my god!’ She mouthed to herself putting her hand over her heart.  

What the hell are you doing? Ben reprimanded himself as he packed up his bag. Get a hold of yourself she’s a student for god's sake. Think of your position.

It had been little things at first, he had noticed how bright her smile was or how she looked as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear while reading.

Then he noticed the similarities in her work which reminded him so much of his own. He began to think that she would benefit greatly from some individual tutoring, he had even considered making her his protege and the thought had pleased him greatly, and as suddenly as that he had realised that she was becoming a problem.

Rey was filling his thoughts more frequently, and try as he might, he couldn’t shut her out. He was going to have to do something about it and soon. 

Chapter Text

The next morning Rey made sure she didn’t sleep through her alarm. She showered and picked out her clothes carefully, then she put on some mascara and tinted lip balm. She told herself she wasn’t doing it for any particular reason but she knew she was fooling herself.

She bounded into the kitchen and Finn did a double take, looking her up and down.

‘Woah, what’s got into you tiny? I didn’t even know you owned a skirt? For that matter, I didn’t even know you shaved your legs!’

Rey shoved him in the arm as she loaded the toaster with bread.

‘Shut up! Can’t a girl just want to look nice once in a while?’

‘Yeah, some girls but you’ve been living in those grey sweats of yours as long as we can remember.’ Poe interjected from the sofa, ‘we had actually forgotten you were a girl, your more like a cuddly yeti....’

Rey buttered her toast and threw a tea towel at Poe’s head,

‘You’re lucky that wasn’t this knife Poe!’ She shouted at him as she left.

Both boys broke into a fit of laughter as soon as she had shut the door behind her.

As she walked to class she began to have second thoughts about her outfit. Would he realise straight away why she has chosen to dress differently? Or would he just ignore her completely? She wasn’t sure which option would be more embarrassing for her.

While she was busy re-running every interaction they had ever had in her head, she suddenly realised she had walked to the wrong building and she was going to be late after all, and the prospect that she might have to face the repercussions filled her with fear and anticipation.

The lecture hall was packed, but Ben noticed her absence straight away, two minutes after nine she Came flying through the door in her usual fashion but not in her usual attire he observed.

He busied himself preparing his lecture notes and tried not to watch her skirt hitch-up her legs as she climbed the stairs. Mmm, seems she wasn’t as innocent and naive as he had thought.

Rey felt his eyes on her and she added a little hip wiggle to her walk then hated herself for it. She has never been one of those girls. What has come over her?

She knew the answer to her question of course.

She suddenly felt quite exposed and silly, but when she sat down and crossed her shapely legs she caught him glancing at her. His adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed hard and swiftly looked away and a little thrill went through her. Okay it might have been a blatant attention seeking move to choose this outfit, but it was still fun to watch him squirm for a change.

A number of times throughout the lecture, a lecture he has given a million times before and could have recited in his sleep yesterday, Ben lost his train of thought and had to check his notes and gather his thoughts. The blame for his mistakes lay firmly on Rey’s shoulders as he had found it particularly difficult to concentrate when every slight move of her legs drew his focus back to her.

He was intrigued to know why she had suddenly decided to move on from the grey sweats she seemed to favour most often. He hoped she wasn’t done with them completely as he had grown quite fond of them.... did he really just think wistfully about grey sweats? Jesus, he had to get a grip.

He was also fully aware of his threat to her regarding her time keeping. She has been late and he would have to keep her after class, and the thought of being alone with her and her thought provoking skirt made him muse on some shocking scenarios he couldn’t believe were products of him own imagination.

Professor Solo has always focused on his career, he has had little time for relationships, but he had managed to achieve the title of Professor though he was still only in his early thirties. His aim has always been to be an academic success, to produce excellent students, to write brilliant research papers and to gather data for his ever growing book series....now all of a sudden everything in his life was a blur and the only thing he could see clearly was the tempting petite brunette in the short skirt who he suspected was deliberately tormenting him. It made him angry to think that she was gaining the upper hand. He had to do something to get her out of his system.

Every time Professor Solo glanced at her, Rey felt powerful. She has never held the attention of a man such as him before, boys has shown an interest in her of course but Professor Solo was a man. A fact she was fully aware of as she counted down the minutes until the end of his lecture.

Chapter Text

Rey’s heart hammered in her chest as she packed away her things. She moved slowly to give the lecture theatre time to empty out.

He didn’t look at her once.

Perhaps she had imagined his interest in her after all? She turned around to collect her coat.

‘Rey you were late again.’ He was suddenly beside her and his deep voice washed over her. She suppressed a tremor. Okay, he was going to have to stop saying her name. She couldn’t function properly.

‘Rey’ really he needed to stop saying her name like that it just wasn’t fair, ‘let’s go to my office to discuss this. The lecture theatre is booked for the next hour.’

His office? She hadn’t anticipated being alone with him in his office! In a small enclosed space with the door closed! With a door that locked! Her eyes must have widened because he looked at her inquisitively,

‘Is everything alright?’

‘Yes fine! No problem.’ Why was her voice so squeaky? Oh god.....

‘Alright..... follow me.’

They walked in silence to his office. He opened the door to his room and gestured for her to enter.

His office was dark with tall black bookcases filled with texts and a large black desk that sent her imagination into hyperdrive. It was very minimalist apart from the large amount of books.

‘Please take a seat.’

She sat in a plush leather chair. She noted the calligraphy set in stark contrast to the sleek modern PC on his desk. Curious, considering the young Professor has been very out spoken about his lack of respect for classical literature in comparison with more modern texts. It was one of the reasons that he fought with Dr Skywalker so frequently.

Ben sat opposite her and saw her eyeing the calligraphy set with an amused expression.

‘It was a gift from my mother,’ he explained. Why did he feel the need to tell her that? He ruffled through his drawers for invisible papers while he collected himself.

‘Rey I really want to talk about why you are not applying yourself? You will graduate come July and you really don’t seem to have any understanding of how important this final year is to your overall degree classification.’

‘I do! I honestly do! I’ve only been late a few times and okay my last paper wasn’t great but I’ve been going through some stuff....’
she trailed off.

‘Okay, I want to know if you would like me to arrange for you to have some additional help?’

She looked stunned,

‘You think I can’t handle your class?’

There was a tinge of hurt in her voice. Damn it. He wasn’t doing this right. He had been told more than once that his people skills left a lot to be desired.

‘No! No it’s not that, I just want to make sure that you reach your potential Rey. I told you I see a lot of myself in you. I think you could go far with the right training. I think perhaps a dedicated teacher could bring the best out in you.’

Her face relaxed,
‘Okay, If you think it’s important. Is there anyone you can recommend?’

The names of several gifted post-grad students were on the tip of his tongue, all he had to do was pick one, but then he pictured her working with someone else, someone else praising her, someone else spending time alone with her, someone else doing the things he wanted to do with her and he cursed himself for being so weak as he heard himself say,

‘Actually I was going to suggest that you work with me.’

Rey’s mouth fell open. She had to stop herself from pinching her arm to check she wasn’t dreaming, had he really just suggested that he wanted to teach her himself? She knew enough of the academic world to know that their time was very precious. This had to be about more than just helping her reach her potential. Her heart started to race,

‘You want to teach me, yourself?’

‘I’m between projects right now and I have some free time,’

She narrowed her eyes slightly, and he realised she wasn’t buying it. Clever girl. He tried to throw her off balance with another lie,

‘I had asked Rose but she said she didn’t have the time what with the placement she has managed to secure working with the engineering department. That’s one of your friends I approve of by the way. Very ambitious that one.’

Rey looked somewhat disappointed by his admission.

‘Yes, I would love to work with you, I mean I would really appreciate that.’ Thank you.’

‘Okay it’s settled, I will be in touch regarding my schedule and my office hours.’

‘Okay great,’ She got up to leave.

‘Rey?, I still want to talk about your inability to attend my classes on time.’

‘Oh,’ she sat back down with a sheepish look on her face. He tried not to find it incredibly appealing. He relented,

‘Just a verbal warning this time, but next time it will go in your permanent record.’

He was rewarded with a beaming smile,

‘Thank You Sir!’

Once she had left, he couldn’t help but feel that the room was darker without her in it.

Chapter Text

They started working together three times a week in his office though she frequently complained about the lack of light. She found his advice invaluable and she hung on his every word. Besides the fact that everything he said was insightful and thought provoking she could have listened to his rich toned voice all day.

She realised by the end of their fourth week working together that her crush had become an obsession.

She wanted to know more about him so she plucked up the courage to ask about his feud with Dr Skywalker. He had rolled his eyes at first and said,

‘I thought you would be above idol gossip Rey.’

She shrugged at him,

‘I just want to understand why you two can’t get along, I mean you both teach the same subjects history and literature, granted you are experts in different time periods but can’t you just work it out?’

He had been silent for a moment and she had feared that he was going to ask her to leave once and for all. Then he had started to speak,

‘When I was first appointed, he made it very clear that he didn’t want me here. He said I was too young, didn’t have the necessary experience and he didn’t think I had anything to offer the students. He wrote a scathing letter to the appointment board. It was embarrassing and degrading especially as he had had a great deal to do with me becoming a lecturer. I looked up to him and greatly admired his work. To be rejected like that by someone I idolised without even being giving a chance to prove myself......’
He balled his hands into fists then collected himself,
‘Thankfully the board ignored his protests but we have never seen eye to eye since. He opposes me at every turn, and I’m afraid that I do have quite a volatile temper so unfortunately one or two of our disagreements have become public knowledge.’

‘One or two?’ Rey said with a raised eyebrow.

‘Maybe more....’ he admitted with a half smile.

‘That’s awful.’ Rey sympathised. ‘I understand now why you have such a difficult relationship with him. For what it’s worth, I think you’re an amazing teacher.’

‘Thank You Rey,’ he said.

They both felt the shift in the room, a shift from student and teacher to something more intimate.

They looked at each other. Rey realised she was breathing heavily, she bit her lip and his eyes travelled to her mouth.

Hungry. Rey thought. He looks hungry.

She stood up slowly without taking her eyes from his. She started towards him, and he took a step back. Rey almost laughed the big bad wolf was afraid of little red riding hood?

She giggled, ‘Are you scared of me Sir?’ She picked up a book off the table near her. ‘I was just going to put this back.’ She said innocently.

He looked relieved.

She walked forward with the book just as she had planned weeks ago just as she had rehearsed hundreds of times from the moment she had realised that she was in love with him.

She had realised he was never going to make a move on her though she knew he wanted her. It was obvious in the way he looked at her, the way his hand lingered on her shoulder when he corrected her work, the way he reacted like a jealous lover whenever she mentioned Poe or Finn.

So instead of placing the book back on the shelf, when she got close enough to him, knowing his guard was down, she dropped the book and kissed him.

Chapter Text

All those times he has resisted, all those cold showers and long nights reading obscure research texts to try and keep his mind off her, and it was her who came to him.

His walls broke down at the soft feel of her body against his, her hands in his hair and her tongue gently teasing his mouth.

Groaning he pushed her against the bookcase, causing some of the books to rattle free and fall to the floor. He kissed her hard and she moaned slightly.

He ran his hand up her leg and hitched her thigh up, with his other hand he held the nape of her neck.

‘You and these tempting little skirts,’ he hissed as his hand travelled further up her thigh. ‘God Rey, you’ve been driving me wild.’

‘Good, I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only one suffering.’ She panted. ‘You mask your feelings so well.’

‘I’ve been tormented, every hour I’m alone with you,’ he said as he placed a trail of kisses down her neck, ‘being so close to you and not being able to touch you has been torturous.’

‘I want you to touch me,’ she breathed. ‘I need you to touch me.’

‘I need it too.’ He said capturing her mouth once again.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and wound her legs around his waist. Adrenaline rushed through her veins and she felt lightheaded. Every time he touched her, another piece of her became his.

His hands were skilful just as she knew they would be.

‘Oh god, yes.’ She moaned as his fingers slid under her skirt.

‘Do you want this Rey? Do you want me?’ He teased her as he gently caressed her.

‘Yes, you don’t know how many times I’ve dreamt about you touching me like this, only to wake up and realise it was all in my head.’

‘I’ve dreamed about you too Rey.’ He said as he gently pushed her underwear aside and pressed his fingers against her. She was ready for him.

She cried out and gripped his shoulders, her eyes were wild now.

Gently he pushed inside her as she threw back her head and drew in a sharp breath.

He looked at her in awe, she was so beautiful with her eyes closed and her hair cascading in dark swirls around her delicate shoulders.

When her release came she called out his name and he had to cover her mouth to prevent them from being discovered.

He kissed her gently as she came back down to earth.

‘Ben,’ she said taking his face in her hands. ‘Ben I....’

The sharp knock on the door made them both jump. Ben calmly seated himself at his desk and Rey busied herself at the bookshelf.

Without waiting for an invitation, Dr Skywalker barged into the room and fixed his eyes on Solo’s.

‘You are not poaching anymore of my research assistants. They can learn more in a week with me then they can in a year with you!’ He cried then he spotted Rey and eyed her suspiciously.

His eyes went from Rey’s to Ben’s and back again. Rey knew her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swollen. She prayed he wouldn’t notice. She smiled slightly and placed some books back on the shelf.

‘Dr Skywalker, always a pleasure.’ Ben drawled. ‘I have stolen no one, research assistants apply for new roles all the time. Don’t take it personally.’

‘You’ve been slandering my name! Telling them not to work with me!’

‘I have done nothing of the sort. I’ve been exceedingly busy with lectures and seminars and tutoring Rey.’ He gestured towards her.

He wished he hadn’t brought her name up. Dr Skywalker looked at her again.

‘Fine,’ he conceded. ‘Just don’t let it happen again.’ He stormed from the office.

Rey let out the breath she had been holding in,
‘God Ben, do you think he knows? The way he looked at me......’

‘He might suspect, but he wouldn’t dare say anything until he had evidence.’

He came towards her,
‘It just means we will have to make sure we are careful.’

He ran a finger along her lower lip.

‘And make sure we lock that door next time.’

Rey’s heart thumped in her chest. She knew it was wrong but the pull to be with him was so strong she knew she could not resist it.

‘Rey you better go, I’ve got a lecture to prepare for.’ He kissed her. ‘Tomorrow, same time?’

She nodded and he smiled.

‘Goodbye Rey.’

She walked home in a daydream, she couldn’t stop thinking about how he had wanted her too. He could have had anyone but he wanted her.

She didn’t know how he would react when she told him she loved him. The thought chewed her up inside. Could he love her too? Or was he just caught up in his attraction for her? She wished she could read his mind. She pushed the thought away and tried to focus on other things, but his intense eyes wouldn’t leave her mind. 

Chapter Text

Ben was concerned that Dr Skywalker was going to be watching them now. He would have to hide their relationship from him at all costs. If the university discovered them, he would be forced to leave and his reputation would be ruined. Rey was in her twenties, but student/staff relationships were strictly forbidden.

Everything you’ve worked for Ben, you’re risking everything for her. He put his hand to his forehead.

All the reasons they shouldn’t be together were painfully clear to him, but he knew it wouldn’t keep him away from her. Now that he had had a taste, he craved more.

It killed him to admit it but he needed her. Long estranged from his family, he had few friends at the university owing to his bad reputation and his ongoing conflict with Dr Skywalker. He had led a lonely existence, until the first day he had seen her. She was like sunshine, pure and bright. Every room was brighter with her in it. He started to look forward to seeing her smile everyday, he never worried that it was anything more than admiration until she started to show some signs that she returned his interest and now...... well, now things were way out of hand. He could still smell her perfume on his shirt. He gritted his teeth, sort your head out, he told himself, you have a job to do.

Rey threw herself down onto her bed, and hugged her pillow. He was amazing. Just thinking about him made her body flood with desire. She closed her eyes and pictured him above her holding his weight with his massive arms. Oh how she wanted to see him shirtless. She had felt the curve of his muscles as she had gripped his biceps earlier. He would kiss her deeply and gently nudge her thighs apart, and she would arch toward him, encouraging him on.....

‘Rey? Are you sleeping? She opened one eye and saw Finn looking at her with an amused grin.

‘What you doing tiny?’ He asked.

‘Don’t you knock? I’m just....resting.’

‘Has prof been working you too hard?’ He said feigning sympathy.

You have no idea. She thought to herself.

‘Something like that. What are you and Poe up to tonight?’

‘Pub. You wanna come?’

Rey considered the invite but without the chance of meeting Ben, there wasn’t really anything to tempt her.

‘No thanks. I’m going to stay here and study.’

Mooning over her secret boyfriend was kinda studying right?

Finn pretended to pout,
‘We never see you since you started these extra sessions.’

‘I know I’m sorry, Okay I will come for a few hours.’

‘Yey! Poe! She’s coming!’ Finn shouted.

‘Woo! Shots! Shots! Shots!’ Was the response from the living room.

‘I’m regretting this decision already.’ Rey said.

Chapter Text

It was Friday night and the bars were packed and Rey was loosing patience as the boys emptied her purse to quench their thirst.

‘Can I go?’ She shouted over the music.

‘No!’ They shouted back in unison. She rolled her eyes. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. A text from him popped up on her phone. 

Hey, where are you? You’re not home.

Her heart pounded. He was at her house?

I’m in the bar around the corner. Finn and Poe are here too. 

Come home now.

She gulped and finished her vodka and coke.

I can’t! They won’t let me leave!

Tell them you have a headache.

Bit of a cliche but not a bad idea....Rey give the boys her best sad face, rubbed her head and give them everything that was left in her purse, hoping it would keep them out as long as possible.

She ran back to the house, he was leaning against the door with his arms folded looking pissed off.

‘Why did you go to the bar? You told me you never go out with them.’

‘Can we go inside before somebody sees us?’

She unlocked the door and he barged in catching her hand and pulling her towards him. He pushed her up against the shut door and kissed her. She could taste whiskey on his breath. He pulled away, in the darkness he looked menacing,

‘Answer my question, why did you go to the bar?’

‘They asked me and I said yes.’

‘That doesn’t really answer my question and don’t you think that top is a little too revealing?’

Rey looked down at her red blouse, it was cut a little low but,

‘Hold on!’ She pushed him away, ‘You don’t get to comment on my clothes! And you don’t get to tell me what to do! You’re not even my boyfriend but even if you were you wouldn’t....’

He cut her off by kissing her hard. She lost her train of thought and gave in to the sensation. He pulled away again, she wished he would stop doing that,

‘You’re right. I don’t have any right to tell you what to do but I’m going to do it anyway. That’s the kind of man I am. I’m demanding and possessive and I don’t like to share. Is that the kind of guy you want Rey? Am I really what you want?’

She knew what he was trying to do, he was trying to get her to push him away. He wanted her to be the one to end it.

‘Yes, I want you.’ She didn’t even have to think, she knew his flaws and she loved him anyway.

‘Then we are both fools.’ He declared. ‘I should stop this....I should be the one to walk away before I hurt you.’

‘If you walk away from me, you will break my heart, so stay with me and you can break it tomorrow.’

She put her hand out to him,

‘Please.’ The word came out as barely a whisper.

and he took it.

Chapter Text

Her heart pounded as she led him up to her room. Once they were inside she closed the door and wedged a chair under the handle.

‘Sit,’ she commanded.

He sat on the edge of the bed. Apparently, she was in charge now. Without taking her eyes off him she slowly removed her jacket and undid the buttons on her blouse. She moved towards him, placed herself between his legs. She tilted his head up to look at her and kissed him. A deep, burning kiss that held all the promise of what she wanted to do to him and what she wanted him to do to her.

She climbed into his lap and curled her fingers into his hair, he held her to him then slowly pushed her blouse down her arms and tossed it onto the floor.

Scattering kisses across her skin, he ran his hands gently up her back to unhook her bra, then keeping his eyes on hers he gently removed it,

‘You’re so beautiful Rey.’

Their lips clashed together and he position her below him. She unbuttoned his shirt and relieved him of it. She ran her hands over his chest and arms, She could feel raw strength underneath his soft skin.

He lowered his head to her chest, kissing each of her breasts thoroughly, she gasped when he swirled his tongue around each nipple. He smiled at her reaction. He sat back on his knees and took off his belt, his trousers and underwear. Rey’s breath caught in her throat when she saw how much he wanted her.

He stripped her bare and gazed at her body like she was made of gold. Then he was above her again, his lips hot and heavy against hers, his thighs gently nudging hers apart, and she opened them for him and arched towards him.

When he entered her, she cried out his name and he didn’t stifle her words. She squeezed his thighs with her own and gripped his biceps so hard she almost drew blood. With every thrust she grew closer and closer to her release. He was moving so slowly, she could barely stand it,

‘Please, I need more....’ she pleaded.

‘Shhh,’ He soothed her, ‘patience.....’ he dipped his head again and drew each of her nipples in turn into his mouth, roughly. Pain and pleasure ran through her.

‘Haven’t you tortured me enough?’ She panted.

‘No, it’s never enough.’ He responded. He withdrew and she pouted. He chuckled against her skin as he dropped kisses down her stomach and when his mouth met with her inner thigh placing soft kisses there and she let out a shaky breath.

She moaned when his tongue reached her apex, sinking her hands into his hair.

‘Ben, Ben.’ She whispered as he brought her closer to climax. When she was on the brink he thrust into her and she cried out.

‘Rey,’ he breathed, ‘Rey come for me, give me everything.’

Rey’s release came hard and fast, ecstasy filled her body and her heart pounded for him. She felt him stiffen as his own climax engulfed him and he buried his head into her hair.

He braced himself over her, both searched each other’s eyes. Both wondering who would be the first to break the silence.

He relented first, ‘Rey.....I’d better go.’

He stood up and dressed. So, he was going to leave her. Rey wrapped the duvet around her body and sat up. She tried to hold back her tears, the best way seemed to be to bury them under a layer of anger.

‘Okay, bye. Don’t forget to leave a fifty on the bedside table.’

‘Rey, don’t be like that.’

‘What? You think I can get a hundred? I’m flattered.’

‘Rey you know your worth more to me than that.’

‘Do I? I know you turned up here in the middle of the night tasting of alcohol and desire. I know you’re leaving now that you’ve got what you came for, if that isn’t the calling card of a prostitute I don’t know what is.’

‘Rey listen to me....’

But she couldn’t stop, he had cracked open her heart and all of her emotions poured out,

‘Just go.’

‘Rey.......’

‘Go.’

She managed to hold her tears at bay until she heard him close the front door.

Chapter Text

Ben poured himself another glass of whiskey. What the hell was he doing? Her face as he had left had crushed him. He had seen a reflection of himself in her eyes, You’re an asshole Ben. A worthless selfish bastard. What did you think was going to happen? Did you think that this was it? That she was finally going to be the one to ease your loneliness?

He just needed to get her out of his mind. She would learn in time that he wasn’t what she wanted. Women always saw through him eventually. He sipped his whiskey.

He thought about her moving on. Maybe she would find comfort in the arms of one of her house mates. He imagined Finn holding her, stroking her hair then moving in gently to kiss her. He threw the glass across the room, it smashed into a million pieces.

Mine. His possessive nature laid claim to her. My lips, my breasts, my thighs, my sighs, my moans, my name on her lips, she is mine.

No, She is too beautiful, too pure, too bright. I would stifle her, I would block out her light. Over shadow her brilliance with my arrogance, my unyielding temper, my inability to let anyone in.

He finished his whiskey and poured himself another glass. She was right to throw him out. He had used her. All of his lovers had been right in the end. His heart was hard they had said, his mind was closed. No. That was before. Before her. That’s why he felt her pain now, his heart had let her in. He picked up his phone, knowing he couldn’t leave things as they were. Knowing he needed to ease her pain to ease his own aching soul but what could he say? They were doomed before they had even begun. There was always going to be only one ending to their story....wasn’t there?

Chapter Text

Rey woke to the sound of her phone vibrating. She glanced at the clock. 3am. She looked at her phone screen. It was him. The memories of the events that had taken place hours before flooded back to her and her heart broke all over again. She held the still vibrating phone in her hand, then she pressed ignore.

A moment later her phone vibrated again, she picked it up. A text from him.

I’m sorry Rey. You deserve better.

Her heart flipped, but her head would not be swayed. She gritted her teeth as she wrote her response,

We choose the lives we want to have Ben. Is this what you want? Is this the life you want to lead?

No.

What do you want?

I want you but I know I’m no good for you.

Anger rose in her then, she was sick of the mixed messages,

Fine if you’re no good for me then leave me alone.

Wait……

What?

I shouldn’t tell you this, it’s not fair to you, but I think I love you.

She stilled and her hand instinctively went to her heart.

Ben, I think you’re just drunk. Go to bed.

She switched off her phone and rubbed her face with her hands. Could he be in love with her? Was he even capable of love? She groaned. Why couldn’t she just have a nice normal boyfriend? Her thoughts turned to Finn, it could be so easy with him. She had seen the way he looked at her, knew all it would take was one word from her.

 She imagined their lives together, they would laugh and talk, they would have kids of course, a house in the suburbs, everything would be simple and the only thing they would argue about would be which colour to paint the nursery or whose turn it was to do the dishes.

Then she imagined her life with Ben, it was infinitely darker, she didn’t know what their future would hold, she couldn’t visualise where they would live or whether or not they would have children, she imagined they would argue constantly but she knew the make up sex would be indescribably good. Heat spread through her body when she remembered his strong hand grabbing her thigh, pulling her closer to him as he entered her.

Okay, so life with Finn would be light and easy but life with Ben could be the challenge she was always searching for. It would be exciting and intense and they could work together, maybe even write together, he said she was gifted. He didn’t have to work at the University he could be brilliant anywhere, they could be brilliant anywhere, they could travel the world together, he just needed to let go of this hold his work had on him and she knew she was the key.

She knew her decision was made before she even turned on her phone. She knew what his next text would be because she knew in her heart why she would always choose Ben over Finn, why she would choose Ben over any man.

I need you, more than anything. Please Rey, don’t give up on me.

‘I won’t.’ She whispered into the dark.

Chapter Text

Ben went into the office early Saturday morning to collect some paperwork, his head throbbed and his throat was dry. He hasn’t slept, so his wasn’t in the best of moods. Seeing Dr Luke Skywalker waiting for him at his office door did nothing to improve the situation.

‘Ben.’
‘Luke.’

The men exchanged greetings frostily.

‘Ben I thought you would be in today, I just wanted to talk to you about your student, Rey.’

Ben gritted his teeth,

‘What about her?’

‘I hear you are giving her extra lessons? I just wondered why her? I’ve never known you to make the offer to tutor students privately before?’

‘She is quite gifted, I think she could make an excellent lecturer one day. Certainly a good research assistant. I thought I might start grooming her early incase she decided to continue with us as a Post-Grad.’ He stated as he unlocked his office door.

Luke followed him into the office much to Ben’s annoyance,

‘Really? Do you rate her so highly? Interesting.’

Bens head pounded harder.

‘Is there anything else? I really must be going I just dropped by to collect a few things.’

‘Oh no that’s all, I’m just involved in a new project. I would like to take on a new undergrad you know just to help out, let them gain some experience of working with a respected tenured academic.’

Ben clenched and unclenched his fists with his back to Luke.

‘I doubt Rey would be able to spare the time. She has her classes and three additional sessions with me a week.’

‘Well, I might just make the offer? If she is as clever as you say I’m sure she won’t turn down an offer to work with one of the university’s most prestigious members of staff.’

Ben wanted to punch his smug face, pin him to the wall and choke him. He wanted to tell him to stay away from her, he wanted to tell him that she was his. Instead he gripped the papers in his hand and swallowed hard.

‘Fine. Ask her.’

‘Okay, I’m glad it’s settled.’

Once he left Ben took out his phone. Still no replies from Rey. He started a text,

If you agree to work with that pompous bastard I swear........

Then he deleted it again. What good would that do? He knew enough about her to know that if he challenged her like that she would likely say yes right away just to drive him insane. The silent treatment was already torture enough.

He collected his papers and locked up his office. He was going to have to do some serious damage control here. He couldn’t stand the thought of her working with Dr Skywalker and that meant one thing, swallowing his pride and going to beg for forgiveness.

Chapter Text

Rey slept in on Saturday morning. She had decided to ignore her current situation for a few hours and just let her mind rest. She made herself some toast and settled herself on the sofa to watch some senseless television when there was a knock at the door. She huffed and went to answer it. She was greeted by the sight of a delivery boy with a mountain of blood red roses threatening to engulf him.

‘Are you Rey?’ He enquired.

‘I am.’

‘Sign here please.’

She signed for the flowers and then struggled to carry them into the house. She placed them on the kitchen table. There was a small card tucked away in the centre of the bouquet. It said simply ‘I’m sorry.’ Rey looked at the flowers and then at the card. A little piece of her anger ebbed away. She tried to return to the television, but another knock at the door drew her away.

This time a delivery boy with a massive box of chocolate. She accepted them and placed them on the tables by the roses. Another card this time reading ‘I’m really sorry.’ A little laugh escaped her throat. More anger dissipated. Okay, this was dangerous, she was in real trouble of completely forgiving him here and she had wanted so much to make him squirm and beg for it. She had had an excellent vision of him on his knees.....

Another knock. Rey threw up her hands.

‘I swear if this is a singing quartet I’m slamming the door in their faces!’

It was Ben.

Rey was startled,

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Obviously I came to apologise, I’m afraid the singing quartet weren’t available.’

Rey tried not to smile, but failed miserably. She gestured for him to come in.

‘You’re lucky Poe and Finn are at football practice, but then I assume you probably knew that.’

‘I did. Look Rey, I’m sorry. I panicked. I didn’t know what to do, I knew Finn and Poe could come back at any minute, I knew that I shouldn’t have came in the middle of the night like that, everything was wrong but leaving like that was pathetic and cowardly and I’m sorry.’

Rey looked smug,

‘How much did that hurt?’

‘You have no idea.’

‘Well, apology accepted.’ She kissed him gently, but he held her and deepened the kiss. Just as she was about to suggest moving to the bedroom he pulled away,

‘I have something I need to talk to you about.’

‘Okay.’ Her pulse picked up a bit. This sounded worrying.

‘Dr Skywalker came to see me. He wants to ask you to work with him on a project. Naturally I said he was free to ask you but I want you to say no.’

Rey rolled her eyes,
‘So this is the reason for your grand apology! You just want to keep me from saying yes to his offer. What’s it to you if I work with him anyway? I wouldn’t tell him anything about you.’

‘Rey the only reason he is going to make you that offer to is make me suffer and to try to gather some dirt on us so he can get rid of me once and for all.’

‘Oh, So he would never ask me just based on my ability eh? It’s all about you.’

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and took a seat on the sofa,

‘Rey you know I think you are clever and perfectly capable of competing whatever dogsbody position he has created for you, I’m just telling you that it’s a ruse. Trust me. He wants to use you to get to me.’

‘Why shouldn’t I say yes? It’s a good opportunity for me. And anyway I can spy on him. I could feed you information.’

Ben considered her proposition.

‘No. You don’t know how clever he is. He would try to win you over, he would turn you against me.’

Rey softened,

‘Ben I love you, he would have to work pretty hard to make me hate you. You’ve worked pretty hard at it yourself and you haven’t succeeded.’

Ben starred at her,

‘Do you really love me?’

‘Yes.’

‘I don’t deserve it.’

‘Since when did loving someone has anything to do with what they deserve?’

‘I love you too.’

She sat down next to him,

‘Do you mean that?’

‘Yes.’

She smiled and put her hand on his cheek. He held it in place with his own.

‘You still don’t get to tell me what to do though. I’m going to say yes and then I’m going to throw him off the scent. I will tell him how much I hate you, and how hard you make me work and what a temper you have and I won’t even have to lie for most of this so it will be easy.’

Ben rolled his eyes,

‘You know how angry it makes me thinking of you two working together, my enemy and my greatest treasure in the same room? Please don’t do this.’

‘This is going to be a good thing. If I say no, he will only keep trying to catch us anyway and he would probably succeed. This way I can keep tabs on him. I will be able to keep track of his whereabouts.’

Ben rubbed his head,

‘You won’t let me talk you out of this will you?’

‘Nope.’

‘This is going to be sheer hell for me and I can tell you are going to enjoy every minute of it.’

‘She beamed at him,

‘I haven’t the faintest idea what you mean.’

She said innocently.

Chapter Text

Rey found she enjoyed working for Dr Skywalker. He let her have quite a lot of creative input and he really was brilliant. A few weeks went by and he never mentioned Ben at all. Then one day she was finishing up some filing and he made a comment that made her see what Ben had been warning her about.

‘How do you compare working with me to working with Professor Solo, Rey? I would like to know if we have any similar routines?’

‘It’s much nicer working with you, for one your office space is so much lighter, I don’t know why he insists of keeping his office so dark!’ She said trying to keep the tone of the conversation playful.

Dr Skywalker chuckled,

‘Yes it is a dreary office.’

Rey wanted to argue that despite the lighting issue his office was actually very chic and functional but she just nodded in agreement.

‘You know, he shouldn’t have been employed at all.’

‘Oh,’ Rey asked innocently, ‘why is that?’

‘There was a huge scandal at his last university. He was asked to leave.’

Rey’s heart quickened,

‘Well that sounds worrying, I assume you aren’t aware of the particulars?’

‘I know some of it, there was a girl. A student. He had an affair with her.’ He looked at her pointedly.

Rey nearly dropped the folders she was putting away, she felt the colour drain from her face,

‘Are you sure?’

‘Quite sure, I have some friends who work at that university.’

Rey felt sick,

‘I would be surprised if that were true.... Professor Solo really doesn’t seem like the type.’

Oh god, please don’t let it be true.

Dr Skywalker ignored her,

‘The girl was quite taken with him, I understand she really didn’t take it well when he broke it off. I mean honestly did she really think the relationship was going anywhere? She was just a distraction, a way to let of steam.’

Rey finished the filing with shaking hands,

‘Well I had better go. I have a session with Professor Solo soon.’

‘Oh do you,’ he asked innocently, ‘Well do say hi from me won’t you?’

‘I will,’ she managed a smile. ‘I will see you tomorrow Dr Skywalker.’

The moment she was out of the room, she slid to the floor and put her head in her hands.

She knew two things in that moment, the Dr Skywalker was definitely aware of their relationship and that he had planted the seed of doubt in her head about Ben.

It was very possible that it was all lies, but what if it was true? What if despite his motives he really has just taught her a valuable lesson?

She looked at her phone, she was going to be late if she didn’t hurry up, but she couldn’t will her legs to move.

Chapter Text

Ben paced his office anxiously. He checked his phone. Nothing. She was ten minutes late. Rey was never late. He clenched his jaw,

What did he say to you? Rey it’s lies. Please believe me.

He knew it had been a bad idea to agree to this. What the hell has he said to her?

Twenty minutes later and Ben was slamming open Dr Skywalker’s office,

‘What did you say to her? She hadn’t shown for my session.’

‘Ben calm down, perhaps she is just running late, perhaps she just lost track of time?’

Ben brought his fist down hard on Luke’s desk,

‘I won’t let you poison her against me old man.’

‘Check your tone Ben, why does it matter so much to you what this student in particular thinks about you? Why is she so special?’

Because I’m in love with her, but you think it’s all just a sordid affair don’t you? You short sighted old fool.....

‘She is important to my work and I don’t want you messing with her head just because of this rivalry between us.’

Luke looked fierce,

‘I really like Rey a lot and I don’t want to see her get hurt Ben. This isn’t a game. This is a real girl with real feelings.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. Our relationship is strictly professional.’

‘Sure it is.’

‘I will find out what you did to her.’

‘Ditto Professor Solo, ditto.’

The two men starred at each other but then Ben’s phone vibrated and he checked it immediately,

I need to speak to you, I need some answers.

Ben turned to Luke,

‘I have to go.’

‘Of course you do.’

‘Say hi to Rey for me’ Luke called as Ben left.

Chapter Text

The moment her phone started to ring she answered it,

‘Is it true?’

‘Is what true?’

‘Was there another student before me? Did you seduce another student before me?’

‘Of course it’s not true and I never set out to seduce you! If I recall you were the one who made the first move....’

‘Stop changing the subject!’

‘I told you this would happen, I told you what he would try to do. For gods sake Rey, do you really think I would do that?’

‘I don’t know. I find I know very little about you, I know nothing of your past.’

Silence on his end.

‘Well? Talk to me.’

‘Okay there was a girl...’

‘Oh god I knew it! You bastard! How many of us have you fooled? I’ve been sleeping with you for weeks! I’m in love with you, you disgusting....’

‘Rey! Listen to me! She wasn’t a student, she was a lecturer at the same university. We were together for, a few years. Sabrina. Her name was Sabrina.’

‘Oh.’ Rey sat down. ‘Well, that’s different.... what happened?’

‘What always happens eventually she saw through me, but in this instance she saw right through me to the vice chancellors son, Armitage Hux. A snivelling little brown nose, coasting on his fathers achievements. I didn’t take the rejection well and I was asked to leave after I..... well after I broke his snivelling brown nose.’

‘You punched him?’ Rey laughed,‘Why wouldn’t you tell me that?’

‘Rey! I’m a respected expert in my field! I don’t want it getting out that I have a violent nature. Anyway the past has no place here, all that matters is my future, with you.’

Her heart did a little flip.

‘Ben Solo, nothing is ever easy with you is it?’

‘No, and I’m sorry for that but I’m trying Rey. For you, I’m trying.’

Rey bit her lip, there really wasn’t any point her trying to deny it, Ben was her end game. For better of worse.

‘The boys are out.....’ she hinted.

‘Already on my way.’ He said before hanging up.

Chapter Text

Rey put her phone down and breathed a sigh of relief. She was going to have to keep her guard up if she was going to continue working with Dr Skywalker. She jumped in the shower then tried to find something to wear. When she opened her wardrobe, an outfit caught her eye that made her giggle. Did she dare?

Ben knocked on Rey’s door and heard a clatter inside,

‘Rey?’ He called out.

‘Just a minute!’ She called back.

When the door opened, his mouth fell open. She was standing in the doorway in what looked to be a Catholic schoolgirl uniform. He looked her up and down,

‘Rey?’ He asked questioningly. She pulled him inside.

‘Thank Goodness you’re here, I want to talk to you about some private lessons.’

‘What?’

Rey rolled her eyes and looked at him pointedly,

‘I want to talk to you about some private lessons? I’m failing all my classes and I really need a teacher. If you can help me, I’m sure I could help you in return?’

‘Ahhh, I see.’ Said Ben, finally catching up. ‘Well I’m sure we could come to some sort of an arrangement.’

She squealed when he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist,

‘Jees, for a genius it took you a while to cotton on.’

‘I was rather stunned Rey, I wasn’t expecting to be greeted by a male fantasy come to life.’

‘ha ha, expect the unexpected when you are with me Mr. If you are very good, I might let you spank me later.’

She kissed him hard and tangled her hands in his hair that she loved so much. Just as she let out a soft moan, the door opened and Finn walked in.

Chapter Text

Finn looked at them, then took a long look her outfit and Rey felt her face turning red.

‘Finn!’ She exclaimed as Ben put her down, ‘It’s not what you think! I mean it probably is what you think but its not as bad as you think…..’

‘I don’t know what I think Rey.’ She could tell he was trying really hard to keep his cool.

Ben looked at Finn,

‘Hi I’m Ben.’ He held out his hand but Finn didn’t take it.

Finn sized him up,

‘Don’t you work at the university Ben?’ He said jutting out his jaw, his tone as sharp as a knife.

‘I do, not that its any of your business.’  Ben said moving towards him.

‘Rey is my business, I’m her best friend.’ Finn closed the distance between them.

‘And I’m her boyfriend, so I think that trumps best friend, don’t you?’

Rey inserted herself between them,

‘Okay, okay. Lets all just calm down okay? Ben, you better go.’

‘I don’t see why I should have to leave, he is the one interrupting….’

‘Ben just go please, I’ll handle this.’

‘Okay, I’ll ring you later.’ He kissed her forehead and she couldn’t help but feel that he had just branded her.

Once Ben had reluctantly left, Rey was left wishing the ground would swallow her up.

‘Finn please don’t say anything….’

‘Rey what the hell are you doing, isn’t that your teacher! You could get into a whole lot of trouble.’

‘I know, I know okay! It’s a mess! But sometimes good things grow out of chaos….’

‘This explains why I haven’t seen much of you, why I’ve felt like you’ve been hiding something from me, Rey…. Can you go and put something else on before we continue this please?’

Rey went to the bedroom and put on her grey sweats. So much for her afternoon of erotic roleplaying with Ben. This conversation was going to be as comfortable as having a hot poked jabbed into her eye.

‘Now, start at the beginning….’

Rey give me a censored account of their relationship to date.

‘Rey this is heavy, he could lose his job, you could get thrown off your course. Have you considered any of this?’

‘Of-course I have, I can’t help myself Finn. I love him.’

She winced when she saw the hurt in his eyes. She never wanted to hurt Finn but this conversation had been long overdue. She needed to set him free.

‘Does he love you.’

‘He does.’ She said quietly.

Finn was silent for a moment.

‘Okay, I won’t say anything, but only because I care about you so damn much but honestly Rey I think you should break this off. I don’t think it will end well.’

Rey shrugged,

‘Some people are worth the extra effort.’

When Ben called later she filled him in on her conversation with Finn. Ben was still sceptical that he would keep their secret but he was happy to hear that Finn had been told once and for all that she wasn’t interest in him.

Rey rolled her eyes,

‘Do you want me to get a tattoo that says property of Ben Solo?’

‘Not your worst idea….’

‘Do men ever grow up?’

‘Not in my experience.’

‘Seriously Ben, what is our next move here? We can’t keep sneaking round forever.’

‘I know.’

‘Well?’

‘Let me think about it…’

‘I don’t want to have to make you choose but if you left this job….’

‘I know…. I know…..’

‘Goodnight Ben.’

‘Goodnight Rey, I love you.’

‘I love you too.’

Chapter Text

When Rey woke up she had a blissful moment when her brain didn’t remember that her best friend had caught her in a school girl outfit making out with her secret lover, then it all came back to her in a flash and she buried her head under her pillow.

She felt something push the side of the bed down, when she peeped out from under the pillow Finn was sitting on the side of the bed with a cup in his hand,

‘tea?’

She smiled at him gratefully.

‘I don’t think I deserve you Finn.’

Finn smiled back,

‘You’re right you don’t.’

Finn left and Rey checked her phone, no messages. She was sure Ben had said he would contact her in the morning to arrange what time they were meeting. Oh well, maybe he had slept in. She got dress and had breakfast and checked her phone again. Still no message. Brunch came and went. No message. By 11.30, she caved and texted him,

Hey weren’t we going to meet today? Did I make a mistake?

After lunch she rang and his phone went straight to voicemail. Now she was worried. Had something happened to him? Was he ignoring her? Was this his way of telling her he had made his decision? Was he just going to ignore her like it never happened?

By 3pm she decided to go for a walk, and if that walk happened to take her past his flat then so be it. Just as she was coming around the corner to the entrance to the apartment block he lived in, two people excited the building, one was Ben looking amazing in a suit she had never seen before and the other person was a stranger to her. A very attractive stranger, with long blonde hair, a figure to die for and legs that seemed to go on forever. They got into a black Sudan, Ben held the door open for her, Rey gritted her teeth, he laughed at something the attractive stranger said, Rey balled her hands into fists, then he touched her back as he helped her into the car and Rey thought that she had never seen a dead man walking before that day.

Rey ran home slammed the front door and screamed.

‘What?’ Finn asked.

‘He’s cheating on me with some leggy blonde! I’m going to kill him!’

‘What? Are you sure?’

‘Pretty sure they looked pretty cosy from what I just witnessed.’

‘God Rey I’m so sorry, what a bastard!’

‘Hey it’s my own fault, right? You told me this would end badly, you warned me and I didn’t listen.’

‘It’s not your fault, its his.’

Rey suddenly felt exhausted,

‘I want to be alone for a bit.’

Okay, I’m here if you need me.’

‘Thanks Finn.’

Rey went into her room and closed the door, her chest ached and her heart was ready to break, but she wouldn’t let it. She held onto her anger. It made her stronger. Yes, anger would see her through this. Anger would keep her from falling apart.

Her phone finally beeped,

Hi, can we talk? I have something to discuss with you.

Rey seethed,

Where have you been all day?

Just at home working, I had a deadline to meet.

Oh, yes, quite an attractive ‘deadline’ she was too. Rey fumed.

I don’t want to talk to you right now.

Rey switched her phone off, tears formed in her eyes and she tried to will her heart to stop bleeding internally.

Ben tried to contact her for a week but she ignored him. She didn’t show up to classes or even to work with Dr Skywalker. He was desperate to know what he had done wrong. The stress was showing in his work and his whiskey supply was dangerously low. He went to her house and Finn answered,

‘She doesn’t want to see you.’

He said coldly.

‘Please Finn, I just need to talk to her. I don’t understand what went wrong……’

‘You. That’s what went wrong. You. You don’t know what its like watching her suffer like this, she barely eats.’

Bens heart broke, ‘Let me see her, I need to make whatever this is right.’

‘Get out of here before I do something I regret. Go back to her.’

‘Who?’

‘You know perfectly well who I mean, the leggy blonde, the one you cheated on Rey with?’

‘She saw me with Sabrina?’

‘Apparently.’

Ben sighed in relief,

‘Finn, I can fix this, what she thinks she saw, it wasn’t like that. I just need to explain….’

‘You would say that though wouldn’t you Ben? Try to convince her it was all innocent, worm your way back into her heart. Well forget it. You aint getting through me.’

Ben thought about pushing past Finn but decided it would only make matters worse.

‘I’m coming back.’ He warned.

‘I’ll be waiting.’ Finn shouted back.

‘Who was that?’ Rey emerged from her bedroom wrapped in a blanket with red ringed eyes.

‘No one, door to door sales, I told him to do one. Come on let’s get you back to bed.’

Finn put an arm around her shoulders and guided her back to her room.

‘I really don’t deserve you Finn.’ She said as she lay down on the pillow and closed her eyes.

‘I know Rey. I know.’

Chapter Text

Ben pulled his phone out of his pocket. Sabrina picked up instantly,

‘Ben darling what can I do for you?’ She purred.

‘I need you to talk to Rey for me.’

‘Why on earth would you need me to talk to her? Can’t you explain the arrangements to her yourself?’

‘It’s complicated, look if you don’t do it the deal is off.’

‘Okay! Okay! I’m heading to your place now. I needed to see you anyway, we still have some unfinished business.’

Rey lay in bed unable to sleep. She hugged her pillow. What the hell had went wrong? He had said he loved her, she had felt like he had been made for her, practically her opposite in every way but he made her strong and she made him weak, in a good way. Is that what she was doing now? Making him weak? She hugged the pillow tighter.

There was a loud knock at the door which made her jump, and then she heard Ben’s voice calling her, pleading with her to listen. Without thinking she let her instincts take over and she bolted to the door. Ben was standing there looking like hell, with the leggy blonde. She went to slam the door, but he managed to wedge his foot in front of it,

‘Rey please give us ten minutes, please. This is Sabrina.’

‘Sabrina, your ex Sabrina?’

‘Yes.’

‘Pleased to meet you.’ Sabrina drawled while she looked Rey up and down with a raised eyebrow.

‘You have ten minutes.’ Rey muttered. Feeling like a huge mess in front of the polished princess.

They entered the house and Rey sat on the sofa,

‘Okay, tell me why the hell I should listen to you two?’

Sabrina smiled at her,

‘Ben tells me that you may have misconstrued our meeting the other day. You see, I called Ben out of the blue, with a job proposition. We’ve had a slight problem recently in that the head of our history and education department had had to suddenly leave.....’

‘Hux?’ Rey enquired.

And Sabrina coloured at the sound of his name,

‘I see Ben has informed you of my former fiancé.’

‘Former?’

‘Yes unfortunately, we are no longer together. Just weren’t compatible in the end!’

Ben who had been unusually quiet and watching Rey intently snorted,

‘Weren’t compatible? If that’s what you call it when your fiancé leaves you for another man.....’

Rey’s eyes widened.

‘Really Ben!’ Exclaimed Sabrina. ‘I don’t think that information is necessary!’

Ben shrugged, ‘I do.’

‘As much as I cannot stand that man right now, I would be inclined to agree with him.’ Rey said.

Ben winced.

‘Anywho,’ Sabrina continued cheerfully, ‘Armitage chose to leave the university after his affair went public, which leaves us without a head of department and fortunately for everyone, Ben is the only person capable enough to take over the role and he has accepted my offer which is wonderful because I was promised a big bonus if I managed to land him, I mean it’s excellent for the department.’

Ben knelt down in front of Rey and took her hand,

‘You see? This is all there is to this story. A business arrangement. That’s all. I should have just told you about the meeting. I should have just explained.’

He kissed her hand and looked at her hopefully.

Rey’s heart sang but her head was still working it’s way through the new information,

‘Okay let me process this, I’m thrilled that you aren’t cheating on me, still mad that you lied to me, I hope you are looking forward to grovelling about that later, and concerned that this new job takes you miles away from me?’

Ben smiled,

‘That’s the part that we had to negotiate on.’

Sabrina came forward,

‘Ben agreed to come on the following conditions, that funding was made available for a research assistant and that that research assistant would have access to funds to study for a PhD along side their work, Oh and that you get to start in September following successful completion of your degree course, of course. I have the paperwork here if you want to sign? I really should be getting back.’

‘Rey, this is what you wanted, no more hiding, we can be together and work together and live together and hopefully we won’t kill each other.’

Rey smiled,

‘I can’t believe it. You are full of surprises. I say yes to everything where do I sign?’

Once the paperwork was sorted and Sabrina had left, Ben and Rey sat together,

‘You know it would have been nice if you had just explained all this to me from the start.’

‘Old habits die hard Rey, but I promise from now on no secrets.’

‘Okay, I don’t know how thrilled I am that we are going to be working with Sabrina though.’

‘Oh don’t worry about that, she isn’t going to be working at the university much longer. She got what she always wanted a rich husband with more money than sense happy to marry her and keep her as a trophy wife.’

‘Ha ha, sounds like an amazing deal, wonder where I get myself one of them?’

Ben shot her a dirty look, then softened,

‘Well I’m not exactly rich but if you are in the market for a husband?’

Rey’s mouth fell open,

‘Are you serious?’

‘Yes,’

Ben got down on one knee,

‘I’ve had this a few months now, I was just waiting until the time was right and I think that time is now, because I don’t want anything else to take you away from me. I love you Rey, I only ever want to be with you. Will you marry me?’

Ben produced a small red box, inside was a beautiful rose hold ring with an intertwined pattern of clear and black diamonds.

‘Yes! Yes I will!’ She jumped at him knocking him off balance.

‘Oof, Rey don’t break my rib.’ He complained catching her in his arms, they lay in a heap in the floor.

‘Stop being a baby, you will have to toughen up if you want to handle my forever.’

‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’ And he kissed her and at last Rey felt everything in her life was perfectly balanced.

The End.