I dredge into work the next day, on fucking edge. Constantly I check the clock counting the seconds, minutes, hours as if I am counting down my last moments and I might just be. Each little inch of time is dragged out with my anxiety. To hell with that damn edge, I've fallen off the cliff into fucking insanity. The string of the reality I know is unravelling and falling apart all around me. Notes laid out once neatly now whirl pool and pull me down into my desk. It is then I let out silent fucking screams. My mother will stroll in and what? What will I do? Laugh, cry, yell, nothing, everything? What will happen? What will she do? What-

An electric buzz of my phone speaker brings me back to reality. "Leia Organa Solo and a guest have arrived. Should I send them up?"

Immediately I straighten and choke out a response. I can't remember what I said but it results in counting the steps down the hallway. My hallway.

My heart in it's rhythm so steady, seems to stop. Blood flows throughout my limbs, racing around me and the air filling my stressed lungs weighs me down to my world. My reality. For this moment I can feel all these so detailed I must be living my last moment, and the clicking of the door handle is the bullet that kills my shell. And my mother entering is my afterlife.

Her smile beams and baffles my mind. After all this time after all that's happened smiles a genuine smile. Why? Why do I deserve this? I'm so hypnotised by her that the figure behind is a literal shadow. It catches me off guard when a young woman emerges. For a moment I thought she was a ghost of my young mother fragmenting in my mind, though I come to realise that this girl is no fantasy nor figment. She's just truly stunning. Partially bringing myself back enough to introduce myself, still I find examining every aspect of the girl's existence in a simple "Hello, I'm Ben Solo."

She glances at my mother, seemingly confused. Is she curious about me? Or is she simply intrigued by my relation to Leia? She dawns a shallow smile before sitting in one of the chairs I gesture to. I try my best not to stare.

"This is a nice office for yourself. You've done well…"

My mother said that looking at me, into my eyes. Somehow speaking volumes like any thing emitted from her does. Her very being always spoke for itself.

"Thank you, that means allot. So, um," I trip on my tongue. "Why have you come to see me today?"

The girl beside my mother perks up and I get another long glance at her. Sun kissed hair loosely tied back, exposing her very pretty face adorned with small freckles so subtly accenting her slightly tanned skin. She's wearing a light blue button up. Or button down? Whatever the fuck it is, I'm trying to hide the fact I'm starting right at it. Look away Ben, you're borderline creep territory. Forcing a glance away to notice support from my mother, pushing her to speak up.

"I am," she sighs. "My name is Rey Jakken and I, I need a lawyer. Well obviously, but Leia said you're a good one and I really need your help. My livelihood depends on it." Her voice shakes, and it quivers my pulse along with it. I can't help but feel sympathy for her, but why?

I'm handed a folder from the older woman on my left, proceeding to open it and find the poor fate of Rey here before me. "I see." Is all I can mutter at first, in shock. "Rey, take me through your counter to the claims. Your reason of arguing the sanction."

"It's more than just a sanction," snaps out from her. It somehow manages to stab.

Through tensed muscles and a supportive hand on hers, Rey continues. "I joined the air force straight out of high school. I studied at an officer's college and directed myself towards engineering. I was posted to my current base 11 months ago."

I follow her words with care and dance my eyes over the pages given to me, matching each word sung from her. She has been accused of assaulting a higher officer. Senior Master Sergeant Unkarr, I'm not even going to attempt that last name.

"My Senior Unkarr took a liking to me very early on. He always went out of his way to touch me and call me sweetie. It made me un-comfortable truly but I put up with it. I never thought too much of it."

She stops to take a breath and I look up to meet her. If I'm lucky enough to have the same natural eye language as my mother I should be coming off as trusting, welcoming, understanding. But I am prone to things being lost in translation, and she shuns away.

"He called me to his office 4 days ago. You know I thought it was for a promotion or a posting, so I entered his office without worry at the time." her voice hitches and begins shaking again. "He immediately insisted on me drinking something he poured. I said no, but he persisted saying it's to celebrate, it's to celebrate. When I asked him to specify he'd just repeat 'to celebrate'. It went on like that for ages until he got impatient and grabbed my waist then said it was 'to celebrate me'."

I see small tears running away and her looking ashamed. I fight an urge bubbling up in me and stare back at the page of bruise marks lined on both subject's present. They show Unkarr with a bruised face and neck.

"Unkarr grabbed me and pushed me down onto his desk. He attempted to have his way with me."

And then it clicks in place, the story aligns. Without Rey even speaking more I can grasp the events that lead her to this. I could lie and say I have no personal incline to defend her, but I can only lie so much.

"Rey, I think I understand your dilemma. If you are willing, I will take on this case but, it will be difficult." I speak out, interrupting her. I've decided to spare her the shame of re-telling the events in detail. Rey seems to notice. Our windows meet, and we stare down into each other at that moment I continue.

"You will be asked to go into specific details repeatedly. Your privacy will be violated and on display. The defence will be abrading you constantly and you must remain calm. The main focus of the work I will be doing with you is consulting you and counselling you on how to not get too emotional. The best chance you have to win this is to detach yourself from these events."

I watch her take her time to indulge in my mild lashing towards her, yet she does not quiver. She stares back at me and nods. "What do I have to do?"

I skim through the file once more, suppressing passing possessive emotions to focus on the logical task. What Rey needs. Well luck for one, but also other things will be helpful and damming. I grab a blank paper and pen from my desk and scribe tasks upon it (poorly).

"An account of your side written fully. This will help me greatly. Be as detailed as humanely possible. I would actually encourage you to write it out with me, so I can press for details you might not think to add."

"Is that it?" my mother chimes in after long held silence. I almost forgot she was here I was so transfixed on Rey.

"No, but it's the best starting point. If there are witnesses from after the crime that may help. It may also aid in your credibility."

My mother points back to the folder I had temporarily discarded on the desk. "When Rey came to me she was with a friend. I photographed some marks that were left on her from Unkarr. They're in the folder."

I had already known of the photos, but the context brings fumes boiling out from me that I quickly supress. I must keep calm. I hand the poorly written paper to Rey, adorned with my contacts. "You can schedule a consultation with my secretary, I recommend sooner rather than later."

Eyes skirt along the paper before flying upwards, leading her body to follow them as if to match my previously leaning stature. Her eyes flutter between the two Solos, cueing my mother.

"Rey dear, why don't you go schedule with the secretary. I need to stay behind and discuss payment and other stuff like that with my son."

Their eyes dart to meet each other's issuing a quarrel of an instant. The result of which had Rey turning around and leaving my office without a word of farewell.

My face must have faltered enough to be obvious, at least to my mother. Our attention meets, leaving me staring back into my own eyes, our eyes. I hope I'm not crying. I'm probably crying.

I look away towards the door. "Don't worry about paying, I'll take care of this one."

"Ben, you're offering a service and I will pay, but you and I both know I didn't stay behind to discuss payment."

I won't argue. though I wish to, I refuse. It's not the damn time Ben. Pick your battles, you don't have to be a white knight for Rey. Not now at least. God, even when I'm standing face to face with my mother thoughts are circling back to Rey. The laps being run are beginning to exhaust my mental capabilities, and I have 3 hours left here at work.

I just tell myself to focus on my mother. Force myself to focus on my own problems now. I focus on the currently present woman, letting her to speak again.

"I've been meaning to reach out for a while now and this situation has really just pushed me into doing this. Despite all the time apart I know and feel your struggles. Though you probably can't admit it you're still connected to your father and I,"

And instantly words began to blur red at his mention. Why his mention? Mention him? The oxygen being compressed in stings now, the blood quaking. Fog falls over my being and by the time it lifts I can hear her words piercing through. Her ballad continues past that instant whether I understood or not. Next lyric I hear is "So I want to extend an invitation out to you" emitted from her.

"An invitation to what?"

I have a slight feeling I said something idiotic in her mind, something like so many men in her life would say as a way of admitting absent attention. Something she would, and is currently rolling her eyes at. "To flipping talk to your damn mother again. And maybe the rest of your family."

"Okay yes that would make sense," internal thoughts spoke out. The fog surrounding me masks my emotions. My embarrassment.

Mom just half heartedly smiles before leaving. Unlike Rey she had the courtesy to say goodbye and remind me I have her contacts. And now I'm alone. And really want a drink.

Okay, current plan. 1, call Phasma and check if I have anything scheduled. 2, If yes suffer. 3, if no the screw this I'm off to get wasted.

I ring up "Phasma, do I have anything scheduled later this afternoon?"

"Not scheduled no. Why?" chimes back.

Papers are hastily gathered and pushed into my satchel, leaving them to be dealt with later.

"If anybody stops by send them to Hux" was said as I tromped out of the shared law firm, determined to carry out my plans to fruition.