Rose cried for two days straight.

Armitage sent hundreds of roses to her flat, which she immediately threw away.

She blocked his phone number and wouldn't answer the door when he turned up at her address.

On the third day, she got angry. Very angry. She rang Rey.

'Okay, I'm done being sad. Now I want to get even.'

'Yes! What should we do? You want me to go around there and punch him in the dick?'

'What? No! I have an idea, but I need your help.'

'Of course. I'm 100% on board. What do you need me to do?'

Ben was discussing his designs for the in-store coffee bar but Hux could barely concentrate on a word he was saying.

'We're two weeks from completion Hux, you should be thrilled,' Ben pressed.

Hux looked at him with sad eyes.

'My priorities have changed.'

Ben looked sympathetic.

'You miss her, huh?'

Hux nodded.

'I know you don't want to hear this right now, but you have to let her go. Sometimes these things are just not meant to be. No matter how much you want them,' Ben muttered.

Armitage looked at him with interest.

'Are you speaking from experience?' He asked quietly.

Ben nodded.

'There was a girl a little while back. She was, fuck it no point in lying now is there? she was the light of my life, but I fucked it up just like you did.'

'Why do we do it Ben? Why do we sabotage ourselves?'

'I wish I knew, Hux. I wish I knew.'

'I'm not going to give up on her yet,' Hux said with resolve.

'Then I wish you luck,' Ben said clapping Hux on the shoulder and for once, Hux didn't flinch at the contact.

Rose and Rey turned up at First Editions clad in black clothing and balaclavas. Rey started to shake up her can of spray paint.

'I'm having second thoughts about this,' Rose said.

'Don't be such a chicken!' Rey replied and started to paint lettering on the front of the building. Rose joined in and they quickly finished the project.

'There! That'll teach him to mess with you.'

They looked up at the red lettering which spelled out lying pig.

Rose felt guilt in the pit of her stomach. She didn't do things like this. This wasn't her.

She lifted her balaclava.

'This was a mistake.'

Rey lifted her own.

'Why? He deserves it Rose! He's going to crush us like little bugs under his shoe! He deserves some pay back!'

Suddenly she saw Hux and another man appear in the foyer.

'Uh oh,' Rey whispered.

Rose hoped they wouldn't see them but it was too late. Hux's face lit up when his eyes latched onto hers. She saw him mouth her name and start towards her.

'Rey lets go!' Rose hissed pulling at her friends arm, but Rey wouldn't move. She was frozen in place staring at the tall man behind Hux.

'Ben,' she whispered.

'Rey!' Rose shouted desperately and finally her friend turned to look at her.

'We have to go. Now!'

The two girls ran hand in hand from the scene just as Hux burst through the entrance and out onto the street.

'Rose!' He yelled, but it was too late she was gone.

He looked up at the spray paint on the front of the building and his heart dropped. She wasn't there to see him, she was just there to send him a message. She was done with him.

'That was Rey,' Ben said looking bewildered.

'Who?' Hux asked.

'That girl with Rose. That was Rey. That was my Rey. The girl I was telling you about.'

'She works with Rose,' Hux said running a hand through his hair and surveying the damage.

'I had no idea,' Ben replied.

'What do you want to do about this?' he asked gesturing to the building.

Hux sighed.

'Nothing. I'm going to do nothing. I don't think either of us want to see those girls brought up on criminal charges.'

Ben nodded with relief.

'I'll get a clean up crew down here today. I know a reliable company.' Ben offered.

'Thanks,' Hux said sadly.

'Hey, don't lose hope. She's mad right now but I saw her face when she looked at you. She cares about you.'

Armitage gave him a small smile.

'Let's get back to work. God knows I need something to focus on.'

They went back into the building and Hux tried not to think about how beautiful Rose had looked with her cheeks pink from the cold air and her lips slightly parted in surprise as she saw him.

Geez, he really had it bad.

Rose and Rey ran into Pages and slammed the door behind them.

'Where the hell have you two been and why do you look like extras in a mission impossible movie?' Finn asked.

'We just paid Hux a little visit that's all. Taught him not to mess with our gal,' Rey boasted.

'Yes! You show him who's boss.'

Rey started to excitedly explain to Finn what they had done to the store front, but Rose couldn't join in with her enthusiasm. She felt like crying. It didn't feel like a victory. This wasn't her. She was never cruel.

'They saw us,' Rose said to Finn.

Finn's eyes widened!

'Oh shit! Do you think they will call the police?'

'I...I don't know,' Rose said looking sad.

Rey shifted from foot to foot.

'I could, I could reach out to Ben,' Rey said quietly. 'Maybe he could smooth things over with Hux.'

'How do you know him?' Rose asked.

'We used to go out.'

Finn's eyes widened.

'Wait a minute! Hux was with Ben! Ben! The guy you thought was the one, until he screwed it—'

Rey jabbed Finn in the ribs and he stopped talking.

'Yes that Ben,' she hissed.

'I don't want to put you into an awkward position,' Rose said.

'It's okay, I think it's time we spoke anyway,' Rey replied. She took a deep breath and took out her phone.

'I'll call him now,' she said as she headed out of the shop.

'How are you?' Finn asked, looking sympathetically at Rose.

'I'm alright, or I will be alright,' Rose said with a small smile.

She walked towards Finn, then turned when she heard the bell above the store door tingle.

They both gaped at Beaumont Kin as he entered the shop.

'Hi Rose. I'm here because…'

He ran a hand through his hair awkwardly.

'I'm here because I want you back.'

'Get out,' Rose snapped.

Beaumont walked towards her.

'Rose please hear me out…'

'I don't want to hear anything you have to say, get out!'

Finn stepped in front of Rose protectively.

'You heard the lady,' Finn growled. 'We reserve the right to refuse service to double crossing pricks.'

Beaumont glared at Finn.

'This doesn't concern you.'

'I don't take orders from you,' Finn retorted.

The two men faced off against one another. Rose put a hand on Finn's arm.

'It's okay Finn,' she said. 'I'll let him say what he came here to say.'

Finn glared at Beaumont but walked away.

'Rose, I just wanted to apologise. I didn't know he was lying to you. I thought you knew who he was, and then I thought the article you asked me to write was just an opportunity for the two of you to cook up some sensational press before his grand opening. I was blinded by my own stupid jealousy and I'm so sorry.'

Rose relented.

'I forgive you, Beaumont. At least I know the truth now because of you.'

'Rose, I realised something when I saw you with him. I realised how much I miss you. Can we give it another try?'

'I'm sorry Beaumont, I'm just not ready.'

'You're still hung up on him, aren't you?' he said coldly.

Rose was taken back by his blunt delivery.

'That's my business.'

'It's my business now seeing as how he took it upon himself to personally come to my office to threaten me.'

Rose's heart hitched in her chest.

'Armitage came to see you?'

'He did.'

'What did he say?'

'He warned me to stay away from you. Said he would get me fired. I thought he was going to punch me at one point. The man is unhinged.'

Rose knew it was wrong. She shouldn't have felt happy about any of it but the fact that Hux had defended her honour lit a fire of hope in her pathetic, love-sick heart.

'Please tell me you're done with him?' Beaumont demanded.

Rose felt angry.

'That's up to me. I'd like you to leave now.'

Rose turned away from him but Beaumont grabbed her arm.

'He's a low life, Rose. He isn't like you and me. We belong together.'

'Beaumont let go,' Rose said. Finn started to walk towards them and she saw the look on his face.

'Let go,' she repeated desperately.

'Not until you agree to go out with me.'

Finn was almost upon them now and Rose knew he had a temper. She didn't want anyone else getting in trouble because of her. Rey was probably already facing charges. Rose curled her hand into a fist and turned quickly. Her punch connected with Beaumont's nose and he stumbled backwards. Rose shook her sore fingers. Why hadn't anyone warned her how much it hurt when you hit someone?'

Beaumont touched his nose and his eyes widened when he saw the blood on his fingers.

'You're as messed up as he is! You deserve each other!' he shouted before scrambling out of the door.

Rose started to shake. She turned around and faced Finn who rubbed her arms.

'I'm not going to lie to you Rose, I'm a little scared and a lot turned on.'

Despite everything. Rose giggled. Finn pulled her in for a hug and stroked her hair.

Rey came back into the shop.

'What's happened now?' she demanded.

'Beaumont came by and Rose punched him in the nose.'

Rey looked crestfallen.

'And I missed it?'

'We can watch the security footage later,' Finn said and Rey fist pumped the air.

Rose pulled away from Finn.

'So are we going to jail?' she asked Rey.

'Nope. No jail for us.'

Rose let out a sigh of relief.

'Thank goodness.'

'In fact I'm going to need to leave a little early tonight, I'm going to meet Ben. You know, just to make sure everything is smoothed over. Is that okay?'

Rose smiled.

'It's fine Rey. Just because I can't stand Hux doesn't mean you can't see Ben if you want to.'

Rey grinned.

'Okay, now can someone please give me a play by play of the fight?' she asked eagerly.

Rose rolled her eyes.

'It wasn't a fight.'

'It really wasn't. Rose won hands down. No contest,' Finn said jabbing at the air.

'I bet he deserved it,' Rey said.

'He did,' Finn agreed.

Rose rubbed her head. She was starting to get a stress migraine. Great. Just what she needed.

'I'm going to go hide in the office. If any more of my ex-boyfriends decide to call by…'

'We'll kick them out. No problemo, boss,' Finn said with a salute.

Rose went into the back room and collapsed into her office chair. She leaned forward over her desk and put her head into her hands.

'What is happening to me?' she said out loud. A few days ago she had been happily doodling Mrs Rose Tico-Hux into her notebook and now she was spray painting buildings and punching men in the face? She shook her head and put the thoughts away. She needed a distraction. She turned on her computer and looked at her emails.

She smiled when she saw a message from GeneralGrievance34.

'At least I can always rely on you to be here for me,' she said as she clicked on the message.