Armitage walked out of the store feeling like a broken man, to be so close to her and not be able to call her his was torture. But it was clear now she would never accept him so long as he was associated with First Editions.

Maybe if he left the company? But the store would open without him and she would still have to close. How could she ever forgive him for the part he played in that?

It all seemed hopeless. He walked home very slowly. His phone began to ring. He checked the screen, it was Ben.

'How did it go?' Ben asked.

'Fine at first but then it all went wrong.'

'Don't give up. You two are meant to be together.'

'Ben, I appreciate you and Rey trying to help me but I don't understand why you feel so strongly about this. I don't think there is anything I can do to fix what I've done. I think… I think... I'm ready to try again with Flower Power. Next time she asked to meet up, I'm going to do it. I think this day with Rose was the closure I needed to let go of her.'

He was lying to himself but he needed something to hold on to. If he didn't find a reason to go on, he knew he would fall apart.

He heard Ben sigh and then he heard arguing in the background. Rey must have been with him.

Hux sighed impatiently.

'Can you have this discussion on your own time?' he yelled.

Ben's voice returned once more.

'There's something I need to tell you, Hux.'

'What?'

'You know the girl you've been talking to online.'

'Yes?'

'It's Rose.'

'What?'

'The girl you've been talking to all this time, is Rose. She was in the cafe waiting for you that night. That's why I told you to go home. You weren't ready and she certainly wasn't ready to see you. What are the chances of that Hux? There are only two girls in the whole world that are able to fill your heart with joy and they are both the same person!'

Hux was silent.

Rose they were both Rose. His head swam.

'Are you still there?' Ben asked.

'Yes, yes, I'm still here.'

'Good. Listen to me. I've just told you that you just walked out on your one chance of happiness. The girl who has captivated you in every way possible through every medium possible. So what are you going to do about it?'

Hux hung up the phone, turned around and headed back to the store.

When he saw Rose sitting on the floor crying, his heart cracked open and he ran to her, falling to his knees and wrapping her up in his arms.

'Rose, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you, please forgive me. I won't leave you again. Please don't cry. Don't cry over me,' he rocked her gently as he comforted her.

Rose didn't have the energy to fight anymore. She put her arms around Hux and he held her tightly to him. They were quiet for sometime.

'Why is this so hard?' Rose said eventually.

'It doesn't have to be, please Flower-Power give me another chance.'

'I can't...wait...what did you just call me?'

'Rose, sweet, sweet Rose, I'm General Grievance. We've been talking to each other for months without even knowing it. I just found out.'

'You're GG?' she said with wonder.

He wiped at her tears with his thumbs.

'And you're FP,' he said with a sad smile.

Rose looked confused.

'How did you…'

'Ben. He saw you at the cafe. When he saw it was you he convinced me to go home. He didn't think we were ready to know the truth yet. He and Rey put us together today, they hoped that we would patch things up, when he heard what a mess I'd made of things once again he took pity on me and told me the truth.'

Rose snorted.

'Yeah, we did a great job of patching things up.'

Hux put a hand on her cheek.

'Maybe you did a better job of it than you think.'

Rose frowned.

'What do you mean?'

Hux took a deep breath.

'Rose. I've just decided that I'm going to leave First Editions.'

'What?'

'I'm going to leave First Editions but before I go, I'm going to scrap the plans for the children's book department in the new store.'

'You can do that?' Rose asked.

Hux nodded.

'I can. I can't stop the build but I can still save your store, Rose.'

'What-what will you do now?' Rose asked.

Hux hesitated. He took her hands in his.

'I don't know… I would like to... work here with you, if you'll have me and… if Paige will have me.'

Rose was still and quiet and Hux rushed to fill the silence.

'Unless you don't want me—'

Rose launched herself at him sending him crashing towards the floor. She peppered his face with soft butterfly kisses.

'Yes! Yes! I'll have you! I want you! I love you. I love you so much!' she said between kisses.

'Hux caught her lips with his then held her cheeks in his hands as he looked deep into her eyes.

'I love you too, Rose, I don't want to work for my cold, heartless father anymore. I just want you. You're my real family, my real home.'

'And you're mine,' she breathed.

'I'm so sorry about everything…'

'It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter anymore,' she said kissing him again.

Then she giggled against his lips.

'How is it possible my world was falling apart just a few short moments ago and now, now I feel as if I could burst with happiness!'

Hux smiled up at her.

'Do you think I could get up now?' he asked.

'No,' Rose replied with a smirk. She kissed him again. Armitage moaned in response.

'Okay, so long as you keep kissing me, I'll stay here all night,' he murmured against her lips.

The store phone rang and they both groaned.

'I better get that, it's probably Rey checking in.'

She gave Hux one last peck and got up to grab the phone. Armitage pulled himself up off the floor and followed her to the phone putting his arms around her waist from behind and kissing her neck gently.

'Rey, Rey! Calm down! Everything is fine. He came back,' she smiled over her shoulder at Hux.

'He's going to leave First Editions but first he's going to scrap the plans for the children's department and then he's going to come work with me!'

The excitement in Rose's voice made Hux's heart sing. She really did want him. He held her tighter.

Rose was quiet for a while then she covered the phone and turned to Hux.

'Rey says Ben has already handed in his resignation today. He supports you 100%.'

Rose listened again, then her eyes filled with tears. She turned to Hux once more.

'Ben says he's going to help me refurb the store as part of his pro-bono work on historical renovations, that would help so much, we could rebrand the store, have a reopening…'

She put her mouth to the receiver once more.

Rey, tell him I can't accept that. It's too much…'

Rose started to laugh.

'Okay, okay if he says he is doing it for you then fine. I accept. Thank you. Thank you both. You don't know how happy you've made me,' Rose said looking at Hux with watery eyes.

'I'll talk to you tomorrow Rey. I love you.'

Rose hung up the phone and turned in Hux's arms. She held him tightly to her.

'I'm so worried I'm going to wake up at any moment. Is it possible this is all just a dream?' She sobbed.

'I know. I can't believe I have you here in my arms.'

Rose pulled away from him, she walked to the door and opened it, holding out her hand towards him.

'Come on, let's get out of here.'