Summary: Rey gets a running buddy and deals with the collision of her professional and private lives. Finn is in the same boat. Both of them repress the urge to slug Kylo, who we meet for the first time (in this fic).

Author's Note: In other words, this is a LONG chapter. Also, be warned that there is a brief description of past emotional abuse in here, because I get into what Rey and Kylo's relationship was like. There is no physical abuse or rape (and there won't be in this fic), but it's still rough.

#######

The rest of the day was a blur. Rey signed off, took a shower, grabbed her purse, and went to Wal-Mart. She focused on the essentials. Coffee machine. Drinking glasses, utensils, and a set of dishes. Plastic and cloth 'storage solutions'. Temporary, I'll hit up a thrift store next weekend.Towels. Tampons. A pillow and bedding. Bottled water. Ground hamburger and rice. Frozen vegetables. Oatmeal.

It was like she was back in college. She had that strange sense of focus, that tunnel vision that came from living on a shoestring budget, grades and tests and this is a stepping stone, you'll be out soon dominating her mind.

Rey knew herself well enough to see that she was entering into 'survival mode.' And if Monday turned out the way she suspected it would, she'd need it.

But there were some things that she just couldn't scrimp on. She dropped off her purchases - Bless you, freight elevator! - and headed to Roadrunner.

####

The athletics store had definitely earned Luke's recommendation.I guess I owe him another thank you, she thought, exiting with two pairs of shoes (running and cross-training), socks, three sports bras, and two sets of wicking shirts and shorts. I hope he's home when I get back.

Somehow, Rey couldn't control her grin. Warm rain pattered on the trunk of her car as she loaded it up. I could run in this, no problem. Maybe bike, too...

She headed off to meet Finn. They were going to kick Monday in the ass.

####

They picked a neutral spot – Niima Café. The cozy book-and-coffee shop was right off the Cove, had a spectacular view, and did most of its business in the summer. Tourists came to Jakku for gentle sailing under bright summer skies, and the rainbow of summer life in the famous tide pools and caves, not the roaring winter wind, ice storms, and fog. Besides, it was dangerous in the winter. The locals swore that the place changedin the winter. Rey had never heard of anyone taking their boat out after Labor Day. The wind and waves echoed strangely in the jagged teeth of the Cove, and hundreds of ships had been dashed to pieces on the reef.

So she and Finn had the place to themselves, except for a bored barista. They ordered coffee and started outlining contingency plans.

"I just didn't want to talk about this at home," Finn said quietly. "I don't want this bullshit anywhere near - "

"Yeah 'don't bring it home'," said Rey.

"Understatement," said Finn. He had graduated from business school with high honors and always threw everything he had into his work. But that was it – Work was work, and he fought had to keep it in perspective. Rey always said that his problem was that he was the only junior exec in his department with a soul.

His life with Poe was his life, as far as he was concerned, his family and friends separate from his livelihood. And with one swoop of a pen, Kylo had blasted the wall apart. Worse, Finn was on the team that was about to descend on UIC. Granted, he was far below Kylo in the FO hierarchy, but –

"I don't know if I can do it, Rey," he said, gripping his coffee mug so hard his knuckles turned white. "I'll be in meetings all day tomorrow with that bastard."

"Finn – "

"And all I can see now is what he did to you." Rey laid her hand over his and gripped it hard.

"I'll be there too," she said quietly. "This is just temporary – we'll get through this."

I need this job. I will get through this.

"I should have gotten out the second they hired him."

"He wasn't even in your department," said Rey firmly. "You barely saw him. This was – No one was expecting this."

"I mean, I knew that Acquisitions was negotiating with someone," he said. "But UIC? It doesn't even make any sense. You're a consulting firm, for fuck's sake! FO keeps it in-house."

A terrible suspicion filled Rey's mind.

"Finn," she asked slowly. "Do you know when the negotiations started?"

"About a month ago," said Finn. His eyes grew round as he connected the dots. "No. No, that can't be it."

"What if it is?" Rey pulled her hand away. She gripped her purse under the table, her gut knotting with shock and anger.

"If it is, I walk," he said. "And you need to - to consider your options."

"What options?" she said. "Around here, it's UIC and FO, and I haven't got the cash to move."

My life is here. My -

"We'll make it," growled Finn. "No matter what."

Rey smiled grimly.

"Yes, we will."

####

Two cups of coffee and three muffins later, Rey and Finn had a plan. Rey's little corner of UIC was definitely in for a shock (the engineers were usually the last to find out about corporate anything). Her boss would be scrambling to arrange everyone's schedules to accommodate the incoming deluge of meetings, so she would have a window of opportunity to 'adjust' said schedules.

Rey smirked at the irony. UIC didn't have the budget of any sort of administrative assistants, so most of the engineers did their own scheduling. She'd grab the personnel lists, cross-reference it against the FO lists, and maneuver everyone's availability so that the UIC Finance Team was only available at the same time as Corporate, and both in tiny conference rooms. The FO delegation would be forced to split into Accounts, Finance, and Corporate. Finn would do the same on his end. They would stay in contact via text message on their non-work phones.

So if all went according to plan, neither she nor Finn would see much of Kylo. If he went out of his way to change that, they'd know something was up.

Normally Rey did not dodge her problems. This, however, was survival. As her superior, Kylo had both her and Finn up against the wall. For now.

"Consider it recon," she said.

"It'll keep me from knocking his teeth out for a week, at least," said Finn.

"You and me both," said Rey. She smiled wryly. "Who knows? Maybe he'll keep it professional."

"If he does, I'm mailing Satan some ice skates."

Rey snorted.

"If he does, I'll buy them."

They paid the bill and started for the door.

"Hang on," said Finn. He tugged her gently towards the bookshelves.

"Finn…"

"My treat," he said, walking over to the new releases.

"I don't want replacements," she said, her temper flaring. "Ok, that came out wrong. I just – " Finn smiled sadly and picked up something from the 'local authors' table.

"How about this – You get something for me. We can trade if we both hate each other's picks." Rey snorted. "Hey, I have an advantage," said Finn. "You'll read just about anything. And if you like it, you keep it."

"All right," she said. "Surprise me."

####

They swapped books outside. Rey wound up with an H.P. Lovecraft anthology – Finn had bought it on the spot when he realized that she'd never read The Call of Cthulhu, and had never used the word 'Cyclopean' before. Rey had grabbed something off of the bestseller display. She reasoned that Finn had never read a mystery that he didn't like, as long as the writing was decent, and the chapter she peeked at seemed to fit the bill. It was also rather…evocative. The page in question was something that she would normally only read in private, thank you very much. Unexpectedly well written, too. The summary hinted at a bit of a horror element…She handed it to Finn somewhat reluctantly, rolling her eyes at his smug grin.

Sometimes she thought he knew her a bit too well.

####

Rey paced around her kitchen, trying not to think about why she was trying not to think about Luke Skywalker.

For the love of God, Rey, it's just a thank you!

She'd put away her new purchases, moved the bookcases and air mattress around twice, and updated her Windows software. She was out of excuses.

Wait until tomorrow.

But she couldn't. Tomorrow could very well mark the end of the relative peace she'd found since she'd left Kylo. In light of the news of the takeover, her first day in the apartment felt…stolen. Or like a gift that was delivered to the wrong address.

And it was entirely due to twenty minutes on a bicycle with a -

With a good -

Rey leaned against her door, hugging herself, letting her thoughts flow back to the morning, to rain spattering her face, her feet freezing in soggy socks, Luke's windbreaker crinkling between her fingers, her head tucked into his shoulder, laughing as they hit yet another puddle and she had an excuse to press closer.

I'm not supposed to have that.

Rey wanted to hold onto the day as long as she could. So she walked across the hall and knocked.

After the longest minute of her life, and hearing nothing but creaking floorboards, she went back into her apartment and got ready for bed, shaking off the pang of mingled disappointment and relief.

####

The day went more or less as she had expected. She met up with her co-workers in the technical lead's office at 7:30, like always, and broke the news. The ensuing 'discussion' spilled over into the surrounding cubicles and dispensed with the need for the usual gallon of coffee (temporarily, anyway). Only a few people had been aware of the impending 'management transition,' so everyone switched into overdrive trying to find out what the hell was going on. As planned, she jumped into the scheduling battle. Finn texted her during her coffee break, informing her that 'Operation FYK (Fuck You Kylo) is a go.'

Rey managed to jump from cubicle to cubicle with her laptop – God bless wireless internet – when she wasn't in meetings.

This is ridiculous.

Here she was, 25 years old, dodging her ex like a 16-year-old in the high school library stacks.

Rey clenched her teeth and lost herself in her work. She'd stick with the plan; a confrontation would almost certainly get her fired.

And it was her job. Her life. He had no right to -

Survive, Rey.

She wasn't going to let that asshole win. Not this time.

####

Things went well until noon. She'd brought her own, as always, but her co-workers dragged her away from her usual 'working lunch' at her desk into the unofficial 'engineer corner' of the cafeteria. Max - the tech lead for her section - bought several gallons of coffee, pulled out his laptop, and dragged everyone into a strategy huddle that would have put a pro football team to shame. There had been rounds of layoffs before, but with the way FO did business everyone, even those who'd been there for decades, was worried. They had kids in college, roofs that needed repairing, student loans, and, frankly, just the groceries. Everyone was inches from panic, but it was the kind of panic that slashed everything else away. Rey's team zeroed in on the problem like a heat-seeking missile.

So their little group was the last to notice when silence enveloped the cafeteria.

Kylo appeared right behind her, of course, accompanied by the UIC Engineering department head. Six impeccably dressed FO executives trailed behind them, looking around the cafeteria with varying degrees of disgust.

Those must be the Knights, Rey thought. Kylo Ren's executive squad had earned that nickname from their ruthless methods for 'promoting efficiency', according to Finn.

Who, thankfully, was nowhere to be seen. Rey held herself rigidly in her seat, hands folded in her lap, eyes forward, jaw clenched. She hoped she looked more composed than she felt.

Kylo stepped forward and grasped the back of Rey's chair, his knuckles just brushing her shoulders. She barely managed to stop the shudder that ran through her.

He was so close she could feel his heat emanating through his expensive black suit. And she was at just the right height to – Rey's fingernails bit into her palms.

"I apologize for the short notice," he said coolly, addressing the technical lead. "But due to time constraints, tomorrow's meeting has been rescheduled to…" His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. "4 PM."

"All right," said her superior. "Thank you for the update," he said stiffly.

"I'll leave you to your lunch," said Kylo. He caught Rey's eyes and stepped ever so slightly closer, mouth quirking up into a smirk. Rey's mouth went dry as his knuckles brushed against her shoulder blade. "Room 4B," he said, turned on his heel, and left. The Engineering director cast a quick, apologetic look at the table and followed.

The corner of the cafeteria filled up with bewildered muttering.

"Well, crap…"

"What the hell was that?"

"What meeting?"

Rey's boss shook his head, his eyes narrowing.

"Engineering's Corporate branch has been talking one-on-one with each team. I guess FO is invited to ours. And, no, I haven't heard anything new. This is just a talk, that's all…" Max trailed off, obviously disturbed. Then his eyes flicked to Rey.

"Rey…Are you ok?" The table quieted as they all took in Rey's pale face and rigid shoulders.

"I'm fine," she said, jumping to her feet. "I'll see you guys at the meeting. Thank you for the coffee." She hurried back to her cubicle, dropped off her laptop, and locked herself in a stall in the ladies' room until she could breathe again.

####

To Rey's surprise, Kylo almost completely ignored her. He gave her the same vaguely condescending look as the other engineers, and focused on the presentation. The ensuing hour was spent on workflow, overhead, and available man-hours, and concluded with a cheery infographic of the vast improvement in, well, everything that inevitably resulted from being absorbed by the First Order.

I might have to buy those ice skates after all, Rey thought as she gathered up her things.

"Rey?" Max asked. "May I have a moment?"

Rey's heart dropped into her stomach.

"Sure," she said, amazed at how level her voice was.

"Kylo Ren would like to speak with you," he said. "Don't worry," he said, holding up his hand, completely misinterpreting her expression. "He just wants a little more detail about your involvement in the Archon Map project, that's all."

Rey nodded dully, suddenly very aware of how few people were in the room.

"It will just be a minute," said Kylo, looking up from his portfolio. "Please, have a seat."

She sat.

"All right, then. Good evening, Rey." The door clicked shut.

And then she was alone with him.

####

There was a long silence. Kylo leaned back in his chair, watching her from across the conference table. He had removed his sport coat at the beginning of the meeting, and rolled up the sleeves of his button-down shirt. He smiled, dark eyes on her as he slowly, methodically, loosened his tie, and undid the top button on his shirt.

Rey held her computer bag on her lap, folded her hands neatly on the table in front of her, and smiled back.

Survive.

Finally, he broke the silence.

"Unkarr Industrial Consultants," he said. "Have they been keeping you busy?"

"Yes," said Rey.

"Clearly," said Kylo. "Too busy to answer my calls."

"I changed my number," she said. Kylo's mouth twisted with anger.

"Why?" he hissed, getting slowly to his feet.

"So this isn't about Archon Map?" Crap, he's between me and the door…

"It can be," he said, rounding the table. "I've been placed in Engineering Corporate for the duration of the…restructuring. About time," he said. "There's a lot of fat to cut. How is life on the street?"

"I'm not on the street," she snapped. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Ach-To Avenue? Close enough," he said, sitting on the table, close enough to touch. Rey sat up straighter and held her bag firmly in front of her, her face heating up as her heart shifted into overdrive, limbs flooding with adrenaline. "I thought you'd be leeching off what's-his-name for at least a year," he said, the words laced with spite.

"I wasn't leeching," she said.

"Living rent-free is leeching," he said. "Nothing is free, Rey." He slid closer. "The usual exchange rate is cash. Or services. And before you left…Well. Those were a rough couple of months, weren't they?" Kylo smiled. "You owe me." He hiked up the leg closest to Rey, spreading his thighs slightly wider.

The frantic buzz in her ears turned into a screech. Rey pushed her chair away and jumped to her feet. He stepped close, blocking her path.

"Get out of my way," she said, her voice remarkably steady. Kylo smiled.

"It doesn't need to be this way," he said. "Your friend…Frank? Finnick? Whatever. He's been quite professional about this."

"Of course he is," she said. And you haven't seen him today, have you?

"We're going to be working together," said Kylo. "There's no reason we can't be civil with one another." His breath was hot on her face. Their eyes locked.

"You've only got this conference room until 5," she said quietly. The next meeting starts in five minutes, they'll be breaking down the door in two, he can't, Rey, he can't -

Kylo smirked. He stepped aside. Rey strode to the door as quickly as she could manage without actually running, and then paused, her hand on the doorknob.

"I don't owe you shit," she said, and left him.

####

Somehow Rey made it back to her desk. She texted Finn while she threw her things together, her fingers shaking, telling him that she couldn't meet up after work -I have to leave now – yes right now - I'm so sorry - I'll tell you everything tomorrow.

She was out the door in record time.

Back in her apartment, Rey pulled off her blouse and slacks, left them in a pile on the floor, and dug an old pair of running shorts and a t-shirt out of her duffel. She wiped off her makeup, tied back her hair and headed out the door. It was time to break in her new shoes.

She didn't bother to bring music – her mind was whirring too fast. Her senses needed dulling, not the boost they'd get from her EDM cardio playlist. All she wanted was the rush of distant traffic, the patter of rain on her jacket, and her feet smacking pavement.

It was almost enough to keep the memories away.

I should have known, she thought.

But how could she? He'd been charming as fuck when they were dating. Well, ok, for the first five dates… And then she'd slept with him, and he became someone she didn't recognize.

Oh, it had started slowly. No one could deny that. But that was when the little things started to slide into their relationship. She'd woken up alone to cold sheets, an empty, jaw-droppingly gorgeous apartment, and the realization that they'd made love in the guest room.

However, there was a note on the marble counter, and cinnamon rolls – her favorite – and a pot of fragrant coffee waiting at the table. Apparently he'd had a meeting, and that it'd be wonderful if she waited for him.

So Rey waited. She greeted him at the door in nothing but his shirt. Tangled up with him on the couch, flushed and slick with sweat, exhausted and sore from an hour under him, Rey decided that she had imagined the look of surprise on his face when he'd come through the door. He couldn't have forgotten she was there.

Could he?

The other hints were quiet, wispy things that sounded almost petty when she spoke them out loud. She'd ignored most of them, half on the advice of her mother, half thanks to believing that it was temporary. Demanding where she was if she didn't answer her phone, or respond to his textsimmediately. Looking over her shoulder constantly when she was online, even when curled up in bed with him, both of them on their laptops. Shutting her down when she asked him what was wrong – and what the hell his problem was - when he didn't call her for days, and then showed up at her apartment with wine and dinner reservations. Not that they usually made it out the door.

Rey shuddered and picked up the pace. God, even now…The very worst part was that her heart still skipped a beat when he looked at her, his eyes dark, possessive, wanting. That she still flushed when he stood close, even as anger roiled like a storm inside her. Even after she realized what was behind that perfect face.

God, I'm a freaking Lifetime movie, she thought. Of course he didn't change.

She'd left the morning after she spilled wine on the carpet in front of his boss. Snoke had sneered, said something about clumsy women in the kitchen. Kylo laughed and handed her a towel and a bottle of carpet cleaner. She'd gotten on her knees in her Prada dress and heels – his latest apology gift – and cleaned up the stain while his guests stared.

Rey held her peace after they left. When his insults escalated into rage, she dragged him into the bedroom, knowing that he always passed out after he came. The ensuing activities could only be described as the reason the word 'fuck' exists.

She waited an hour after his breathing slowed, and the sun was starting to peek over the horizon. Then she dug the last remaining pair of jeans that she'd bought for herself out of the back of the closet, and a ratty t-shirt and bra that she'd had since college. A change of underwear and her toothbrush went in her purse. She left the Prada dress in a knot on the floor.

Finn and Poe had never looked happier to see her.

Kylo had never laid a hand on her. He hadn't needed to. There were other ways to break a person.

Rey ran until her muscles burned and her breath was coming in sharp gasps. Broken sidewalks and crumbling asphalt had turned into rough gravel and weeds when she finally slowed. Rey blinked, surprised at herself - she was maybe a mile away from Niima Cove. That meant she'd run at least three miles.

I am seriously going to regret this in the morning, she thought. A month on my ass and then this…Stupid…

Of course she continued on. Soon the gravel and weeds became hard-packed earth, and then she was clambering up rain-slicked rocks, and then standing tall on the top of a cliff, the crash of waves filling the air.

The weather had driven most of the visitors away, but Rey still spotted a few lonely clusters of people down on the rocky beach – either runners, like her, or else climbing the cliffs or exploring the caves. One brave woman in a bright yellow raincoat and rubber boots had set up an easel down near the visitor's center. A man on a bench a few yards away had a notebook open in his lap, the page half-full. He was staring across the water, his back to her. She watched the sky and stretched, taking deep breaths to center herself, to draw herself back into her body. The burn in her muscles certainly helped with that.

Rey bounced up and down to keep her muscles warm, looking longingly at the bench. It was big enough to hold several people. If I sit down it's going to be hard to get back up. Eh…Screw it…I can cab it back if my legs really cramp up. She dropped down next to the man with a contented sigh. And then almost jumped out of her skin. She was sitting next to Luke.

…Who didn't seem to notice that she was there. He was turned partially away from her and gazing out across the water, his bright eyes fixed on something that only he could see. Vaguely Rey registered her heart speeding up as she took in his profile, his strong, gentle face, the wind rustling in his neat, silvered hair and beard. The focus… It was as though this little slice of world had folded in on itself, that everything was sharper, morereal. Then he blinked, shook himself a little, and scribbled in his notebook.

Rey shifted on the bench slightly. She was starting to cool down, and was very much feeling the wind. He turned toward her, and his surprised smile lit up the world.

"We have to stop meeting like this," he said. Rey let out a surprised laugh.

"Ah – Yeah," she sputtered, feeling as though her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. Real smooth Rey…

"Nice weather we're having, isn't it?" he said, after a moment. Waves crashed on the teeth of the cove. A few surprised shrieks of locals getting spattered by the freezing water floated up from the beach.

"It'll be time for the Polar Bear swim soon," she said, grinning.

Every year when ice started to form on the edges of the cove, several dozen brave souls stripped naked and ran out into the water…and quickly back out again. The local news covered it, and if there wasn't a live feed somewhere on the internet, Rey would eat her new shoes.

"Ah, so you're a local then," said Luke, putting down his pen. Rey nodded.

"All my life. I've never done it, though," she said, shuddering. "Have you?" Luke grinned.

"Oh, years ago," he said. "On a dare. Mostly so I could say I did it."

"Are there pictures?" Rey blurted out. Luke cocked an eyebrow at her. "Uhm, I mean – Evidence!" She was sure her blush could have been seen from space.

"Pics or it didn't happen?" he said wryly.

"Yup," she said, another laugh welling up inside.

"Unfortunately yes," he said. "Wedge kept them in case he ever needed to blackmail me. Old friend," he said, answering Rey's unspoken question.

"So…What are you writing?" Rey asked, after a comfortable silence. "Sorry," she said quickly. "You don't have to say." Luke shook his head.

"No, don't worry. I'm taking notes for a new book," he said. "It's quite inspiring out here. Very…wild."

"So you're a writer?" Rey asked, feeling yet another blush coming on. Luke nodded. "What kind?"

"Fiction, mostly," he said. "A few different genres. This one is…" He gestured vaguely at his notebook, and at the air around them. "Different."

"Do you come out here a lot?" she asked. "To write, I mean."

"Yes," he said. "Sometimes just to be out here. It's beautiful. Especially like this. You?"

"Not really," she said. "I just moved out here, you know. I was further into the city before."

She looked away. Don't think of it.

"Well," said Luke, sensing her discomfort. "There's quite a lot to see out here. And some excellent places to run. And bike," he said, smiling.

"Oh!" she said suddenly. "I've been meaning to thank you for recommending the Roadrunner." She pointed at her shoes, smiling akwardly. "They're great, seriously."

"I'm kind of a frequent customer," he said, grinning. "And it's getting late. Are you headed back soon?" he asked, oddly carefully. Rey nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "I have to get up early. Hey, where's your bike?"

"I ran here," said Luke, slipping his notebook into his windbreaker. "Frequent Roadrunner customer, remember? Clears my head."

"Me too," said Rey. "I…" She swallowed. The words came out anyway. "I really needed it today."

Luke smiled sadly, blue eyes catching hers.

"I know the feeling," he said quietly. He looked across the water, brow creased in thought.

"You know," said Luke. "It's getting dark. Can I walk you home?"

"Run me home?"

"Ok, run you home…"

"Yes. Thank you. I don't really know this neighborhood that well. I was kind of in the zone on the way here, so…" Luke nodded, and smiled that smile.

"Great," he said, and offered her a hand up. She took it without thinking.

"So I usually go running after work," she said, a little while later, when she was too tired to be nervous. "I don't really know the area."

"I usually head out here around 4 or 5," said Luke, keeping his eyes carefully forward. "Would you like some company?"

"Are you planning to go easy on me?"

"I'm more worried about you leaving me in the dust."

Not likely, Rey thought. They were in the third mile, and Luke had plenty of wind left.

"Then you're on."