Summary: Rey and Luke develop an evening routine, but the First Order's business activities complicate matters. They decide to make it up later. Finn and Poe eat fast food before running, meet Luke, and start Plotting immediately. Rey realizes something important.
Notes: Time passes in this one, so once again, here is a long-ass chapter :O Also, be warned that I wrote about 2/3 of this while watching 'Message in a Bottle'. Especially keep this in mind for the end part. Is it possible to OD on Nicholas Sparks?
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The bulk of the administrative work was finished by Friday, at least from Rey's perspective – the major impact on her team was 'priority redistribution' and, worse, budget cuts. Thankfully she had no say in the matter, which meant that she encountered most of the First Order bullshit second-hand.
"I feel bad for Max," she told Finn over coffee and a muffin in the back of the cafeteria, a week after Kylo had confronted her. "My rank's so low that they just don't need me for management stuff. He has the Knights breathing down his neck every single day."
She and Finn kept in contact via text message and the occasional coffee break. In the wake of the conference room incident – after Poe had had to practically lock him in their apartment to stop him from going after Kylo – Finn had made a point of being seen in her part of the building whenever he had a free moment. He also told her to keep her staff in her car. Poe had an uncle in Corrections that had gotten his hands on three police-grade expandable batons, and had all but thrown a 26'' model at Rey when he found out that she was moving to the Industrial district.
"You're smaller than these assholes," he'd said, jerking his thumb at Finn and Poe. "You know, 'with a big enough stick you can throw the world up an ass.' Aristotle."
"That's…Not exactly it," said Finn.
"So you need a bigger stick," said the prison guard. "I would not recommend getting within arm's reach. You, however…" He nodded at his nephew's boyfriend. Finn had been training at his boxing ring long before he and Poe got together. "Feel free to break a few noses. I'd say get a handgun, but it takes months to get a concealed carry permit." He frowned, looking suddenly awkward. "Look, I know what this sounds like, and you're tough as nails, but I really don't like the idea of anyone living alone out there, much less Poe's gir – I mean, a friend who is a girl."
"I'm not," said Rey without thinking. "I mean, I have my own place, but the building's hardly empty, it's safe, there are a lot of people around, and…"
"Rey…Are you blushing?" asked Poe, leaning in and crossing his arms, a grin spreading slowly across his face.
"No!" said Rey, turning even redder.
"She's totally blushing," said Finn.
"Screw you!" said Rey, most definitely not thinking about bicycles and rain. "How do I use this thing?"
Rey always had learned fast. She hated to admit it, but gripping two feet of steel pain in the palm of her hand felt very, very good. Especially after a few practice swings on a vaguely human-shaped dummy in Mr. Cameron's gym. She was pretty sure that it's long black wig was all Finn's fault.
"He hasn't bothered me," said Rey. "Really. I'm probably beneath his notice, now."
Being four paygrades under someone will do that, she thought.
"Hardly," said Finn grimly. "I know him."
"Well, remember that we've got your back," said Poe. "And you know you're welcome anytime. That couch has been awfully cold lately – BB still won't sit in your spot." The yellow lab's ears perked up at her name, lifting her head from Rey's lap, tail thumping on Finn and Poe's couch.
"You just don't want to take her out in the morning," said Rey, warmth spreading through her chest. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She looked away before they could fall. "I love you guys…"
Finn hauled her into a hug. BB jumped across the gap and licked her face, gazing at her with soulful brown eyes. It wasn't the biggest couch, but there always seemed to be room for three friends and a dog.
####
But Rey wasn't alone in the Industrial District. Every day after work she'd knock on Luke's door in running gear, keys around her neck, and they'd head out in the general direction of the Cove. Three days after their conversation on the bench, Rey caught herself counting down the minutes to quitting time. Some days she swore the clock moved backwards, the digital readout on her computer included.
Other days she had to hurry. Luke warned her that jogging on Ach-To Ave after 8 at night was not the best idea whether she was on her own or not, so the best time to leave was at 4:30 or 5. Not that she'd needed the warning…The latest they'd gone out was 7, and even then they pushed it to get back before the nightlife really started up. She'd learned quite a few 'shortcuts' – two involved climbing chain-link fences – since they'd started running together after she got home from work. 'Beating the shadows' became a thing.
Luke, once she got him talking, was a bottomless pit of information. He remembered Jakku City before the economy went to Hell. Strangely, it seemed that the 'other Jakku,' as she was coming to call it, was not quite as gone as she'd thought. Most of the old families were still here, just either in dramatically reduced circumstances, or had migrated to the downtown.
Rey suspected that Luke's was among the latter. She hadn't pressed – family was something that hurt.
One more thing I never discussed with Kylo. She'd never even met his parents, and his expression whenever she came even a little close to the subject had made her shrink deep inside herself, and walk on eggshells for hours afterwards.
Yet something on the edge of her mind wanted to ask Luke. On their first day out, while guzzling water on their bench overlooking Niima Cove, she asked him when he started writing. He shut down immediately, and his eyes lost their sparkle. Briefly, a shiver of apprehension hit her. When Kylo didn't talk… But she steeled herself and looked again. Sadness hovered on the corners of his distant gaze.
Not anger.
She'd dropped the subject because she didn't want him to hurt.
She wasn't afraid to speak. It was...different.
Instead she'd switched to another topic, her stomach leaping when he came alive again. They ran back soon after that, slower this time, Rey turning a thought over and over in her head: she wanted to know him.
The more she listened, the more she began to understand why a successful writer was living in the Industrial District. There was life here. It was a home. Soon Rey learned more about his neighborhood than she'd ever thought possible.
There was a library between the Overlook Hotel (the very, very haunted, very dangerous Overlook Hotel) and the Chuck-E-Cheese.
She should give the decrepit video store (yes, a real live video store, even if it was about 90% porn, and he just knew that second-hand, thank you very much) around the corner a wide berth unless she were looking for a dealer – Luke had called the cops on the place several times, with very few results.
Avoid the power plant. And everything north of Korriban Street, which had apparently been Bad News even before the economy tanked.
And, of course…Don't go in the water after August 15.
She'd laughed at that one.
"I grew up here, remember?" she'd said, darting in front of him and running backwards down the street, so he'd be sure to catch her smirk. "And what about the Polar Bear – "
"Doesn't count…Look, a purple horse!"
"Nice try Skywalker," she said, laughing, throwing out her arms to block him from taking the lead. "I can keep this up for miles."
And sometimes they said nothing at all. Luke seemed to sense when Rey was an almost literal mess in the wake of the day. Those runs were hard and fast, and usually ended with Rey flat on the floor of her apartment, wishing that she could shower while asleep, her mind blissfully quiet.
The second week Rey began taking note of when they left and when they got back. And if she kept an eye on her pace watch, and maybe slowed down a little bit after the halfway mark so they were out for an hour instead of 45 minutes…Well, so what? She loved running. She loved stretching her legs after a long day sitting in her cubicle, and talking about things that didn't involve parts ordering and spreadsheets and risk calculations. It was a…thing that she did. With a friend. Everyone had things that they did with friends, right?
Friends get introduced to other friends, thought Rey wryly after an especially vigorous run. For some reason, the thought of Luke meeting Finn and Poe made her very, very nervous. She really wanted to introduce them, though.
It seemed right.
####
Rey's section didn't lose any people, thank the Lord – most of her team was made up of men who had been working for UIC for decades, and, in several cases, were some of the only people currently in existence who knew how some of UIC's older (but still profitable) products worked. Well,really worked. Rey had acquired the basics since she'd been hired, but you just couldn't absorb 30 years of legacy knowledge in 3 years as a junior engineer. She remembered when their previous section manager had retired – it had been like one of the system supercomputers had walked out the door.
A little over a month after the First Order bought UIC, Rey and two other junior engineers crowded around the phone in Max's office – really a slightly larger cubicle with high walls and a door.
At least I've still got my cubicle, she thought. Mikey, one of the relatively new software engineers, had been exiled to one of the satellite desks where employees on travel sat when they needed a temporary workspace. Scheduling conference rooms had become nearly impossible for anyone not working on a First Order priority, so Rey and the technical leads were crammed elbow to elbow around a schematics-covered table, so close to Max's desk that any newcomers would have to sit on it to fit. She winced as she flexed her shoulders, her back pressed against an overflowing file cabinet.
Today's conference call was with an overseas supplier who was reluctant to part with technical information on the best of days. The supplier's relationship with UIC had only gotten worse since the acquisition, but they were the last company that actually made what Rey's team needed.
Which was why they were on the line at 7:30 at night.
Stupid time zones, Rey thought. Thank God it's Friday. After a month of administrative chaos, the hints of peace had gone to hell as the consequences of UIC's change in management began to ripple across the country and beyond. The situation had escalated enough to prompt daily calls to the supplier. Rey hadn't gotten home before 9 in a week. She shifted uncomfortably, her joints stiff and tingling from sitting still for so long. She squinted at her keyboard and stifled a yawn.
God, my energy is already tanking… She hadn't gone running since Sunday, and after 5 straight days of late nights and no Luke, Rey had been sinking rapidly into running withdrawal. It felt like she hadn't spoken to him for weeks.
Her face burned as, for the millionth time, she remembered how she'd dealt with standing him up the first time it happened.
She'd all but crawled out of work on Monday night, her brain possessing what was roughly the coherency of a bowl of lukewarm spaghetti that hadn't been drained properly, and knocked on his door as soon as she made it to her floor, still carrying her purse and computer bag. It'd been late, but her mind was buzzing, and she'd wanted to explain…
"Work," she blurted, swaying slightly when he opened the door. She braced herself against the frame, rubbing her eyes blearily. "I don't have your number, so I couldn't call, I'm sorry…"
"No, no don't worry – "
"Oh – Um, did I wake you up?" The bathrobe spoke volumes.
"Definitely not," said Luke, gesturing vaguely into his living room. Rey caught a glimpse of the blue glow of a computer in the background. "Work. Can't seem to shut it off tonight." He frowned, taking in her rumpled clothing and pale, drawn face. "Are you all right?" Rey nodded, wincing as she pushed her hopelessly frizzy hair out of her eyes. I must be a mess…
"Yeah, just tired. The First Order is giving everyone ulcers." Luke's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
"This sounds like a long story," he said. "Would you – " The door opened slightly wider. "Would you like to sit down? You look beat."
I have to go take a shower and get some sleep, she thought.
"Yeah," she said. Just for a second… "Shoes off?" she asked when she was over the threshold.
"If you don't mind," said Luke, and led her into the living room.
Rey all but sunk into his couch and tried her best not to fall asleep. Luke's apartment had the same basic layout as hers' and smelled strongly of coffee and paper, especially in the living room, where an old computer and mountains of crumpled up paper sat in the corner. Warm lamps lined the walls – he'd broken out the large, main space with bookshelves and lightly worn furniture. She was too tired to register much else besides Luke sitting across from her on a wooden chair, sipping something out of a mug.
He let her rant about the First Order for a time – it was well-worn territory, thanks to their evening runs. Even in her exhausted state, Rey managed to only mention Kylo in passing – she didn't even want to think about him around Luke. When she'd worn herself out and sagged back into the cushions, a lump growing in her throat, he tensed, hesitated, and then asked, quietly, if she'd ever gone cliff running along Niima Cove.
Oh.
"Not for awhile," said Rey slowly. "It's actually one of my favorite trails…"
Well, it was…
"It's probably some of the last days you can do it safely," he said. October was almost gone, and when Winter arrived in earnest everything in and around the Cove would be either be coated with ice or blasted with stinging wind.
"Ky…I haven't been able to find a partn – someone to go with," she said. Don't think of it. She had introduced it to Finn, and they had made a regular tradition of it ever since they met in university, but that had stopped almost as soon as she moved in with Kylo, no matter how many times she told him that she was most definitely not Finn's type.
He wouldn't go with her, either, which meant that she couldn't go at all. Even in the best of times, the cliffs could be extremely dangerous. 'Never hike alone,' her dad had always said…
"I'm going on Saturday. Would you like to come?" asked Luke. "Sounds like the rest of the week is going to be more of the same."
"Really?" Rey blurted. "I – "
"It's OK if you can't," said Luke quickly.
"What? Yes!" said Rey, grinning broadly, valiantly resisting the inexplicable urge to clap her hands. And possibly giggle.
And if her chest got a little tight at that wide, bright smile, well, so what?
Rey sighed, twiddling with her mouse. Her eyes flicked once again to the clock. Please be over soon…
"…Rey?" Max hissed, reaching over John's head and hitting the mute button on the phone. "Resistance analysis?"
"Sorry!" she whispered and hurriedly pulled up her spreadsheet.
Snap out of it, she thought. Do your damn job.
"Routine analysis has shown a consistent long-term life of sixteen years…"
####
Rey was ready and waiting with her backpack and an enormous thermos of coffee at 8 in the morning the next day. They took Luke's car, mostly because the front (and back) seats weren't covered with scrap paper, empty coffee cups, and other odds and ends that Rey just hadn't moved into her closet yet. The old Land Rover was a bit worn out on the inside, but clean, if smelling vaguely of charcoal. She spotted a duffel bag, a toolbox, and several blankets folded up in the backseat.
"Bug-out bag?" she asked, cracking open the thermos.
"Breakdown bag," said Luke, grinning. "I got stuck on the highway during the blizzard of '88. In about four feet of snow. With a dead battery. Did you bring any for me?"
"Actually yes," she deadpanned. Rey was alternating between balancing the massive thermos precariously between her knees, and gulping coffee right out of it. "In my pack. Want some?"
"When we get there. How late did you stay up, anyway?"
"I got home at 10, " said Rey, rolling her eyes. "Basically fell into bed. You know."
"Ouch," he said. "Hang on to that…" Rey yelped as they hit a pothole, almost dropping the thermos. "Sorry!"
"I blame the mayor," she grumbled. "Our tax dollars hard at work." She took another swig of coffee, wincing as her stomach growled.
"Agreed," said Luke. "Have you eaten yet?"
"Define 'eat'."
"Coffee doesn't count. Not if you want to keep up with me today."
Rey grinned, quirking up her eyebrow.
"Such confidence…It will be your undoing…"
"I don't know, you're pretty rusty this week," said Luke magnanimously. "Due to circumstances beyond your control, of course…"
"Don't. You. Dare."
"…And we can skip this today if you're not up to it."
"Are you kidding? I've been looking forward to this all week."
"Really?" said Luke. "When was the last time you came here?"
Rey pursed her lips, organizing her thoughts as Luke parked on the dirt lot close to the shore. Niima café was doing some brisk business – a lot of locals were taking advantage of the last days of Fall. Runners and hikers in windbreakers and sweats were scattered in colorful blotches up and down the trail and beach, splotches of color in the deepening fog.
"Almost 2 years," she said quietly. "I used to get out here a lot, but…" She glanced at him warily, seeing if he'd read much into it.
"But?" Luke prompted, shutting down the engine. He unbuckled his seatbelt, but made no move to open his door.
"This guy I was dating didn't want to go," said Rey, with the most realistic laugh she could manage. "Was dating. I…It didn't work out. We should go." She jumped out of the car without another word, avoiding Luke's suddenly sharp gaze. "Coming?"
"Food first," he said, after a moment. "The take-out window doesn't look so busy…"
"Yeah," she said stiffly. "They have good eggs."
"Not from what I remember…"
Rey stopped dead.
"Ok, when was the last time you came here?"
"No comment," he said archly. "But you are definitely wearing nostalgia goggles."
"Food nostalgia doesn't count."
####
Twenty minutes later, Rey had scarfed down half a plate of scrambled eggs while an appalled Luke looked on.
"I think we may have to agree to disagree," said Rey, leaning back with a contented sigh. "Want the rest?" She didn't want to hit the trail on a full stomach.
"No thank you," said Luke. They were sitting in the open back of the Land Rover, their legs swinging over the edge. The wind had seriously started to pick up, and after Rey had lost a handful of napkins and her first plate outside the Café, they had retreated back to the parking lot.
"You don't know what you're missing…"
"Yes," said Luke. "Yes, I do."
"Hey…Rey?"
Rey almost dropped her plate.
"Poe?" she sputtered. Poe Dameron stepped into view. He was wearing a red sweatshirt, and looking rather windswept. And was clearly in the middle of a massive double-take.
"You know, when you said that you had plans today, I could have sworn you meant the library," he said, his eyes flicking from Rey to Luke and back again. "Or maybe 'watch Netflix and chill…'"
"Poe, this is Luke. He lives across the hall from me," she said quickly. Both of them put their food down and stood. "We go running after work. Luke, this is…"
"Poe Dameron, at your service," said Poe, stepping up and extending his hand. "Rey and I are good friends," he said. "Very good friends." He punctuated the 'very' with a stern look, and a rather unnecessarily firm grip on Luke's hand.
"Luke Skywalker," said Luke seriously. "It's good to meet you. I – "
"So do you want extra cheese, or…Rey?"
Finn appeared, carrying two coffee cups and a bag of something fried and delicious. His eyes grew round as he took in the scene.
"Finn! Hi!" said Rey. Thank. You. God.
"Finn, did you – "
"Luke, this is Finn Lars," said Rey, shooting Poe a look. "We've been friends since college. He's - "
"- My boyfriend," said Poe, locking eyes with Luke. "We're going out on the cliffs today."
"And so are we," said Rey.
"Really?" said Finn. Rey's face reddened as he looked intently at Luke. A broad smile spread slowly across her friend's face. Seeming to come to a decision, Finn set down the food and shook Luke's hand. "Great to meet you," he said.
Rey let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Next to her, she felt Poe do the same.
"Well, well, well…" said Poe under his breath. Then he smiled. "Scoot over."
And so Rey found herself with the bag of food in her lap, squished between Poe and Luke in the back of the truck. Finn crowded in on Luke's other side and started passing coffee down the line.
"I'm with Luke about the eggs," said Poe through a mouthful of cheeseburger. "She'll eat anything."
"Says the man eating that right before a run."
"Har har."
####
After lunch Finn and Poe led the way down the trail. Since the rough path was really only wide enough to safely fit two people running side by side, Poe managed to not-so-subtly maneuver himself so that him and Luke were running side by side, a few paces behind Finn and Rey.
Which she was rather grateful for, to be honest…After five days of no running, she was feeling a bit sore. Not winded, but she'd definitely need to stretch.
They were also talking. A lot. And looking up at her and Finn and grinning. And if Rey strained her ears she could almost make out what they were saying…
Be nice Poe, please, she thought.
"So how long has this been going on?" asked Finn.
"How long has what been going on?" said Rey, watching the path very carefully.
"You and Luke," said Finn. "'Running buddies?' As in a 'see him every day and engage in physical activities of mutual interest' buddy?"
"Finn…"
"Hey, I could have gone with 'get hot and sweaty after work,' but I'm not Poe."
"Finn!"
"Hey," he said. "You've been holding out on us. And if you're seriously seeing some guy every day – "
"It's not - "
" – Can you really blame me for being curious?"
Rey sighed.
"Especially if you both live in the Industrial District. You've still got the baton, right?"
"In my backpack," said Rey sharply. And I'm wishing I didn't. "But…Ok, yeah, you can be curious." She sighed. "I'd probably be the same way if it was you."
"Was that so hard?" Finn smiled. "Now, I think you owe me a story."
"Technically I met him the day I picked up the keys…"
Rey had just gotten up to when Luke had given her a lift on his bike when they reached one of the numerous observation points that lined the cliff wall. The four tramped up to the top of the wooden platform and leaned on the railing, taking in the view. Most of the fog had cleared, and thus they had a unseasonably clear view of Niima Cove, the rocky beach, the soaring, dark crags and the edge of the reef under the dark water.
After catching their breath, Poe tugged Finn to the side, where they immediately dived into a rather heated conversation. Rey balanced against the fence on Luke's right and started to stretch out her hamstrings, wincing.
"Don't say 'I told you so,'" she grumbled, bent over with one leg bent at the knee, the other straight and at an angle to the ground, toes pointed up.
"Wasn't going to," he said, watching her.
"It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be," said Rey, straightening. "I just need to loosen up a bit. Ergh…" She repeated the exercise for her other leg. "It's pretty hot out today, isn't it?" Luke passed her his water bottle, nodding emphatically.
At some point in the last half hour, he and Poe had removed their sweatshirts – Luke was using his to wipe off his face, and grimacing as it came away wet. His t-shirt was dark with sweat.
"Why the hell did I wear this?" he muttered.
"Amen," said Rey, removing her own sweatshirt and spilling water down her front in her hurry to drink. "Crap…" Thank God for opaque t-shirts…
"But for real, I'm really glad we came out here today," Rey said, leaning against the railing, soaking up the sun and the view. "Look at that…" She breathed in and out with the wind. Luke smiled.
"So am I," he said. "It's been too long."
"Hey, Rey?" Finn stepped up behind them. "Poe's stomach's bothering him, so we're going to head back."
"Oog," said Poe, clutching his belly. Rey's eyes narrowed. Poe was certainly sweating buckets, but –
"Talk soon, ok?" said Finn. He dragged Poe off down the trail as soon as Rey nodded.
Rey was never sure, but she thought she heard both of them break into a run as soon as they were out of sight.
And she definitely hadn't imagined Poe's wink.
####
Rey and Luke kept going until they reached the Grand Caverns. They had the place almost completely to themselves – at that point the trail had degenerated into a vaguely flat, worn path on the edge of the now alarmingly high cliff, not a safety rail to be seen.
The air was different up here, cleaner. The only sound was their sneakers crunching on the stone, the wind and waves, and seagulls squalling overhead. Rey walked as close to the edge of the cliff as she could get, distantly aware of Luke's surprise. Memories enveloped her as she peered over the side. She felt Luke at her back – a few paces away, but unmistakably there.
"The last time I was up here, I was with Finn." The words came slowly, spooling out in rough shapes, strange on her tongue and in her ears. "We had a fight."
I told him I was moving in with Kylo…
Luke was quiet, but something shifted in the air. She wanted to speak.
"It was our place, you know?" she said. "A good place. So coming up here…" She turned to face him. "Thank you."
"Rey…"
"Really." She stepped closer on instinct as an especially violent gust of wind shook the cliff.
"I should be thanking you," Luke said, looking down at her. She was almost close enough to tuck her head underneath his chin. "It's been…longer than I'd like for me, too."
"Hey," she whispered. "It's good manners to accept thanks."
"Then you are very welcome," he said. He tensed, breath shuddering in his lungs. Rey leaned forward, her nerves tight as a bowstring, on the edge of something.
There was a loud crack far below – a wave, the wind? Rey, startled, jumped back, completely forgetting where she was. A scream ripped through her throat as she felt the rock crumble underneath her feet.
Time ran slow and sticky. Her vision blurred – Luke's shout sounded very far away. Well, that's it, then, she thought.
And then she was pressed tight against something warm and solid - Luke? - and there was an arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Her cheek was pressed to something rough-soft, which was also tickling her nose. She blinked. She couldn't see…Oh.
"Shit!"
The earth shifted again as Luke stumbled backward, Rey clinging to him. They overbalanced and fell backwards onto the trail.
They lay there until they stopped shaking, and held each other the entire way back to the car.