A/N: Chapter title inspired by the song "Someone Like You" by Adele.

Chapter 4: Someone Like You

"I think that's it," Rose said.

Rey hoisted her strap over her shoulder and looked around their old dorm room once more. After four years of undergrad, today was their final move-out day, and this was their last load to take down to the car.

They closed and locked the door behind them, then went downstairs together and turned in their keys. Once again, Rose and Paige had offered to let Rey stay with them for the summer before she moved to Coruscant for her studies at Anoat University. She planned on continuing to work at the coffee shop throughout the summer months until it was necessary to quit. So far, she'd managed to save up enough money to buy a car off the local used vehicle lot, and while it wasn't much, it was hers. Any last bit she could earn would help with the security deposit on an apartment, until her student loans kicked in to cover rent and the rest.

She'd mentioned driving out to Coruscant to look for apartments in the text thread to the group, and Ben had surprisingly offered to go with her. He knew the city, having been there with his parents on trips as a child. So, on a free weekend halfway through the summer, they decided to make the two-hour drive to look around.

Rey stepped outside the Tico's house when she heard Ben pull up.

"Want to take my car?" she offered, jangling her keys.

Ben gave her car a sidelong glance. "Let's not overtax her," he decided.

"Hey! Don't hate on the Falcon!" She'd named the car after her old dorm building, the place that had become more of a home to her than anywhere else she'd ever been.

"She's a piece of junk."*

"You watch your mouth. She's got it where it counts."*

He snorted. "If you say so."

They climbed into his trusty old 4Runner, cracked the windows, and hit the highway. With their conversations about the upcoming year alternating with horribly off-key singing to the music blasting in the background, it felt almost like old times.

She'd missed this.

The drive passed in what felt like half the time, and before Rey knew it, they were entering Coruscant city limits. Ben exited the highway and hung a right, heading toward the first of several apartments she'd contacted for a tour.

The first apartment ended up looking dimmer and dirtier in person than the pictures had led Rey to believe. Ben could read her disappointment in her face. He leaned over to share a quick word with the girl showing them the apartment, then escorted Rey back to the car.

The second apartment, unbeknownst to Rey, was in a sketchy area of town. Ben scoped it out, decided he didn't like it, and kept driving without even stopping. Rey didn't particularly mind. This area was rough even by her standards.

But the third apartment was nice. Ben stood back, arms folded across his chest and observing her as Rey walked from room to room, taking in the light and the space. She liked it. It felt right. She put down the security deposit that day.

When the car doors shut behind them, she let out a little squeal. "I have a home!"

Ben grinned at her. "Congratulations, Rey. I'm happy for you."

She gasped. "Oh, my God, Ben. I have a home. I need furniture. I need utilities."

"Don't worry. We'll take care of it."

And they did. She was almost surprised at his willingness to get involved. But he was there every step of the way over the next several weeks, helping her figure out how to get her furniture delivered, hefting boxes and bags up to the apartment, and helping set up her internet router and modem. He unloaded dishes and silverware into the kitchen cabinets, made food runs while she organized her closet, and even helped her put together some of the furniture items that required assembly.

They lay on the floor after one such task, with their heads side by side and their bodies spread-eagled like starfish. After a long day of moving and working in the apartment, they were both hot and exhausted.

On a whim, Rey held her phone above them at arm's length and snapped a photo. "We look ridiculous," she said with a giggle, and glanced at him.

He smiled back at her. But as they continued to study one another, his expression grew more serious. Rey swallowed and looked away.

They took turns showering, then ordered dinner for pick up and settled into her thriftshop couch for a movie. They were both nearly asleep by the end of it.

"And you're sure you don't want to stretch out on the bed?" Rey asked for the third time. "You'll really be comfortable out here on the couch?"

"Yes, I'm sure." He smiled sleepily at her. "Go enjoy your new bed."

She set him up with a blanket and a spare pillow, bid him goodnight, and fell into bed. She was asleep within moments, and slept soundly through until dawn, when the sun began to peek through the blinds into her bedroom. She blinked in the bright light, then stretched and rose.

First things first: coffee.

When she stepped out into the living room, Ben was still passed out on the couch. He was too long for it, so he'd curled on his side, knees bent and feet peeking out from beneath the blanket. For normally being such an early riser, he must've been exhausted to still be sleeping.

She tiptoed past the couch to the kitchen and began to heat some water for coffee. She'd adopted Ben's French press method after having been spoiled to it at the beach house all those years ago. She caught the kettle before it whistled and poured the hot water over the grounds, giving it a stir before leaving it to steep.

She heard Ben rustling around in the other room, and then detected the shuffle of feet across the carpet as he came to see what she was doing. When he rounded the corner, she took in his mussed hair and bleary eyes, and bit back a smile. She handed him a mug of black coffee, then lifted her creamy cup to her lips.

"How did you sleep?" she asked in that universal early-morning tone.

He nodded mutely, and took a sip of coffee.

She grinned. "I don't think I've ever seen you right after you've woken up."

He shook his head, then gestured with his free hand down his frame. "Spectacular, right?" he said with a sleepy smirk. His voice was like gravel, at least an octave lower than normal, and it did funny things to her stomach.

She made a show of looking him up and down, then made a face and shrugged. He snorted into his coffee.

Once they were awake enough, Rey made a simple breakfast. They went back to the couch to eat, as she didn't yet have a table or chairs. She found she rather liked this setup, though: waking up to Ben's presence, having coffee with bedhead and unbrushed teeth, sharing the peaceful, quiet morning side by side on the couch. She liked this a lot. She hoped they would be able to do it again.

He had to leave that afternoon to return to Chandrila to prepare for his own advanced studies, but he offered to show her around Coruscant before he left. After breakfast, they went about their respective ablutions and got dressed, then climbed into the 4Runner and headed out. Ben drove past Anoat's campus and pointed out the medical college, where Rey would be going for her classes. They drove through the congested downtown area, and he showed her a few backroads and hole-in-the-wall places he deemed necessary to know about. They stopped for lunch at one of his favorites, a Chinese restaurant with affordable prices and generous helpings. It was amazing, and Rey knew she'd be back.

They returned to her apartment by mid-afternoon so Ben could pack up. She'd been dreading this moment all day. It had been so good to have him back that she didn't want to say goodbye just yet. But he had his own apartment to move into and his own classes starting in a matter of weeks, and still had a lengthy drive ahead of him.

He paused at the door and drew her into a hug. She burrowed against him, taking the opportunity to feel his warmth and smell his cologne one last time.

"I'll be back to visit," he assured her. "Maybe once the semester has settled down, we can go to a football game. I hear Anoat has a great team this year."

"That sounds good," she muttered against his chest.

He squeezed his arms around her, then loosened his hold and stepped back. He studied her for a moment, then smirked as he tipped her under the chin.

"Kick ass in PA school," he said.

She grinned. "You know it."

He glanced back once more on his way down to the car, waving over his shoulder before trotting down the rest of the steps. She waited until he'd driven off before she closed the door, then slid to the floor as tears welled up and trailed down her face.

…

Compared to her undergraduate studies, PA school was an entirely different order of busy and stressful. Lectures were long, and there was an exam every week. Rey spent every evening, every weekend, every free moment studying.

Ben was busy too, by the sound of it, but he endeavored to text her at least once every few days to check in. She appreciated it, hating that she didn't have more time to talk with him. His messages were a bright spot in her otherwise very long days.

Several weeks into the term, she'd figured out how to structure and manage her studies a bit more efficiently. She looked ahead at the syllabus, compared it against Anoat's football schedule, and found a weekend later in the fall when she thought she might have time to attend a game. She texted Ben, and it was decided that he'd drive out that Friday after class and stay for the weekend.

When the agreed-upon weekend arrived, she greeted him at the door with a hug, then ushered him inside. "I'll apologize in advance if I'm a little quiet," she said as they went into the living room. "We had an exam this morning, followed by several hours of lecture, and I'm exhausted."

"No worries; I'm pretty tired myself," he said, dropping onto the couch beside her. "They keep you busy, huh?"

"Very. But things are going well. I'm learning so much already!"

"Good." He raised a brow. "What do you say to Chinese takeout, a movie, and going to bed early?"

"That sounds like heaven."

Food was ordered and a movie was watched, all while comfortably ensconced on her couch. Ben stretched his legs out onto her coffee table while she tucked her feet under her blanket. Toward the end, they were both stifling yawns.

Once the movie had finished, she looked over at him. "Are you sure you don't want to sleep in the bed tonight?" she asked. "You didn't look comfortable at all last time you were here."

He shot her a look. "I'm not making you sleep on the couch in your own apartment."

She shrugged. "There's plenty of room for both of us."

She hadn't intended anything untoward by the comment; in fact, she'd only mentioned it because she trusted Ben implicitly. But her suggestion seemed to hit him harder than she'd expected. His eyes flicked from her to the bedroom door and back.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I trust you, Ben."

She went into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth first, then went about turning the sheets down while he readied himself for bed. She heard the toilet flush, the sound of water running from the faucet, then the light switched off and the door opened, and Ben padded across the bedroom to stand beside the bed.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked again.

"Yes."

He studied her for a moment longer, seeming unconvinced.

"I'm sure, I promise." She patted the pillow next to her. "Come on, let's get some sleep. We've got a big game to go to tomorrow."

He slipped under the covers beside her, then reached up to turn off the lamp. The bed dipped as he settled down.

"I'm sorry if I snore," his voice murmured in the dark. "It isn't normally bad, but I've been told it gets worse when I'm very tired."

Rey nodded, then realized he wouldn't have seen it. "It's okay. I sleep very soundly. For all I know, I might snore too."

There was a pause. "Have you never shared your bed with anyone before?"

"No."

"Not even with Andy?"

Interesting that he remembered his name. "No."

She felt the bed sway as he shifted position, and realized he'd rolled onto his side to face her when he spoke. "No one's ever held you as you fell asleep?"

She couldn't control the wistful note in her voice. "No."

There was a moment of silence, and then he whispered, "Come here, Rey."

She scooted back until she met him in the middle of the bed, her back coming to rest against his front. His arm draped over her waist, the weight of it pulling her flush against him. He was impossibly soft and hard at the same time, and so warm against her that she instantly felt her toes thaw and her muscles relax. A little sigh escaped her.

He huffed a quiet laugh in her ear. "Is this okay?"

"Mmhm," she murmured contentedly.

He chuckled. "Goodnight, Rey."

"'Night, Ben."

…

The football game wasn't until late afternoon, so they took their time getting up the next morning, lazing about in pajamas with coffee until nearly noon. Rey squeezed in a bit of studying while Ben checked his email and took care of some of his own work, then they took turns in the bathroom to get ready.

Rey wasn't close enough with any of her classmates yet to know if anyone was tailgating, so they opted to drive to the stadium a little early to find a parking spot. It was still a bit of a walk, but getting away from studying for a while and hanging out with Ben made it enjoyable. Rey had purchased their tickets online ahead of time, since her student ID made her eligible for a discount. Ben frowned a bit when she presented both tickets to the freshman working the booth, then insisted as they walked into the stadium that he'd buy their refreshments for the game to make it even.

"Ooh!" Rey pointed to a kiosk as they walked by. The vendor was selling Anoat-themed merchandise, most of it outrageously flashy and expensive and geared toward the game, but a pair of sunglasses had stood out to her. They were gaudy and cheaply made, with each lens decorated with a large letter "A", but they were inexpensive and fun. She plucked a pair off the stand and slipped them on, then turned to Ben and made a face. He smirked at her, then selected another pair and put them on. He turned a deadpan expression on her, one brow raised, and she giggled.

He paid the vendor for the glasses, and they went off in search of their seats.

"Well, it isn't quite in the nosebleeds, but it's close," Rey commented as they sat down. These seats had been cheaper, but she hated that they were so far away from the field. She didn't know the first thing about football, but as she'd found out, Ben was actually an avid fan, and would've probably appreciated seats closer to the action.

"Eh. We can still see everything," Ben said, as if reading her mind. He looked around, nodding in approval, then shot her a smile. "Thanks for inviting me. This is going to be fun."

"I hope so." She studied him for a moment longer, then giggled. "Those glasses look ridiculous on you."

He frowned, then straightened up and puffed out his chest. "I don't know what you're talking about," he countered in an airy tone. "I think I look dashing."

She burst out laughing. "This needs photo documentation," she teased, and pulled out her phone, turning the camera so it would capture them both. They each made a face, and she snapped the picture.

…

The game went well. To Rey's surprise, she actually became invested in it. As Ben murmured in her ear, explaining what was going on, she started to understand the significance of each move and the meaning behind the spectators' cheers and boos. When the home team scored an amazing touchdown, she was one of the first ones on her feet, screaming support and clapping along with Ben and everyone else.

They were both hoarse and exhausted by the time they got back to Rey's apartment. She fixed them a simple spread for dinner, then they showered and collapsed into bed. Ben automatically slung his arm over her waist and buried his face in her hair. It wasn't long before he was snoring softly in her ear. Warmly cocooned in his arms, she followed him into sleep soon after.

Rey knew the next day was going to be hard. She didn't want to say goodbye to Ben again, especially after having had such a great time with him this weekend. But she also hadn't gotten nearly enough studying done yesterday before they'd left for the game, and she knew she had to get several things done in the morning—even before he left—if she was going to have time to review the other subjects that afternoon.

To his credit, Ben was incredibly understanding. He stretched out on the other side of the sofa and busied himself with his own computer while she pored over her notes. She lost track of everything else around her as she read and highlighted and annotated.

She didn't notice when Ben finished his work and put in his earbuds so he wouldn't disturb her while he watched a TV show.

She hardly noticed when he got up, cleaned the kitchen, and took out her trash.

She barely noticed when he packed up his things from the bathroom and bedroom, and set his bag by the door.

He came back to the couch for a little while and resumed his show. Still, she studied. She raked her hand through her hair and pushed it out of her face. When it fell back in her eyes a minute later, she impatiently combed it up into a rough bun. She realized she'd read over the same sentence several times and sighed sharply as she tried to focus.

"You okay?"

His low voice startled her. She blinked over at him. "Yeah, I'm good."

"You seem stressed."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I am. This material isn't sticking like I'd hoped it would."

He cocked his head at the door. "Why don't I head out so you can get comfortable and refocus? I know how I am when I'm trying to study; I appreciate being alone."

She nodded. "Okay. I appreciate you understanding. And I know you have a long drive ahead of you. Will you text me when you get back safe?"

"Of course."

She put her laptop down and walked him to the door. He pulled her into a hug, squeezing her extra tight for a moment, then slung the strap of his bag over his shoulder and opened the door. He gave his customary wave as he went down the stairs.

She waved back, then shut the door and hurried back to her laptop.

…

Two hours later, her phone trilled with an incoming text message. She flung her arm out and grabbed the phone off the table.

I'm home safe.

She tapped on the screen. Thanks for letting me know! I had a great time this weekend. Hopefully we can do it again soon.

A little ellipses popped up before his response came through. Definitely! Let me know when you're free.

She smiled, even as she lifted a sardonic brow. It was going to be a while before she was free again. Will do.

She set her phone down and resumed her review. She took a brief break for dinner, then studied for a bit longer before turning in for the night. She checked her phone one last time, and realized another message from Ben had come through earlier that evening, right after her last text.

Have a good week at school.

She glanced at the clock. It was late, and she hated to text him back and possibly wake him up. So she set her alarm, plugged her phone in to charge, and turned off the lamp, promising herself that she'd respond to him in the morning.

…

They continued to text over the following weeks, about inane stuff or things they'd seen around school, or simply checking in to see how the other was doing that day. Rey avoided texting during class, and sometimes she forgot to respond in the evenings when she was studying, but she always tried to check her messages one last time before she went to bed.

Eventually, the texts became fewer and farther between as their workloads picked up.

And then they stopped altogether.

…

By the end of first term, Rey had started to get to know some of her classmates. In particular were Armitage and Phasma, a slim auburn-haired man and a tall blonde woman. They sat on the front row during lecture just like she did, only several seats away from her, but she didn't speak to them until they were assigned to the same group in lab.

They started out learning the basics—how to check vitals and the like—and had been divided into groups of three to practice their new skills, presumably so that if one student accidentally hurt another, there was no opportunity for retaliation. She was one of the first to arrive in the lab, so she grabbed a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope and went to find her seat.

"Oh good, someone who actually pays attention in class," Armitage said as he set his stuff down beside her. "I'm glad we won't be forced to catch you up as we go."

Rey was a bit taken aback by his cocky demeanor, but deep down, she couldn't help but agree with him. It was incredible how little attention some people paid during lectures. And to think, in three short years, they'd be set loose on the public…

Phasma claimed the seat on Armitage's other side. Once the instructor had given directions and the lab had commenced, the three of them set to work.

Armitage offered Rey his arm, and she slipped the cuff up over his slim bicep. She pumped it full, then rested the stethoscope against the bend of his elbow as she let out the pressure.

"Wow, you have a strong pulse." The thump-thump, thump-thump was loud and clear in her ears. She finished the recording and jotted down the numbers.

"I have good vasculature," Armitage replied. "Whenever I get blood drawn, the phlebotomists always get a vessel on the first try."

He took the gear from Rey and turned to Phasma. Phasma, in turn, practiced on Rey. Rey had been expecting the tall woman to have a firm hand, but she was actually quite gentle, if a little direct in her mannerisms. She didn't inflate the cuff any more than she had to, and she was careful not to pinch Rey's arm when she slid the stethoscope under the edge of the taut fabric.

They were among the first groups to finish the day's work, and left the lab together.

"Well, that wasn't too painful," Armitage commented to no one in particular as they walked down the hall.

"Speak for yourself," Phasma drawled.

Armitage's face twisted into an affronted frown, but he relented when he caught her teasing smirk.

"I appreciate you guys letting me join you," Rey said as they stepped out of the building. The day had grown late, and she still had a few topics she wanted to review before the night was over. "See you in class tomorrow."

"No worries. See you."

…

The more time she spent with Armitage and Phasma, the more she liked them, much to her own surprise. Armitage was condescending but harmless, and wickedly intelligent. His sharp barbs were actually pretty funny, as long as they weren't directed at her. He was the hotter tempered of the two, while Phasma was the cool head. She preferred keeping her silence over speaking, but she was an incredibly focused and diligent person. Rey quickly learned not to underestimate her.

Phasma and Armitage were already good friends, having met during their undergrad years at Anoat. They had a flow about them that spoke to their longstanding camaraderie, but they were gracious enough to make room for Rey in their little group. They sat together in class, and went to lunch together whenever the morning lecture let out early.

After one of their weekly exams, Rey stepped out of the testing room to find Armitage pacing the common area in a harried manner. She cautiously approached him.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she drew near.

He spun to face her. "I think I did it."

She frowned. "Did what?"

"Got the high score." He raked a hand through his already-messy hair. Normally, it was perfectly styled—and, Rey suspected, hairsprayed—into place, but on test days, it ended up almost sticking out on end. Today was the worst she'd ever seen it.

"Why does it matter?" she asked slowly. "You did well regardless, didn't you?"

"Of course I did, but that isn't the point." He shook his head for emphasis. "Do you know how prestigious it would be to be named valedictorian of the program? How many doors of opportunity would open, going into private practice?"

Rey frowned at him. "Is it worth it if you end up ripping out all your hair and losing your mind on the way to such a lofty status?"

Armitage waved her off and continued to pace.

Phasma stepped out and came to stand beside Rey. "What's up with him?" she asked in an undertone.

"I think he's broken," Rey decided.

Phasma shrugged, as if that weren't anything new. "He'll reboot eventually. Come on, I'm starving. Let's go get lunch."

They went to the dining hall to eat. Armitage kept checking his phone for the weekly report on test scores. A couple times, Rey thought Phasma was going to snatch the device away from him and hold it hostage until he'd finished eating.

On their way back to the medical building for their afternoon lectures, Armitage refreshed his email yet again. Suddenly he howled.

"Someone beat me by one point!" he almost wailed. "Ninety nine! How did someone get a ninety nine on that exam?!"

When they got back into the lecture hall, he began interrogating people, asking around as to who had gotten the high score. But no one knew. His face nearly matched his hair by the time he took his seat between Phasma and Rey on the front row.

"Unbelievable," he muttered as he pulled out his laptop. "Utterly unbelievable."

Rey would've been more amused by Armitage's frantic need to know who'd beaten him if she hadn't known who the high scorer was. But she did know, and it made her nervous to tell him.

Because it was her.

…

It took her the rest of the week to work up the courage to tell her new friends the news. Armitage had sufficiently calmed down by then, and it had been a whole twenty four hours since he'd last mentioned his narrow defeat, so she reckoned she was safe.

"It was me," she confessed.

"What was you?" Armitage asked absently as he speared a bite of salad. Beside him, Phasma's eyes widened as it clicked.

"The high score on the last exam. It was me."

Armitage looked up at her, his fork dropping out of his hand as he completely forgot about his lunch. "It was you?"

She nodded.

He studied her silently, and for a moment she wondered if he was going to snap and completely lose it. But he didn't. His eyes narrowed shrewdly, and then he picked up his fork again.

"I think we should form a study group," he offered instead. He smirked at her look of surprise. "We could 'join forces,' if you will. We'd be unstoppable."

Rey looked at Phasma, but Phasma only shrugged and went back to her lunch. She was used to Armitage's insatiable competitive streak by now.

Rey met Armitage's sharp gaze. "Okay," she accepted.

"And call me Armie," he added. "My friends call me Armie."

…

They met twice a week after class to review. Armie really was brilliant; he had a totally unique perspective on things, and Rey found herself learning a lot from him. Likewise, she often saw things in a different way, and appreciated that Armie and Phas listened raptly whenever she explained her angle to them. She already felt much more confident in her studies.

She let herself into her apartment after one such study session, dropping her bag on the floor and her takeout dinner on the coffee table before collapsing onto the couch. She scrolled through her social media feed, allowing herself this quick mental break before looking at a few more things before bed.

But one post in particular caught her attention. She scrolled back up, and had to read the caption several times before she realized that, yes, she was actually seeing this.

Tallie had posted a photo earlier that afternoon of herself and Ben. They were at a park somewhere in Alderaan, and Ben was down on one knee.

Rey read the caption one more time, just to be sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

My best friend asked me to marry him, and I said YES!

Rey felt numb. All thought of studying went out of her head as she stared at the words on the screen.

She'd had no idea that… no idea that this might happen.

She'd thought they'd broken up. She hadn't realized they might still be talking.

She'd thought that…

Well, apparently she'd thought wrong.

She hadn't spoken to him in months, after all. And now, it seemed that he'd moved on.

She swiped out of the app and set the phone face-down on the coffee table, as if somehow that would erase the picture from where it had burned itself into her retinas. She wasn't hungry anymore. Actually, she felt slightly ill.

There would be no more studying tonight.

…

When Armie asked her out to dinner a few months later, she agreed to go.

They'd been dancing around one another for a while now, and Rey was happy that it was finally going somewhere. She'd grown used to his and Phasma's company, and it felt good to be a part of something again. Armie kept her on her toes both intellectually and personally. It was easy to get swept up in his confidence and drive. He blazed a broad path wherever he went. Phasma was a steady presence by her side, and as Rey had gotten to know her better, Phasma had become almost like an older sister to the younger woman. And Phas fully supported Rey and Armie's decision to start seeing one another.

"You're a good match for each other," she'd told Rey privately. "You're both motivated and intelligent. You're a power couple."

As their first year of PA school finished up, their lectures began to transition more and more into clinical work, putting into practice what they'd been learning in the classroom. While that didn't mean that Rey's studies lessened any, it did mean that they changed, which allowed her a little more free time outside of class. She could finally breathe a little.

On one of her blessedly-free weekends, she decided to take herself out shopping, just to see what she could see. With no particular wishes in mind, she visited a few bargain outlets and thrift shops around town, browsing through clothes, kitchen wares, and other odds and ends. Toward the back of one shop, she discovered a used electric keyboard. It was nothing fancy, and had several dings and scratches in the plastic casing, but it called to her.

How long had it been since she'd played?

She flagged down a sales associate to help her carry it out to her car. That evening, she played for the first time in over a year. It became her nightly routine. After she'd reviewed her notes for the next day, she would put in her earbuds and play for a while, letting the music take her wherever it wanted.

It felt like coming home.

…

Toward the end of their second year, Armie proposed.

Rey had been anticipating it. He loved her, and she loved him. They'd talked about marrying before. Phas had even taken her out shopping one time, and casually stopped by the jewelry department to try on a few costume rings. Rey had noticed Phas sneaking a peek as to which size ring she picked up.

But the question hadn't come for some time after that. In the interim, Armie had come to school with a nice new watch. A few weeks later, he'd put a new muffler on his sleek little coupe. As time went on, Rey kept noticing these nice new things he collected, all the money he spent on himself, and yet the question—and the ring—never came.

Finally, she confronted him about it. He got defensive, she got upset, and they'd both kept their distance from one another in clinic the next day.

But one evening toward the end of the year, Armie took her out to a lovely dinner. He presented her with a ring over dessert, and she accepted immediately.

…

Rey had made the decision early on that she wanted to do a year-long residency after finishing PA school. It wasn't required, but it offered good clinical experience, something she wanted more of before seeing patients on her own. One evening while searching for available positions, she stumbled upon an opportunity at Alderaan Regional Hospital, close to her old alma mater, and knew she had to apply for it. She promptly filled out the paperwork and submitted it before she went to bed.

Several weeks later, she received an acceptance letter in the mail. She felt something warm and light bloom in her chest as she read the words one, two, three more times.

She was going home.

The rest of third year, however, didn't go so smoothly. Clinic was fine, but the bliss Rey thought she'd found with Armie ended up being riddled with problems. They fought more than they got along, and Rey found that the only way to keep the peace was by conceding the arguments and letting him have his way. It didn't bode well for getting married and spending the rest of their lives together. Even Phasma had distanced herself from Rey, preferring to spend time with Armie and the rest of their friends when Rey was unable to join them.

Several days before graduation, Armie broke off their engagement. Holding out his hand, he'd demanded to have the ring back. "We didn't walk down the aisle, so legally speaking, it's still my property," he'd condescended to explain. "I intend to sell it and get my money back."

When Rey had asked how he expected her to get her money back for the venue she'd already paid for, since the property manager had warned that they didn't refund payments, he'd scoffed and said it wasn't his problem.

She'd walked across the stage in a haze, accepting her diploma and faking a smile for the photographers before being blessedly released from the event. While the other graduates said goodbye to their friends and celebrated with their spouses and families, Rey went back to her apartment and began to pack. Within the week, she'd rented a moving van and hired people to help with the furniture. She hitched up her car, turned in her apartment keys, and left Coruscant without a backward glance.

A/N: Starred phrases were borrowed from the Star Wars film!