A/N - Hi Lovelies!  I feel like its taking so damn long to get to the good stuff - but please be patient with me.  There's a slight bit of mature content in here - but really not much.  Things are movin' along though.... and eventually we'll get there.  I hope you enjoy!  Please let me know what you think (I do love comments and respond to them) and don't forget to vote!  Cheers!

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The beginning of December had come and gone, with the holidays approaching rapidly, coming up right around the corner.  It had been a week since Rey had returned from her last business trip of the year and she was frankly happy to finally have it over and done with.  As she'd expected, Finn was a bit miffed about her 10 day absence, but was being his usual passive-aggressive self about it, having mentioned very little about her trip.

She'd been in almost constant contact with Ben these past few weeks.  They'd been busy planning the intended evening of romance, with both Rey and Ben going back and forth with ideas about how to potentially wow his shy girlfriend.  Ultimately they'd decided that he would surprise Kay with a beautiful candlelight dinner, a trio of violinists that played adaptations of modern music, flowers, chocolate covered strawberries – the whole nine yards.  Rey had affectionately dubbed it 'Project Romance'.

It all appeared to be coming together beautifully, but Ben seemed to be extremely nervous about the whole thing, and was stressing over minute details, texting her almost constantly with 'what ifs'.  Rey smiled and held back a chuckle as she responded to yet another one of Ben's texts that she'd frequently been getting throughout the past few days.

The plan had gradually evolved over the last several weeks, with the first hurdle being exactly when to do it.  Given that everyone was so busy with Christmas approaching, Ben decided that it was probably best to do it in the new year, and chose the weekend after the gala on which to enact Project Romance.

As part of the 'Project' Rey had suggested that he also gift her with a set of sexy lingerie at the evening's conclusion.  After a special night like that – which would hopefully be a night to remember, every woman should have some beautiful lingerie to wear.  However, remembering Kay's response to buying lingerie on Black Friday, Rey was hopeful that by the end of the night the shy young woman would be wowed enough to have been brought out of her shell and want to wear a beautiful negligee for Ben.

When she'd initially proposed that he get Kay new lingerie, Ben had looked intrigued.  "She doesn't really own anything like that – not that I've ever seen."  When he told her that, Rey had pulled out her laptop and they started browsing on-line.  That was both a fun and telling experience for her.  Ben blushed at many of the outfits she'd brought up.  When she'd finally figured out what he appeared to like, she zeroed in on those.  Based on his reactions, he didn't like the blatant, in-your-face outfits that screamed 'fuck me', preferring instead those that were soft and subtle, but still sexy.  Rey agreed that that was likely what Kay would probably prefer too – if she had the lady balls to actually wear it.  Wisely, she kept that thought to herself.

Thinking about it more, the whole dilemma with Ben and Kay really pissed her off.  While she could appreciate that not every woman was as forward sexually as the next one, she simply couldn't understand how Kay could be so.... repressed – in the bedroom.  Especially with Ben as her boyfriend.  He seemed to have been so patient with her.  And although he was an exceptionally big guy, he'd never seemed clumsy to her.  While she'd teased him about being an oaf, he moved with a sort of grace that one wouldn't expect in a man so large.  Because of that, she couldn't imagine him being clumsy or bumbling in bed.  For whatever reason, she thought it was likely to be the total opposite... Do not let your mind go there Rey!

She could admit that she was actually starting to feel a bit jealous of all that Ben was doing for Kay, planning what would be an ultra-romantic evening that would leave any red blooded woman not only swooning over the romance, but also panting with lust at the thought of getting to make love to a gorgeous, God-like man such as Ben Solo at the end of the night.  Rey simply couldn't imagine Finn doing something like that for her – with all of the details and trouble it entailed - but knew that if he did, she'd definitely be so keyed up that she'd ruin her panties before dinner was even over!

She honestly hoped that Kay would recognize and appreciate all that Ben had done for her.  If not, she'd probably start to develop a dislike for her bestie's girlfriend.  Kay was just so sweet – it was virtually impossible not to like her, so Rey would feel like a complete bitch if that happened.  She just hoped their little plan worked, and that Ben would get whatever it was that he wanted from his relationship with Kay.  And if not....he'd have a decision to make about the future.  Even he knew that they couldn't go on as they were.

Finn's voice in front of her interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, whatcha doing there?"

"Nothing really.  Just texting with Ben."

Some emotion must have been on her face though, because Finn narrowed his eyes.  "That's it?  You seem to be doing that an awful lot lately.  Should I be worried here?  Do I need to have a 'discussion' with him about my girlfriend?"

Surprised at Finn's reaction, Rey rolled her eyes and laughed.  "Honestly, Finn, no!  He's actually planning a romantic evening for him and Kay and asked for my help.  But it's a surprise, so don't say anything!"

"Really?  Solo asked you to help plan something like that?  I would've thought he wouldn't need your help."  He told her sarcastically.

Her eyes narrowed.  "And why the hell not?"  She asked indignantly.

He laughed in response.  "Rey, you don't fit the typical description of a woman – whereas Kay does."

"Still.  I know what's romantic, and what's not!  And why wouldn't he ask me – I'm his best friend."

"Yeah, you know I've always thought that its weird that you two clicked like that.  I guess its got something to do with your similarities with overall logic and anal retentiveness."

Sticking her tongue out at him, she laughed mockingly and made a face.  "Ha ha.  Maybe.  But you know I've always been better friends with guys than girls.  Hell, I even lived with Poe and Snap for 2 years during my undergrad!"

"Yeah, and I'll always think that was weird too."  Finn responded snarkily.

Narrowing her gaze for a minute, she decided to let it go, before adding.  "By the way, don't forget they're in town this week and we're going out with them on Thursday after work."

He sighed in irritation.  "I remember."

Tilting her head at him, she considered briefly.  "Does my friendship with Ben really still bother you that much?"  She watched as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor.  Sighing, she tried to placate him a little.  "Its been ages Finn.  I can't explain it.  You know that I don't have a lot of friends – and neither does he, but for whatever reason, we just click – and because of that we just, I don't know, hit it off differently.  Almost in a similar way that you seem to click with Rose."  She mentioned pointedly.

Something odd flashed in his eyes briefly, and she thought she understood.   Her eyes softened.  "You're not jealous of Ben, are you?  Because you know its nothing like that."

His gaze narrowed, before he let out a long sigh.  "I know that Rey."

"Is there a but?"  Her tone was serious, concerned that Finn was once again worried about the nature of her relationship with Ben.

Considering her carefully, he replied.  "No, no but's."

"Okay, good."  She walked toward him, a saucy smile on her face.  "But just to make sure, why don't you let me prove it to you?"  Grabbing his hand, she started dragging him towards their bedroom.

He resisted her pull, and then stopped.  "Rey – its fine.  I don't need convincing."

"Okay.  No convincing required.  Just fun then."  She grinned.

"Actually, I was just in the middle of something for work that I need to finish before tomorrow.  I'll come to bed soon.  I promise."  He told her, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek.

She gazed at him intently, not sure what to say.  They'd only had sex twice since returning from Seattle and Denver – and she'd been away for another week and a half in between – but he'd made no move to be intimate at all since she'd been back.   A sharp feeling of rejection stung her.   "Finn – is something wrong?"  She asked, concern evident in her voice.

"What?  No.  Why would you ask that?"  He asked wide-eyed, seeming genuinely shocked.

Her face fell as her temper spiked.  "Because Finn – you won't touch me!"  She yelled, angry, frustrated tears starting to track down her cheeks.  "I've tried – several times – to get your attention and I feel like you're intentionally avoiding me!"

Finn appeared calm in the face of her outburst.  "Rey, come on - that is not true.  I've been really busy, and tired – you know that!"

"Yes, but you're not busy every minute!"

"Rey, please, just calm down."  He tried to soothe.

"No!  I will not calm down!  Not about this!  Tell me why you don't want to have sex anymore!" She shot back.  A sudden thought whispered through her mind.  Is this how Ben feels?

He looked a bit bewildered, and held out his hand in a placating gesture.  "I...I'm not sure what to say..."

She growled back at him.  "Well when you figure it out, let me know."  Turning on her heel, she walked into the bedroom and slammed the door.

Standing in the middle of the bedroom, she clenched her fists and tried to calm her breathing. He'd rejected her.  Clearly rejected her.  It didn't take long before her emotions bubbled over and the tears started to fall.  Something was wrong.  She knew it.  She'd tried to deny it, but regardless of how hard she tried to be attentive to him, Finn seemed to be working late more and more recently, and growing even more distant.

Swallowing the tight lump in her throat, she frustratedly dashed the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.  She'd given it time.  She'd tried to be patient and understanding.  Made sure she did the laundry, went grocery shopping, cooked dinner as much as possible.  Spent time with him.  Tried to make him feel like a king when he was at home.  Her chest felt tight with emotion.  What more could she do?

Fuck it!  She was tired, sad and just didn't want to think about it any more.  Heading into the bathroom she turned on the shower, stripped and stepped under the scalding spray.  Grabbing her shampoo, she worked it into her hair, letting the scent and heat wash over her.  After a couple of minutes, she slowly began to relax.   Reaching for her body wash, she lathered it over her skin, running her hands over her body.

Her breasts tingled and her nipples hardened when her hands skimmed over them.  She sighed deeply.  Damn she was deprived.  Moving her hand lower she skimmed her sex and sighed again.   Looks like she'd have to take care of business herself.  Slipping her fingers into her folds, she gasped quietly.  It had been too long.  She'd been denying herself for the past few weeks, hoping that Finn would come around – and that when he did she'd be ravenous for him.  Unfortunately, her plan didn't seem to be working very well.

As she worked herself, she felt her stress begin to melt away.  Her breathing picked up and her limbs started to turn to mush.  Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back, using her other hand to massage her breast and her pebbled nipple.  She'd wanted this - needed this.  Why didn't Finn?  What was wrong?  She'd have to ask Ben again – needing a guy's perspective on what it could be.

Ben.  Just the mere thought of him sent an unexpected rush through her.  Based on the things he'd told her, he was probably even more deprived than she was.  If he were here they could help each other out.  Just as friends of course, she told herself.  She'd show him how a woman should behave – one who enjoys giving and receiving pleasure.  Her hands would roam everywhere on his body, making him feel good – making him feel wanted.  She shivered at the thought of his broad chest under her hands.

And he'd do the same to her.  He'd be a thoughtful, attentive and considerate lover – she knew he would.  His hands - those large hands would stroke over her skin leaving a trail of fire.  She moaned at the thought.  And his long fingers – all he'd have to do is slip them inside of her.....Her own fingers followed the image in her mind, causing her to gasp, the spasms beginning as her release hit suddenly at the thought of Ben's long fingers filling her.  Once the delicious shudders had ceased, she leaned her forehead against the cold tiles, still breathing heavily, slowly coming back to reality.

Her eyes snapped open as she realized exactly where her mind had gone – and where the fantasy had unintentionally taken her.  To lewd thoughts of her best friend.  She shuddered once more at how good the fantasy had felt.

Holy fuck.

****

"Ow!"  Rey inadvertently said out loud as the large man next to her accidentally stepped on her foot.  She was sandwiched between bodies in a train car on the T and the guy next to her lost his footing when the train lurched.  Another day, another commute.

"Sorry."  He said apologetically before turning away from her.

Although her trek was only 8 stops from home it seemed to be getting busier and busier in the mornings, and she almost always had to stand.  That usually meant getting bumped, jostled, stepped on, etc.  She hated when people invaded her personal space.

Thankful to have reached her stop, she made her way to the coffee shop to stand in what would probably be an extremely long line for her morning coffee.  It was Thursday, exactly one week from Christmas Eve, and it appeared that everyone was busy trying to get everything done before the holidays.  That meant it would be crazy busy everywhere, all the time, until mid-next week.

Her phone dinged signaling an incoming text from Finn.

'Hey – at work yet?'

'No.  Almost. Getting coffee first.  Why?'  She responded

'About tonight...'  He shot back.

She frowned.  Tonight was their night out with her engineering buddies from MIT, and he was supposed to come along.  She'd bugged him and reminded him about it incessantly for the past week, wanting to ensure that he wouldn't forget.  It was all part of her plan to try to spend more time with him and get things back to normal.  Taking a breath, she texted him back.

'What about tonight?'  She asked.

'You know I've been helping Rose – she's still settling in at work – but that's put me behind and I've got a ton to finish by tomorrow night...and Rose still needs some help tonight.'

'So, you're not coming 👿.'  She replied.

'I'm sorry Hon.  I can't.'

'Fine.'

'They're your friends anyways....'  He added.

'I said its fine.  I'll see you later.'

She continued to walk to her office at a brisk pace, trying to rid herself of her agitation.  She was so pissed at him!  He'd been working late more and more lately.  She knew he was busy – just as she was – but she couldn't help feel like his behavior was in retaliation for her recent spate of excessive travel.

Sighing, she pushed that thought from her mind.  Finn wouldn't do that, would he?  He wanted to make things work too – at least, he had said he did.  But his actions over the past few weeks didn't quite show that – didn't look like he was really trying.  And she was still really hurt from his blatant rejection of her last weekend.  Ever since then, things had been even cooler between them, and he'd made no effort, moves nor suggestions to try to get her into bed since then, lately waiting until she was asleep before coming to bed at night.  He couldn't be that obtuse, so she was almost certain that his avoidance of her was deliberate.

Maybe he wanted her to show that she was really sorry – and really meant it - since she kind of felt like this whole situation was her fault.  But how were they supposed to get back to where they once were – and beyond – if they didn't both try?

Sighing, she headed out of the coffee shop with her 2nd morning coffee in hand – unable to get moving without one in the morning, never mind leaving the house.   Suddenly, an idea struck.  Grabbing her phone from the front pocket of her satchel, she texted Ben.

'Hey....'

He replied almost immediately.  'Good morning.'

'Whatcha doin' tonight?'

'Nothing.  Kay is busy with a friend.  I was going to work late.  Why?'  came his response.

'I've got a date with my buddies from MIT – was wondering if you'd like to come along?  It'll be fun.  You'd like them.'

There was a brief pause.  'Finn's not going?'

'Nope.  He just bailed.  Work.  So....?  A few drinks.  Sports.  Pub food.  Whatcha say? 😏'

There was another pause, as she waited for the little dots to appear letting her know that he was responding.  When they finally did, she held her breath.

'Okay.  Where should I meet you?  When?'

She grinned.  'I'll swing by your place - 6:45.  Okay?'

'Okay.  See you then.'

Her smile was huge, and her mood was much improved by the time she walked into her office a few minutes later, still thinking about meeting with her friends that evening.  The group hadn't seen each other since the summer, and she was anxious to catch up with them.  They couldn't always all make it – they were after all busy young professionals – but it was great to keep in touch and laugh with the people she had spent countless hours with at university.  They all knew Finn as well – and all got along – but they didn't connect with him in the same way as they all did with each other.  Engineers versus programmers.

She didn't know what it was about her friendships with guys.  Ever since she was little, she'd just always felt more comfortable with them – never being one to want to play with Barbie's, wear frilly things, nor fuss overly much with her hair.  While she did like to feel like a woman sometimes, she just wasn't willing to spend excessive amounts of time carefully applying lots of make up, curling her hair, and choosing what she considered to be 'froofie' clothes.  Because of that, she felt that she didn't relate to other women as well, nor they to her.  Of course she'd had some female friends at MIT – there were many other women in the engineering programs - some who were less 'girly' like her, and she'd hung out with a few of them on occasion.  But like high school she always continued to gravitate to guys as her closest friends.

She'd thought about introducing Ben to her buddies for awhile, but it had just never worked out.   They'd like him for sure.  He was a bit quieter than Finn, but also highly logical, which was generally more similar to most engineers.  Tonight would definitely be fun, and she couldn't deny that she was looking forward to it.

Reaching her desk, she dropped her satchel on it and fired up her computer to start her day.

****

Ben smiled as he put his phone down, already looking forward to his unexpected night out with Rey and her friends.  He was curious to meet them – these other males who Rey considered to be her close comrades.  She mentioned them often – usually with a huge smile on her face – typically recalling some crazy thing they'd done at school.

Apparently, they'd been fond of accomplishing 'engineering stunts' around the city, which included temporarily relocating a number of small monuments.  She'd told him that once a bunch of them had even moved a 2 ton cast iron statue from a park to a busy downtown street corner – just for the hell of it, because they could.  She'd also confided that they'd almost gotten in deep shit for it, as the city and parks commission were not amused, and correctly assumed that it was the MIT engineers who'd done it.  However, there was no direct proof linking them to the stunt, so in the end they'd gotten away with it with only an implied warning. 

Laughing, he shook his head.  Yes, he was definitely looking forward to meeting them.

Unexpectedly, his phone began to ring.  Picking it up, he immediately tensed seeing who was calling.

"Cardo."  He answered without preamble.

"Ren."  The deep voice answered.

"What have you found?"  He asked, his voice terse.

"It appears to be a biological weapon of some kind."

Ben ran his hand over his face and took a deep breath.  "Fuck.  Anything else?"

"Not yet.  They covered it well."

"Keep digging."  Ben directed his former colleague.

He could hear Cardo sigh on the other end of the line.  "Its complicated.  And slow going to cover our own tracks.  It'll cost."

"I don't care.  Just find out as much as you can.  How much so far?"  Ben asked.

"Five."

"Fine.  I'll send it today.  I appreciate it Cardo."

"My pleasure – it's your money."  There was a brief pause.  "I'll contact you when there's something new to report."

The call ended and he tossed his phone onto his desk in annoyance.  Fuck.  A biological weapon.  He wasn't expecting that.  All he wanted to do was to find out what had really happened to Rey's parents – their story, and why they felt they'd had to flee the UK.  He also wanted – no, needed - to make sure that Rey was safe, and would continue to be.  But this might be bigger – even worse than he'd thought.  He'd have to tread very carefully to make sure Rey – and her secret – stayed safely hidden.

****

Rey shot Ben a text when the taxi drove away from the curb in front of her building.

'Hey – be there in 10 minutes.'

'I'll be waiting out front.'  He replied.

Tucking her phone away, she sighed, hoping that she wouldn't be awkward around him tonight.  It would be the first time she'd seen him since her illicit fantasy in the shower a few days ago.  Her cheeks burned red at the memory.  She had no idea why her mind had taken her there as she got herself off that night.  That had never happened before.

She knew that the two of them had grown impossibly close over the past couple of months, in part because of their individual troubles with their significant others, but up until then she'd never had any of those thoughts about Ben.  Well, maybe there was a couple of glimmers of those thoughts here and there, like after she'd woken up on top of him that morning they'd accidentally fallen asleep on the couch, or when they'd gone clubbing that time, but nothing as specific – nor as explicit – as her fantasy had been.

It was definitely something to be concerned about.  Having thoughts like those about your best friend was simply not a good thing, and could cause more problems than she wanted to even think about.  She supposed however that it could have been a one-time thing, brought on by her general horniness and anger at Finn that night for rejecting her.  Maybe it was a subconscious way of getting revenge on him?  Hopefully that was it.   That actually kind of made sense in a weird way.  Whatever it was, she needed to put it out of her mind, since the cab was arriving at Ben's apartment.

Glancing out the window, she could see him waiting in front of his building as the taxi pulled up in front of his place.  He was dressed casually, wearing a black leather jacket and dark jeans. "Hi!"   She greeted him happily as he climbed into the back seat of the cab with her.

He shot her a quick smile.  "Hi back."

She reached out and gave his knee a squeeze.  "How's your week been so far?"

"Busy.  Too much to do with not enough time or people.  I need to hire more staff, but don't have the time for that either."

"Can't you hire a recruitment firm to do it?  Shouldn't you do that anyways, since your business is so specialized?"  She suggested.

He sighed.  "Maybe.  I just don't want to waste a lot of time and still not find anyone."

She studied him for a minute.  He was such a precise person – seeming to always know exactly what needed to be done in any situation – well, except maybe the one with Kay.  Of course he'd be a demanding employer too.  "Just set a high bar."  She shrugged.  "Be demanding.  Set out your exact requirements – along with what you don't want – and let them deal with it.  Tell them you'll interview a maximum of three people.  If you don't hire one of them they'll be SOL and won't get their commission."

Turning to look at her, he was surprised at how astute her suggestion was.  She really did know how his mind worked.  Likely because her own was so similar.  Logical.  Methodical.  Engineers.  He grinned, giving his head a small shake.  "That could work.  I might just try that."

A smile split her face.  "Happy to help."

"So, I'm finally going to meet these school friends you talk about."

"Yep.  I think you'll like them.  They're a lot of fun. I'm closest to Poe, but we've all been friends for years.  Most of them did grad degrees too – so we got even closer after our undergrad.  We get together 3 or 4 times a year now – just to catch up and keep in touch – but we're all pretty busy."

Nodding, he replied.  "It's great that you guys make an effort.  I had a few friends from Harvard, but we really didn't keep in touch.  Its not a surprise though, because we weren't really all that close.  Could be because my degree was split between so many subjects.  My coursemates weren't really very constant."

"Yeah.   That's what happens when you're too smart for your own good and do concurrent multi-major degrees."  She teased.  The expression on his face was one of strained tolerance as he raised a brow at her, causing her to saucily stick out her tongue at him.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head as their taxi pulled up to the pub.  Ben insisted on paying the fare and they headed inside.  Spotting her friends immediately, they wandered over to the table.

"Hi Guys!"  She called cheerily, a toothy grin on her face.  "Happy Christmas everyone!"

"Rey!"  They answered back in unison.  "How ya doin' Halfsie?"

"I'm good, good.  Everyone, this is Ben."

Ben looked over the group of men, curious that these guys were also Rey's good friends.  "Hey."  He said casually.

"Ben, let me introduce you."  She said, her attention moving around the table, pointing to each of her friends.  "The dark haired womanizer there is Poe Dameron – avionics engineer, the sweet looking mama's boy there is Snap Wexley – "

Snap cut her off, good naturedly replying.  "Fuck you, Rey."

"Not tonight, Snap."  She quipped back with an innocent smile.  "He's a mechanical engineer.  The very clean cut looking one over there is Beau Kin – electrical engineer, and the pasty, brooding asshole over there is Armitage Hux – process control engineer."

Ben had nodded at each one, as Rey listed their names.  When she'd gotten to the Hux dude, he could see the very real irritation in the man's eyes, and found that he instantly disliked him.

"Still the uncouth Scavenger, I see."  Hux carped back at her.

Rey's eyes narrowed.  "And you still can't take a joke, I see."  She shook her head.  "Who the fuck invited him anyways?"

Beau spoke up.  "Sorry, Rey.  I did.  But I told him he had to be nice!"  He gave Hux a dirty look.

Rey rolled her eyes, but bit back the retort that was on the tip of her tongue.  She sat down at the table, with Ben next to her.  Casually, he leaned over and whispered in her ear.  "Scavenger?"

She growled, before whispering back.  "It was all a misunderstanding.  My kit in one of our 3rd year electrical labs was missing some components, so I borrowed a few of his – which had extra.  When he found out I did that he threw a total fit – and has called me Scavenger ever since.  He's a sanctimonious prick.  Just ignore him.  He never comes along on these, so I'm surprised that he was even invited, never mind that he showed up."

He looked her straight in the eye, appearing deadly serious.  "Want me to fuck him up for you?"

Rey looked shocked, as she whispered furiously.  "Of course not!  I may hate the guy's guts but I don't wish him any harm!"

Ben's face broke out into a cheesy grin.  "I'm kidding Rey.  But you should see your face!"

She gave him a look that promised retribution just as the waitress, whose name was Beth, according to her name tag, arrived to take their drink order.  "I'll take a Bud Light – with a slice of lime please."

"Jeez, Rey."  Poe lamented.  "Do you have to ruin a completely good, mediocre beer?"

"Fuck you, Poe."  She replied.

"Hey!  You kiss your mother with that mouth?"  He goaded.

"Every time I see her, Asshole."  She smiled sweetly.

Ben just sat back and watched in awe.  He had never seen Rey like this.  She was usually easy going, and generally behaved like more of a guy than a woman, but it was as if she totally let loose with these friends.  He just shook his head.  If anything, it gave him new material to tease her with later.

"Um."  The waitress interrupted.  "We have Bud Light Lime if you want that instead?"

"No thank you.  I like it my way better."

The waitress nodded and turned her attention to Ben.  Her smile lit up when she noticed him, and she leaned even closer, practically shoving her tits into his face.  "And for you Sir?"

Ben looked back at Rey.  "I'll have the same as her – minus the lime, please."

"Excellent choice, Sir."  The waitress replied, still gazing at Ben.

Rey gave Ben the side eye, watching the waitress fawn over him.  "Did you guys order any food?"   She asked the table, grabbing one of the menu's that sat in the middle.

Poe shook his head as he took a sip of his beer.

"Nachos?"  She asked them, and they all nodded – except for Hux, who didn't even look up from his glass of wine.

The waitress was still standing next to Ben, on the other side of him, trying to engage him in conversation.  "I've never seen you in here before."  She eyed him sweetly.  "Is this your first time?"

"Uh.  Yes."  Ben answered in confusion.  "Is that a problem?"

"No!  Not at all!  I was –"

Rey cut her off.  "Excuse me, Miss?"

The waitress flicked her gaze over to Rey briefly – a flash of irritation appearing on her face.  "It's Beth.  I'll just be a minute.  I'm just going through the specials with him."

"I'll just bet you are."  Rey muttered under her breath.  She leaned over to Ben, announcing loudly.  "I was just going to order a shit load of nachos.  Are you good with that or do you still need to hear the specials?"

"Nachos sound good."  He said with finality.

Rey looked back up at the waitress and said with mock sweetness.  "So, Beth – I believe you said?  We'll have 2 trays of nachos to start please."

The waitress gave Rey a disgruntled look before sweeping her gaze around the table with a practiced smile, checking to see if any of them needed anything else.  When they shook their heads and waved her away, she departed.

Rey leaned her elbows on the table and propped her chin into her hands.  "So boys, what has everyone been up to since we've last seen each other?"

****

It was much later in the evening; everyone had had a few drinks, and had eaten their fill of nachos – as well as supplementary orders of chicken wings.  All of them were laughing and joking while watching the Patriots game on the televisions that were scattered around the pub. Rey kept noticing Ben glancing at her with a strange look on his face, and finally leaned over to whisper.  "What is it?  Do I have food in my teeth or something?"

He laughed.  "No.  You just seem so....different somehow."

"What do you mean different?"  She asked, her face crinkled in confusion.

Shaking his head, he answered.  "I can't put my finger on it.  That's what's bugging me.  Its like you're...I don't know....more open?  Easier with everyone here?  Easier than I've seen you with others, I think."

"Really?  I never noticed that."  She wrinkled her nose.  "Finn sometimes gets a little....disappointed if I start cursing too much, or acting like 'one of the guys' as he says.  So I don't know....I just....miss these guys I guess.  We had a lot of good times at school."

"Hmm."  He said, looking at her oddly again.

She rolled her eyes.  "Now what?"

Shrugging, he told her.  "I like this you.  I guess I never realized that when its just us, you're more like this.  And when we're all together – you, me, Finn and Kay – you're more reserved.  Like you're holding something back."

"If that's the case, its not intentional – well, at least not that I'm aware of.  But I guess its good to know."

"You should always be you Rey."  He said seriously.  "I mean that.  I lived too many years being someone else – not true to myself.  Don't ever let that happen to you."

Leaning back, she gave him a curious look.  "You know, I could say the same thing about you."

His voice was cautious.  "What do you mean?"

"You're a lot quieter – less animated – when you're around Kay too.  When its just us, you talk more.  Seem to joke more.  And you're...louder, I think."  She told him.  "You're more....careful, around Kay."

He nodded.  "Kay is actually quite a nervous person."  He sighed.  "So, I do try not to startle her.  Trust me, I've accidentally scared the shit out of her many times."

"Hmm..."  She parroted back at him, and he rolled his eyes.

Their waitress – Beth – made yet another appearance at their table.  It was probably the 8th time she'd come by to check on them over the course of the night.  Each time she did, her eyes lingered on Ben, giving him an inviting smile, and spending more time checking on whether he wanted or needed anything else than any of the others.  This time though, Rey swore she specifically emphasized the word anything and brushed her hand against Ben's arm.  Ben just shook his head and turned his head back to the football game.  Not to be deterred though, the young woman actually squatted down next to Ben and put her hand on his forearm, whispering something in his ear that Rey couldn't quite make out.  Rey saw Ben's head swing back to her, confusion written on his face, and saw red.

Leaning closer, she placed her hand on Ben's knee and said loudly.  "I really hope you didn't just proposition him – because if you did, your boss is getting an earful."

Waitress Beth stood up quickly and her face went bright red before the colour drained out of it.

She began stuttering.  "I....please..."

"Honey,"  Rey cut her off.  "you need to learn the meaning of 'No Thank You'.  If one of your male customers pestered you all night, and dared to touch you, that bouncer over there would throw his ass outta here faster than any man could blink – so I suggest you think about that for a while, huh?"

The server scurried away in embarrassment without looking back.  Ben turned to face Rey with a surprised look, just as she heard Poe lament,  "Aww Fuck Rey, now we're not getting any more drinks tonight."

Rey looked over at Poe and glared at him, the expression on her face clearly telling him to fuck off.  She turned to glance at Ben.  "Honestly Ben, does this happen every time you go somewhere?"

He looked uncomfortable.  "What do you mean?"

She raised her arms and pointed in the direction of the waitress's departure.  "That!"

"What?"  He asked again.

Rey looked across at Poe.  "This is why I call him Stupidhead.  He's totally fucking oblivious."  She turned back to Ben.  "Our waitress.  She was...."  She waved her arm in the air.  "Propositioning you, Ben."

He looked at Rey in surprise.  "She was?"  He frowned.  "I don't think so.  She was just doing her job – she was trying to tell me what else they have on tap."

"Ben – her tits were practically in your face!"  She shook her head.  "Poe, am I wrong?"

Poe grinned unrepentantly.  "Nope – you're not.  I was watching her, kind of wishing she would've stuck them in mine!"  Everyone laughed, including Rey.

Rey's eyes narrowed at Ben again.  "Was that all she whispered to you?  What they had on tap?"

"Ummm.  She mentioned that she was finishing her shift in a few minutes..... but would still be around for a little while if I needed anything.  I figured she just wanted to get us a last round before she finished for the night."

Poe made a snickering noise from the other side of the table.  Ben shot him a look that said he wasn't helping.

"Ugh!  With her hand on your arm!  See?!"  She taunted him.  "You're still a Stupidhead!"  Reaching out, she gave his thigh a playful squeeze.  "I swear, Ben, for someone so smart......One day I will make you see the effect you have on women!  They positively make fools of themselves over you!"

Poe just laughed from the other side of the table.  "Buddy, let me know if you ever want to have drinks again.  I'll gladly console the ladies that you disappoint......"

"Count me in too!"  Snap chimed in.

"I'll tag along as well."  Beau added. Hux, who had been quiet most of the night, remained silent.

Rey rolled her eyes and covered them with her hand.  "I swear.  Fucking men!"

As they were getting ready to end their evening, Ben excused himself and went to find the men's room.  Poe leaned over to Rey.  "So, when did this happen?"

"When did what happen?"  She asked confusedly.

"When did you meet Ben?"

Her eyes brightened.  "Ah... that's what you meant.  A little over a year ago."

"That long, huh?"  He quipped.

"Mmm hmm.  Although we hit it off right away, we got to know each other slowly.  Now he's literally my best friend Poe – aside from you of course!"  She smiled.

Poe nodded, with a grin.  "Of course!"  He laughed.  "He seemed quiet at first, but eventually came out of his shell – especially when we started talking about football."

"Yes, he really does like football."  Rey rolled her eyes.

"Except he's a fucking Colts fan!"  Poe shot back.  "But I won't hold that against him."  He grinned, and Rey laughed.  "Seriously though – I really like this one.  He's a keeper.  Much more interesting and fun than Finn.  He's just, I don't know – he's more like you.  And the way you look at each other...."  Poe whistled through his teeth.  "Its pretty clear that you're made for one another."

Rey's brows wrinkled in confusion.  "Wait, what?"

Poe frowned back at her.  "What do you mean, what?  The two of you – you and Ben.  You're an amazing couple.  But you really do have to get over that jealousy when other women flirt with him though.  He really is oblivious, and only has eyes for you."

Her eyes widened.  "Shit – Poe – NO!"  She shook her head.  "Ben and I are NOT together!  I am still with Finn – he just couldn't come tonight because of a work deadline – so I asked Ben if he wanted to tag along instead.  And he said yes because his girlfriend is busy too!"

Poe sat back and scratched his chin, deep in thought.  "Hmm... well isn't that interesting."

"We're just really good friends Poe."  She told him adamantly.  "He has a girlfriend.  One he's devoted to.  He'd never...."

He continued to regard her speculatively.  "Whatever you say Rey.  But I've known you a long time, and as a man - I'm telling you....that man is smitten.  With you.  He looks at you like you're his entire universe.  " At that moment, Ben returned to the table and took his seat.  Poe's gaze flicked to Ben for an instant, before settling back to Rey's.  "And so I'd suggest – as one of your closest friends ...that its something you should seriously consider."

"What should she consider?"  Ben asked curiously.

"Nothing!"  She said pointedly to a smirking Poe, giving him a death glare before picking up her glass and downing the rest of her beer.

Desperately trying to change the subject, she plastered a smile onto her face and asked brightly "So, what is everyone doing for Christmas.......?"