"Elf" - A Reylo AU

Central Park

Author's Note: Happy Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

"I'm home!" Ezra called out into the apartment. Silence greeted him. "Mom? .... Dad? .... Rey?"

He wandered the apartment, realizing he was the only one home. He entered the kitchen, seeing a friendly note from his mother taped to the fridge. She had ran to the grocers down the street. He moved towards the pantry for a snack when his eyes landed on Rey's Etch-A-Sketch lying atop the kitchen table next to the messenger bag she had borrowed from Sabine. He picked it up, his face falling as he read her message:

'I'm sorry I ruined your lives and ate all of your syrup. I don't belong here. I don't belong anywhere. I'll never forget you. Love, Rey.'

X0X0X

Cassian was halfway through the pitch to Mr. Krennic. Mr. Krennic had dragged out the meeting with his constant comments, causing the story to be practically changed as they went along.

"So on the cover, below the title we've got -"

"DAD!"

Everyone in the room turned again as Ezra entered the room, cheeks red from the cold and breathing heavily from running.

"For the love of God - what is it with your children?" Mr. Krennic chastised Cassian. "You really should raise them better."

"Dad, I've got to talk to you." Ezra said as he made his way across the board room to his father.

"Ezra? What is it?" Cassian asked. "I'm in the middle of a VERY important meeting."

"Rey ran away." Ezra said, handing the Etch-A-Sketch to Cassian so he could read her message.

"I'm scared dad." Ezra gulped. "She's gone."

"Just... Wait in the break room. We'll figure this out when I'm done."

Ezra snatched the Etch-A-Sketch back from his fathers hands.

"Figure out what?" He asked, his voice dripping with attitude. "Rey cares about everybody. You only care about yourself. I'm going to go find her." Ezra tucked the Etch-A-Sketch under his arm before heading to the doors.

"Ezra - wait." Ben said, standing up. "I'm coming with you."

Ezra grinned at Ben. Cassian stared at Ben in shock.

"Ben!" Cassian said, putting out a hand to stop him.

"This is all your fault." Ben snapped, rounding on his boss. "Would it hurt you so much to try to at least in something good for once? To BELIEVE in her? Why do you always have to see only the negative in the world?"

"Because I lost my way!" Cassian shouted back. "Because I let my stardust go. And now she's gone."

Ben knew right away Cassian wasn't referring to Rey.

"If you cared for your precious stardust so much, you may have just lost your only connection to her. All she wanted was a family. For her father to love her. Was that too much to ask of you?"

Cassian's face fell at Bens words. Ben purposefully bumped into Mr. Krennic's chair on his way out of the room.

"I hope you know this means you're fired." Mr. Krennic said to Ben.

"Fine by me. I didn't need this job anyways." Ben said. He put a hand on Ezra's shoulder and gave him a smirk.

"Let's go find your sister."

"Wait."

Ben and Ezra looked up at Cassian. Cassian wrung his hands nervously.

"Mr. Krennic.... We're going to have to reschedule."