Moment of Weakness

Awful Timing

A/N: I listened to the above song the entire time I wrote the end of this chapter and it became the song that is referenced as well. Give it a listen!

Ben had a brunch meeting with a client Friday morning, but he had told Rey to just stay at the office instead of coming with to take unnecessary notes. After how angry she still was with him Monday night, he was aware she had no desire to be stuck in a car with him followed by a brunch with forced conversation. Before he had left the restaurant though, he had ordered her a latte along with his own as a way to extend an olive branch and see if she would accept it.

As the car crept along the busy streets, Ben watched the people on the sidewalks as he thought about how Rey had acted towards him in the last few days. This morning when she showed up, she had been icy, yet professional, and a little less passive-aggressive than she was the last three mornings.

The elevator rises slowly and Ben taps his foot impatiently while balancing the tray with their two lattes and fiddling with his keys in his pocket. The elevator bings and the doors opens to the sides, revealing Rey waiting for him with her tablet in the office foyer. He was learning quickly she enjoyed wearing a lot of neutral colors as he looks at her in her all-black ensemble with a light tan leather jacket that was cut perfectly for her. She taps her stylus on the tablet aimlessly, biting her lip, and perks up as soon as she sees him.

"Mr. Solo, you have..."

"Wait," He interrupts and hands her coffee to her. "This is for you."

"Uh thank you," she stutters clearly caught off guard as she takes it, inspecting the logo on the sleeve. "Mr. Solo, there is..."

"I hope you like that flavor, I don't know what you usually get," he interrupts again as he takes his coat off. "It's caramel, is that okay?"

"That is fine yes. So there...."

"Ok good. What did I miss?" Ben asks as he tries to make his way past her and to his office, assuming she'll follow him.

"Ben wait!" Rey says louder and stops him by putting her hand on his chest. He looks down at it then back up at her, realizing for the first time that she looks nervous and alarmed.

"What's wrong?" He asks as he takes a step back to stand in front of her and she takes her hand back.

"You have a visitor in your office."

"I thought my schedule was open for another hour?"

"It is, but um..." Rey looks away nervously and Ben cocks his head at her while furrowing his brow. Her being so worked up is making him anxious.

"Rey, who is it?"

Rey looks at him, her eyes huge. "Your father."

Ben stares at her, feeling like he just got hit by a bus. It has been nearly 10 years since he had seen his dad face to face and he wasn't ready to face him yet. "You're positive?" He musters out.

"100 percent," Rey says unblinking and confidentially before she starts to ramble. "I didn't know what to do, he showed up randomly and I recognized him immediately from a picture I saw in your mother's office. I tried to tell him you weren't here and tried to get a number for you to contact him on your own time, but he was determined to see you and that he would wait. I'm sorry, I tried.."

"Rey," Ben says as he puts his free hand on her arm and ducks down to look straight at her. "Breathe. It's just my father. He's harmless and someone I'm fully capable of dealing with."

"Okay, I'm sorry."

Ben smirks at her. "Stop apologizing," he orders softly and she nods. "Can you reschedule my meetings for today?"