Ben Solo was a man with a deadline and not a fucking clue what he was going to write about. Poe the barman glanced at him with amusement as he wiped down the glasses and enjoyed Ben's frustration.

'Poe, stop smirking and give me an idea.'

'What about the decline of modern journalism?' Poe offered.

'Fuck you,' Ben growled back.

A woman walked into the bar, took one look at Ben and walked straight back out.

The surly journalist rolled his eyes and sipped his whisky.

'What was that about?' Poe asked.

'Women hate me,' Ben said plainly.

'What?'

'Women hate me. It's the articles,' he shrugged.

Poe's eyes opened with realisation.

'Ohhhh, of course the series on why marriage was an outdated concept or why true love was nothing but a construct of archaic romance literature?'

'That's the ones.'

'Wow. You really are an arsehole.'

'A paying arsehole,' Ben retorted, shaking his empty glass. Poe filled him up once more.

Someone sat down in the seat next to Ben with a loud thud. He cleared his throat.

'I've got a story for you,' said a low voice.

Ben turned to see a man staring intensely at him. The guy was dressed all in black, with shoulder length raven hair and a scar starting above his right eye and dragging down over his cheek.

'Not interested,' Ben said.

The newcomer smirked.

'You will be.'

The guy ordered a whisky and started talking.

'There is a small town called Alfriston just outside of London, where a girl called Rey Johnson lives. She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Men literally fall at her feet…'

He gulped down his drink and slammed the glass back down on the bar.

'And she chews them up and spits them out leaving nothing but a mangled mess of bones and blood.'

Ben blinked. This guy was clearly nuts. But he needed a story and it sounded like he might have something interesting.

'Okay, I'll bite tell me about the girl.'

'And I'm done!' Rey announced as she finished tightening the chair.

'Have a seat,' she said to Rose as she stood up.

Rose sat down and Rey spun her around.

'You're a goddess!' Rose announced.

'I just have to replace a few washers; it wasn't even an issue with the main bolt heads.'

'You are making me so hot right now…' Rose moaned.

'Rey laughed and stopped turning the chair. Rose got up and looked around for her next client.

'Okay, Mrs Fillion let's get that hair permed!'

Mrs Fillion stood up and hobbled over to the chair. Rey helped her get seated.

'Do you have a hot date with Mr Fillion later?' Rey asked.

The aging lady laughed and swatted at Rey. Rose began to set out her curlers.

'What about you Rey? You got a hot date?' Rose winked.

'Sure she does.'

Rey turned to the source of the voice in the salon doorway to see her fiancé Randy standing there. She walked up to him and kissed him gently. Rose wolf whistled behind them.

'Behave!' Rey called back over her shoulder as Randy wrapped his arms around her.

'You ready for lunch?' he asked.

'Sure am,' she smiled up at him.

They walked hand in hand out of Rose's salon down to the cafe.

'The wedding is just a few weeks away now, you nervous?' Randy asked.

'Nope,' Rey replied with a beaming smile.

Randy brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

'This time it's for real, Rey. This time you won't want to run away.'

Rey smiled back at him but the moment she looked away; her smile faded.

The following day, Hux spread the newspaper across the breakfast table in the house he shared with his wife Rose Tico-Hux.

'Has she seen it yet?' he asked Rose as they both stared down at the article:

THE RUNAWAY BRIDE

Read the story of Rey Johnson, sweetheart of the small town of Alfriston by day, man eating seductress by night. She has devoured 2 grooms so far and she has victim number three all lined up...

'No,' I'm going to head to the hardware store now,' Rose replied.

Hux nodded.

'I'll come with you.'

Rose kissed her husband gratefully.

'Thank you.'

They walked to Ben Kenobi's supply store hand in hand. Rey was in her usual place behind the register. She had worked in her adopted father's store since she was old enough to walk. Now that she was capable of running things by herself Ben was rarely around. He could usually be found frequenting the local watering hole or lying face down in a field blind drunk.

Rey smiled as Rose and Hux entered the store.

'Hey! What can I get you guys?'

Rose slid the newspaper across the counter.

'Have you seen this?' she asked timidly.

Rey looked down at the paper then back up at Rose.

'I have seen it, and it's disgusting. It's disgusting how you've played this bachelorette joke on me even though I specifically said no bachelorette jokes!' Rey laughed.

Rose looked at Rey worriedly.

'Rey, you said no jokes and I'm a good maid of honour who always does what the bride says.'

The colour drained from Rey's face.

'So this isn't a joke?'

Rose shook her head.

'Oh, God.'

Rey started to paced the floor.

'I have to get out of here.'

She grabbed the paper and left the store. She ran to the house she shared with her father Ben and her gran Maz. She took the stairs two at a time looking for their aging PC. She turned it on and blew the dust off the keyboard. She found the email address she was looking for in the paper and began to type…

Two days later, Jyn Erso straightened out her suit jacket and sat down in her plush leather chair opposite Ben Solo.

'Thank you for coming in today, Ben,' she said with an air of professionalism.

Ben chewed his cheek.

'What the fuck is this about, Jyn?'

'We have received a letter of complaint from one Rey Johnson.'

Ben sighed.

'So what? It won't be the first piece of hate mail I receive and it won't be the last.'

Jyn glared at Ben then turned her attention to the letter in her hand:

Dear Editor,

Greetings from the sticks! I can't tell you how thrilled I am that you big city folk decided that me, a little girl from Alfriston, was worthy of so many inches in your prestigious newspaper! To see my personal problems splashed across page six for entertainment purposes really warms my cold, loveless heart. If I was to make one criticism and it's really just me nit picking, perhaps you might consider telling your journalists to check their facts before they go to print? I've enclosed a list of seven fabrications that feature in this breathtaking example of journalistic skill.

Regards,

Rey Johnson

Ben laughed.

'I like her, she's got spunk.'

Jyn cleared her throat.

'I've shown this to the lawyers. They say it's actionable.'

Ben stopped laughing.

'What are you saying?'

'Ben, it's the number one rule of journalism. Check your sources and check your facts.'

Ben felt a tingle up his spine.

'You can't do this, Jyn. You can't take my job away from me.'

'Ben, I have to.'

He stood up and started pacing the floor.

'Is this some sort of latent anger relating back to the divorce? Is this some sort of delayed revenge?' he shouted.

Jyn looked outraged.

'Ben, we parted ways two years ago but yes, I waited until this very moment to get my own back on you,' she rolled her eyes.

Just then Cassian entered the room.

'Have you told him?' Cassian asked.

Jyn nodded at her husband who was also the paper's staff photographer.

Ben looked at the two of them.

'Oh great, so you've already informed Cass of my fucking humiliation. That's just fan-fucking-tastic.'

Cass kissed Jyn's forehead then stood in front of Ben halting his attempt to wear down the carpet.

'Jyn thought you might need a friend, Ben. That's why she told me.'

Ben turned back to Jyn.

'Can't you just slap me on the wrist?'

Jyn looked at him sympathetically.

'I'm sorry, Ben. Not this time.'

Ben looked at them back then headed for the door, he strode out and slammed it behind him. Jyn and Cass looked at each other.

'I'll talk to him,' Cass said, opening the door and chasing after Ben.

At the same time as Ben's world was falling apart, Rey joyously ran into Naboo Primary school sports hall just as Randy was supervising Year 3s PE session. The children scurried about rugby tackling each other like wild animals.

'Lucy! This is the last time I will tell you no biting!' Randy boomed.

'She fired him!' Rey shouted waving a newspaper in the air. She stopped right in front of Randy.

'What?' he asked.

'She fired his ass!' Rey shouted.

The class giggled but fell silent when Randy fixed them with a furious glare.

'Practise your tackles!' he shouted, leading Rey to the side of the room where they could talk privately.

'I wrote them a letter of complaint and they kicked him to the curb!'

'That's great, honey. I'm so proud of you,' Randy gushed.

Rey smiled.

'That'll teach him to mess with me.'

Randy leaned down and hugged her.

'I'm sure that's the last we'll hear of that asshole,' he murmured against her shoulder.

Rey sighed.

'Yeah, I'll be a happy woman if I never have to hear the name Ben Solo again.'

'Ben! Ben Wait!' Cass yelled as he followed Ben down the corridor.

'Fuck off back to your keeper, Cass,' Ben yelled back.

Cass caught up with Ben and matched his pace.

'That's not fair, Ben. I was your friend long before I was Jyn's husband and I still want to be your friend. Don't let a little thing like my marrying your ex-wife come between us.'

Ben stopped walking and ran a hand through his hair. Cass was right. He couldn't afford to lose anymore friends. The circle was pretty small as it was.

'I can't believe that bitch got me fired,' Ben growled.

'What if I had an idea how to get Jyn to rehire you and for you to get vindication for your story?'

'I'm listening.'

'You said it yourself, that she has the next poor schmuck all lined up, I propose you go out there and when she runs again, you get to prove your theory and get a front page story out of it.'

Ben looked thoughtful.

'I'll do it,' he said.

Cass slapped him on the back.

'That's the spirit.'

'I can't wait to see her face when I turn up in her hometown.'

'Play nice,' Cass warned him.

'Scouts honour,' Ben said with a smirk.