Chapter Text
Rey could never understand how she'd ended up in a place like this. Well, she certainly knew how she'd gotten to Coruscant. But things hadn't panned out quite how she'd imagined. True, it wasn't all bad all the time. But right now, huddled against the cold, damp side of a stone building, pangs of hunger echoing deep in her belly… what she wouldn't give to be back in Jakku. Ice cold rain slid down her cheeks and neck, sidling underneath the collar of her thin shirt and chilling her to the bone. It was never cold in Jakku, not that far south. These northern places had always seemed so foreign to her, in more ways than one. How could anyone stand this frigid cold all the time?
"One more night," she mumbled pitifully to herself. "I just need to make it one more night. Tomorrow… tomorrow will be the day."
She'd been saying that for weeks now. Just one more night… everything will be different tomorrow. But the next day had always been the same: scrounging through garbage piles, looking for food; begging anyone that would listen to give her work; trading whatever trinkets she could find or steal. What would her mother think if she could see her now? In truth, Rey hardly remembered anything about her parents. They were nothing more than vague shadows in her memory. But that never stopped her from imagining. If only they'd lived a bit longer, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out the way they did.
The pounding of hooves and the clattering of carriage wheels resounded in her ears, pounding in her head. She'd chosen a cramped alley off the High Street to take shelter in tonight. Lot of good that had done her. The awning that had seemed so attractive to her had turned out to be little use in sheltering from the rain. Tiny holes pockmarked the faded fabric, allowing the icy droplets to sneak through and pelt her relentlessly.
"Damn this rain," she spat angrily, clutching at her skirt more tightly. When she'd left Jakku with little more than the clothes on her back, she hadn't imagined that might be all she'd ever own again. Perhaps the tales she'd always heard as a child, whispered in darkened corners of pubs and amongst the traders at their stalls, had been over exaggerated. Perhaps her childish imagination had bled over in reality, skewing her expectations. Or perhaps she wasn't cut out for life on her own, as she'd always thought. Perhaps Unkar Plutt had been right…
'Desert rats like you end up in the sewers up there in Coruscant,' he'd said. 'You'll drown in all that rain. Won't be long 'til you come crawling back to me.' Always so sure. Rey was determined to prove him and everyone else wrong. Easy enough to say when you're first starting out on your own, the wind in your sails and your confidence keeping you afloat. But that was near on six weeks ago. Food was becoming scarce and she was starting to wear holes in the bottom of her shoes. She knew it'd be hard; never imagined it'd be this hard.
The moons had left the sky long ago, dipping down below the northern mountains. But this city never seemed to sleep. There was always something going on in some part of the city or another. Tonight, the rabble seemed to be congregating on the High Street, not far from where she currently sat huddled in the alley. She could hear men shouting and glasses clinking. A bottle broke somewhere far off, followed by the sounds of disgruntled moans. A group of boisterous men passed by the end of the alley, shouting and laughing as though they hadn't a care in the world. Rey sniffled as she wiped away a rivulet of water that had begun to run down her nose.
Utterly miserable. She sunk her face down into her hands, curling tighter against the cold. Out of the shadows, a rat scrabble across her foot, squeaking indignantly as it scurried into a hole in the wall not far off from her. Suddenly, a door near the end of the alley flung open and an old wooden cart came rumbling from some back room of the pub next door. Rey tried to scuttle further back in the shadows, willing herself to remain unseen. It wouldn't do for him to call the night watchmen; that would spell trouble for her, and trouble was the one thing Rey couldn't afford right now. Well... maybe not the one thing, but she certainly didn't need it.
A gruff looking man wheeled the cart into place where it would be picked up with the morning rounds and hurried back inside, thankfully keeping his gaze down-turned to avoid the torrential downpour. When Rey was certain the coast was clear, she clambered on hands and knees to the cart and beginning rifling through its contents. Mostly pieces of discarded wrappings, but she did find an apple that had begun to slightly bruise. Rey bit into the mushy fruit hastily while her other hand continued sifting through the contents of the cart. She tried not to imagine what she might look like to any passersby: a filthy, wretched girl with no money and no connections. Well... she was all of that. At the bottom of the cart was a moldy crust of bread. Gritting her teeth, she clutched it against her chest. Beggars can't be choosers, after all.
Her meager haul in tow, she began to tiptoe back to her corner, miserable though it may be. At least it was far away from any jeering young men or prying eyes. Heavens knows she'd been mistaken for a harlot one too many times. But she would never resort to that to make her way; her pride would never allow it.
As she passed the pub's back door, it suddenly flung open, catching her in the back and sending her sprawling to the ground. A great clamor arose behind her, ringing wildly in her ears. "How dare you!" a booming voice echoed against the damp stone. "I demand you take back your words, sir!"
Rey flipped onto her side, clutching the elbow that had caught her fall and curling in on herself in case she needed to protect against any onslaught. But the man that had seemingly been shouting was not paying any attention to her. Instead, he stood looming over another fellow that looked quite pitiful indeed. He cowered under the imposing figure of the other man. Not that Rey could blame him. This man was a soldier of the Citadel. And from his brass buttons and golden epaulets, Rey had to presume he was a high-ranking officer. Dark hair framed a rugged face and even darker eyes, filled with fire and righteous fury.
"I di'nt mean no harm, sir, honest," the cowering man stammered. "I's just... when I gets a bit o' liquor in me..."
"If you cannot hold your liquor or your tongue, I shall have to relieve you of one or the other," the soldier growled threateningly, inching ever closer. Rey felt a shiver go down her spine. "Your choice."
The cowering man was shaking in earnest now, trying in vain to back away from the soldier. But the narrowness of the alley would not allow it. "I promises, sir," he moaned pitifully, "you'll never see me round these parts never again."
"I ever catch word of you defaming our Premier in public again... I'll have your guts for garters. Am I understood?" The man on the ground nodded emphatically and the soldier visibly relaxed. In a flash, the drunkard saw his chance and scrambled to his feet, disappearing as he quickly melted into the crowds. The soldier made no move to follow after him, only staring out at the High Street with his jaw clenched tightly. Rey was too frightened to move, unable to will her hands or feet to carry her further into the shadows.
After what seemed hours, the man finally turned back towards the door. "No need to hide there, little mouse," he said, a small smile playing at the edges of his handsome mouth. Those eyes which had been filled with fire mere moments ago now danced with amusement. It took a moment for Rey to realize he meant her, and when that realization finally settled, it was quickly replaced by icy cold dread. This was not how she'd envisioned this night to go in the least.
"Um..." she muttered, looking around in vain for any escape. Dripping in self-assurance, the soldier edged towards her, bending down and offering a hand to help her up out of her puddle. A moment of hesitation stretched through the air between them. Rey stared warily from his hand to his eyes, but something deep in her gut told her she could trust him. Slowly, she placed her hand in his and let him help her to her feet. "Thank you."
"My pleasure, miss," he replied, releasing her and folding his arms behind his back in a very gentlemanly manner. "Are you hurt? My deepest apologies for the... ehm, door incident."
"Oh... um, I'm fine, thank you." Rey cast her eyes down at her skirt, brushing away some dirt she'd collected upon her fall. She made quite a show of averting her gaze, but when she finally chanced a look back at him, his head was tilted to the side, like a dog inspecting some foreign sound.
"What, may I ask, are you doing here?" he questioned, straightening up once more.
Rey was struck still for a moment, her mouth hanging slightly agape. But suddenly, her confidence returned with an edge of indignation. "I beg your pardon, sir, but that is none of your business. Now, if you'll excuse me-"
He burst out laughing, trying very hard to contain himself but ultimately failing. "Apologies, miss," he finally said after his laughter had subsided, "I meant no offense. I merely wondered if you were in need of assistance."
Rey glanced at him sidelong, weighing in her mind whether she could trust him. So far, he hadn't propositioned her yet. That was something, at least. But he was also an officer of the Citadel; a man so self-sure; used to getting his way. If she chose to trust him, would she end up in a worse situation than she currently found herself? Slowly, she looked around her... What could be worse than this?
Sighing heavily, she looked back at him. Did she really have any choice? After weeks of scavenging for food and sleeping out in the cold, perhaps this man truly could help her. "Well," she began slowly, "the truth is-"
"You've come from a place far away from here, likely to the south," he interrupted with a slight smirk, "thinking you could make a new life quite easily. But you've found it not to be so easy, and you and ten-thousand other dreamers are all vying for a place in a city with, truthfully, very little to offer newcomers. Well, newcomers that are short on funds, that is. And so you've found yourself sleeping in the streets and scrounging for food amongst the castoff scraps of the pubs. Sound about right?"
Rey stared at him, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. "B-but... how did you-?"
He smiled widely, crinkling the edges of his dark eyes. "I've lived in this city for many years, miss. And I just so happen to know someone that delights in helping wayward souls such as yourself. Might I offer you a warm bed for the night? And in the morning... well, I'm sure we can find some permanent accommodations for you."
She was utterly flabbergasted. How her fortunes had turned. This man had seemingly come out of the blue, and offered her a way off the streets. She still wasn't sure if she could fully trust him, but she was hungry enough that she didn't truly care anymore. The prospect of sleeping indoors was too good to pass up.
"Thank you, sir," she said quietly, inclining her head, "for your kindness. I don't know how to thank you."
"What is your name?"
She glanced back up at him. "Rey."
He waited a moment. "Just Rey?"
"Rey... of Jakku. That's all I've ever been." She suddenly felt self-conscious, though she couldn't fathom why. There was nothing wrong with growing up a poor orphan, not when you'd learned to fend for yourself from a young age. She didn't need a family name; Rey was her own family.
"Hmm, Rey of Jakku... Well then, Rey of Jakku-" he snapped his heels together and inclined in a bow- "Commander Poe Dameron, at your service. If you'll follow me, let's get you somewhere warm for the night."
Warmth began to bloom in her chest as he turned towards the street. With one last look at the damp alleyway, Rey started after him. Anywhere would be better than here. This... this was the bottom. There was only one way to go now, and that was up... right?