Chapter Text
“YOU LITTLE BITCH!”
A scream is caught in Rey’s throat as she’s thrown into the closet of her room by her piece of shit, overweight drunken excuse for a foster parent, Unkar Plutt shouts as her body hits the floor with a grunt.
The pain was welting into her back where she could feel splinters of the wood from the closet doors pierced through her grey hoodie and into her aching back.
Rey chokes as she slowly rises on her forearms and elbows. She knew he would react this way but she was hoping he would still be at the bar drinking his government paycheck he gets from beating her if she so much as looks at her the wrong way since she was place in his care when she was 7.
She had been planning to leave for years now; the difference is she had a plan with the money she had saved up from working cleaning jobs.
“YOU THINK YOU CAN LEAVE ME?! YOUR NOT 18 YET, YOU STUPID CUNT! UNTIL THEN YOUR TINY ASS IS MINE!” He shouts again above her.
Anger erupts within her as she grits her teeth waiting for him to take a step closer.
His brown dirty boot comes into her vision on the floor. Rey musters any strength she had left to rise to her feet, grasping Unkar’s shoulders while sending her knee into his groin.
A pained wheeze leaves his sweaty, red scrunched up face as his hands go to clasp his black and blue balls while Rey sends her elbow into his cheek making him fall to the ground.
Rey wastes no seconds for him to get up as she grabs her duffel bag which was full of her cash and her belongings running out the door not daring to look behind.
After two days on a bus, she finally left middle of nowhere Jakku and Unkar’s drunken fury.
Rey stepped off the bus onto the sidewalks of the city of Coruscant.
The city roared with traffic as the sound of horns bouncing off the tall buildings that rose to the cloudy sky above her.
Rey took her hood off her hoodie to look around to look for where she had put a down payment for a place downtown.
The bus took her about 2 miles away from her destination according to her map that was tucked into her pocket as she made her way down the street.
Rey’s heart pounded as she took her key from the landlord, the apartment building was tucked away at the end of the street before heading into downtown Coruscant which apparently was more rundown than this building she would call home for now.
The landlord smiled, raising her face for a beat as she tapped on her laptop on the counter while Rey just looked down to the floor in anticipation, telling her heart to slow down while telling her head to calm dawn and that’s she safe.
The tapping sound ceases in the air and a sigh leave the short black woman as she stands, a smile stretching over her cheek to expose her dimples making Rey stand up straight while keeping her sweaty hands in the pockets of her hoodie.
“Alrighty! You are officially in the system! Let me escort you to your new place.”
Relief washes over Rey, something she only feels every once, she will have to learn to get used to the feeling now that she was out of Unkar’s grasp.
Rey smiles as she follows the woman to the elevator.
“I am Maz by the way, I know emailed each other but it’s nice to finally meet you!” the short woman cheers as the doors to the elevator open.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Rey.” She replies while following behind Maz.
Maz guides Rey to her apartment, allowing her to get settled. Rey was a bit embarrassed when saying that she had no coming furniture and all her belongings were with her.
After Rey settled into her apartment, she only sat in the empty room with a small kitchen and a bathroom tucked away beside the front door.
She sat in the silence of her solitude, basking in the peace and safety, finally free from the anxiety and pain of her past.
Rey finally had the beginning she was praying for, for so long since she would cry herself to sleep as a little girl.
She opens her duffle pulling out her small blanket she brought, laying in the fetal position to cover her entire body as she flutters her eyes closed.
Rey would need her rest; she will start a new life tomorrow.
A couple of weeks is what it took for Rey to fully move into her new home. Maz had done more for her than anyone since she moved to Coruscant.
Maz helped her with finding furniture, the best thrift stores to get clothes and belongings and dollar tree is key.
However, one thing Rey needed the most was a job, but no one was hiring without a GED and her classes to get it take up most of her days while also trying to save money for a vehicle.
She never shied away from hard work, in the future when she was older and had a more stable financial situation she would pursue her education more.
Rey had told Maz her frustrations about not being able to find any work seeing as all hotels nearby and more in town weren’t hiring at the moment.
“It’s also difficult since I won’t be 18 in a month.” Rey starts, running a hand to tuck a chestnut strand behind her ear.
Maz shrugs her brows in and tilts her head to the side in sympathy behind her counter while Rey’s arms crossed over each other lean on the opposite end.
“Hmm. I actually think I can help you with that but I don’t know…” Maz starts her gaze going distant.
Rey watches her gaze but remains persistent, desperate for anything to get some money.
“Maz? I need money, even if it’s temporary until I can get on my feet and finish my classes.” Rey pleads.
Maz meets her puppy dog eye’s. while worry wash over in Maz’s honey eye’s as she pushes her lips together in a tight line.
They both sit in silence for a moment while Rey watches contemplation bounce around in her head.
Maz sighs.
“Okay…I have a friend who looking for a cleaner. I’m sure since you have cleaner history they’ll accommodate since you’ll be 18 soon.” Maz looks down to her desk grabbing something beside her laptop.
Her phone.
Rey smiles as relief and joy flood through her, she is so grateful for Maz.
“Okay. I will send you the address and let my friend know you are interested in the position. I will text you when they reply. I would make sure you have a resume just in case.” Maz’s says while her eye’s remained glued to her phone while she taps on it.
Rey taps on the table with a wide smile on her face.
“Thank you so much, Maz!!” Rey leans in on the counter to say.
Rey presses the button for the elevator to head back to her apartment.
As the doors slid open, she goes to take a step in.
“Rey! Hold up!” Maz shouts from the other end of the hall where she was pulling out from her chair behind her desk.
Rey takes a step back from the doors to turn back to Maz who was skittering towards her while clutching her phone in her hand.
“She said she can meet you tomorrow morning around 10am.” Maz smiles to her.
Rey smiles ear to ear.
Rey woke up at 7am not wanting to be late for her interview, hoping that she would make a good impression.
Maz said her friend’s name is Leia Organa-Solo, she was apparently an heiress who was married to a Pilot and needed a cleaner for their home on the upper part of Coruscant.
Rey was able to hit a thrift store yesterday to grab some more clothes with some of the money she saved.
She bought some casual clothes and work clothes.
Rey put on a tan collared long sleeve shirt with puffed sleeves with a navy-blue cardigan vest with grey jeans with brown laced boots.
She played with her hair in the mirror for too long in the bathroom before just settling for a half up and down while wearing casual makeup although it was never her forte.
Rey had grabbed her new brown bag she thrifted and headed to her interview.
Rey was glad that she had listened to her gut when being early for her interview because she had to jump on two different buses to get to her destination.
When she looked out the window while the bus turned into the opening of a very big neighborhood covered in wide condos and mansions with picket white fences surrounding every house.
Rey watched on her maps on her phone that the next stop was about 10 minutes away from her destination.
Rey tugged the string as the bus turned another corner turning down another street till it pulled over where Rey needed to get off.
The bus roared behind her as she looks to each street sign to find Falcon Ln.
It was strange. Usually there’s a house number, but she finds the sign which pointed down a road, so she followed her directions.
As Rey walked along the sidewalks which was littered with bushes with flowers while she walked down Falcon Ln there were no houses on either side of her only tall hedges while some bushes with flowers rested beside the sidewalk and road.
You have arrived at your destination.
Rey blinks as she looks at the giant mansion that rested on the end of the street.
It was absolutely stunning. It was built like a castle pulled from fairytales yet it was a Victorian style home with vines and flowers crawling up the side of the walls while a black fenced gate surrounded a wide property which stretched for miles before a forest.
Rey only observed every detail of the property through the fence.
“Can I help you miss?” a male voice snaps her out of her gaze.
Rey clutched the straps of her bag as she turned to the opposite end of the gate where a small white hut rested with a window where a dark-skinned man wearing black cargo shirt with matching pants walking toward her.
“Uuh. Hi. I’m Rey Niima I am here for an interview with a Mrs. Organa-Solo?” Rey swallows at the last bit trying not to sound too shy.
The man looks her up and down then reaches for the walkie talkie that rested on the belt of his pants while noticing a gun tucked in beside it.
“Poe, I need verification for a Rey Niima.” The man says to the walkie talkie.
A small static buzzing in the air for a beat between the fence that divided them.
‘Yes, I have confirmation for a Ms.Rey Niima.’
A voice responds over the walkie on his shoulder and the man looks back to her then heads to the small outpost by the gate.
He presses something on the counter inside while Rey wipes some sweat on her brow she secreted from her short walk and ran a hand over her cardigan.
The gates opened and the man told her to head over to the front door someone will let her in.
Rey marveled in the giant wooden door with black rebar vines stretching throughout it so elegantly as she pressed the button to ring the bell.
A couple of seconds later, the door creaked open loudly and Rey immediately put on her customer service smile when greeted with a short man with a butler suit on like in the movies she would watch as a kid.
“Hello, Miss Niima please come in.” The butler raises an arm to welcome her in, opening the door wider.
Rey smiles and nods her head, ushering in while the door creaked behind her.
She turns to see the butler closing the door, a white glowed hand holding a metal handle shaped like a lily.
“My name is Threepio’. I am a butler as well as personal assistant to Mrs.Organa-Solo. You are right on time, Miss Rey. Please come this way.” Rasing a hand to the wide stairs which looked like a brown and white marble with the same black metal vines as rails trailing all the way up.
Rey followed the butler but couldn’t take her eyes off the sparkling, glowing massive chandelier above the stairs, almost tripping on one of the steps caught in the thought of how she was going to dust that.
She followed him all the way up the stairs, then to the left on the upper level to where they were now above the chandelier.
Rey grazed her hand along the metal railing protecting them from the height of the forst floor.
Her hand returns to her side as they turn down a hall at the end of the walkway, passing one door on both sides, where a door rested at the end of hall.
Threepio’ knocks on the wooden door.
“Madam? I have Miss Rey here for you.” He says to the door.
“Come in!” a feminine voice says from the other side.
Rey takes a deep breath, clutching her hand the handle of her purse once more as he opens the door.
Threepio’ steps aside to let her walk in.
Rey looked around the room which looked like a giant office to see a older woman with her brown hair with grey streaks tied in a messy bun rise from behind her wide desk with a desktop along with papers everywhere on it.
“Ah! You are right on time! I like that in a person.” Leia says as she pushes her black office chair aside to walk beside her desk.
Rey smiles as she walks over to her hearing the door closing behind them.
“Hello, I’m Leia. I’ve heard good things about you Rey.” She smiles and raises a hand to shake hers.
Rey hopes she didn’t feel the nervous sweat she built as she lowers her hand to her sides.
She must have been talking to Maz, all good things she hoped.
“Please take a seat.” Leia says raising a hand to the plush chair.
Rey takes a seat placing her purse beside her while digging for her folder which had her resume.
“Ah! Thank you, I know Maz says you have some cleaning experience and were hoping to work nights seeing as your doing classes for your GED?” Leia asks while taking her resume with one hand while using the other hand to scoot her chair closer from behind her.
“Yes ma’am. I worked cleaning since I was 15, hotels, motels and even other side jobs.” Rey replies.
Maz must’ve told her a lot.
“That’s amazing working since you were young huh?” she replies, her eye’s scanning over her resume.
“Yes.” Rey replies.
“Well, everything looks great from what I have heard and read. So, do you think you can start tomorrow afternoon?" Leia smiles, looking to her now, placing the resume down, clasping her manicured hands together.
Rey does her best to contain her utter joy as she smiles and nods.
“Yes!”
Leia smiles wider now.
“Okay, so I will give you a tour of the property in a bit. But first, let’s do some paperwork regarding the position to get you in our books.” Leia adds clapping her hands together then turning her chair to the computer.
After Leia had gotten most of her information, seeing as how she is still getting settled into her new home.
Rey also showed Leia her GED class schedule, which didn’t deter her from hiring her but only made her gleam as if she was a proud parent for pursuing education regardless of status.
It made Rey feel more relieved and excited to start her new job.
“So, with that, you will work the evenings from Monday to Wednesday and on the weekends. Correct?” Leia asks as she types on her fancy keyboard then looking back to Rey.
“Yes!” Rey smiles and Leia smiles in return before returning to tap on the keys again.
“Okay! Were set!” Leia says and rises from her chair as Rey does the same tucking her phone into her back pocket, worrying about the times later.
As they left Leia’s office, Leia explained that she was born to a noblewoman and a soldier who served in a war of some sort and that this house was a gift to her mother from her father.
She also explained that it had been her childhood home along with her twin brother Luke who lived in Naboo where her mother is from.
“Oh which reminds me, my husband, Han Solo has insisted that we deserve a break from our work, me as a lawyer and him as a retired pilot who teaches at the academy parttime, so we will be leaving in a week for a couple of months.” Leia explains as they walk down the hall along the chandelier and the metal railing.
A small oh leaves her mouth as she listens intently.
“I will be taking Threepio’ with us of course, for work reasons. However, the staff, our security, maintenance and cleaners will remain here during the day and you will clean here in the evening.
There is Security, Finn, who you met at the gate. Then you have Poe who monitors the outside cameras. We would have inside cameras, but my husband refused to do.
Our maintenance workers will be and go during the week to maintain the outside property.”
Rey is lead down the marble steps again, scanning Leia’s business attire.
A navy-blue suit jacket with a matching skirt that fell over her knee’s, so elegant and professional.
They make it down the stairs and Leia leads her to the first door beside the front door, the wooden door swiveling open to enter a vast kitchen with a giant marble island in the middle.
A tall woman with slight blond hair tied in a elegant bun, an apron wrapped around her maid’s unform, stockings going up her long legs while wearing black shoes that looked like the one’s young rich school girls wear in the movies.
“Ah! Just who I was looking for! Phasma, this is Rey. She was the one I was telling you about.” Leia gleams to the tall woman whose turning off the faucet for the sink.
Phasma smiles at Rey, showing off her pearly smile, she was removing long yellow gloves which was dripping with bubbles and water.
“Hello, nice to meet you, Rey. I am the head cleaner and will be the one training you.” Phasma’s shoes clack against the tile of the kitchen as she raises her hands to shake Rey’s.
“Hello, likewise. I look forward to working with you ma’am.” Rey nods as her hand returns to her side.
Leia smiles at the interaction.
“Well, I have a lot of work to do. When your done having your orientation with Phasma see me in my office.” Leia says to them both, smiling at Rey one last time before heading for the swiveling door once more.
Rey is left alone with Phasma who leads her out another door which lead to a massive dining room table set for almost 12 people if not more. A different chandelier over the table, passing it to go through another door which lead to a small wine cellar with a fridge tucked into the corner.
A door at the end of the shelves, leveled with expensive wines from all over the world.
The door creaked open which revealed stairs with a light hanging above the door frame.
“This leads to the cleaning quarters and where we keep our supplies and stock for the house’s necessities.” Phasma says over her shoulder as they make their way down the basement which was not like the ones she sees in horror movies.
It had three washers and dryers stacked atop each other where a long light blue table to fold clothes and linens, a steel sink with a scrubber at the end of it.
Phasma leads her through shelves stocked with different materials for cleaning, maintenance and even cooking supplies to restock.
At the end of the steel shelves was a desk beside some lockers with some stickers plastered all over one of them while the others were plain and blue like the counter.
Phasma walks over to a cabinet, the white wooden door creaking open as she pulls out a uniform.
“I have a medium or large which is best for you, Hun?” She asks her.
“Large is fine.” Rey replied, she would wear a medium but like a bit of baggage when she’s moving and cleaning.
The uniform was like a dress with a white neck v-collar like a suit would have, with stocking white removable shoes for when she’s cleaning carpet upstairs while black shoes like the one Phasma wore.
Along with couple other pairs of uniforms for her to take with her as she ran down the basics of what they do.
“So, I’ll show you how to clean the part of the house you will be cleaning on your shift.
Me and our other cleaner, Rose whose off today clean most of the house but we need someone else to cover the south wing of the house. It contains 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and has a library that needs some severe love and dusting.
So, let’s do a walk through. Let me get your email and number so I can share the cleaning checklist for the West Wing. Also, when you are on your own with cleaning and have a question about something that isn’t on the checklist.” Phasma adds as she helps Rey push the uniforms in a disposable paper bag with strings for handles."
Phasma lead her up the stairs once more leading down the first hallway leading to the west wing, two doors on both sides which apparently was the guest bedrooms that she and the other cleaner take care of.
When they reached the end of the hall, Phasma pulled out a set of keys on a small ring.
She grabs one as it jingles in her fair hands and turns it in the lock opening the door to another hallway, only the walls were glass and the floor was covered in red velvet carpet.
The fall weather casting a slight gloom with peaks of sunshine coming out through the glass and the tall bushes that rested on each side of the hall on the outer side.
Phasma explains that she will need to start cleaning from this door onwards to the western wing.
When they arrived the wooden walls of the house again, there was portraits along the wall of Leia and what she presumed her husband Han Solo, the retired Pilot.
Some of them near a lake with vast green behind them or them in hiking gear in with tall pine trees in the background.
Phasma explains cleaning for the bedrooms and bathrooms while Rey listens intently, taking mental notes along the way.
She marveled in the theme of each bedroom and bathroom; one was themed with soft lavender and white walls with a fluffy floral king bed in the corner was her favorite so far.
Another was an old nursery, must have been for Leia and her brother Luke when they were babies.
She noticed some old pictures of babies along the wall with a white frilly 1800’s basinet beside a white rocking chair.
After Phasma had finished running Rey through the basics and exchanged contact information, Rey walked up the stairs and down the hall that led to Leia’s office.
When she was raising her free hand, the other clutched her bag full of her uniforms, Rey could hear some voices on the other side of the door.
Rey halted her knuckles from hitting the wood before swallowing any doubt and knocked on the door a couple of times, not too hard but loud and polite enough.
The voices halted behind the door and Rey took a step back lowering her hand to grip the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
Heavy footsteps made their way toward her and Rey’s heart patters as the door clacks open.
Only it isn’t Leia who greets him, it was a tall older man with white hair and a crooked smile as he looked to Rey with brown eye’s.
“You must be Rey, I’m Han, her husband. Please come in. We were just discussing our trip.” He says while stepping aside to see Leia sitting behind her desk with her hands clasped in front of her with a tight smile on her face.
“H-Hello, nice to meet you.” Rey stammers as she bows her head to walk toward the desk and past Han.
“All ready for your first day tomorrow?” Leia smiles to Rey as she halts before the desk.
“Yes!” Rey smiles, raising her bag of uniforms in the air.
“I’ll give you two some privacy gotta pack for our trip.” Han gruffs behind them, his hand on the handle of the door still.
Leia nods to him and Rey turns to offer him a smile once more, he nods and smiles in return before closing the door behind him with a soft clack.
“Now, now that you are quite acquainted, Phasma will train you during for the next couple of days and then you will be switching shifts with Rose in the evening.
Now, we were hoping to have more time to prepare before our trip, but we must travel sooner than expected due to a coming storm that could disrupt it entirely.
So, we will be leaving tomorrow, but like I said. If anything should come up, you have my number.
Any questions?” Leia asks Rey to tilt her head a bit to her.
Rey grinned.
“I think I’m good, I got Phasma’s information as well. I hope you enjoy your trip; safe travels ma’am.” She response and Leia smiled wide now.
“Thank you, Rey.”
Rey left the office, Threepio passed her on the way out the office offering her a slight bow and smile beneath his gray and silver moustache.
Rey closed the massive door to the house, closing it as gently as possible.
Her smile now wide as she nearly skipped towards the gate.
She waited at the gate for the security guard, who she assumed was Finn, to open the gate for her.
He peeks out from the door frame of the small hut near the gate.
“You working with us now?” Finn asks, his tone a bit playful and sarcastic.
“Yeah, I start tomorrow, so you’ll have to get used to opening the gate for me.” Rey replies, smiling to him.
Finn chuckles and reaches for the button for the gate opening it for Rey.
“See you.” Finn waves to her.
Rey waves with her free hand as she headed home.