Chapter Text
It was just 2 days before Christmas and New York City was in full holiday swing where a little girl with blond hair scurried across the sidewalk, burrowing her way through the crowd.
A middle aged man paused just after the little girl elbowed past him. He furrowed his brows and absentmindedly patted his coat pocket, where he knew his wallet should be. Finding nothing there, he frantically checked his other pocket then looked back toward the direction the girl had gone.
“Hey you!” he shouted after her, shuffling his way against the current of commuters to chase after her. She started walking faster, bit by bit, finally breaking onto a run as he closed in on her. She ran right past two police officers who looked at her curiously, until the man's shouts spurred them into following her as well.
Finally, her sprint was broken as she collided with a woman in a tan burbury coat, with sunglasses and a scarf over her head.
“Oh, Darling, are you alright?” the woman asked in a British accent, as the man and officers finally caught up with them.
“Those men are chasing me,” the little girl said tearfully.
“That little—urchin stole my wallet!” the man told the officers. The two officers looked uncertain how to proceed.
“I didn't,” the little girl wailed.
“Yeah, well you should search her,” the man said. “I think you'll find I'm right.”
“Shame on you!” the young woman said. “Three grown men terrorizing a little girl in this manner! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!”
“Look, lady, we're just trying to do our jobs,” one of the officers protested. He turned to the little girl. “Hey Sweetheart. My name is Officer Dameron. Now, I need you to tell the truth. Did you take this man's wallet? If you did, and you give it back now, I promise you won't get into any trouble. Ok?”
“I didn't steal anything!” she insisted.
“How come you ran away, huh?” he asked.
“A man was chasing me!” the little girl said. “My mommy always told me if a man tries to follow me I should run away as fast as I can and kick him in the nuts if he catches up.” His partner couldn't help but let out a snort of amusement and the other man took a step back.
“And where is your mommy now?” the Officer Dameron asked. “Maybe we should talk to her.”
“She's dead,” the little girl said tearfully, eliciting a chorus of “Aws” from the crowd who had begun to gather to speculate.
“I don't believe her!” the middle aged man explained. “She's lying! Check her pockets!”
“Ok,” the officer sighed. “Sweetheart, I need to you to turn out your pockets for me, alright? Can you do that?”
The little girl turned her jacket pockets inside out, revealing nothing. For good measure, she unzipped her jacket and turned out her pants pockets as well.
“She doesn't have anything,” officer Dameron said to the man, who scowled. “Look, Sir. I can't just take this child into custody with no cause. I can't do an thing without the wallet. She clearly does not have your wallet on her.”
“Can I go now?” The little girl asked.
“Sure kid,” he said. “You can go. You be careful out on these streets, huh?” The girl hurried off, to the protest of the man who accused her of stealing. But was prevented from following her from the two officers.
They didn't notice her dodge into a nearby alley, where she met the young woman with the tan coat and sunglasses.
“That was a close one, Aunt Rey,” the little girl said.
“You're right,” replied the young woman called Rey. Holding up the man's wallet. “Let's see if it was worth it. So what do you think? 55?”
“A little older,” the little girl answered. “I say 61.” Rey smiled and opened the wallet and pulled out the driver's license.
“Wow, kid, you're better at this than I am,” she said. “62 it is. Wow. Mr. Enric Pryde might be a right wanker, but he doesn't look to bad for his age. Now, let's see what kind of cash he was carrying on him.” She pulled out the cash and counted it. “Wow, $672. We might actually make our rent next month. Maybe even pay the electric.”
“Can we go eat at Maz's Diner now?”
“Yes,” Rey replied. “We've had a great day. Now, let's go get some burgers and shakes and plan for tomorrow.”
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“Aunt Rey,” the little girl said. “If Santa sees me when I'm sleeping and when I'm awake, that means he sees me when I'm stealing too, right?” Rey pressed her lips together.
“Well, Jyn, I don't think Santa really minds because what we do isn't actually stealing.”
“It isn't?”
“No, we only steal from people who can afford it,” Rey rationalized. “We sort of help them—share.”
“But didn't they work for their money?” Jyn asked.
“We're working too,” Rey said. “We have highly developed skills that have taken years to perfect.” She puntuated this with a wink to her niece. “Now eat your burger.”
“Okay,” Jyn said, returning to her meal.
“Oh no,” Rey groaned, looking out the diner window at a very shady looking Santa being pursued by 2 men. “Please don't let him see me.” She slouched lower in the booth, earning a confused look from her niece, who now had brown hair, having removed the hat and wig she'd sported earlier.
“Who's that?” she asked.
“Someone I hoped never to see again,” Rey replied. Rey's wish of remaining undetected was not granted, as the shady Santa rushed into the diner to escape his pursuers. The man spotted her and header her direction.
“Rey, girl?” he exclaimed. “Is that you?”
“I'm sorry, Sir,” Rey replied with an innocent expression. “Do I know you?” The man chuckled.
“Come now,” he said. “Is that any way to treat your old foster father? You were always my best student.”
“I wasn't your student, Plutt,” Rey said waspishly. “I was a child you took advantage of.”
“Ah, and I see you've gone all honest now, eh?” Plutt said, glancing at the kid. “Who's this? I don't recall you being knocked up when you left me,”
“Don't tell him anything,” Rey told her niece quietly.
“Say, little girl,” Plutt spoke to Jyn in a calojing voice. “I've got a little project you can help me with and you can earn a whole hundred dollars! It's a perfect job for a little girl like you. Real easy. What do you say?”
“Absolutely not!” Rey said, standing up and leading her niece away by the hand. “You stay away from us, Unkar Plutt! Whatever it is, we want nothing to do with it!”
“You can't hide from me, girl!” Plutt called after her. Rey ignored him and she and her niece walked out of the diner.