Author's Note: I've been watching Rebels from the beginning but I haven't had an idea for a story till now. I got to thinking that hugs could be a bit of a euphemism for… well… I think the title is generally self-explanatory. So, I present, the less PG version. Enjoy. –Em.

If Hugs Were Kisses

Chapter 1: Kanan and Hera

Hera scrambled out of the Tie Fighter's hatch the moment it was docked. Please be all right, she thought, her mind fixated on Kanan. Even though she'd heard his voice just a moment before it was hard to believe she'd really succeeded. Her broken heart wasn't quite brave enough to risk being shattered a second time. I don't care if he's furious with me for doing this, she thought, so long as we have him back.

The second hatch opened in the deck and Kanan's head of dark hair popped up, followed closely by Ezra. The boy scrambled around his master, grinning with victory. Kanan turned around. His eyes met Hera's anxious gaze and he smiled with bittersweet joy.

Hera's heart skipped a beat and her feet carried her forward before she consciously thought about moving. Kanan climbed up to meet her. He caught her shoulders in his large hands, squeezing hard enough to hold her in place and assure himself that she was real and physical—not a figment of his imagination.

"I owe you a great debt of gratitude," he said to her, glancing over her shoulder at Zeb and Sabine with a relieved smile that became a humorous smirk. "Even if what you did was rash and reckless," he counted out the adjectives with his fingers. Hera folded them back down with her palm and held onto his hand gently.

"Your welcome, dear," she said, smiling back at him with the same relief reflected in his eyes. He dropped her hand suddenly and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her thin frame. Hera happily threw her arms around his shoulders, but froze when his lips met hers.

His kiss was insistent and passionate and he held her tightly to his chest, lifting her off her feet. Hera was too shocked for a moment by the intimacy he rarely shared in public to respond, but her hands wound their way around his neck of their own accord and her eyes fluttered shut as she lost herself in the sensation she had never expected to feel again.

Chopper's snarky grumbling shocked them both out of the moment and they parted quickly. Kanan dropped Hera back to the decking, but to her surprise, he kept an arm around her waist and didn't pull away from her hand on his chest.

"Wait," Ezra said, sitting on the edge of the Tie's hatch, "if Chopper's flying the transport, who's flying the Ghost?"

Hera felt the blood drain from her face and unconsciously leaned closer to Kanan. She felt simultaneous excitement for the imminent meeting, and dread for Kanan's reaction; he never wanted to be a soldier again and that's exactly what she had made him.

.

Hera trudged back onto the Ghost from the Phoenix Squadron command ship after her briefing with Ahsoka Tano and Commander Sato. She said a soft goodnight to Ezra and Zeb. The young boy was recounting the fight with the Inquisitor for the fifth time with yet again more exaggeration and embellishment. Sabine was already asleep when Hera peaked into the young girl's room quietly. Chopper was grumbling around by the navi computer procrastinating on the repairs she'd set for him. Hera gave him a stern look before reluctantly slipping into the cabin she shared with Kanan.

He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, meditating—something he'd been doing more often since taking on Ezra as a student.

"That took a while. I guess you had a lot to talk about?" He said with surprising calm. It wasn't the angry, sarcastic question she was expecting.

"Listen, Kanan," Hera said, looking down at her boots and struggling to find a way to explain without angering him further, "I know you're angry about this—it's not what you wanted—" Hera didn't get to finish her thought. Kanan's large warm hand lifted her chin and his lips crashed into hers with the same insistence as before.

She found herself trapped against his chest by one of his strong arms and bent backward under the force of his kiss.

"Later," he whispered against her lips between deep, open mouthed kisses, "later I'll be angry. Right now I'm just glad you're alive… I'm alive… we're all together." His hand on her chin slid around to cradle the back of her head at the base of her lekku and Hera couldn't hold back a moan.

Kanan shuddered at the sound against his lips and vibrating through her chest which was pressed against his. His hand on her back slid down to her thigh. Crouching he grabbed her leg and lifted her into the air, spinning her around to deposit the beautiful twi'lek locking her lips with his on their bunk. She dragged him with her with one hand around his shoulders while the other worked the tie out of his hair.

"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered against his neck, burying her face in his shirt and breathing in the smell that was uniquely his. It was so much more potent and comforting than the weak imitation left on his pillow and his clothes that had been little comfort in the long days without him.

"It was the only thing that got me through," he said and pressed his lips to her temple, "knowing that all of you were safe."

Hera cringed, unable to accept his gratitude, and wound her arms more firmly around him, gripping his shirt.

"None of us would be here if you hadn't sacrificed yourself," she reminded him, tears welling in her eyes at the memory of Ezra and Sabine's angry shouts as she flew away without her lover. She leaned back to look at his face and gripped his shoulders, as he had gripped hers hours ago in the corridor. "I know I had to protect our family," she said, "but leaving you behind was the hardest thing I've ever done." Hera put her hand against the side of his face, feeling the alien yet familiar scratch of his hair against her palm.

"You came back for me," he reminded her, "even when you shouldn't have."

"We need you, Kanan," she whispered, looking away, "need your guidance and strength. I didn't know what to do without you, how we could go on fighting after losing you. I need you…" Kanan pulled her closer and she glanced up at his shining eyes and cocky smirk.

"I don't plan on going anywhere. For the next few hours I intend to be right her with you."

Hera smiled, tears spilling over down her cheeks and dragged Kanan in for a fierce kiss. He pushed her back against the bed and crawled up with her. He would be angry later, but for now they were just thankful to be together again with their strange family, safe, if only for the moment.

Author's Note: Hope you liked it. Leave me a review if you have a moment. If there are any other scenes you'd like to see with a more adult rating I'd love to hear. If you're a Clone Wars fan check out my authors page for other Star Wars stories. Thanks for reading! –Em