Cover background by KimbaChan on Tumblr! Go check her out! Her art is AH-MAZING!
So this story kinda sucks, but I'm really tired right now and emotionally, physically, and creatively drained. My anxiety came back and I feel depressed for no reason... so time for angsty space family angst! I've been working on this story for a while, but I finally had the time and inspiration to finish it today. Enjoy!
We're not exactly anything. We're a team, a crew... and, in some ways, a family.
After Malachor, Kanan and Ezra had returned missing a crew member. Immediately, everyone had known that something had gone wrong. So when they returned home from Krownest missing two, they all feared the worst.
When Kanan and Ezra had stepped out of the Phantom II, Hera had hesitated to ask where Sabine was. Quite frankly, she was terrified of what the answer would be.
When Kanan told her that Sabine had simply decided to stay with her family and help them rebuild Mandalore, Hera had a mixed reaction. While she was relieved that Sabine was safe, her heart ached as she realized that her young crew member may never come back to them.
Over the next few days, things didn't get better. In fact, it became more obvious that the Ghost crew was struggling without her. Sabine had brought light and color into their lives, and without her the Ghost seemed dull and desolate. The murals that had once represented freedom and inspiration now reminded them that Sabine was gone. Yet, no one wanted to wash them off. It was a bittersweet reminder of better times. Without Sabine, the Ghost crew was but a shadow of what they once were.
For Ezra, losing Sabine was like losing a part of himself. In the years that they had known each other, they had grown very close. They were like siblings. Whenever he had a problem or needed to vent, Ezra would confide in Sabine. He had a special bond with her, and now he felt isolated and alone. While he would never admit it to anyone, Ezra began to take refuge in Sabine's empty cabin when he was feeling especially forlorn. Sometimes he would cry. Sometimes he would just rant. Most of the time, however, he would sit in silence and stare at her artwork. He would study each and every painting, taking in all of the details. In a way, it made Ezra feel like part of Sabine was still with him.
Hera had done the best job concealing her true feelings. She was an example for not only her crew, but the entire Rebellion. The last thing they needed now was for their leader appear weak. She could only take so much, however. Most nights, after the others had gone to bed, Hera went to her room and just broke down. She would sob, sometimes for hours, until she just couldn't cry anymore. Sabine was like a daughter to her, and she missed her so kriffing much. Sure, she understood and respected Sabine's decision, but it didn't make it hurt any less. She had grown to know and love her so much during the last few years that her life just felt so different without her. She'd already lost one family to his blasted war, and she wasn't ready to lose another.
Zeb may have not shown it, but he really was saddened by Sabine's departure. He knew what it was like have a commitment- his time in the honor guard had certainly taught him that- but he also knew that family mattered. He and Sabine had a special bond. During missions, they were an unstoppable machine. Stormtroopers often didn't stand a chance against them. Zeb's strength combined with Sabine's firepower often proved to be a difficulty obstacle for the Empire to overcome. Who would have his back? Who would stand with him, shoulder to shoulder, as they protected the Rebellion?
Kanan seemed to take the loss better than anyone else. He was proud of what Sabine had become, and he knew that she had a duty to free her family and Mandalore as wielder of the darksaber. But he knew that she would be back. Families stuck together, even when they were light years apart. Somehow, they always found their way back to each other. It was only a matter of time before their family would be complete again.