(I know that i havent given a detailed discription of what Reese looks like so the picture i uploaded for the story cover should help)
Chopper base
Reese watched Hera sitting on the ramp of her ship for a while. Not sure if it was his business to interfere, or to just let her be for the moment. Even though he knew what she was going through better than anyone. He had only just found out about Kanan a few hours ago and a title wave of emotions sucker punched him. He had blamed Kanan and Bridger for not bringing Ahsoka back from Malacor, had hated that she was left there, but he had managed to come to the slow realization that his anger and grief was making him think irrationally. Regardless he did miss his friend, he couldn't believe that he was gone just like that. First his beloved Soka and now Kanan. He made his way over to her and slowly sat down, first making her aware of his presence. Silence resonates between them for a moment as the sun rose on the horizon. "I'm so sorry." He finally spoke, turning to her. Seeing the pain in her eyes made his chest ache, he was all too familiar with that pain. Too familiar with that uncertainty and hopelessness.
"I don't know what to do." She sighed, her hands shaking when her eyes met his. He thought back to that night when Bridger and Kanan had returned from Malacor without his wife. What he felt was undescribed able, as if he was being suffocated and no one could give him release. Denial was his main stage of grief, he was insistent that Ahsoka would come back, but as months of silence had passed his hope quickly faded into despair and heartbreak, but he knew that Soka would have wanted him to remain strong not just for the rebellion but for her as well.
"Take time to be angry." He replied. "Don't bottle up everything inside you. I made that mistake and it only made me feel worse. I was spending so much time and energy blaming so many people for not doing more to help and I hated myself for not going with her. Rely on everyone around you…we're not going anywhere at the moment." Hera smiled at his comforting words as if they were exactly what she needed to hear. Reese had only ever met four Jedi in his life and before that was conceived along with many others that they were invincible. The stories that he had heard as a teenager during the Clone Wars were unbelievable. Brave warriors with their laser swords, followed by their loyal soldiers into battle was enough to keep anyone's attention. "The rebellion wins, losses and grieves together. No one is ever alone."
"Sometimes I feel like it's my fault that he joined the rebellion just because of me."
Reese couldn't help but laugh at this. "something tells me that Kanan would have joined up even if you hadn't asked. Because he was just as tired as the rest of us as about how things where in the galaxy. He demanded change just like the rest of us." Hera took a moment thinking all of this over, realizing that Reese was right. Even if she hadn't met Kanan she knew in her heart that he wouldn't have stayed in the secured, protective life that he was living in, he would have fought back eventually. "Look…I don't know much about the Force or the Jedi, but I do know that Kanan and Ahsokas essences flow through it and to us. Feeling that a loved one is still with even after they pass always seems the same in every religion."
Hera smiled up the Ayleen with such appreciation and gratitude that tears formed in her beautiful eyes. "Thank you, Reese." He nodded to her and got back to his feet when the rest of the Ghost Crew arrived on the scene. He grinned when he hears Hera say that she had something to discuss with all of them and they all seemed more than willing to listen to her. "You're all going to get through this." He says to himself. "Together. "The sun had fully risen when Reese had reached his ship The Pulser where his own crew was waiting, it was a new day, a new dawn and it brought hope with it.
"You doing ok?" Realin asked with Vincent standing next to her when Reese met them both in the hallway that connected to their cabins.
He shrugged at first, only staring at the floor, but raised his head after a moment. "Yeah, just ready to move forward."
Realin and Vince seemed to agree with this. Rea kissed their leader on the cheek before leaving for her cabin with Vincent in hand. "Proud of you Reese Ayleen."
Reese only then sat in his room, on his bed in deep thought. Ahsokas things had remained untouched as he had intended. Artifacts from her time with the Jedi and from her home planet had lit up the room with some much-needed color. Reese stared down at the marriage band around his wrist, the one that his wife had woven for their wedding. Both had achieved so much together and they had trusted one another with their deepest secrets. Reese remembered when he had been abducted by Maul and Ahsoka had to reveal her Jedi heritage in order to save his life., she had sacrificed so much for the man she loved and had made her husband. She was so much stronger than him, he admired her strength and her love as he broke down in tears. Regretting and ashamed of his lack of strength and his inability to take his own advice.
