STAR WARS REBELS: RAGE AND LOVE
AN: Takes place a month after the events of "Fire Across The Galaxy". Enjoy!
Another badly planned mission had resulted in another near disaster for the rebels. With Darth Vader now in charge of all Imperial operations on Lothal, targets were now harder to attack. Frustration was taking its toll on the crew of the Ghost, as some storm troopers that had flanked them had nearly shot Ezra. Luckily, Sabine had spotted them, and shot them, saving Ezra.
As they made their way back to the Ghost carrying what little goods they had managed to salvage from the facility they had just robbed, Ezra approached Sabine. "Thanks for saving me back there" Ezra said, smiling. Sabine scowled. "Don't read anything into it kid" Sabine said harshly. As Sabine walked off, Ezra simply stood there, staring at her retreating form.
Ezra then turned his gaze to the ground as he began shaking with anger, and his hands began to ball into fists. Kyle noticed Ezra standing behind the group. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up" Kyle said. "Fine, but be back soon" Hera said. Kyle walked over to Ezra and could feel Ezra's anger pulsing out from him.
"Deep breaths Ezra, like Kanan taught you" Kyle said, putting his arm around Ezra. Ezra began some deep breathing and began to calm down. Unlike Zeb, Kyle was a favorite of Ezra. Despite being a Jedi, Kyle was understanding and compassionate, when he wasn't in battle. The crew had met Kyle in a bar fighting some storm troopers who had decided to interrogate a small young girl over the rebel's activities. After revealing himself to be a Jedi, Kyle agreed to flee with the rebels, and had since proven to be valuable, both to the crew and to Ezra's training.
As they were walking back to the Ghost, Ezra told Kyle of his brief chat with Sabine. "Don't take it to heart kid" Kyle said. "How can I not? She always treats me like this!" Ezra said angrily. Kyle said nothing as they walked in silence back to the Ghost.
The crew was sitting in the lounge relaxing when Kyle and Ezra entered. Ezra walked towards his room, but paused at the door. Kyle felt anger radiating from Ezra, and he could sense that it was because of Sabine. "Are you gonna go inside, or just gawk at the door?" Sabine asked, getting a laugh from Zeb and Chopper. When Ezra didn't move, Sabine laughed. "Well, at least he has someone else whom he fancies" Sabine said. Zeb and Chopper almost died laughing, and even Kanan and Hera joined in the laughter. Only Kyle didn't find it funny. He could sense Ezra's anger rising.
Ezra was now visibly shaking with rage. Ezra's vision turned red as he glared at Sabine. "Uh oh" Kyle whispered to himself as Ezra walked towards Sabine rapidly. "What's you're prob-…" Sabine began before Ezra's fist connected with the side of her head, sending her flying into the side of the Ghost. Blood ran down the side of her face, as Ezra had cut her above the right eye.
"EZRA!" Kanan shouted. Ezra, still seething, turned to Kanan and waved his hand, sending him flying into the wall. "SHUT UP!" Ezra shouted. Ezra turned back towards Sabine and began walking towards her as she struggled to get to her feet, raising his fist again. Suddenly, a hand stopped him, and someone stepped in front of him, blocking him off from Sabine.
"Get out of my way Kyle!" Ezra growled. "That's enough Ezra" Kyle said. Ezra glared at Kyle, and the two began an intense stare off. Finally, Ezra cooled off, and huffed as he walked into his room. Kyle was furious. Not with Ezra, but with Sabine. "How can she be so heartless?" Kyle thought angrily.
"What's with him?" Sabine asked, clutching her head. Kyle snapped. He turned around and used his forearm to pin Sabine against the wall. "Do not even think of interfering" Kyle growled as he glared at Kanan, Hera, Zeb, and Chopper. He then turned his gaze back to Sabine. "I don't know who you think you are, but you don't deserve anything you've gotten from Ezra! He has treated you with nothing but respect since the moment he arrived here, and you've done nothing but treat him like dirt under your nails" Kyle said angrily.
Kyle released his hold on Sabine, and she slid down the wall to the ground. "I…I…" Sabine stuttered. "You have no idea what kind of pain you cause him, day after day. He has been trying to put himself back together from the time that he lost his parents, something you of all people should understand, yet you keep breaking him down again and again… and now I have to go pick up the pieces… again!" Kyle growled, as days of frustration over keeping silent over Sabine's treatment of Ezra, simply boiled over.
Kyle walked into Ezra's room, and the door closed. Hera and Kanan had left to discuss the situation privately, and Zeb and Chopper had gone outside to get some air, leaving Sabine alone. She sat and thought about what she had ever said to Ezra since she met him. Mandalorians were bred to be tough, hard on each other. Yet, Ezra wasn't a Mandalorian. She saw that she had treated him as badly as Kyle had said.
What disturbed her wasn't the fact that she had treated him badly, which was a misunderstanding of cultures. What disturbed her was that her mistreatment of Ezra went far beyond that. Some of the things she said to him would've resulted in far worse physical punishment than a punch on Mandalore.
As she examined their interactions further, she saw that he had truly cared about her. He had risked his life time and time again, complimented her on her art, and simply tried to make her happy, because he liked her. And she had hurt him because of it.
Sabine began to cry silently as she sat alone in the corner of the Ghost. Night fell, and everyone had retired to his or her cabins, except for Sabine, who hadn't moved since her confrontation with Kyle. The day went by, and Sabine didn't do anything except cry silently, and sleep in the corner. Kyle, while still angry, felt Sabine's sadness, and went to talk to Ezra.
"You need to talk to her" Kyle said. No Ezra grumbled. "Seriously, she hasn't eaten anything!" Kyle said. "She can starve for all I care" Ezra said. "Ezra!" Kyle exclaimed. "You've seen what she treats me like, and I can't forgive her for that!" Ezra said angrily. "FORGIVENESS ISN'T WHAT YOU SHOULD GIVE HER, BUT IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR YOU!" Kyle shouted. Ezra remained silent.
Kyle sighed. "Just talk to her, just see what suffering you are causing her," Kyle said softly. Ezra stayed silent for a time. "Fine" Ezra groaned. Ezra walked out of his room, and saw Sabine sitting in the corner, refusing to look at Ezra. "The mighty Sabine, the pride of Mandalore. Tell me Sabine, how does rejection feel?" Ezra mocked as he sat in front of Sabine. Sabine turned her back further away from Ezra.
"Oh? Did I hurt your feelings?" Ezra asked. "Well you hurt mine when you treated me like dirt" Ezra growled. Silence enveloped the room. "Anything to say?" Ezra asked loudly. "I'm sorry" Sabine whispered. Ezra was stunned. Sabine never apologized for anything, as Mandalorians had been trained to never apologize.
Sabine began crying again, tears flowing down her face. Blood mixed in with her tears, as her gash on her face hadn't healed. Ezra got up and walked away, and Sabine turned back towards the wall, crying. Suddenly, a wet rag was pressed against her head. Sabine turned and saw Ezra pressing the rag against her injury, stopping the bleeding.
"Ezra…" Sabine whispered. "Shh…" Ezra whispered. He gently treated her injury with the rag, and then bandaged it up. "How can you forgive me that easily?" Sabine asked, still crying. Ezra simply smiled softly as he continued to treat her injury. He kissed her forehead, and hugged her gently. "I'm sorry Sabine, I was wrong to strike you" Ezra said. "I'm sorry too Ezra" Sabine said. Sabine gazed into Ezra's eyes, and saw deep affection for her swirling in them. She smiled gently, and kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you Sabine" Ezra said softly. "I love you too," Sabine whispered and they kissed. They fell asleep a short while later, and Kyle smiled from his room as he watched over the 2 teens sleeping happily in each other's arms.