(Stupid title, I know. Just read it, please)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything other than this plot line.
Kanan:
I took a deep breath, letting myself slip further into the sleepy, soft darkness that surrounded me. But a nagging worry crept into the back of my head. Ezra. Ever since we got back from Malachor, He's been... Different. Of course, he couldn't see his padawan, but one would have to be dead not to hear his screams during the night, or sense his constant fear, regret and guilt. Hera's assessment only made everything worse.
"He hasn't eaten since you guys got back, he's terrified of sleeping, and to make it worse, he hasn't said a word to anyone," Came her quiet voice, from somewhere left of him.
"He's extremely vulnerable right now..." I had said.
"I just hope he recovers..."
Now, he lay in the quiet, trying to sleep. Hera had reminded him that he couldn't help Ezra if he too, was suffering. But even now he could hear his apprentice's muted whimpers, quickly escalating to sobs, which turned into a long, heartbreaking wail. Enough sitting here, doing nothing, He thought, getting up clumsily and feeling his way to the door. His force sight was improving, as he could see faint outlines of walls, as well as people. He slowly made his way to Ezra, one hand on the wall beside him.
Then, out of nowhere, he felt a chill settle into the halls of the ghost, an evil take up residence here. He stopped, unsure of what to do. He then heard Ezra catch his breath in either fear, or pain. "Get out, please get out. I don't want to, no, no ,no, NO, NO!" Came his panicked voice.
"Ezra?" asked, confused. Who was he talking to? It hit him a few seconds later. Maul. That bastard. He rushed into the room, to find Ezra's force signature on the floor, growing weaker with each passing second. "No... I-I won't...won't let yo-..you..." Came his padawan's voice.
Without second thought, he got on his knees next to the boy. "Ezra, it's me, Kanan. Your ok... I'll make it go away..." He held Ezra close to his chest, attempting to enter his mind using the force. He was close, but then he hit a barrier. He knew instantly that it wasn't Ezra's doing. He struggled against it, but it nearly pushed him out, over and over. Then:
"My, my, my, didn't anybody teach you any manners?" Maul leered
"Your one to talk" He snarled back. "Get outta his head!"
"Not so fast, 'Jedi'. Aren't you supposed to protect your padawan from things like this?" Came his reply.
"That's what I'm doing!" Kanan said, finally finding an opening.
"Really? It doesn't look like it. I would take much better care of him.." Said Maul, trying to force him out.
"Not this time, Maul. He's not yours!" He said, turning the tables on the Zabrak, pushing him away from Ezra's mind.
"Ah, but he is..." Kanan could nearly hear the smirk in his voice as he fought back, forcing Kanan back, away from his apprentice.
The Jedi grew frantic, hearing Ezra's pain and fear. Mustering up a last burst of energy, he forced Maul to the edge of Ezra's mind, where he couldn't take control again.
"He's mine to train, Maul, you can't have him!"
"Wrong, yet again. No matter, I'll be back soon to claim what is mine."
Kanan felt the cold fade, and hurried to replace it with feelings of warmth and calm. His apprentice finally quieted. So, satisfied, Kanan exited his young charge's head, and lifted his head, finding his body cold and stiff.
"Kanan! Are you both okay?" Hera's voice came from directly in front of him. "We're fine.. Ezra's mind was invaded by that bastard, Maul. I pushed him out, but he'll come back, I swear it." He said.
"Kanan!" Came a different voice; Sabine, who was somewhere near them.
"Oi, you guys are back." A rough voice, zeb. "You've been out for nearly 4 hours.."
"We...We were?!" He asked.
"Yes, We were all really worried..." Hera replied.
He was about to respond, when a soft groan interrupted him.
"Ezra, your ok. He's gone." He said softly to the young boy in his arms.
"No. He's just getting started. He... He's coming."
Ezra's first words in two weeks chilled Kanan to the bone.
"What...What do you mean he's coming?!" The Jedi Knight asked, his voice low and urgent.
"He's coming, he's almost here. He won't give up. Please Kanan, I'm scared." His apprentice sounded close to tears.
"I don't want to leave you guys, I don't want to go with him!" He was nearly screaming now.
"Shhh. I won't let him touch you Ezra, It'll be fine." But the young padawan was past comfort. Past anything really.
"HE WON'T GIVE UP, HE WON'T LET US GO! I DON'T WANT TO GO WITH HIM! PLEASE KANAN, PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO WITH HIM!" The boy screamed at the top of his lungs.
This sent Kanan into a panicked frenzy.
Ezra clearly wasn't seeing what was right in front of his, what Kanan and the rest of the ghost crew were yelling at him, trying to ooth him, yet seemingly making the boy more frantic. He was almost sounding like he was possessed, or at the very least, having a vision?
It didn't make any sense.
Nothing made any sense.
Not until the boy stop thrashing. Panting, he sat up.
"...where am I?"
