Broken Chains

The first thing Hera was aware of was the low, steady bleating sound, not the familiar sounds of the Ghost, but of a heart monitor. The second, was the uncomfortable taste and feeling of cotton in her mouth. However, her first real thought though, was of him.

Kanan?

With her free hand, the other still loosely clasped in his, she leaned over, and gently smoothed his fore-head, perhaps more than a little relieved when she didn't get a response. At least he was really resting now.

Still, she was very careful when she freed her other hand to pour herself a glass of water from the pitcher at the bedside. Stars! She was thirsty, and maybe even a little hungry for the first time in days. She eyed the ration bar that had been left with the water with more than a little interest, and stretched, allowing the blanket lid down to her lap. It had been another gift from an unknown benefactor – she must have slept right through their visit, but in her exhaustion and relief that both Kanan and Ezra were alive…

Ezra! Goddess bless! She had been so wrapped up with even getting Kanan to go to the corvette's infirmary – she rubbed her eyes in frustration, trying to piece together what happened in the immediate aftermath of the rescue. She had sent Zeb and Sabine out – out to the other med bay - and things had gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Possible Heart Failure, the med droid had stated in that cold clinical monotone – Kanan – Goddess! How was he even still standing, much less cracking jokes – had blithely remarked that the Inquisitor hadn't exactly been gentle with his affections. She remembered begging him, ordering him not to leave her again, and then everything around her going gray. The next thing she remembered was Sabine bringing her caf, and a blanket, and Kanan had been, for want of a better word, settled, at least for a while. And now…

There was no time keeper in the room, and the dim lighting gave no clue to whether it was early or late, and Hera debated the idea of actually getting up and seeking someone out, even one of the dreaded medical droids, when a quiet rapping came from the door.

"Um, Hello? Anyone awake in here?" A mop of black hair peaked around the corner. "Hera?"

At first sight of Ezra, Hera's smile could have lit up the room – at least until she saw the brace on his arm – and the smile quickly became a scowl. "Your arm..."

He waved her off. "How's Kanan?"he asked, drawing close to the other side of the bed. "The medic said he's had a quiet night, I mean after..." Concern darkened his features.

Hera managed a shaky laugh. "You know he's not a good patient under the best of circumstances," she said. "The last time he had pain killers, he got… giggly..." and handsy she added mentally to herself. She grew serious again. "But as far as I know, it was uneventful. I must have fallen asleep not long after he did..."

Ezra shifteduncomfortably in his chair, and looked at the floor. "Good," he muttered. "You needed that."

Hera narrowed her eyes, questions about his arm momentarily forgotten. "What do you mean by, 'good' Erza Bridger?"

Ezra raised his head, stuck his chin out and thinned his lips. Admittedly, under any other circumstances, Hera would have found it amusing – the look was a mirror of Kanan at his most mule headed – but right now…

"We voted, the four of us." he said simply. "And we all agreed."

"You voted? Who? And to what?" Hera struggled to keep herself from squeezing Kanan's hand in frustration.

"Zeb, myself, Sabine and Chop." Fulcrum – Ahsoka's name was conspicuously absent. "Chop wanted two votes, but we were all in agreement..."

"To drug me?" Hera hissed, incredulous. "What were you thinking?"

Kanan groaned softly, and both Ezra and Hera reached to gently touch his face, Ezra to his fore-head, Hera to his cheek. After a moment, he was still, and even Hera herself had calmed a little.

"I understand the reasoning, I guess," she said at last. "But -"

"But nothing, Hera," Ezra said, rising from the chair. "You, Kanan, Sabine, Zeb and even Chopper – You guys will always come before anything else. Before the Rebellion, before Jedi training, even before Lothall. My family will always come first. No matter what."

Hera said nothing, she pursed her lips but didn't drop her gauze from Ezra's. At last, she nodded, giving Kanan's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Sabine and Zeb will want to see you guys," Ezra remarked casually as he paused at the door. "Probably Chop too..." Again, Ahsoka's name had been deliberately omitted. "Can I send them over?"

Now Hera smiled. "As long as they're quiet, I don't see the problem," she said, and as an after thought, she added, "Oh Ezra, thank Sabine for the caf..."