Hello! I hope you like this chapter!

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Chapter 2 – Tuck and Roll

Kanan, after making eye contact with Zeb, looked at his padawan. He was trapped in the Inquisitor's arms, his feet dangling, not quite touching the ground. Kanan felt anger towards the Pua'an. He held Ezra's life in his arms, dangling it before Kanan but keeping him just out of reach. The Inquisitor knew Kanan's weakness.

Before, Kanan could feel strong emotions radiating off of Ezra, some of them including fear, desperation, guilt, and a touch of embarrassment. Although, Kanan could have guessed the last one because of the way Ezra was avoiding eye contact.

But now, Ezra's electric blue eyes met his own.

"Ezra," Kanan said, seizing his opportunity. "Tuck and roll." Kanan could see recognition fill Ezra's eyes. Looking up at the Inquisitor's face, Kanan smiled. He heard the Phantom detach, and the Inquisitor's smiling face turned to stun.

But then something unexpected happened.

Ezra had jerked in the Inquisitor's grasp, taking advantage of the moment of weakness, and had fallen to the ground. Doing just as Kanan had instructed, he began to roll away from danger.

Kanan looked over in surprise at Zeb, who had his weapon drawn, mirroring the same expression. Apparently Ezra could handle that part of the plan.

The Phantom fired its red laser, and Kanan drew his lightsaber. The Inquisitor force jumped back out of the way, but he was thrown off balance. Landing in a crouch a little ways off, Kanan could see the pure anger in the Inquisitor's eyes.

"Come on!" Zeb shouted. Kanan turned to where Ezra was, but he was surprised that he did not see the boy. Kanan ran over, and that's when he realized that they were atop of a hill. Running down it, he saw Ezra at the base of it. His stomach dropped when he did not see his padawan moving. Knowing time was running out, he quickly ran over to the boy and flung him over his shoulders. He saw the Phantom circle his position, spotting the green Twi'lek in the pilot's seat. He continued to run, sensing the Inquisitor was right on his tail.

The Ghost appeared in front of him, with the ramp outstretched. Zeb stood there, waiting to help the two Jedi on board. In the back, the Phantom docked with a satisfying click. Kanan took one glance behind him to see the Inquisitor advancing, his red lightsaber drawn. Turning back the Ghost, he jumped.

But he did not take into account the extra weight. Ezra was not heavy; in fact he was most likely underweight from his life on the streets. Even with a steady supply of food, Kanan noticed that Ezra continued to ration. Yet the uneven weight on Kanan's shoulder threw him off balance, making his landing on the platform anything but smooth.

Kanan was pulled over to the side, and he barely managed to grasp the ramp. He only had one arm to hold on to it with, and he was slipping fast. Zeb rushed over and reached for his arm, but Kanan shouted against it.

"Take the kid!" Zeb obliged, grabbing the kid's stomach and pulling him onto the ship. Kanan, using his other hand to grasp the ledge, pulled himself up and used to force to close the ramp.

He laid there for a moment, on his hands and knees, panting. He could feel the gravity lessening, a sign that Hera was entering the atmosphere. He looked up at Zeb, who crouched next to Ezra's limp body.

"This kid's gonna be the death of us."

Kanan was about to agree, when Ezra shot up, inhaling a large breath as he slowly took in his surroundings.

"Ezra? Are you alright?" Kanan asked. He looked over Ezra for any injuries, but he seemed unharmed minus his uneven breathing.

"Sorry," Ezra said, his eyes flashing guilt, before flopping back down onto the floor. Kanan stood and saw that Ezra still had his eyes open, and his breathing slowly steadied. Kanan looked up to see Sabine and Chopper looking down at them from the ledge, and when he looked back down at Ezra, he saw that Hera was already right next to him. Kanan stood, and looking at Ezra, his frustration with the kid rose.

"Ezra, what were you thinking?" Ezra looked up at Kanan, and knowing he was in trouble, turned on his defensive nature.

"What do you mean?" Ezra sat up, looking frustrated.

"You just ran off and almost got yourself killed! I would like to address how reckless you were!"

"I wasn't reckless, I could handle it!" Ezra stood up now, and Kanan knew that it was trying to make him seem like more of a threat, no doubt from his years on the streets. Even though he was angry, he still felt guilty. It wasn't Ezra's fault that he was like this; he had to adapt in order to live. Yet someone had to tell him that he was not alone anymore, even though he continued to act like it.

"Ezra," Kanan said, lowering his voice. He knew that the other crew members had gotten there only moments after him, but they did not see what he saw. "The Inquisitor had you in a choke hold." He heard Hera gasp behind Ezra, but the news seemed ineffective on Ezra.

"A what?"

"A choke hold. He was using the force to restrict your breathing. And he was about to kill you, Ezra." Ezra rubbed the front of his neck, the skin slightly agitated from earlier. Kanan continued on. "Ezra, I just want to know why you ran out in the first place." Ezra grew agitated, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves and shuffling his feet. He continued like that for a few moments before speaking.

"Well, I…I can't really explain it." Ezra looked up at Kanan, who nodded in reassurance, hoping that he would continue on. Ezra sighed. "I just…felt something. It was calling me to find it, like when I took your lightsaber."

Kanan remembered that clearly. His face remained neutral, but on the inside he was worried. Kanan had sent out the signal, beckoning the boy to find it, which he did. If it was the same thing, then could the Inquisitor…

No. It was impossible. Kanan was sure of it. Such a thing could only be done by light force users. If so, then who lured him out? Kanan shook off the question, returning to the present.

"Oh, I think you'll want this back." Kanan took out Ezra's lightsaber and handed it to him.

"Thanks," Ezra said, as he clipped it to his belt.

"Now, go get some rest," Kanan ordered, and Ezra compelled, running up the ladder and down the hallway.

What was he going to do with that kid?

Seeing as the show was over, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper went away, having to find something else to entertain them. And Kanan had no doubt that it would end up being Ezra.

That left Hera and Kanan alone in the room.

"Kanan," Hera spoke first, knowing that he had more to say.

"Hera, you have no idea what it looked like." Hera moved closer to Kanan, who was now staring at the ground. "He had him in his grasp. His legs were flailing, he was…choking. And the look the Inquisitor had on his face…it…"

Hera was now rubbing Kanan's back, trying to calm him. The gesture was kind, but Kanan knew that the memory would forever haunt him.

"And then, to see Ezra…in his grasp…the monster." Kanan clenched his fists.

"Kanan, he's safe now. He's going to be okay. You know how Ezra is; He's probably already forgotten about the whole thing."

"I saved him this time, but what if next time…"

"Don't think like that." Hera spun Kanan around to face her. "Don't you dare think like that. It's not good for you, and you know it." Kanan, his surprise subsiding, nodded.

"You're right."

"I know." Hera gave Kanan a wink before turning around and walking back to her cockpit. Kanan could only smile and shake his head.

His smile soon faded. There was something…off with the force.

Something did not feel right.

Kanan had a bad feeling about this.

Ezra raced into his room, glad that Zeb was not in there. He closed his door and leaned against it, taking a breath.

Even though he played off his fear, he knew that Kanan could see right through it. Because the truth was, Ezra was terrified. He rubbed absently at his neck, as if the Inquisitor's grasp was still tightly grasping it.

Deep breath.

Ezra stood up from the comfort of the wall, and placed his lightsaber on a small crate that acted like a table. He took a step before freezing in his tracks. Turning back around slowly, his suspicions were confirmed. He did just see that.

And it was still there.

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R & R

~ Kavella ~