Another chapter! A big thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited!

They were on Lothal. Hera was on the Ghost, getting the signal scrambler ready. Ezra was sitting alone on the ramp of the ship. He hadn't told the others that sometimes he could feel Kanan's pain and hear his screams through their bond. Every moment they weren't rescuing Kanan hurt, physically and mentally.

"Hey, kid." Ezra turned at Zeb's rough voice. "There's 'n Imperial report 'bout to come on."

They walked into the sitting room of the Ghost, where Hera and Sabine were with the radio.

Pain suddenly gripped Ezra. A deep, unbearable pain in his every cell. It felt as if half of his very heart had been brutally ripped out. Distantly, Ezra was aware he was curled into a ball on the floor of the Ghost, screaming for all he was worth.

Pleasestopmakeitstopmakeitstop!

And then, finally, the pain lessened. Part of his heart still felt it was missing, but the pain was no longer crippling.

"-ra? Ezra!"

Jerking in surprise, Ezra managed to look up, into the concerned faces of the others. "I-I'm okay." He gasped out.

"What was that?!"

"I…I don't know." Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

The other three helped him up, worry all over their faces. A crackle of static gained their attention. The radio.

"This is an official Imperial report, brought to you, the loyal citizens of the Empire by the Imperial Security Bureau. We have learned from the Grand Moff Tarkin that a deadly and dangerous insurgent has finally been brought to justice!"

No. Ezra's blood turned to ice. Nonono it can't be.

"This insurgent, who has committed many acts of treason and terrorism against the people of the Empire, has been stopped. The insurgent was a follower of the old, corrupt, fabled Jedi Order. But have no fear citizens! The insurgent, known as Kanan Jarrus, is dead."

Everything stopped. Ezra couldn't remember how to breathe. Kanan was gone.

He can't be gone!

Desperately, the teen reached through the Force, searching for Kanan. But Kanan wasn't there, and their bond was gone. All that was left was the tattered remains, the only thing there because the bond had been severed.

Kanan was gone.

Kanan was gone.

Ezra sank to his knees. Zeb was there, saying they couldn't believe the Empire, but he didn't understand. It wasn't a lie. Kanan was gone, he was gone.

All the despair suddenly overwhelmed him, and hazily he realized he was running. Running where? It didn't matter, nothing mattered anymore, because Kanan was gone, just like his parents.

He tripped over something, and fell to the ground. He didn't get up. His cheeks were wet, and he couldn't bring himself to care that he had cut his hand when he'd fallen.

A loud, almost inhuman, anguished wail rose from inside him, echoing around the plains of Lothal.

Ezra!

Ezra, wake up!

He was hearing Kanan's voice, but he couldn't be, Kanan was dead.

Ezra Bridger WAKE UP!

Reality suddenly snapped.

Bright blue eyes snapped open, and Ezra shot up with a gasp. Hands were on his shoulders, hands that connected to arms in green, following the arms, he found a concerned face with blue-green eyes staring at him.

Kanan.

Ezra stared at his dead master for a second before launching into his arms.

"It's okay." His very much alive master said.

"You-you were gone. T-They-" Ezra's voice cracked, and the dam holding his tears broke. He sobbed into Kanan's chest, fear and despair filling him.

When his cries finally calmed somewhat, Kanan spoke.

"Ezra. Look at me." Ezra look up hesitantly. "I'm alright. We're both on the Ghost. Use the Force. What do you feel?"

Swallowing, Ezra reached out into the Force. He could feel Zeb, Sabine and Hera in other parts of the Ghost. He reached for the bond between him and Kanan, and found it intact. Kanan's Force signature was there, bright and reassuring as ever. Kanan was alive.

Kanan reached back to envelop Ezra through the Force, to reassure the boy that he was there.

After a while, Kanan looked down at his padawan, still in his arms.

"You okay?" The teen nodded.

"Yeah. I just…it was just a nightmare." He slid from Kanan's arms. "Sorry I-"

"It's alright Ezra." Kanan said softly. "You don't have to apologize, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"I should have found you sooner! I-"

"Ezra!" The teen averted his eyes. "Ezra, you did everything you could."

A hand under his chin gently made him look up.

"Ezra, I'm back because of you. You got me out of that cell."

"I just…" Ezra trailed off.

"I know."

Kanan hugged him again, holding him close. Ezra hugged back, squeezing for all he was worth.

Kanan sighed, relaxing into his seat next to Hera. It was good to be back home.

"You're staring again dear."

"What?" Hera shook her head at him.

"You were staring." Kanan grinned.

"Sorry." She smiled, and started to reply but-

Pain. Fear, loss, despair.

The anguished wail of an orphaned Padawan.

Ezra.

"Love?" Hera was watching him with wide, concerned eyes.

"Ezra." He took off, frantically searching for his padawan.

There. The gun turret.

The Force lent itself to him, letting him run faster than humanly possible and jumping into the turret easily.

Ezra was passed out in the chair, shaking and crying out. With shock, Kanan saw there were tear tracks on the teen's cheeks.

"Ezra!" He grabbed his shoulders and shook the kid. "Ezra, wake up!"

Reaching for the bond, Kanan, like Ezra had done for him, dove into the Master-Padawan bond to Ezra's consciousness.

Ezra!

Ezra, wake up!

Ezra's emotions were in turmoil. A rolling storm of pain and despair overwhelmed everything else, blocking him out. Reaching as far as he could, the Force aiding him, Kanan tried again.

Ezra Bridger, WAKE UP!

Ezra's eyes snapped open, and he shot up with a gasp. His bright blue eyes slowly followed up Kanan's arms to his eyes. The pure, unadulterated despair Kanan had seen before, in Padawans whose masters had been killed. In his own eyes the first time he saw his reflection after his master had been murdered.

Kanan's thoughts were interrupted when Ezra suddenly lunged for him, curling into his chest. Kanan wrapped his arms around the trembling boy.

"It's okay." He reassured him.

"You-you were gone. T-They-" Ezra's voice cracked, and he sobbed, clutching Kanan.

Kanan let him cry, and just held the poor kid. Once his sobs had calmed, Kanan spoke up.

"Ezra. Look at me." When the kid had looked up, he continued. "I'm alright. We're both on the Ghost. Use the Force," he added. "What do you feel?"

Ezra followed his suggestion, relaxing as he felt the truth. The kid reached for their bond, and the pure relief almost knocked Kanan over. He reached back to the kid, hugging him tightly through the Force.

"You okay?" Kanan finally asked him.

Ezra nodded. "Yeah. I just…it was just a nightmare." He slipped out of Kanan's arms, shame making him look down. "Sorry I-"

"It's alright Ezra." Kanan interjected softly. "You don't have to apologize, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"I should have found you sooner! I-"

"Ezra!" The teen looked away. "Ezra, you did everything you could." Kanan gently took ahold of Ezra's chin and made him look up. "Ezra, I'm back because of you. You got me out of that cell."

"I just…" Ezra's voice trailed off.

"I know."

Kanan hugged his padawan again, holding him close. Ezra returned the embrace, squeezing his master for all he was worth.

The two were content to stay like that, but unfortunately…

"Again, it's really cute when you two bond, but Kanan, Hera said she needs to talk to you." Sabine's voice was soft despite her teasing words.

"In a minute Sabine." The colorful girl walked off, leaving Master and Padawan alone again.

"C'mon kind. We can't keep Hera waiting."

They both descended the ladder and walked to the cockpit together, reveling in the feel of the other through their bond.