So, I'm finally getting caught up on Star Wars Rebels. I'm up to episode 8 of season 4 so yay! Hope ya'll enjoy this chapter, 'cause I know I enjoyed writing this one! You'll see why!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NO RIGHTS TO STAR WARS REBELS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS! ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO LUKASFILM AND DISNEY!

Maul raised the crimson blade above Kanan's head, just as he was coming to. Maul swung downward, but just before the blade struck the Jedi, Maul was picked up off his feet and thrown. Maul hit the ground hard and rolled, now at least fifteen meters from Kanan. Maul laid on the ground, and he wasn't moving.

" Kanan! " it was Ezra. He had returned from the Rancor's cave. Quickly he ran over.

" Ezra..? " Kanan asked wearily, not sure if he believed his ears.

" Kanan, what are you doing here? " Ezra questioned, helping the Jedi to his feet.

" What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm here to get you! "

Ezra hesitated, " Kanan I- "

" Come on. Let's go. " Kanan said, grabbing Ezra's arm. Ezra pulled away. " Ezra? "

" I can't go. Maul he- I need him Kanan. "

" I don't believe what I'm hearing! Ezra this is nonsense, we have to go! "

" I can't! I have to stay! " Ezra shouted, stepping away from Kanan. Kanan's shoulder's slouched.

" You're not coming, are you? " Kanan asked, already knowing the answer. Ezra shook his head. Kanan sighed. He had feared this.

" I have to stay. I need to learn from him. What he can teach me can help us. "

" Please Ezra, come back! " Kanan begged, " Please! Before it's too late for you! "

Ezra hesitated and glanced over at Maul, who was still laid on his stomach. Then he looked up at Kanan and said, " No. I need him. You don't know him like I do. He's not the monster you think he is. " Kanan stepped back. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had lost Ezra.

Maul grunted as he sat himself up. Maul looked up. The rebels were leaving.

" Apprentice! " he shouted.

" I'm here, Maul. I'm not going anywhere. " Ezra said, walking over to Maul. He crouched next to the former Sith.

" You did not leave? " Maul questioned, slowly rising to his feet, " Why? "

" We have unfinished business. "

" I see. You are determined to learn, aren't you? "

Ezra nodded.

He is willing to do anything to learn the secret to cheat death. You could use this to your advantage. said the voices.

" What of your Jedi friend? " Maul asked.

" Friend? You mean ' master '. Kanan is still my master. Don't think otherwise, Old Man. " Ezra said harshly, turning and running back inside the cave.

Maul let off a faint smirk as he watched the boy. " Or so you think. " he said, chuckling to himself.

" Rex should be fine, but he needs to rest. " Hera said as she faced Kanan.

" I'm... I'm sure he'll be fine. Rex is a tough clone. " Kanan said, his voice filled with sorrow.

" Kanan, " Hera began, " I'm sorry about Ezra. I hope there's still something we can do. "

Kanan sighed. " I don't know Hera. The dark side... It's a hard path to come back from. Ezra thinks he can learn something from Maul... Oh Hera. I'm such a fool! I should of listened to Ezra! I could of prevented this! "

" You couldn't of known. " Hera said, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. Kanan wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close.

" Love? " Hera said, pulling away, but still close to him. " Kanan, kiss me. "

Kanan took a surprised step back. Had he heard her right? " Uh, what? What did you say? "

" You heard me. " Hera said. She then grabbed Kanan's shirt collar and pulled him into a passionate kiss. His blind eyes went wide in surprise for a moment, but then his shoulders relaxed, his eyes shut, and his arms went around her again, and the two embraced each other.

Ezra sat off in a corner of the cave, crying. He was so confused. Had he betrayed Kanan? He wanted to learn to cheat death, he thought it could help them. But he was filled with such grief, such heartache, after seeing the disappointed look on Kanan's face. Was he doing the right thing?

" Apprentice? " Ezra heard Maul say. He turned and saw the former Sith standing at least six meters away. He was leaning on his saber, which Ezra had often seen him use as a cane.

" Go away! Ju-Just leave me alone! " Ezra shouted between sobs.

" You are heartbroken. I know the feeling. " Maul said, as if he felt sorry for the boy. Even though Ezra had shouted at Maul to leave, he approached, sitting next to him. " Back on Malachor, when you and I had first met, I told you that the Sith took me from my mother. That they took my family, and that they murdered my brother. The Jedi try to force you to forget these attachments, to family or loved ones, while the Sith encourage you to use these attachments as weapons. I now know that neither of these things are the way. "

Ezra looked at Maul curiously, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. " What are you talking about? "

" Remember the loved ones you lost. Do not forget them. Let them live inside you, in your memories. Remember their love. Remember their compassion. "

Ezra's gaze softened. This was a side of Maul he had not seen. Maul seemed kinder, almost as if he really did care. It was an almost... Fatherly like side that Ezra did not know Maul was capable of. " Have you ever loved someone? Other than a family member? " he asked.

" Oh yes. Yes, I have. "

" Who? "

Maul then hesitated, and his gaze grew sad. This was something Maul had not thought about in years. In fact, Maul wasn't sure if it was something he wanted to share. But he took one glance at Ezra, and he opened up.

" A woman, " he began, " we never married, but we had... a unique relationship. Many times I sneaked away from my master to see her, here on Dathomir. I was about your age, in fact, maybe a bit older. "

" Really? She must of been something special for you to sneak off like that. " Ezra said, a bit teasingly.

" Oh yes, she was quite something ' special '. She kept me pleased. "

Ezra cringed and said, " Ew! Okay, I did not mean it like that! " Then they both began to laugh. Laughter. It made Maul feel good. " So, did your master ever find out? "

" Sadly yes, " Maul said with a frown, " he knew all along. But when we had a child together, he saw it as a sign of rebellion. He feared that I would try to take my son as apprentice and attempt to rise up against him. And so, when my son was maybe five years of age, my master killed the woman I had been seeing. I hid my son, but after his mother's death, his mind was not right. He had gone mentally insane. "

" So he was pretty traumatized, huh? Where is he now? "

" I don't know. I honestly don't know. "

" How could you not know? What happened? "

Maul stood and gripped his saber tightly, but not aggressively. " I-I do not wish to speak of this anymore. Get some rest apprentice, we much to do tomorrow. " Then Maul turned and began to walk away, but suddenly stopped and turned back to Ezra. " Sleep well, Ezra Bridger. " then he turned back around and walked off.

" Maybe Ventress was right, " he said to himself, " Maybe I am getting soft in my old age. "