**Sorry I'm slow guys! Still sick and on another week of bed rest :P I'm hoping to get a lot of writing done, but we'll see. Hope you enjoy the chapter, make sure you review :) ** ~Ocean

Chapter 10: Treatment

On a planet nearby the Coruscant's system, Zaluna had managed to find a facility that wasn't entirely run by Imperials, and was actually known to have rebel sympathizers running it. When they had arrived, Kanan didn't care about the risks, he couldn't.

"Okay, so who's the mother? Ezra doesn't look like he has Twi-lek in him and neither does Sabine." The Sullustan asked quietly as she got settled in the hard chair. The medical droid had been nice enough to bring them for the non-patients to sit. The whole time he grumbled about them being in the way.

Kanan wasn't paying any attention. His focus was on the teenager fully submerged in the bacta tank. The boy had no color and the wound he had sustained had missed most vital organs, but his left lung had been damaged. Ezra also suffered from a fatal loss of blood. The last part struck a strange cord. Usually a light saber would cauterize the wound and prevent it from bleeding. Had Vader done something else that Kanan didn't notice?

A part of his subconscious mind gripped onto Zaluna's speech and he was brought from his thoughts.

"Hm?...oh. He's not really my son, and Sabine's not my daughter. Ezra's my apprentice and Sabine is one of the crew members. I guess in a way we are a family though…" Kanan said calmly, with most of his attention still focused on Ezra.

The medical droid told them that it could be months before Ezra woke from his coma. They didn't have that much time; sooner or later they would be discovered. The Jedi was trying to formulate a new plan of action. As long as the Empire didn't find out about them using this underground facility, his student would be safe. Kanan didn't feel comfortable leaving him though and so he sent Sabine with the roots back to the fleet. Zaluna had stayed with the Jedi to keep him company.

"You act like a father towards them, that's for certain." She smiled a little watching as the older man sighed looking away from the tank and finding a seat.

"You would think they were siblings with how much they bicker and tease each other. They're both young, and have lost their family one way or another. They needed guidance from their past; I've had plenty experience with that and so I guess I've assumed that role. Hera has a major role in taking care of them too." A small smile twitched on his face before it relaxed again into the normal position.

"What about you? Did you ever have any kids?" They weren't going anywhere, might as well find something to pass the time.

"Me? No, I wasn't lying about that. I spent my whole life behind the scenes on Gorse and the mines that I gave up that part of my life long ago, now I'm too old." Kanan noticed that there was some regret in her voice, but he ignored it.

"You got your sight back. When we left you, you were blind." The fact that the older woman could see perplexed him. When they had left, Hera offered to find her a place that would repair her sight. Zaluna declined, saying she didn't want to have her sight fixed because she had seen too much, but here she was able to see just like him or anyone else.

"Surprisingly, my eyes healed on their own. I took it as a sign, and I've been working with a doctor on Coruscant to help my vision. No prosthetics, implants or transplants though. Just medicinal drops and things. I couldn't help but learn all the security systems on the planet though. It just…happens naturally. I guess when you pay attention to everything for over 30 years it's hard to give it up on a subconscious level." Zaluna leaned back watching Kanan watch her. Kanan allowed a small but sullen smile to cross his face.

"I know that feeling all too well. Old habits die hard. I tried to get rid of my past, but it caught back up to me with a Twi-lek and one boy." Kanan said motioning to the unconscious teen floating in the liquid.

Kanan remembered when he was about that age and had been shot. He spent time in a bacta tank. Being in there was a wonderful feeling, it was after you were conscious and reality came back to you. Depression would hit and normally patients needed treatment for that.

"I'm glad that you paid as much attention that you did. And that we ran into you; without your knowledge, we would have never gotten the root or been able to get off the planet. You have my gratitude and everyone else's, for all you have done." Zaluna smiled sweetly at his praise.

"You're a good man Kanan. Who knew that a drunk, suicide flying, reckless young man would turn into what I see before me. Hera must have had some influence in that." Kanan smiled and nodded.

"Yes, she definitely calmed me down quite a bit. She helped me to start rediscovering who I was. We're not an item or anything of that sort, but we are partners and best friends. I trust her with my life and she does the same." The Jedi's words trailed off as his mind wandered to the Twi-lek in question. He hoped Sabine had gotten to her in time. The Mando said that when she arrived she would make contact, that had been almost half a rotation. Kanan was starting to become concerned that something had happened.

**BREAK**

Sabine docked her stolen ship and was soon walking down the corridor of the familiar, but silent ship. She felt a little displaced; normally Chopper was beeping and causing problems for Zeb and Ezra who were, in turn, usually causing so much noise that Hera would be barking orders of chores. That or Kanan and Ezra would be arguing about their most recent training practice. Ahsoka opened the door right before she got there.

"I sensed your return."

"How is she?" The girl asked quietly. The older teen handed the roots to Ahsoka, glancing behind the Togruta at the female that had become like a mother to her.

"Alive for now…You can see her; I'm going to get this prepared. I shall return soon." The force user left with the roots as Sabine entered the room sitting in the unoccupied chair next to Hera's bed.

Very gently the Mandalorian took her hand and just held it for comfort noticing how cold the extremity was.

"We're back Hera…well, I'm back anyway. We got you the root. Now you'll get better and we can go pick up the boys." She knew that if Hera wasn't sick that she would frown, showing her concern over the fact that the girl had returned alone. Knowing that Hera wasn't conscious, the Mandalorian still continued explaining what happened, feeling that she needed to.

"They're in an underground medical facility right now. Ezra was injured badly and Kanan said that if he wasn't put in bacta he would not have survived the trip back here. I'm worried about them Hera. I wish you were awake, you'd know what to do, tell me how I should feel." Sabine looked down. She knew it was childish that a Mandalorian such as herself should feel this way; they were supposed to be proud warriors not fazed by anything especially death and injury.

That was very far from the truth right now. Hera always helped her sort out her feelings and help her make the right choices. Getting silence, Sabine sighed and just fell silent letting her eyes shut as she listened to the pilot breathing raggedly.

Ahsoka came in several minutes later with a very large syringe, injecting the dark serum into the IV drip bag connected to Hera.

"Is she going to be okay now Ahsoka?" The girl asked as she looked up at the older female.

"She's a fighter Sabine. Only time will tell, but I think she has a good chance. You should rest now, you've had a long journey. When you have woken we will discuss plans about Kanan and Ezra's safe return." The words weren't very reassuring, and Ahsoka knew it, but she wouldn't lie to the girl. Hera's organs had been shutting down. Only Hera's will would be able to save her now that the Gattis-root was in her system.

"Alright." The girl stood up knowing there was no sense in arguing. She was exhausted. Sabine walked to her cabin and climbed in bed. Within moments, she was asleep, completely forgetting to contact Kanan and give him an update.