Ezra knelt in the dark with his eyes closed, meditating. He had come so close to the dark side. Maul had persuaded him into becoming his apprentice. After everything he did, after everything he took, Ezra still trusted Maul.

Ezra tried to let go of his emotions, sitting quietly as the creatures in the cave roamed around him. He was no longer afraid of the monsters that attacked Sabine and Hera back when he first met them. They trusted him and he knew they wouldn't attack him.

It had been so easy for Ezra to trust Maul when he met him. He had felt Maul's pain. He had felt his anger, his hatred. The Sith and the Empire had taken everything from him just as they took everything from Ezra. But unlike Maul, Ezra found a new family. Kanan, Hera, Sabine, Zeb, even Chopper, they were all his family.

Kanan had the datacrystal. He would know where to find him. As he thought about Kanan a wave of guilt passed over him. It was his fault he was blind. It was his fault Zeb was hurt. It was his fault all those people on Ord Mantell were killed. It was his fault Ahsoka was dead. Because he trusted Maul all those things happened.

Ezra rested his head in his hands and lowered his elbows to the ground. Hot tears dripped from his eyes and onto the ground. He blinked and watched them fall. The drops looked black in the shadows. Black like Vader. Black like the Sith. All his fault.

He felt something cold calling to him. It was comforting but frightening. It was knowledge, it was guidance.

Ezra pulled the Sith holocron from his side pouch and looked at it. This thing was the reason he left. This thing was the reason Maul had gotten to him. He gripped it tightly and raised his arm. With all of his might he threw it into the darkness. He watched the red glow soar through the air and bounce off of a republic transport ship. He could see the glow in the darkness and he felt it call to him.

He needed to get rid of it for good. Ezra got up and went to find the red pyramid. It was resting beside the republic ship casting its eerie red glow onto the hull painted like a gundark's head. He quickly grabbed it and breathed in slowly. He had to get rid of it once and for all.

Ezra found his way to the edge of the ravine inside the cave. He held the holocron out over the edge and stared at it. He wanted to drop it, but something compelled him to hold it longer. The holocron seemed to whisper to him. Did he really need to get rid of it? It contained all the secrets of the Sith. Ahsoka had said to defeat an enemy you have to understand them. Ezra could use the holocron to learn about the Sith, just as he had been doing. He could open it. He could learn from it.

Ezra opened his hand and let the holocron fall into the ravine. He had succumbed to the dark side here once before. He wouldn't do it again.

The cold presence began to fade and Ezra sighed a breath of relief. As he breathed he began to hear a familiar sound from outside the cave. He looked toward the entrance and saw the ghost land. His family had found him.

As soon as the door opened Kanan saw Ezra running toward the ship from inside the cave.

"Kanan!" Ezra shouted. Kanan ran to meet him and as soon as he approached he saw the tears running down his face. He felt a wave of sadness and guilt rush into him from Ezra.

The boy rammed into Kanan and flung his arms around him.

"I'm so sorry!" he said, almost shouting. "I'm sorry for everything!"

"It's okay," Kanan said, running his hand through his hair and holding his head to his chest. "I'm here. It's all over now."

"Kanan it's… it's all my fault!" His voice became muffled as he buried his head into Kanan's shirt. "Everything! It's my fault you're blind! It's my fault Ahsoka's dead! It's my fault Maul hurt Zeb and all those people on Ord Mantell. It's all my fault! I trusted Maul when i shouldn't have! After everything he did I still trusted him, Kanan! Everything is all my fault!"

Kanan felt Ezra's knees begin to give way and he knelt down with him. He closed his eyes and held the boy tight in his arms. He was shaking, sobbing with the guilt. Kanan didn't say anything, trying to think of the right response. He took a deep breath.

"You're right," Kanan said quietly. "But it doesn't matter." He pulled Ezra away and looked straight into his deep blue eyes. "None of it matters. Every decision we make has consequences, Ezra. We all make mistakes. I would go blind a thousand times over if it meant that you could live another day. I would give my life to protect you, just as my master gave her life to protect me." Kanan smiled. Ezra's tears began to slow and he gave a short laugh. He wiped his eyes and smiled.

"There's that smile I've been missing," Kanan said.

"You can feel when someone smiles?" Ezra asked.

"No. I can see it." Ezra's expression changed to confusion and then shock.

"You can see?" he exclaimed.

"Yes," Kanan said with a laugh. "I can see."

"That's amazing! You learned how to use the force like the blind Jedi Masters!"

"That's right. But if I use the force to do much of anything else I can't use it to see. It'll take some getting used to." Ezra smiled and glanced behind Kanan at the Ghost.

"Zeb!" he yelled, getting to his feet. He ran toward the lasat who was leaning against the wall. "You're okay!" Kanan watched as they hugged each other and Zeb winced in pain.

"Sabine!"

The young Mandalorian wrapped her arms around Ezra and Kanan could feel the warmth flowing from the two. Kanan smiled. Hera was next to receive the warm embrace from the boy.

"I'm glad you're safe," she said. Electricity crackled as Chopper shot a blast at Ezra.

"Chopper!" Ezra said with a smile. Kanan's smile grew wider and he was surprised to feel a tear run down his face.

His family was home.

Maul moved his way through the desolate graveyard of republic ships. He walked through the packs of creatures, holding them back with the force as he did. He could feel what he was looking for nearby. It was calling to him. The cold presence was comforting. Empowering.

He found himself at the edge of a ravine, feeling the holocron below. It was all he needed to finally have his revenge. He began to climb down into the depths, using the force to guide him through the darkness. As he went farther down he could see a red glow. The holocron was not far. He jumped, landing expertly as his years of training had taught him. The red glow was just before him, calling to him. The knowledge within was powerful. He reached out and grabbed the pyramid and gazed into it. He smiled broadly.

"Revenge. I shall have revenge."

*Author's note*

Thank you so much to everyone who read my story and followed it. You are honestly the only reason I finished this. I'll probably be writing some other stories about Kanan and Hera and how they met Han Solo and about the Clones and about Zeb and about Numa, so be watching for those! Again, thank you so much for giving me the motivation to actually finish a story. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!