While part 2 took a little longer than expected we still hope it is met with an acceptence of soon. We also have a special shoutout for Starwarsrebelsfan who figured out the acronym for Deckiw Live (Wicked Evil) well done.
The Bridgers sat with Kanan, not sure what to say to him, but determined to be there for the man that had helped them and their son. The poor man laid so still. No sound, no movement, poor man.
"Do you think he will wake up?" Mira asked.
Ephriam looked down at the comatose man, in truth it seemed so unlikely that this Kanan would. On the Other hand, after hearing about this man, he knew he had been through tougher moments before.
Ephriam took his wife's hand and put on a weak smile before telling her, "If he is as tough as they say, I am sure he will."
"I hope he does darling" Mira expressed, "he's done so much for Ezra."
Ephraim nodded silently; he could not put words on what he had seen. Sometimes he still saw it in his nightmares. How Ezra was beaten by that monster and he could do nothing. It was eating at him. His only light was that at least Ezra wasn't with the monster. Mira on the other hand seemed to get better as she had started eating again. Ephraim saw how excited she was about finding Ezra but he still struggled with losing him for the second time. Ephraim felt a hand in his and looked at her.
"We will find Ezra. Until then let us try to help Kanan. We could talk about what the others told us about the two of them" Mira said gently.
"Yes. I still can't believe that our son was meant to kill him. What did you think he felt like when he heard you were going to be shot by our son?" Ephraim asked.
"I am not sure that poor, poor man. To be whipped to protest against it" Mira said sadly.
Ephraim went over and gently squished her hand.
"Do you think Ezra was scared when he heard he had to kill Kanan?" Mira mumbled.
Ephraim felt a pang of guilt for not being there when he needed him the most, then he admitted, "After what he had been through...I doubt it."
Mira looked so distressed by the idea and the two were silent for a little while.
"I still can't believe he is a jedi. I never thought I would see one after the purge happened. It was such a sad day our son was born on" Mira softly.
Ephraim nodded as he still recalled how from one day to the next the Jedi had been accused and killed. No process, no judge, no jury, just the accusation and then the kill. Mira and Eprhaim might not be the smartest people in the world but they could both see that people were being killed with no legal process or chance to defend themselves neither in word or action was wrong.
"I was so scared when we found out Ezra was force sensitive. What if they took and killed him like they had the Jedi?" Mira said.
Ephraim nodded that it had scared him as well and they had tried to hide it until the day the Empire came for him. They never realised how the Empire found out, but assumed giving the empire love to spy on people was how they did so. After they had been arrested and put in jails. They had tried to escape only to be caught, punished and transferred to another prison with better security. It had been like this until two years after their arrest.
SWR
Ephraim and Mira were sitting on a bench in an isolation cell where they had been for the last two days. The two hated sitting there all alone but at least they were able to talk about what to do now. They were both determined to get out of there. They had already been separated from their son for far too long.
"Perhaps we can get past the guards when they take us back to the cell," Mira said.
"No, they would stun us and throw us back in. We need help. Do you think we can get the other prisoners to help?" Ephraim suggested.
"No, not after the warden has announced that it is bad for you to help us in any way. People are already so scared after the last incident. That poor woman was drugged with an unknown serum so they could test it on her. She looked so in pain before they took her away" Mira said and looked sad remembering the poor woman.
The poor woman had been drugged and for a few hours she had been left in the work area where everyone could see her and hear her cry and scream while they were forced to work.
"Poor woman indeed and all that because she would not tell what she knew," Ephraim said and Mira nodded.
Suddenly the lock clicked and the door was opened much to their surprise. Was it dinner time already? They looked up and found Agent Kallus from ISB walking in.
"YOU! What are you doing here" Mira snapped.
Ephraim stood up and glared at Kallus full of anger. To them, this was the man who had taken them away from their son.
"Get out we don't know anything you want to know and we don't want to have anything to do with you, you mean bastard" Ephraim spat at him.
"Now we don't need insults. I merely did my duty. You brought it upon your own head. But I can see you haven't changed one bit since we met two years ago" Kallus said.
Mira and Ephraim looked at each other in horror. Two years, two whole years without their son? They had guessed it was only 1 year they had been imprisoned. They had hoped it was shorter because just one day without their son was bad enough but two whole years? It stung terribly to know it had been that long. How was he even after two years without someone looking after him?
"No, you are just a cruel bastard who loves to stick your nose into people's business, that is who you are," Mira snapped.
"That is enough for both of you. Keep your mouth shut or you will regret it" Kallus said clearly angrily.
"Why... does the truth hurt?" Mira said.
"Enough women stay quiet. I warn you" Kallus said.
"Don't talk like that to her" Ephraim said and swung a fist at Kallus and hit him right in the nose.
Kallus tumbled back while the noise of something breaking was heard. Kallus stood up with anger in his eyes and blood running down his nose. "Guards" he yelled as four stormtroopers ran in and saw what was going on and immediately went after the couple. Both Mira and Ephraim were overpowered and placed in binders and forced to their knees. They both glared angrily at him.
"Now that I have your attention, I want to tell you that someone is here to see you," Kallus said and smiled coldly to them.
"Who is here to see us?" Mira asked worriedly.
Before Kallus could answer, a Pau'un stepped in and looked at them. His eyes were golden and his pointed teeth gave them both a shiver down their spine and formed a cold smile. The Pau'un was dressed in a black and grey uniform. It was almost like he had a cold presence that made people scared if you got too close. Everything about him gave them the chills and they were scared of him.
"How nice of you to see me, Mira and Ephraim Bridger," Pau'un said with a cold voice, one more getting them to feel deeply worried.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Ephraim asked.
"I am the Grand Inquisitor leader of the Inquisitors, a group of force-sensitives serving the Empire. I am here to talk to you about your son Ezra; Bridger." the Grand Inquisitor said.
The Bridgers were shocked into silence before they managed to find their voices and spoke up, "No Ezra, where is he? What happened? What do you know?" both Mira and Ephraim shouted at the same time.
"Oh, I might know a thing or two about your son. I might know where he is" the Grand Inquisitor grinned.
Both Mira and Ephraim are still completely frozen in fear, a Grand Inquisitor enjoyed.
"Please our son, where is he? How is he? Mira whispered fearfully.
"Well since you ask so kindly," the Grand Inquisitor said and took out a holoprojector and activated them.
"EZRA!" Mira and Ephraim screamed.
Mira and Ephraim looked at a holo image of Ezra bloody and beaten laying on the floor with a trooper's foot on his back. Scratches were seen on his face, along with bruises. Blood fresh and dried was on his clothes that were mud ridden and filled with holes. Ezra was also far too small. It looked like he had not grown one inch since they had seen him two years ago. In fact he looked even smaller than he had been back then. His skin was stretched out over the bones and he had clearly lost weight.
"What have you done to him?" Mira whispered, completely shocked, tears forming in her eyes.
"You monster, what are you doing to our son?" Ephraim spat out.
"Now we have just done a bit of training. Not too much but we will soon catch him up to speed" the Grand Inquisitor answered with an ice cold grin and glee in his voice.
"Train him? Train him for what?" Ephraim sounded completely scared.
"To be like me, of course. The boy is force sensitive and we can use that. In a few years he will be out hunting other force sensitivities. Who knows he might even get to kill a Jedi should anyone left to crawl out of the hole they might have hidden in" the Grand Inquisitor said, sounding like it was something to be proud of.
"KILL?" they both shouted.
"Our son should not kill anyone," Mira said, outraged and Ephraim nodded.
"It is not your decision. What your decision is is how hard it will be for him. I have heard you have tried to escape. An imperial child can't have such a thing. If it continues I must punish him" the Grand Inquisitor said, sounding happy at that.
"NO" they both shouted.
"No? Then perhaps you should remain where you are. Put all thoughts of escaping out of your mind and stay put. If not you will escape only to be hearing your sons scream on the radio as I execute him" the Grand Inquisitor said.
Both Mira and Ephraim looked at him with tears running down her cheeks.
"We will stay if it means you won't punish him," Mira said before she closed her eyes and started weeping.
The Grand Inquisitor looked at Ephraim who nodded quietly with tears in his eyes.
"Move them back into the cell. I think they have learned to behave" the Grand Inquisitor said and left the room, never once looking back at the two heartbroken parents.
SWR
Mira and Ephraim shuddered at the old memory.
"We are so grateful now that we know that you took care of him after you found him so please wake up. We need you to come to help us find him" Mira said gently.
"You mean a lot to us. You helped Ezra when he needed it the most. Believe me, we don't hold it against you that you meet him at an execution. On the contrary, you helped him escape and cared for him, gave him shelter even when you could have easily kicked him out for what he could have done, what he was capable of," Ephraim said.
Nothing happened and they both looked at him unsure what else they could see. Before they could say any more a knock on the door and Ahsoka looked in.
"Any luck?" Ahsoka asked.
"No," Mira said as they started to leave so they could rest and Ahsoka took over.
SWR
Ahsoka looked at Kanan, who lay still and she darkly wondered how many hours of therapy he would need this time; if he would be honest with her this time or try to hide his emotions again. Ahsoka never said this to anyone, but she had always thought that going through therapy with Ezra made Kanan more calm and cooperative. Now with the kid missing though, she wonders if Kanan would even consider any help, especially after what the crew was told.
Ahsoka may have known that Kanan was a former padawan, but how he survived was a mystery to her. Or rather it had been that the Inquisitor had unceremonial forced Kanan to tell. Poor man. Ahsoka could not imagine how she would have handled it if she had been in his shoes. She too had secrets and she would hate for her to be forced to tell them. Especially in such a way as Kanan had been forced. No one deserved that.
"It seems like you are always hiding something aren't you? Even when I first met you, it seemed you were so guarded. Then again so was I; heck you remember the first time we met, right?
Flashback
Ahsoka walked into the control where Sato stood looking at his holopad.
"You called for me Commander Sato?" Ahsoka asked.
Sato looked at her with a small strange smile and gestured for her to sit down.
"Yes Ahsoka, I wanted to talk to you. I am aware you have knowledge of the Ghost crew" Sato questioned.
Ahsoka nodded and expanded "Of course, I have been a Fulcrum contact for them. I have been in soley contact with Hera, their pilot. I know they consist of five members but I know nothing more than that. Hera won't even give me the names for safety reasons"
Sato had a strange look on his face as he continued.
"Well unfortunately now they must come into contact with us. After a mission that had left their ship in desperate need of repair, Hera was forced to bring the crew into the light of their real role in the rebellion.
Ahsoka was shocked by this news that the Ghost was seriously damaged, "Are they alright?"
Sato nodded his head, "They are fine. From the report, the ship got in an imperial attack in an asteroid belt, along with some shots from imperials they also had a massive collision with an asteroid. The ship, though, needs some major repairs. The Ghost will be here within the next couple of hours, and I think you should know who you will be meeting since you have had the most contact with them.
"Garazeb Orrelios, one of the last Lasats who so happened to be an honor guard before the Empire. A Mandalorien by the name Sabine Wren, a droid named Chopper, of course you know Hera and … and well a human man by the name Kanan Jarrus" Sato said looking very intensely at her which set her nerves a bit on edge.
"Sato, what is wrong? You are acting like this is a big deal. I have welcomed contact groups before," Ahsoka said.
Sato looked around to make sure no one was close by before he took a deep breath and looked at her.
"Hera has been reluctant to tell this but felt it was necessary … Kanan Jarrus was a former padawan of the old Order" Sato said.
Ahsoka nearly fell backward at the message, almost dizzy from the idea. It could not be right. Darth Vader had effectively made sure she would never see any of her friends again. Never would she hear her master laugh or see Yoda's old eyes lit up when a youngling accomplished a task. Never would she see Mace demonstrate saber form 7 which he was famous for. There would never be any of that because she had left the order only to see it slaughtered a few months later. While she was no longer a Jedi she had never fully forgiven herself for leaving the order when they needed her the most. Ahsoka considered she had never heard of a jedi by the name of Kanan Jarrus but then only a fool would use their original jedi name these days. The first few years after she had hidden from the empire she had used various fake names to avoid attention too.
"Sato, what does he look like? Do you know if he once used another name? Please, I need to know who he is" Ahsoka said .
Sato looked synaptic on her before he managed to get her to a chair.
"Ahsoka, I know you must have many questions about Kanan; but keep in mind that Hera has told me hat Kanan is extremely reluctant to speak of such things let alone use his 'skills' I wanted you to know ahead in case you could sense it on him and not scare him" Sato explained.
Ahsoka nodded her head, "I understand. I will try to contain myself when meeting him."
However, Ahsoka's head was swimming with enthusiasm at finally meeting the Ghost crew, and worried about figuring out who this 'Kanan' was, and how he would react to meeting her and knowing of how she left the order.
SWR
Ahsoka had rarely been so nervous as when she was in the hangar waiting for the Ghost to arrive. Ahsoka had been sitting waiting for the last half hour both at the same time excited and worried. Would she know who he was? If so, how would he take to someone who left the Jedi Order when they needed her the most. Ahsoka stood waiting with Sato as the Ghost showed up on the horizon. Ahsoka tried to wait patiently as it landed before they moved towards them. The ramp lowered down and she took her first step towards the group.
The group was much like Sato had described; a Mandalorian, a Lasat, the twi'lek Hera and the male human. Ahsoka looked careful as the tall human was wearing a green shirt and brown pants. His eyes were teal and his skin tone light brown. There was nothing that left her with a clue of who this was. Ahsoka's mind was already spinning through all the former Jedi she knew and not one of them looked like him. It was a little saddening that she did not know him. This Jarrus person seemed to look deeply at her before he hid it behind a mask of no emotions and greeted Sato. Kanan Jarrus left the area without even saying anything to her. As the rest of the crew left with him she felt the need to sit down. Ahsoka was not sure how to take it that she had just seen another jedi she had not recognized and had not even spoken a word to her.
"Are you alright Ahsoka?" Sato asked.
"Yes I am" Ahsoka said but honestly she was not sure how she felt she was still too shocked to see another Jedi even if she did not react.
"Well perhaps you should take the rest of the day off and think about this. I know you Ahsoka, this is hard for you to handle" Sato said without being fooled.
Ahsoka looked at him and while a part of her wanted to protest against it, her curiosity was getting the better of her. A full day to find out who he was, ahsoka could not pass up the opportunity. Ahsoka nodded as she went to follow the Ghost crew.
SWR
Ahsoka neared Hera as she stod loading supplies from the Ghost into the Phoenix ship. Hera looked at her and smiled a knowing smile before returning to the task and Ahsoka picked up a level of amusement from her. Oh the twi'lek was going to enjoy this at Ahsoka's expense very much.
"Well hello Ahsoka I had a feeling you might come visit us" Hera greeted as she hugged her.
"It is so good to finally see you in person too Hera," Ahsoka greeted.
Hera stepped back though and gave her a cunning smile, "I do think though this visit has less to do with formality and more about questioning."
"Yes I was thinking about asking about Kanan" Ahsoka said hoping she could skip the teasing but at last no.
"Oh Specter 1? Well his name is Kanan Jarrus and is the leader in the field. Pretty skilled with a blaster and good at making plans on the fly and keeping it together, in spite of the stress this kind of life can cause." Hera said with a smug smile as she labeled a supply.
"Yes but what about his past?" Ahsoka asked.
"Oh yeah, his past? Who knows it is difficult to say. Such people usually don't speak about it" Hera assumed, became quiet and put a few more cans in storage.
Ahsoka sighed at the continued avoidance before looking at Hera before deciding to go for it.
"Hera, who is he REALLY?" Ahsoka said with a pleading undertone.
"I am sorry Ahsoka, it is not fair to talk about his identity without his permission. You will have to ask him" Hera said softly.
Ahsoka nodded and left determined to get her answers.
SWR
Ahsoka neared Kanan (but now when she was almost there it felt wrong in some way. It almost felt unreal what was she going to say to him? 'Hey nice to see you after all that time?' Yeah that would definitely not be a good way to begin a discussion about their shared past. Would he even regonicer her? Did she even know who he had been? She certainly had not earlier. Ahsoka raised her hand to knock on the door and … she could not. Ahsoka waited trying to do so but the conflict of knocking the door became worse. If she knocked she would meet a man who shared her past but she would also be face to face with someone that represented a path that she had rejected only to see it burned down and her unable to help. Before she could do anything the door opened and she was face to face with the man she had seen earlier.
"Are you going to stand there the rest of this evening before you decide to knock or not?" The man asked neutrally, looking at her with a tired expression. First, did she realise he was rather tall for a human. Like not overly much but almost a full head higher than her and higher than Rex.
Ahsoka was not sure what to say so she chose the most obvious thing to say.
"May I come in?" Ahsoka asked.
The man nodded and allowed her to enter as she did so she saw the man, Kanan, was living among others like how most Jedi would have lived. The room was bare for personal possession and gave her no clue as to who he was as a person. Kanan turned around and looked at her as he took the small cot, allowing her to take the bed. As she sat down she looked at him and saw his eyes were turquoise and yet she could still not place him. The man looked at her and didn't say anything as he seemed reluctant to speak. The silence just seemed to go on as none of them were willing to say anything.
"I believe you came to see me?" Kanan said not sounding interested at all.
Ahsoka .
"I wanted to talk to you about … well you know... our past '' Ahsoka said, unsure of how to approach the topic.
"NO" Kanan rejected out of hand.
"But .." Ahsoka began.
"NO" Kanan said.
"I just want to know a little. Like who … who are you?" Ahsoka asked carefully.
Kanan's eyes narrowed as he looked at her before he spoke.
"I am Kanan Jarrus, that's who I am now." Kanan said firmly.
Ahsoka felt the urge to show her irritation. That was not what she meant and they both knew that. Ahsoka decided that maybe if she told him about her, that it would help open him up.
"Well Kanan I am Ahsoka Tano" Ahsoka said.
Kanan looked at her with a softer expression.
"Yes we knew of you when I was young," Kanan said rather reluctantly.
Ahsoka looked excited when he said it , hoping for more, but to her frustration he didn't go further with it. Ahsoka took a deep breath and asked what she really wanted to know.
"Who were you?"
Ahsoka saw how Kanan's face was filled with hurt and pain for a short moment. Ahsoka had seen such pain before on other veteran faces. It was the raw untreated pain that never really went away and was at best lived with. Why should she force this out of him now, with them technically just meeting.
"Ahsoka I …." Kanan said and was unable to say anything.
"It's okay Kanan. You don't have to answer" Ahsoka said.
Kanan looked at her for a long time before he simply said.
"I cannot tell Ahsoka. I would rather not speak" Kanan replied.
Ahsoka understood but was still frustrated. She left to find Hera. Perhaps she was willing to speak of it.
SWR
"Maybe I should have pushed you to talk then." Ahsoka admitted before she came to the conclusion, "Then again I didn't want to talk about my past either."
Ahsoka then began to speak up, "Maybe if I had taken the first step, you would have too."
Ahsoka then smiled as she looked again, "But it does not matter 'what if' right?"
SWR
As Hera laid her head on the cool tub, she looked down at Kanan's face. While he was covered in wires to read pulses and a mask to give him oxygen, she could still see his shut eyes and long hair.
Hera longed to run her fingers through his hair, looking into beautiful turquoise eyes before taking him into her hold; hoping to never let Kanan go again.
With her hand on the glass, she imagined it on his cheek before questioning out-loud, "When are you going to wake up?" she asked desperately.
"Everyone has come in and talked to you. Everyone on the crew, Sato, Rex, Ahsoka, even the Bridgers came in to talk to you. What they said I don't know; but I was hoping that this would have helped you wake up somehow."
Hera thought about it for a moment before she wondered, "Or did I believe this would work because I wanted it to?
Hera sighed as she told Kanan, "I know that you are stable, and I know you will wake up. but waiting for you to wake up and for word on Ezra is just too much.
Hera's eyes watered as she thought about where Ezra could be. "We have scouts trying to find him, for any trail of the escape pod, but nothing has shown up yet."
Hera's thoughts went to the boy they were desperate to find and became clouded with worry for him. She quickly shook her head.
"I'm sorry, talking about where Ezra could be is just too painful. I have no idea how to tell you about him."
Hera then got an idea, "How about I talk about us. We both know how many stories we have. I guess my favorite is how we realized we have a ...thing for each other.
Hera sighed in romantic remembrance.
Flashback
Hera was in the cockpit going over holo-maps of the crew's next mission. As Hera went over a few routes, Zeb entered the room.
"Hey Hera."
Hera focused on her work and just gave him a quick wave, "Hey".
"Have you seen Kanan? Said he wanted to spar today." Zeb asked as he stretched a bit.
This got Hera's attention immediately, "He still isn't back from the market!" Hera yelled before rolling her eyes as she turned to face Zeb, "I tell him to pick up one thing, ONE! He probably got distracted and will come back with nine things we don't really need."
Zeb saw how Hera huffed and couldn't help but chuckle.
Hera did not find this amusing, "What is so damn funny!?"
"Just that… It's kind of cute how you get so mad at everything Kanan does."
Hera gasped in shock, "No I don't." she stated.
Zeb rolled his eyes as he stuck up one finger, "The other day you said that Kanan doesn't go to market enough times as you do," Zeb then stuck up another finger, "The day before that you complained he wasn't working on the speeders enough," Zeb stuck up another finger, "And yesterday you said he spends too much time on the speeders."
Hera rolled her eyes as Zeb chuckled and said, "You must really like him."
Hera was taken aback by what Zeb said and came up with a response, "Well yeah I like him, I like you and Chopper too." Hera got up to go to the kitchen with Zeb in tow.
"No, No, No, You like me as a friend and Chopper like a pet. You like, 'like' him."
Hera placed her hands on her hips and paused, "How would you know about anything I feel, let alone who I like."
Hera continued to the kitchen as Zeb followed and told her, "Because when you are on the honor guard you have to analyze your surroundings, and from what I have seen between you two, it is so obvious that you two have some chemistry."
As Hera made it to the fridge for some juice, she turned to Zeb once more and asked, "Excuse me?"
"Hera, I may have not known you for long, but I do know you don't get this frustrated with everyone. You are an understanding person, except when it comes to Kanan. You literally find fault with everything he does; even if isn't doing anything at all," Zeb said all this as Hera got her juice and sat at the counter.
"I think you're analyzing too much into this." Hera said as she took a sip.
Zeb shrugged his shoulders, "Perhaps but it's obvious he likes you."
Hera's shock made her choke on her juice, "What...what makes you say that?" Hera said as she cleared her throat.
"That is easy," Zeb pointed out, "Because Kanan is the type to argue if he thinks he is right, except with you. Just like you are understanding, except with him."
Hera was finally able to get the juice out of her throat as she told the Lasat, "That doesn't make any sense!"
"Yes it does; Kanan won't argue with you because he likes you. The guy knows if he even tries you'll get upset, so he just shrugs what you say off. On the other get mad at him because deep down you like him too. But for some reason you don't want to so that makes you angry, angry at him. I especially remember how you got into a rage when you found a certain female twi'lek coming out of his room one of the first days I entered the ship. Given that Kanan is single it was hardly fair you acted that but he just took it in and hasn't brought a lady into the ship since then.
Hera could feel herself getting VERY hot in the face, because as much as she hated to admit it, Zeb...was right.
Hera slammed her cup down. and started yelling, "So what if you're right. What if I do like him, and what if I know he likes me. It won't change our circumstances."
"which is…?" Zeb asked in confusion as he thought what could keep Kanan and Hera from just kissing already, especially because it was clear Kanan wanted it.
Hera had to take a moment to calm down, "Zeb, we are rebels. We fight imperials, steal from them to help others and to aid our cause so we can take the Empire down for good. Any distraction can be life or death. Maybe if things were different, or if the Empire was taken down I could consider him and me…" Hera sighed in remorse what she thought could not be, "but until then any type of relationship could just get in the way, I accept that. That is why anything more then being friends is off the table"
Zeb saw how upset Hera was with this statement; how sad she looked down with the sad truth she came up with weighing heavy on her soul.
Zeb took a deep breath before he questioned, "If you know that, fine; but does Kanan?"
Hera looked up in confusion, "What?"
"Have you told Kanan no, and told him why it can't work between you two?"
Hera became silent. She might have told Kanan to stop his flirting every now and again, but she never told him straight up no.
"Then I think you should be honest about why you can't be with him. If for no other reason, so he doesn't waste his energy on something that can't be"
Hera looked up and nodded, he was right.
"Alright, I'm making a sandwich." Zeb said as he got up.
Hera quietly got up too as she headed to the cockpit again. Thinking of how she would explain it all to Kanan.
SWR
After what finally seemed like forever, Kanan came back from the market.
"Took you long enough," Hera spoke up from where she was leaning on the side of the cargo bay.
Kanan chuckled, "I know, but hear me out, I was on my way back when I saw this sale on some old robotics parts," Kanan said as he dumped what appeared to be junk to most. But to Hera, they were tools she needed more of and parts for blasters they could build.
Kanan saw Hera smile as she examined all these parts, "So I guess I finally impressed you."
Hera's face fell, "Kanan-,"
Kanan put his hands up, "I know, You'd be impressed if it didn't take so long."
"No," Hera said.
"You'll be more impressed If I keep to the list."
"No," Hera spoke up again.
"Then you would be more impressed if I would spend less money on this stuff."
"Why do you think all I can do is insult you?" Hera wondered, a little hurt that Kanan thought her as so negative.
Kanan shrugged his shoulders, "Cause it's our thing."
"We don't have 'a thing'," Hera pointed out.
Kanna smiled as he pointed out, "Sure we do. You criticize what I do, I joke about how I did, you try to correct me, only for me to compliment you and for you to walk away in frustration."
Hera took a breath, "What I meant was, we shouldn't have 'a thing'."
Kanan was a little confused, "what's wrong with it?"
Hera took her arms together to keep herself together, wondering why it was so hard to say this to Kanan.
"I just think we should be more... professional." Hera tried to reason.
Kanan looked like he was considering what she had said before he responded, "We are professional. We are professional rebels."
Hera rolled her eyes in annoyance, "You know that's not what I meant."
Kanan sighed in despair, "I know… but I wish you could at least tell me why?"
Hera looked away, "Because we don't have the place or time to be anything but professional rebels."
Kanan shook his head, "I don't believe that. I believe that when you really care for someone, you make time."
Kanan stepped forward and took Hera's hand and looked deep into her eyes, "I care about you Hera, alot. I know you feel the same way, so why fight it."
Hera felt her eyes water up. knowing that Kanan was intentionally making this hard for her. She felt herself become mad as she took her hand away from Kanan.
"This is not some damn joke Kanan!" Hera hollered. "You think that us doing this isn't a problem."
Kanan crossed his arms as he argued, "The problem is that we clearly like each other, but are suppressing our feelings just because you think it won't work."
"If things were different then yes. I would consider a possible future with you," Hera admitted, though she sighed as she calmed enough to tell Kanan the sad truth, "But we do not have that luxury. We have to fight the Empire everyday, and need to keep our head in the game. That would be hard if you and I are worrying too much about the other when missions go south."
Hera saw Kanan get frustrated, but she had to continue, "So please. Don't try to get me mad or riled up just to get me to see you, and just so you can say something witty. Don't do that and I won't ridicule everything you do, even if you are doing nothing. Okay, please."
Kanan sighed, but finally nodded and conceded, "Okay."
"Good," Hera said before she left this room, if for no other reason to regain her composure and let her emotions just come out. Hera told herself though that as long as Kanan was still with her on the Ghost, she was okay. Hera, however, was unaware of what Kanan was thinking at that moment, and what his mind had made up.
SWR
After crying herself to sleep, Hera entered a restless slumber. Her dreams were that of Kanan walking away, and Hera trying to catch up to him, only to end up falling into a dark black hole of her own despair.
"HUH!" Hera gasped as she shot up in bed with a gasp. The twilek felt her own sweat pouring down her face; so she got up to go to the bathroom to splash some cool water on her face.
As she stood by the sink, she looked at herself in the mirror, and saw how tired she looked; how her eyes were puffy red from crying and the trail of tears down her face. Once she sniffled, Hera told herself in the mirror, "What you told him was for the best. Now he can focus on the rebellion, as can you." Despite the logic in it, what she said had an awful taste in her mouth.
Hera dressed and left the room to try and ease her mind. Perhaps she could start the day early so she could stop her head from dwelling on the matter. Hera was passing Kanan's room when she noticed Kanan's cabin wide-opened, and nothing or no one in it.
In confusion Hera looked through the room and found nothing. In pure panic she went to the one draw that wouldn't be empty, and it was...the lightsaber and holocron were gone.
"No," Hera spoke softly as she got up and raced out to the loading dock, "NO, NO NO!"
As she got to the cargo bay she saw the bay door open, raced down it for any sign of Kanan, only to find it empty as well. Horror and fear spiked in her as she looked around and found a small envelope on a crate, with her name on it. Hera's hands were shaking as she moved to open it and fold it out. Hera instantly recognised Kanan's handwriting
"Dear Hera.
When you read this I will be gone and you can be on your way. After last evening you made it clear we could never be together. I had hoped that over time you would change your mind but I see now that you will not. I have tried to keep my feelings for you in check out of respect for your decision, but I have always known I could not do so in the long run. If I can't change how I feel about you, then I'll have to change where I am. You can now talk to whoever it is on the holovideo and fight for what you believe in without me distracting you from it. Even so you should know that no matter where I go my heart will belong to you. You saved me from myself.
Love
Kanan
P.S. Say hello to Zeb and apologize for running off without saying goodbye.
P.S.2 Burn this letter so the empire doesn't get to see it."
Hera had tears running down her face as she read the letter over and over. What had she done? Yes she had told him no but she didn't want him to leave. The pain in her chest was harder than ever. Hera knew she would never forgive herself if she did not find him and brought him back but how? Then she realised, in the city that they were outside of was a transport. Kanan had to be heading there.
Hera raced out of the cabin, into the loading dock and onto her speeder. Hera felt her lekku flopping in the air as she sped faster and faster. After the longest minutes at speeding at 120 kph, she saw in the distance another speder, and recognized the man's ponytail anywhere.
"Kanan!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.
Kanan seemed to hear her because he slowed down as he turned to see who was calling him. Hera took her chance to race past him and stop just a few yards in front of him. When Kanan looked in front, his eyes widened in horror and slammed on the brakes, just barely avoiding a collision with Hera.
As the dust from the sudden stop cleared. Kanan got off his bike and shouted, "Are you Crazy!"
"Are you!?" Hera shouted back, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Kanan pretended to think before he responded with harsh sarcasm, "Oh I do not know, let me see. I left you a note telling you what I was up to; packed my stuff on my speeder, and am heading for the transport station… Well, clearly I decided that I need to go get some new boots in the middle of the night!"
"Hey, don't get like that with me!" Hera shouted as she pointed to Kanan, not pleased that even now his sarcasm was flaming up. She took a deep breath before she told him, "You don't have to leave, why would you think you have to leave?" Hera was desperate to know.
"Because of what you said earlier." Kanan hollered back.
Hera was confused, "What part of that conversation did I tell you to go away!?"
"When you told me that if things were different, we might have a future together."
"When…" Hera was about to ask when she said that, then she recalled what she said.
"Hera," Kanan spoke calmly before he explained, "I'm not going to lie, it is hard to stay, knowing that everyday we face" Kanan looked around to make sure he could speak freely, "The Empire and may or may not live to tell the tale. But fighting by your side, and seeing your eyes light up as you face them with stubborn determination is why I stayed. But everyday it has gotten harder and harder to pretend I don't love you. If you are adamant about not having a future with me, or at least not until this war is over, then that means I am fighting two wars, one with the Empire and one with myself."
Hera felt her eyes water up. Why couldn't he just make a joke like he always did, or say how she looked so cute and frustrated, why did he have to look so cute and sound so sweet when he was being so sincere. Hera realized painfully that she had driven the joke and fun out of their conversation, making her heart ache even more.
"I know that you found our flirting annoying, but I didn't care because it meant you were showing signs that you felt the same way about me that I do about you." Kanan's face then fell, "But not even having that...I just can't do it... this."
Hera was now mad as she let out a half-hearted chuckle, "So you're just gonna run away from this?!"
"Hey, I know when I'm not wanted!" Kanan barked back.
"What makes you think I don't want you here!" Hera yelled back.
"You said we can't keep doing what we're doing, well I'm sorry but I just can't do that and stay here." Kanan hollered.
"Well what other choice is there!?" Hera barked at Kanan again.
Kanan shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, maybe we at least try," Kanan gestured his hands to Hera and himself, "This. Who knows, maybe it would work"
"Do you really want to jepertize everything we have worked for just to see if we could make it work?" Hera questioned, now furious that Kanan is putting her in such a stressful situation.
"I know it will work!" Kanan stated firmly, "You know it would too, but are too damn scared that maybe you don't have to be just a rebel pilot, that you're scared of doing anything else then fight the Empire."
Hera was silent, in deep thought. Because unknown to Kanan, he had hit it spot on, and Hera didn't know. It was as if a light flickered in her head. She was scared by that very thing. Hera had spent so long fighting the Empire that she thought very little about a life beyond a rebel; that was until Kanan came into the picture. The Empire couldn't last forever, she would make sure of that. The Empire already took her home, her mother and brother, was she willing to let it take away Kanan too?
Kanan took the silence as defeat, "I'm sorry Hera, I can't stay knowing that I am so close to you and knowing I can't have you." Kanan was boarding the speeder, "I'll send you a message when I find-," Kanan wouldn't finish the sentence because at that moment Hera took Kanan by the collar and forced her lips upons his. His were strong, hers soft; the two held onto one another in an embrace as they enjoyed such a moment. Kanan's hand reached out and gently started massaging her lekku. It made her feel weak in the legs as she felt pleasure run through her body. Oh force that felt good. As they broke apart for air Hera looked at him with worry.
"Where did you learn that?" Hera asked, worried, if not a little heart broken.
Hera did not need to see the flash of pink on his cheeks to realise where.
"You have used this on other women to sleep with them? Not just other women, other twi'lek" Hera said and could not keep the accusation out of her voice.
Pain filled his face as he looked pleading at her.
"I swear Hera, I never forced them to do anything. I only slept with them if they showed an interest in me and if they accepted. I know I was a petty man who was pretty pathetic but I swear Hera I never made anyone to be in bed with me if they didn't want to" Kanan said.
Hera looked at his pained look and for the first time realised how much of a playboy Kanan had been. Even so she could see the pain and she knew how principled he was even when he considered himself a worthless nothing. Yet she worried. Hera was not skilled in this endeavor at all; she had flirted with others but she had never … Kanan looked at her and grabbed her hand.
"Hera, I would never force you to do anything and I will wait for you to be ready. I … I may have had sex but I never made love. I never cared for them. It was just a bed to stay in nothing more. You can just kiss me until you feel comfortable with the other part" Kanan said with a soft smile.
Hera reached out and they kissed once again. Once they broke apart for air, Kanan looked happily at Hera.
Hera laughed, "Now I know how to shut you up."
Kanan smiled as he laughed awkwardly.
Hera took a deep breath before she exhaled, "You stay, we do...this," she said as she gestured to Kanan and herself, "we keep missions professional and stay on track. If that can't happen then we will have to have a serious talk, deal?"
Kanan nodded, "deal."
Hera grabbed Kanan's hand and looked up at him.
"Now let us get back," Hera said.
They transported themselves back and Hera helped Kanan get resettled. As they went to the cabins Kanan was about to say goodnight as she grabbed his hand and got him to kiss her again. They both looked into the other person's eye and Hera had never seen anything so beautiful then and there.
"Come with me" Hera whispered very low.
"Why?" Kanan asked, rather confused.
Hera smiled wickedly, "Because we have some time before Zeb wakes up, and I want to keep this arrangement a secret for a while."
Kanan began to turn bright red, which Hera smickered at, "Are you sure you are ready?" Kanan asked, whispering back.
"I am ready," Hera whispered, making Kanan squish her hand gently and let her lead him into her cabin.
SWR
"My only regret for that day was that I waited so long to be honest with you, to kiss you, to-,"
Hera was about to go on as she told her unconscious love of her regrets with him; only Kanan was not unconscious anymore. Hera heard the noise of thrashing liquid and bubbles bursting. When she opened her eyes and looked down, she said Kanan, AWAKE!
His eyes were wide open and were frantically looking around, as he began to thrash.
"doctors," Hera spoke before running to the door, "DOCTORS! HELP!"
Hera then saw several rebel doctors coming her way as she let them. An alarm was set for any free medical hands to come her way. Hera only stood in the corner stunned as she saw a swarm of doctors tend to Kanan when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Ahsoka was right next to her, followed by the crew, Sato, and Rex as they looked at her for an answer to what Ahsoka asked, "What happened?"
Hera smiled with joyous tears in her eyes, "He's awake." Hera then hugged Ahsoka as she weped. Ahsoka wrapped her arms around her, relieved that for now, maybe things were looking up.
A/N We know it took a while to get Kanan to wake up but then we had a chance to dive into the background stories of the characters. So we hope you found them good and no this is not the end of the story. Not by a long shot.