Relevant definition of Hospice: 'a place that provides rooms and usually a public dining room for overnight guests.' This story is not about end of life healthcare. Although there is medical treatment involved.

Stifling a yawn, Hera plodded through imputing her latest batch of scrambler codes into the Ghost's hard drive. It was really the last thing she wanted to be doing right now, but she'd learned that after every serious brush with the empire she'd be jittery and nervous until her ship's signature was safely scrambled once again. And this had been a mighty big brush.

Finally the console beeped to confirm a positive upload, and she collapsed back into her seat thoroughly worn out. It'd already been a long week and yesterday's failed rescue at the Spire had put everyone on edge. They were coping well for as close a call as they'd had, but morale was a far cry from what it normally was.

The mission to the Stygeon system had also dropped their already low fuel reserves even lower - when were they ever not low on something? - and she'd sent Fulcrum a message saying they were effectively grounded until they could scrounge enough credits for more resources. In the meantime they'd be forced to stick to gathering whatever intel they could come across on Lothal.

If only-

Forcefully pushing away the unproductive thought before it could fully form, she got to her feet and glanced at the chrono. Two hours until sunrise. And she hadn't eaten since midday. Deciding sleep wasn't worth trying for on an empty stomach she powered down the last few systems and left the cockpit, heading for the galley. With any luck there'd be some leftovers that wouldn't taste too bad cold.

Approaching the door to the common room she discerned she wasn't the only one with a late night attack of hunger pains. The sound of shuffling feet and clinking dishes were clearly audible. A clatter rang out as she entered, and a flash of black and orange caught her eye. Rounding the corner she got a full view of the situation.

The situation being Ezra on his knees, grumpily scooping up the dried fruit scattered across the floor. The bowl that had been the source of the noise lay upside down at her feet.

Sighing tiredly she bent to pick it up just as Ezra sensed someone there and glanced up.

"Hera! You're here for an early breakfast too. Well just sit down and let me whip you up something your taste buds have never experienced before! You won't regret it." He pasted on what he no doubt thought was a disarming smile and scrambled to get up, nearly dropping the last of the retrieved fruit. The attempt to charm her was adorable even if it was futile and did nothing to hide the involuntary hiss of pain that came when he shifted his left arm.

Confidence fading at her lack of reply, he shuffled his feet. "Um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you get up. I woke up half starved and I remembered you...you said I could eat whenever I needed to-"

"Ezra, it's okay. I wasn't sleeping and I'm not mad about you getting food." She pulled in a steadying breath. "Although I do need to ask what's wrong with your arm."

"Noth- nothing's wrong with it."

She cocked an eyebrow, reaching for him. He quickly tried to jerk out of the way but she hadn't spent years with a Jedi for a partner without learning a few tricks. Catching his wrist in one hand she gently but firmly pulled back his sleeve, letting out a hiss of her own at the bruised, swollen mess of a forearm.

"What happened? Ezra?" He bit his lip, refusing to meet her gaze. "Honey, I need to know."

"The..the Inquisitor yesterday. He may have thrown me around a little. But I'm fine! It hurts a bit but I can still move it. I can still fight."

She pursed her lips, forcing down her annoyance. Of course he would prioritize function over comfort. No doubt it had been his only option for years - a fact she couldn't let herself think about lest her heart crumple with sorrow.

Forcing a half smile onto her face she got to her feet. "I've no doubt of that. However, I know for a fact if it hurts less, you'll fight better. And since we have the resources to make that happen I expect them to be used. Come."

Reluctantly he followed her to their tiny medbay and hopped up on the cot she pointed him to, arm held close to his body. Grabbing their portable medscanner she did a quick exam of the injured limb.

"Well, the good news is it's not broken."

"Could have told you that." Ezra muttered, only to blush and look away when she quirked her eyebrow at him again.

"I'm still going to wrap it," she said in an even tone. "Safer that way." Digging numbing spray and a compression bandage out of a drawer, she treated him in careful silence.

"There. How's that?"

"Feels okay. A little tight maybe."

"A little tight is fine but if it starts feeling too tight you will tell someone, understand?" He nodded. "Don't worry, it'll be good as new in no time."

"Thank you. I'm sorry to be trouble."

A smile crossed Hera's face. "We're a family Ezra. Taking care of each other is anything but trouble."

He got quiet and she took a moment to put the supplies away while he sorted his thoughts out.

"Thank you." He said again.

"What for?"

"For...for keeping me I guess. For convincing Kanan to keep me. I don't think I ever said that. I promise I'll make it worth it someday."

Her detached exterior vanished and she hurriedly crossed the distance between them, wrapping her arms tightly around her newest charge. "You are worth so much Ezra. You've filled a hole this family didn't know we had. The changes you've brought about in all of us, especially Kanan, they're beyond comparison. Already he's so much stronger, so much better. We all are."

"Then why did he want to get rid of me?"

Hera sighed. She should have known her lover's promise to talk to their boy hadn't panned out the way it needed to. Not that Kanan lied, he just...often missed the mark when it came to being honest about his feelings. With anyone but her at least. Something to add to the list of things to teach the kid in front of her. He'd need it if his sanity was to endure.

"That was in no way your fault Ezra."

"Do you know how many kids I've seen pay the price for things that weren't their fault?"

"Dozens," she offered, "maybe even hundreds?"

He pulled back, looking at her quizzically. She nodded and watched understanding flitter through his eyes.

"Kanan wants you to stay, he's just afraid." She promised.

"Of what?!"

"That he won't be enough. For you or for any of us. Zeb and Sabine love to tease him over how often his plans change but the truth is he's constantly planning. For every op he must go through a thousand ideas. Options for every little scenario that could crop up."

"But he does it so fast! It's like he doesn't even have to think."

"That's time and training. But it never gets easier. If he could find a way to take every mission solo and keep us all locked up safely in the Ghost he'd do it. It's..it's not my place to give you the details, but Kanan's lost a lot of people he was close to. How he manages to open his heart at all anymore is beyond me sometimes. But it's hard. Every time someone comes into his life he starts obsessing over how he's going to keep them safe. He only wants what's best for the people he cares for. If that occasionally leads to the foolish idea that the best doesn't include him then we just have to forgive him for that."

Ezra was quiet for a long moment then he nodded in acceptance, surprising Hera a little.

"I get the protection thing. And the not wanting to get attached to someone when you don't know if they're gonna stick around. But why didn't he just tell me he felt that way? I'd have given him space, or something."

"Like you told him about your arm Sweetheart?"

He blinked. "Oh."

She pulled him into another hug. This time he returned it - briefly - which she counted as progress. "He'll learn," she reassured. "You both will."

Resting her cheek against his messy hair she resisted the temptation to press a kiss to the top of the soft curls, curls she happily noted were permeated with the fresh scent of Kanan's shampoo.

Ezra's stomach chose that moment to growl harshly. Burying a laugh, Hera let him go as an idea hit her.

"Say, have you ever had Meiloorun jam?"

He shook his head, arching an eyebrow of his own. "No. For your information Meilooruns don't grow on Lothal."

"No? Huh, that's news to me. Well in any case they're a hundred times better than that nasty Gruffle you were going to munch on."

He smiled faintly. "It's not that bad."

She hummed. "Come on. Allow me to whip up something your taste buds have never experienced before!" Her heart warmed at his unabashed laugh. "It tastes best on salty crackers. But you'll have to swear never to tell Sabine and Kanan my hiding place for the box we have. Neither of us will ever have another one if they find it."

Ezra let out a snort and hurried to match her stride. "My lips are sealed."

Did I see a tiny two second detail of Ezra holding his arm after the Inquisitor tosses him across the hallway and think "I need to make a story out of that"? Well yes, that's what you do right? Also, would season 1 Hera think of Kanan as her lover? I have mixed feelings about this but I decided to go with it.

Please do share your thoughts!