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Once Ezra fell asleep, The crew stood for a time watching the small child sleeping, he looked so peaceful.
"I am going to the Ghost. There is a few things I need to do and then I would like to get some rest" Hera voiced.
The other two members nodded and followed suit with their pilot. Yet as they left Hera glanced at Kanan in the tank with worries which both Sabine and Zeb noticed.
Once they got back to the Ghost, Hera started looking over some files the droid had given her.
"Diet plan? For a kid?" asked Zeb as he looked over Hera's shoulders.
Hera nodded tiredly.
"Ezra is severely underweight; he needs a diet plan that will help him to gain a healthy weight, but won't be too much for his stomach." Hera explained as she looked over some 'protien shakes' the droid suggested on her datapad.
Zeb sighed in acceptance "Yeah, he hardly weighed anything when I lifted him onto the bed. It was like carrying a sack of feathers."
"It looked like his skin was stretched over the bones, that was painfully obvious." Sabine mentioned as she contained, "They must of starved him as a way to make him obedient. The lack of bed or even a blanket though seems excessive. I at least had that as a cadet"
"I still can't believe he thought that a blanket and bed was too much for him," Zeb growled angrily.
Hera mumbled something under her breath in her native language and the two other crew members could tell that she was cursing to the empire for treating a boy so cruelly.
"Unlike Kanan though, he can move fine. Means he won't need much physical therapy. Mostly it will involve Ezra healing and getting him to a healthy state for a kid his age. Like the doctor said though, it will take time." Zeb mentioned with some optimism.
"Yeah but what about his mental state? Based on how scared he was with the droids, he must have gone through mustafar and back" Sabine pointed out.
"Yeah, poor kid was so freaked by just taking vitals. I almost thought he broke my hand." Zeb admitted as he examined his already bruised hand.
"I can't stop wondering if he was a cadet or if he was meant for something else" Sabine offered.
"Like an Inquisitor?" Hera speculated with horror.
Sabine nodded her head as she continued, "Kid wouldn't be the first force user to be trained to be an Inquisitor. We've faced like five of them at this point. Looks like the kid was their newest recruit."
Hera shook her head, "No, he isn't one of them. Ezra chose not to be one of them. An Inquisitor wouldn't be so protective of Kanan, a Jedi, like Ezra has been."
"So if he isn't an Inquisitor, then who exactly is he?" Zeb wondered out loud.
All three of them silenced while they reflected on the question and to their frustration they had no answer.
Sabine got her own datapad out and typed up a list with the title Ezra.
"Okay, lets piece this together. What do we know for a fact about him?"
Zeb spoke up first, "Doctor estimated that he's probably twelve."
Sabine typed this on the datapad.
"Ezra was a prisoner under horribly circumstances," offered Hera in bitterness of the truth she spoke.
"Ezra also seems to be very fond of Kanan," Sabine offered as well.
"Kid's probably an orphan," Zeb spoke up.
Both girls didn't like that idea and looked at the Lasat in despair.
Zeb stood his ground on the matter, "You guys know I'm probably right, he was probably taken from his parents at a young age. Since the Empire hates negative news about themselves… Well I hate to say it but I think his parent's may of been silenced, permanently."
Both Sabine and Hera knew that Zeb had a point. Hera though offered another idea.
"Maybe they're not dead, maybe they're looking for him?"
Zeb was not accepting that logic.
"That would have opened questions the empire don't want floating around" Zeb argued against it.
"They could also have taken them, imprisoned them as a means to keep the kid in line" offered Sabine.
Hera shook her head at the notion, "Don't you think he wouldn't of gone with Kanan if that were the fact?"
Sabine pointed out, "Not unless Kanan just took him. Let's be honest, poor kid imprisoned by the Empire. We all would have knocked him out if it meant getting him away from the Empire."
"They could be imperials," Zeb offered, "They could of just handed him to the Empire?"
The whole crew was mute at such a horrible thing for a parent to do to their own child.
Hera took in a deep breath before she came up with a plan, "Well for the time being, Ezra is here. Doctor's want him on bed rest. So for the time being, we'll try to find out more about the kid while helping him recover."
Zeb nodded at the idea.
"Sounds like a plan," Sabine agreed.
Hera smiled, "Good to hear. Now let's get some sleep. It's been a crazy day and it looks like it will be a crazier week."
Sabine walked out but Zeb remained, keeping an eye on Hera with both curiosity and concern.
"Zeb, what's up?" Hera asked a little confused, it was rare that Zeb stayed for a private conversation.
"You okay Hera?" Zeb asked Hera worried.
"Sure Zeb why do you ask" Hera questioned, wondering what made him ask such a question.
"Well… it's just that Kanan is in the bacta tank with deep wounds, bruises and cuts; seeing that was hard. Plus you have been dealing with the stress of Kanan being gone and the pressure from Sabine and me due to our disagreement over doing something to find Kanan. I just want to make sure you're handling this all okay Hera." Zeb admitted to his captain
Hera tried to hold up the facade but a small tear ran down.
"It… it is so hard seeing him like that. To see all that blood on him, see him so thin, he has lost weight. I hate to see him like that, see him so terribly hurt, it makes me wonder what he went through at the hands of the Empire" Hera divulged to her friend, though recalling the past few hour's sent shivers up and down her whole body.
"I know Hera. When there was wars on Lasan, I saw so many people badly injured. Sometimes the Empire took someone captive and then tortured them and sent them back to us to demoralize us. Don't let Kanan's injury get to you, he is home Hera" Zeb said.
Hera smiled to Zeb and hugged the big guy.
"Thanks Zeb, I needed to hear that. I know it can't be easy for you to talk about this" Hera said.
With that the crew went to bed, ready to finally figure out who Ezra was, and why he seemed so close to Kanan. Despite the crazy day they all rested in their sleep comforted by the fact that Kanan was home with them and even though he was hurt he would make it.
SWR
Sabine walked around in the ship looking for a good place she could sit and draw. After everything that happened over the last few days, she needed to relax and sketch. Normally she would do it in her room but Hera was going over the Ghost to go over supplies. If she was anywhere near Hera when she attempted to sketch, she would find ways to get her to help. Right now she really needed to be allowed to draw. So much had happened and she needed some time for herself. The problem was that as big as Sato command ship was, there certainly was only a few places she could sit and have a cool mind in. Sabine came to the medbay, but hesitated to enter.
Sabine had not really seen neither the child nor Kanan since Kanan had been placed in a bacta tank. It hurt too much to see the man she had started to think on as a father in such a state.
At first she was against going in, but she there wasn't really any other place she could go to. If she was lucky the child would be a sleep and she could sit in peace; so she sneaked in. As she had hoped the child was sleeping, hugging his pillow and blanket in his slumber. Sabine couldn't help but to smile when she saw the child so calm and content. Sabine's smile though fell when she looked and saw Kanan floating in the tank. Sabine walked over and saw how bad he looked despite his progress. The wound on Kanan's chest while fading; it was still visible and she flinched at the thought of Kanan receiving it, the thought also made her angry. The scars on his back was even worse to look on and his many other cuts, burns and bruises that was everywhere and his ribs were painfully easy to see. 'Please be better soon,' she thought hoping that Kanan would somehow know she wished him better.
Sabine found a chair and sat in it before looking at the kid that was sleeping peacefully in his bed. As Sabine opened her drawing book, she started to draw. A picture of how the crew should be. With Kanan in the middle happily smiling while holding on to Hera in a loving embrace. Zeb and Sabine stood by the two, also smiling all of them healthy and well of enjoying one of their carefree moment where they wasn't running from the Empire. Chopper got a spot next to Hera, while he probably would beep out something insulting to Zeb. The picture that was being created showed the crew as they were, as a family.
Sabine was so caught up in her drawing that she did not look up before a soft sobbing was heard. Sabine lowered her drawing and looked around and saw that the child had started to toss around on the bed while crying.
"I didn't do it, no, I didn't mean to, sorry, I'm sorry, forgive me" the small child sobbed.
Sabine was unsure what she should do but the child's continued cries made her feel like she should do something. Over and over the child begged forgiveness. Sabine put down her book and went over to the child.
"Ezra? Ezra wake up you are having a nightmare" Sabine said and tried to gently shake him not wanting to aggravate his wounds.
All she got out if it was "sorry" from the child as he became even more distressed.
"Ezra please wake up you're having a nightmare" she said and shook him a little more.
The child opened his eyes and looked at her with tear filled eyes as he curled up.
"Ezra easy you are safe, relax" she tried to get him to relax.
Ezra did not seem relaxed by Sabine's words and his sobbing worsened.
Sabine was unsure of how to handle the small distressed child so carefully padded the small child on his head. Slowly his crying started fading when he looked at the soft gentle touch she offered. Ezra still looked distraught and uneasy with the contact but he did not move away.
"Now there... much better" she said as the breathing slowed down.
"Would you like to talk about it?" she asked Ezra.
Ezra's eyes became wide with fear and with his arms he hugged himself, she could see that crying wasn't far away.
"Easy Ezra I just asked, I won't force you. I just need to know one thing. Have these nightmare's been constant?" she asked.
Ezra nodded before looking down.
"It's okay Ezra we will work through this you see" she said.
Sabine knew she would have to tell Hera and knowing Hera they would probably be asked to sit with Ezra while sleeping to help him cope with the nightmares.
"Okay Ezra when you feel ready you should probably try to sleep some more it would be good for you" she offered unsure what else she could do.
Ezra nodded and laid back down and she returned to her drawing even though it was difficult to draw now. Ezra laid back down but she could hear how he moved around.
"Would you like to help me draw?" she asked after some time where it was clear the boy wasn't going back to sleep.
Ezra sat up and looked both intrigued and nervous at the same time but after a short thought about it he nodded eagerly. Sabine moved over to him and started on a new page.
"What do you think we should draw together?" she asked.
Ezra shrug his shoulder, showing he did not know. Sabine was worried over the lack of verbal response.
"Ezra is something wrong? You haven't said a single word since you woke up" Sabine asked.
Ezra looked at her unsure of what to say before he hang his head and mumbled something she could not hear.
"Ezra what did you say?" she asked.
"You want me talk? Why? They always told me only to speak if I wasn't spoken directly to" Ezra said with some hesitation.
Sabine sighed knowing that that was standard training protocol once more suggesting that Ezra had received some form training. What type and form and by who did the admission not really help to clarify.
"Well here you don't have to worry about that, you can speak and ask as you wish, we won't hurt you for that" Sabine tried to reassure Ezra.
Ezra looked doubting at her, clearly not believing her.
"Ezra do you remember when you asked about Kanan after you broke out?" Sabine asked.
Ezra nodded unsure.
"Well none of us beat you there and we are not going to do now either. In fact we will never do it so if you want to ask go ahead" Sabine said hoping Ezra would see the logic.
Ezra looked at her for a long time biting his lips clearly trying to figure out if to trust her.
"Why is your hair orange and blue?" Ezra asked with some hesitation.
Sabine smiled at that.
"Well I decided to dice it, I felt like it needed something more" Sabine chuckled.
Ezra smiled back all though he still seemed uncertain.
"I like it" Ezra said.
"Thanks Ezra" Sabine replied.
Ezra started to scratched his head and Sabine noticed that Ezra's hair was still rather sticky. The doctor and droids had only cleaned his wounds there hasn't really been time to give him a shower.
"Would you like a shower Ezra?" Sabine asked.
Ezra's eyes was wide in amazement before a small smile showed on his face.
"A shower? Can I really have a shower? That would be awesome, I can't remember the last time I had one" Ezra said and for the first time Sabine saw the child show enthusiasm towards something.
"Great the shower is there" Sabine said and pointed out a door leaving to the refresher.
Ezra started to crawl out of the bed eagerly but when he got out of the bed he started to walk with a rather big limp. The small hiss from him told her that his wounds was not happy about the movement. It also suddenly hit her that a shower would not help if he had the bandages on.
"Do you need help Ezra?" Sabine asked as she walked over and called a medic droid.
Ezra looked at her clearly unsure what to say. Before he could answer the med droid came in and Ezra moved uncomfortable.
"Easy Ezra it is just to remove your bandages before you start showering" Sabine tried to reassure.
Ezra nodded and stood still as the droid removed the bandages and left again. Even so she noticed he was shaking a bit under the process and looked fearful at the droid. 'Poor kid' she could not stop herself from thinking, the kid must have been exposed to a torture droid often to be so scared. As the droid removed the bandages, she had her first real look at him and the sight she saw made her heart ache. The boy had tons of cuts and wounds and also some bruises all though they showed sign of being old most of them. Many of the cuts and wounds showed sign of infections, as the doctor had said. Well at least a shower would help him keep clean preventing further wounds and cuts being infected she mused to herself as the droid finished taking the bandage off and left and Ezra visible relaxed.
"Now just let me help you to the bathroom. I don't want you to fall over and collapse." Sabine replied.
Sabine walked over to him and made him lean his hand over her shoulder so she took some of the weight. That seemed to help him and soon they reached the bathroom. They went inside and she explained how to turn on the water and showed him soap and shampoo.
"Don't lock the door and leave it a crack open so you can call if you fall." Sabine said as she was about to leave.
Sabine noticed Ezra nodded and she walked out and returned to her drawing but made sure she keep an ear out. As she drew the water kept running and she supposed Ezra would be needing some time to wash all the dirt out and she imagined there would be a lot of dirt. From the looks of it and the smell when they found him he had not been able to wash for a long time. She was on the third picture before she heard the soft call for her. As she helped the now much cleaner boy back into bed she could not help but smile. He fell asleep as she got him back in the bed he fell asleep with a happy content expression on his face. Sabine called for the droid to look him over and wrap him in bandages once again before she left, she knew she had to tell this to Hera.
SWR
Zeb made his way to the medbay with the kid's breakfast tray in hand. Hera made it right before she went to a meeting with Sato. In all honesty, Zeb wished Hera had just taken it to the kid.
Zeb was fine with kids, but seeing how much abuse and torment this one had gone through made his blood boil. Which was a problem because he didn't want to scare the kid by seeing how upset he was. Zeb cleared his head as he approached the medbay.
As Zeb entered, he saw the tiny boy on his cot as he watched Kanan in the tank. Zeb knocked on the door to get the kid's attention.
The boy, turning to see the Lasat in the doorway, sat up straight, like he was about to be tested.
"Um, morning kid," Zeb greeted awkwardly.
"Morning." Ezra responded with some hesitation.
Zeb entered the room cautiously, "So, um… Hera made you breakfast." Zeb placed the covered tray on the bed. Ezra looked up at him with sad eyes.
"Yeah, sorry if it's late or not something you're familiar with, but Doctors says you need to put some meat on your bones so…" That was when Zeb noticed Ezra struggling to get out of bed. Though it seemed to agitate the kid's wound's
"Woah kid," Zeb replied as he had the kid sit back down on the bed, "You don't need to go anywhere."
Ezra seemed confused, "But don't you want me to train; like run, or dodge something, or train, or-,"
"Why?" Zeb questioned, "you're still healing, and besides, you need to eat before you can do anything."
"But, don't I have to earn it?." Ezra asked the Lasat slightly confused.
Zeb knew what the kid meant; in imperial prisons, you don't eat until chores or certain task were completed. To use such horrific methods on a child. No wonder the kid was so small! Zeb was furious that a child had to earn his right to simply eat.
Zeb knew he couldn't freak out, not in front of a kid that was so abused. So, he took a deep breath before he explained to Ezra, "Kid, right now you need to stay in bed till you feel better. Besides, here we eat breakfast before doing any form of work. So eat up, okay."
Ezra was completely shocked, he could really eat without having to do anything. It was amazing, they were just giving him free food. It had to be a trap.
Cautiously Ezra lifted the cover on the tray; what Ezra found made him almost drool. On the plate were some red berries, scrambled eggs, and actual toast. His stomach rumbled in anticipation, his mouth got filled with water, he could not remember when he had been presented a full meal, it was tempting to eat it. Ezra wanted to eat everything in it and for once get the feeling of being full instead of feeling the ever gnawing hunger he was so used to. Ezra could not remember the the last time he had a full meal or when he hasn't been forced to work for it. It all looked so good, almost too good.
"I can really have it?" Ezra questioned the Lasat again.
"Yeah kid i'm sure," Zeb assured the timid child.
After a few seconds, Ezra cautiously took a bit of the eggs. Once it met his mouth, his face light up in delight, especially when he found no trace of hidden drugs in it. Soon the kid was shovelling it all down at warp speed.
Zeb chuckled at how happy the kid was, but also had to gently remind him, "Easy kid, try to slow down or you'll wind up sick."
Ezra heard him and smiled as he slowed down with eating.
"I'm guessing you like breakfast?" Zeb questioned.
Ezra smiled as he nodded his head. Ezra then noticed the berries on his plate were Lothal berries.
"These look like the ones I used to pick on Lothal." Ezra recalled happily.
Zeb smiled at the info he found out, "You're from Lothal?"
Ezra nodded his head before he continued, "I'm from Capitol city, But I picked some berries in Kothol on some farms there."
"Wow, that must of been fun. I remember doing stuff like that." Zeb pointed out as he recalled his own childhood.
"Really? Where are you from?" Ezra asked curiously.
"Lasan." Zeb answered, though gloom laced his voice.
Zeb soon realized that Ezra could tell he was a little sad.
"Sorry kid, just don't really like talking about Lasan." Zeb admitted.
Ezra weakly smiled as he replied, "I get that."
"You do?" Zeb pondered.
Ezra explained, "Sometimes the past is hard to talk about. So if you don't want to talk about it, it's okay."
Zeb had to admit, "You're pretty smart for a kid your age.
Ezra blushed at the compliment.
Zeb then had an idea, "How about I tell you about the crew instead?"
Ezra nodded curiously as he leaned into hear Zeb's tales of the crew's. As the hour's went on Zeb's tales enchanted the kid, distracting the kid for a time of his dark and painful past, and actually had the genuine curiosity of a typical child. Ezra smiled while the stories was told and it made Zeb glad to see that there was still a child under all the abuse.
"Thank you Zeb for telling me all these things. You guys are cool" Ezra said.
"Thank kid; and you're welcome" he replied as he chuckled.
"Now you better get some rest ,you need it and no worries about having to earn food. We feed everyone here" he added.
Ezra's face lit up in amazement and happiness.
"Really? So how often do you eat here?" Ezra asked hopefully.
"Three times a day" Zeb answered a little uneasy about Ezra being so amazed about being feed.
If Ezra's eyes had been any bigger they would have popped out of his head.
"You are going to feed me three times a day? Woah I could never eat that many times on the street" Ezra said in wonder.
Zeb stopped dead in his tracks unsure how to handle this, he was certainly not a children's expert. Ezra gasped when he realised what he had revealed in his happiness over being feed.
"Kid? What did you say?" Zeb said fighting a hard battle not to show his anger was acting up again.
"I … I lived on the street for a few years. I had no choice" Ezra revealed rather reluctantly.
"For how long?" Zeb demanded.
Ezra shivered over the anger.
"From I was nine to eleven, about two years" Ezra mumbled in panic as he curled together.
Zeb saw the reaction from the child and with some effort calmed down.
"Easy kid I won't hurt you it is just … well you should not have to go through that" Zeb said.
"It's okay, I mean it was not fun or anything but I lived through it," Ezra admitted.
Zeb sighed but did not know what to do. Zeb noticed that the kid was done eating and walked over and took the plate. Ezra looked worried at him, but did not move away.
"Thank you for feeding me, it is so nice to not being hungry" Ezra said softly.
Zeb looked at him and smiled.
"Well you will be feed here, now try to rest you need it" Zeb said.
Ezra nodded but the sadness still plagued his eyes as Zeb left the room.
SWR
The Inquisitor rarely felt fear but this was one of the few times he did so. They had arrived to Mustafar. Before they had gone, he had contacted his master to report the transfer of a captured jedi and a force sensitive child. Now they had arrived to the planet, and he had neither of child nor Jedi. The Pau'aun's master would be most unpleased, worse he might come aboard to punish him in person. The Inquisitor looked at Kallus, who also seemed to be uneasy with the situation. Suddenly he felt a presence and he heard the sound of very loud breathing. The Inquisitor turned around kneeling as he looked down, not daring to meet his master's stare, not there was really anything to see. The Inquisitor could feel his master anger from here, which did not spell well for him.
"Master" he greeted.
"Student, what has happened?" Vader roared in anger.
"A minor setback, that is all master" the Inquisitor tried to rationalized with the his master.
"You promised me a captured jedi and a force sensitive child, and you arrive to Mustafar with neither of them. You dare call it a minor setback Inquisitor!?" Vader roared once more in anger.
Suddenly the Inquisitor felt his throat tighten, making it harder to breath as he was lifted up and slammed into the wall where he was left hanging, struggling for breath, feeling the pain of the impact. The Inquisitor could feel how the lack of oxygen was starting to taking effect.
"Agent Kallus," hollered Vader to the agent in the corner, shocked by what the Sith was capable of, "since my apprentice seems to incompetent to complete the simplest of task, I will have to ask you. WHAT HAPPENED?" Vader mechanical voice runged.
Kallus regained his composure to give Darth Vader his requested report, but he was shaking slightly.
"We had started to transport the prisoners when the Grand Inquisitor found that the street rat child had escaped. The Inquisitor rushed to the transport bay and battled the jedi as the two were making their escape, but was knocked out and the jedi and child fled together Lord Vader" Kallus reported in fear.
"Ma.." the Inquisitor managed to get out as his vision failed him.
Death was reaching out to the Inquisitor and that truly frightened him. His body was shutting down because of the lack of air.
Vader looked at him before he released him and he felt to the ground. The Inquisitor could do nothing but laying there trying to catch his breath, but he really wanted to get as far away from his master as possible. Vader walked over to him
"Look at me Inquisitor" Vader demanded.
The Inquisitor looked at his master only to find himself face to face with his masters red lightsaber.
"You failed me Inquisitor. You had the child for a half a year and you did not manage to turn him, despite assuring me your methods were solid. You had the jedi for a month and failed to break him, despite assuring me you could. Now you have come here with nothing allowing both of them escaping. Worse you might have formed a jedi, padawan bond between them. You have failed me Inquisitor." Vader roared his anger greater than ever.
The Grand Inquisitor felt pain spring into him, as his master's lightsaber hit his chest around his shoulder point and started to work towards his neck. The Inquisitor struggled to not scream, and to come up with something that would stop his master from killing him.
"Master I made the boy use the dark side" he screamed in desperation.
The lightsaber stopped its progress and Lord Vader looked at him.
"Maybe you have managed to accomplish something after all Inquisitor" Vader said in a slightly less angry tone.
Lord Vader cut his way to the other shoulder, so he now had a burning line from his right to his left shoulder over his chest. Unlike humans his vitals was not sitting in his chest so it wasn't lethal but it still hurt terribly.
"Get up Inquisitor, you have a task to accomplish. You will capture the jedi and child and as soon as you do you will bring them here to me before anything else. I wish to meet this jedi and child who believes they can stand up to the empire." Vader said.
The Inquisitor raised from the floor even though his body was in considerable pain and he could feel the burning across his shoulders and dangerously close to his neck. Some places the burn had been so deep it was bleeding and every movement was painful. The Inquisitor started walking away.
"Inquisitor you will let the wound heal without anything to help it and you will not fail me again. If you capture them your failure will be nullified, if not I will test your methods on you and see if they are so solid as you claim" Vader told him.
"Yes master" he responded as he walked away with Kallus that seemed scared and relieved.
Pain was close to consuming him, but the only thing the Inquisitor could think of, was he had to capture the boy and jedi.
SWR
"AHH!" Ezra screeched at the top of his lungs as he sprung up in bed. The child could feel his heart racing, his face covered in cold sweat, and his body shaking. 'They are after us' he thought. Ezra was shaking violently looking around desperately and saw to his horror that Kanan had was having a spasm in the tank. Worry for Kanan flooded him.
"Easy Ezra, shhh, it was just a nightmare. You're safe." came the calm sweet voice that was Hera's.
Ezra looked up and sure enough there she was, sitting right next to his cot in a comfy chair to watch over him. Slowly he started to relax and while he looked at Kanan, the man as well started to stop twitching.
"There you go Ezra keep breathing, we can't have you get so upset, it is not good for you" Hera continued to smooth.
Ezra liked it when Hera did such things, it felt so motherly. That thought made his chest ache over the lose of his own mother.
"Ezra is everything alright?" Hera asked worried.
Ezra nodded even though it was an outright lie, he could not worry such a nice person with his problems.
"Okay then try to relax" Hera said and gently stroke his hair almost making him cry.
While Ezra had been in the Phoenix squadrons medbay, Sabine had discovered that the boy suffered from constant nightmares. To make sure he wouldn't freak and forget where he was, the member's of the Ghost crew had agreed to take turns watching him at night.
Despite hesitation of people watching him sleep, Ezra actually found it comforting, especially when it was Hera's turn. Especially with how weak he still felt.
Ezra wasn't sure if it was the stress of surviving or adrenaline from fighting for his life, but while in the base, he couldn't help but to sleep, a lot. When the human doctor came in, he had mentioned his was healing, and that the body heals naturally the best with some rest. It made sense to him, but he wished he wouldn't do it so often, he didn't want to miss Kanan to wake up.
Ezra looked up at the tank and saw the man floating there. Still unconscious and too thin, but showed signs of healing.
"He's making tremendous progress," Hera mentioned, "Doctor's say he will still need some rest and physical therapy, but should be coming out soon."
Ezra still seemed a bit uneasy about that, not sure what it would require of Kanan, "That's what you guys want me to do right?" Ezra asked as Hera help him lay down.
"In time yes. But maybe you and Kanan can be therapy partner's." Hera offered.
Even if Ezra found the term crazy, he smiled at Hera's enthusiasm.
Hera then felt Ezra's forehead and pouted.
"You're still warm" Hera remarked as she got up and went to the freezer unit to grab an ice bag.
"Why does my head feel warm, but the rest of me is so cold?" Ezra questioned as Hera place the cool bag on his forehead.
"Well Ezra, with your body healing, it's working extra hard, so it will cause you to feel a little sleepy and having a high temperature, but have a little chill." Hera explained as she placed a warm blanket over Ezra.
Ezra snuggled into the blanket, as he embraced the warmth happy for the bed and blanket.
"Are you sure it is okay I can have all of this?" Ezra asked worried.
Hera looked at him with soft, loving but also worried eyes.
"Oh Ezra you must never believe that this is too much, it is never too much. You deserve such things just as much as anyone else" Hera said sadly.
"Thank you Hera" Ezra said with gratefulness.
"You are welcome Ezra. You mean a lot to us" Hera said and patted him gently.
Ezra smiled however, he noticed Hera looking at the tank that Kanan was in. Ezra could see Hera's concern for him, it reminded of his own face when he got glimpses of his reflection in the glass tank. Every time he looked at Kanan in the tank he saw the whip marks, either the one on the chest or those on his back. The memory of how Kanan received them sparked to life and he could hear the cry from Kanan in his mind and see his pained face when he had been forced to his knees. Ezra's stomach turned as he was feeling sick by the thought that he had nearly killed Kanan. There was also the pain it must have cost Kanan to speak up for … him, must have been horrible, why had Kanan done it? Why would he speak up for a person who was supposed to be his executioner? Kanan had already been in bad shape to begin with, why would he risk more beatings just to help a street rat like him, he nearly hadn't survived.
Ezra took her concern as a good sign to trust her, and was shocked when he felt sad for her concern. But to give Hera credit, she has been really nice to him, just like Kanan is. Zeb and Sabine were also nice but not as motherly as Hera was. Perhaps that was why seeing Hera so upset made Ezra also upset.
Ezra decided to distract Hera from Kanan's state, "How do you know Kanan?" Ezra pondered.
"We're part of the Ghost crew together, I thought I told you that?" Hera questioned.
"I mean like how did you guys meet?" Ezra elaborated, " Did you guys end up on the run, crazy adventure lead you guys together?"
Hera let out a chuckle at the bubbly curiosity Ezra was letting her see.
"Why so curious?" Hera asked
"Because I saw Kanan determination to get out, and I think it was to see you guys again." Ezra pointed out.
Hera was a little stunned by what Ezra asked, but was also touched that Ezra was so curious about Kanan. Hera knew that if she told him, then maybe Ezra would be more open to talk with her.
"Well Ezra, it started on Gorse…" So Hera told Ezra about meeting the snarky former jedi, and how they got into trouble with the Empire. All throughout the tale, Ezra was entranced by the story that Hera told, he was smiling the whole time while snuggled in the bed and blanket.
By the end of the story, Ezra was amazed, "Wow, and you guys are still friends after all that.
Hera chuckled at the comment, "Yes we are." Hera then got back to a certain matter
"Ezra can I ask you a personal question?" asked Hera gently.
"I guess." Ezra replied, unsure what Hera wanted to know that was personal, and became fearful when he speculated that she could be wanting to know about his time in prison. What if Hera knew about his role in Kanan's almost execution? Ezra was really worried what would ever happen if they found out that he nearly had killed Kanan. It was not something he wanted to tell them, ever. Off course he felt guilty about it, but that did not mean he wanted to tell them. When Sabine had found out he was plagued with nightmares she had asked about it but he had not told her. In the nightmare he had been standing with the gun pointing at Kanan, but this time he had pulled the trigger.
"Zeb mentioned to me that you are from Lothal, right?" Hera began.
Ezra nodded his head in agreement. Ezra figured Zeb would tell Hera, and it didn't bother him that she knew. What bothered the boy though, was what Hera said next.
"Well I figured that we should get a hold of your family. They must be worried sick about.." Hera then noticed Ezra's head hung low, as he began shaking.
"Ezra? Ezra, what's wrong?" Hera asked, scared how the child was now upset because of what she said.
Hera then had a horrible thought that his parent's really did turn him over to the Inquisitors. But was shocked by what Ezra said next,
"There gone." Ezra admitted through quiet sobs.
"Oh Ezra, I am so sorry, I didn't know" Hera said gently and went over to him and offered to hug him.
Ezra hesitantly leaned into her a bit still uncomfortable with close personal contact. Hera noticed that Ezra seemed to try and fight the crying.
"Ezra if you want to cry, it's okay. There is nothing shameful about crying when you are sad" Hera tried to assure him gently stroking him over the hair to smooth him.
Ezra tried to fight it for a few moments, the Inquisitor's had never had anything but spite for him when he had started to cry. It had learned him to fight back the tears and not show the hurt but the comfort was too much for him. Ezra had not had a hug since his parents was around and Hera reminded him ever so much of his mother, he fought it a little a before he broke down completely.
"He took them, why did he do it? I hate him, I hate him so much" sobbed Ezra.
Hera wondered who 'he' was but she could also feel the anger coming from Eza.
"Ezra shush, take it easy, take a deep breath, try to relax" Hera tried to smooth him as she gently stroke his hair.
Slowly Ezra relaxed a little more but Hera could still see the pain and anger in Ezra's eyes.
"Now Ezra who is he?" Hera asked.
Ezra hung his head and looked away. Hera did not want to press Ezra but she really wanted this information at the same time. Hera waited patiently hoping Ezra would tell her. Hera had almost given up when suddenly Ezra whispered the name "Kallus". Hera gasped, she had so many questions to ask but Ezra had started crying again. Hera leaned over and offered him comfort. Ezra cried and cried until and nothing she did made him stop. 'When had the child last time had a chance to let out his emotion?' Hera slightly rocked Ezra and held him tight wanting to offer him comfort but he just kept crying, clinging to her. Hera patiently waited until Ezra fell asleep due to the exhaustion from crying, before she laid him down and moved back to the chair. Deep in thoughts she knew she would not be able to rest any time soon. So, she sat there as she ran her fingers through the boy's hair. Hera smiled at herself as she saw Ezra smiling in contentment in his slumber.
"Don't worry Ezra we will make it right and if you don't have others we will be happy to have you" Hera assured the sleeping child, almost like she thought he could hear her. Perhaps he could because Hera saw the boy smiling in his slumber. Hera sighed in relief that their newest crew member was going to be okay.
A/N It should now all have been fixed. The Hera and Ezra moments are requested and see as a comitment for your wonderful readers to enjoy.