Marry Christmass all of you. Thanks for all your support. Also Chelsea if you want to post questions then we can only answer you if you make a profil - we strongly urge you to it as fanfiction will be much more fun that way as we can pm you.
Ezra fell asleep on the way back and all of them smiled at the sight of the small sleeping child hugging Zeb.
"This boy is way too cute." Hera chuckled as she looked at how innocent the child was.
Kanan smiled as well.
"Yes cute and a little fighter according to Sato" Sabine grinned as she recalled the incident between the two males.
"It wasn't too bad, was it?" Zeb wondered as he two chuckled.
"No worries. Sato just needed to clean it, and put a bandage on, it will heal in a week. Sato might get some sympathy, but no doctor will write him an excuse from the rebellion," Hera joked.
Soon enough they were back in the medical room and Zeb laid Ezra back on the bed. The doctor was over him as soon as Zeb let him go so he could check Ezra over.
"Ezra legs are swollen from the excessive use to his sprained extremities. If the child keeps up this high amount of activity, it will prolong his healing process. So please try to keep him resting, no more running off" the doctor asked rather annoyed.
The crew nodded.
"Now let us look at you Jarrus. I swear that you two will give me grey hairs; you are by far my most difficult patient, and I had one try to kill me to get away. One would think a grown man who just came out of bacta tank would know better, but no; instead he starts to run off to join the search party for another restless patient." the doctor grumbled.
Kanan smiled as he laid down, sending a sharp pain through his body, he could not prevent himself from hissing.
"See? Your body agrees with me. Now if we can only convince that stubborn mind of yours that rest is best, it would make my job easier" the doctor went on.
"Okay I understand, no more running off and bed rest" Kanan grumbled back to the doctor.
"Good, because I will tie you to the bed if I have to" the doctor replied in a half joking, half serious tone.
The last comment was not meant to be harsh but Kanan's hand shoot up grabbing his wrist. Kanan wished that he could prevent it but of course all four of them saw it as he began to breath uneasily.
"Kanan what's the matter?" Hera asked.
"It's okay, I am okay. Nothing's wrong" Kanan tried to talk his way out of it.
"Kanan?" Hera requested in a demanding tone.
Kanan gulped, he knew that tone and he would not get out of that one, Hera wanted an answer.
"It's just, the mention of being restrained is a bit unsettling for me. They kept me in restraints at all time either using cuffs, metal bands or chains so it's a little hard to take that kind of matter as a joke," Kanan admitted
"Chains?" All three of the crew asked in union.
Kanan sighed and continued, "Chains designed for force users, if you use the force they would tighten they used it on me when I was sitting in the cell. From time to time they would leave food I could only get by using the force so I had to use the force or starve. Though most of the time I was drugged to prevent me from using the force" Kanan admitted not wanting to meet their eyes yet again.
The crew cringed at such a terrible form of torment.
"They would not even allow you to move around in the cell?" Hera asked.
"No, they had me locked down when I was in there, it made it easier for them that way" Kanan mumbled in a very low voice.
"Well that does explain why parts of your skin was completely gone on your wrists and ankles" the doctor sighted.
An uncomfortable silence followed.
"Kanan what do you mean by make it easier?" Hera asked nervously.
"Well it made it easier for them to drug me, take me out of the cell or look me over" Kanan sighed.
"Look you over? Like medical examination?" the doctor asked worried.
Kanan shook his head and "No like checking my wounds over, seeing how they were healing" Kanan sad.
"Why were they interested in that?" Sabine asked confused.
"If I showed sign of healing they would beat me up. The … the Inquisitor ordered that … I was to be in pain at all time so they would start the day by injecting me with force suppressant and then check me over .. if they found I was healing they would ... beat me up some more. I sometimes scratched my wounds to make it look worse, in the hope they would not beat me further" Kanan said with great hesitation mumbled.
Hera could not stand it any longer, she lowered herself and hugged Kanan gently. Kanan hugged herokay back and leaned into the touch enjoying the comfort. Kanan had not realised how much he had missed the comfort from Hera.
"Now then you need to stay in bed, you need a good meal and then it is time to sleep" the doctor said making Hera and Kanan break apart.
Kanan's stomach seemed to like the idea, as it rumbled in agreement.
"Looks like I agree," Kanan chuckled weakly, still having a hard time really smiling.
"Indeed now I will get you something that won't be too much for your stomach. I will be back in a moment."
Just as the doctor left, a small groan was heard from Ezra who had started to toss himself around on the bed. Hera hurried over to Ezra.
"Ezra wake up you are having a nightmare" Hera said and gently shook him.
Kanan asked Zeb and Sabine as they looked upon the scene with dismay in their eyes.
"Has this been happening often?" Kanan asked.
"Seems to be whenever the poor kid tries to sleep, he is haunted by the same nightmare." Sabine revealed to Kanan.
Kanan did not like what he heard the poor kid go through, but was relieved Hera was helping him when Kanan at the moment could not.
Soon, Ezra woke up, gasping for air as he began looking nervously around.
"You okay Ezra?" Kanan asked.
Ezra looked frightened, his eyes unfocused, face sweating like he was about to throw up.
"Kid what is it?" Kanan questioned.
"I .. I just had a bad dream that is all," Ezra answered reluctantly as he turned his head away.
"About what?" Sabine asked.
It took a while, but finally he told them, "The man dressed in black" Ezra said shaking all over the body.
"The man dressed in black? who is he Ezra?" Kanan pondered as to what freaked the kid out so much.
"I don't know. It's strange I never seen him before, yet I had a dream earlier with him in it. The Inquisitor and Kallus had arrived and the Inquisitor looked scared. This man dressed in black came, he was big, completely in black and his breathing was very loud and he was furious that we had escaped. The Inquisitor called him, Lord Vader. Kanan do you know who that is?" Ezra said.
Kanan had lost all his color staring at Ezra with fear which made Ezra nervous.
"Ezra do you know if they were near Mustafar?" Kanan asked worried.
Ezra nodded his head as he told them "Yes they were right above it, the man dressed in black told the Inquisitor to bring us back there when the Inquisitor re capture us after he had nearly killed him in anger over letting us escape, the Inquisitor called him master" Ezra told them as he hugged himself for comfort.
"Kanan what is it?" Zeb asked as he saw Kanan go pale.
"It's okay Zeb" Kanan said and sent him a sight that told him to ask him later.
Ezra looked confused at them but the door opened with the doctor coming in with two trays of food which made him forget it.
"Food" Ezra beamed and was almost bouncing out of the bed in anticipation but Zeb stopped him.
"Easy Ezra, stay in bed" Zeb told.
"Sorry Zeb" Ezra said trying to wait patiently on the food.
Kanan smiled at the eager child as he was served his meal. Ezra ate as fast as he could before Sabine reminded him to slow down. It was a warming site to see. Kanan just as eagerly went to eat his own food. It was so long since he last had a full meal and he excited about being feed a decent meal and not throw it up due to drugs or lack of sleep.
"This is great. I can't believe I get three meals a day and I don't even have to work for it and you don't take the food from me if I am not fast enough," Ezra beamed happily.
Kanan and the crew's smile fell when they heard the happy admission. Kanan cursed inside, had the Empire even feed the boy at all? Ezra was so terribly thin now, despite his sureness that the crew had been feeding him while he was out. The idea of taking food from Ezra was one Kanan recognised, when they feed prisoners, they took the food from you if you did not eat it fast enough. Kanan nearly lost his first meal at the base that way.
"Is something wrong?" Ezra asked when he noticed the crew's reaction.
"No nothing is wrong Ezra it is just … never mind eat up" Kanan managed to answer.
Ezra did not need to be told twice and happily ate that until there was nothing left on the plate. Kanan on the other hand seemed to have a bit more trouble about eating after that admission. Finally the meal was over and it was time to sleep. At least for Ezra, Kanan and the crew talked for a bit as the child slept.
"What's the matter?" Sabine asked as Zeb and Hera looked towards Kanan, wondering the same thing.
Kanan sighed as he questioned, "what's the plan for him? How long will it take to get him….normal?" kanan knew 'normal wasn't the right word, but in the moment, it was the closest thing to what Kanan was thinking about.
The others looked at each other unsurely when Hera spoke.
"Doctor's did say it would take a few months of a special diet to get him to the average weight of a child his age. Ezra will need to rest and heal for a bit before he does any strenuous physical therapy. Overall though, Doctor say he has a long way to go before he is healthy for one his age."
Kanan, though knowing the answer now, was not comforted at all. Ezra shouldn't have to go through any of this. It just wasn't fair.
"Ezra will be alright, you know that right?" Hera said.
Kanan sighed.
"I do know, it just not fair to see one so young suffer so much" Kanan answered bitterly.
"None of use deserved what happened to us, that is why this rebellion exist" Hera answered.
Kanan then asked the crew nervously "What about you, how do you fare with all that I have told? You guy's handling it alright?"
The crew was silent in thought before Sabine spoke.
"Well it is hard to hear that you were almost killed, and that Ezra was meant to do the act; but it wasn't his fault we all know that Kanan. None of us are angry at him if that's what you're worried about." Sabine answered.
All three of them nodded. Kanan smiled at that.
"You should worry about getting better yourself, not run of after Ezra. Besides it looks like he is back to resting now, so I better call off the search" sounded a cheerful voice.
Kanan saw Ahsoka stand in the doorway, while Hera blushed.
"I am so sorry. I forgot to call it off, I better go do that" Hera said and shortly walked out to call of the search.
"Good to see you Ahsoka" Kanan greeted happily.
"Likewise Kanan" Ahsoka chimed up with cheer before she asked seriously "Now what is this about Ezra meant to do the act?"
Again, the crew was awkward in their silence before an explanation came to them, "We found out that Ezra was meant to kill Kanan when he was up for execution at the base, but he refused" Zeb answered, trying to defend the kid at the end of it.
Ahsoka's face saddened for a moment, just as Hera came back in.
"Well good thing he did not go through with it" Ahsoka agreed.
"Now Kanan what was it that you would not want to admit in front of the kid?" Hera asked.
"I think Ezra had a vision, a vision where the Inquisitor arrived at Mustafar where we was meant to be send. Ezra talked about a man dressed in black who the Inquisitor called master and he was furious for us escaping. Ezra said he was called Lord Vader" Kanan sighted and his breathing became pitched "I, he … we were sent to Mustafar and Darth Vader was waiting for us there" Kanan admitted as his breathing became a bit more unstable.
All their faces grew deeply worried while Kanan struggled to regain control of his breathing. Silently they tried to come to turn with the fact that Ezra and Kanan almost had ended up in the hands of the second in command of the Empire. A Jedi and a force sensitive would hold no chance up against a Sith. Kanan in particular would have paid deeply just for the fact of being a Jedi, it was a horribly fate that the two had only narrowly escaped.
"Ezra said the Inquisitor was ordered by Vader to recapture us and take us to Mustafar. The two of us will be hunted more than ever. There is no safe place in the galaxy to go to if Vader wants us this badly" Kanan blurred out painfully.
The crew and Ahsoka reflected on this. If they had to deal with Darth Vader, that was a entire new level of problems they might not be ready for. Hera knew that Ahsoka, Sato, Ogana and herself would have to talk about it.
"Well at least we now know who the Inquisitors answer to" Ahsoka mumbled.
All of them were in deep thought.
"Let's rest for now; we can worry about it later, you should be resting the most Kanan you have been through a lot" Ahsoka.
Kanan grumbled like a child being told it was time for bed.
"Stop that love it does not fit you. Ahsoka is right you really should rest" Hera scolded Kanan.
Kanan laughed it off and soon had to admit he was really tired and the crew left him alone.
It took some time for Kanan to remind himself that he could sleep, that he would not wake up to the troopers slamming their boots or fist into his side. As much as Kanan hated to admit it the torture had set its mark on him, it also took some time to convince himself that he would not wake up back in the cell after another drug injection. Kanan laid himself down getting comfortable why keep focusing on his breathing, trying to alleviate his fear of falling asleep only waking up back in the cell with the Inquisitor grinning right next to him. In that moment Ezra once again started to toss himself around.
"Ezra buddy wake up" Kanan called to Ezra.
At first nothing happened but then the kid sat up, crying as he gasped for air.
"Ezra please calm down it was a nightmare" he told Ezra.
Slowly Ezra looked at him with tear filled eyes but slowly started to relax.
Kanan held him close to his chest for comfort. Ezra leaned into the Kanan's hold, though he shuttered from his experience. Kanan held him till the child fell back to sleep. Once he laid the boy down, all he could think of was how he could make sure no one ever hurt Ezra again.
SWR
The next morning, Once Kanan and Ezra had eaten breakfast (a fast task for the two), the doctor's came in and talked about starting physical therapy.
"We will start off with basics for the two of you."
Kanna and Ezra on their cots nodded at the doctor.
The doctor smiled that they understood, "Let's start off with the basics. Let us see you move your fingers."
Kanan, though finding the idea a bit ridiculous, did as the man said. One by one Kanan moved his fingers, while some sore and others not so much, he accomplished the task with ease, as he looked over at Ezra, he smiled when ezra grinned that he did the same also.
"Good," The Doctor complimented, "Now try to turn your wrist."
Kanan hated it, and he groaned internally at the idea. His wrist were still wrapped up from them being rubbed raw by all the restraints. Even looking his wrist wrapped up made him cringe. 'Stand still' a voice inside him suddenly told and he shivered.
Kanna knew he had to keep calm, if Ezra saw him cringe, it would only scare the fragile child.
As slowly as Kanan could, he turned his wrist. While his heart rate elevated from the memories of being shocked when he would move, he did so with success. There had especially been one day where the Inquisitor had been in a really bad mood and had restrained his arms over his head so he was forced to stand, if he moved a taser would be used on him. Kanan had futilely tried to stand still, but he was human, he had to move even just a little and then the taser was used. The pain had been horribly as shock after shock came, each time making to harder and harder to stand still. Then his legs had given away because of the shocks, and his arms had been forced to carry the full weight of his body, leaving him in even greater pain much to the Inquisitors delight. The memory did that Kanan had to fight the impulse to stay completely still to avoid a shock or being restrained. Kanan smiled at himself for overcoming it, only to hear heavy breathing next to him.
Ezra, who was holding onto his wrist, began hyperventilating, looking at his wrist like it wasn't really there.
"The boy is having a panic attack" the doctor assets.
Kanan sensed it, Ezra reliving painful memories, most likely similar to tones Kanan had of the base.
Slowly Kanan tried to reach out to Ezra through the force to ease the troubled boy's mind. However, once Kanan extended his hand to the child in the bed next to him, the kid suddenly pushed his presences away through the force. It was not just a small push the sheer power that Ezra pushed him out with was very strong, Ezra's mind suddenly was hidden behind some very strong shields. Kanan could barely sense Ezra any longer but the little he could was filled with fear.
"STOP!" Ezra shouted at the top of lungs before he curled into a ball.
"Ezra, it's me, Kanan."
Ezra trembled as he looked up at the man, "Then why did you do that?" The kid sounded like he had just been betrayed. His eyes filled with tears and his shield was still up.
"I was trying to connect with you so I could calm you." Kanna stated
Ezra looked surprised by the comment and asked, "You weren't going to try to hurt my head with it?"
Kanan was silent for a moment before he turned to the doctor, "Do you mind giving us a few minutes, I promise we won't get out of bed."
The doctor, though reluctantly, agreed and left the room.
"That's what the Inquisitor did, didn't he? Go inside your mind and made you relive painful memories." Kanan speculation was confirmed correct as Ezra nodded.
"If they wanted to punish me or make me do the same thing to them. One of the Inquisitors would do it a lot before I was able to block them out. When they wanted to teach me to block them out they just went in and did not leave before I forced them out. The seventh sister liked that in particular. I had to learn using shields and fast, so I can block all of them except the Grand Inquisitor, he was too strong" Ezra said in a low voice.
Kanan's stomach turned when he thought of Ezra's mind being attacked especially by someone so sinister as the seventh sister. Kanan turned his body completely towards Ezra, hand on the kid's shoulders as he told them.
"The Inquisitors may have done that, but I would never do that. What I was trying to do was ease your mind, help you calm down when it became apparent you could not do that on your own."
Ezra looked completely stunned, "How is that possible?"
Kanan took a deep breath before he explained, "Unlike using the force to grip your mind so that you relive painful memories, I can use the force; to calm the storm that's brewing inside you."
Ezra smiled meekly, "that sounds nice."
Kanan chuckled at the comment, "It is, do you wish for me to try, to show you."
Ezra though hesitant, did eventually nod his head in agreement.
It was evident that Ezra had learned to defend his mind the hard way. Kanan could feel how Ezra followed his signature through the force, ready to block him out if the child had to.
Though Ezra cringed as Kanan yet again extended his hand towards him, he let Kanan's hand touch his head. Ezra soon felt the migraine that anxiety had caused, wash away. The dark clouds that were once fogging his mind were now gone.
As Kanan removed his hand, Ezra smiled. Even so it was evident that Ezra was not comfortable with so close contact and Kanan withdrew to not scare Ezra any further.
"Thank you." Ezra replied to him.
Kanan smiled as well, "We're in this together, we will help one another heal."
Ezra nodded at this.
When the doctor came back in, the therapy continued, while Ezra had no more episodes, Kanan was there to help him in case his anxiety went up again. Ezra was grateful for the mans friendship and loyalty through it all.
SWR
Kanan was lying in bed, looking at Ezra as he wondered why the boy not only meant so much to him, but how he had become so attached to the child? Sure he owed Ezra big time but that alone could not explain the connection he felt with the small child. Whenever Ezra was happy and smiled it felt like the whole room was lighting up. When Ezra had been scared it had been incredibly important to him to help him, and the betrayed looked in his face had hurt more than anything. It was like the child meant the whole world to him, but how could that be? Ezra was a nice child of course but there was something about him that almost drew him to the small child.
"Kanan is everything okay?" Ezra asked worried when he saw Kanan looking at him.
"Yes, just fine Ezra" Kanan replied.
"Why would he not be?" Sabine asked as she walked into them with Zeb and Hera tagging along.
Ezra just shrugged his shoulder. The male doctor came in and Kanan noticed that Ezra was following the man with his eyes clearly worried of a repeat. Kanan did not feel much better about it, he knew he had to take the therapy but it seemed to stir the memory of the base.
"Now we need to take a blood sample of the two of you" the doctor said.
That message set his nerves on the edge and his blood seem to freeze. Kanan remembered the countless time the soldiers would pitch him until they finally found the veins. Kanan had to fight the impulse to make a run for it when I suddenly felt it. Ezra's nerves was on the edge to. It was not as strongly as his but the kid was not happy either.
"Relax you two it will be over before you even know it" the doctor said and took out several colorful tubes and … needles. That was it, he lost it. Kanan's breathing hitched up along with his shaking.
"Easy Kanan. Relax, you're hyperventilating" Hera said.
"Take a deep breath it is okay" the doctor said and moved forward with the needle.
Kanan felt someone take his hand as his body started to shiver, his eyes on the needle all the time. Kanan wanted to run away, he did not want any more drugs. The horribly images it would cause, what would it be this time? Panic attack? Clouding his mind? The images of the crew tortured or killed? Nightmares? No he wouldn't … he couldn't. The Inquisitor would break him if he forced it upon me again, he could not bare it.
"Kanan come back to us" someone called to more from afar.
"Love please" an urging voice called to me.
No, no, no, not that hallucination again.
"Go away" Kanan whispered.
"No more" Kanan begged.
"Talk to me" Kanan heard someone say.
That voice .. talk. NO. It had to be the Inquisitor asking again.
"Won't tell you" Kanan snapped.
"His heart is racing" someone called in panic.
When did the Inquisitor care about that? Kana's chest was burning, was it a new drug? To speed the heartbeat up? Kanan shivered even worse and suddenly the darkness reached out and took him.
SWR
Zeb walked in along with Hera and Sabine to see how Kanan and the kid were doing. Zeb did not like how Kanan was stuck on bed rest and how fragile he looked, he hoped his buddy would be back soon. Zeb had seen how Kanan was struggling when he had walked out to find the kid. Zed neither did not like how the child was looking, so small and frail it looked like a strong wind push could knock him over. Every time the child was scared or in pain it made him wish there was a few more bucket head he could smash together and the next time he saw Kallus they would have 'words'. The doctor who had followed them went over to a small table.
"Now we need to take a blood sample of the two of you" the doctor said.
That did not sit well with neither Kanan nor Ezra. Ezra eyes widen with fear while Kanan shoot up. Kanan looked ready to bounce out of the bed and makes a run for it, Zeb had never seen him so much on edge before.
"Relax you two it will be over before you even know it" the doctor said and took out several colorful tubes and needles.
That seemed to spur Kanan into panic, his breathing becoming pitched and his body started shaking, the kid seemed ready to start crying again. Zeb sighted, this was not really his area of expertise, he just bashed heads together. Even so Zeb felt sad that his friend was brought so low. Both of them had their eyes set the needles like it was a terrifying weapon.
"Easy Kanan. Relax, you're hyperventilating" Hera said.
"Take a deep breath it is okay" the doctor said and moved forward with a tube and a needle attached.
That seemed to make Kanan lose it, his high pitched breathing accelerated and he was struggling. Ezra saw this and started crying trying to crawl into a corner of the bed trying to make himself as small as possible. What in the world was wrong with those two? Sabine went over trying to sooth Ezra while Hera took Kana's hand which left him to just watch. Zeb hated being so useless. Kanan tossed himself around which made the doctor worried, but it did not seem to get him out of the panicked state.
"Is Kanan going to be okay?" Ezra asked with fear and worry.
Zeb saw the panic the kid had, the same concern that Zeb had for his friend.
Zeb put on a brave face as he told him, "Kanan just needs some time. Some rest will help him."
While Ezra still looked concerned, his tensed facial appearance seemed to lessen by Zeb's words, and he weakly smiled.
Zeb smiled as well; at least he wasn't totally useless. Zeb, Sabine and Ezra who was still shivering looked at Kanan who tossed himself around.
"Kanan come back to us" Sabine said in a pained voice.
"Love please" an urging voice called to Kanan.
That only seemed to make things worse and Kanan tossed his head to the side.
"Go away" Kanan whispered.
"No more" Kanan begged.
Ezra cried even harder as Kanan seemed to get worse.
Talk to me" Hera said gently but that made it even worse.
"Won't tell you" Kanan snapped.
The crew froze at the last comment. Kanan believed he was back at the interrogation. How could a blood sample spark such a believe?
Kanan tried to curl up his face was squished like he was in pain as his body started to spasm. The heart monitor started to beep all looking in fear at it.
"His heart is racing" the doctor called in fear and rushed over to start working on him.
The doctor practically had to push Kanan's arms and hands aside as they weakly was fighting "something" but Kanan did not seemed to notice.
"Kanan no, I am sorry" Ezra cried even harder.
"Kid easy it is not your fault" Zeb said.
"Yes it is, they say that Kanan gets spasm when I am scared" cried Ezra.
Zeb and Sabine shared a confused look.
"How?" both of them asked.
"Ezra and Kanan shares a bond through the force according to Ahsoka" Hera explained.
"Easy Ezra just relax then it will be alright, Kanan will be alright" Zeb said unsure what else to say.
Kanan gasped more and more for air when the doctor rushed through the room and took out a tube with a liquid in and then went back and injected it into Kanan. Zeb and everyone else looked in fear and worries as Kanan cried out and then laid completely still. The doctor rushed around checking and adjusting the equipment while they all just looked at the pale man lying still on the bed. Finally the doctor relaxed and they all looked at him with worries in his eyes.
"Kanan will be alright but his heart can't really take such strain, he must not be so stressed. I had to sedate him or his heart would have collapsed because of it" the doctor said.
All of them looked worried and unhappy about this but accepted that it was necessary. Zeb sighted in relief as did the rest as he turned to Ezra and padded him on the back.
"See? Kanan just needed to relax, take it easy and then he will be alright like you" Zeb tried to smooth the scared child.
Ezra looked worried at him and and leaned into him for comfort making Zeb speechless. Yes he liked the boy but had always thought it was more Sabine and Hera's area than his. Even so he could not bring himself to turn the small child down and he strangely actually wanted to get close to him so he allowed the kid the contact.
"Thank you Zeb" Ezra said before letting go all though a few tears was still seen in his eyes.
"I just don't understand why a blood test would course Jarrus such a panic attack the doctor said.
The doctor had taken a blood sample from Kanan while they hugged.
It was easier for the doctor to do it for him now that he was sedated that way he avoided coursing further stress to Kanan. The doctor turned over to Ezra.
"Your turn little one" the older male said and smiled and took another tube and needle up.
Zeb heard a hitched breathing and saw that Ezra had started to shiver and look in fear at the needle, tube and doctor. Worried that they were about to have a repeat he padded Ezra on the bag.
"Easy kid we don't need you to have a panic attack like Kanan" Zeb tried to reason.
"Don't like needles" Ezra replied shivering.
"It won't hurt you" Sabine assured Ezra.
"Yes it will! Drugs hurt, hate them, please don't make me" Ezra begged as his voice screeched and the poor boy started to cry.
"We won't drug you, we just need a blood sample" Hera said.
"Ezra why do you say drug hurts" Zeb questioned.
"The empire sometimes restrained me and tested new drugs on me" Ezra mumbled and looked down.
The crew blistering in anger over this which made Ezra winch. They all forced themselves to relax not to scare Ezra but it was not easy.
The doctor looked at Kanan "Perhaps that's the reason" the doctor mumbled.
Hera looked at the doctor "What do you mean?"
"Kanan had a high amount of drugs in his blood. When he saw the needle, he probably recalled all the time he was drugged. Some of the drugs might have been used as a mean to break him and make him talk. It would explain the go away, no more and won't talk comments and why he freaked just at the sight of a needle" the doctor said.
"You said Kanan had traces of drugs in his blood back when he was brought in but I was too impatient to listen. Which drugs were used?" Hera asked full of worries.
"There was many. Drugs making you hallucinate, having nightmares, making you feel the pain much more, provoking panic attack, preventing you from falling unconscious and a drug we could not identify" the doctor replied.
"I think it would be the fire serum. It is a new drug that makes you feel like you blood is burning" Ezra whispered shivering.
"How do you know Ezra?" Hera asked gentle.
Ezra hang his head.
"They tested it on me two month ago, they did that when I did not do as they said. I just figured they ran out, but I guess they tried it on him instead" Ezra whispered closing his eyes.
Zeb clenched his fist together, it made him angry to think of what the kid and Kanan had been through. Kanan in particular must have suffered horribly that month to have such an intense panic attack, not that it was a surprise. Kanan was a jedi and in time like these the jedi was hunted those few who had survived, they were all hunted but Kanan and Ahsoka was always prime target because of that. The doctor started walking towards them.
"I .." Ezra began seemingly unable to take his eyes off the needle.
"Easy kid it is just a blood sample" Zeb tried.
"No" Ezra whispered.
"It is fine; we can do it another time" the doctor said and started to collect the equipment and put it away.
Ezra relaxed a lot as the doctor prepared to leave the room.
"You should try to rest young one your body needs it" the doctor said.
Ezra looked sad as the crew prepared to leave. Even though Ezra laid down his eyes never left Kanan as the crew left
SWR
That night, as the rest of the crew went back to the Ghost, Kanan and Ezra attempted to sleep. But as Kanan entered slumber land, Ezra couldn't help but to look over at Kanan, and worry.
Seeing Kanan so panicked...it terrified Ezra. Despite facing the Inquisitor head on as he barely stood his ground, the man was traumatized by what happened. Ezra could see himself being scared, he was just kid; but Kanan was a grown man, a jedi. Yet Kanan had a panic episode, very similar too. His own.
Ezra watched over Kanan when suddenly, the force. It pounded into his head as storm of negative thoughts entered his mind.
Ezra sat up and began to ponder on what could be happening, but he only had to look over at the cot next to him to see Kanan tossing in his sleep.
As Ezra crawled off his own bed and limped to Kanan's, he saw Kann's face scrunched in agony, sweating beading down his face, shaking like a leaf.
"Kanan wake up, your having a nightmare!" Ezra hollered to the man, but to no avail.
After several minutes of trying to shake Kanan conscious (and even slapping him once), Ezra knew it was futile. What ever dream Kanan was having had too much of a grip on his mind for him to break from. That is, on his own.
Ezra, was stunned for a moment when the thought came to him. Despite having seen and felt Kanan ease his mind with him, it was different than doing it himself. But, as he heard Kanan's heart monitor flare up, Ezra knew he had to do something, this was Kanan.
So, to ease his mind, Ezra took a deep breath. Remembering how Kanan had down it with him, he took hold of the force. Once Ezra did, he felt the scared presence that was there. Kanan's mind was scared, and confused; Ezra saw barely noticeable images of needles, torture droids, and the Inquisitors evil laughing face.
Ezra squealed a bit at seeing the man's face, but he remembered, that this time, he could make the Pau'an go away. Ezra, using the force that flowed through him, guided it through Kanan. Kanan resisted it at first, but once he felt the presence wasn't a threat, he let Ezra in. Ezra smiled as he felt the dark images from Kanna's night terror leave, being washed away like the cleansing rain.
As Ezra opened his eyes, he saw Kanan's face was now calm, his heart monitor was back to normal. Ezra smiled at his accomplishment, how he had helped his friend.
Ezra was about to return to his bed, when he felt Kanan's arms wrap around the boy's torso, hugging the kid closer to him like a doll.
While Ezra was comfortable in the man's hold, he was a little confused; that was until he saw kanan, awake and smiling.
Kanan chuckled weakly and said, "Just like that."
Ezra smiled sheepishly at the compliment.
Kanan then let go of Ezra as he sat up to drink some water next to his bed.
"Not bad for your first time. Usually it take months of practice to clear another being's mind."
Ezra just shrugged his shoulders before he told Kanna, "But you needed my help now."
Kanan, acknowledging this, made this note that Ezra was a fast learner when needed be. It was essential for a student in these times. 'Wait student?' Where had that thought come from?
Kanan saw Ezra snuggle closer to him, making himself chuckle at the innocent appearance of such a powerful child.
"I don't think either of us can get a good night sleep alone, huh?" Kanan pondered.
Ezra smiled as he again shrugged his shoulders, "I guess not."
Kanan took the blanket and wrapped it over Ezra's shoulders, "If we want to heal, will need to rest; and we can't rest well without one another's comfort. Makes sense?"
Kanan looked down however, and saw that Ezra was already asleep, clearly agreeing with Kanan's logic. In that moment, Kanan realized that Ezra may need him to learn the ways of the force, but that he needed Ezra, to help overcome his own demons.
A/N I hope you all have a marry Christmas see this as Charm and I's Christmas gift regardless of if you celebrated it yesterday - like me - or today - like Charm.