So we left you in a tight spot in the last chapter. Let us see how the story progress from here. The crew must be shocked.
Dark; it was dark and Ezra couldn't tell where he was. Was he awake...in a coma...was he dead? That was when he felt it. Like a mirror broke inside him and the shards were now piercing into his heart. Anxiety filled within him, he tried to figure out what could have possibly been broken. What was missing? Suddenly, it hit him like a punch to the stomach; Kanan. The bond that was always there, that warm presence, now gone. Like a flame that had just been snipped. As hard as Ezra tried to get the connection back, he couldn't. Which could only mean one thing; Kanan was dead. Ezra now felt like he was drowning. Emptiness started to power into him as the loss set in. Ezra had never felt so empty before it was like a part of him had vanished into the mist and he felt so cold and empty now.
Entering the world of consciousness once more was as if he was swimming back to the ocean's surface. For a while Ezra felt so disoriented and lost. His thoughts were of Hera who he heard crying, the beeping alarms that were saying something was wrong, and Kanan…
Ezra's heart sank as he questioned why he should go back to a world of pain in agony. Ezra heard the alarms, he saw Hera's distraught face. Hera wouldn't be like that unless Kanan was... Ezra saw Kanan on the Star Destroyer, he saw how beaten down he was. Ezra just didn't have time to register how horrible his condition was, that Kanan could really be…
Ezra's stomach turned at the idea of going back to a world without Kanan. The child felt like he was sinking once more. Ezra began to question why he kept fighting when the thought of the very man who gave him such comfort and understanding was now no more. Ezra then thought of what Kanan would tell him to do, what he would want him to do; Kanan would want him to keep going. As the world became clearer he thought about getting back to the crew, the rebellion, his parents. Ezra knew it may take a while, but he would get back to them.
As Ezra thought of them, Ezra felt a warm presence next to him. It was soothing. The dull headache though reminded him that he was not out of the woods yet, and knew he had to face the world around him sooner or later.
Slowly Ezra opened his eyes and was greeted by brown dirt that he seemed to be laying on. As he looked up he saw the warm presence was a small fire. Ezra was almost at ease when he heard a very disturbing voice.
"You're awake, about time," Kallus spoke harshly.
Ezra looked up at him rather confused. The child was about to ask when Kallus filled him in, "You passed out as we were escaping. We are on a mountain range. We weren't followed. I think the majority of the camp tried to put out that fire you ignited.
Ezra was rather offended, "I didn't drop the grenade!
"Well I didn't activate it! It clearly activated on its own!" Kallus attempted to defend himself.
"That is such an imperial thing to say," Ezra groaned, "'oh i didn't do it, but really i did and don't want to take the blame.'"
"Watch your tone boy," Kallus sneered.
"Hey, I pushed us out of the line of fire, literally," Ezra spoke and saw how Kallus' lips became pierced as he did not wish to acknowledge such a thing.
"It's true!" Ezra continued, "I sensed the fire coming, so I had to push us out of the way. If I hadn't then we would be barbeque! So your welcome!"
Kallus rolled his eyes in annoyance as he pointed out, "Well when you were having that panic attack of yours I had to carry your butt up the mountain range to get us to a safe hiding spot! So, you're welcome."
Ezra became angered by this assumption, "I wasn't having a panic attack I..."
Ezra didn't know what to say. This brought him back to the thought of Kanan being gone, truly gone. It made Ezra feel sick. The loneliness came back and he tried to reach out, only to find the link gone once more. It was too much to bear, let alone talk to. Especially with Kallus. So Ezra went silent.
Ezra changed the subject, "So, any way we can see what's going on down there?"
Kallus nodded his head. The two could see beyond the rock formation they were hiding behind. As Ezra looked down he saw the camp was still smoking from the fire before. Ezra could barely make out the multitude of beings down there, running amuck.
Kallus began to explain, "The camp dwellers are distracted by the fire. Either trying to gather supplies-,"
"Or moving it to one of the other camps," Ezra pointed out as he saw a few of them on speeders.
Kallus confirmed his theory, "I have spotted about five of them around the range. All stationed perfectly so it encircles the area perfectly."
"SO that means in order to get as far away as we can, we need to get to one of the camps."
Kallus nodded, "we need to infiltrate one to get these off," He indicated to the cuffs, "From there we can run towards the river and hide there until help comes."
"We go our own ways and forget this has ever happened." Ezra pointed out.
"Well agree on that for now."
Which one though?" Ezra questioned.
Kallus pointed to the other side of the camp. As the two males looked over, Ezra could barely tell in the night that there was another camp far off.
"It seems to be the only one of the camps not living with action. Either because it's too far away to aid the camo here or because it is abandoned."
Ezra felt a slight tinge of hope that maybe they finally had a way to get not only from the camp but from Kallus.
"It will probably take the whole day to get there." Ezra pointed out as he saw that the mountains between them and the camp would make quite the journey for them.
The two fell silent as they wondered what to do next, "Now what?"
Kallus stated, "We reach a higher point so we can get out of their range.
Ezra had to admit that was a good idea, "Fine, but I'm not happy about it."
Kallus nodded as he got down so Ezra could climb up on his back.
"At least on that we can agree on." With that the two headed up to get out of range of the hunters. not knowing what they were out to do to them now.
SWR
Ahsoka looked at Hera who was fighting desperately against the doctor to get to Kanan.
"KANAN!" Hera screamed again and again as she was slowly being taken outside the room.
Zeb comforted Sabine as he held her as she cried out Kanan's name between sobs. Ahsoka was too stunned with agony. Her friends appeared to be gone, it just could not be! One of the very few that survived the jedi slaughter was no longer with them and it made her feel more alone than ever before; even amongst beings now. It felt like another small part of her legacy had died. Yes she had rejected the jedi way, but it had still been her life since she was an infant. She did not want to see it destroyed like this, it made her grieve as a small tear ran down her cheek as they looked through the glass at the doctors working to get him back.
SWR
Darkness. It was all around him, but he didn't feel cold like when he was around the Inquisitor's and Vader's force signature; but there was no warmth around him either like when he was around the crew. What shocked Kanan however, what made him question if he was in a dream or hallucinating, was that he registered no pain, it was...gone. Kanan reached to his sides, to feel where wounds and scars had been, all gone. Kanan didn't feel pain, but he didn't feel great, he felt almost light, like he was full of... nothing.
Kanan was thinking how all this was possible when he heard someone.
"Caleb," a female voice called him.
Who would be calling him by his old name, in such an unknown location.
"Caleb wake up" the female voice said once again.
Caleb, no one called him that name anymore. It was like it had once meant a lot to him and the female voice, it was like he knew her. That was when Kanan recalled how he did know her; from a distant past that made Kanan wish he could forget.
Kanan knew it couldn't be her, so he finally opened his eyes to the world he was in now. Kanan was greeted to a bright light; it was like he was encased in white so much that it was too much for his eyes to bear. Kanan had to blink a few times to adjust to the light.
Once he could see what was around him, Kanan saw a figure above him extend her hand. As Kanan took hold of it and stood, Kanan was stunned by the tall dark-haired woman, her skin so tan, and her face with such a calm composure. Kanan knew her from his past and dreams.
"Hello Caleb" the woman greeted him with a gentle smile.
Kanna almost lost his breath, "Master Billaba" Kanan muttered as he fell onto his knees in shock stunned.
SWR
Hera barely felt it as someone held her back as she kept screaming for Kanan. A part of her brain kept refusing to understand that Kanan was dead; It just could not be. Hera looked at the doctors' work but nothing happened. Kanan kept laying there lifeless on the bed. Hera heard Sabine cry but she could not find the ability to go and consult her. The pain and horror she felt was simply too great. Suddenly she turned around and saw a man come in, running through the room and running right into the next room and said something. This made the doctors hoist Kanan onto a gurney and strapped him down. The man came out and was about to leave but they stopped him.
"What is going on?" Hera demanded.
"We have arrived. They will get him to the medical wing to give him the antidote" the man said as he ran out.
Hera turned back to the room where Kanan laid motionless.
"Come back to us Kanan...please!" Hera whispered in a desperate plea.
SWR
Kanan hung his head as he could not look up to her; none of this could be real. The man had to be dreaming or hallucinating, or perhaps he had finally gone mad. Anything that could justify his deceased master standing right in front of him. Kanan could not bear to look at her, how he could after what he had done?
"Caleb" Depa asked Kanan softly as she placed her calming hand on his shoulder. Kanan took a deep breath to gain the courage to look up at her, and saw her gentle composure smiling down on him.
"It has been a long time Caleb," Depa said softly as she reached her other hand to help him up once more.
Kanan could not believe that his master was smiling at him, how could he deserve such a gesture from her.
Master Bilaba looked him over and her smile grew even wider, "Look at how you have grown," she said as she stroked his cheek, "Quite the man you have become. The pony-tail... I am not in favor of it, but I can see you still have your curious and hopeful eyes.
Kanan took her hand and placed them down to her side so he could tell her what he needed to, "Master … I … I'm sorry" Kanan mumbled as he looked away in shame.
Bilaba chuckled, "Whatever for?"
Kanan was shocked, was this a test, a game to her?
"You were there, you know exactly what happened, what I did!"
Bilaba's face nodded as she told him, "I was, and I have been looking over you from afar, seeing how you have grown and changed."
Kanan went from despair to anger. How could Depa be watching him this whole time and still be so kind to him, so happy to see him.
"I am sorry but all you have seen from the other side is a failure and a coward."
Depa's face fell in agony at how Kanan felt, "How can you say such a thing." Depa spoke calmly to him.
Kanan could not hold it in, all his anger, frustration, self-disappointment; he had to make it clear to her that he did not deserve to make her proud, "How can I?" Kanan roared as he stepped away from her, "Every decision I have made since I left you to be slaughtered has gotten people in trouble or killed. I ran from you and got you killed. If I had stayed and fought-,"
"Then you would have ended up just like me young Caleb, and you know that." Depa pointed out before asking, "How can you think that staying would be a better choice?"
"YOU SAID YOU LOOKED OVER ME! HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT HAVOC AND CHAOS I CAUSE!? I BECAME A WANTED CRIMINAL AND DID IMMORAL ACTS JUST TO SURVIVE. THE ONLY TIME ANYTHING GOOD HAPPENS TO ME LIKE THE CREW, I GET THEM INVOLVED IN BEING PUNISHED FOR MY DEEDS AS WELL.
WHEN I AM NOT GETTING CAPTURED AND TORTURED FOR MY FAILURES, THOSE I CARE ABOUT ARE! YOU SAW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HERA, AND AHSOKA, AND EZRA..."
Kanan stopped, just thinking of all the pain and suffering that poor child had gone through, all because of Kanan, because of the Jedi way of life. Because he had foolishly believed that he could practice his Jedi heritage in an empire run Galaxy.
Kanan looked up at Depa who only looked at Kanan with such sad clenched his fist as he saw her sad look, he knew what she wanted to say,
"SAY IT!" Kanna barked at her so he could finally hear what he deserved to be told, "TELL ME HOW I FAILED YOU, HOW I TURNED MY BACK ON THE JEDI ORDER; TELL ME HOW THE CREW WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT ME, HOW EZRA WOULD BE SAFER WITHOUT MY GUIDEIENCE! SAY...SOMETHING!"
Depa remained calm, despite Kanan's venting what he had kept inside for so long. Depa went to Kanan's once more and placed her hand on his shoulders before embracing him into a tight and warm felt hug.
"My dear padawan," Depa spoke, "You have always been one who could never see your own self worth. You have been your own worst critic."
Kanan was almost speechless, "What?" Kanan was so confused about what his master meant.
"Caleb, you have lived a life not for yourself, but for a greater purpose, that is exactly what the Jedi Order was meant for"
Kanan was shocked, how he has ever been selfless.
"Your actions for others, how far you would go to protect them and your cause. It makes me wish that I could have seen you become a jedi."
This made Kanan fall silent. How could she be so blinded by pride for him, that she didn't see how much a failure he truly was?
SWR
The doctors moved Kanan out the door where the Ghost crew was waiting. Not having time to explain they ran past the room and the doctors could hear the rebels following them. The droid started running and the doctors tried to follow along with the Ghost crew.
"Coming through" they shouted as they ran through the halls making several rebels jump to the side and look worried at the sight. It felt like an eternity but finally they got into the operating room where other doctors were waiting.
"How long?" a doctor shouted.
"He has been dead for a minute and a half" another answered.
"Prep him up for the antidote" the lead doctor ordered.
The other doctors did so and as they were fighting against the time.
SWR
The crew arrived into the observation room painting heavily as Zeb had to push a bed with Sabine in and Ahsoka did the same for Hera that had collapsed on the way due to physical and mental damage. None of them looked good as they looked into where the doctors were working.
"2 minutes" someone shouted.
"What does it mean 2 minutes?" Zeb asked.
"A patient can't be called back after 5 minutes. They are trying to bring him back before the time limit" Ahsoka said.
All at once, the crew's hearts skipped a beat at what they heard.
SWR
Kanan could see how the darkness started to lessen and small flairs of colors were showing to him. As more time passed he started to see clear and that was when he started to feel it. His legs started to be painful and soon his arms started to feel the same way. Kanan tried to open his mouth but he could not but it did make him realise that his body was in desperate need of water he felt so thirsty like a fire that was burning in his throat. Then he felt his back, oh dear Force, he felt it. Pain it was far more present in his back than anywhere else. Why was he feeling this way? His right leg was just as back it felt like someone had cut it up. What was wrong with him? Why did he hurt like this when he just had been in such blissful nothing. Why could he not be left in peace? Kanan started to see more things clear when suddenly his body was shaking like if energy had run through it. That was when he felt a deep burning in his chest. What was going on?
"Clear" someone shouted as energy went through him.
"He is back" someone shouted.
Kanan felt how the full scoop of the pain set in and he wanted to scream but before he could do that he lost consciousness and darkness drowned him once again.
A/N So Kanan made it. We must have scared you. We did get a few complaints in the last chapter. We do hope you will forgive us and now that Kanan has survived.