Two months. It had been months since the Ghost crew rescued Ezra from being held captive by the Empire, and it had been two months since Ezra joined their little meshed up family.

At first Ezra was a little tentative; but as soon as he learned to trust the crew he was a typical seven-year-old. Always having fun with Sabine's art, laughing at Zeb and Chopper's antics, and finding comfort with Hera and Kanan. Ezra made life on the crew a little more enjoyable with his innocent and spirited nature.

The past few days though the crew noticed an obvious change in their little padawan. While Ezra was always the first up for Jedi training, Kanan had to drag him out of bed. While Ezra usually had twenty questions for Sabine during class, he had just been quiet and seemed not to pay attention. What really seemed to bug the crew though was how quiet he was. Ezra seemed to limit his conversations to only what needed to be said, and when he did talk it was with a sad tone.

The situation though reached its peak when Kanan went to wake up Ezra (an unusual task already), only to find that the kid was in the vent over the hallway.

Kanan was on his way to the boy and Lasats cabin when he heard the kid from above.

"I'm already up Kanan," said the voice from the vent above Kanan's head.

"Ok then," Kanan replied as he looked at the closed vent, "Come on then, I was think for today we could-,"

"Can we actually not do training today. Please" Ezra asked painfully.

"Are you not feeling okay?" Kanan asked, ready to get Hera to deal with it.

Ezra just replied, "No, I'm just a little tired, can't we take a day off?"

Kanan was taken aback by this. Ezra was the one who was usually begging Kanan to hurry up in the morning to get to Jedi training. In truth Kanan didn't want to skip training. As a Jedi, one must have a routine of training in order to gain discipline and proper training ethics. But Kanan could tell in Ezra's saddened tone that even if he made Ezra train, it would just be a wasted effort.

"Sure kid. But you still need to come down for Sabine and your lessons okay?"

"Okay." Ezra said so quietly that Kanan had to strain his ears to hear the kid.

"Why don't you come down for breakfast?" Kanan asked, thinking maybe food will make the kid feel better.

"Thank, but I'm not hungry." Ezra replied.

Kanan now knew something was wrong. Ezra never turned down food. But he knew he couldn't just ask Ezra up right what was wrong. Kanan needed an expert; however, Hera was sleeping in today.


Sabine had not set up the little class room in her room today. She decided that today wasn't a great day for Ezra to have lessons. She was about to go tell Ezra when he came in. Seeing the kid's gloomy face only confirmed Sabine's decision; today just wasn't a good day.

Ezra looked around a bit before he noticed no data pads or holocharts were displayed.

"Where's all the schooling stuff?" Ezra asked with no emotion in his voice.

Sabine just smiled as she got eye level with the little guy, "I thought today might be a good day to skip class. I know you might not be up for it considering what today it is."

Ezra looked up at her in surprise, "You know?"

Sabine just smiled in sympathy, "Yeah, and I get if you need some space. I know on days like this, I just want some me time."

Ezra thought of Sabine's words for a bit before he asked, "If I go to my tower for a bit, do you think the others would be upset?"

Sabine just smiled as she ran a hand through his hair, which the kid leaned into.

"It is no problem," Sabine told Ezra, "make sure you bring your comlink though."

Ezra smiled weakly and nodded. As Ezra was about to head out of the room, Ezra quickly hugged Sabine's leg; which actually took Sabine aback a bit.

"Thank Sabine." Ezra replied before he left the room.

Sabine smiled at the kind nature of the kid. When she thought of what that kid had gone through though, it made her temper boil.

"Damn Empire Day!" Was all Sabine could think of. She knew today was not a good day for Ezra.


"It's like he is hiding something Hera. Whatever it is I know is bugging him but he won't talk about it." Kanan had been ranting to Hera about Ezra going tiny emo on the galaxy. Hera was listening from her cabin as she was getting her headset on.

Hera just told Kanan what she had been telling herself.

"Kanan, Ezra will tell you when he is ready. Just be there for him." Hera just smiled as she took a strain of Kanan's stray hair and brushed it behind his ear.

While Kanan smiled at his loves gesture, he still worried.

"It's hard Hera. I can tell through our bond that whatever is going on is really eating at him, and there is nothing I can do to help him."

Hera just smiled at Kanan's concern for the kid.

She gently put her hand on his shoulder, "When he is ready, he will ask you for help."

Kanan weakly smiled again at Hera's gentle features.

Hera just smiled as she left the room followed by Kanan.

When they reached the kitchen she noticed Sabine was making herself a sandwich.

"Sabine? I thought you and Ezra would still be doing your little class." Hera asked.

"Nah, I gave the poor kid the day off," Sabine simply replied.

"Great," Kanan vented out as he rubbed the back of his head, "I let him out of Jedi training, now he probably is skipping on learning twi'lek. He is slacking."

"Actually, today we were going to go over some history. But seeing as today is a bad day for history in his case, he should probably have some time to himself."

Kanan was a little surprised that Sabine might have some idea what was wrong with his padawan.

"Why would today make Ezra upset." Kanan asked cautiously.

Sabine just stared at him shocked. "you really have no idea what today is?"
Kanan shook his head.

Sabine then finally told him, "Today is the anniversary of when he lost… everything."

Kanan went blank, he looked at Hera, who looked like someone had just slapped her.

Kanan grabbed the datapad from the table side and scrolled to the day's date; Empire Day.

"Karabast." Was all Kanan could mutter.

"Hey, that's my word." Replied Zeb jokingly as he entered the kitchen.

"I can't believe we forgot!" Kanan vented out as he began venting out his frustration.

"WE?" Hera asked madly, though most of the anger was at herself.

"Yes, you're the one who found the card!" Kanan argued.

Soon the two were in a yelling argument. While Sabine watched while eating her sandwich, Zeb just stared at the argument in confusion.

"What is going on?" Zeb whispered to Sabine.

Sabine told him simply, "They're mad at each other because they forgot it was Empire Day."

"Why would… Karabast." Zeb finally got what the two were fighting about.

"Yeah," Sabine agreed, "Today isn't a good day for Ezra. It's like literally the worst day of his life."

Hera and Kanan stopped arguing a bit as they heard what Sabine had said. Sabine and Zeb didn't know just how bad today really was.

"It's worse than you think." Hera told them, as she explained why today was a conflicting day for their little padawan; that today he was eight.


Ezra just stared at the view. From his tower he saw Capitol City. He used to love looking at how small the city looked from the old tower. He was amazed by how small his home was. Now he didn't really like looking at the city, he didn't know what to think his old home.

Where he sat, he remembered his dad being there right next to him, pointing out which buildings were which before his mom came in and said she got the equipment set up. That was such a long time ago though. Only a year and he was already forgetting what they look like. That was what really scared him the most. He just wished he could go back in time to see them, just one more time.

Ezra remembered what happened exactly a year ago to the date. how could he not, it would haunt him.

Ezra was woken up by his mother coming in and waking him up with tickles. His mother then brought him down for a special breakfast. While his dad was still at work, mom and him went out to the tower for a bit and had a picnic and just spend some time looking at the animals of Lothal. By the time they got home, his father was there and brought him his present; an energy sling shot. Ezra and his father laughed as Ezra shot at some of the cans outside. His mother made him a cake and the three just laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Everything was perfect for Ezra.

Then everything went wrong. Ezra had been in bed for at least an hour when he heard sirens and shots being fired. It was so close and loud. Immediately his instinct told him to go down stairs, something told him his parents were down there. There he saw them; his mother was covering the hole to their secret place while his dad was putting their furniture against the door.

Ezra was scared, "Mommy, daddy, what is going on?" Ezra's remembered his voice trembling with fear.

His parents looked at him, eyes wide opened. Ezra could see how terrified they were.

"EZRA, RUN!" his mother yelled, her eyes swelling up in tears.

"What's happening?" Ezra asked terrified now.

"EZRA, listen to your mother!" His father yelled at him in desperation for his son to listen, "Go to our secret house and stay there till we come get you! Go out the back door, NOW!"

Ezra just stood there, fear immobilizing him.

The pounding on the door got louder, his father was struggling to hold the barrage of troopers pounding on the door.

His mother knelt down in front of him, "Everything will be okay," she spoke through cries in her voice but still smiling somehow, "We love you, our little Jedi," She then kissed his forehead before turning him around to the back door. "Run Ezra, run till you get the hide out!" Ezra ran for the door, hearing the door in the front go down. As he reached the back door he opened it to find a trooper pointing a blaster at him.

"Freeze!" the robotic voice of a trooper barked at Ezra.

Suddenly though his father tackled the trooper to the ground.

"DAD!" Ezra called out to his father.

"EZRA! RUN! RUN!" his dad looked at him, for the last time, desperate to keep the trooper down so his son could flee. His face was mixed with desperation and pleading for his son to get away as fast as possible.

With that Ezra ran down the allies, his eyes welling in his tears. He knew his mother had been lying. It wasn't going to be okay, his parents weren't going to meet him at the tower. They were gone.

Ezra looked around the tower he used to reside in. Ezra smiled a little when he saw the old equipment his parents used for the broadcast, that was until he remembered they weren't here for him.

Ezra hated being alone. For months he was alone, trying to survive and desperately searching for a Rhodanian that wasn't looking for him. At the Base though was worse. No one talked to him unless it was an order. That Inquisitor's training always ended with sore limbs and beatings from the Troopers. The Inquisitor told him there was no hope, only darkness, that always made Ezra feel sick. For a few hours though, Ezra thought the Inquisitor was right. That was until dressed as a trooper Kanan saved him.

Ezra knew he wasn't alone, but in a way he was; at least in this situation. How could he talk to the crew about today? They never knew them or even met them. Ezra just sat on the makeshift bed of rags, hiding his face in his hands and realized he really didn't want to be alone. Being alone meant he remembered all the bad things that happened that day, all the bad things that happened before the crew came along.

Suddenly Ezra felt the make shift bed move. It scared Ezra a bit, until he realized he wasn't alone, Kanan was there by his side.

Once everyone on the crew was well aware what Empire Day meant for Ezra, they all decided to kind of do their own special things.

Kanan thought he would sneak off to find Ezra at the tower next to the ship (Sabine had told him), but Hera was on the ramp.

"Hera, he needs me," was all Kanan needed to say.

Hera just gave him her two cents.

"Just remember, be there for him," Hera tapped his cheek gently and handed him a certain data card before helping Chopper with a project.

Kanan made his way to the tower, he could sense Ezra's force signature, over the days he could tell something was bugging him, now there was obvious sadness and despair radiating from his little padawan.

Kanan thought of what he was going to tell his padawan when he realized the the truth behind Hera's advice.

Yes, both Kanan and Ezra had gone through tremendous loss, but Kanan remembered exactly what he wanted. Not to talk about it, but he just wanted someone to be there. Over time he found people who helped him accept what happened; now he needed to do the same for Ezra.

Once Kanan reached the top, he saw him. It was almost dejavu, two months ago they were in the same places; Ezra on the bed looking at the holocron while Kanan stood in the doorway. Ezra though didn't notice Kanan was there. Kanan just sat next to him. Ezra looked up at Kanan in surprise.

Kanan could just tell he needed.

Kanan found an old port in the Bridger's old equipment and put the data card Hera and him had found at the Bridger's home that day. Suddenly it appeared; the holoimage of Ezra and his parents. All so happy.

At first Ezra just looked at the image in shock, then he smiled as he realized what it was, who they were. He beamed at them, his eyes filled with tears, but this time with joy. Kanan just sat there next to his padawan, understanding what Hera meant by being there for him; Because in a second, Ezra quickly wrapped his arms around Kanan and began crying.

Kanan just rubbed the little guys back. No words were exchanged, sometimes to be there for someone you care about, you just got to be there to offer some support.


After what felt like hours of being up in the tower, both Jedi and Padawan made it down the tower.

Ezra, who was holding hands with Kanan to keep up was about to ask a question, but Kanan already knew what he was going to ask.

"Hera found it; that day we got Dev for you."

Ezra looked up again to ask a question, only to smile when Kanan already had an answer, "Yes kid, you can keep it. It's kind of yours anyways."

Ezra then looked down a bit before he mumbled, "I'm sorry."

Kanan was a little confused, "For what?"

"For not telling you guys about today."

Kanan stopped them before he knelt down to get eye level with Ezra.

"Trust me kid, I know what it is like to struggle with days like these. It's hard to make sense of it and it's hard to talk about. It's okay to have struggles, as long as you remember you're not alone in dealing with them."

Ezra just smiled at his mentor as the two continued towards the Ghost.

"So, sorry we didn't do anything for your birthday." Kanan apologized with guilt of forgetting.

Ezra just shrugged and smiled, "It's okay. I kind of just wanted to be myself, and you guys haven't known me long enough too…"

Ezra began to trail off because as Kanan and him got on the ramp of the Ghost he smelled something familiar yet troublesome

"Is that chocolate, and smoke?" Ezra asked before he hurried to the kitchen, with Kanan in tow.

The two entered the kitchen to find Hera, running something burning under the sink as Chopper used his extinguisher to put out the flames in the oven.

"Hera?" Kanan asked with confusion and concern in his voice and face.

Hera tuned towards her two humans frazzled.

"You guys are back! Oh, I was hoping to make another one before you two got back."

Kanan smiled as he wiped frosting of Hera's face, "I thought we agreed you can cook and grill but baking is out of your skill range."

Hera smiled, "I know, but Ezra's favorite-," Hera was pointing to where the kid was standing, only to find he had made it to the counter where the mixing bowl still sat. Ezra was smiling as he licked the bowl.

"The mix taste good, so I think your cake would of too." Ezra replied as he smiled at Kanan and Hera with a chocolate grin.

The two grown up's just smiled as Hera got a wash cloth to wipe up her boy's face.

"Why is it whenever you eat, you always make a mess on you face?"

Ezra just replied, "Cause you're a great cook and I can't wait to eat what you make."

Hera just padded his head when they heard their comlinks going off.

"Specter's, please come up to the roof of the Ghost quickly." Spoke the serious tone of Sabine on the other end.

The four members of the Ghost made their way to the top of the ship. There on the roof sat Zeb and Sabine. The two smiled at them before Sabine pressed a button on her wrist comlink. Suddenly the sky lite up in blue and orange barrage of fireworks.

"Woah," Ezra stared at the fireworks display in awe as he sat down next to Zeb and Sabine.

Kanan, Here, and Chopper sat behind them, also looking at the amazing present Sabine a Zeb made for their little specter.

The display in the sky lasted for about half hour. Sabine smiled as her handiwork reached its finale; the smoke of the fireworks clearly spelled out 'Happy Birthday Ezra' in the night sky but when Sabine turned around, she saw that Ezra was beginning to doze off.

Sabine pouted, "Here I thought it was worthy of a round of applause."

Ezra rubbed his eyes, "It was really amazing Sabine, but..." Ezra then began to doze off mid-sentence.

The older member's o the crew just giggled as Kanan picked him up.

"It's been a long day, he just needs some sleep," Kanan responded as he brought his little padawan to bed.

What Kanan said though was only half true. While Ezra was tired from the emotional day he had, the real reason he fell asleep was because he was at peace. Ezra knew that even if his parent's weren't around, he wasn't alone. Being part of this team and family was the best gift the Ghost crew could ever give him.


an: this marks 20 chapters, does this mean this wraps up this tale. NOT BY A LONG SHOT, I STILL GOT PLENTY MORE IDEA'S. HOPE ALL ENJOYED THIS MILE MARKER CHAPTER OF MINE!