Sabine watched Ezra as he marveled at the sights of his homeworld. She flashed back to the last time he'd returned to Lothal: they'd come to gather information on Thrawn's new TIE Defender initiative and used the smuggler Vizago's ship to get past the Imperial blockade above the planet. Ezra had watched with shock as he beheld the burned landscape and the authoritative grip of the Empire. Now, after a decade of recovery, Lothal was a beacon of light, its fields and low-lying hills shining with health, cities and towns brimming with activity. Hera did a wide planetary sweep, giving Ezra an eyeful of the home he'd left behind for so long.

As they approached Capital City, Ezra's breath caught. It was a marvelous sight indeed – the city a gleaming white oasis, the ocean sparkling blue under the bright sky. His old tower was clean and polished, clearly well taken care of over the years.

'I can't believe it,' Ezra murmured.

'This is what you've helped made, Ezra,' Hera said, smiling as she piloted the ship towards one of the landing pads near the city center. 'All of Lothal recognizes your bravery and sacrifice.'

Ezra's eyes roamed everywhere, taking in the view longingly. 'I've seen this view in visions before,' he said, still in awe. 'I never thought I'd actually see it in person.'

'Sabine helped a lot with the rebuilding process,' Hera said, looking over. 'She was quite adamant on that.'

Ezra glanced at her. Sabine just smiled and shrugged. He wanted to thank her, but he was too overwhelmed to speak. No words were enough to show how grateful he was, or how much this means to him. He gave her a long look, trying to convey as much gratitude as he could in his eyes.

Sabine remembered the hours and hours of careful planning and the staggering amount of work to be done during the rebuilding effort. She had felt exhausted from all the logistics and engineering involved; she had been heartsick from her friend's absence throughout the entire process, but she'd pulled through believing that this is what Ezra would have wanted. Seeing Ezra's reaction right now made it all seem worth it.

The Ghost settled on the ground, and a door to the side of the landing pad opened.

'Time to meet the others,' Hera announced.

'Who's going to be there, momma?' asked Jacen.

'You'll see in a moment,' Hera smiled knowingly. 'Some old friends have gathered to meet you, Ezra. They're quite excited to hear about your return.'

Ezra shook his head. He'd been treated to one surprise after another. All he could do now was go along with the ride as they led him through one reunion to the next.

Cheers erupted as the crew entered the arrival deck. The hall was filled with familiar faces. Rex, Kallus, Wolffe, Mart Mattin, Vizago, Ryder Azadi, Marida Sumar, and even Wedge Antilles had shown up to welcome them. A lot of them shook Ezra's hand or patted him in the back. Sabine felt a surge of satisfaction each time someone complimented his new beard and haircut.

'Hello, hello!' A voice to the side called out.

Ezra, recognizing the voice, turned to find an aged Weequay in red clothes and an Ugnaught with black tattoos approaching.

'Hondo! Melch!' Ezra greeted.

'Ezra, my boy! It's so good to see you!' Hondo exclaimed. 'Look how you have grown!'

'It's been a while, Hondo,' Ezra returned.

Sabine shook her head. She'd long learned that Ezra's friendship with the old pirate was always going to be a part of their lives, yet it still annoys her sometimes to see Ezra budding around with him.

A lot of words were exchanged. Rex asked about Ahsoka's various adventures; Ezra asked about the changes to Lothal; Hera and Wedge compared notes on their missions for the New Republic; and Hondo regaled everyone with his glorious adventures in his never-ending search for profit.

Later, the group decided to let Ezra and the crew explore the city on their own. They agreed to meet a few days later for a big celebration. Capital City offered too little space and too much exposure, so they decided to head back to their old hideout among the mountains and the wolves' cave in the south. Then, each of them went their separate ways.

The crew then took Ezra on a tour for the rest of the day, spending some long overdue time to catch up. They pointed out various spots in the city, remembering the place where they'd try to rescue Minister Tua; the place where Hera, Mart and Chopper escaped after the failed attack on the TIE factories; the place where Ezra tried to steal from the crew; the place where they'd crashed the Empire Day parade…There was much for them to reminisce on. Jacen, for his part, asked about these past adventures with great enthusiasm. His previous skepticism with Ezra had slowly vanished as they travelled through the city, as they started to warm up to each other and get to understand the other better.

The Bridgers' old home was renovated and transformed into a shelter for homeless youth. Liberation Day and Jedi Night were still remembered each year. The site where the Imperial fuel depot once stood was now a large public park, and as the crew brought Ezra there for a visit, he could still feel the presence of his old master. He breathed in the clean air and looked at the rows of trees, the movement of kids playing all around him, and felt the presence of life. He decided this place was a fitting memorial. Ezra remembered Kanan's words all those years ago, after they'd escaped from Atollon and Ezra was feeling defeated. Kanan had said, 'There's a future for us, one where we're all free. But it's up to us to make it happen.'

'You did it, Kanan,' Ezra thought as he stood before the modest memorial stone for his master, right in the center of the park. 'You did it.'

As evening came, Ezra and Sabine said goodnight to Hera, Zeb, Jacen and Chopper. They had decided to spend the night on the quarters Ryder Azadi had reserved for them in the city center near the spaceport, while Sabine decided to show Ezra the various changes she had made to his old tower outside town.

'Alright,' Ezra said as the others left for the night. 'How do you propose we go to the tower? I usually take a speeder, but I'm not sure how we're going to get one now.'

Sabine weighted her options. A speeder would be nice, but she didn't feel like renting one just for one trip. A naughty thought came to her.

'Hmm…I have a better idea,' she said coyly. Putting on her helmet, she wrapped her arms around Ezra's waist.

'What…' Ezra started to say.

'Hang on!' Sabine told him, trying to match the same commanding tone during their mission on Concord Dawn, when she had similarly grabbed Ezra for a quick escape. Then, she activated her jetpack, and as Ezra's arms quickly reached for her back and clung tightly, they shot into the air.

Sabine smirked to herself inside her helmet. Ezra's face was the same when they'd lift off the ground on Concord Dawn all those years ago. His body was pressed tight against hers, his legs hooked onto her own. The air whipped around them as they sped towards their destination.

'A little more warning would be nice,' Ezra grumbled, although his smile was playful.

'You were fine with that last time,' Sabine recalled.

'Yeah, that's because we're running for our lives.'

'Had to keep it like before!'

They touched down at the base of the tower. Ezra staggered a few steps after Sabine let go. For a moment, Sabine wished their flight had gone on a bit longer. Being this close to Ezra felt good, reminding her of their reunion not so long ago, when she had held him in her arms and felt his reassuring chest pressed against her. She discovered that she wanted to feel more of him, explore more of him in ways she haven't before. From their conversations these past days and the moments they've shared, she had sensed something similar coming from him as well. She remembered Ezra's boyish crush, as well as thoughts of whether she could be a good partner for Ezra she had entertained over the years. Right now, she was starting to see how a future between them could develop. Knowing it is only a matter of time, Sabine decided to let things be for now, and wait for their moment to come on its own.

All of this ran through Sabine's mind as they headed up the elevator to the main room. As the doors opened and Sabine flicked on the lights, Ezra gasped as he took in the new look of his old hive.

'Welcome home, Ezra Bridger,' Sabine said.

Gone were the rust stains and old transmission equipment that once littered the floor, and in its place were all the furniture needed for a cozy living space. His old helmet collection sat on top of a shelf in the corner, many of them painted to Sabine's liking over the years. Doodles also covered the walls, all of them featuring Ezra and the Ghost crew. There was him standing on top of a purgill; there was him and Zeb chasing Chopper; there was him and Sabine during their escape from Gar Saxon; him and Sabine training with sticks on Atollon; there was the crew travelling on loth-wolves to the Lothal Jedi temple…

'Wow,' was all he could say.

'I take it you approve?' Sabine asked, smiling.

'Yeah…this is amazing.' Ezra managed.

She gave him space as he wandered around, admiring each painting and the decoration of the room in turn. When he was finished, there was no mistake in the smile he gave her. It warmed her heart and made her feel appreciated. It made her feel loved.

'Sabine,' he started. 'I don't know what to say…'

'You're welcome, Ezra,' Sabine finished for him.

Ezra nodded in thanks, adding, 'I can't imagine how much time and effort you've given to make all this.'

Sabine's smile faded. She stood there for a while, pondering what to say.

Finally, she began, 'It was hard, you know, especially the first few months after you disappeared. I kept thinking about the look you gave me before you sneaked away, or how easy I could have stopped you. But seeing how this place has recovered, how grateful the people were, I knew that it couldn't have gone any other way. I knew you were counting on me, so I focused on making sure what you started did not go to waste. Ryder was happy to let me help…and I know how important this tower is to you. You once told me that you felt better looking at the view outside when things go bad, so I just touched things up a little. Besides, the state that you left this place in is horrendous, so I've got to show you how to live properly somehow.'

Ezra snorted. 'I guess I wasn't the most organized street rat back then,' he said. He meant it as a joke to poke fun at himself, but Sabine sensed a deeper sense of self-loathing underneath. He seemed bothered by something, guilt-ridden even, as if he really believed he left a mess behind for her to clean up.

'You know, don't take what Jacen said too seriously,' Sabine said gently. 'He's just a kid. I'm sure he didn't mean it.'

Ezra closed his eyes. 'I know, Sabine,' he said quietly. 'But it still hurts. At the time, I didn't know how long I would be going. I just know it's the right thing to do, what I'm meant to do. I never regretted it, but I feel bad all the same, knowing how much I'm putting you guys through.'

Sabine smiled warmly at him. 'You may blame yourself, but it's not your fault,' she said, remembering Ahsoka's words. 'It's just not meant to be. But it all worked out in the end. The time we spent apart only proved how much we meant to each other, how strong our connection is. That makes what you risked right all along.' She put a hand on his forearm. 'You're back now. It doesn't matter how you feel about the things you've left behind. What matters is what you do from now on. Whatever comes next, we'll figure it out together.'

Ezra chuckled softly. 'When did you become so good at this?' he mused.

'I had some good advice,' she said. 'And you needed to hear it.'

The two stared at each other, both smiling. This time, they didn't hesitate. Sabine pulled him forward for a gentle embrace, and Ezra laid his hands on her waist. For long they held each other in silence, quietly absorbing in the comfort they gave to each other.

'I've missed you, Sabine,' Ezra said shakily. 'More than…more so than anyone.'

'I know,' she replied, leaning closer to his warm chest.

Their issues addressed, Sabine and Ezra talked late into the night, from light banter to deep conversations, eventually falling asleep on the dining table with content smiles on their faces.

...

...

...

Author's note: And here we have the second last chapter, where Sabine and Ezra's relationship is starting to take a new shape. The whole concept of Sabine rebuilding Lothal and redecorating the tower is nothing new, but hopefully those Sabine/Ezra moments kept your attention.

While writing the part where Sabine consoles Ezra about Jacen's comments, I thought about the song 'I Wanna Grow Old With You' by Westlife. The lyrics 'a thousand miles between us now, it causes me to wonder how, our love tonight remains so strong, it makes our risks right all along' and 'the time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger' left a lasting impression on me, so I decided to put a bit of it in the dialogue. Ahsoka's words to Sabine on Chapter 1 also comes in handy for Sabine to give Ezra the comfort he needs. And speaking of comfort, I referenced another work of mine - Comfort - in the dialogue as well. Ezra coming up to his tower and looking out at the view was something he told Sabine in that work, so I made it as another point for Sabine to bring up when talking about her work on Lothal.

Next time: The rebels have their gathering, and Sabine and Ezra finally reach their moment.