Huge thank you for everyone's support on the first chapter. I hope you like this one too.

After the events of "The Future of the Force" Ezra copes with his fear for the babies they'd rescued, and ponders Kanan's methods of providing reassurance.


"Ahsoka, you said the sith have gone after Force sensitive children before. What's made them start doing it now?"

The former Jedi rubbed a finger across her chin, deep in thought.

"I doubt they ever really stopped," she finally answered. "At least not after the order to eliminate all Jedi went out. But now that they know about the three of us the emperor is probably accelerating his efforts to see to it The Order is never reborn."

"They killed Alora's grandmother. And they tried to kill Pipey's mother. If they'd found me at that age they'd have killed my parents too, wouldn't they?"

"It's likely."

"I just thought...Look I don't expect some cosmic protection. But you say the Force has a will.

Is its will for everyone able to wield it to end up dead - or worse? Even those that have no idea what they're capable of?!"

Silence reigned for several moments before Ahsoka stepped forward and knelt in front of the shaking padawan. She put a gentle hand on his arm.

"Ezra, how old are you?"

"Sixteen," the boy answered, his face flushing as if expecting a reprimand for his outburst.

Ahsoka merely nodded. "I was about a year younger than you the first time I rescued younglings from the sith lord. I know how frightening all this is. It was the first time it really sunk in that no one is safe from the evil in this galaxy."

Ezra met her gaze. "I've known that for years. But I also know that if the worst happens I can take care of myself. But they...they're just babies."

"Who are now safe. Pipey is safe because you and Kanan refused to give up. He's back with his mother. Alora's an orphan now true, but I believe I have some contacts who can find her a new home, one with people willing to take on the responsibility of raising a Force-Sensitive child. She'll be protected."

"And loved?"

Ahsoka smiled. "As if she were their own."

He looked away then, biting down hard on his lip.

The togruta glanced up at Kanan, waiting for his lead in providing further comfort. The Jedi's sea-green eyes were alight with fury and sorrow. With the want - the need - to take Ezra in his arms and hide him away from trouble, from pain, from the entire galaxy if he had to. Anakin's eyes had held the same look once upon a time.

She quickly banished that thought and squeezed Ezra's hands while Kanan rubbed gentle circles on the boy's two adults remained quiet, waiting for their young charge to decide what to do next.

Finally, long after Kanan's arm was aching from the non-stop motion and Ahsoka's knees had gone numb, Ezra gave a sad sigh and wiped his eyes.

"How much longer until you leave?" he asked.

"A few hours. I want to put another couple of jumps between us and Takobo."

Ezra nodded determinedly. "Kanan, can I show them the Holocron? I think Pipey would like it, he wanted to play with my lightsaber earlier."

Kanan nodded, unable to tell his padawan no when he was acting this subdued. "Just be careful. Don't let either of them hold it."

"I won't."


The goodbye had not been easy. Rex had once said bonds formed on the battlefield ran deeper than most, and Ezra and Pipey had definitely been through battle. It hurt to part with the little guy.

Kanan trusted Ahsoka's promise and Ezra was trying hard to follow his example, but it was difficult. It wasn't that he didn't believe she'd do everything she could to protect these children and any others they may come across. But she also had a rebellion to run and if the two obligations clashed he was convinced the latter would be her choice every time.

He wanted to be angry about that but instead it made him sad. Kanan and Hera were determined to balance fighting and family; Ezra wished all the cells had the same convection.

Speaking of Kanan, the man had messaged him five minutes ago, ordering him back to the ship for their evening meditation.

Ezra sighed as he got to his feet, mentally calculating if it was worth the awkwardness of asking if he could sleep in the older Jedi's room tonight. Kanan had let him do it twice since the first time, after they'd fought the sith lord on Lothal, and then the night he'd gotten back after helping Vizago and Hondo. Ezra had taken the top bunk both times - wanting to be close but not too close - but it had been enough of a comfort to help him drop off on what would have been an otherwise sleepless night.

It wasn't, however, enough to keep the nightmares away - he'd never had that much luck - and to add insult to injury Kanan had to be the one to pull him back into the waking world each time they'd hit.

His master had never given off so much as a hint of annoyance or censure at the task, simply holding onto him long enough for Ezra to remember where he was, gently coaxing him to breathe and reminding him he was there if Ezra wanted to talk. The padawan never did. Sleep was a precious commodity for all of them, Kanan in particular, and Ezra's guilt had prevented him from robbing his mentor of any more than he could help. He often didn't remember the dreams anyway.

What he did remember, and couldn't help but smile to himself about, was how he'd tried to sneak out of the room the next morning only for Kanan to catch him from behind and pull him into a tight hug. He'd murmured something about understanding and how there was no need to be afraid of sharing with him which Ezra hadn't focused on, too stunned that the older man was freely embracing him and the fact that he wasn't terrified by the gesture.

It wasn't that the Jedi shied away from touching him, exactly, but usually his affection was limited to shoulder pats and hair ruffles. The closest they'd come to a hug before then was when Kanan had carried him back to the Phantom after he'd twisted his ankle during a reconnaissance op, and Ezra had been too busy hoping the ground would open up and swallow him to ponder how it felt to be that close to his master.

It was a strange thing to go from eight years where touching rarely meant anything besides pain, to being surrounded by people whose offers of affection he almost physically craved. Or maybe he'd always wanted that contact but just learned to live without it?

"Spectre Six respond. Where are you?"

Kanan's voice cut sharply through his musing, and he fumbled for his comm unit. "On my way."

"Hurry up. We're short on time."

"Almost there, promise!"

Hopefully his master wouldn't be in the mood to probe his side of their bond too deeply tonight. He really didn't want to explain why he was fighting the urge to dwell on memories of being six years old. Of when he was small enough to curl up in his parents laps, and know he didn't have anything to worry about. It would probably be a long time before he found any comfort that rivaled that one.


"-ra. Ezra!"

"Not in your mouth!" Ezra shook his head, blinking owlishly at Kanan who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and a hint of a smile tugging at his mouth.

"Every youngling in the history of the Order might disagree with me, but the word meditate really isn't synonymous with nap."

The padawan rubbed his face, shoulders drooping. "Sorry. I was trying, really."

Kanan squeezed his shoulder. "It's alright. You've had a rough day."

Not at all reassured, Ezra hugged himself, sitting up a little straighter when his hand brushed a bulge in his jacket. "Oh before I forget, here." Pulling the Holocron from his pocket, he handed it to his master who took it in both his hands, looking at it thoughtfully.

"How'd they take to it?" He asked after a moment.

"I think Oora liked it best of all. She kept tapping on the star charts, telling stories about the different planets she'd heard of. I didn't understand half of what she said but the babies enjoyed it. She thanked me for letting them see it afterwards. Said it's almost impossible for her to keep Pipey still for more than five minutes."

"Hm. Reminds me of someone."

Ezra made a face back at him. "Yeah me too."

Kanan's smile faded after a moment. "Seriously kid, are you okay?"

The words "I'm fine" were on the tip of Ezra's tongue when Kanan's gaze caught and held his own. 'Please tell me the truth,' the older man's eyes seemed to say. 'Please show me you trust that I'm capable of easing your pain.'

It may have been an expression of that trust or he may have just wanted an excuse to hide his face, but the next thing Ezra knew he had his arms wrapped around his master's waist, and was burying his face in his shoulder.

Kanan stiffened momentarily then quickly returned the embrace, resting his chin on Ezra's hair, and resumed rubbing a hand down his back. "It's alright. I've got you."

"I was so scared for him."

"I know," Kanan answered, not needing to ask who 'He' was.

"I was only responsible for him for a few hours. It's worse when I think about the rest of you. We're in danger all the time. How…? I can't live my life being afraid. But I don't know how to stop it."

Kanan gave a snort. "If you figure it out let me know." Ezra frowned up at him and he sobered. "There's no magic secret Ezra. You do the best you can in each moment and you hope and pray it's enough."

"That's not very helpful."

"No," the Jedi sighed, "it isn't. Look, all I know is you can't dwell on the failures or the near misses. Learn what you can from them and move on. And cherish moments like this." He ran a hand through the boy's hair and then allowed him to pull away. "Now, I for one have trouble enjoying anything on an empty stomach. What do you say we go see what we can scrounge for dinner?"

Ezra nodded and got to his feet, eager to leave the conversation behind. Kanan kept a hand on his shoulder the whole way to the galley.


Have I re-watched this episode a bunch of times simply for the adorableness that is Ezra and baby Pipey's interactions? Possibly...

Your thoughts are welcome!