Summary: Ezra is sleepless and leaves to clear his head. On the night that Kozmotis is left in charge of security.

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OKAY, THIS THING'S ABOUT TO GET REAL! Lol XD

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NEITHER RISE OF THE GUARDIANS NOR STAR WARS REBELS. But I think I own the ship Blackberry/Blackbridger

X

Ezra groaned as he flopped onto the bed of the guest room he was staying in.

The discussion about the alliance had yet to be settled, and Tsar Lunanoff had offered them to stay in Lunaria until they had come into an agreement. Ezra was both happy and frustrated about the news.

On one hand, he had more chances to to play with his new friend Nightlight (Sabine and Zeb would be too busy arguing with Hera and Kanan to care anyway). He also had a chance to attempt on befriending the young Tsar Lunar (Nightlight promised he'd help with it, him being the protector and all).

On the other hand… that would mean he would be dealing with and bumping into General hot-and-handsome— er, Kozmotis Pitchiner. Ezra wasn't sure if he could handle that. Being in one room with him flusters him up already. Sabine and Zeb were no help, teasing him about his new crush. They were literally the worst siblings Ezra had to deal with (Well, the ONLY siblings he had to deal with, but the worst, nonetheless).

"Ugh…" Ezra flipped over on the bed to face ceiling. "I need some rest, or I'll NEVER get HIM out of my head,"

He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, trying to think of happy, calm thoughts. Loth-cats… the glowing twin moons of his planet… Jedi training…

Finally, exhaustion crept up and set him into slumber.

…Unfortunately, it didn't last long, and he woke up a few minutes later.

"Son of a—" he let out another groan as he slapped a pillow on his face. "Argh…"

He stayed in bed like that for a while, the sound of a ticking clock ringing in his ears as he laid but not sleep. He proceeded to hit himself with the pillow, trying to knock himself out to sleep but to no avail.

"Force help me…" he hissed then after a few more minutes, he got up and threw his pillow to the floor. "Kriff sleep! I'm heading out…"

He turned on the lights and pried himself off the comfort of his bed, rolling down on the floor. He was tired and exhausted, but his mind refused to sleep.

After a laying on the floor for a few more minutes, he forced himself to stand up then he grabbed his regular clothes from the nearby rack. He changed into them then he went to the vanity to brush his hair then he headed out of his room.

The lit-up, golden halls were now dimmed, only small spherical moonstones on the ceiling to guide anyone who was up that late, like him. Each door had a glowing moonstone too, along with a design that glowed in the dark, to differentiate each guest room. It was a surprise how much the palace could amaze him at both day and night.

Ezra shook his head and sighed. He made a mental check to sense Kanan deeply asleep with Rex and to sense Ahsoka also deeply asleep with Hera before quietly making his way through the dark, semi-glowing halls.

Finally, he found an open window and jumped out. He landed on the ground with a thud and quickly flattened himself to the wall to not be spotted by the guards.

Once the coast was clear, he dashed off and far from the palace, as fast as his legs (and the Force) could take him.

X

"Goodnight, Daddy,"

"Goodnight, little one," Kozmotis kissed his daughter's forehead then once the little girl closed her eyes, he turned to leave her room.

He closed the bedroom door as gently as he could then he headed to the living room of his home. He tidied up the mess that his seven year old daughter had made before dinner then he went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. After making sure that everything else was cleaned up, he made his way to his room to change out of his armor when he heard a beeping sound.

"Hmm?" He turned to the source of the sound and found the computer he had left on the dining table blinking red. "A break-in?"

He advanced towards it and opened it to see the security footage. Inside, a small, thin shadow moved through the halls, stopping for a while and looking around before continuing to creep. The being soon ran to a window and jumped out.

It didn't look like a Fearling, or a being with Living Darkness. And it couldn't be a Dream Pirate. Whoever it was, they didn't need to break in. They were from the inside already.

"A break-out, it is," Koz sighed and switched the camera to follow the figure.

The being was soon running off, slipping past the guards. There was one guard that managed to catch them, but the person was prepared. They flicked their hand up towards the guard, and the guard turned around and marched off as if nothing happened. The person watched the guard leave then they dashed out of the palace guards and off-cam.

Koz groaned. It HAD to be that one night where he was the one left in charge of the palace's security. Couldn't he sleep at the right time for once?

He switched off his computer and made his way to the door. He grabbed a blaster and his sword then he left the house to follow the person's tracks.

X

The Wind gently blew against his midnight blue locks as he stood over the cliff, a little far from the palace. Ezra took a deep breath and sighed, slumping down into the soft grass until he was laying down and facing up.

The sky was beautiful at night. The stars were glistening up in the dark sky, lighting it up like a hundred nightlights (no pun intended, PLEASE.) It was so beautiful that he felt relaxed.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make him sleepy, but he didn't mind.

His mind soon began to haze up, and the sky becomes a blur. He felt like he was losing it as he sat up and looked around.

He was alone. Really, he shouldn't be surprised. He DID sneak out of the palace…

He felt the wind pick up it's coldness, and he shivered. He held himself, pulling his knees to his chest as he clamped his mouth shut to keep him from gritting his teeth. He rubbed his hands against his arms before gently rocking himself.

This night… it felt so familiar. It felt like when he was first introduced to life in the streets. He was lost, hungry (he had been too homesick to eat), and most of all, alone.

And now that the wind was picking up a chill, he was starting to get cold. And scared.

'Pathetic.'

He flinched at the voice. It sounded just like Kanan's, but he knew that it really wasn't. He didn't turn around or try hard enough to reach into the Force to know that his Master wasn't with him, and that the voice he heard came from his own subconscious.

So he ignored it.

'Worthless.'

He winced at the sound of Hera's voice echoing in his mind. He knew that his own brain was cooking up some scheme to get him to be emotional and tear up.

So he ignored it again.

'Annoying brat.'

He groaned and waved off the voice that sounded a lot like Sabine. It wasn't a lie, though. He can be pretty annoying. If it actually came from the Mando, he would just shrug it off, but with how his mind projected it, he felt a little… hurt.

But he knew it was an illusion. It's got to be. If it wasn't, he wouldn't be hurt by the words, right?

…right?

'Loth-rat scum!'

He grimaced. That was something he knew Zeb would really tell him whenever he hits a nerve or two. Then again, many had called him that…

"Ugh…" He slapped his hands on his ears and crouched down with a hiss. "Stop…"

He took a deep breath and held his head up, looking over at the edge of the cliff.

A full moon was shining brightly between the darkness. It's intensive glow nearly blinding the boy, so he stopped staring and proceeded to squint before turning away.

"Karabast." He cursed, rubbing his eyes as he carefully stood up.

Suddenly, the Force picked up it's pace in warning. He glanced up and gasped to see a silhouette of a person walking towards his way.

'SON OF A—' he bit down a hiss and looked around for a way to escape without bumping into the person.

Unfortunately, the cliff was a dead-end corner, and he was forced to have only two options; Face the person and be forced back to the palace or jump off the cliff and let the Force decide his fate.

He was starting to consider the former, so he waited. He stood as still as he could as he watched the mystery person glance his way. He froze when familiar golden eyes stared straight at his sapphire ones.

"You!"

Ezra winced at the tone of the familiar voice. 'General Pitchiner…'

The man that he had been trying SO HARD to get over from was outside looking for HIM. It was a thought that both embarrassed and shamed the Padawan to the fact that he was ready to consider the latter and jump.

Soon, the General was running in his direction, footsteps getting faster and louder and appearance getting clearer and closer. Ezra reacted by instinct, and before he knew it, he turned around and leapt.

X

In the dark, it was difficult to see anything and/or anyone out of the ordinary/out of place. Thankfully, the moon was out and shining, so Kozmotis had an advantage of seeing part of his surroundings.

The palace was a little far from his home, so the person's tracks led him farther away. It made him more irritated than he already was, but he followed anyway.

He walked through the forest, glancing around for anything suspicious. His steps are slow and cautious, his head flicking from left to right to check his surroundings. He narrowed his eyes, careful not to blink and miss something.

"Karabast."

He turned to the direction of the noise, not recognizing the word. He halted his steps and turned to follow. He managed to exit the forest and found himself in a clearing leading to a cliff.

At the edge of the cliff, he saw a silhouette of a person. The being was small, slim and seemed to realize that he had found them. They froze in place before looking for a way of escape.

Koz took a step forward, and the person flinched but remained still, only trembling a bit. He narrowed his eyes and moved closer and closer until he was met by sapphire orbs.

Familiar sapphire orbs.

'Where have I seen those eyes before…?' he thought, tilting his head before his eyes widened. 'Wait…'

"You!" he cried out, and the person tensed and froze up again.

It was the youngest of the Rebel guests; Bridger.

Koz was soon running towards the boy, eager to make sure that he made it to the troublesome teen. He didn't know why the boy was out so late, but he was determined to find out and bring him back to the Lunanoff Palace before Tsar or Tsarina found out that he got out.

To his horror, just as he reached him, Bridger turned and jumped off the cliff.

Koz hissed and picked up the pace, running as fast as he could. He moved so quickly that his legs became numb, but he didn't stop until he made it to the edge of the cliff, just in time to grab the boy's arm.

"GAH!" Bridger gasped as he felt himself hanging. "HELP!"

'He jumps then he asks for help?!' Koz shook his head and carefully pulled the boy up.

His left hand gripped on the teen's right hand while his right arm found it's way to the boy's shoulder as he yanked him back up on the cliff.

X

If Ezra knew that he was going to face the one person that he wanted to get over, he would've stayed in his room to suffer.

Well, too late now.

"Are you INSANE, boy?!" The irritated and exasperated tone in the general's voice made him flinch. "You could have DIED! Is THAT what you want to do?! Is THAT why you came out here so late?!"

Ezra couldn't bring himself to speak, his face burning red in embarrassment and shame. He stared at the man in the eyes, his cheeks heating up more (if it was possible) at the sight of the other's shimmering golden eyes. It was misted with worry, fear and exhaustion, but they were still gorgeous in the Padawan's eyes.

He couldn't even hear what General Pitchiner was telling him until he was pulled to his knees. He blinked back to reality as two strong hands gripped his shoulders.

"…and if you think that this will go unspoken to your fellow Rebels, you are sorely mistaken." Pitchiner hissed. "But seriously, what were you THINKING?!"

"W-What?" Ezra bit his bottom lip, looking confused.

Pitchiner stared down at him sternly before groaning, grasping his forehead with another hiss. "Did you NOT pay attention to a word I said?! No, you obviously didn't! Argh!"

"I… I'm sorry…" Ezra finally managed to turn away. "I… I just couldn't sleep, so I… I had to get out to clear my head… sorry…"

X

Kozmotis stared at the boy with slight anger, but it quickly dissolved when he heard the excuse. He loosened the grip on the teen's shoulder, sliding his hand down to his chin.

Bridger tensed up, his face burning more than it already had been. He took in a deep breath and slowly looked up at the General.

The boy's sapphire blue eyes glistened under the light of the moon, practically reflecting it's shine. His cheeks were rosy and red, flushed from, what Koz could tell, embarrassment and… shyness?

"I… I'm sorry if I wasted your evening, General Pitchiner, sir," Bridger swallowed as he spoke. "I just… I feel a little uncomfortable and homesick. Not that we had much of a home back at our base, anyway…"

"What do you mean?" Koz raised an eyebrow.

"That ship… our ship…" Bridger turned away again. "It's… our home. Our only home,"

Kozmotis's eyes widened in shock. 'Our' home?! Did this boy live with those Rebels at such a young age?!

"You're… those friends of yours… you're an… orphan?"

Bridger didn't reply. Instead, he gave a nod.

If Koz was only shocked before, he sure was horrified now. How old was this child?! How long had he been an orphan?!

He reached out with his free hand and gently stroked the teen's midnight blue locks. His hand on Bridger's chin moved to his cheek, gently cupping it with the sympathy he felt.

He had seen orphans before. Most were taken in by relatives. Others were placed into orphanages or foster houses. No kid was forced into a battle field until he/she was at the right age.

"…for how long?"

"H-Huh?" Bridger stared up at him, eyes wide and mystified with confusion.

"How long… have you been orphan?" The question clenched Kozmotis's chest, but he knew he had to ask.

Bridger blinked for a moment before sighing. "…seven to eight years at the least…"

"And… how old are you now…?" Koz felt like he didn't want to know, but for some reason, he HAD to know.

"… fifteen," Bridger grimaced as he answered. "Turning sixteen, but the crew took me in when I was fourteen,"

Koz had to calculate for only a minute to know what he needed to know. His eyes were widened more than it already had.

Seven years old. Bridger had been orphan at the age of seven.

Koz couldn't believe it. His own daughter was seven. He couldn't imagine leaving his daughter at such a young age. She couldn't even last a whole day without him coming home, which was why he always got a babysitter to be with her whenever he went on long-term missions.

Why would his parents abandon such a lonesome child?

"They… They didn't abandon me," Bridger pointed out, as if he could read his mind.

"Pardon?" Koz turned to stare at him with confusion.

"The… The Galactic Empire… my parents…" Bridger was starting to ramble, tears starting to appear at the edges of his eyes. "they… they were taken away and killed after… after they voiced against the cruel Emperor…"

"Bridger…" the sight of the teen crying broke Kozmotis's heart, already seeing a male version of his daughter in place of the boy.

"It… It was on my birthday when the troopers came and took them away, ransacking our house," Bridger went on, sobbing hard now as he hugged himself. "I had just turned seven… we… it was Empire Day, a day to celebrate the rise of the Galactic Empire. We thought that the troopers were too busy. We… We didn't expect them to… to…"

Tears overtook the poor child, and he was soon crying on his thighs, tears staining his clothes. He was trembling, his breathing shaking and unstable as he sniffled his tears.

Koz frowned and took back his hands. He then moved closer to the teen and wrapped him an embrace.

X

Ezra wished he didn't have to talk about something as personal as this. He wished that he was in bed and suffering insomnia alone. Sharing it with the general (ahem, his crush, ahem) was more embarrassing than him throwing himself off the cliff via instinct.

Warmth soon enveloped him, and he looked up in surprise to find himself leaning on Pitchiner's chest. He gingerly looked up and saw the general, eyes closed as he pulled him close.

Ezra felt like his blush had reached his ears again, his face feeling hot and embarrassed. He didn't pull away, though, and let Pitchiner give him comfort. He lowered his head and closed his eyes to feel his breathing slow down to a normal pace.

After a while, he felt exhaustion crawl upon his mind. His eyes had become droopy, and his limbs had gone all heavy.

Soon, slumber overtook him, and his eyes dropped.

X

Kozmotis was surprised to feel the boy grow heavy. He looked down and found Bridger sleeping on his chest, dried tear stains down his cheeks.

'At least he fell asleep.' He sighed before carefully lifting the teen in his arms.

Surprisingly, Bridger was light. Too light for a boy his age.

Underweight, Koz thought. He wasn't surprised about that, though. The teen spent most of his childhood living to survive in the streets. He really needed to be stuffed up soon.

Quiet as a mouse, he carried the teen down the cliff and through the forest. He had just neared the palace when a nagging thought clawed his mind.

There was no way he could sneak the boy back inside on one of the top floors. If he showed up with him, and the guards spotted them, who knows what they would think.

'I would just have to explain the situation to the Lunanoff Family tomorrow.' Koz sighed then he away and headed off to the direction of his home.

Once he was inside, he set the boy on the couch. He then removed his armor and set it in his armory. He ran to the nearest closet and grabbed a spare blanket before heading back down to the living room.

Bridger was thankfully still asleep. He was cuddling himself, shivering from the cold as he tossed and turned in his sleep.

Koz frowned and gently wrapped the blanket around him. He smiled when the shivering stopped. He patted the boy's head then he turned to leave and head to bed.

"What a night…"

X

XD Yes.