Kanan's heart pounded in his ears as the girl slowly walked toward him. He spared a glance to Ezra, a small amount of tension leaving him as the kid's chest visibly rose and fell. His mind raced. There had to be something he could do. Some way to stop them and get Ezra out of here. But before he could think of anything, the male Inquisitor stepped in front of Kanan, blocking the girl from moving forward.

"Stop playing with your food, Seven," he growled. "Let's just get this over with. Grab the kid."

The girl scoffed. "Must you always be so short sighted?" She tried to push past him, but he held his ground, shoving her back. Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Get out of my way," she said, baring her teeth.

"Our orders are to bring them in. Vader won't be happy if they're already damaged. Remember last time."

She pressed her lips together. After a few seconds she nodded sharply. Throwing an annoyed expression to Kanan, she spun around and headed over to Ezra's unconscious form.

The man crossed his arms, his eyes following her. "Crazy bitch," he muttered loud enough for only Kanan to hear.

With neither of them paying any attention to him, Kanan hastily searched for anything he could use as a weapon. The warehouse they were in was empty. There was with no storage or anything that could be helpful. Then his eyes settled on the girl's knife. Berating himself for not thinking of it sooner, he pulled on it, sending it flying toward the male Inquisitor. But his precision was off, and it hit the other man in the right shoulder, rather than the chest like Kanan had intended. Still, the man let out an enraged snarl, releasing his hold on Kanan.

The girl had been leaning down toward Ezra, whipped around, her eyes narrowed. She jumped up quickly, but surprisingly remained where she was. Folding her arms across her chest, she arched an eyebrow at the other Inquisitor.

The man ripped the knife from his arm and hurled it across the room. He made a pained huffing sound and reached out toward Kanan, throwing him backwards. Kanan grunted as his head smacked the ground, but he swiftly recovered to his feet. His head spun a bit, his eyes blurring for a second. They didn't take long to clear, and he noticed that the girl was still standing by Ezra. She was examining her fingernails, a thoroughly unimpressed expression on her face.

Why wasn't she doing anything? He had just barely any time to dwell on the thought when something tightened around his throat. The male Inquisitor stalked toward him; his arm outstretched. Kanan felt his feet leave the ground, the force around his throat intensifying. Desperate panic filled him, and he kicked violently, clawing at his throat as if it would alleviate the pressure. Where had the knife gone? If he could just see it, then he'd be able to control it again. But wherever it had landed was out of his eyesight. The corners of his vision darkened. The sound of the Inquisitor's laughter grew dim in his ears.

He had failed again. First Billaba and now Ezra. How many more people would suffer because he wasn't strong enough?

Breathe and focus, Caleb. Serenity, not fear.

Billaba's words drifted through his mind and he latched on to them. There was still a way for Kanan to survive this and save the kid. He raised his eyes and the answer came to him in a burst of clarity. The warehouse they were in was old and decaying. Across its ceiling were hundreds of interlocking wooden beams. Kanan blocked out the crushing pain in his throat, the burning agony in his chest. Thinking only of Ezra, he extended out his will and pulled with every ounce of his power.

There was a thunderous crack as the wood beams above the Inquisitor's head splintered and plummeted to the ground, knocking him to the floor. His eyes slid closed and he went still. The pressure on Kanan's throat immediately vanished and he too fell, hissing in pain as one of his legs twisted underneath him. As he sucked in deep breaths of air, he heard the languid footsteps of the girl approaching. Kanan glanced up, expecting a livid expression of some kind. But instead she regarded him with cool eyes, the ghost of a smile on her face.

"Clever." Her voice was low and silky. "I do love a man with brains."

"Sorry." Kanan coughed, his throat on fire. "I don't go for crazy." The blaze in his chest was dull now, but still impossible to ignore. His head felt light, but there was nothing he could do about it. He needed to end this now before the other Inquisitor came to. With quivering legs, he rose, his breath still coming out in loud pants.

"Pity." She cocked her head to one side, wrinkling her nose. A wicked smile spread slowly across her face. "It's fine. I had my eyes set on someone else anyways." She looked over her shoulder toward Ezra.

Kanan chose to take advantage of her distraction. He leapt forward, swinging a fist aimed at her face. But his energy had been spent and her reflexes were too fast. She caught his forearm easily before his hit landed.

"Oh, sweetie," she said with a slight laugh. "I guess brawn and brains was too much to hope for."

Her fingers tightened and she released a spark of electricity so bright it made his eyes hurt. That, along with the surge of pain, confused him and she used the opportunity to sweep his legs out from underneath him. Dazed, he blinked a few times.

Behind the girl lay the other Inquisitor, still unmoving. Splintered pieces of wood surrounded him. Kanan focused, willing one up and forward. It pierced her in the back of the thigh. She screamed, a shrill and animalistic noise that grated his nerves. Kanan struggled to his feet. Spots danced before his eyes and he swayed uneasily.

All the amusement bled from her face. She made a twisting motion with her hands. A bright ball of light crackled between her two palms and she thrusted it toward Kanan.

The lighting hit him square in the chest, harder than any punch ever could. Dropping down to one knee, he gasped. His vision blurred as the pain began to radiate throughout his body. He knew he needed to get up, but his legs refused to cooperate. The Inquisitor towered over him, her eyes sparkling. In her hand was one of the smaller pieces of wood Kanan had brought down. She lifted Kanan's chin with one finger.

"The boy will make a fine addition to our collection. I can't wait to play with him."

As she raised the weapon, Kanan made a last attempt of diving out of the way, but his leg failed, and he fell over completely. He braced for the impact, images of Hera, Ezra, and Billaba flashing through his mind.

No blow ever came. Just a dull thud as the broken beam hit the ground.

Kanan looked up in surprise. The Inquisitor's lips rounded, a strangled noise escaping them. She reached behind her for a brief second. Her fingers came away dripping blood. Disbelief flickered across her features before she swayed to the ground, her own knife protruding from between her shoulder blades. Ezra stood several feet back, his face oddly blank and detached.

Kanan let out a breath of relief. The kid was okay. They were going to be okay.

But no, something wasn't right. Ezra was now staring at him, a hungry gleam in his eyes. He grinned, a perfect mirror to the smile the girl had given Kanan. It looked unnatural and horribly wrong on Ezra's face.

"Ez—Ezra?"

Ezra walked toward him, his steps slow and graceful, like a lion stalking its prey. He leaned down by the Inquisitor's unconscious form, ripped the knife from her back, and spun it between his fingers.

"Have you ever been torn apart and then put back together? It's not nearly as much fun as it sounds." He spoke in an eerily singsong manner, reminding Kanan too much of the girl sprawled on the floor.

"Kid, snap out of it." Kanan forced himself on his feet, ignoring the screaming pain.

Stumbling back, he concentrated on Ezra as he continued to advance. Never before had he used his ability on a person. His hands shook as he reached out, willing the boy's steps to stop. At first nothing happened. He pushed harder, his head feeling as if it would explode any second. A moment later he felt his power make a connection. Ezra staggered back slightly, but Kanan knew he wasn't strong enough to hold him for long. He could feel Ezra resisting, trying to break free of the force on him. Kanan gritted his teeth. His legs were shaking; his whole body felt drained. He was approaching the end of his limits. The last time he had used his telekinesis this much in one day was when—

No, he couldn't think about that now. Ezra needed him present.

"Ezra, focus," he said, struggling to form the words. "This isn't you. It's her thoughts in your head. Whatever you're feeling, it isn't real."

As the last of his strength left him, Kanan's hold on Ezra broke. The kid lunged. Kanan landed on the ground hard, the wind knocked from him. Ezra recovered quickly to his feet. He stood over Kanan; knife poised to strike.

"Ezra, please."

The kid didn't move. He was frozen, his eyes focused on Kanan as if seeing him for the first time. Awareness flooded back into his expression; any resemblance of the girl gone. The knife slipped from his fingers.

"I—?" Ezra dropped to his knees, cradling his face in his hands.

"Kid?" Kanan crawled over to him and gently placed his hand on Ezra's shoulder.

Ezra dropped his hands, his eyes meeting Kanan's. They were filled with tears that didn't fall. "Kanan? I'm—I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I couldn't—"

"It's okay, you're safe. It's over. It's over." He wrapped his arms against the kid, pulling him tight. Ezra buried his head in Kanan's chest and began to sob. His entire body shook violently.

"Come on, we need to get out of here." Together they unsteadily stood, Ezra clinging to Kanan's shirt.

He gently put the kid's arm around his shoulder, while holding on to his waist. It was awkward, but they found their rhythm and made slow progress towards the door.

Kanan spared one last look at the pair on the floor. He thought he saw the girl twitch, but he didn't want to stick around to find out if she was still alive. As they stumbled out of the warehouse, Kanan remained on high alert. Searching every shadow, he was prepared should someone else be waiting for them.

After a few blocks of no hint of being followed, he allowed himself to relax. They were going to be fine.

But maybe fine was too strong of a word. Kanan could still feel Ezra trembling. He had not spoken a single word since the warehouse, his eyes fixed on the ground as they walked.

They were about halfway to the apartment when Ezra suddenly broke apart from Kanan.

"'S okay, I can walk," he mumbled, hugging himself as if it would stop the shaking. It didn't.

The rest of the way home Kanan tried to coax more words out of him, asking questions. Ezra remained silent. Kanan was at a loss of what to do. He couldn't even begin to imagine what the kid had sensed from the Inquisitor. Guilt threatened to overwhelm him. All this time he had told Ezra he could protect him, and he had failed.

What were they going to do now? The Inquisitors had caught on to Ezra's and his scent. They would keep coming after them, never stopping. How could Kanan protect him? This night had proven that he could barely protect himself.

As Kanan unlocked the door and ushered Ezra inside, he came to the startling conclusion that them being there might lead the Inquisitors to Hera and the others. E.M.P.I.R.E. had no qualms about civilian casualties if it meant they could get their hands on a few Wielders. The two of them needed to disappear.

"Ezra!" Hera ran to the boy as if to hug him but stopped short. She opted instead for a gentle touch on his shoulder. Ezra, arms still wrapped around himself, tensed and said nothing. Hera looked at Kanan, her expression questioning.

"Ezra needs a little time to himself right now," Kanan said.

The teen nodded, avoiding eye contact with both of them, and headed into his room.

"Are you okay?" Hera asked, caressing Kanan's cheek. He leaned into her, craving her touch. The past few hours had felt like an eternity and he wanted nothing more to crawl into bed with her beside him.

"What happened?"

Kanan put his forehead to Hera's, breathing her in. She embraced him tightly, almost as if she were afraid that if she let go, he would disappear.

They held each other for a few moments before Kanan pulled away.

"We need to talk."

Ezra sat with his back against the wall, his knees to his chest. How long he had been like that, he didn't know. He wanted to sleep, to escape into the dark and quiet. But every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was her.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Come in," he mumbled.

He heard the door open and felt the motion of the bed as someone sat down beside him.

"Did they hurt you?" Kanan asked.

More than he had thought was possible, but he knew what Kanan had meant.

"Nothing major." Ezra lifted his head up. "Just shocked me a bunch."

"I know it's risky, but you should see a doctor. I want to make sure all that electricity didn't cause any damage. Hera's trying to find one sympathetic to Wielders."

Ezra shook his head. "No, I'm fine."

"Not up for discussion, kid." Kanan bit his lip. After a beat of silence, he asked in a gentler tone, "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Ezra didn't know. It was as if saying the words out loud would make the events of the day real, rather than a horrible nightmare. But if he didn't let everything out it would stay trapped within, threatening to devour him.

Kanan patiently sat there, concern radiating off him. Part of Ezra was comforted by Kanan's presence. But there was a small piece of him, one that he wasn't entirely sure was his own, that was disgusted by it. He didn't need the man's pity.

The unwanted thought made his decision for him. He needed to reclaim the space inside him the Inquisitor had invaded.

"It wasn't like last time. I remember all of it. I knew what I was doing, but I—I couldn't stop. I was so angry. I wanted to hurt you. If you hadn't stopped me, I would have."

"No, Ezra. That was her. It wasn't you."

"It could be." Ezra pulled his knees closer to his chest. "Kanan…" he trailed off, closing his eyes. The Inquisitor's memories lay beneath the surface, fighting to break free and consume him. "She was like me. Afraid and alone. But then they found her and they—they twisted her into that thing. I felt—" He broke off, suppressing a sob.

At first, they used her own power against her. Filling her with electricity, hollowing everything out until there was nothing but pain left.

Pain gives you strength, they told her. Pain will set you free. There is no peace, only passion. Give in to your anger. Give in to your hate. Only with passion will you gain power. You must break your chains. Give in…give in…

Whoever she had been before was gone, her old name buried with her.

Pain had made her, and she would use it to break others.

He felt a sharp tugging on his arm, bringing him out of the memory. Ezra realized his fingernails were dug into his temple, almost as if he had been trying to scratch her out of his mind.

"Kid," Kanan said, his voice softer than Ezra had ever heard it. Kanan pulled Ezra's hand away from his face. There was blood underneath a few of his fingernails.

"She said they wanted me. Not just to capture, they want me to join them. They're going to make me like her." Ezra couldn't hide the fear from his voice, and he hated himself for it.

Kanan's grip on him tightened. "I won't let that happen."

Ezra pulled away from Kanan's touch. "Why didn't you tell me?" He spat the words at him, standing up from the bed. Kanan visibly flinched as if he had been stabbed. "Why didn't you tell me that's why they wanted me?"

He could feel himself shaking. Kanan had lied to him. Not just about what the Inquisitors wanted, but about everything. Hadn't he told Ezra numerous times he'd keep him safe? It was Kanan's fault that everything hurt. It was Kanan's fault that Ezra felt like he was drowning. Kanan had failed him, he should be the one in pain. Ezra should hurt him. He should—

No.

This wasn't him. Kanan had saved his life. Had genuinely cared about him when no one else would.

He let out a deep breath, feeling the anger drain from him. Kanan was watching him, worry evident on his face. There was something else there. Fear? Of him?

He should be afraid.

Ezra closed his eyes, struggling to push down the thought. "She's still here in my head," he said quietly. "I don't want to feel like this anymore."

"Ezra—"

"Please get out. I—I just want to be alone."

Kanan nodded and stood from the bed. He open his mouth as if to say something, but instead he just squeezed Ezra's shoulder and left.

Ezra allowed the tears he'd been holding back to stream down his face. Crawling into bed, he covered himself with the blanket as if it were a shield. He could still hear her laughter in his ears. Could still feel her smile on his face. He closed his eyes, trying to block out her lingering thoughts.

There is no peace…