This chapter kinda got off track a little- it was supposed to start wrapping up after Tama explained the situation, but then... well. Let me just say I really like Tama and how I've made him and his family.

And worry not- I've not forgotten about the Ghost crew, nor have I forgotten Kanan's bond with Ezra. All will be explained with time, I promise. :)

Disclaimer: While I cannot proudly say I own Rebels, I can proudly say- and I do say this with pride -that I only own one Tama Oriena, who has wormed his way into my heart and I don't think will be leaving in the near future.

Ezra didn't much like that he was once again on that too-soft couch. But, under the circumstances, things could be a lot worse- he could be on an Imperial interrogation bench, or he could still be in that mud with Sabine and have absolutely no idea where to turn for help. At least here he was inside with a warm bowl of stew that Eilene- Tama's wife, which was why her name was familiar to him -had made for all of them.

Since the ex-miner had made his presence known, Ezra hadn't really known what to make of the situation. Tama was no lover of the Empire- but at the same time, Ezra and the crew had blown up his work space.

He'd hesitantly come to the conclusion, once again, that Tama and his family weren't hostile towards him. They weren't neutral either, but they weren't exactly friendly to their cause- he knew Tama in no way favored the Empire, but Ezra still wore that mask of wariness even as his 'rescuer' sat him back down on that couch.

And, as his instincts forced him to, Ezra waited until Tama took a spoonful of his stew before starting on his own. He'd been there to see Eilene dish out the portions so he knew there was nothing in his bowl that was any different from theirs, so once they had started eating he had gratefully done the same.

Eilene was a rather good cook. It was this fact that Ezra probably owed his life to- that and Sabine's bright, vivid colors.

"I usually take walks out along that lake-," Eilene was explaining, "around the bits that Imperial facility hasn't contaminated is the perfect soil for growing the more delicate crops and spices that our farmland isn't suited for. It's a while away, but I love walking in the morning, right when the sun's just coming over the hills." Ezra hummed, remembering waking early and climbing to the top of his tower to see the very same sun peak over the buildings in the city. He still did that with the Ghost, sometimes.

"And that was when I saw this splash of color way out on the other edge of the lake. At first I didn't think much of it, because it's a dump site and all. But," Eilene eyed him seriously, sharp eyes gentle over her wooden bowl, "as I got to thinking, the stormtroopers don't have much color on anything. Normally I can't stand the smell over there, but I got curious. 'Course, when I found you two half dead on the shore, I got a little more than curious."

Ezra bit his lip, eyes tightening slightly as he directed his gaze down to the bowl instead of at Eilene's face. He and Sabine were most likely still alive only because of one woman's curiosity... and that scared him. Without her, he would have failed both himself and Sabine...

"Words cannot described how scared I got for you two when I saw how badly your friend was injured." Ezra's grip tightened on the bowl, and he breathed heavily through his nose, trying to calm his heart. Sabine was okay- Tama had assured him she was safe and okay, things were fine...

"Believe me, I was pretty scared myself." Ezra cleared his throat, clearing his face of the panic and reminiscence as he took another bite of his stew. Eilene hummed and nodded from the loveseat, and Tama, sitting across from him on a stool pulled from another room, looked at Ezra objectively. Not scrutinizing, but as though he were trying to figure out something. Ezra shifted slightly, but was forced to meet the older man's gaze as he took over the story.

"I'd told Eilene about you and the colored girl, as well as that guy in green," Ezra's upper lip twitched, "so as soon as she saw your friend armor and your hair, she figured you were the ones I'd told her about and took you back to the house."

So the muscles Eilene sported weren't just for show, then. He could respect that- after all, if he said he didn't know any strong women, he'd more than most likely have two black eyes.

"My friend-" he was well aware that he hadn't given either Tama or his wife their names, and he intended to keep it that way; there were too many variables, too many unknowns, "-you said she was safe. Where... where is she?" Hoping to come across as casual, Ezra forced himself to take another bite of the stew even as he stilled his shaking fingers.

"We admitted her into the hospital."

Ezra very nearly choked on the spoonful.

Wha- no no no no, that means the Empire knows where she is!

Depending on how long Ezra'd been out, the stormtroopers could have already found out her location and taken her from whatever ward she was in, leaving her stranded and injured-!

"Calm down, calm down."

"No no you don't understand; Sabine-"

"Was admitted under a false name, in the guise of our daughter."

Adrenaline still pumping through his veins and his stomach somewhere near his ankles, Ezra nevertheless forced himself to calm down enough to register what Tama was saying. "So she's-"

"Safe under the name Kaelin Oriena. We," Tama and Eilene traded smiles, faces pinking slightly even as Ezra deflated in relief, "were thinking that'd be what we'd name our daughter, if... well. But Sabine is a great name too." Ezra blinked, knowing he'd let crucial information slip and berating himself for it.

But both Tama and Eilene were only smiling benignly, and he wasn't getting any danger readings off of these people. He knew he should still be heavily wary and suspicious... but these two had helped him and Sabine. They'd treated him while he'd been out (three days, they'd told him) and had safely admitted Sabine to the one place she could get what she needed to stay alive. He figured he could at least relax around these people somewhat.

Sinking back down into the soft couch, Ezra willed his heart to slow down and his stomach to rise from his ankles and settle back in it's proper place. They were okay...

"See, we figured since you two... aren't exactly friends with the Empire," Tama continued, and guilt clenched Ezra's heart as the image of the burning mine resurfaced, "I knew it wouldn't be beneficial to either of you to leave your identities out in the open. We could've just admitted your friend to the hospital saying we had no idea who she was-"

That's right, Ezra though, somewhat sheepishly, they wouldn't even have known her actual name to admit her under, "but the Empire would've been all over an unknown patient matching a known rebel's general description and circumstances."

It's okay, we're okay, she's okay...

"That's also why we kept you here." Eilene took over, and Ezra switched his gaze to the muscled woman, still acutely aware of Tama watching him over his own bowl of stew. "Admitting the both of you at the same time would have most definitely caught the Empire's attention, no matter what names you went under. We figured she at least would be okay from facial recognition-" Ezra's cheeks reddened slightly as he also remembered Sabine wore her helmet when fighting. That didn't give her an all-clear pass though, her time in the Imperial Academy would account for that. "-but you, we weren't too sure of. We figured just treating you with what we had here was the best option- no questions, no databases, no Imperial threat. Besides, fractured ribs are easily dealt with, with the right supplies."

Ezra bit his lip. He needed to say something. He had to get a cap on what he was feeling, on what... on everything. And there really was only one way, but it seemed so shallow compared to the meaning behind the words. The quiet, almost subdued "Thank you."

These people didn't have to help him and Sabine. They didn't have to admit Sabine to the hospital. They didn't have to take care of his wounds. They didn't have to save them. They didn't owe him anything- in fact, he owned them for destroying Tama's workplace. Most likely, he and Sabine were only alive because of the goodness of their hearts.

The fact that their lives had been determined by semi-strangers who should by all means hold a grudge against them scared him.

But he was grateful nonetheless.

Eilene nodded, smiling softly, though Tama just inclined his head, still sporting that look which told Ezra the man was trying to figure him out. He fidgeted slightly, the warm and now empty-bowl in his hands feeling like a manacle.

"We couldn't exactly leave you alone out there, now could we?" Ezra closed his eyes. He felt so very small in this too-soft couch, like it would swallow him and his helplessness up. He recalled a dim memory of having a nightmare like that, once, but it faded into nothing more than just a simple grey color in the back of the back of his head.

Tama and Eilene must have shared a look in that time, because next thing he knew the bowl was being taken from his hands by soft hands and his eyes were flying open at the sudden touch. "If you need anything," Eilene peered down at him with soft eyes, "come ask me. But I have a feeling you'll want to sort out some details with my husband." She smiled lightly, and then retreated down the hall with a swaying of fabric.

Ezra looked back at Tama, who was still scrutinizing him. Defensively, he crossed his arms over his chest, but otherwise made no comment.

"How old are you?" The sudden and rather odd question threw Ezra off-track slightly, and he found himself blinking before answering. There was no harm in giving such information- besides, it was already on his wanted profile on the Holo-net or the frequent broadcasts. Lying or ignoring the question would be pointless- and not to mention rude. While Ezra wasn't against rudeness here and there, Tama and Eilene had saved his life. Not just his, but Sabine's. He figured that ought to count for something.

"I'm fifteen."

The ex-miner pursed his lips, like he'd bitten into something mildly unpleasant. Ezra blinked curiously at him, until Tama snorted with a sense of dark humor.

"I'm morel like my old man than I thought- I'm gonna say the same thing he did at our mine: you're being recruited young, aren't you." It wasn't a question, more like a resigned statement. Ezra chewed his cheeks briefly, before he looked Tama in the eyes unashamedly.

"The crew didn't exactly rope me into this life- I had no where else to go. The Empire made sure of that." Tama nodded, and there were hints of a hidden scene playing out behind his eyes.

"Believe me, I'm not calling out your crew. That man I saw you with didn't seem like the kind of guy to turn children to fighters just because." Ezra's upper lip twitched again as Kanan was brought up.

"Trust me, he's not. He still feels guilty."

"I can see why." There was such a serious look in Tama's eyes- a serious, almost saddened look that took over his eyes which before-hand had only been shadowed with friendly interest. "You ask a teenager on the street how old they are, they'll give you a weird look but won't think it's anywhere out of the ordinary, and answer in a heartbeat. I ask you, it startles you to the point where you actually have to think about your answer. That's not even mentioning the obvious- you're a soldier. Children aren't supposed to fight."

"And the government isn't supposed to exploit their families to the point where they have to." Ezra countered, though he knew there wasn't a need to prove himself. This wasn't that type of argument- no matter who 'won,' the facts would still be the same- he would still be young, and he would still be fighting. Nothing would change that until the Empire was taken down.

Tama nodded, simultaneously sighing as his eyes seemed to grow decades older. "I guess it's just the times we live in that make everything seem so..."

"Messed up? Wrong? Screwed over? Take your pick, I've got more."

A grim smile. "I'll bet you do." Pause. "I'll take it that I wasn't wrong in assuming you and your crew were the ones who attacked the factory?"

Ezra nodded, grateful that Tama had changed the subject to one that wouldn't automatically put him in the wrong. "Yeah- was that on the news?" The ex-miner snorted, rubbing one of his temples in a way that was not unlike Kanan rubbing his forehead.

"Well, it was, until some Mordo guy-

"Commander Morden."

"-hushed them all up. Eilene and I only got the part of one of the production bays exploding and how there were soldiers removing more explosives from the rest of the compound before they abruptly switched topics."

Ezra frowned. "Did they say anything about the number of explosives found?"

Tama raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't question further. "Only that they were removing explosives from the tower and the production bays."

But not the changing area, Ezra noted. That was interesting... but before Ezra could pursue his new-found topic of interest further, Eilene came back into the room, face lit up and fresh in- not exactly happiness, but contentment, he thought.

"The hospital checked in-" Ezra was perked up and aware instantly, eyes zeroing in on Eilene, "-and apparently- um, Sabine?" Ezra nodded tersely. "Apparently Sabine's woken up and caused a bit of a stir." You can't really expect her to do anything else- what did you think would happen, she'd wake up and just meekly accept where she was without explanation?

Although that wasn't really fair- he knew Sabine just a bit better then most.

Ezra turned to Tama, who was smiling with his eyes again. "I have to see her." The miner nodded, gaze flicking to Eilene before she spoke up again.

"Well, they said she was asking for Tama, so..."

Ezra's lip curled upwards. He wouldn't be surprised if she'd wrestled the information she needed from whoever happened to be nearby... though once again, that was only to be expected. He couldn't help but feel like their sync was amazing- they'd both gotten info on who'd saved them, even if her methods most likely had been a bit unorthodox. Again- that was Sabine.

"Well then- I guess we'll be taking a trip to the med center." Ezra smiled unconsciously- no matter what happened next, he'd be back with Sabine, and the two of them together could handle it.

And put the questions stirring in his gut to rest about... certain dazed revelations. Or just fuddled thoughts. Whatever they were- he hoped for answers.

"Just one thing before we go-" Ezra turned to Tama, waiting for the older man to voice his condition so they could leave and get over to his teammate. The serious glint was back in Tama's eyes, but it was toned down a bit from before. "Will you tell us your name?"

For a brief moment, Ezra considered refusing. And then considered saying 'Dev Morgen.' But, like before with his age, lying was ultimately pointless. Tama could go and look up his name whenever he wanted- the fact that he was asking for it meant he trusted Ezra to answer however he felt he needed to. Not for the first time, Ezra wondered how well he'd do fighting against the Empire with such a tactful mind- if he wanted to gain Ezra's trust, that was exactly how to go about it. Because it was only with a moment of hesitation and a second of biting his lip that he responded-

"Ezra."