I told you I was a spotty updater. Well I'm back and thanks to all who remembered this story and keep reading and thank you to all the new people who have jumped in.
Everything felt warm and fuzzy, it contrasted so heavily with what he'd been expecting. No crazy sadistic general or leeching cold, Ezra guessed he had died. His senses slowly came back and Ezra's nose recognized the homey smell of his blankets. So maybe he wasn't dead. Eyes flickering open Ezra took in the ceiling. It was most definitely his room. How he'd gotten back here he didn't know. Maybe it had been a horrible dream. However as Ezra tried to raise himself up pain laced through his shoulder reminding him that everything had truly happened. He fell back down with a grunt and closed his eyes breathing through the quickly fading pain. A fuzzy head popped into view eyes creased in worry.
"You awake?" Zeb's voice was soft and worried. It was so out of character Ezra would've laughed if he hadn't been so tired.
"mmm" was his elaborate reply. Zeb grinned.
"I thought you might say that. Alright well sleep well just wake me if you're in pain"
Zeb gently patted Ezra on the arm and disappeared. From the following sounds Ezra could tell that Zeb had laid down.
Ezra frowned at the strangeness of the whole situation but succumbed to his body's need to sleep.
General Akshay stood over him eyes gleaming in malicious hate.
"You'll regret ever meeting me Ezra Bridger" He brought his gun out shooting Ezra in the stomach. Ezra fell to the floor blood pouring out, a few moments of shock passed as with wide eyes Ezra stared at the new hole in his body. Suddenly an overwhelming pain overtook him and he screamed.
Zeb woke up to Ezra's screams. Jumping from the bed he stood just as Ezra rolled off the bed body quickly meeting the cold floor of the room. Zeb knelt cursing under his breath as he saw blood leaking through Ezra's pajamas. The stupid kid had probably broken his stitches in his shoulder from the fall. Scooping up the ailing teenager Zeb laid him on his own bed. The boy was still in the throes of his nightmare and was thrashing about. One of his arms flailed and smacked Zeb right in the nose. Rubbing his nose in irritation Zeb tried to wake Ezra.
"Ezra" the boy made no response his eyes screwed shut his face pale and sweaty.
"Ezra!" he said it a little louder. Still no response. He heard the door open and the smacking of feet as Sabine ran in looking in worry at the undoubtedly sick Ezra. Zeb ignored her and tried again to rouse Ezra. He gently shook him saying his name again.
"no, no...no!" Ezra struggled against a phantom enemy. More people entered room and Zeb felt Kanan's hand fall onto his shoulder.
"Stop... please!" Ezra sobbed. Zeb's heart hurt when Ezra said that. He wished he could wake him up. Kanan motioned Zeb aside partially and laid a hand on Ezra's head. Ezra immediately relaxed his body becoming limp. Zeb straightened Ezra out on the bed and pulled the blankets over him. All members of the Ghost stood in Ezra's room each of them tense and worried. Kanan turned to them.
"That should stop his nightmares for now, but it won't hold them off. Until Ezra feels safe they'll keep coming back."
No one said anything for several moments.
Zeb finally moved.
"He broke his stitches I'll take care of that." He moved over to Ezra with a gauze and bandages. Everyone looked on in a morbid silence as Zeb wrapped Ezra's shoulder.
"We have to do something about this, Ezra isn't going to get better if something doesn't happen." Sabine said looking at everybody a challenge written in her body stance.
"What do you suggest? We can't drop him off somewhere and let someone else take care of him." Zeb said heatedly.
"If it's the best thing for Ezra that might be exactly what we need to do" Hera said.
The room fell into a heavy silence again.
"You don't mean that Hera... Kanan you can't agree with that" Zeb said.
Kanan looked away eyes watering.
"We-I didn't take care of him. We need to think about what Ezra needs."
Sabine looked at Kanan incredulously "But you're his master!?" she gasped "How can he become a jedi without you?!"
"I know... but we can't keep doing this. Risking him. I thought it was a good idea when we took him in, but you two were right this isn't what we should be doing"
Zeb and Sabine were flabbergasted.
"You know what, we're not deciding anything now. We're going to go to bed and talk about this in the morning."
Everyone nodded at Hera and the occupants began shuffling out of the room. Zeb looked at Ezra. For once the boy looked peaceful. He sighed, it was probably safer to just let the boy stay on the bottom bunk. Pulling a chair up Zeb sat down resting his head in his hands. It had been several days since they had brought Ezra out of the Empire's compound and the entire time Ezra had been unconscious. It left everyone in horrible moods. Everyone was feeling guilty or happily pointing fingers. There were too many if only's passing around and with each day Ezra stayed delirious the insanity grew. Zeb really hoped everyone would just calm down and let everything go back to normal. He knew what it was like to lose a home and he understood that if they stayed like this even after Ezra woke up Ezra would not get better any faster. Normal was what Ezra needed. Everyone to just act like their usual stable selves. He sighed and leaned back in the chair.
Lookie at that people I'm not dead. I hope it wasn't too weird or out of character... Hera and Kanan didn't seem quite right but I figured it would give me some sort of angsty plot that I can work with. Ezra isn't out of trouble quite yet.