Here I am trying to ensure that I finish this story for the sakes of all my readers and for my own sanity. :)

When Ezra woke the second time he was in much less pain and was much less confused. Despite him being in his room he noticed with some vague confusion that he was in the lower bunk, Zeb's bed. Blinking open his eyes Ezra looked around the room. There was an empty chair pulled up to his bed but other than that it looked like it always did. Ezra sat up wincing as the movement pulled at his injured shoulder.

He sat like that for a while trying to think about what he should do now. His stomach rumbled and Ezra looked down at it. Food. Up until that moment he hadn't noticed how hungry he was. Ezra slipped his legs off the bed and tried to stand up. His leg pulsed in pain as he placed weight on it and Ezra fell back onto his bed breathless and slightly dizzy. Maybe food wasn't such a great idea after all. Ezra huffed out a sigh and laid back down pulling the covers over himself. He stared at the ceiling of his bed not knowing what to do. So many questions were bouncing around in his head. What had happened since the team had saved him? Were they mad? Had the General been killed? He hoped that General Akshay was dead. Not just for the mission's purpose but because maybe knowing would make all the dreams go away. He couldn't remember much about the nightmares after they happened. They were all fuzzy and unclear but every single one of them involved General Akshay.

Ezra shivered. It haunted him almost as much as his times on the street. That man's cruel smile. Ezra really hoped that he had been blown to bits.

"Ezra?"

Ezra turned to look at Hera. He hadn't noticed when she had walked in. She was looking at him eyes tender and worried.

"How are you?"

Ezra shrugged as Hera sat down in the chair right next to the bed. Hera looked at Ezra closely, studying him. He looked tired and sad. Hera's heart ached. Maybe the Ghost wasn't the place Ezra should be. He could be somewhere else somewhere safer. The rebel base had places for refugees many of them people who had lost family and would be willing to take in an orphan boy. They could take care of him and keep him safer than she and Kanan ever could. It hurt to think about but it seemed like the best thing for Ezra. She thought about the rebellion and how it important it was to have as many people as possible on their side especially jedi. Ezra was on his way to being a jedi and to continue with his training would make the rebellion all the more stronger. Before the Ghost crew and even during her time on it fighting the empire was always her top priority. Sure she cared about all those that she worked with but when it came to weakening the empire she would give up everything.

Things had changed somehow. When Ezra had first joined their crew she had seen an opportunity, a young boy with no one who had the capacity to become a jedi. It had seemed at the time a win-win situation. Save a kid and gain an amazing fighter for the rebellions cause. A new Jedi would be an incredible asset and as far as she could see it would draw Kanan back into accepting who he was and becoming a Jedi master. It had seemed like a great plan and so far it had worked well. But then she'd become attached to Ezra. He was innocent and cynical in a way that was endearing and heart-breaking. He could be resourceful and smart but also silly and immature. He was like the child she never got to have. The empire had taken the ones she loved from her yet Ezra had replaced that.

Sighing Hera saw Ezra draw into himself. He was staring at the ceiling now not looking at her.

"Ezra."

He turned to look at Hera.

She was about to say something but stopped herself. Instead she smiled softly.

"You must be hungry."

Ezra grinned and nodded his head. He was absolutely famished.

"Alright well since your leg is still trying to heal I'll make you something until I get back I'll have Zeb come give you some company. Your thoughts can go crazy if you're left alone too long"

Hera smiled again and headed out the door. Ezra looked back at the ceiling of the top bunk. The metal was plain and boring but it somehow helped Ezra to think. Hera had seemed different. She looked sad. Ezra had learned to read people pretty well from being on the street. Hera's expression reminded him too much of the kind well meaning people who left him food but then turned around and went to the empire. They didn't seem to understand that the empire didn't care and they thought that they were helping. Hera looked to much like someone who was contemplating on doing something she thought would be for the greater good. That scared Ezra. Maybe the General hadn't died...maybe Hera didn't think he could do his job. Ezra started to freak out but made himself calm down. Freaking out about something that hadn't even happened and probably wouldn't would do Ezra no good.

For the second time since Ezra had woken up a person walked into the room without him knowing. Zeb rather than saying something just went and sat down in the chair.

"Hey kid"

Ezra jumped at the voice and turned wide-eyed to look at Zeb. Zeb raised his hands in mock surrender equally surprised.

"Hey Hey didn't mean to scare ya."

Ezra smirked at Zeb

"Don't know how you snuck in here you're so big and hairy"

Zeb strangely didn't get riled up but instead smiled

"That I am"

Zeb relaxed back into the chair and much like Hera studied Ezra.

"So how are you feeling?"

Ezra frowned. If everyone was going to be asking him the same question he was going to flip out. It's not like he'd died or something. And Zeb's behavior was downright weird. Everyone was freaking him out and he'd seen less than half the crew.

"I'm fine"

Zeb looked at him disbelievingly.

"You're fine? This little snot nosed kid says he's fine! You can't even walk!"

Ezra grinned at Zeb's response. This seemed a little more normal. Hera walked in to see the two arguing just like usual and she smiled shaking her head. She left the food and then exited leaving them to continue their interaction which seemed to be cheering Ezra up. Walking out she headed toward the cockpit. She needed to talk to Kanan.

"Hey Hera"

Kanan said his eyes glancing quickly over to her. He sat in the pilot's seat not doing particularly much considering they were on auto-pilot.

"Run into any big bad empire ships?"

Kanan looked over at her witheringly.

"Nope. The course you plotted avoids all that"

Hera looked at him more seriously.

"What are you doing in here Kanan?"

Kanan didn't look at her or respond. His hands tightened on the controls he was holding.

"You know what happened with Ezra wasn't your fault right?"

Kanan finally looked at her.

"He almost died Hera. He would've if we had gotten there any later. He's my student and he could've died. How can I teach him to be a Jedi when I can't even keep him alive."

"I know, but it was my fault too. Ezra needs a family. This mission isn't the only one that's bothering me and it most definitely isn't your fault."

Hera sat down her face serious and filled with emotion.

"I want Ezra to be safe."

Hera paused struggling to say it.

"But I think we should leave him with a rebel family until he's old enough to continue Jedi training."

Neither said anything for a while. Kanan ran a hand through his hair.

"I think... I think that that might be best."

Both nodded slowly. It was a hard decision but both of them cared about Ezra like he was their own child and guilt was making them think more irrationally.

"So what happened?" Ezra asked finally getting serious after laughing his head off about some prank Chopper had pulled on Kanan.

Zeb grew serious too looking sadly at Ezra.

"Well we went in seconds after the explosion using it as a diversion. Sabine found you in one of the prison cells and me and Kanan brought you out. You've been unconscious for a while, three days to be exact, we've uh-well... we've been waiting for you to wake up."

"Oh"

Ezra looked down at his hands. They'd all been worried then? At least it looked like Zeb had been real worried. Maybe they weren't mad about his screwing up on the mission. But that didn't make sense. They all hated the Empire, especially Zeb, and they were upset whenever any mission got botched. Heck even Ezra was mad at himself for screwing the mission up. That was the purpose of it all to take down the Empire everything else was secondary. Ezra loved it, he felt like he had purpose. Before he had joined the crew of the Ghost he had had no purpose except survival. Painful and difficult survival. Now he had a family of sorts people that surrounded him and made him feel like he meant something. He couldn't mess that up.

"Hey you feeling alright? Not in any pain right?"

Ezra snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. Zeb was staring at him in worry and it was weird, not a bad weird.

Hey hope you all like this chapter and don't worry it will speed up a little in the action.