Lately my chapters have been a little bit shorter but I've been trying to just get my stuff out there if you know what I mean. I hope you enjoy this chapter. This one should have a little more action. Familial angst among the ghost crew is about to explode. Stuff is going down... At least I hope it is. I'm making up more backstory by the way. I have no idea if Zeb was married and had a kid or not but hey it's already AU why not make it AU even more.
I disclaim all rights I have to to characters... actually screw that I'm kidnapping them all and forcing them to live in my basement. I'll start an new business venture. Anyone that wants to meet the characters it's a five dollar charge for a tour of the basement. 10 dollars for two minutes alone with any character.
Jeez I sound sadistic...actually I kinda am Sadistic...
Zeb had been in the middle of talking about his home planet when he looked over and noticed that Ezra had fallen asleep. Stopping he smiled and pulled the blankets up to cover Ezra. Ezra looked so much more peaceful in his sleep, you could almost picture him as an innocent kid. It was strange, but somehow Ezra reminded him of his own little boy. The empire had stolen away everything he had. Everything. Ezra was one of the only people he'd spoken to about his home planet and the family he'd lost. And Ezra was the only one he could talk to about them with happiness. The whole reason he had started to talk about it was because you could only argue and tease for so long. When he'd mentioned his family passingly Ezra had perked up eyes curiously watching to see if Zeb would say more. Zeb was aware that Ezra wasn't feeling completely fine and what would it hurt to occupy Ezra's mind with stories and anecdotes?
Zeb walked out of the room happy that for the first time Ezra's face was smooth and unmarred by nightmares or pain. Not expecting anybody to be there Zeb nearly walked right into Sabine.
"Woah! Sorry Sabine"
"That's ok" Sabine responded sounding unusually subdued.
Zeb looked at her strangely.
"What're ya doing right outside our door anyhow?"
Sabine didn't look at Zeb instead choosing to fold her arms and stare to Zeb's left.
"How's Ezra?" she said gruffly.
"He's fine. Just fell asleep but you should still visit him. He sleeps better when someone's in the room. Nightmares don't bug him as much."
Sabine looked at the floor guiltily.
"Hey you know it's not anybody's fault, what happened, mistakes happen. People get hurt, it's part of fighting the Empire."
Sabine barely nodded her gaze still on the floor.
"Hey" Zeb said laying a hand on Sabine's shoulder.
"If you feel bad just go in and be with him. He'll appreciate the company even if you don't think he can tell."
Sabine finally looked up and tried for a small smile.
"Sure, yeah, I'll go"
Zeb shook his head and headed up towards the kitchen. Weird kid that Sabine was. Grabbing an aurilian fruit Zeb headed over to the cock pit planning to talk to Kanan about the supplies run they'd be making in the next week or so. They'd run out of h'nemthe yams and Zeb was starting to crave them. He stopped right outside the door however as he heard Hera and Kanan's voices both serious and full of emotion.
"But I think we should leave him with a rebel family until he's old enough to continue Jedi training"
Zeb's eyes widened. How could they? Ezra was theirs and there was no way they should ever be planning on dumping him anywhere. There had been a pause but then Kanan responded to Hera's suggestion.
"I think...I think that might be best."
Zeb was shocked. They'd both just agreed to dump the little brat's butt with some family. That was ridiculous. Emotion overflowing Zeb's rationale Zeb burst into the cockpit.
"What do you mean you think it might be best?!"
Both Hera and Kanan looked up shocked.
"You want to just get rid of Ezra?!"
Still stunned neither responded.
"What makes you think getting rid of Ezra is going to make anything better?!"
Sabine had walked into the room and was relieved to find that Ezra was fast asleep. Walking over she tried to sit down but somehow she missed the chair and ended up tumbling to the ground knocking the chair over in the process. Ezra shot up eyes shooting around the room looking for the source of the noise. He remembered Zeb's stories and then... He must have fallen asleep or something because Zeb wasn't in the room and a sheepish Sabine now sat on his floor. Confused Ezra bent over the bed a little to look at her.
"What're you doing on the floor?" He was genuinely interested. Sabine was cool and beautiful and everything she did had a purpose. He just couldn't figure out why Sabine would be on the floor.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sabine answered glaring at Ezra. Her cheeks however flushed with embarrassment which betrayed her caustic voice. Ezra looked at her funny and laid back down. Frowning Sabine stood up and righted the chair. Looking at Ezra, now wide awake thanks to her, she hesitated. She'd been about to leave but some part of her guilt held her back and she sat down in the chair.
Ezra looked at her expectantly waiting for her to say something but Sabine stared back blankly. Now nervous Ezra started to fiddle with his blanket.
"So uh, what are you doing?" Ezra asked lamely.
"Sitting here" Ezra flushed in embarrassment at the unstated duh.
There was pause before Sabine spoke.
"So how're you doing?"
"Fine" Ezra responded quickly.
Sabine nodded awkwardly.
"So Zeb's been taking care of you?"
Ezra nodded.
"Yeah he's actually been real nice. He was just telling me stories about his home planet and his family. He sounds like he really loved them. It's cool." Ezra paused.
"You know the family thing. He really loved them."
Sabine nodded sadly. The Empire. Why was life so bitter to them? What had they ever done to deserve the plate that fate had served them?
Sabine cleared her throat. "Sooo..."
Sabine ran a hand through her hair.
"How's it been staying in your room for so long?"
Ezra's face immediately formed into a pout.
"Sucks"
Sabine grinned. "I bet"
Ezra glared at her. "Don't rub it in"
Sabine laughed at Ezra's face but then suddenly was struck with a brilliant idea.
"Hey how about we go and visit Kanan up in the cock-pit?"
"We can do that?" Ezra asked face alight with hope.
Sabine grinned again. "'Course we can. I can give you one of Zeb's guns to use as a crutch, if we bring a blanket to keep you warm and you're sitting down I don't see how they can complain."
Ezra for the first time since Sabine had seen him gave an honest to goodness real smile. Sabine grabbed one of Zeb's guns and after an awkward shuffle Ezra ended up with the gun propped under his armpit as support and Sabine on the other side hands hovering nearby in case Ezra fell over. With happy giddiness at doing something that might not be legal under Hera's mother hen laws Ezra and Sabine headed towards the cockpit. Nearing it Ezra was surprised to hear Zeb yelling. Sabine stopped frowning. Maybe going to the cockpit wasn't such a great idea. Stepping several steps ahead of Ezra Sabine paused right outside the open door both of the rule breaking spectres listening intently to Zeb's yells.
"What do you mean you think it might be best?!"
Ezra frowned at Zeb's words. What was he talking about?
"You want to just get rid of Ezra?!"
Ezra physically recoiled. Kanan had been thinking about getting rid of him. He'd been sure that after his parents death Ezra would never have his heart hurt that bad but he'd been wrong. It felt like someone had just twisted a knife into it. Every single little nagging thought he'd had was true.
"What makes you think getting rid of Ezra is going to make anything better?!"
Ezra's eyes started to prickle with tears. Some things never changed. No one, not even the Empire's most hated wanted him.
"Zeb you don't understand this is for the best."
Ezra was even more horrified to hear Hera's voice. He'd thought that maybe yeah Kanan might not want him around since he wasn't very good with the whole Jedi thing but Hera didn't want him either. It felt like his entire world was crushing in on him. Feeling like he couldn't breath Ezra was hit with an overwhelming need to get away. Turning around he sprinted down the hallway injured leg forgotten. He tried to blink back tears that were blurring his vision. He headed towards the one place that he knew none of them would find him. It was a little utility closet that he hid in when he needed some time to himself. Throwing the door open Ezra scrambled in and slammed the door shut.
He curled up on himself trying to tuck himself into the corner. He couldn't help but sob. It hurt so bad. He'd trusted them. He'd cared for them and it hadn't been enough. He'd tried so so hard to do well, he'd given up most of his stealing he'd fought past intense panic attacks at being stuck in one place for so long he'd changed his life to join them. Jeering taunts that had haunted them since they'd been uttered came back. Disgusting Street rat. Pathetic creature. People had thrown those names at him as if there was no other being they'd met that was so loathsome. The empire should be ridding the streets of vermin like these. Even people who hated the Empire felt the same way.
Sabine was shocked to hear those Zeb's shouts and completely forgot about the sick teenager she'd been accompanying. Zeb started to back out of the room Hera following him trying to placate the angry Lasat. Both noticed Sabine however and looked at her.
"What are you doing here Sabine?"
Sabine still slightly speechless gaped at them. "I.. well uh.. I was with Ezra I thought he might want to see-"
Sabine stopped as she turned to look at Ezra and instead saw an empty hallway.
"He was just right here."
Kanan now appeared and both him and Hear looked clearly worried.
"Did he hear everything?"
Sabine just shook her head no at Kanan's question.
"We only heard Zeb's yelling."
Hera and Kanan shared a look.
"Guys we need to find Ezra, now."
Zeb glared at Hera and Kanan.
"Yeah we do now don't we."
The two had the decency to looked slightly ashamed at Zeb's accusatory tone.
Ok well stuff just got real guys. So what do you think will happen will Kanan and Hera still want to get rid of Ezra for his well being?
I hope you like the chapter and if you feel up to it leave a nice little review. And yes I am a terribly unashamed person and I will beg for reviews because I like them so much. Judge me. Won't do you much good unless that's how you relieve your stress. Enjoy my readers... the plot thickens... sort of...