Notes:

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the holidays as much as I am. I FINALLY saw The Force Awakens, and I sat in awe pretty much all the way through. It wasn't perfect, but my expectations were greatly exceeded. I dressed up with some friends, and in short, we all had an amazing time! To be honest, I almost forgot about Christmas because the new movie stole the spotlight.

Dear Guest who reminded me this is not a war story: True, I have it listed as romance, but all good romances build, have suspense, and have a number of low points to make the highs shine all the brighter. If I didn't have any of that, it would be a boring, flat story that no one would want to read. To be fair, I may have gotten a little carried away, but um, Sabine and Ezra ARE kind of in the middle of a war, so by no means can it be one of those cupcake-and-unicorn-littered stories.

This is one of those chapters where you will probably want something or someone to hug, so I suggest you get her/him/it right about now. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it! Don't forget to leave a quick review to tell me what you think of it!

Disclaimer: I do not own or make profit from any content within the Star Wars universe. I merely write for the entertainment of myself and others. All things Star Wars belong (unfortunately) to Disney now.

CHAPTER TEN:

Sabine was worried… A while after Ezra had departed on the mission, she could sense something obscure. It began as a void, dark, and out of her mental focus, but slowly, it evolved into fear, hate. These intrusive thoughts were sometimes accompanied by blurred images. Some depicted familiar flashes of light. "Lightsabers… Ezra? Please, come back to me in one piece." There was so much going on, Sabine had trouble focusing and keeping track of the mysterious faces that were running, leaping, fighting, all trying to gain the upper hand. She could sense Ezra's triumph as he overpowered the shadow troopers, but then, she felt his confusion. Her stomach twisted as she looked through Ezra's eyes directly, now producing a crisp, clear image that seared itself into her memory. "The Inquisitor?" The Grand Inquisitor was crushed, but he had an eerie smile as if he had been victorious. Ezra had a battle waged inside his head, and it almost was painful to feel so much so fast. The Inquisitor was coughing, blood spattering everywhere, drenching the surroundings and blinding Sabine's view of the scene that played through her head… She woke up shivering, cold beads of sweat breaking out and sending icy chills through her as they trickled down her face. Her heart rate was faster than it should be, and her breathing was irregular and felt as if it was ineffective.

"Sabine?" The door had softly slid open, and Zeb was peering inside inquiringly.

"I'm alright… It was just a dream. You don't need to play nurse just because I woke up with fast heartbeat." She looked down at the floor after snapping, but it only glared back with its harsh white finish.

Zeb was taken aback by her hostility, "Hey, I was being careful, after all, you're the one who got blasted. Is that alright, your majesty?" Zeb bowed, greatly exaggerated by a flourish of his arms, and rolled his eyes.

Sabine sighed, "Sorry," she mumbled, "I'm sick of being sick, and I'm stressing out…"

"Over what?"

"Quit worrying, It was just a dream."

"Ok, Sabine… We get lunch in ten. Me and Hera will be in the mess hall if you're feeling up for it." Zeb's initial concern was eased, but he was still anxious about Sabine. He hesitated and then closed the door softly. It was curious seeing the tough, towering lasat so taken up in keeping a watchful eye out. Sabine smiled at the thought and begrudgingly got up to take her medication before heading to lunch with the remaining members of the Ghost's crew.

Lunch turned out to be a peculiar affair. Sabine groggily managed to find the dining hall that also happened to be white, orderly, and dull like everything else on the ship. "The tables could at least be a different shade of gray from the ceiling." She slumped onto the hard bench across from Hera, not bothering to say anything. Her gaze traveled from Hera to a soggy mess of something colorless and tasteless. Sabine didn't have her usual appetite, and today's menu was certainly not helping. The only thing about the food the interested Sabine was that it could be sculpted into almost any form. Her spoon maneuvered randomly while she brooded over other issues. Hera looked at Sabine with the knowledge that something was wrong. "The bag of fur probably told her I was delusional… That's not what it was. It's stress." Sabine thought to herself. Stress and… the other things she had on her mind. She had never had feelings for a guy before, or at least, not to the extent she had now. There was something different about Ezra... Almost as if they could communicate on a different level.

"Sabine? You in there?" Hera was questioning. Sabine noticed that Zeb had left their table.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, sorry. Maybe the drugs are kicking in."

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Well, everything is mostly healed now, but I still have aches. I think I should be off the pain killers in a couple days."

"That's good, but not exactly what I meant."

"Great, now I get an emotional pep talk… I'm fine, alright? What's bothering me is the fact that everyone on this ship thinks they're a blasted psychologist."

"Hey, Sabine, A lot of stuff has happened lately. I just wanted to talk."

"About what?"

"Anything."

"How about improving conversation starters?"

She hoped her sarcasm came off as casual, rather than insulting. Hera humored Sabine with a chuckle, her head tails swinging as she shook her head

"Note taken, but I just thought you should know about Ezra."
"Yeah, I know he has a thing for me. I'd place heavy bets the Inquisitor knows that too. The whole damn ship probably knows. He's the definition of an open book."

"Not as open as you might think. If you took the time to watch and listen, you would know there's more than that." little did Hera realize, these exact thoughts had played out fairly recently in Sabine's mind. "You've done a lot for him. It might not seem that way to you, but you're the first person he's ever been close to."

"Hera, is this really the best time to get sentimental about everything? We've got a war going on around us, and you're playing quite the matchmaker right now. Quite frankly-"

"I'm NOT playing matchmaker Sabine. I meant you need to talk directly to Ezra, only when the time is right of course. If things just hang up in the air like they are, something could happen, and you would have a… situation on you're hands."

"I… never really thought about that, but I'm sure there's some way of doing things in a more-"

"Trust me on this, Sabine. If you ever wondered about the relationship between me and Kanan, let me tell you that none of it came to be this way just by blocking everything and everyone out."

"Did she really just… She DID bring up Kanan, didn't she?" This was the first time that Hera had even hinted there was any attraction between herself and Kanan. Everyone knew they had perfect chemistry. They lived on they same ship with each others' company round the clock. Just by listening to them, you could tell they knew almost everything about each other. This, however, was the first time she had really admitted to anything.

"But that's not much of a story. It's more of a boring wives' tale that most would roll their eyes at."

"I really don't know, Hera. You and Kanan are a riddle to everyone you know. I could use a good story."

"A riddle it will remain for now. All I'm doing is giving some friendly advice." Hera stood to leave, but her wrist PDA beeped. She glanced at the screen on her forearm. "Looks like the mission was successful. A few injuries, but everyone made it back." Hera noticed Sabine's panicked expression, which she probably wanted to go unnoticed. "Don't worry, Ezra's fine. Gregor took a hit as well as two of Captain Cromwell's men."

Sabine turned back to stare down at her half-eaten food. Hera turned to leave."Thanks." Sabine breathed.

"Anytime. Oh hey, their ship is going to dock in about twenty minutes on bay four." Hera then left her after a reassuring smile. Hera was not a mother, but she knew how to handle people about half as well as she piloted a ship. And that was definitely saying something.

Ezra couldn't curb his uneasiness he had in the depths of his mind. For the most part, the mission had gone to plan: all objectives completed, everyone was safe, and the damage was minimal. They were extremely fortunate to have dealt with the Inquisitor and bounty hunters on their trail. All was well, but it was something about the Inquisitor's death that disturbed Ezra. The way he died… so… confident.

"Ezra?" Ahsoka felt a gentle hand on his shoulder that broke his trance, "We've docked back on the Destiny. I think you've got someone awaiting you."

"Hmm? Oh right." Ezra stood up quickly when reality had penetrated his thoughts. He walked down the ramp and spotted Sabine in the door to the hangar, trying to appear casual with arms crossed. She had her helmet on, and her passivity would have fooled anyone else, but Ezra sensed a disquieted presence about her.

"Held down the fort alright without me?" Ezra asked, hoping to lighten the general atmosphere.

"Well, uh, yeah… I guess… "I- would you… Can we go to the lounge for a while?"

"Yeah, that sounds great," he replied with a tad too much excitement. He tried to recover, "I mean, I really could use a shower first, and maybe and ice pack, and some food, oh, and maybe-"

"Ok fine, take your shower, but just come to the lounge soon. You can get food and stuff there."

"What's so important?" He wondered. "Nice to see you too." He mumbled to himself as Sabine huffed off. "Wish I could read her as easily as Kanan reads me."

Kanan was waiting for Ezra when he emerged from the shower. Kanan had his passive, but serious face on at the moment, and Ezra knew he had something to talk about.

"I don't want to be blunt, but we need to talk about Sabine."

Ezra rolled his eyes, but it didn't seem to phase Kanan. "Blunt, huh? I don't think it means what you think it means." He went about the cabin, organizing his few possessions and straightening out the blankets of his bunk; anything to avoid looking at Kanan.

"Ezra, this is serious stuff. You got on that shuttle having no idea what the mission was, and we had to explain it all over again. Luckily, the force was indeed with us, but not all missions will be as successful if you're… distracted."

"Kanan, it was fine. Once we got out there, I was focused."

"Ezra. I can't stress enough how important this is. Anything could happen. People could die out there, worse yet, captured and tortured until they die."

Ezra knew Kanan was right. "I just don't see why this whole Jedi code thing is so important now. Who gives a flying shit what I feel about Sabine? The Empire knows we work together anyway, so it wouldn't be putting her at anymore risk than there already is."

"Ok, there's something we agree on."

Ezra was taken by surprise. "What do you mean? I thought you were coming in here to tell me to drown my feelings in meditation or something."

"Ezra, I never agreed with everything the Council set in place. Everyone goes through this, and pretending emotion doesn't exist can often be worse. It can drive people mad. The key is control."

Ezra's bustling about came to a halt, and for a few moments, an awkward silence ensued. "You saved Sabine from Agent Kallus only because of, well… you know… It makes me wonder why the Council never took off the blinders and saw emotion for what it is as a whole."

"Why was the Council so against emotional attachment in the first place?"

Kanan sighed deeply, "I ask myself the same question. During the Clone Wars, the Jedi were militarized to such an extent, they lost touch with the simple things around them. I believe it was one reason they were so easily mislead to their own slaughter."

Ezra mulled over this theory. "But how do I balance personal feeling with everything we do?"

"I went through the same struggle you are going through right now. It's not the same for everyone, so you're going to have to find your own way… I'll be here to help though." He added.

Presumably, Ezra figured he was referring to Hera. "Fine then," Ezra smirked, "I guess I just have to ask Hera about it."

A look of surprise seeped onto Kanan's features. Ezra chuckled a little, and pretty soon they were both laughing together.

"Maybe I taught you a little too thoroughly how to sense what the force can tell you."

"Ha, as if I needed to the force to see that much."

Ezra stepped out of his quarters and into the glowing white hallway. The door hissed closed, and he set off at a brisk pace, hoping a confident stride would give him a confident frame of mind. He never had a way with words. No matter how fluent his thoughts may be, the words to express those thoughts always seemed to elude him. He rounded the corner and headed down another hallway, indistinguishable from the one previous.

"Officers lounge is full… well not exactly full, but not empty," Sabine's voice crackled through the com, "Lets take a break from all… this.Just be at my door in five and..." she trailed off, her voice was slightly unsteady.

"Yeah. Uh, sure. I'll bring down some coffee… not that gross instant stuff Hera makes."

The com shut off abruptly, and left Ezra standing there puzzled. "What's all this about anyway?" He shook it off and changed direction, his boots echoing down yet another spotless passage.

Ezra watched the steaming, dark liquid trickle down into the coffee pot and he sighed. "I need more time for this- for more breaks- for more thinking and less worrying..." The soft gurgling of the machine was a kind of music to his ears, especially in the empty kitchen next to the mess hall. It was a sound that occupied the homes of normal people living peacefully and without fear. He longed for that kind of life. He wondered what it would be like to work without risk and provide for a family. He found it hard to picture himself as a father, but nevertheless, he knew it was a wonderful feeling to care for and be cared for by a family. His time aboard the Ghost had given him a glimpse of that. The sputtering had grown louder, bringing Ezra back to the present. "Family…" He meandered in his daydreams another moment before grabbing the pot, and resolutely heading for Sabine's room.

"Where is he?" Sabine had been waiting for a while now, and Ezra being late wasn't making this any easier. "Is that damned coffee just an excuse for him to forget about this?" Finally, she heard a few taps on her door. "It's open." She called. The entrance hissed open and Ezra stepped inside Sabine's new quarters. It was significantly more welcoming than the room with her hospital bed, but it still maintained the same bland color scheme, or rather, the lack thereof. While small, it housed a bunk on the right, and an adequate bathroom and shower on the left. Opposite the door, a window spanned the length of the wall, allowing for a breathtaking view of Correllia. Sabine had her lights on low, and it amplified the planet's glow even further. She was seated on a couch facing the window, with her back to Ezra. "Bout time. Sure the coffee isn't cold?"

Ezra smiled before replying, "Not to worry, I would never let a pot of perfectly good Brazilian Blend go to waste like that." Something about that sarcasm of hers. He wasn't necessarily sure why he enjoyed it but it was one of those things that was… well, Sabine. He poured each of them a mug before joining her on the couch. They took a few savoring sips in silence without looking at each other. The view was convenient for avoiding awkward eye contact, but did nothing about the quiet.

"Hows your back?" He finally started.

Sabine smiled. He was a nice guy- well, maybe a bit more than just nice. After all, he was the reason she was sitting here now. "At least I can take a shit without the protest of a million angry nerve endings exploding."

Ezra sputtered some of his coffee back into his cup, "Thank you for all the extra detail."

"You asked." Sabine shrugged with a grin. "But seriously, thanks for everything… I… I owe ya one for that."

"Huh?"

"Uh, do you really not remember your mad dash of stupidity that saved me back on Lothal?"

"Oh, well..." Ezra looked down and scratched his nose, "It was all so fast, and just kind of happened."

"Can you just promise me not to do that again?" Sabine asked earnestly?

Ezra looked at her, taken aback by the second sentence that hit him out of nowhere that day.

"I wouldn't want to be the reason you get interrogated or tortured by some scumbag wearing an Imperial uniform."

"Hey listen, I'm not gonna let that happen, ok Sabine? I promise, I'm not gonna let-"

Sabine cut him off after rolling her eyes, "You can't make a promise like that, Ezra. It's out of your control. You can only stay safe, smart, alert."

"But look, I've been handling it."

"Please Ezra. There's more ahead we don't know about. The inquisitor…"
"But the Inquisitor is dead."

Sabine closed her eyes and said in a barely noticeable whisper, "There are things far worse than death."

Ezra didn't believe what he just heard. The same words had come from the mouth of the dying inquisitor only hours ago. He sat there dumbfounded, looking at Sabine as if she was speaking a different language. "Where… did you hear that?" he finally asked.

"I- Well-" She new it would sound far fetched, "I heard it in a dream, only it wasn't just a dream... It felt so real… And there was the inquisitor and blood everywhere, and I felt so confused, and it hurt… because… you were..." Her voice died as she choked up a bit. She didn't know who made the move, but she now had her head on his shoulder and his arms bringing her in close.

"Everything's ok for now." He breathed as he gently rubbed her back. "We can worry about the empire another day. The Inquisitor is gone. We deserve a break."

This talk wasn't going at all according to how Sabine had initially perceived, but she didn't mind. Ezra's heartbeat took the edge off her anxiety, and she wished she could simply nestle into his side for hours.

"I think we have a… bond." Ezra finally spoke after some time. After he said it aloud, he noticed how sappy it sounded.

"I hope you aren't reading into anything too far."

"No, I'm being serious. It's like the bond I have with Kanan. We can sense each other, get an idea of the other's feelings, and even communicate sometimes. That dream you had was a version of what I was seeing."

"But I'm not your padawan or anything. I can't even use the force at all."

"Oh, but that's not entirely true. The force is in everything that lives, keeping it together. It's impossible to exist without it."

"But how could that explain-"

"Think about it, I have a stronger force sensitivity than you do, but it's still possible for you to pick up on what I see or feel."

"But I was asleep, and I wasn't even trying."

That's when it hit Ezra, "Meditation."
"What?"

"Being asleep could be similar to meditating. Think about it. In meditation, you try to open your mind and let the force guide you or show you things. Sleep is similar. Your mind isn't as active as it is when you're awake, and so it's kind of like meditation. You must have been able to see what I saw at the end of our mission on Sardazour."

"And… I… felt the cold. I felt confused."

"So did I, Sabine. So did I." He said as he held her tighter, running a finger through her vibrant orange and blue hair.

This… bond or whatever it happened to be was all very mysterious, and Sabine couldn't quite grasp how it even existed in the first place. This mystery of the new-found bond had begun to make sense to her. It was how Ezra had reacted so fast when she was shot. It was what drove him to persevere even at great personal risk. The pair hadn't talked like this very much, yet their conversations were like those of old friends. If he were to one day disappear or be captured, she didn't know what she would do.

"Don't leave… please." She though, but almost said aloud.

"Does it look like I'm going anywhere?"

Sabine looked up with a confused face, yet full of wonder. She didn't think she was broadcasting her thoughts like that at the moment.

"Hey, relax, ok? It takes a little getting used to."

Sabine laid back down, perplexed, but not too uneasy about their newly forged bond. For some time, they relaxed upon one another, marveling at Correllia's luminescence as they orbited the planet. Ezra had no idea what this talk was intended to be, but Sabine would tell him when she was ready. He wished they could both let slumber take over, let everything else melt away, let one another sample the warmth generated between them. Ezra's wrist receiver chirped, and he rolled his eyes before glancing at it. Sabine groaned at the disturbance.

"What do they want now?"

Ezra let out something between a sigh and a groan of his own, "Looks like Kanan can't handle the nav-computer maintenance without me."

"Never even got to finish that pot of coffee..." Sabine mumbled before letting go, hesitantly of course.

He stood and stretched, but It felt wrong to leave now; almost like something was missing. Sabine's hazel eyes fixed on his as if they were trying to shout what her mouth didn't have the courage to say. He stared into the depths of those warm but imploring eyes, and decided he didn't really have much to lose. He paused in an attempt to calm his racing mind.
"Thanks Sabine, you mean a lot, and- well, I- I don't know where I'd be If you weren't there to get my back," He looked at the floor and smiled sheepishly "Or make me happy on my birthday," His eyes found hers again, "Or remind me with that face of yours just how much I have to fight for."

Her hands had found their way into his, sending a tingle down his spine. He had grown a fair amount since they had first met, and they were now of about equal height. Ezra moved forward and let his left hand rest in hers, but reached with his right to brush aside some loose strands of orange. Ever so softly, he planted his lips on her forehead. He heard a sharp intake of breath from Sabine, before her arms slid under his, and pulled him in, closing the gap between their bodies.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Sabine's conscience was nagging, but this time, it could wait. This time she could afford to wear her heart up on her sleeve… at least just for now. She reached up from behind, and directed Ezra's head to face her own, It was his turn to gasp as her soft lips pressed against his own. Sabine felt his whole body quiver and go rigid with shock. After the initial few seconds, Ezra melted into Sabine, interlocking his lips with hers, toying with the sensation of her tongue. He caressed her cheek, while breaking apart for a brief breath of air. She reached out again, lingering only a moment, engulfing his lips one last time before clutching him to herself in a soft embrace. He rocked her slightly, back and forth, and she whispered in his ear, "You're special to me too, Ezra." Their pounding hearts aligned to each others beats, and Sabine snuggled into the cradle of his neck with her head, resting it on his shoulder.

The eased apart, and Sabine looked into Ezra's flushed, yet grinning face. His crisp blue eyes told her, he would be there for her always. This she new, even separated by space or by the bars of a cell, he would always be Ezra Bridger, her Ezra Bridger.

Their hands slipped apart. Ezra could feel every last motion until only the tips of their fingers remained touching. With thoughts racing and heart pounding, he wisely decided to depart in silence. Before exiting, he turned in the doorway for a last glance into those beautiful eyes. Sabine bit her lip and broke eye contact, dropping her gaze at Ezra's feet. With a great deal of indecision, he turned back around, and stepped out into the bright corridor.