Notes:

I spontaneously thought of how how Sabine changes her hair for season two of SWR, and I can't say I was the biggest fan of it. I just think the orange and blue/plum suits her most. (To be honest, my crush on her is about 10% bigger with the original color scheme)

Much thanks to keys of fate for giving me the idea of the bounty hunter cameo from a while back. Too bad I didn't really know what to do with them. And to the guest who commented on the last chapter: Maybe he hadn't got his lightsaber yet, but I counter with this: Ezra didn't come anywhere close to a romance with Sabine in the official show. I'm a simple man and I don't have all the time in the world to rewrite Rebels, so feel free to do that yourself. As for scene transition, you pose a very good point. I had planned on doing that, but I totally forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder.

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 ELEVEN:

Sabine lay in bed, unable to find a position that suited her for more than five minutes. "It was only a heat of the moment thing right?" She wanted to believe that her feelings were inconsequential, but the more persistently she tried, the clearer it became that she was indeed tied to Ezra in a number of ways. Ezra was her friend, he was her soldier, and the force bond only strengthened their relationship… Nevertheless, certain issues still remained. "What if we get distracted? Can't let the crew down. They count on both of us. Anything could go wrong during a mission and..." Sabine's mind simply went blank. She couldn't bear to finish that particular thought. She had already lost so much: her family, friends, everyone she had known before the Empire had driven her to fight back, and peace. Oh, how she missed waking in the morning untroubled by thoughts of the Empire or fear of being found. Sabine had lost count of the number of times she rolled over in her bunk. And now… She could feel something. There were no words to describe it other than a sixth sense. It was as if someone were sympathizing with her, letting her know she was not alone in her misgivings, reaching out for her. "Ezra?"

Ezra, also tossing and turning every so often, fervently wished he knew what to do. There was no denying, he was drawn to Sabine, but how could manage his emotions without letting them consume his mind? If they had control of his mind, they determined his actions, and therefore his future. He could feel Sabine's frustration, and ascertained that she was harassed by similar anxieties. "It's tough, huh? I'm sorry I don't know what to do. Maybe the Jedi of the Republic were right; emotions are too complicated." Another several minutes of gears grinding in Ezra's head went by before hearing a soft, metallic tapping on his door. Knowing only one person who would be awake at this stage of their rotation, he opened the door with a wave of his hand. Sabine stood awkwardly in the doorway, not knowing what to do or say. She stood there, bright hair disheveled, and wearing a pair of black shorts and a tank top. Ezra again saw a beseeching look in her sleep-deprived eyes. He was sitting cross-legged on his bunk with his blanket in a heap at the foot of the bed. He wanted to say something, something to comfort her. After all, how many times had she done so for him? She finally entered, and pathetically attempted to sound casual.

"Couldn't sleep either?"

No response.

"Guess that makes two of us." Her voice was unsteady.

Ezra couldn't even reply to some small talk, and thus the deafening silence continued.

"Dammit Ezra, say something!" Sabine managed with a raised, yet quivering voice. She instantly regretted it. Her eyes snapped tightly shut, holding back tears. Her efforts, however, were in vain, and a few drops squeezed out.

"I'm… sorry… It's just been a little strange today." She choked, trying to mask the emotion in her voice.

Ezra remembered how to use his vocal cords at last. "You could say that. It was torture working with Kanan. He pretty much read my mind and didn't talk for hours," Ezra wasn't sure how he got it out, but decided to ride along with it, "I- I'm sorry too, about the- Maybe we should have- I don't know- Could we-"

"Hey. Lets both just chill out… I really-" Sabine sighed deeply and moved to Ezra's bunk. She laid down a foot away from him, her legs hanging over the side, and then stared at the ceiling. "I wanted to talk about this… us…"

Ezra laid down likewise, and waited for her to proceed.

"I wish I said something earlier… when it was easier. I don't know- look. You're a great guy, but I'm not sure if we have time for this kind of thing. Like, you're my best friend, and you mean the galaxy to me, but going beyond that might not be a good idea… What if- well- something could happen to one of us and then what would the other have left?"

Ezra had the same fear, and his stomach twisted when he heard Sabine verbalize it. He began slowly, selecting his words with forethought. "Kanan told me about the Jedi of the Republic… They were made to feel- well, nothing really. Jedi weren't allowed to show much emotion let alone emotional attachment. Kanan could be right though. If you get rid of emotion, a person has a pretty good resemblance to a droid, and he can be taken advantage of or misled. If you look at it from another point of view, the Jedi were cowards. They avoided the risks, but those so called 'risks' are a part of who people are." He broke off for a moment, surprised, but thankful that he had found how to articulate what had been building up inside him for so long. "Think about it. If I said I didn't care for you, it would be as ridiculous as saying I'm not my parents' son, Ezra Bridger."

Sabine let what she heard simmer for some time in her head. After some of her own reasoning, she spoke up, "I hadn't thought of it that way, but it makes sense." She laughed, her spirits greatly lifted having done so. "Oh, that's right! If you didn't have that adorable crush on me, I'd be in a prison cell crying my eyes out because my hero wasn't there for me." She turned to look at Ezra and playfully punched his shoulder, a grin upon her face. Ezra smiled, and indulged in a chuckle of his own. Laughter did indeed ease the tension that had previously been there. They laid side by side, legs dangled over the edge of the bed, and let time go by without care. They laughed together, remembered past excursions and adventures they shared, and reminisced about the days before the Empire had begun its manhunt for them.

After an hour or so, drowsiness started to infiltrate the scene. Ezra, who had been nodding off, yawned and stretched his arms, bumping Sabine's nose with his elbow. .

"Oh. Sorry. I really-" his sentence was broken with another yawn. "I really should get to sleep. We both should."

Sabine, also drifting off, groaned lazily. "What if I don't want to get up… Just a few more minutes."

"How could I ever say no? But seriously. It would be awesome if I could get my blanket and lay down without kicking you in the face."

"Sabine opened her eyes, only to roll them, and mumbled, "I'll sleep where I want to sleep."

She maneuvered herself lethargically and rested her head next to his on the pillow. She reached for the blanket and somehow managed to pull it over both of them. Ezra felt warm and safe with Sabine next to him, her head resting behind his.

"Goodnight Sabine."

"Night Ezra" She whispered back as she wiggled an arm under his, and over his chest, hugging him closer from behind. Ezra started drifting out of consciousness, savoring the feeling of being cradled in Sabine's embrace with her figure pressed against him. He moved a hand atop the slender one that held his chest, and breathed deeply as sleep overcame him.

"Ezra?" Hera was pounding on the door, "Wake up already. You and Sabine missed breakfast by an hour."

"What?" he grumbled back, not yet aware of his surroundings.

The door opened and Hera just stood there, staring inside. She leaned upon the door frame with an elbow, and put her opposite hand on her hip. A smile played on the edges of her mouth, and her green eyes lit up with amusement.

"What?" He asked again, severely confused.

Hera cocked her head and nodded to Sabine, still fast asleep, and clutching Ezra from behind and around the chest, one of her legs snugly atop his. He felt himself tense up involuntarily. He was now conscious enough to feel Sabine's body plastered to his, and the previous night came rushing back as if a floodgate had been opened in his head. Ezra had no desire to wake Sabine, and decided to take the embarrassment upon himself. He mouthed silently, 'Get. Out. NOW.' careful to exaggerate the words and the pause between them. Hera shrugged, and as she turned to walk away, blew a kiss to Ezra while batting her eyelashes. Ezra rolled his eyes and scowled at Hera until the door slid shut again.

Sabine stirred, yawning, and hugged Ezra a bit tighter. Fond memories of the day before swirled aimlessly through her head. "Morning." She said with eyes closed, but a contented smile spread on her face.

"Ugh, it would be a lovely morning without Hera barging in." Ezra mumbled, glad Sabine couldn't see his face.

Sabine sat up, propped on one elbow, and rubbed her eyes. "Huh?"

"Yeah, she looked like she was about to squeal when she saw you in here."

"Wait. You're joking. You are, right?"

"If you don't believe me, I could comm her and call her back."

"Shit…

The ramp of the Ghost hit the hangar floor with the metallic thud, and an extraordinarily drowsy Sabine walked into the hull. While there was much more freedom of movement on the Destiny, she hoped she could find solitude aboard the ship she called home. Sabine made her way down the passage that led to the sleeping quarters and her eyes came to rest on her own door. She opened it, and was greeted by her familiar walls of color. "It's good to be back. I missed you too." She thought as her glance swept the room, pausing when she focused on the mural she had most recently painted. She noticed herself and Ezra mounted on a speeder and chuckled. No matter how much she liked him, Ezra would always be like a brother to her.

"So, that was some talk you had."

"Geez, Hera!" Sabine exclaimed, turning around instantaneously from shock.

"Sorry. Just checking in on you."

"Don't worry, I just wasn't expecting anyone to be hear, and... I'm fine. We have everything under control."

"Don't worry, I know you do. I just wanted to know if… well… Are you gonna stay?"

Sabine was quiet for a while. "Look," Sabine sighed, "I've always been semi-independent… I can take care of myself and so can Ezra. I mean, he lived by himself ever since he was seven."

Hera's eyes betrayed the surprise and hurt that she felt.

"But," Sabine spoke up again before she could be interrupted, "You, Kanan, Zeb, and even that stupid droid made me a part of something. It's something more important than my personal life could ever be. I've never felt more alive then when I fight alongside you all. Just because Ezra came into the picture doesn't mean I want to give up on everyone else."

"Glad to hear that. I'd hate to see you leave the team. And uhh, about Ezra..." Hera broke off, but her tone indicated questioning.

"Yeah, ok, we're… I don't know, whatever the hell you want to call it." Sabine said with a wave of her hand. "Ya know, I don't exactly see why I should be answering any more questions until I get a few answers of my own." Sabine crossed her arms and leaned against the mural as she waited.

Hera knew exactly what Sabine meant. "Couldn't hurt to tell her a bit." She began slowly. "Well… There isn't much to say, really. When I traveled alone, I picked him up on the planet Gorse. The circumstances in which we met would make a whole separate story. In short, I was already skirmishing with the Empire, and I managed to win him over to the cause… The way he looked at me all those years ago." Hera paused, caught up in her nostalgia. "I guess he still does feel the same way. No amount of time could ever weaken that. To some extent, I reciprocate those feelings, but… I'm not strong enough to serve myself and the Rebellion. I've never been great at multitasking."

"Unless one of those tasks is flying." Sabine countered, to which they both had a good laugh.

"In all seriousness however, I'm just not ready to commit to anything other than the Rebellion right now. Kanan is a wonderful, respectful, caring man with a heart to help others, but he carries a lot of baggage from his past. For now, the best I can do is be there for him as a companion, and he knows that. Sometimes I think about where we could be if the war ended, and that's part of what motivates me to continue. I fight for freedom, I fight for those who are unable, and… well, I also fight with the hope that one day, maybe… I can settle down to a more relaxed way of life."

"I really hope to see that happen. You of all people deserve it."

"Ya know, Sabine, I used to think about what I deserve, but that's just not how the galaxy operates. We only acquire the things we work for. Even then, our work sometimes is in vain. All we can do is keep trying."

Deep down, Sabine knew Hera was right, but nonetheless, there was longing for a respite from the war. "Does it even matter? Will it ever be over, or will generation after generation fight for peace across the galaxy?" She hadn't the slightest clue, but she knew Ezra would be there to carry her when she herself could not.

01:17 AM. standard rotation aboard the Destiny:

Kanan was fast asleep on his bunk, and had been so for several hours longer than the others. While he believed the Rebellion had good intentions, the one thing that irritated him was the protocol. Even the most basic tasks required asking permission, informing different people, and the worst part yet: dealing with those who had other opinions. Sitting for hours at a time and going through formalities during meetings seemed to be more exhausting than when he was on the run with Hera and the others. True, he had security here, but was bending oneself to fit the agenda worth it? As Kanan slept, he felt a familiar presence. It was a cold that chilled not the body, but chilled the spirit. It was a presence that Kanan last had felt on Sardazour when he had last seen the Grand Inquisitor, only this time, it was slightly obscure and foreign. "No, it can't be," Kanan whispered to himself, now semi-awake after he sensed the disturbance. He remembered the Image of the mangled body, the blood streaking down the Inquisitors face and freezing in a pool on the ground. Whatever it was, he knew it was vital that he warn as many people as he could in a minimal amount of time. He fumbled about his cabin for his lightsaber. At last, he found the headpiece and screwed it onto the main hilt. He hurriedly donned his minimalistic armor and strapped on his boots before resolutely heading out the door. Kanan moved as quickly, but as quietly as he could to warn Ezra, who, luckily, was only next door. On the way, he tuned his comm frequency to that of Ahsoka's, but he quickly realized there was nothing but static. "Shit, we're being jammed."

01:20 AM.

Ezra had already felt the same cold that Kanan sensed, and was just coming into consciousness when Kanan opened the door. He wasn't winded, but Ezra could tell he was itching to get going.

"Listen, I can't explain, but something is going on-"

"I know, I felt it too." Ezra cut in, throwing aside his blanket and reaching for his own lightsaber that sat in a drawer under his bunk.

"Listen," Kanan whispered with an urgency he seldom used. "I need you to warn the rest of the crew. I'm going for Ahsoka. She is probably on the alert already, but there's a chance she doesn't know the Inquisitor as well as you or I. I've already tried the comm, but whoever is out there is jamming our signals. We have to spread the word on foot."

"Sure thing."

"Ezra, be careful. We don't know what we're up against, so keep a low profile and don't do anything before warning the others.

"Yes, master." Ezra's blood was pumping at full pace, the energy seemingly granted to him out of nowhere. "I already know where to start." he thought to himself. Sabine's cabin was several corridors and a few twists and turns away, but he knew of a faster alternative.

01:21 AM.

Sabine was sleeping soundly until- "Sabine! Wake up!" At first, she ignored the shouting that intruded upon her slumber. "Sabine, this is serious. Wake up!" The urging tone of the voice wrenched her into consciousness. Sabine gasped, fully awake, and listened for a moment. "Ezra?" She knew it was him, but she wasn't certain as to what was so urgent. She heard sharp, unfamiliar footsteps upon the passage floor outside her quarters. It was a pair, one rhythm belonging to a slower, heavy-set person, the other, Sabine concluded, were those of a shorter, lighter being… Then they stopped abruptly. Sabine lunged across the room to her blaster holsters that were slung over a coat peg. Just before she had a chance to flick off the safety, The door slid open with a jolt. A slender figure wearing a form fitting black outfit was waiting behind, and used the force to yank the blasters out of hands. Sabine couldn't get a substantial glimpse of who the intruder was because of the harsh light of the corridor. "You won't be needing those, sweety." The voice was robotic, warbled behind the mask that hid the face of the wearer. The larger of the two appeared behind her, also silhouetted by the light from outside Sabine's room. "We really don't want any commotion. A few answers and some information will do nicely, wouldn't it, Fifth Brother?"

IMPORTANT INFO:

Pretty soon this story will come to a close. I'm not sure how many chapters will follow, but it will be a minimum of two. After that, I'm gonna take a break from writing and probably start organizing details for a sequel while I move/travel for the next few months. Tellemicus Sundance has given me some ideas that will be the basis of the plot, so thanks again! Hopefully, I can maintain a higher standard than I did with Radiance in the Dark while still learning from all of you more experienced writers. That is my hope for the next story… I guess you could say it's a new hope? Heh heh…. Anyone?… No?… ok.