Hi! I wrote a second (and a third) part to this. I'm not sure if I'm entirely happy with it, but I've been sitting on this over two weeks and I don't know how else to improve upon it. OH! and it's in past tense because that's the only way this part would come out. Just call it an experiment, right? There's an "Orbits" update coming soon and I just made a mental breakthrough on the "Not to Yield part two" story, so some good things are in the works.

OH and if you're on Tumblr and interested in ordering it...a bunch of artists and writers (including yours truly) have put together a "Rebels" fanzine. Check my tumblr under the name "springfieldblue" for details (or PM me). It has an ORIGINAL story by me that you might like (along with the work of some other VERY talented writers), and of course, the Rebels artwork is AMAZING. Oh, and it comes with cute vinyl stickers! You gotta love that, right?

Like always, thanks for reading and comments. You guys are great.

2.

"Ezra."

Sabine had followed him into his room after dinner; it was the first time she'd been able to get him alone all night.

"What?" He turned and faced her with a sigh. His eyes touched her, then skated away. She was looking at him with that expression again. "I told you, it's nothing. Seriously. Just a black eye; it doesn't even hurt." He began searching for his datapad.

"Yeah, like the blaster bolt you took in the side last month? Something's not right, Ezra—" She reached out to lay a hand against his cheek but he shook his head.

"Sabine, I'm fine. A little overworked, but that's all," he made his eyes lift to hers and hold the gaze defiantly.

"Ezra. You…I know you're not sleeping well." Zeb had told her that he'd been waking to find Ezra either gone or meditating at all hours of the night.

It had been like this since they lost Kanan. Usually, Zeb kept his eye on Hera and Sabine kept her eye on Ezra, and they all looked after Caleb. At first it had been to help Hera out, but then later, it was because they loved the small boy desperately. The hole that Kanan had left in their lives had begun to be mended by the sweet little one, but apparently some holes were too large to mend.

Ezra hadn't even begun to move past the loss. The way he'd explained it, she understood that he'd lost more than just the physical presence of his Master. They had had a mental connection, Ezra had told her. It was a bond that took up space in his mind, and that bond had been cruelly torn away. He'd tried to explain the sense of emptiness that never went away, but he'd given up, saying it was impossible.

Ezra found his datapad under the bunk. "Look, I've got to finish this report and turn it in. Watching Caleb today, I didn't get it done." He yanked his black hat over his ears and reached for his jacket.

"Ezra, no." She put a hand on his chest and stopped him in his tracks. "Talk to me, okay?"

He remained still, his eyes downcast. Then he sighed and spoke, his jaw tight. "What do you want me to say, huh?"

"Anything," she whispered. "Just stop shutting me out."

His features were pained. "I'll rest more, okay? I'll cut down on the back to backs." Ezra was one of the better pilots and he often volunteered for back to back missions when they didn't have enough people to fly. Sabine knew how they depended on Ezra, just like they depended on Hera, and how he didn't want to let anyone down. But it was starting to take a toll on him. Ezra took too many solo missions. He was too quiet, too withdrawn, too karking glib when he was injured. When he'd been hit by the blaster shot, he'd literally come back from the mission with engine tape slapped on the injury and didn't go to the medbay until Sabine threatened to shoot him herself and drag him there. The medics still talked about it. He came closer and put a hand on each shoulder. "That okay?"

"It's a start," she said, unconvinced.

He wrapped her in his arms and pressed his face against her short blue-green water-colored hair. "I'm gonna find a quiet briefing room and finish my mission report, then I'll be back," he kissed the side of her head, then stepped toward the door. As it swished open, the sound of Kallus, Hera and Zeb talking spilled out. Kallus was over to play Dejarik with Zeb, and they'd finally gotten Caleb to bed.

"Okay…" she said, frowning.

He didn't look back.

An hour later, Ezra had finished his report in the briefing room, which was mostly empty at this hour. Something about being among the other officers and soldiers quieted his mind enough that he was able to focus as they moved through from place to place. The heat had gone out in this section of the base again, causing several of them to curse as they met friends in the hallway. "It's colder than a tauntaun's balls!" was heard a few times, and it never failed to wring a rueful laugh from the hard-working soldiers.

Echo Base was roughly built into the side of a glacier. The icy passages had all been joined by rough- hewn hallways, but the quick construction of the base meant that there weren't many backups yet for important systems. If there was a problem, heat or power could cut out at any time. It was the main reason that they'd never sought barracks here. The Ghost could stay warmer and was a better environment for Caleb anyway.

Ezra wrapped up his report and sat back in the chair. He could feel the intent, calm, motivated Force signatures around him, and they were soothing…a sort of background static like an open comm that made him sleepy. He didn't even know he had closed his eyes until he felt a touch on his shoulder.

He startled immediately and had his saber in his hand before the startled recruit could let out so much as a squawk.

"I…I'm sorry, sir…" He finally stammered as Ezra shook his head and jammed his lightsaber back on his belt.

"Kriff!" Ezra scrubbed his face with his hands. "I fell asleep…it's my fault."

"No. I startled you." The recruit gave Ezra a second to compose himself. "Um…You're Lieutenant Commander Bridger? Of the Spectres, aren't you?"

Ezra nodded. "Yeah. And you are?"

"Recruit Jaden, sir. I just wanted to say how much I appreciate what you've done for our sector. I'm from Garel."

"Yeah?" He'd never been good with this-it always left him feeling like a fraud, and unconsciously, he moved himself toward the door.

"I heard your broadcast before the battle of Lothal, and I just wanted to say…it motivated me and a few of my friends to join the fight." The recruit seemed to realize he was making Ezra uncomfortable, so he wrapped it up. "Anyway, thank you. You've motivated a lot of us. I just wanted to tell you."

"Thanks..." Ezra couldn't meet the soldier's eyes, not knowing what to say. While Jaden spoke, Ezra felt the familiar thob of anxiety returning. "I'm sorry—I gotta…go."

He ducked past the admiring recruit, fleeing the room. It was only when he was on his way back to the Ghost that he finally felt he could breathe again.

Sabine woke from a light sleep to hear the sound of footsteps walking across the common area. She'd left her door open for when Ezra would return, and laid down on her bed, still dressed in a set of blacks. Since coming to Hoth, she'd packed away her tanks and shorts in favor of warmer clothing.

She sat up rubbing her eyes, wondering if she'd done the right thing by letting him go and giving him space.

He appeared in her doorway, a darker shadow against the silvery lights of the Ghost's night cycle. Slowly, he came in and palmed the door closed behind him. He sat gently on her bunk, staring down at the floor.

She shook her head. "You don't have to explain. Just stay with me."

She reached out and wrapped her arms around him. He responded, and she felt him relaxing under her touch. After long moments, she moved to help him shed his jacket. Pulling off his hat, she smoothed his short hair gently with her fingers. It was too severe a look for him, and she didn't like it, but he'd kept it that way since Kanan had died. His eyes were dark blue, even in the dark. She leaned in and kissed him gently, and he leaned into her. "Love you, Sabine." He murmured, nuzzling her hair.

"Same here."

He reached down, pulled off his boots, shed his belt with his blaster and saber, and then crawled into the bed with her. He took both of her hands in his, and she could feel his cold fingers against her own.

"You need to sleep, Cyare. I'll keep the watch," she whispered, throwing the blanket over him. "Let me be here for you."

He nodded and took one of her hands in both of his, holding it against his heart. They stayed like that, for a long time, until she felt he was asleep. When he did speak, it startled her.

"I think…I'm losing my way," he murmured, his forehead creased with worry.

"We'll find it together, Ezra," she moved closer to him so that she could share her warmth with him. "I promise."

He nodded slowly, without opening his eyes. Being close to her was soothing, and he found himself relaxing into a deep dreamless sleep for the first time in days.