Zeb races toward the Glimmer of Hope as it lands along Endor's thick vegetation. After a hard won fight against the Empire -Zeb still can't fully believe they did it- and a beautiful wedding for General Organa and Solo, things have started to pick up again. Mon Mothma is sending teams out to inform the rest of the galaxy of Palpatine's end and restore some kind of peace agreement as quickly as possible.

All boring stuff Zeb doesn't really care about.

The familiar sight of Kallus makes Zeb's heart beat twice as fast, his arms already going to pull the human into a tight embrace. One that is just as eagerly returned, as Kallus laughs out his shock.

"I came as quickly as I could!" They pull away just enough to look at each other. "Zeb I...We did it! We actually won!"

"You bet we did!" Zeb grins. "Oh, you shoulda seen it, Kal! The shockwaves that thing sent out, I thought we were gonna crack into the surface! And then when Commander Skywalker confirmed the end of Palpatine- Oh, man! I haven't been able to stop the ringin' in my ears for days now!"

Of course, Zeb fully enjoyed the celebration after. He sang and danced with Hera, shared drinks with Rex, and even gave Chopper a big hug. The music didn't stop until the sun came up. It was like the liberation of Lothal all over again; only, their relief wasn't clouded with concern this time. There was no anticipation of another attack, no worry that this was just a single victory among hundreds more.

If they could defeat two Death Stars and the Sith creating them, then the rest of the Empire stood no chance.

Walking together, Zeb brings Kallus back to the main hub of things, letting him greet Hera, Jacen, Rex, and Chopper with just as much relief. He watches as Kallus gets pulled into new plans, giving ideas on how to find the rest of the Impirial Fleet without stretching their resources too thin.

Zeb waits for them outside, watching the Ewoks chatter and talk amongst themselves. He spots Commander Skywalker staring off at nothing again, like he did frequently during the celebrations. He assumes it's a Jedi thing, even if Kanan and Ezra never did it. Luke isn't the same as they were in almost everything he does. Well, perhaps aside from his calming nature and strong trust in the Force.

He misses them. Kanan and Ezra. Kanan's death still hurts to think about, to remember as he watches Jacen grow older and look more like his father. The pregnancy was difficult to say the least and while Hera had all of them for support, she still spent long nights crying in grief and frustration. Still does, from time to time. Zeb can only imagine it will get worse if -when- Jacen starts showing signs of Force-sensitivity.

And Ezra, as annoying and loud as the kid was, leaves a hole where he once stood. He's a mystery, one Zeb's long given up on in the years since he disappeared with Thrawn. Sometimes, when Zeb dares to approach those difficult emotions, he wonders if Ezra's still out there, waiting for them. If he died because they never looked.

"I hope I didn't keep you for too long." Kallus' voice pulls Zeb from his thoughts. The heavy mood still weights on his shoulders, but he's able to clear his mind of it easily. Kallus tends to do that. "If I recall, there was something you wanted to speak to me about?"

Oh, right. Zeb completely forgot he mentioned it. Looking away, Zeb tries to push his anxiety down. "Yeah, uh...Since the war's over and all, I was wondering if you...well, I just wanted to know if you had...plans."

Kallus blinks at him, then his expression turns hopeful. "I do, actually."

Zeb really does try to keep the disappointment from his face, but his ears fall regardless. "Oh. Uh, what are they?"

"There's someone I've longed to see again. My mother." Kallus' voice goes soft, a smile playing on his lips. "She lives on Coruscant and now that we're taking the planet back, I'd like to visit her."

Somehow, Zeb never really thought that Kallus had a mother. Or a family, for that matter. He just assumed...well, that the former ISB agent was so married to his work that he never made time for anything else.

He tries to think of something encouraging to say, but Zeb ends up just lamely replying, "Oh."

To his credit, it makes Kallus laugh. "What? Surprised I have living relitives?"

"Well..." Zeb evades the question. "So, you'll be goin' to Coruscant? I'm sure it'll be nice to go home." He didn't mean it to sound...like that. And when Kallus' smile falls, Zeb scrambles to fix it. "Ah, Coruscant must be very different now! I'll bet it's beautiful! All the speeders and lights-"

"Thank you, Zeb, but you shouldn't sugar coat it. We might've made peace with Lasan, but I know it's effects will always be at play. It's unfair that you have no home to return to and I do."

"I have the Ghost."

Kallus gives him a tired look. "We both know it's different."

Yeah, they do.

And yet, Zeb knows it's not entirely true either. He does have somewhere to go, now. A place with other Lasats, where he's welcome to stay and live for as long as he'd like. Possibly until he grows old.

"I wanted to show you something." Zeb finally says, his anxieties gone. "Remember that star cluster we disappeared into?"

Kallus' eyebrows furrow, his lips twisting in thought. It's a cute expression, one not entirely different from the frown he constantly held as an agent. "Star cluster...I can't recall it."

Zeb shrugs. "Figured you wouldn't." That was in the height of their rivalry. Actually, it wasn't very far from their crash on that moon, when everything changed for them. "There's something out there, something I'd like to show you."

The surprise on Kallus' face is like a flipped coin. "Really? Why? What is it?"

It pulls a chuckle from Zeb. "You'll find out when we get there. If you wanna come, that is. We could wait 'til after you see your mom. Or if Mothma's got you booked-"

"Oh, I'm going." Kallus tells him. "You have me curious, now. I want to see this through." Cute. So very cute. "And...perhaps we could make a trip of it. Take the Glimmer out to Coruscant, then to that cluster. Could stop a few places along the way, too, if you'd like."

Zeb pauses, unsure if what he's implying is really true. "Wait, are you sayin' you want me to come with you?" To meet his mother, then to stay with him up until the surprise?

Together. Alone.

Kallus goes red, something Zeb's learned is normal for humans. Especially Kallus. "I hoped you would. But, of course, I could go to Coruscant on my own and-"

"No!" Zeb shouts, perhaps a little too loudly. A few rebels stare up at him from across the tree fortress. "Ah, no. No, I'd like to come."

"Alright." Kallus smiles, something small and beautiful. "Give me a few more days to settle things with the Intelligence Division and we can head out."

Just a few days and they'd be off together. Zeb can't wait.

Kallus' hands shake as he rings the bell, his weight passing between his legs. He's anxious, that much is obvious to Zeb; though, it's unclear why exactly. Did Kallus and his mother part on bad terms? Will she disapprove of a non-human arriving to her doorstep? Or maybe it's simply because of the time. Fve years is a long time to go without contact.

When the door opens, revealing the woman, Zeb finds himself surprised. He's not exactly sure what he expected -maybe someone tall and stern, a woman just as intimidating as the agent once was- but what greets him is a short, plump woman. Her hair is a mix of grey and light brown, the frail strands tied back into a loose bun. In her hand is a lovely cane that supports most of her weight and is likely the cause of the arch in her back. Her eyes are sharp as she looks between them. Then, they water as she looks at her son.

"Sasha?!" She gasps, stumbling forward to reach for him. She has the same Coruscant accent, but more strained and higher pitched. To Zeb's surprise, Kallus almost entirely melts into her embrace, holded in half as he is to reach her. "Oh, Sasha." She pats his back, then begins pulling him inside. "Sit, sit!"

Awkwardly, Zeb follows them, still unsure if he's even allowed. But, she doesn't stop him from sitting down as well, her eyes now filled with warmth as she moves around her kitchen, pulling out a plate of sandwiches.

Then, her cooing continues. "Oh, Sasha, I was so worried! I know you hardly get much time for shore leave, but you're never gone for this long! And did you hear the news?! The Emporer-"

"Yes, I heard." Kallus nods, his expression somber. "Mother...I don't know how to tell you what I've done over these years. So much has happened."

"I don't care. Just tell me, plain and simple." Something passes between the two, like a secret. Zeb tries not to wiggle too much from his discomfort.

With a sigh, Kallus tells her the full truth. He admit to joining the rebellion and the bounty placed on his head for defecting. He also mentions meeting the Ghost Crew and even introduces Zeb as "one of the best people he's ever had the honor of knowing". All throughout the explaination, Kallus' mother stays silent, her face never changing. Then, when the room goes quiet, she nods to herself.

"You know, Cassy said something similar. About the Empire being power hungry. I didn't want to believe her, not after what happened to your father..." She shakes heer head, her lips shaking as she looks at them with teary eyes. "She said they were forcing the farmers into working for almost no pay. Said they were losing their homes and starving out in the fields. I didn't believe her until I saw how thin she got too. I..." She shakes her head.

Kallus sits forward, taking her hands into his. "Is Cassy alright?" He sounds eager to know, almost desperate.

"Yes, yes, she's fine. Had to leave Andara for a little while. Lara too. Things just kept getting worse, more of your siblings had to stay here for safety and then you lost contact and-" She stops. "I should've known. The Jedi were never evil. I should've known..."

Neither speak for a long moment, their hands locked together in silent comfort. Then, when the old woman has gathered herself, she manages a small smile.

"You're here now." She squeezes Kallus' hands, then lets go. "You're here and I have a garden that's in need of help." She points outside, to a room Zeb hasn't noticed until now. It looks like just another room at first glance, but after a moment, Zeb can see rows of plants growing under a glass cieling. There are beautiful flowers around the walls and various herbs and vegetables in the middle.

"Of course." Kallus nods, getting up almost immedietly. "Tools are still in the closet, I assume?" He goes to said closet, already pulling on a pair of worn gloves.

"Yes, it should all be there. And if you would, I'd like to plant some more of those muja fruits." She speaks to Zeb directly for the first time. "They make wonderful cakes."

Kallus stops, a glare thrown her way. "I thought you weren't allowed to eat muja." He accuses. "Doctor's orders."

To Zeb's amusement, the woman glares right back. "They're for the neighbors, not me. And maybe your sisters too, if they come by to visit soon."

The glaring contest doesn't let up. "Oh, really? And I suppose it wouldn't be horrible if you snuck a few bites between then?"

"Oh, kriff off! I'm not making it another ten years, I might as well enjoy it!"

Kallus rolls his eyes, now making his way to the garden room. "I'm sure you'll feel the same when you're bedridden because you're too stubborn to listen to a professional."

"Yes, the same professionals that told me I was having a fourth girl!" The woman scoffs. Her face softens when Kallus leaves, those intense eyes now trained on Zeb.

He swallows.

"Now, why don't we meet properly. I'll start a kettle and then," She pulls an expression Zeb's seen from Kallus before. One both smug and devious. "We'll look through my holo albums."

Zeb holds back a snort as he watches a young Kallus sob and cry at the idea of waiting for his birthday cake. It's embarrassing, humiliating.

Zeb loves it.

"Oh, he was just the cutest two-year-old!" Barith -Kallus' mother- coos as she watches the holovid. "Always wanted to play with his older sisters."

The next vid is of Kallus' three sisters: Casandra, Lara, and Vrillian. They're arguing over toys, each of them the same bright blonde. Then, it pans over to the side, showing their baby brother locked away in a prison of laundry baskets. He's got his arms crossed in a pout, making just about the cutest display Zeb has ever seen.

"Did they lock him up often?" Zeb asks once he can trust himself not to burst out laughing again. He watches as the girls eventually change their game and play with the stuffed animals laid around them. They're arranged in what looks to be some kind of wedding.

The drama starts when a stuffed bantha objects, proclaiming his love to the groom.

"Too often." Barith admits with a wince. "He just tended to play too rough with their dolls. The girls would get mad and threaten him until he either backed off or they followed through. I made sure no harm was done but..." The woman sighs. "I do wish I did more. It might've saved their teen years."

Zeb can understand. Although they weren't related by blood, Ezra and Sabine have always been his siblings. Even in those early months when he couldn't stand the young Jedi or his weird habits, he still saw Ezra as his little, annoying brother.

He also regrets being too harsh on him.

The next holovid starts shaky, like a child is recording. That observation is confirmed when Lara peeks into view, her face nearly covering the entire film. A hand pushes her away and Cassy sets the recorder down. Then, she stands on top of their dining table and begins to sing. The next few minutes go by as Lara and Cassy fight for the center stage, both trying to sing different songs and ending in an arguement. Just when Zeb thinks this will go on forever, young Kallus runs across the camera, something held in his hands. Then, Vrillian comes running after.

"Those are mine!"

"Nuh uh!" Kallus shoots back, somehow managing to keep her from wrestling the object away. "Mama said to share!"

"And you're not sharing!" She stomps in frustration, a whine in her voice. "Give it back now!"

Lara gasps as she realizes what they're fighting over. "I wanna cookie!"

Vrillian's anger is overshadowed when Cassy shoves the three of them out of the camera's view. "I'm trying to sing! Go away!"

The whole mess ends in someone getting pinched, crying, and then a young Barith coming to deal with the problem.

Zeb can't breathe from how hard he's laughing.

"Ka-karabast!" He gasps, holding his sides. It hurts, how hard he's laughing, but he can't stop. This is well beyond just embarassing, this could be straight up blackmail! He only wishes Sabine were here to see it too. She'd never let Kallus live this down.

When Kallus returns from the garden, his hands covered in dirt and his shirt wet with sweat, the video is of a Life Day morning, where all four Kallus siblings are sleeping together on the couch. It's a rare moment of peace.

"It's good I got to those Pika when I did. Another day and they would've started to rot-" Kallus freezes, his gaze locked onto the holovid. His easy smile turns down into a shocked frown. "What are you watching?!"

Zeb can't help it. He bursts into laughter all over again.

"Mother!" Kallus gasps, snatching the holoprojector from the table. He's bright red, but that could easily be because of his work in the garden. "You can't show him these!"

Barith reaches up for it half-heartedly. "Oh, please, Sasha. We didn't even get to see the Tooth Wookie one!"

"Tooth Wookie?!" Zeb sits forward, still gasping for breath. "Now that I gotta see!"

"No! Absolutely not! I should've known better than to leave the two of you alone!" Kallus sets the bag of fresh produce on the kitchen counter, his scowl pretty close to that pout from before.

"Come now, Sasha." Barith tries to sooth. "I got to show Lara's wife! Why can't I show your boyfriend?!"

That makes both of them freeze. Zeb's stomach turns uncomfortably and he reaches back to scratch at his raised neck fur. Kallus is angled away from them, his expression a mystery. "We aren't boyfriends!" Kallus defends, his tone unreadable past the surprise.

Is he disgusted? Would the idea of dating Zeb be laughable? Or maybe...maybe there's still hope.

Zeb has no idea.

"Really?!" Barith's genuine confusion doesn't help. "No, I swear you are! Why else did you bring him?"

"We're just traveling togther, Mother. Nothing more than that."

Nothing more? Zeb shuffles, looking down. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. What if Kallus refuses his offer to live with him on Lira San? What if it just makes things awkward before Zeb goes off to live the rest of his life among the Lasat?

The thought of never seeing Kallus again makes him sick, but so does roping him into a life together.

Something crosses Barith's expression and she nods slowly. "Fine. I apologize for assuming." She doesn't sound entirely honest, at least not to Zeb. "Then, where else are you traveling to? You've never wanted to settle here in Coruscant."

With the topic mostly changed, Kallus seems to relax, now washing the fruits he picked. "I'm not entirely sure. But when I do settle, it won't be here. I'm sorry, Mother."

Barith shakes her head. "No, don't be sorry. I learned my lesson with Cassy. I can't force you to stay where you don't want to." She look to Zeb. "Just promise to visit more then once every five years."

While it might've been meant for Kallus, Zeb still smiles back at her. "I promise. If for no other reason than to see that Tooth Wookie vid." He whispers the last part.

"I'm counting on it." She whispers back.

As Coruscant's rotation cycle ends, they run out of reasons to stay. While Lira San can wait, there aren't exactly enough rooms for Zeb and Kallus to sleep over. Not without sharing a bed, that is.

Stepping out of the door, Kallus pauses to hug his mother again. "You could come with us, you know. I have a space on the Glimmer."

Barith refuses without hesitation. "Your father might've loved the Republic, but he loved this place more." She strokes the door frame gently, as if her late husband's soul lay within. "I can't leave without leaving myself here too."

Kallus nods in understanding, their embrace lasting a moment longer before they break apart. To Zeb's surprise, he's offered one as well.

"It was an honor to meet you, Garazeb." She pats his back. "And thank you for helping my Sasha. I don't know what I'd do if he went down with the Empire."

Not sure how to respond, Zeb decides to stay quiet. He pulls away and exchanges a smile with Kallus -his eyes shine so beautifully in the sunset- before they finally leave for the Glimmer.

Zeb only relaxes once he's settled into the co-pilot's seat, his large fingers punching in coordinates for their next destination. "Now, to Lira San." He smiles, already excited again for this little surprise.

Although he worried over the human's reaction before, Zeb has regained his confidence. Even if they don't live there together, it'll be nice to give Kallus some peace of mind. And who knows, maybe he'll agree.

Maybe they'll grow old together.

Kallus raises an eyebrow. "Where?" He asks, just as they shoot into hyperspace.

"You'll find out." Is all Zeb tells him.

I loved writing this and putting my own headcanons in. Kallus is just such a youngest child, you can't convince me otherwise.