Padawan

(1st half of Breaking Ranksfrom Kanan's POV)

Kanan drummed his fingers on the chairs armrest. It was almost time for Sabine to report in and the remaining seconds were ticking by slower and slower.

"Spectre-5 to Ghost." Kanan leaned forward as Sabine's voice sounded over the comm. "Looks like the kid passed the first test. He's inside Imperial HQ."

"Roger, Spectre-5," Hera replied. "Ghost standing by."

Kanan sighed as the cabin fell silent again.

"We've been standing by for weeks," He grumbled. "I'm sick of this."

"You're worried about Ezra," Hera clarified, a smile tugging at her lips. She wasn't surprised Kanan's patience was beginning to snap. In fact, she was rather relieved. Maybe now he would be able to vent and relax.

"I'm not worried about the kid. I'm worried about the op."

'Or not,' Hera sighed.

"What were we thinking, putting him undercover like that?" Kanan sighed, trying to ignore the small voice reminding him of all the ways things could go wrong.

"What were we thinking?" Hera repeated. "This was your idea!"

"He's just not ready," Kanan continued, ignoring her. "And if he gets caught–"

"He hasn't gotten caught yet," Hera reminded him. How many times had they had this discussion?

"The minutes he gets that decoder, Zeb yanks him out of there," Kanan said decisively.

"Uh, that's the plan." Hera rolled her eyes, exasperation and irritation easily hiding her own worries.

"I should have done this myself," Kanan muttered.

"Oh, yeah. You'd make quite a cadet," Hera agreed dryly, though the thought of Kanan trying was rather amusing.

Kanan huffed silently and returned to staring moodily out the window.

Hera sighed. She wished Kanan would just admit he was worried and get over it. His constant anxiety wasn't doing anything to sooth her own worries.

'Day's almost over,' Kanan thought, eyeing the clock on the dash. 'Zeb and Sabine should be collecting the kid soon.'

"Spectre-5 to Ghost."

'Finally!'

"Something went wrong. The kid didn't get the decoder and he didn't come out." Sabine's voice sounded anxious and a bit worried, but not as if something horrible had happened so Kanan forced himself to relax.

"Copy that, Spectr-5," Hera answered. "Give him one more day."

"This decoder better be worth it," Kanan muttered, mind racing as he tried to think of possible reasons for Ezra's. . .delay.

'Like he's already preparing for the worst,' Hera thought, lips thinning as she glanced at Kanan, taking in his sullen, heavy look. Time to remind him what was at stake.

"What's the alternative?" She asked quietly. She didn't like putting Ezra at risk either, but this was a war. "Do you want to stop that kyber shipment or not? You know what the Empire could do with that crystal."

"Nothing good," Kanan admitted.

"So we give Ezra one more day."

Kanan nodded. One more day. One more day wouldn't hurt. In fact, that was probably a good thing, meant that the kid was being cautious. Kanan's worry spiked. Ezra and cautious did not go together.

The day passed slowly, every minute seem to take an hour and Kanan's increasing restlessness only worsened. With a sigh of frustration that was more of a groan, Kanan settled himself more firmly.

'Fifth time's the charm,' he thought sarcastically as he began the process of meditation.

Clearing his mind wasn't working, so Kanan sifted through his thoughts, letting the Force guide him to the problem and, hopefully, the solution. Gradually things began to clear and Kanan let out a low breath of relief as he sank deeper into the Force. With the universe expanding before his mind's eye, the links that connected everything swam in focus. One particular thread stood out and Kanan hummed thoughtfully as he followed it down to the source of his increasing tension.

'Ezra,' he recognized. The boy's emotions were a jumbled knot of anxiety, worry, and unease laced with determination and exhaustion. Kanan drew back, thinking.

While the exhaustion and unease were worrisome, there was nothing – no fear or pain – to suggest Ezra had been compromised. Kanan's shoulders relaxed. He had his answer: no, nothing was wrong, though it seemed the boy had found away to test his patience even as far away as he was.

Shaking his head in exasperated relief, Kanan made to rise. He would have to block out Ezra's emotions before they started driving him up the walls again. Kanan was half-way to his feet when the realization of what that meant came crashing down on him.

A connection couldn't be cut unless it existed.

Kanan sat down with a thud.

It had crossed his mind, unbidden and quite frankly unwanted, ever since Hera had first mentioned training Ezra, but to form a bond, to have that kind of connection with someone again. . .

Kanan had barely survived having the bond with his Master broken. If you could call 10 odd years of living off alcohol and adrenaline 'living.' He didn't think he was ready – No, Kanan knew he wasn't ready for another bond of any kind, but there it was. A sad, shallow shadow of the one he'd shared with his Master.

Kanan scrubbed a hand over his face. He honestly couldn't say he surprised. Shocked? Yes. Surprised? No. He'd noticed a difference not long after that failed mission to rescue Master Luminara.

'That discussion afterwards,' Kanan decided. When Ezra had stated he wanted him, Kanan, to be his master and Kanan had in turn resolved to fill that role as best he could. That moment when they'd accepted each other had most likely been the start of the bond.

"See, Hera, you were wrong," Kanan chuckled ruefully. "I'm not worried about the kid."

Not the bitter, jaded street-rat that'd survived for years on his own, who'd learned to be a petty thief and con-artist. It was Ezra, the lonely, rough around the edges trouble maker that always managed to lighten the mood, the bright eyed boy that eagerly drank up every stor– er, lesson, Kanan gave him.

Kanan rubbed a hand over his face.

"I'm worried about my Padawan."

'My Padawan.' The words seemed to bounce around him as Kanan went about his business, sometimes overwhelming and other times it was as if they'd always been there.

'Kinda like the kid,' Kanan mused as he fixed himself and Hera some caf.

"You seem calmer," Hera noted, accepting her cup with a small smile and a nod of thanks.

"I am," Kanan agreed, settling himself in the seat next to her.

Hera quirked a brow but didn't ask. She'd known Kanan had gone to meditate so could only conclude his sudden change in behavior had to do with being a Jedi or the Force, and those were things she didn't pretend to understand. That and Hera was preoccupied enjoying the nice, warm cup of caf Kanan had brought her.

A comfortable and familiar silence fell between them and lasted until Sabine's voice sounded over the comm.

"Spectre-5 to Ghost. Sending coordinates for Imperial jump route." Both Kanan and Hera tensed at that, eyeing the display of data. "If you leave now, you should still be able to intercept."

"Coordinates received," Hera confirmed, hands gliding over the controls. "We're heading out."

"Good work, Spectre-5," Kanan said, a weight lifting off his chest. They should all be out of any danger now. "And you too, Spectre-6."

"Uh," Sabine's voice was definitely nervous this time. "Spectre-6 isn't with us."

"What!" The weight smashed back down and Kanan's hands tightened on the arm rests. "Where's Spectre-6? Spectre-5, repeat! Where is Spectre-6?"

"Kanan, we're out of range," Hera told him softly. "All we can do now is complete the mission and get back as soon as possible."

Kanan leaned back in his chair, and forced himself to follow Hera's advice. There was nothing he could do right now, not from here, and disregarding or jeopardizing the mission would mean everything Ezra did was for nothing. Kanan shoved aside his worries, and focused on the task at hand. He'd spent the all those weeks coming up with the perfect plan, now he needed to make it faster.

Kanan laced his fingers, mind racing as he thought of way to improve his plan as well as the beginnings of several possible rescue missions. Whether they succeeded or failed, they were going back to Lothal and not leaving until he had his Padawan.

Author's Notes:

1st (because I just KNOW somebody's gonna say something) Yes, this was partly inspired by Optimistigue's "Beginning of the Bond." Note the word, 'partly' All I really took from her/his (?) work was the idea to stick all of Kanan's scenes in 1 chapter. Originally, I was going to have them sprinkled throughout the other chapters, but after reading his/her (?) work I rather liked the idea of a chapter dedicated to just Kanan's perspective. There, 2nd disclaimer of sorts. No complaints about this. Please and thank you.

Now onto my stuff! (& doesn't that sound egotistical?)

Boom, a bond! I always felt this episode was a bit of turning point for Ezra and Kanan's "relationship." Ezra finally admitting (out loud) that he wanted to be with the crew, and Kanan actively worrying about Ezra. In the previous shows it always seemed to me that Hera worried/cared more about Ezra than any of the other crew members, and in all the following shows Kanan and Ezra just seemed closer somehow. But that could be my imagination.

Comments to Your Reviews:

Ichichi05: Thanks!

Rochana: A familiar face from another work! Great to hear from you again and so glad you're enjoying this (don't hate me, i WILL finish the crossover, promise!)

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Taylor Fireheart: I am, and I will!

Kingdom Hearts Slayer: Your wish is my command (as long as my muse cooperates).

Babyuknowme13: Yay! I'm a pearl among swine! (I laugh every time I read that.)

SoulXmaka4evalove: Comprehensive and flattering? I do believe you've gained yourself a fan.

iloveliterature: YES a cliffhanger! MWahahaha! i am evil. Well, only a little. Hope i can add some depth to other characters too.

heartbreakerninja: Yes, yes. I am/will continuing the story. I just got a little. . .distracted.