First of all, I forgot to mention in the last chapter that the idea for the last chapter came from Paint the Wolf. Whoops, sorry. I've been told I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached and believe me, it's true.

Anyhow, THIS chapter came from Monkey D. Conan. Thank you for your kind words and I hope you enjoy this.

Hera sat up with a groan, wiping sweat from her forhead.

"Why in the galaxy did the ship's air filter decide to stop on today of all days?" She muttered under her breath.

She was on top of the Ghost. Her toolbox sat beside her, lid open. She reached back in and pulled out a screwdriver and went back to work on the filter. She moaned when the tool went in, but soon realized that it wasn't the correct one.

"For crying out loud, I have never..." She went to pull out the screwdriver, only to discover that it was stuck. She cursed, tugging harder.

Suddenly the tool came free. Unable to grasp onto anything, Hera found herself falling backwards into thin air. She scrambled for a hold, but her hands only slid over the smooth metal as she fell off the ship.

She closed her eyes, expecting to feel the wind rushing past her and to smack against the ground. But none of that happened. Instead she felt weightlessness, steady, even though she wasn't on any type of surface.

Her eyes snapped open to find that she was floating in mid air. Surprised, she looked at the ground to see that the rest of the crew had returned from their supply run.

Kanan. She realized. He must have used the force to grab her and stop her plummet to the ground.

She found herself slowly being lifted up and back onto the roof of the Ghost. She stumbled, trying to get her legs back under her, but soon recovered. Her screwdriver, which had also fallen with her, was slowly lowered down next to her.

She quickly gathered up all her tools. She could come back to fix the filter later.

She lowered herself down the hatch in the roof back into the ship. She headed into the common room, where the others were sorting the supplies to put away.

"Nice to see you all back." She greeted them in general before turning to the Jedi. "Thanks for the save, Kanan. Thought I'd end up with a broken neck up there."

Kanan looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about? I didn't save you from anything."

"Yes you did." Now Hera looked puzzled. "When I fell off the roof just then. You used the force to save me."

Kanan shook his head. "Hera, I promise, that wasn't me."

"Then who.." A thought dawned on her. She turned and looked at Ezra, who was sorting through a crate.

"Ezra? Did you save me from falling off the roof?"

The said teen looked up, a slight blush lighting up his cheeks.

"Umm, maybe? I don't know how I did it though. Instinct maybe?" He looked up at Kanan. "Guess I just have a great teacher." He looked down sheepishly.

Hera grinned, ruffling his hair.

"Well, thank you Ezra. I might be dead if it wasn't for you."

If possible, Ezra's fact turned even more red.

"Thanks." He mumbled, ducking away from her touch. Hera's grin only grew. It wasn't often Ezra became a flustered mess.

Kanan smiled too at the sight.

"You should see Ezra now during training. I think he's finally getting the hang of things. "

"Finally." Zeb declared with a laugh. "I was starting to think he was too thick to understand anything."

Ezra simply stuck his tongue out at his roommate, not caring how childish it looked.

"So Ezra," Hera cut off what would have most likely have turned into a argument.

"What have you been learning."

"Lightsaber combat, the history of the Jedi, all sorts of stuff." He said eagerly. He jumped up.

"You wanna see?" His eyes were bright, eager to show off his skills. Hera smiled.

"Of course."

….

Kanan sat on the open ramp, watching Ezra and Hera only a short distance away. His padawan was holding his lightsaber. Hera stood several feet back as she watched Ezra perform certain lightsaber moves, explaining each move.

Kanan couldn't help the pride that grew in his chest, watching his padawan show off what he had learned. Ezra was a bright kid and would make a great Jedi in the future. But at the same time, fear also swelled in him.

Before the fall of the Jedi order, Kanan could remember what life was like for the Jedi. Because of their position as Knights, they were often forced into dangerous, often fatal situations. Even before the Clone Wars, the life of a Jedi was filled with peril. Now, Ezra would be forced into those same situations, in a much more treacherous time. What would happen to Ezra in the future?

He stood and turned away, heading back into the ship. He couldn't look at the boy as guilt consumed him. It was his fault the kid would even have to face those situations. He should have thought before he had taken the child in.

"…and then when you twist it like that, it helps you gain a higher…" Ezra was halfway through the move when he glanced up to see Kanan stand.

"Master, where are you going?"

"To my room." Kanan answered shortly. "I need some time on my own." He disappeared into the ship, missing the look on the teen's face. Hera however, noticed.

"Ezra?" She said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "What's wrong?"

Ezra scuffed the ground with his shoe. "Nothing." He muttered.

Hera grabbed his other shoulder and turned him to face her.

"Don't lie to me Ezra, I know something's up. Is it because of Kanan?"

The teen hesitantly nodded. "Did he seem…upset just then?"

Hera thought she could see where this conversation was going. "Why?"

"I just…I don't know… thought I did something wrong." He said, voice low and timid. It bothered her, seeing the normally energetic teen so sad and hurt.

She squeezed his shoulder. "No Ezra, you didn't do anything wrong."

He pulled away and crossed his arms in what she recognized as his defense mechanism.

"Then why did he seem so upset just then."

"I don't know." She admitted. "But I'm going to find out." She patted his arm.

"Stay here, I'll be right back." She too disappeared into the ship.

…

She found Kanan in the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter, staring into the mug of tea in his hand. She went to stand by him. She waited for him to speak, but finally realized he wouldn't be willing to spill anytime soon.

"Care to talk?"

"About what?" He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Don't play dumb with me, Kanan Jarrus." She pulled the mug out of his hands, ignoring his protests as she set it down.

"Now spill. I want to know why you left in such a huff."

"I did not leave in a huff." The Jedi complained.

"Really? Then you might want to go explain that to your padawan, because he now believes he did something to upset you and that's why you left so fast."

Kanan groaned, burying his face in his hands.

"Karabast, He really thinks that?"

Hera didn't reply, waiting patiently. Finally Kanan looked up at her.

"He didn't do anything wrong. He was doing great. I was just…" He sighed.

"I was thinking, about what the future holds for him. It was dangerous enough, before the Jedi purge, and now with the Empire? What's going to happen to the kid, Hera?" He looked away.

"I shouldn't have taken him on." He muttered. "I just should have left him at his tower, he would've been safer there."

Hera smacked his arm.

"Ouch! Hera, what was that for?" He demanded, shaking his now stinging limb.

"For being a idiot." She placed both hands on her hips.

"'He would've been safer there,' Honestly Kanan, he was on his own, growing up on the streets, had no idea he was force sensitive. At some point he would have accidently revealed himself in the wrong place and possibly killed, or had stole from the wrong person. He was lonely, most likely had no idea where his next meal would come from, possiblity of dying around every corner. He would've been in just as much danger on his own as he is with least we can keep a eye on him, let him know he's not alone." She shoved him.

"Now go talk to your padawan. That kid needs you."

…..

Ezra was sitting on the ramp when they returned. His back was to the adults, fiddling with his turned off lightsaber. He glanced up as them as they approached, then turned his gaze back to the weapon.

Kanan sat down next to him, while Hera took the youth's other side.

"Ezra, I'm sorry." Kanan said.

The blue orbs looked up, then down again.

"Why're you sorry, master?"

Kanan shifted uncomfortably.

"For leaving in such a manner. Hera told me what you thought. Believe me kid, you didn't do anything wrong. You were doing great in fact. I'm proud of you."

Ezra's head shot up in surprise at that.

"You are?" His voice was filled with disbelief.

"He's not the only one." Hera laid her hand on his knee.

"We're all proud of you Ezra. You've come so far since we first met you."

Ezra turned red, once again turning his gaze away again.

"Thanks, it means a lot." The three sat in companionable silence, staring out onto the grass swept plains of Lothal. Then Ezra turned to his mentor.

"What was wrong though? You looked pretty upset."

Kanan ruffled his hair with a grin.

"Nothing you need to worry about. Now," He motioned to Ezra's lightsaber.

"Why don't you show me how well you know to use that thing."

The youth brightened as he jumped to his feet.

"Alright!" He jumped to his feet and turned the weapon on. The lightsaber hummed softly as he held it up, looking at Kanan expectantly.

Hera stood also.

"I'll leave you all to it while I go fix the filter."

She paused at the top of the ramp, looking back at the two.

Kanan stood right behind Ezra, slowly guiding his movements as he led the teen through a complicated move. Both seemed content, happy.

The pilot felt pride swell in her heart, watching her Jedi, her men, her family. Watching and savoring the bond they shared that she knew could never be broken.