Quinn Bridger didn't like the idea of this operation one bit. She said as much to the crew. "Lothal and I...have a history. I swore I'd never come back. For various reasons. You know most of them."
From the two seats in that cozy cockpit Hera and Kanan met her sapphire eyes. It was Hera who spoke. "Q, love. We need to do this."
"I know." Quinn said, her stomach bubbling with unease. "But..."
"Enough, Q." Kanan took one of Quinn's hands and rubbed gentle fingers over them. "You can stay here and help Hera keep the ship ready to go. We'll be okay."
Quinn glanced at Hera, into her lovely sea-green orbs, looking for confirmation. "He's right, love. It's fine. If you're not ready... you're not ready."
Quinn's unease subsided a little. "Just being on the planet is going to suck but...at least I have the two of you to get me off of it again."
They came into a group hug before Chopper beeped that it was time to go and that he was obviously capable enough to watch over Quinn himself.
x
As the time passed, Quinn grew more and more restless. She paced the cockpit behind Hera, fingers balling and unballing into fists as she tried to remember the breathing exercises Kanan had begun teaching her. "Quinn, its not that I don't deeply enjoy your company, but you're not going to make the op go any faster like this and I can almost guarantee that Kanan can feel your distress from here."
Quinn swiveled, a guilty look crossing her face as she met Hera's eyes. "I...Hera, I'm sorry."
"Don't be silly." Hera squeezed her fingers. "Why don't you go re-dye your hair like you've been talking about for a week?"
"Alright, Hera. You'll-"
"I'll still be here when you get back." The pilot leaned in and gave Quinn a peck on the lips. "Go on." Quinn savored the bare hint of the taste of her for a noment before going to their shared quarters and standing before the mirror. She washed her hair in the hand sink before pulling out the assortment of tubes she liked to pick from. Since the incident she hadn't done this, but she was starting to feel more like her old self now. She picked through the tubes, recalling how her knack for disguising herself had gotten the Spectres out of more than a few scrapes now.
What color would it be this time? Hera liked it when she did light blues. Kanan too. They'd been worrying so much about her since the incident on one of their previous ops so maybe the blue would reassure them that Quinn was still in this fragile shell somewhere. She watched the dye doing its work and then grabbed the scissors, planning a cut for after too. It wasn't until she got done drying her hair and cutting her locks into a pixie bob that she felt the ship shaking with the tell tale signs of take off. "Kanan!" She blurted, running to the cockpit, only to bump into Zeb in the hallway.
"Sorry girl, it's just me and Sabine. Hera's circling around to get Kanan. He's chasing our quarry." He gave her a pat on the head. "Blue. Nice."
Quinn frowned. "Why is Kanan chasing inanimate crates? That wasn't the job. What happened down there, Zeb?"
"Another thief stepped in. Some little street-rat. Kanan is trying to get the cargo back." Quinn ran to the back to wait for pick up, her nerves mounting again. She had to stay calm until Kanan got back or there could be another incident and this one would be her fault. Quinn didn't have to wait long before the hangar bay opened and Kanan jumped in. He was shouting down at someone when Quinn wrapped herself around him from behind, trying to pull him in.
"Kanan, we have to go! I need you alive!"He reached out, grabbing someone by the hand and pulling the person holding an entire crate of blasters into view. It was just a boy, a skinny teenager who seemed like he had missed a few meals. Then he lifted his head and Quinn's words died on her lips. "Ezra?" She felt her world constricting and barely registered Kanan's hands trying to pull her back. He had to be curious. Had to be wondering how she knew this kid. "Ezra what are you doing? Mom and dad must be worried sick!"
Kanan let out a deep breath he'd apparently been holding in. "Mom and dad are dead." Ezra said coldly. "And I don't have any family left."
"Ezra I didn't-" Kanan was pulling her away back to their room. He shouted for Hera to meet them when she could.
"So you have a brother." He tried to start a conversation. Quinn was too busy quivering until a second pair of arms wrapped around her.
"Kanan..." They shared a look over the top of Quinn's head.
"Q, I'll be back. I have to finalize the deal with Vizago. Then we'll stop by Tarkintown and donate the food we stole." He paused for effect. "And then you and me and Hera are going to have a long talk. It's not healthy to leave things with Ezra like this. Even if you never speak to him again-"
"I get it." She said, stomach bubbling harder than ever.
"Nice blue." He said, ruffling her hair and walking out.
"Come on." Said Hera, taking her hand. "Let's get you a snack in the galley, love."
x
Ezra was beyond annoyed. Not only did it seem like these other thieves were going to keep the blasters he had worked hard to steal, but the older sister who had abandoned him seemed to be with them. The door slid open to reveal the angry purple lasat, who crossed his arms at Ezra. "You know, that sister of yours is a good woman. She's been through things too."
"Why do you care if I'm angry she left me with our dead parents?" Ezra bristled. "It's a normal response."
"Ezra, I won't pretend your struggles were any less but give her a chance." It was the man who'd chased him down right at the end. "She left to make more money for you and got into some trouble. She couldn't come back and it was for your own safety. She had no way of knowing your parents were dead. She's crying about it right now."
Ezra felt guilt at this, which he pushed down. They could've suffered together if she had only stayed home with him. Then she wouldn't have gotten in trouble, either. "She should've just stayed." He said finally, still hurt.
The two thieves left him with his thoughts and the overwhelming urge to cry and grieve his family all over again.