A/N: Listen I know it's been awhile but this is basically a filler chapter to push us to the big reveal next time. I'm going to try to pick it back up but mind you this is a project I neglected for awhile so I have to find the pieces I have scattered about the workshop.
"Ezra".
The voice was mocking, calling, like an evil villain trying to coax the hero into some elaborate trap that had been set for them.
"Ezra"
It was chilling really to hear it over and over again like a bad song stuck on repeat.
"Ezra"
It failed to cease and it was beginning to feel like it never would, as if for eternity it would ring out as a constant reminder of what she had done.
"Why did you leave me?!" The tone of voice switched, no longer calling, it was a different speaker now, Ezra himself maybe, he was yelling at someone.
"Don't you see this is all your fault…" Ezra's once soft and comforting voice was harshly scolded. It used to make her feel warm to be around them to see that bright smile. Now she just felt cold.
"They died because you abandoned them." Ezra sneered with clear anger in his tone. Sabine still couldn't see anything but darkness. Yet the voices rang out in her head just the same.
"I asked you to trust me because I trusted you!" Hera screamed her tear stained face flashing before Sabine.
"I'm not mad, just disappointed… I don't know what I'll do now, I only came here to tell you the bad news." Kanan's dejected expression lingered in front of her, her teacher, her mentor, her dad in a way.
"I felt this way once before, and now I feel it again. My whole family is gone, everyone but you and me." Zeb said slowly, sadly, struggling to keep his composure.
No, No, No, they couldn't all be dead? She'd left them all in one piece. It hadn't even been two months.
"I'm going back to Lothal, they don't deserve this and I'm going to make Thrawn pay." Ezra's voice said from behind her again.
He couldn't go… By himself? Certainly that would result in his death not himself against an entire fleet. She tried to tell him he was crazy, tried to get him to see reason. Yet her words didn't come out, the faces of her crew flashed before her each more disappointed than the last.
Until it was all of them, dying, or dead.
All because of her.
She awoke with a start her heaving breathing forcing her to place a hand against her chest in an attempt to comfort her beating heart. She glanced around the dark room. She was still on Knrowrest. She was still fighting a war to release her people; nothing had changed; it was the same problem. Ezra, Kanan, Hera and Zeb were safe.
That is what she told herself anyway.
She swung her legs out of bed glancing at the wall clock, it was five in the morning and she wasn't due for a meeting till eight. Resolving that some fresh air would stave off any more nightmares she quickly dawned her amour and boots taking a long time to get dressed. Carefully padding to the door she peaked around the hallway, satisfied that it was empty she slipped out of her room.
Adjusting to being back in knrowrest had been interesting to say the least. For the longest time she had thought a reunion of any sort with her family would be impossible but clearly she was wrong. She walked the halls unhindered, nodding to her clanmates as she did and exchanging greetings. When she finally walked out on the terrace overlooking her family's frozen lake she was surprised to find the leader of the protectors already up and staring at the lake.
"You're up early," she asked walking up next to him.
"Could say the same about you," he shot back.
Sabine left the conversation silent after that walking to stand next to him at the edge of the balcony. Fenn Rau held her respect, he certainly had lost it several times in knowing her but with all the help he'd been she definitely owed him if nothing else.
"Had a rough night." She admitted without looking at Rau, she didn't really want to talk about the specifics of her nightmare but she trusted Rau enough to let him know she didn't have a good night. For another moment or two silence held between the two of them before it was broken by Rau.
"Your rebel friends are fine." Rau didn't leave much room to be continued but he didn't have to. Sabine was shocked by his implication but she didn't have a comment nor did she want to comment.
"How do you know." She said after finally picking the right words.
"I don't" Rau said simply glancing in her direction. "They are resourceful, crafty and very smart. Not to mention they have two Jedi on their side." He laughed, a good natured chuckle. "If that isn't enough I honestly don't know what is."
Sabine hummed in agrement before setting her head on the railing.
"I hope they're ok," she hadn't said anyone specfic but her mind did wander to one particular padawan. They were close, and if her nightmare was anything to be listened to he seemed to be in the most danger.
Rau put a comforting hand on her shoulder before turning to go inside. "Lets worry about ourselves first… That new depoylment of Star destroyers is really going to put a hamper in our plans don't you think?"
"Yeah, might aswell get started on some sort of plan." Sabine agreed walking with him.
Still, wheter by conscious act or an accident her thoughts drifted to one Ezra Bridger.
—-
"This is not going well!" Ezra cried out from the cockpit as the Gaunlet spun around the battlefield. It was hard to call it that as it felt more and more like a massacre.
"You can say that again!" Faith called from next to him.
Chopper whooped something about having a bad feeling and Ezra shot a silcing glare back at him.
"Hera we can't hold on for much longer like this!" Ezra cried out over the coms praying for a response just to confirm the ghost was still alive.
He was granted as much when his space moms voice came crackling over the speakers in response.
"I know, I know, I know!" She sounded desperate and Ezra regretted asking at all.
The gauntlet ducked and weaved under more Tie fighters before eventually finding the rear end of the Ghost and taking out fighters that were attempting to tail the cargo ship.
Ezra glanced again at the unmoving Star destroyers and briefly considering making a dive for it. The idea was immediately shoved from his mind as another transport met their untimely end infront of him. Dodgin the fresh debris he refoucused on the destruction of tiefighters.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sato's command ship moving out of position charging Thrawn's destroyer head on.
"What in blazes is he doing?!" Faith yelled from next to him concern edging her voice and expression.
"Maybe he is creating an opening?" He shot back as a turn took the ships out of their view.
"If we even get out of this mess, who exactly are we going to contact?" Faith said.
Ezra welcomed the distraction as Chopper beeped and whirled a warning about the fighters on his six.
"Mon Mothma and the rest of the Rebel fleet," Ezra said simply as if the answer was obvious.
Faith didn't say anything but she didn't have to for Ezra to know she doubted that would do anything. If Ezra was being honest he agreed that of the two options Monmothma finding somebackward reason as to why it was best for the rebels to reamin hidden was the more likely scenario.
But he had to try. If not her who else would he go to?
Before he could think more on the dilemma a huge explosion rocked the gantluet as both him and Faith stared at what had been an intdictor cruiser and Sato's command ship.
They were left speechless as the carrier cut through through the Durasteel shell of the cruiser.
"Ezra that is your chance go!" Hera shouted over the coms.
Snapping the young Jedi back into action he threw the throttle and quickly piotled the craft through the newly provided opening. Plotting in a set of cords far from here so they had time to relax in hyperspace he took one glance back at the fleet as they made their way to the planets surface.
"May the force be with you he said over the comm channel as the ship lurched forward and they disappeared into the blue lines of hyperspace.
—-
"Well that is that." Ezra said defeatedly as he silenced the call with Monmothma.
"They would just leave us like that?" Faith said anger seeping into her voice.
"They don't have much choice." Ezra defended. "To send a fleet would just doom whoever was reinforced to the same fleet as everyone on Atlon now."
Silence hung a little longer before Ezra leaned forward plugging in cordnaties to the nav computer as the gauntlet adjusted its course.
"Where are we going?" Faith questioned.
"The one place left where we can find help." He paused to look at Faith. "Sabine."
Chopper made some comment but Ezra ignored it trying to watch Faith's reaction.
"Does that mean we are going back to Mandalore?" Faith squeaked.
Ezra didn't think he had ever seen her truly scared but watching her now he had to admit she looked pretty scared to him.
"It'll be ok." He quickly said putting a comforting hand on hers.
"They won't hurt you, and if they do well… They'll have to go through me." He gave her a comforting smile and Chopper made some noise akin to a driods version of disgust.
"Thank you, Ezra." Silence followed for a time before Faith broke it again.
"Is Rau there?" Her question was simple leaving little room for guessing.
"I don't see why he won't be…" Ezra said truthfully.
They once again left themselves to settle into a comfortable silence. Ezra wanted to ask if Rau's presence would be a problem but decided against it.
The remainder of the flight was flown in silence until they finally arrived at Krowrest Ezra reached a handover and lightly shook Faith awake.
"We're here."
Faith gulped and nodded showing she was ready.
"Sabine, hope you're ready for us."
A/N: THIS is a very short chapter, just a quick dip in the water after being gone for nearly a year ( again ) I wasn't quite ready to write Sabine's and Ezra's reunion so I put it off to the next chapter when I get a better chance to grab hold of this work, wrangle it to the ground, and hopefully finish it.
Wether you got a follow alert and came back or stumbled upon this fic I welcome you to hopefully the beginning of a new start for this fic.
Stay safe and see you all soon!