Family by Heart - REWRITE(a Star Wars Rebels story)

Rhythm of the Fight

"Zeb!" Athena cheered as she entered the common room, Ezra next to her. "How've you been?"

"Ah, just beating this old bucket of rust at Dejarik," Zeb joked, gesturing to Chopper who sat on the other side of the Dejarik table. Zeb's hands were still wrapped in white bandages.

Athena sighed. She could see how careful the lasat had to be now just to press the buttons on the table, being sure not to irritate his burns. The burns caused by her irresponsibility. The girl knew how to heal, but did she know how to heal others? And should the others even know about this power? She needed to find a way to heal him without making it obvious. Undo the damage she had dealt.

Ezra sat on the couch just beside where Chopper stood, curiously watching the game as it progressed.

Athena decided this was the most inconspicuous way of healing Zeb.

She put a hand on the lasat's shoulder as if watching the game from his side of the table. Her eyes locked onto the table as if she were watching the game with curiosity as well.

Her eyes blurred as she focused not on the physical world her eyes saw, but what her senses felt in the Force. The gold dots of life swirling around in the lasat. His hands looked like a bunch of static as the dots scrambled around the blisters, not exactly sure how to heal themselves just yet. She let out a soft breath as she guided the Force to flow in a more fluent way through the blisters and burns on his hands. The specks of life rejuvenating the dead skin on his fingers and palms.

It was difficult to focus at the time with all the beeps from Chopper and side commentary from Ezra, but Athena managed to realign the flow of life in Zeb's hands within a matter of seconds.

Though, to her, it felt like forever.

Zeb paused for a moment from the game and furrowed his eyebrows. The lasat picked up his hands and looked at them - feeling a tingly sensation in his fingers now.

Athena took away her hand as Zeb still looked at his hands.

"Zeb, what's wrong, man?" Ezra questioned. "It's your move."

"Yeah, yeah," Zeb shook his head, pushing aside the strange feeling in his hands for a moment. He turned back to the board and began to ponder his next move.

"Do your hands hurt?" Athena questioned.

Zeb sighed and picked up his wrapped up hand, "Actually, I was gonna say something about that. They actually do feel a little weird."

"Are they any better? I know you got burned pretty bad this morning because of me."

"Yeah, they should be okay. I-" Zeb paused as she took off the bandage on his left hand. He blinked a couple of times as the burns on his fingers seemed to have disappeared. He continued to unwrap his hand and saw a significant decrease in burns across his hands.

Chopper let out a confused beep as Athena and Ezra's eyes widened at the sight.

"Hey, they got all better!" Zeb chuckled, now unwrapping the other hand. "Would you look at that?"

"Hey, that's great," Ezra smiled. "Now, make your move and destroy Chopper already."

Zeb chuckled and rubbed his hands together as he eyed the Dejarik board. "Alright, you rustbucket. Prepare to lose."

"Womp womp!" Chopper threw his little arms up in protest.

Athena let out of relief, knowing she could undo the hurt she dealt. Zeb didn't have to suffer because of her dumb mistake and lack of control.

Now to find Ahsoka and heal her too.

***About an hour later***