Writing Shorts

(Star Wars: Rebels) To Smile (2)

[Set during Season 4, after the episode "In the Name of the Rebellion" but before "The Occupation"]

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Part 2: Yavin 4

When Sabine watched him from the ramp of the Ghost again, a few years had passed since the first time.

Time and war had changed the Ghost crew. But over the years she had seen the most change in Ezra.

Now he was a fire-forged Jedi, shaped by his training with Kanan (who had also grown from the experience). Now he had matured, molded by his experiences, scars, and mistakes. Now he was an integral part of the Ghost crew, and the family they had become over the years.

Now he was Sabine's best friend. Her partner.

He'd learned early on to stop trying to pursue her, and start valuing her as a teammate and a friend. Now she trusted him more than anyone in the galaxy, and he trusted her in equal measure.

And now he had moved out of the Ghost.

The Ghost was docked outside an ancient Massassi temple in Yavin 4 that was being repurposed as a major Rebel base. Across the hangar sat Ezra's new ship, formerly called the Nightbrother, a modified Mandalorian Kom'rk-class fighter that once belonged to Maul. (The others just called it the "Gauntlet," which was the literal translation of "kom'rk" in Basic.) Sabine watched as Ezra stepped inside the ship to begin some repairs.

She had learned of the events that transpired while she was away with her family on Krownest in search of both her father and the potential leader of her people—after encountering Master Kenobi on Tatooine, Ezra had used Maul's Kom'rk to return to Chopper Base, assuring the crew that the former Sith was gone for good. With Kanan and Hera's approval, Ezra had begun fixing and modifying the ship, preparing to make it his own. As a result, he began to spend less and less time on the Ghost.

She missed hearing him walk by her cabin with a snarky comment to Zeb or Chopper, or pause to glance at whatever she was painting. (She knew he did that more times than he would admit.) She missed the moments Kanan would lead Ezra in or out of the Ghost for Jedi training. She missed his soft footsteps when he walked down the halls alone.

It also didn't help that the Specters were assigned to different duties on base, further separating them outside of missions. Now, they only saw each other during their meal breaks, in passing, or in their free time, and Ezra was usually busy during the latter—either meditating with or without Kanan, or further repairing the Gauntlet.

It felt seldom different to the separation from the crew when she had stayed on Krownest with her family. She still missed him.

Sabine knew now that intrigue was no longer the reason why she stared off in Ezra's direction from the boarding ramp of the Ghost... or continued to spend time with him in the years that had followed that particular Empire Day. Nor was it anything shaped by her warrior culture, her days in the Imperial Academy, bounty-hunting with Ketsu, or any of the horrible things she had done in between before she joined the Specters.

It had something to do with Ezra. But what?

Was it because he was nearly her age and used to live across the hall from her? Maybe.

Was it due to the fact that he had her back when she needed it? Also maybe.

Was it because of his smile—sometimes a ridiculous dorky grin—which made her smile as well?

...Yes?

Maybe that explained why, after freeing Mandalore and passing on the darksaber, she wanted to return to the Rebellion and to the Ghost crew. And why she missed Ezra the most.

...or maybe it didn't.

It wasn't just his smile, or the fact that it made her smile back. Around him, her smiles felt sweeter, more genuine... the kind she once thought impossible since her academy days. And those were often accompanied by an unfamiliar warmth that bubbled from her chest.

It occurred to her that, since Mandalore, it became somewhat easier for her to smile and laugh, and such occurrences had been more common with Ezra around. She often found herself cherishing those moments she shared with the young Jedi in the few times they interacted around the base, from the playful banter laced into conversations to the occasional bump of their shoulders (both accidental and not) as they passed each other by.

She wasn't sure what exactly was causing those warm feelings (besides his smiles), or why she was experiencing them now...

...unless she had always felt them, but only now took notice. Sabine knew her younger sixteen-year-old self would've shot down that idea faster than she could shoot a Stormtrooper, but her time with the Ghost crew taught her that anything was possible... even that which seemed impossible at the time, like restoring and reconciling with her estranged family.

A small part of her also relished that warmth... maybe it came from the way Ezra had matured into a selfless and caring friend over the years, encouraging her to slowly open up to him. Maybe it was born from the knowledge that she was not alone in her struggles, that she was not the only one who wrestled with inner demons at a young age. Or maybe...

A small breeze blew lightly through her dark violet-tipped hair, breaking her out of her thoughts. Instinctively, she brushed a loose bang aside, unsure of where her thoughts would've led had she continued to dwell on them.

Ezra chose that moment to step out of the Gauntlet. Taking notice of the Mandalorian sitting in front of the Ghost across the runway, he smiled and waved at her. Chuckling to herself, Sabine smiled and waved back.

Coming to a decision, Sabine stood up and walked across to the Gauntlet, and to Ezra. With the fight against the Empire dragging on and still no end in sight, she once again longed to smile and feel that inner warmth... and see him smile as well.