What Keeps Us Together

Trust the Force

Thank you for all the kind reviews. Here is chapter two!

Kanan jerked awake from a nightmare. They had been on the ship a little over three days and most of it was spent sleeping. He raised up on his elbow to check on Ezra. The child was breathing easier but Kanan was still concerned. 

"Sh... it's alright," he soothed smoothing down the boy's hair as he began to whimper.

"Want...Kanan..." Ezra said softly.

The man laid back down pulling Ezra to him

"It's ok, Buddy, it's ok," he whispered.

Ezra whimpered in his sleep again and Kanan couldn't take it anymore. Carefully he flipped the boy over so they were face to face. 

"Sh...my padawan, it's all right. See? You are safe and sound in my arms. There is no inquisitor after us and no one can take you away from me. Sh...," Kanan said stroking the hair from Ezra's face.

Ezra's eyes opened a crack staring sleepily at him.

"Home?"

"We had to leave, Buddy. It was the only way; I was not about to let anything else hurt you," Kanan whispered rubbing his thumb against the twin scars on Ezra's face. 

The small act seemed to rouse the boy from his sleep. 

"Mom?"

"At the Ghost, Ezra we had to leave," Kanan said sadly.

The teen stiffly reached out for Kanan and the man complied.

"I know, Buddy, I know. This was the only way I could think of to keep you safe. Don't worry we will see them again, I promise," Kanan holding Ezra tight.

Ezra relaxed into Kanan's warm hold. The man ran his fingers through the boy's hair, quickly falling asleep himself.

Kanan's Dream.

Kanan shivered as he woke up. Ezra didn't make a sound as Kanan laid him down.

"Come on Kid, come back to me," he thought running a hand through Ezra's hair.

Kanan got up and suddenly he felt a presence. He looked for his saber but found it gone.

"Caught you off guard Padawan Dume or should I say Master Jarrus?"

That voice he knew that voice anywhere.

"Master?" He asked shakily not fully believing his ears. 

He blinked and suddenly his long lost master was standing in front of him looking as she did that day so many years ago.

"Master, how I don't understand."

"Still full of questions," she chuckled. "You always have been and your boy is as well."

Kanan couldn't get his mouth to work.

"You chose to leave your place in the rebellion in order to protect him from the Empire. It is not wise," she said.

Kanan looked down in guilt.

"But you did it out of love. Forget what they may say. You did it to protect the one you see as your child," she finished with a smile.

Kanan looked up in shock.

"You are about to embark on a great journey and your help will be needed to train more padawans.I have a way for you to get there but you must be willing to open yourself to the force," Depa said seriously.

"Anything, I will do it to protect Ezra," Kanan said glancing at the sleeping teen.

"Turn around and relax your mind, when you wake up you will no longer be blind," Depa said as Kanan did as asked.

Present

Kanan jerked awake rousing Ezra as well.

"Huh? Kanan?"

The man didn't answer as he leapt into the pilot's seat and began typing in coordinates. The ship rattled and Ezra whimpered in fear. All of a sudden it felt like the hyper speed was speeding up. Kanan gripped the yoke tightly as everything seemed to spin out of control. Then it was quiet. Ezra slowly dragged himself up and over to Kanan.

"Are you alright?" Kanan asked turning his head slightly.

"I think so, but where are we? What happened?" Ezra asked.

Kanan put the ship back into auto and turned around to face him.

"My master, she came to me in a dream. She said that there was a way to protect you, but there are also other padawans out there."

Ezra's interest spiked.

"You mean that there are others like me? Cool," he grinned before grimacing in pain.

"Alright back to bed with you," Kanan said ushering the boy over to the blanket.

"Where are we going?" Ezra asked.

"I don't know, but I do know that you will be safe."

Ezra smiled as he drifted off. Kanan looked up and watched the lines of hyperspace.

"I hope she is right," he sighed and began to meditate. 

Two Weeks Later

Ezra finally got his strength back and was more than ready to get off the ship.

"Are we there yet?" He complained.

"No not yet," his master said while still in meditation. "Why don't you meditate?"

Ezra huffed but sat down next to Kanan. The teen didn't mind meditation but only when he was outside so he could feel the force signatures of those around him. Closing his eyes he felt something, something that felt oddly like he did when using the force.

"Kanan?"

The man looked up.

"I feel it too, I guess she was right."

Before Ezra could respond the ship rattled dropping out of hyperspace. Kanan scrambled into the seat trying to get the ship back on course. However it was no use the gravity of the planet was sucking them in.

"Kanan!" Ezra cried out in fear.

"Hang on Ezra!"

The teen wrapped his arms around the chair as Kanan continued to get the ship under control.