Visions

Twelve: Goodbyes

Ezra stood by Kanan, ready to leave. Oddly, he didn't feel any anxiety over this mission, but he might not be focusing on the task at hand. All he could think about was Sabine.

After it had been settled that he'd be the one to go to Yost, she'd disappeared back into her room, and hadn't come out since.

Ezra's chest constructed with something unimaginable at the thought of her resisting the idea of him going. He couldn't explain why, but it made him feel a million credits.

Kanan turned to Ezra, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You watch yourself out there. You got that?"

Ezra gave a self assured grin. "Hey, nothing could get past me!"

Kanan chuckled and shook his head. "Sometimes you worry me, kid."

Ezra faked offence. "I'm seventeen! You can't call me 'kid' anymore!"

Zeb came up behind him and punched him in the shoulder. "We can call you whatever we want to!"

Ezra turned towards him. "That was never agreed on when I first joined you guys!"

Kanan chuckled slightly. "Then I'm glad we cleared that up. You got everything?"

Ezra immediately became serious. "Yep. You have that long-distance transmitter you were gonna lend me?"

"Right here." He handed him the comm.

Ezra smiled at his master, but quickly turned around when he sensed Sabine.
Her and Hera were walking towards The Phantom, Arene following a few steps behind.

Sabine didn't look up, keeping her eyes on her feet, but Ezra could feel her sadness. He met them halfway to the small ship.

"You okay?"

Sabine finally looked up, but she didn't smile. "I'm fine," she whispered. She looked terrible. Dark bags hung under her eyes, and her skin seemed pale. He touched her arm. "I'll be fine out there, you know."

She nodded, almost reluctantly, and have a bit of a forced smile. "Yeah, you'll just probably come back dead."

He scoffed exaggeratedly. "Let's make a deal."

Sabine's eyebrows lifted, but she didn't interrupt. "If I come home fine, you...you'll go out with me."

Her eyebrows soared to her hairline, and it was her turn to scoff. "I wouldn't go out with you if you gave me a million credits, Bridger."

"Yeah, well, we both know you love me."

She smiled again, but it looked fake and forced. Then she did the thing he least expected. She hugged him.

After a second of shock, Ezra returned the embrace. Under her tough shell of cocky Mandalorian-ness, Ezra realized, there was girl who desperately needed someone to love her.

After a minute, she pulled away, but not before giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "Come back soon," she said in a hushed voice, but all Ezra could do was nod. She kissed him?

She gave him a small smile, and he grinned back. Sabine just kissed him!
He turned to Hera, who also gave him a tight hug. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

He smiled at her and nodded. "I'll be fine."

Next was Arene. Ezra could feel how anxious she was. "It'll be fine. You're with my friends, they'll take care of you." In the last few days, the Twi'lek had come to depend on him greatly, and he could sense her fright at being left alone without him. He gave her a quick hug.

Finally, he turned back to Kanan and Zeb. "May the Force be with you, Ezra," Kanan said.

"May the Force be with you."

Ezra smiled his self assured grin back at them all, and headed up the ramp.
At the last minute, Sabine called out, "We'll be watching for you!"

But Ezra knew she was really only speaking for herself.

How we choose to fight is just as important as what we fight for.
~Ezra Bridger