What Should Have Been

Seven Years Hiding

Seven years had passed since Depa and Caleb got the order not to return to the temple. Following Cass's suggestions they had traveled to Lothal. A young couple with a new born at the time they arrived helped them hide from the empire. Depa and Caleb lived next door to this young family under assumed names, passing as mother and son. Life was pretty quiet on this planet for now. However, though they were safe for the time being things changed.
Depa continued Caleb's training in secret. However, it became clear very fast that the young child next door was also force sensitive. Caleb and the little boy became really close. Depa watch as the two started to form a bond between each other. The boy's parents did broadcast speaking out against the empire, and Depa and Caleb would often watch him while they did their broadcast.
Today was the boy's seventh birthday, and his parents had a special broadcast considering the what else the day was.
"Are you sure Maria that you and Kanan can handle Ezra tonight. It is his birthday, he's going to be on a sugar high." Mira Bridger, the boy's mother asked her. They were at Ezra's party. Depa and Caleb were going to be taking the boy afterwards. The only reason she was using their cover names was because of the crowd of people. Usually in private her and her husband would call them by their real names.
"He'll be fine Mira. I've dealt with was worse younglings then him." Depa replied. "Besides, Kanan and I have been showing him a few tricks he can do with that gift of his."
"Thank you both for teaching him how to control them. I know these past few years have probably been very unusual for you." Ephrem Bridger said wrapping his arms around his wife's waist.
"No, the thanks goes to you and your wife for helping the two of us. It has been different these past seven years. If it was just the two of us we taken off after a year; just so that we did not put your family at risk. However with your son being one of our kind it was important for us to return the favor, and protect him." Depa replied gesturing to the boy who was now blindfolded with a pice of paper in his hand. Caleb spin him around then directed him to a poster on the wall.
"No cheating Ez." Caleb called out as Ezra got closer to the poster.
"I'm not Kanan; I promise." Ezra said pinning the tail of the lothcat on it's butt perfectly as if he could see it.
"Then how do you alway get it perftet?" another kid asked.
"Luck?" Ezra replied with a shrug taking off the blindfold one handed.
"Yeah, well maybe cuz it your birthday Ez. One day your luck will run out." one little boy teased.
"I still think you can see through that blindfold." another said.
"Is that your secret Ez? You have X-ray vision?" a little girl asked.
"Why don't we just open presents?" Caleb asked the kids.
"What's the point? If Ezra does have X-ray vision he already knows what's in them." the little boy that asked if about Ezra seeing through things said.
"I can't see through anything I promise. I have no idea what anyone got me." Ezra defended himself as he walked over to his parents.
"He's right, nobody has x-ray vision." Caleb said watching the kids.
"The people in those stories we hear about did. What were they called again?" a little girl asked as she approached the gifts.
"Jedi?" another little girl replied.
Caleb glanced at Depa worried. Somehow he kept his mouth shut, though he desperately wanted to correct these younglings.
"Yeah, but Jedi aren't real. At least not anymore they're all dead at least according to our teacher." A little boy said.
"Ezra's homeschooled remember. He doesn't go to school with the rest of us." the little girl from earlier said.
"Mommy, Daddy, can we open my gifts?" Ezra asked tugging on his mom's skirt.
"Sure Ez, it's your party after all." Mira replied. The three adults then followed the seven year old to the pile of gifts.

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Depa watched as Caleb showed Ezra how to levitate an object in her small house. Ezra was spending the night since his parents broadcast was so late. It was already getting close to his bedtime.
"Look Aunt Maria I did it." Ezra said as his toy blaster floated in the air.
"That's good Ezra. Maybe one of these days we'll get you a real weapon that's a little more civilized than a blaster." Depa said.
"It's just a toy master. Besides it's not like Ezra can go around with a practice saber." Caleb said.
"Aunt Maria, Kanan, were those kids right about Jedi having the ability to see through things? Do I actually have that ability?" Ezra asked as the toy fell.
"Not exactly, we can use the force to see things we normally couldn't with our eyes; to see how things sound or will go." Depa explained to him. She taught the kid what she could, and answered any questions he had; but Ezra learned better from her nineteen year old padawan. She knew Caleb would probably be Ezra's master. It was obvious from how they interacted with each other.
"Is that true Kanan?" Ezra asked the young man.
"It is. It's how my master and I always know what you're up to." Caleb replied ruffling the boy's hair as he picked him up."Now how about we get you to bed a little early today since I know you're tried after your party."
As if on que the little boy yawned in Caleb's arms.
"I think that would be ideal." Depa said seeing how the youngling rested his head on her padawan's shoulder.
"But I wanta stay up late Aunt Depa." Ezra yawned fighting off sleep. The boy used her real name instead of her cover name was something Ezra did when tried.
"I think the force and your body disagree." Depa laughed at the kids attempt to protest. "Caleb let's get him upstairs."
The two Jedi carried the youngling upstairs to the spare room.
"Caleb, someone's coming." Ezra said as Caleb carried him to the room. Depa froze reaching out into the force.
"You know what Ezra. I think maybe you should stay up. It is your birthday after all." Depa said sensing a disturbance in the force.
"Master?" Caleb asked concerning her sudden change of mind. It was out of character for her.
"Caleb why don't you take Ezra to go see that ship you bought." She suggested. She gestured for him to set the boy down.
"Sure, Ezra go get Jack and whatever else you want to take." Caleb said setting him down.
"Ok, should I grab my clothes too?" Ezra asked before running off.
"Go ahead." Depa nodded and the kid ran up the rest of the way.
"What's wrong?" Caleb asked as soon as Ezra was out of earshot.
"The Empire. There's stormtroopers next door. I think they finally traced the Bridger's transmissions." Depa answered. "Ezra sensed it before I did."
Caleb nodded and reached out into the force.
"We're going to save them right?" he asked getting a count and preparing for battle.
"I am. You're staying with Ezra. Get him somewhere safe and keep him hidden until it's clear." Depa corrected him.
"But master..."
"Caleb listen to me. Remember when I told you to run; that I'd be right behind you?" She asked stopping him.
"Oh course, but I'm not leaving you again. I want to help. We owe the Bridgers that much." He replied pushing her hand off his shoulder.
"Caleb, my life isn't as important as yours and Ezra's. The best way for you to repay them is to protect their son, and train him."
"What about you. You're a master that sat on the high Jedi council; you'd be better at teaching both of us."
"I've taught you everything I can Caleb. As I've told you before nothing can last forever, especially not your apprenticeship. You're ready, and Ezra needs you. Besides he learns better from you than he ever did from me." Depa explained as she turned around. "Now go help him get his things, and get out of here. That's an order."
"You're not coming back are you Master?"
"If I'm not, wait a day before coming back. Get the rest of Ezra and your things; then leave here and don't come back." She sighed  heading down stairs. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She didn't turn around as she said the last words he'd ever hear her say. "Padawan, may the Force be with the both of you."
"And with you master always." Caleb replied before heading up the stairs. She ran next door igniting her lightsaber on the way. The door closing behind her.

Caleb gather what clothes Ezra kept at their place. Ezra had a backpack on, with his toy blaster hanging from his belt, the energy slingshot he had just gotten on his wrist, and his toy lothcat Jack in his arms.
"Jack and me are all ready to go." Ezra said a little more awake then earlier.
"Good, then lets go." Caleb said putting his lightsaber, and holocron in his bag full of clothes. He layes it down on his bed, and knelt down so Ezra could get on his back. "Come on, it's a long way."
Ezra climbed on Caleb's back. Caleb got up and picked up his bag. Hopefully a couple days worth of clothes he could gather for both of them would be enough until it was safe to come back.
Caleb went down the stairs and out the back door. Ezra struggled on his back when he saw the commotion going on at his house.
"Mommy, Daddy?" Ezra screamed trying to get off Caleb's back.
"Ezra, I need you to be quiet, and whatever you do don't look back." Caleb said just barely managing to keep the boy on his back.
"But my mom and dad?" Ezra whined struggling more.
"Ezra, you trust me right?" He waited for the boy to nod before containing. "It's too late for them. We have to get out of here."
He felt Ezra nod, and then something wet hit the back of the neck. The boy's crying broke Caleb's heart.
They ran for a while before they reached an abandoned comm tower. Besides Ezra's crying nether one made a sound until they got inside. Caleb used the force to get them both up there.
"We're going to hang out here for a little while." he said pulling Ezra down from his back.
"Caleb, I'm cold." Ezra said tired.
"I know buddy, but we're safe. Now get some sleep."
"We're not going to see them again are we?"
"Your parents? Probably not."
"Or your master?"
It honestly shocked Caleb. Did Ezra know something he didn't?
"Honestly Ezra, I don't know. I really don't know." he answered taking a sleeping bag and pillow out of his bag.
"I get the feeling we won't." Ezra said before slipping off to sleep.
Caleb covered him with a blanket.

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It was a couple days before Caleb and Ezra were able to get back to their house. Caleb packed any suitcases he could find with anything they might need from both houses. It was mostly clothes for the most part; Jedi didn't own much. Still he grabbed a few blasters from Ezra's house.
"So, where are we going now Kanan?" Ezra asked from the doorway of Caleb's room.
"To my ship the Escape." Caleb replied handing him a suitcase. "We're going off planet."
They went out the front door this time. When Caleb had taken the path between the two houses in the back earlier he discovered something someone Ezra's age should never see.
Ezra had been right about them not seeing Depa again. His master's blood covered the back pathway. The blood pattern indicated that she was covering someone's escape. He figured it was probably his and Ezra's. As far as Ezra's parents though there was no trace. He had no idea if they were alive are dead.
"So there really is a ship?"  Ezra asked checking to see if he was lying or not.
"Of course there's a ship. There was two, but we sold the Hopeful to buy the house next to your parents." Caleb replied with a laugh.
"So, am I still Ezra, or do I have to change my name too?"
Caleb took the boy's hand. "I don't think anyone's really looking for an Ezra Bridger, much less any seven year old."
"Then why are we running?" Ezra asked.
"Because, they might not be looking for Kanan Jarrus or Ezra Bridger, but they are looking for people with the force like us. That's why we have to go, because they know about our talents here now."  Caleb explained. "They are looking for Caleb Dume though, so I can't be Caleb anymore. Understand?"
"I think. I can't call you Caleb anymore when we get to our new home. Kanan, where is our new home?" the boy asked. He looked at the young man who was like a second father to him with sad eyes.
"We'll figure that out once we find it." Kanan replied walking out or the house to the space port.
It was a while before Ezra spoke again.
"So are we using the same cover you and Aunt Depa used on our new planet?"
Kanan stopped for a second. He was really too young to pass as Ezra's dad, but as his master he was going to be his only parent figure.
"Sure buddy. Why not?" Kanan replied. "Now come on my little Blueberry I got to keep you safe."
"Ugh, Kanan please don't call me that." Ezra groaned as they continued on.
"You know on second thought that's your new name. How does Blueberry Jarrus sound?" Kanan joked as they boarded the ship.
"No! I like being Ezra Bridger."the little boy said letting go of Kanan's hand.
"Fine you can still be Ezra." Kanan said as he picked up the boy. He carried him into the ships cockpit and placed him down in the copilot's chair. "Now my little copilot, ready for your first trip into space."
"You bet." Ezra replied spinning the chair around.

* This is going to be Wattpad's version of Continuing the Story on Fanfiction.net. Since I adopted that story line after the first chapter and don't have permission to post the original story on here and I picked up from there. This story is similar in plot but is a different AU. Next chapter will be the first "New Dawn" chapter.