Hiding

At Sunset?

*The Ghost Crew*

"What happened?" Hera asked Kanan as he entered the cockpit, finishing preparing the Ghost to take off. The large ship shook from the blasts from incoming TIEs. Kanan and the rest of the crew, including Chopper, had just boarded the ship, Kanan giving her a heads up when they first realized that the Empire found them. "And did you get Ezra? Is he alright?" The ship jerked as Hera took off, maneuvering to keep out of the TIE's range. Kanan didn't say anything as he went down the ladder to the nose gun. "Kanan?" Hera says as she enters the atmosphere. Two TIEs that were following them burst into a cloud of fire and smoke. She puts the Ghost into hyperspace and on autopilot when she quietly slides down to the nose gun, Kanan still sitting there. 

"Kanan, love, what's wrong?" She urges, voice sad as she puts a hand on his shoulder. 

"It was so cold, Hera. Too cold." He speaks quietly, keeping his eyes on the hyperspace tunnel. Hera made sure to choose her words correctly as she spoke quietly.

"Kanan, what do you mean?"

"When we first met him, Ezra, he felt cold, like somebody turning to the dark side. When I figured out that he once was a Sith, I figured out why he was so cold. But-" he sighs, trying to find the right words, shaking his head. "It was too cold. So much colder than when I first met him, Hera. Something happened before we came."

"Kanan? Hera?" Sabine says quietly, poking her head from the door to the nose gun. She looks at the two sadly, swallowing. "You need to come and see this..."  Kanan and Hera look at each other, confused, but the two follow Sabine into the commos where the Holonet is playing.

"-And right inside the cargo bay was a giant massacre of four dozen troopers. Footage from the bay shows a rebel killing all these innocent men. If you see Ezra Bridger, immediately tell the Empire. If you hide the rebel Bridger or lie about seeing him, you will be accused of trea-" the Holonet is shut off by sabine, leaving the room in darkness. 

"How do we-" Hera begins to say but is immediately stopped by Sabine. 

"I hacked into the security footage. It was all him. He almost killed the Inquisitor too, but only seemed to injure him. Hera, there were so many. They dropped so fast."

"That's why it was so cold. He killed all of those people." Kanan says, horrified. "He was a weapon of the Empire."

~+~+~+~+~

Ezra didn't know what to do. He knew the Ghost Crew knew.

He knew the Empire still wanted him as a weapon, and if he went back, who knows how much they would torture him before they started brainwashing him again. 

He was no longer safe on Lothal. 

"Ezra?" Ezra's head shot up at the voice, pulling him from his trance. How long he had been in his meditation room, he didn't know. And who's voice it was? He couldn't tell just yet. "Ezra?" 

It was Kanan's.

"Ezra, listen to me. I know you are. We need to talk about what you did. We can help you, Ezra. I can help you. Please, Ez-" As he shuts off the communicator, tears start running down his face. He hadn't even moved from the spot, shutting it off with the force by crushing it. 

He had been blamed for the massacre. 

But the issue is, he doesn't even remember doing all that much of it. 

~+~+~+~+~

"It went to static. He destroyed the communicator." Sabine says sadly. 

"Can you try to track it? Where the signal was going to?" Hera asked, pacing. 

"I mean, I can try." As Sabine goes to work, Kanan sighs. 

"I'm going to meditate, see if I can see him." Hera nods as Kanan walks out, going to his room. 

As he sits down, he starts to meditate, focusing on the energy he felt when he was around Ezra. As the feeling gets stronger, it suddenly decreases. "Ezra?" The feeling flashes, sending out a wave of recognition. 

"Kanan?" 

"Ezra-" Kanan starts, feeling Ezra's presence behind him. 

"Don't look for me. Please." Kanan can hear his voice more clearly now, and he tries not to turn around and hug him, even though he can't. It was small and hoarse. He had been crying. 

"Ezra, please. Talk to me." Kanan begged. "I want to know what happened. What you did, that wasn't you. Please, Ezra."

"I-I can't. And it was me. The blood on my hands is mine. I was always told I was going to be a monster. I always have been." Kanan feels the connection fade, so he turns around and stands up, eyes still closed, and hugs Ezra. 

Ezra freezes when he feels arms around him, a small touch at first, but the longer he stands there, the longer they feel as if they solidify. His voice, hoarse and clenched, let out a small, 

"I haven't been hugged since my father was killed. A-and my mother." He lets out a small sniff. "Thank you." 

"Ezra, whatever happens, we will protect you. I will protect you. I know what it's like, on the streets alone, while being Force-sensitive. Bounty on your head." Ezra laughs. 

"A lot of people don't." Kanan laughs, echoing Ezra. 

"No, they don't." They stand there, Ezra letting the feeling of being protected again, a feeling he hasn't felt since his father died, and Kanan stood there, knowing that this was all the comfort he could give Ezra until he was ready to open up. He lets go of Ezra, sitting back down. He feels a small gust of air as Ezra sits across from him, facing him. Kanan opens his eyes, looking at him. It was almost just like looking at the real thing. He could see the puffiness of his eyes and lips. He was right. He had been crying.

"Are you willing to talk about it?" Ezra shakes his head, looking back down at the loth-cat. "Are you willing to come to the Ghost?" Ezra hesitates, but nods. "You'll share a room with me, alright?" Ezra nods. There's a knock at Kanan's door and he sighs. "It's Hera."

"Go. I'll try to be there by sunset." Kanan nods. As the door opens, the vision of Ezra disappears and Kanan blinks, letting his eyes adjust to the bright light coming in through the door. 

"Sorry, I thought-" Kanan looks towards her, shaking his head. 

"No, you're fine." Hera walks in, sitting down in front of him.

"Did you...?" Kanan nods. 

"He should be here by sunset. He'll be staying in my room in case something happens." Hera nods, but then makes a face of confusion. 

"Why not Zeb's?" Kanan laughs, standing up. 

"I don't think he'd appreciate Zeb's snoring. And," Kanan sighs, helping Hera up, "when I finally had a place to call my own, I had nightmares. Bad ones, from my time on the street. What Ezra must have gone through when being a kid at the Imperial Academy, being trained as a Sith?" Kanan shakes his head. "I can't imagine what he went through." Hera nods in understanding. 

"Alright. I'll be calculating our route if you need me. I'll tell Sabine and Zeb." Kanan nods. The room is flooded with light before it disappears again, leaving him in as much darkness as before. 

~+~+~+~+~+~

Hello hello. I'm so sorry for the late update. I got busy and Distracted and this was supposed to be up weeks ago but I wrote this chapter just today. But I hoped you enjoyed!!!! always leave a comment or PM me if you have any ideas for the book (because help around a plot always makes stuff like this go faster). Have a good rest of the week!