Kanan Lives! (Star Wars Rebels Kanera AU)

Epilogue

I said I wouldn't write one, yet two and a half years later here we are. Enjoy

-TK

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Hera watched the green haired child run among the tall grasses, his shadow lengthening in the light of the setting sun. Loth-cats happily pranced alongside him. Hera smiled. She knew they were just vying for the treats in his hand. Laughing, the child stopped, and opened his palm. As he closed his eyes in concentration, the treats began to levitate. They hovered over his open hand for a moment, then each treat drifted over the head of a different loth-cat. The cats each stared at the morsel hovering above them. The fact that it was held aloft in the air did not seem to surprise them in the slightest. 

With a twitch of the child's fingers, the treats fell, and the loth-cats snatched them up. The child giggled, and clapped his hands in delight. 

Hera shook her head, impressed. Although he was only five, her son Jacen was already showing great promise in the Force. Part of her wondered...

A warm hand placed itself on her shoulder. She placed her own hand on top of it, feeling his callused hand beneath her fingers. She looked up, and her gaze met his beautiful sea-green eyes. Kanan. 

He pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. No matter how long they had been together, she would never get tired of feeling his embrace. 

They pulled apart, and Kanan rested his arm around her shoulders as they watched their son play in the distance. 

"Ahsoka will be here soon," Kanan said. "She'll want to check on his progress before leaving with Sabine." 

"She's going to be very impressed," Hera assured him. "Did you teach him to feed the loth-cats using the force?" 

Kanan chuckled. "No, we've only been using rocks. But I did tell him if he practiced more I'd let him hold my lightsaber."

"I thought he'd done that already?" Hera teased. They both laughed, remembering the panic they'd felt when Jacen had toddled into the cockpit waving around Kanan's lightsaber. All of the storage units had gotten locks after that little incident. 

Suddenly, Kanan's face grew distance. "Hera..." he started. 

"No." 

"No what? I haven't even-"

"You've got that look on your face, love. Whatever noble thing you're about to suggest, the answer is no." 

"Leia contacted me again. I know we talked about it, but sometimes just wonder if it wouldn't be better..."

Hera sighed, and turned to face him. His brows were drawn together, his expression guarded. 

"Kanan Jarrus, for the entire time I've known you you have been riddled with guilt and self doubt. I though we were past this! What's going on with you?"

"It's not that I doubt myself, it's just... they're saying this Luke Skywalker guy defeated Darth Vader. And if our son can learn from a guy like that, y'know, it's a good opportunity."

Hera smiled, and took Kanan's hand in both of her own.  "Kanan, I don't know this Skywalker, or what he's done, or if he'll even have enough students to open that academy of his. All I do know is that the only person I want teaching our child is you. You're so strong, stronger than any person I know. And Jacen loves and respects you, have you seen how eager he is to learn? You're his master, and he's your apprentice, whether you like it or not."

Kanan laughed, and enveloped her in a hug once more. "You're right, of course."

"I'm always right, love."

As they pulled apart, the dull whine of a low flying ship passed over head. They looked up to see a red and white starship begin a decent towards Capital City. 

"That'll be Ahoska," Kanan said. "I wish I could be going with them." 

Hera rubbed his back comfortingly as the watched the ship fly past. "They'll find him, dear, don't worry." 

"I know they will." 

The couple looked over to where Jacen was chasing the Loth-cats. 

"Time to go, Jacen!" Hera called. "We have to say goodbye to Auntie Sabine!"

With a giggle, the boy waved goodbye to his animal friends, before running on unsteady legs towards his mother and father. 

"Upsies, Daddy!" he yelled to Kanan. "I want to fly!" Laughing, his father reached out in the force, levitating Jacen a few feet off the air. The child cheered, and he began flying towards the ship in the distance. The parents watched their child with amusment, then began walking back themselves. 

"Hera?" Kanan asked, taking her hand. 

"Mm?" 

"I love you."

 "I love you too, dear." 

Hera put her head on Kanan's shoulder as they walked hand in hand towards the Ghost, the setting sun merging their shadows into one.