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Rebels Short Story: Realization

hi, what's up? I know no one really reads this but maybe one day, this will help someone's dream to write...who knows? the world is an unpredictable place.

Hera was still being held by Ezra. But instead of restraint, it was more like an embrace.

"No. No. No no no!"

Hera kept whispering these words, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Sabine couldnt do anything. She just kept staring out into the night's sky wishing she could have done something. Anything, but what is done is done. Ezra kept holding Hera, rocking to and fro trying to calm her and ease her pain. But deep down inside, he was dealing with his own pain. Kanan, the exiled Jedi, had brought him under his wing even when he himself had not passed the test for knight. Kanan had changed his life when they first met on Lothol. But now, Ezra felt like he was all alone again. Reliving the deaths of his pain. He looked about him, trying to be strong for the others.

"Where is Iolande?"

Everyone aboard the ship became silent. They all looked about the small room, but the Jedi master was no where to be seen.

"I'll find her."

Hera slowly got up, wiping the tears from her face. She was about to leave when Ezra stopped her.

"Hera, you're still weak from your encounter with the Empire. Let me."

Hera just shook her head.

"No, I need to find her."

Ezra still looked hesitant but he knew that it wouldnt do any good to stop Hera when her mind is made up. Ezra released his grip on her and she slowly made her way to the door. Hera made her way from the ship to a black figure against the moonlight.

"Iolande?"

No answer came. The figure turned and faced Hera. The small fire illuminated the face that she had seen smiling a hundred times before. But now? Nothing but loss and pain filled her face. Iolande sat down on a log and motioned for Hera to do the same. Some time had passed, when Hera finally asked a question that had been gnawing at her.

"How?"

"I'm sorry?"

"How do you deal with the pain? The pain of losing someone you love?"

"Ah, so you seek guidance and counseling?"

"I seek understanding."

Iolande sighed. She looked up to the night's sky, as if she was unsure herself. She finally looked back at Hera.

"Sometimes, you dont. When you lose someone that special, you feel as part of yourself died with them. And when you feel that pain, you have to remember that this feeling is only for a fleeting moment."

"But the moment seems like an eternity. And it is, since he isn't here."

Hera was on the brink of crying again, but Iolande just stretched out her hand for Hera to hold. Hera held fast to her hand.

"I know. It does feel like an eternity. To be without the love of your life by your side is crushing. It feels as though the force and life is working against you when you only want happiness. But you have to remember. They sacrificed themselves so you can stand here at this moment in time."

"How can you say this with such calmness?"

Hera barely managed to get the words out in between her sobs. Hera stood up and paced around the fire.

"How can you have the will to keep living when all has been taken from you? I just lost the love of my life, iolande. You cant expect me to just sit by and wait for the pain to go away. The Empire took him. They took Kanan!!"

Iolande just took a deep breath. She knew where all this pain was coming from. But she couldnt give her the answers she wanted.

"Hera."

Hera stopped and looked at the old Jedi master who looked like she hadn't aged a day since the clone wars.

"I understand. The pain? The anger? The hatred? You feel helpless as you remember the moment when they were within your grasp but you slip up. I get it. Keenan and Kanan died the same way. They sacrificed themselves to save the only person that matter to them most in the entire galaxy. Kanan would not want you to keep looking towards the past at the mistakes you had made. It sound cliche, but it's true."

"You cant just tell me that I'm not supposed to feel this way. How can you?"

Hera's pain blinded her to the reaction on Iolande's face. Yet iolande did not raise her voice in anger, but she continued to speak in a soft voice.

"It is only fitting for you to feel this way. But I dont think you know the extent of my story to understand the pain I have been through. Keenan was everything to me. We fought together, laughed together, he was my best friend. We knew that the dangers of the war and that it wasnt going to end over night. And we knew the risk we were taking by loving one another. But that didn't stop us from doing our job. When he died, all those years ago, I broke. I lost my best friend. My wings were broken and I was in a critical condition that I couldnt last the trip back to Corasuant. But his memory helped me. Until one night, when I was shown his face for one last time, did I finally got the strength to heal. To keep living. Keenan didn't die for me to feel sorry for myself the rest of my life. He died so that I might finish the war that we had started. And Kanan did the exact same thing. Sometimes, the pain becomes to much that you cant even get out of bed. But you have to fight through that pain to get to a better tomorrow. Because you are a fighter."

Iolande's words slowly sunk deep into Hera's heart. She knew that iolande was right. And yet, iolande wasnt forcing her to come to terms with his death. Hera looked up at the stars, thinking how much Kanan loved being around them.

"Did Keenan leave you with something to keep him with you?"

Iolande laughed softly.

"In a sense. My second lightsaber houses the kyber crystal he used to construct his own lightsaber. That was the only thing I have left of Keenan."

Hera slowly closed her eyes. She wanted to have something like iolande had to remember Kanan by. She was about to get up to walk back to the ship when iolande stopped her.

"You want something to remember him by, dont you?"

"How did you know?"

"I can feel it. Here."

Iolande took something off around her neck. She placed it around Hera's neck. She slowly inspected the necklace.

"It's pretty."

"And it is yours."

Hera looked up a little horrified.

"No, I cant take this. You have had so many things taken away already."

Iolande chuckled as she shook her head.

"No. This belongs to you. Kanan gave it to me as a gift of consolidation for all my fallen companions. It was part of an original Jedi star fighter flown by a master we both knew. But i know it meant a lot to him, so I'm giving it to you."

"Why?"

"In hope that you'll find peace, and always have a piece of Kanan's memory with you."

Hera looked at the oddly shaped piece of metal. It looked like a star. She smiled and turned her eyes to the sky. As she did so, her eyes fell upon a ghostly figure standing a few feet way from them. Startled at first, Hera recognized the face instantly.

"Kanan?!"

The ghostly figure resembling her love smiled for the last time and then disappeared. Hera couldnt believe it. She watched as the night stars grew brighter and felt at peace for the first time since the incident. Maybe it is because she came to the realization that everything was going to be alright.