The
back of the child’s neck is so warm and Caleb can feel his stomach
drop to his feet as he takes a deep breath to clear his mind, needing
to remain calm and collected despite his urge to panic.

He’d
been sent to retrieve one of the late entries to the temple, one of
his first missions as a Jedi Knight and at the time he had been
glowing with pride even if the mission was a very low risk one. It
was just that he knew that not many were prompted to knighthood this
early even with the experience many padawan’s gained during the war
and becoming a knight at the tender age of nineteen was impressive
and he knew how proud Depa was of him, how proud even Mace
was of him.

He
knew he deserved it.

But
right now he was questioning if he really had been ready as he slowly
gathered the shaking child into his arms and looked around the dark
alley.

Lothal
had been under the terror cells left by the old CIS regime that
didn’t want to put down arms, they had only recently managed to
break through the blockade that had been around the planet and many
were still suffering for it.

The
troopers Caleb had arrived with were still in full work, helping
rebuilding, aiding the hurt and doing what they did best.

Helping,
coming
with supplies as they had been doing ever since the war ended.
Or
well the ones who opted to stay in GAR as Caleb knew that several had
joined other ventures, were farmers, were builders, were making their
own destiny and life though Caleb was happy that some of them also
stayed.

Caleb
on the other hand had gone to collect Ezra Bridger as
the troopers set up to aid,
the parents had agreed that Ezra was to come to the temple when the
boy was two, his strong Force presence warm and strong the seekers
had confirmed… only… that was two years ago.

When
the blockade had started and
they had been unable to break it for two full years to aid the planet
or retrieve the Force sensitive they may have painted a target on if
the Bridger’s didn’t hide their connection to the temple.

And
now Caleb was carrying a feverish, malnourished child with no parents
in sight. If Caleb was to take a guess based on the things he had
seen during the clone wars and the burned down house that had
belonged to the Bridger’s that was not too old yet not recent, than
Mira and Ephraim Bridger were dead and Ezra was the only thing to
survive the fires.

‘…He
looks like he’s even younger than four…’ Caleb noted, tucking
his robe around the boy he was cradling to his chest as Ezra shook
and trembled with fever.

It
had been pure luck that had Caleb finding Ezra in that alley, a tug
of the Force and a recognition of that distinct hair despite it being
filthy and the face no longer having the babyfat it should have.
‘We’ll have to feed him well, clean him up… Tabs hopefully has
the immunization
shots
he’ll need because
I think its a long time since Ezra got a medical check.’
Caleb didn’t even consider the idea that Ezra would not survive as
he held him to his chest
to keep the other comfy.

Somehow…

Even
the concept of Ezra not being in the world felt gray to the Jedi
knight who was hurrying towards the camp the others had set up.

So
he continued walking as fast as his long legs could carry him.

()()()

Its
warm.

That’s
what Ezra notes as he surfaces in a murky world of shadows and dull
noises.

Its
warm and safe for the first time in so long and it feels nice.

There’s
a soothing beat close to his ear and its all he can do to press his
ear to the sound to keep hearing the steady noise. A hand brushes his
brow and Ezra has no strength to flinch away from it as he normally
must.

But
this hand is gentle.

Its
large just like daddy’s hand always was and strokes Ezra’s brow
soothingly and for a moment he wonders if daddy did come back… only
that’s not right.

Because
Ezra saw what happened to both mommy and daddy and people don’t
come back from that.

But
he’s safe, right now he is safe in the arms of someone who is
cradling him, allowing Ezra to sleep
without fear as the
fever raged
his small body.