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Kanan sat the teacup down slowly, listening to the soft thunk of it hitting the small wooden table. Master Billaba’s tea always had a fruity flavor, though he could never quite tell what fruit it was. Whenever he asked, she just smiled.
Within the plane of the Force, one could make their world whatever they wanted, and Kanan had found himself spending a lot of time in his old Jedi dorm. He had first tried to stay in the Ghost , as that was more his home than Coruscant ever was, but being there without his family was too painful.
His mind had drifted back to them many times since he arrived here. Especially Hera.
Kanan took another slow sip from the cup. His master sat across from him, her face serene as always.
“What’s troubling you?” Master Billaba asked him.
“Nothing, Master.”
The corner of her mouth turned up into a small smirk. “You’ve never been a good liar.”
Kanan sighed. Master Billaba had always been able to read him well from the day they met. “It’s Hera,” he admitted. “She’s pregnant, and… and I left her.”
“You didn’t leave anyone,” she replied. “No more than I ever left you.”
Kanan nodded slowly. “I know, it’s just… she has the baby, and- not that I think she can’t handle it, because of course she can, she’s Hera, but I should be there to help her. She’s alone.”
“Is she?”
Kanan frowned, and before he could ask what she meant, the room had changed. He was in the common room of the Ghost , and Hera was sitting, leaning back with her feet on the table (which he was never allowed to do), though most noticeably, her belly had swollen from the pregnancy. She was on her datapad, because of course she was still working.
Kanan smiled looking at her, but guilt was overwhelming him. He knew it wasn’t his fault, but that didn’t keep him from feeling like he should be there for her.
“Hera?”
It was Sabine’s voice.
“What, do you need something?” Hera replied.
She, with some difficulty, pulled her feet off the table, set her datapad down, and strained to push herself up, because of course she was. Instinctively, Kanan ran forward to keep her from getting up, but he remembered that he couldn’t.
Sabine came in, carrying a mug- her hair was blue now, not unlike it was the last time he was actually able to see her, though the cut was different. She’d grown up so much.
“Hera, sit down! I don’t need anything.”
She listened reluctantly, slowly letting herself rest back on the seat.
“Is that for me?”
Sabine beamed. “Mmhmm.”
“It smells like caf, Sabine. You know I’m trying to cut back for the baby.”
“Oh, I know! Ketsu found this stuff, it tastes just like that Spiran caf that you like, but it has no caffeine. I thought you’d like to try it.”
Hera raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yeah, here.”
Hera took took the mug with two hands, and took a slow, long drink, and Kanan smiled at the twinkle in her eye as she tasted it.
“Do you like it?” Sabine asked.
“I love it. Thank you.” Hera said, with a grateful smile.
Kanan could feel his heart swelling with pride and appreciation for Sabine, and with love for Hera.
Kanan stepped towards them, but his foot didn’t hit the floor, or anything, and he fell forward, hitting the ground with his hands. The floor was bright white now, and the room much more illuminated than it was. He blinked from the light as he stood up. He was in what looked like a medbay room, perfectly pristine and bright. He turned around quickly- there was a bed, and Hera was sitting up in it, cradling a bundle.
Kanan felt his heart speeding up, and his face warming as he raced to her, and looked over her shoulder. The baby in her arms had deep tan skin, and tufts of green hair on their head. They were sleeping soundly in her arms, and Hera was smiling. She was happier than Kanan had seen her in such a long time, and her child- their child- was perfect.
There were two knocks on the door, and Zeb pushed it open, poking his head in.
“Hey-”
“Shhhhh! He just fell asleep.”
Zeb bobbed his head, pressing a finger to his lips in acknowledgement. He came closer to Hera, opposite from Kanan, and looked down at the baby.
“I still can’t believe how much he looks like Kanan,” he whispered.
Hera chuckled, nodding. “I know. He’s perfect.”
Kanan swallowed thickly, tears stinging his eyes.
“Would you mind putting him in the bassinet?”
“Yeah, no problem.”
Zeb gingerly took the baby in his hands, making him look even smaller, and set him down in the bassinet. Zeb considered the baby for a few moments before looking up at Hera.
“It’s late. You could learn something from Jacen.”
Jacen . Hera had named him after her brother.
“You’re up too,” Hera pointed out.
Zeb chuckled. “Hey, I’m only up because I’m checking on you. What’s your excuse?”
“I took a long nap after being in labor for fifteen hours.”
Zeb chuckled. “Guess that makes sense.”
Kanan smiled at the pair of them, but when he blinked, he was in one of the Ghost ’s bedrooms, and Hera was on the floor, surrounded by parts and tools, and she desperately flipped through what seemed to be a manual.
Chopper’s familiar mechanical warbles sounded from the door, and Hera rolled her eyes.
“No, ships and droids are easier. Those parts make sense, this… this is nonsense.”
Kanan frowned, craning to look at the manual in her hands, laughing once he read the title.
Hera Syndulla, who had never found a ship she couldn’t fix, who repaired a half-ancient droid as a kid, could not figure out how to put together a baby’s crib.
She set the manual down, trying to twist a screw into what Kanan thought might be a leg. She winced as she shifted her position, still obviously in pain from giving birth. Chopper rolled forward and extended one of his mechanical claws to gently pull the leg from her hands and help her. Hera smiled at him, and she picked up another one of the screws.
“You could take a look at that manual, Chop. I bet we’ll figure it out together.”
Chopper made an affirmative sound, and did a mock salute with his claw, though he seemed to have forgotten he was still holding the leg, as Hera had to lean back to avoid taking a hit.
“Watch it!” Hera said with a laugh, and Chopper apologized, rolling back sheepishly, but Hera patted his dome affectionately.
“We’ve always worked best together, haven’t we?”
Kanan watched her lift up another leg of the crib, turning it over and running a finger around the hole where the screw was supposed to go.
Kanan heard a door opening behind them, and turned around, and when he did, he found himself in a frozen room with people in thick coats, some of them wearing Rebellion rank badges.
“I’m sorry,” Hera’s voice said. Kanan turned around again to see her. She was bundled up in a warm hooded jacket, though the hood was down, so Kanan could see the thick wrappings around her lekku.
She looked adorable, though it was undercut by worry on her face.
“I can’t stay late today. I’d love to, but Zeb is watching the baby, and he has to help in the hangar later, so I have to go home.”
“Isn’t there anybody else? We really need your input here, this is a big move we’re planning, we want all of the Generals in on this.”
The man she was talking to had cropped hair and a trimmed beard. Kanan hadn’t seen him before, but his voice sounded familiar.
Hera looked down, shaking her head. “I can’t. Could I call in from home?”
“We’re turning of all transmissions in the room for the meeting, we’re not risking a breach.”
Hera sighed. “Could I bring the baby?”
“I- I suppose, but would he be alright in the cold? We can’t turn the heat up in here any more than we already have.”
Kanan watched Rex, wrapped in his own blue coat, come up behind Hera and tap on her shoulder.
“I could watch him,” Rex said.
Hera turned around, looking over his face. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve watched him before,” Rex said. “It’s no problem. I’d love to do it.”
Hera smiled gratefully. “You- you are a lifesaver, Rex. I can’t thank you enough.”
Rex nodded, smiling back at her. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll go to the Ghost now.”
“Make sure you thank Zeb from me too!” Hera called as Rex slid past a couple of people through the door. Hera faced the other man again, still smiling.
“I’ll be making it to the meeting, then.”
The man laughed and nodded, and Kanan found the sound of it fade as he closed his eyes, and then opened them again. Master Billaba was sitting across from him, in his old Jedi dorm, still holding a cup of slightly steaming tea, and when Kanan looked down, his cup still had a little steam rising from it too.
Master Billaba gave him a small smile. “Is she alone?”
Kanan returned the expression. “I guess not.”