Notes, Drabbles, and Oneshots: A Star Wars Rebels Oneshot Request Book [CLOSED]

The Nightmare Before Christmas Part Two

Annnnd here's the next one. :3 Again, this is about CALEB MY OC. Just making sure I said that. :D

    Jolting awake, Caleb tumbled off the bed; crashing to the floor with a soft bang. Groaning, he sat up; rubbing his eyes in confusion. He wasn't in his cabin in the Ghost, and the floors were warm and partly carpeted, no, not carpeted. There was a rug in the room, which meant he was in Spirit l, not Ghost. Dawn had requested a luxury ship, large enough to house the unusual cargo she sometimes carried, but small enough to give Ghost a run for her money in speed, maneuverability, and weaponry. Spirit l was all that and more, made for Dawn's nineteenth birthday by one of his parent's friends, a Mon Calamari who had helped them a while back. Sighing as he sat up, Caleb resisted the urge to crawl back in bed. He wouldn't be able to sleep, Caleb guessed, but even if he could he wouldn't risk the dream again. Caleb's breath caught in his throat. It was still hauntingly real and tears pooled in his eyes, that was something that he had vowed he'd never let happen. Stretching out his senses, he checked on his family. Dawn was awake, roused by his craze of emotions he guessed. Gently, he touched her Force signature, telling her with his emotions the best he could that he was fine, that it was just another nightmare. He sensed her suspicion of his welfare, and she told him he was safe. Before she pulled away, he sensed her grim determination; which either meant she was going to murder the Inquisitor or ambush him and demand to know what had happened. Taking a shaky breath, he reached his mind toward the two younger members of the crew, their sleek furred Lasat; Gisf, and Kæmar, their thick furred Wookie Who-knows-what hybrid. They were both sleeping peacefully in their rooms beside each other. Raía was fine too, also roused by his emotions but had fallen back asleep. Exhaling with relief, Caleb scrambled up, plopping himself down to sit on the edge of his bed. It was time to get up; Caleb decided. Though he sometimes wished for his snug cabin in Ghost, sleeping in Spirit l meant he could wake up, take a long, hot shower, slip into one of the fluffy robes on the magnetized rack, grab one of the thick heated towels magnetized to the wall, and step out onto the thick fluffy bathroom rug. After changing, he could get a simmering cup of already brewed caf, maybe sitting in one of the heated chairs by the derijak table and watch the stars streak by. With a sigh, he got started. After cleaning, dressing himself, and clearing all evidence of his emotions. Caleb debated whether slipping out of his room for a nice hot cup of caf. After about thirty minutes straight of ragged sobbing Caleb felt like his throat was as scraped and parched as the tatooine sands. Just the thought of a nice, warm cup (or perhaps iced caf, too) made Caleb's mouth water. Everyone in the Fleet needed their 'morning cup.' Caleb blamed it on his father, he had never even heard of it before him when he had been living on his own. Caleb felt a pang in his heart at the thought of his father, and the just dried tears started to fall again. He had died bravely, like the Inquisitor had said defending those he loved. Gritting his teeth, Caleb batted down his seething emotions; forcing himself to take deep breaths. He should have stopped it. Why wasn't he quick enough? Coward! Always running. Like father, like son. "Caleb." He jumped in surprise, turning to the door. Standing silhouetted in the doorway, Dawn tipped her head up to look at him. "I'm fine." Blue eyes softening, she regarding his angst etched face and fresh fallen tears for a moment. "You're a terrible liar, you know." Though her voice was gentle, it was laced with sarcasm. Caleb felt one of the corners of his mouth twitch upwards, she always seemed to have that effect on him. "Like father like son?" It sounded like a question, even to his own ears, and he winced, eyes burning. "So that's what's wrong, another nightmare of your father's death." Stepping into his room, she left the door open. With a sigh, Caleb flopped in a sitting position on his bed, positioning himself where he was leaning against a pillow propped between him and the wall or his bunk. "Nothing gets past you, huh?" Dawn smiled in his direction, setting a glass of water on his nightstand, sitting a comfortable distance away and turning to him. "Nope, nothing gets past the Captain." Though his eyes were closed, he could feel Dawn watching him, waiting for him to explain and elaborate. Caleb decided he didn't mind that. "I'm still waiting for an explanation." Her voice sounded half sarcastic and half serious, though he knew her well enough to sense her concern. Caleb opened his eyes, and started to say something. His throat burned though, and he suddenly felt overcome with emotion. He couldn't say anything. Not now, not when the dream and the memory of his father's death flashed before his eyes. Not when he could still feel the blood staining his fingertips. Not when he could still see Dawn, lying there lifeless. "Hey." She touched his arm, all sarcasm gone from her voice. For once, Dawn seemed to be at a loss for words. Her force signature rippled with a comforting and a 'I'm here, please don't worry' sort of feeling, a 'your safe, your nightmares can't find you here' feeling. That was deliberate, he knew, even if it was true. Some of it was true. He was safe, physically, though mentally haunted. She was here beside him, but he could still see her lying lifeless on the ground. He had dreamt this before, of Raía, Kányn, Kæmar and Gisf dying. But never Dawn, and the feeling of helplessness cascade over him. Caleb didn't want to lose them, any of them, but the thought of her specifically dying because of him made Caleb feel nauseous. Her gentle touch turned into a firmer grip. "Caleb you need to stop." He looked away from the floor and back down at her. Even in the dim light, she was strikingly beautiful, though she looked more serious than concerned by now. "Stop blaming yourself for things you couldn't control. Your father made that mistake, don't make it too. You can't bring him back, Caleb." He looked away from her, heart breaking a bit as her voice cracked when she continued. "We've both watched our parents die. I've had nightmares for the past two years. It's not something you forget easily, but at some point you have to let it go." Her voice had become incredibly gentle, the tone she almost exclusively used with the eight year old Wookie hybrid Kæmar that was part of their crew or sometimes their eleven year old Pu'aun, Kányn. Caleb heart ached, and he tried to speak but his throat was dry. He cleared it, and Dawn handed him a glass of water he gratefully took, thanking her with his eyes. After he had swallowed he cleared his throat again, much easier this time. After a moment of silence, he said, "It wasn't my father." Caleb felt tears in his eyes just hearing his voice so husky with emotion. "What?" Dawn sounded confused, and her hand left his arm. Looking up from the floor, he met her eyes. "The first couple of times it was my father. Recently, it's been the crew." He took a deep breath, voice shaky. "First it was Raía. Then it was Gisf that was killed. Then Kæmar, Kányn, and now-" Caleb couldn't finish that sentence. Dawn was quiet for a moment, shocked, and understood where he had been going with that. "Oh, Caleb." "It's the Inquisitor, it always is. It's always at the place w-where-" Caleb couldn't finish the sentence. By now, tears were trickling down his cheeks. Dawn handed him tissues and he dried his eyes, turning to her. She tipped her head up slightly, and Caleb recognized distantly how close their faces were. "I'm here." She gently touched his arm. Caleb forced himself to breathe. "I know." Opening his eyes he met hers, and Caleb leaned the tiniest bit closer.... Footsteps echoed down the hall and a moment later and Dawn pulled away, turning to the door as someone knocked on the wall, then stepped in the open doorway. "The kids are dying to open thier presents." Raía's eyes met Dawn's. "And Kæmar want you to make hot cocoa." Dawn's blue eyes lit up, and she whisked out of the room, stopping to touch her sister's shoulder gently. Caleb's eyes rested where she had been for a moment before flickering up to Raía who gave a knowing smirk-smile before turning serious. "Another nightmare?" Caleb nodded simply. One long, tan lukku twitched at him. Intent amber eyes watched him, and an eyebrow lifted in his direction. "Feeling better?" "Um, yeah I guess." Caleb rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He suspected Raía had picked up in his feelings of Dawn, and mentally prayed that she wasn't going to make a sarcastic quip back like Dawn would have done if she was in her sister's position. Instead, asmall smile formed on her lips, and she turned to go. Exhaling with relief , he watched as she stopped in the doorway. Raía called out: "By the way, I think the kids bought misseletoe, just a heads up." What she said didn't register till seconds later. Caleb jerked his head up. "They did what?!" But Raía was already gone. Oh, well, it wouldn't be the most embarrassing thing they'd even done. He could be carefull and not walk down the wrong hallway. And besides, he should be celebrating with his family for goodness sakes, not dwelling on the past. Taking a deep breath, Caleb stood and made his way out, stopping at the doorway as he sensed someone familiar. Father. He turned, and saw no one. Shaking away the nagging sensation, he joined his family in the main room of Spirit l, finally ready to celebrate with the people he cared about the most.