Segundo

Consequences

Ezra was taken back by the harsh tone before sighing. He stood up and held his arm, rubbing it subconsciously as he swallowed.

"I... I had no choice. I—"

"NO CHOICE?!" Rex unbuckled his seatbelt and towered over the boy with a hiss. "HOW LONG HAVE YOU HIDDEN THIS FROM US?!  WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?! HOW COULD YOU LET US LIVE WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THOSE PEOPLE WE LOVE AND HAD DIED ARE LIVING SOMEWHERE OUT THERE AND ARE ALIVE?!"

The rants went on, but Ezra held himself steady. He had already predicted that this would happen. It wasn't as if it was the first time he'd get scolded like this.

Little Code could feel Rex's rage through the Force, though, and covered his ears, shutting his eyes tightly. The twins did too, but they reacted more wildly than the tot and began to kick frantically in Ezra's hidden stomach.

Ezra almost lost his breath as he felt the kicking. He hissed, his hands instinctively moving to his abdomen as he leaned forward and crouched down.

"Argh!" He groaned. "Dammit..."

Rex stopped mid-rant and ran over to him in alarm. "Woah! What's wrong, kid?!"

"It's... It's nothing!" Ezra raised a hand to tell the clone to stay back. "It's nothing, I swear! Just... er..."

"No, no, don't say 'nothing', kid," Rex shook his head and got the teen to sit down.

"I... I thought you were... argh," Ezra let out a hiss and swallowed. "Angry,"

"I was, and I still am," Rex sighed and gently rubbed his back.

"...I'm sorry," Ezra whimpered. 'No, don't break... don't break... stupid mood swings! Don't break!'

Rex let out a sigh and carefully moved front to face the teen. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have went all out. I know that you're only a part of this agency and not the leader. You don't have control over everything,"

"I... I should have told you, though," Ezra shook his head. "It's not that I fear what the head commander does to me. I've poisoned and tricked him one too many times to be scared of him. I just... you are all in danger if you all know about me being a PADU Agent. Shitsu might not be dangerous to me, but he is to the rest of you. He's an inhuman who cares about no one but himself and his family,"

"You didn't tell us... to protect us?" Rex's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh, Ezra..."

"Zeb is the only one who know about me being an agent," Ezra went on. "He's in danger because of me. And if we reveal the information about Segundo, it might reach the Empire's ears, and they will use everyone you know against us, like what they did with Cody,"

"Huh?" Code opened his eyes and uncovered his ears, tilting his head.

"No, not you little Cody," Ezra shook his head. "I'm talking about the actual Commander Cody,"

"Cody's alive too?" Rex's gaze softened with hope.

"Just delivered him to Segundo," Ezra smiled with a nod. "He's the reason I found the guts to disobey the rules and risk it all,"

"What did he do?"

"Nothing but guilt me with his own regrets," Ezra bitterly chuckled. "Cody was your best friend, Rex, and seeing him so hurt because he can't see you, after all these years of hoping to see you, hurts me too. They all hurt me every time I see them so happy because I always remember that they're the ones who you were mourning for the rest of your life,"

"Kid..." Rex really felt bad now. If he were in the teen's place, he honestly would be just as conflicted. It was either to make your friends happy and risk it all or don't risk anything and keep your friends oblivious and fooled.