Family by Heart - REWRITE(a Star Wars Rebels story)

Playing with Fire

Ahsoka felt this all far deeper than the others - the apprehension to the girl's darkness. It reeked of the Son's doing. Ahsoka knew Son must've been the one to train her to use her rage to tame the volcano. She realized the moment Kanan told her of Athena's harsh awakening last night that Son had something to do with it. In some ways, you could say Son had helped save the planet, but that didn't mean he was to be praised. He was always after something more. Something more sinister always lied behind the veil of lies and manipulation.

Athena bent over, head between her knees as she coughed out more ash and smoke. Ezra gave her a helping hand on her back.

"Thanks, Ez," she finally said after the small fit of coughs subsided, a smile on her lips.

Ahsoka and Kanan sighed as they watched Ezra wistfully look into Athena's fiery eyes. He didn't realize he shouldn't play with fire.

Athena paused for a moment, hearing echoes of familiar voices swishing around her brain.

"I sure need to scold that kid tomorrow. She could've gotten killed..."

Athena turned to Hera but saw her lips didn't utter those words. But her voice was sure darn identical to that echo.

"Please tell me that we haven't run out of jerky..."

Athena squinted as she looked to Zeb as he looked down disappointedly into an empty bag. Once again, his lips were still.

"Man, I need to start on that painting tonight..."

Sabine's lips didn't move. She was just looking at Rex as he continued to tell old stories.

What was going on? Why could she hear these voices?

"Ah, where'd Chopper go?" Hera's lips were still motionless, but she turned her head around in search of the droid.

"He went to make sure the Phantom's ports were okay after all the smoke got on the ship," Athena looked to her captain, only to see once again her lips had yet to move.

Hera just about fell out of her seat at that. Did she actually say that out loud? No...she was definitely quiet.

"Uh...thank you, Athena," Hera eyed the girl with a suspicious look. She was unsure how that was even possible.

"Wait, what?" Rae questioned.

"Ah, nothing," Athena waved it off.

***

It was almost midnight now, but Hera allowed everyone to stay up past lights out this one night. Too much had happened for her not to make an exception at least once.

Athena and Rae lied next to each other under the blanket of stars above them - the only two rebels left outside still.

The two girls faced opposite directions; Athena's feet pointing south and Rae's feet pointing north. Their heads lied right next to each other as their backs rested against the grass below them.

The Earthling's fingers interlocked with each other as the back of her head rested on them - elbows sticking out as she laid near her friend. Rae's hands laid on top of each other on her stomach, right above left.

Athena's fiery hair lightly glowed in the dark, resting against the grass. The last bits of ash were washed off her in the shower.

"Hey, do you think I'll ever get a lightsaber?" Athena asked.

"Maybe," Rae shrugged. "Your Master has to approve that you're ready, though, before you can start making one."

"Huh. Neat."