A New Chance, A New Start (SWR)

Chapter 11: Staying Home

An hour and half passed before Hera reluctantly woke up the teen. He groaned and snuggled back into touch before realizing he was actually willing to be touched. He stayed in the lap and glanced up at the gentle face, the wet rag falling off. Hera smiled and rubbed his back, taking her chances. Surprisingly, he melted at the touch and she smiled even wider, self praising herself for her accomplishment. "Hey Love, I know your probably tired still but you got to eat something before you go back to bed."
Ezra groaned and closed his eyes, not wanting to move from his comfortable, curled up position. "I'm not that hungry though."
She chuckled, "And I'm not women who accepts one of her children not eating." She may not have realized but that sentence was made Ezra's heart swell with love.
'She called me one of her children.'
He smiled so large, wrinkles form around his eyes, tears prickling. He looked around the room before saying, "Well, if want me to eat, I'm going to need some pants." Hera chuckled in return as she slid out from underneath the kid. Opening his closet, she found in surprisingly neat with the clothes hung up and the duffle bags he came with sitting side by side on the counter like surface. She glanced at him, "Which drawer?"
"Middle right." Came the reply. She looked down at the six drawers and pulled the specific drawer which contained folded shorts and a divided side of rolled sweatpants. She grabbed the first one which was black and turned around to find Ezra already sitting up with his leg on and bandages on display. He held his hand out and she passed them over without complaint which was on the edge of her tongue.
'He just doesn't stay still' 
He leaned down with a grimace and pulled it over both legs, easily standing up and tying them. He looked at her with a smile, hands on his wrapped hips, "Now, I heard something about food?"

Entering the kitchen, they immediately noticed everyone gathered around the island, standing with their plates of rice, chicken, and noodles. They walked up to the kitchen and Ezra leaned backwards against the counter with his elbows, "Who knew stairs were evil?" Everyone raised their hands with cheeks puffed from food. He chuckled with a grimace and turned around to the food, "So what is it that we are eating?"
Sabine looked at him with a deadpan look, "Chinese food, what does it look like?" The flushed Ezra grabbed two plates from the stack on the table and passed one to Hera who immediately started pulling her plate, "Chinese food? Never had it. Can you tell me what's good?" They looked at him with wide eyes, surprise lining their faces.
"You've never had takeout in general have you?" Ezra waved his finger with a smirk, "Ding, ding, ding."
Sabine sighed and took his plate, starting to pile it with a little bit of everything. He watched her with a slack jaw. He started to reach across the island to stop her but his arms were to short, "Stop, Sabine. I'm not going to be able to finish that!"
"Well you still have to try everything, even if you don't eat it." Ezra hissed as he bump his ribs against the counter and immediately grabbed his side. Hera glared at him, "You better be more careful or I'm going to put you to bed rest." Ezra looked at her with a calculating look before smiling, "Ok, whatever you say."
He ignored the looks he got and grabbed the heavy plate from the girl.
He started eating with his fork that was passed from Kanan. He looked at each of them with a look, "Why haven't I had takeout before?" And took another bite.

Later that night, Hera told him he was staying home to let his ribs heal before going back to school. He agreed if Zeb and Sabine get his homework then he would, which everyone agreed to reluctantly.
That morning, everyone tried to wake up as quite as possible but when they got to the kitchen, they groaned in annoyance. An unflushed Ezra was in the kitchen with the same sweatpants and had finished the scrambled eggs. He turned around with a smirk, "Y'all thought I wasn't already awake. Hera, you should have known that I was going to be here before y'all." Hera crossed her arms with squinted eyes, "Yes, yes I should have remembered from our first morning. But since your already awake, you can have breakfast."
Ezra looked at her with a humorous pout, "But I'm not hungry."
Hera walked up to him with a smirk, "And what I said last night still stands now get to the table before I carry you." He shook his head with his ponytail and held his hands up in surrender, retreating to the dining room. Everyone chuckled and followed suit.

After everyone left, Hera and Ezra were left alone in the big house. She sighed and looked at him, "You want to watch some T.V and if you say you haven't watched any, I will flip." He smiled and followed her to the living room, "Yes, I've watched T.V before. So what are we watching." Hera turned on whatever was playing and they enjoyed the comfortable silence.

When that got bored, he decided to let her enjoy a book that he noticed she had been able to finish which was titled, 'A pilots manual' He found it odd but chose to not question it. He went to his room to change first before going outside through the back door he had used before. Sucking in a large breath, he held up his fingers and blew as hard as he could. A loud shrilling whistle vibrated across the trees and a minute later a shuffling was heard inside the trees.
Ezra smiled as his friend came through the trees with a wagging tail and hop in his trot. Ezra knelt down on the grass and Chopper immediately went up for petting. With his legs going to sleep, Ezra sat down all the way with crossed legs and continued to pet him.

Ezra spent an hour outside before standing up and retreating into the woods with Chopper following obediently behind his falling footsteps. They disappeared from view and quickly went to their place that no one knew about.
Staying there till it was time to leave, Ezra had already fallen asleep in their place and Chopper knew his friends family will be missing him so he hurriedly ran back to the yard and sat there patiently till someone came looking.

The kids burst through the door and frightened Hera who let her spatula fly out of her and to the floor. She glared at the teens who were cringing at the look, "What is your rush?" They look at  her impatiently, "Where's Ezra?" They chorused.
She sighed with a smile and retrieved her utensil from the floor. Placing it in the sink, she waved her hand and lead them to the back door.
Walking outside, she frowned at the site of no Ezra but gasped as she saw the orange animal sitting there calmly. The two teens though had a different reaction. "Chopper" they said happily.
They knelt down and Chopper came over with a wagging tail and floppy tongue. Petting the animal, Hera watched amazed as her kids pet the wolf. "Why isn't it eating you?"
Chopper kneeled back on his back legs and buried his face in his paws. Sabine and Zeb chuckled and said, "This is Chopper, Ezra's wolf. He's friendly so he will' t hurt us. Come and pet him." Sabine explained.
She cautiously stepped forward and Chopper laid down to wait. Hera crouched down and gently laid her hand on his head. Leaning in, her nuzzled into her touch. She smiled and laid down to her knees.
After a few minutes of touching and rubbing, Zeb decided to ask, "Hey Chopper, you wouldn't happen to know where Ezra is, do you?" He barked and started to walk into the woods. They followed like the wolf did a few hours ago and quietly they all walked through the green.

Shortly, they came into a clearing, no not a clearing a meadow. A meadow filled with flowers of all different colors and an old aged tree in the middle. They all gasped at the beauty while Chopper calmly walked into the tall plants. Following, still in awe struck, quickly found Ezra on the grass patch underneath the tree. Laid out on his side with his legs and across over lapping, his hair was still in his regular ponytail and his breathing was calm. A MP3 was right by his ear playing soft music that no one knew the artist of. Chopper went up to his friend and laid down next to him, Ezra immediately curling around him with his arms reaching around him. The family smiled at the show of affection and sat down next to the kid, leaning against the tree. Hera causally reached down and pulled out Ezra's hair tie. Running her hand through his hair, he sighed and leaned into the touch.
His eyes slowly opened and he groaned as he hurried to sit up. Hera glared at him, "Stop moving so much." He looked at her then to Zeb and then Sabine. All he could say was "When did you get here?"

Sorry about publishing accidentally. I hope you still enjoy!! Bye bye!!☺️☺️

-Momo