*Hera's POV*
I sighed in relief as we jumped into hyperspace. We'd just finished an extremely difficult mission that almost killed us in the process. A bomb detonated without warning and for a few seconds, I thought my crew had been killed. Thankfully, they were fine and we managed to escape without being busted up too badly. Speaking of, I'd better go check on my crew. I put the Ghost on auto-pilot and went to the hold.
"Is everyone okay?" I asked sliding down the ladder.
"We're fine" Kanan replied, even though he had blood running down his shoulder where the fabric of his shirt had been cut.
"Sure sure, absolutely peachy" I said sarcastically.
"You'd better clean up before we rendezvous with.....wait, where's Ezra?"
Kanan, Sabine and Zeb looked around the hold but the teen was nowhere in sight.
"He's probably gone to his room" Sabine shrugged.
"Was he with you when you got on the Ghost?" I asked.
"Of course, I threw the darn kid aboard" Zeb said.
"He's not getting left behind twice."
I felt my lips twitch at Zeb's last sentence, remembering the first time we'd met Ezra, he was left behind and Zeb was to blame. Clearly the Lasat didn't want history repeating itself.
"I'll go find him" I said, going up the ladder.
_________________________________
"Ezra?" I opened the teen's and Zeb's cabin door.
I was met with an empty room which made my worry flicker. I'd almost checked the entire ship but the boy wasn't anywhere to be found. I continued along the hall, anxious thoughts rolling round in my head. I paused outside the med-bay when I heard a soft hiss of pain. I raised a confused brow and pressed the button to open the door. Ezra was sitting on one of the beds, trying to tend to something on his leg. His head shot up in surprise and he quickly covered his limb.
"Hera!" He exclaimed.
"What are you doing in here?"
"I think it's me who should be asking you that" I replied, going in.
Ezra seemed uncomfortable as I neared the bed and tried moving backwards but whimpered in pain and clutched his leg tightly.
"Ezra, what is it?" I asked.
The boy was very hesitant before slowly pulling his hands away from his leg. What I saw, made me gasp. Ezra's leg was covered in blood, scarlet soaking his jumpsuit. A gash was ripped along his thigh, it didn't look too deep, but still painful.
"Ezra! Why didn't you say anything?" I scolded him sharply.
The boy winced at my tone like I'd hit him with a whip. He looked at the floor, not saying a word. I sighed in annoyance and concern before going over to the cupboards and pulling out the essentials to help Ezra. I went back over and put some liquid on a cotton bud.
"This will sting" I warned before placing the bud on his leg.
*Ezra's POV*
I almost cried out in pain as the wool was put on my wound. It felt like a hundred bees were stinging my leg as Hera carefully moved around the injury. I clutched the bed tightly, trying to ignore the pain as tears started to build up in my eyes. I ducked my head so Hera wouldn't see them, she was already angry with me, I didn't want her to think less of me. She cleaned the wound, not saying a word which made me feel guilty and sad. Had I disappointed her? Hera finished and placed a bacta patch on the injury before bandaging it. I assumed she'd leave now I was taken care of but the pilot didn't go. She gazed at my wound, silently, before sighing.
"Ezra" Hera said.
I looked up, trying to trace the rage in the Twelik's face. To my surprise, I saw none, only concern. Hera looked right into my eyes, surveying me steadily.
"Did you get this when the bomb exploded?"
I gave a single nod.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
I looked away, giving a one shouldered shrug.
"Ezra, please."
Hera rested a hand on my shoulder.
"Please tell me."
"I...I thought I could handle it" I mumbled.
"I lived on the streets for eight years, so I had to deal with any injury I had because no one else would."
Hera slipped her fingers underneath my chin and lifted my face. I looked into her eyes and tried to smile.
"You didn't need to worry about it..."
"I did actually. You're not on the streets anymore. There's people on this ship who care, especially me. We look out for each other, always."
Hera took me into her arms, resting her chin on the top of my head.
"You're not alone anymore. And you never will be again. I promise."
I was a little surprised but put my own arms around Hera, a true smile on my face.
"Thank you Hera" I mumbled, pressing my face into her shoulder.
"Your welcome Ezra" Hera replied with a smile.
