Outside of Hera's room, everyone in the Ghost Crew patiently waits for the newest member.
Well, maybe not so patiently.
Zeb and Chopper are arguing about what will change once the baby joins the crew. Sabine and Ezra are boasting about everything they'll teach and spoil the child with. Every once in a while, someone will spill their nerves then quickly cover them with excitement.
Surprisingly, Kanan is the quietest and calmest of them all. He sits closest to the door, his arms crossed over his chest. He is attempting to ignore all of their endless chatterings.
Only, it's not working too well.
Ezra and Sabine lean over to him, smiles wide on their faces. "Kanan, what do you think the gender of your baby will be?" Ezra asks.
"As long as both Hera and the baby are healthy and safe, I don't care."
"Boo!" Sabine shouts as both she and Ezra point their thumbs down. "We all know they'll both be fine."
"Yeah! Just tell us what you think. We won't spill it to anyone." Ezra adds, hoping that they'll get something out of the man.
"I really don't care." Kanan insists with a smile. "Either gender will be perfect."
"Well, of course, either one will be perfect," Sabine says as she rolls her eyes. "We just want to know which one you think the baby is."
Kanan remains silent, not wanting to respond.
Ezra bends close to Sabine, talking under his breath. "I bet he doesn't want to say anything because he doesn't want to be wrong."
"I'm blind, not deaf." Kanan quickly remarks, getting snickers from Ezra and Sabine. "Fine, do you really want to know?"
"Yes!" They cheer together before leaning close so he can whisper it to them.
"Get closer." He quietly encourages. They obey, getting as close as possible. "I already know what the gender is."
"No, you don't." Ezra scoffs as they lean away from him.
"Are you doubting the abilities of your master?" Kanan smirks as he leans back into his chair.
"Yes. Because I don't think the Force decided to show you what Hera is having." Ezra argues as he playfully crosses his arms over his chest.
"Yeah, that's not how the Force works," Sabine adds.
"How do you know?" Kanan asks as he raises an eyebrow.
"Because I asked you last month if you could do that and you told me you couldn't." Sabine fires back with a smirk.
Kanan shrugs. "Maybe I was granted a vision this morning and that's why I know."
She groans in frustration at him then whispers into Ezra's ear, "Did he really?"
Ezra quickly whispers back. "No clue. But I'm calling bantha fodder."
"Language!" Kanan scolds with a chuckle.
"Shut up, old man." Sabine laughs as Kanan shakes his head at them. The three of them continue to argue with each other involving topics such the baby and the Force.
When none of them are expecting it, the door to Hera's room opens. "Captain Syndulla is requesting the father's presence."
The room falls silent as they watch with wide eyes and grins. They all know this means that the baby has finally been born. In just a few minutes, they will get to meet the newest member of the Ghost Crew and they can hardly contain their excitement.
Kanan rises, sensing everyone's happiness and eagerness through the Force. Though he's right there with them, there's also a lingering fear in the back of his mind. What if he won't be good enough? What if he messes up?
He slowly follows the droid into the room, softly closing the door behind him. He pushes those fears aside when he hears her. "Kanan," Hera greets, her voice tired but still as lovely as ever.
"I'm here." He says as he sits down beside her. He can sense the bundle in her arms, it's Force-signature new and bright in the Force.
"Would you like to hold your son?" She lightly asks, her gorgeous smile vivid in his mind.
"Son?" He repeats, causing her to laugh. He can feel his heart rate rising and he is unable to stop himself from grinning. The baby is finally here and it's a boy. "Can I really?" He asks with excitement evident in his tone.
He has a son.
"Of course you can hold him," Hera replies before peppering Kanan's goofy smile with kisses. Carefully, she transfers the baby into his arms. A large grin grows on Kanan's face as their child snuggles deep into him.
He laughs, reminding her of a giggling child on Life Day.
"Are we still going with the name Jacen?" He giddily asks as she leans back into her bed.
"Yes. Yes, it's perfect." She says as Kanan tucks their son closer to his chest. Soft whimpers escape from Jacen, seeming to voice that he's comfortable in the arms of his father.
Hera watches them in peaceful silence. It's such a beautiful scene, something she'll treasure in her heart for the rest of her life. The sound of Kanan's laugh and the adorable smile on his face. The way he tightly holds their child, protecting him from everything this galaxy could possibly throw at them. All of it will forever be engraved in her memories.
But then slowly, and so unexpectedly, Kanan's smile disappears.
"I wish I could see him," He says, his voice slightly cracking. "I wish..." He trails as he loses his voice.
Tears pool in Hera's eyes as she watches his quivering bottom lip. She can hear the pain and longing in his voice.
"He looks like you." She declares as she leans forward to be near him.
He gulps, swallowing down his cries. "I'll never get to see him for myself." He strains, attempting to keep his emotions locked up. This is a happy moment. His son has been born. He should be crying out of joy rather than sorrow.
But he just can't fight that tearing, stabbing pain inside his chest. Knowing he can never look at his son with his own eyes causes him so much agony.
It will always be what someone else sees.
Kanan rarely shows when he's hurting so Hera knows this must be torture to him. She can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to never see the face of their son. She knows that if she was in his position that she would feel lost and be a total wreck.
She has to prove to him that he can see their child.
Suddenly, she reaches out and grabs his right hand.
Kanan jumps but accepts her touch. Jacen is still safely cradled in his left arm. The baby is hardly making a noise beside his deep breathing. He is fast asleep in his father's arms.
Kanan's confused and concerned gaze falls onto Hera. She squeezes his hand, assuring him that she's okay.
She leads Kanan's hand to the baby. Softly, she traces his fingers on Jacen's face. Kanan quietly gasps as he caresses his son's soft skin and how warm it is. He can feel each of Jacen's intakes and outtakes of air.
"This is his nose. It looks just like yours."
Kanan chuckles as he attempts to wipe his tears from his cheeks with his shoulder. Yes, he can see his nose on their son's face. He can feel the shape, the way it curves at the end. It's so insane how tiny it is.
Hera smiles, watching Kanan react. Once she thinks he's seen it, she slowly moves his hand downward.
"Here's his cheeks." She quietly explains. "They're chubby."
"Like you used to have." He remarks, his voice slightly hoarse. "Cham told me about how you used to look like you had two meilooruns in your mouth until you were about six."
"Yeah. I had chunky cheeks as a baby. Jacen's aren't quite as bad." Hera lightly laughs as Kanan thumbs the baby's cheeks. He takes in the way it rounds, how it lowers near his nose and jaw. He can picture in his mind how chubby they must look.
Hera then glides his hand to the baby's eyebrows. "Not a lot of hair here yet, but they're a dead ringer to your eyebrows."
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Kanan instantly apologizes to Jacen, making Hera burst into laughter. He brushes where she placed his fingers, feeling the few strands of hair that are there.
"Below are his eyes, obviously. They're closed if you want to feel." She says as she leans over to look at the sleeping baby. She kisses Jacen's hand then lightly taps it. "He's a good baby. You won't wake him."
"How do you know he won't wake? He hasn't even been in this galaxy for more than ten minutes." Kanan jokingly scoffs, obviously hesitant to disturb their child from his beautiful slumber.
"I know our baby, Kanan." Hera fires back with a playful glare. "He won't even let out a cry."
Partly wanting to prove her wrong, Kanan tenderly rests his thumb on Jacen's closed eyes. Just as Hera said, not a single cry comes from their son because of his touch. "What color are his eyes?" He asks.
"They're blue at the moment," Hera says. "They might change. I'll keep you updated."
"I'm going to ask you every day until you're sure of the color." He says with a laugh as she moves his hand upward. His fingers suddenly intertwine into soft locks of hair. "How much hair does this boy have?" He exclaims in shock.
Hera laughs, tossing her head back. "He got his thick hair from you!" She accuses as Kanan strokes Jacen's head. He carefully pulls on the baby's hair, wanting to get a sense of how long it is already.
"What color is his hair?" Kanan asks with a smile. "Brown, I'm assuming."
"Green."
"Green?"
"Green."
He hums as he smooths Jacen's hair back down. "Interesting. We won't have to worry about Sabine dyeing his hair then."
"No. I think she'll leave his hair alone." Hera agrees as she joins him in stroking Jacen's hair. "Especially because I won't let her near his hair for a while. I won't even cut it until it's down to his shoulders."
"I thought you didn't like long hair?" Kanan teases.
"I don't. But long baby hair? That's adorable." She grins. Loud rustling is heard outside, making both of them turn to face the door. They already know what's going on. "They're getting antsy."
"Do you want to let them in?"
"Sure. They've seen me in worse conditions." Hera waves away. "Plus. I think they've waited long enough."
The two of them command one of the droids to open the door. Within seconds, the rest of the Ghost Crew comes piling in. Grins are wide on everyone's faces and Kanan can sense their excitement through the Force.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Zeb asks as everyone tries to crowd around the new family. "Chopper and I have a bet. I think it'll be a boy and he thinks it'll be a girl."
"It's a boy." Hera smiles, getting a loud whine from Chopper. "We've named him Jacen."
Everyone awes as Kanan leans forward to let them have a look. A few hiccups escape the sleeping baby, making them giggle. Chopper rolls to Kanan, letting out a soft purr as he brushes against his leg to show his affection for the baby.
He might be a vicious and deadly droid, but he still has a heart. He knows how much this baby means to Kanan and Hera. Already he knows he'd do anything to protect the drooling thing.
"Can I hold him?" Sabine asks as she opens her arms to Kanan.
"As long as you promise to be careful," Kanan instructs.
"I will."
"You can't drop him."
"I won't."
"Don't squeeze him too tight."
"Kanan!" Sabine playfully groans. Hesitantly, the man slides his son into the Mandalorian's arms. Everyone gasps as Jacen lets out a loud yawn, snuggling deep into her grasp.
"Hey, he looks just like Kanan!" Ezra laughs as he strokes the baby's hair. "Got his eyebrows and nose."
Hera and Kanan laugh, but Ezra's comment means more to them than anyone could know. Just like usual, the kid has said the right thing at the right moment. There's no way he could have known the pain Kanan was expressing about being blind just minutes before. Ezra's honesty has reassured Kanan that everything Hera was telling him is true.
His son does look like him.
Kanan reaches out, squeezing Ezra's shoulder. "You think so?"
"Oh, there's no doubt." Ezra agrees with a chuckle. "I won't be surprised if he turns out like you. He's practically a clone, ignoring the obvious differences."
"Like?"
"The green hair." Sabine pipes up with a bit of disappointment. She lets Jacen hold her finger as she adjusts him in her arms. "I was looking forward to having someone else's hair to dye."
"Oh, no. You're not going near his hair until he's at least ten." Hera says as she narrows her eyes at the young woman. Everyone chuckles, enjoying the banter between the two of them.
"Fine." Sabine sighs. "Auntie Sabine will have you looking stylish soon. We'll pick out the coolest colors for your first dye job." She says to Jacen.
"Can I hold him now?" Ezra asks as he holds his arms out to her.
"No way! I just got him."
"Just for a few seconds?"
Sabine groans then hands Jacen off to Ezra. He grins, wrapping the green blanket tighter around the baby. "Hi, Jacen. It's Ezra! Your favorite uncle."
"Hey!" Zeb shouts.
"I'm going to show you all of the super cool places to hide in the Ghost. That way we can avoid chores and go do stuff that's way more fun." Ezra promises as he gently bounces the baby in his arms. "There are places your parents don't even know about because they've never found me."
"Please don't make him into another vent kid. We've had enough issues with you." Sabine teases as she crosses her arms over her chest.
"You know, just because you said that we're going to hang out in the vents all the time. It'll be our thing." Ezra snarkily replies.
"No way. We've seen how you've turned out. No vents." Kanan says, making the others laugh.
"It's my turn to hold him," Zeb says, offering his open arms to Ezra. The young man pouts but willingly passes the baby to the Lasat.
"Aw, look at the little troublemaker." Zeb coos, making everyone smile. Jacen lets out a hiccup in response, earning a loud cue of awes. "You're the sweetest thing. And your Uncle Zeb should know because he's the sourest Lasat in the galaxy."
"You could say that again," Sabine whispers to Ezra. She groans as she receives an elbow from Zeb.
"I'm going to make sure those two don't ruin your sweetest with their horrible actions. They won't turn you into a monster if I have anything to say about it." Zeb proudly proclaims with a grin.
I WILL HELP YOU.
"Ignore, Chopper. He's just as bad. I'm protecting you from him too." Zeb says with a playful eye roll. Everyone chuckles, listening to the droid grumble about Zeb's comment.
"Alright, Chop. Your turn to meet Jacen." Hera says. Carefully, Jacen is placed back into Hera's arms from Zeb. She slowly leans over, letting the grouchy droid get a look at the tiny, adorable baby.
"I wouldn't put that baby anywhere Chopper. Who knows what he'll do." Ezra whispers to Sabine and Zeb, trying to get a rise out of the old astromech.
WE WON'T PUT HIM ANYWHERE NEAR YOU!
"Chop, be nice," Hera sighs. "You're supposed to be greeting Jacen, not yelling at Ezra."
Chopper raises his arms, showing that he'll stop fighting.
He calms himself down then gently waves one of his arms at the baby.
WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY, JACEN. WE'LL ALL TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU, SPECTRE-7.
The room falls silent, everyone unsure what to say. The words bring tears to Hera's eyes. Chopper has put into words what she knows they were all feeling. "Thank you, Chopper." She eventually says as she sits upright again.
"That was really sweet, Chopper," Kanan says as he pats the droid, getting nods of agreements from the rest of them.
Soon, the Ghost Crew sees how tired both Hera and Jacen have become. They know that it's been a long day for the two of them. After saying their congratulations again and promising to visit first thing in the morning, they leave the new parents with their one-of-a-kind baby to rest.
The newest member of the Ghost Crew has finally made his appearance. Spectre-7, Jacen Syndulla, is home. The members of his family don't look like your typical family. He has a Jedi father, Twi'lik mother, Mandalorian adoptive aunt, Lasat adoptive uncle, Jedi-in-training adoptive uncle, and one ready-to-kill droid.
The galaxy better be ready if it dares to mess with him.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm thinking about starting a mini-series with this idea. It'll be kind of like my Skywalker twins one. It'll be updated here and there. Nothing with a schedule because other works have priority, but something for fun and to hopefully make you smile.