Ideas suggested by Charm1355 and Star-Wars-Dragons !

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Ezra's P.O.V

   All I could hear was the sound of my raged breathing.

   All I could see was blurry flashes of lights and dark green from the trees.

   My mouth was like sandpaper. Body numb and slowly getting worse every minute.

   Where was Hera? How were the others? What happened? What was I doing again?

   Memory was a blur. The only thing I knew was that the sickness and injury. They hurt like a thousand Lothal suns inside me. Burning. I felt like I was burning from the inside and out. Yet, I was cold and curled into a ball to get as much warmth as possible.

A puddle of vomit was next to me. I assumed that it was me that lost my lunch.

I curled up more as a breeze came by. My eyes were slowly dropping as I tried to think of what happened. Then the welcoming arms of slumber took me to dream land.

Pictures flashed of my fallen crew. Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb. Those three who were taken into full contamination. Only Chopper was able to go near them.

They were sick to some sort of disease and if not treated then we might lose them. I couldn't bare it and neither could Hera.

   We were the only two that were fine but for how long? I didn't know. The both of us could be slowly being eaten at as we speak. So Hera and I left Chopper to take care of the three while we went to get the cure.

   The cure was on a flourished planet with all sorts of wild life and vegetation. We had to get a special herb that grew near a canyon. The odds were with us when the Phantom couldn't land near the canyon. So we had to walk a couple miles through the thick jungle to get what we need.

Yet, this planet was also marked as an Imperial planet. We had to keep watch for them and anything that wants to kill or poison us.

   When the Phantom's door opened, a wave of heat rushed in. Hera and I climbed out of the small ship then began our walk through the trees. Near the clearing was a fairly large stream.

   "Do you think they will be fine with Chopper taking care of them?" I asked trying to lighten the mood.

   "I'm sure Chopper is capable of  watching them," Hera replied.

   Then added, "Also, watch your step. There could be quicksand or sink holes."

   I stopped for a moment and looked down the see plants. Not even my feet were visible.

   "How am I supposed to watch out for anything if I can't see my own feet?" I asked.

   "Have a lucky guess and be positive," she said and I rolled my eyes.

   "That's reassuring," I say sarcastically.

   "It wasn't supposed to be," she replied.

   Snap!

   The two of us stopped and searched the area for an oncoming threat.

Nothing came.

"Let's keep moving," Hera said and I began to follow her still scanning the area.

It came out of no where. It was like a blur then disappeared. It came back and pounced on Hera giving me little time to warn her. The thing held Hera down and drool slipped from its mouth right onto her face.

I focused and used the force to push the creature away. Then ran over to the pilot, helping her up.

"Are you ok?" I asked then saw a gash on the side of her head. I looked at the Twi'lek worried as she winced when slightly brushing her fingers over the wound.

"I'll be fine," Hera responded walking in the direction to the canyon. It took me a second to snap out of my many thoughts and follow. There was still something itching at the back of my mind telling me to get off this plant.

Sure there were many dangers but the herb was our friends last chance to survive. We needed it desperately and moved onward through the thick vegetation.

   I kept my eyes out and more cautiously for any imitate danger.

   "How much father unt-" I stopped and began to cough. Hera turned and looked at me worriedly.

   "I'm okay," I told her. That was how the sickness started, a cough. I wasn't sure of what or how to feel when the other side effects would come or not. Still, we needed to keep our head in the game and keep going.

   It took a minute for Hera to nod and keep walking.

   "Tell me if or when it gets worse," she said out of the blue.

   "Yeah, I will," I lied. I didn't want us stopping because of these side effects that could be coming. My friends are in danger and nothing is going to stop me. Not some sickness. Not that creature. Not the Empire.

   We've been walking for about an hour and the heat wasn't helping. I felt dizzy and wondered how long until I pass out from exhaustion.

   "Let's take a break here," Hera offered, seeing my condition. She was tired from the blasted heat too from the way her form sagged.

   I walked over and sat under the tree, wiping the sweat off my forehead. Ragged coughs came and I looked over at Hera, who sat next to me.

   "We're going to have to find shelter soon. It's going to get dark in awhile," she explained.

   "Uh-huh," I said so desperately trying to keep my eyes open.

   "How long until we reach the canyon?" I asked.

    "About the same, maybe shorter," she said and seemed to wrack her brain for a rational answer.

   "O-ok," I said then fell asleep without knowing.

"Ezra..."

Mom?

"Ezra...wake up...Ezra....wake up..."

That's when everything started to shake and the voice kept getting louder.

"EZRA, WAKE UP! WE NEED TO MOVE NOW!"

I shot up and vomited on the dirt ground. My shocked eyes widened and everything felt so sticky. My vision was unfocused and nothing made sense. A ragged cough left my mouth as some vomit was still dripping from my chin. I laid back again something rough.

"Ezra..."

My blurry eyes looked over at...who was she again. I didn't have the time to think when another round came up and lost it on the floor.

"Can you hear me?" She asked her voice echoey. I could only nod.

"Can you walk?" She asked.

I shook my head 'no.' Then another sound came from above making her look up and there was worry in her eyes. She looked back at me and ordered, "Climb on my back. That's an order."

She turned around and crouched down enough for me to climb onto her back. I didn't know I was cold with shivers until a wave of warmth came from the woman. My arms wrapped around her shoulders and I leaned into the warmth. It hot but also freezing.

Both my stomach and head felt like needles being jabbed into me. Everything hurt.

   There were more of those noises above us that my mind couldn't figure out. What was going on and who was this woman?

   "Ezra...please be ok," I hear the woman say to herself. Then, I felt myself being set onto the ground and leaning against a hard, cold wall. I leaned into the cool wall and sighed in relief. The cold wall felt nice from the heat and on my warm skin. The woman was peeking out of the place and from what I could tell, we are in a cave.

   "Get some sleep, Ezra," she told me and I did.

   I woke up again but this time more lucid. I was laying on my side and facing a wall. There was a glow dancing on the wall and waves of heat hitting my back. I did my best to sit up through an invisible pain shooting through me. I use one of my arms to support me and turn to see a fire. On the other side was the sleeping Twi'lek.

   I looked around to see that we were in a cave and it was dark out. I twisted my body into a sitting form and stared at the fire flickering the dark away.

   A scuffle made me look over to see Hera waking up. She sat up and turned her gaze at me.

   "Are you lucid?" She asked in a scratchy voice.

   "Yeah," I answered, "What happened?"

   "The Empire had a few TIES out and I couldn't risk us being seen. So I carried you to this cave. You didn't look good at all," she said.

   I still don't. I would of said it too but abandoning this mission is not an option. If I know Hera, she is going to send me back to the Ghost while she searches for the herbs. I'm not leaving her alone.

   I knew Hera could handle herself but what if she needed help and I'm not there? What if she gets more sick and isn't able to continue the long journey? Anything could happen out here in the jungle. If I know what a jungle is, it would be survival of the fittest. How long would she last?

   I'm not leaving her.

   "Maybe you should go back," Hera told me.

   I gave her a disbelief look and straighten up, "That's not an option. I'm only going back if are both heading back with the cure."

We stared at each other silently then the slightest of grins formed on her face. I wasn't expecting her to grin, I was thinking she would argue the matter. Nope.

"You act so much like Kanan," she says still grinning and shaking her head.

I gave a look of confusion and almost asked why but held it back.

"Get some sleep. We are going to need all the energy we have to get the herbs," Hera said laying back down. I did as well and immediately, my eyes closed.

Morning came and the both of us started to walk to the canyon. There was a river that we stopped at for a drink and along the side were fruit of sorts. I used the force to get a couple down and we ate the delicious food.

Again, we made our way to the canyon until reaching it.

"We made it," I said relieved.

"There's the herbs," Hera said pointing to a small plant growing on the edge. She walked over as I told her, "Be careful."

Hera kept going until bending down and carefully picked the herbs. The force sent me warnings the something was going to happen. That's when the Empire showed up and I ran beside Hera, igniting my saber. They shot at us, I deflected them right back if possible. Hera began to shoot at them with her blaster.

"There are to many," she said worried.

"There has to be some way out of this," I said scratching my brain for an idea. Yet, it was hard to think when my life depended on deflecting these blaster shots.

   "Specter 2, what are we going to d-AH!" I was cut off when a lucky trooper actually hit me in the arm. My legs buckled and lost balance making me fall to the dirt ground.

"Ezra," Hera said worried but it changed to determined, "Stay down, I'll get them."

No way that was going to happen. I breathed in and out while cradling my arm. I stood on shaky feet and held back a pain-filled cry when it started to burn.

"Get down. That's an order," she commanded but I didn't listen. "You did so much for me and now I want to returning the favor," I replied. I set my arm carefully at my side and grabbed my lightsaber, igniting it.

"Ezra, I told you to-AH!" Hera was hit. It took me by surprise when she stumbled back and over the edge.

"Hera!" I yelled and quickly fell then grabbed her wrist. I could hear the troopers stop firing for a moment, shocked at what they saw probably. Then someone told them to keep firing and they listened.

I didn't budge, but pulled Hera up with my injured arm. It burned like a bunch of fire ants bitting me in the same place. It was extremely painful using it but I managed to lift the Twi'lek back up. That's when it all came in at once.

   The wound throbbed so much that my eyes filled with tears. My whole arm hurt. I cradled it with my other arm and curled into myself while letting out some silent pain-filled noises.

   There was a ringing in my ears but I thought Hera was trying to tell something. Did she get the rest of the troopers?

   "Come on, get up," she urged. Her voice sounded from a distance with an echo but filled my ears no doubt. I sulked in a shaky and dry breath before standing on wobbly legs. Hera wrapped my good arm around her shoulders to keep me balanced.

   Then we began to walk into the jungle and away from the troopers.

   As we walked, I could hear my heartbeat.

   Bump bump...bump bump...bump bump...

My vision began to blur and the hot and cold feelings came back. Not again.

Soon, Hera sat me down next to what I assume was a tree. She was squatted in front of me and tried to get my attention. I couldn't hear anything she said because the sound of the heart beat quickened becoming loud.

Bump, bump,bump,bump,bump...

The last thing I remember was throwing up and sprawled out on the floor. Then, the whole world turned into a black void.

I wake up. My clear eyes scanned the area without the foggy and glassy vision messing with my head. My breathing was uneven and ragged while my arm still throbbed. Yet, the only thing on my mind was the missing pilot.

Where was Hera? Did she make it back to the ship? Did she ditch me?

The last question brought a bad taste to my mouth. I wouldn't blame her. I would of held us up and the others needed that medicine.

That's when a snap of a stick alerted me that something was close. Very close. My body wasn't working right and if it was working then I still wouldn't be able to run.

I pretended to be dead and hope that whatever it was would just pass. Hopefully it's just some kind of animal that loves plants and not my head.

   That's when I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder.

   "Come on, Ezra. Wake up."

   It was Hera! She and the crew didn't leave me!

   My eyes fluttered open and I rolled onto my back. Hera smiled down at me and seemed to be glad that I was awake.

   "How's your arm?" She asked examining my injury. I looked at her a little closer to see her eyes were bloodshot. Her form was lax and seemed like it could fall at any moment. A couple ragged coughs left her system before I could reply.

   "It's fine," I say but really, it hurts like a knife stabbing me over and over.

   "Well, you got lucky. It's only a flesh wound," Hera said then poured some water on it. I bit my tongue but couldn't stop a painful cry that left my mouth.

   "Sorry," she apologized.

   "I'd probably be lucky if the stormtrooper wasn't lucky," I said and Hera rolled her emerald eyes.

   "Also, thank you for saving me. I owe you my life," she smiled warmly.

   "You already have. You and the crew saved me from the streets," I told her. There was more that I wanted to tell her but wasn't able to say it. So I said something else.

   "D-Did you make it back to the ship?" I asked and she frowned.

    "I don't know where we are," she said looking around like a lost child. This wasn't like the Hera I know. She doesn't give up or sound so hopeless. Maybe it was the illness getting to her head. I know I don't feel like a 100 percent. I feel like a 101 percent. Wait, does that even count at a percent?

   At the moment, I didn't care if I was right or wrong. We needed to find a way back to the Ghost.

   "Have you tried the com link?" I asked.

   "Yeah, but the jungle wasn't able to get a connection through," she explained.

   "Climbing a tree?" I suggested.

   Hera raised an eyebrow and I knew why. The branches were a good height to be at least two stories high.

   "What about...um..." I paused and tried to think of another way but my mind was to clouded. Everything seemed hopeless at the time.

   "Are you thirsty? There is a stream that is near by to get you some water that I can get," she said. Stream. Why did that sound familiar? I licked my lips until the thought came. We landed near a stream!

   "Where's the stream?" I asked.

   "Just a few clicks that way," she said jabbing her thumb over her shoulder, "Why?"

   "Didn't you land near a stream?" I asked and realization bloomed on her face.

   "I did," she said then smiled down at me, "Good job, hun." I returned the gesture then felt her hand lay on my forehead.

"Your burning up and probably way worse than me," Hera muttered under her breath and I flinched. She seemed to be thinking until her natural green skin turned pale white.

"What?" I asked confused when she was thinking very hard.

"That's why," she muttered.

"Hera, what's going on?" I asked.

"Ezra, you need to eat these," she told me while getting a herb out of a container. 

   "Not until the others get it first," I said weakly but didn't give up the fight.

   "You don't get it. The two will last longer but you don't have much time so I need you to eat it now," she said urgently but mostly scared.

   "Two?" I asked worried.

   One look into her eyes and I gave in. Slowly, I  reached out taking the herb into my shaky hand. I brought the leaf to my mouth and ate it whole.

"Can you stand?" She asked timidly.

"Maybe," I replied unsure then tried my best to stand. I was able to get onto my feet but needed a little help from Hera for support.

"Let's go," the Twi'lek said and began leading me towards the stream.

It was quiet between the two of us and I wanted nothing more of it. There was still a question spinning in my mind. Why was Hera so sad and determination to get my to eat the herb when our other friends needed it desperately? What did she mean two?

Maybe I just imagined it. For all I know, she could of said a different word or meant something else. Another thing could be it was the illness getting to her head too.

   "Hera, what did you mean by two?" I asked and almost covering my mouth when letting it slip.

   I felt her tense up and a wave of guilt mixed with sadness came. Hera looked down to look me in the eyes before stopping next to the stream.

   "Hera..." I said getting worried and scared that something might of happened when I was sleeping.

   "Sabine...she..." Hera lick her lips to get moisture in them.

   "What about Sabine?" I asked.

   "She's in a coma and Chopper doesn't know how much longer she can keep up the fight," she said. I was stunned to hear the stubborn artist had fallen into a deep slumber. With a possible chance that she might...that she might die.

   From day one, Sabine was probably the worst out of the three. I never would of thought that she would end up in a coma.

"How do you even know this? Didn't you say that we lost connection with them," I asked.

"It was a saved message. It was sent before we landed and I never noticed until trying to communicate with the others awhile ago," she explained. I nodded understanding.

"Let's hurry back then while we still have a chance then," I said determined. Hera returned the gesture with a grin and sharp nod of her head. We began to walk up stream through the vast jungle.

I am tired. I am in pain. I am having a hard time functioning. I still move on with Hera by my side. Every once in a while Hera or I cough. I even threw up again which left nothing left in my stomach. The sun made everything humid making the two of us sweat so much I thought we would melt.

   We moved on still and eventually made it back to the Phantom. Hope. That was the feeling that swept through me. We still had time, enough to get back and heal everyone.

   Hera opened the hatch and made our way in. She helped me sit on the bench and made her way to the pilot's seat. I glimpsed at the pilot to see her rubbing her eyes and the sides of her head.

   "Are you ok?" I asked.

   "When we make it back and everyone is fine then I'll be ok but for now...I'll be as heck as worried that I want to be," she said. I smiled and felt the ship lurch. We were going home.

   Bang! Bang! Bang!

   Three TIE fighters zoomed passed us and Hera made a run for space. I clutched the sides of the seat as she made a bunch of twists and turns.

   "Hang on!" Hera warned then jerked the ship to the left. Two of the TIES crashed into each other and I couldn't help but laugh. Stormtroopers are idiots.

   Bang!

   Except for the remaining TIE that just hit us. "We lost the hyperdrive!" Hers yelled and I paled. Now what were we supposed to do. The pilot in the other ship would of already called reinforcement by now.

   Out of anger, Hera stirred the ship until it was behind the TIE and shot at it. A complete shot and the ship blew to bits.

"Phantom to Ghost, we need a pickup now!" Hera said through the com. Chopper came through and told us that he'll be there in twenty minutes.

So we drifted in space for the time being. Hera rummage through something up front then came back to me. In her hands was a med-kit.

"Let my see your injury," she said and I, without argue, rolled up my sleeve. Hera but some salve and man did it sting. I flinched and she apologized.

Soon, Hera wrapped my arm up with bandages.

   "Thanks," I said greatly appreciating her for still coming back.

   Hera was about to say something but I continued, "I thought you left my there for dead but you came back. So really, thank you for not abandoning me."

   I stared at my lap feeling smaller than usual.

   "Anytime hun," she said and gently cupped the side of my head in her hand. I looked up when feeling her thumb circling my cheek. The side of my mouth twitched a bit and felt as though I was safe. Like how my mom used to do the smallest gestures like Hera was doing, making me feel as though I am protected.

   At first, I didn't realize that I leaned into her hand when dazing off. When my eyes opened, Hera was smiling at me. Embarrassed, I retreated from the comforting touch and shifted in my seat a bit.

   Chopper came through the comm and soon the Ghost appeared. "Choppers here," I said and Hera gave me a suspicious look before going over and answering the call.

   Hera parked the ship into its slot and the Ghost lurched into hyperspace. The two of us walked out of the Phantom and made our way to the med-bay. We met up with Chopper and he told us what happened since we were gone.

   Sabine was in a coma. Kanan was hallucinating in and out at times but gets worse each time. Zeb kept barfing at he was practically skin and bones, but couldn't keep his food down.

   We entered, followed by Chopper. Hera sat me on a chair then ran over to a trash can and threw up. I stood up the best that I could and leaned against the wall. I used my good arm to help steady me against the wall as I walked towards Hera.

   The Twi'lek stood up on wobbly legs as well then began to mash the herbs until they were soft enough to swallow.

   "Ezra go sit back in the seat," Hera said tiredly.

   "I want to help. They are not just your family," I said. Realization came over me when I just heard myself saying 'family.' It was an odd taste but felt right coming out of my mouth. It definitely made Hera stop and look at me.

   She handed my a small bowl and told me what to do. I nodded and walked over to Zeb doing as instructed until he finally had the medicine in him. Hera took care of the other two.

   I was worried about them all but Sabine was the one that worried me the most. She was paler than any of us combined and was so still it was unlike her. Hera took some of the medicine too. Everything was going to be ok.

   A week had passed.

   Kanan and Zeb were on their feet as healthy as ever. Sabine was still in a coma but she was healing too. All that had to be done was wait until her eyes open. Hera was still a little sick and tired but was getting better. The gash on her head wasn't bad and was able to heal. I was still sick but with a cold and my arm was in a sling.

   Things couldn't be better knowing that my family was still well and alive.

   I walked to the cockpit and entered the room coughing a bit. I see Hera laying back in her seat and enjoying the view. "Mind if I join you?" I asked blinking away the tiredness in my droopy eyes.

   "Sure," she said not turning her gaze away. I sat in the seat next to hers and stared out into the stares. It was nice and quiet through the Ghost but not a sort of eerie one that used to fill the ship.

   I yawned and felt my eyes start to feel like anvils are pulling down on them.

   "Night, Ezra," I heard Hera say. I didn't realize I replied before falling asleep.

   "Night mom."

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Holy smokes. 4483 words. This is the most I ever wrote. Wow.

Anyways.

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