Media: Star Wars: Rebels

Timeline: About two months before Season 3

Genres: Angst, Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Science Fiction

Summary: Ezra hates and blames himself for what happened to Kanan Jarris and Ahsoka Tano. He thinks that everyone else does too. Chopper soon learns what the boy is going through and informs Zeb.

At 0300, Chopper was up and rolling around the Ghost. He was fully charged and was making sure that everything was in order.

He rolled into the common room and was surprised to find Ezra awake and out of his room. But what really surprised Chopper was that Ezra had cut his hair. His blueish black hair had been cut military style, which made him seem taller and more mature. Then the droid realized that it wasn't the hair cut, this was really Ezra. He was older, taller, and he had matured greatly.

Ezra sat at the common room table, staring at his hands, which were resting on the hard surface. He was distracted and lost in thought. The boy was thinking for the hundredth time about what had happened on Malachor.

  It's all my fault. He thought darkly to himself. I trusted Maul. I blinded Kanan. I killed Ahsoka. The crew hates me. And I deserve their hate.

Chopper observed the boy. He seemed a bit down. The droid realized that Ezra hadn't been himself lately, though the boy tried to hide it. Chopper rolled over and bumped Ezra's leg gently. Ezra blinked out of his thoughts and glanced down at the orange droid. Ezra's heart started to beat faster in fear.

  The crew hates me.

"Oh. Hey, Chop," Ezra greeted with a fake smile. "Fully charged?" Chopper beeped affirmative, pausing before asking why Ezra was up so early. "Oh, uh... couldn't sleep," the teen mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. The action felt strange with his new hair style.

Ezra had told the truth, but not all of it. The reason he couldn't sleep is because he continuously thought of Malachor and how much the crew must hate him.

"Whup, whoop," Chopper demanded.

"I cut it about an hour ago. Like it?" Ezra answered. Chopper beeped a positive answer and the kid smiled slightly. "Thanks."

There was a beat of silence between the two.

"Beep, whomp whir?" Chopper asked. Ezra's fingers fidgeted nervously at the question.

"Noth... nothing's wrong," Ezra insisted. But the droid wasn't convinced. He rested an arm on the boy's knee in a gesture that he could talk to him. A sob stuck in Ezra's throat. He sighed. "I haven't been sleeping lately because... because I've been thinking about Malachor."

Chopper didn't reply as he waited for Ezra to continue. He glanced down at the droid, his eyes tearing up.

"It's all my fault. I trusted Maul. I blinded Kanan. I killed Ahsoka." Two hot tears spilled down Ezra's cheeks.

"Whop, whop," Chopper beeped.

"Yes it is, Chopper. It is my fault." Ezra turned away from the droid. "You must hate me." There was silence and Ezra closed his eyes as he waited for the electric shock and the stream of binary curses. But it never happened. He opened his eyes in surprise and glanced back at the droid.

"Bloop, beep, whir," Chopper told the sad child. "We don't hate you, Ezra."

The kid smiled genuinely and his blue eyes watered again.

"Do you mean it?" Ezra asked hopefully. Chopper beeped to confirm that it was true. Ezra was happy for a moment, but then his smile faded. "Maybe you don't hate me, but the rest of the crew probably do. Kanan has shown it by not being around and Zeb still teases me. Sabine and Hera probably hate me too."

Before Chopper could assure Ezra that the rest of the crew didn't hate him, the boy slid out of the seat and knelt next to the droid. He placed his hands on Chopper's "shoulders" and rested his forehead on the edge of the droid's dome with his eyes closed. A smile reappeared on the boy's tear streaked face. "At least you don't hate me, Chop."

Chopper did his best to hug the teen back. "Beep, boop," the droid promised. "I won't shock you anymore."

"Thanks, Chop." Ezra returned to his room and Chopper rolled back to his charging station.

At sunrise everyone was up and busy. Chopper searched for Zeb around the base. He needed to have a word with Garazeb Orrelios. He finally found the Lasat alone and rammed himself into the back of Zeb's knee.

"Ow! Chopper!" Zeb growled angrily. Chopper beeped something to Zeb. "You know I can't understand what you're saying! I'm gonna dismantle you, you rust bucket!" Chopper backed away from the furious Zeb.

  Note to self: don't make Zeb angry so early in the morning.

"Leave him alone, Zeb," a young male voice ordered sternly. Zeb's anger was replaced by surprise and Chopper turned his dome to glance behind him. It was Ezra! He was wearing a new outfit along with his new hair cut. His expression was serious and stern. The teen flashed a quick smile at the droid before walking away. Zeb crossed his arms and glared at the droid.

"Okay, what happened to the kid? He's got a new look, and he's actually being nice to you." Chopper mentally face palmed, imagining what Hera does when Kanan does something stupid.

"Beep, whomp, boop!" Chopper beeped, annoyed. "That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Zeb understood this.

"Ezra, obviously, has grown up. We just haven't noticed with his hair long, his old outfit and being busy with the Rebellion!" Chopper beeped slowly so Zeb could understand. He paused before continuing. "He hasn't been acting like himself since Malachor. Again, we haven't noticed because we have been too busy with the rebellion."

Zeb's ears drooped in shame. They had all been too busy for the kid, who has slipped into depression.

"Last night, I was done charging and was patrolling the Ghost when I found Ezra awake and sitting in the common room. He told me that he thinks that it's his fault that Ahsoka is dead and Kanan is blind." Chopper paused again because this was the saddest part. "He thinks we hate him."

Zeb was shocked and horrified. He had continued to tease the boy and he didn't notice this?

What kind of a friend am I? He thought in shame.

"Beep, boop." "I promised to stop shocking him."

"And I will stop teasing him," Zeb promised. "Karabast, I wish I had seen this before."

The duo stared sadly at Ezra where he was leaning against a wall, watching the other rebels working. His expression was serious; his body was tense and alert. He wasn't smiling and his sapphire blue eyes were filled with self-hate. The boy was hurting and the droid and vowed to be there for him, all the way.