Summary: A few days after the first chapter. Ezra is still learning about his new ability and recovering from using it for the first time, when a message from the Inquisitor arrives. Forcing Ezra to make a choice... fall to the dark side or save his parents. Includes some of my head cannons about Ezra and Kanan's parentage. (no flames please. be mature if you disagree!)

Author's Notes: Ok.. CREDIT where its due.. this WHOLE second chapter comes compliments of a plot bunny that was Shoe horned into my head by my tumblr buddy Bookworm- percy. Some folks asked for this to be continued, i originally intended it to only be a one shot, then the rabid fanged plot bunny attached its self to my head and refused to let go. Any how Enjoy! R&R pls!

What Doesn't kill you: part 2

"Now explain this to me ONE more time Kanan?" Ezra Bridger asked his teacher, "Because I am TOTALLY lost."

He watched the older Jedi smile at him and then shake his head.

"Sorry Kid," He cleared his throat and started over, " Basically you have the potential to be a VERY specific kind of healer."

"Go on," Ezra nodded.

"Ok," Kanan looked up and thought about how to continue, "There were Jedi that could heal physical wounds and then there were the kind that could help people's minds heal."

"And that's what I did the other night?"
Kanan nodded, "That's what you did. It's a very rare talent, not something that every Jedi is born with the ability to do. It's also not something that can be really learned either."

Ezra sighed and thought about what his mentor was telling him and leaned back on the bunk he was in a bit. The fact of the matter was, he really had no idea exactly HOW he had done what he'd done. Kanan's explanation helped some but he was still confused. Even more so due to the fact that he had, yet again, passed out due to using his powers and woke up feeling like he'd been stepped on by a ronto.

It had been three days since it had happened. The first day all Ezra had done was sleep. REALLY sleep. Hera had come in to check on him and nearly had a panic attack because she had been unable to wake him. The second day he had come around but still had almost no energy. To day was the third day and Ezra was finally able to sit up and carry on a conversation but still felt tired and overwhelmed.

"So why do I feel so tired then?" He asked, "If its a normal ability for some Jedi."

He suddenly froze for a second, "Its not..."

Kanan quickly shook his head, "No of course not. This ability has absolutely nothing to do with the dark side of the force Ezra. Just the opposite in fact. Only Jedi that have a strong connection to the Light can use this trait."
Ezra nodded and Kanan continued again, "It does however take a very big toll on the person with the ability. Physical healing is the same way. Your so worn down because you were already exhausted from the fight with the Inquisitor just like me. When you found me the other night I was, for lack of a better term, stuck."

"That's what I was afraid had happened, " The younger Jedi replied, "I couldn't get you to wake up no matter what I did. I tried to use the force and..."
"Wound up in my head," Kanan smiled a bit, "I know." Then looked away, "I am sorry you had to see that. "

"Its ok. But I was wondering who that person was."

Kanan thought about that for a second and then replied, "I knew him as Master Skywalker. But by that point He had turned. There have been some rumors that he and Darth Vader are one in the same, but I'm not sure how."
"Whoa."

"Any way," Kanan brought them back to the subject, "That's why your so tired. It took a lot of energy to do that, and it may take a while for you to feel back to normal. That though is also a normal part of that ability."

Ezra thought about that for a second and then looked back up at his teacher, "So is it just other Jedi that I can help or can I help people with out force sensitivity?"

"Eventually you will be able to, " Kanan told him, "But right now I would lay of using this at all. You need to get stronger so you don't become over whelmed when you do use it. This ability will always make you feel exhausted when you use it."

Ezra nodded, "Thank you for explaining it to me Master, " He paused and smiled, "I am glad I was able to help you. I hope that never happens again."

"It wont," Kanan replied, "I've put up with that almost nightly for ... well a long time. Last night was the first night I haven't had that dream."

"It was worth it then."

The older Jedi smiled at the boy again, "In time you'll learn how to use it like the rest of your abilities but its something that your going to have to take care with. We need to concentrate on your training for a while when you get back to normal. If anything happens again this time I want BOTH of us to be ready."

Ezra smiled back "Thank you Master. That means a lot that you still have faith in me after what happened."

"I always have and I will always," Kanan told him and then stood up, "I think that you need to get some more rest now ..."
He was about to finish his sentence when his comlink went of and a slightly frantic sounding Hera called him from the flight deck of the Ghost.

"KANAN!" She nearly screamed, "You need to get up here! Right NOW!"

"I'll be right there." He radioed back, "Stay..." He stopped and grinned, "That's not gonna work is it?"

"Nope," Ezra replied, "I may be tired but if its an emergency then we're stronger together right?"
"Right."

Moments later the pair reached the flight deck and found all of the rest of the crew looking out the window and looking more than a little bit worried.

"What's going on?" Ezra asked.

"THAT is what's going on," Zeb replied.

He pointed out the window and the two Jedi turned to spot what he was talking about. Floating about twenty feet away from the ramp of the Ghost was an imperial probe droid. One of their newer inventions, designed to gather and retransmit information or in some cases deliver information to others.

"What's that thing doing?" Kanan looked out at it like it was some kind of noisome thing.

"So far nothing, "Sabine commented, "It showed up about two minutes ago and has just been floating there."
Hera shook her head, "We cant take off with it there, it will transmit the location of the Ghost and they'll be able to follow us."

"Then were gonna have to go out and get rid of it," Kanan replied, "Follow me and EVERYONE be careful. Hera..."
"Right," She nodded, "I'll fire it up just in case."
The Twi'lek pilot stayed up in the flight deck to keep the ship ready to take off while everyone else headed down to the ramp and watched as it opened, wondering what kind of reaction they were going to get from the probe droid.

Everyone was ready for something dramatic to happen, for the thing to attack or blow sky high or someone to jump out and attack them. So the fact that it simply continued to float there passively had everyone on edge.

This continued for a few more seconds until Ezra stepped out from behind Kanan. A red scanner beam shot out from the droid and passed over the younger Jedi making him jump back for a second.

After confirming who the boy was a compartment opened on the bottom of the droid and a metal box fell out. It landed with a soft thud on the grass below the droid and then the machine its self turned and simply floated away.

Everyone walked over to the metal box and watched as a small red indicator light flashed next to what appeared to be the opening mechanism. Ezra looked from the box and then up at his teacher.

"Should I...?" He trailed off.

"If it were going to attack us it would have already," Kanan bent down and picked the box up, "If this were a bomb or something then having it delivered in such a manner would have been a waste of time. I think someone wants to send us, or rather you Ezra, a message."

"You gonna open it kid?" Zeb asked.

"Just be careful!" Sabine urged him, "there's no telling what could jump out of that thing!"

Ezra nodded and then reached up and hit the opening button. There was no explosion, no snakes or crazy frynocks jumped out. No booby traps of any kind. Just a chuff of compressed air and the top of the box opened. In side of the box were two things, a holographic message display and... a light saber.

A light saber that was clearly built for a female hand.

"What's going on?" Ezra demanded, "that's..."

"Play the message Ezra," Kanan told him, "I think that might be the only way to find out."

He reached in and pulled out the message player and again hit the button. There was a flicker of static above the thing for a moment or two and then the image resolved into the form of the Inquisitor.

"If you are watching this boy," He smiled, "Then you have gotten my message. I simply wish to offer you a... opportunity. " He turned away from the camera, "Bring them."
the image of the Inquisitor remained and then suddenly he was joined by several storm troopers and two other people. A lovely dark haired woman with very familiar electric blue eyes, wearing what appeared to be the tattered remains of Green Jedi robes. Also a tall dark haired man with a beard wearing armor that appeared to date from the Clone wars. Both of them had their hands behind their backs in binders and both of them looked defiant and proud and not about to give in to the Servant of the dark side.

"As you can see Padawan," The Inquisitor smiled again , "I have both of your blood parents. They are at the moment alive, as to how long they will remain so is up entirely to you youngling."

"DON'T" The woman suddenly cried, "EZRA DON'T..."

The image of the Inquisitor turned and back handed her to the ground, glared at her for a second as the man knelt beside her and then turned back to the camera.

"You have exactly two choices boy," He snarled, "Either willingly serve the dark side and I will allow them to live, OR continue along the path you have chosen and I will send you their dead bodies."
"No..." Ezra whispered in a shocked voice, " please no..."
"I have included your Mother's light saber as proof that this is no ruse," The Darksider continued, "You have one hour to respond. If you choose to do so then come to the following coordinates. The choice is yours."

The image clicked off, the older three of the group just stared at the space the hologram had been in for a few seconds and then suddenly registered that there had been two thuds. The first was the hologram player hitting the ground as Ezra dropped it. The second was Ezra hitting the ground as he collapsed to his knees.

"No no.. " He pressed his face into the fabric of his pants as he bent over and wrapped his arms around him self, "This isn't possible... Why... HOW...?"

Behind them someone walked down the ramp of the ghost and came over to him.

"Oh Ezra," Hera told him, "I'm so so sorry! I meant to tell you but..."

"What?" He looked up at her.

"Seebo told me what happened," She told him sadly, "Your parents went on a mission to help people and... were captured."

"And you are telling me just NOW... Why..." He took a deep breath, "Because I've been sleeping right?"
She nodded, "Yes...When I came in to tell you I...I couldn't wake you. You had to sleep so.. I waited. I'm SO Sorry!"

He suddenly looked up at her and hugged her fiercely, "Thank you. For finding out... You have to take me to them. Please I..."
"OH NO!" Zeb suddenly growled, "IF you think we are going to let you do that then you are out of your little Loth-rat mind!"

"He's right!" Sabine agreed, "Your parents would NEVER want you to trade your self for them! you heard your mother."

"There is NO way Ezra," Kanan nearly snarled, "I wont ... cant loose you to that."

He smiled softly at how much his friends loved and wanted to protect him, "That's not what I was going to say." Ezra looked up, "You have to take me there. I.. I can't rescue them. But... I have to see them...just one last time. Please? Will you take me?"

"I will," The pilot woman told him, "We all will."

The rest of the crew nodded and moments later they were headed for the location that the Inquisitor had provided to them.

Sure enough standing in the place he had indicated was the ghoulish man, his cadre of storm troopers and his two prisoners. Behind that hovered Agent Kallus' ship with its guns trained on them couple as well.

Hera landed the ship and Ezra and the rest of crew headed down the ramp and out to meet them. The young Jedi walked down the ramp knowing that he could probably never do this, but would never give into the dark side either. He stepped off the Ghost and stared at the monster that held his parents captive.

"Let them go," Ezra demanded, "Or I'll make you let them go."
The Inquisitor snorted, "And HOW pray tell do you intend to do that boy? Another Frynock."

Ezra shook his head, "Your tricks aren't going to work on me this time. I'll, fight you for them if I have to. I am a Jedi, like my Master and my Mother."

"And are you Jedi youngling?" The Inquisitor sneered.

He moved over and tugged the woman to her feet and turned her to face them, "Tell me my darling Mira. Is your Son a Jedi like his Mother before him?"
What the man said clicked with the woman and she turned to face the young man, "Ezra?" She gapped at him for a few seconds and then smiled, "Yes." She said firmly. "Yes he is. They both are, One of the best and brightest ever to come from the Temple is teaching my son. Quigon Jinn's son, is my child's Master. They ARE Jedi Inquisitor. Nothing you can do will stop that."

She paused and took a shaky breath and continued, "The myth says that if a Corrillian Jedi leaves the system, they are doomed. I've already accepted my death, long ago." She motioned to Ezra with her shoulder, " But if He lives, I live."

She turned to face Kanan, "Promise me You'll make him strong Caleb. I know you can."

At a loss for words, all Kanan could do was nod back to the woman.

The Inquisitor's anger flared again and he shoved her back down on to the ground.

"So you wont turn boy?" He Snarled at Ezra, "And even in the face of your death's you two still remain defiant."
This time the man spoke from his place on the ground, "I was nothing but a solider... bred to fight war I barely understood." He grinned at the Inquisitor, "Mira showed me my humanity, nothing can change that. I won my war the day my son came into this world. You cant change that, OR take it from me."

Ezra raised his chin, " See.. You can't break them or me. Now, for the last time. Let my parents go."
The servant of the dark side sneered at the boy, "You fools. I wasn't going to let them live any way boy. Even if you gave me what I wanted."

A blaster shot suddenly rang out and everyone looked in time to see Ezra's father collapse to the ground next to the just arrived agent Kallus, and then almost as suddenly the snap hiss of the Inquisitor's light saber ignited and his mother followed her husband. She wasn't dead instantly, and looked at her son with a soft expression. Then the light left her eyes and she was still.

The inquisitor turned and smiled viciously at Ezra, "Now Jedi... Hold true to those oh so pretty words."

He expected that last taunt to fling the young man before him into a rage. But the circumstances were different this time. Ezra was both physically and emotionally still drained and nothing of the sort happened. No anger flared at him from the younger Jedi in front of him. Pure loss did though, and rather than attack, the young man stared at the bodies of his blood family for a few moments and the collapsed to his knees in anguish.

For all his potential in the force, and for all the strength that he had displayed surviving on his own for seven years, Ezra Bridger was still only a 15 year old child. One that had only just had his first brush with darkness, helped his mentor but left him self exhausted. A 15 year old child that well knew what was going to happen but faced the truth he could do nothing, and t hat his parents would die heroes. A 15 year old child that now sobbed into the arms of the twi'lek pilot that loved him like her own.

He clung to Hera but was too shocked to even register what was going on around him. Zeb literally roared in rage and tore into the storm troopers like they were paper dolls. Sabine came over and was desperately trying to get him to look away while She told Hera to get ready to go take off.

Kanan simply knelt next to his student and tried to get through to him through the wall of bleakness he could feel rising in his student.

"Ezra," He put his hand on his arm, "Ezra look at me.. They knew this would happen. This wasn't your fault!"

The boy sobbed harder and clung to the mandolorian girl trying to get him self under control.

"Not so noble now are we Jedi?" The Inquisitor mocked.

Ezra wiped his face and looked up from his friend to his tormentor, "YES ... they were! I WILL never break their trust! I WILL NEVER join you!"

"Fine," He turned to Kallus, "Then hold on to those memories because that will be all you have! Vaporize what's left of this SCUM!"
"NO!" Kanan yelled.

It was already to late. The guns from Kallus' ship fired off and the bodies of his parents were gone almost instantly.

Kanan felt a fresh wave of shock and horror roll off of the boy next to him and he looked over in time to see Ezra's eyes roll back and the boy collapse completely onto Sabine.

For a few moments Kanan could feel his own anger rising at what had been done to this child but he knew that if he was blinded by anger, tempted by the dark side, he would never be able to hold off the Inquisitor to give Zeb and Sabine the time they needed to get Ezra back onto the ship.

"ZEB!" the Jedi cried out and the Lasat looked over to see what he was calling for.

When Zeb saw the boy unconscious in Sabine's arms he realized what was going on and that giving a beat down to some imperial thugs was the least of his priorities. He shouldered his rifle and moved over to them.

"Get him and Sabine onto the ship," Kanan stood up and turned to face the Inquisitor, "I'll handle this."

"You are going to? Like you did at the base?" The darksider cracked, "Id love to see you make the attempt. If you are Jinn's son you have fallen VERY short of his legacy."
"I never knew who my father was," Kanan faced the man and ignited his saber, "I do know one thing now though. I know who's father I am."
"So be it," The man ignited his own saber and lunged for Kanan.

Kallus ordered the troopers to attack and Zeb and Sabine as well as a unconscious Ezra, were suddenly pinned down behind some rocks unable to get to the ramp of the Ghost, trying hard to find an opening but still trapped.

Kanan was finally standing up to the Inquisitor the way that it was needed to keep him away from the people Kanan loved. All of the skill that he had learned all of those years ago came back to him as if it had never left and the "meager talent" that the Inquisitor had mocked, now had the man pinned back against the rocks and was keeping him there until the rest of Kanan's crew could find away to get back to the safety of the Ghost.

"I wont let you hurt them any more," Kanan told him directly, "And you cant tempt me to the dark side. The light has never been clearer to me than now."

The darksider narrowed his eyes and glowered at Kanan, "Then I'll just have to make sure that your out of the way for good!"

Kanan never saw the shoto saber that appeared out of the Sith Minion's gauntlet. It was not a full powered saber, but was more than enough to leave nasty burns. Which is exactly what it did as The Inquisitor raked it down Kanan's ribs and then across his back.

The Jedi gave a strangled cry and collapsed, dropping his own saber and clutching at the painful wounds.

The arc of pain that went out through the Force from Kanan brought an evil smile onto the face of The Inquisitor, but also did something else. When it reached the other force sensitive in the area it jarred him out of his catatonia, just in time for Ezra to look and see what had happened.

"NO!" He suddenly started struggling against Zeb, "Put me down! Please ! NOW! I have to help him!"

Ezra wiggled loose and headed toward where, in an strange mirror image of the dream that he had saw in kanan's mind, The Inquisitor stalked his mentor.

"Get to Hera!" He screamed, "Get the Ghost in the air!"

The other two did as he asked and just as Ezra had done in the dream, He dove between Kanan and the person that was stalking him.

"Back off!" Ezra Ordered, "Your not going near him."
"This again?" The Inquisitor commented sounding almost bored, "I think you'd have.. UFF!"

Ezra held out both hands and knocked the Man back. He felt no anger, or fear, or even hatred. All he could feel at that moment was one thing, the over whelming need to keep the people he loved safe. His blood parents had already given their lives to keep him and his Master alive. He had no intention of wasting it.

"I said Back off!"

He motioned with his hand and Kanan's saber came to it, "I already told you your tricks wont work. Now for the LAST time. Leave us be."

"NEVER!"

The Inquisitor lunged at Ezra and the young man moved and swung the blade in his hands down. He got in a perfect shot and sliced right through the handle on the Inquisitor's saber.

"You brat!"

The man tossed the ruined saber down and lunged at the younger Jedi with the still functional shoto. Ezra was able to keep him at bay for a few more moments but he could feel the anger in the darksider growing more and more with each blow.

Finally The Inquisitor decided he had more than enough and with the considerable power he had he flung his hand out and snapped Ezra back. The boy's head connected with the rock behind him with a sharp crack. A smear of blood was left behind and the younger Jedi fell next to his master.

Kanan could barely move him self due to the burns but was able to get him self in front of his student, determined to protect him even as The Inquisitor closed in for the kill.

"Now Jedi," He held up a blaster being bereft of a powerful enough saber, "You die."

"I DONT THINK SO!"

A loud voice called out over a pa system and two cannon shots landed directly at The Inquisitor's feet.

The man turned and found the Ghost hovering close and all of the ships considerable guns trained on him. He gave a curse and realized he was over powered and had chased Kanan and Ezra far enough away from Kallus and his troopers that they would be of no help in this situation.

He glared at the ship for a moment and then glared back to Kanan, "This IS NOT over Jedi."

The man turned and ran and left the two Jedi there on the ground protected by their loved ones in the ship.

Kanan managed to stay up right for a few more moments and then his injuries got the better of him and he collapsed next to the young man in his arms.

Several Days Later:

Ezra didn't feel like he was waking up but could feel his mind finally stir for the first time in what felt like days. Even though he knew he was some how still dreaming he stopped and listened for a few moments.

He heard what sounded like water, LOTS of water. Running some place near by and he was at the very least dreaming that he was on something very soft. He concentrated for a few moments and then opened his dream Self's eyes and looked around.

The place he was in looked like the temple from Kanan's dream. But it was no longer blasted and destroyed. It looked whole and beautiful, and right now the room he was in seemed to have countless fountains. He was laying on what looked like some kind of resting mat and was able to see some of the room from his prone position but not much. So Ezra's dream self sat up and looked around.

He instantly noticed a couple of things. One, Kanan sat on a similar mat across the way from him and two, both of them appeared to be dressed in Jedi robes.

"Wha..."

Kanan noticed him and smiled, "Hey don't get up set. I thought this would be a nice place to spend our time until we wake up."

"Wake up?" Ezra echoed.

"Yes," He turned and looked at the younger Jedi with a smile, "I'm guessing from the condition we were both in when I passed out. Hera probably got us to a med center with one of her contacts, and we are currently eye ball deep in bacta because I can't wake up. I'm sedated."

"Me too I guess," Ezra agreed, making the attempt to wake and finding it for the moment impossible, "So how?"

"You got into my head again," Kanan told him, " So I did this."

"Oh," Ezra suddenly looked away from his mentor and down at his hands, "My parents."

"I'm So sorry Ezra," Kanan sighed, "They gave their lives to protect you. They are heroes."
"I know," The younger one replied.

"But it doesn't help right?"

"Not yet," Ezra told him, "But it will."
Kanan looked away from his student, "I am sorry Ezra. But I WILL keep my promise to Mira. I will help you grow into the strongest Jedi that I can."

Ezra nodded and then turned to him, "Thank you. I loved them, I miss them so much." He paused and then continued, "But they gave me the chance they never had. You and everyone else, Zeb, Sabine, and Hera, even chopper. You are all my family now. So keep your promise Kanan. Make me stronger. So I can protect my family."