"Run," she told him.

And he did. He never stopped. He ran to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, found a whole in the wall planet called Lothal…and now here he was, tending tables at some joint whose name he couldn't pronounce.

"Kanan, can I get a refill?"

Kanan sighed. It had been like this in the bar all damn day. Customers of every species, and creed had come through his bar doors, looking to get drunk and gamble. He didn't know if he was more pissed about the all the vices, or about the fact that he couldn't join 'em.

"Yeah," Kanan said, "Hold on." Kanan grabbed his rag, and flung it over his shoulder. Lothal was an interesting place…of course, that was a pretty big lie. Lothal was terrible, there tornadoes that wrecked everything in their path, decent food was difficult to come by, and the Empire was swarming over this planet like flies on rotting fruit. Every day it was the same thing. People came in to try their hand at winning some credits the Empire stole from them, or trying to drink to forget about it all.

Kanan grabbed a pitcher, filled his customer's glass and then sat it down next to him.

"Here, help yourself."

Kanan scratched his chin, and scrubbed his eyes, as if trying to wash away his disappointment. This wasn't supposed to be how things ended. He wasn't supposed to hide away in some armpit bar, hiding for his life on some planet. He needed to be somewhere…do something greater. Isn't that was his master had taught him?

And then he remembered…

"Shit."

She was gone.

He rubbed his eyes again, washing her memory from his eyelids. Not now. Not now.

"Hey," Kanan called to no one in particular, "I'm going on my break." He ripped his towel from his shoulder, and stormed out.

"I've gotta get some air."

He ran out into the dusty roads of Lothal, night had fallen over them, and the Empire's troops were walking around as if they owned the whole damn planet.

Damn the Empire, Kanan thought.

Lothal was in bad enough shape without those leeches sucking it dry even more. There were families who couldn't even get themselves something to eat because the Empire taxed the credits right out of their pockets.

And sometimes, when the parents couldn't afford to keep their children…they had to let them go. Sometimes, they were left abandoned out on the streets, other times…it was far far worse.

Kanan shook his head free of those thoughts. No, he couldn't think about that. He kicked the dirt into the air, and turned back to his bar. They were probably getting restless in there, and just as he heel-turned to make his way back…he halted.

The Force….pulling against his mind like a string tied to a balloon, keeping it from wandering too far.

"Shit, what now?" he asked.

Kanan could feel a presence, right next to his bar, tucked away behind the trash and half-eaten meals. He rolled his eyes. He didn't have time for this, and he certainly didn't want the constant reminders of The Force filling his head. No. He should just ignore it. Return to the bar and get on with his damn work.

But he didn't do that.

No, he followed his instincts and trusted in the force. Just as his master had instructed him to. There amongst the old garbage, wrapped in a ripped cloth, there was a child.

A baby. A baby with blue hair, and chubby arms that reached towards the sky, as if trying to grab something.

"Hello there youngling," Kanan whispered.

This was common. Sometimes on Lothal, parents would leave their newborns out in places like these, hoping someone would be able to take care of them. Sometimes, the kids hit it lucky and got taken in.

Most of the times…they never survived.

Kanan held the child closer. Is this what The Force wanted him to find? But why? Granted, Kanan wasn't averse to helping those in need, but that usually just meant giving a free drink to a guy who had lost his credits on a bad hand. Not…this. What the hell did The Force expect him to do? Babysit this kid?

He shook his head. Kanan wasn't mean to be a parent. No, he was the furthest thing from that. He was a beer drinking, bar fighting, deserter. He had left the Jedi order after the Empire's massacre. He didn't have a choice.

"No. No. No." He wrapped his hands around the baby's hair. It cooed and blinked as if Kanan was the first thing it laid eyes on. It smiled.

"Hey, don't get used to this mug kid," Kanan said, pointing a finger to his own face, "Because this is the last time you will see it."

He bundled the kid closer to keep it warm, and walked off. He couldn't very well go back into the bar, those noisy drunks would probably use this kid for their gambling. Besides, a bar was no place for a baby. A six-year-old, sure, but not a baby.

"Look," Kanan said to the kid, "I'll take ya' home, get ya' food, and see if I can find someone who can take care of you, alright?"

Kanan nodded his head. Yes, this was a good plan. Soon, this baby will be out of his hair, and out of his life, and no one would be able to say that he didn't do anything to help. The Force would get off of his back, and he could get on with life.

Yes…that's exactly what would happen.