Author's Note:

This is my first and possibly only attempt at fanfiction. It turns out I may need to do a little bit of creative writing professionally soon, so I decided to do some practice.

And boy has this been an interesting experience. With Rebels ending soon I felt I should ride the wave now and finish the whole thing. In one week I wrote around 35k words, desperate to finish before I left the country for a week. I'm now in the process of getting things formatted better, edited, and polished to publish. I can't promise that'll I'll keep to a one-chapter-a-day schedule, but I want it to be close. I want my version of things out before the finale!

There is romance, but it is easily as child-friendly as the show. I went ahead and rated it Teen for two innuendos (They seemed natural and appropriate in context). They're mild and I'm well aware most children's shows get away with far more crassness, but I decided to play safe and give it a Teen rating.

Why did I choose this story? I agree with Tolkien that the "Happy Ending" is one of the most important aspects of storytelling, and perhaps it's most sacred. A story can be filled with darkness and sadness. But the eucatastrophe, the sudden turn or resolution of a story into the joyful, is what makes the trials worth it. (If this subject interests you I recommend reading Tolkien's essay "On Fairy Stories") This story is my attempt to give Rebels happy and (hopefully) believable epilogue.

This story takes place after season 4. Since season 4 has not ended yet, I made several assumptions. They are as follows:
1. Kanan dies a noble death (I think we all anticipate this one)
2. Ezra seemingly dies but miraculously survives
3. The Ghost crew knows that Ezra lives
4. Everyone else, including Rex, Kallus, Alliance leadership, the Empire, etc., believe Ezra died

I have more commentary, but I imagine I've already lost half of you.
I hope you enjoy and look forward to feedback.

UPDATED NOTE AFTER SERIES CONCLUSION:
Well, there's not really any way for me to draw this back to canon. Let's just imagine that Ezra made it out of the Chimera before he got Pergil hyperspaced into the wild unknown with his new BFF Thrawn...

Chapter 1
A Parting of Ways

Ezra shoved the last of his belongings into the travel bag and took one final look around his old room. Over four years he and Zeb shared it, four years of good times and bad. Ezra looked up at the old painting of the prank Chopper pulled on them after Ezra first came aboard the Ghost. Chopper had removed the bolts from the top bunk causing the bunk and Ezra to fall on Zeb as he was trying to sleep. The resulting chaos had led to a particular meiloorun fruit incident, and one of Ezra's fondest memories.

Of course, Ezra and Zeb looked like fools in the painting, but neither of them had ever scrubbed it off. It was a part of their room, part of their life, part of their history, and Ezra loved it. Also, there was no way he was destroying a painting of Sabine's.

Ezra smiled. Even if it did make him look like a fool.

There was a short knock at the door, and it slid open to reveal Hera. The sight of the green Twi-lek nearly broke Ezra's heart. Ezra wasn't sure if she had slept at all since Kanan's sacrifice. Somehow she had kept going, kept operating, kept everyone else moving, leaving no time to grieve but those times she should have been sleeping. And it showed.

"Hate to rush you Ezra, but it's about time. Yavin IV knows we're on our way back. If we delay too long, I'll have extra questions to answer."

Ezra sighed and picked up his bag. "I know Hera. I'm ready. I just..." He gestured around the room. "So many memories here. It's hard to think I'll never be here again."

Hera cocked her head to the side a soft smile on her lips. "Ezra, once a part of my crew, always a part of my crew. You will always be one of my own." She stepped to Ezra and wrapped him in a soft embrace, "One day you'll come back to us. Kanan always told me that the Force works in mysterious ways. And after everything we've been through, I believe it."

"Me too, Hera" Ezra sighed and pulled away from Hera. "It's time. Let me say bye to the others and get out of here." He chuckled "If I'm going to play dead I better get started."

He walked out of his room to head toward the Phantom II's ladder. "You know, you don't have to go through with this," Hera said from behind him.

Ezra put a hand on the ladder then turned around shaking his head. "No, I do. You saw the bulletin the Empire put out. 'Ezra Bridger, rebel terrorist and last known Jedi, dead.' Kanan and I put the rest of you through so much danger just because of who and what we were. Now I have a chance to take the pressure off you guys. Give you an opening to make a difference without Vader and who knows what else breathing down your necks." He paused. "It also gives me a chance to preserve what little remains of the Jedi and their legacy. If I die, the last of their knowledge dies with me." Ezra remembered Obi-Wan of course, and Yoda too, wherever he was, but those were secrets that not even Hera knew. He also doubted they would ever emerge from their exiles to train a new generation of Jedi.

And then there was Ahsoka. He had no doubt she was still out there somewhere. And maybe one day they would find each other, but until that day Ezra had to assume that he was the last of the Jedi.

"I think Kanan would have wanted some memory of the Jedi to endure and if I stay with the rebellion, it's only a matter of time until the empire catches up with me." He smiled sadly. "Then the Jedi would truly be extinct."

Hera nodded sadly. "I understand. I'm proud of you Ezra. It's not always easy to take a broad view of things." She looked at the ground. "It'll just be hard to lose both my Jedi at once."

"I know," Ezra said slowly. "I'll remember everything Kanan taught me. Someday maybe I'll be able to teach someone else, and a little bit of Kanan will live on."

Hera blinked back tears through a smile. "I think he'd like that. I know I do." She turned around. "Zeb! Sabine! Chop! Get up here! Ezra has to leave, now. We've got to get back to Yavin if this is charade is going to work."

Chopper rolled in almost at once, followed closely by Zeb. The surly droid continued straight to Ezra, extended one of his manipulators, and proceeded to bash Ezra's knees. "OW! Chopper really?! This is how you say goodbye?"

"Whomp, whomp, whomp" the droid merely said moving back to Hera.

"Wow. Okay then, miss you too buddy. Sheesh."

"Whomp?"

"Yes, I meant it. I'm just not sure you do. No one ever taught you how to show affection." Ezra turned to Zeb and extended his hand. "Well Captain Orrellios, you get your room back to yourself now. Can't say I'll miss the smell."

Zeb smiled his lopsided grin. "Well, a little for the road won't hurt," and pulled him into a big hairy hug. "Miss you, little runt. Believe it or not, I was actually starting to like you."
"Ha, were you now," Ezra said extricating himself from the Lasat's crushing embrace. "Could've fooled me." He paused. "Hey Zeb, take care of Hera. Without Kanan and I, you're going to have to pull triple duty.

Zeb snapped into a quick military salute. "Captain Garazeb Orrelios of the Lasat Honor Guard knows and accepts his duties. I will, Ezra. For Kanan."

"For Kanan." Ezra looked up the ladder to the Phantom II and tossed his travel bag, nudging it just a little with the Force to ensure it landed safely. He'd have to stop doing things like that soon. If he truly meant to hide from the empire, He would have to be very careful with how he used the Force going forward. Ezra turned back to the crew and smiled sadly. Sabine sure was taking her time. Ezra's heart ached a little; for being the one he was least willing to leave, something else was apparently more important to her right now.

Hera noticed too. "Sabine!" she yelled. "What's taking?"

"I'm coming, just one minute. Zeb, come give me a hand."

"With what?" Hera asked. "Ezra has to be out of here now, and we need to be back in hyperspace."

"Just send Zeb, please," Sabine called back down the hall.

Zeb shrugged. "Okay, on my way," he growled moving back towards the crew quarters.

Hera's eyes narrowed, hands on her hips. "You any have any idea what this is about?"

Ezra leaned against the ladder and crossed his arms. "No idea, honest. I long ago learned there was only so much of Sabine Wren I was ever going to understand. The rest I chalk up to the mysteries of the universe."

Hera chuckled then shook her head. "Kanan managed to teach you a little wisdom after all."

"I know my limits," Ezra said smugly. Zeb emerged from the hallway, heavy crate under his arms. "What's that Zeb?" The Lasat merely gave Ezra a strange and severe look, one that Ezra didn't know how to interpret. Weird, Ezra thought. Wonder what this is about.

Sabine exited from the hall directly behind Zeb, with a travel bag over each shoulder. She set the bags down by Ezra and ran a hand through her dark purple hair. "Sorry to make everyone wait," she said. "Turns out I have a lot more equipment than you to pack, what with my painting supplies, explosive making gear, and tools."

Ezra's mouth dropped open, and his eyes went wide. "Wait, what?" He looked around at the others quickly. Zeb still had the strange expression and Hera's face was slowly brightening into a radiant smile, something none of them had seen since Kanan's sacrifice. Chopper's head was swiveling back and forth between Ezra and Sabine.

There was a long awkward pause. Ezra opened his mouth to fill it, but Sabine placed a hand over his mouth. "Nope, keep it shut and let me talk." She shuffled uncomfortably on her feet. "I'm not letting you just leave and go on your merry way by yourself, Ezra Bridger. I'm coming with you. And no this isn't up for debate. The decision is made. I'm already packed. Zeb, can you load the crate onto the Phantom?" Zeb grunted pushing past Ezra and lugged the crate up the ladder.

Several conflicting emotions chased themselves through Ezra's mind. Partially overjoyed that his friend, partner, and the woman of his dreams was determined to come with him into his exile. Partially just sheer amazement. Having Sabine as a travel companion was not on the list of possibilities he had ever imagined. Ezra finally managed to croak out two words. "But why?"

Sabine looked at her feet and waited till Zeb had come back down before speaking. "Look here's what I see, Ezra. Everyone on the Ghost is family. Have been for years. We've all trusted each other with our lives so often that it's second nature. We've lived with each other, laughed with each other, and never dreamed it would change" She hesitated. "But now Kanan is gone, you're leaving, and the family is breaking. No," she said silencing Ezra's protest. "This isn't your fault. We know why you have to leave. I'm not arguing with that. It makes practical sense. For the Rebellion, for the Jedi, for everything."

Sabine hesitated for a moment. "It's just that you can't go alone. I have to go with you."

There was a moment of silence. For once even Chopper knew he should keep quiet.

She finally continued. "Look, Ezra, I know you. I know what your greatest fear has been. And I know that it's come true."

Hera breathed in sharply and opened her mouth. "Being alone again," she whispered.

Sabine nodded. "Yep. We took Ezra in off the streets of Lothal. A crafty, streetwise Loth-rat, and made him a part of our family. That's what this has always been about to him. Sure he believes in the Rebellion. He hates the Empire. Our cause is his cause" She looked Ezra in the eye. "But this family has always been more important to him than that. And now it's breaking, and he has to leave." She looked at him quietly. "Am I near the mark, Ezra?"

Having no idea what to say, Ezra nodded and looked at his feet, doing his best not to tear up. He had been alone for eight years of his life, with no one to go home to, no family that cared about him. And now he had a family. Family was the most important thing to him now. It unnerved him that Sabine saw through him as clearly as a transparisteel viewport.

Most of his nightmares involved him being the sole survivor of the Ghost during some terrible mission gone wrong. Thankfully those nightmares had never come true. And yet here he was losing his family anyway, in a way he could have never anticipated.

"Karabast" muttered Zeb to himself. "I should have known, some bunk mate I am."

But Sabine shook her head and smiled. "Which is why I'm going with you, Ezra. I don't know where you're going, but I won't let you be alone; not again. And it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for anyone else to go into exile with you. Hera's too important, you and Zeb would just fight all the time, and if Chop went with you, within a week either you'd be dead, or he'd be a pile of bolts."

"Whuh whomp," Chopper said. "It's True." Everyone, even Ezra laughed. He still didn't look up from the floor. Didn't dare to believe that this turn of events was happening.

"It makes sense to be me anyway. Let's be honest, Ezra Bridger: I know what you're going to do before you do it, and you probably know me better than I know myself. Which," Sabine admitted "Is a little frightening. Besides we make a scary team in a tight spot," Sabine said proudly. "It's no accident Hera always put us together when planning missions, am I right?"

Hera laughed. "Something like that. Somehow with as much trouble as you two got in, you always made it in and out in one piece. Usually leaving a trail of destruction behind you as well. I'm thinking of a certain Star Destroyer when you two ran off with Saw Gerrera."

"That one wasn't our actually our fault," Ezra said sheepishly.

"I don't know. I think destruction is our specialty," Sabine winked. She turned back to Ezra putting a hand to his chin and raising it up from the floor he still stared at to look her in the eye. "So why break up the team. There's a whole galaxy out there and more than enough trouble to stir up. I'll have your back. You'll have mine. And we may just outlive this Empire."

No one present had ever seen Ezra smile that big before. He let out a deep breath, and his shoulders relaxed. "Let's do this then." He pulled Sabine into a warm hug. "Thanks, Bine."

"Anytime, Loth-rat."

Hera was unable to hold back any longer and rushed at them wrapping her arms around both Ezra and Sabine. "I'm so proud of you two. I know you'll watch out for each other."

"Fine," Zeb grumbled. "Group hug it is," crushing all of them in his massive arms.

"Ugh" can't breathe," Ezra grunted as everyone laughed. Ezra nearly tripped over Chopper as the dour little droid tried to get in on the fun and pressed himself and his manipulators around Ezra and Sabine's legs.

"Oh, and one more thing," Hera said, relaxing her grip on the younger crewmates a little.
"Family isn't broken. Just on hold. Zeb, Chop, and I have an Empire to topple. But when we're done, we all retire to Lothal. And live happily ever after."

"Sounds good to me," Ezra said. Such an ending seemed too good to be true, but he wasn't going to argue that in this happy moment.

"Yeah," Zeb said. "I think I could handle that. A little bit of vacation sounds nice." His ears perked up suddenly, and he said to Ezra and Sabine. "You know I wouldn't mind being Uncle Garazeb. You guys might even have kits by then!"

Sabine's eyes went wide with horror. She pulled herself away from the group and punched Zeb in the shoulder with as much strength as she could muster. Hera tried to cover a smile. "Hey, hey, hey OW! That one hurt!" Zeb whined "It was just a joke. I didn't even say you'd make the kits together. You made that assumption your self!"

Sabine punched Zeb again in the same spot. "We all knew what you meant Zeb. You can put the rest of my things in the Phantom since you've decided to be so helpful."

Zeb grinned ear to ear, picking up her bags. "I think you got a little defensive there." He quickly climbed up the ladder out of Sabine's reach.

Hera just rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Shut it, Hera," Sabine grumbled.

The Twi-lek only laughed. "Hey, I can dream can't I?"

"No. You can't." Sabine said. "And you..." she pointed at Ezra.

"Know that anything I say gets me punched," Ezra said raising his palms defensively.

"Heh," Zeb chuckled coming back down the ladder, "Kid's finally learned a little bit of wisdom."

"That's what I was telling him earlier," Hera laughed.

Zeb gave Ezra a push. "Sorry, Ezra. Had to poke the gundark nest one last time. For old time sake. You know how it goes."

Ezra just shook his head "I'm still keeping my mouth shut."

Hera cleared her throat and was all at once back to business. She stood straight, hands clasped behind her back, almost as if she was giving a briefing."Well, all the fun aside, Sabine you've made faking Ezra's death a lot easier. Here's the official story: Both Kanan and Ezra sacrificed themselves for their friends, for the Rebellion, and for the people of Lothal. I pull out of the remainder of the Alliances forces, my crew on the Ghost, and the rest of our people on the U-Wing. Sabine, unfortunately, has received news that her family needs her again. This time maybe for good. I giver her permanent leave from the Alliance, and loan her my shuttle."

"Sometime in the next couple weeks, when the heat has died down, Sabine and I will meet up to swap the Nightbrother for the Phantom II. Considering how close she and Ezra were, it feels natural to me that she should have his ship. Also being a Mandalorian design, it's natural that she'll put it to good use. Anyone have any questions or have any improvements?"

Sabine shook her head. "Seems pretty airtight to me. I'll get in touch with you in a couple of weeks. We'll try not to be too far out of the Alliance's normal supply lines. Hopefully, we can make it convenient for you."

"Oh, Hera!" Ezra said. "If you hear from Ahsoka...?"

"I'll put her in touch with you," Hera completed the thought. "I think that wraps things up," she nodded, her posture relaxing. "And now it really is time to go. Sabine leaving in the Phantom at least won't make it suspicious that we're late back to Yavin." She smiled. "Sorry you two but I'm going to need to hug you both one last time."

Ezra laughed as she drew them both in. "Anytime, Hera"

After one last moment, Hera pulled away then looked Ezra and Sabine each in the eye in turn. "May the Force be with you." Then she turned and left for the cockpit.

"Take care kids," Zeb said. "Don't have too much fun while we overthrow the Empire." He put his fist to his other hand at chest level in the traditional Lasat bow and left for the cockpit as well.
And then it was just Chopper. He slowly rolled up to Ezra and Sabine. Ezra glanced at Sabine, smiled, and then knelt by Chopper. "Hey buddy, I really will miss you too," he said, giving Chopper's dome an appreciative pat.

Chopper turned his photo-receptor to Ezra. "Whompa Whomp. Whomp Whow." Suddenly he extended his shock arm and delivered a blast of painful electricity to Ezra.

Ezra jumped and kicked Chopper. "You little rust bucket I...!

He was cut off by Hera on the intercom. "Chopper! I saw that on the cam. Get your greasy parts to the cockpit now and let those two leave!"

"Whomp! Whomp!" He turned and rolled as fast as he could toward the cockpit but not before turning one last time and waving with one of his manipulators.

And then they were alone. Ezra turned to Sabine and gestured to the ladder. "Shall we go?"

Sabine smiled a tight smile. "Let's do it."