The ethereal white of the portal glimmered in the interstellar domain. The light would have offered warmth, or comfort to most people. Some would find it somewhat welcoming. But for Ezra Bridger, the portal only provided a feeling of dread, as Ahsoka Tano watched in worry. Soon, the light was accompanied by voices that Ezra recognized only too well. Stepping closer to the portal, Ezra saw the events leading up to one of the most traumatic moments in his life; the day he lost his master, Kanan. Looking closer, Ezra realized he was being forced to relive this horrible moment. But, after changing Ahsoka's fate, Ezra realized that he could change Kanan's as well. Stepping even closer, Ezra felt his hopes rising.

"I can reach him." Ahsoka could feel the determination in Ezra, as she felt the inner turmoil within him. Ahsoka had tried to get him understand the consequences of what he was about to do. She had sensed his conflicting emotions before they arrived at the portal; the anger and hurt that was driving the boy forward. Ahsoka, being as experienced as she was, knew that a Jedi, acting on their emotions alone, would act recklessly, unwilling to see the possible consequences of his actions. She had to pull Ezra back from the precipice he was precariously standing on.

"Ezra," she began delicately, "Kanan gave his life so that you might live." Through the force, Ahsoka could feel the inner conflict happening in the young Jedi: confusion, anger, sadness, and the strongest of them all, fear. Stepping forward, Ahsoka placed on hand of the boy's shoulder, trying to get him to see reason. "If he is taken out of this moment," she paused for a moment, collecting herself in order to stress the importance of said moment, "you all die." Even through her attempts to reason with the armor clad boy before her, Ahsoka could still feel the fiery determination within him. Turning to the Togruta woman behind, Ezra glared at her.

"You don't understand what you're asking me to do," he seethed, fists clenching in anger. Ezra soon felt the gentle touch of Ahsoka's fingers on his scarred cheek, turning him to face her. Upon looking into her eyes, Ezra could feel a strong presence of compassion and understanding. Caressing his cheek, Ahsoka spoke in a shaky whisper.

"Yes I do," she began, tears streaming down her face as she delivered the very painful truth they both needed to hear, "You can't save your master," she paused for a moment before collecting herself, "and I can't save mine." Looking into Ezra's eyes, Ahsoka could see tears of his own forming, threatening to spill down his face. Ahsoka then brought her other hand up so that she was now fully cradling Ezra's face, which in turn caused him to turn his back to the portal.

"I'm asking you to let go." Ezra, after a moment of hesitation, moved to turn back to the portal, only to be stopped by Ahsoka.

"Don't look, just focus on me." Ezra's tears where now freely falling down his face as he looked at the former Jedi, who still had both hands on his cheeks, gently caressing them with her thumbs. From behind him, Ezra could hear the sounds that still echoed in his ears; the series of explosions that claimed his master, and the cry of Hera as she saw her lover ripped away from her, the latter causing Ezra to clench his eyes shut in anguish. Soon the sounds subsided, and the glow of the portal faded. With the silence, Ezra couldn't take it anymore. Lunging forward, Ezra wrapped his arms around Ahsoka's middle, burying his face in her armored chest as his body began to shake. Ahsoka instinctively wrapped her arms tight around the crying boy, whose sobs echoed around the infinite space. Ahsoka soon brought both of them down so that they were on their knees, holding the young Jedi while she gently smoothed his hair, while her cheek rested against his forehead. After a few moments, Ahsoka broke the silence.

"I'm sorry Ezra," she began as the boy clung tighter to her form, "but you must see; Kanan found the moment when he was needed most, and he did what he had to do," pausing for a moment, Ahsoka moved back, using her hand that it wasn't on Ezra's head, and brought his tear stained face up to look at her, "for everyone." Ezra's face, still etched with pain of having to witness his master die a second time, took on an expression of deep thought.

"That's the lesson", he contemplated, tears still welling in his eye. "I didn't see it, but know…" Ezra could feel a lump forming in his throat, and soon had buried his face back into Ahsoka's chest, who returned to her previous position of embracing the emotionally fragile boy. Through his labored breathing, Ezra began to voice the one thought that weighed on him from the moment he joined the Ghost Crew.

"Sometimes, I wish my life were different," He began, as more tears streamed down his face, "I wish I could see my mom and dad." Ahsoka could feel Ezra clinging tighter to her, almost as if he were afraid to let her go again. Through choked sobs, Ezra asked a question that Ahsoka had been asking herself for a long time; "Why can't things be like they were?" Ahsoka contemplated, and came up with the best answer she could.

"I don't know", she began, "but I do know that the only thing we can do now, is move forward." Ahsoka then felt Ezra relax, both physically, and through the force, as he pulled himself from her embrace, now with a calm and placid expression. Ahsoka soon found herself standing up with Ezra, both still facing each other. After a moment, Ezra spoke.

"Thank You, Ahsoka." The Togruta master smiled warmly at the young Jedi. Soon the tender moment was interrupted as a shock wave threw them off balance. Ahsoka realized that the very fabric of space and time was becoming undone. Looking back to Ezra, Ahsoka began to formulate a plan.

"You opened the door to this world," she began, walking back in the direction that they had come from "do you know how to close it?" Ezra found that he did not know the answer, but he had an idea of someone who might.

"Sabine will know." Looking to Ahsoka, Ezra offered a reassuring smile. "We can do it together." Ahsoka returned the smile, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. After a brief confrontation with the Emperor, who was attempting to use the rift in space and time to gain more power, Ahsoka and Ezra departed to their own timelines, with the latter making Ahsoka promise to look for him. Upon returning to her timeline, Ahsoka was awoken by her convor friend, Morai, in the remains of the Sith temple where Ahsoka had just battled her former master. Clutching her bruised side, which was still aching from her and Ezra's run in with Palpatine, Ahsoka managed to stand herself up, with a bit of effort. Before turning to exit the dreaded temple, Ahsoka turned her attention upward and breathed out,

"May the Force be with you, Ezra Bridger."

And there is my first story for Rebels! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I wish you well! HAPPY READING!