A New Chance, A New Start (SWR)

Chapter 1: New Foster Parent

A young man sighed as he looked at the blaring red numbers of the clock on his desk. His officer uniform with the Capital Police Department logo scratched as he's worn it all day. Rubbing his head, he closed his last file of the day and glanced at the array of photos he set up to remind himself why he can't quit but to keep going.
His wife and two kids were his foundation and he's got to support them. They'd been moving so much in the past and decided to settle down three years ago in this town. He wanted them to grow up with a real life and real friends who they'd have real connections to. Not like he had when he didn't bother with friends knowing he'd leave them.

Kanan rubbed his eyes of sleep, remembering to get home before sleeping, not wanting a repeat of last time. As the numbers shifted to 9 o'clock, the distant sound of arguing grew closer. Glancing over, he spotted two people.

A boy aged no older than 14 dressed in loose fitting worn jeans, an orange faded hoodie topped with an orange beanie and tattered black converse. He was holding a stuffed black duffel bag with a matching backpack, and a blue guitar was strapped to his back. His eyebrows dark and wild and his thin lips were pulled in making them hide away. His soul searching blue eyes popped from his tan skin, looking everywhere, as if looking for an answer. Or maybe an escape.

The other was a middle aged women dressed in a crisp grey pencil skirt with a white blouse, a tittering pile of beige files held in thin hands. Her face was pinched with anxiety and painted on eyebrows were down with worry. He watched as their mouths started moving, listening in with keen interest.

The teen sighed as he sat down on the ripe wooden bench that sat against the concrete wall. He was just picked up from his foster home or ex foster home now and was taken to the police station for a new place to be put in. He was sick and tired of moving around all the time but that's not something in his power to fix.
He was a kid and an orphan at that.

He looked at his companion, "Uh, fours homes in a row," he raised an eyebrow at her, "Is that a new record or do you really just suck at your job?" The brown haired women sighed as she closed her eyes in annoyance but in also sincerity, "I'm sorry, Ezra. You know I'm trying. I'm not purposely putting you with these people."
She opened her dull brown eyes and looked him in his own eyes, trying to prove herself. Ezra knew she wasn't purposefully doing it to him, he was just joking around. He doesn't do well in tense atmospheres.

She should know.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Trouble just finds me. Now what stranger am I staying with tonight?" The women started listing candidates to the teen, not that Ezra was listening. It's hard to remember when he last cared about where he's being told to squat.

After watching the duo fight back and forth, the eavesdropper sighed and stood from his creaky chair, stretching as his back relaxed after hours of hunching. He breathed out in contentment at the sound and walked confidently over to the couple. He stopped in front of the group and cleared his throat, gaining their attention.

"I can take him in."

The women eyes him carefully, trying to see if he was trustworthy. She sighed in a slow voice, "I don't know if you can. There's a lot of paper work and you look like your about to fall over."
Kanan chuckled at her remark and said tiredly, "Working 8 hours straight will do that to you but anyway. I wont have that much paperwork, I have 2 foster kids at home, one in the process of adopting, not that she knows yet. And I'm sure my wife will be over joyed for another one." The business women stared him down her another minute before nodding, "You," she said pointing at Ezra, "stay here. We're going to fill out some forms." The kid nodded, annoyance written on his dark face.

Kanan and the women walked into an interrogation room to fill the papers out in silence and talk privately. The women laid down the forms as well as a pen, both adults taking their seats in the cold, metal chairs. The women, still un-named, watching carefully as Kanan filled the papers out as if it were second nature. Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought long and hard on if she should question him but her heart already made her decision for her.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to take him in?" She seemingly blurted out. Kanan paused and looked up with a raised eyebrow.
She sighed, "I didn't mean it like that. What I meant to say is, are you sure you can handle another child?" Kanan smiled gently, surprising her slightly.
"Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't have walked over if I wasn't sure. Besides why are you so worried?" He leaned in with curiosity sparking in his teal eyes and she sighed in sadness. "I'm worried because I haven't had time to check your file but I have no other choice but to give you him or put him in an orphanage which I know will do no good. Just be careful though, I'll leave his file with you so you can see for yourself. " Kanan nodded hesitantly, not sure what the female meant. 

After 30 minutes of his hand cramping and securing the files, did the group leave the interrogation room. They walked back up to teen who had put all his bags all the floor with his guitar leaning against the bench, his hand working away in a sketchbook.  He looked up as he heard the clicking of heels and the stomping of boots. Ezra tucked away his book and pencil into his backpack on the floor, trying to pack up and get ready to leave.
Standing up, he looked at each of them with his head tilted back.
Nobody breaking the silence, he decided to do the honors, "So.... am I going to a new foster home with Corporal or am I a cell mates guest?"

The adults chuckled lightly at the boys sense of humor.
"You'll be going home with me kid. I'm Jarrus, Kanan Jarrus."
Ezra chuckled, "Ok Corporal, no need for James Bond but I'm Bridger, Ezra Bridger."
Kanan smiled at the teen, showing straight white teeth, and help out his hand, "I think you and I will get along great, Ezra" The blue eyed boy shook his hand back with a smirk, "We'll see. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

The social worker interrupted by saying, "Ok you two, I'm leaving. Call me for any questions." She turned around without an answer and practically skipped out of the station in her 3in heels.
The two males watched and then glanced at each other, "She was sooo waiting to get out of here." They both grinned at the coincidence of speaking simultaneously.
Ezra leaned down to pick up his bags, carrying the backpack in one, duffel in the other, and guitar slung onto his back. He looked up at his new guardian of not even an hour and said, "So where's the car, Corporal?"