A Rebels Christmas

Wrapping and Shopping

Ezra hummed 'Jingle Bells' as he wrapped up his family's gifts that were on his bed. He'd gotten everything he need for everyone, so now came the fun part. Ezra had always enjoyed wrapping things up. He pressed tape against the wrapping paper and picked up the roll of ribbon. Cutting some off, Ezra crossed the fabric over the gift before tying a bow on top. Placing the present beside him, Ezra took Kanan's one and placed it carefully on the paper. Slicing through the gift wrap, Ezra began to fold the paper over to cover the object. Ezra unrolled the tape but accidentally stuck it to his bare fingers. Ezra spent almost a solid forty seconds trying to remove it from his fingertips and almost used his lightsaber to slice off the tape in frustration. Finally managing to get it off and finish Kanan's gift with a green bow, Ezra sighed in relief. He was about to wrap Sabine's when the Ghost suddenly shuddered. A rumble and soft roar of engines met Ezra's ears and he knew it was the sound of the Phantom leaving. There were no new missions, plus he knew the shopping was done wasn't it? Hiding the presents he hadn't wrapped under his pillow, Ezra jumped down from his bunk and went to investigate. He entered the common room where Hera and Kanan were talking.

"Hey guys, did I hear the Phantom leaving?" Ezra asked.

"Yeah, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper left to grab some last minute things before Christmas day" Hera replied.

"Okay, I just got confused is all. How close is it again?" Ezra inquired.

"Three days" Hera replied.

Ezra nodded and turned to look at the Christmas tree. Underneath it was a cluster of gifts. It was strange to him to see tags with his name on some of them. It had been almost more than nine years since his last Christmas.

"I was going to make some hot chocolate Ezra, do you want some?" Hera asked, bringing the teen from his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'll finish up on wrapping the presents then I'll have some, thanks Hera" he replied.
_________________________________

"So we'll meet back here in an hour?" Zeb asked.

"Yup, I shouldn't take too long" Sabine replied.

"See you later" Zeb said, walking off to the markets with Chopper right behind him.

Sabine went in the opposite direction, heading for the houses on the far side of town. She didn't really know what she would be looking for once she got to where she wanted to go, but knew she would find something. After almost fifteen minutes of walking and stopping to pat the occasional Lothcat, Sabibe reached her destination.

Ezra's old house.

Stepping through what was left of the doorway, Sabine gazed around at what remained of Mira and Ephraim's home. The place used to belong to two people trying to spread hope and make the world safer for their son. Now it was a monument of what once was home. Whenever Ezra had gone past it with the crew, he'd become quiet and linger behind to gaze at the house for a moment or two. Sabine always felt sorry for the boy. He'd lost everything at such a young age.
Sabine shook these thoughts from her head and went over to the hole half covered by the table. Pushing it aside, Sabine took hold of the ladder and slid down to the basement. Black marks of where fire had spread lined the once white walls. The machine for broadcasting was nothing but pieces of ash and steel. Sabine gazed around the room. Everything was broken and peeling, the bomb the Empire used to burn down the house had done a number on the building. Sabine remembered something Ezra had said:
I guess there really is no going back home.
Sabine's eyes landed on a bottom part of a wall on the far side of the basement. It didn't look right, it stuck out. Going over, the Mandalorin pulled at it and found it was a drawer. Yanking it out of the wall completely, Sabine stared at the contents inside. It was like she'd struck pure gold. Except, this was better than gold. It was the perfect gift.