Only Time Will Tell – A "Voltron: Legendary Defender" Fanfic / Pidge&Lance

Authors Notes: This is my first published work, I've written before but never made it public. Decided to take a chance this time around.

This is a little head canon that came to me after the end of Season 7, specially with all the Plance scenes we were blessed with("DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!"). It takes place at the hospital during those flash forward scenes and I decided to fill in the blanks. Angsty and fluffy and just what I think we all need, Hope you like it, constructive criticism always welcomed. On with the story, Plance On!

Part I

White walls, that's what he first saw when he opened his eyes. His dreams in a form of PTSD keeping him from sleeping. All the images of those last couple of days, replaying in his mind. The reunion with his family, his little niece and nephew. Then, the Galra ship and his unconscious sister on the ground feet away from him. He was so ready to lay down his life and then he wakes from his lucid nightmare. Lance was so sure he was out and done for. He still felt the serge of adrenaline like muscle memory coursing through him. The vital indicator jumping and beeping irradicably at his change in heart rate. Trying to catch his breath and coaxing himself back to reality. A reality where he is safe, his family and friends were safe under the care of the Garrison. He lets that notion sink in, but he can't seem to get the tears to stop running down his face. He tries to no avail until he hears a soft knocking of knuckles against his hospital room door. Its dark, but the light from the moon against his windows brightens the room enough for it to glisten against a pair of glasses.

The tiny figure tiptoes into the room "Lance? You awake?" Katie's soft pixie like voice whispers at him.

"Yes Pidge, I am" he quietly sniffles and tries to blink away the remaining tears in his eyes. He doesn't want to worry his friend, so he tries to bring his free hand to his face and rubs his hand down in a one swiped motion. "Why are you awake?" he asks her.

"Can't sleep, just had a nightmare" he hears the melancholic sound of her voice and he understandingly smiles at her.

"Same here", they stay in silence for what feels like a minute before Lance finally speaks up again. "Ya coming in?"

Katie flinches, "Oh… yea, sorry" she sheepishly smiles closing the door behind her. She trots over to his bed, the slapping of her bare feet on the cold floor indicating she didn't think to put on slippers. Must have been a pretty bad dream if it means she wasn't thinking enough to cover her feet to the cold. They were all still pretty worse for ware and catching a cold would be pretty bad on top of it all. He feels his bed shift under her body pressure, as she situates herself comfortably.

"Do you want to talk about it? Your dream I mean, penny for your thoughts?" she gives him a lopsided grin. He can now see her clearly, the moon lighting up her features softly. Intently staring at her, he begins to wonder when she grew up? In front of him was no longer the young man he had met at the Garrison 4 years ago. Before him was now this young lady by the name of Katie Holt, the young badass that had come into their life as a pure coincidence. No snark, no teasing, just genuine concern in her voice and she wanted to listen to him. Somehow he felt the lump in his throat return and a new wave of fresh tears prickling at his ducts. He pushed them down and stayed as strong as he could, he would not cry in front of her just yet.

"I dreamt about the battle, but my nightmare had started as a happy memory. My family, us clumped together on the ground like that. Pfft… we must have been quite the sight, but that's how we all are up in each other's personal space" he laughed at this. Pidge warmly smiles at his memory. They really were quite the sight, she knew he had family from how he once spoke of them, but not to that extent. They were a happy and wholesome group and more so now that they're youngest son had returned to them. His smile changed from happy to a sad look and he continued.

''Before I know it, I'm staring at the lifeless body of my sister Vero just inches from me. The Galra ship taking a nose dive right for her and all I can do is close my eyes, take a deep breath and just give up. Then…I wake up." A tear falls to his fisted hand, he doesn't realize he's crying again until he feels the warm droplets fall. Katie touches his hand comfortingly reassuring him that he's okay again.

"It was just a dream Lance, you're finally safe. We all are, and you don't have to be scared anymore."

Lance looks at her before he tells her, "this actually happened to me Pidge, except Red came and saved us in the nick of time." Katie's eyes go big and glassy at this new information. She didn't know that he was on the brink of sure death and that if it hadn't been for the Red Lion, he wouldn't be around to talk about it.

"Lance? This all really happened?", she said tears now pricking at her eyes. "Yea, the Galra ship that had taken the nose dive for us had found our location and shot us out of the cruiser when we were on our way to our assigned location. When I came to, there was a ringing in my ears and I saw Veronica unconscious a couple of feet away from me. The only thing I could think of doing was take my Bayard, get my assault rifle and shoot the thing down. But, it was already taking a nose dive for us and I….I made my peace with it. With the fact that I would die so my sister could live.'' Katie was full on tears and quiet sobs.
She couldn't believe that this had happened to him, no wonder he couldn't sleep. Who could sleep after all that emotional distress and after accepting death none the less.

"I'm so sorry we couldn't be around. Christ, Lance y-you could have died, and we wouldn't have known about it. Shiro kept it all under wrap, he never mentioned anything in the intercom. If I had to think of a reason though maybe because he didn't want to distract us."

Katie rubbed at her eyes to dry the tears, "It's okay Pidgey. You're right, we are safe and for now we have to regain our strength and meditate so we can keep a leveled head." He rubbed her ducked head trying to hide her tears from him by looking down at her clenched fists. She sniffled and slightly met his eyes.

"Can I…can I hug you Lance? Please?", she said through her hiccupped sobs. A look of shock crossed his face but then his features changed. Smiling he nodded and extended his free hand. If this were any random moment, he would have found a way to tease her for wanting to hug him. This time however, was different because they had been through hell and back and the mere thought of him not being around actually scared her to death. She crawled over to him and fell against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist careful not to hurt his casted arm.

"I'm glad your safe and alive Lance. I don't know what I would do without you."

Lance smirked at that, "I'm sure you would have been fine", he chuckled. Katie hugging him tighter at that remark.

"Lance, you're my family too and I would have not been able to let it go so easily. I can't believe you would think so little of yourself. Please don't make me break your other arm." Rising-up from her position, she punched his good shoulder and got back to laying down on his chest.

"Ouch! Pidge geez…still healing here." "Well stop saying stupid things, idiot'' she retorted back.

"Anyway, enough about my nightmare. Tell me about yours'. What woke you up?" Pidge stopped at this and began to think back a couple minutes ago when she woke in a cold sweat. She felt his hand lay gently against the back of her head, slightly trying to sooth her. This action brought her back to reality.
She had calmed some now from her earlier crying. It amazed him that she was still embracing him, like he was the only thing tethering her to earth.

"I… I had a similar dream. Similar in notion, different circumstance. I swear my minds' messing with me. Its' not a coincidence I came here though. I dreamt that Ezor had hurt you. Like wounded you, when you attacked her to defend me. She hurt you badly and I just saw your lifeless body in front of me." He could feel the hot tears through his white shirt.

"I was mad I couldn't fight back, she had me. Her yellow eyes bearing into my very core. I was frozen, stuck with all this anger inside me. Incapable of doing anything for you" she said between sniffles. "But my nightmares hold no comparison to what you went though." If she was being honest with herself, the act alone of defending her sparked something in her that laid dormant since that time he helped her find enough Gac inside the fountain at the space mall to buy her game console. The moments they spent together and had fun were very special to her. It made her believe that she might be feeling more than just a friendship towards him. She would be lying to herself if she didn't admit she felt a twinge of affection for the young Cuban. He was easy on the eyes. They we're pools of bright Cerulean, and he was very selfless. Flirtatious demeanor aside, he stood for what he thought was right. Besides Keith, he was the only other Paladin to have a strong connection to two Lions for crying out loud. If that wasn't impressive, then she didn't know what was. In that moment she felt the arm that had been splayed on her in a hug, tighten around her.

"Pidgey, what do you mean your nightmares hold no comparison. Last time I remembered this wasn't a competition. Besides, I couldn't just stand there and let Zethrid and her goons do anything to you. She's right, we all do have a soft spot for you" he chuckled and laid his chin against her head. Katie's blush was creeping up her neck. She was thankful the only light now was that of the moon through the window, otherwise he would have totally seen what his words did to her. It couldn't be what she was thinking though. Lance wouldn't see her as anything else besides his close friend.

He had a massive crush on Allura, that Katie was sure hadn't subsided even when he knew that the princess had a thing for Lotor. It was obvious, they all saw it. She figured she wouldn't be able to tell him how she really felt. Katie or better yet Pidge was the kind of person that didn't beat around the bush and spoke her mind. Albeit without thinking sometimes, she remembered how she hurt Allura's feelings once.

"Still awake Pidge? Are you okay?" his voice was soft, and his eyes were getting droopy. They were still in a comfortable embrace, and she was getting sleepy too.

"Still awake, but not for long. You're very comfy and I don't feel like going to sleep alone. Is…is this okay?" she asked carefully scared of rejection. Katie wanted to stay? She was still hugging him too? He had to be dreaming right? Why was he feeling suddenly conscious that if she left he would be all alone with his thoughts and he did not want to relive that nightmare again.

"I don't want to be alone either. But what about our families? I think my Mama' will be coming back in the morning to see me along with Veronica. I love my sister but, she's very much like you. Very smart, very inquisitive, and very intuitive and I would flip my quiznak if she thought we did anything besides sleep." He was blushing at his comment, Katie saw it and she didn't believe it. The rosy tint on his handsome face was matching hers' now. She giggled, could have been the nervousness and giddiness rushing through her that she was this close to Lance. Could have been that he had effortlessly described her in three words, and that made her feel on cloud nine. So, he did notice her, what made her special. But no, it would be too good to be true. He wouldn't see her as anything else.

"I will leave to my room at the crack of dawn. We still have some time to catch some shut eye. Besides, I wouldn't want to cause any trouble or confusion. Specially if Allura were to see me step out your room, it would ruin any chance you have with her." Lance looked at her at the mention of the princess.
He wasn't worried about that happening, it's true that Allura confused him to no end. First, she was flat out rejecting him and then next she was asking him to be careful while showing honest concern for his safety. It's true he had felt strongly for her but with time he pushed those feelings aside. You could only get rejected so many times til it finally clicked. Then there was that time she had needed comforting. They had found out that Lotor was a total fraud and had played them the whole time. Lance was just genuinely offering his comfort, not trying for anything romantic. Allura had made a mistake, and she had felt pretty cruddy about it.

"Why would I be worried about her? I'm honestly more worried that Veronica won't stop it with the questions if she were to see you. Believe it or not I am a gentleman and I don't just sleep with pretty ladies", he said matter of factly. Did he just call her pretty?

"Oh of course not. You wine them and dine them, right?", she giggled. He found very quickly that he liked the sound of her laughter. He wasn't sure if it was the proximity to her or the fact that she had always intrigued him, but he liked this. This was easy, she wasn't complicated, and she was comforting. The nightmare completely forgotten and now just talking with her was placing him in a state of serenity.

"Yes, contrary to popular belief. I am a total gentleman." Katie laughed again and smiled. Hiding her joy over the fact he didn't worry much on Allura catching them.

"Okay good sir, I promise we will keep this interaction our little secret", she placed her index finger over her lips. Then It happened, Lance ever so gently brushed his lips over her forehead. She wasn't dreaming, this was actually happening. His hand gently cupping the back of her head, while he pressed his soft lips into a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"You got it, night Pidge," he leaned his cheek against her head.

"Katie, you can call me Katie. If you'd like that is, Pidge is fine too. I don't care whichever is fine." She was rambling at this point and he hugged her too him, to make her stop.

Stop she did, "okay Katie, good night and see you in a few."

"Night Lance," Katie setting her glasses on his night stand, settle in again.

Comfortably against his chest with his arm wrapped around her. Her arm draped around his waist, happily drifting off to sleep. Content with how everything turned out. Lance now sound asleep, dreaming of the pretty girl in his arms. Her giggles and how well she fit against his frame. He had a lot to think about when the morning came around, because truth be told he was sure something sparked within him for Katie. Maybe there had always been something there. Only time would tell. For now, nightmares all forgotten, they fell into a deep sleep until the morning came.