Welcome to the revised version of Heartache and Desperation. I always used to think of revised versions of a story as a cop out for a writer who has run out of new ideas. However, I've learned a few things since then, including that sometimes when you write a story as you are first learning to write, you don't do it justice. That is why I decided to revise this story.

Heartache was always one of my favorites of my stories, but I got to the point that I couldn't stand to read the original. When I was first writing, I didn't remember anything I had learned about grammar in school/college, didn't know much about plotting, character development, etc. With each story I've written over the last few years, I've learned a little more about writing. While I've come a long way from my first story, I know I still have more to learn. This revision shows what I've learned so far. It is also the reason why I chose not to take down the original and simply post this over the top of the old one. If you as the reader decide you want to see the difference between the two, the old version is still up for comparison.

While I stayed true to the original story, there are about forty extra pages of new and extended scenes. This story won't go through my normal editing processes, so hope to post a new chapter every couple of days.

Enjoy, Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Heartache & Desperation: Chapter 1

It is a warm summer day on Arus as the Voltron Force works on rebuilding a school in one of the local villages. Princess Allura sits with her back against a tree as she reads stories to the local children while the men work. She looks up from time to time, admiring the bare chest of the Captain of the Voltron Force as he lifts beams, holding them while one of the others nails it into place. Allura cannot help admiring the sweat-slick muscles on his back as they move while he works. Shaking her head slightly when she feels her body start to react, Allura looks back down at the smiling faces of the children around her and continues the story.

The team breaks for lunch when several women from the village bring various baskets full of food for them to enjoy. Keith pulls on a t-shirt before joining the others. Sitting on the ground in the shade, he tries to cool off. He looks up as a beautiful woman with long, light brown hair and green eyes, approaches him to hand him a glass of lemonade. He smiles up his thanks, looking deeply into her eyes as a pretty, pink blush appears on her cheeks.

Turning around before he can speak with her, the woman walks away. Keith watches her leave, admiring her form. Sitting next to a different tree, Lance looks at his captain then follows his gaze and smiles. He moves to Keith's location and sits beside him, wryly asking, "Enjoying the view?"

Keith rolls his eyes at his friend then turns his gaze to check on the princess' location. The lieutenant shakes his head at him, "The princess is fine. She's spent the whole morning with the children. Why don't you go talk to that gorgeous woman you were watching?"

Ignoring him, the commander continues to look around the area, only stopping when he hears Lance make a noise. "What?" he asks, turning his head back around to face him. He finds Lance staring at a stunning raven-haired woman, who is speaking to another woman. Smiling, he sarcastically says, "Why don't you follow your own advice?"

Lance finally looks back at him and smiles wickedly, "Don't mind if I do…" then gets up to walk over to the woman, who smiles at him as he approaches.

Chuckling, Keith suddenly stops when he notices the woman from before approaching him with a plate of food. He thanks her then asks her to sit beside him, "What's your name?"

She smiles shyly as she lowers herself to the ground and replies "Beth."

From across the way, Allura shares her lunch period with the children, laughing at them as they tell her stories. She glances around the area to find Lance flirting with one of the village women. Moving along, she watches Hunk and Pidge eating while another group of children sits around them, vying for their attention. Her smile grows until her gaze reaches the commander, finding him sitting with someone. She watches the woman lean forward to place a hand on his arm as they laugh together about something. The smile on her face fades as she notices the expression on Keith's face.

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The next afternoon, Allura enters the rec room to find only Hunk and Pidge in attendance, playing a game of chess. She looks around curiously, "Where are Keith and Lance?"

Hunk looks up, a sly smile on his face, "On dates…"

Her brow furrows in confusion, "Dates?"

Pidge looks up from the game, smiling as well, "Yes, they both scored dates with those pretty women they were speaking to yesterday. Keith took Beth out on a horseback ride and Lance grabbed a picnic basket from the kitchen for his date with Christine."

The bigger man chuckles, "Only those two would find dates after spending a day working like we did yesterday."

Both men continue to laugh and make comments. Neither man notices Allura's pale face or the fact that she did not join in. Instead, she quietly turns around and leaves the room.

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At breakfast the next morning, Allura sits quietly as Hunk and Pidge try to wring information out of Keith and Lance about their dates. Strangely, neither man was inclined to talk about it. Lance finally laughs at the other two, "You will have to go find your own dates instead of living vicariously through me, guys. I'm not talking!"

"Oh come on, Lance!" protests Hunk, "You used to love to lord your conquests over us! Since when have you adopted a 'no kiss and tell' policy?"

Smiling mysteriously, the lieutenant quietly replies, "When the woman in question matters."

Before they can interrogate him any further, Keith rises from his chair, "I'll see you guys at dinner. I've got work to do then I'll be out this afternoon."

"Where are you…" starts Pidge, but the commander ignores him as he walks out of the room without another word.

From his seat, Lance smiles at his friend's ability to deal with nosy teammates. Picking up his coffee cup, he glances down the table at the princess. Noticing for the first time that she seems rather pale and quiet as she picks at her meal without eating it, he asks, "Everything all right, Princess?"

Startled, she looks down the table at him. Her cheeks redden slightly as she answers, "I'm fine."

Arching an eyebrow at the obvious lie, he's about to call her on it when she stands suddenly as well while announcing, "I better get to my office. I'll see you all later."

Shaking his head at her, Lance turns his attention back to his meal and the conversations of his remaining companions.

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Two hours later, Allura stares at the pages on her desk without really seeing it. The thoughts running through her mind have nothing to do with the document in front of her. She looks up instantly when there is a knock at her door and calls out, "Yes?" while brushing the loose tendrils away from her face.

The door opens to reveal the commander. He smiles at her as he walks into the room then places a sheaf of paper in front of her, "Here's the report on the new security measures for the castle." He settles into the chair in front of the desk as he adds, "If you could look it over quick and sign off on it, I'll get Lance moving on the changes today."

Forcing her mind to concentrate on the document, Allura quickly reads it then sets it back down on her desk. She looks back at the commander, "You're sure of this?"

Keith nods to her, "Yes, changing the security perimeter is a necessity. Even though it borders the cliffs, that south wall is vulnerable to attack and I think Doom knows it. This will reinforce that area with more weaponry and guards in event of attack."

"Very well," she replies then picks up her pen to sign the document.

Standing, Keith holds his hand out for the signed papers. Troubled by it since they normally sit and talk for a while each morning, Allura hands it up to him as she asks, "Are you in a hurry?"

He flushes as he apologizes, "Yes, sorry. I have to get this to Coran and Lance then finish up a couple of other things before my date this afternoon with Beth."

Allura looks away from him, as everything inside her seems to freeze. She finally looks back, takes a deep breath and begins, "Keith, I need to…" only for the door to her office to open and her advisor to walk into the room without invitation.

"Coran, great!" exclaims the commander as the older man walks across the room to join them. He hands him the newly signed orders, "I need you to get these orders out to the men to begin working on. I'll alert Lance that he will be in charge of overseeing the project."

Taking the papers from him, Coran looks them over, notes Allura's signature then nods in agreement, "Very well."

The commander begins for the door then pauses as he remembers the princess had started to say something to him before Coran had arrived. Chagrined, he looks back at her, "I'm sorry…you were saying you needed something?"

Glancing quickly at her advisor, Allura shakes her head, "No, it can wait."

"All right, I'll see you later then," replies Keith then he quickly walks out of the room.

Shaking his head at him, Coran mutters, "Youth…" then turns his attention to the princess. Her eyes seem slightly watery. Concerned, he asks, "Is something wrong?"

The princess seems to startle, as if forgetting that the advisor had still been in the room. She nods to him, "Yes, I'm fine." Wiping at her eyes, she adds, "I've been reading all morning and my eyes are tired from it." Finished, she manages to smile up at him, "What did you need, Coran?"

Accepting her answer, Coran sits down on the chair in front of her desk and begins their discussion.

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Moving quickly down the hall, Keith makes his way to Lance's office and knocks on the door. He enters without waiting for a summons to find the lieutenant at the desk writing something. Startled, he flips the sheet of paper over quickly as he asks, "What's up Keith?"

"Allura signed off on those changes we need to the south wall. I need you to get the engineers started on building the new ion cannons. We will also need the builders to start moving walls so we can get the equipment placed as soon as it's ready."

Sighing, Lance nods, "I don't suppose this is something that can wait till tomorrow morning?"

Arching an eyebrow at him, the commander retorts, "You know better than that. The south wall has always been a weak point…"

"…and it needs to be reinforced, I know," sighs Lance with a grimace. His expression turns into a disappointed one, "I was supposed to meet Christine this afternoon for a while is all. Guess I'll have to reschedule."

Smiling, Keith suggests, "Well, if you get the workers started at least, I think you will still have time for your date." He glances at his watch, "Speaking of which, if I want to be on time for my own date, I need to get back to my office and finish my own work."

"I take it your date yesterday went as well as my own then?" asks Lance with an answering smile.

He considers not answering at first. Keith has never been one to talk about the women he has dated. However, he smiles as he replies, "Yes. We seem to have quite a bit in common and I enjoyed my time with her yesterday enough to warrant a second date today."

Lance smiles as well, "I'm glad, maybe you'll be more understanding when I say I want to spend as much of my free time as possible with Christine."

Laughter erupts out of the commander, "As long as the work still gets done, I promise not to say a word about it. I have a feeling a certain lady will be using up all my free time as well."

"We're a couple of lucky guys…aren't we?" smiles Lance as he stands up. "I better get that project moving then. I have to pick up Christine in an hour and a half."

Smiling, Keith follows him out of the office then quickly makes his way back to his own office. He had even less time than Lance to finish his work before picking up his date for the afternoon.

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One month later:

Walking down the hallway with a determined gait, Coran pauses in front of the office door of the commander. Knocking, he enters when bidden to find Keith clearing the paperwork off his desk. He stops when he notices the advisor, "Need something Coran?"

"Yes, you could say that," replies the older man. He moves farther into the room, stopping in front of the desk, "Going somewhere?"

Flushing, Keith finishes putting a file into a drawer as he replies, "Yes, I need to pick up Beth in fifteen minutes and I'm already running late."

Sitting down on the chair in front of the desk, Coran says, "Commander, if I might make a suggestion?"

Noticing the irritated expression on the advisor's face, Keith sits down as well, "Yes?"

"One can't help to notice all the time you've and the lieutenant have been spending away from the castle. If I've noticed it, I'm sure the spies for Doom have noticed it as well," begins Coran with a controlled tone.

Keeping his tone neutral, Keith inquires, "What do you suggest? That I stop dating Beth?" His eyes harden slightly as he becomes angry, "It isn't going to happen…"

"Not at all, Commander," answer Coran as he crosses his arms in front of him. "You and the other members of the Force are single men and can spend time with whomever you like. However, I do suggest that instead of being away from the castle so much, perhaps your dates should come here. That way, you and Lance would be more readily available in the event of an emergency."

Sighing deeply, Keith relaxes back into his chair as he thinks. He had been gone most afternoons or evenings in the last month, the man had a point. Looking back at him, Keith finally nods, "I'll speak with Lance about it before I leave and will make arrangements for Beth to come visit me here in the future."

"Very good," answers the advisor as he stands up. He smiles at the younger man, "I wish you and Lance the best in your endeavors."

Glancing at the clock on his wall to discover there is no way he would be on time for his date, Keith cringes. He starts for the door to his office, time to go find Lance and hope to dear God that he can find some flowers along the path to the village. He is going to need some kind of help to apologize for his lateness.