He's finally home. The moment his feet touch the earth's surface he starts to run through the warm sand, leaving Blue behind. He's going home. He doesn't stop until he is at the gate of the house. It's been years since he has been home. What if his family moved? What if they were no longer here? All his worries slip away when he spots his Mother in the front tending to the garden. She hasn't changed at all these past years and she still takes care of his garden. That garden was his pride and joy. When he was little Lance and his mother would spend hours planning it all out, but they never really got around to planting it. Before he left for the Garrison he planted the garden in secret as a going away gift to his mother. He has to hold back his tears as he steps through the gate. They still haven't fixed it. It has the same loud squeak from when he first broke it while wrestling his brother in the front yard. He tenses up as she wipes her hands on her apron as she turns around. "Welcome home de-" She instantly drops her trowel and her eyes go wide. She looks him up and down; unable to believe her son is really standing in front of her. "Lance…?"

"Hi, Mama…" He no longer can hold back his tears. She runs at him her own tears forming as they fall into the grass. He never thought he would see her again. He thought he would die in a different galaxy before he ever got to see his mother again. Before he would ever get to step on earth again. He could live knowing he wouldn't have to see his classmates from school. The people who made his life hell. His family was the only thing that made him fight. Made him want to return to earth. Lance sits up and kisses his mother on the head. "I have so much to tell you." Carefully he helps her stands. He notices the grey streaks that had formed with age; he doesn't remember seeing them before he left. Must have been his siblings. Bastards could be so stressful. They sit on the front porch. Trying to figure out where he should start. What should he tell her? They lay in each other's arms for a bit longer. Until he is ready to tell his mother about that night at the garrison. About Voltron. About Coran and Allura. About his scars. About things no mother would want to know her child has been through. But she is happy now that her son is safe.

The gate squeaks and they look up. Oh. It's his father. The man drops his box and bolts forward, immediately recognizing Lance. They hug and his father won't let go. Lance is sure he doesn't want him to. He stays in the embrace, retelling his story. "Lance… I'm not saying I don't believe you but… you sound pretty crazy." Lance isn't surprised. If someone came up to him and started talking about robot lions he would think they got way too into anime. He would ask them what drugs are they on. But he isn't crazy. He's never watched anime. What he told them was all real and he knows exactly how to make them believe him.

"I'll show you her…" Standing up he walks them to the backyard and stands proudly. In the sand stands Blue resting underneath the huge tree that separates them from the beach. His parents look at each other with wide eyes. There is no way they don't believe him now. He looks at his mother, who has this expression where you can tell something just clicked in her brain. Everything he told her is settling.

"You went t-"

"I went to space Mama. I saved the Universe." He holds her close as she begins to cry. He can only imagine what is going through her mind right now. He knows it must be bad but not as bad as he know. He's the one who fought in a war. It was him who assisted in keeping the Galra away from Earth. Keeping his family safe without them even knowing the danger they were in. The door to the house opens behind them. There stands a small boy. Dusted in freckles. Hair curling at the ends. Beautiful blue eyes that matched his own. And to think Lance thought he ran out of tears, they well up in his eyes at the sight. His little brother has grown so much. He gives Lance a weird look and that just breaks his heart.

"Mama who is that..?" Lance frowns and wipes his tears. He shakes his head and stares at the younger boy. Waiting. Hoping that somewhere in his heart he remembers Lance. He hoped his family hadn't forgotten about him or thought he was dead. He wouldn't blame them. He suddenly disappeared and didn't come back until years passed. But he hoped. That they would have faith that he would be strong and stay alive. "Is that Lance…?" A soft Lance is home? Is heard from inside alongside a pitter pattering of feet. Suddenly he is being tackled by two children into the grass. His baby sister. Oh how they have both grown. He rubs their backs and starts tickling both of them. The sound of laughter fills his heart. Slowly being surrounded by his family again. They ask him what happened. How one day they had the garrison on their porch saying he was missing. How they offered them money to keep quiet about it. How before their grandparents died that they would go to church and pray that he was safe. Oh. His grandparents passed away. That hurts. He didn't get to say goodbye to them. He loves his- loved his grandparents as stubborn as they could be.

They go inside and start setting up the table. Dinner will take some time to make. He knows that. When they would get home from school and set the table right away so when their mother was done everyone could eat right away. It made sense it was a lot of food to cook to fill all their mouths. His younger brother, Leo, sets the table. Lance counts the plates. Seven plates. "Marquis still lives here… or...?" His mother nods and kisses his cheek. He helps out with cooking. Trying to convince his mother not to make so much. But Lance knows better. She is celebrating. Celebrating his safety. His return. Celebrating his life. He knows there will be leftovers for a week.

Once the table is set Leo comes in constantly pulling at Lance's arm. "Come on Lance, how much longer do I need to wait to know what happened? I know you told Mama and Papa!" Lance snorts and picks the boy up. Ruffling his hair obnoxiously making Leo thrash around. He feels at home.

"Wait until everyone is home. I don't want to constantly repeat myself." Is his excuse. But he just needs to figure out what to tell them all. There was so much that happened. He didn't know where to start. "Now come on you know no kids in the kitchen when Mama is cooking." Lance ushers the kids out of the kitchen. Leo glares and sits at the table waiting. The front door opens and footsteps approach lance hears Leo yells at someone for stealing his water then the sound of shattering glass.

"Lance…?" Lance smiles and grabs the broom cleaning up his mess trying to play it cool. As if he doesn't want to just jump into his brother's arms. To tackle him to the ground and laugh like they used to.

"Hi Marq." He drops the broom as his eldest brother, Marquis, wraps his arms around him. He can feel his shirt start to dampen he shuts his eyes and squeezes Marquis close. He has never seen him cry before. The idea makes his chest hurt. "I'm home…" He looks over his shoulder and waves at the woman walking into the room. His sister in law. After Marquis let go Lance moves to help put dinner on the table. They set it down and serve each other. Lance's mother takes the time to say grace; it's longer than he remembers. But he understands. After she is done Leo slams his hands on the table.

"So are you going to tell us what happened or not?!" His mother scolds him but Lance says its okay he looks at his food and takes a few mouth fulls. The first Earth meal in years. He wonders how his body will react to it. So used to only eating food goo and Arusian fruits. Lance takes a deep breath and tells them. Tells them about sneaking out of the Garrison to see what Keith was doing despite the school going on lockdown. Saving Shiro and running away. About Blue and finding the other Lions. He tells them about their fights. The planets and creatures they met. Leo didn't believe him but his little sister Anna did. He could she did with that look in her eye. Admiring her older brother. He cuts off his story and drags Leo outside pointing at Blue like he did with his parents. He sure believes him now. They go back inside and he tells them about Voltron. About Zarkon. About the war and about saving the Universe. Abou-

He gets cut off by a knocking on the door. Lance's mother gets up to check who it is. Lance looks over as she opens the door. He almost falls out of his chair trying to get up and over there. "Mama let him in- Leo grab another plate and chair." He walks to the door putting a hand on his mother's shoulder. "This is Keith."

Keith bows his head politely, and a bit awkwardly, as he steps inside. He grabs Lance's wrist and just stares at him for a moment. Lance smiles and shakes his head leading Keith into the dining room serving him up a plate of food. They keep eating. Anna asks Keith a handful of questions. Lance looks up at his mother who is just smiling at him. He smiles back as his mother reached over, gently rubbing his cheek with her thumb. "My pretty blue boy...Oh how I've missed you." Lance's stomach immediately drops and tightens. His sight is blurry from the tears that have started to form in his eyes. His head is spinning and everything hurts. Why did she have to call him that? Before he knows it Keith is wiping his mouth and there's vomit on his lap. His own vomit. He can't stop crying. His shoulders shake as he looks at Keith.

"That's what he called me…"

All eyes are on Lance's at this point. Lance and Keith. Keith helps clean up lance before asking to be lead to the bathroom. He picks up Lance, letting him hide his face on his shoulder to keep the others from seeing him cry, as he follows his mother. He sits Lance on the toilet seat and wipes his face. He starts filling up the tub with a bit of a struggle. He grabs the towel from Lance's mother and holds it up at Lance's waist as he gets undressed; knowing at a time like this Lance isn't going to want to be seen completely naked. Once he is nude Keith wraps the towel around him, tying it in the back. Lance takes a seat in the warm water. Curling his legs up to his chest as Keith helps him bathe. Letting the other man scrub him down as he sobs. Feeling so pathetic that he couldn't hold everything in in front of his family. Feeling like garbage. So useless that Keith has to bathe him again. Lance looks up and his mother is standing there. Watching with her hand over her mouth. Worried for her son. Lance frowns and whispers something into Keith's ear

Keith stands up walking to the door. "Sorry...He wants me to shut the door." Shutting the door he looks away then back at Lance sitting on the edge of the tub. Gently wiping his tears away in silence. Lance does not want his family seeing him like this.

After cleaning him up Keith dries him off. Sitting him back on the toilet as he goes to step out. To get him clothes. He bumps into Lance's mother, who is already a step ahead of him with a set of clothes in her hands. She hands him the clothes and Keith ushers back to the bathroom helping Lance get dressed. He carries the crying man to his bedroom with guidance from his mother and lays him in bed. Rubbing his back until Lance falls asleep. Keith frowns and pulls a blanket over his shoulder. Slipping out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the front door. He has to check on Red. As he is stepping out of the front door his wrist is grabbed by Lance's mother. "Mrs. McClain-"

"What happened to Lance? Why...Why did he react like that?"

Keith stares at her for a moment. Fidgeting. Not knowing what to say. He's worked so hard trying to build a trust with Lance. He isn't going to ruin that anytime soon and that's that there is barely any trust there in the first place. He knows that he knows more than Lance's family with the way she asked. He knows Lance is close with his family. He thought he would have told them. "I thought he told you already. He looked like he cried...It's not my story to tell. Wait until he wakes up." He bows his head politely and steps out the door. Walking out to his own lion. He doesn't know what to do. Where to go. He isn't like the others. He doesn't have a family to return to. He has nowhere to go. Taking a deep breath he gets inside Red, taking a seat in the pilot chair kicking his legs up as the chair lays back. He'll sleep here for the night…

Lance wakes up early. He has to check something. He sneaks out the house. Not even bothering to put on his shoes. He is just going down the street. He bites his lip as he stands outside a house. The paint is different. It's an ugly green. Not its usual orange...Yellow is nowhere to be spotted. Hunk didn't come home? He turns around and heads back home. He has no idea where everyone is. He just wants his best friend. Correction. He needs his best friend. From where he is standing he can see Red and Blue in his yard. They have to turn their protection settings on before someone says something and calls the cops on them. He keeps on walking. Until he is standing in front of the two lions. Waiting. Wondering if Keith is awake in there for not. Oh he is. Keith is walking towards him. Lance's feet walk ahead of his brain and he just hugs Keith tightly. "Where is everyone…?"

He wants to find everyone. He wants to find Hunk. Pidge and Shiro too. He knows where Allura and Coran are but he doesn't want to leave earth. To go back to Arus isn't on his to do list. Not anytime soon that is. Keith sighs and rubs his back slowly. Noises can be heard coming from inside the house. They're making breakfast. Lance stays in Keith arms for a bit longer before pulling back. Leading his teammate inside. There's a huge spread on the table. Lance looks at Keith when he hears Keith chuckle. "Is every meal like this?" Lance shakes his head. Lance moves over to kiss his mother on the cheek whispering a good morning. They take a seat at the table beside a now sleeping Anna, her face smashed into her plate. Lance rubs at his eyes and serves himself and then Keith. "I can serve myself Lance..."

"I know what Mama makes best." He smiles tiredly. Eyes still puffy and red from crying last night. Keith shoves him a bit staring at his huge plate.

"But you served me everything." That makes Mrs. McClain laugh.

"I know." Keith rolls his eyes and they begin eating. As they eat everyone starts to leave. They have to go to school. Leo hugs him goodbye and Anna found her way back to her room for her grade has off for testing. Marquis wakes up a bit later and sits with them until he has to leave for work. He ruffles Lance's hair and smiles. Everything is really sinking it. He's home now. Back with the people who love him. His sister in law, Maria, comes down and steals his muffin before running out the door only to get chased by Lance. "Get your own breakfast you rich Gringa!" She laughs and flips him off getting into her car.

Lance smiles and goes back to the table. Finishing up his breakfast. He looks around. His father left while he was asleep he knows that. It's just him his mother and Keith. His mother sits beside him. Frowning. "Mi Chiquitico...I think we need to talk." Lance tenses up and looks at Keith. Not knowing what to do. He knows his mother wants to know why he puked. Why he cried. Why he asked Keith to shut the door while he was bathing. This is his mother. He used to poop in the bathroom while she was getting ready. This woman is the person who is closest to him. Right before Hunk. Coran was the one who reminded him so much of his mother. The one who made being so far from home bearable.

"Where do I start Mama..?"

"From the beginning. I want to know the complete truth..." Keith holds his hand. Squeezing it. Trying to comfort him. Making what he was about to say a bit easier.