Voltron is owned by WEP, I just like to have fun with Lance (and everyone else)

Yes this is Volume Two of the Time Changes Things Series, I'm shortening it to Time in the title though.

Any chapter over T will be noted as before.

One

It was the day of three important three things. One, Larmina was turning twelve; the boys longer furlough than usual on Arus after the events on Xios couldn't have more well times, Allura thought. Hunk and Pidge had taken Larmina into the Village of Lions, more a city these days than the small village it'd been when the team had first arrived and started to help Arus to rebuild, to shop for her party. Not a one of them was willing to risk guessing what theme she would she want. They'd gone all out last year to make sure it was sports themed to have her wail at them they wanted to be like her friends and have a princess theme - it'd been during a week long experiment she'd done on conformity from what Allura could tell. It'd ended quickly, but her birthday fell during it, it'd been a disaster. Larmina was a handful to say the least, but they all adored her. Allura smiled as she finished wrapping up the last of Larmina's gifts.

As she moved them over toward the table closer to her door, her eyes fell on an old picture of her and Keith and her thoughts went to the other day it was. Today marked the anniversary - if you wanted to call it that, of Keith going AWOL and making himself a fugitive from the Galaxy Alliance control. She sighed, their reunion on Xios had been, fraught to say the least, she thought. He'd 'kidnapped' her the very moment she realized that Lance was the man she loved, that she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. She hadn't even realized it was him until he'd made her look at him and even then she'd paid him no attention, because pure terror was her own driving force at that moment. Allura had never been more frightened in her life than when she thought Lance could possibly be dead and that he'd never know how much she loved and needed him.

Which brought another smile to her face and she started to hum, she didn't know what she was humming, but she noticed she kept humming it lately when she was thinking about Lance. Tonight, after the cake was eaten and Larmina was put in her pajamas, he was taking her out on their first official date. He was being very tightlipped about it too, not letting her know a thing. He'd just said to wear one of her backless, short skirted numbers and a pair of her sexy shoes she couldn't kick ass in because they made her teeter like a klutz. She'd laughed and tried to get more out of him but he refused to tell a thing. Allura wanted to know what he had planned, she wanted to do something for him too, but he wanted it to be all about him doing something for her.

She would just have to do something for him at a later date she supposed, maybe he'd let her plan out the second date.

Allura frowned, though at the way the days were burning away already, she would have to wait for the next weekend for it. She sighed, shook her head and refused to even consider worrying about how they were going to pull off a relationship with him at the GA Academy and her on Arus most of the time. They were both young, determined and very resourceful people. Mostly, though she just wished he could stay home, she wished they all could stay home. Her bedroom door chimed and she since she was right by the door, she just hit the open button and smiled when saw Farla standing on the other side.

"Hello, Princess Allura," Farla said and she was holding a green gift bag. "I, um, I wanted to show you what I got Larmina. I just, she was very sweet coming in to visit me as much as did, when I was in the coma and after. She wanted to know what it was like to order around a bunch a men, mostly. So, I wasn't sure just what to buy her for her birthday."

Allura nodded. "She is tricky, come in and please just call me Allura."

"Sorry," Farla said. "I should understand you want that, I get so tired of the Lady Farla crap myself," she said as rummaged in the bag, through the tissue. "I let them gift wrap, does it count as gift wrap if its in a bag? Then she pulled out a football. I heard that Arus has a new football team, so I figured she might like one?"

Allura nodded. "She'll love it."

"Whew," Farla said. "That's one thing right at least."

Allura studied Farla's face. She'd made great strides since waking up, but she still didn't remember what had happened to make her fly to Arus, under such awful conditions that her own soldiers were told to fire on her. Their leader. Allura also thought she looked too thin, still and like she wasn't sleeping well. "What's wrong?"

"I just, I keep trying to remember. I feel it's so important."

"Don't push yourself, Farla, please," Allura said. "That is the last thing, I or Lance want."

Farla, nodded. "I haven't seen him at all today, where is he?"

Allura was surprised to here that. Since they'd returned one of the first things Lance did everyday was check in with Farla, make sure was okay, that she was following doctor's orders and that she wasn't pushing herself. "I don't know," Allura said not being to hide her smile. "He has plans for us tonight."

Farla grinned. "Oh, right. Tonight is the date. The special Allura Only Date."

"Oh, what did he tell you!"

"That he had to come up with something unique because you already knew all his moves from him talking to you about past dates, and the fact he used your telling him about the constellations to use that to get girls. Which is just... well cute really?" Farla said, blushing.

Allura felt a weird surge of guilt, she did feel like she'd come between their chance or something, she didn't know. She wasn't worried about it, she knew where Lance stood and Farla hadn't said or shown any upset at all about them being a couple. Yet, Allura knew that they had the missed moment thing there. "He is oddly endearing," she said.

"That's a word for it," Farla said. "When he showed up Lyra, I didn't know what to make of him, he was stealing our honey like it was there for snacking. Asking for the flowers to heal his people and the sick princess. I thought he was so arrogant. Then we get to King, and there is Prince Lotor, and it's all true but we aren't going to help them, and he Lotor fought. Then Lotor was destroying everything and I thought I was going to die. I threw him to wolves and he saved me."

"They do that. All of them," Allura said, feeling a surge pride as she thought of Lance, Keith, Pidge and Hunk.

"You too, I think?"

Allura blushed. "I only think of myself in terms of Arus, mostly. I mean I'd help anyone out."

Farla gave her a look of understanding.

Allura went back to her original goal. "Did he tell you what he has planned?"

"No," Farla said. "I asked, I wanted to know. But he said I might tell you, it'd be some girl talk thing and he wants you to be surprised."

Allura groaned. "Damn him."

Farla laughed.

Allura then picked up her bundle of presents for Larmina. Farla looked at them and Allura sighed. "I have to give her the traditional Arusian gift for her twelve birthday which is a copy of Arusian Fairy Tales, which she is going to unwrap and go: Ooh book, in her fake happy voice. Then she is growing like a weed, so needed to buy her clothes, which is also going to open and find totally boring. So really the only present she is going to care about is the computer program I got her that will enable her to do something with the music she makes and the videos she makes and merge them... I don't really know, I asked Pidge what it was she meant she wanted and he gave me the name of what to buy."

"Whew, and I thought I had it hard trying to figure it out," Farla said.

"The boys usually do a great job, they get her stuff they'd buy for themselves if they were still kids, which what I think they all are anyway."

Farla giggled.

"Coran, however as usual, his present is likely to be a dud. And Nanny, bless her, I love her but what she sent is going to go in her closet and never be seen again."

"What is it?"

"A pink frilly dress," Allura shook her head. "Nanny sends the same present every year. Different dresses of course, but still. I think she's also yelling at me when she does it, since I don't wear them anymore either."

They rounded a corner and saw Lance walking with a huge box in his arms ahead of them. "Hey," they both called out.

Lance turned around to see who was there, but when he did, he couldn't see anything because of the box. Then he lowered the box, and peeked over it, all they could see were his bangs, eyebrows and a bit of his eyes. "Hey, it's my favorite two ladies of the Castle."

Allura stared at the box. "What is in that?"

"Uh huh, this is top secret."

Allura frowned. "That's not for Larmina?"

"Larmina's present is already in the room, next to the table that is designated for her presents. By the way, Coran got her three books. Three, and they are huge, she's going to give him the stink eye for three months."

"By the table?"

"By the table," Lance repeated. "So, I gotta go get this box elsewhere."

Allura resisted the urge to reach out with with her voltcom whip and grab the box, because all she would do is cut it in half anyway and what if something really amazing was in there and she broke it? She stared after him though, alternating between trying to guess what could be in the box and looking at his ass.

"That is a good ass," Farla said.

Allura eyed her for a minute and Farla shrugged. "I'm just saying, Allura, besides I doubt he'd noticed even I wanted to steal him."

The guilt came back and before she knew Allura blurted out, "Are you sure you don't want too? I mean I know you two, there was, you two just kept missing..."

"Never connecting right time. No, we never did. On Lyra we have a saying, When the petal falls that is where it is."

Allura cocked her head to the side.

"It basically means, somethings are what they are for reason. Things happen the way they do because that is how nature intended them to be, the petal fell on the grass there because that was where it was going to fall. I was sad when I realized I lost my chance. But I wasn't surprised. I never really thought it happen in the first place, he was just always a great fantasy."

Allura nodded then jealousy kicked in. "Good, he can a stay fantasy."

Farla laughed outright. "Of course. I'll never mention his ass again."

"What's in the box?"

"Rose petals?"

"Not very Lance like," Allura said. "What in the world would he need a box that big for, and Larmina's gift is next to the table... how big is that!" Allura picked up speed toward the room they'd decided to have Larmina's party in. It was usually used to hold smaller conferences and it was the perfect size for a party for a twelve year old and had door leading outside. It was nearing the end of autumn on Arus, and was nippy out but Allura didn't think the children invited or Larmina would care one bit.

Walking in she noticed Larmina had picked the sports theme they'd done last year, she shook her head. It was different decorations but the same theme and Hunk and Pidge gone completely out and probably over indulged her on some of the party favors. Little kids were already running all over the place and their parents were by the punch bowls talking in low voices. Pidge was at a DJ booth, probably his own, pumping out music that had probably been pre-approved by Larmina at some point. Hunk was on the floor in the middle of all the children.

She and Farla went to deposit their gifts on the table and Allura found the even bigger box Lance had placed next to it. She walked around it, giving it a wary look. Hunk came up to her with Larmina on his shoulders. "I want to start a football game outside, but I need a football. Someone had better gotten me a football!" Larmina announced.

Hunk gave Allura a worried look, Allura let him know without tipping Larmina not to worry. Farla looked a bit like she'd won the lottery for a second. "Hunk put me down!"

Hunk put Larmina back down on her feet, she raced off to the newest arrivals of kids from the town her age that she knew. Allura smiled, thankful that Larmina had friends her own age, it was something she could give her niece who had lost so much at least. You were supposed to try to give the next generation more than you had had. It beat playing with Castle mice on birthday.

She eyed Lance's gift again. "Hunk, what is that?" she asked.

Hunk grinned. "Oh, that's a great gift. It's combat simulator, I think he's been saving up for months for that thing. It does every martial art known to man, from basic to master levels. It's good for her hand to hand training since she really lacks a consistent sparring partner. Plus you know how she loves it. I made her a remote controlled blue lion to fly around, hoping if she likes it it might lead to her not whining about having to go into the simulator. I don't know what Pidge got her, but I think it's a bunch of music he put on a disk or something. Stuff she can't get here."

Allura nodded.

"But the football," Hunk said.

"Farla got the football," Allura said.

Hunk looked at Farla, Farla grinned at Hunk. Hunk swooped down, picked up Farla in a bear hug and whooped almost directly in her ear. Allura cringed a bit, but mostly she was laughing. Farla laughed too, though she moved her head as far from Hunk's face as she could get her head.

"Life saver, you are!" Hunk said letting her go. "I'm going back to kids now, they really know how to party."

Allura was about to turn to Farla to ask her if she wanted any punch when she caught sight of Pidge, waving both her and Hunk over to the DJ Booth. "Excuse me," she said to Farla, and made her way over to Pidge.

Pidge leaned down and said. "Got an incoming message from Stalker to the Den, I'm rerouting to the room next door, Lance is on his way there. Give me a minute to hand over control to Larmina."

Allura gave him a look.

"I promised her whenever I took a break she got to DJ, it's her birthday," Pidge shrugged.

Allura sighed.

Pidge moved a apple crate over to where he was standing and spoke into the microphone. "Birthday girl to the DJ Booth Please. Your skills are needed, Princess Larmina."

Allura and Hunk, slipped out the room, Lance was already in the other room. He instantly walked over to her and gave her a kiss hello. "Would've done that before, but big box," he explained.

"Where have you been all day?" she whispered. "Farla said you didn't even see her?"

He looked guilty. "I'm going to check on her, soon, actually. Making a point of it, but I had a lot I needed to do. I had to pick up Larmina's present, figure out to wrap the damn thing. And then Operation Allura Date has been keeping me busy."

"I could help if you..."

"Nice try, but no way, Baby!" he said, grabbing a lock her hair and twisting it around his index finger.

Pidge came into the room and went to the computer console in the room. He pushed a few buttons, then used his voltcom to create a holographic screen. Keith's face come up in full view of them all, they all watched him blink and go. "Oh, wow, hey. Why are all dressed up?"

"Larmina's birthday," they all said.

"Riight, crap. uh, I'll figure something out there...uh. I just wanted to uh. Say hi."

"Hi!" they all waved.

Allura then stepped forward, wondering exactly when their propensity to default to sarcasm happened. "It's good to see your face, where are you?"

"Don't think I should say, it's best... Look, on Xios I realized how much I miss you guys, and I want you to know, I get it's been two years and it's still going on. But I'm going to find Black Lion. You guys will get the keys to the others lions, we'll get Wade. I just wanted too, you know, say there is no giving up."

"Never," they all said.

"Uh, could I talk to Allura alone?"

"Sure, Keith, let me just switch her to the computer console."

Allura and Lance exchanged a glance, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. She smiled up at him as he turned slapped Hunk on the back. "What is all over you?" he asked looking at his hand. "Are you rolling around on the floor? Of course you are it's a twelve year old birthday party, it's your age group."

Allura walked over to the console, thanked Pidge and sat down in a nearby chair and looked down at Keith's face. "Yes?"

"How are you?"

"I'm," she cut herself short her mind trying to find a diplomatic word to not hurt his feelings too much, yet that wasn't being honest and he was one of her dearest most treasured friends. She sighed. "I'm wonderful. You?"

Keith sighed. "Wonderful," he repeated. "You look, wonderful too."

"Thank you," she said, blushing a bit. "Keith, I..."

"No," he held up a hand. "I'm just... I want to fight for you but I'm not there. Which makes fighting for you rather impossible, doesn't it?"

Allura nodded and she grew a little worried. "Keith, fighting for me while it's flattering..."

"Right, you love him."

"I do," she said.

"Right. Be careful. Uh, don't let him be too..."

"Keith you be careful," Allura said. "You're the one out there with no back up, please. Watch your back."

"Always. I should go, we've already been talking too long. I...bye Allura."

Allura sighed as his face flickered out view, it broke her heart but in the way her younger self ever would have imagined. She was heartbroken for him instead of about him. She would just have to pray and hope he found a way to move forward and accept things for how they happened.

She got up and walked back into the party just in time to see Lance pick up Larmina and toss her on his shoulder, as Hunk had another kid, some boy whose name Allura didn't know on his. Then the four of them collided, with Larmina and the boy doing some sort of weird wrestling match, while Pidge from the DJ booth commented. She shook her head and scanned the crowd for Farla, it was nice having another woman around, she had to admit.