A/N: Shiro is 25 years old and Pidge is 14 years old in this story. This might make some people uncomfortable, which it should but please stick with me. Also there might be a hint of Klance too. This story is probably going to push that T rating pretty hard. But please let me know if it's too much and I'll change the rating to M.
The plan was simple but the execution not so much. They would sneak aboard the central communications ship, plant explosives and disable the communications grid for that sector of space. That would give them time to complete their interplanetary missions without the constant threat of Galra patrol ships detecting them. They would sneak aboard the Galra ship using the green lion's cloaking ability. The 5 paladins boarded the ship and headed straight for the bridge. A heavy fire fight with Galra droids ensued resulting in Lance being injured. Keith carried Lance back to the green lion with Hunk providing cover fire. Pidge and Shiro got to the control console and Pidge started deactivating the communications grid while Shiro guarded the door fighting off the droids. They didn't have much time before the explosives were set to detonate. Pidge discovered that the ship had more than she bargained for when she discovered maps detailing the locations of other communication ships and even other Galra outposts that could be bases or even colonies. Possibly even prison colonies? But the download was taking too long from the control panel she needed to get to the server room. She put the co-ordinates for the room into Rover but time was up and they needed to go.
Shiro went ahead clearing a path while Pidge ran up behind him. Along the way Pidge passed a corridor that turned off from the main one she was currently in. Rover was beeping, letting her know that she was close to the server room. Looking back at Shiro Pidge decided that it would only take one minute to get what she needed from the room and then she'd head right back to the green lion. They probably never know she was gone. She couldn't miss this chance to find Matt and her dad. Rover opened the door and Pidge connected to the servers in there and started downloading the data sending it directly to the Castle of Lions. The first of the planted explosives went off in the distance knocking Pidge off balance setting her on high alert. Suddenly the door slid open and the Galra droids entered looking for the intruders. The server room had rows of server banks that offered a little bit of cover as Pidge crawled into the back corner underneath the control panel trying to hide. Pidge was breathing hard hoping that they'd not look too closely at the control panel that Rover was still plugged into. He was deactivated but still sitting the panel. Abruptly Pidge felt a strong grip on her leg. She was caught and the droid dragged her out from her hiding place.
In a way she was lucky, the droids couldn't use their laser blasters inside the server room for fear of damaging the ships server banks but that didn't stop them from physically attacking her. She tried to fight back but it was 3 on 1 in a confined space, she couldn't depend on her speed and agility. She was badly injured, bleeding heavily and quickly losing consciousness when she heard Shiro calling her name. A second explosion went off followed by Shiro bursting through the doors. He easily fought and destroyed the droids that were attacking Pidge. He lifted the beaten body of the green paladin into his arms. "Stay with me Katie!" Shiro pleaded as her rushed her back to her lion. "Please don't leave me" was the last words Pidge heard before the blackness consumed her vision.
It had been 4 days since Pidge was placed in the healing pod alongside Lance. Lance had only spent a day in the pod recovering from a laser blast to his shoulder and some minor bruising. He was sure the bruising was from Keith dropping him during the escape Keith denied it. Pidge's injuries were more severe. A concussion, multiple broken ribs, internal bleeding and a fractured cheekbone on her left side of her face with a matching black eye. She looked like she had gone 10 rounds in a boxing ring when Shiro first brought her limp body into the Castle of lions. Allura was visibly shocked by Pidge's appearance and Shiro was emotionally devastated. It was his job to keep her safe and he had failed miserably. The other paladins took turns visiting her in the healing pod during the day and Shiro kept nightly vigils beside her pod waiting for her to wake up. Seeing Pidge's sleeping form in the healing pod did little to ease Shiro's nightmares. One in particular was the day Matt was due to fight in the Galra gladiatorial arena. Matt was terrified knowing he could never survive the fight. Shiro did the only thing he could think off. During the prisoner transfer he grabbed a weapon an attacked Matt wounding him. There was not time to explain his actions, to everyone including Matt it looked like Shiro had lost his mind flying into a blind range. Matt had no time to react. He did not even flinch. Shiro was someone he trusted with his life and the only one he trusted with his body and his heart. The look of hurt, confusion and betrayal was the last expression Shiro saw on Matt's face. It cut him deeply, like a wound to his soul and with that agony he went on to fight his opponent in the arena. He took his pain, anguish and frustration out in battle. He had never been so vicious or so brutal in a fight before. The Galra approved and cheered him on. He was crowned their champion. Shiro had blood on his hands and he would never be the same again.
Pidge emerged from the healing pod dazed, confused and hungry. Coran's green food goop wasn't particularly appetising but with Hunk's help it was at least palatable. With her legs crossed in the chair in the dining area Pidge ate he goop eagerly. She was still in the process of asking Coran how much data she had managed to send from the Galra ship before she was caught when Shiro stormed in. He had given himself some time to calm down before confronting her to reprimand her for her reckless actions. He thought he was calmer but seeing her act so nonchalantly, like this was no big deal, sent him over the edge. Shiro was known to be a cool headed leader but there was only so much he could take. "Pidge! What the hell were you thinking back there? You disobeyed a direct order. You jeopardised our entire team!" Pidge stood from the seat and stomped defiantly towards Shiro "I saw an opportunity and I took it. When would we get a chance to get that intel again? Star charts of the colonies, locations of other communication ships, we need that…" She pleaded for Shiro to see the logic in her actions. "We're supposed to be a team Pidge. You can't make that call on your own. What if you got captured? You almost got yourself killed!"
Shiro refused to back down. Why couldn't Katie understand her life was more important than the mission. "I can handle myself. I would have thought of a way out eventually" Pidge spoke defiantly. Lance tried to interject but Keith stopped him. This was between Shiro and Pidge. Shiro was the leader and he needed Pidge to understand that. "If you could handle yourself I wouldn't have had to fight 3 Galra droids off you and had to carry you bleeding and unconscious back to your lion. You spent 4 days in a healing pod!" Shiro slammed his fist on the table. "It was a calculated risk, if I could just find a map of the colonies, maybe I could find the colony my brother and father were sent to. They must be waiting for me to save them. Who knows they could be hurt or dying. I need to save them; I need to at least try…" Shiro's face dropped. Of course Pidge would risk it all for her family. Right then the truth that he had been trying to push out of his mind had clawed its way back up. With her hair short and glasses on Katie looked just like a younger version of Matt. She was a constant reminder of his lost love. He had left him and his father behind. He too should be risking his life to save them. But the universe came first. Voltron needed to gather allies so they could take the fight to Zarkon and Voltron needed 5 paladins to do this. He couldn't be selfish. Pidge would just have to understand.
Allura sensing the tension ordered the paladins back to their rooms to rest. "It's been a draining past few days. We all need to gather our strength. We'll regroup in the morning when we've all had a good night's rest." Shiro left first followed by Keith and Lance who were heading for the training deck to spar. Allura and Coran went to the bridge to compare the Galra star maps to their own leaving Hunk and Pidge in the dining area. Hunk spoke first "You probably don't want to hear this but you were pretty beat up when Shiro rescued you. Most of your ribs were broken and you looked like hell." Pidge was starting to feel a little guilty. "I've never seen Shiro lose his cool like that. I think he was genuinely freaked out about it. You should cut him some slack and may apologise to him." Hunk was right as usual. Pidge needed to apologise to Shiro but she would first give him a little time to cool off.
It has already been two hours since everyone was sent to their rooms. Pidge had been pacing for a while trying to come up with a suitable apology. She still wasn't sure what she'd say but she knew she had to say something right now before her courage fled her. Pidge walked over to Shiro's room, took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A minute went by with no answer. Shiro was probably asleep Pidge reasoned. She was about to walk away when the door slid open. Shiro was surprised to see Pidge at his door but invited her in anyway. This was awkward but Pidge had to say her piece "Before you say anything I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I should have listened to you and not gone off on my own." Pidge was nervously wringing her hands, mentally preparing herself to get yelled at again. "That's OK Katie, I'm sorry too. I understand why you want to do whatever it takes to get Matt and your dad back but they wouldn't want you to get hurt or captured in the process." Pidge overwhelmed with emotions hugged Shiro and he offered her a seat on his bed. "While we were on the Kerberos mission Matt and your dad, Sam spoke of you a lot. Especially Matt, he said you were probably the smartest person he knew and the two of you were fiercely competitive. He loved you, you know. They both did. I know it doesn't feel like much but I promise we'll get them back. Once we gather our forces, we'll defeat Zarkon and free all the prisoners." He had subconsciously started stoking Pidge's hair. It was something he used to do with Matt when his anxiety was getting the better of him. It seemed to have the same effect on Pidge calming her down. She leaned back against the wall behind the bed.
She was exhausted from her time in the healing pod and from fighting with Shiro. She spoke softly trying to fight the strong desire to fall asleep right there. "I wanted to go with you guys on the Kerberos mission. I wanted to see the stars and I wanted Matt and my dad to see me as good enough to stand beside them…" Katie had drifted off. Shiro lay her head down on the pillow as she slept. Her breathing was shallow but steady and he couldn't help but stare. She looked like a tiny Matt. He imagined that at 14 years old Matt would probably looked like her identical twin. His mind wondered to a place it often did, to Matt. Was he safe or even alive? Did he think that Shiro had abandoned him? Did he hate him now? He didn't think he could go on living knowing that Matt hated him. After all they had been through to be together. Could fate be so cruel as to separate them like this? If one could die from an aching heart Shiro was sure it would feel like this. He lay alongside Pidge on the bed, praying that sleep would come soon and the nightmares would stay away. He just needed one night of peace and a little respite from his troubles.