How dare they? How dare they!?

How could they release information to the press before informing the Holts and Keith?

He was furious!

He didn't care if they had asked the press to hold off until the families could be told. With information like that, it was going to be everywhere by the end of the night.

He hoped Sam's wife raised hell when she and her daughter came in tomorrow to "find out." He wished he could tell her before, but he didn't have her contact information.

At least he could save the kid that pain.

He pressed his hand to the scanner and the door to Keith's barrack opened. He opened his mouth as he stepped into the doorway, then paused.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he groaned, "Griffin, remove yourself from Oriol. I need him for a moment."

Griffin leapt off Keith with a yelp. "Lt. Wr-Wrona! I -"

"Save it. I'm not in the mood for your troublemaking. Just straighten yourself out and leave before I decide to write you both up."

"Yessir!" Griffin quickly tugged the wrinkles from his uniform jacket and fled the room.

Keith, despite being far more rumpled, didn't even bother. Instead he crossed his arms, scowling at Adam with suspicion. "What are you doing here?"

"Considering I'm ignoring what I just walked in on, you could be a bit kinder."

"You've barely spoken to me in nearly a year. I think I have a right to be suspicious."

"Trust me, I'd love to dump this on someone else -"

"Clearly. I know they asked you to act in loco parentis while Shiro's gone and you told them to take a hike."

"It's not that simp-" Adam sighed and came into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Look, I'm not here to fight. There's something you need to know, about Takashi."

Keith immediately sat up straight. "What's going on? Is it about the next communication? They're not trying to keep me out again, right? Shiro made it clear -"

"It's not that." Adam sat next to the kid, but didn't bother reaching out. He was well aware the kid would lash out, either because of the news he brought or because it was him. "There isn't going to be a next communication. The Kerberos mission… It's been lost."

"What? How could i- How do you lo- What?" Keith stuttered in barely more than a whisper.

"There was a crash. The crew… Takashi and the others are being labeled missing, presumed dead. The crash was fatal and considering how far out Kerberos is, they can't risk launching a retrieval mission right now."

Keith started shaking his head. "No. No! That's no- You're lying! He… They… No!"

"It's true."

"How? How'd they crash?" Keith snarled, springing to his feet.

This was the part he'd been worried about the most. "It's being put down to pilot error."

Keith froze. "What?"

"Kei-"

"That's not possible! Shiro wouldn't make a mistake like that!" Keith exploded.

"We all make mistakes," Adam said, keeping his tone even.

"Shiro doesn't! Not one's like that! He's the best."

"He was also only human. And a sick one at that. There was a reason Sanda and Iverson - and I - didn't want him on that mission."

"He was fine! All his sim flight scores were as high as ever and the doctors cleared him!"

"Yes, but there was no way to predict how zero-g would affect his disease at this stage."

"So what? It must have been his fault then?" Keith snorted.

Adam shook his head. "I don't know, Keith," he said softly. "I'm just telling you what I found out. They haven't told me anything. I'm not even supposed to know this much, and I'm certainly not supposed to be telling you."

"Then why are you?"

"Because they already informed the press and if it's not being talked about on every news station and forum long before Iverson brings you and the Holts in tomorrow I'll join Harris for drinks."

Keith stared him down for a moment before ducking his head. "It's true?"

"I'm sorry."

Keith's fists clenched and Adam thought the kid was going to start swinging. Maybe at him, maybe at the walls, maybe he'd go running down the halls to Iverson. He also thought he might start screaming again, or maybe he'd do all of the above.

He certainly didn't expect the kid to throw himself at Adam, clinging to his chest and burying his face into Adam's neck as he started sobbing.

After the quick bout of shock passed, he wrapped his arms around Keith and held him close. "I'm sorry," he repeated quietly.


Keith was fuming when Adam came into the office.

"You come to lecture me too?" he growled. With his teeth bared and the low rumble filling the air, he reminded Adam of a wild cat.

Adam ignored it. "Get up and follow me."

Thankfully he did so without a word. At least until they reached the student barracks.

"Where are we going?" Keith asked, stopping.

"Keith, let's not do this in the middle of the hall."

A couple girls started whispering to each other as they stared at them and Keith's shoulders scrunched up before he pushed ahead.

He took the lead, stomping the whole way to his barrack. He slapped his hand against the scanner, sending Adam a glare.

"Here I was thinking you got expelled," Griffin started as soon as Keith stepped inside. "What were you thinking, attacking Iverson like that? Yeah, he probably should have had more tact than to mention Shiro in front of you, even if he was just trying to remind us to be cautious, but -"

Griffin cut off as he spotted Adam behind Keith.

He jumped to his feet and saluted. "Sorry, sir, didn't see you."

"At ease." Adam held the bag he was carrying out to Keith. "Pack up your things."

"What's going on?" Griffin asked, relaxing slightly into attention as Keith growled again and snatched the bag away before heading over to his wardrobe.

"Keith has been expelled. And he's lucky Iverson's not pressing charges."

"HE HAD IT COMING!"

"Keith, this isn't the first time you've gotten physical with someone on campus," Adam glanced at Griffin, who ducked his head, "and you had a record even before that. They have every right to expel you. You've proven you're a danger to students and teachers alike."

"I barely hit him," Keith muttered, yanking the bag closed.

"And yet his nose is broken and his ribs are bruised."

"Commander Iverson shouldn't have said what he did, sir," Griffin said, cautiously.

"No, he shouldn't have," Adam agreed with a glare at the wall. "And he's facing his own trouble right now, which is the only reason he's not pressing charges."

"He won't get much more than a slap on the wrist," Keith snarled.

Adam didn't bother to voice his agreement. "Do you have everything?"

Keith shot him a look and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Is he gonna be okay?"

Adam looked over at Griffin's quiet words.

"I just - I mean, I know that Lt. Shirogane - that he doesn't have anywhere…" he trailed off with a shrug, not meeting Adam's eyes.

"It's been taken care of. He'll be fine for now. As for the future, that's up to him."

Griffin nodded and went back to his bed, picking up the tablet he had been working on.

When Keith came out with his bag of toiletries, Adam grabbed the duffel bag and left. Keith followed after sharing a few mumbled words with Griffin. Adam led him out to the parking area and Keith's eyes darted over to the civilian lot.

Frowning, Keith asked, "Moira isn't here?"

"Moira?"

"My social worker. Montgomery said she was coming to pick me up. I thought you brought me out here because she was here."

"She was," Adam said, setting his hand on Keith's shoulder and leading him towards the personnel lot. "I -"

"What? You offered to personally escort me to the home. Thanks, but I think I'd rather walk."

"You're not going to the home."

Keith gave him a suspicious glare. "What do you mean?"

Adam unlocked his car and opened the passenger door. He set the bag inside then gestured the kid in. When Keith just crossed his arms, he sighed and leaned back against the car. "I talked to Mrs. Faulkner and she agreed to help me get custody of you."

Keith's jaw dropped. "You -" His eyes narrowed and he stepped back. "Why would you do that?"

"Takashi promised that you wouldn't have to go back to the home. The least I can do to honor his memory is keep that promise."

"No, the least you can do is stay out of it, like you've been doing."

Adam nodded. "I know I've been… okay, distant would be an understatement."

Keith snorted.

"It shouldn't have taken… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to completely push you away after the break up, but I did."

"So this is just to make you feel better about yourself then," Keith huffed and Adam grabbed his arm before he could march off.

"It's about making it up to you," he said softly. "I shouldn't have let what was going on between Takashi and I affect our relationship. Especially when he left. I wasn't there for you then, but I will be now. I owe it to both you and him."

Keith's scowl relaxed and Adam took that as his cue to pull the boy closer.

"Look, I understand if you don't want to stay with me. If it's what you really want, I'll take you straight to the home right now."

Keith stared at the ground for a moment before pulling his arm free and getting into the car.

Adam sighed, but otherwise stayed quiet as he walked around to the driver's side.

"Where are we even going?" Keith asked once they'd made it past the Garrison's walls. "You're apartment is on base."

Adam didn't realize he'd been sitting stiffly in his seat until he relaxed at Keith's words. "It is. But you're not exactly allowed to stay on the premises since you're no longer a student. Takashi got away with it before because we had the room and you were about to start at the Garrison. I've filled out the paperwork for off-base housing, I was just waiting for your decision to put it in. We'll only need a two bedroom apartment so it won't take more than a few days. Until then, we'll stay at a hotel."

Keith nodded and slouched down in his seat.


Adam glared into the empty room as his phone buzzed in his ear.

"Adam?"

"Where are you?"

"At home."

"I must have walked into the wrong apartment then because I don't see you anywhere," Adam snorted, shutting Keith's door.

A series of Hindi curses came from the phone. "You weren't supposed to be back until late."

"The meeting was cancelled. Now where are you?"

"I, uh… I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I didn't have any schoolwork to do today so I went for a walk and…"

"You got lost."

"Kind of," Keith said slowly.

See Takashi, this is what happens when you let him grow up in the middle of a desert. No city survival skills. "Alright, can you see any landmarks?"

"Landmarks?"

Adam grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter and headed towards the front door. "You know, street signs? Businesses? Maybe even somewhere you could go into to get an address?"

"No."

"There's no landmarks around you at all."

"… There's a big rock. And a cliff. I think I saw a coyote den a short ways back."

Adam paused, rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, then continued on his way to his car. "Keith, are you in the middle of the desert?"

"… I think I can see an eagle's nest up on the cliff."

"Where did Takashi and I go wrong with you?"

"You left when you broke up with him for wanting to go to space one last time and he went and died on me."

Adam glared at his phone before connecting it to his car. "That was a rhetorical question, brat. Can you check the coordinates on your phone?"

"How do I do that?"

"The map app."

"There's a map app?" There was a few moments of static as Keith fumbled around with his phone. "Okay, it says thirty-five degrees and forty minutes north by one-thirteen degrees and 17 minutes west. You know, with this I could just -"

Adam entered the coordinates into the car's GPS, saying, "Stay where you are. I'll come get you. And then the two of us are going to have a long talk about wandering off out into the desert without supplies."

"Great."


"Keith -"

"I brought supplies this time!"


"What are you even doing out there?" Adam asked, glancing between the homemade ice tea he should be drinking and the can of soda he wanted to drink.

"I don't know. I just feel like something's… calling out to me. Does that sound crazy?"

"Very." Adam grabbed the soda and closed the fridge. "It's probably the grief."

"I'm not going to a shrink."

"It'd be good for you," he hummed, laying down on the couch. "And not just because of whatever's going on now. A psychiatrist could help with your anger issues and to work through the trauma from your time in foster care and losing your mom and two dads."

"He wasn't my dad; I didn't lose my mom, she left; and I'm not seeing a shrink. I tried it before, remember?"

"We'll get a garrison approved therapist, not some quack that calls for an exorcist just because an eight-year-old growled at him," Adam said, rolling his eyes.

"Still not going."

"Keith, you're hearing voices."

"I am not! It's not voices, just… some sort of energy."

"Right, that's much better," Adam snorted.

"I'm hanging up now."

"Are you going to need a ride or can you actually figure out your way home this time."

"I could have figured out my way home the last seven times. I'm surprised you're not halfway here already."

"Iverson caught Sam's daughter sneaking through his computer so we all had to sit through an hour long lecture on security. I'm not in the mood to chase you around the desert today. Just get back here before curfew or I'm going to start leaving you at the Garrison daycare."

"Pretty sure they don't take anyone my age."

"I'll sign you up as a volunteer. That way you'll get a babysitter and get punished by taking care of a handful of brats. Two birds, one stone."

"I'll just leave as soon as your gone."

"You'd abandon a pack of helpless children? I thought I raised you better than that!"

"I hate you."


Adam stared at the hovercycle blankly.

"Keith, my son, I love you, but I do hope you know I'm not going to be as forgiving about Grand Theft Auto as Takashi was."

"Not your son and I didn't steel it," Keith deadpanned, not bothering to pull out of the engine compartment. "Can you hand me the spanner."

Adam looked down at the old toolbox next to Keith feet. "No." He shrugged when Keith's head finally appeared, only to give him a dirty look. "I'm a pilot, not an engineer. I have no idea what a spanner is."

"Didn't you have to take basic mechanics?" Keith snorted, digging an adjustable wrench out of the box before disappearing back into the engine compartment.

"It's not necessary for pilots as long as their communications officer took the course. Since most of them do, I opted for the first aid course."

"I was supposed to the basics for that next year. Shiro said it was best for pilots to know the basics of both engineering and communications."

"Of course he did. Takashi was an overachiever," Adam hummed. He shoved down the melancholy feeling and leaned over to peak at Keith's work. As far as he could tell everything was in good condition, if a bit dusty. "If you didn't steal it, then where did it come from? Because I know you didn't buy it."

"It was pop's. Found it when I decided to check out our old place. I was surprised it was still there. I figured it'd be the first thing the Davidsons would have sold off."

Adam raised an eyebrow and took a closer look at the engine. "You're saying this thing has been sitting out there for all these years? How'd you even get it here?"

Keith shrugged. "It seems to be okay, just needs a few tune ups. And some cleaning. Pops did a lot of custom work on it. I guess he made them to last."

Adam didn't think that sounded right, but what did he know about hovercycles or mechanics. "Is this thing street legal?"

"Yes?" he said slowly. "I know we used to take it into town."

"Good. Once you've finished up with it then we can update the registration."

Keith looked up at him with a smirk. "Does this mean you'll stop calling me everytime I'm out in the desert freaking out that I'm lost?"

"Nope."


"Pidge Gunderson."

"Here."

Adam briefly glanced at the student that answered before turning back to the attendance sheet.

Then he looked back up.

You've got to be kidding me.

He finished up the attendance and set the cadets to reading before subtly pulling out his phone and sending off a quick text.

Found her. She's fine. Talk later.

He finished up the class as normal until the bell rang.

"Gunderson, a moment?"

"Sir?" she asked as she stopped by his desk.

"Hope you don't mind my curiosity. I know two of your team already has flight training so I was wondering why you're in my class," Adam said while the rest of the class filed out.

"I already have the engineering basics down. I figure physics of flight can be useful for pretty much anything."

Adam nodded mindlessly, watching the door shut behind the last student. He turned to the girl with a raised eyebrow. "Katie, what are you doing here?"

She froze before nervously adjusting her glasses. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Adam crossed his arms. "Katie, you look exactly like Matt, between the hair and gla-" He frowned and leaned closer. "Are you wearing his glasses?"

She fidgeted with the glasses again.

Adam sighed and straightened up. "What are you doing? You do realize you've been banned from the premises, right?"

The girl glared at the ground, fists clenching. "I'm going to find out what happened to my family."

"Katie -"

"I know you guys are lying about what happened. I don't care if you kick me out or charge me with treason or whatever. I'm going to find out what happened to them."

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're still on this?"

"I'm never going to stop."

What had he done to be surrounded by stubborn children?

Adam adjusted his own glasses before turning to the whiteboard. "Call your mom. She's freaking out because you disappeared on her."

There was a moment of quiet before Katie asked, "What?"

"She called me ear-"

"You… aren't going to kick me out."

"What would I need to kick you out for, Cadet Gunderson?" Adam turned to meet her eyes. "I know nothing. Call your mom and please try to keep out of jail, for her sake."

Katie studied him for a moment before nodding. "Yessir."


Found something. Think I'm getting closer to whatever it is I'm feeling out here.

The text came alongside a photo of a pictograph featuring a giant blue lion running amongst a herd of gazelle.