Only Time Will Tell

I brought on a little bit of my Latin flair into this one, only a little bit. I've thought since Lance is from Cuba, that his parents would be old school and would still speak some of their native tongue.I know that some of these parts are not completely current and accurate to season 7, I changed them for the sake of my story.

Part 2

Crisp ocean air blew swiftly on the beaches of Varadero, Cuba. He had missed those sandy shores so much, he thought he would never see them again. Lance stared out into the horizon seated upon the now cool sand. It was starting to get late, but he didn't care. Not when he had his arms wrapped around Katies' shoulders her seated in front of him. Her back flush against his chest and her head resting on his shoulder. She wore a light blue dress that contrasted so nicely against the damp sand. Her hands caressing the soft skin of Lance's forearm, "It's beautiful, thank you for sharing this with me." He leaned his cheek against her head, attempting to get closer to her.

His breath caressing her ear, "I'm glad you like it. Now you see why I was so homesick." She sighed contently, the tide reaching them and engulfing her toes. The cold eliciting a squeak from her and giggling at the sudden change in temperature. The sky now turning lavender, with licks of orange like fire in it entrails. A topaz sun now setting over the ocean. He buried his nose in her hair, the faint smell of her sweet-smelling shampoo sending shivers to his very core. He feels her stir and twist her body around until she is on her knees. Slightly towering over him, her amber eyes meeting his blue. She places her hands on his face, with half lidded and hungry eyes she leans closer. His hands at her side now, clutching at the fabric of her dress. Katies' lips only inches away from his, he can feel it. The slight exhale of anticipation leaving his body, why is this taking forever?

"Now I have a little piece of you to remember with me, this sunset will serve as that. I will never forget it." Her lips caress his painstakingly slow, as he closes his eyes to savor the moment. "Lance?" was she calling him?"...Lance!'', his eyes fly open and Katie is shaking him now. "Wake up you dork!", what is going on? He blinks and opens his eyes again and he's back in his hospital room. No more beach, no more sunset, just a very disgruntled Katie and a worried look on her face.

She's blushing too, "Oh Quiznak, I'm glad you're awake".

"Well yea thanks to you," he yawns. "Wait. What time is it? Did we over sleep?" he's suddenly reminded of their little predicament. She had stayed the night, they had agreed at the crack of dawn and now the sun seemed to be blazing through the window.

"No, we're still good on time, it's just…umm" she wasn't meeting his gaze. Now in the light of day he could see, a slight blush shading her features. She did that thing with her fingers she always did when she was thinking or nervous.

"Katie? What's wrong?" he frowned.

"It's just you…you ummm. You talk in your sleep." What the heck did she just say.

"You were repeating my name. I got scared maybe you were having another nightmare, so I started to shake you and you wouldn't wake up!" she looked worriedly at him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had said her name in his sleep and she had heard him. Holy crow how was he going live this one down.

"No, no Pidge it wasn't anything serious", he said fighting back to burning blood rush to his face. He tried to stop any possibility of her asking another question again. She was about to when a knock on the door startled them both and sent chills down their spines.

"Cadet McClain? Are you decent?" from the door, the sound of woman's voice. Probably the nurse coming to check on him again. Just like she did ever morning.

"Hide!" his harsh whisper making Katie jump and think quick. She ran to the closest thing she could think of, the wardrobe next to the entrance.

"Um yeah just a second" his face contorted into one of fear. They would be in so much trouble if word got out that Katie had spent the night in his quarter, or vice versa. He looked at her disappear into the wardrobe, her small frame tiny enough to fit. Damn, this was a little too easy.

"Come in!" he smiled nonchalantly.

"Cool, just keep it cool like ice man. Don't look at the wardrobe", he whispered to himself. A woman in rust colored scrubs made her way into the room. A clipboard in her gloved hands and a smile on her face bringing good news.

"Cadet McClain, Good Morning. I have wonderful news, you have been making a speedy recovery and are as of today discharged. How's your arm?". He was happy to hear that he would be discharged, that meant he would be able to get out of bed, he was dying to be able to walk around. Not that he couldn't before but like Keith, he had taken some heavy fire and had been injured badly. The nurses and doctors had been very strict with them all and had given them a "no roaming around" policy. They needed to be in their best tip top shape, there was still work to be done. The matter of reconstructing the city and earth back to a sustainable form. It was not an easy feat to accomplish and they had to be ready for anything. So, the matter of recovery was priority.

"My arm is feeling be-better", oh no what is she doing. From his peripheral vision, he could spot Katie sneaking out of the wardrobe right behind the nurse. Lance just chuckled nervously.

The nurse started again, "I'm glad to hear that, more good news is we will be able to remove the cast from your arm as well".

"Awesome!" he smiled at the nurse, trying hard to keep her eyes on him while Katie made her way to the door.

"I'll bring you a clean change of uniform and your mother and sister are here as well to see you. I'll let them know you are taking visits now." When he looked over the nurses' shoulder, no sign of Katie anywhere. Damn she was good, he didn't even see her leave.

"I'll come back to remove the cast", she smiled and with that left for the door.

He sighed with relief, "oh my gosh that was nerve wracking". He couldn't believe that had worked. Then it hit him, "Katie heard me say her name. Since when do I talk in my sleep?".

"For as long as we can remember *Mijo." His mothers' voice brought him back to the moment. From the door he saw her walk in, Veronica trailing behind her. "So, I heard your being discharged today. I'm so glad you're doing better mi *nino. Your family can't wait to see you again. We thought it best to wait until you were ready to be let go. We're not too sure what the hospital would think with such a lengthy family coming to visiting hours." She chuckled at her comment.

"What was this about saying Katie's name in your sleep? Were you having a dream or something?" oh Veronica, inquisitive as always.

"Do you have Altean like hearing or what?" he snapped back.

"Well when you're talking to yourself out loud, it's kinda hard not to catch on to a few things. So, spill. Did you dream with Katie Holt?" she was now leaning towards him, her hands no her hips in a know it all stance. A smirk crossing her pretty features, brows lifted. Again, he loved his sister but sometimes she could be too much. He was totally reminded of someone, the cute five-foot four genius with the pretty honey colored eyes.

"Veronica, *Basta ya! Stop teasing your brother."

"Thank you, Mama'", he said triumphantly.

"Besides, there's hardly any confession necessary. Just the way he looked at her when she was in her mothers' arms. That's evidence enough, that she's his number one" Veronica guffawed at this.

"Et tu Mama'". Great, now both his mother and sister were ganging up on him. Did they see something he didn't? Or not that he didn't see it, more like he didn't want to admit to himself.

He was smitten, because really who else understood him like Pidge. Surely, Altean princesses were a rarity, but he deserved to be someone's first choice. It was very clear to him before, that it wasn't the case with Allura. Katie wasn't going to be a rebound either. He knew his track record wasn't the greatest when it came to girls. So, he would try to romance her and earn her trust in him. If his mother and Veronica saw it, he wondered who else. The night before had been amazing, they had comforted each other. She could have gone to her mother or Hunk, instead she chose him. He had kissed her forehead. It was a brave act on his part. Why did he do it? He wasn't sure, but he would do anything to have her in his arms again. She fit so well with him, sure she teased him a lot, but it just showed that she noticed him. Could it be maybe just maybe she felt the same. Then it hit him.

"Oh Quiznak!" he said in realization. "I think I love Pidge'', he started blankly at his mother and sister. "No matter how I try to turn this around, that is the answer. "I love her, I mean the chemistry is there. Yea she teases me and calls me names I don't understand half the time. But, she's also caring and fun and she makes me better. I've learned so much from her, things I'd never even think I would understand. All the adventures we've had and how much trouble we got ourselves out of. She's always been there. She's always had my back".

His mother had a gentle smile on her face. Listening to her son talk about this young lady. Katie had become quite the star at the Garrison. She had made a name for herself since Sam Holt had come back, started raving of all his misadventures. How he had unfortunately encountered the Galra and their cruel actions. How him and his son Matt Holt had been split, and then finally Katie Holt. His young prodigal daughter, she had gone to great lengths to find them both. And now Lance was talking about her like she was his life line.

Veronica stared at her baby brother as equally happy for him like her mother was. Still though, she knew she had to say something about what transpired between him and Allura at the docks. "Then you have to earn her trust Lance, because that display I saw with the princess while on the loading dock was very confusing" Veronica advised him.

"Veronica is right Mijo, no matter what you decide on doing. Your next action is to take good care of her and her heart. Remember I raised gentlemen. Not scoundrels", she said with indignation.

Lance looked at his mother, he knew that he wouldn't do such a thing to Katie. She will not be treated like a rebound. "I will Mama', she's very special to me and I'm not about to ruin my chance with her." He gave her a determined look.

"Good, that's my boy! I'm very proud of you *Hijo. You and your friends are very brave, and what you all did hasn't gone unnoticed." She smiled at him with slight tears on her eyes. She could have lost him but seeing him there on his bed made her feel whole again.

"For that same reason, I was talking to your brothers and sisters about the matter of your return. Which is why , we thought it would be great to throw a *Fogata. Just like the ones we had at Varadero, remember? There will be food, from the rations we have managed of course and music," she was excitedly talking about this now. He hands clasped together. The woman loved her parties. Both her daughter and son now smiling ear to ear, listening to her go on and on.

"You could take Katie as your plus one," she winked at him.

"Yea! That sounds fun! I've been homesick for what feels like forever, this will definitely help me feel like I'm really home. Like all this is real, it will help it sink in. I will tell the guys about it, as well as Katie." Lance blushed at the thought of her being his date. If she accepted that is.

"Now that we're on the subject, did you hear about her summons?" Veronica piped in, with a somber look on her face.

He looked at her confused, "Summons? For Katie? What for? Who is summoning her?" he said.

"Well, all of you are due for one. If you don't recall you signed an agreement to follow the rules of the Galaxy Garrison when you first enrolled. By escaping and helping a wanted soldier escape, you all broke numerous codes and regulations. The council will give her a punishment for her actions.", Veronica said sternly with a hint of concern in her voice.

"But wouldn't that mean that we all get summoned together. We all broke the rules together, also since when do we have a council." Lance was completely confused. Why would she need to face the repercussions alone? Him and Hunk were just at much at fault as Katie was.

"Because, you didn't hack into the system, created a fake identity and enrolled into the Galaxy Garrison under a false gender. However, she did. Don't get me wrong, I have mad respect for her. She is a legend here, at least amongst the people who know what she did," she said almost proudly.

"Also, we have had a council after Sam Holt first had arrived back to Earth. You know General Sada wasn't the easiest to convince, so we needed a council to mediate," she explained.

"I'm going to that summons", Lance started getting up from his bed. Swinging his legs of the bed and standing up to remove his shirt and hospital pants. His nurse had given his uniform to his mother. He took the uniform and started dressing.

"Um, no you're not. This is all classified and I've worked too hard to earn my rank. I'm not about to lose that because you want to play her knight in shinning armor." Veronica was being stern now, placing a hand on his shoulder. Her time as a soldier had done her good. She wasn't ever a pushover, but she was never really bossy either. That was all different now, he could tell she would be able to hold her own in any situation.

"Vero, I just want to listen to what they have to say to her. Please, take me to the council room. I promise I won't do anything rash." His stare was plead fully intense, Veronica felt it. Intense and not like Lance at all. Her baby brother wasn't so little anymore. He had grown a lot during his time in space. He wanted to be there for his comrade, and by gone she would help him.

"Mija, maybe just listening in won't hurt. Whatever they tell her, they can't kick her out now. She's far too valuable to the cause. Lance just wants peace of mind," their mother said understanding what her son was feeling at that moment.

Veronica gave Lance a meaningful stare, "Fine. We're not going in the traditional way. I know a way we can go in without being spotted."

Lance just nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Sis."

"Let's go then", Veronica led him out of his hospital room. They ran out the room, leaving their mother behind.

The friendly nurse from earlier had come back with the mechanical saw in her hands. She had come back to remove Lance's cast. "Mrs. McClain, you're still here ma'am. Where is your son?"

"Bathroom?" She smiled nervously, her kids better hurry up and come back soon.

Authors Note:

That was the second part, I'm almost done with the third. I've been sick with a cold and so has my little palababy, so I'm trying to nurse him back to health.

*Mijo(a)- in Latin countries it's a combined word meaning "my son".

*Hijo(a)- son/daughter depending how it ends

*Basta ya- means "Enough" like when your telling someone to stop for good.

*Fogata- Bonfire. Bonfire parties are very fun and they are common near the tropical areas of latin countries.