A/N: Hey guys!

Thank you so much for the views and reviews! Here are my replies:

Guest: Thank you! I wasn't sure I had their personalities down, but I'm glad you thought so. :)

bigtimedreamer101: Here is the next part! Hope you enjoy :)

TheRedScreech: Thanks! I was hoping it would be!

So after giving it a bit more thought, I've decided to make this story into a three-shot! The chapters had an unbalanced amount of words, and I felt like I'd rushed the ending, and so ended up adding more! Therefore, a three-shot would be best. That way, you will equally get more angst and fluff. :)

Disclaimer: Dreamworks owns Voltron: Legendary Defender.

Without further ado, here is the next chapter! So please, R & R, but most of all, enjoy!

XxX

Shiro doesn't consider himself lucky.

Not as he stumbles down from the cyropod as the hatch pops open with a hiss.

Not as a buff figure catches him in their arms. Hunk.

His left arm is wrapped around Hunk's neck for balance, but he still feels off. It's only when he glances at his right that he discovers why.

"W-What—"

"We had to remove it," Allura supplies, voice oozing with regret. "It was too dangerous."

"Pidge and I will build you another one," Hunk promises. "It'll be safer."

But their voices seem too quiet. And he can only focus on two things.

His missing arm, and Pidge.

And then, thinking of Pidge makes him think of Keith, and he can't help but feel dread and panic creeping up his spine.

"Shiro?"

"Wh-Where are they...?"

Shiro only registers Lance's presence when the boy rests a hand on his right shoulder. "They're still in their cyropods, but they're due to come out in a bit."

He nods with a painful swallow. He urges Hunk to bring him in front of the other occupied cyropods, not meeting anybody's eyes as the taller boy sits him down comfortably in front of them.

He blankly stares at the resting figures in front of him. He winces as his eyes point out the bruises around Pidge's throat, just short of being hidden by the hem of her healing suit.

The bruises he's inflicted.

Guilt claws at his insides. He's hurt Pidge and Keith, the two Paladins who trust him the most. The ones who have truly opened up to him. And he's beaten them to unconsciousness. He feels sick.

Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to have another mechanical arm. Any virus could easily overpower it, and he could...lose control again.

He never wants to feel that powerless, ever.

A hiss catches his attention. He looks up just as Keith's pod pops open, making the boy stumble out with a low moan. Lance is quick to catch him, wrapping his fellow Paladin's arm around his neck and propping a hand on his stomach.

Keith looks around the room, his eyes unfocused. "L-Lance...?" he mumbles, feeling the Blue Paladin's grip on him. "What happened...?"

Lance bites his lip. "We were attacked. You hit your head. You're fine now."

But he realizes too late that Keith wasn't listening to him.

Instead, his eyes are drawn to the same figure Keith is staring at.

Shiro.

The man's eyes bear into Keith's, pure sorrow buried in his dark irises. They shine with unshed tears, droplets that are long overdue.

"K-Keith, I—"

"Save it," the boy snaps, wrenching away from Lance's embrace. "You knew something was w-wrong with your arm all along. You didn't say anything." Shiro doesn't deny it, yet he remains silent, guilt-stricken. That only prompts Keith's rant. "You didn't admit there was a problem with your arm, and because of you, Pidge is still in a cyropod and I just got out of one!"

Allura chooses that moment to step in, ignoring the grief on Shiro's features. "Paladin," she snaps, "that is enough." There is a pause in which all Keith does is glare at her, but he eventually backs down. "Now, perhaps you should eat to gain some energy, and rest some more. We need you in top shape."

Keith complies, but not before sending Shiro one final look. Lance nervously fidgets while watching the ordeal. Eventually, he mutters something about checking up on Keith and follows after the Red Paladin.

Hunk quickly follows in his footsteps, claiming he has some food to cook.

Only Allura and Shiro remain, Coran trying to figure out what has happened to the latter's old arm.

The tension in the room is so thick, one shouldn't be able to see through it.

Finally, with a purse of her lips, Allura sits down next to the Black Paladin, following his line of sight all the way to the sleeping form of Pidge.

She sighs. "I know you are worried, but I hope you will listen to me when I say that blaming yourself is unhealthy. It was not your fault."

"Keith was right," he cuts in before she can say more. "I knew something was wrong with my arm. I felt it on our way to the training deck. I...I didn't want to worry him." He closes his eyes. "I didn't know it was that bad. I wish he'd understand how sorry I am."

"He will," Allura reassures. "Give him time to recover. He most likely feels betrayed; after all, he trusts you noticeably more than he trusts anyone else, and you have attacked him."

Shiro grumbles. "Thanks, that helps."

"What I am trying to say is, he must feel just as guilty as you do. He must think he could have prevented the injuries if you would have told him about your arm."

Shiro pales. "It's not his fault, and I would never blame him."

"He does not know that," Allura counters. "However, what he has told you was purely based on emotion. He does not fully believe you are at fault, either." When Shiro goes to object, she rests a hand on his shoulder. "Give him time to properly recover and calm down, and then talk to him. You will see."

She smiles to herself when he finally—albeit reluctantly—agrees with her. "Okay. I'll talk to him in a few days."

The two sit in silence for a moment, before Coran comes rushing in, holding Shiro's arm.

"I have discovered the cause of the malfunction."

XxX

The group—minus Pidge—gathers in the bridge, where Coran sets the arm. Keith watches from a distance, still wary around the object but also still recovering. Lance is the only person he allows to hover close to him.

Allura clears her throat. "Well? What have you found?"

"By my calculations," Coran begins, "it appears to be residual magic. I could have Number Five take a closer look when she wakes, but my scanners thankfully have not picked up on any virus."

All eyes then shift to Shiro, wordlessly asking how he could have gotten in contact with any magic. He sighs. "While on the ship, I ran into Haggar. We fought. Some of her magic probably lingered in my arm. Or maybe it was when we crossed the wormhole."

The Princess frowns. "If that were the case, the Castle would also be infected."

"Either way," Hunk jumps in, "we can program Shiro's new arm to counter any magic, should he run into Haggar again."

Coran smooths his mustache. "While the extra security measure will not hurt, it is our job, in turn, to make sure the witch does not get her hands on our Black Paladin again."

"That is correct," Allura agrees. "We will take all measures needed, not only to keep her away from Shiro and all of us but also to make sure his new arm is completely safe."

"What do we do in the meantime?" Lance asks, arms crossed.

"A bit of maintenance on the ship would help," Coran muses. "Perhaps I can check on the teludav. It must be in poor condition after our perilous jump."

Allura nods her approval. "I am just about done with our defenses. I will move on to the weapons' systems and run a scan for any virus in our own system, just in case."

"I'll help," Keith offers, standing beside the Princess.

Hunk rubs his chin. "I think I'll get some food ready for Pidge."

Allura's eyes widen as she is reminded of their remaining teammate. "Ah, yes! I believe she merely has a few doboshes left before she is ready to come out of the pod! Perhaps Shiro and Lance could welcome her back, yes?"

Shiro suddenly feels pressured, remembering Keith's reaction to him when he came out of the pod. Keith steps in, equally uncomfortable. "Wouldn't she want all of us there when she wakes up?"

With a sigh, Allura nods. "I suppose you are right. Let us all await her, then."

She sends an apologetic look to Shiro and he does his best not to give it much attention. He knows Keith is equally against the idea of having Shiro basically alone with Pidge when she falls out of the pod.

The leader falls behind the group, feeling slightly ill. If Keith's reaction was to blame him, what will Pidge's be? Will she hate him too? Will she be scared?

The current lack of an arm doesn't help the dread in his stomach. Nothing will feel right, not as long as Pidge still has that bruise, not as long as Keith still avoids him, and not as long as he doesn't properly apologize to not only the two Paladins he's injured but the others he has most likely scared.

They reach Pidge's pod just in time. Only a few ticks after their arrival, the pod dings, and with an all too familiar hiss, the hatch pops open. Pidge's body lurches forward as her eyes are still closed, and Keith, who is the closest, catches her. She shifts in his hold, feeling for familiarity.

The group observes with deep attention as her eyes flutter open. "K-Keith...?" she asks with a hoarse voice, looking up at the Red Paladin. She softly pats the back of his head, clutching his arm for support with her other hand. "You're...You're okay..."

She promptly throws her arms around him in a warm hug.

Keith is surprised at the action, for he and Pidge were never this close, but his relief regarding her condition is blatant in the way he squeezes her in return.

Everybody else expresses their relief as the weight on their shoulders drops and they all give comforting smiles to their youngest.

Pidge smiles back at every single individual person in the room, until her eyes land on Shiro, who is missing his arm. "Sh-Shiro, your arm," she murmurs, then coughs as her slightly scratchy voice irritates her throat.

"Take it easy," Allura shushes, but there is no malice in her tone. "Your throat may be a bit sore still."

"Ya think?" Pidge deadpans, then winces at the lingering pain.

"Yup, she's fine," Lance concludes, going by the Green Paladin's side to ruffle her hair. "Good to have you back, Pigeon."

She smiles at him, nudging his shoulder with her elbow. "Yeah, yeah," she whispers.

"How's the stomach?" Hunk asks, grabbing her hands to support her as Keith reluctantly lets go despite knowing what the Yellow Paladin's intentions are.

Pidge feels for the bruise, finding none. "Feels good."

He grins. "Well, it's about to be full!" He hoists her on his shoulders and she squeaks, the sound cut off by her throat, but she giggles despite the small pain. "We're gonna get you food and then get you in your comfortable clothes and you'll be healed in no time!"

Shiro helplessly watches as the four Paladins happily make their way to the kitchen, having lost his chance to apologize in front of the group.