"I told you to stay out of it!" Shiro yelled.
Lance took half a step back, betrayal and hurt on his face. Suddenly he was seven again.
"I told you to stay out of it!" Joe yelled, whirling around. Lance had already gotten hit once, and he didn't want to get hit again. "Can't you tell when to leave?" Joe pushed him hard. Lance felt himself falling towards the stairs and squeezed himself into a ball. It didn't make the fall any less painful.
Groaning, Lance pulled himself up painfully. He saw Joe spit at him, then turn away, muttering. Lance didn't understand why Joe hated them so much. Lance did what he asked most times, he wasn't a bad kid, was he? Lance stood, gasping when he felt a sharp pain in his side.
"Go to your room, kid." Joe said, not even turning. He had a foot on Veronica's chest, pressing the breath from her lungs. Lance saw her gasping, clawing at his calf.
"J-just go-o, La-nce," she chocked out, face turning red. Lance saw Joe shift so that more weight was on her chest and the color deepened.
Lance bit his lip, heart conflicting with his brain.
"Beat it." Joe said through gritted teeth.
Lance puffed out his chest, but his quivering lip gave away his true feelings. "No." He whispered.
Joe stopped increasing the pressure on Veronica's chest. "What?" He said, dangerously quiet.
Lance's eyes widened, and he took off, fight or flight stronger than his desire to protect his family. He felt tears of terror starting to escape. He flew through the house, hearing Joe chase him. The door was so close, he could burst outside, screaming for help, sprinting down to the Jones' house.
No such luck. Joe snatched Lance by the hair, yanking him back. Lance yelped, trying to free himself. His then longer hair was entwined in Joe's fingers, forcing him to stand oddly.
Joe yanked Lance's hair, making Lance face him. Lance can't remember what Joe said, but it scared him, terrified him. He felt all the blood drain from his face. He could practically see how pale he was. Joe released Lance's hair, and he dropped, shaking. Faintly, he heard Joe stomp up the stairs to peruse Veronica once more.
Lance forced himself to blink, hard. Joe was gone. He was in space, on the bridge, not seven, cowering on the floor. He took a deep breath, then let it go silently. Shiro looked away, and Lance turned his attention back to Allura. There was a war to be won.