Here is the next chapter. Enjoy. I am slowing down my updates. I know but I have been busy at home and work. Amber

HWFTL Chapter 3 VF

Seated inside a taxi cab with Calleigh, Pidge was nervous. He hadn't seen Calleigh's father in a couple years. He was a great guy, but Pidge wasn't eager to see Calleigh's stepfamily.

Calleigh decided to ring her father on her mobile phone. "Hey daddy! You busy? When can you get free? Guess who is here! You'll never guess!"

She had her mobile on speaker-mode. Pidge could hear the man chuckle. "Well, given your excitement I'd guess you meant Pidge Stoker."

Pidge rolled his eyes. "Hi, Mr Sawyer."

"Hello, Pidge. Welcome home…even if it is briefly."

Calleigh bit her lip. "Daddy, seriously. When can you meet us at the house? Pidge needs to look at your relics, the cloth ones in the glass cases. It's important because it's about Voltron. Remember what I told you about the logs?"

"I do, sweetheart. I can be at the house in an hour. It shouldn't be a problem; Scarlet is there."

"Dad, she likes to torture me. She'll make us wait until you arrive all the while giving Pidge and me evil looks."

"I prefer the term protective. I'll call the doorman to give you clearance to go upstairs." Calvin replied.

Calleigh never argued to her father about her stepfamily. It wouldn't be fair. She made it a point to not become a wedge in their relationship. Scarlet was nice to her in front of her dad but when they were alone, she was an ice queen. Calleigh didn't care; she was used to it. So, she would wait for her father to come home if it was necessary.

Once the cab pulled up to the apartment building, Calleigh paid the cab driver, and walked up to the door man.

"Good Afternoon Calleigh. Elevator three will take you and your guest straight up. You should know that Mrs. Scarlet is home. Paul is with her," the doorman said.

Pidge swallowed a groan. Paul used to bully him in school. He was two years older than him and felt that the universe evolved around him and his ego. The elevator ride was short.

The door opened before Calleigh could disengage the lock herself. The woman before them was tall with dyed white hair with black streaks.

"Hi Scarlet. Do you remember Darrell Stoker? Pidge?" Calleigh tried to smile at stepmother.

Scarlet Sawyer glared at them. "We weren't expecting you. Paul brought his fiancé over and we were going to have a nice dinner with Cal."

Calleigh was not deterred. "How nice." She stepped inside and pulled Pidge with her. "Dad said I could come to the house. I'm sorry if it is a bad time. We need to examine a couple of dad's relics. If you will let us, I can meet dad at his office with Pidge."

Scarlet turned red. "You are not allowed in your father's office without him."

Calleigh sighed. "I'm twenty-two not twelve years old. I won't touch anything."

"You think I'm going to be responsible for your carelessness. If you ask me, you don't need to see them at all. They are priceless and mean a lot to your father. He paid a great deal of money for the one from Earth."

Pidge calmly placed his hands on Calleigh's shaking shoulders. "We'll wait until Calvin gets here. He'll be here in about an hour." Pidge said to Scarlet.

"He doesn't get off until six." Scarlet snapped.

Calleigh growled. "He's getting off early because I told him Pidge was here. You know how much Pidge means to me."

Scarlet narrowed her eyes. "He's reckless. Your father won't say it, but I certainly will."

Calleigh's eyes filled with angry tears but she held them at bay. "He isn't. I would appreciate it if you would for once be nice while my dad isn't here."

"Don't speak to me like that, young lady. You will respect me." Scarlet demanded, tilting her chin haughtily.

Calleigh replied in a firm voice, "Respect is a two way street. So, unless you want Paul's precious fiancé to see that you are a two-faced bitch, you'd better straighten up. My dad loves you very much and it would hurt him unbelievably if he knew half of what you did to make my life miserable. So what is it going to be?"

Pidge could see the look of fury on Scarlet's face.

If Scarlet could strangle Calleigh and get away with it at that moment, she would have. To Scarlet's credit, she bit down on her temper and gestured inside. "Come in and have a drink. You can't go in the study."

Calleigh considered it a small victory. She would see how long her step mother could keep her manners in check. Now it was time for battle number two.

They went into the den where a gas fireplace was burning. A laugh carried across the room that made Calleigh's hair stand on end. The girl sitting in her step brother's lap was blond and beautiful. She was giggling at one of his jokes then Paul kissed her passionately. Paul chuckled as they entered. "Sorry, mom."

Calleigh sat on the couch across from him. "Not your mom," she said dryly. "Who's the lucky girl?"

The girl looked Calleigh up and down then gave Pidge the same treatment. "Who are they?"

Paul scowled. "This is my stepsister Calleigh and…well I'll be a monkey's uncle, Darrell Stoker. How's your sister?"

Pidge ignored the leer in Paul's voice and answered, "She's fine. She accepted a commission at Garrison."

The blond girl smiled. "I'm Krista Enders. You look familiar. Green…didn't you fly green lion? Why did you stop?"

Paul chuckled. "He probably got demoted."

Pidge managed to keep his anger in check. "Not demoted. My role with the team changed. I'm their computer engineer and strategist."

"Right." Paul teased.

"Shut up, Paul. Pidge is a genius and you'd like him if you'd give him half a chance." Calleigh bristled.

"He's a geek and when was the last time you saw him?"

Pidge literally had to hold Calleigh's arm to keep her from launching herself at her him. "I can't help it if I'm smart and it's none of your business when I see Calleigh."

The blond looked sympathetic. "You live on Arus, right? With the Voltron Force and she's here on Balto. How do you do it?"

Pidge liked this girl. She appeared friendly enough. He smiled genuinely at Calleigh. "By savoring the time we do have together and talk whenever we can. It can be hard, but I can't imagine loving anyone else."

Calleigh leaned over and kissed him softly.

Mrs. Sawyer walked in, carrying a tray. She had two glasses of ice water and three martini's. She handed Calleigh and Pidge the glasses with water.

Mrs. Sawyer picked up the conversation. "So, Krista, have you decided on the colors for your wedding, dear? We'll help with anything. Just ask."

Calleigh was grateful for the small talk. She could be pleasant enough. When Krista asked her opinion on the best shade of orange. Calleigh happily gave her opinion. She then pulled out her wallet and showed her swatch of fabric material. "I am going to do some accent pillows in this color. It's fabulous. You can have it if you want."

"Oh! It's great! Look, Paul, isn't it great?" Krista squealed.

Paul, whose expression looked like he just ate a dozen lemons, managed to answer with an enthusiastic voice, "It is. Whatever you want, baby."

Pidge was doing his best not to laugh. Calleigh was smiling and equally enjoying her stepbrother's discomfort. It was a small victory, but he deserved it.

Scarlet Sawyer hid her displeasure by taking a large swallow of her martini. The conversation went back and forth between Calleigh and Krista.

Paul stood up and made more martinis. He brought out a carafe and filled his and his mother's drinks.

When the main door opened, Pidge turned and smiled at the person that stood in the doorway.

Calvin Sawyer and Pidge acknowledged each other with a nod.

Scarlet went over and kissed him. "Hello darling. This is Krista. She is Paul's fiancée. I thought we were having dinner tonight?"

Calvin addressed Krista with a hand shake. "Nice to meet you, Krista." Then he addressed his wife. "We will have dinner, but since Calleigh and Pidge are here, don't you want to extend them an invitation dearest?"

Krista smiled. "I didn't even know Paul had a sister! We've been dating for…how long now, sweetie?"

Paul, knowing that this was going bite him, tried to dodge the question.

But Calleigh quickly nipped that in the bud. "Yes…how long, Paul?" Calleigh asked sweetly.

Paul scowled at her and answered, "Six months. I proposed last night."

Pidge shook Paul's hand and considered it the money shot. "Congratulations on your engagement. She's a nice girl."

Paul looked down at Krista and smiled. "Yes…she is." He put his arm around her fiancée almost possessively.

Mr. Sawyer shook Pidge's hand now. "Pidge…Calleigh, let's go to my office for a moment." He ushered them towards his office.

"Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes, Cal." Scarlet said.

"There's time yet. We'll be back in plenty of time." Calvin replied, looking over his shoulder. He went to a sealed door and used a voice recognition program and retinal scanner. The doors unlocked and they went inside.

Calleigh hugged her father. "Hey daddy."

"Hi honey." He looked over at Pidge. "How are you, son? It is nice to see you in person for a change."

"It's good to see you too, sir. I am sorry for the unexpected visit."

"Unexpected, but welcomed. You make my little girl happy and that is all that matters to me. I wish you could be together more often."

"Daddy, that isn't possible. I had my contract with the hospital to pay back my medical school loans." Calleigh said. "I know you offered to pay them but that didn't feel right to me. I wanted to do it myself."

"I know, darling. But now your contract is over and you can if you wish explore your options."

Pidge didn't know what to think. He would love to have his girlfriend around more. But moving to Arus or onto the den ship would be a big change for her. She doesn't need to know about that yet. He had to get back on track. "Mr. Sawyer, you have some relics that are very old. You inherited one and acquired the other from Earth. Can I see them?"

Calvin walked over to a cabinet. He accessed another retinal scanner and opened the cabinet's doors. Inside, were two sealed glass boxes.

Pidge could feel adrenaline running through him. He swallowed. "Sir, I don't have to touch them. But, may I take a picture instead? It's very important. I promise I won't publish them or anything; that it will be just for my knowledge and the Voltron Force."

"You can, and I appreciate that you are sensitive to how precious these items are to me."

While Pidge took several pictures, Calvin walked towards his wine cabinet, poured himself a drink.

Once Pidge finished taking several photos using his Voltcom, he turned to Calvin, "Sir…there are—"

"—Two more like these.I know. I only have a clue as to the location of one. It was entrusted to the Raimon Family on Arus. I was able to trace the object and the last person who had it was King Alestar, who then gave it to his grandson Aldus on his sixteenth birthday, before he went to Earth to study at the GA."

"Larmina's father." Pidge murmured.

"Sorry?"

"Lady Larmina Raimon is Prince Aldus' daughter. He died before she was born. I'm not sure if she has it or not. But now, we know where to start looking."

Calvin nodded. "The Baltan people have an honored tradition and a vested interest in Voltron. We depend on Voltron for survival. The mighty robot is the symbol of peace and justice that unites five worlds in harmony. The lions represent each world."

Pidge's eyes widened at this revelation. Pidge even knew which lion represented which world. "Green represents Balto, Red represents Earth, Yellow's Ariel, Blue is Arus, and Black is Voltronix."

"You have a very perceptive mind." He held the boxes to Pidge. "Take them. If these relics are needed to aide in Voltron's journey I will be happy to entrust them to you. Just promise me that you will return them when you can."

"I will." Pidge replied solemnly, taking the precious relics.

Calleigh opened her purse, which was large enough to fit both items. "Put those in here. If Scarlet sees you holding these she'll go thermal."

Calvin chuckled. "That she will. She doesn't come in here often. But she may come in to check on the relics after her son and fiancée leave. Now let us go onto the roof terrace dinner should be ready. I will skin my wife if she hasn't set places for you."

Pidge chuckled. He knew Scarlet Sawyer was too savvy not to. She wouldn't reveal her hand about her feelings for Calleigh by being caddy; or perhaps because Scarlet knew where her bread was buttered, with her husband?

Pidge sent a message to the Force via his voltcom and ordered them a bunch of pizzas to be delivered to Calleigh's home. He mentioned that he had the two relics but diplomatically couldn't leave yet. He knew the queen would appreciate his polite gesture.

Scarlet was just placing a vegetable tray on the table when they came up to the terrace. "There you are, Cal." She kissed him. "Martin will have dinner up in ten minutes."

"Wonderful." He went to the wine refrigerator and opened a bottle of white wine. He pulled down six glasses poured and served. "To family and friends."

They all raised their glasses together "Cheers."

They talked about various subjects for about an hour while they ate their fabulous dinner of duck and asparagus when they heard a loud roar.

Scarlet and Krista both screamed.

Pidge wheeled around and stared open mouthed. "Red? What?"

Voltron's Red Lion was hovering inches above their heads.

Pidge engaged his Voltcom. "Lance!" he barked.

"Go ahead, Pidge. This pizza you sent is killer, Pidge!" Lance enthused.

"You're not in your lion?" Pidge asked, surprised.

"No. I'm eating like everyone else." Lance replied, sounding perplexed.

Calleigh was smiling. "He's just saying hello, Pidge. Look he's waving at you."

"Oh!" Pidge raised his brows, looking surprised.

Red let out a giant roar again, and then he took off, heading back to the GA base.

Paul was red as a beat. "What was that thing doing?"

Pidge could see that he had spilled his wine all over himself. "He was letting Calleigh know he likes her."

"It is my favorite color. That was so cool. Did you program the Red Lion to do that?" Calleigh asked.

"No I didn't. The Lions don't fly unpiloted unless they are provoked. In this case he was provoked by sensing someone with a strong connection to him. Sensing someone who was related to an original creator."

Calleigh's mouth flew open. "Me?"

"Calleigh, you even told me when you were little you wanted to learn how to fly. Don't tell me you don't want to anymore?"

"But, I'm a doctor now…how—?"

"—And it would give you an excuse to be near me." Pidge smiled.

Wordlessly staring at Pidge, Calleigh swallowed hard. Oh, would she dare? She was living a comfortable life as a doctor on Balto. She also had multiple job offers lined up. But was that what she wanted? No. She wanted an adventure. Pidge was giving her everything she could possibly want and it would begin and end with the Defender of the Universe.

Her father's eyes were twinkled. "Calleigh Ann Sawyer you better take this opportunity and grab it by the horns. It may never come again. You can be a doctor on Arus."

She relaxed a bit and smiled. "I could indeed."

Pidge saw the answer in her eyes and pulled her into a fierce hug. "Welcome aboard."