Title: It wasn't you

Rating: T

Notes: Warning for referenced/implied non-con/rape in coming chapter

Chapter 6

"How are they?" Krolia asked as she stepped into Black to take over for Romelle.

"Still not moving much, I think Allura frowned a little more about a varga ago. I managed to get a hydration pouch into each of them, except for that unfortunate first one that I burst on Allura, the rest went fine. Just thought you'd want to know why she was covered in towels." Romelle offered.

Allura was in fact sitting where she had last seen here, but know had a layer of towels swathed about her from neck to toe. Krolia raised one eyebrow but did not comment further on it.

"Am I to take watch?" Romelle asked bouncing on her toes.

"No, sleep. Coran and I decided the person freshly awakened should take watch. Since he just got up, he is taking this shift." Krolia explained as she walked around checking each Paladin.

"Well, okay then, I guess I'm off." Romelle turned to go shoulders slumped.

"Romelle?" Romelle paused on the ramp when Krolia said her name. "You could sleep in my bunk in Black. If you wanted? Then you would be close if I needed help?"

"Oh!" Romelle turned hands clasped. "I could do that, absolutely." She made her way back into Black with a lighter step.

"Don't forget rations and a hydration pack for yourself before you sleep." Krolia reminded. The Altean girl seemed so very young next to the rest of them.

Keith closed his eyes and concentrated on the memory. Black was calling to him, telling him they had to go, there was an emergency. He had run to her and they were moving through space, her urgency clear in the memory, until at last they came to Kuron's vessel. He showed them caring for Kuron, he showed their joy and tears at finding him. He showed Kuron's joy at returning to what he believed to be his home and family.

As the memory faded on Kuron in a clean uniform with a new haircut, he looked over at Shiro. His brother had a sort of sad little smile on his face.

"What is it Shiro?" He asked.

"It's weird, it feels good to know you were missed?" He offered.

Keith smiled and put an arm around his shoulders.

Pidge shared the memory of how Kuron rebonded with Black and saved them. There were some painful moments for her, Hunk, and Lance as the battle had been going poorly until Black swooped in to join The memory was fading on the image of Voltron when the parasite returned. He stepped into view slow clapping mockingly.

"Oh bravo, Kuron saved the day, Voltron to the rescue." His dark eyes flashed and the memory switched to Voltron trying to stop Lotor and his Generals from stealing the piece of the teludav - of the argument between Keith and Kuron. "Oh and here is Kuron, undermining the Black Paladin, taking away his role as leader."

Keith snarled and his bayard formed into a sword, he swung at the parasite, but it sidestepped and formed his Galra arm. "Not nice, Keith. After all if I hadn't pushed you away, you would never have found mommy dearest."

The two exchanged blows back and forth. It was clear the parasite had Shiro's skill. Keith was not winning. A blast hit the Galra arm and the parasite turned to glare at Lance, who had formed his bayard and the sniper rifle.

"Oh Lance, feeling left out again?" They were pulled into another memory. This one appeared to be in the hall outside of Keith's old room.

"It's my fault he left Shiro. I shouldn't have said anything to him." Lance hung his head looking dejected.

"You're right. You shouldn't have. You made him leave this is your fault." Kuron snarled.

"I…" Lance looked up stunned, tears in his eyes.

"You should have been the one to step down not him. He should be piloting Red right now, not you. You're just a second rate paladin, a fill in when the real one can't be there. Keith is now out there with the Blade, facing who knows what without his team, without us. How are you going to feel when the report comes in that he's dead? It will be your fault!" Kuron slammed his Galra fist into the wall next to Lance's head and he flinched away. He turned and stalked away down the hall and Lance fell on his knees arms wrapped around himself crying.

"STOP IT" Hunk blasted the parasite with his bayard cannon style and concentrated on a memory. The scene showed Lance in his Red Paladin armor standing next to Kuron. They appeared to be at a ceremony of some sort. Kuron was stepping up to the stage and addressing the crowd.

"I just want to thank you all for this beautiful ceremony. We are honored to be presented with this award from your people. I am especially pleased that you have chosen to present the Red Paladin with this medallion for bravery and are allowing me to bestow it on him." Kuron walked over to Lance, who looked a little shocked. "Lance, you are presented the Medal of Mytex by the people of Hyterra. It is awarded to those who show bravery above and beyond that of even their fellow heroes. You threw yourself into the line of fire to save two small children. You have shown that you value all life and are willing to give your own to save another. I am proud to call you the right hand of Voltron." Lance blushed and bowed his head as Kuron slipped the medal on.

The memory faded and the parasite was gone.

"Thank you, Hunk." Shiro walked over to where Lance was sitting. Keith was already there next to him talking to him.

"I decided to go for me. It wasn't because of what you said." He was saying. Lance had tears running down his face and seemed shaken.

"It doesn't make it less true. You were better with Red than me. I should have been the one to step down." Lance spoke quietly

"No! Listen to me, please. I couldn't go back to Red, and you were a great Red Paladin, you don't give yourself enough credit. It worked out how it should have. You didn't do anything wrong and you deserved to be the Red Paladin. It was right!" Keith was adamant with Lance.

"Lance, the parasite wanted Keith to leave, it's true he's said that, but that isn't all he was trying to do. He was also targeting you. He wanted you to feel like you weren't as good. He wanted to tear down your confidence. He wanted to drive you away or kill you. It was his goal to destroy Voltron." Shiro spoke calmly and laid his hand on Lance's arm.

Lance looked up, "But why me? Because I'm weak." He shook his head and looked away.

"No, that's not it, Lance, think about it. If Shiro and I were both gone, who would lead Voltron?" Keith asked as a sudden insight came to him.

"Allura." Lance answered easily.

"No, no she wouldn't." Shiro answered. "If she was meant to be the leader of Voltron, then she would be already. It isn't her role to fill. No you would be the next Black Paladin."

"What?" Lance shook his head in denial.

"He's right Lance." Pidge spoke up, "Who do you think Hunk and I would follow?" She gave him a timid smile. "You were already our captain once."

"I'd follow you anywhere, hermano." Hunk sat down in their little circle.

"Thanks, guys." Lance closed his eyes and concentrated. "Let's focus on helping Shiro though."

The memory that appeared this time was in the common room in the castle. Kuron was sitting on one end of the couch. Hunk was on the opposite. Lance was laying across the two of them barely awake and Pidge was curled up next to him already asleep. There was music playing in the background. Coran was sitting in one of the chairs across from them and Allura was curled into a ball on the other chair, snoring softly. Kuron ran his hand through Lance's hair. Hunk started humming along to the music. Coran was tapping his foot on the floor. There weren't any words spoken, it was just them together, content.

Krolia wiped the tears from Lance's face. She didn't know what had caused them, but she found a soft cloth and gently wiped them away. She had checked each of them. She was concerned by Shiro and Keith's increased heart rates, when she checked them, but they seemed to have slowed. Lance's tears were the only other clue she had for what was going on inside Shiro's head.

Allura was looking more tired. She was worried about how long the Princess could maintain the connection. What would happen if she had to take a break, would they lose Shiro? The alarm she had set sounded. She leaned down to kiss Keith on the forehead. She had missed so much of his life, seeing it in pictures helped, but it didn't take away the loss. She was robbed of raising her child. She should have been allowed to rock him to sleep, to hold him close when he was afraid, to kiss away every hurt. It should have been hers and this war had taken it from her. It had been her mission for all of the years since she had left Keith to do everything in her power to stop that from happening to another mother.

She walked back to her bunk and woke Romelle for her shift standing guard. She reminded the girl to just press the communicator if any trouble showed up. She was a very light sleeper and would be there to help her quickly. Romelle seemed both nervous and excited. Krolia wondered if she had ever been that young and naïve.

Romelle gathered up her communicator and grabbed a hydration pouch and a small bag of what Hunk had called Trail Mix. He told her it was best to eat outside, so she thought this would be the perfect opportunity. She took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face as she walked out of Black. She could do this, one more day, one more adventure, one more opportunity to learn and grow. One more day without her family, one more day away from the home she never wanted to leave, she wiped tears away in frustration.

"None of that now, Romelle," she told herself. "Chin up, Alteans are hardy folk."

"That they are." Coran said as he dropped down from a nearby tree.

Romelle blushed, embarrassed at being caught talking to herself.

"You know even hardy folk need a chance to grieve, young one. Didn't the Paladin's show you that yesterday?" Coran asked.

"Oh, Coran!" Romelle threw herself into his arms and cried. She cried for her parents and her brother, for all her people who had been killed and for those still living lies. Coran patted her hair and made soft shushing sounds and eventually she had cried herself out.

"I'm sorry. I've gotten you all wet." She brushed at his outfit where the shoulder was nearly soaked.

"Not the first time and not the last, my dear." Coran gave her a tight squeeze. "This old shoulder has been cried on many times, it's been proven to be quite therapeutic." He smiled down at her. "I remember another young woman crying on my shoulder, you remind me very much of her when she was younger."

"Who?" Romelle asked.

"Princess Allura," Coran gave her hand a squeeze when she blushed again. "Now, where did that wolf go…Cosmo!" Cosmo blinked in next to them.

"Thank you for standing watch with me, Cosmo." Coran bowed politely. "The Lady Romelle is now taking over watch, would you be so kind as to continue your watch with her? She is new to this sort of thing, so if you could stick close I would appreciate it." Cosmo cocked his head to the side watching Coran talk and then moved to push his head against Romelle's hand. "Very good." Coran smiled and gave Romelle one more hug before heading off to Black to check on the others.

Coran stepped into Black, his eyes running over each Paladin carefully and then landing on the Princess. She wore a frown, but otherwise seemed to be okay.

"Thank you for waiting for me." Coran smiled at Krolia, aware that he was a little later for the shift change due to his conversation with Romelle. Krolia leaned against the wall, from where she had a good view of the entire room.

"All quiet out there?" She asked, shrugging off his thank you.

"Not a peep from a Bagto Toad." Coran answered. "Sleep well. I will wake you if anything changes."

"Thank you." Krolia nodded. She knew the last part was just for her. It didn't have to be said, but it comforted her nonetheless.