Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Voltron characters.

2, 4, 6, 8 Who do I appreciate?! – Dawn! Dawn! Dawn!

Setting & Rating: DotU in nature, but AU in that none of this (or events leading up to this) ever occurred in the series. I think it's possible to read this one without reading the previous stories, but it will make more sense as past story events are referenced. The order of my related stories is: Mistletoe & Valentines (1), Hidden Hearts (2), and Retaliation (3). Has a rating of Mature for most chapters for physical violence. Lotor is not kind or nice anywhere in this story. Though it's not in this chapter, be warned that torture is a part of this arc.

A/N: This is my original work. There are a number of stories out there that deal with torture, but any similarities are coincidental.

**Based on the comments of my wonderful editor, I will endeavor to put A/N at the beginning of all future chapters indicating the level of violence. There will be chapters that reference no violence and I don't want anyone to stop reading the story because of the torture involved in future chapters. So keep reading and just check the A/N to see what may be going on in the chapter.

Ahhhh, the sinister Prince Lotor is still here… but no torture.

*Decided to go ahead and post this one sooner than planned. Chapters 6 & 7 just go together closely so I decided to publish them closely.


Chapter Seven: The Expected Happens

Keith drew a deep breath as he heard Lotor begin to speak.

"Commander, why don't you come out here so we can have a civilized discussion?"

"If I come out, you'll just shoot me. There won't be any discussion." Back placed to the castle wall, Keith was trying to buy some time for reinforcements to come. He would really like to have Lance here. While he waited and listened, he reached a hand to his implanted tracking beacon and pressed it the way he had been taught. He felt one slight vibration indicating that he had activated it. Leaning his head back against the wall, he listened as Lotor spoke again.

"I know my promises don't mean much to you, but I promise you that I won't shoot you… right now. Plus… I have a knife to the queen's throat. While I won't kill her, I don't think you'll want me to mar her beauty."

Keith let out a pent-up sigh of relief as Lance ran up and positioned himself on the other side of the doorway. Lance had his pistol raised and gave a curt nod to Keith. The castle guards and med team arrived soon after and Lance gave them orders.

"Okay, I'll come out, but I'm bringing Lance with me and we're going to bring Hunk back into the castle." Keith had to make sure that Hunk was inside before anything else happened. He wouldn't put it past Lotor to shoot him out of vengeful spite before leaving.

Smirking in satisfaction, Lotor said, "You're not in the position to make demands Commander, but in a show of good faith, I'll agree."

As Keith cautiously stepped outside, his first thought was, "What a beautiful day." It was surreal that this could be happening on a day filled with sunshine, a light breeze, and beautiful, swaying flowers. His next thought was how pale and still Hunk looked, lying on the ground surrounded by the waving and vibrantly alive flowers. Time to get back to reality, he thought. Keith and Lance kept their guns out until they had to lift up Hunk. Then they had to take the chance and tuck the weapons into their waistbands. However, they kept their eyes on Lotor the whole time as they carried their friend from outside the castle walls into the safety of the garden. The med team was waiting right inside, and they whisked Hunk away on a pristine gurney. Keith watched as they slipped an oxygen mask over his face and started taking vitals. Lotor's voice called Keith back to the reality that awaited him outside the protective castle wall.

"I'm waiting, Commander, and I'm afraid that after months of waiting, I don't have a lot of patience left."

Checking to make sure his blaster was set to kill, he walked towards the door with the resignation of what he would have to do.

Grabbing him by his upper arm, Lance brought him to a sudden stop. "I'm going out there with you." Lance wasn't asking. He was telling his friend that he wouldn't face this alone.

Keith looked at the determination in the face of his friend and thought he saw resignation there as well. They both knew what, or rather who, Lotor wanted. "You can come. But your priority will be Allura, not me." He moved forward after he got a nod of agreement from Lance.

Both men went out with their blasters drawn and raised. Keith motioned for Lance to stop about fifteen yards from the castle while he continued on, finally stopping about twenty yards in front of Lotor and Allura. Looking closely at how Lotor was holding Allura and the placement of the dagger, he knew his options were limited. Tactical options flew through his mind as he evaluated each one in less than a second. He could shoot Lotor in the head with no problem. The problem was would Lotor slit her throat before the shot severed communication between his brain and his hand?

Lotor watched the commander closely. He could almost see him going through all the possible scenarios. "Have you worked it all out, Commander? Have you realized that I have won? I am not here with the one guard you see; there are others here cloaked with Haggar's magic." Lotor smirked at him, confident in his position of dominance.

Keith figured there were more soldiers in the area. Well, Haggar's magic may have cloaked their physical form, but the robot soldiers didn't do well with stealth. Keeping his eyes on Lotor, he quickly moved his gun to the right and fired. A Drule soldier 'decloaked' and fell to the ground dead. With an intensely low voice, Keith responded, "Just because I can't see them, doesn't mean I don't know where they are." He watched with satisfaction as Lotor's eyes widened and then returned to the squint of anger that he was familiar with.

"No matter, Commander, I still hold the queen and the upper hand." Ready to end the game, Lotor spoke quickly. "Here are my terms. I will trade the queen for you, Commander. You come willingly with me, she will go free."

Keith nodded, it was just as he had suspected. He had been trying to work everything out, and he saw no option that did not end with Allura or himself being taken this day. "I will agree, but Allura must be freed before I will come with you."

"Keith, no." Allura's soft voice broke into the conversation.

Sparing a quick look into the eyes of his wife, he saw despair there and that was something he couldn't afford right now.

Laughing, Lotor leaned forward so that he was talking directly into Allura's ear. His lips grazed her ear as he spoke, "The commander knows that this is the only way to save you… for the moment. Don't worry, Allura, I will be back for you." Lotor could feel her body tense in anger. She was such a spitfire, and he would enjoy taming her spirit soon. Directing his attention back to the commander, he said, "If you give me your word that neither you nor your men will attack, I will let her go."

"I will inform them, and I will wait for her to enter the castle grounds before coming to you."

"Come without your weapons, Commander."

Keith backed up for about ten yards and then turned around to walk the rest of the way. Lance would have him covered. In addition, Lotor was looking forward to torturing him, he wouldn't kill him now. That would be too easy. When Keith reached Lance, he turned back to face Lotor and Allura as he spoke to Lance in a loud commanding voice. "No one is to fire when Lotor releases Allura. No one will attack until after I am with him." Keith tried his com unit and heard only static. "You'll have to go back inside and inform them. I'll wait out here." Lance turned to go, but Keith reached out a hand and stayed him. "Wait. He angled his body so that Lotor couldn't see him remove his wedding band. He held it out to Lance.

Lance took it and put in safely in his breast pocket. "Keith, don't give up hope and don't give in to him." Looking at his friend, he didn't see worry, sadness, or fear in his face. Keith was already working to build a façade of control, determination, and calm to sustain him through whatever Lotor had planned. Seeing Keith nod, he headed at a jog to the castle to inform everyone. He would then have the hard task of helping Allura cope until they got Keith back.

Keith watched Lance disappear like a wraith through the garden door. Moments later, Lance reappeared and gave the okay sign. Turning to Lotor, Keith signaled for him to release Allura.

When released, Allura spun and slapped Lotor. Spitfire indeed as his hand went to his stinging jaw. Lotor was sure there was a handprint. He could tell she wanted to speak, but her fear for the commander kept her tongue still. The prince just smiled wickedly at her as she turned and walked away.

Allura was furious and sick at the same time. She had to get her emotions under control to be of use to Keith. They would race to Castle Control and the Lions as soon as she entered the garden courtyard. Lance would be worried about her and her state of mind. She needed him to see her in control. SHE needed HIM to be focused on getting Keith back and not on calming her. Allura's eyes were blurry with unshed tears, but Keith was coming more into focus. She needed him to see that she was in control too. Wanting to kiss him, she didn't as she was worried that it would make things worse for him with Lotor. But the thought was in her mind that it might be the last kiss she would ever get from her beloved knight. Closing her eyes briefly, she pushed that thought to the side as she closed the remaining feet between them. Walking up to Keith's left side, she took his hand. She saw that he was working to rein in his feelings and build the wall of control he would need to sustain his sanity with Lotor. She didn't want to do anything to slow his process down. Waiting until he looked at her, she firmly, but simply said, "Remember my wedding vow. There is nothing I will not do and nowhere that I will not go for you. I WILL get you back." She held his hand a moment longer and felt a slight pressure from his hand. It was the only acknowledgement that she would get and she understood the need for brevity at this moment. Letting go, she walked toward the door and Lance who waited for her.

Keith heard the door close, and he glanced over his shoulder to make sure there was no one outside. Putting the safety on his weapon, he laid it down in the billowing grass and began his walk to Lotor. The words of Lance and Allura lingered in his mind. Hope could be a dangerous thing if it came from false promises and desires. 'I WILL get you back.' That wasn't a false promise. He decided to hold tightly to the hope and promise that his wife gave him.