Chapter 11

Lance knew that Keith had said to stay in the closet, but Lance wasn't going to stand for what he was hearing anymore. After the first scream Lance knew he couldn't just stand by. And before he knew it he had reached for the lamp and hit it in the back of Lotor's head.

It hadn't knocked him unconscious, but it had injured him enough to loose enough balance for Lance to get a second hit in. That time he'd been successful, even with the knife that got stabbed in his shoulder.

"Keith!" Lance said he pulled the knife out of his arm and decided he'd worry about that later; right now he had to get Keith help.

He looked in bad shape, worse shape than earlier. The broken arm had turned a dark purple bruising, and his back was bleeding a lot heavier that Lance had feared. He had to call an ambulance, but first he had to get Keith out of here.

Lance used the bloody knife to cut Keith's hands free of the ribbon, and he helped Keith pull his pants back up. He looked to be barely staying conscious. "Lance. . .you have. . .to get out of here."

Was he seriously saying that in this situation?
"Not without you I'm not," Lance said as he put Keith's arm around his shoulder and dragged him out of the bedroom. He didn't know when Lotor would wake up, but right now he had to focus on Keith.

Lance reached for his phone ready to call the police and ambulance, but Keith dragged his feet trying to stop Lance, "please don't, Lotor, he'll find us," Keith barely managed to mutter.

Lance bit into his lip, he didn't want to wait longer then he had to take Keith to the hospital, but without a car, Keith might lose too much blood.

Keith pointed to the counter, "drive Lotor's car, take us away. . .if he wakes up, he'll kill you and maybe . . .me. . ." Keith's head draped, he was breathing heavily, and Lance himself was now noticing his own bleeding shoulder wound. He didn't have time for that though.

Grabbing Lotor's keys, Lance dragged Keith down the stairs with blood spots to follow. He made his way to Lotor's car. He opened it and plopped Keith in the front passenger seat. Taking off his jacket Lance pushed it over top of Keith, covering him like a blanket.

Getting in the driver's side Lance started the engine and headed for the road.

"No. . . hospital. . . please," Keith muttered, his voice was quiet, and between every word he had to take a breath.

"Well where else am I supposed to take you Keith, you're bleeding out—you could die. . .I have to get you help."

But as Lance kept his grip on the steering wheel he realized how expensive this car was, how what Keith had been saying earlier wasn't a lie. If Lotor was smart he might blame Lance for the whole attack, and he might get away with it, blame Lance as the kidnapper if he brought Keith to a hospital, if Lotor really had the power Keith said he did.

Lance took the next exit on the highway.

He knew a doctor, as well as one in training. He'd go to them.

X

It took fifteen minutes to arrive at Allura's place, and in that time Keith had bled a significant amount onto the passenger seat; the blood finding its way from the back side down to the edge of the leather. Lance really hoped it was less blood than was visible.

His shoulder wound wasn't faring better, as he slowly felt a numbness to his arm as he was driving.

Lance left Keith in the car as he ran to Allura's door. It was late, but he knew if he banged hard enough Allura would open up. "Allura!" Lance called knocking loudly on the door. It took a few minutes but finally a light turned on, Allura coming to the door in her dressing robe.

"Lance?" she yawned, "what time is it?" it only took her another second to spot Lance's own injury. "Lance your arm."

"We don't have time for me, I need you to help Keith. Is Doctor Coran here?"

"Keith?"

"Is Coran here or not?" Lance pleaded no game at all in his voice. Allura wiped her eyes, seeming to be awake now that she'd seen the situation.

"Yes he's here, I'll go wake him." Allura reached for Lance's shoulder, but he pulled back.

"I'll go get Keith, I can probably carry him here." Lance stepped back and headed straight to the car. He reached in for Keith who'd stopped responding a few minutes ago, but his laboured breath told Lance he was still breathing and alive.

Allura was at his side as soon as Lance began to pull Keith out of the seat. "Coran's on his way, he's just getting dressed." Allura gasped as Lance moved out of the way, Keith getting adjusted in his arms as he pulled him from the passenger's side.

"Why didn't you take him to a hospital? Lance why's Keith here? We need to call an ambulance."

Lance bit into his lip, he didn't have time for this. To explain, to tell her the situation. He was so tired, and mad and scared for Keith. But he had to keep going.

Lance's arm throbbed as he adjusted Keith in his arm bridal style and started walking back to the house. Keith's eyes squeezed shut, the blood dripping into Lance's hands.

"Allura, please, Keith said no hospitals, and I think if we went, we might be in more danger than it'd be worth."

Lance walked carefully back to Allura's front door, standing at the entrance way was Coran, dressed in his PJ's and slippers. As soon as he saw Keith and Lance though he moved out of the way. "I'll go grab my equipment," he said, quick to move back.

Lance brought Keith inside, and Allura closed the door behind him.

He'd never heard Coran so serious, when Lance and Allura had been friends, plus dated, he'd always been so quirky, strange, but all around a good guy. He'd raised Allura after her father passed away, and Coran was the main reason that Allura was studying to be a doctor now. Thankfully Lance knew him though, and trusted him enough to help Keith.

"Lay him on the table," Coran said coming back with his stethoscope and bag of equipment. "Allura, go get the supplies downstairs, will need the antiseptic for the stiches."

Pushing the candles off the dining room table Lance laid Keith on top of it. Pulling off his jacket covering Keith Coran saw the extent of Keith's stomach, the bruising of rainbow. But before he dealt with that he pushed Keith on his side.

Allura came back with another box of stuff. Coran reached into his bag and got some bandages, he pressed in on the marks on Keith's back and handed some more to Allura, she did the same.

"Are those letters?" Allura mumbled as she pressed the bandages down, her eyes moved to Keith's arm. "His arm is broken."

Lance bit into his lip. Keith looked bad, but at least now he was getting some real medical help.

"I'll explain everything later," Lance said as he grabbed at Keith's hand. "Right now let's just try and help him.

Stopping the bleeding Coran applied a needle of anesthetic to Keith's back and started the stitching process. During this time Allura led Lance to sit on a chair. "You're hurt to," she said. Lance looked down at his shoulder, the blood crusty against his shirt. Allura reached over and pulled up the sleeve. "It's deep," she mumbled, "but you should be okay without stiches." Allura reached into the kit and grabbed some cream, she wiped it on Lance's arm and he cringed, the stinging hurt. Allura moved her hand away and started wrapping a bandage.

"What happened Lance?" Allura asked.

Lance looked toward Keith, Coran finishing the last of the stiches on his back over the stab wounds from Lotor. Lance gripped his hands at his knees. "I. . ." Lance wasn't sure why, or even when they started, but suddenly he was bawling. Tears streamed down his face and he went to wrap his arms around Allura. Not because he wanted her, but because he needed her comfort, he needed to realize what had just happened.

"Shh," Allura said moving Lance over. "It's okay, it's okay."

Lance gripped Allura, more tears coming out. "I, wanted. . .to help. . .I should have gotten him out sooner, if I did. . ." Lance continued to cry but Allura kept him in her arms soothing a hand through his hair. It was comforting after what had just happened, after the fear and anger he was feeling.

Letting his tears die out Coran appeared in the entry way to where Lance and Allura were sitting. "Allura, let's move him into the guest room," Coran said. "I've finished with the stiches, and splinted his arm with a make-shift cast for now, but if probable I'd like to take him to a hospital tomorrow to get a scan to look at the bone."

Lance wiped at his eyes. "Before we go to a hospital you need to talk to Keith, even now—

Oh gosh the car!" Lance stood up. "Allura, the car's here, I have to get rid of it."

"What, Lance what are you talking about."

"Lotor's car, Allura don't you see it's his car, I stole it, because I needed to get here, and oh gosh, please Allura you have to help me get rid of it!"

If Lotor could track his car, which he might be able to they were in danger. Even if he just reported it stolen, outside Allura's house that would cause a major scene.

"Lance, I don't understand anything that's going on, what do you mean the car? And you're hurt. . ."Allura stopped speaking, the look in Lance's eye enough.

"Coran, Allura," Lance said, standing up. "I promise I'll explain everything later, but right now you need to help me, or all our lives could be in danger."

They were both reluctant, but they all saw the way Lance spoke, the way he took on a serious nature. Maybe because he wasn't so serious all the time they finally saw a reason to take him seriously. So they listened.

X

Driving toward a local dump Lance dropped off the car and threw the keys in the forest nearby. Allura had followed him in her own car, the dump a thirty minute drive outside of the city. Allura dulled the radio as soon as Lance got inside her car.

"Alright Lance," Allura said as she started the engine and started driving them back, "I think it's time you explained."

Lance sighed, his head felt sore and his stomach was a whole sway of emotions. But he didn't want to run or hide the fact about what happened. "Okay, I'll tell you," Lance said.

And so he did, he explained Shiro's concerns, then his own concerns hearing Keith at night, then he explained how he'd seen what happened, how he'd seen the injuries but he hadn't done anything that day and now things had gotten worse. He explained how he'd heard Keith scream and Lotor start cutting him up, so he made a move and tried to save him— he should have called Shiro from the start.

Allura stopped at a stop light, she wiped her eyes. "You idiot," she mumbled, sniffing back her own tears from the story. "Because of you Keith is safe now."

Lance shook his head. "But Allura, I don't think he is, Lotor, he might be after Keith right now, if we're not careful—"

Allura cut Lance off by making a sharp turn. "Allura, what are you doing?!" Lance shouted.

"I'm getting Shiro!" Allura cried. "Keith isn't alone in this anymore, and I can't, I can't just keep Shiro in the dark knowing the state Keith's in, and what he's been dealing with until now." Allura turned sharply again, taking the exit to Shiro's place. "We're going to figure this out Lance, and there's no way in quiznack that we'll ever let that Lotor guy near Keith again. If I know anything I'll have him behind bars by tomorrow."

And Lance saw the determined energy in Allura, and he knew that he couldn't do anything to stop her. He'd been with Allura when she set her mind on things, and this was one of those moments.

They arrived at Shiro's house shortly after, and at the great hour of 4am, there didn't seem to be any lights on. Allura started getting out of the car but Lance put a hand up to stop her. "I got this," he said. Getting up, Lance walked to the front door and rang Shiro's doorbell, a light turning on inside. It didn't surprise Lance when Adam was the first to open the door, a pair of shorts the only thing covering him, and his hands still trying to put his glasses on.

"Gosh this better be an emergency," Adam said as his eyes finally adjusted to see Lance. Maybe the bandage wrapped around his arm was a good indicator of that, and Allura still in their parking lot the car engine on.

"Get Shiro," Lance said, and Adam didn't hesitate to do just that.