Chapter 10: Mama Please Stop crying, I Can't Stand the Sound

They looked like a happy family. The loving emperor, who was leading the Galra re-takeover of the universe. His caring wife, pregnant with her second child. An adorable two-year-old daughter always smiling. Lotor has a constant hand on his wife or daughter. He let planets govern themselves under him if they abided by his rules. He seemed like a fair ruler unless you knew what happened behind the scenes.

Lotor was constantly telling his wife how much he loved her unless she stepped out of line. Then you wouldn't see her for around a week, while Lotor carried their child to meetings. Sometimes you could hear sobbing coming from their room, very rarely was there yelling but it still happened.

"Kitten, you know I hate doing this to you." Lotor sounded honestly upset and apologetic. "But I do it because I love you." Lotor opened the box in his hands and pulled out a high-tech choker. Pidge knew what it really was, a collar to keep her in check. "Come here and let's try it on." KitKat was playing in her room while Lotor dressed Pidge for the day.

Pidge sat on Lotor's lap as he fastened the choker around her neck. It was plain black with blinking, purple, pink, and green lights, and Lotor's insignia dangling in light purple metal on front. It felt smoother and lighter than silk despite all the tech. Pidge felt he tied it tighter than it needed to be to prove his point.

She was his. She chose this life. But it was either this or be imprisoned in a room, never to get to see her children again.

She felt the metal charm graze her skin, as well as Lotor's clawed fingers. Lotor patted her leg telling her to stand up while he chose something for her to wear.

She rested a hand on her stomach. It had become a nail in the coffin. She might have been able to escape with just KitKat, but two children? She would be forced to decide which one to take with her. It was something she couldn't do. She also doubted this child would be the last. Lotor kept commenting on how he wanted a big family and how happy it made him to see Pidge pregnant with his child. There was no longer an escape from this life. She wondered if there ever was. She was doomed the minute he came back to life.

Lotor dressed her in a simple black maternity dress, he was so glad he kept all her maternity clothes from when she was pregnant with KitKat. He helped her put her shoes on. Pidge watched him as he went to go dress KitKat for the meeting.

KitKat run out of her room wearing a light purple dress with Lotor following behind her.

"Alright, KitKat, get into your stroller," Lotor said watching her run to her mom. KitKat giggled after giving Pidge a hug. Lotor knelt and kissed Pidge's stomach before nudging her over to the stroller. Pidge stopped, and a hand flew to her stomach. "What's wrong?"

"Baby kicked."

"Icky!" KitKat said. "I don't wanna baby." Pidge wanted to comfort her daughter and let her know that mama didn't want another baby either. She kept quiet for fear of Lotor's reaction

"But, KitKat, sweetheart, Daddy, and Mommy won't always be there to give you company. If you have a baby brother or sister, you'll never be lonely." Lotor reasoned.

"But it kick-ded mama."

"They were just saying hello." Lotor strapped her into the stroller.

Pidge got used to the stares of the Commanders, the prisoners, and the servants. Only a few brave Commanders approached them.

"How is the little Princess doing today?" One struck up a conversation.

"Good!" KitKat answered enthusiastically.

"And how about our Empress and the unborn heir?"

"The baby is fine," Pidge replied. Lotor growled and tugged Pidge tightly to his side. The pain of his claws digging into her arm was normal. Pidge took his hand on the stroller and placed it on her stomach. That seemed to calm him down enough to stop the growling. "Excuse me, Commander, but we really should get going. I'm afraid, I'm getting a bit fatigued." Lotor kissed Pidge and let her start pushing the stroller. The commander watched the family leave and respectfully saluted.

When they made it to the throne room Pidge sat down on the smaller throne obediently. Lotor placed their daughter in a playpen by the throne to play.

"Now, Katie, I need you to stay calm." He mumbled.

"Why? About What?"

"Bring in the prisoners!" Lotor sat down and grabbed ones of Pidge's hands. Pidge froze. That couldn't be right. They'd never let themselves be captured.

But there they were: Keith struggling and attempting to fight the sentry holding him, Allura refusing to let her head fall, Coran staring at the princess worried, Lance staring at Pidge in disbelief, Hunk hanging his head low, Shiro was knocked out, and Matt was fighting just as much as Keith. Pidge stood up to go and help her friends, past instincts kicking in. Lotor pulled her back. She ended up falling into his lap.

"Lotor let them go!" Pidge begged. "Please, please, please, let them go."

"Calm down, Kitten." Lotor kissed Pidge's cheek. Pidge started crying.

"Let my sister go!" Matt yelled managing to rip himself out of the sentry's grip. He ran up and almost got to the throne. Pidge managed to get away from Lotor to and managed to meet with Matt half way. "It's ok Pidge, I got you."

"Take KitKat out of the room till I call you back in," Lotor ordered. Pidge's filled the room as the Commander did as told and took the tiny child out of the room. KitKat stared at the Commander curious. Lotor marched over to the pair of siblings embracing on the floor. Matt was glaring at Lotor while holding his sister tightly. "Katie, stand up."

"Don't call her that!" Matt screamed. Lotor took a deep breath and knelt behind Pidge.

"Katie, come here." Pidge flinched as soon as Lotor touched her shoulder. "Kitten, now." Matt clung tighter to his sister.

"Stay away from my sister!" Lotor ignored Matt.

"Kathrine, I'm giving you the choice right now. Let go of Matt and I'll let you choose what sentence each one of them gets out of the ones I've prepared. If you don't…" Lotor stood started to charge a gun. Pidge separated from Matt just enough to see the gun pointed between her brother's eyes. "Five, four, three, two-" Pidge took the hand Lotor offered to her. She was shaking like a leaf. He shot the ground by Matt instead as a warning. Pidge was outwardly sobbing now. "Take KitKat and go back to our room. Do not utter a word of what happened in here, do you understand, Katie?" Pidge nodded and slowly walked out of the room.

She retrieved KitKat from the Commander and walked as fast as she could to their room.

Lotor smirked at them.

"Take them to their holding cells, I'll have their punishments tomorrow. Oh, and Matt, never try to take Pidge away from me again. You're only alive right now because stress is bad for the baby." Lotor marched back to his throne and pulled up the security feed in his privet quarters. Pidge sat on the bed gently rocking KitKat back and forth, not for the child's comfort but her own.

Sadly, KitKat was used to this. She was used to Daddy yelling at Mama. She was used to Mama crying. Not seeing Mama for a week. Daddy always told Mama how much he loved her though. He loved her so much that's why he hurt her. That's why Daddy made Mama cry. To protect Mama. To keep her safe.

KitKat decided she needed to be as strong as Daddy so she could protect Mama and the Baby. She'd make sure the Baby would be protected. She'd make sure the Baby knew how to make Mama feel better and how to make Daddy proud.

KitKat tugged at her Mama's sleeve.

"What is it, Angel?"

"Baby!" Pidge sat her child down. KitKat did what she saw her Daddy do; kiss Mama's belly.

"No worry Mama, I gonna protect baby!" Pidge smiled down at her child.

"I don't doubt it."