Author's Note: I am so excited about these coming chapters. There's a lot of joy, a lot of love, and a lot of weddings. (?) Be patient; it will all unfold.

Thank you to everyone who's reading, following, commenting, and basically sticking around. Like I always say, my readers are the BEST!

To Smithy - HA! It does sound wrong. No, I firmly believe that Sven and Keith should be royal consorts; after all, they weren't born noblemen. (But I like them anyway!)

To Emie Mac - Romelle is pretty honorable (despite her affair with Erimar), and she is working to get her marriage on the right track. And hooray for some Chris/Jeff time! And - wait for it - some Lance/beanbag chair time!

To bknbu - No, Ginger is not wearing her 'Gingers'...or her 'Lances' for that matter...EEP! As for Merla, well, I consider it as laying the groundwork for some future works I've got planned. But note the "weddings" comment above,

To Cubbie - Ah, Fleet of Doom...well, when we get to the bachelor party, it will most definitely not be as short or as G-rated as the FoD celebration, that's all I'm gonna say... (Though it will most definitely NOT be as crazy as Jeff's bachelor party was, that's for sure.)

To FroofyB - Wow, that is definitely saying something, especially coming from someone as pro-K/A as you are! I shall do my best to make you proud.

Title Song: "Love Somebody" by Maroon 5

Lance was groggy when he woke up, but he knew something was different. He felt different. He felt...better.

He'd never known it himself, but today, he figured it out. There was a hollowness in his soul that had been with him for the past twelve years, ever since he graduated from the Space Academy and left Earth for Arus. But he'd never realized it was there until this very moment, when it dawned on him that the feeling wasn't there.

The hollowness, the emptiness - it was gone. In its place was Ginger.

For a moment, the Red Lion pilot glanced over at the sleeping blond beauty next to him in bed. Propping himself up on his arm, he studied her. She was a different woman than she had been when they first met so many years ago, but if anything, her added years had made her even more beautiful. They'd both lived through experiences that would have broken the average person, and yet they were still standing. And she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever known.

Suddenly, he didn't want to exist another moment without making things official. He shook her awake.

"Huh? Wha...?" Her sky-blue eyes opened to the hazy morning sunlight. "Lance? What in seven hells are you doing?"

"Hey. I just wanted to tell you good morning." He pressed his body against her backside, wrapping her up in his arms as he did. "And I also wanted to tell you that I love you."

Because she had just woken up, Ginger was not on her game. Normally, she would have teased him back, played his words off as a joke. But right there, dressed in a pale pink camisole and red lace boy shorts, laying next to a nearly-undressed Lance, her guard was down. She was too vulnerable.

"You love me?"

"I do." He sat up, leaning over to reach into his bedside drawer. "I have something for you, Gin. I've actually had it for a while. I just didn't know it was for you." He swallowed. "Actually, I did know it was meant for you, I just didn't know how I was ever gonna get it to you. And then you came back into my life."

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

He didn't have any more words. He took her left hand, and while locking his eyes on hers, he slid the sparkling garnet-and-diamond ring onto her finger. "Gin...I love you."

She gasped. "Lance Charles McClain, what is this?" She glanced down at her finger. The ring was beautiful, but neither one of them had ever wanted to get married. "We don't believe in the institution of marriage, remember?" Her face crumpled, and she leaned against him, burying her face in his neck. "There's no such thing as a piece of paper that will make us stay together."

"I'm not asking you to marry me, Gin." He paused to rethink his statement. "Well, if I actually believed in marriage, then yeah, I'd be proposing right now. But I know the both of us well enough to know that the idea won't fly. So this isn't meant so much as an engagement ring as it is a promise. It's a promise of a whole life together. You, me, and whatever it decides to bring us."

"Oh, gods." Ginger brought her hands to her lips, looking utterly shocked. "Lance, did you forget about the Explorer? How are we ever going to be together when I'm stationed on a stellar ship and you're stationed on Arus?"

"Ah. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately." Lance grinned, then took one of her hands and kissed it. "A few nights ago, Len told me a secret - the reason she came out here so early for the wedding was because she purchased land on Arus on behalf of the Garrison. We're going to build a Space Academy on Arus." His grin grew even wider. "Gin, she picked me to be the school's headmaster. I would be in charge."

"God help those kids," she cracked wryly.

"Thanks, Baby. You raise me up." He wrinkled his nose, smiling. "So in any case, once the Academy starts going up, I'm leaving the Voltron Force. I'll officially be on the Garrison payroll." He shrugged. "It'll be nice to have a stable home life for a change. Not having to worry about battles or alarms in the middle of the night, never having to wonder whether or not I'll ever see my loved ones again...it was an offer too tempting to pass up."

"So you told Len you'd do it?"

"Not yet. But I will. I wanted to run it by you first."

"Since when have you ever run any ideas of your by me first?"

"Since I figured out that I wanted you to share my life." He shrugged. "It's only fair."

"Oh, Lance..." Rolling off the bed, Ginger found where her Air Team uniform had been scattered. She'd been in such a rush to remove her clothes that she had to look for the separate pieces. "Lance, you weren't the only one with that idea."

"Huh?"

Retrieving the little felt bag from her uniform's pocket, Ginger joined her beloved back on the bed. "Lance, after we met up last year - after the whole episode on Crydor - I got to thinking that you're the only guy I've ever really loved. Yeah, I've had boyfriends and I've closed the deal, but you're the only one who ever had my heart." She cleared her throat. "So I bought this for you."

As she held out the gold ring with the oval face - My initials...she had my initials carved onto it - Lance took it between his fingers. "You bought me a ring?" he squeaked, sliding it onto his hand. "That's what the guy is supposed to do, silly!"

"Hey now. I'm a modern woman."

Lance held his hand out in front of him, admiring his ring, then grabbed Ginger's newly-adorned hand with it. "So what do you think, Gin? Do you think I can get you to move to Arus and be with me once I leave the Voltron Force?"

"I can do you one better." She leaned in closely, kissing the tip of his nose. "A bunch of us have been talking about how we're growing up and we're ready for the next phase of our lives. Jeff, Lisa, Cliff, Cinda, Commander Hawkins...even Wolo and Chip and Rocky are wondering how much longer we're all gonna be doing this." She nodded solemnly. "I'll put advance notice in with the Garrison. I'd like to leave my station on the Explorer and be reassigned to Arus. After Lisa's wedding, of course."

"Of course." Then, pausing, he cracked, "Wait...Lisa's getting married?"

"Yes."

"Correction...Lisa and Aidan are getting married?"

"Indeed."

"I'm not drunk enough for any of this. Let's get a bottle of champagne and start celebrating!" He grabbed her again, kissing her passionately and laughing at the same time.

"Lance, isn't it kind of early to start drinking?"

"Hey...one of my best friends is getting married this weekend, another one of my best friends is getting married down the road, and I managed to trick you into becoming my other half. Cadet Ellington, if this isn't all cause for celebration, then I don't know what is."

She closed her eyes to keep the tears from welling up. In her entire life, she had never dreamed she could be so happy. "You're right, Cadet McClain. And," she swallowed, "I love you."

It was the first time she had ever said that phrase. She had never told Lance that she loved him, but there in his bed, the words had been exchanged. They were both madly in love with each other and had just promised to spend their lives together. She had just decided that she would leave her post on the Explorer and the Vehicle Team to be with him; he would leave his position on the Voltron Force and become Headmaster of the Arusian Space Academy for her.

Their relationship would never set them on a path towards the altar, but it would still take them all the way.

Usually she spent her early mornings on the balcony with Larmina, doing a series of yoga poses before ending with savasana, but this morning, Lenora was doing something different. She was on horseback, her husband beside her, traveling out to the recently-purchased parcel of land that would serve as the Arusian Space Academy.

"Well?" she asked as they stopped their horses at the perimeter of the land. "What do you think?"

Jon shaded his eyes for a moment, studying the property. "I think it's perfect," he admitted. "There's plenty of land to be paved, there's water access, there aren't many trees to be torn down - I think they might even be able to stay." He turned to his wife and smiled. "In my humble opinion, Space Marshal, I think it's the best parcel we've accumulated yet. Much better than Tokyo or Oslo."

"I agree. It's perfect." She stuck her tongue out. "I'm waiting to hear from Justine when I get back to Earth. I'd like to hear about what happened on Planet Elnor. Who knows? Maybe that one will be the best Space Academy yet."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Always thinking on the bright side. I love that about you." Still on horseback, he leaned over for a kiss. "Now tell me, how has it been out here?" His face suddenly darkened. "How has he been?"

She looked away. "Gods, mon coeur, don't start. It's been...difficult."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "Has your old fiancé been bothering you? Because if he has - and if he continues to do so - all I'll need is five minutes alone with him." His face darkened further. "Actually, two minutes."

"Jon, stop." She shook her head. "I think..." she frowned. "I think it's fine now. I'm just glad you're here."

It was true; she felt much, much better with her husband at her side. Things were almost back to normal now, almost as though she had never been in Green Lion or had an image of what her future should have looked like shoved in her face. That was the best part about Jon - with him, she tended to forget about the confusion in her love life. She tended not to think about Sven and what he had meant to her.

She wondered how well things would go under these circumstances. She prayed that, for Keith's and Allura's sakes, her husband and her old fiancé would remain cordial and polite for the royal wedding. Because if they didn't, she was not going to be happy with either of them.

Nanny had been a mess throughout the entire day. Being so close to the wedding, the royal guests had begun to arrive from throughout the galaxy. Bandor and Emma had arrived from Pollux with Rosalie in tow - and the castle staff had been in an amused frenzy over the sudden competitive streak between Drea and Sofia versus the Polluxian nursemaid. Queen Clarissa arrived to full fanfare from Planet Exxus, excusing her brother Stephane's absence but embracing her sister and brother-in-law. Queen Anadora of Planet Brann made a less-spectacular entrance, apologizing for her brother Luthcar's decision to stay home and run the government in her stead. But when the ship from Planet Scilos arrived, Keith walked away anxiously, unable to greet one more dignitary who wasn't his sister.

"Keith! You need to calm down." Allura reached for his shoulder with her left hand. As she did, the sunlight glinted off her engagement ring, throwing a rainbow of colors over their faces. "They're fine. They'll be here soon."

"I know. But I can't help but worry."

As soon as the words left his lips, Jeff walked up behind them. "It's okay, man," he offered, biting his lip - a habit he'd subconsciously picked up from his wife. "I know how worked-up you are to see her again. I am, too."

"I am." Jeff doesn't know. None of them know about Lotor. Christiane is going to be the first. "I haven't seen her since your wedding. I should be a better brother."

"Hey, she understands." Jeff winked. "I mean, seven hells, if she doesn't understand, then nobody does."

As Keith nodded in reply, a cry echoed out in the background, "It's the three Albegas ships from the Garrison!" He turned to grin at his brother-in-law, relief washing over his body.

"Let's go get our girl," Jeff grinned, holding out his elbow for Allura to take. In reply, she winked and linked her arm through his.

The three Albegas mecha were old, but they were still commanding. Black landed first, with Blue right next to it. But Keith wasn't concerned about them. He was waiting for Red.

As Aidan, Morgan, Kelly and David exited the ships, Keith stood on the landing pad, looking up at the sky as the Red Mecha came into view. It had hardly touched down before the hatch popped open and a shrill shriek pierced through the air. "AKIRA-CHAN!"

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "I hear you, Eiko-chan! I think all of Arus can hear you!"

Christiane popped out of Red Mechan and ran towards her brother. "Oh, Keith, I've missed you," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed his lips to her forehead, knowing that it wasn't necessary to tell her with words that Lotor was dead.

She withdrew quickly, her own turquoise eyes searching his out. "Is it true? Have my visions been telling the truth?" Her breath caught in her throat, and she swallowed it along with her tears. "Lotor is dead?"

"Yes. Destroyed by Voltron's Blazing Sword." He laid his head against hers. "You can rest easy now, Eiko-chan. He will never, ever hurt you again. He will never haunt your dreams or your visions again. I made sure of it."

"Thank you." Nuzzled against her brother, her world instantly shifted. She felt better than she had in the past year, since the moment she'd been kidnapped. It was a relief to know that Lotor was dead and would never come back for her.

Now, if only the image of the empty casket would stop haunting her...