Shiros head hurt…a lot. Opening his eyes hurt. He didn't think eyelids could be sore, but his eyelids were sore. There was a soft echo and murmurings bouncing all around him as well as a loud and continuous pounding. Where was he? What happened to the others?

"He's awake," a soft voice called next to him, "should we go get Lance?"

"…Lance?" Shiro tried to sit up, and failed. The person next to him let out a small shriek and ran away.

Squinting, Shiro turned his body to get a better look at where he was.

Rocks…lots and lots of rocks. There were some boxes to one side and he could make out some movement in the shadows, but that was it.

"Shiro!" Ollie ran into the cave through a thin opening, "I'm so glad you're up!"

"Relatively speaking," Shiro muttered, "Where are we?"

"long story apparently," Ollie sighed, "Keith told us to find Lance and we found him!"

"Yeah," Lance said, Shiro looked past Ollie in surprise, he'd not seen him come in, "you found me. Ollie told me most of what happened with you guys."

"So you're going to help then?" he asked. Lance pursed his lips and scowled.

"Maybe," he said.

Shiro wasn't sure he got that right.

"What?"

"Maybe," Lance shrugged, "Why should I help?"

Ollies jaw dropped. Shrios adrenaline kicked in. He sat up, grabbed the front of Lances shirt and gave him a good shake.

"Because they depend on you! I don't know you and I don't care to! But they wouldn't shut up about you! They cared-"

"Really?" Lance asked totally apathetic, "you guys leave me behind and only come back to find me when you need me? Yeah, I feel really depended on."

"Allura and I didn't let them!"

"I see no difference."

"Excuse me?!"

"You're not excused," Lance said pushing Shiros hand away, "you may not remember me Shiro, but I remember you. We fought together. We risked our lives for each other. I would gladly follow you into the depths of Hell and deeper and you betrayed that. All of you betrayed that. I have people here, innocent children that need my protection and I will NOT let them down! I will NOT let anyone hurt them EVER again! Ollie said you guys have had a change of heart, and that's all fine, but let me lay down a bottom line here. Not a single one of you trusted me. So why should I trust you?"

"but They didn't know any better," Ollie said, doing his best, "they were just believing what they were told. They did and do care about you-"

"Caring and trusting are different," Lance countered, "the only reason I have to help any of you right now is to get answers. And I'm going to get those answers."

"So you will help?" Ollie asked.

"Sure," Lance shrugged, "but not because we used to be teammates."

()

Shiro was furious. This was not the goofball that Pidge and Hunk talked about all the time. This was not the pilot Keith talked about. This was a heartless teenager that shouldn't even have been allowed in the garrison.

Lance had told him that they weren't leaving until he was healed. Why? Why was this kid putting off helping the others?

One of the kids brought in a plate of food. His black eyes making contact with Shiros. The kid gave a half grin and shook his head.

"What?"

The kid shrugged and pushed the plate toward Shiro.

"I'm not hungry."

At this the kid made a hissing noise. He was laughing.

"Heppik?" Nomi walked into the cave and up to them, "Heppik I told you stay away from other injured people. I don't want to risk contamination."

Heppik just wave his hand at her.

"I'm not being silly!" she snapped, "Lance also said to leave the guest alone."

Heppik pointed to the plate of food and Nomi gave an irritated sigh. She turned to Shiro.

"He says he wont leave until you finish eating. Said he'll shove it down your throat if you refuse to eat."

Shiro glared at both of them. Then realizing this was a losing battle he picked the plate up.

"mmm," Nomi was staring daggers at Heppik and the boy kept nodding at her.

"What?"

"He wants you to know that Lance really does still care. I think he's being nosy and presumptuous….yes I know what that means!"

"I'm tired of hearing about that brat," Shiro said, not thinking, "not sure why we need his help anyway."

"We'd all be dead," Nomi said and Shiro paused, "he risked everything to save Heppik and Kax's kids, and he went out of his way to try to warn us when he heard they'd found out about our hide out. And then instead of flying away to save just those in his care, he stops and saves everyone he can-Hm?"

She looked at Heppik who was blushing slightly.

"Heppik says that he didn't like Lance either. Because he didn't trust him. Even before Lance saved him he knew why he didn't like him, deep down, it was because Lance loved everyone openly and he couldn't trust it."

Shiro snorted, "That's all I've heard, but I've yet to see it."

"Betrayal is something we're accustomed to," Nomi said kicking Heppik in the foot, "Lance doesn't have a backstabbing bone in his body. Now hurry and eat so Heppik will let me look at his throat. He's really only here because he doesn't want to see me."

Heppik waved her off again, and stuck his tongue out at her.

"I'll smack you into next week," she said raising a hand. Shiro frowned, was it just him or did that have an accent?

Heppik dove behind Shiro. Shiro almost dropped the plate.

"Don't bother the gust!" Nomi stamped her foot, "I'll tell Lance on you!"

Heppik stayed behind Shiro and peeked over his right shoulder with a large grin on his face.

"Fine, LAANCE!" She turned and ran out of the cave. Shiro winced at the harsh echo.

Lance can't hate you…

Shiro jumped and turned around. Heppik grinned and shrugged. That was all he had the energy for that day. Truthfully, he shouldn't have done it. The only one who could without a major back lash was Ollie.

()

Ollie felt a little weird being back with familiar people, but in an unfamiliar setting. And Kax was gone.

"You missed lunch," Lance said finding him a long way down the river. He handed him a fruit and sat next to him.

"Thanks…" Ollie fingered the fruit, "for everything…"

"Don't thank me yet," Lance said, "this isn't over."

"Yeah, but with Kax gone, they'd all have been done for."

"I would have been done for if you and Lu hadn't let me out of that cell, so I should be thanking you, right?"

"…" Ollie would have bragged before. He had always been more proud than afraid of his abilities, "I really like you friends….Lance…and-"

"I don't want to hear it," Lance snapped, "I already agreed to help, that should be enough."

"but, Keith and Shiro fought like they were always enemies and even Pidge was cold towards him and Allura. Hunk was torn and really tried hard to keep everyone together. Even Coran did what he could to make them remember. But once your memories are taken, they're gone for good."

"So I've been told," Lance hissed, "you're just gonna have to forgive me if I stay a little pissed for a while."

"So you wont stay mad?"

"don't know," Lance sighed, "I don't think I've ever been this angry before."

"…can I ask a favor?"

"you can ask, but I might not agree."

"you can be mad at everyone but hunk, k? I like him. I don't want him to be sad."

Lance laughed.

"I don't think I could stay mad at hunk even if I tried," Lance said, "I don't know how I'll feel after this, but I'll try to not yell at them, how is that?"

"Deal."

"LLLAAAANNCE!"

They turned to look up the river.

"I didn't even know Nomi could be that loud…"