Ok, this one was almost too easy to write, but I feel that I'm in a corner again. I hate doing that... I do hope y'all enjoy it. Shall we?

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Keith was screaming.

Lance jolted out of his stunned silence. "Keith! Stop!" he called.

Keith instantly quieted.

"Lotor is down!" Pidge stated. "Let's get down there quick."

"Keith, we need to disassemble," Allura stated, hoping to break through to him. "Can you do that?"

Keith reached up and pulled a lever and the Lions separated. As soon as Black Lion settled on the ground, Keith ran outside. He skidded to a stop and dropped to his knees beside Duvessa's prone form. He quickly checked for a pulse and finding it, he closed his eyes momentarily in relief. Then his training kicked in and he started assessing her wound, carefully cutting away the ruined fabric of her uniform with the knife he carried in his belt. "It's cauterized, she's not bleeding out," he stated as Hunk dropped down beside him with the first aid kit.

Hunk opened the kit and pulled out bandages and antiseptic. Slipping on a pair of rubber gloves he quickly doused a bandage with the liquid and gently began to clean around the wound. Once the wound was clear, he placed a clean bandage on it and taped it in place. "There. That should hold until we get her to Gorma," he stated. He looked up at Keith. "Are you alright to fly?"

Keith nodded. "I'm fine, Hunk. Thank you."

Hunk made a face and shook his head. "With all due respect, Keith, you don't look alright."

Keith nodded again. "Yeah, I know," he agreed. He looked over to where Pidge and Lance were standing with Vince, Larmina and Daniel. "Report!" he called.

Lance turned and faced him. "Lotor is dead. Pidge wants to take his armor back to the Castle to analyse it."

Keith nodded. "Alright," he answered as Allura squatted down beside him. He looked up at her.

"Are you alright?" she whispered.

Keith shook his head. "Not really, but we need to get her back to the Castle," he stated, nodding towards Duvessa on the ground before him.

Allura nodded back. "Then let's take her home," she murmured and stood up.

Keith got to his feet as Hunk lifted Duvessa. "I'll take her, Hunk," he murmured to the big man.

"Are you sure you can carry her? I can take her to Black for you," he offered.

Keith nodded. "I can carry her," he stated and took her from him. "I'll see you all back at the Castle," he stated. He moved to Black Lion and took off.

Lance walked over, watching Black head for home. He shook his head. "He's my friend and all, but what just happened scares the daylights out of me," he muttered. When he was given puzzled looks from Allura and Hunk, he frowned. "I've never seen him break like that. It's not normal."

Hunk nodded. "He loves her. You probably would be the same if it had been Allura. Maybe worse," he stated sagely.

Lance's brown gaze shot to Allura, his face paling. "There would be dead Drules from here to Doom over that," he whispered.

Allura nodded. "Let's get back to the Castle," she stated. She looked over at Pidge and the Cadets. "You ready yet?" she called.

"Yep," Pidge answered as he carried the last piece of Haggarium armor to Green Lion. "I'm going to study this armor to see what all Maahox has been up to," he stated.

Lance darted to Red Lion, shot into the sky and began dousing the land with his Lion Torch, incinerating the bodies, until the others were airborne and on their way back to the Castle. Then he fell in behind them to check in on Keith and Duvessa.

X x x x x x

Keith carried Duvessa through the Castle in silence. Infirmary staff jumped as soon as he walked through the door with her. He took her straight into a room and laid her down on the bed before he was gently shoved back out of it.

Keith paced in the waiting room, watching as staff moved between the nurse's station and the room he had just left. "I am really tired of seeing you in here," he whispered.

Lance and Allura walked in as Keith turned to pace back towards the door.

Keith looked up at them.

Allura gasped and Lance paused. "Dude, are you alright?" Lance asked.

Keith nodded, then shook his head. "I don't know."

Allura and Lance looked at each other and then, both walked to him. "Why don't you sit down?" Allura murmured.

Keith shook his head. "Couldn't' sit still even if I wanted to, Princess."

Allura frowned. "Have they said anything?"

Keith closed his eyes. "Not yet," he confessed. He pinched the bridge of his nose in a vain attempt to ward off the headache he knew was coming.

Walk him to his room, Allura whispered to Lance. Stay with him there if you have to. He needs to get out of here.

Lance shot her a skeptical look. If you think he's going to want to leave while she's in here, you're out of your mind!

I know, but really, what more can he do? He got her here, she's going to be alright.

Lance sighed and looked to Keith. "Hey, why don't you go lay down in your room?"

Keith looked up at him, a dark look in his blue eyes. "No."

"Keith, you know she's going to be alright. You look like hell."

Keith nodded. "And I'm going to feel like hell until she's back up on her feet," Keith stated. He looked at the wall and shook his head. "She should never have been out there at all," he whispered, closing his eyes again. "She should have still been in bed…"

Lance groaned and ran his hand down over his face. "Oh, hell. I'd forgotten about that…"

Allura nodded. "The battle was intense, but she did help turn the tide in our favor. She's a very strong woman, Keith." She glanced down and blinked in shock. "Keith, your hand…"

Keith looked down and saw Duvessa's crown in his hand. "The nurses thought it best to remove it, but anyone who touched it was shocked. I…"

"It has accepted you as…" Allura whispered. She looked at him and smiled. "Keith, go and get some rest. It is going to be awhile before we hear anything, I'm sure."

Keith looked back to Duvessa's room and grimaced. "I don't…"

"When either of us hears anything, you will be the first to know," Lance promised.

Keith looked up at him for several long moments. He finally nodded. "Yeah. I feel a headache coming on," he murmured and he walked out of the infirmary, Lance following a few steps behind.

X x x x x x

Keith left Lance in the hallway with barely a word of thanks. He walked over to his bed and sat down on the edge of it, lifting Duvessa's crown to stare into the black diamond. A spark flew from it to his head…

"So, it has finally accepted you," came Alec's voice.

Keith turned and saw the former king behind him. "Yeah, I guess."

Alec nodded. "Good. So, when is the wedding?"

Keith stared at him. "What?"

"I am pretty sure I did not stutter, Keith," Alec answered.

Keith shook his head. "We haven't…"

Alec nodded. "Ah, the Crown has accepted you, but the two of you haven't discussed it?"

Keith slowly nodded is head. "Yeah, something like that. Look, we just defeated a robeast and Lotor. She got hurt…"

"And you're here in your room?" Alec cried, his anger rising. He waved his hand towards Keith. "You should be down with her!"

"That's where I want to be, but Allura and Lance told me to come rest," Keith answered. "And I felt a headache coming on."

Alec moved to Keith and took ahold of his shoulder. "You're going to sit with her, Keith," he stated and closed his eyes.

Keith's body vanished from his room.

X x x x x x

Allura heard several gasps come from Duvessa's room. She quickly noted that Lance hadn't returned from walking Keith back to his room yet. She moved to the door and her mouth dropped open as she saw Keith's form appear next to Duvessa's bed, her Crown in his hand and a shimmering light all around him.

"He stays," came a firm male voice she had never heard before. "Take her hand and be with her, Keith."

Keith nodded and did as the voice ordered.

The shimmering light turned towards Allura and moved to her. "I am King Alec, Princess Allura," the light stated. "The Crown has accepted him. They need to be together just as you need to be with your Lance. Do not ask him to leave her again." The light flashed and was gone.

Allura blinked in shock and stood there staring at Keith, who only had eyes for Duvessa. She slowly shook her head and waved at the now silent staff. "Carry on," she whispered and moved back to the waiting room just as Lance walked back into the room.

Lance smiled at her. "I walked him back to his room…"

"And King Alec brought him back," Allura murmured as she waved towards Duvessa's room.

Lance's face fell. "What?" Lance asked, shocked. He shook his head. "There are times when…" Lance stopped and growled softly. "He needs his rest. He said he was starting to get a headache."

Allura nodded. "I know, but I'm not about to argue with my ancestor," she stated. "Besides, it may be better for her if he is there." She glanced towards the room. "The Crown accepted him. He has it in his hand."

Lance paused beside her, staring down at her in shock. "It did?" he whispered.

Allura looked up at him. "Does that really surprise you?"

Lance frowned. "Not really, but I know that it hadn't before…" He blew out a long breath. "So, what happens next?"

Allura shook her head. "I don't know. Eventually, I see them getting married."

Lance nodded thoughtfully. "Speaking of, did you hear what Duvessa said during the battle?"

Allura blinked and looked up at him. "When?"

"When she was talking with Lotor. How you have an intended and he is a duke," Lance murmured, his brown eyes soft as he looked at her.

Allura blushed. "I heard, but I didn't really think about it at the time," she admitted. She stepped closer to him. "As she is the Black Crown, she has the right to proclaim betrothals," she admitted. She looked up at him. "She could marry them, too…"

Lance grinned. "On Earth, it's customary to get an engagement ring for the future bride, but I haven't had time…"

Allura smiled and shook her head slightly. "I don't need a ring, Lance."

"I know, but…I want to give you something," he whispered. He reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled something out of his pocket. "It isn't much, but…" He shrugged. "It's kind of silly, really," he admitted as he held it out to her.

Allura held her hands out and Lance dropped a pair of gold pilot's wings in her hands.

"I earned those," he whispered. "I wanted to be the best, but my antics and hotheadedness kept holding me back at times. I made it through by sheer determination and to prove the others wrong about me. I hope I have earned your love the same way I earned those wings."

Allura looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes. "Lance, I…"

Lance shook his head and gently laid a finger over her lips. "You hold onto those," he murmured. "The only time I want them back is if you ever fall out of love with me."

Allura shook her head. "That will never happen."

Lance smiled and gently kissed her forehead. "I hope not, sweetheart, but it had to be said."

She cuddled up to him, clutching the gold wings in her hand. "I love you, Lance."

Lance gently rubbed her back, enjoying the feel of her pressed against him. "Love you, too, sweetheart. Now, what do we need to do about Keith and Duvessa?"

Allura looked back to the room where Duvessa lay and sighed. "We wait."

Lance nodded. "Great."