January 1st - New Year's Day - Noon

They had been at the hospital all night and a good portion of the morning, and only just now managed to get home. Their usually welcoming home suddenly seemed too small to the two weary souls. Upon entering Katie made her way back to the bedroom to change while Lance settled himself on the couch. In sweats and a hoodie he was more than comfortable enough to fall asleep right there, only he couldn't.

Glioblastoma. He had Glioblastoma. A more aggressive form of the original cancer he had been diagnosed with. The doctor's words still rang in his ears as he lowered his head to his hands.

"This type of brain cancer you have is lethal. There's not much we can do other than to make you comfortable with the medication. At the most you have a year left." The doctor paused, grabbing his files. "I am so very sorry Mr. McClain. I would take this time to make sure you have your affairs in order before it's too late."

The bedroom door clicked shut and a few seconds later a lighter weight set down next to him. Her hand was on his back, her fingers running gentle circles. She had slipped into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Her feet rested against his shoes that were still on his feet. Seeing them he reached down to remove them.

Neither of them knew what to say. All the words in the world had left their minds back at the hospital as they received the news of Lance's condition. They had been given options as to what to do, but neither knew what to say.

"I don't want to do the medication." He said after a bit. His hands dropped to cover the lower half of his face, not enough to prevent him from talking. Pidge's hand stopped on his back and she pulled it back.

"Lance-" she started. He already knew he didn't like what she was going to say.

"I don't want to spend the last months of my life sitting around taking medicine that's not going to help me in the end." He looked over at his partner, her wide hazel eyes glazed over. "I have a year, Katie. One. Damn. Year. And I'm sure not to spend it in any hospital."

She swallowed then blinked away the growing tears. "Then you should spend it how you want to. And I'll be right here the entire time up until the end." Pidge almost choked on the words as she said them.

January 5th - 3AM

"Matt, I'm so scared." Pidge whispered into the phone.

She was currently standing out on the deck, the sliding glass door closed only slightly. The night breeze was a comfort to the young woman who stood leaning against the balcony railing, a phone clenched tightly in her hand. "This is not how things were supposed to go. He was supposed to have four years. That's what they told us. And now I only have a year before he's taken from me."

"How does Lance feel about all this?"

Pidge sighed. "He feels the same. Only he's not wanting to take his medication or do his treatments anymore. He's wanting to travel and do things he's never gotten to do." Pidge glanced behind her to the bedroom. Lance's sleeping form was barely seen in the dark. "It's just not fair. This is all happening so fast."

"Katie, I'm so sorry this is all happening." Matt replied, "If there's anything I can do please let me know. The other Paladins and I are going to be by you guys the entire time. I love you little sis."

"Love you too." Pidge hung up the phone, but didn't head inside just yet. She instead took the time to regain control of her tears that were bound to spill at any moment. In the end she gave up and sobbed quietly to herself.

It's not fair

It's not fair

It's not fair

It's not-

The thought continued even as she dried her tears and headed back inside.

"Everything okay?" Lance asked sleepily as she crawled back into bed. He rolled to face her. Placing a hand against her cheek he stroked his thumb against her lips.

Her silence was enough for Lance to pull her close. They clung to each other as the night changed to dawn. Two people who had been chosen to go on a journey that would either break them or make them stronger. A journey that no one should have to make in their lifetime.

"We were paladins and still are in a sense. A little cancer is not going to knock us down." Lance whispered a small smile in his tone.

"I just don't want to lose you," Pidge whispered into the crook of his neck. The threat of tears growing once more.

Lance's arms tightened around her, "Let's just focus on right now."

January 20th- Mid morning

"Morning Lance," PIdge said through her yawn. She got a groan in return.

Lance had his head buried under his pillow, his section of the blankets thrown off of him as he laid on his stomach. He lifted a hand to wave, it was a weak one, and was just as quickly dropped back to the bed before retreating underneath his body.

"Lance? Everything okay?" Pidge asked. She placed a hand on his back and he arched into the touch. It was a moment before his head emerged from beneath the pillow, his hair a tousled mess. Eyelids heavy he squinted at her and the sunlight filtering in behind her.

"Good morning sleepy head." Pidge said, "Are you hungry?"

Lance nodded only once before retreating back under the pillow. Before Pidge left she pulled the curtain to their windows closed.

The toast was almost finished when Pidge noticed Lance's leather bound journal lying open on the bar. The night before he had been steadily writing in it while she worked on her computer. On the only marked page was a list of different locations.

Paris, France

Asheville, North Carolina

Varadero, Cuba

Honolulu, Hawaii

Angel Fire, New Mexico

New York City, New York

It was the list of places he wanted to visit before… Pidge turned away, not able to finish the thought, just as the toast popped up. Placing it on a plate she took it and the two fried eggs into their shared bedroom.

Only when she walked in Lance wasn't in the bed. Instead their bathroom light was on and Lance could be heard retching. Pidge calmly set his plate on the nightstand and made her way to the bathroom.

Keeping one eye on Lance she wet down a cloth before making her way over to her fiancé. She had a hand on his back as he retched once more. He coughed and then spit into the toilet. As he sat back against the wall she flushed and then kneeled in front of him. His eyes were closed, eyebrows scrunched together as he attempted to stop his swirling stomach. She gently wiped his mouth clean, a hand resting against his collarbone.

"Did you take the migraine medicine?" Pidge asked.

"Just a couple minutes ago," Lance rasped. He swallowed as he opened his eyes to look at her, one of his hands he placed on top of hers she had resting against him. She gave him a small smile before pressing a kiss to his forehead. At that he leaned forward resting his head against her shoulder. They sat a moment before Lance adjusted his head to where he had better access to her neck where he placed a kiss. "You're too good to me." He said his lips brushing her skin with every word.

"I'm always going to take care of you." She managed to whisper as she felt her body begin to tremble.

As if sensing it as well Lance's arms wrapped around her lower waist. Weak as they were from him vomiting up half of his guts he still managed to give her one strong reassuring squeeze before they just hung around her waist.

It wasn't long after that they moved to the bed where they spent the rest of the day Lance was in and out of sleep while his Migraine continued to pain him. Pidge was there to encourage liquids down and for her own reassurance that his time hadn't suddenly ended quicker than what they had been told this past time.