Now that I've activated the Lance stans, let's continue. Seriously folks, I was only trying to see if you were paying attention! I'd never dream of hurting our precious blue boy. Also, sorry this update is so much later than most. I recently moved house and only just got my computer hooked up yesterday.

Keith paced through their makeshift camp beside the lions at the end of the castle's bridge. Coleen climbed the somewhat steep incline when she returned from the stream of running water below. She held out a water canteen and Keith took it absentmindedly. Krolia casually tossed his knife from hand to hand and suggested, "Sit still. You're only going to wear yourself out again."

Keith ran his hands through his hair and pulled before sitting on a downed tree. "I can't! I need to be there with him!"

Ulaz tossed a stick on the campfire and said, "The alteans will tell us when he wakes, little one. There is nothing to be done in there that cannot be done here."

Thace added, "Relations between galra and alteans are hostile at best. It is not safe for you inside the castle alone."

Keith looked up incredulously. "She's a princess and he's a middle aged adviser. What could they possibly do to me?"

Krolia frowned and aggressively flipped the knife around in her hand. "Alteans are among the strongest fighters in the universe. What they lack in numbers they make up for in strength. Even the adviser could seriously injure you with little skill and the princess's father was a renowned warrior who led his soldiers at the front-line. He was impulsive and yet did not fall in battle until he fought his former friend. I do not know if he hesitated because of that or not, but the lion chose him as her paladin and that alone tells me King Alfor was greater than he appeared."

Keith looked up at the red lion with wonder. And she had chosen him? How could he live up to that kind of reputation? The blue lion purred and lowered her head onto her paws where she cuddled into the red lion. Keith shook his head with a small smile.

Thace looked between Keith and the lions and grinned. "What are they telling you, young one?"

Keith turned to look at Thace wide eyed. "Huh? How did you..."

Ulaz chuckled and answered, "You are more relaxed when you look at them. It is obvious they adore you."

Coleen put a hand on Keith's thigh and said, "I'm going back to the others, Keith. Don't stay up too late."

Keith nodded and gave her a side hug. When she walked away, Krolia rolled her shoulders and shivered. Then she left as well going to the cruiser instead of the second campfire the other prisoners had made a hundred meters away. Ulaz and Thace shared a look. Keith asked, "What's bothering her?"

Thace shook his head. "It is not something that can be readily fixed."

"So... what is it?"

"Krolia acted without permission." Ulaz looked at the stars and explained, "When she heard the blue lion had been located, she abandoned her post without informing our leader... and she has not contacted him in many pheobs."

Thace finished. "Our mission was a success, yet we are awaiting further orders. Until our leader contacts us, we will remain with the lions of voltron."

Keith scrunched up his nose. "But her insubordination resulted in a win. He can't be mad about that... can he?"

They shared another look and Keith felt a twinge of annoyance at what they weren't telling him. They treated him like a kid, and maybe he didn't understand a lot about their culture, but he wouldn't learn if they didn't tell him! Then a puff of hot air blew his hood back and he looked up to see the red lion over him. She nudged him toward her side, knocking him off the tree he sat on.

Thace and Ulaz laughed and Keith smiled. He used the lion to stand and felt her purr in approval. She was warm in every sense of the word. He said over his shoulder, "I'm heading to bed. See you in the morning."

Thace and Ulaz shared a glance. God, he wished they'd stop doing that. Then the red lion reached out with her paw and extinguished their fire, dragging the red coals across the dirt. Thace and Ulaz knew they were being dismissed. Ulaz stood first and said, "If you hear any news about Lance, come to us first. Understood?"

Keith nodded and climbed over the blue lion's foot. He vanished behind, falling into a small depression with a surprised gasp. The lions had made a bed of sorts for him by piling soft grasses. He looked up into their glowing eyes. Their pleasure that he liked the gift was heavy in his chest. He suppressed a sudden yawn and moved the grasses around until he was buried in the nest. He felt the hood of his armor flutter as the red lion huffed warm air over him. The blue lion curled up protectively, circling him with her body and tail. The red lion laid over her, blocking out the sea of stars and sealing him in the safety of their care.

It was strange not to be afraid, locked in darkness like he'd been aboard the galra cruiser. He had been afraid for so long he'd actually feared he'd be scared for the rest of his life. No matter how short that time might have been. Yeah, he was still terrified Lance wouldn't wake up, but the lions had renewed his courage. They brought him the resolve he thought he'd lost forever. He sighed and closed his eyes, whispering another prayer for everyone back on earth and Lance, asleep in the tower of an otherworldly castle like the handsome prince of a fairy tale.

Keith moaned and wiped at his face. The grass shifted against his cheek and nose. He scrunched up his nose and rubbed. The grass still kept tickling. He stretched and opened his eyes to find a small face inches from his. Giving a yelp in surprise, he reached up trying to catch the culprit. He missed and the rodent bounced off his arm with a flick of its long tail before vanishing amidst the grass.

Keith sat up, careful not to put pressure where he suspected the little creature might be hiding. The grass shifted and he slowly reached out to spread it. What he found was four colorful mice, though they were very unique compared to the field mice he'd caught behind the farmhouse back home. The mouse that had woken him watched him suspiciously, but the other three were still asleep.

Smiling, Keith reached down and offered an empty hand. The mouse crawled slowly toward him before resting its front feet on his fingers. Keith clicked his tongue softly and bent a finger to brush the mouse's head. It ducked and jumped away, grooming itself with its front feet where it sat. Keith carefully scooped the other three mice up in his hands and scooted to the edge of the nest. "You guys should find somewhere else to sleep or I'll accidentally squish you."

The angry mouse hopped after him, bounding off his leg. Keith shook his head and stood. He stretched his arms above his head and looked up at the castle when the red lion sat up. He murmured, "Still nothing, Red?" The lion responded with a low growl only he heard. Sighing, he climbed over the blue lion's foot again and ran a hand along her jaw. "Just rest, Blue. You'll feel better soon."

Keith looked around the plateau. The aliens were still mostly asleep where their fire had died overnight. The ship was still landlocked while Krolia and the others remodeled it to suit their needs. Drones buzzed around it like worker bees on a hive. Nearly two weeks had passed and the hull was just starting to be reconstructed. Keith climbed below the bridge and took a piss. Then he began his morning routine and jogged along the sandy shore of the creek.

It wound around the castle almost like a moat before veering north in a straight line. Keith changed course and finished circling the castle, ending at the end of the bridge where the lions waited patiently. Then he looked again at the castle as if that was enough to wake Lance from his coma. It never worked. He fought back his hopelessness and joined Coleen for breakfast.

Allura stood in the bridge of the castle glaring down where the galra boy sat with the lions. She folded her arms. It wasn't fair. Why had the red lion chosen him? It should have been her! And why was the blue lion so affectionate. It wasn't like he was her pilot, but she acted like it. Allura sighed in frustration.

"You're letting him get to you again, princess."

Allura jumped and turned. Coran was laying on his back working on a console. She walked over and deflected, "I didn't hear you come in. How are repairs to the ship coming along?"

"Not as well as I'd like," Coran admitted while he focused on the crystals he was realigning. "I'm just one mechanic, Allura, and ten thousand deca-pheobs have taken their toll on her."

She shivered and glanced back out the window where the galra woman was now training their kit. "How much longer? I want to be far away from them as soon as possible."

"I imagine she'll be star ready by the end of the pheob... but I doubt it will be so simple." Coran stood and rubbed his hands together to rid himself of dust. Pointing to the cruiser in the distance, he said, "I can't help but wonder what they're doing with that imperial destroyer. Three galra and a kit are hardly enough to crew such a vessel. And then there's the kit himself. His ally is still within our healing pod and the kit doesn't seem like the type to trust us to send the boy on his way when he's better. Plus the lions..."

Allura shivered again. "I hadn't wanted to believe it, but I can no longer doubt that my father's lion..."

Coran put a hand on her shoulder and she leaned into him. He murmured, "Go for a swim. It'll clear your head."

She nodded and walked from the bridge, but her feet didn't take her to the pool. The boy in the pod wore a vacant expression. If not for the steady blip of the monitors, she might have thought him dead. Would he be able to answer her questions? If he was really so close to the other boy, she was not likely to receive an unbiased opinion. Turning on her heel, she hit the lights on her way out.

Keith hefted the pack over one shoulder and walked toward the lions. He felt the eyes of the aliens they'd freed on his back. They all acted so wierd around him and called him paladin. It was easier being with the assassins than them. Which was why he walked to Blue and woke her up by stroking her nose. She rumbled unhappily. Keith gave her a full body hug and coaxed, "Open wide, beautiful. I'm going to clean you up."

She rumbled again and barely opened her mouth. Keith ducked in and made his way to the cockpit. Blood drops had dried forming a macabre trail. A long streak where he'd dragged Krolia out from under the control panel led to a crusted puddle. Keith set his pack down and emptied out the cleaning supplies. When he used warm water, Blue shivered and he echoed the reaction.

Starting with the least mess, he made slow progress. He changed water ten times, Red warming it for her sister's comfort. At last, Keith was satisfied and dried her cockpit. She purred so loudly it made him stumble. He caught himself on the pilot's chair and said, "See, I told you it would be nice."

Emerging a final time, Keith shifted his much lighter pack and stretched. He took a step toward the campfire when chittering stopped him. The four mice looked at him expectantly. The angry one took two steps toward the castle and looked back at Keith over its shoulder. Keith sighed and crouched. "What? You wanna go inside?" He reached out and patted the littlest mouse with a finger. "I want to as well, but it's not allowed. You'll have to get used to sleeping outdoors like the rest of us."

He stood and left, ignoring their insistent squeaking. When he sat beside the fire, the sun was starting to set. Brad was cooking what they'd foraged. Judging by the black smoke rising from the makeshift pot, it wasn't going well. Chad returned with an armload of wood and sat beside Keith.

Keith looked around the circle and asked, "Where's Coleen?"

Brad answered, "She's speaking to that assassin woman. We need a straight answer about when we'll be able to leave."

"If we even can," Chad added under his breath.

Brad glared over the fire at Chad. Keith internally groaned. They were both experienced fighters with a good foot on his height and nearly twice his weight apiece. Keith defused, "Of course we'll be able to leave. Krolia wouldn't be cruel like that."

Chad and Brad relaxed, but then one of the aliens said, "Where is there to go? Earthlings, like all of us, your home is now under galra control. There is nothing but death should you return."

Keith leveled his gaze on the alien, his eyes betraying his annoyance. The alien flinched and looked into the cup it held in both hands. Chad grimaced and folded his arms while Brad stirred the pot with extreme force. Keith stood and pulled up his hood. "I don't speak for anyone except myself, but if I have to kill Zarkon to free my planet, then that's what I'm going to do."

When he walked away, Brad called, "Food will be ready in a few minutes, Keith."

Keith lied, "I lost my appetite," and started jogging. He didn't turn to follow the stream along his usual path this time. The sun's final rays were warm on his back, but even those vanished long before he stopped. He kept running into the night. When he finally stopped on the plain, the lights of the castle were barely visible. He fell over and sprawled out in the grass. The stars were beautiful, but he didn't recognize any of them.

Home. Home was with Adam and Takashi. With the Holts. Training with his friends. Safe... and earth wasn't safe for anyone now.

Keith became aware of a familiar energy approaching. Red's face blocked out the stars as she gazed at him. Her concern hurt his chest and he reached out to her. "I'm sorry, girl. I shouldn't have run off like that."

She rumbled a growl in agreement and laid out behind him. Keith sat and propped his elbows up on her and together they watched the stars until at last Red nudged Keith where he dozed. He nodded awake and yawned, "Alright. We'll go back."

Red hooked the back of his hood with a tooth and lifted him to his feet. Then she carefully placed him in her mouth. She dropped her chin so he was laying against the inside of her teeth and walked slowly so as not to jostle him. She was careful as a mother cat with her kitten. Keith curled up with a smile smile and fell back asleep.

Coleen walked through the gutted bridge of the stolen cruiser. She had to dodge around drones and watch her step while they darted around. Krolia, Thace, and Ulaz were arguing. Coleen hesitated. Perhaps now wasn't the best time. Thace noticed her and cleared his throat. When the others realized she was there, the two men nodded to Krolia and left.

Coleen watched them go and spoke up, "I didn't mean to interrupt."

Krolia casually leaned against the wall and shrugged. "They keep trying to change my mind. If anything, you've brought a welcome reprieve." She smiled and Coleen covered her mouth when she giggled. Krolia blinked and nodded asking, "What may I do for you, Mrs. Holt?"

"Coleen, please. I think we're past formalities by this point." Coleen put a hip against the console in front of Krolia and said, "The others are anxious to leave this planet and I've been delegated as something of a go-between. I'm sorry... but they aren't comfortable because, well..."

"Because my associates and I are galra? Coleen," Krolia tested, "they are hardly the first and I am not so sensitive to be bothered by their prejudices. They are only right to fear us, given their experience."

Coleen frowned and crossed her arms. "It's not right and you shouldn't accept it so easily. You've done more than enough to prove yourself a friend, Krolia."

"Because of Keith?"

Coleen startled and made eye contact. Krolia's eyes were dark and hooded in a vague attempt to hide the fact that she was silently judging Coleen's reaction. She held unwavering, unblinking, eye contact, but it was a look Coleen knew well from another who had been skeptical when she'd first opened up to them. Coleen swallowed and played nervously with her hair. "Krolia, is Keith your son?"

Krolia blinked and looked away to hide the pain Coleen saw in her eyes. "Is it so obvious?"

Coleen's heart ached for her and she shook her head. "No. Not at first. Those people taking care of Lance, when they threatened Keith... I saw some of myself in your actions. And back on earth, you mentioned you were a mother. You said you understood my pain when I was forced to leave my daughter... and now I know it's because you felt the same when you left Keith and his father." Coleen wrung her hands and asked, "Dallas Kogane is his birth father, right?"

Krolia held her breath, closed her eyes, and bit her lip. "Yes," she breathed. "Dal found me after I crashed and saved me. I came to love him. We were so happy when Keith was born, my beautiful baby boy." She covered her mouth and took a shaky breath. "I couldn't protect him then and I couldn't keep him safe when the empire discovered the blue lion. I failed everyone. He must have despised me growing up. Dal..."

Coleen reached out and linked arms with Krolia. She walked her to a chair and reassured, "Keith doesn't hate you. His father told him about you... as much as he could... and he explained that there was something you had to do. He was hurt for a time. After all, what child wants to be told their parent holds something in higher import than them? But Krolia," Coleen insisted, "you are hardly the first parent to go to war to protect their family. He knows you've been fighting now, even if he doesn't realize you're his mother. Give him a chance to accept everything. I'm sure he'll surprise you."

"Coleen..."

Coleen smiled and cleared her throat. She hadn't meant to get emotional, but the woman in front of her clearly loved Keith and his father with everything she had. "Mother to mother, I will support you when you decide to tell him." Coleen took a step back and changed the subject, "Anyway, I should head back to camp. Bradley is a horrible cook."

"Coleen, wait. There's something I've been wanting to give you. I was waiting on one last report and... well, here." Krolia held out a thin sheet of metal about the size of a cell phone.

Coleen took it with a raised eyebrow when it lit up. She gasped and nearly dropped it. Choking back a sudden sob, she looked from the image of her daughter to Krolia and back. She swiped through the pictures of Katie training outside a brick building to her playing on a playground with preschoolers. She was smiling. Then the pictures darkened and she had to squint to pick out Sam and Matt in a cell similar she'd been held in aboard the cruiser.

Krolia explained while Coleen scanned the transmitted order manifests, "Before we sabotaged Sendak's vessel, I copied all empirical movements within a couple dozen systems, including where your husband and son are being taken. It isn't much, but I know Keith will stop at nothing to rescue them and I will help however I can. Keith... spoke a lot of you and your family during his captivity. I can't let everything you've done go unanswered. Coleen? I..."

Coleen embraced Krolia. The taller woman stiffened before relaxing. Coleen smiled bitterly. She really was Keith's mom. Coleen whispered, "Thank you, Krolia. Thank you."

Keith woke up in his nest before dawn. The lions were laying closer than usual. He reached up and held the pendant on the end of the chain around his neck in a fist. They must have been really worried last night. A small scuffling near his side materialized in the form of the four mice emerging from the grass. Keith smiled and shook his head. "Seriously? This is the fourth day in a row."

The angry mouse flicked its tail and hopped onto Keith's chest followed by the others. He used his other hand to cup the two smallest when they looked like they were going to slide off and was surprised when one started licking his fingers. Keith laughed and scolded, "Stop that. It tickles."

The angry mouse crawled up to the neck of his armor and wiggled its nose against his fist. Keith looked at the mouse cross-eyed. "And what do you want, trouble maker?"

The mouse walked around before trying to shove its nose between his fingers around the pendant. Keith sighed and sat up, careful to cradle the mice in his hands. He set them on his thigh and said, "I know it's shiny, but this isn't for you. I'm holding onto it for a friend and it's really important to him."

The smallest mouse reached up toward the necklace and Keith shook his head. Clicking his tongue, he took off the necklace and wrapped the leather thong around his palm. "Here, you can look at it."

The angry mouse and two small mice crowded around his hand crawling across his palm and grabbing the token coin on the end in their tiny paws. The lions shifted and Keith got a look at the castle before they settled back to sleep. "Lance... when are you going to wake up, buddy?"

"Ow!" A sharp pain on his hand made him look down where the angry mouse had bitten him while the large mouse bit through the leather thong. The smallest mouse took hold of the coin in its teeth and dove into the nest. The rest of the mice scattered.

"No, no, no! Fuckers, get back here!" He ransacked the nest, but they had vanished. Red startled awake at the commotion and Keith quickly stood. Looking over Blue's foot, he saw the mice scampering toward the castle. Without a second thought, he vaulted over Blue and sprinted after them.

Inside the castle, he scanned the front entry before spotting them on the staircase. "I told you to stop!" He chased them, but somehow they'd gotten a ridiculous head start. Not even questioning why he was talking to mice, he begged, "Please, stop!"

The littlest mouse looked back at him, it's eyes gleaming above the coin in its mouth, and darted into a room. Keith slid around the corner, one hand on the door frame, to see the four mice sitting on the floor in front of Lance in the healing pod. The stolen coin sat before them with careful consideration. Keith's throat hurt as he gasped for air and entered the room. When he knelt to pick up the coin, the mice scattered again.

Keith secured it to the thong and slipped it back over his head before looking at Lance. The bruise on his temple was gone and his ribs were no longer purple and blue, but there was no other signs of improvement. Keith's eyes watered as his emotions suddenly overwhelmed him. He sat beside the pod and leaned his head into it the way he'd leaned into Lance all those weeks aboard the cruiser. "Hey, man."

Allura was brushing her hair in front of the mirror in her bedroom when a strange scampering caught her attention. Twitching her ear, she looked to the doorway where a mouse sat watching her. It was an altean species, one she'd frequently had as a pet growing up. Seeing itself spotted, the mouse squeaked and took off running. Allura set her brush down and moved stealthily to the door. Looking around the corner, she saw the mouse turn down another hall.

She followed it out of boredom and curiosity. It frequently looked back as if to make sure she was still following it. When she had cornered it, she finally noticed a man's soft voice. The mouse squeaked and dodged between her legs. Allura watched as it entered the med-bay and looked at her expectantly. Caution jumping to the forefront, Allura silently padded to the door and glanced inside.

That galra boy had snuck inside and sat beside his friend's healing pod. Glistening tear tracks traced one cheek. Allura heard him say, "I know it's unfair to say this, but you have to wake up, Lance. I... I need you to wake up. This is too much for me on my own. The lions, the empire, the blades... Lance, please, I need you to help me make sense of it all. I need my sharpshooter, my best friend, the guy I trust to watch my back above everyone else." He sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve before folding his arms on his knees and resting his forehead on them. His voice broke as he said even quieter, "Please, Lance... I can't lose you too. You're the only one I have left."

Allura ducked back into the hall and covered her mouth. Her eyes stung with sympathetic tears. A mouse squeaked beside her foot and she gasped. The boy's emotional rambling came to an abrupt halt and he called, "Hello? Is someone there?"

Allura considered running away. He surely didn't know his way around the castle and she could find somewhere to hide. Then again, this was her castle. Her home. Allura lifted her chin and stood in the doorway. The boy stood before the pod angled to defend with his fists raised. When he saw her, he instantly stood and asked with wide eyes, "Princess?"

Allura adopted her mother's courtly countenance and kept her expression neutral. "Yes, it is I. How did you get in here?"

The boy's ears flushed bright red and he stuttered, "I-The mice. They stole something from me and I... chased them here."

"The mice?" Allura asked with a laugh in her skeptic question.

The boy turned away. "I haven't lied to you once, Princess."

It was Allura's turn to blush in embarrassment. She turned to walk away and challenged, "How can I believe a galra?" She saw him flinch from the corner of her vision and said, "Since I seem unable to keep you out, boy, I'll permit you to visit your friend. Though once my castle is fully repaired, we will be going our separate ways."

"I, uh, thank you, Princess." His genuine tone made Allura's blush burn her cheeks and she started to walk away when he asked, "Please, just... is he getting better?"

Allura hesitated before entering the med-bay. Pulling up the charts, she examined the readings as much as she knew how. "Heart rate and brain waves normalized three quintants after treatment began. Muscle tissue had mended as well. The pods are mysterious instruments, boy. They heal in their own time and I am untrained in all of their functions, but yes, your friend is improving."

The boy sighed and ran his hands down his face in relief. "Thank god." His legs gave out and he sat abruptly beside the pod again.

"I must leave you now, boy. There are things I intend to see to."

When she was down the hall, he called, "It's Keith."

Allura turned to see the boy leaning out the door. She felt a smile twitch at her lip and smothered it before he could notice. "I know." She watched him tilt his head before shaking it and ducking once more into the med-bay. Allura returned to her room to find not one, but three mice sitting at her vanity. She sat in the chair and reached out to pat one on the head. "Did you lead him inside? All by yourselves?"

A strange pulse in her temples made her gasp and she looked down at the mice in surprise. The little one that had led her to the boy nodded firmly and Allura let out a shaky laugh. "Oh my. I guess this means I'll have to pay close attention to him in the days ahead. Keith, the galra kit who bonded to the red lion."