Voltron the Next Generation
Chapter 5
"A New Friend"
By Cindra
Notes: I put colons between conversations noting silent thought between two characters.
' Is what I call the Heartlink or private communication between two characters usually a couple. Or rarely parent to sibling. (This is usually the way that soul mates talk to each other when they don't want anyone to know what they are saying.)
( )Twin link can't be heard by anyone but the other twin…or only if someone is extremely strong in his or her mental abilities.
** or italics That represents thoughts of the characters.
(Planet Triton)
Jenna watched her grandfather plotting with her Uncles, Jacen, and her parents over how to abduct Princess Andromeda and her unborn twins. She secretly wished that all of her family's hobbies didn't include unlawful activities.
Jace seemed to thrive on their family's evil ways and she felt no connection with him at all, which seemed strange considering that he was her fraternal twin.
"Jenna? What do you think of our little plan?" Kari glanced over at her daughter.
Jenna wasn't paying any attention to what her mother was saying and didn't move from where she was curled up on a pile of cushions on the mosaic tiled floor of her Grandfather's War Room.
"Jenna Michelle! Your mother asked you a question! Now stop daydreaming and get your little ass over here!" Rand ordered his daughter.
She ignored him.
"Jenna Michelle!" Rand got up from where he was sitting and stalked over to her. "Now!" He roared down at her.
Jenna snapped her eyes open and glared up at her father.
"Whatever, father!" She got up from the cushion and walked over to view the plan on the holo-projector.
"Oh Please! This is Uncle Keith and Aunt Allura's daughter that you're trying to nab! Do you people honestly believe that she wouldn't see through that ludicrous plan?" Jenna rolled her eyes in disgust at her family.
"Why can't all of you face the fact that this stupid grudge between Uncle Keith and Daddy is childish? Daddy can't even best him without cheating! I wish that all of you would stop using every excuse to fuel your hate, because it never gets any of you anywhere but prison! You people must enjoy confinement, but I for one am not about to carry on this family's grudge against everyone on Arus!" Jenna finished saying what was on her mind and vanished from the room.
"What the hell did you do to my daughter!?" Rand began to throttle King Tasian.
"I've done nothing! She's headstrong just like you!" The old king gasped for air.
"Jenna isn't like you and I. She measures every situation and tends to lean towards whatever side is winning. She is very much her own person, who refuses to fit into anyone's mold." Kari tried to explain why she was acting this way.
"She sounds like she's on Uncle Keith's side." Jace snarled.
"She never has been able to listen to anything that we've been trying to teach her." Devon watched, as his father fell lifeless to the floor.
"She's a stubborn little brat, but I don't see that as any problem when it comes to our plan." Shaitan frowned at Jace.
"I say that we rid ourselves of the other weak link. That way she won't turn on us later." Jace sneered.
"Jacen, she would only end up hurting you." Kari sighed.
"She isn't even a match for me." Jace glared at his mother.
(Why you insolent, little brat) Jenna hissed in his mind. (I dare you to say that to me face-to-face!)
Jace's face paled when she shouted her threat in his mind.
(Arus two months later)
Everyone on Arus was outside having fun at the annual Independence Day celebration. Lance's eldest son, eleven and a half year-old Matthew, was showing off his new flying skills in Red Lion. The twins, now ten, were showing their natural talent in the Green and Blue lions, and Nate and Chris kept a close eye on the three of them in the other two lions.
Andy and Eric watched from the castle's main balcony with her parents and sisters. "They aren't half bad for beginners." Eric commented on their flying exercises.
"They have no sense of teamwork. Drew does something and then Tony tries to best him. If they don't learn to compromise, they'll never make any of the teams." Andy watched with a critical eye.
"So you did learn something from all of your experiences." Keith grinned at his daughter.
Andy arched an eyebrow at her father. "Oh Please, Daddy! If I hadn't learned to compromise would I have ever married my darling husband?"
"Very funny, Andy," Eric kissed the top of her head. "What about your midnight adventures of sleep flying?"
"Can I help it if I unconsciously, under no control of my own, fly Blacky." She blushed crimson.
"That's okay, dearest. I had your mother talk with the ghost of your grandfather and the lions no longer respond or activate when you're in them." Eric growled softly.
"That was very protective of you, Eric."
"I was merely concerned for your safety, darling."
"I will not be caged, Eric!" Andy hissed. "I'm not a fragile piece of glass and I still carry my toys wherever I go! Let's just get one thing clear, mister! I can protect myself and our twins without being a ninja!" Andy vanished to go work off her temper.
"Oh no, you don't."' Eric went after her.
"This has been an interesting two months." Allura leaned her head against Keith's shoulder.
"I used to envy Andy for what she'd become, but now because of the twins that she's carrying, she's the most wanted prize in the far galaxy." Ariel sighed. "I only wish that she could enjoy her pregnancy, instead of fighting to protect it."
Andy sketched the waterfall, while she quietly sang to her babies. Art had become her new love and she was quite good at it.
"Your Daddy can be such a pain sometimes. I wish that he would give me some breathing room." Andy spoke to her twins.
"I love your father dearly, but he panics if I so much as sneeze these days." She put down her pencil and rubbed her rounding middle.
"Are you listening to me, my darlings, because your mommy feels a little lost at the moment?"
The babies kicked her in response.
"Oh!" She gasped in surprise when they kicked her again. "You're kicking!' She laughed because it tickled.
"Andromeda, we have to talk." Eric sat down on the blanket beside her.
"Uh-oh! Daddy's grouchy, babies," She told them and they kicked again. "That tickles!" She laughed and the twins settled down.
"Andy, I haven't touched you." Eric frowned at her, as if she was on the verge of having yet another mood swing.
"Give me your hand." She grinned impishly at him.
"Why? What're you gonna do?" Eric asked warily.
She didn't say anything, she just placed his hand on her middle, but nothing happened.
"Hmmm, I guess they don't wanna talk to you."
Eric frowned at her in confusion. "What are you talking about, Dromi? They can't talk. They aren't even born yet."
"I think that we upset Daddy, babies." She told them and they kicked her again. "Eric, lay your head down on my tummy and say something to them."
"You've flipped, Andy, but I'll humor you." Eric sighed.
"Now what?" He frowned, intently listening to two strong heart beats and then some swishing movement. "This is weird." He concentrated on the lives growing inside her.
"Say hello to them."
"This is your Daddy, are you two okay in there?" Eric felt very foolish, until the babies kicked in response to his voice. "They kicked you!" He grinned excitedly then lifted his head off her tummy and kissed her.
"I know, darling. I'm the one who was kicked." She laughed and kissed him back.
"We need to celebrate this moment." Eric eased her down onto the blanket.
She put her arms around his neck and looked adoringly up into his eyes. "I love you for doing this to me. This is the most wonderful experience of my life."
"Oh, but it gets much better." Eric went to show her exactly what he meant.
-
(Triton)
Jenna prepared to sneak away from the palace. She took everything that she treasured and stashed it inside one of her father's smaller ships. She had decided to live with her other Grandfather for a while. She needed to meet her cousin Andromeda, so she could make sure the next generation of their kind was protected from her father's foolish and evil ways.
"Going somewhere?" Jace leaned against the side of the ship.
Jenna responded by punching him in the chest. "This does not concern you, Jacen. Now be a good little boy and run along and play." She hissed at him.
Jace retaliated, but she easily blocked all of his moves. "You're defecting to Uncle Keith aren't you?!"
"I'm merely going off on an adventure and you can't come!" She kicked him twice across his face.
"Father won't like this!" Jace spat blood from the gash on his lip.
"Who's gonna stop me, Jacen? The entire palace is under the influence of sleeping gas. So that only leaves you." Jenna knocked out her twin with a right cross to his jaw.
"You're an embarrassment, Jacen Michael! I seriously doubt that you'll even make it to see fourteen." She dragged him back into the palace.
-
(A few days later on Earth)
Jenna landed the shuttle on the landing pad next to her grandfather's home. *Well, here goes nothing.* She thought, now that she stood on the front steps facing the front door of her Grandpa's home.
It opened before she could even use the intercom. "Hello, Grandfather, I felt that we should meet each other." She stared up into sapphire eyes identical to her own.
"You look like Kari, but are you like her or your own person?" Michael was blunt and to the point.
"I have no intention of following in my parents footsteps. I only follow my own instincts or I go with plans when I know I will win." Jenna frowned at him in annoyance.
"So what side of the coin are you on?" Michael didn't like her answer or her attitude.
"I'm on my own side, Grandfather. Which is usually the winning side and from what I've seen that has and always will be on your side of the coin." She was tired and wasn't in the mood for the third-degree.
"So you've come to see how the other side lives have you." Michael felt a headache coming on.
"Look, I might be thirteen, but I can be a very good asset for you while my cousin is in her delicate condition." Jenna smiled at him.
"So you inherited your father's skill?"
"I make Daddy look like a rank amateur." She snapped. "Put me through any test and I will match the best scores."
"I trusted your mother and she betrayed me, Keith, and an entire planet. Why should I trust you?" He watched to see how she reacted to his words.
"I am not my mother and you need me to keep my cousin and the twins safe. Look at me! We look so much alike that we could be sisters." She winked at him.
"One chance, Jenna, because I really want to get to know you." He ushered her into his home.
Jenna threw her arms around him and hugged him. "You won't regret this, Grandpa!" She was so happy.
"This isn't going to be easy, young lady. You have a lot to prove to me, before I even let you anywhere near Andy." Michael reminded her as he returned her hug. "But I believe that you mean every word, so I'll trust you."
Andrew and Tony stumbled sleepily into the living room. "What's wrong, Gramps?" They yawned in unison.
"Nothing's wrong, boys. Your cousin has come to live with me for a while." Michael waited for them to react.
"Hi, boys!" Jenna winked at them.
"She could be Dromi's younger twin." Drew stared wide-eyed at Jenna.
"She's cute. Too bad Matt's gotta attend class at the new academy instead of here, but then he's so serious that he wouldn't even notice she's a girl." Tony smirked.
"Matt chose to attend the new academy on Arus because the two of you drive him insane." Michael ruffled his grandson's hair fondly. "Besides, he's years ahead of you and not nearly half as wild."
"Nah, gramps. We just like ta have fun. Besides, we're not the crowned prince of anything, so we don't have ta be soooo serious all the time." Tony rolled his eyes at his gramps.
"Hey, speak for yourself, Tony. I at least pay attention in class." Drew growled. "And, Tony, just because we're not next in line doesn't mean that we're not supposed to stay out of trouble or act like princes when we have to."
"Yeah, whatever, Drew…I'm going back ta bed." Tony yawned, not wanting to get into it with his twin about his tendency to wind up in their Uncle's office more often than not. "Welcome to the family, Jenna."
"Yeah. Jenna, it's nice to know that at least one of the dark side of the family's kids is one of the good guys." Drew flushed a shade of red when Jenna hugged him.
"Night, cousin. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Drew." She whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek.
"Uh, yeah, sure not a problem…" Drew grinned at her then flashed his twin a she likes me more look.
"Hey, I like it that you're a good guy too." Tony sulked.
"Enough, you two, back to bed." Michael ended their little competition leading Jenna out of the entryway. "Jenna, I'll show you to your room."
"Night, Tony," Jenna blew him a kiss.
(Two months later Arus)
Keith was surprised by his Dad's surprise visit. "So you have a new recruit for us and she almost matched Andy's scores. Does this mystery kid have a name?" He arched a brow at his father and waited for an answer.
"Jenna Michelle Edwards." Michael watched him for any reaction to Jenna's last name.
"I don't remember a Jenna back home? Who is she, father?" Keith narrowed his eyes at him.
"Don't get upset when I tell you that she happens to be my granddaughter." Michael winced when Keith hit the roof.
"What! No way, Dad!"
"Hello, your majesty or should I say Uncle Keith. May I say something on my behalf?" She asked quietly. She was wearing a senior cadet uniform and was a junior officer.
"My Gods! You...you look like my daughter!" Keith exclaimed in surprise.
"My parentage has nothing to do with who I am. I have no intention of carrying on the family feud. I like the way I feel inside whenever I do something to help others." She explained to a now dumbfounded Keith.
"She seems like she's sincere and you trust her." Keith pinned his father with a look.
"She has my complete trust, even Jeff and Mark were impressed by her and she's barely thirteen." Michael tried to get Keith to give her a chance, but Keith still didn't know if he could trust his niece.
Eric and Andy breezed into her father's royal chambers.
"Grandpa!" Andy exclaimed in delight and ran into her grandfather's arms for a hug.
Eric stared at Jenna like he was seeing double. "Hello, sir." He at least managed to get that out. It was like looking at Andy as a teenager again.
Andy noticed Jenna and frowned at her, "Hello and you are?" She asked a little too quietly.
"I'm senior cadet and junior officer Jenna Michelle Edwards," Jenna didn't know whether she should curtsy or salute her as she stared back at Andy.
"So you're Aunt Kari's daughter." Andy's face lit up in delight. "It's about time someone realized that they didn't have to follow in their parent's footsteps." Andy instantly sensed a kindred spirit in her cousin.
"I have no interest in carrying on the family feud. I like helping people." She smiled, instantly warming to her idol and hopefully newfound friend.
Another family member entered Keith's chambers. "You sent for me, Uncle Keith?" Matt asked.
"Matt, I would like you to meet Senior Cadet Jenna Michelle Edwards." Keith watched as Matt turned to greet Jenna and the kid for once in his life was speechless.
"Hello, your highness." Jenna stared curiously at Matt, who was well on the way to looking exactly like his father. *So this is Matt is it, well, he's not even a teenager yet and he's already a hottie!*
"Call me, Matt." The boy finally managed to speak, he was too busy staring at Jenna. *She's as Tony would say HOT!*
"Matthew, do you think that you can take Jenna up with you in Red lion?" Eric had to repeat himself twice.
"What? Oh sure, Eric. No problem, follow me, Jenna." He motioned for her to follow him out of the room.
She smiled and followed him ….into the hallway.
"I think Matt's enchanted by our new recruit." Eric chuckled in amusement.
"Andy? Do you trust Jenna?" Keith asked seriously.
She turned to look over at him and said. "She isn't like Rand. She's in this for her own reasons and she just fell for Matthew. When did the two of you meet?" She looked up at her grandfather.
"She came to me and told me point-blank that she likes to be on the winning team and that she hated everything that her father stood for. She then proceeded to damn near match all of your academy scores at barely thirteen no less. She's a natural just like you and it gives me hope that not all of my daughter's children will turn out as bad as their parents."
"So Jenna's gonna be my shadow? That is what you have in mind isn't it?" Andy frowned up at Michael.
"Yes, Andromeda, she seems to respect you, and sees you sort of like an honoree big sister." He frowned at his granddaughter, who was pouting at him.
"Then I guess it's a good thing that I like her isn't it. She must have impressed you to let her near me and my precious cargo." She padded her very pregnant belly lovingly.
"She had better be on the up and up or I will have your hide if anything happens to Andy." Eric was still not sure about trusting Jenna.
"She's been preventing them from getting near this planet or Andy for the past month, so I would say that she's passed all of her tests with flying colors." Michael told him.
"Don't worry, Grandpa. We'll take excellent care of her." Andy kissed him on the cheek.
"I will take excellent care of her. You will take it easy." Keith glared at her.
"Yes, Daddy." Andy pouted at him.
"We love you, angel." Eric handed her a cookie.
"I hate being out of the loop." She continued to pout, as she munched on her cookie.
"There you are." Ashley stuck her head in the open doorway. "We're going shopping for baby stuff."
"I wanna stay and listen." She protested when Ashley pulled out of the room.
"No stress! No Team! And that's final!" Ashley dragged her with her down the corridor.
(Triton a few weeks later)
Rand threw his spy into the wall when he finally came back with a report on where his daughter had disappeared to.
"She's where!" He bellowed.
"On Arus and is now a member of the Galaxy Garrison, my master." The poor fool answered him after he hit the wall.
"No child of mine defects to the enemy's side and lives to tell about it!" Rand began to trash the War Room, giving into the urge to tear something apart.
"She also seems to be attracted to young Prince Matthew and has also befriended Princess Andromeda." The idiot continued with his findings.
Rand hated anyone that dared to bring him bad news and decided to rid himself of his spy by shooting him right between the eyes with a phaser. "Next time I want to hear good news!" Rand stalked out of the room. He was going to go get his daughter back and he was going to do it today.
(Arus)
Andy stood quietly in the entrance to the castle's gym, where Jenna was intensely practicing ninjitsu against a solid hologram of her father. The girl was losing, because she was drawing from the hate that she was feeling towards him.
"Relax, Jen, don't let the anger that you have for your father cloud your mind." She spoke quietly to her cousin.
Jenna didn't like the idea that she was being watched and ended her session. "He doesn't cloud my mind, Andy. Besides, this is just a program not actual combat." She snapped in her defense.
"Calm down, Jen. I just want to help you. I know that you're feeling frustrated. I want to help you get beyond those feeling of anger and hate that you feel towards your family, so you can continue with your training with a clear mind." Andy tried to be patient with the girl.
"Explain to me, Andromeda, How it's even possible for me to shut out those feelings? My whole life has been one big lie!" She cried in frustration, tears streaming down her face. "My mother hid me quite nicely. I never knew my father, my twin, my uncle, and I barely know my own mother! I hate who my parents are and it's too strong to just ignore!"
:Calm yourself and I will show you!: Andy snarled back. "Now come over to where I'm sitting and sit down in front of me on the mat." She ordered.
"This isn't gonna work, Dromi." Jen muttered under her breath, but sat down in a lotus position in front of her cousin.
Andy was a little over six months pregnant and the twins were developing right on schedule. "Relax, Jenna, now I want you to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and focus on clearing your mind of the hate that you feel towards your family."
"I feel really dumb, Dromi, this never works for me!" She hissed at her cousin.
:Shut up and do as I say!:
"Sorry." She whimpered shakily and did as she was told.
"Breathe in and then exhale slowly, while focusing on a nice calm thought." She directed her cousin with a soft, but firm voice.
Jenna found that, after only a few minutes of meditating, her whole body relaxed and all of her anger had melted away. "This is awesome, I actually feel energized." She smiled.
"Isn't this feeling better than any hate that you were feeling a little while ago? What you have to understand is that it's ok to lose. I know that it can be frustrating, but it's all right." She opened her eyes and looked into Jenna's eyes.
The girl frowned at the thought of losing in anything, but slowly understood what Andy was trying to teach her. "I understand what you're trying to say, but it won't be easy to change how I feel."
"That's all I ask of you, Jenna. Now please do me a major favor and help me up." Andy grinned sheepishly at her cousin.
Jenna grinned, as she helped her up to her feet. "You do have quite a load there, Dromi."
"You try carrying these two insomniacs around and see how you like it. Honestly, they sleep all day and party all night." Andy sighed, patting her belly tenderly.
"I pass." Jenna put her hand on Andy's belly and the twins kicked her in response.
"So what are you gonna do today?"
"Matt and I are going riding." She sighed dreamily.
"You two really hit it off didn't you?" Andy grinned when Jenna blushed.
"I'll escort you to Ashley's office. I believe that you have an appointment with her in a few minutes." Jenna changed the subject.
Andy merely shrugged her shoulders in defeat, "And how did you know about that?" She frowned at her.
Jenna winked at her. "I know your whole schedule." She laughed when Andy muttered something profane under her breath and stalked from the room.
Allana and Allura watched while Lilly and Shawn played tag in the castle maze. The poor little boy didn't have a chance, because Lilly was showing that she had a knack for finding her prey.
"You're not playing fair!" Shawn snarled when she chased him into a corner.
"You it!" She tagged him.
"You cheat!" He accused then vanished from her sight.
"Come back here, Shawn!" Lilly shouted.
"No way! You're cheating!" He growled back from his perch on one of the tall hedges.
"I get you anyway!" She began to climb up the hedge.
"Lilly, get down from there!" Allura ordered her child.
"No! I get Shawn!" She kept on climbing, "You'll be mine!" She tried to reach for his leg, but lost her footing and fell to the ground.
"Lilly!" Allura and Allana ran over to where she had fallen.
"I hate you, Shawn! You make me fall!"
Shawn jumped down to the grass and knelt beside Lilly. "You okay, Lilly?" He whimpered, as he looked down at his injured best friend. She had scrapes on her legs and arms and she was bleeding.
"I'm hurt!" She wailed, tears streamed down her cheeks.
"You're bleeding!" Shawn burst into tears, because he knew that he was in trouble.
"Lilly. Where does it hurt, baby?" Allura dabbed at some of her scrapes with a hanky.
"My arm hurts, Mommy!" She wailed when Allana tried to move her.
"It's going to be okay, baby." Allura tried to soothe her.
"I'm sorry she got hurt!" Shawn hiccupped between sobs.
"You're fine, Shawn. Lilly is at fault here, not you." Allura told him.
"Mommy, you hate me!" Lilly began crying even harder.
"Did I tell you to get down?" Allura frowned at her child.
"Yes, Mommy." Lilly sniffled.
"Did you listen?" She asked.
"No, Mommy." She whimpered.
"That's right you didn't listen and you fell and hurt yourself. Now let's get you to Ashley so she can fix you up and you'll be all better." Allura carefully picked her up and carried her back into the castle.
"Daddy!" Lilly wailed, as they entered the castle, where Keith was waiting in the entryway. "I'm hurt, Daddy!"
"I can see that, angel." Keith told her softly, "What happened, darling?" He asked Allura.
"She chased Shawn up one of the hedges in the maze. After I told her not to, tried to follow him up the hedge, fell off, and hurt herself." Allura explained.
"Lilly, we're going to talk later." Keith frowned down at his little girl.
"Now you hate me!" She wailed, "My arm hurts, Daddy!" She screamed in pain when Keith took her out of Allura's arms.
"It's okay, baby, we'll get you all better." Keith kissed her on the top of her golden curls.
Andy was just finishing her check-up when Shawn raced to his Daddy sitting outside Ashley's office talking to Eric.
"Hey, little man. Who are you hiding from?" Darian asked his little boy hiding behind his chair.
"Lilly got hurt." The little boy whimpered.
Keith was carrying Lilly in his arms.
Ashley and Andy heard Lilly's wails and went to see what was wrong.
"What happened to her, Daddy?" Andy frowned at her father.
"She had a fight with a very tall hedge in the garden maze and the hedge won." He walked past them and set her down on the examine table in Ashley's office.
"I hurt, Daddy, make it stop!" She cradled her injured arm with her other arm.
"It's okay, sweetie. I'm going to help you. Now where does it hurt?" Ashley spoke to her using a gentle and soothing voice.
"I hurt make it stop!"
"Yes, Lilly, but where does it hurt?" She asked again.
"My arm hurts!"
"Okay, angel, let's look and see what you did to your arm." Ashley carefully moved Lilly's arm and scanned it with a med-scanner. Lilly had broken her arm in two places. "That's a really bad owie, Lilly. Let's fix that up first and then I'll tend to your scrapes, okay?"
"Okay, Ash." Lilly whimpered.
"That's my girl. This is going to hurt, baby."
"I'm brave."
"Now close your eyes, this will only take a second." When Lilly had her eyes closed Ash gave her a shot to deaden any of her pain. "All better now?"
"All better." Lilly sniffled, opening her eyes to watch as Ash and her nurse set her arm.
"Good girl! Keith, you may give her one of those big lollipops over there in the jar on my desk if that's ok with you." Ashley smiled at Lilly.
"Here, angel," Keith gave her one of the lollipops and then handed Shawn one too.
"I got hurt! He no needs candy!" Lilly screeched in protest at Shawn.
"Young lady, behave yourself!" Keith growled down at her.
"But, Daddy!"
"Lillian Allura Edwards!" Keith roared down at her.
"You hate me too!"
"I do not, sweetie, but you're in big trouble."
"She already got hurt! Isn't that enough of a punishment, Daddy?" Andy glared at her father.
"No it isn't enough and I want you to stay out of this." Keith glared at Andy.
"But, Daddy!" Andy protested.
"But nothing! She disobeyed your mother and she's going to be punished for it!" Keith snarled. "Now, I don't want to hear one more word about it! Is that understood?"
Andy nodded her head.
"She's hurt! Don't punish her!" Shawn glared at Keith.
"Shawn, she isn't supposed to be climbing the hedge." Keith tried to explain to the boy.
"It's my fault! I had to get away! She chases me and then won't let go!"
"It's okay, little guy. You're fine. No one is angry with you." Darian rocked him in his arms.
"Let me down, Daddy. I wanna see Lilly." Shawn calmed down and wriggled out of his father's arms. "I'm sorry, Lilly."
"My fault, Shawn," She whimpered.
"No it's our fault, Lilly." He climbed up onto the table and hugged her.
"Now that's worth capturing on holo-disc." Eric pulled out his holo-cam and captured the moment.
Jenna and Matt were having a picnic on the lake.
"Do you miss your family?"
"I miss them a lot, but they call me every night and tell me about their day." Matt shrugged his shoulders, as he looked over at Jenna. "Do you miss yours?"
"I have no family, except for Grandfather, and everyone here on Arus." Jenna looked away from him, focusing her gaze on the crystal clear water of the lake.
Rand from his hiding place perched on a limb in the tree directly under where they had decided to have their picnic. *You are going home where you belong! * Rand glared down at his child in silent fury.
"That's right, Jen. We're your family now." Matt gave her a hug and then kissed her on her cheek.
"Get your hands-off my daughter!" Rand jumped from the tree and tackled Matt.
"Jenna! Get out of here!" Matt shouted at her.
"Let him go!" Jenna shouted at her father.
"I don't think so, Jenna Michelle. I intend to rid you of your infatuation with this young fool!" Rand had his sword against Matt's throat.
"I'm warning you, father! Let him go!"
"Or what, little one? Are you going to hurt me?" Rand laughed at her.
"Yes!"
"In that dress, with no weapon to defend yourself, I don't think so."
"I don't need a weapon to best you, father!"
"Excuse me, while I teach my wayward child a lesson." He hit Matt in the head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him unconscious.
"Matthew!" Jenna screamed. "You are going to pay for hurting him!" She ran at Rand in a blind rage.
"Bad move, sweetie." Rand easily threw her over his shoulder and she landed hard on the grass.
"How's this, father!" She grabbed a fistful of sand and threw it in his face.
"Not bad, but then I have something even better." Rand threw a flash ball on the grass.
"Sorry, Daddy, did I miss something?" Jenna asked from where she was perched up in the tree.
"Impressive. You are as good as your mother says you are." He watched as she vaulted backward from the tree limb and landed on her feet.
"Yes, daddy, that is correct! I am good and I like being a good guy!" Jenna grinned at her father.
"That is going to change, because I'm taking you back home!" Rand threw a drug tipped star at her and missed.
"Surely, you can aim better than that, Daddy, because I know I can!" She recovered the star and then sent it back at Rand, easily hitting him in his arm.
"Touché, Jenna." He growled, as he flung six stars in rapid succession at her.
Jenna barely managed to avoid being hit by them, by hitting the grass and letting them fly over her body.
"Stay still, brat!" Rand snarled
"Go back home, Daddy! You aren't wanted here!" She sent him sprawling to the grass with three spin kicks to his face.
"This isn't over, Jenna! I will get you back!" He vanished.
*Not in this lifetime, Daddy! * Jenna thought and ran over to see just how badly her father had hurt Matt.
"Matthew? Please wake up." She pleaded softly to his motionless form. "You're bleeding!" Jenna saw that he had a gash on his head and willed herself to remain calm.
"Please open your eyes, Matt! You're scaring me!" She ripped her skirt, so she could use the material to bandage his head.
"What hit me?" He groaned, his voice laced with pain.
"Open your eyes." Jenna had his head cradled in her lap.
"Are there suppose to be three of you?" Matt felt like his head was going to come off.
"No! This is my fault! You wouldn't have been hurt if my father hadn't come after me." She whimpered, as tears streamed down her face.
"Did he hurt you?" Matt reached up and brushed away a tear from her cheek.
"No. I'm fine, Matthew." She managed a weak smile.
"I don't blame him you know." Matt growled softly, as he looked up into her eyes.
"Why?" She sniffled.
"I wouldn't wanna let you go either." Matt grinned at her.
"You don't care that Rand is my father?" She whimpered.
"You had no control over how you came to be and you wouldn't be who you are today if Kari and Rand hadn't been your parents." Matt tried to sit up, but it made his head ache even worse.
"I like you, Matt." She helped him to his feet.
"I like you too, Jen." He grinned back at her. "I don't think that riding is such a good idea right now." He realized that he was too disoriented to ride back to the castle.
Jen slapped each of the horses on their rumps. "Go back to the stables, you two. Matt and I are going to have to walk home or do you want me to go get help?" Jenna eyed him worriedly.
"No! Besides, walking won't hurt me." Matt didn't want to call anyone for help. He couldn't protect Jenna that was bad enough.
Jenna sensed that he wasn't being truthful with her. "Fine, we'll walk home. But, if you're only doing this so you won't injure your bruised ego, I will deck you myself!" She glared at him.
"Would I do that?" Matt put his arm around her shoulder.
"Guys will do anything to prevent their own humiliation."
"Ouch, Jenna, that was really cold," Matt grinned sheepishly.
"No it wasn't, Matthew. I was merely stating the truth." She grinned back.
Andy sat in what Eric had made into a beautiful nursery for their baby girls. She was reading Lilly a bedtime story as she rocked her to sleep.
"I'm not sleepy." Lilly yawned.
"Yes you are, Lilly. You've had a very long day." Andy smiled down at her baby sister.
"I'm in big trouble." Lilly babbled sleepily.
"Yes you are, but then you learned a very valuable lesson today and that was?"
"Never ever climb the hedge again." She drifted off to sleep.
Eric, who had been standing in the doorway watching Andy with her baby sister, walked into the nursery. "You're a natural." He walked over and kissed his wife.
"How long have you been standing there?" Andy smiled up at him.
"For about a half hour, I just couldn't take my eyes off you holding Lilly in your arms." He growled hoarsely, as his emotions overwhelmed him.
*You silly, Daddy! * The two unborn babies were awakened by their father's voice and told them so.
"Eric, what's wrong?" Andy saw that tears were shining in his eyes.
"Nothing, my darling, I have never been happier in my whole life." He kissed her again before he carefully took Lilly out of her arms.
She cuddled against his chest.
"I love you." She blew him a kiss.
"I'll be right back." He grinned down at her and then left the room to put Lilly to bed in one of the guestrooms.
"I'll be here." She called back to him.
*Rock us, Mommy! * The twins began to do summer salutes in her womb.
"Are you still awake?" Andy sighed and began rocking in the rocker again, while gently rubbing her belly.
Eric came back into the nursery to get her. "Are our insomniacs awake again?" He knelt down in front of her.
"They were fine until you started talking to me." Andy frowned down at him.
"Is that right, then maybe I can fix the problem?" He grinned up at her.
"What are you up to?"
"Just relax and let me take care of everything." He kissed her on the tip of her nose.
"That's what scares me."
"Ha, Ha, very funny, now close your eyes and relax." He frowned at her and she did as she was told.
*What are you up to, Daddy? * The babies moved around excitedly when Eric touched Andy's belly.
"You're waking them up even more, Eric!" She groaned.
"Listen, girls, give your Mommy a break by going back to sleep and I might sneak your Mommy some chocolate." He growled against her belly.
*We try, Daddy.* the twins settled back down to sleep.
"I love you so much, Eric." Andy smiled down at him.
"I know." Eric swept her up into his arms and carried her into their room. "I think the twins aren't the only ones that need a nap."
"You take such good care of me." She sighed happily.
"That's because I love taking care of you and our unborn baby girls." Eric had her cuddled in his arms.
"And I love being taken care of by their Daddy." Andy drifted off to sleep.
"Uncle Keith!" Jenna shouted for their uncle the second they entered the castle.
Keith, who had just started looking for them, frowned when he saw the makeshift bandage around Matt's head. "What happened?" He helped Matt to the med-wing.
"Would you believe that I was showing off for Jenna and I hit my head on a rock when I tripped and lost my footing?" Matt groaned in embarrassment, as he lied to Keith.
"Jenna?" Keith looked over at his niece.
"He didn't trip, Uncle Keith." Jenna became very quiet.
"Yes I did, Jenna." Matt hissed at her.
"We were enjoying our day off and relaxing when Daddy decided to make an appearance. Matt told me to run, but I wasn't going to let him hurt Matt."
"I thought that you went mental when Eric first kissed Andy, but Rand was gonna murder me for kissing her on the cheek." Matt grinned sheepishly.
"I told him to let Matt go and he knocked him in the head with the hilt of his sword."
"Where is Rand now, Jen?" Keith was concerned for his niece's safety.
"Back where he came from, sleeping off whatever drug he failed to get me with. Oh and a few of his teeth might be loose." Jenna smiled at her Uncle.
"Felt good didn't it." Keith grinned at her.
Jenna thought for a moment and then replied, "Yes it did, and I saw that I'm nothing like him."
They entered Ashley's office, just as she was leaving for the day. "What happened to Matt?" She frowned at Keith.
"He got hit on the head. I think that he may have a concussion." Keith growled.
Ashley removed the bandage around his head and looked at his head wound. "Oh yeah, that will definitely need at least ten stitches. Go sit down over there, Matt."
"Great." Matt muttered under his breath. "I hate needles."
"I don't like anything sharp either, Matt, but that doesn't mean that I don't know how to use any of those weapons. If you want you can hold my hand until it's over." Jenna confided her fear to Matt.
Matt grabbed hold of her hand. "I didn't say that I was afraid, but I will hold your hand if you insist."
"Yes, Matthew, humor me." She sighed, but didn't comment when he held her hand in a death grip.
"You are one amazing young lady and I'm very proud of you. You could have lied to me, but you didn't and that means more to me than you will ever know." Keith hugged Jenna.
"I've come too far to lie to you." Jenna smiled up at her Uncle.
"All finished, Matt." Ashley put a fresh bandage over the stitches on his head.
"That wasn't half as bad as I made it out to be." Matt sighed in relief and brought Jenna's hand, still clasped in his own, to his lips and kissed it like he'd seen his uncles and Dad do many times with their other halves. "Thank you, Jen, you really are my best friend."
"Your welcome, your highness." She kissed his cheek and then looked into his eyes, "You're my best friend too."
"Let's get out of here." Matt grinned at her, but Ashley stopped him in his tracks.
"Not so fast, Matt. You have a concussion, so you're going to be stuck here for a little while."
"No way! If I'm stuck anywhere it'll be in my own room!"
"I'll watch him." Jenna volunteered.
"Absolutely not! I'll have the twins keep him company." Keith grinned when Matt glared at him.
"Sorry, Matt." Jenna shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "I tried." She kissed his cheek and left the room. "I'll check on you later though."
"Matthew, now you can't raze the twins for their feelings towards Hazar's girls. Just stick with friends for a few years then advance to the next step." Keith advised him.
"Look, Uncle Keith! I'm almost twelve. This is all new to me, besides I'm nothing like the twins!" Matt stomped out of the room, only to find that he wasn't really up to standing yet.
"Come on, kiddo. You've had a hard day." Keith easily picked up Matt and carried him to his quarters. "Jenna is lucky to have a best friend like you."
"No, I'm lucky to have found a friend like Jenna."
Next Chapter six
I in no way own any of the original characters in this story and Voltron. The new characters on the other hand are mine and under no circumstances are they to be used without my permission.
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