"Ah, Your Highness, I thought you'd be back."  Dr. Gorma greeted Romelle and Sven as they entered the infirmary.  "I took the precaution of bringing a more comfortable chair into the room for you."

            "Thank you, so much, Doctor."  Romelle said as she saw the rocking chair with firm padding on the seat and back.  There was even a small matching ottoman for her to put her feet up on.  "Has there been any change?"

            "She has started making noises and moving around. I have a feeling she will be waking soon.  But keep in mind she will be weak."

            Romelle nodded, "I think I will sit with her for a while, if that's okay Doctor."
            Dr. Gorma smiled at her, "Of course, Your Highness.  Maybe if you spoke to her it might help her wake.  Just let me know if you need anything."

            "Can I get you anyting?"  Sven asked.

            Romelle settled herself in the chair, "Did you bring my knitting in from the ship?"

            "Ja, did you vant me to go get it?"

            "Please, I need something to do while I wait."

            Sven returned to the hospital room with her knitting bag in one hand and his briefcase in the other.  He settled into the other chair in the room and began going over the papers he had brought with him.  Building and training a military was proving to be difficult, time consuming work.  But Sven thrived on it.  He loved being in the midst of the action and he was afraid that since his decommission from the Garrison he'd never be able to participate in the military intelligence he had enjoyed so much.  Sven knew Romelle had given Bandor the idea to ask him if he would take over the rebuilding of the Polluxian army and he was very grateful to her.

            Romelle clutched her knitting in her hands and watched Paget.  A million memories swam through her mind.  Paget had been her dearest friend for so many years.  When Romelle felt as though she was a disappointment to her father because she wasn't a boy, Paget was there to hold her hand.  Paget had kept her secrets and helped her get through the hardest times in her life.  She had mourned when she thought her friend had been killed.  The only person, besides Bandor, she had whole-heartedly loved had been taken from her and it had been the hardest lesson she had to learn.

            "Mm."  Paget shook her head slightly.

            Romelle dropped the yarn and needles into her lap and reached over to grab her hand, "Paget?  Paget, please wake up.  Open your eyes."
            Sven left quickly to find Dr. Gorma.

            Romelle watched as Paget's eyelids quivered, she was fighting to open them.

            "Paget, please.  I can't believe I found you again.  Please wake up."
            "Mm. Wha…"  She began to thrash a bit on the bed.  "Oh no!  Not now!  Please!"      

            Romelle pushed herself out of the chair and stood beside the bed, "It's alright, now.  Wake up, you're safe."
            Dr. Gorma entered the room, "What's she doing?"

            "She started talking and thrashing around."  Romelle stepped back to let the doctor get to his patient.

            "Paget?  Can you hear me?"  Dr. Gorma picked up her wrist and checked her pulse.

            "Where am I?"  Paget whispered as her eyes fluttered.

            "You're in the hospital, you'll be fine, Paget."

            She opened her large purple eyes and looked up at Dr. Gorma.  "Who are you?"  Her voice was dry and hoarse.

            "I'm Dr. Gorma, the royal physician to the Queen of Arus."

            "Arus?  I made it to Arus?"

            Sven reached over and picked up the communicator that Romelle had set on the table.  "Keit?  She's avake."  He said when Keith answered.

            Paget looked over when she realized there were other people in the room.  "Princess Romelle?"

            Romelle took her hand, "Yes, Paget.  I am so glad to see you again."  A tear escaped out of her eye and was quickly followed by others.

            "I thought you were dead."  Paget whispered, her own eyes filling with tears.

            "I thought Lotor had killed you."

            Paget's eyes lowered to Romelle's stomach. "Oh no, Lotor…"
            "No, no Paget, I escaped from Lotor a couple of years ago."

            "You're having a baby?"

            Romelle smiled through her tears, "Yes I am.  I married a wonderful man and we're having a baby."

            Paget turned her eyes to the man over Romelle's shoulder.

            "This is Sven, my husband."
            "It's a pleasure meeting you."  Sven bowed slightly.

            "You escaped from Lotor?  How?"

            "When I refused his proposal he threw me into the Pit of Skulls.  When I thought all hope was lost, Sven found me.  He had been living down there for quite awhile and we were able to escape together."

            "Am I really on Arus?"

            "Yes you are."

            The door opened and Keith and Allura entered.

            "Paget, this is my cousin Allura, Queen of Arus, and her husband Captain Keith Whitaker."  Romelle introduced her.

            "I'm so glad you're awake."  Allura said.

            "Are you really Captain Whitaker?"  Paget asked.

            Keith looked at Romelle and then down at Paget, "Yes I am."
            "You're the Commander of the Voltron Force." 

            "Yes."
            Paget closed her eyes and gave a quiet prayer of thanks.  "I never thought I would find you."

            "What do you mean?"  Keith stepped closer to the bed.

********************************************************

            "I wonder what's going on in there."  Lance paced the waiting room.

            The nurse had only allowed Keith and Allura to enter the room, saying that too many people might upset the patient.  The other members of the force had congregated in the waiting room.

            "I'm sure they're finding out what happened to her." Pidge said.

            "Thanks for stating the obvious, dude."  Lance muttered.

            "Why are you so worked up?"  Hunk asked as he stretched out in his chair.

            Lance stopped and faced him, "I'm not worked up."

            Caleb, who had been watching Lance for the past five minutes, spoke up.  "You seem worked up."

            "I'm just curious about what's going on in there."

            "We all are, Lance."  Pidge said.  "Sit down before you wear a groove in the floor."

            Darcy sat quietly and watched Lance.  She was looking at him in a new light.  After the conversation they had had the night before and the talk with Allura and Romelle, she began to notice little things about him.  She noticed how he always held the door open for Allura or Nanny or herself.  She remembered watching him the week before when they all went to the orphanage in town.  He and the rest of the guys had organized a touch football game, where they had allowed the young boys to soundly defeat the powerful Voltron Force.  And there was the time he had accompanied Allura into town to shop when Keith was tied up with a call from the Garrison so she wouldn't have to carry all the packages home.  If all the seats were taken, he would gladly stand and offer it to you.  Lance was forever doing quiet kindnesses for his friends and if you so much as thanked him, he would wave it off.

            Lance caught Darcy watching him and for some reason it pissed him off.  "I'm going for a walk, just buzz me when you find out what's going on."  He told Hunk.

            "What's with him?"  Dante asked after Lance left.

            Hunk shrugged, "I don't know."

            "It's a woman."  Pidge announced.

            Darcy looked at him, but didn't say anything.  He wouldn't say anything to the guys, would he?

            "Why do you say that?"  Dante asked.

            "When you know someone as well as we know Lance, you can just tell."  Hunk explained.  "I think he was shot down."

            "I wonder who it was."  Caleb said.

            "I'm guessing it was probably that girl from town, um, Danya."  Pidge said.

            Hunk shook his head, "No he said that once he talked to her, he realized the attraction was only skin deep."

            "What?"  Caleb asked.

            "She's an idiot."
            Darcy was growing increasingly uncomfortable.  "If you'll excuse me, I'll talk with you guys later."  She muttered as she left the waiting room.

            "I guess we were being a little insensitive."  Hunk said. 

            "Do you think we offended her?"  Caleb asked.

            Pidge shrugged, "I hope not."

**************************************************************

            Darcy wasn't sure where she was going, but she couldn't take that conversation any more.

            You are so stupid sometimes.  She mentally berated herself.  He is a womanizer and a flirt.  You cannot fall for this man when you know it would only get in the way of your work and you have come too far to screw up now.

            Darcy stopped when she realized she was nearing the observation deck.  Not wanting a repeat of the night before, she turned and went in the opposite direction.  It was a beautiful day, a slight breeze and just enough cloud cover.  Darcy found herself walking through the exotic garden Allura was so proud of.  She passed the roses that she knew held special meaning for the Queen and her Captain.  When Allura had given her a tour of the gardens the week before, she told Darcy the story of how Keith had the rose bushes imported from Terra for her birthday two years earlier, before either one of them was willing to admit their feelings for the other.  She had watched as Allura's expression changed to show the love she felt for her husband and the way her hand skimmed over an open red rose.

            Darcy continued and passed the beautiful Arusian flowers arranged in a way that brought attention to their varying heights and colors.  Just beyond, the flagstone path continued into a small grove of trees.  Allura had called them Bucshaka trees, they were like a cross between maple and pine trees.  Thick trunks with lowest branches about seven feet from the ground, but the branches were bent down under the weight of heavy, soft needles.

            As she came closer to the trees Darcy caught the faint whiff of smoke.  Her hand went to her belt where her new communicator hung as her eyes scanned the area.  She stiffened and flipped open the communicator when she saw a person standing in the shade of the trees.

            "Are you following me?"

            She slowly lowered the communicator and stepped forward.  Lance was leaning against the trunk of the tree, smoking.

            "No," she said.  "I needed some fresh air."

            He exhaled a long stream of smoke in response.

            "I didn't know you smoked."

            He shrugged, "I know I shouldn't, and if Keith found out he would bitch me out.  I've tried to quit, but every so often I just need one."

            "It's not very attractive."  Darcy wrinkled her nose at the smell.

            "Why should you care about that?"

            It stung.  It shouldn't have, but the way he said it caused her to flinch.

            Lance swore under his breath and dropped the cigarette onto the path, crushing it under his heel.

            She took a step closer, closing the gap between them to about a foot.  "I'm sorry, Lance."

            He looked her up and down, "What for?"

            "I don't know, it just sounded like the right thing to say."

            He took a step closer.  Darcy fought the urge to take a step back.  She would not give him the satisfaction.

            "Are you afraid of me?"  He asked.

            She stuck her chin out, defiantly.  "No."

            He took a step closer.  She clasped her trembling hands behind her back, fighting to keep her composure.

            "Last night you could not give me one good reason why we shouldn't get to know each other better."  He whispered.

            Darcy could smell the smoke that had surrounded him and feel the heat coming from his body.  She shivered involuntarily and averted her eyes, feeling the heat rise to her face.

            "I'm not afraid of you."  She whispered weakly.

            "No?"  He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to look at him.  "Then I make you nervous?"

            She stared into his eyes.  He studied her with intensity, she felt a pleasant chill run through her.  She knew, then, that she had nothing to fear from him physically, but that she could fall for him, she was falling for him, and that scared her more than anything he could say or do to her.

            Lance leaned in toward her and watched as she closed her eyes.  He skimmed his lips over her temple.  "You never have to fear me."  He whispered, tenderly.

            He let go of her chin and cupped his hand over her cheek.  She tilted her head into his hand and let out a small, shuddering breath.

            Lance pulled back slightly and looked at her, his heart racing.  Her eyes were closed and her mouth slightly parted.  He wanted her.  And he could have her right now. 

            That thought shook him and he took a step back.  If he were to go any further with her right now, he would hate himself.  Worse yet, she would hate him.

            Darcy felt him drop his hand from her face and she slowly opened her eyes.  He was looking at her with an expression of pure want.  She placed a hand over her stomach, trying to calm her nerves and slow her racing heartbeat.  As much as he wanted her at that moment, she wanted him.

            Letting go of all rational thought, she took a step closer.  He leaned toward her until he was just a breath away.

            "Are you sure?"  He whispered.

            She nodded slightly, feeling his warm breath caress her lips.

            Lance pulled back quickly when his communicator went off.

            Darcy gasped as she realized suddenly where she was and what almost happened.

            Lance cleared his throat and flipped open his communicator, "Yeah, Lance here."

            "Where are you?"  Keith asked.

            "I'm outside.  What's going on?"
            "We're having a meeting in the conference room, now.  Get in here."

            "I'm on my way, Captain."

            "Is Darcy with you?"
            Darcy's eyes widened and she took a step back, looking ready to run.

            Lance reached out and grabbed her arm before she could go.  "Yeah Keith."

            "Bring her with you."

            "We're on our way."  Lance shut the communicator and put it back on his belt, still holding Darcy's arm.  "Are you okay?"

            She nodded.

            He took at her wide eyes and pale face, cursing himself for what had just happened.  "Alright, come on, we better get inside."