The castle was a flurry with activity.  Allura contacted the televiewer and radio stations, as well as the newspaper, to get the word out to all of her people that war was imminent.  They needed to prepare, to pack emergency bags in case they needed to seek shelter in the caves.

A couple of maids and guards set about turning the large storage closet off of Castle Control into a makeshift nursery.  Romelle and Renata tended to Erik and Cady while Nanny checked the kitchen and supervised the packing of bags in case they needed to move into the caves.

Koran, Allura, Sven, and the five pilots, along with Rankin, Rainger, and Paget, met in the conference room to plan and prepare.

"They can't possibly have a large army."  Hunk pointed out.

"Did Renata say anything?  Does she know what they've been up to?"  Pidge asked.

Rankin refused to let her sit in on the meeting, he didn't want her to be interrogated.  He had, however, spoken with her alone.   "She wasn't privy to much information," he told them.  "She said Lotor had been in hiding, she thought he had died.  He made his reappearance only a couple of months ago.  There were a few soldiers still loyal to Doom and a few of the officers were sent out to recruit.  She heard that Lotor wasn't happy with the results."

"So you think they're bluffing?"  Paget asked.

"No," Allura shook her head.  "They have something.  Lotor wouldn't rush into a battle if he thought he wouldn't win."

"We have built an amazing army over the past year," Hunk pointed out.

"I believe we are more ready now than we have ever been before," Allura conceded.  "How's Red?"

"We recalibrated the thrusters and she's appears to be in good shape," he told her.  "We're hitting the practice field when we're done here."

"Sounds good.  Any word from Intel?"

"No," Koran told her.  "Last time I spoke with them, they said there appeared to be some training drills, but nothing new."

"The Garrison has offered us any help we may need and they are preparing to send men from Planet Zettle, it's the closest outpost."  Allura said.

"How's Keith doing?"  Pidge asked.

Allura sighed and unconsciously reached for the chain around her neck.  For fear of misplacing it and to keep it close to her, she had put Keith's wedding ring on her necklace, next to the Arusian cross pendent her parents had given her years before.  "He's still confused."

"What does Dr. Gorma say?"  Dante asked.

Dr. Gorma had lectured Allura, telling her she was pushing too hard, too fast.  Keith had to work through this himself, she could help and offer support, but she needed to back off a little.  "He said it will take time and Keith needs to work through it himself," she mumbled.

"And Lance?"  Hunk asked.

They all turned to Darcy.

"Dr. Gorma is looking into a physical therapist to help him get back on his feet," she told them all.  "We have to wait until his wound is better and the sharp pains stop.  Kadmus left some of the salve he made with Dr. Gorma and that should help."

"I can't believe we have to go into this without Keith and Lance," Hunk muttered.

"Hey," Pidge exclaimed.  "You and Allura are doing a great job."

A chorus of agreements were shouted from the others around the table.

"Ve'll be fine," Sven spoke up.  "Ve know who ve are fighting.  Ve've defeated him before and ve'll do it again."

Allura sighed, fingering the ring on her necklace, "Alright, go practice.  I'm going to see how preparations are going."

The five pilots left for the Lions, Koran returned to Castle Control with Sven, Rankin, Paget, and Rainger.  Allura still sat in her seat at the head of the table.  She jumped when a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"  Romelle asked her.

"My husband, and the leader of the Arusian military and Voltron Force, hardly knows me and could forget who I am at any minute.  Once again my people and my planet are in danger, not to mention my daughter."  She put her face in her hands.  "I'm trying so hard to be strong.  I need Keith."

Romelle gently squeezed her shoulder, "We're here to help you.  Allura, you're the strongest woman I know and you will lead your people to safety as you have in the past."

"I know I will, because I have to," she stood and faced her cousin.  "I can't remember how I did it without him at my side."

"He'll be fine.  He will fight this illness and win.  It'll just take time."

"I know, but time is something we don't have."

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

Hunk dismissed them after two hours of practice, telling them all to find something to eat.

While the guys made their way toward the kitchen, Darcy found her way to the hospital wing.  She promised Hunk she would get some food and rest after she checked on Lance.  He was always at the back of her mind, even when she was immersed in practice and guard work.

Dr. Gorma was sitting in the chair beside Lance's bed when she knocked.

"Is everything okay?"  Darcy asked when she saw the two men.

"I was just telling the Lieutenant I have hired a physical therapist," Dr. Gorma told her.  "She should arrive next week."

"Will he be up to starting that soon?"

"To be honest, I don't know.  I have never had to deal with this type of…situation.  With rest and care, I hope he will be."

Darcy nodded.

Dr. Gorma stopped beside her on his way toward the door, "Get some rest, Sergeant.  I don't want you showing up on my doorstep not feeling well."

She gave him a weak smile, "I will, Doctor, thank you."

Lance watched as Dr. Gorma left the room and Darcy fell into the seat he had just vacated.  "He's right, you look like hell."

Darcy snorted, "Gee, you sure know how to make a girl feel special."

"How'd practice go?"  He asked.

"Alright.  The Lions look good."

"Red's back on her feet?"

"Yeah, there was a problem at first, she needed her thrusters recalibrated but now she's fine."

He nodded.

"How're you feeling?"  She asked, laying her hand on his.

Lance turned his hand over and laced his fingers with hers, "This pain medicine makes me foggy headed and tired."

"Give into it.  Just keep in mind that the pain is a good thing, it means you're healing."

"Yeah," He mumbled.

They sat in silence for a moment, neither of them wanting to talk.

"What are the plans for this afternoon?" Lance finally asked.

"I don't know.   We might have another round of practice.  I'm waiting to hear from Hunk."

Lance nodded, "This is the worst part.  The waiting to see what Doom has planned.  At least now we're better prepared than we used to be."

"Yeah, but we don't have Keith and you," Darcy pointed out.

"Any word on Keith?"

She shook her head, "Allura said he's still confused.  I'm one of the people he wouldn't recognize, so Caleb, Dante, and I are keeping are distance.  No need to confuse him anymore."

They once again fell into a comfortable silence.  Lance felt her hand go limp in his.  Turning his head, he saw her sitting with her chin to her chest, asleep.  Smiling, he tugged at her hand until her eyes snapped open.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Go to your room, get some sleep."

"I'm fine."

"Darcy," he gripped her hand, making her look at him.  "Are you up to this?"

She felt the heat rise to her face and irritation bubble up within her.  She stood and tried to pull her hand from his.  "Of course I am!"

Lance held her hand tighter, forcing her to stay at his bedside, "It wasn't a putdown, Darcy.  You're exhausted."

"So I'm a little tired," she ripped her hand from his and paced the room.  "I think I'm allowed to be.  In a matter of a few days Cady was kidnapped, Keith was taken hostage, I had to make sure the Queen and Princess of Arus got home safely and then sit on my hands and wait while you guys went on a mission to rescue Keith, you both came home badly injured, and Doom has declared war.  So I'm sorry if I have a lot on my mind and I'm a little tired!"

"You can't take it personally, Darcy, this is bigger than you," Lance said quietly.

"I know how big this is, Lance."

"The lives of thousands of people depend on us defending Arus.  If you're too tired to go into battle…"

Darcy whirled on her heel to face him, "If you think I am unfit to fight, then just come right out and say it, Lieutenant!"

"I didn't mean…"

"I had a great practice this morning.  I was at 96% in target practice, which was better than what Dante and Caleb shot.  Hunk made a point afterwards to come up to me and tell me that he hasn't seen anyone, other than himself, who has handled Yellow that well."

Lance sighed, exasperated, "Don't be so sensitive, Darcy."

"How am I supposed to be?"

"I'm just saying that you need to be in peak condition to fight this battle and if you're not…"

"Go to hell, Lance."  Darcy stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her. 

"Oh," Sven grabbed her shoulders as she almost walked into him.  "Darcy, is everyting alright?  Is it Lance?"

She looked up at him, red faced and angry, "Everything is just fine."

He watched her hurry down the hall and decided to stop in and see Lance before talking to Keith.

"How're you feeling?"  He asked, entering Lance's room.

"I'm alright.  I talked to Dr. Gorma.  He wants me to wait another day before I try moving around with a wheelchair."

"I just saw Darcy."

"Yeah."

"She looked pretty upset."  Sven observed as he lowered himself into the chair beside the bed.

"Be honest with me, Sven, how is she holding up?"

"She's fine. Vhy? Vhat's wrong?"

"She just seems tired.  You think she can handle all this alright?"

Sven smiled knowingly, "You're too close to her."

"Huh?"

"Lance, you're too close to her.  You no longer see her as a soldier, just as de voman you're going to marry.  Keep in mind dat she is a trained soldier.  You know vhat she is capable of, ve've all had de same training.  She graduated in de top five percent of her class.  Darcy is a great soldier and a talented pilot."

"I know all that," Lance growled.

"Lance, did you ask her to stop flying?"

"No, I just asked her if she was up to this fight, there is a lot riding on her performance, all of their performances."

"You doubted her."

"No, I don't doubt her."

"I don't tink dat's how she saw it.  She vas pretty pissed vhen I saw her."  Sven pointed out.

"I just don't think she's getting enough rest.  If she goes up into the Lion tired, who knows what could happen."

"You're being ridiculous, Lance.  She can handle dis and you know dat.  You're being overprotective."

Lance snorted, "Well if this isn't the pot calling the kettle black."

"Vhat?"

"I happen to remember you're behavior when Romelle was pregnant."

Sven blushed slightly, "And I vas wrong, vasn't I?  Romelle is a strong voman and she and Erik are fine."          

"I don't want her hurt," Lance muttered.

"I know you don't, but you can't ask her to stop flying.  She is needed and she is capable."

Lance nodded.

Sven picked up Lance's communicator and tossed it onto the bed, "Call her.  Tell her you're a moron and beg her forgiveness."

"I don't think I should beg."

"You should beg.  You vere in de wrong here, Lance.  She tinks you tink she is incapable of flying and fighting in dis var."

"I don't think that."

"Den tell her dat."

Lance flipped open the communicator and stared at it a moment.  He knew Sven was right and he felt terrible about it.  No wonder she had been so angry when she left, he had behaved like an idiot, even if he had had her best interest at heart.

"I'm going to see how Keit is doing."  Sven stood.

Lance nodded, "Let me know how he's doing."

"I vill."  Sven slipped out of the room and into Keith's

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

Darcy was pacing her room.  Deep down she knew he was only behaving out of worry, but he had been way out of line.  She was tired, they were all tired, but she had not allowed that to interfere with her flying.

When her communicator beeped, she looked down at disinterestedly.  It sat on her bedside table, the small red light blinking and the tone filling the otherwise quiet room.  She debated whether or not to answer it.  If it was Lance, she really did not want to talk to him at the moment.  But if it was Hunk, she had to answer. 

Sighing, Darcy picked up the small device and flipped it open, "Barlow."

"Hey Darc."

"Hey Pidge, what's up?"

"You gonna come down and eat?  When we're done, Hunk wants us all to meet in Castle Control."

Placing a hand over her rumbling stomach, Darcy flashed a small smile, "Yeah, I'll be right down."

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

Sven quietly entered Keith's room to find him sound asleep.  Dr. Gorma had told them to expect this.  Between his injuries and all the medicine, Keith was going to find solace in sleep.  The large bandage on his face had been removed and was replaced by a smaller one across the bridge of his nose.  The large bruises surrounding his eyes were still dark and painful looking.

Sven crept over to the bed.  Allura had left the pictures on his bedside table, against Dr. Gorma's wishes.  Keith held the photo of him and Cady against his chest.  Sven felt a surge of hope, maybe he had remembered.

Keith stirred and jolted awake.  Blinking a few times, he turned and focused on Sven.

"I didn't mean to vake you," Sven said, sitting in the chair beside the bed.

"It's alright, what's going on?"

"How do you feel?"

"Tired."

"Um," Sven paused, trying to think of how to approach the subject.  "Do you, uh, do you know where you are?"

Keith looked at him, perplexed, "Yeah, we're on Arus, right?"

"Do you know vhat happened to you?"

"I…" He trailed off as he tried to remember.  "I crashed the Lion?"

Sven shook his head slowly, "Not quite.  Vhat have you got dere?" He indicated the frame in Keith's hand.

Keith pulled it back and studied the picture for a moment before whispering, "Is she really my daughter?"

"Ja."

"I can't believe this, I mean, the Princess and me?"

"Ja," Sven inclined his head toward the other frame on the table.  "I vas dere."

"Why can't I remember any of this?"

"You vill, in time."

"I thought the Princess and Lance had something between them."

Sven smiled, "No.  Dey're just close friends.  He vas your best man."

A slow smile spread across Keith's face, "Damn. I married the Princess."

Sven laughed, "You just couldn't stand de fact dat I married a Princess, you never could stand competition."

"You're married too?"  Keith asked, shocked.

"Ja, Romelle, Allura's cousin and the Princess of Pollux."

"Wow.  When did that happen?"

"Ve've been married for almost two years."

"Anyone else married?"

"Vell, Lance is engaged and Hunk has been in a serious relationship for about a year now."

"Lance?"  Keith fell quiet for a moment, his forehead creased in thought. "I feel like huge chunks of my life are missing."

"It vill come back to you."

"Why is this happening to me?"

"It vas magic.  Dey vere going to kill you, but luckily dey screwed up."

Keith looked down at the picture in his hand, "How old is she?"

"Almost seven months."

"Can I see her?"

"I'll talk to Allura."

"What happened to…"  Keith's question was interrupted by the piercing sound of the Castle alarms.  "What's going on?"

"Dat's de Castle alarms, we must be under attack."

Habit had Keith trying to get up.  He winced as pain shot through his chest.

"I'll go find out vhat is happening," Sven stood and headed toward the door.

"Sven," Keith called before he could leave. 

"Ja?"

"Let me know what's happening.  What I can do."

"I vill."

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

Darcy dropped the half eaten sandwich in her hand and followed Pidge and Caleb as they all raced from the kitchen toward Castle Control.  Her communicator beeped.  Without stopping, she unhooked it from her belt and flipped it open.  "Yeah, Barlow."

"Darcy?"

"Lance?"  Why was he contacting her now?  He must know she was busy.  "What's wrong?  Are you okay?"

"I'm…I'm, uh, fine.  What's going on?"

"I don't know, we're on our way to Castle Control now."

"Let me know."

"Yeah," she responded absentmindedly as they ran into Castle Control.

"Darcy."

She looked down and saw him staring back through the small screen.  He looked pale and anxious.  "What is it, Lance?"

"Be careful."

"I will."  She snapped the communicator shut and joined the others standing around the monitor with Hunk.