After getting patched up in sick bay, Keith wisely decided to give Allura some space. His head and shoulder throbbed in pain. The bandage Doctor Gorma put over his nose itched, and the sling back on his arm bothered him to no end. He skipped dinner. He had no desire to see or talk to anyone. He walked down the hall, intent on getting to his room. As he turned the corner, he literally ran into Lance.

"Whoa! Slow down!" Lance looked closely at Keith. "Jesus Cap! What the hell happened to you?"

"Shut up Lance. Like you didn't know." Keith stormed off and walked into his into his room. A minute later, the door opened and Lance walked in. "I swear to you Lance, I'm changing that password." Keith growled.

"Keith, I've been on patrol for the last six hours, and to repeat myself, what the hell happened?" Lance asked, sitting down on the couch.

"Allura hit me." Keith told him, flopping down next to him.

"WHAT!"

Keith scowled. "She right hooked me in the face and broke my goddamned nose."

"You're kidding. She broke your nose? Why?" Lance asked, incredulous.

Keith got up and paced the room. "I have no idea. I went to find her to apologize, and there she was in the Rec room, pounding Jeff into the wrestling mat."

"Are we talking about the right person here? Allura? The Crown Princess of Planet Arus?" Lance was dumbfounded.

Keith glared at Lance. "Yes, Allura! I tried talking to her, and she decked me! Right in front of everybody. Knocked me clean on my ass too! You laugh, and so help me Lance, I will kill you."

Lance tried to keep a straight face. He failed miserably. "C'mon Keith! You've got to admit it's pretty funny!"

"Get out."

"OK OK, I'm sorry I laughed."

"GET. OUT."

Lance got up and walked to the door, "Keith, you will laugh about this someday. I promise." He grinned as Keith shut the door in his face.

After a sleepless night, Keith walked into the kitchen looking for something to eat. Luckily, no one was around, so he grabbed a muffin and some coffee and headed out the way he came. He made his way down the hall, hoping to avoid everyone. He decided to head for his Black Lion, knowing no one would look for him there. Halfway down the hall, Admiral Harrison called out to him. "Keith!"

"What?" Keith kept walking.

The Admiral quickly caught up with him. "Stop a minute son. Lance told me what happened. Let me see." He turned Keith's face towards him and tried not to laugh. Keith looked up at him out of two black eyes. His nose was also black and blue, and swollen to twice its usual size. "Keith, I'm so sorry." The Admiral said chuckling.

Keith stomped off. "Bite me Uncle Alex."

Harrison caught up with him again. "It is funny you know."

"Oh really, everyone keeps telling me that. I fail to see the humor."

Harrison grinned. "Your mother broke your father's nose on their first date."

Keith turned. "You're kidding."

The Admiral shook his head. "Nope. Edward tried the old 'yawn and put your arm around her' trick at the movies, and Cassie punched him in the face. You look a lot like he did at the time."

Keith couldn't smile. It hurt too much. "Thanks Uncle Alex. If anyone asks, you haven't seen me."

"Good luck son." The Admiral left Keith, and headed back to the Castle. Keith sighed and rubbed his aching head. He got to his Lion, and climbed up to sit on the stone pedestal. He had just gotten comfortable when he heard some one walking by. He looked down to see Allura pausing in front of the Lion. He took a deep breath and called down to her. "Hey." She looked up, startled. "You can come up and join me if you promise not to hit me again." He told her.

Allura squinted up at him. She couldn't see because of the sun shining overhead. "Are you going to yell at me?" She asked.

"Not at the moment. Are you coming up?"

Allura stood a moment, then made her way to the top of the pedestal. Keith was leaning against one of Black's legs. She couldn't see him clearly, since he was standing in the shadow. She folded her hands across her chest. "Aren't you going to apologize?"

"Only if you go first." He snapped.

"Me? What do I have to apologize for?" She demanded.

"This." He stepped into the light.

Allura gasped. "Keith! What happened?" Forgetting her anger, she rushed over to him. She brought her hands up to touch his face. He winced and stepped back.

"Not so close. You did enough damage yesterday." He told her scowling.

"You don't mean…I did that?" She asked incredulous.

Keith nodded. "Of course you did. I told you yesterday that you broke my nose."

She giggled. "I broke your nose!" She said in wonderment. She brought her hand up, and gently touched his cheek. "I never even punched anyone before yesterday."

"Beginner's luck then." He took her hand in his own. "Allura, I'm sorry I yelled at you." He said quietly.

"And I'm sorry I hit you. Sort of." She smiled.

"Sort of? You break my nose and you're 'sort of' sorry!"

Allura stood on her tiptoes and kissed Keith softly on the tip of his broken nose. "You did deserve it."

"All right, you got me there. I deserved something, but not this." He told her. He wrapped his good arm around her and pulled her close. "I'm sorry too."

"I know." She laid her head against his chest. "Are you all right now? Except for the nose I mean."

"Yes." Keith paused. "Your father scared the hell out of me Allura."

"He tends to do that to people. You should have seen Coran the first time the King spoke to him!" She laughed.

Keith sighed. "Do you forgive me?" He asked softly.

Allura looked up at him. "Only if you forgive me."

To answer her, he bent down and kissed her. "I love you Allura, Princess of Arus."

"I love you Keith Alexander Montgomery."