Sorry about the long wait, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them next. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

I don't own Voltron, just the characters I made up.

The storm was raging in earnest by the time Keith pulled Balthazar to a stop at the corral of the hunting lodge. He dismounted, then turned and helped Allura down. Her dress was plastered to her and her long hair was a mass of tangles. She glared at him.

Keith turned back to his horse. "Why don't you go inside and get cleaned up. I'll take care of Balt and be up soon." He spoke loudly over the thunder.

Allura turned on her heel and without a word to Keith, marched inside. Keith watched her go, then leaned his forehead against his horse's flank. "I'm in for it now pal." He sighed and got to work currying the animal dry.

Allura meanwhile, had gone upstairs to the lodge. While quite rustic in her father's time, the lodge had been updated with modern appliances and was now often used for dignitaries visiting Arus.

Allura paused a moment, then went through the master bedroom to the shower. She glanced up at herself in the mirror, then scowling undressed, leaving her ruined dress in a sodden heap on the floor. Let him clean it up. It's his fault it got that way in the first place! She stood in the shower, letting the hot water wash over her until she stopped shivering. After nearly a half hour, she got out and wrapped herself in a large, fluffy towel off one of the shelves.

She paused in the bathroom doorway, glancing back at her ruined dress. Great, now what do I wear? I'm certainly not walking around in a towel all night. She stepped out into the bedroom to find a pair of pants and a sweatshirt lying on the bed. Looking around self-consciously, she dropped the towel and quickly put them on. The pants were navy fleece, and a little big, so she pulled the drawstring tight about her waist. The grey sweatshirt was emblazoned with faded letters reading "Garrison Military Academy, Fort Collins, Colorado." It smelled faintly of Keith, and Allura blinked back tears. Shaking her head, she looked carefully around the room for the first time.

The bed was carefully made, and except for some papers on the desk and a book on the night stand, it was hard to believe anyone was actually living there. She started towards the desk, then shook her head and sat down on the edge of the bed instead. Glancing at the book, she smiled to see Keith's well worn, favorite copy of Shakespeare's plays. Lying next to the book were a pair of glasses and what looked like a prescription bottle. Frowning, Allura picked up the bottle and was surprised to see that they were a powerful sleeping aid. The bottle was nearly empty and had Keith's name on it.

Now worry overrode her anger, and she stepped out of the room, determined to find Keith. Wandering down the hallway, she entered the living area. There was a fire blazing in the large fireplace at one end of the room, and lightning flashed through the one-way windows at the other.

"Keith?" Allura called out hesitantly.

"In here."

Allura made her way into the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

Keith stood in front of the stove, his black hair slicked back from the rain. "I figured you were probably hungry. Here, I'm not much of a cook, but I make a mean grilled cheese and tomato soup."

"Thank-you." She took the plate he offered and sat down at the table. He placed a bowl of steaming liquid in front of her, then sat down. She took a cautious sip of the soup and her eyes lit up with surprise. "This is good. I've never tasted anything like it."

"You've never had tomato soup?" Keith asked.

She shook her head. "You know Nanny. I'm rarely allowed in the kitchen. And for good reason with the way I cook." They both chuckled, then slipped into an uneasy silence to finish eating.

When they were both through, Keith picked up the bowls and took them to the sink. He paused looking out at the storm, and lit up a cigarette.

Allura frowned. "Do you how unhealthy those things are?"

Keith shot her a bland look. "In the past few weeks, I have been shot, sliced, thrown overboard, blinded, captured, tortured, and poisoned. Believe me when I say that this is the safest damn thing I've done in a while." The silence grew between them again. Finally Keith sighed. "Look, why don't you go sit by the fire, I'm going to hit the shower and change." She nodded and Keith left the room.

Allura got up and poured herself a glass of wine, then walked out to the living room. Dimming the lights, she sat down on a pillow in front of the fireplace, and lost herself in the flames.

"Hey, still awake?"

Allura jumped at the sound of Keith's voice. "Yes, you just startled me." Keith had changed into a dark red shirt, and a black pair of pants. His hair was tousled and damp, and the black eye patch showed up clearly against his face. She jumped again as thunder crashed loudly overhead.

"Lance must be hiding under his bed by now." Keith smiled, remembering his friend's fear of storms.

Allura nodded, but didn't reply. "I wasn't counting on this storm. I guess I could call you a transport if you need to get back tonight." Keith said sheepishly.

Allura's temper finally snapped. "Why did you bring me here Keith?" She demanded angrily.

Keith avoided her gaze. "I…I…" He stammered, turning red.

She stood, hands on her hips. "Well? You must have had some reason to kidnap me out of my own gardens and drag me through a deluge. I'm waiting to hear what it is!"

Keith's own temper began to boil. "I didn't kidnap you."

"Oh no? What would you call it then? I was discussing security measures with a representative of the Alliance, when without a 'by your leave,' you grab me, ruin my dress, throw me on the back of your horse, race through a damn hurricane, and now you can't even tell me why!" Her blue eyes flashed angrily.

"I wanted to talk to you." Keith growled.

"So talk, I'm listening."

"Dammit Allura!" He got to his feet and paced the length of the room, coming to stop in front of the large glass window.

"Well?"

"Just give me a minute will you!" The lightning flashed, briefly illuminating his reflection in the glass. "I wanted to talk about us." He said quietly.

"What about us?"

"Allura…" Keith said testily.

"What Keith? You've made it perfectly clear how you feel about me." Allura tried to hide the pain in her voice. "You throw wild accusations at me after the death of our son, move out of the Castle, get captured and we thought killed, then after we rescue you, move back here and have nothing to do with any of us, let alone me!" Her voice broke.

"Allura…" Keith said, softer this time. He started towards her, but she backed away.

"Don't come near me! I don't want you to touch me!" Tears streamed down her face. "When we thought you were dead, a part of me died! There was so much I wanted to tell you, and now you were gone. And now that I've got you back, I don't know where to begin." She paced the length of the room. "I loved you Keith, from the first moment I saw you. And though I've tried this past month to hate you, I can't. But I can't live like this either."

Keith sighed and was quiet a few moments. "Maybe this wasn't meant to be…"

Allura looked up at him, startled. "What do you mean?"

"Us, you and me. Maybe we were just two lost souls, looking for love. Somehow, we managed to find each other, and thought we could make it work." He said quietly, avoiding her gaze.

Allura's heart pounded in her chest. "Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know what I believe anymore." The silence grew between them.

Finally, Allura spoke. "I love you Keith."

He looked up at her, his chocolate eyes dark with emotion. "Maybe love isn't enough."

"What is it Keith? Why are you saying this?"

"I should have been the one who died Allura. Haltor wanted me. Pidge got caught in the middle of a fight that wasn't intended for him." Keith said soberly.

Allura shook her head. "We're a Team Keith. What affects one, affects us all."

"Not this time. I can't stand this Allura! I can't stop thinking about him. I can't eat, I barely sleep…"

"Is that what the sleeping pills are for?" She asked.

Keith looked at her in surprise. "You know about that?"

She nodded. "I found them on your nightstand."

Keith sighed and turned away. "I thought I could handle this. But I can't. You, the baby, Pidge, my commission…my life is falling apart at the seams."

"And your eyesight?" Keith again looked up at her in surprise. "Brenda told me a few days ago. She said you had tried some experimental surgery and it failed. That you wouldn't regain your sight in your left eye, and the right has some permanent damage. That would explain the reading glasses I found next to the pills."

Keith couldn't say anything. He walked over and sat down on the couch, his head in his hands. "Do you know the rest?" He asked hoarsely.

Allura shook her head. "No, what else is there?" She walked over and sat down across from him.

"I lost my commission Allura. I failed the psych tests. It's over." He said despondently, refusing to look at her.

Despite her anger, Allura's heart broke. She knew what the military meant to her husband. Not saying anything, she reached over and took his hand in hers. He finally looked up at her. "And now I'm losing you…" A lone tear slipped down his face.

"Oh Keith! You're not losing me!" She gripped his hand tighter. "We can get through this! I know we can!" She knelt down in front of him and took his face in her hands. "Do you think that your being half blind and losing your place in Galaxy Garrison would make me abandon you?" She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you Keith Montgomery."

"I love you Allura. I really do." He said huskily. He took her hands in his own. "I'm so sorry about what I said about you and Lance. It was stupid. I never should have thought it, let alone said it."

Allura felt her own eyes fill with tears. "Then let's forget it happened and move on."

Keith got to his feet and paced the room, stopping in front of the fireplace. "But I've lost everything Allura—"

"No you haven't! Listen to me Keith Alexander Montgomery, we have good friends, a beautiful daughter, and each other. What more do you need?"

"They offered me a position on the Council, back on Earth." Keith said quietly. "And a permanent position teaching at the Academy."

Allura grew still. "What did you say?"

Keith shook his head. "I haven't given them an answer yet."

"Will you?"

"I…don't know."

Allura walked over to him and took his hands. "Keith? What do you want?"

He looked down at her. "Besides you and Aria, I don't know."

She smiled, her blue eyes glowing. "I think you just answered my question. Keith, we don't have to solve the problems of the universe tonight. We have each other, that's all that matters."

"But my eyesight. It may never come back."

"So? I will never carry another child. Does that make me a different person?" Keith shook his head. "Then why should your eyes change who you are? I love you Keith."

"But—"

She shook her head and placed a finger on his lips. "No buts Keith. Arus or Earth."

Keith stared down at her for a moment, then pulled her close, crushing his lips to hers. When he finally broke free, both were breathless. He brought his forehead to hers. "I love you Allura. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He said huskily.

"Then no more accusations, no more regrets. From today we start anew."

Keith smile at her, his first real smile in weeks. "Together."

Allura smiled back. "Together." She stepped back and pulled a chain from around her neck. Looped through the chain was her wedding ring. "I never had this far from me. Will you put it back on?"

Keith's eyes were dark with emotion. He took the ring and with trembling hands, placed it on Allura's finger.

"I can promise you, it will never again come off." She told him.

"I'm going to hold you to that." Keith said.

"I'd rather you hold me." She stepped into his embrace and pulled him down to her. "Why don't we take this in the other room."

Keith didn't answer, but picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

Five months later…

Keith winced as Aria hit her mother in the back with a well thrown snowball. Giggling, she turned and ran as Allura came after her. Ducking behind a snowdrift, Aria launched another snowball, this time hitting Allura in the face. Keith grinned. That's my girl. Allura got to her feet and grabbing her daughter under the arms, tossed her into a pile of snow.

"Your mother and sister are insane, know that little Hope." Keith smiled down at the baby in his arms.

The sixth month old little girl looked up at him with azure blue eyes and smiled. He gently ran his hand over her fuzzy head and she laughed as she grabbed his finger and promptly stuck it in her mouth. The other tiny hand tried to pull the eye patch off his face. "Hey, hey, none of that." He told her smiling.

Keith looked up as the door opened and his eldest daughter rushed in. "Daddy! Did you see me? I got Mommy!"

"I saw you kitten."

"No, I really got her!" Aria's face was glowing pink from the excitement and the cold.

"And then I really got you!" Allura came up behind Aria and deftly dropped a piece of snow down her daughter's back. Aria squealed and jumped around in circles.

Keith laughed. "All right you two, not in the house. Aria, there's some hot chocolate on the warmer in the kitchen."

With a whoop, Aria dropped her snowy jacket on the floor and rushed into the kitchen. Allura walked over and took Hope out of Keith's arms. "Did you two have a good nap?" She asked, cooing down at the baby.

"Yes, as a matter of fact we did." Keith paused a moment. "No nightmares. It's been over a month now."

Allura looked up, her eyes bright. "Oh Keith…"

"There's more good news. Lance called."

"That's good news?"

"Hush. As I was saying, Lance called. He and Hunk have been running the new recruits through their paces, and Lance thinks he might have narrowed down the search for a new pilot for Green as well as a couple of extras to keep in reserve. Lance also finalized the plans with the Council. The groundbreaking for the new branch of the Galaxy Garrison Space Academy on planet Arus will be as soon as we get back. "

"That's wonderful news!" She hugged him close, one arm still cradling Hope.

"There's more. I just got of the com with GG headquarters. They're establishing a permanent outpost on Arus. They finally agree that we need it."

"I just hope they send us a commander that we can all get along with. All we need now is some pretentious jerk that thinks he knows better than all of us." Allura snorted.

"I think you'll like this guy."

Allura looked up at him. "You know him?"

"Yeah, pretty well. He's kind of an anal bastard, and can't see worth a damn, but he knows how to keep the troops in line." Keith grinned as realization dawned on her face.

"You? They asked you!" Allura put Hope down in her play-pen and threw herself into her husband's arms.

"I've been put back on limited duty. Still have to meet with the shrink once a week, but it appears I'm making progress."

Tears flowed down Allura's face. "I'm so happy." She whispered fervently as she kissed him.

"So am I sweetheart. Happier than I ever thought I'd be again." Keith held her close.

Aria came in, a steaming mug of cocoa in her hands. "Eewww! Are you guys kissing again?" She wrinkled her nose up at them.

Keith tightened his grip on Allura. "Yep." He said as he bent down and kissed her loudly. "Now it's your turn!" He lunged after Aria as she squealed and tried to evade him. "Gotcha!" Keith threw her down on the floor and tickled her relentlessly, covering her laughing face with kisses.

Allura picked up Hope and watched her husband and daughter rolling on the floor. Day by day, things were getting better. They had made it, together as a family, and with Voltron, Defender of the Universe!

Well, that's all for now. I'm working on the next installment and will get it posted as soon as I can. Hope you enjoyed it.

To my faithful reviewers, K and feli3, thanks so much for your support! And thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed. See you soon.