I do not own Voltron or anything even remotely associated with it. Heaven knows if I did, I would still have the toys. I apologize for my absence. Blame my PS2 for sucking up my time, the thing is too addicting for its own good. I'll try to be better with the next chapter. :):)

Old Habits

A heavy silence fell between the monarchs of Arus after the departure of the Voltron Force. Still separated by the length of the table, their gazes never met, despite the intense stare of one upon the other. Face still averted, Allura vainly pretended that she wasn't aware of her husband's stare, too awash in her own emotions to worry over his. Sighing, Liran broke the silence.

"I suppose there's no point in my asking you again not to do this."

"For today at least, there's no danger, Liran. All I'm doing is retrieving the Blue, nothing more."

"More is intended..."

"More is necessary. Arus' need is just as great as it was fifteen years ago when I first flew the Blue. Can't you see that?" At last Allura looked at him, the barest traces of tears in her eyes despite all her efforts to prevent it. In contrast, Liran's face was completely devoid of emotion, his features an implacable mask, save for the anger flashing in his eyes.

"I see it otherwise I would not have recalled the Voltron Force. You remember I did not call them when eight of them were struck with the same illness last year and only Frank and Kentley were active."

"I remember, I thought perhaps you had forgotten. The others should know this isn't the first time almost all the reserves were taken out."

"There was never any evidence to prove that was anything other than coincidence."

"Coran thought there was reason for suspicion...so did Lance."

"Ah yes, I forgot Lance was your champion."

"Must we discuss Lance again?"

"You brought him up, my dear, like always."

"I only said that he thought it was suspicious, just as Coran did. You and the Chancellors were all too happy to dismiss it as a fluke. If you hadn't..."

"This situation couldn't have been avoided. Weren't you listening to your gallant Captain?"

"He's not my Captain," Allura said sharply. One of Liran's brows arched and a flicker of interest crossed his placid features before he stifled it and continued,

"No? Then the two of you didn't plan this during your conversation on the stairs last night?"

Allura's jaw dropped and she simply gaped at her husband for several moments even as somewhere deep within her a part of her was not surprised. Coolly Liran returned her stare, his brow remaining arched as he waited patiently for her reply.

"Spying on me...has it really come to this? I thought..."

"It was an accident. I would not deliberately "spy" on you, as you so charmingly put it. I wished to speak with you. The servant I sent to find you came upon the two of you on the stairs and wisely returned to me rather than...interrupt. Truthfully I thought nothing of it until your Captain made his not so polite request."

"Stop calling him my Captain," she retorted irritably, fighting the impulse to put her head in her hands.

"Isn't he?"

"No. Why must you make this more difficult than it is?"

"Because ever since they arrived, you've done nothing but go against my wishes. I can't

help but question your loyalty in the face of such behavior. This isn't easy for me."

Allura's eyes widened and the irritability she had previously felt faded from her eyes as she rose and crossed the distance between her and her husband. Taking one of the nearest seats, she drew it alongside him and took one of his hands. Something similar to a smile flickered across Liran's features but he did not meet her gaze, instead staring at the table with rapt fascination.

"I know it isn't, but you need to stop feeling...inadequate because you aren't able to fly the Lions. It has nothing whatsoever to do with you as a man. We don't even know how they choose their pilots or why they do...it doesn't make you less than any of them."

"You have no idea what it's like...living here in the shadow of all of them. Of anyone involved in that time. You were a part of it."

"Do you really think this is where Keith and the others want to be? Hunk would be tilling his fields a million times over before he'd be here. Even Lance doesn't want this kind of drama. And Pidge hates anything that draws him away from the world he's created for himself."

"And your Captain?" He looked at her then, a strange emotion in his eyes that she didn't recognize. Swallowing, Allura held his gaze steadily as she answered,

"If Keith hasn't already convinced you that he'd rather be drilling his cadets in their studies, I don't know what can. They're not trying to usurp you. He's not trying to."

"You seem very concerned for a man you haven't seen in ten years. Perhaps too concerned."

"I'm concerned for Keith because for five years we were very close. All of us were...and it seems we still are. I wish you would at least try to understand."

"How can I understand when I wasn't a part of your precious Voltron Force? How can I possibly comprehend the mystical connection the five of you have when I'll never be a part of it?"

"You can't. But you and I have a connection I don't have with any of them. Not Lance...not Keith."

"Apparently the connection between husband and wife is not as strong as that between former teammates."

"It isn't stronger or weaker, it's simply different. I didn't plan anything with Keith, Liran."

"That remains to be seen."

"My first loyalty is to Arus and to you and Cael. If you truly doubt that, then you don't know me at all," Allura said sadly. Moving as if to rise, she found herself rooted in place as Liran's grip unexpectedly tightened on her hand and he drew her even closer to him. Eyes searching hers, he studied her face for several moments before saying in a low tone,

"I will not be cuckolded."

"The thought never crossed my mind," she said softly, dropping his gaze and swallowing back the countless other retorts she could have made. Peering at her averted face, Liran loosened his hold upon her hand before bringing it to his lips. Startled into looking at him, Allura could only stare as he smiled faintly and grasped her hand in both of his.

"I'm sorry, Allura. I've never enjoyed sharing you with anyone, least of all these men who I know nothing about and who know you in a way I never can. I understand that it's the same for them, you needn't protest. Forgive me my doubts, but don't expect them to be erased in a day or even a week. I don't trust the Voltron Force...especially your Captain."

"You wrong him...you wrong all of them by doing so."

"Perhaps. But will you really remain loyal to me if the choice is between me and them?"

"I'll try to."

He smiled a second time and leaned forward to kiss her. Still startled, Allura did nothing, weakly returning the kiss that did little to reassure either of them. Drawing away from her, Liran smiled yet again and released her hand.

"They'll be wondering where you are," he said, waving at her in a motion distinctly like dismissal. Something within Allura rankled but she stifled it, reminding herself that her flying the Lion was the last thing in the universe he wanted her to be doing. Rising at last, she tried to smile at him and failed, instead turning towards the door and willing herself not to run. It was only when she had reached the haven of the doors at last that Liran spoke again,

"Come back safely, Allura."

"I will," she promised, throwing him a bright smile and escaping through the doors. Outside, she leaned back against the door and buried her face in her hands, shuddering slightly. Inside, Liran's easy-going manner faded into a torrent of emotions and he, too, lost his face within the comfort of his arms.

An uncomfortable sensation flooded over Keith as he stood in the palace control room, his helmet resting against his hip, garbed once again in the ever familiar red and white uniform. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had suddenly traveled back in time ten years. Even looking at Pidge didn't help; the youngest member of the force didn't look much different than he had on their last real mission. Some of the youthful exuberance was missing from his eyes and there was that damned air of mystery that followed him wherever he went, but otherwise, he looked no different. His behavior had changed little, too, as he stood at the monitor with Coran, going over the locations of the stranded Lions for what had to be at least the tenth time. Trust Pidge to make certain he knew every detail of the mission forwards and backwards. Lance and Hunk were engaged in their old habits as well, standing off to the side and quietly discussing the lesser known aspects of farming. Arguing would have been more correct but Lance and Hunk had refined their arguments to an art form over the years and seemed to have picked up right where they left off. Hunk's helmet, along with the other two, lay discarded near the launch area. The man looked simply miserable in his uniform though it didn't look as uncomfortable on him as he made it out to be. When asked about his boots, he simply mumbled something that sounded like, "don't pinch anymore," but not a one of them had pressed him. Upon seeing his teammates, Hunk had scowled at each of them in turn and proclaimed, "dashing, dashing, and the worst of them all," when looking at Pidge, Lance, and Keith respectively. Why he took it so seriously when his wife loved him the way he was, Keith couldn't imagine. More things returning from the past. The thought made him scowl even though it had taken several minutes before he realized he was behaving just as he always had before and without giving it a second's thought. Just like the others, he had fallen into his old pattern of standing near the entrance, watching everyone else...with Allura.

Though she had arrived well after the rest of them, they were still waiting to launch. Apparently Liran and several of the Chancellors had decided that witnessing a Lion launch, especially this one, was something of a historical event and so they were under orders to wait until those who wanted to see it had arrived. Keith didn't question the need for ceremony; he understood on one level though as the minutes lengthened, his desire to be in the Black once more was beginning to overpower his patience. Another part of him didn't mind, however. That part actually found it somewhat pleasant to be standing quietly with Allura, just as he had ten years ago. Her uniform was still pink, much to the amusement of Lance and Pidge. Both Hunk and Keith had shrugged it off with smiles while the other two had had great difficulty hiding their snickers. In a way it did seem somewhat ridiculous; she was no longer the girlish princess who had defied protocol and flown with the space explorers and yet Keith couldn't picture her wearing any other color. In their absence, other colors had been adopted for the Force uniforms though the classic colors were still primarily used. Silver and purple had both been used, along with some brighter/darker variations of the originals but it seemed fitting that things were just as they had been. Perhaps too fitting. Stealing a glance at Allura as she stood next to him, Keith relaxed slightly to see that some of the agitation had faded from her features. When she had arrived, she had looked rather flustered and strangely sad...whatever had passed between her and Liran had clearly not been pleasant. Catching him studying her, Allura smiled weakly, her gaze falling to the helmet she held clasped in front of her as she said,

"I spoke with Cael this morning. He told me about the logs...I'm sorry, Keith. I know I was supposed to keep them hidden until he came of age...I never dreamed he would give in to his curiosity about them."

"They are his by right, it was only natural he should want to read them. I don't think he got much out of it other than determining what sort of a man I was. Don't be sorry."

"He recognized the code."

"He thought I was using a code. Anyone who read them closely would notice those phrases were repeated on a semi-regular basis. Anyone else could read them a hundred times over, however, and still not know what they meant. The Lions protect themselves, apparently, even in print. When the time is right, he'll be able to understand almost everything written in them." Managing to catch her gaze at last, Keith threw her a genuinely reassuring smile for the first time since his arrival on Arus and after the briefest hesitation she returned it. Again the sensation of the years slipping away seized him and for one terrifying moment, Keith almost thought he was in the past once more and there was no Liran, no Cael, no separation between them. The moment passed as quickly as it came however and he was back in the present again, torn between feelings of relief and regret at its absence.

"Perhaps we shouldn't have put it in there," Allura said musingly, her gaze falling back to her helmet.

"Perhaps, but it worked rather well and no one will ever know what it meant. Did you think of a punishment for him yet?" She smiled somewhat and threw him a glance that had traces of amusement in it as she replied,

"I didn't have the heart to keep him from coming to the launch; he loves watching the Lions, or in this case, the Black, but I did remove dessert from his dinner menu for a month and his museum privileges have been revoked until further notice. He considered that a betrayal, though, and called me worse than his father before he stormed into his room. I sent Nanny...for some reason, she can get through to him when Liran and I can't, but I don't know if he'll even come to the launch, he was that upset with me. He's not used to that...from me...but this time he really had done something seriously wrong. He shouted that I'd as good as killed him."

"He didn't..."

"Oh I know. I'm in the same predicament as he is, though. I'm not used to him being mad at me...or being mad at him." Allura sighed somewhat wistfully and raised her gaze to the ceiling.

"It was my understanding that the Prince was looking forward to taking us on a tour of the museum," Keith said slowly, watching her with a fascination he was desperately trying to stifle. Again Allura smiled and gave him a long look.

"I didn't think going to that museum was something you'd want to do."

"I loathe its existence, but since it seems to be involved in the disappearance of the pilots, I don't think I can avoid going there."

"If you go, I'll allow him to take you, he'd never forgive me if I didn't. He's been practicing his tour for you ever since he heard you were coming. Try not to spoil it for him by appearing repulsed."

"I'll try but I'm not promising anything."

Allura actually laughed and one hand moved briefly upon her helmet as if to touch him before thinking better of it and she threw him a glance that was unusually affectionate instead.

"You really haven't changed all that much. I'm glad."

Keith arched his brows but didn't say anything, contenting himself with a shrug of his shoulders that only made Allura smile.

"You might actually like the museum if you give it a chance," she teased.

"I doubt that," Keith replied with an emphatic shake of his head.

"Oh but you're featured so prominently. Lance nearly gagged the first time he saw the section devoted to you. It's larger than anyone else's."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Five panels, while the rest of them have three if they're lucky. Hunk's is two and a half, Pidge's is a little over three, Lance almost made it to four; even Sven has two. I only have one. But you..."

"Who's the tour guide, you or your son?"

"Five large panels with smaller print than all the others and less diagrams and pictures too. I think Lance actually petitioned for them to call it the Keith wing rather than the Black Lion."

"Keep this up and Prince or no Prince, I won't cross over its threshold," Keith threatened, turning halfway towards her. Allura flashed him a rather mischievous grin and shook her head.

"You'll go if he asks you to."

"I will?"

"Yes. You have a weakness for members of the royal house of Arus. You'll go."

"Perhaps I've conquered that weakness," he said without thinking. Something flashed in Allura's eyes and she turned to face him, her head tilting to one side as she looked up at him and practically whispered,

"Have you?"

His eyes widened and he was saved from answering only by the opening of the door behind him. Startled, the two of them promptly separated(again behaving just like the old days)and Keith was suddenly aware of Lance and Pidge's gaze as he strode towards where Pidge and Coran were standing. Not looking at him, Allura went to stand by Hunk, her comment on what a fine figure he made in his uniform earning her an undeserved glare. Deliberately avoiding everyone's gaze, Keith looked instead at the small entourage traipsing into the control room as if they were going to watch a parade rather than a launch. At the head was Liran followed by a handful of Chancellors; it was not surprising to see Calinda among them, nor Peter or the disapproving Mika. Bringing up the rear was a pale-looking Cael, shadowed by the broad form of Nanny. At the sight of the former explorers, she gave her usual sniff and her nose raised slightly in the air. Whether or not she noticed the grins spreading across their faces was not certain. After a nod from Liran, the new arrivals lined themselves up before the monitor and waited. Using the same silent communication, the newly assembled Voltron Force clustered around Coran. Looking at each of them in turn, the older man smiled faintly, his expression signifying that he, too, was experiencing flashes of the past before his gaze locked on Keith's.

"Since there is no sense in launching five bays, the others will take a shuttle out to the Black and meet you there. The locations should be programmed into the Black's main computer. We will maintain communication with you in case anything should happen. Good luck, Captain. Bring them back safely."

Nodding his acknowledgment, Keith waited while the others withdrew to board their shuttle. This, at least, was different, odd, in fact to see the four of them putting on their helmets and leaving him to ride down to the lion shuttle alone. Odd, too, to already be in uniform, but that was an oddity he didn't exactly mind. Changing in mid-air was not an experience he had ever found pleasant. Positioned before the controls, Coran waited until the others had left the control room before executing the familiar command that brought up the launching bays. Feeling suddenly self-conscious, Keith walked slowly towards the chute, putting his helmet on as he did. He was not used to an audience, nor being the only one...almost always someone had launched with him. It also seemed strange not to be doing it at a run but he would have sooner entered the Voltron museum of his own accord than head to the launching bay with his former urgency. As it was, he leapt with as much dignity as he could muster and tried not to feel relieved as he vanished from view. Ashamedly, he forgot Liran and everyone else throughout his descent, his mind instead focusing on the fact that he was only moments away from flying the Black again. He didn't wonder if he would feel complete, he knew that yet another piece of himself that he hadn't realized was missing would return the moment he was behind the Black's controls. It was exhilarating in a way that it hadn't been since once of the first times he had ever flown.

His mind wandered, as it had often done, during the remainder of his journey. Sometimes he had thought about the battle ahead, others the maneuvers he planned for their patrols, this time he only thought of how unusual it would be to have his teammates in the Lion with him. He had never had more than two people in the cockpit with him at a time; having four was certain to be somewhat cramped. Above him the compartment opened and he was instantly propelled upwards towards the waiting Black. And it was waiting. He could sense it with a surety that was frightening in its intensity. The Black was waiting for his return and had been waiting ever since he had set foot on the planet's certain. How it had known he was back, he didn't dare fathom, he simply returned its greeting with the same degree of affection. Briefly the thought flickered through his mind that this was where he truly belonged as his chair finally came to a stop and the floor closed underneath him. Taking out the key, he moved to put it in its place, only to hesitate. While overcome with the sensation that this was right, a part of him was reluctant to give in to it. Once he put in the key, there could be no turning back. He would be the Black's pilot again, be Voltron's Captain not only in name and to do so was to acknowledge that had he the choice, he would do this over Galaxy Garrison any day. Even that fact was something he hadn't dared to admit, even to himself, until this moment, and still he hesitated. There could be no winning. With a sigh, Keith inserted the key and doomed himself even further, or so he told himself as the Lion around him came to life. Grasping the controls, he waited as the Black roared of its own accord and he knew, without seeing, that the signs of damage the Black had maintained from its last battle were finally disappearing.

"All right, so you missed me. That's no reason to slight the others. Let's go round up the team," he said, falling once again into his own habits. Within his grasp the Lion obeyed his slightest touch and he willed himself not to think about the consequences of this day. Establishing communication with Coran, he guided the Lion down to the bridge across the lake where the others waited. As he landed, he briefly touched the Black's console in front of him. It had been awhile since he had flown anything; his courses at GG didn't always allow for him to be in the field and he had forgotten in part how much he enjoyed it. Even GG's ships were no match for the Black however. Silently his teammates filed into the Black's cockpit, the four of them rather cramped behind him and Keith waited only to acknowledge that everyone was with him before taking off and leaving the palace and all its complexities behind them.

"Keith, what is your intended course?" Coran's voice asked scratchily several moments later. Glancing briefly at his cramped companions, Keith called up the map of the Lions location on the screen in front of him and answered,

"I'll find the Green Lion first and drop off Pidge. He'll take Hunk with him to find the Yellow while we continue on to the Red and then the Blue. Whoever's there will wait until we've confirmed their Lion is flyable before moving on. I assume we can assess whatever other damage there might be when we've returned to the palace."

If Coran disapproved of his plan, he said nothing and Keith ceased communication, instead concentrating on flying towards the Green Lion's location. Initially unnerved by the presence of five people in its cockpit, his awareness of the Black was now pestering him with its displeasure at being taken out on a routine flight. Mentally he scolded it for not knowing better while his companions jostled for more space behind him.

"This is the worst idea anyone has ever had," Lance finally proclaimed, wedged inbetween Pidge and Hunk. The latter was practically sitting on him, there was so little room and Keith hid his grin. Shoved to one side, Allura had her arms folded and looked just as uncomfortable as the others though her own lips betrayed a slight curve to them.

"You'll have breathing room in a few more minutes," Keith replied, guiding the Black over the forest.

"Do you think the Lions will be flyable?" Pidge asked, leaning forward as much as he could to survey the monitor. A steady green blip marked his Lion's location.

"I think so...destroying them doesn't seem to have been the objective. Didn't you determine it wasn't possible to permanently damage them?"

"I'd like to examine the metal again, if they'd let me. Run some tests. I don't have all the equipment I need, but I can manage," Pidge added, looking over his shoulder at Allura.

"The Chancellors and Liran will have to approve it," was all she said, her tone apologetic.

"Of course," Pidge replied, his expression unchanging before he turned back to the monitor. Allura's face fell slightly and she soon became occupied in staring at her feet.

"Can't you fly this thing any faster, Keith?"

"Got anywhere you need to be, Lance?"

"No, it's just I'd like to have the use of my lungs again. It's diet time for you, Big Guy."

"Tell me you didn't say that."

"D–I-E-T," Lance continued, trying and failing to push Hunk off of him.

"There are only three words that I can't stand to hear and that's one of them," Hunk said through gritted teeth.

"I'd ask what the other two are, but I think I already know. Keith, please, I'm dying. Do you want to be responsible for the death of your second in command?"

"Who says you're still my second?"

"For the love of Zarkon, Keith..." Lance promptly ran out of breath as Hunk shifted his weight so it fell more heavily on him and his three companions quickly stifled their laughter.

"That's another one of the words I can't stand to hear," Hunk added. Lance's reply was too muffled for any of them to understand though Keith suspected he was saying "Lotor" over and over again.

"Coming up on the Green Lion," he announced. The sigh of relief that echoed throughout the Black's cockpit was nearly deafening and Keith grinned openly as he began his descent. Elbowing his way forward, Pidge couldn't check a cry of dismay at the sight of the craft he had piloted for so many years. Somewhat appropriately, the Green had crashed in the midst of a forest, though its landing had not been kind to the trees surrounding it. Sprawled at an awkward angle, the upper half of the Lion rested against the tops of several trees, the branches crushed beneath its weight, while the bottom half dangled precariously, one leg bent while the other was straight. The Green's mouth was still open in a silent roar, its head twisted to one side, while both front paws were extended as if to slash its attacker.

"It doesn't look all right," Pidge finally said, sounding like the boy he had been for the first time since their return.

"It'll be fine once you fly it, Pidge," Keith said, the assurance in his voice causing all of them to stare at him. "Trust me," he added, slowing the Black so that it came to a stop outside of the Green's tilted head. The look Pidge gave him was doubtful but it appeared that his youngest teammate still trusted his Captain for he squared his now broad shoulders and nodded with complete confidence. Coming up for air from underneath Hunk, Lance breathed deeply for several moments and then said what was on everyone's mind,

"How the hell are we going to get out?"