I do not own Voltron or anything even remotely associated with it. Heaven knows if I did, I would still have the toys. This could be considered part two of the last chapter, but I was forced to break it up due to length. You'll see why. :) It gave me a rather hard time of it, too. Be kind to me, even if it stinks, it took a lot out of me. Keith and Allura aren't the only ones suffering some agony anymore. Oh and no I'm not a politician. ; )

Rekindled

"Keith? Come back, buddy, it's just a museum. Besides, you've got at least a week to dread going in there."

"A week?" Keith queried rather dazedly, coming out of his reverie with a slight shake of his head. Nodding encouragingly, Lance sat forward in his chair and replied,

"Possibly longer. You see, knowing His Majesty and our esteemed Chancellors the way that I do, it'll take the lot of them at least two hours to determine what we figured out in thirty minutes. And even after they arrive to this momentous decision, the museum still has to be contacted and negotiated with. They'll have to close it down while we're there, otherwise the place'll be mobbed and it'll have to be on a day when they don't have some sort of thing planned, which they almost always do. For all we know, today is the day they celebrate the anniversary of Lotor's tenth defeat by the Voltron Force. I know," this, in response to the mixed look of skepticism and horror Keith shot him. Groaning, Keith buried his face in his hands and missed the looks of amusement and sympathy passing between his remaining teammates.

"It really isn't all that bad, Keith. You'll feel differently once you're there," Pidge put in helpfully, rifling idly through his notes as he turned from his study of the malfunctioning camera. Keith simply shook his head within his hands, not even bothering to look up. Grinning madly, Pidge crossed the distance between them and clapped his captain heartily on the shoulder.

"Buck up. Once you go, it'll all be over and you'll never have to set foot in there again if you don't want to. Maybe it'll help you to remember some things you've forgotten."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"But, Captain, you're never afraid. Not really." Keith's brows arched and he found himself looking up at Pidge before he was even aware of. Steadily his youngest teammate met his gaze, the trace of reassurance lurking behind his glasses succeeding in apologizing for Pidge's seemingly constant questioning of his motives. Smiling his thanks, Keith only nodded and Pidge's hold tightened on his shoulder briefly before he too exited the lounge. Stretching noisily, Lance looked from Keith to Allura for several moments, a revealing grin twitching at the corners of his mouth as he remarked,

"Have you ever noticed that we always leave in roughly the same order? One of the two of them goes, followed by the other one and then it's just the three of us." Simultaneously Keith and Allura glared at him. Lance only grinned back mockingly.

"It's just funny, that's all," he said in mock defense, still grinning back at the two of them. Sighing, Allura walked over to where he sat for the sole purpose of shoving him. Smiling faintly as Lance cried out in protest and nearly fell on the floor, Keith forced himself not to watch as Allura deftly evaded his attempts at revenge.

"We were a sort of trio, once, remember," Allura said finally, perching herself on the couch Hunk had recently occupied and well out of Lance's reach.

"Ah yes, the good old days. Whatever happened to those, I wonder?"

"Is there a reason you're trying to drag the two of us down memory lane with you?" Keith interjected. Lance shrugged, his gaze flickering briefly to Allura before he answered,

"Nah. Just talking. Answer me the question of the hour, Ally, and then I'll go off to bed like a good little boy. Are you going to let the prince accompany us to the museum?"

"I couldn't be so cruel to him, no matter what he had done. Not after all his plans...it's killing him to have been away this long, but he never mentions it. I won't tell him until we know when we're going, though. It should be at least a week, I expect," Allura answered, a sad little smile curving across her face at thoughts of her son. Lance nodded, bestowing upon her one of his own rare smiles and Keith fought hard against the uncomfortable sensation building in his stomach. He didn't care.

"Why are you both so certain it'll take a week? They really wouldn't shut down tomorrow for us if we asked?"

"Ah, unenlightened Keith. The palace has no say in the goings on at the museum," Lance said to the ceiling, his mouth twitching dangerously again. Keith's brows arched and he looked to Allura for confirmation.

"The museum is actually owned by the Historical Society of Arus. It was my project to begin with, but once it got out of hand there wasn't any way the palace could pay for it all, so we had to find help and...we do have some say in that we were and remain its largest financial backers, but we don't have anything to do with the running of it. Cael earned his position by his own merit and not because he was the prince. The Historical Society actually owns several Voltron landmarks across Arus, sites where significant battles took place. They have weekly tours."

"You're joking."

Simultaneously Lance and Allura shook their heads, the pair of them bursting into laughter as Keith groaned and buried his head in his hands a second time. Waiting until their laughter had subsided, Keith raised his head and said slowly,

"Doesn't it ever bother you two that a part of your lives is on display for anyone to look at?"

Instantly their grins vanished and another look passed between them before Lance answered,

"The museum itself isn't a problem for me. It's part of Arus' history, let them celebrate it any way they want. What bothers me is people assuming they know me because of it. I've gone to planets for the first time and had the ambassadors treat me like I'm their best friend because they know about Voltron. That doesn't mean they know me. One even brought up one of the battles, like he was there...I turned around and left...after a few choice words. I understand, Keith, better than you think what it's like to be shadowed by it."

"Sometimes I forget it happened to me. It's become so ingrained in our history, it doesn't seem real at times. And then I remember and...I embarrassed Liran at a dinner he had with visiting dignitaries because one of them was being over familiar about it and I made it clear he knew nothing at all about Voltron," Allura said quietly, absently unlacing and lacing her fingers together. A trace of Keith's misery lightened only to return as Lance said,

"I remember that dinner. The look on his face...Liran looked like he was going to swallow his own tongue. Never mind that the man apologized profusely the moment you were gone. That was one of the most dramatic exits I have ever seen, by the way. She did it in true wronged lady fashion, Keith. Short of saying 'I have never been so insulted,' she did everything down to the letter. Liran sputtered for about five minutes afterwards, it was the most entertaining dinner I've had since becoming an ambassador." Laughing softly to himself, Lance's eyes took on a distant light to him as his two companions both scrambled for paper and pens. Withing a minute they were both flashing notes at him that said He is still listening though Allura's was underlined and Keith's was all in capitals. In response, Lance merely grinned all the wider and rose jerkily to his feet.

"No more late night strategy sessions, Keith, they're not good for me. Next time tell Frank to be more convenient about when he decides to come out of his coma. Funny thing, that."

"What do you mean?" Allura asked, sliding down to a more comfortable position on the couch now that Lance was no longer an immediate threat.

"Neither of you thought it at all odd that he woke up just long enough to give us a piece of information we were desperately in need of before passing out again? Seems a little too coincidental to me. Rather nice of him, though." Allura's eyes widened and she stared at him for several moments, the color gradually draining from her features as she did. Keith merely tilted his head to one side, his eyebrows raising yet again as he mulled over Lance's words. He had a point. It had been a trifle convenient...but he wasn't certain how anyone could be keeping Frank in a coma, much less bring him out of it at will.

"Just something for the two of you to think about while I'm gone. Good night, Kally." At this both of them groaned loudly, the nickname one from the past and one that the two of them had been united in their hatred of. Wildly looking for something to throw at Lance, Keith opted finally for rolling up his piece of paper into a ball and socking Lance in the shoulder. Feigning hurt, Lance retrieved the fallen ball and carefully unrolled it. Pulling a pen from his pocket, he wrote something quickly and threw it back to Keith. Reading it, Keith nodded even though the reminder to get rid of their paper trail was hardly necessary. Sliding his key into the door, Lance waited for it to open, an almost wistful expression on his face as he turned and threw the two of them one of his smiles.

"Sometime before we leave, we'll have to have one of our late night discussions, the three of us. Just for old times sake, if nothing else. I've missed them, actually. Missed being with both of you. I've been here before and GG's all well and good, but it isn't the same. I even promise to leave first, even though it isn't necessary any more. Good-night. I don't expect we'll be summoned in the morning, more's the pity."

"Good-night," Keith and Allura said at the same time, both of them furiously wadding up balls of paper to launch at him. Flinching as both missiles hit his back at the same time, Lance made a not too polite gesture behind his back before disappearing through the door. Sharing a look, Keith and Allura laughed briefly before what was now the usual silence rose up between them. Setting herself the task of collecting their stray sheets of paper, Allura moved quietly about the room and Keith again found himself watching her, even as he warned himself against it.

It was strange, being alone with her again. In one way he had hoped for it and in another he had dreaded it. Their relationship was still unfamiliar to them both, flickering from the intimacy they had once known to something vastly different in its coolness as rapidly as the seconds passed. Unfortunately, he was realizing that his physical attraction to her had not lessened in the slightest, especially now as he watched her in the silky green robe that covered but didn't entirely conceal. It was hard for him not to watch her, to not want the license he once had to touch her that was now permanently denied him. One part of him began to wonder where this was coming from even as he wrote it off on account of his being tired and strained; his conversation with Cael hadn't been an easy one and then the bizarreness of Frank's testimony had only worsened things. It was not only that, however, and he knew it even as he tried to pretend he didn't. This had been present all along, ever since he laid eyes on her again, and it was making itself felt now only because his guard was down. Because he had seen her with Liran and felt what he had no right to feel and it had stirred something he had tried to forget existed. He was a fool, in the truest sense of the word, a fool to think he could come back here and not want...not want what he had walked away from and once had. Lance had spoken of missing the camaraderie the three of them had once had and Keith missed it, too, though he hadn't acknowledged it until this point. There had been many a night, after Pidge and Hunk had retired where the three of them had stayed in the lounge for hours, either talking or playing games or sometimes just in a comfortable silence. That state was slowly returning, without any of their awareness of it, and he was glad of it, but with it came a longing for something he couldn't really have again. He wanted the same closeness he had had with Allura...before he left, before they had acknowledged their feelings for each other were more than what they should have been. It was impossible, however, even if he thought she might want the same thing. Liran aside, it would be unfair of him to try and rekindle something of the relationship they had once had when he knew full well that once the missing pilots were found, he would return to Galaxy Garrison.

Finishing with her task, Allura straightened and looked over at him, catching him in the act of watching her. Smiling somewhat sheepishly, Keith merely shrugged in response to her look. Eyes widening, Allura gave herself a little shake and abruptly handed the stack of paper to him.

"It's time I should be in bed as well, especially if I'm included in the morning's festivities. I wanted to look in on Cael, too...all this excitement has surely woken him. He always seems to know if something's going on in the palace, even when he's not involved. I'm sorry about before, I don't know why I...this was nice, though. I never really got to strategize with the four of you in the old days. Good-night, Keith," she finished uncertainly, a faint blush rising up in her cheeks from seemingly out of nowhere. Dropping his gaze, she hurried towards the door, her robe swirling out behind her. For a second Keith grappled with his own indecision and then he sprang to his feet, crossing the distance between them in two strides and blocking the slot with his hand before she could place her key inside. Allura surprisingly said nothing, nor did she try to move past him as she stood in place, waiting for his explanation. Writing quickly on a piece of paper, Keith handed it to her, watching her reaction with an urgency he wished he didn't feel. Can I walk you back? Was what he had written and her eyes widened as she read it. Her response, when she returned it to him was equally as brief. Liran? Never taking his eyes from hers, Keith folded up their message sheet and said loudly,

"Good-night, Princess." Moving his hand away from the key slot, he inserted his own and watched along with her as the door opened. After a moment, he removed his key and the door closed a few seconds later. Head tilted slightly to one side, Allura simply watched him as he motioned for her to wait and went to retrieve the stack of paper from where he had left it. Humming softly to himself, Keith made a point of making noise, establishing firmly that he was still in the room. After several minutes, he put back the book he had idly been looking at and made his way to the door where Allura still waited. Inserting his key, he ushered her through when the door opened and waited until she was in the hallway before turning to face the now empty lounge.

"Good night, Your Majesty," he murmured, giving the listening monarch a mocking bow he would never see before joining Allura in the hallway. Silently the pair began walking towards the fourteenth floor and the royal apartments, their gazes not meeting until Keith unconsciously took the path they had always taken in the old days. It was the longest, most indirect route one could take from the lounge in order to reach the main stairwell and he had devised it long ago as a way to prolong their time together. Recognizing the turn, Allura checked a gasp and satisfied herself with throwing him a quizzical look. At first Keith didn't meet her gaze, instead staring straight ahead with an expression that was a mixture of determination and defiance. Too well she remembered the slight clench to his jaw and she smiled faintly as the question she had meant to ask him died within her. Looking at her at last, Keith shrugged yet again, his lips parting as if to explain himself but Allura promptly shook her head. Touching his hand for the barest instant, she smiled at him and quickened her pace so there was a distance between them, even if only for a little while. She was wiser than she knew for the gesture, outwardly so innocent, was inwardly conflicting for both of them. "Habit" was an excuse both of them were becoming all too fond of and while it was partially true, Allura wasn't deluding herself that it was the sole motivation for her actions any more. She had wanted to touch him and so she had done so, irregardless of the fact that her husband was most likely angrily awaiting her arrival in her suite this very moment. Why this was happening now, she didn't understand. She had feared it would happen, had known that it probably would and yet it still caught her by surprise. No matter how she tried, she couldn't shake him from her thoughts, couldn't rid herself of the desire for everything to be as it once was even as she knew that it never could be. But she had forgotten, forgotten in ten years what it had felt like to look at a man and feel something, something which Liran, for all his immaculate grooming, never really produced within her. Nor had she remembered fully what it was like to meet someone's gaze and experience the strange shock that only Keith's gaze was able to produce within her and now that he was here again, she craved it more than anything. She wanted it back–everything–and she knew she could never have it. She was more trapped now than she had been ten years ago and there was no point when his departure was just as inevitable now as it had been then. Still...she stole a look at him out of the corner of her eyes as he fell into step alongside her once more, his features set even more determinedly than they had been before she mistakenly touched him. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't go down that path with him again. Surely there was a compromise between what they had once had and the emptiness of never speaking to each other. If there wasn't, she would have to create herself for she understood suddenly that his second departure for Galaxy Garrison would be even harder on her than his first one had been.

"To think I was worried you would underestimate him. You're turning out to be a fine player, I think Liran might actually miss you when you're gone." A muscle jerked in Keith's jaw and his voice was flat as he said,

"So you think so too. Everyone seems to find me lacking these days, I'm beginning to consider making Lance's dream come true and turning the command over to him."

"Who finds you lacking?"

"Pidge. He's elected himself my unofficial conscience. Every time I do something he doesn't approve of, he makes sure I know it. Once he wouldn't have dared oppose anything I said and now that's all he does. I'm glad he questions me, it's...my only other option is the one I took before and I swore to myself I would never do that again."

"I don't find you lacking," Allura said quietly, the sudden bitterness of his tone concerning her, "it just surprises me. The old Keith would have quietly stood by and let the game go on without playing and now...now you play almost better than he does. I never expected it of you."

"You want the old Keith back then? I suspect Pidge does, he's so dissatisfied with the new one."

"Don't be so hard on Pidge. You've always been his hero, more so than the others. He's carried around an idealistic version of what you were for years and now that he's a man himself, he's realizing that you have your faults, just like anyone else, and it's not easy for him to let go. The real trouble is, he still admires you and that makes it even harder for him. And I don't want the old Keith back."

"Don't be so sure until you've completely gotten to know the new one yet," he retorted, partially to hide his pleasure at her words. Allura smiled and looked at him steadily as she added,

"You haven't changed as much as you think you have. I think you're more yourself now than you were back then. You're not so worried about how you should behave, instead you just behave the way you want to, within reason of course. You're still the same, really...it's one of the best things about you."

"I'm not sure how to take that," he said jokingly. Allura let out a cry of exasperation and shook her head at him despairingly.

"I take it back," she replied. Keith put a hand over his heart in mock chagrin and she shook her head at him a second time, though her smile gave her away. "I'm sorry I overreacted about you thinking I would spy for him," she added a moment later, her hair falling forward to hide her features. Keith's brows arched and he started slightly in surprise. "I understand why you did it...it was an excellent move and he certainly didn't expect it. You were so certain I would betray you...and I would never..."

"Princess, I know that your first loyalty is to me and the Force, no matter what you may have told him. Had he asked you, you would have refused as many times as it was necessary...I just wanted to keep him from asking. It was wrong of me to think I was keeping you from choosing, I made you choose in that instant. And I'm sorry for that, more than you know. You shouldn't have to."

"Don't be sorry. You're always sorry about things you can't change and it doesn't do us any good. Please don't apologize to me anymore...not about this." Fleetingly she looked at him, the plea in her eyes unmistakable and Keith swallowed back anything he could possibly say and succumbed to their usual silence. This wasn't what he had intended even though he had been planning to bring it up himself. Why things had to be so unbelievably awkward between them at times he couldn't fathom even though he knew it had everything to do with his reaction to her touch of his hand. It was his fault in any case, for putting the two of them in this situation out of the foolish desire to be near her. It was only growing with every minute and he was desperately trying to ignore it, to not slow his pace as he once had in a pitiful attempt to prolong their time together. He knew, too, that this was the only time he would be able to do this. Liran was no fool and would soon deduce why she took longer than she should have to look in on Cael; he would have no other nightly rendezvous with her while he remained in the palace and here he was, bungling the only chance he would have.

"Frank must have interrupted your patrol. Are you going to finish it?" Allura asked finally, a smile playing about her lips seemingly in spite of herself. Startled, Keith thought it over for a moment and then slowly shook his head.

"I'm too tired. I don't think anything else could possibly happen tonight anyhow...or maybe I should actually place some faith in the security systems for once."

"No one blames you for being cautious, not after everything. I understand you have a regular stop once more." Her smile appeared in full force and Keith found himself smiling as well as he answered,

"The Prince has made a habit of it, yes. What is it about the royal family of Arus that they never want to adhere to the rules of bedtime?"

"We have a born abhorrence for our beds, didn't you know? I'm glad the two of you are becoming friends...he has so few and he's always admired you so greatly. I thought you might not want to..."

"He's your son, Princess, how could I not be kind to him?"

"Because he's a reminder," she whispered, her eyes suddenly finding the floor. Keith felt suddenly as if she had struck him, even as part of him recognized the validity of her fear. She had really thought that he would shun Cael just because he was a reminder of something he would like to forget and that stung more than he would like to admit. It was his turn, he supposed, to be hurt and he understood suddenly the violence of her reaction to his suggestion she would spy. More than anything right now he wanted to grasp her by her shoulders and shake her for assuming that he would really let his personal feelings carry over to his relationship with a boy who was innocent of such matters and not at all at fault for how he had come into the world.

"I would never treat the Prince differently because of something that isn't his fault and that he can't possibly understand. Give me a little credit, Princess, for not being able to bear a grudge against a nine year old boy."

"I didn't really think you would, I was just afraid that you might...I'm sorry for thinking it meant anything to you."

"Princess, you don't have to apologize for that."

"Don't I?" She whispered, looking at him for the barest second before finding herself fascinated with the floor once more.

"No," Keith forced himself to say, his voice sounding far steadier than he thought it would. "You don't owe me anything, least of all an apology. You shouldn't apologize for something you can't change either. And even if it did mean something to me, you shouldn't worry about it anymore." Her breath caught in her throat and she looked over at him before she was even aware of it. Jaw tightly clenched, Keith didn't falter under her sudden scrutiny, instead allowing her to see his gaze drift to the green robe poorly concealing her frame before raising his eyes to hers once more. Anything more he couldn't afford to tell her, not now, possibly not ever, and while she shouldn't have brought it up, he wasn't exactly sorry she had. She at least knew that it still bothered him and he understood that a part of her still felt like she was betraying him by it and that would have to be enough. It wasn't, but there was no changing it. Smiling tremulously, Allura blushed faintly and dropped his gaze and Keith reluctantly quickened his pace. They had tarried far too long already; even a husband who wasn't jealous would be wondering where his wife was by now. Forcing the now familiar causal tone in his voice as they headed up a flight of stairs, he remarked,

"Speaking of the Prince, he was with me when I heard about Frank. I ordered him to stay in his room...if he's obeyed me, I'll have to reward him somehow. And if any action is taken by Liran against the guard who found us, please revoke it. He didn't know the Prince was with me, otherwise he might not have spoken so hastily. Do you suppose I could take him for a five minute flight in the Black or would that violate his punishment too severely?"

"If you think he'll let you stay up there for only five minutes, you've underestimated his love for the lions. It's the best gift you could possibly give him, though, and if I'm going to let him go to the museum next week...he can fly with you in the Black. If his father hears of it..."

"I won't even tell the Prince until we're about to take off. Would he believe I want to take him into town for a lollipop?"

"A lollipop?"

"It was the first sweet I thought of,"Keith said sheepishly, glad that her voice was no longer strained. Allura giggled unexpectedly, the sound reminding him painfully of the girl she had been ten years ago.

"He prefers ice cream, but you do know the way to his heart if you're thinking of including sweets. I don't know where he got that from."

"I used to have one, too, when I was a boy. I don't remember it being to quite this extent, but I remember being bribed with sugar on more than one occasion," Keith replied with a wry grin. Allura's features paled suddenly and then she tilted her head to one side as she looked at him somewhat speculatively.

"Where did you get this understanding for children? From your cadets?"

"Possibly. I'm not so certain I'm as good around children as you think."

"Haven't you ever wanted any of your own?" Her question gave him pause and he blinked

several times before throwing her an unusual grin and replying,

"Do you want the cliche answer that my cadets have become like my children?"

"Is it the real answer?"

"No. The real answer is I've never really thought about it. When Lance and I went to see Hunk after his first son was born...for awhile I wanted the same thing for myself. But I went back to GG and got caught up in things there and I forgot about it. There isn't a constant yearning in me for them. I may regret it someday but right now...right now it doesn't trouble me I will most likely never have any children of my own."

"Oh. It seems a shame."

"Does it? I don't think I'm really the sort of man for it. I can't remember mine and I never had any substitute for him, though Coran came close. I'd be terrible at it."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Can I ask you something that I probably shouldn't?" Keith said suddenly, not wanting to bring up the subject but finding it strangely irresistible now that they were on the topic. Brows arching, Allura gave no outward indication that she knew his intentions and nodded slightly.

"I've always wondered why you haven't had more children. I used to picture you with at least half a dozen."

"Half a dozen!"

"All right, more like four. Before the Prince was born and even for a few years after, when I thought of you, I always saw you with children clustered around you. Does His Majesty not want more?" Swallowing with great difficulty, Allura was silent for several moments, not looking at him as they continued to walk along.

"It...isn't for lack of trying," she said at last, knowing without looking at him that his features had blanched in spite of his efforts to prevent it. "Liran has never said he doesn't want them, though I think he would draw the line at three. It simply hasn't happened...and it isn't likely to."

"You should have a daughter," Keith said firmly. Allura's eyes widened and she shook her head sadly. "A daughter with your hair and eyes, Liran's nose simply because it is attractively straight and possibly his height, too. But she'd have your spirit and she would have her brother and father completely wound around her little finger. She should have his sense of decorum, too, just because Arus wouldn't know what to do if they had an heir who behaved properly. And suitors would come from all over the galaxy to claim her hand and not being the sole heir, this time the Princess of Arus could marry whom her heart chose and right the wrong that was done her mother." Too late he realized he had gotten carried away, but he could see Allura's daughter clearly in his mind, almost as if the girl really existed. Her hair was not quite the same golden shade of her mother's however, it was more the shade of Cael's but light enough to pass for blonde but her eyes were distinctly Allura's. And if she had Liran's nose, he couldn't fault her for it, or his height, but she was enchanting, even in his imagination nevertheless. Beside him Allura didn't speak and he didn't dare look at her, fearing, perhaps rightly, that he had pained her by speaking of something she clearly thought could never be. That was the true shame. She should have had children, lots of them, even if her immaculate husband couldn't be bothered with them all.

"Since you asked me...can I ask you something that I've always wondered?" Allura said finally, her voice trembling slightly. Certain he was going to regret this but aware that it was only fair after what he had just asked of her, Keith nodded slightly.

"Why haven't you ever married?"

"Because I'm not the marrying kind. And...what I've become...isn't the sort of man any woman should ever marry, even if she was foolish enough to love me. There isn't enough of me to give to anyone else and she would always want what I couldn't give her."

"There hasn't been anyone? Ever? Even for a moment?"

"There is one," he said slowly, the image of Sam all too clear in his mind. This wasn't how he had pictured himself telling her, if he told her about the psuedo-relationship waiting for him back at Galaxy Garrison when he returned. "But I haven't treated her nearly as well as I should have and she deserves someone far better than I ever could be. She's been good to me and I have done nothing for her in return except give her an illusion of what she'll never really have."

"You don't think she would be happy?"

"At first, maybe, but I...I'm not an easy man to live with and I'll always have ghosts that haunt me. I wouldn't wish that on her for anything in the world. I'm not even certain she loves me or even if she think she does. If she does, I'm sorry for her. It can't be pleasant."

"You hate yourself for things that you can't control...you shouldn't. And...you should try...maybe not with her, but with someone, Keith. You should marry... you'd be a good husband."

"I wouldn't," he said haggardly, stopping abruptly as he realized they had reached the landing of the fourteenth floor.

"Don't you think I would know?" She interrupted quietly, pausing with him and fixing him with a gaze that held more emotions than he wanted to recognize at this moment.

"Princess, there isn't any point in my marrying, not when I'll never..." He began brokenly, unable to finish and she dropped his gaze as a struggle enacted itself across her own features. For several moments the two of them simply stood there, neither looking at the other or speaking, though words were flying faster through Keith's mind than he could process them all. Prominent among them was his conviction that he had never intended this, that of all the things he had pictured saying to her this evening, this talk of children and marriage had not been among them. He couldn't tell her the truth, even though he suspected she knew it, just as he knew it about her, and just as he had known, it had done them no good to try and make any sort of confession to each other. They were trapped, just as they had been ten years ago and there was no breaking free. He had told Sam he was going to bury his old flame, not rekindle it, and at the time, he had believed it to be true. Now he knew himself for the liar he was. He couldn't bury it and neither could she and he feared that they were already heading down a path that they could not tread. Surely she knew as well as he that they couldn't take that road again. There could be no secret meetings, no nighttime trysts, no forbidden expressions of something they never should have allowed themselves to feel. This would be the only time, he resolved, hoping that she understood it without him having to say it. After tonight, they would go back to their restrained relationship and he, at least, would not consciously try to regain what they had before.

"Good-night, Princess," he said finally, the misery in his words a terrible echo of the last time he had said them to her ten years ago and he knew she recognized it as readily as he. Running his gaze over her frame one last time as she refused to look at him, Keith wished for everything that could never be for what he told himself was the last time and turned to go. He made it but two steps before she spoke his name and ran towards him. Meeting his gaze briefly, Allura tried to smile and failed as she said in a shaking voice,

"I wish you could see what everyone else sees when they look at you because maybe then you wouldn't think. When I look at you, I see a man who isn't happy with life has given him, but he hasn't let it ruin him. And I see a man who carries around the knowledge that he what he's lost, he'll never have again, even though he can't help looking for it. But you're not a man no one can love and you should let someone love you, even if it isn't what you want." Stepping closer to him, her lips trembled slightly as she looked up at him and her voice dropped to something scarcely above a whisper as she continued, "And I wish I could have my daughter...I long for her almost more than anything else. And she would look just as you described, though maybe a little more like her brother than myself. But I'll never have her...and I keep looking for her, just like you do. Even if she existed, Keith...she wouldn't be able to right the wrong that was done her mother. It never can be...at least not in this lifetime."

Finding it extremely difficult to swallow, Keith opened his mouth to say her name, only to have her eliminate all capacity for speech from him as she embraced him swiftly. Arms encircling her in return, Keith fought against the sudden softness of her against him, against the memory of years past even as he confirmed there was nothing under her robe. There was no saving him. He was lost, just as he had been ten years ago, only this time the pain was all the more acute. Pulling away, Allura didn't look up at him until there were several steps between them and his throat constricted at the sight of tears on her cheeks when she finally did.

"Good night, Keith," she murmured before fleeing him for the safety of her son's rooms. Staring after her, Keith remained where he was for a period of time he never knew the length of. Five, ten, maybe thirty minutes passed where he stood, simply staring into nothingness while his mind fought against itself and somewhere, deep within him a part of him was laughing bitterly at his own foolishness. Come to bury an old flame indeed. He had done nothing but what he had said he wouldn't do. It was rekindled...but only because it had never gone out. He had never been in danger of falling in love with her again and he had been a fool to think so. The real danger was realizing once and for all that he had never stopped loving her. He never would.