I do not own Voltron or anything even remotely associated with it. Heaven knows if I did, I would still have the toys. Thank you for being so forgiving:):) As for the length of this, heaven only knows how long it's going to be. It's safe to say that I'm probably about halfway through at this point, but it depends on how many flashbacks I actually decide to do(there are several that I'm playing around with)and if my love for sub-plots gets too out of control...and that's about all I know at the moment. I have one idea for a sequel, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as long as this one and not as involved so I might do it and I might not. Time will tell.

Aran

Allura's shoulders lurched at Keith's comment, too heartfelt to be misunderstood even by Cael and the young prince turned his face up at his hero in slight bewilderment, the idea that the museum was not a thing of wonder for Keith occurring to him for the first time. Relief pouring out from his features, Keith smiled reassuringly at Cael and unthinkingly reached out to tousle the boy's hair. He was saved, however, by the sudden appearance of the gift shop manager who had kept his distance for as long as he was able to.

"Are my eyes deceiving me? Is it really you? Captain?" Hand falling midway to Cael's head, Keith turned and bowed fluidly at the new arrival without even bothering to determine who it was. Completely flabbergasted by his action, the manager could only stare, open-mouthed, his eyes growing even larger than Cael's ever had. It took all of Keith's effort not to laugh. Moving to stand behind Cael, Allura reassuringly rested her hands on her son's shoulders while the manager desperately tried to recover some semblance of composure.

"How may I be of service to you..." Keith said, his brows arching as he waited politely for a name.

"Oh, Zarkon, Sir,...I mean...Doom's breath...I'm sorry, I'm the..Zacharius Tonas, general manager of the Voltron Gift Shop."

"Pleased to meet you, Zacharius," Keith replied, his smile still held in check even as the man sputtered and gasped over the hand he offered for him to shake. After several moments, Zacharius managed to shake his hand, his eyes still wider than Keith would have believed humanly possibly. Releasing his hand quickly, Zacharius stared at his own with something akin to reverence for a moment before managing to look at Keith again.

"Captain, it truly is an honor. We've had the other members of your team here so many times...I wonder...if it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience, Sir?"

"What would?" Keith asked, ignoring the soft intake of breath behind him even though it was a certain indicator that he wasn't going to like what was about to occur. His suspicions were only confirmed when Allura quietly shushed Cael and he thought he heard a faint snicker escape from the boy before Zacharius' flustered movements regained his complete attention. Beckoning frantically for him to follow, the slight man hurried deeper into the shop and behind the front desk. With another reverent glance for Keith, he produced a key from around his neck and used it to open the glass case that served as the bottom half of the desk. Warily approaching, Keith felt his stomach sicken as the shopkeeper lovingly removed two plaques and placed them on the counter in front of him. Proudly motioning for him to look, Zacharius didn't take his eyes from Keith's face as the former Voltron Captain looked down at the plaques with ever growing dismay. As he had suspected, the one on the left was dedicated solely to him, complete with an inscription detailing his accomplishments and a large, though flattering portrait. The one on the right was of the entire team, with himself in the center and was decorated with four signatures. If possible, Keith's stomach sank to the floor as he realized exactly what Zacharius was after and with Cael hovering in the background, there was no possible way he could refuse.

"If you could, Captain, sign these for us. They're the museum's top sellers and everyone's been after us for years to get your signature. Your teammates signed this one at the museum's opening, we've kept it in the best possible condition ever since on the off chance that you might come here someday. More than half of the shop's proceeds go to keeping the museum running while another is directly deposited into the Voltron refugee fund."

"Voltron refugee fund?" Keith asked, mainly to keep from answering whether or not he was going to sign. Zacharius' eyes bulged and he goggled at the figure of legend standing in front of him for several seconds before answering,

"It's a fund...well, a charity of sorts, Captain, started by her Majesty eight years ago. It's to help those who lost their homes during the attacks on Arus or who lost family members during the attacks."

"I see. So what am I supposed to sign this with?" Keith said stiffly, stifling a sigh. Instantly both Zacharius and Cael beamed, one eagerly fishing for the right pen while the other looked up at his mother with pure joy.

"For my birthday?" The prince whispered and after a moment his mother nodded, biting her lip as she was torn between crying for Keith's pain and laughing at the silliness of it all. Looking at the two of them briefly over his shoulder, Keith gritted his teeth and took the pen offered to him by Zacharius. Predictably Lance's signature was the largest on the one of the four of them, Allura's was dignified and neat, Hunk's a fat scrawl that looked like it would rather be anywhere else, and Pidge's the cramped script of a researcher. Choosing a spot, Keith discarded the signature he usually used for his GG documents and wrote his name just as he had before there was any importance attached to it. It stood out all the more for it and he cursed his own foolishness before turning to the one of himself. There he went all out, adding flourishes to beat even Lance and he laughed inwardly at the debates he might cause over one of the two signatures being a forgery. Zacharius didn't seem to notice the discrepancy between the two, however, as he tenderly replaced them and offered Keith his hand again to shake. This time he pumped the Voltron Captain's hand so enthusiastically Keith feared he would never regain the use of it afterwards.

"Thank you so much, Captain. I'll put in the order for the replicants today, by tomorrow we'll be sold out, I'm certain, once the word spreads. I can't tell you what it means for all of us at the museum to have you here at last, Captain. You did find it enjoyable?"

Freeing his hand from Zacharius' enthusiastic grip, Keith quickly checked to make certain all five of his fingers could still function before he answered,

"It was an experience I'll always remember, Zacharius. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"The pleasure was all mine, Captain. Enjoy the rest of your visit. You too, Your Majesty, Young Prince." Nodding to each of them in turn, Zacharius disappeared into the back of the shop and Keith wasted no further time in taking leave of the gift shop. His temper was running dangerously high and he was conscious of time slipping away as he had not been throughout the majority of Cael's tour. Achieving their real purpose for visiting the museum might be trickier than he had originally planned, but he certainly couldn't afford to waste any more time. Choosing not to wait for Allura and Cael, he meandered his way along the corridor of the museum, away from the exhibits and towards where he suspected the museum staff's offices were. Confirming his suspicions, there wasn't a guard in sight, though the ever pesky security cameras were still in place, the all too familiar red light flashing at him almost mockingly from one of the ceilings. Pausing to look up at it, Keith smiled wryly back into the lens and turned at the sound of Cael's voice. The plan was already put in motion. It was disturbing how he was actually enjoying thwarting the museum staff; he certainly had changed and it was beginning to frighten him in some ways. In others it was pleasing but he didn't dare speculate on it.

"Captain, there isn't anything to see this way. The offices are all that's down here and we aren't allowed to give tours of that area. They made me promise I wouldn't take you anywhere near them," Cael added the last somewhat sheepishly and Keith hid his smile.

"I'm sorry, Prince, I didn't realize. Would you mind if I went back to look at some of the exhibits by myself? I want to read some of them over a few more times."

"I assure you, Captain, they are all historically accurate. Aran wouldn't have it otherwise."

"I believe it, but I'd like to look at them, just the same. And if Your Highness will forgive me, I'd just like a little time to breathe on my own. You can understand that, can't you?"

"Yes," Cael answered a trifle sheepishly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and furiously avoiding his mother's gaze. Smiling slightly, Keith briefly looked at Allura before adding,

"Actually, Prince, I need a favor from you. Could you find Lance for me and tell him to meet me here? I need to show him something in one of the exhibits."

"Oh but he's been through them loads of times, Captain, I'm sure he knows..."Cael said loftily, stopping only when he met Keith's gaze. "But I'll tell him," he added, shifting his weight once more.

"And if you happen to see Pidge, tell him to go ahead without us," Keith replied, repressing the urge yet again to tousle the boy's hair reassuringly. Nodding, Cael saluted smartly and dashed off in the direction of the main exhibits. Watching him go, Keith waited until he was certain the boy was far enough away before turning to Allura and saying,

"He doesn't trust me. He's smart not to."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Tell me another way, Princess, and I'll stop right now." For several moments she simply looked at him and then she turned away with a sigh.

"There is no other way." Swallowing with difficulty, Keith thought of several different things he could say to her and uttered none of them. Everything had already been discussed, perhaps not between the two of them, but certainly between the five of them and she had not voiced whatever reservations she seemed to be harboring then. Moving away from him, Allura glanced in the direction Cael had taken before throwing him an idle glance over her shoulder and saying,

"I'm finding it hard to believe the ever honorable Keith would ever condone such a thing, much less suggest it himself."

"Times change...people change too, I suppose. It doesn't surprise you about Lance."

"Nothing surprises me about Lance," she replied, an affectionate smile curving across her lips seemingly without her awareness of it. Ignoring the pang that went through him, Keith studied her for a moment and then said slowly,

"How much has Lance told you about our trip to Corica?"

"I know it was year or so after the two of you left here and that for the most part he wishes he hadn't gone. Why?"

"Nothing," he replied, mimicking her in turning away. Allura's brows drew together but she didn't do anything other than look at his stiffening shoulders with a sadness that would have pained him if he had seen it. Lance had never wanted to talk to her about his trip to find his long-lost father, no matter how hard or how often she tried to pull it out of him. What she did know she had pieced together from what she had managed to get out of him and comments he had unknowingly dropped from time to time. It looked as if Keith was just as tight-lipped about it, though in his case, she could at least understand. It wasn't his story to tell, even if he had been a part of it. Biting her lip as she looked at his figure, now a dim outline in the shadows of the corridor, Allura wished a hundred different things that could never be and sighed yet again. There was no point in telling him her relationship with Lance was nothing like the one between them and never could be, he knew it too well himself, but it was for that very reason she was able to be close to Lance and not to Keith and it irked him so strongly even she was able to see it. The sound of approaching footsteps relieved her of her thoughts and she looked up with undisguised relief as Lance appeared around the corner. Glancing first to Keith's back and then to her, his features hardened and he approached her quietly.

"Did you get what you wanted?" He asked softly, his eyes once more flickering to Keith's seemingly oblivious figure. Nodding, Allura resisted the urge to rest her head against his shoulder. For too long she had leaned on Lance's strength, it was time she relied on her own.

"Yes and thank you. It was enough."

"Ally, I can't help but think you're only making things worse. There's a better way."

"Maybe. I can't do it to him, Lance, it isn't fair, not now."

"He deserves to know." Forcing herself to look at him, Allura tried not to falter under the intensity of his gaze and failed, looking away only after a few moments.

"I know. I'm trying to think of..."

"It's all right, Ally." Placing a hand on her shoulder briefly, Lance smiled reassuringly and strode away to where Keith continued to lurk in the hallway. Taking a moment to compose her features, Allura slowly followed him. Standing beside Keith, Lance rested an elbow against his captain's shoulder and looked speculatively down the hallway.

"Are you..."

"Don't ask me if I'm sure. We haven't got any other choice," Keith said shortly, not even bothering to look at him. Blinking, Lance nodded and said after a moment,

"Sorry. Ten more seconds and the Pipsqueak should have it up and running. Hunk's keeping Cael occupied but he suspects something."

"I know. The boy's too smart for his own good."

"Possibly." A soft beeping sounded from the arm resting against Keith's shoulder and the two men locked gazes for an instant before Lance let his arm fall to his side and squared his shoulders.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered. "Third one on the right?" He asked, more for verification than a need to know. Curtly Keith nodded and the two men set off down the darkened hallway, Allura shadowing them in silence. Reaching the designated door, Lance grimaced and knelt down before the lock. Examining it, he muttered softly to himself while Allura and Keith positioned themselves on either side of him.

"Can you pick it?" Keith asked after a moment, tension creeping into his tone even as he tried to prevent it."

"It's more sophisticated than the ones we did on Corica, but as the old man says, even the most complicated lock can be broken the same as any other. I think it's just a matter of..." Both men ignored Allura's slight intake of breath at Lance's words, one too occupied in finding a way around the device barring them from the room while the other had completely fallen back into an old habit of look-out. Pushing buttons in what seemed to be a random order, Lance continued to mutter under his breath, his features screwing up in concentration. Softly the lock began to beep, then louder, until the noise no longer corresponded to the numbers he was hitting and was just a general medley of sound until Lance cried out in triumph under his breath and the door swung open.

"Remember, snatch and grab. We've got seven minutes left. I'll tell you when there's three and one," Lance said, checking the watch on his wrist before beckoning Keith inside. Nodding, Keith darted inside the room so unobtrusively, even if Pidge hadn't disabled the security cameras by running a loop they had created earlier, his entry into the room scarcely would have been noticed. Eyes wide, Allura didn't look at Lance as she followed the Voltron Captain inside, keeping whatever questions or thoughts she had to herself. Two steps into the darkened room, she came to a halt, nearly colliding with Keith's shadow as he searched quietly along the length of the wall for the lights. After a minute, he found the panel and within moments, the room which had housed Arus' leading Voltron historian flickered into view. At the sight, Keith staggered back a step and even Allura's breath caught in her throat.

Aran's apartments in the museum were extensive, given his position and knowledge and the museum's fervent desire that he remain in their employment for as long as possible and though not as large as the Voltron Force's, they were at least the size of the rooms Keith had been given back at Galaxy Garrison. It was the main room that caught the eye, however; neither Keith or Allura paid any attention to either the kitchen or the bathroom branching off into the shadows. The entire left hand wall was filled with Voltron memorabilia, from signed pictures of everyone except Keith to articles and photos. Prominent among them was anything to do with the museum, among them a picture of Aran himself at its opening and it was at this picture that Keith looked first, moving closer to get a better look. Ignoring the figures that were already familiar to him, including Liran and Allura, he looked solely at the young man whose happiness was hardly hidden as he beamed back at the camera. From the picture, Keith guessed that he was of about average height, Liran had a few inches on him, perhaps he would stand level with Allura if they were side by side. His features were pleasant but non-memorable, his hair appeared to be of a lighter color, though he wouldn't call it blonde. In short there was nothing remarkable about him, save perhaps for his smile and the gleam in his eyes that was unmistakable. Even if he hadn't already known it, Keith would have marked his age as between himself and Pidge. For the life of him, Aran simply didn't look like someone who could have kidnaped nine grown men, much less masterminded the entire thing. He looked average, completely and totally average.

"Keith? We don't have much time," Allura reminded him quietly, her own eyes still wide as she surveyed Aran's wall. Shaking himself, Keith nodded and tore his gaze from the wall, instead searching for what he was really after: Aran's computer. It was buried under a pile of papers on the desk in the corner, also nearly indistinguishable from the books and articles scattered around it. Despite his achievements, Aran was apparently not a tidy scholar. Weaving his way through the piles of books, Keith carefully set aside the stack of papers on the chair and turned on the historian's computer.

"Let's just hope he doesn't have a password," he muttered, glancing briefly at her over his shoulder as she wandered idly through the room.

"If he does, I don't think it'll be too hard to guess," Allura said wryly. Keith couldn't suppress a soft chuckle and pulled out the disc Pidge had given him from within his pocket. Tapping it against his thigh as he waited for the screen to load, he looked over his shoulder at her a second time and suggested,

"Look around."

"I am."

"Look around," he repeated, waiting for her to meet his gaze and nodding once before turning his gaze back to the screen. There was a password prompt, damn Aran for being cautious. Staring at him for several moments, Allura swallowed nervously and headed for Aran's bedroom. There was nothing she could find in the general living area that she wasn't already aware of; it was nothing but Voltron from wall to wall. She didn't think there were any books that weren't dedicated to the giant robot in some form or another. She'd even thought, though she wasn't sure, that she'd glimpsed the entire fictionalized series on one of Aran's bookshelves. She knew better than to mention it to Keith since he had been rather vocal against their ever being published. In a way the rest of them owed him, however. If not for his insistence that the characters at least be changed, their lives might have really been put on display for everyone to read. Grudgingly the author had agreed to only follow the historical events and to take his own liberties with the characters meant to represent the Voltron Force. The four explorers had received part of the royalties, however, Allura had allotted her share to the funding of the museum. Even Lance had once expressed to her his relief that he was not depicted accurately in the books; it was a good thing, really, that Keith was sometimes so stubborn. If he ever read them, he would be more than furious however. His character was so rigidly self-righteous it was almost comic and even though he had first claim to the heart of the Princess, he could never bring himself to act dishonorably and therefore let her slip through his fingers. It was so dangerously close to the truth and yet so opposite, had Keith known she feared what he might do to the unsuspecting and now retired author. Idly she wondered what Aran had wanted with them(halfway through the series, even the historical side of it had become lost among all the invented intrigue)before taking the plunge and entering his bedroom.

At the computer, Keith was scowling and trying hard not to swear as he tried every password he could think of, thankful at least that Aran hadn't put a lock on it. He had gone through every common phrase associated with Voltron at least twice and was now staring at the screen with a mixture of frustration and admiration. It was almost as if the historian had known someone was going to seek entry into his files and had predicted the passwords they would try. Perhaps he was thinking along the wrong lines. If Aran was what they suspected and not what he appeared, then his password wouldn't be along Voltron lines at all, it would be...Brows drawing together, Keith winced as he typed the word "Doom," closing his eyes as he confirmed it. A soft whirring noise followed ane he opened his eyes in slight disbelief to find the menu screen happily loading. Quickly inserting Pidge's disc, he began the copying process, hoping that they still had enough time. While he waited, he alternated between glancing over his shoulder for any sign of Allura and studying the file names whizzing by on the screen. They were all what he would expect until one suddenly flashed across the screen for longer than the others and he had to fight to keep his balance on Aran's rather flimsy office chair.

"Why does Aran have a copy of Lotor's inquest?" The utter silence that greeted his question was confirmation enough and he unconsciously clenched his fists at his sides. Emerging quietly from Aran's bedroom, Allura's features were unusually pale as she said just as softly,

"I'm sorry, Keith. I should have told you...he was writing a book covering that time period and he asked politely and humbly...I didn't have the heart to say no to him."

"He has all five of us," Keith said, more in wonder than to her. Allura started.

"What? He only asked for yours."

"I saw all five files, mine, Lance's, Hunk's, Pidge's, yours, he even has the final statement. I thought they weren't going to allow anyone repeated access to them without special permission. Or did you give that too?"

"No, I swear I...I don't know how he...what did he want with all of them?" Her voice was strained and Keith instantly regretted the harshness of his tone.

"Only he knows...and soon we will too. Halfway there. Did you find anything?"

"I haven't finished looking. I am sorry, Keith, I know you..."

"It's all right, Princess. Keep looking." Allura's lips parted as if to say something more but she thought better of it and disappeared once more into the missing historian's bedroom. At the computer, Keith gritted his teeth and wished that he had not made everyone think they always had to tip-toe around him where Lotor was concerned. Part of him was furious yes, but not at her. She had had every right to allow him access, especially if it had been for what he claimed and at the time, she had no reason to doubt Aran was anything other than what he seemed. He rather suspected had the young man asked him, he would have given permission himself. He was furious at the historian, however, for prying into something that had nothing whatsoever to do with him or with his supposed historical interests. There was a public account of the inquest into Lotor's death and it was more than detailed. Some of the Force's responses were in it word for word, Keith knew, he had had it quoted back at him more than once. And he was furious with himself for being so damn touchy about that day, about anything that had to do with the death of the Doom Prince, but he couldn't seem to help being that way, even now. The only difference was, now there was a part of him that wanted to talk about it whereas ten years ago, he had simply wanted to forget it had ever happened. Ten years was a long time to realize that he never could; part of him had always known it was an impossibility but he had lost his chance to discuss it with his teammates. It was clear that all of them had already come to terms with it and he would be a weak man indeed if he expected them to relive their past pain in order to help him come to terms with his.

"Three minutes, Keith," Lance's voice called from the doorway and Keith silently willed the files to copy faster. From Allura there was no sound, nor did she reappear, an oddity that he noted even as he concentrated mainly on the screen in front of him. Abruptly the whirring came to a stop and the message that all files had been copied flickered in front of him and he hurriedly shut down Aran's computer, the disc once again concealed within his pocket. There was still no sign of Allura and he hastily rearranged the pile on the chair as best as he could, even though he doubted the missing historian would return and find anything amiss in the near future.

"Keith?" Allura's voice sounded distant, in fact, he barely even heard it and he hurried to the doorway leading into the historian's bedroom only to find no sign of her within either.

"Where are you?"

"In Aran's closet. Please come here. Quickly."

"We've only got two minutes, Princess, I don't..." He began even as he started towards the sound of her voice.

"Keith," was all she said, her voice shaking at the end and his walk became a run in spite of himself. Finding the half-open door, he burst inside, expecting to find her in danger or Aran's bruised and mangled body, anything that might explain the sudden panic in her voice. What he saw was none of those things.

"Zarkon's breath," he muttered, taking in the sight with a growing horror. Aran's closet was not full of clothes. No, instead it was a mini-shrine to everything Doom, complete with a perfect replica of Lotor's usual outfit and the ridiculous hat he used to wear. There were also photos of the Voltron Force, all of them with holes in them, most notably Keith's whose face was practically indistinguishable underneath all the tears. In the center of them all was Allura, the only one who remained unharmed and more disturbingly, it was not an old picture but a recent one. It even appeared as if it had been cut out of another picture, the ends were a trifle ragged. Books supporting Doom were lined against the walls, along with miniatures of the planet and its castle. There was even a space dedicated to Hagar and her cat...it was simply something out of a nightmare. In front of him, Allura was standing rigidly in place, scarcely able to breathe so great was her horror.

"Keith, Ally, one minute!" Lance's voice hissed from outside, dimly heard by the two of them. Not even aware of what he was doing, Keith briefly rested his hands against Allura's shoulders, breaking his own rules in his sudden need for the reassurance of her presence.

"I think we're in more trouble than we thought," was all he said, gripping her tightly as if to remind himself that this was indeed real and not something he had conjured up out of the depths of his twisted imagination. She nodded and placed a hand over his own, unable to do anything other than stare.

"Thirty seconds! Come on, Keith, get out of there!" Lance's voice broke through again, louder this time, and the two of them recovered enough to dash out of the historian's rooms. It wasn't until they were safely out of the hallway and gasping for breath that Keith released Allura's hand, much less remembered that he had even taken it in the first place. Features strained, Lance looked from one to the other as they continued to catch their breath, taking in their wide eyes and paleness with a growing sense of alarm. Waiting until he was certain he had their attention, he folded his arms and asked quietly,

"What did you find in there?" Keith and Allura looked at each other for a moment. Stepping towards him, Keith held Lance's gaze as steadily as he could manage and said only,

"Aran supports Planet Doom."

Any other time he would have laughed at the look Lance gave him in return.