Thanks for your continued support. I apologise for this taking so long. Had to fight the COVID virus and two sinus infections. Finally back at work after 4 months too. Warning, this is a dark chapter.

14

The ride to our private level was silent. I couldn't hear him, not even through our bond. I want to say something to comfort him, reassure him and myself that he is and will be alright. But I feel the burden radiating from him. He used the last bit of energy he had to be the leader he needed to be for the Garrison. I see upon closer examination that blood is matted in his hair and along the collar. Is the blood his? His stance is stiff as he leans against the side of the lift like it is all that is keeping him upright. I go to speak, but stop when his eyes close. He suddenly looks years older. The horrors he must have seen to affect him so. It scares me that he left Pidge on Pollux when he is like this. We arrive and the doors open to our apartments.

I move past him and activate the door. I hear him mutter something, perhaps a word of thanks as he stumbles past me towards the shower. I follow in silence stopping in the doorway to the dressing room that leads to the shower. Keith has stopped and I stand transfixed as he slowly undoes his belt and lays it over the vanity chair. The belt leaves a rust coloured stripe on his uniform and I nearly gasp as I realise that it is blood. He slips out of the uniform, letting it fall to the floor and starts for the shower. Two steps and he grasps the doorframe to steady himself. I slide past him and move in front of him. "Keith, you stay right there while I start the shower, alright?"

He nods slightly and I turn and go turn the water on. Soon the room starts to feel humid from the steam. I walk back to him and hold out my arm. He must sense my presence as his eyes open just before I stop in front of him. I look him over and cannot stop the gasp that comes from my lips. He is black and blue and stained in the awful colour of rust. I pray it's really rust and not blood, though I know that prayer is in vain. His breath is shallow like he's in intense pain. I look at his face and I see just how tired he is. How long has it been since he's slept? "Come on. You can use the seat. I turned the warmer on. I'll wait out here and help you when you're done," I say as he walks to the shower, using my arm for balance. He gets in, switching to the grab bar and sits down. I close the door, so water doesn't spill out. I don't feel right leaving, so I go and grab him some undergarments and a towel and the chair from the vanity and move it so I can hear him.

He must know I'm there because I hear him speak.

"Thank you, Allura. For helping me." His voice is soft, gravel-like. He sounds a good decade older, more like my father in the last few days of his life.

I feel tears well up and a lump form in my throat and I swallow, hoping to keep both at bay. I need to be strong. He has never looked this weak, this broken in the years I've known him. I know he senses my thoughts because he takes a long slow breath.

"I took care of Bandor and his wife," he says so low I almost don't hear. "I lay them together and into one coffin. They can be together in death, as they had so little time together in life. They have been brought here, to rest in the crypt, as the one on Pollux was destroyed. It is why Sven and I were late. Those who returned with us laid them to rest."

"I'm sorry that you had to go."

"I'm grateful you remained here. What we saw was probably how Arus looked when your parents were killed. The senseless slaughter. It was like they wanted the children to suffer -"

His voice breaks and I try to look at him through the steamed glass. It hits me as I see his figure shake that he's weeping. I want to go and comfort him, but I think he needs the time to grieve and work through what he saw. I sit in silence and wait as he eventually stands up and proceeds to wash up. I don't know how long he remains in the shower, but the steam is barely noticeable when the water cuts off and he steps out, looking cleaner and a bit more alert. I hand him his towel and he dries off before taking his undergarment and pulling it on. I follow him into the dressing room as he stands obviously debating what to wear.

"Try this one," I say as I pull out my father's daily uniform. Not as restrictive as the formal one, so I hope it provides the least resistance to his bruises.

Keith looks it over and takes it, giving me an appreciative nod before heading into the bedroom and sitting on the bed to remove it from the hangar and begin dressing. Once he finishes getting dressed, he turns to me and pulls me against him. I let out a squeak of surprise before relaxing against him. It's like he's afraid I'll vanish if he lets me go.

"She was pregnant. His wife. The bastards cut the fetus from her womb and disme-"

"Shhhh. Keith, Don't. I know it's horrible. I'm here. I'm safe. Romelle and Sven are here and safe. There's nothing we can do to change what happened. We will remember them when this is over. I will grieve for them later," I say. My voice trembling, but I feel him relax a bit, though his arms stay firmly around me. We stay like this for some time, no further words needed. The sound of his stomach growling makes me giggle and I move and look up at him "When did you last eat?"

"I don't know. I had a few protein bars and water."

Not nearly enough. "Why don't I call for some food to be brought up. And I'll fill you in on what we've been doing over lunch?"

Keith nods. 'Thank you. I'm sorry for blocking you out.'

'I know you were just trying to protect me. It's alright, Keith. Seeing you tells me all I need to know.' I place our order on the tablet and we move to the sitting room to wait while I tell him everything we've learned from the Garrison.