Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Thank you again Mertz for reviewing and sprinkling your edit skills
Guest: LOL! Some can't stand Romelle and some can't stand Allura. I figured that these characters are more like sisters than cousins. Romelle was stuck between saving Keith or sacrificing her daughter's well-being, her father's position and her friends' careers and reputations (including the man he loved). What would you have done? Tell the truth and lose all that or listen to the request of your friend? God, these moral dilemmas!
GoPinkLion: What were your thoughts? Lance…well…let's see what happens in regards to those thoughts. In response to Allura forgiving Romelle, like I said. I can't completely blame her. Romelle is more like a sister than a cousin. She definitely felt betrayed. But, I feel for Romelle too. Such a heavy burden (see my comments above). Thank you for making it a fav. I'm so happy! I wish I could spend more time perfecting it. It's been challenging. But thank you, thank you, thank you. Xoxo!
SnyperLady: You guessed right! Girl, do you really think I'd kill OUR man? Hell, you're the only one who know what I feel for him. LOL.
Feli3: Awww. Thank you! Oh, Lotor's destruction weapon…I can't say it's original, but let's see if you guys like what I did with that. Lance is always Lance. I find him easy to write, mostly because he is so versatile, such a free spirit. Keith is always, more serious, more of the "superman" character where he carries the weight of the world. I guess that's why I love Keith so much. A prequel? Hmmm…now that's a thought. We'll see. Your request on Keith and Allura is granted. You'll just have to see when…;) Thank you so much for your thoughts on my stories. I really do love putting the work in to make them great. LOL. Awww…that Voltron series…I'll stick to the fanfiction. I rather read the stories on this site than watch that series. I thought it was such a disappointment. 80's Voltron…Yep, much better. And thank you so much for reading. It means the world to me!
RossodiSera: I'm glad you were close! . Yeah, you know. To each it's own. I was not a fan. Soooo many things that were just wrong. And honestly, the worst thing they would have possibly done was disrespect the 80s version (What they did, I thought was disrespectful and I just stopped watching it.) Just my opinion.
Pawn4975: I love this Keith too! I'm so in love with him, I might just take him away from Allura. LOL. Wow! Thank you for that. I'm not sure that Netflix wants me, but if they steal my idea, can you serve as a witness? I'd like to at least have creative input on whatever they will rewrite. LOL.
Mertz: LOL! When are you going to….you know! Don't let us wait. ;)
LibAkilah: I'm so glad you like this fic. Yay! Yeah, I kind of agree that Romelle should have let him work harder, but then again. She's more mature and totally in love. At a certain age and stage in your life, one must ask, do you really need to have someone work harder when they already know they did wrong? I guess to each their own, but for me, if the person knows, own up to it, and truly wants to make it right, why make them work harder, you know. Anyways, thank you so much for reading, I want the entire force to finally get their HEA too!
Playlist
Watch the World Burn—Audiomachine
Empathy-Audiomachine
And Then They Came for Me-Audiomachine
Chapter 32
He wasn't sure when hugging turned into kissing, and kissing turned into longing, and longing turned into exploring, and somewhere in between, the two ended up in bed. Lance wouldn't have wanted anything else. At that moment as he held her naked body close to his, Lance McClain felt like the luckiest man alive.
"Will she ever forgive me?" she whispered to him.
"You don't give her enough credit, Elle," he whispered back. "She's angry, but she won't stay there for long. Allura loves you. I'm sure she's already forgiven you."
Romelle lifted herself up to look into his eyes and arched an eyebrow, "Seriously?"
He shrugged and snorted, "Okay, give her a day or two." He gently brought her back down to him. The two remained quiet for a long while, both probably pondering the latest event that occurred just a few hours before. "I'm not sure what I'll say to him if he wakes up."
"When," she corrected him. "When he wakes up, Lance. We need to stay positive."
"Why couldn't he tells us?" he sighed. "I mean, twenty years. Twenty years, Elle. He could have told us after."
"Would you have believed him? You saw the same thing in that surveillance video as the rest of the courtroom."
"Maybe," he lied, "but you would have corroborated the story."
"Even so," she answered, "What would have been the point? Like you said, twenty years. He was different. Killing Sven changed him. He became bitter, stoic. Angry. And, I think there were other reasons as to why he didn't want to say anything."
"What?"
"Allura made a life for herself with Sam," Romelle replied. "He needed to let her go. And, I think, that was the only way he knew how."
VVVVVVVVVV
After everyone left, Allura made herself comfortable by placing a recliner in the room next to Keith's bed. Most of the medical equipment was to his right, so she wasn't going to bother anyone by being there. For a while, she watched the news on the screen, and later, read a book a nurse lent her. Coran brought her dinner, but she wasn't hungry, so half of it was still on the tray. From time to time, she looked at Keith, who slept soundly. Allura sighed. Despite the bruises all over his face, he still looked pale and very sick. His breathing labored. She could tell that, despite the oxygen given to him by the prongs, he still had trouble breathing. Taking his hand, she whispered, "Don't leave me, okay? The first time you did, you nearly destroyed me, but at least I knew you were around. If you leave this world, I'll go with you. I can't live in this world knowing you're not here."
Sometime later in the evening, she grew tired and began closing her eyes when she heard a knock on the door. Kirian Mosley walked in and stared at the captain.
"So, it's true," she said regrettably. "I'm so sorry."
Allura didn't know what to say. It bothered her that the girl was there, but she had every right to be. She worked with them, and being there was a sign that she cared. So, why was Allura bothered? She took Keith's hand and squeezed it lightly, "He'll pull through. He always has."
"How can I help?" the girl asked as she stared at Allura's hand holding Keith's.
Controlling herself to remain civil, Allura replied, "Ensign Mosley, there's nothing that can be done at the moment but wait. But, I thank you for coming, and for your concern."
Either the girl ignored the statement or was just too naïve to understand, "Would you mind if I kept him company for a little while? I mean, he's just…he's been good to me and I want to be with him, just for little while."
What could Allura say to that? As annoyed as she was, she couldn't tell the girl to go away. It was rude and she wasn't asking anything that any other person who worked closely with them would ask, "Sure."
For a while, neither of the women said a word and the tension in the room was palpable.
Kirian, feeling the awkwardness, asked, "How are you feeling, Lieutenant? I know these last couple of days have not been good for you either and I'm glad you're safely back with us. I was very sorry to hear about General Gellar."
Nodding to avoid the lump in her throat that would result in tears when she heard his name, Allura took a moment to compose herself, "Thank you. No, it has not been easy. Sam was a good man."
"I never really knew him, but I always heard very good things about him," she replied. "I wish I could say more, Lieutenant. I just don't know what else to say. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"There's really nothing that can be said," Allura replied before she paused for a moment to gather herself. "No, Kirian," she answered. "Thank you, but nothing for now. I'm as good as I can be at the moment."
"Do you really think he'll pull through?" Kirian asked, looking at the captain, "Lotor was…brutal."
Looking back at Keith, Allura answered, "He'll make it. He's strong and very stubborn. He won't stay this way long."
"I know what you mean," the girl responded, "I too had a loved one that was very strong. Very determined. I lost him a couple of years ago. I miss him."
"Friend?"
"My father," the girl smiled gently. "I can understand how you feel."
"I'm sorry," Allura replied, genuinely looking at the girl with sympathy, "Losing a parent is one of the hardest things a person faces in life."
"It really is," Kirian sighed. "I went through a very hard time after. I felt I not only lost a part of me, but my world. My routines, the way I lived…it changed."
Allura nodded, "It's a hard thing to face, but our parents would not want us to stay in that state of remorse for long. They'd want us to move on."
"And that's what we did, didn't we?" the girl's eyes watered. A few tears ran down her cheeks. Allura saw sadness and a little despair in those eyes, but she also saw an anger. Mosley had yet to move on. Her father's death truly affected her. "Do you really think he'll make it?"
Allura looked at Keith again, "Like I said, he's strong. This is not his end."
"You two have gone through a lot, huh?" the young girl asked as she wiped her eyes. "I mean, I don't mean to pry. It's just that I've…noticed. He seems to care a lot for you."
"And I for him," she answered carefully. The girl's comments were innocent and sounded heartfelt, but Allura couldn't shake off the feeling bothering her. Was it jealousy? Suddenly, she felt like asking the girl what happened after she left Keith's home that night with Sam. Had something happened?
The girl smiled sadly, "That's…great. I hope you find each other again." With that, Kirian stood up and walked toward the captain. Taking his hand, she said, "I hope you get better, Captain. Be well." She squeezed his hand gently before letting it go. Then, looking at Allura, she asked, "Are you sure? Is there anything I can get you, Lieutenant Altair?"
"No," Allura replied, still uncomfortable with the girl's actions, "I have one of my students getting some of my attire and toiletries for the next few days. Thank you."
"Alright," the girl nodded, "But, if you do need anything, please, don't hesitate to call me. I'm glad to help."
"Thank you, Ensign Mosley," Allura answered curtly, but also gently, "Have a good night."
"You too, Lieutenant," the girl smiled before taking leave.
Once alone, Allura took Keith's hand, "That girl is in love with you, Keith Kogane. I know you don't reciprocate the feelings she has for you, but, does she know that?"
VVVVVVVVVV
Hope had to admit, it was a very nice hotel room. Actually, it was a suite, complete with living area and bar on the twenty-second floor of the huge high rise. Darrell even arranged to have champagne, strawberries, and chocolates in their room.
"Don't get caught up with all this," he whispered into her ear as they laid on the king-sized bed of the suite, a light blanket covered their naked bodies as she cuddled next to him.
"What makes you say that?" she whispered back in a tone filled with humor and playfulness. "I was just thinking how nice this place is and how nicer it would be if you had your own place."
"My own place?"
"As much as I love living with my mother," she began, "It's still a little creepy to do it in her house. And, you don't have a place yet, so this is why we end up in such a predicament. Not a bad place to be, but still, your own place would save you a lot more money in the long run."
He laughed, "What I meant to say was that it shouldn't be my place…it should be our place."
The statement made her immediately sit up, "Are you serious?"
"You don't want that?"
Her huge blue eyes widened as she pulled her black bangs away from them, Hope looked utterly shocked, "You really mean this? Darrell, don't kid with me."
"I'm not," he shook his head laughing, "I mean it, Hope. I want to live with you. I've loved you since I can remember. And, for a long time, I was a fool for ignoring my feelings. For a while, I lost you. I don't want to lose you again, Hope."
"What would ever make you think that?" she gently answered, "I would never leave you. And, I know that you never left me. In your heart, you never did."
His smile fade and he shrugged, "I just feel bad for Keith and Allura. All those missed opportunities over the years. I don't want us to be like that, Hope. I don't want to miss any more opportunities with you. I lost enough because of my stupidity."
Looking at him, a sudden thought entered her mind and she asked, "Are you angry with my mother?"
Darrell sighed, "No, I'm…sure keeping that secret was destroying her too. And, honestly, Keith didn't make it easy for her. He can be as stubborn as they come, so I know Romelle was backed up into a corner."
She wasn't the only one.
"Thank you for understanding," she looked relieved. Hope thought there was something more to Lance and her mother's story, but she never asked, and it looked like Darrell didn't know either. In the end, it wouldn't matter. What did matter was that Darrell finally realized what she knew all along, they belonged together.
Smiling and looking as happy as he had ever seen her, Darrell replied, "You're welcome, babe. I love you, you know."
Hope kissed him before wrapping her arms around him and letting their love take on a life of its own.
VVVVVVVVVV
"So, how do you feel about all this?" Lucy asked Hunk as they both pulled the comforter from the bed. After their encounter, the two had a quiet dinner where they caught up, and Hunk shared all that occurred in the last few weeks. After, they cleaned the kitchen together as they discussed their worries, concerns, and how they wanted to work out their issues in the future so after what they had gone through, would not happen again.
So much conversation while cleaning the kitchen. They really felt, for the first time, that their marital status was cemented in stone. No fancy dinners, no flowers, nothing but two people really taking a deep dive into their feelings and behaviors. They had grown up.
"I don't know what to think," he answered as he got into bed, "So many years thinking one thing, and now realizing the man was just trying to protect all of us. It's just…I'm confused."
Following him, Lucy climbed into bed, "Could the Garrison really have acted in such a way? You guys saved an entire universe from Zarkon. I don't understand why they would have punished you rather than honored you."
Sighing with a shrug, Hunk shook his head, "Things were so much different back then, Lucy. The Garrison was very skeptical of Arus and the magic of the lions. Humans, by nature, do not believe in magic or, what we call, the supernatural. I know they would have believed that only magic could have turned someone like Sven, which meant, we could turn on them. As ridiculous at it may sound, I believe that's what would have happened."
"And Keith played the sacrificial lamb to stop it?" she asked. "Will, why wouldn't the Garrison think that Keith was the one that turned? Wouldn't it have been the same outcome?"
Thinking about it, Hunk said, "I don't know. Maybe…there's still so many questions about this whole mess. But I can still picture him that day," he laughed mirthlessly. "You should have seen him in that courtroom, Luz. He was cocky and didn't repent. He said it had to be done and he wasn't sorry he did it. He'd do it again if he had to. We were shocked by the way he spoke in that courtroom."
"It was all just an act," she replied sadly as she shook her head. "Just an act."
"An act," he answered as her statement made him think of something else.
VVVVVVVVVV
Allura woke up at around two-thirty in the morning to the sounds of loud beeping of the machines in the room. Quickly turning on the lights, she immediately noticed Keith's rapid gasping as he unconsciously jerked his head upward, trying to breathe.
"Keith!" she cried out and ran to the door, quickly opening it, and shouting, "I need help here! Now!"
Going back to him, Allura placed her mouth over his, hoping that CPR would help. She didn't know what she was doing, but anything was better than just standing there watching him die. Then, he stopped gasping and fell still. The monitor flat-lined.
"No!" Allura yelled. "No!"
Seconds felt like hours, but the medical staff, along with Doctor Gorma, ran in, "Allura, get out of the way!"
Without hesitation, she moved out and allowed the team access.
"No, pulse," one nurse said.
Taking the defibrillator from the nearby wall of the room, another nurse quickly tore open Keith's shirt, and with exceptional speed, placed one pad below the right hand side of his collarbone while the other below his peck on the left, Gorma placed the paddle electrodes on Keith's chest.
"Clear!" he yelled before shocking Keith. His body jerked upward before falling back down on the bed.
"No pulse, doctor," another nurse yelled looking at the monitor.
VVVVVVVVVVV
Coran worked in the offices of the lair. There were things he needed to think about, so many things he never expected. Romelle's confession blindsided him. He never thought his daughter would hide anything from him, but then again, he never thought Keith would go to such great lengths to protect all of them.
"God, kid," he sighed. "Why didn't you tell us anything?"
A loud noise disrupted his thoughts and he stood up, "What in the world?" Walking out of the office, he entered the large room where the lions rested. All five lions roared at the same time as if in torturous pain. Amazed, he looked around, trying to figure out what to do. The lions roared even more loudly and then the strangest light he had ever seen engulfed the room.
VVVVVVVVVVV
"No pulse, doctor!" the nurse yelled again.
Standing in a corner of the room while the medical staff worked on the patient, Allura shook her head. "I can't believe this is happening," she whispered as uncontrollable tears ran down her eyes, "Please Keith," she continued whispering. "Come back to me." Closing her eyes and on instinct, she formed words she would never think of saying, By the lions, save him!
VVVVVVVVVVV
The blinding light made Coran turn away. He ran towards his office, afraid that the light would consume him. The light became stronger. He could hear the lions' thunderous roars, full of power and agony, and then within a blink, it stopped. He never made it back into the office. Turning around, she watched as the lions grew still. Low rumblings, their eyes glowing. Then, the lights in their eyes went out.
VVVVVVVVVVV
"Do it again!" Gorma wasn't about to give up. Placing the paddle electrodes back on Keith's chest, he yelled, "Clear!" Keith's body jumped.
Nothing.
"Damn it, Keith!" he yelled again.
Shutting her eyes, Allura was about to scream when the room was engulfed with a blazing light that blinded everyone.
"What's going on?" A nurse yelled as she covered her eyes.
Allura covered her eyes and even though she tried opening them, she found herself unable to do it.
By Keith's bedside, Gorma felt as if something took over his body. Unable to control it, he placed the paddles back on Keith's chest. He couldn't see what he was doing, the light blinding him, but he felt he was doing the right thing. All of a sudden, he felt the power charge and Keith's body jerked once again. The beaming light suddenly disappeared.
When everyone was able to gather themselves, they looked around the room astounded.
"What happened?" another nurse asked.
Gorma looked around, unable to answer. Then, they all heard the beep.
Turning, they watched as the monitor showed the lifeline holding a steady thread.
"There's a pulse," Gorma whispered.
Allura looked just as shocked, "He's alive?"
Nodding, Gorma gasped, "Yes."
Allura ran toward the bed, pushing those who were a hindrance to her, aside. He still looked deathly pale and was unconscious, but he was breathing. Keith was alive. Allura knew. The lions had come to his aid. The lions saved him.
"Thank you," she cried out as she took his hand, "Thank you."
VVVVVVVVVV
Lance barely combed back his unruly hair when he ran into MedTech. Allura called him with news of what occurred with the events surrounding Keith, and immediately left Romelle's place to get back to the base. When he arrived at MedTech, he found Allura in Keith's room just holding his hand.
"What happened?"
She still looked nervous and very worn out, with dark circles under her eyes and her pale face, "I don't know. He just seized. Gorma couldn't get him back. Lance, he died. He actually died!"
"What…what do mean he died?" He looked panic-stricken.
She nodded as she began crying, "He died. But the lions…the lions brought him back. It was the power of the lions that brought him back! Do you know what that means, Lance? Because, I have no idea what connection he has with them and…it scared the hell out of me. I'm thankful. Don't get me wrong. I am beyond thankful. I'm just…God, Lance. What power does Keith have? What power are we capable of having?"
Lance had no idea how to answer that question. All he could do was comfort his friend. Hugging her tightly as she cried, he whispered in her ear, "Altaire, don't worry about that now. Let's just be grateful. Let's just be damn grateful that he's alive."
Nodding, she held her best friend and brother tightly, "I know."
VVVVVVVVVV
Two days later…
Lance found himself walking the hallways of MedTech, wanting to know the captain's status. He hated serving as the commander in the past, and the feeling remained the same. Paperwork was never a favorite for Lance. When he arrived at the closed door, he punched in the code on the keypad and quietly the door swished open.
When he walked in, he found Keith sleeping. Allura slept in a recliner by his side, her hand still held his. After Keith's near death experience, Allura would not leave his side for anything or anyone. Lance thought she was afraid of leaving him. Walking to her, he kneeled down and whispered in her ear, "Hey…wake up, Altair."
She took a deep breath and turned her head to see him smiling, "What…what time is it?"
"It's seven-thirty. Time to get you something to eat. Dinner is being served in the lounge," he answered her.
He stood up as she let go of Keith's hand and rubbed her face with her hands, "I must have fallen asleep," she told him. "Would you mind bringing it in here? I'm completely wiped out."
Lance nodded in agreement, "I'm not surprised, you haven't left him for the last two days, and you haven't slept fully since the incident. Why don't we have dinner in the lounge? It would do you some good to get away for a while."
She shook her head and gave him a little smile before her gaze fell on Keith, "I can't leave him." She paused for a moment before continuing, "Two days and still nothing."
Lance placed her arm around her shoulders, "Don't get all mushy on me, Allura. It's not you at all. Besides, you know Keith, he loves the attention."
Allura laughed, but almost immediately, the smile faded away, "I'm worried."
Keith was so still, even Lance felt uneasy at times. But, he wouldn't let Allura know that. Altair had gone through too much within the last few days, she didn't need him telling her that his hope for his friend was fading.
"He'll pull through," he replied firmly.
Lance looked at the still form on the bed. He was pale white, even with the bruising. The oxygen prongs didn't help for he still gasped every so often. The poison hadn't left his body. Allura didn't look well either. She looked tired, and Lance knew she hadn't eaten much. He was worried for both of them.
She continued speaking, "'I've lost so much already. If it hadn't been for Lotor kidnapping me…"
Coming closer to her, he hugged her, "I'm sorry about Sam."
She held on to him for a moment, and then took a step back, "I miss him. He was so good to me. But, what I meant to say was that, if it hadn't been for Lotor kidnapping me, Keith wouldn't be fighting for his life right now. I lost so much time with him already and now…"
Looking back at her, he asked, "You're still in love with him?" He knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from her.
She looked at him, "You know I never stopped."
"But what about Sam?"
"I loved Sam, but I wasn't in love with him. Keith…" Allura sighed, looking back at the man lying on the bed, "Keith has always been my soul."
"He feels the same way about you," Lance answered. "He held it together, but I knew he was beside himself when Lotor took you."
"I know," she nodded. Half a smile formed on her face as she bent down and caressed Keith's cheek. "I always felt his love, even when I tried to ignore it."
Moving beside her, Lance put his arm around her, "Now, you'll have a chance to start again."
Sighing, Allura replied, "Let's hope."
VVVVVVVVVV
Romelle was about to pick up her purse when she heard Hope's voice, "Mom, where are you going? I thought we were staying in tonight?"
"We are," she smiled faintly. "I just need to go to the hospital to see your uncle."
The girl nodded, "You sure about that? I mean, Aunt Allura…well, Darrell said she's not herself at the moment and given what you said a few days ago…"
"I know," her mother sighed. "But I have to go, Hope. I have to face all of them at some point and I need to see Keith. I'm going crazy staying away from what's going on there."
"Are you ready to face them?"
Smiling faintly, Romelle shrugged, "I'm not sure. But I have to try."
Smiling back, Hope answered, "You're going to do fine, Mom. I think it's time for all of you to have closure to this entire ordeal. And you're just the person to do it."
"Let's hope so, honey."
"I don't doubt it," Hope said convincingly. "You're the bravest person I know. I can't imagine anyone stronger than you, Mom."
Hugging her daughter, Romelle sighed, "I love you, my sweet girl."
"Love you too." Hope looked at her mother, "Now, kiss Uncle Keith for me. I'm going to go see him tomorrow morning."
"I'll let them know."
VVVVVVVVVV
After Lance finally convinced her to have dinner outside Keith's room, Altair was surprised to find Hunk and Lucy waiting for her and Lance in the dining hall. All four had dinner together and Altair found that she needed the company. Hours passed by rather quickly and Allura realized that she had spent almost two and a half hours with them. She suddenly felt the need to return.
"It's been really nice being with all of you," Allura began, "But..."
"I know," Lucy nodded in agreement, "Go, Allura. I'm sure you're anxious to get back to him."
"Thanks for dinner, Lance," Allura turned to her friend giving him a playful nudge on his arm.
"Don't mention it. Next time, you pay."
Hunk then asked, "Have you even thought of what we are going to tell him when he finally wakes up?" His expression was serious and Allura could tell that after finding out the truth, regret and guilt filled the big man's heart. Hunk's always had a way of taking failure hard and this, Allura believed, was something he would not take lightly. He turned his back on a friend.
Altair smiled sadly at him. "You're not alone, Hunk. We all took part in this. Now, we just need to focus on putting this team back together."
He nodded. "You're right." He sighed, "We have a lot of time to make up."
"Be grateful you all have a second chance," Lucy interjected. "Life rarely hands those out."
Hunk looked at his wife, who kept her gaze on Allura.
Smiling, Allura nodded. "I'll see you guys later." Turning, she walked out of the dining hall and made her way back to MedTech. As Altair drew closer to Keith's room, she noticed someone sitting by him through the observation window. Upon coming closer, she realized who it was.
With her temper rising, Allura passed by the window and made her way into the room, "What are you doing here, Romelle?"
Turning around, Altair's almost twin faced her younger looking self and calmly replied, "I came to see how he was doing? Any change?"
"No," Allura shook her head before noticing the grief in Romelle's eyes. She was so angry with her cousin, but she knew Romelle was also hurting. She had gone through so much, and now looking at Keith in that condition, well, she must have been feeling even more guilt. Allura knew it was neither the time, nor place, to begin a word battle with Romelle. She softened her tone. "The bacteria began eating his lungs, but Gorma managed to stop it. And, the poison still active...it's still just a waiting game."
Silence filled the room for a long moment before either of the women spoke. Allura took a seat on a sofa across the room while Romelle kept vigil next to Keith's bed. After a prolonged silence, Romelle asked, "Any more…incidents?"
Altair shook her head, surprised to know her cousin knew, even though she had not been here since her confession. Maybe Lucy or Hope told her, "No, there hasn't been another episode. God, I feel so responsible for this. "
"You shouldn't. He would do anything for you, Allura," Romelle replied. "Always has."
"Is that how you excuse yourself?" Altair challenged.
"What do you mean by that?"
Altair smiled sarcastically as she looked at Keith, "Are you excusing yourself from responsibility because Keith wanted to keep us out of the loop on his decision to protect you?"
"Allura!" Romelle's eyes widened, "How dare you? I've been living in hell for the past twenty years," she rose and stood over her cousin, "I have never relinquished my share of the responsibility."
"That's not what I see," Altair replied. "Why didn't you fix this mess before it snowballed into this? You left me thinking Keith was…someone not worthy of anything?"
"Oh! I did that?" Romelle's voice rose. "May I remind you that it was me who consistently told you to find him, speak with him, talk things out? You, Allura, you decided he wasn't worth it, not me. Don't pin that on me!" Noting the rise in her voice, Romelle made herself calm down, "I will not take all the blame for this." Suddenly, a nurse walked in, silently greeting the two women in a low whisper before she went to Keith's bed to check his vitals and type information on his data chart.
"No change, Lieutenant Altair, but he's not worse."
"Thank you, Anais," Allura answered.
"I'll be back in an hour to check back on him," Anais nodded before she left the two women alone again.
Romelle didn't wait a moment to continue, "Countless times I begged all of you to talk things out, to open yourselves to an opportunity for discussion. You call Keith stubborn, I get that. I agree with you, but all of you are no better than him. Stubborn team…all of you!"
For once, Allura didn't know how to answer. Romelle was right. They were all at fault. They all failed.
Romelle continued,
"You all put Sven on a pedestal that he didn't deserve. Because of that, you lost each other, you lost the soul of this team." Turning around she walked back to the chair she previously sat on and picked up her purse. "We are all at fault. We are here because of our decisions, our pride, our stubbornness, and unwillingness to search or state the truth. It's up to all of us to put this team back together, and regain our souls, our strength and our self-respect."
Romelle turned to Keith and whispered in his ear, "Thank you. You've protected me long enough. It's time to come back and gain back what you lost. Come back soon…my sweet brother." She kissed his forehead, and turned to her cousin, "Goodnight Allura." With that, the older woman turned and left.
VVVVVVVVVV
Lotor laid in bed nursing his wounds. He was still angry by McClain's intrusion. He had no idea how he was able to enter so quickly and without detection. But, then again, Lotor wasn't expecting them to rescue Kogane so quickly. He was so excited about killing the bastard that he neglected securing his own planet. He definitely failed in that aspect. It wouldn't happen again.
As he lay in bed, the thought that he wouldn't see Kogane die more than angered him, it enraged him. The only satisfaction he had was that he knew, Kogane was going to die. He made sure of it.
A sudden heaviness filled the room and Lotor realized that he had company, special company. Within seconds, the ghostly image of Haggar appeared by his bedside.
"You're hurt," she said to him in a motherly tone that she reserved for him.
"I'll live," he whispered. He paused for a moment before continuing, "I feel like a failure."
She sighed as she walked to him. Her ghostly hands tried to caress Lotor's cheek, "You're not a failure. You're just zealous. You remind me so much of your father. He too allowed his emotions to get the better of him. Sometimes, you can't help it. But, this will teach you that letting your emotions get the better of you will be your downfall, my prince. You must not allow it to happen again."
"It won't," he simply said, looking at her. "Haggar, is he finally dead?"
"Not yet," she answered. "But, I'm sure it won't be long."
"His death is taking longer than I thought," he said, frustrated and annoyed at the revelation.
"Is our project done?" she asked him, hopeful to derail his thoughts for the moment. She needed him to concentrate on more important things.
He nodded, "Almost. The test phase proved to work well. I'm confident that we can proceed to the next phase."
Her mouth widened with her usual menacing smile, "That is good to hear. I think it is time, Lotor. It is time to annihilate Arus."
Looking at his mother figure, Lotor nodded, "Yes, Haggar. And, it's time for you to come home."