Thank you all for your patience. This chapter is long overdue, but finally finished. I hope you all enjoy it. It's a bit long, but I felt I owed you guys the wait. Almost done. I really think I'm reaching the end. Hope you all continue to go through the journey with me. Thank you so much for reading.
Shiranai Atsune: So many questions! I'm glad you are enjoying the story. No one like poor Kirian. I wonder why? You don't root for Sam either. I really feel for Sam now. LOL. You know, I would love to be a writer or a contributor to any Voltron live action movie or book….one can dream. In regards to the age gap, you have to realize that Keith in this story is in his forties (even though the power of the lions make him look like he is in his twenties. Kirian is a young ensign, so I would place her in her early to mid-twenties. I think this chapter will help you answer your last question. Hope you like it. Again, thank you so much for reading.
Inommous: So thank you so much for reading. I think I have stated before that out of all my Voltron stories, this one is my favorite one. And yes, I plan to finish it, no matter how long it takes me. Thank you soooooo much for reading. So grateful and appreciated.
SnyperLady: You're right! He is one noble pain in my neck…but I love him…maybe I'm in love with him. LOL. So you are all caught up. I would love to be caught up in a certain story as well. LOL….soo…bad girl. Go back to your room and finish your story!
LibAkilah: You know, my favorite stories are the ones where I see Allura as a strong character. The damsel in distress stories where she is crying ALL the time annoy me. For me it is very hard to see her as weak. Anyone in the position she was placed would have to grow up fast. She may not necessarily make the right decisions, but her strength would show. To each their own, I guess. LOL. But thank for continuing to read. Very appreciated.
RossoDiSera: Thank you very much for the compliments. And it's been very busy, but I want to finish it. And I'm so glad you are enjoying it. You are right, I don't understand why these writers are killing the franchise. They get worse and worse, so I just gave up and would rather read the creativity of the writers in this forum that watch another disappointing remake.
Mertz: My editor, partner in crime and overall muse! Thank you for editing and making the story better. Forever grateful xoxo
Feli3: Awwwww!THANK YOU! Oh, and your work inspired me to begin. So, thank you!
Sisina: The BIG talk is here! Hope you like it.
FroobyB: LOL! IT HIT THE FAN! Thank you so much for reading. Very appreciative.
GoPinkLion: "They don't know that we know that they know!" and "They don't know that we know they know we know!" AWESOME episode. And yes, Keith doesn't know that they know. LOL. I kind of wanted for Keith and Allura to have a real relationship instead of the story book romance we regularly read. I wanted Allura to really get under his skin because in real life, real couples get under each other's skin. Well that's my thought process. LOL. Well, I guess you'll find out now…let me know your thoughts.
Playlist
Broken Dreams-Ethereal Dramatic Orchestra
Stateless-Bloodstream
Audiomachine-Persecution
Chapter 35
As he swallowed the pills with the glass of water Mosley provided earlier, Keith looked at Allura with fury in his eyes, "Why are you here?"
"I told you," she shrugged, taking the glass and gesturing him to get into bed again, "You decided to leave MedTech and go home, so I came to make sure you lived through the night."
The dizziness was coming back vengefully. Keith found himself lying back down, ignoring Allura's evident sarcasm. Maybe it was the side effects or the anxiety he felt knowing that Allura was so close that it made him unable to answer her immediately. "Bull−"
"I'm not lying!" she snapped. "You can't expect to be on your own in your condition. You should have stayed at MedTech."
"Altair, I can take care of my−"
He stop suddenly and looked at her. Taking a deep breath, the realization hit, Allura would have never come if she still believed. "How much did she tell you?"
Allura stayed quiet for a moment.
"Altair!"
No sense in hiding it now, "All of it. I think."
Keith closed his eyes in frustration, "Do the others know?"
"Yes," she nodded. "Romelle told us while you were…asleep," Allura confessed. "Now, while I want to know what happened from you, I need you to rest Keith. We can talk later."
Keith sighed heavily. He shook his head in disbelief, Damn it, Romelle. "She shouldn't have told you anything. She shouldn't−"
"She did," Allura responded firmly, but empathetically. "And I'm glad she did, Keith. How could you have hidden this from us?"
He closed his eyes, the meds took effect too quickly, he needed to get his thoughts straight. How much did Allura really know? Keith opened his eyes again and quickly closed them as he heard Allura ask him the question. His answer was simple. They were the only words he could manage to say before falling again asleep, "To save you all."
VVVVVVVVVV
Romelle screamed in pleasure as Lance pushed one last time inside of her. Seconds later, Lance joined her in ecstasy before he fell on her. Both panted tiredly without saying a word to each other for a long moment before Lance rolled and pulled her along so she remained against him.
After Sam's memorial service, Allura asked Lance to give her some time with Keith. He decided to leave them alone for the rest of the day and instead, and went over to see Romelle. He didn't doubt Allura would find a way to talk to Keith without him. He expected it. Altair had many attributes, patience wasn't one. Either way, he'd find a time to have his own conversation with his friend. Right now, all he cared about was the one person with him. Lance had never experienced the happiness he felt at that exact moment. He wanted it to last forever.
"Romelle," Lance finally broke the silence and faced her, "Marry me."
Surprised, Romelle looked at him, "What?"
"I've waited too damn long for you, Romelle. I won't wait, I can't…wait. From the moment I first laid my eyes on you, I never stopped loving you."
Romelle stared at her lover speechless.
"Don't deny me, Romelle," he pleaded.
She could see in his eyes that he meant every word. Lance looked so different. In the days that followed that first visit to her apartment, Romelle had seen a softness in Lance's eyes that she hadn't seen in years. He looked peaceful, content, and truly in love…with her.
So much happened in her life, so many lies, so much sadness and anger. She had caused a lot damage to those she loved. Why should she deserve happiness now?
She heard the front door of the apartment open and sat up.
"Romelle!" he heard another male voice in her home. "Romelle, are you here?" the male voice yelled as it reached closer to the bedroom.
"Ryan," she whispered.
A tall man with auburn hair and hazel eyes walked in, and immediately gasped, "Romelle?"
Lance covered the blond woman by placing himself in front of her, "We…umm…weren't expecting you." Lance smirked as he stuttered.
"I should think not," Ryan answered looking away. "Romelle, I'll wait for you out in the living room."
After Ryan walked out of the room, Romelle stood up and grabbed the blanket from the bed, wrapping it around herself. "Stay here," she ordered Lance, who was about to stand up with her, "I'll be right back."
Romelle walked out, "I wasn't expecting you, Ryan."
"I needed to get some of the things I left in my office," he smiled a bit. "I'm sorry for barging in. I've been calling you for days and after I didn't hear from you, I worried and came to check up on you. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
She, for a moment, was unable to answer, "I…um…Keith's been a MedTech…and I've been with them, you know."
"Hope shared some of that information with me. Is he okay?"
"Yes," she nodded. "He's…going to be okay."
He nodded as well, "I'm glad. This, however," he gestured to the bedroom, "was news to me."
Romelle looked down at the floor.
"I'm happy for you," he smiled as he caressed her cheek. Romelle looked up surprised. "You need to stop torturing yourself and begin living," he finally told her.
"What?"
"I've known of your feelings for him for years. I always wondered why you were so faithful to me when your heart ached for him."
Ryan gently held her by her shoulders, "We always knew that our marriage was a marriage of convenience. We needed each other in order to have some semblance of a life. But, I finally found my soul, Romelle. I can finally live and I want you to do the same."
Romelle stared at him, "You've always known?"
"Yes," he nodded with a smile full of happiness. "You need this, sweetheart. You gave me happiness when I needed it and I hope I did the same for you."
Romelle smiled as tears ran down her cheeks, "You did. You really did, Ryan. You gave Hope and me so much. And, I'm so grateful for that."
"And you gave me a second chance to be a father and husband. I learned to love again because of you. I have another child because of you. It's your turn, Romelle. It's time to open your heart and love." Ryan told her. "You will have eternity here as I will one day have it in the heavens with Elizabeth. Have your eternity with Lance, your heart, your other soul." He caressed her cheek lightly before kissing her on the forehead.
"Thank you, Ryan," she answered, completely shocked by his words. "I'm happy for you and Elizabeth. She's good for you." Romelle knew she was. Elizabeth was a few years younger than she. A real estate lawyer, Ryan and she had met while working on the sale of one of his building.
"I'm happy for you," he continued telling her. "Don't screw this." He raised his brow at her. She laughed. It was a great laugh; he had never quite heard it before, a laugh filled with happiness.
"I'll pick up my things…later. Call me when I can pass by." Ryan told her as he walked toward the door. "And tell Lance," he began as the doors opened. He turned around and faced her, "he chose one hell of a woman." Soon the doors closed, and she stood unbelievably shocked by how everything that had transpired.
The shock at Ryan's words were so great, she didn't even feel Lance's arms around her. "You don't have to tell me, I know the woman I have."
She smiled and turned around. Wearing only his boxers, Lance stood staring at her with the same soft eyes she had seen previously, "Are you sure about this?" she asked.
Lance smiled and got down on one knee, "I have never been so sure in my life. I want to spend eternity with you. Romelle, marry me."
She smiled as tears ran down her face. A sob constricted her throat, cutting off the words she couldn't bring herself to say. Then, forcing the words out, because she knew she had to, Romelle's lips quivered as she choked out the word, "When?"
"Now Elle. Right now," he continued as he stood and kissed her with such tenderness she ached. Without a thought, Lance picked her up and took her back into the bedroom and let her down gently beside the bed. He rid himself of his shorts and then took her hand and she stood. Lance loosened the blanket around Romelle, letting it fall to the floor. He admired her beauty. "By the powers of the lions, I unite my soul to yours. Romelle, I choose you to stand by me, to carry the legacy of the lions and the powers that will unite us eternally as one. Do you accept?"
"Yes," she answered firmly. "My love for you is eternal, strong and pure. You are my soul Lance. I am yours as you are mine."
"Then by the power of the lions, I claim you as my one," he told her before he kissed her.
To Romelle the world that she knew became no more. A golden light filled the room and although Lance was nowhere in sight, she felt him everywhere. She felt him all over her body, her heart. She couldn't describe the feeling, but it was unlike anything she had ever experienced. The golden light turned white; she shouted in extreme delight and saw nothing more. She just felt.
VVVVVVVVVV
As Coran read in his study, he felt a light gust of air around him. The lions alerted him that someone else had joined the eternal union. He didn't know who it was, but he knew that he felt happy.
XXXXXXXXXX
Allura awoke at the sounds of mumbling coming from the man lying next to her. After taking his medication, it didn't take long for Keith to fall back asleep. A while later, Allura lay next to him to rest and fell asleep. After about an hour and a half, she was startled awake by Keith's sudden movements in bed. She sat up and tried to calm him down.
"Keith," she whispered. "Wake up. It's a dream. Keith, wake up."
"No," he whispered roughly. "I can't do it….I can't do it."
At this, Allura stopped and listened, "You can't what, Keith? You can't what?"
Sighing miserably, Keith continued tossing and turning lightly, "Can't kill you. Don't …Sven…Don't make me..."
She listened. He dreamed of the past. She was listening to the truth…what really happened that dreadful day.
Keith continued reliving the past in his dream and now Allura wanted, no, needed to know. She continued listening, but Keith kept repeating the same words. She listened as much as she could before the dream became violent and he started thrashing around.
"Keith! Wake up!" She shook him. His eyes immediately opened and he sat up. He breathed heavily and looked around to survey the room before the dizziness made him lay back down.
"How long have you had these dreams?" she asked when he looked at her.
He paused for a moment before answering her. At that moment, he remembered they had found out the truth. "A while," he answered as he closed his eyes resigned. "I'm sorry if I woke you."
"You know that sometimes dreams, especially bad dreams, go away when you talk about them."
Keith looked at her, his gaze guarded. "They will never go away. Sins of the past never go away."
She studied him as she caressed his face, "What if it wasn't a sin?"
VVVVVVVVVV
Locking his dark eyes onto her blue ones, Keith sat up cautiously, hoping he wouldn't feel the dizziness that had struck him earlier. Surprisingly, the dizzy spells had decreased some. He was thankful for that. "What...what exactly did Romelle tell you?" He asked, his as anger colored his tone.
"She told me that Sven asked you to kill him," she replied softly but firmly. "You killed him at his request. Was she telling us the truth?"
Silence lingered before he sighed heavily. Then, as if scared to speak freely about the subject, Keith nodded, "It was…the only way to keep his image intact."
"By tainting yours?" Allura shook her head. "How could you have agreed to this?"
He ran his hand through his hair in frustration, "What's the point of talking about it now? It' not like…"
"Don't bottle this up again!" Altair warned. "His deception and your secrecy tore this team apart. Start speaking Kogane!"
It was now Keith's turn to shake his head as resignation set in, "It's been so long. I haven't spoken about the subject since I convinced Romelle to keep silent twenty years ago." He laughed with disbelief. "The envy he had for us was beyond anything that I had ever encountered in a person. If none of us would have inherited the lion's souls, I think he would have accepted the rejection." Keith paused for a bit before speaking again, "When he got hurt and the soul of Blue rejected him, he was beyond devastated. I think he thought that being with Romelle, having Hope…gaining such high ranking in the Corps would soothe the pain…it didn't. That envy when he saw us was fire that fueled him."
"He never showed it," Allura flatly stated, particularly to no one.
"He was always very good at masking his feelings," Keith replied with a sad smile.
"Better than you?"
Keith shrugged, "Anyways, the more he saw us fighting, piloting the lions, winning battles…I think it made him realize more what he lost. After a while, neither Romelle nor Hope were enough for him. He needed to feel powerful…I think Zarkon was that outlet."
"His need was that huge?" Allura ran her hand through her locks with frustration.
"You have to understand, Allura. We did everything together; the five of us were inseparable at the academy. To think that the souls would not accept him was a slap in the face in his eyes. As stupid as this may sound, he felt left out, he felt like an outcast."
"How did Zarkon take advantage of this? How could he have known?"
"Romelle and I have always thought that it was Sven who contacted him," he replied with a small snort. "It would have been the only way. Zarkon must have promised him the world if he succeeded."
"What happened that day, Keith?"
He laid back down, his gaze far away as he began thinking of that dreadful day, when everything would never be the same….
VVVVVVVVVV
20 years ago…
"You ready for this, Commander?" Keith heard Lance from the vidscreen as the other lions followed Black toward Korrinth for what they hoped was their final battle.
"As I'll ever be," Keith responded. "How long have we waited for this moment, Lance?"
"I don't know brother," Lance replied, "But too long. This is our freedom, Keith. Arus will be free."
Keith couldn't help but smile. Arus would be free. He and Allura could make a life for themselves. Life with his fireball. The thought made him smile more. Allura, his wife…he would have a wife. His thoughts were interrupted by Lance's voice again, "Has Sven contacted you?"
"No, he hasn't" he shook away those thoughts. It still wasn't the time to daydream. "His team is already there with him. We should rendezvous with them in—"
A private call came in from the vidscreen in the cockpit, "Hey, Lance, give me a second. I have call."
"Sven?"
"Not sure," he answered, seeing that the call came from an unknown line. "Be right back." Keith hesitated for a moment. Unknown? That meant that it was a line coming in from an outside source, it wasn't connected to the Corps. mainframes. "Zarkon?" he whispered. He prepared himself for whatever surprise Zarkon had in mind now that his end became very evident to him.
Connecting, Keith took a deep breath and prepared for the confrontation ahead of him, "Kogane."
"Keith?"
The face on the screen surprised him. It was someone he wasn't expecting, "Romelle?"
"We need to talk," she said. Romelle looked pale; her eyes were filled with a combination of anxiousness and shock.
In her voice, Keith felt pain, anger, and fear.
"Keith, you are all walking into a trap."
"What are you talking about, Romelle? What's going on?"
"It's Sven!" she almost yelled. "He's setting you up. He's planning to destroy all of you."
"That's…that's impossible," Keith countered. "What would ever make you think Sven would−"
"I heard him speaking to Zarkon about an hour before he left," Romelle snapped. "In his office. Keith, I heard him…I saw it with my own eyes…Zarkon promised him the highest command in his army…a commanding post over all the Denubian once he destroys you all."
Keith shook his head in disbelief, "He wouldn't do−"
"Damn it, Keith! Listen to me," she raised her voice once more. "I don't know how he plans to do it. All I know is that he plans on killing all of you and you have to stop him."
xxxxxxxxxxx
He found him in the witch's lair, the last place he'd thought he'd find him, but the only place he could be at this point. Bathed in the Drule king and prince's blood, Keith walked in to the lair hoping to find Haggar while he was at it. Perhaps the anger that he felt could be released on her, thereby taming whatever was left over for Sven.
Sven.
How could he have done this to them, to Romelle, to his child!
"Sven!" Keith yelled with everything he had in him. "Sven! Show yourself you piece of sh−"
He appeared from behind one of the wide-angle pillars of the lair. The skulls entangled over the vines made the pillar look even wider and more menacing. Sven was eerily calm, but his eyes showed a mixture of resentment, anger and defeat, "You always said you'd finish them both off," he said flatly. "I just never really believed you could do it. I didn't want to believe. Then again, you all can do just about everything, can't you, brother?"
Keith ignored the nonsense spilling out of Sven's mouth, "Why, you bastard? Why would you do this to us? Damn you, Sven…you have a child! Why would you screw everything that you have with Romelle?"
At this Sven laughed and shook his head. It was the first sign of emotion emanating from him, "Screw her? Hell Keith, I was doing it all for her! How do you think she saw me when she realized the difference between all of you and me?
"Don't you use that pathetic pity card as an excuse! You are no better or worse than any one of- "
"Don't! Don't do that!" Sven now yelled.
Keith was now shocked by what he heard.
"Don't pretend you don't know the difference between you and I. Give me that bit of respect!" Walking closer to Keith, he continued, "How do you think I feel every time I see you? Your gifts…your strength? Damn it Keith, I lost it all. The lions took it all away…and at the same time they stripped me of my honor, my pride…everything that made me…me." At that point, Sven took out his sword and began to drag it as he came closer to his former friend. The tip scratching the surface of the floor with a loud screech. "I needed to feel…important…wanted. Zarkon offered me that chance. A chance at greatness."
"You're insane," Keith countered. "Greatness? At whose expense? Arus? Earth? Ours?"
"It would have been a very small price to pay for a chance to see my daughter be proud of her father and his successes," he shrugged without care.
"Proud?" Keith raised his voice. "Proud of what? Of a murderer, a liar, a traitor? You have no idea what you've lost."
"Oh, I do know," the screech stopped when Sven stopped walking. "You managed to ruin this for me. The people who I thought of as family managed to ruin my entire existence." Lifting his sword, his face scrunched in anger, he launched at Keith, "Now, you're going to pay!"
On instinct, Keith pulled out his sword and lifted it to block the blow from his attacker. The two friends sparred violently, facing off around columns and walls filled with skulls, body parts and the foul stench of blood.
Neither could get an advantage over each other, as they both knew each other's moves. Metal against metal, shrieking in powerful, ominous sounds that at times sent sparks in the air.
"This is ridiculous Sven! Stop this!"
"Don't hold back, brother," Sven countered as he dipped and weaved, blocking Keith's moves. "I'm not."
The swords clashed against each other in tumultuous synergy. Each man not giving the other a chance to draw blood. Sven was quick and dove his sword to the left of Keith's head. Keith sidestepped to the right just enough for the blade of his opponent's sword to pass a few inches away from his face.
Quickly, before Sven could recover from the failed attempt at the deathblow he was about to give his opponent, Keith swiftly kicked Sven in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and stunning him for a brief moment. It was a move Sven never expected and Keith didn't give him time to recover. Another quick blow, this time to his jaw, had Sven drop his sword as he fell to the floor.
Kicking Sven's sword away from him, Keith ordered, "Get up!"
It took a few seconds, but Sven managed to rise slowly and a bit awkwardly, "What are you going to do now?"
It was question that Keith didn't know how to respond, at first, but then he managed to say, "I'm going to turn you in. It's over, Sven."
"You're right about that, Keith," Sven laughed humorlessly as he slowly walked away from Keith, turning his back on him, without any concern that Keith would attempt anything. "It is over. For me, anyway. I can't go back, Keith. You know that I can't." He walked over to the witch's console and pressed on a button.
Beside Keith, the floor opened to reveal a huge fire pit filled with skulls and burning body parts. Stepping away, Keith glared at Sven as he approached, "What is this?"
"Haggar calls it the Pit of Skulls," he said rather calmly, "It's the resting place for her…subjects. Once she's done with them, she finishes them here. Whatever is left goes to her walls and pillars…decoration to feed the ambiance…well that's what she says."
Knowing exactly why Sven had shown this gruesome cemetery to him, Keith shook his head, "No."
"You have to, Keith. It's the only way this can end."
"Sven, you're not thinking," he reasoned. "We can fix this. I can fix this!"
"You can't do a thing," Sven answered in disgust. "Don't you get it? I'm a traitor to Earth and Arus. I'm done, Keith. There's nothing you or I can do about it."
"Killing yourself is not the answer!"
"Who said I'm going to kill myself?" Sven offered an unapologetic shrug. "I can't very well do that. You know this place has cameras all over. And the Garrison is itching to take over. Soon, they'll have access to everything. How would it look if I killed myself? What would Romelle think? What would Hope see when she's old enough to understand?" He shook his head, "No, my dear brother. You get to do the honors."
The fire burned potently from the pit. Keith felt the hot air around him, the smell of burning flesh. The chemicals around the witch's lair mixed with the hot fumes. He felt the sweat glistening on his forehead, his back, "You're not thinking clearly."
"It's the only way Keith." He walked closer to his commanding officer and former friend, "If I go back, you know what it will mean for Romelle and Hope. Can you live with the pain they will endure? Garrison thinks we're all influenced by magic. They'll turn their backs on all of you. They won't give my kid a chance at a life. And after all I did for them. I will not go back and have them see another failed attempt from me. I will not!"
Sven was deranged and talking nonsense, "You can make the pain go away for them…and for me. Kill me, Keith."
"No!" Keith's eyes widened in horror, "I can't…are you crazy? I can't do this!"
Enraged, Sven yelled, "So, you rather have Romelle and Hope suffer because you don't have the guts to do what you know has to be done? Damn you Keith, stop saving everyone that can't be saved! For once be brave enough…be what the Garrison taught you to be! Plunge that sword in me and get rid of the true evil that plagued Arus and Earth. Kill me!"
Now, drenched in sweat, Keith shook his head fiercely, "Sven…"
"Damn it, you bastard!" Sven knelt in front of Keith, "Do it! If not for me, for Hope. She's a baby, Keith. What kind of a life will she have if she's forced into exile? I don't want my daughter to live that way. Do this, please."
Breathing hard, Keith, for the first time in his life, didn't know what to do. Sven was right. If he went back…it would do more harm than good to all of them. But, this was his friend, his brother…he couldn't…he didn't want to. The fire ignited and bursts of flames flew around them. The room became red and orange and heat emanated from everywhere.
"Keith! Now!"
"I−"
"Damn it! Do it! Keith. Now!"
Picking up his sword, Keith slashed downward ripping Sven's chest apart before he dropped the sword. The hard and fast action splattered blood around Keith's face.
Sven looked blankly at his friend as he made every attempt not to collapse. He smiled.
"I hate you for making me do this," Keith said desperately trying to calm his breathing, before kicking his friend's body into the fire pit.
As he watched the corpse of his dead friend and brother burn, Keith knelt on the floor and cried.
VVVVVVVVVV
"And that's what happened," he said in a tone that seemed so locked in the past that Allura thought, Keith had yet returned to the present.
Allura squeezed her eyes shut, trying to process everything. She didn't know what to think or feel for Sven. Everything that she felt in the past-regret, remorse, sadness, all those feelings were gone and were now slowly replaced by anger and hurt.
"He was right," Keith said.
The phrase made her eyes open, "What do you mean?'
"If he came back, there'd be no place for him, no place for Romelle and Hope and to that extent, no place for us." Keith looked at her, "It had to be done. He knew it and to prove it, he fought and pushed me hard enough for me to act."
"He was…a monster."
"He was desperate," Keith corrected her. "He was so desperate to be someone, he lost himself."
Sitting up, Allura looked into his eyes, her expression tender and full of love, "You could have lost yourself all these years, but you didn't. You protected us. You're still protecting us."
Keith reached for a strand of her hair dangling alongside and neatly tucked it behind her ear. The feel of his touch sent shivers through her body. It was so quiet around them, Allura felt her heart pound. His fingers trailed down her cheeks to her lips, brushing them lightly. Lifting himself up, Keith brushed his mouth along her jawbone.
The aching anticipation of a kiss sent Allura in a frenzy, she reached for him and pulled his mouth against hers. Keith kissed her gently, but it wasn't the gentleness she wanted. She knotted her fists into his shirt and pulled him closer. Knowing that he didn't have to go slow now, Keith began unbuttoning her blouse. Before he knew it, his shirt came off just as her blouse and other clothes.
"Are you sure?" he asked in between kisses.
"Don't make me wait any longer," she answered as he slid over her, "I've waited long enough."
VVVVVVVVVV
Keith twirled a lock of Allura's hair against his finger after she settled her head on his abs. Her long drawn out sigh was one of contentment and satisfaction. A feeling of peacefulness finally took over her body and mind. Altair felt happiness; something she hadn't felt in ages and didn't think she remembered.
"What are you thinking?" Keith asked in a low tone.
Both laid in bed naked, no covers or blankets, or anything to hide one from the other. They had hidden so many things over the years; it felt wrong to consider hiding themselves.
"Nothing really," Allura sat up and moved closer to him. "Just enjoying the moment. Aren't you?"
"Very much so," he replied, taking another lock of her golden hair and began twirling it again. He loved playing with her hair.
After a short moment, Keith released the lock of hair and moved his fingers toward her face, caressing her cheek. When he reached her lips, she opened her mouth and took his finger sucking on it lightly.
"Don't start, Altair," he joked.
"What? Afraid of me, Captain?" She laughed lightly, "Are you telling me you're out of practice?"
"It's not that. It's just…if you entice me to begin, I won't stop," he smiled. "It's been too many years Allura, too many damn years waiting for you and…we have a mission to complete."
"You're afraid of me," she answered with a melodic tone that embraced the words.
"Not one bit, love. Next time I plan on taking my time with you."
She smiled and faced him, "Listen," she whispered.
Curiously, Keith looked at her, "What?"
"It's silence," she answered, "No calls, no attacks, nothing happening right now. Caressing his face, she continued, "Keith…take your time."
Allura watched as his eyes watered as he looked at her. With a soulful whisper, Keith told her, "Allura…I love you."
Those words made her close her eyes as an overwhelming feeling deep inside her struck her heart. Allura imagined Keith taking his time exploring her, touching her. She imagined him deep inside of her; mind, body, soul and heart. She found herself praying to the powers that be to allow her to control herself and wait until the next time and the many, many times after that when she would take him, feel him. She realized at that moment how easy it was to breathe again; life felt so much clearer, fuller; as if the colors around her glowed brighter. Her life now had…life.
Allura looked at Keith's face and noticed the loving look in his eyes, his unshed tears. She noticed how his features soften, his eyes looked gentler; he no longer looked like a man who lived with demons around him.
"Keith?"
"Hmm?"
"I understand why you hid that secret, but…how could you have lived the way you did for all those years?" she asked curiously, but also with a tone of sadness.
Never leaving her gaze, he asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"Loneliness, Keith. How could you have lived with such loneliness?"
"I was never lonely, Allura," he answered. She stared back at him with a confused gaze and he smiled. "I kept myself very busy after my release from prison. It's amazing. I lost whatever pension I would have received from the Garrison and Arus, but I found that I was highly in demand for assignments that many wouldn't entrust to neither the Garrison nor the Corps to handle. I made more working underground than I would have should I had received both pensions. "
"That still doesn't answer my question."
"Altair, I was too busy completing missions to feel lonely. I never needed people to make me feel wanted or loved. I only needed you. I always felt you with me, Allura. "
Allura looked at him and smiled.
"As long as I felt in my heart, you were still with me, I never felt I needed anything," he paused for a bit before continuing, "You never left me, Allura."
She shook her head softly, "I could never do that. Outside the world believed I had accepted another, but my heart…my heart never left you."
He whispered, "How could I feel lonely, when I felt it? I always did, I always have."
She couldn't hold it any longer, Allura's tears ran down her cheeks as she listened to him. She chocked a sob before whispering back, "I love you. I...love you so damn much."
She sat up and moved toward him. She kissed him so feverishly that Keith once again felt electricity run down his body. As she kissed him, she positioned herself on top of him. She let go of his lips and worked her way down his neck as she took him in. Keith breathed heavily as she moved against him. Allura sat up, letting her hair fall around her. She closed her eyes enjoying him as she moved up and down against him. At first slow and easy and then gradually, Allura increased her speed until Keith knew no more and let out an agonizing groan of delight. After she felt him go, she allowed herself to share the same delight and wondrous feeling of having Keith Kogane inside of her.
VVVVVVVVVV
A dim blue light rapidly blinked by Keith's nightstand waking him up. Realizing why it blinked, he rose carefully trying not disturb a sleeping Allura before checking for any signs of dizziness. He noticed some dizziness, but it was tolerable. He hoped the spells wouldn't increase as he made the effort to walk. He walked to his closet, grabbed a robe and began walking out of the room when he heard her voice, "Keith? Where are you going? Are you feeling well?"
"I'm fine. Just need to go down to my office."
Immediately, she sat up and turned on the light, "What's going on?"
"I'll explain everything later, but right now, I have to get down there to take his call."
She didn't trust that he was fine. She knew him too well when he was sick. "Ok, but I'm going with you."
"Alright, let's go."
Xxxxxxxxxx
As they headed down the stairs, Keith held onto the bars as he explained, "It's Hazar".
"You think he found her?"
"I know so. I told him to use the emergency connection when he has something to share that's of extreme urgency."
Once they reached the lower levels of the brownstone, Keith typed in a code on the keypad by the wall to access the office.
"Altair, I need you to stay away from the vidscreen. I don't want him spooked. He'll only speak to me."
"You sure you can trust the information?"
Before Keith opened up the connection, he answered, "He's never failed me."
XXXXXXXXXX
Turning on the vidscreen, Kogane didn't have the chance to explain to Allura the reasons for the meeting that night. Hazar and his family issues was a story for another night.
"Tell me you have something."
"Kogane, sources told me that you were in the brink of death. I'm happy to know that they were wrong." The Drule smiled, not a heartwarming smile, more like a relief that had passed through him. Keith knew the bastard was more likely relieved that his investigation would had not been done in vain. He would get his compensation. That, and only that, brought Hazar peace and satisfaction.
"I'm sure you are," Keith replied unemotionally. "Did you find her?"
Hazar laughed mockingly, "You should know better than to ask me that. I'm calling your emergency line!"
"Where is she?"
"I'm sure you're dying to know," the Drule answered sarcastically. "But first things first, where's my money?"
Keith picked up the white square disc from the table and showed it to Hazar, "I'm inserting and transferring the funds to your account, but note that if I find out you're feeding me garbage, all I have to do from my end is press one button and your two million comes back to me. The money is tracked and can be found and I know even you don't have the technology to stop this," he finished with a sarcastic smile.
The man on the screen didn't like the statement one bit, but he knew better than to play with Kogane. He wouldn't kid around and even if the Drule found a way to lose the tracking, Kogane wouldn't be far away from personally collecting.
"Oh, man of little faith," Hazar shook his head. "I assure you, I may not be a man of trust, but my information is."
At this, Keith slipped the disc into the computer drive and within seconds Hazar smiled after the transaction completed. "Thank you."
"Where is she?'
"It's a funny thing Captain. At first, I researched the most likely places a witch of her caliber would hide and I found nothing. Haggar found a way to disappear successfully. She couldn't be found in the nether regions or in any of the black belts around the galaxy. Until, a source of mine found that she had been living in the most unlikely place, Korrinth."
Allura looked shocked and Keith couldn't hide the surprise either.
"I knew that would tickle your funny bone," Hazar laughed. "All this time and the witch was right under the Garrison's nose."
"Keep talking."
"Seems that the witch, per Zarkon's orders concocted some type of spell that would turn her human. On the day of the invasion, she wrapped the child up and hid with the slaves. When the Garrison soldiers questioned her, she told them she had been captured by the Drules a year before the invasion and that the child was her son, a product of a rape from one of the many Drule guards assigned to her."
Keith continued listening. The story so far was not only surprising, it was believable. The Drules didn't keep records of slaves. As long as they had them, they could careless who they were or where they came from. The plan was well thought out and Keith had an idea who would have given both Zarkon and the witch the idea to carry it out. "I'm betting Haggar didn't stay on Korrinth for that long there after?"
"It depends on how you see it," Hazar continued. "From what I've been told, they stayed there for a while, until Lotor turned about twelve as a matter of fact. I believe it was at that point that the witch left and began training him. I guess you know the story there after."
"Where is she now?"
Hazar at this point laughed, clearly enjoying the story telling. "You won't believe this. But, while Lotor conquered other worlds, training and gathering an army, Haggar was busy preparing the territory for him back here. The fact that she was now human opened the doors to many worlds in the Azure quadrant. The witch went to Earth."
Keith's eyes widened. "Earth." Damn, he knew where this headed. From where she stood, Allura pushed her hair back in frustration and shock.
The Drule nodded, "Garrison precisely. Somehow she managed to infiltrate Galaxy Garrison."
"Is she still there?"
Hazar shook his head. "She managed to disappear once again after the invasion."
"Who is she now, Hazar? Do you have a picture, a name, something?" Keith's tone of voice rose with worry. Garrison needed to know.
"Yes, the name she used under the Garrison was Lieutenant Captain Elayne Harding, Intelligence. She was under that alias for almost three years before she 'placed' herself on some type of assignment and went MIA. Garrison has yet to find her."
"Convenient," Keith voiced out loud. "You have a picture for me?"
"Much more than that; will cost you extra though," the Drule smiled.
"Don't push it, Hazar. The picture."
"You have no sense of humor Kogane," Hazar shook his head. "Let me send you her complete file."
It took a second or two before the image popped up on the screen. The woman on the screen had long curly black hair; she looked younger than what the file stated, her face a little fuller and pale white. Her uniform perfectly molded her body. She was the epitome of a true soldier.
"You know her?"
Keith answered, "Thanks for the information."
"Glad to help," Hazar understood that his time was up. "Have fun catching her," the Drule smiled before he ceased connection.
Sensing the conversation was over, Allura walked over to Keith, "He came through on his word. Should be easy to find her now."
"Take a look at this picture," he responded continuing to look on the screen.
Allura looked at the picture and studied it for a moment. She had never seen the woman on screen, "Someone at the Garrison should be able to find her."
Keith turned to her, "Allura, look at the picture."
Looking back at the screen, Allura now studied the picture. "Wait…" Cut and straighten her hair, dye it blonde and shed about ten to fifteen pounds and she then recognized the woman on the screen. Allura gasped, "It's Kirian. Haggar is Kirian!"
"And she's been with us all the time, listening to everything we've planned, knowing everything about us." Keith ran his hands through his hair. "We need to find her," he told her as he slowly stood up from the chair and began to walk out of the office.
"You're in no condition−"
"I'll be fine," he answered. "Once I'm back in the lair, I'll be fine."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Allura," he began, "There are a lot of things you need to know, but this isn't the time. Will you trust me to know that when the time comes, I will share everything with you?"
Without hesitation, she replied, "Of course I do."
He kissed her lightly on the lips, "Thank you. Now, let's get ready. We have a long night ahead of us."
Both heading upstairs, Allura began to dress as Keith pulled out his comm. unit. "Lance, come in."
After a brief moment, he answered, "Yeah, you alright?"
"I'm fine, but I need you, Hunk and Darrell to meet me at the base in a half hour."
Without hesitation or an explanation, Lance answered, "See you then."
Quickly, going over to his closet, Keith pulled out a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt, "Altair," he called out.
"Ready," she answered him as she walked out of the bathroom wearing her uniform. "Let's go."