Keith's mind was lost in his own little world when Shiro attempted to hand him some water at the police station. He looked ahead with dull eyes, a small black box handed back and forth between his palms.

Dawn had broken over the horizon 30 minutes ago, and still, there had been no word about Lance. The police had assumed that the vehicle that might belong to the perpetrator was the white Van that had been seen shooting out of the neighborhood a little after the first call to the police had been made. When they questioned the neighbor that gave the intel, they explained that it had no license plate, and a banged up back bumper.

Virtually nothing to go off of when a license plate could easily be added to the back. No leads, no reason.

Lance was a friendly person who never made enemies like people who would want him dead or hurt. The police had questioned Keith that perhaps it was something to do with him. Maybe someone wanted to get back at him and is using Lance as a means of doing that.

While it could be possible, he still couldn't recall angering anyone that far, and even if he had, involving Lance was something he could never forgive. Anyone who knew him definitely knew not to mess with the people he was close with.

Ever.

Yet here he was, sitting alone, Lance gone.

Could he say that enough for it to settle in his mind that his love was truly missing?

Keith could recall about a year back when he suffered from constant nightmares. He remembered Lance shaking his shoulders to wake him up.

" Sweetheart…" he says, "Babe, wake up,"

Keith sat up with a start, gasping for air as sweat poured from his forehead. Pulled back against Lance's chest, Keith lifted his arm to wrap around his waist, pulling him back.

Falling back to rest against the pillows of their shared bed, Lance gently ran a hand through his lover's hair, humming quietly to calm him, "Another nightmare?" he inquires.

Keith nodded into his collarbone, "Same one,"

Lance sighs, leaning down a little to kiss the top of Keith's head, "I'm fine. I'm here,"

"I know," Keith whispers, "I just- I dream you aren't."

For months he woke up screaming, tears streaming down his face and deliriously calling Lance's name.

When Lance calmed him down enough, Keith explained that he had dreamed that Lance had died, and Keith had been unable to save him.

Lance could only console him the best he could, assuring Keith that he wasn't going anywhere.

He could still feel Lance's fingers on his shoulder when he would roll him over and pepper his face with kisses. His sweet voice whispering "I love you", into his ear.

Lance made sure to show Keith with every chance how much he loved him. And what did Keith do?

Neglect him for months, make excuses and leave him alone to have who knows what happen to him.

"Keith." Shiro's voice cut between his thoughts. "Don't do this to yourself." As if sensing Keith's inner turmoil, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't your fault."

"I should have been there…" he physically recoiled to his own statement, the words backhanding him to know he wasn't. He wasn't there for Lance. "I could have stopped it."

"You don't know that." Shiro shakes his head. "For all we know, you both could be gone if you were there. Or worse- someone might have gotten hurt."

That is assuming Lance wasn't hurt right now, dying on the ground alone with the knowledge that the last thing he heard from Keith was some hasty goodbye.

"Has Matt said anything?" Keith changed the topic. Shiro shook his head no.

"No leads. I'm sure they'll be back in here in a moment to question us. Probably ask us where Lance liked to hang out, who he's been seen with lately. Ask where we were tonight."

"Why would it matter where we were?" Keith scowls, feeling like that kind of questioning was pointless. In fact, being forced to sit in this Police station was pointless! "I should be out there looking for Lance, not waiting in here."

"It's protocol, Keith." Shiro insists. "You've seen those old cop shows. They always pin the lover as the first possible suspect in this kind of thing," he said it in a way that tried to sound calm, so not to anger his friend, but it set him off anyway.

"You're saying they suspect me in what happened?! I would never hurt Lance!"

"I know that Keith." he insists. "I'm saying that they are just considering every possibility. We just tell them the truth and let them handle the rest."

"So just sit here," Keith concludes sourly. "The more time we just waste the more something could be happening to Lance!"

"Keith." Shiro's voice is soft and tired, the bags under his eyes just as heavy as Keith's. "Lance is my friend, too. A brother to me…"

Keith's eyes soften, and he looks down, "I know. I just want him to be okay." he opens his palm to look at the box. He popped it open, the glistening ring inside making his heartache. He took it from its container, Shiro observing his every move.

Keith wanted to put on the ring. To wear it with pride and show the world that he loved and cherished Lance.

He couldn't bring himself to slip it onto his finger. Lance hadn't properly asked him yet. So for now, all he could do was appreciate the craft of the ring. Now that he recalled and was thinking about it, Lance had asked for his ring size three months ago.

Lance wasn't subtle about it, so it should have been his biggest hint.

"It's a beautiful ring." Shiro says as Keith places it back in the box.

"It is." he agrees, nodding his head. Closing the box, he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

A little while later when Matt came in, Keith jumped to his feet, stuffing the box back into his pocket. "Well…?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Matt sighs, shaking his head. "There isn't much I can say yet, Keith."

"That's what you said hours ago." he frowns.

"I know. We have everyone we can get on this case. We're looking through traffic cameras, talking to witnesses- for now, we're gonna need to ask you some questions." he extended his hand to the chair, hoping Keith would cooperate.

Sighing, he sat down and nodded. He figured this is what Shiro had mentioned before.

"So, I know you had that business meeting tonight. Can those gentlemen confirm you were there?" Matt pulled out a pen and writing pad. Clicking the pen open he met Keith's gaze.

He nodded in return. "Yes, they can confirm."

"Okay." Matt scribbled that down. "Can I ask where Lance likes to visit. His normal routine?"

Keith knew it by heart, reciting where Lance worked and the places he liked to go with friends.

"And recently?" Matt inquired.

Keith sighs, shaking his head. "I-I don't know. We hadn't seen each other much the last few months. I've been busy." he lowered his head.

"I see." Matt nods. He couldn't say much given his position, but he knew how Keith must feel right now. "Listen, Keith. I don't know if I'm going to be allowed on this case with how close I am with you two. Even if that is the case though, I'm going to do everything I can to help you find Lance. I promise."

"Thanks, Matt." Keith nods his head.

The rest of their conversation was basic questioning, wondering if Lance had been acting weird, or maybe had started hanging out with people he had never seen before. Matt danced around the topic of Lance seeing anyone without Keith realizing, and Keith quickly scolded him that Lance would never cheat.

It was just something Matt felt he should ask to be sure.

"Okay, that's all I can think of for now." Matt rises to his feet. "You look like hell, Keith. How about you go get some sleep?"

"I'll get some sleep when we find Lance."

Matt sighs. "Lance wouldn't want you to kill yourself over him, Keith. He'd want you to get proper sleep and eat."

"I know," Keith grumbled, looking down. He would feel better if he could go looking for Lance. Not just be told that nothing has changed. If he could do that then maybe he could feel a little at ease that at least he was doing everything he could to find his Love.

"Shiro, you mind taking him home? We'll call you in a few hours with an update. Starting tomorrow, we'll start bringing people in to question them. We'll see what they know."

He nods his head, placing a hand on Keith's shoulder. "Come on, Buddy. Let's get you some sleep."

Keith felt too tired to argue. Tugged to his feet, he followed Shiro to his car.

They didn't say a word to each other the entire way back to Shiro's apartment. Keith couldn't be home right now. Not with the police swarming it and everything he built together with Lance trashed on the floor.

Crashing on Shiro's couch, Keith snuggles up to the blanket he was offered. It took several hours before he eventually passed out, his dreams of soft brown hair and ocean eyes.

He didn't care what anyone said.

Starting tomorrow, he was going to go look for Lance himself.