Hello everybody. This is an alternate ending of my story. I like both versions very much, but the first version - Goodbye - seemed to me the stronger and more fitting one in the end. Nevertheless I have written both and I also wanted to give Ronan another ending, so I decided to publish both endings.
To be some questions ahead, no it's not a double post. The near-death-sequence is exactly the same from the other chapter, but the chapter takes another direction from this scene on.
The Galran words, Freyda uses in this chapter should be an idiomatic construction, which should be used by Galras to express greatest relief.

Ronan has said 'Goodbye' to his old family and life goes on for him with his new one. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this alternate ending of this story.

Finding Peace (Alternate Ending)

Ronan opened his eyes. It was a wonderful warm summer night. The air was filled with the chirps of insects and a slight breeze carried the scents of the woods to him. An earthy fragrance, mixed with the hints of leaves, wet moss and wood. He was nearly at the end of the woods, the trees had already started to step aside and more bushes and smaller plants and flowers were to be found on the ground. But he didn't noticed the beauty around him. He was focused on the mesmerizing green light, which was shining through the trees. He was walking toward it. It seemed to call him. The trees got rarer and finally he had reached the end of the woods. And the long way had payed off. He had reached a large river and as his look followed the murmuring waters up the steam he could see it. Still in a great distance but with a magnificent pulsating glow. He took a long breath, watching the Emerald Canyon shining on horizon. The light was soothing him. All this life around him

Suddenly he recognized a person at the river. The woman was sitting on a big rock, cradling a baby. Ronan's eyes widened in disbelieve. It was impossible, like it was impossible, that she seemed to have noticed his look, because she turned around to him with her warm smile. This warm smile, he hadn't seen for years. She was holding their baby, their son. He recognized a golden sparkle at her hand, as she took a strain of her brown hair out of her face. This beautiful face he had missed so much.

"Abby..."

Her smile grew wider and happier, as he whispered her name. It was impossible, but she had heard him.

"How... Why, I mean, what..."

She chuckled warm at his confusion.

"Hello Ronan."

She stood up and walked over to him. He felt his knees getting soft and he got a grip on one tree to keep himself on his legs. But his eyes kept focused on Abby. The woman reached him and leaned against him, nuzzling her head at his shoulder. Tears came to his eyes.

"It's been so long, Abby."

She chuckled again and it seemed the wind joined her warm laughter.

"No, Ronan. We are always with you."

A melody was in the wind. A deep and soothing humming, a lullaby, dipping like warm honey from the leaves. Abby closed her eyes and started to hum the melody with the wind for the sleeping baby.

"Dad!"

It was a muffled shout deep from the inner forest. He turned back and a darkness was laying heavy between the trees, but also a little light, or at least an idea of it, deep hidden in the woods.

Abby has started to walk back to the river, still humming the melody, the wind was carrying out of the forest.

"Abby?"

She stopped and turned back to him with her gentle smile. She looked him in his questioning face.

"Have I kept my promise for you?"

Abby tended her head aside and walked back to him. She placed a brushing kiss full of love on his lips. His breath was heavy as she took a small step back to face his look with her warm smile.

"What do you think, Ronan?"

He brushed with the tip of his tongue over his lip. He could taste her on it and it made his tears falling free.

"Dad!"

The scream was quieter than before. He knew this voice. As good as he knew the melody in the wind. Abby was standing in front of him. Waiting with their child. It was time. Time for a goodbye.

It was a hard and painful struggle. He felt the dark cloak falling off from his eye, slowly, but the pain became real as well as the surrounding of the treatment room. He heard the machines working around him and felt the cables and hoses hanging from him. His first try to move his head failed, so he kept focused on the ceiling for a while and tried to breath away the last rests of dizziness in his head and at least a little part of the pains, which kept torturing him. Suddenly a mechanized leg touched his left hand. It took him all of his strength, but he managed to turn himself a bit. His eye felt on AMRASU, who was guarding his bed. He moved his right hand to his implant, but the bionic eye was gone. AMRASU stroke the back of his hand carefully and so he cupped the leg with his right one.

"Thanks, old friend."

"...Ronan…?"

He had only whispered to AMRASU, but his whisper had been noticed and the fearful trembling voice brought the tears back to his eye. He had to focus again, to raise his weak voice at least a bit.

"Freyda?"

"Ronan! RONAN! Decxiz garatazz! Ronan!"

The rest got drown in her tears. Freyda's face approached over him and the Galra started to kiss his forehead over and over again, crying heavily. She was carefully holding his head in her hands and stroke his cheek. He felt his heart burning in love for her. It pushed away all the pains and so he finally pulled her into a long kiss. She smiled so relieved at him, as their lips finally parted. But he also noticed a little motion out of the corner of his eye. A person tried to leave the room, silently.

"Stay, please."

His voice was weak, but it was enough to make Acxa stop. Ronan reached out his right hand to her and the Galra walked finally to his bed and took his hand after a moment of hesitation. He squeezed her hand, thankfully.

"Thank you, Acxa."

The Galra was already crying silent tears, as she had tried to sneak out of the room, but now she sobbed heavily and squeezed his hand back, while Freyda pulled her into a close and comforting embrace. She had no idea, how long they have stood there in silence, but it was Freyda, who finally ended the hug.

"I'll call the kids."

The eye of the man lighted up and he managed a little smile.

"And then you'll rest, Freyda. For me."

Freyda broke out in tears again, but she smiled back at him and gave Ronan another long kiss, before she left the room. The man was still holding Acxa's hand, as he turned to her.

"Kathy and Veronica..."

The Galra looked at him in confusion. Ronan had to focus on his words, but it seemed, that he wanted to use this quiet moment.

"You need each other, Acxa."

She felt his grip tighten around her hand.

"You cannot take someone out of a family. You can only become part of it. At least in my world."

His breath became faster and Acxa was about to call for help, but the man shook his head and gave her smile.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." He did a little chuckle, but due to his face he seemed to regret it, instantly. "More or less."

Acxa hesitated a moment, but then she placed a kiss on the back of his hand. A warm smile was the reward for her gesture.

"DAD!"

The door of the room was barely open, as Jessy rushed into it, weeping like a little child. She only managed at the very last second to stop herself from crushing into Ronan.

"Dad! Oh my gosh, Dad! It thought… I wanted… I… I…"

The girl pressed her cheek against Ronan's head and the man placed a kiss on her hair, with tears in his eye.

"Shh… It's okay, Jessy. I know… I know…"

She clawed herself in the sheets around him, crying and stammering 'Dad' over and over again. Acxa was standing aside a bit, unsure what she should do, when the girl suddenly jolted up and turned to her. Before Acxa could realize, what has happened, she felt Jessy's arms around her, squeezing the Galra nearly to death in joy.

"You saved him. You saved Dad!"

Jessy started to sob into Acxa's chest, still tightening her thankful grip around the Galra. The woman hesitated a moment but Ronan shared an uplifting smile with her and so she finally dared to fondle the short blond hair of the teenager. Jessy nuzzled her head only under Acxa's chin as an answer, still crying tears of relief. The Galra rested her head on Jessy's and kept fondling the teenager's hair with tears in her eyes. The door opened again and Veronica approached in the frame with Kathy at her hand. The child broke out in tears, too, as Ronan turned his head towards the door with a smile. Veronica released her out of her hold and Kathy ran towards the man, grabbing his hand, he had stretched out to her. The woman was crying too and she walked over to Acxa and Jessy. She cupped the face of the Galra with her hands and shared a long kiss with her, before she hugged Jessy. The three got closer to Ronan and Kathy, who had carefully climbed upon his bed to hug the man. One after another laid a hand on the back of the little girl, which was still crying heavily. It was right in this moment, as the door opened another time.

"...se, not everyone at the same time. He still needs rest…."

Allura's voice was swallowed by the shouts and screams of the kids, who stormed the room. They crushed into Veronica, Jessy and Acxa, who had shielded Ronan a bit from the massive block of joy and relief, which had conquered the room. Freyda and Allura followed them inside, both with teary smiles on their lips. Freyda was now cradling Tjaàl, who was sleeping in her arms, beside this noise all around him. The Altean tried to convince the kids to leave Ronan, but her attempts felt on deaf ears. They had already taken places on the left and right side of his bed, more or less carefully cuddling the man in joy. Ronan's eye was filled with tears again and he laughed a bit, before he turned to Allura.

"It's okay, Allura."

He turned his head a bit to face Freyda with a loving smile.

"This is the best medicine for me."

He turned to Acxa, who had picked up Kathy from the bed. The little girl had nuzzled her face in Acxa's hair and was rubbing her horns. The Galra herself was in Veronica's arms and was smiling back at him.

"For all of us, in fact."

Three years later

"Thanks for helping me with learning for the tests, Acxa. I know, it's still a year, but it's so much to learn."

Jessy was groaning a bit, but she had a thankful smile on her lips as they reached the gate of the estate, where the teenager lived with Ronan, Freyda, Tjaàl, Sam and Clarissa. It was a big house with a wide areal around it for playing and gardening, for long and joyful parties with the former team in the summer and for epic snowball battles in the winter. Acxa gave the teenager an uplifting shove and smiled impish at her.

"It was your idea to go for Intergalactic Relationships and Cultures, deal with it."

Jessy laughed and pushed her back with a grin. Her smiles made the fine white line on her lip more visible, where she had been stitched, three years ago. Both recognized Kathy, Sam and Tjaàl chasing Clarissa around the house in the distance. It made Acxa lifting an eyebrow, but it only brought a happy expression on Jessy's face.

"Hey, Kathy is here, this means Veronica, too."

The joyful yelling echoed over the areal and Jessy released a pitied laughter

"Poor Clarissa. Pat and Chrissy are on vacation with Lance and Allura. No backup for her to deal with the three monsters."

She chuckled again and turned to Acxa with a new shine in her eyes.

"Maybe we can have a sparring session together? I really could use a break from learning."

A sparkle came to Acxa's eye. She suddenly shoved the girl beside her so hard, that Jessy nearly felt over with an surprised shouted 'Hey'. The Galra started to run and turned back to the girl, who tried to catch up with her again.

"Last one at the trainings ground is a lame duck!"

They were about to reach the stairs, which led down to the training room in the house as they nearly bumped into Freyda. Both recognized immediately, that the woman was guarding the stairs.

"Mom? What's the matter."

Freyda shared pensive looks with Acxa and Jessy. She didn't made a move to give a free way, which made Acxa's look more suspicious.

"Not your business, Jessy."

She looked at Acxa and hesitated a moment, before she took a nod for herself.

"And also not your's. Not now."

Acxa and Jessy were frowning at the Galra in front of them, as they heard a painful shout from downstairs. It made Acxa's eyes widen in shock. She had clearly identified Veronica's voice and she was about to run downstairs, as Freyda placed her hand on her chest. The tall woman didn't winced back at Acxa's angry look. Her eyes kept locked with hers.

"Not your business."

Another painful shout made Acxa nearly panic. She took fighting position and faced the woman in front of her. Her look was an ultimate warning.

"Last chance, let me pass."

Both stared for some moments at each other. Only Jessy's hands on the shoulders of both women pulled they out of the staring contest.

"Mom. Please, what's going on here. What is happening with Veronica? Where is Dad?"

Freyda hesitated a moment, but the worried look from Jessy elicited her a little sigh. She turned around and walked down the stairs, followed by Acxa and Jessy. The shouts got louder and also another noise, which made Acxa's blood run cold. Fighting sounds. She couldn't take it any longer and passed Freayda, running downstairs to reach the door of the training room. She ripped the door open and released a shocked scream.

She saw Veronica with a sword in her hand striking against Ronan. The man blocked her move and doubled his speed easily. His blade cut a fine red line on Veronica's right cheek and her girlfriend screamed in pain again, stumbling backwards and pressing her hand on the fresh cut.

"VERONICA!"

She was at her side, before her girlfriend had a chance to realize, that she had entered the room. Acxa stared in rage and disbelieve at Ronan, unable to vocalize any of these emotions. The bleeding cheek of her girlfriend and the fact, that Veronica and Ronan were down here, fighting let her mind went blanc. The man hadn't changed his look. He watched both woman for a moment, before he spoke to Veronica.

"You live for her. You bleed for her. Now the final question, would you die for her?"

Acxa's mouth stood wide open at the cold question. Freyda and Jessy had also reached the doorway, but Acxa noticed, that both kept standing aside. They had tears in their eyes. Acxa's panic grew, as Veronica freed herself from her grip, ignoring the Galra, completely. Her hand was still pressed on the fresh fine cut.

"VERONICA, NO! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!"

Acxa was about to rip her back from Ronan, as she saw her girlfriend guiding the sword in Ronan's hand up to her throat, pushing her head a bit forward, so that the tip of the sword pressed into her skin without cutting them. The Galra was held back from AMRASU, who seemed to have observed the fight between Ronan and Veronica.

"Of cause. With honor."

Acxa's look changed and tears started to run down her face, dipping from her chin.

"Veronica… Do you…? Have you just…?"

She started to tremble and AMRASU walked back to his former place. Ronan's face changed also. A warm and proud smile came to his lips and he took the sword back. He closed the distance between himself and Veronica and pulled her in a close embrace, kissing the woman on her forehead.

"Your wish to marry our Acxa honors me and our family."

He looked at the shaking Galra behind Veronica, who stared at them with tears of joy in her eyes.

"You have proven your honor and worth, as Galran traditions have expected. We gladly accept the greatest gift you can offer us, by dedicating your life to our Acxa."

It had been the last words of the official part of the ceremony and Jessy finally dared to release a touched sob, holding Freyda close. Acxa was frozen on spot, as Veronica turned to her with tears in her eyes.

"It should have been a surprise. I had planned to ask you this evening."

She let her hand slide into her pocked and she pulled out a ring, which made Acxa pressing her hands before her mouth to muffle a teary sob. Veronica came closer to her.

"I wanted to honor you, Acxa. You and your tradition. So I have demanded permission to ask for your hand from Ronan. From your family."

She had reached Acxa and got down on her knees, offering her the ring in her hands. It was a golden one with an emerald.

"Kathy has helped picking this one. A green stone for all the hope you have given me. For all the hope we have found. So Acxa… will you marry me?"

Acxa was unable to say a word, her tears were falling free, but she nodded heavy as she took Veronica's head between her hands. She pulled her up, carefully and shared deep kisses with the woman. Finally the Galra managed to speak again.

"Yes. Oh Veronica, Yes. With honor."

It took a moment, before Veronica managed to slide the ring up on Acxa's finger, because her hands were shaking as heavy as Acxa's, but both shared deep kisses again, as the ring was finally at its place. Both felt the arms of Ronan, Freyda and Jessy wrapping around them. The man pulled Acxa's head against his.

"Your father would be so proud of you, Acxa. I hope I have honored him, by taking his part here."

He felt her head nuzzling against him.

"You did, Ronan. Every day. You gave me my honor back. You made it stop."

Tears were in Ronan's eye and he had to take a deep breath in before he finally placed a kiss on Acxa's hair.

"No, we made it stop. Together."

So, finally this story is finished. It was so much fun to write this one. As I have mentioned many times, this one here was blind written. I haven't seen any episode of the series and all I've got has been the trailers and VLogs on Youtube, the fanWiki around Voltron and the fanfiction around the universe, especially the stories from BellatrixLestrangey. I really hope, that I have managed to create a story, which might fit into the existing universe and fandom. I have tried my best to keep the existing characters in canon and I hope I haven't done major mistakes with the background, the quintessence stuff or the characters. It was one reason, why this story got such a big focus on my OC's, because I couldn't mess up their background ;-)
I'll miss this story, but I'm also proud and happy for finishing this one here. Just a big, big, big, big 'Thank You' to BellatrixLestrangey for all this feedback, for all your stories, for your strong, kind and open character, for all the wonderful talks and discussions, for all the recommendations (Mechina just rocks!) and for being an inspiration for my style of writing and for my stories. Thanks for giving me the chance to give something back to you, you're the best!
Thanks to all, who have dared to read a multi-chapter-story form a person, who hasn't seen an episode of Voltron. It makes me really happy to know, that you have given my idea a chance. Thank you so much.

gemsofformenos