I need to post this before I decide to rewrite it... again.. XD
Lance sat at his desk, deep in thought.
He could throw pebbles at her balcony... But her parents or brother might hear.
He could send her a letter... But that would take to long.
A light bulb went off in his head. He grabbed his cell phone, and quickly typed in Allura's phone number.
"Hello?"
"Allura? It's Lance."
"LANCE?!"
"Wait! Please don't hang up."
"And why shouldn't I?"
"I need your help. I feel really bad that I didn't warn Katie."
"You should!" She interrupted.
"I know. I want to make it up to her, but I doubt that she'll listen to me. Do you think you can plan some sort of outing, and just not mention that I'm going to be there?"
Allura went silent for a few moments. "Well… I usually don't condone such things, but you and Katie should talk things over…. I'll do it."
Lance sighed in relief. "Thank you, Allura."
"Don't. I'm only doing this for Katie. I'll call you tonight with the details."
"I got it."
He was going to say goodbye, when Allura said, "And Lance?"
"Yeah?"
"Please, don't break her heart again."
Lance felt tears flood his eyes. Ever since that night, two years ago, he could never get Katie's tear stained face out of his mind.
"I don't plan too, 'Lura."
Matt and Katie talked about her upcoming move to California on the way to the their favorite cafe. She was going to be going to a new college that specializes in robotics, and she couldn't wait.
"Isn't the college near a military base?"
Katie felt her breath catch in her throat. She had completely forgotten about that. "I-it might be."
"I wonder if that's the one McClain is stationed at."
Katie shrugged. "How should I know?" It was true. She had no idea where Lance was stationed at. For all she knew he could be getting ready to go overseas! Not that she liked to think about that possibility.
"What about you? How's Cleveland? Still enjoying working for NASA?"
Matt scoffed. "Of course. I have the best job in the world."
"Any new teammates?"
Matt looked uncomfortable. "Uh, yeah. One. She's a transfer."
"Oooh, do you have a crush?"
"Sorta… I'm dating her."
Katie squealed, and Matt was grateful that they were at a stop sign. "What's her name?"
"Well, you have heard of her and sorta know her."
"Really?"
"Yeah" Matt parked the car and turned to look at his little sister. "Promise you aren't going to tell mom and dad?"
Katie arched an eyebrow. Matt was dating someone who he didn't want mom and dad to know about?
"Matt?"
"Katie, promise."
"Okay, I won't tell mom and dad. Who is she."
Matt took a deep breath and let it out as he told her. "Veronica McClain."
"WHAT?!" Katie shrieked, grabbing his arm.
"Trust me, I didn't plan on falling for a McClain. But I broke."
"No, no, no, no, no." Katie chanted, reaching up and grabbing her hair.
Matt looked at her with wide eyes. "Pidge, I know it's a shock but there's no need to act like this."
"Matt, you don't understand. Yes, I am happy that you have found someone. But, what if you two get engaged, and then get married?! I'd have to go to the wedding, and her family would have to be there which means that I'd have to see her family which means that I'd see Lance and I've don't a really good job at hiding from him and-"
"Katie!" Matt grabbed her shoulders and lightly shook her, snapping her out of her rambling. "Breath. Veronica and I are just dating. We haven't even discussed marriage yet. Now, start taking deep breaths. In and out. In and out."
Katie did as he said, and went over what she said in her head. She accidentally said Lance. Maybe he didn't catch it.
"Wait…"
No such luck.
"Did you say Lance?" Matt let go of her shoulders and leaned back. "Since when have you interacted with Lance McClain?"
Katie turned and looked out her window. "Do you remember all those afternoons that Allura and Keith would come over and go out in the woods with me?"
"Yeah."
"And how I always said that I had a friend who would walk home with me."
"Yeah." Realization dawned on him. "No way."
"Yep. Lance walked home with me, and he and Hunk would meet up with us at the old tree house."
"You mean that the tree house dad and I built has had a McClain in it?"
"Yes. Many times."
"How could you?! You knew that dad didn't like the McClain's!"
Katie punched his arm. "Who are you to judge?! You're dating Veronica McClain!"
"Well, yeah, but, ugh." Matt groaned and put his hands over his face. "Did dad ever find out?"
"You're joking right? If he had, I would have never left the house again. At least not without you or him."
"True." He removed his hands and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "We have really gotten ourselves into a mess, haven't we?"
Katie scoffed and opened her door. "Um, no. You've gotten yourself into a mess. Lance and I haven't seen each other in two years, and I would like to keep it that way."
"Wait, why?" Matt asked, as he got out of the car.
"Reasons." She stated.
"What reasons?"
"Matt, it doesn't matter." She opened the door to the cafe and headed straight for the counter. She didn't dare to turn around.
"Hey Katie!" Hunk greeted as he walked over to her. "What can I get you today? Chocolate ice cream and peanut butter cookies?"
Thirteen year old Katie sat at a booth in the cafe, her forehead on the table.
"I know something that could make you feel better." Lance said from his spot across her.
"I doubt it." She replied, not looking up.
"Are you sure about that?" Katie heard a thunk on the table and lifted her head to see Hunk place down two bowls of chocolate ice cream, and a plate of peanut butter cookies.
"Are those what I think they are?" Katie asked as she reached for a cookie.
"They are." Lance confirmed. "I donated the recipe to the cafe and Hunk just made these."
Katie closed her eyes as she bit into the cookie. She had only had this particular type of peanut butter cookie once before, when Lance was too full to finish his. His mother was a genius.
"So?"
"I might be feeling a little better." Katie admitted.
"Told ya you would." Lance said with a smile.
"Katie?" Hunk waved a hand in front of her face and Katie blinked, returning to the present.
"What? Oh, no thank you Hunk. Today I would like one bowl of peanut butter ice cream, and a bowl of cookies and cream for Matt. Please."
Hunk laughed. "Got it. I'll bring them to your table in minute."
"Thanks Hunk!"
"Are you okay?" Matt asked as Katie approached their table. "It looked like Hunk had to snap you out of your thoughts.
"I'm fine." Katie said as she sat down.
"Good, then that means that we can get back to our conversation."
"Which would be?" Katie asked, attempting to show that she didn't want to return to their previous conversation.
"What happened?"
"Nothing that concerns you."
"Katie-"
"Matt, Lance and I just had decided that our friendship needed to end."
"And when was that?"
Katie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Matt mimicked her stance. "I'm not going to stop asking until I get an answer.
"Fine. It was around the time he left and that's all your getting."
"Wait.. Was it because-"
"Matt, drop it." Katie hissed. But before her brother could reply, Hunk came towards them with their ice cream.
"One peanut butter and one cookies and cream." He set the bowls down before turning to Matt.
"Hey man, long time no see."
"Hey, Hunk. You're still working here?"
Hunk smiled, "Oh yeah. Mom said that once she decides that she's too old to run this place, it'll become mine."
"You have always loved to cook."
"Cooking is my passion." Hunk declared, "Just like working with technology is yours. Nice ponytail, by the way. I never imagined that you could pull one off."
Matt fingered his hair. "Thank you. At least you noticed it."
Katie rolled her eyes. "I saw you at Thanksgiving, and you had that ponytail."
Matt picked up his spoon and pointed it at Katie. "That doesn't mean that you shouldn't at least mention it."
Katie laughed, "Well, I didn't want you to get a big head."
Matt dramatically leaned back in his seat. "I'm wounded. Hunk, help me!"
"Nope, I am staying out of this." Hunk declared. "But, I will say this. Eat your ice cream before it's melts! That is an order!"
Both Holt's saluted, "Yes sir."
Hunk just shook his head as he walked off, and as the siblings dived into their dessert, they completely forgot about their previous argument. At least for the time being.
Lance was stringing some white lights on the bushes when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and immediately answered.
"So?"
"Hello to you too."
Lance sighed, "Sorry, Allura. Hello. How are you? Did you get it set up?"
"Much better. Hello, Lance. I'm fine, and yes. It's all set. I called Keith and Hunk earlier, and I just got off the phone with Katie. Tomorrow morning we will all meet up at the old ice rink."
"The old ice rink?"
"Yeah, why?"
Lance's mind wandered for a moment.
"Don't let go!" Katie cried as she and Lance slid onto the ice.
Lance laughed at the fourteen year old who was tightly holding onto his hands. "Don't worry, I won't."
Katie looked up at him. "Promise?"
Lance's gaze softened. "When have I ever lied to you?"
Katie smiled, but as she moved one of her feet forward she slipped and fell up against Lance. Lance quickly grabbed her arms and held her up. As she looked up at him, both of them burst into laughter. The rest of the day brought similar moments, but by the time they left Katie only had to hold onto one hand. Honestly, Lance had wished that she didn't progress that fast, but that wasn't something he was going to admit.
"Never mind. The ice rink is fine."
"Good. Meet us there at nine."
"Got it. See ya, Allura."
"Bye Lance."
The ice rink. Tomorrow was going to be interesting, to say the least.
Katie was brushing her hair when he mom entered her room.
"What's up mom?" She asked, setting her hairbrush down next to her.
"I'm going to need your help at some point tomorrow."
"With?"
Colleen sighed and sat down on the bed next to her daughter. "The cookie contest."
"Oh." Every year her mom entered the cookie contest at the Winter Festival, and every year her dad encourage her mom to do the best that she could so her cookie's would win over Mrs. McClain's.
"We need to work on our sugar cookie recipe."
Katie nodded her head. "Well, I'm suppose to meet up with Allura and Keith at the ice rink tomorrow morning, but I should be home by one. Maybe one-thirty."
Colleen nodded her head. "That should work."
"Mom, are you okay?"
"I guess, I'm just ready for this feud to end."
"Join the club." Katie said. "Do you think that they will ever forgive each other?"
Colleen stood up and headed towards the door. "No, Katie, I don't. At least, not under normal circumstances. If those two are to forgive each other, then something big needs to happen. Whether it's good or bad, I don't know. But it would have to be something that changes both of their lives."
The next morning as Lance walked to the old ice rink, he thought about what he was going to say to Katie. Should he apologize for the way they left things? Ask if they could talk about the way they left things? Not even bring up their last face-to-face conversation, and just try to start off fresh?
He groaned, "Why is everything so complicated?" He muttered to himself.
The rest of his walk was spent pondering that thought. The closer he got to the ice rink, the more nervous he got, and by the time he reached his destination, he was considering turning around. But he didn't.
He scanned the crowd, which honestly wasn't a lot of people considering that many started going to a newer rink that was put in the middle of town a few years back, looking for Allura.
"Allura!" He called, once he spotted her unique hairstyle.
He headed over to where she was, spotting Keith and Hunk.
"Lance, I'm glad you made it." Allura said. She hesitated for a moment, before stepping forward and hugging him. "Katie is just picking up a pair of skates." She said as she pulled back.
"Nervous?" Keith asked, stepping forward and grasping Lance's forearm in greeting.
"Very."
"You'll be fine." Hunk assured. "Maybe. Probably. Then again.."
"Hunk. Not helping."
Hunk looked sheepish, "Sorry."
"It's okay. It's just-"
"Okay guy's!" Lance turned as he heard the familiar voice. The voice that, too him, sounded like an angel. "You all ready too-" Katie trailed off as her eyes landed on him. "Skate." She whispered, right before bolting.
She wasn't expecting to see him. She had been hoping that she would be able to avoid him altogether, and even if she couldn't she would have liked to known when she would have been seeing him.
Lance… He looked almost exactly the same, although his hair was a bit longer. But, when she saw him it felt like a knife stabbed her heart. It brought back the memory that had haunted her for two years, that had her wake up in the night crying.
Katie sat with her arms around her legs and she lay her head up against the tree house wall. Lance was leaving in a matter of days for recruit training in Texas and he had no idea when he would be back.
"Katie! There you are! Keith, Allura, Hunk and I have been looking for you. We were going to go down to the lake and hang out. Want to come?" Lance finished climbing up the ladder and noticed the sixteen year old's position. A position she really only went into when something was bugging her. "Hey, what wrong?"
Katie quickly moved her hands to her face, to wipe off any unknown tears, before clearing her throat. "It's nothing." She stated firmly.
"It's something." Lance insisted, going to sit next to her. "Otherwise you wouldn't be this upset."
"Lance, I'm fine. Don't worry."
"But I do. You're my best friend, Katie. You're more than my best friend. I mean, I'm probably going to spend half my time in Texas wondering how your senior year is going and-"
"STOP!" Katie exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. "Stop talking about Texas! Stop talking about the Air Force and leaving and stop talking like your aren't going to come back!" The dam broke, and all the emotions that Katie had locked away for months came rushing out. "I know that your leaving, but all you ever do is talk about it!" Tears started to flood her eye's and Katie took a shaky breath, trying to hold them back. "Do you even care how others feel about this?"
"Katie... I thought... I thought that you supported my decision." Lance said softly as he got to his feet.
"Support it?" She gave a bitter laugh and turned away from him. "I despise it! Lance, not only are you not going to be able to visit, but once you graduate from there, then what? You're shipped off to some base in the states, and then shipped overseas? Or you're sent immediately? What if you don't come back?!"
"What are you talking about? Of course I'll come back!"
Tears clouded her vision. "Yeah? But you could still be shipped out. Allura's parents both died in the military! Keith's mom said that she was almost killed multiple times, and Shiro was only gone for a couple of months before he was sent back here without an arm!"
By now she was sobbing. Lance stepped forward, going to pull her into an embrace, but she backed away.
"Nothing's going to happen to me." He said. He knew that he couldn't really say that, but he hated seeing her in so much pain.
"You don't know that!" She cried.
Lance stepped closer to her, his own eye's flooding with tears as he watched her cry. "Katie, please. I-"
"No." Katie shook her head and pushed passed him as she headed towards the ladder. "I can't, Lance." She whispered, "Maybe one day, but not now. I can't watch you leave and wonder what's going on. I can't pretend that I'm not hurt. And I can't spend my future in fear. I... I just.. I can't do this."
So she left, leaving him in her wake.
"Katie?"
He even sounded the same.
"Please, look at me."
She did. "Hi, Lance. It's been a while." She said softly, avoiding eye contact.
"Yeah… I'm sorry for surprising you. Maybe it was a bad idea coming here this morning."
'Yes!' Her mind screamed, but she stayed relatively calm on the outside. "N-no! No. It… It's fine. I just wasn't expecting you, so it was a bit of a surprise."
"Yeah… So, how are you?"
"I'm fine. You?"
"Same."
The pair fell into an awkward silence. Katie bit her lip as she tried to figure out what she should say.
"Sooo, have you been going to college?" Lance asked her, saving her from trying to think of what to say.
"Not yet." She replied, "I took a year off. But, I will be leaving for California in April. That way I can get settled at my new place before college starts."
Lance arched an eyebrow, "You can afford to live off campus?"
Katie rolled her eyes. "Don't act so shocked. I've been doing odd jobs for the past couple of years and my parents are going to help me pay for the rent until I can find a job."
"Cool. What college are you going to?"
"TECHNO"
"Isn't TECHNO that really advanced college that specializes in anything that has to do with technology?"
"That's the one."
"Wow." Lance shook his head.
"What?"
"That's less than an hour away from the base I'm stationed at."
"Really? How's that going, by the way?"
He stared at her for a moment, almost as if he was searching for signs of a potential outburst, or something.
"It's going fine." He finally said, "I'm apart of the Security Forces as a CEPT."
"A what?"
Lance chuckled, "I'm a sniper."
"Oh."
"Katie… I'm sorry."
"What?" She wasn't expecting an apology. While she had been upset about him joining the Air Force, it was his decision. It wasn't a bad thing. He wanted to protect people. So why?
"I'm sorry for never trying to talk to you before I left. I was a coward."
"Lance-"
"No, I wanted to talk to you after that night. Many times those next few days, I would go to contact you, or scale your balcony, but I didn't. I was scared to see you, because I didn't know what to do or say. Maybe if I didn't give into fear, we wouldn't be here right now."
Katie looked down. She had always thought that he was angry with her. "I was also a coward." She admitted, "I had wanted to talk to you, but like you, I didn't know what to say, until it was too late."
Lance shook his head, "Wow, we were complete idiots."
"For once, you're completely correct." Katie said.
"Hey!"
She couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "I'll make you a deal." She said, holding her hand out. "For the time that you are here, we will put the last two years behind us and try to start over."
Lance stared at her suspiciously. "Does this mean that I have to re-introduce myself?"
"Lance."
"I'm joking!" He laughed, "You have got yourself a deal, Katie Holt."
"Good."
"Good." He repeated. "With that being said, can we go ice skate? I haven't been in so long."
"Come on." She sighed, grabbing his hand and pulling him along as hey headed back to their friends.
She had no idea how this arrangement was going to work out, but she was a little curious, to say the least. Either way, she finally had Lance back. Even if it was only for a very short time.
I did make up TECHNO, but, while the base Lance is stationed at, and the NASA station/center that Matt works at are fictional, there locations aren't. There is a NASA station in Cleveland, and Air Force bases in California.