Keith didn't know how long he stayed there, crying into the empty jacket. He just did, not moving, until Shiro came to find him. "Keith?" he said softly from the doorway. "Are you okay?"

"No," he croaked in response, the word barely audible. His voice was worn and rough, and it felt like he was breathing sandpaper. The salty tear tracks on his face have been dry for a while, since he had no tears to cry anymore. He didn't know how long ago that was. Time didn't really matter anymore, now that Lance… He was…

"I… heard. About Lance." An uncomfortable silence settled between them.

"Before... He… he said-" He took a shuddering breath before breaking again.

"I know… how he felt. We talked a while ago." He paused for a moment. "I also knew you'd push him away… Like you do to everyone." Startled, Keith raised his eyes to look at Shiro.

"How? How did you know that?"

"I know you, Keith. I watched you grow up. I know how guarded you are, maybe better than you do." Shiro gave a little chuckle. "It… it hurt, watching you run from anyone who tried to get close. But eventually, you have to stop running. I really hoped that he'd be the one to finally break down your walls." Keith felt a sudden weight and looked to see Shiro's floating prosthetic gently rubbing his shoulder.

"He's gone, Shiro…" Keith muttered.

"We don't know that-"

"He promised! He promised he wouldn't leave!" In an instant, the grief turned to rage. He lurched to his feet, and immediately regretted it. Both of his legs were asleep, and when he stood, pins and needles shot through his muscles. His legs wouldn't support him, so he crashed back his knees. Something fell out of the jacket pocket, clattering to the floor. All the heat from his rush of anger fizzled into a sort of curiosity.

"Wait, what's that?" Shiro sent his metallic arm to pick up the small, familiar device.

"It looks Altean. Allura might know. I can call her back and ask…"

"The others came back hours ago, Keith." His tired eyes grew wide.

"How… how long was I here?" He poked at his thigh, and every touch made his skin tingle down to his toes.

"Long enough to lose all feeling in your legs," Shiro said, offering a small smile.

"Help me up?" Keith extended a hand, and Shiro gladly took it, helping Keith onto his unsteady feet.

"We should go see Allura and the others… whenever you're ready," Shiro glanced down at him. Keith let out a huff of air that could have been a laugh.

"Do I look that bad?"

"You've been crying for hours, Keith. You're probably dehydrated," Shiro stated. He paused, looked at Keith, then added, "and yes, you do look that bad." Keith growled and threw a weak, playful punch into his brother's arm.

"Bathroom?" Shiro chuckled again.

"Sure." With that, the two staggered out of the room and to the bathrooms of the Altas. Keith took the time to calm himself and splash some water in his face. Slowly, his voice and the feeling in his legs started to return. He took a few deep breaths, then spoke.

"Shiro? Can you call the paladins to the meeting room? Just us, the others, and Coran?"

"Of course."

"I'll be there in five minutes." Keith watched his brother's face through the mirror.

"Take your time, Keith." Shiro nodded, then left him alone with Lance's device. He turned it in his hands, over and over and over. Time dragged on slowly. Keith took a deep breath and tried to tame his messy hair with his fingers. He stepped out of the bathroom and put on a mask of indifference. He passed many of the crew on his way to the small meeting room, but at the door, he hesitated. A muscle tightened in his jaw. He steeled himself, then opened the door. Everyone was already there and seated. Coran and Allura on the right, Hunk and Pidge on the left, and Shiro at the table's head. Keith didn't sit. Silence and grief hung in the air, making the room feel crowded and empty at the same time.

"I'm going to get straight to the point. I found something in Lance's room," Keith said bluntly, producing the device. "Allura, Coran, do you know what this is?"

"Yes, that's a video recording device, just like the one the paladins recorded their messages home on. The one we sent with Sam. He asked for one when Hunk did. I assumed he wished to record his own messages for his family, but those were sent on that single device with the rest. I never knew what happened to the other." Allura reached for the device, so Keith set it in her hand. After fiddling with it for a moment, her eyes widened a fraction. "There seems to be a number of recordings on it."

"Why did Lance have that?" Pidge asked, her voice small and subdued.

"Yeah, what's on it?" Hunk asked after.

"Let us see," Allura said, flipping on the device. A still image of Lance appeared, and everyone's breath caught at once. He was there, a sad smile on his face. His ocean eyes seemed darker than usual and his normally neat hair was all over the place. He was close to the camera, like he was just turning it on.

"Lance…" someone whispered. Keith wasn't sure who. It may have been him. He couldn't tell because of the warmth that bubbled in his chest. Allura pressed play on the first video, and the image began to move. It leaned back from the camera and took a deep breath. Lance waved to the camera before speaking a single, hoarse word.

"Hey."

A/N:

So... I decided to continue this. I kind of took an idea I've been working with in the background and adapted it to the situation, but basically, I'm turning the angst onto each of the others, one at a time. I actually know where I want this to go! Oh, and this will disregard most of what happened in season 8. Not that I didn't like it, but... It felt too forced, you know?

Updates won't be scheduled, but I'm going to try to keep working until I actually finish it.

Maybe. Time will tell.

Until next time...

-Ash