Author's Note: So, there's something I feel the need to explain in this chapter before you all read it and that's mainly regarding Allura. I'm fairly certain a fair number of you know what's going to be discussed in this chapter and if Allura's reaction seems out of character for her, that is because I literally wrote this chapter days before season 2 came out. I've figured Allura would have some issues working with rebel Galra and tried to develop it in the previous story, but I certainly didn't predict her out right protest of them in season 2 (I can totally understand her reasoning, but that's another discussion.)So, sorry if people find Allura out of character in this chapter, I didn't have room in the story to address her issues to match canon and plus it just didn't feel like it fit with the themes here. All in all, I hope you guys are still able to enjoy this chapter despite that. Thanks for reading!

Keith was a nervous wreck. His fingers twitched as he paced the room back and forth.

"Keith, calm down," Shiro said from his seat. "It'll be okay."

Really hope you're right, Keith thought. None of the others had arrived yet. Shiro had taken it upon himself to summon the others into the control deck for a meeting. Keith couldn't help but feel a bit trapped now, except he was doing it by choice.

Red purred in his head to calm him and Keith gave a small smile. Thanks, Red.

The sound of the door opening cut off Keith's train of thought and he found he was unable to move. Allura and Coran appeared, and not long after they were followed by Pidge, Lance and Hunk. Keith caught Pidge's eye and gave a small nod to her.

She blinked and then her face hardened as she gave a nod back.

At least Pidge already knows, Keith silently told himself as he fought the urge to just flee the room entirely.

"Shiro, why did you summon all of us here?" Allura asked as she took the seat next to him. "Did something happen?"

Shiro gestured to Keith as the others sat. "Actually, Keith said he had to tell us something, but I don't know anything more than that."

Allura cocked her head to the side and looked to Keith curiously which only made him more nervous. Coran held a thoughtful look as he held his chin, as both Hunk and Lance kept their eyes on Keith like they knew exactly what he was going to say.

Now I'm getting paranoid, Keith thought bitterly as he ran a hand through his hair.

"What's going Number 4?" Coran asked with interest.

"Well…" Keith chewed his bottom lip. "It's...complicated, but I..it's about Thace."

Allura frowned concerned as Shiro's eyes narrowed. "Has something happened?"

"Kind of," Keith said as he took another deep breath. "Turns out, we're um..related."

He received several blank looks, except for Shiro who blinked in bafflement.

"Related?" Shiro asked. "What do you mean?"

Keith was tempted to chicken out and run out of the room that instant. Instead, his dry mouth moved on it's own and he felt the words slip out. "Thace is my dad."

"What?!" Allura and Shiro cried in unison and Coran's eyes widened.

Pidge didn't say a word, which Keith had expected, but Hunk and Lance were oddly quiet. Keith thought they were perhaps stunned, but it didn't seem like it. He had expected Hunk to have the biggest freak out and Lance being the second. Why were they so calm?

"Whoa, whoa," Shiro said as he held up a hand. "Your dad..but that would mean you're part Galra?"

Keith stared at his feet. "Yeah...turns out I..kind of am."

"But...how did this occur?" Allura replied.

"Now, Princess," Coran said, "I believe your father and I had this conversation when you-"

"No, I don't mean 'how'," Allura replied sharply, "I mean from what you all said, Earth has never had any contact with the Galra Empire before Shiro's capture." She looked to Keith with wide shocked eyes. "How in the universe could you even exist then?"

"That's...a funny and long story," Keith said and thus he told.

He told them all his first encounter with Thace, his growing suspicions, and then how exactly his mother and Thace had met. At the end of the tale, silence fell upon the room. No one said or did anything. Keith fidgeted. He didn't like this.

"...So..um, that's what happened," he said. There was still silence and Keith sighed. "Come on, guys, say something please."

It was killing him, until Hunk groaned and slumped back in his seat.

"Oh, thank, God," Hunk said as he massage his forehead. "Now I can drop the act of knowing nothing."

Keith paused as he stared stunned by Hunk. "What?"

"Yeah, no, kidding," Lance replied, with his arms cross and narrowed his eyes at Keith. "You have NO IDEA how hard it was to keep that secret under wraps."

Keith's jaw drop as their words hit him. "You. Guys. KNEW?! How?!" He looked to Pidge for an explanation, but Lance caught his attention by waving his hand at him.

"Pidge didn't tell," he explained, "she and I accidentally heard Thace say he was your dad and we agreed to keep it secret."

Hunk gave a sheepish smile and then pointed to myself. "Yeah, and then I accidentally heard them talk about it." He shook his head. "We swear, Dude, no one blab on you on purpose."

Keith stared spellbound. They knew?! They knew all this time and neither of them acted like they were bothered by the revelation?!

"With that said," Pidge said slowly, "we had agreed if you hadn't said anything by tomorrow we would have told you we knew."

"So, wait," Allura said with wide eyes and a shaky tone of voice. "All three of you knew Thace was Keith's father?"

Coran fiddled with his mustache and shook his head. "No, not quite," he said softly and looked to Keith. "I suspect there was something going on between you and Thace." He leaned forward. "Learning that he is actually your father explains it, that would be a lot for someone to comprehend."

So, Coran kind of knew, Keith said and then paused as he looked to Shiro. He hadn't uttered a word yet and his nerves were getting the better of him.

"Shiro?" he said. "You...okay?"

Shiro sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "I should have clued in."

Keith swallowed as he sat next to him. "What do you mean? How could you-"

"You mentioned the dagger to me after we were reunited," Shiro continued. "I suggested it was a coincidence and that was it, but I should have taken it more seriously."

Keith's eyes softened as he patted his shoulder. "Hey, I didn't know what to think of it at first," he said. "I wanted to believe it was a coincidence too at first."

Shiro shook his head. "That doesn't excuse it," he said. "I'm sorry, Keith. I should have given it more thought."

"It's okay," Keith said as he patted his shoulder. I feel like I should be the one apologizing to you more.

"Still, I can't believe it," Allura said with her hands folded in her life.

Keith looked to her and slowly approached her. This was the part he hand been fearing. "With that said, Princess," he said as sincerely as he could. "I hope I have your permission to still be the Red Paladin."

Allura froze and Coran stared as if Keith had suggested cutting off his own hand. "What?" she asked. "My permission? Keith, what are you talking about?"

"Because I'm part Galra," Keith replied, firmly. "I'm part of your enemy, I'm part of the people...that took away yours."

Allura blinked as then slowly her eyes soften as she deciphered what Keith meant. "Oh, Keith," she said and gingerly reached out and took his hand.

"Keith, you are hardly responsible for what Zarkon and the empire has done," she said.

"And more importantly," Coran stated as he stood. "The Red Lion choose you. It doesn't matter who your parents are, you are her paladin and that's all there is to it."

Keith could feel his eyes water a little, but he resisted. "So...it's okay?"

"Of course it is," Allura said firmly as she stood. "You are the Red Paladin and no one else."

"Truthfully, I'm fairly certain the Red Lion would tear our heads off if we even dared," Coran said with a laugh. "She's not one to give up her paladin that easily."

He gave a small laugh as he heard Red growl in agreement in his head. There was a hand on his shoulder and he turned to look at a smirking Pidge. "See, told you it would be, okay?"

"Not meaning to kill the positive vibe here," Lance said as he stood, "but what does this mean regarding Thace?"

He looked to Keith and shrugged. "I mean, if he's your dad, do you want him joining the rebels?"

Keith faltered and chewed his bottom lip. "I..I don't know," he replied. "Truth be told, I was more concerned about telling you guys."

Shiro wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Let's not worry about that detail for now until we're able to contact the rebels."

Keith frowned and gave a nod. "Yeah, okay." He gave a sigh as he slipped out and began to leave. "I should go and tell Thace that..well, you guys all know now."

Lance raised a hand. "Sooo, does that mean we have permission to ask him about embarrassing baby stories about you?"

Keith blushed and then shook his head. "I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that question."

"I'm taking that as a 'yes' then!"

Keith sighed as he left, but couldn't resist a small smile. For the first time in days, he felt good.

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Once Keith was gone, everyone in the room turned to Shiro.

"So, what do we do now?" Hunk asked. "I know you told Keith not to worry about it, but...if Thace is Keith's dad, should we just send him back to the rebels?"

Shiro sighed. "It's not our choice to make, it's Thace's. If he wants to go back to the rebels, we can't stop him."

"And what if he wants to stay here to be with Keith?" Coran voiced. "Should we let him?"

Shiro opened and shut his mouth. "Honestly...I don't know, but my main concern is how Keith feels."

He could deal with having a Galra on the ship, but that Galra being Keith's father was a different kettle of fish. His mind drifted back years ago to when he first met Keith. A small scrawny kid who didn't feel like he could trust anyone since his mom died and had no idea who his father was.

Keith had spoke to Shiro about his mother constantly, but he rarely talked about his father. The boy hadn't seen the point of wondering about someone he had never met, but he had admitted he had wondered why his dad never came back for him.

It didn't take much to figure out Keith had felt abandoned by the man. Shiro's grip tightened on his arm. Regardless of Thace's intent, it didn't change the fact he had left his own child behind.

"Shiro?" Allura asked in a soft voice. "Are you alright?"

Shiro froze, realizing how he must looked and forced a smile. "Sorry, lost in thought," he said and looked to the others. "We'll still treat Thace as a guest, but just try to be careful around Keith. This whole thing is a lot for all of us to take."

The group gave a silent nod, which made Shiro feel a bit better. One thing was for certain, ally or not, Shiro did not want Keith getting hurt again.

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After the meeting, Shiro returned to his room to grant himself some peace and quiet. He needed time to think. Figure out what he thought of Thace, and truth be told, Shiro wasn't certain what the best solution was.

Thace was Galra and yes, his instincts told him to be weary, but he was dealing with those feelings. Learning he was Keith's biological father made it way more complicated. Once they contacted the rebels, would Keith rather he stay? Or would Thace choose to return to them and Keith get hurt by his decision? Or would it be some kind of relief?

It's too early to tell, Shiro thought. Knowing Keith, he probably doesn't know how he feels, not that I blame him.

Shiro rotated his shoulders and winced when he heard the gears grind again. He gave a sigh as he flexed his fingers to ease the tension.

"I'll have to go to Hunk again and see if he's figured out the problem yet," he muttered.

They had thought they had solved the issue by cleaning it, but it would then return every couple of days. Frankly it was getting frustrating. "Too bad they didn't bother to give me a manual for this thing," Shiro grumbled darkly.

A knock was heard at the door. "Shiro," Keith spoke, "can I come in?"

Shiro brushed his thoughts aside as he straightened his posture. "Sure."

The door slide open and Keith offered a small wave as he entered. "I just thought I should tell you that I told Thace."

Shiro gave a nod. "That's good." His eyes narrowed. "How are you feeling?"

Keith hugged himself as he sat on the bed next to him. "Relief that I don't have to hide it anymore."

"I figured," Shiro said with a small smile, "but what about Thace? How do you feel about him?"

Keith glanced up and tucked his hands into his pocket. "He's not a bad guy. I mean, I do kind of like him as a friend, I guess," he muttered. "But to think he's my dad is.."

"Kind of strange?" Shiro suggested.

"Yeah," Keith said as he stared up at the ceiling. "I never thought much of what my dad was like, and the few times I did..." He turned to Shiro. "Alien rebel was not on the list."

"I don't think it would be for many people," Shiro said.

Keith gave a small laugh. "No, guess not." His face hardened as his toes began to tap. "Shiro...Can I ask you something? It's a dumb question, but I got to know."

Shiro frowned as he leaned forward. "You know you can ask me anything and knowing you, I doubt it's a dumb question."

Keith didn't seem to agree as he chewed his bottom lip and runed his face away from him. "You...don't hate me, right?"

Shiro choked in shock as he sat up straight. "What? No, of course not." He gently reached out with his human hand to lift up Keith's face. "Why would you think that?"

Keith flinched as his body grew tense. "Because I'm part Galra," he said, softly. "I'm from part of the enemy we're fighting."

Shiro's eyes widened, but then narrowed as he understood where Keith was going.

"The Galra have taken so much from you, and they-"

"Keith, did you take me prisoner for a year?" Shiro asked in a serious tone.

Keith paused as he looked to Shiro baffled and he shook his head. "No."

"Did you take Pidge's family away?" Shiro asked.

"No," Keith replied.

"Did you take my arm and replace it with a cybernetic one?" Shiro asked as he raised said arm.

"No, Shiro why are you asking this?" Keith asked as he crossed his arms in a huff.

"To make a point," Shiro replied. "Keith, you maybe part Galra but you're not responsible for what Zarkon and the empire has done." He patted his shoulder. "You aren't anything like that."

Keith's eyes grew hardened and Shiro could still see fear lingering there. "But...you were so hesitant about the rebels at first, I mean, not that I blame you."

"And I told you I was wrong to be so hesitant," Shiro explained. "Not all Galra are bad, and I should have been more opened mind about them in the first place." He dropped his hand into his lap. "Is that why you took so long to tell me?"

Keith rubbed his neck. "A bit...okay, a lot, yeah," he replied as he leaned back. "I was afraid you wouldn't trust me anymore or you might want me off the team and-"

Shiro wrapped his arm around Keith to pull him into a hug. "Keith, I'm so sorry," he said. "You're family to me and the last thing I would EVER want to do would make you fear otherwise."

Keith leaned into him and rested his head on his shoulder. "It's understandable, Shiro. I didn't blame you in the least. We didn't know for certain if they would be on our side or not."

"Still doesn't change the fact I made you worry I would hate you," Shiro said as he gave him a squeeze. "It doesn't matter where you came from, you are a brother to me." He lifted Keith's head up and looked directly into his eyes. "You know that, right?"

Keith stared up and gave a small smile back. "Yeah, I do." He reached out to return the hug back. "Thanks, Shiro."

Shiro gave Keith a gentle squeeze. "With that said, Kiddo," he continued as he broke the hug. "I want you to be honest with me regarding Thace, okay? Alliance with the rebels or not, if he's making you uncomfortable I want you to tell me."

Keith frowned and gave a nod. "Okay, I swear."

Shiro nodded as he patted his shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I need something to eat. How about we go to the kitchen together?"

Keith gave a nod. "Yeah, that sounds good," he then paused and looked back to Shiro. "Hey..you know that Galra soup Hunk made the other day?"

"Yeah, I remember it," Shiro replied. It was surprisingly good, but most of the dishes Hunk made was.

Keith blushed. "My mom use to make it for me when I was a kid," he said. "Turns out she learned it from Thace."

"Huh...that's interesting..," Shiro said slowly and then frowned. He should have been around to make it for you.

"Shiro?" Keith asked.

He shook his head and rose. "It's nothing, let's go eat."

Keith gave a nod as they exited the room together, and Shiro wrapped a protective arm around him.