"Hello Keith," Krolia said warmly.
Keith stood stock still staring at the Galran woman in front of him. "Are you, my mom?" he asked tentatively.
"Yes, Keith I am," Krolia replied coming a little closer but still keeping her distance. Krolia looked her son over. His face, which looked so much like her own showed a myriad of emotion. She fought down the urge to run over and hold him close never to let go as she was afraid of scaring the boy off. He didn't know her and that's was hurt the most.
"But… but… how…? Why did you leave? I needed you and… you… you weren't there. Did you even want me? Did I not mean anything to you? Did you ever love me?" Keith blurted out as tears began to roll down his cheeks.
"Oh, baby," Krolia said her eyes filling with tears. Carefully approaching, she wrapped her arms around her trembling son and pulled him close. "Of course, I wanted you, you meant and still do mean everything to me and you always will. That's why I left, to protect the one I most love, you. I tried so many times to get back to you I was beginning to think I would never see you again, that I'd never get to hold my precious baby boy again."
Keith clung to his mom, he knew he should be wary, but he had wanted this for so long he couldn't help it. Every ounce of his being told him he could trust her, to cling to her, and never let go.
Krolia held Keith close as he sobbed into her chest. "It's okay baby I'm here now and I won't leave you again."
After Keith settled down and Krolia had told her story and answered his questions, Keith wanted to show her around pulling her by her hand.
"And this is my room," Keith said leading his mom inside.
"Kolivan told me about your daughter," Krolia said looking into the nursery, "What did you name her?"
"Pipsi, Pipsi Amora," Keith replied proudly. "Oh! I was supposed to bring you to the lounge to meet everyone," Keith said sheepishly.
"Sorry it took so long," Keith apologized as they entered the lounge.
"Come on man we been waiting for three hours!" Lance exclaimed from his place on the couch where he sat upside down.
"Give him a break, she's his mom for goodness sake," Pidge scolded.
Keith immediately walked over to Allura taking Pipsi into his arms and walked back to his mom. "Mom, this I my daughter Pipsi."
"Mom?" Keith called questioningly outside Krolia's door.
"Keith, come here baby boy, I want to show you something," Krolia called out lovingly. Keith obediently entered her room, cradling Pipsi in his arms.
"Wha…?" Keith said staring at five eggs big enough that Pipsi could have fit inside sitting on his mom's bed. "Where…"
"I laid them, Keith," Krolia explained gently, "Just as I laid you."
"What!?" I was an egg?!" Keith exclaimed.
Krolia smiled and patted the spot beside her on the bed, she looked exhausted, "Yes, Keith, you were."
"But how…" Keith asked gesturing to the eggs.
Krolia laughed, "Sometimes our eggs get fertilized but don't start developing until years later."
"Um… okay…" Keith said only partially understanding.
"They developed way too quickly, I'm worried they won't develop enough before they hatch," Krolia said quietly.
"Since the eggs developed quicker, they probably will develop quicker inside the eggs too," Keith offered.
"Krolia sighed, "I hope you're right."
Pidge and Hunk were sitting in the lounge when Pidge spoke up, "I'm bored you want to trap Allura and Keith in a closet?"
"Sure, why not," Hunk said. "Hehe, let's put an invisible camera in there so we can watch."
Pidge grinned widely, "Yes, yes! Great idea, Hunk."
While Hunk convinced Keith to take a swim and Krolia watched Pipsi, Pidge sought help from Allura.
"Do you know of any way I could make my hair grow faster?" Pidge asked Allura.
Allura raised her eyebrow, "Why?"
"Well…" Pidge began self-consciously, "I'm hoping that If I grew out my hair then… well that maybe Lance would notice me."
"Lance?!"
"What? He's cute," Pidge said defensively.
"I can think of someone cuter," Allura replied.
"He's all yours," Pidge said. Both girls burst out laughing.
"To answer your question, yes, I do know of a way to grow your hair out," Allura replied.
"Hey, Keith, can you help me with something?" Pidge asked catching him on his way out of the newly corrected swimming pool after she set up the trap.
"Sure, just let me change first," Keith replied drying his hair with a towel.
"It can't wait," Pidge urged giving him a pleading look.
"Okay," Keith sighed giving in.
"Great," Pidge said with a grin, "Follow me."
"Allura, Pidge and I have set something up we want you to partake in," Hunk told the Princess.
"Oh? Where did you set up?" Allura asked curious what earth thing they had managed to set up.
"I'll show you," Hunk replied.
Pidge winked at Hunk as they passed in the hallway. Once the pranksters were clear, the trap was triggered pushing Allura and Keith into the small dark closet.
Instead of falling on the hard floor, Allura fell on top of Keith. It took a moment before Allura registered where she was, but when she did, she quickly rolled off. "Sorry," Allura apologized as she felt heat rising in her cheeks.
"It wasn't your fault," Keith stated willing his heart to slow down.
Allura tried the door, "They locked us in here!
"Oh, come on!" Keith exclaimed, "Not funny guys!"
Due to the severely limited space in the closet, they were still touching. Keith looked around the dark room until he found the light switch and turned it on.
"Oh, that is much better," Allura said relieved. "We might as well take advantage of this while we wait for them to let us out," Allura said and leaned into Keith's bare chest wrapping her arms around him. Keith froze for a moment then smiled tenderly as he wrapped his arms around her, heart thumping loudly.
"Allura laughed, "Am I making you nervous?" she teased Pulling away slightly and placing her hand on his chest.
"N-n-no," Keith stammered.
"I can hear your heart beating, love," Allura laughed leaning her head back against his chest. Keith's face turned bright red and a goofy lover boy grin spread across his face.
Keith subconsciously began purring loudly, causing Allura to let out a little laugh.
"I need more of this," Allura said wistfully.
"M-more of what?" Keith asked.
"Alone time, my love. Just you and me, together," Allura replied.
Keith melted into the wall taking in Allura's warmth. "On our terms," he added.
"Of course," Allura replied and stretched up and kissed his cheek.
Allura ran her fingers through Keith's hair, trying to comb it out. "Your hair's so incredibly soft," Allura crooned affectionately as the closet door slid open revealing Lance standing in the hallway. Apparently, the door had been on a timer.
"What are you doing?" Lance exclaimed jealously.
"Pidge and Hunk trapped us in a closet," Keith said defensively. "For two hours!"
"Yeah right, what were you actually doing?" Lance asked.
Allura pulled away and stepped out of the closet, "That was the truth, Lance."
"They are so going to pay!" Lance yelled as he stormed off.
In Pidge's room, the two pranksters looked at each other, "Uh-oh," they said in unison.
"Whaaaa… what did you do to your hair?!" Hunk asked in shock. Her hair was now the same length as it was before she cut it to disguise herself. Pidge was about to answer when Lance burst into the room.
"What were you thinking!?" he yelled then his eyes landed on Pidge and he did a double take. "Never mind," Lance said weakly turned around stiffly, and left.
"Um… what just happened?" Hunk asked.