Acxa glanced again toward the door. "I wonder what's keeping them?"

Allura twined her fingers with Lance's where they sat opposite Acxa and Alphonse and answered, "It's probably nothing. You know how siblings are."

Acxa bit her lip and looked at her lap. That was something she knew all too well. Hunk sat on the floor teaching Rhea some kind of clapping game. Acxa tried to follow along when her nausea began to act up. She shifted uncomfortably and rubbed her side. Alphonse raised a concerned brow. She avoided eye contact. Then Keith and the others entered.

His dark eyes sought her out and he immediately sat beside her. She leaned into his side and moaned when he massaged the small of her back to ease the pain. He whispered, "Have you taken any?"

She shook her head. "Will you tell them?"

"Only if you allow me to."

She smiled and put her forehead to his. "Go on."

Keith kissed her hand again and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Acxa smiled shyly and said, "We have another surprise."

Keith squeezed Acxa's hand and announced, "We're having a baby."

Kolivan blinked. "That is surprising."

Keith snorted. "Too young to be a grandfather?"

Kolivan smirked crookedly and crossed his arms. Alphonse rubbed his thighs. "A baby. That... That's wonderful news, son."

Allura beamed at Pidge. "We'll have another little one running around, all snuggles and sweet smells. Lance, we need one!"

Lance startled and looked at her incredulously. "Wait a tick, Allura!"

"Why?" Allura put her hands on his leg and leaned forward earnestly. "What better time is there than the present?"

Pidge laid on the couch with her legs across Matt's lap and began playing with Hunk's hair. "She has a point, lover-boy."

Lance blushed and covered his face. "See what you've started, Keith? Soon we're gonna have a whole flock of kids running around this place."

Keith leaned into the armrest and pulled Acxa against his chest. "How is that a bad thing? You love kids."

Allura kissed Lance's nose. "There, it's decided."

"You wanna make a baby now?" Lance asked with an incredibly cocky smirk.

"Don't tempt me," Allura returned with just as much attitude.

Keith sighed and put his cheek into her neck. Acxa felt him relax completely for the first time since before the armistice. Then he asked, "So when is the wedding?"

Pidge clapped her hands in excitement. "Two days from now. That gives us today to relax and tomorrow to prepare."

The conversation then became engrossed in wedding preparations. Acxa listened in rapt curiosity. She hadn't known such rituals to be important to humans. Her own marriage pact to Keith had been seen and felt rather than proclaimed. When Rhea fell asleep in Hunk's lap, Keith stood and said, "I should put her down for her nap."

Keith gathered her in his arms and Alphonse said, "I'll accompany you."

Acxa watched them go and said, "He looks so much like him. Especially when he whitens his hair."

Lance groaned, "It's not just appearances. Keith and Alphonse are on their own level."

Keith shut the door where Rhea slept and joined Alphonse in the main room. His dad gazed forlornly at the mantle where a faded picture of Krolia and her siblings rested behind dusty glass. Keith whispered, "Dad," and walked to him. He hugged Alphonse and apologized, "I'm sorry the armistice failed."

Alphonse held the back of Keith's head and said, "There was nothing we could have done."

Keith refused to cry and asked, "But Lotor... can we really trust him?"

"I was not part of the decision to bring him into the fold, neither was Kolivan." Alphonse growled, "If my choice had come to pass, he would not be here at all."

"He wore the suit of the trials. Dad, what happened after the armistice?"

"That is for me to tell," Kolivan said as he entered.

"Father? Don't tell me you put him through that."

Kolivan slowly blinked and nodded. "To spare him exile, it was your mother's only option."

Keith considered the outcomes and the fact that Lotor was here. "He failed."

"Not by anything I ever predicted. The Holts spirited him away from the base before I could intervene. They only told me after you'd agreed to come for the wedding." Kolivan put a hand on Alphonse's shoulder. "We were both kept in the dark."

Keith took a step back. "I'm sorry he's caused you so much trouble."

"He is not your's to police, Keith."

"And yet I'm the one who did this to him. I will take responsibility and guard his actions from here forward."

"Spoken like a true galran prince," Alphonse said with a smirk. "I take it you have a plan?"

"I have an idea and I'd like your advice, both of you."

"Then you shall have it."

Lotor wandered the abandoned halls of his home with little enthusiasm. He hadn't been here during the kidnapping and had not returned since. If he had, he might have discovered Keith's ventures much sooner. Too many memories haunted this place. Too much he no longer wanted to grieve. He glanced down a passage and heard a familiar giggle. He stopped and closed his eyes to remind himself it wasn't real.

His footsteps carried him too the garden. The flowering bushes were overgrown beyond their groomed paths. He ducked beneath their thorny branches and stepped over brambles. He emerged within a thicket surrounding a fountain. It was dry. He sat on the edge and put elbows on his knees holding his head in his hands. This whole place felt wrong now. Everything that made it home was lost.

A child laughed. Lotor brushed it off as another imagining. The patter of footsteps on stone made him glance up. His eyes widened in surprise as a galra kit put her hands on his knee. She blinked up at him curiously. Lotor sat up and looked around. "Where did you come from, little one?" She tipped her head, her ears forward and alert. Lotor asked, "What's your name? Are you all alone?"

She grabbed his hand with both of hers and pulled him to his feet. Lotor kept hold of one of her hands, refusing to let go in case she ran away. Who was this child? Where were her parents? She led him through the garden. Her wide eyes kept glancing at him. Lotor noticed that the further they went, the more well kept the garden was.

When they came to the gazebo in the back, Lotor froze. The girl's hand fell from his and she skipped forward to sit beside a kneeling man with his back to Lotor. He wrapped an arm around the girl and placed his dagger on the ground. Lotor frowned. Whatever he was doing here, Lotor loathed it. He took a step toward Keith, mouth opened to rebuke him for allowing the girl to wander, when someone cleared their throat behind him.

Lotor glared over his shoulder where the current black paladin threatened, "Don't you dare interrupt him."

"But of course, paladin. I'd hate to cause trouble."

"It's alright, Lance. I was done some time ago." Keith stood and ruffled the girl's hair where she stayed by his leg. "Sweetheart, go with Lance for me?"

"Daddy, I wanted to stay with you."

Keith smiled and knelt beside her. "I'll come find you and we'll go see Qrotip and the yuppers right after I talk with the tall man."

The girl pouted before nodding and hugged Keith. "Okay. Love you, daddy."

"Love you too, Rhea." He kissed her forehead and said, "Lance, take her."

The girl ran to Lance who picked her up and glared pointedly at Lotor, saying, "I don't want you alone with him."

"It's just a conversation. We're capable of that." Keith smiled and rolled his eyes mouthing, 'go'.

Lance tilted his head in annoyance and leaned close to whisper, "If I hear yelling, I'm coming right back."

Keith watched them leave before returning to where he'd been kneeling. He picked up his dagger and slid it into the sheath at his waist. "Lotor, join me?"

"You think I'd want to sit with you?"

Keith waved an arm without turning. "The choice is your's. I'm only making a suggestion."

Lotor considered refusing before approaching Keith. He knelt a foot away and looked straight ahead. "Why are you here, Keith?"

"I was summoned by Katie. She asked me to ordain her marriage. After the armistice, Sendak's fleet was retreating to one of my colonies. I've got a few days before they'll land. Honerva will expect me to return then."

"In all my experience, I've never seen Sendak retreat," Lotor replied.

"And you've never seen Haggar scared like I have. I've been on the other side of this war, Lotor. I've seen what's been happening to the people outside of the empire. These refugees that have no other choice, but to do what they can for their families. My colonies," Keith said and took a deep breath, "like Iiterai."

Lotor lifted his chin. "Iiterai?"

"Yes, the home planet of my daughter. Her mother was killed when those pirate bandits tried to assassinate me. They attacked the capitol city. I nearly lost everything."

Lotor pondered Keith's words. He glanced over to see Keith staring at the ground. Lotor said, "She seems to have recovered from the trauma. I always knew you'd be a great father."

Keith looked sideways and made eye contact before glancing away with a half smile. "I only wish it could have been under better circumstances. It was my intention to raise our children together, Lotor. I always wanted it to be you and I." Keith's smile dropped and he looked ahead. "I'm sorry I failed to stay true. Acxa... I never wanted to fall in love again, not when I knew how much I'd hurt you. How much I'd already hurt you."

"I... am sorry as well. I should not have spoken poorly of her. I know my jealousy is one of my greatest weaknesses." Lotor clenched his hands. "And my anger. I can't apologize for that. Keith, you understand."

"Yes, my love. Nor can I ask forgiveness until this is all over." Keith took a shaky breath and ran a hand over his face. "Fuck, I just want this mission to end."

Lotor had a hundred more things he wanted to ask, but Keith was shutting down. The way he had when they'd first made their arrangement. Lotor knew he couldn't push Keith any farther, so he asked, "This slab, what is it?"

Keith followed Lotor's gaze and something shifted in his dark eyes. "It's a monument to the victims of this war, one of many I've erected." He put a hand over what Lotor now realized was a name and closed his eyes. "This particular slab is every lost life from the armistice."

Lotor exhaled. "Keith-"

A silent tear coursed down Keith's pale cheek. "Please, Lotor. It's hard enough being here, on Lethua, without recalling what we lost. I need a moment to meditate. Alone. Please."

Lotor knew this from what felt like another lifetime. Lotor nodded and answered, "Very well. You know you can come to me, Keith?"

"Thank you, Lotor, my prince. We will speak again before I have to leave."

"Then I will leave you to your meditation." Lotor stood and returned to the fountain. He sat on the ground and covered his face with a hand. Why? Why had he cried? Everything until then could have been false, but he wouldn't fake that for any advantage. Lotor swallowed his emotions.

"You're starting to learn, little one."

"Kolivan? Were you watching me?" Lotor accused.

"I was concerned for Keith. Lance isn't the only one who will protect him with his life."

Lotor tipped his head back and looked at the stars. "How is he so strong? That druid was right! I... I'm nothing to him."

"Then we'd better try to fix that." Kolivan tipped his head and walked along the path. "Come, little one. The time for training has come."

Finally an update! Things are still tense, but who knows what'll happen!