Chapter 16: Launch Dates(Part 1)(Lance's POV)

Lance stirs his coco cup emptily. It's their Last Day on Earth. Hunk sits down beside him grinning. "So Lance, it's our last day. Feels like however ago we were all crammed into the cockpit of the Blue Lion and now we are hardened veterans going out to space to fight one last time and bring peace. We're awesome! Awesome enough to have our own t.v show! They got you perfectly, and Keith is so happy all the time. Can you believe it? And Shiro is our daring leader as always. I even heard they were making a romance plot with Keith and Allura…."

"Allura and Keith?" He responds distantly, not really paying attention.

"While we're on the subject of romance, have you asked Marinette out yet?" Hunk asks.

He just continues stirring his cup. "Oh you did, didn't you and she said no! That's so…."

"She didn't say no!" he outbursts and then says quieter, "I mean…I haven't asked her out yet."

"Why not?"

"Because…She spends all her free time with her family and with her friends from Paris. Especially her old partner. Nows just not a good time."

"Yes it is. You are asking Marinette out today and that is final young man." Hunk says sternly.

He sighs but lets it go. They then head to the briefing room and take a seat. Shiro stands in his Galaxy Garrison uniform. Instead of orange or gray at the top it's now black on top. All the Paladins along with the Miraculous team have uniforms like it, except Keith still wears his purple one despite the Garrison giving him the red uniform to match his lion.

"Thank you everyone for joining me for our last debriefing here on Earth. It took us months to rebuild but everything is ready. The other Garrison faculties have their weapons systems working perfectly so Earth is ready to defend itself while we're gone. Commander Holt have you found any Galran occupied planets in the Milky way or further?"

"No. Seems like Sendak's target was only Earth in the Milky way and a few galaxies away from us."

"Good. But about the IGF Altas?"

"Repairs were completed last week and so far it's been able to pass every test we've put it through. The only thing we're not sure of is how the transformation occurred when we were fighting Sendak." replies Zoe

"What about the Altean that came here to talk with Lotor?" asks Allura.

Lotor responds, "I already told her that I am not talking to that witch who thinks she's my mother."

"But what about all that time she spent searching for you? Looking for you? And Voltron?"

"There has to be another reason that witch wanted us to be alive and it's not for anything good." Lotor says venomously.

"Okaay." Shiro interrupts whatever Allura had to say, he clears his throat, "Now there's one last item of business to discuss. We may not be back on Earth for many years. So take some time to enjoy yourselves. Spend time with your loved ones. That's an order."

Soon everyone flies out of the debriefing room and Lance searches for Marinette. She's walking with Allura. Walking up to them he says, "Hey, Marinette, what are you up do?"

Marinette looks at him and replies, "My family is going back to Paris soon so it's my last afternoon with them. After that not much else." Then she grins, "Hey I know. Why don't you join us Lance. This is the last time I'll be able to introduce you to my parents and then I could afterwards skip by your place and meet yours."

"Uh sure, I was actually hoping you'd come over to my place for dinner. With my family, dinner with me and my family."

Keeping her grin she replies, "Sounds like a date. I'll see you this afternoon."

She then turns away and hums while bouncing a bit Allura walking beside her. Hunk comes over to his shoulder and grins, "Nice going loverboy Lance."

"But I didn't do anything! She was the one who asked me out!"

"I know." Hunk smiles, not letting him know why that was great. And then it dawned on him and he blushes. "She likes me back…."

"Yep. Courageous one, that is, not let's help you get ready." "Hunk! Is that really necessary?"

"You're meeting her parents and Keith is going to be there too along with Adrien and both of them treat her like an elder sister."

He sighs, but he can't argue with that logic.

Kuro's POV

Kuro and Allura sit on a picnic blanket enjoying afternoon sun on their skin with a nice soft breeze ruffling their hair a bit. He leans his head on hers and breathes in her scent. It's nice to spend time with her without worrying about the rebuilding process and tomorrow they can worry about uniting the universe in peace.

"This is lovely, thank you."

"No problem Lura."

"With you by my side I feel less lonely here on Earth."

"Why would you feel lonely?"

"The Paladins have all felt like family to me, but here on Earth I realized everyone already has a family while I'm alone."

"I'm sure the Paladins think of you as family as well as me. We spent so much time on the Castle and no we're going to be spending even more time together uniting the universe once we launch tomorrow."

"I know, but with you, hanging out with you and Romelle and Coran I feel less lonely. Like I belong, like Earth could be my new home."

Kuro smiles, "I've loved you a long time and it made me happy that you returned my feelings and I promise from now on I will be a part of your family. You will always have a place in my heart."

"Thanks Kuro. I love you too even if I didn't see it at first."

He leans in and brushes a strand of her out of her face and kisses her. The kiss expressing more emotion than they could with words how they feel. It's passionate, fiery and strong, just like Allura.

Shiro's POV

"Adam can't we talk?"

Adam turns around and asks, "About what?"

"About us. I missed you so much during my escapades with Voltron and I always regretted not going after you after you stormed out. Why were you so angry about me going to Kerberos?"

Adam sighs, and pushes his glasses up making his eyes unseen from the light reflecting in the lens.

"Because that day I knew you cared more about exploring space than our relationship. I wanted to settle down, build a future together, adopt a few kids and raise a family, but all you cared about was going on another mission even after you broke all the Garrison records that could be broken. And it was a long journey where I wouldn't see you for two years at most."

"I'm here now. I would have come back sooner, but the Galra took me prisoner and enslaved me. It was horrible and all I could think of was getting back to Earth, to you and Keith…."

"But when you came back you decided to go and fight an alien Empire that has ruled for countless years." Adam says interrupting him, folding his arms in a disbelieving pose.

"Because if Zarkon got his hands on Voltron everyone would be killed, including you and I couldn't risk that despite the bad end we parted with."

Shiro then sighs, "And after this is all over, I want to retire."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"But flying is your life, how could you give it all up?"

"Because I'm done with this dangerous life, I'm done not knowing which battle will be my last. I almost died several times and I'm done fighting. This will be my last fight as the leader of Voltron once we establish peace."

He wasn't planning on telling anyone, but even though he's a great leader he just wants to live out the rest of life peacefully. No more fighting, nothing. He just wants to live life for more than forty-five seconds before another conflict arises. And this war with the Galra Empire hasn't been easy and there's still a way to go even though they have Lotor on their side.

Adam looking shocked, he replies, "I never thought that you'd want to retire."

"Neither did I. I thought flying was all I wanted, but now I know I want a life outside of flying."

Shiro then comes closer to Adam and grabs his hands, "Look I know I hurt you by dismissing your feelings in the past but the truth is I still care for you a lot. I love you Adam, I always have. I was blinded by my passion to explore space so much that it hurt our relationship and I am sorry…."

Adam kisses him and then pulls back and smiles, "I've been wanting to hear that since you've come back, because the truth is I still care about you too and when Commander Holt told us that Voltron was missing I was worried sick about you. Hoping you were okay because it was unforgivable of me to force you to choose between your passion and me. I love you too, and once you retire we could own a flying circus so you can still fly."

"Really?"

"Of course. I love you."

Shiro smiles, "I love you too."

Then they kiss again and it's wonderful.