December 12th - 10:00 AM

The wedding was being held at Pidge's parents house. It made the most sense as they had the appropriate amount of space for everyone to get ready. Pidge watched from her parent's room window on the second floor as her mom directed Shiro, Hunk, Keith, and Matt in placing the decorations.

Keith was setting the lanterns at the end of each aisle. Pidge watched as her mom walked up to Keith and moved the lantern herself; she then turned to Keith and motioned with her hands on how the lanterns should be placed. Pidge could see Keith's eye roll from here.

A knock sounded at the door and Pidge turned from the window as it opened and Allura stepped through. She had finished getting ready and graced Pidge with a spin in her dusty sage colored bridesmaid dress. She had opted for a one shoulder, a-aline dress with a slit. Pidge had instantly approved when Allura had shown her. Allura had also confided in her that she hoped a certain red paladin would take notice.

"Allura you look amazing!" Pidge said, Stepping towards her. Pidge was still in her pajamas. However, her mom had come up early and did her hair and did some very light makeup. Meaning concealer and barely touching the mascara brush to her eyelashes.

"Thank you," Allura replied before clapping her hands. "Now, come on, we have to get you in your dress! It is almost time!" Allura shooed Pidge toward the bathroom to get dressed.

"All right, All right I'm going!" Pidge said laughing.

"Are you ready for today?" Shiro asked Lance. Shiro was currently helping Lance get his tie on.

Lance only nodded in response before turning his attention to the window leading out into the backyard. Shiro exchanged a glance with Keith, they were both worried. Lance had arrived this morning and barely mumbled a hello. Shiro and Keith knew how excited Lance was about today but when they took note of the dark circles and barely noticeable hollowed out cheeks, they knew something wasn't right. Lance had brushed them off and merely said he was tired.

They had offered to go get Pidge, and they could plan to have the wedding another day. Lance shook his head and was adamant that nothing was going to change. He had confided in them that he had ruined too much already for Pidge and wasn't about to ruin her big day because of his cancer.

"I just need some water." Lance said. He sat down on the couch when Shiro finished with his tie. Keith handed him a bottle of water, Lance accepted and took a couple sips before leaning back, shutting his eyes. "Give me a few moments."

December 12th - 11:00 AM

An hour later the ceremony was underway, Pidge and Lance stood underneath an arch with a pastor in front of their friends and family. Shiro and Keith were grateful that Lance was looking better than he initially appeared to be that morning.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!" The pastor exclaimed, he turned to Lance "You may now kiss your bride."

Lance instantly had Pidge in his arms and his lips pressed against hers. He placed a hand against her neck supporting her head and another against the small of Pidge's back and then he was dipping her their kiss deepinging. Their friends and family erupt in cheers and claps.

The ceremony was followed by a quiet reception including dinner and a small amount of dancing. Pidge had opted out of any traditional dances and her family was right there supportive of any decision she made involving the wedding.

Dinner consisted of small steaks, mashed potatoes and green beans. It was a classic caterer meal and one that was bland enough while still having some flavor. It was a meal that Pidge chose with Lance in mind, in hopes that it would be enough to not upset his stomach. It had been sensitive over the last few weeks.

Pidge smiled at her now husband who sat beside her at the table. His suit jacket was draped over the back of the chair and his tie was loosened. He was talking animatedly with Matt who sat next to him.

December 12th - 08:00 PM

A little while later after the guests departed and the family was cleaning up, Pidge had found that Lance had disappeared. She asked Shiro and Keith if they had seen him, they both shook their heads, but said they would keep an eye out.

Matt opened the door to the guest room with a box of decorations in his arms. He was startled when he found Lance laying on the bed. He was lying on his stomach with his head turned away from Matt. "Sorry, didn't mean to walk in on you." When there was no reply from Lance, Matt set down the box and approached him. "Hey, you okay?"

Lance groaned in response before turning to face Matt. Every movement felt like he was lifting a ton. "Where's Pidge?" He asked Matt. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. An impending sense of doom overshadowed his thoughts.

"She's downstairs looking for you." Matt replied. He noted Lance's pale skin and the dark circles underneath his eyes. "I can go get her." Matt said, stepping towards the door.

"No!" Lance said quickly as he pushed himself into a sitting position. The simple movement increased his already labored breathing. "I-I just-" Lance began to fall and Matt was there softening the fall as he guided him to the ground. "I can't do this to her, not on the wedding day." Lance's voice cracked and tears gathered in his eyes.

"Let me go get Keith and Shiro." Matt suggested, "They would want to help."

Lance nodded. His eyes were closed again and his entire body felt like he was on fire. "Just keep Pidge away for now." He whispered, too weak to project his voice any louder.

A few moments later Matt returned with Shiro and Keith in tow. In that time Lance had managed to sit up with his back pressed against the bed. His stomach was swirling with nausea. He looked up at the three guys in front of him and reached a hand up. Shiro grasped his outreached hand and helped him up.

"We should get Pidge." Keith said, "She's your wife and needs to know what's happening."

Lance took a moment to steady himself and make sure that his legs would hold him for longer than a minute before turning to Keith. He nodded, "Okay. I'm gonna head downstairs."

"I'll tell Pidge and get my truck pulled up." Keith said before disappearing out the bedroom door.

An half hour later Shiro, Keith, Pidge and Lance were in Keith's truck and making their way to the hospital.

In the backseat Pidge sat behind the passenger seat her wedding dress bunched around her feet. Lance had his head resting in her lap, his eyes were closed. Pidge had a hand in his hair, her other hand resting on his chest. She could feel the labored breathing.

Every street light they passed Pidge was able to see the pale skin color and darkened under eyes. Pidge ran a hand through Lance's hair, and there was no response from him.

She looked up and made eye contact with Keith through the rearview mirror. She didn't bother to hide her tear streaked face from either of the guys in the front seat. She watched as Keith exchanged a glance with Shiro before stepping on the gas.

December 12th - 11:30 PM

Keith, Shiro, Matt, and Pidge all stood silently in the hallway. The door to Lance's room was shut tightly. A group of nurses had entered with a mobile x-ray machine and shooed everyone out of the room.

The air seemed different then all the other times that they had found themselves in the hospital with Lance. It was suffocating and Pidge swallowed uncomfortably. Her head was heavy and she found she couldn't stand still any longer. She began to pace up and down the hallway, the swish of her dress seemingly the only discernible sound. Her arms found a comfortable place resting on her abdomen.

The door opened sometime later and after the nurses had cleared the room the four of them walked in. Pidge made a beeline for Lance's bedside who turned to her, his movements slow, weak.

"Hello, wife." Lance said. His voice was raspy and Pidge noted that he was in desperate need of water.

"Hello Love," Pidge said sitting on the edge of the bed. She brushed hair out of his face and Lance grabbed her arm. He pressed his lips to the palm of her hand. Pidge's lips began to quiver and she bit the bottom one to hide it.

"Pidge…." Lance said. He cupped his hand to her face and wiped the tears away with his thumb. "Please don't cry." He said even he felt his own emotions building.

Pidge shook her head, "I can't help it." She whispered.

Lance brought her in for a hug and held her as tight as his strength would allow. A few moments later he tapped Pidge's arm. "Would you be willing to get me some ice chips." he smiled, "the nurses are adamant about me not drinking any water."

After Pidge left the room, Lance turned to the three other guys and motioned for them to come closer. He coughed. "I need you guys to promise me that you will take care of her."

"Of course Lance," Shiro said, "she still has her family and she gained three new brothers as well."

Lance nodded appeased by the answer, he then turned to Matt, "When I'm gone, you need to get her out of the room, she doesn't need to see me being unhooked from everything. Today has already been hard enough on her."

"Of course, Lance." Matt was still shell shocked. Hours before he had been talking to Lance at the wedding where he was moving without any trouble at all. Now he was barely able to lift his head from the pillow.

Pidge walked back into the room, a cup in her hand filled to the brim with Ice chips. She found her spot again perched on the edge of the hospital bed. She offered him an Ice chip and he accepted it.

Hours had passed and the group settled into a comfortable silence. Pidge was curled up on the bed with Lance. Her dress cascaded off the side of the bed like a waterfall. Her shoes were discarded on the floor and her bare feet were barely peeking out from beneath her skirt.

Without warning Lance's heart rate that had been sounded by a steady beep on the monitor slowed. Pidge sat up then her gaze flashing between the monitor and Lance. A pit settled in her stomach. She wasn't ready.

"Lance," Pidge whispered. Her voice cracked as the monitor began to beep slower.

With her forehead pressed to his, Lance opened his eyes to look at her. Behind her, Pidge felt her brother's presence, a comfort to her trembling body. Blinking away the tears Pidge looked into her Husband's eyes. This was going to be the last time she saw those ocean blue eyes in the flesh.

The news she had been carrying since this morning rested on her lips. She had planned to tell him tonight. She thought she had more time. But that's the funny thing with time you never truly know how much of it you have left. Instead of speaking the words on her mind, her body moved, the only way she found herself able to do. Reaching with her right hand she gripped his and placed it against her stomach holding it firmly to her abdomen. With her free hand she cupped his face, she leaned close, pressing her lips to his. Tears streamed down her face, she no longer had the strength to hide them. Once again her forehead rested against his, her breath shaky as she attempted to speak.

Lance beat her to it.

"I thought I saw you glowing when you entered the room."

Pidge chuckled, it was echoed by a few others in the room. "You're going to make an amazing father." She couldn't bring herself to say 'would've' it would make this all too real. However, in a few minutes, she knew that reality would hit her like a freight train.

Lance turned his head pressing his lips to her palm, "I love you," he whispered. Pidge sucked in a breath burying her face into his neck not bringing herself to be able to watch the life fade from his eyes. But when his hand resting against her stomach fell limp and she could no longer feel his pulse beating in his neck her cries were heard not only in that room but down the hallway as well. It was a gut wrenching cry that even caused Keith and Shiro to look away, blinking away their own tears.

At first, when her brother came to pull her away she fought him. Struggling in his grasp.

"No! No! I'm not ready to say goodbye!" She cried. She gave one final tug against Matt's hold on her then went limp as her eyes landed on Lance. As her legs gave out from beneath her Matt scooped her up and carried her from the room, the other paladins remained behind watching as the nurse began to shut the machines off one by one.

December 13th - 09:45 AM

It had been only hours since they had left the hospital, and only a minute or two since Matt finally left Pidge in her room. He had left a plate with food and a glass of water. She watched the closed door for a moment as the sounds of soft conversation and movement were heard behind it. Matt and the other paladins were over waiting for her to come out when she was ready. She wasn't, she didn't think she ever was going to be.

For some reason she had asked Matt to set the memory box on the bed for her and now there she lay in her wedding dress looking at it. She had seen Lance touch the box only that morning, his fingers pressing against a sticker or two that had popped loose.

She sniffed, wiping tears from her face as she pulled it closer. She sat up and popped off the lid. She sorted through pictures and arm bands, small trinkets from their trips. She had pulled Lance's cord bracelet out first and she clutched to her chest, her head bowed.

Thirty minutes later she reached the bottom of the box and there she found the leather bound journal. She grabbed it cautiously and opened to the first page. She hadn't remembered a journal being placed in the box when they made it nor in the following weeks after. She read the first entry then the one after that, all of them were entries written in Lance's handwriting for her.

She read through as many entries as she could before she had the journal clutched tightly to her chest. Her sobs could be heard in the living room where Matt sat with her family and the paladins.

PIdge's tears smudged the ink on one of the entries and she began to cry more when the ink started to run. She attempted to dry the letter and her tears, but the ink only ended up smudging more. She collapsed against the bed curled up with the letter held close to her heart and a hand pressed to her abdomen as she held onto the last thing she will ever receive from Lance.