Normal POV

With the former prisoners fully recovered, Allura and Coran offered them one of the larger flight pods with supplies and the coordinates to each of their homeworlds. Lance, Keith, and Hunk joined the Alteans in seeing them off.

"Good luck out there." The Blue Paladin said as Xi turned to give them a respectful bow.

"Thank you all for everything." Xi replied earnestly, "We never dreamed we'd see our families again. But you gave us hope. You gave the universe hope."

Pidge's POV

I sat on the bridge with the mice as the pod left the Arusian atmosphere, knowing that the aliens Shiro and I saved were returning home to their loved ones. While I was happy that they would be reunited with their family, I couldn't help but feel jealous.

"Pidge, there you are." I looked up to see Shiro approaching me. While there's the fact that he was telling the truth about the monster entering the atmosphere, and even protected me a few times… There's something that's bothering me.

"Why would you hurt my brother?" I asked Takashi again, "You were friends."

"I did it to save him."

His answer caught me off guard, how can you save someone if you hurt them?

"My memory of the event came back when we were fighting the monster." Shiro explained as he sat down beside me, "Your dad was being sent off with the weaker prisoners to a work camp. Meanwhile, Matt and I were forced to fight in the gladiator arena. Matt was going to fight first, but he was scared. We all were."

Shiro's POV (Flashback)

"I'm not gonna make it!" I looked ahead to see Matt on the verge of a panic attack, "I'll never see my family again!"

"You can do this." I reassured him, trying to calm him down and remind him that he still has family with him in this arena.

We both squinted as a bright light brought our attention to see a barrier lifting. A sentry entered and offered Matt a bladed weapon. I can see him freezing up in a panic, knowing full well that this match would be a death sentence for him– especially with his current headspace. I cannot let that happen…

Determined to protect one of my brothers with me, I let out a yell as I rushed forward– pushing Matt back where a fellow prisoner caught him. But I had to focus on maintaining the facade, hoping they would send me out instead.

"This is my fight!" I shouted as I wrestled the weapon out of the sentry's grasp before swinging it at Matt.

Matt yelled as he collapsed to the ground holding his leg. I hoped the injury wasn't too severe, but I needed to make it believable. I let the weapon fall to the ground as I tackled him.

"I want blood!"

The frightened look made me realize I had gone too far with my crazed act. I softened my gaze and whispered to him "Take care of your father."

As I felt the sentry's robotic hands pulling me off and dragging me away to fight Myzak, I felt relief that my desperate gambit worked. I looked back to see a second sentry picking the weapon back up, and Xi checking in on Matt. With his injury, he will be safer with Commander Holt at the work camp. My mind flashes to Keith back on Earth. At least he still has Mrs. Holt and Katie to be there for him…

Shiro's POV

"You saved him?" I noticed Pidge's eyes welled up when she took in what I shared, "You attacked him so they would choose you instead."

I was caught off guard when Pidge suddenly hugged me.

"I'm so sorry I doubted you!" She tearfully said, "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Seeing her trembling a bit made me realize just how young Katie was, as well as the fact that she was scared for them. Making her subtle hostility toward me understandable.

I returned Pidge's hug, being mindful of the mice who ran up to her shoulder to check in on her.

"I can tell you really miss them." I comforted her, "I know they miss you, too. Your brother and father would be proud of you, Katie."

Pidge gasped and looked up at me, I figured she had a reason to make herself look like a 15-year-old version of her brother, go by Matt's nickname, and don't correct the others with her gender. But for now, I'll keep her secret– whatever her secret is.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." I reassured her as she pulled away from the hug to wipe her tears. As we stared at the sunset, I made a promise to support Katie in her mission to find her… our family.