"So," Hunk asks, "is Shiro here now?"

Keith nods. Shiro is standing at the edge of the group, a fond smile on his face. "Tell them I'm proud of them."

"He says he's proud of all of you," Keith relays. His voice is hoarse. Hunk presses a water pouch into his hand and gives him a look until he starts drinking it.

"And you only see him when you're bonded with the Black Lion?" Allura asks.

"He said he's still linked to Black, so he can reach me through her," Keith explains. "So the stronger my bond is with Black, the more I can see Shiro."

"So you've been seeing him since you first started flying the Black Lion?" Lance asks. "Dude, why didn't you tell anyone?"

Keith scowls at him. "Tell you what, I was hallucinating Shiro?"

"Tell us something, at least," Lance retorts. "If you thought you were going crazy-"

"Lance, back off," Pidge snaps. "Keith has a right to privacy, just like the rest of us."

"Allura, do you know what this mind place is?" Hunk asks. "How do we get there?"

"The Black Lion might be able to bring me into it," Keith says. "She brought Shiro there while we were at the space mall. But I don't know how to get Shiro out."

"I'm guessing it's probably not as easy as just going in, grabbing him, and coming out?" Pidge asks.

"I think I've heard of this mindscape before," Coran remarks. "But it's not a physical plane. Shiro's body shouldn't be there."

"So how do we get his body out?" Lance asks.

"Maybe Slav could help," Hunk suggests. "I mean, he seems to know a lot about alternate realities. Does this count as an alternate reality?"

"We can contact him," Allura agrees. "And Coran and I can look through the Castle's records to see if this has ever happened before."

"I might be able to figure out how to make something that would let us communicate with you while you're in the mindscape place, or maybe even physically get you in there," Pidge tells Keith. "Hunk, think you could help me with it?"

"Sure," Hunk agrees.

"I'll contact Slav," Lance adds. "He likes me and my lucky Blue."

All eyes turn to Keith. "I'll go talk to Black. I need to know if she can get me in the mindscape."

"Be careful," Allura warns. "One missing Paladin is quite enough."

Keith nods once, sharply. It's not exactly an agreement - he'll do whatever it takes to get Shiro out - but it's an acknowledgement, at the very least. It's best for everyone, Shiro included, if Keith doesn't get trapped in the mindscape as well, so he's going to do his best to make sure that doesn't happen.

Shiro follows Keith out of the room. Keith's itching to talk to him, but he waits until he reaches the Black Lion's cockpit. Everyone knows that he can see Shiro now, so they probably wouldn't think he was insane if he started talking to a person they couldn't see, but he'd still rather have this conversation in private.

"Thank you," Shiro says when they enter Black's cockpit. "Thank you for trying to get me out. Tell the others I say thank you too."

"What's it like?" Keith asks, his voice rough. He sits down on the floor of the cockpit. Shiro sits next to him, both of them leaning against the wall. "The mindscape."

"Empty," Shiro replies honestly. "Well, most of the time. Sometimes I…"

"You what?"

Shiro sighs. "I relive memories, sometimes. Reaching out to you and Black helps to stop it."

Keith thinks of all the times he shoved away his bond with Black to get rid of what he thought was a hallucination of Shiro and feels guilt burn in his stomach. Shiro could have been forced to relive horrible memories, just because Keith hadn't wanted to see him.

"Hey." Shiro's frowning now, looking at Keith. "It's not your fault."

Keith blinks. "How…"

Shiro rubs the back of his head, his little abashed smile on his face. With every expression like that he makes, Keith is filled with relief that he gets to see Shiro again. When he first ran into the Black Lion's cockpit to find it empty, he'd worried that he never would.

"I can sort of get into your head," Shiro admits. "Just a little. It's the same as the Lions. Black can feel what you feel, to an extent, and so can I."

"So the deeper I bond with Black…"

"The deeper you bond with me," Shiro finishes. He still looks a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I should have told you."

"It's fine," Keith replies automatically, and he's surprised to realize that it is. He's not a fan of people being able to get in his head, but if he were to let anyone in, it would be Shiro. And if this is what it takes to get Shiro back, it's a small price to pay.

"If it helps, you might be able to do the same thing the other way," Shiro offers.

"Get into your head?" Keith asks, surprised. "I… I guess. Will we still be able to do this once you're out of the mindscape place? Can I do this with Lance, since we're both bonded to Red?"

"I think it's a mindscape thing," Shiro replies. "But you could try it with Lance."

Keith makes a face. "I don't think I want to know what's going on in Lance's head."

Shiro laughs. "Oh, come on, it wouldn't be that bad."

"True," Keith agrees, making Shiro raise an eyebrow in surprise. Keith's not normally one to relent so easily. "There's not enough going on in there for it to be good or bad."

Shiro tries to look disappointed, but his lips keep twitching into a smile. "Don't be so mean to your fellow Paladins," he scolds.

"Lance always starts it."

"Lance isn't even here."

"Good."

"Keith," Shiro scolds, reaching out to tousle Keith's hair. His hand just goes through Keith, just like it did in Haggar's cell.

It's an abrupt return to reality. Even though Keith and Shiro are sitting and talking, just like they used to, Shiro isn't physically here. If Keith wants to get him back, he's going to have to fight for him.

"I'm going to ask Black if she can send me to the mindscape," Keith says. "I'll find you."

"Be careful," Shiro says, a distinct pleading edge to his voice. "I don't want you to come after me if it's at your own expense."

"I've lost you once. I'm not losing you again."

"Keith-"

Keith closes his eyes and ignores Shiro. He's got practice at that now, after thinking Shiro was a hallucination. Instead of listening to him, he focuses on reaching out to the Black Lion. Please, he begs silently, help me get to Shiro. Help me get him back.

The Black Lion opens herself up to Keith, reaching out to him. Keith reaches back, but Black is trying to drag him in too deeply, too quickly, too much. They aren't bonded enough for this yet, and it hurts to force it so quickly, but-

Keith cries out and yanks away when the Black Lion pulls too hard. "Keith!" Shiro cries. He's kneeling in front of Keith, hands reached out like he wanted to grab him and then remembered he couldn't. "Keith, are you alright?"

Keith's breaths are ragged and loud in the mostly-silent cockpit. "Fine," he manages to pant out.

"You're clearly not!" Shiro exclaims. "I don't want you doing this to yourself, Keith-"

"You're gone," Keith bites out. The words are harsh. Shiro rocks back on his heels with the force of them. "You're gone, and you left me in charge. You're not my leader now, Shiro. You will be when you get back, but until then, I'm in charge, and you have no right to tell me what to do."

Shiro blinks, looking stunned. To be entirely honest, Keith feels stunned as well. He can't quite believe he said that. The words aren't exactly false, but they're harsher than he would have said them, if he ever spoke those thoughts aloud. He almost wishes he could take them back, but they're already out, and a small, vindictive part of him is glad. Shiro can't have it both ways. Either he's left Keith in charge or he hasn't. Keith would prefer the latter, but considering the former is reality, he thinks they need to face it.

"Keith," Shiro says gently, like he's trying not to startle a wild animal, "I just don't want you getting hurt."

"And I want you back," Keith retorts, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the vulnerability he's displaying. "And I'm the one in charge right now, so-"

"So you need to be here for the others," Shiro finishes. "I can't be here for you right now, Keith. I wish I could be, but I can't. I need you to-"

"I need you back." Keith's hands are clenched into shaking fists. "I need you back, Shiro, and I'm going to do whatever it takes."

"Keith-"

Keith closes his eyes and throws himself into the Black Lion. Pain erupts through his head almost immediately, but he ignores it. He can feel Black is a little more tentative this time, but he pushes against her without any hesitation. We both need Shiro back, he tells her. If it hurts a little, I can handle it.

Forcing a too-deep bond with a Lion is, Keith finds out, incredibly painful. Normally, his bond with the Black Lion would slowly build up to this level, but he needs to reach it now. He doesn't have any time-

He bursts into the mindscape with a gasp. "Keith!" Shiro cries, grabbing him as his knees buckle. He can actually touch Keith here, his grip tight and familiar. "Keith, you can't do this to yourself."

"I'm here," Keith gasps. "I'm here-"

"You need to go," Shiro instructs him firmly. "You're hurting yourself-"

"Shiro, I need-"

"You need to go," Shiro repeats, and he gives Keith a gentle push and then-

Keith is lying on his side in the Black Lion's cockpit, covered in sweat and panting like he just ran a marathon. His head still aches, and he thinks his nose might be bleeding, but he made it into the mindscape. It might have only been for a few moments, but he'll work up his endurance until he's able to stay there long enough to get Shiro out.

It takes Keith a moment to realize that Shiro's not sitting next to him any more. He reaches out questioningly to the Black Lion, since he's pretty sure she's pulled herself away from him. She doesn't bond closely enough to speak to him words, but he gets the impression that he'll be able to recover more quickly if they keep a level of distance between themselves for a while. It's a mixed blessing. On the one hand, Keith doesn't want Shiro to be forced to relive memories in the mindscape, and he feels more comfortable knowing that Shiro's there. On the other hand, he knows Shiro's not happy with how hard he's pushing himself, and he doesn't really want to listen to another lecture.

Using the wall of the Black Lion to lever himself upright, Keith staggers out of the cockpit. He's got to tell the others he can reach the mindscape.

It's the first step towards getting Shiro back.

"You need to take a break."

Keith is on his hands and knees inside Black's cockpit, dripping sweat and gasping desperately for air. "One more time."

"Keith." For once, it's not Shiro lecturing him, but Pidge. "I'm pretty sure I could beat you in a hand-to-hand fight right now, and that's just not right. Take a break."

"Do you have enough data?"

Pidge frowns at her computer, adjusting her glasses. "Maybe. Let me finish analyzing it, and then I'll know if I need more."

Keith slowly sits up, leaning against the wall of Black's cockpit. "Okay. How long until it's analyzed?"

"Not sure," Pidge replies, looking at her computer. "Hmm, I'd say at least a varga."

Keith narrows his eyes. "Are you just trying to get me to take a break for that long?"

Pidge turns her computer around, showing Keith all sorts of windows he doesn't understand. "Um, no, I'm saying it'll take at least a varga because that's the best estimate I can come up with. Look, Keith, I know you want to get Shiro back, but you can take a break."

"Shiro is stuck-"

"And burning yourself out isn't going to help."

Keith scowls. "You sound just like Shiro."

"Yeah, but Shiro's right a lot."

Keith can't exactly argue with that, so he just scowls even more. "This just hurts. It's not like it's causing any actual damage." He knows this because Pidge has been scanning him with one of Coran's little medical scanners every time he dives into the mindscape. The scans haven't found any physical damage from his forced bonding with Black. It's all mental. Keith can deal with that.

Pidge looks about as reassured by that as Shiro did when Keith told him in the mindscape. "Maybe it's not causing physical damage, but none of us want you hurting either."

Keith grits his teeth. He doesn't think Pidge will take it well if he says he'd gladly take all of this pain if it gets Shiro back. "Fine," he relents instead. "If we're taking a break, I'm going to eat."

Pidge looks incredibly relieved. Keith wonders exactly how bad everyone thinks he is at taking care of himself, then remembers how bad he was at remembering to eat when he lived alone in the desert. They probably have a point.

"Keith!" Hunk cries when Keith enters the dining hall. "Dude, you look terrible. Sit down and let me fix you up a Hunk Special."

"A what?" Keith asks, but Hunk has already gone back into the kitchen.

Lance, who's sitting across the table, snorts. "Just let him feed you. You're not gonna beat him on this one, especially when you look that horrible. Have you slept since you came out of the cryopod?"

Keith glares. "Don't you have something you should be doing?"

"I'm going to be in charge of wrangling Slav once he gets here, but he's still two vargas out," Lance replies. "So I'm taking a break while I wait for him. Do you know what a break is?"

Keith is too exhausted to deal with this. He's about two seconds away from getting up and leaving when Hunk comes back in and sets a plate down in front of him.

"Eat up!"

Keith isn't quite sure what anything on the plate is, but it smells delicious and he's hungry enough not to care. He shoots Lance one last glare, just daring him to comment, then he starts eating.

Hunk nods approvingly as Keith, realizing that he hasn't eaten in much longer than is probably healthy, wolfs down every bit of food in front of him. "I have more, if you're still hungry," he offers. "I've kind of been cooking a lot in the past couple of days."

For a moment, Keith wants to decline so he can get back to the Black Lion. Then he remembers that Pidge won't be ready for new data for a while yet, and she probably won't let him back into Black until she is. "I'd like some more, if that's okay."

"Please, sir, may I have some more?" Lance asks in a high pitched attempt at a British accent.

"Are you sure you don't have anything you should be doing?"

Lance sighs. "I guess I'll go train, since I'm being thrown out of the dining hall." He throws a dramatic arm over his forehead. "So sad! So tragic!"

Even Hunk gives Lance a look at that. "Fine, I'm going," Lance sighs, stomping dramatically out of the dining hall.

"He's just upset," Hunk says, picking up Keith's plates and heading to the kitchen. Keith follows him in. "He does this when he's worried. He gets all clingy and loud. This is even worse than how he used to get around finals."

"I just-" Keith rubs at his eyes. He's too exhausted to deal with this. "Can he be upset a little more quietly?"

Hunk shrugs. "We all deal in different ways. I've been cooking, Pidge has been putting trackers in all our armor, you've been training, and Lance has been…"

"Being Lance," Keith finishes. He pinches the bridge of his nose. The ever-present headache he's had since he first entered the mindscape is throbbing behind his eyes. "I know it's his way of dealing, but-"

"His way of dealing and your way of dealing don't mesh very well," Hunk finishes. "But we'll have Shiro back soon anyway, and then things will be back to normal."

Keith nods absently. "Yeah, you're right."

Hunk puts a bowl down in front of Keith. "Here, try this. I'm experimenting with some new spices. You like spicy food, right?"

Keith blinks down at the bowl. "Um, yeah, I guess." He takes a bite and feels his eyes widen in surprise.

"Too spicy?" Hunk asks worriedly.

"No," Keith replies, taking another bite. "No, it's really good. It tastes like this curry that one of my foster mothers used to make."

Hunk's face lights up. "Cool! Yeah, I accidentally put in a little more of the spice than I meant to, but I still think it's good. I'm pretty sure it's spicier than Altean food is, though, cause Coran looked like his face was going to light on fire when he tried it."

"Coran thinks the food goo is good," Keith retorts dryly.

"That is true," Hunk agrees. "Well, there's more of that, if you want it. Eat however much you like."

"Are you leaving me alone in your kitchen?" Keith asks, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't know you trusted any of us enough to do that."

"I totally trust you!" Hunk cries. "Just don't touch the stove or the oven. Or anything, really. Except the prepared food in the fridge, you can touch that."

"I won't mess with anything," Keith promises, feeling a slight grin pull at his lips.

Hunk beams at the sight. "Okay," he says, patting Keith on the shoulder. "I'm gonna go find Lance. See you later!"

Keith lets out a sigh as Hunk leaves the kitchen. He's always liked being alone, but now that he's had Shiro following him around for the past few days, it's strange to be the only one in the room. He needs to distance himself from Black while he's not delving into the mindscape, so he's barely seen Shiro in the past day.

It's only been a day, but Keith misses him.

He sighs again and picks up the bowl of food, sitting down on the floor and holding the bowl in his lap. He could go into the dining room, which would probably be more comfortable, but sitting on the kitchen floor isn't that bad, and Keith is too exhausted to move more than he has to.

He finishes the food and sets the bowl down next to him, leaning back against the wall. He should get up and do something productive while he waits for Pidge to be ready, but the kitchen is nice and warm - has it always been this warm? - and he's exhausted enough that sitting in the corner and leaning against the wall isn't that uncomfortable, and he's pleasantly full for the first time in days, and Keith lets his eyes slip shut.

"Shhh, don't wake him!"

Keith wrinkles his nose and curls up a little bit more. His bed is strangely uncomfortable, but at least he has a blanket. He pulls it up to his chin.

There's a soft thud, then a hissed "please be quiet!" Keith grumbles quietly to himself and pulls the blanket up higher. He doesn't know why someone is making noise bumbling around in his room-

Except wait, Keith didn't fall asleep in his room, did he? He doesn't remember going into his room. All he remembers is eating in the kitchen, and sitting against the wall, and then-

And then…

Keith's eyes shoot open and he jerks upright. He looks around the kitchen wildly and sees Allura, standing frozen in place. The mice are standing stock still in various spots around the kitchen as well, all staring at him. There's a fallen box next to Platt, which must have been the thump that Keith heard before.

"How long have I been asleep?" Keith asks, rubbing at his eyes. His voice is rough from sleep.

"I'm not sure," Allura replies, but she shifts her weight in a way that makes Keith think she has an answer she's not telling him.

"How long has it been since Pidge and I took a break?" Keith asks. He didn't fall asleep that long after that.

Allura shifts again. "I'm not entirely certain," she hedges, but when Keith gives her a look, she admits, "A few vargas."

"A few vargas?" Keith repeats, horrified. He tries to get up, but the blanket is tangled up around his legs.

"We thought it was best to let you sleep," Allura adds quickly. "Pidge had enough data from your previous trips to the mindscape, and Slav has arrived, and we all thought you needed your rest."

"Slav is here?" Keith asks. That means he's been asleep for at least two vargas. "Does he have any ideas on how to get Shiro back?"

"I'm not sure," Allura replies. "He's been holed up with Pidge, Hunk, and Lance for the past two and a half vargas, so-"

"Two and a half?" Keith repeats, eyes going wide. "Allura, how long have I been asleep?"

Allura presses her lips together.

"Allura."

"A little over five vargas."

"Five vargas?"

"You needed the rest!" Allura doesn't look the slightest bit repentant. "Keith, I know you're worried about Shiro, but he would be the first one to tell you to get some rest."

"Allura, I can't-"

"What's done is done," Allura says firmly. "You needed the rest, and you got it. I believe Slav and the others are in the Green Lion's hangar, if you wish to see what they're doing."

Keith shoves the blanket off him and gets up. He hates to admit it, but he does feel better after getting some sleep. His mind is clearer, and all his limbs don't feel incredibly heavy anymore. Even his headache has dulled to the point where it's barely there anymore.

He's not going to say that to Allura, though, so he just grabs the blanket off the floor and leaves the kitchen. The blanket is his - someone must have gotten it out of his room while he was sleeping - so he puts it back, then continues on to the Green Lion's hangar.

Slav screeches when he enters. "Don't step on the line!"

Keith stops short and looks down. There's a circle drawn on the floor around the desk where Slav and the others are working. "This circle is drawn with just enough salt that, in some realities, it will protect us from creatures that would do us harm!" Slav explains, sounding, in Keith's opinion, unnecessarily panicked over the matter. "But if you mess it up, we'll be vulnerable, and our chances of dying in those realities increase by twenty-six percent!"

"Can I step over it?" Keith asks. He's found the best way to deal with Slav is to just let him do what he wants. Fighting him never gets you anywhere, but if Keith summons up every bit of patience he has, he can just let Slav have his little idiosyncrasies and go with it.

"You can step over it, but don't touch the line!" Slav tells him. "If you touch it-"

"Our chances of dying in other realities go up, I understand," Keith interrupts. He carefully steps over the line, making sure he clears it on either side by a few inches. "Have you figured out how to get to Shiro?"

"Maybe," Pidge replies. "I've looked over all the data from your trips to the mindscape place, and I think I've figured out a way for us to communicate with you when you go there. But what we still can't figure out is how Shiro's physical body ended up there."

"It is only a mental state," Slav adds. "The chances that someone's physical body would end up there are almost infinitesimal."

"But Shiro did end up there, so how did he beat the odds?" Lance asks.

"I mean, we know his mind is there, but are we sure his body is?" Hunk asks. "Maybe it's not. Maybe it's somewhere else."

"Then where is it?" Pidge retorts. "Cause he was in the Black Lion one second, and then he was gone."

"I don't know!" Hunk replies. "I just think it's worth thinking about, you know. I mean, how could his physical body get into a mindscape?"

"I can ask him," Keith offers. Everyone turns to look at him. "I don't know if he'll know, but I can ask," he adds. "And maybe I can ask Black, she might have an idea."

"That's actually a really good idea," Pidge says after a moment. "I mean, between the two of them, they have to have some idea, right?"

"When can you ask?" Hunk asks.

Keith takes a deep breath and opens himself up to the Black Lion. Their connection is a bit more tentative than usual - Black warned him that pushing it so much might temporarily make their normal bond a bit strained - but it's more than enough for Shiro to appear.

"Right now."

"You see him now?" Lance asks.

"Tell everyone I say hi," Shiro says. "And thank them from me for getting you to take care of yourself."

"He says hi," Keith replies, deciding not to pass on the second half of the message. Shiro smirks.

Slav grabs some sort of device that's beeping quite a lot and runs it over Keith's body. After a moment, he waves it in front of Keith's face, then rubs it over the top of his head.

Keith raises an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Scanning your brainwaves to see how you communicate through the mindscape," Slav replies. "This sort of bond should not be possible between two creatures such as yourselves. Even your Galra heritage is not enough to make it work. There is only a zero point two percent chance that creatures as primitive as you could manage this."

"The Black Lion bridges us together," Shiro says. Keith passes it on to Slav.

"Hmm," Slav murmurs. "The Lions do seem powerful enough to do that. Yes, if I add that to the calculations…" He begins pressing buttons on the device, humming softly to himself as he does. Keith turns away from him and back to Shiro.

"Shiro," he says, feeling a little awkward talking to someone the others can't see, "we were wondering if you have any idea how your body ended up in the mindscape." And Black, he adds silently, any of your ideas would be appreciated too.

"If you think things directed at me and Black, we can both hear them," Shiro tells Keith. "You don't have to talk out loud if you don't want to. And I have no idea how my body ended up there. One second, I was in the Black Lion, and then I felt something tugging at my bond with Black, and then I was in the mindscape. It took a little while to realize that something was different from last time, but being here physically isn't the same as just being here mentally."

"Shiro says he doesn't know how he ended up physically in the mindscape," Keith relays. "He just says he felt something tugging on his bond with the Black Lion, and then he was there." What about you, Black? he adds. Anything you've got would help.

The Black Lion doesn't answer Keith's question in words. Instead, all of his senses suddenly seem to turn off for an instant. After a moment, they return, but they're unlike anything he's ever felt. He feels different, more expansive, more powerful. This is like no human sensation he's ever experienced.

An embarrassingly long moment passes before Keith realizes that the Black Lion is sharing a memory with him, the memory of when Shiro disappeared.

Black only gives Keith a moment to acclimate to the strange new perspective before she delves into the memory. The sensory input is almost overpowering, far more than Keith is ever used to having. It must be normal for Black, though, as she sorts through it easily. Through her eyes, Keith can see Shiro sitting in the cockpit of the Black Lion. He can feel the bond between the two of them. He can feel Shiro's presence in a way that no human would normally be able to feel another human's.

And then, suddenly, the bond between them is strained, like something is pulling Shiro away. Black reacts by pulling back. For a moment, she's stuck in a sort of tug-of-war over Shiro that he himself has no idea is happening. Then Black tugs hard, hard enough for Shiro to feel it, and in that moment when Shiro's psyche is somewhat off-balance, the other presence pushes and Shiro is gone.

Do you have any idea what the other thing was? Keith asks.

He can feel that the answer is no. The Black Lion is as confused as Keith is. No one but she should have been able to bring Shiro to that mindscape. Perhaps the other presence used the channels created by their bond to send Shiro there, but it should never have sent more than his mind.

It's not as much as Keith would have preferred, but at least it's something. He pulls away from the Black Lion a little, and she releases him from the memory.

He opens his eyes on the floor, his head pillowed in Hunk's lap. "Keith!" he cries the second Keith's eyes open up. "Dude, what just happened?"

"I don't know," Keith replies, sitting up slowly. Hunk's hands settle on his shoulders and guide him upright. "Why am I on the floor?"

"Beats me," Pidge replies. "You just closed your eyes and dropped like a ton of freaking bricks."

"How long have I been out?" Keith asks.

"Just a couple of minutes," Lance replies. "What happened?"

"The Black Lion showed me the memory of when Shiro disappeared," Keith replies. "She doesn't know exactly what happened, but she knows how it felt."

"Tell us," Pidge replies, grabbing her computer. "Don't leave out any details. Everything helps."

Keith relays the memory to them in as much detail as possible. "Any ideas?"

"There is an alternate reality where it would be possible to send both the body and the mind into the mindscape," Slav suggests. "Perhaps our reality and that one intersected."

"Is that likely?" Lance asks.

"No," Slav replies, "but neither is this situation."

"Can you give us the most likely possibilities?" Keith asks.

"Hmm." Slav starts doing something with one of the many devices near him, humming to himself occasionally. Apparently, he needs a minute to answer the question.

"You're pretty good with Slav," Shiro compliments. "I'll be honest, I always worried you would throw him out an airlock or something."

I may have considered it, Keith thinks, trying to direct the thought at Shiro the way he directs thoughts at Red or Black.

Shiro laughs, so he must get it. "Honestly, so have I."

If you just let him do what he wants, then he's normally not too bad, Keith adds. And affirm that you hear what he's saying, even if it's ridiculous.

"You haven't dealt with him as much as I have," Shiro replies, shaking his head. "If you had, you wouldn't think it's that easy."

"I have figured out the most statistically likely scenario," Slav announces. Everyone turns to him. "One of us is about to die."

Okay, maybe Shiro has a point and it's not that easy.

"Don't throw him out an airlock," Shiro tells Keith, grinning smugly. That's easy for him to say, considering he isn't dealing with Slav's ridiculous morbidity. Perhaps, Keith reflects, Slav's death from being tossed out into space is the death that he's predicting.

"Excuse me?" Lance asks, sounding about as surprised as Keith feels.

"It is statistically very likely!" Slav cries. "We are all in great danger at all times, and the chance that one of us will die is very high!"

"What does that have to do with what happened to Shiro?" Keith asks, his voice tightly controlled.

"He could be the one to die," Slav replies, like it's obvious.

"But what does it have to do with where he is and how to get him back?" Keith hisses.

"Patience yields focus, Keith," Shiro pipes in.

Screw you.

Shiro laughs. He's far too happy that he's pushed the job of dealing with Slav onto someone else.

"Do you mean someone could die in this reality?" Pidge asks.

"Yes! This reality and many others!" Slav replies. "The person could even be me!"

"What can we do to reduce our chances of dying in this reality?" Hunk asks. "I would definitely like to not die."

"There is very little we can do," Slav replies. "There are other options in other realities. There is one reality where you could all surrender to the Galra and be left alive, but I do not think that is very likely in this one."

"Look," Keith interrupts. "Can we get back on topic? Shiro is gone, and we need to find out how to get him back. Slav, you said you could help. This is not helping."

Slav looks at Keith with wide, hurt eyes. Keith feels a little like he just kicked a puppy. "What he means," Lance interjects quickly, "is that we want to figure out how to get Shiro back without any of us dying. How do we do that?"

Slav fidgets and looks over at Keith for a moment before looking back at Lance. "We have to create a machine that can open a physical gateway to the mindscape. And then we'll have to send someone in there, because Shiro will not know where the gateway is. But it will be very risky. I do not know how long we will be able to hold it open."

"Are there any ways to lower those risks?" Hunk asks. "I'm not digging the idea of two of us being stuck in the mindscape place."

"He will have to be the one to get Shiro out," Slav says, pointing at Keith. Some of the others look a little surprised, but Keith has been expecting this all along. "He is the one with the connection to Shiro and the Black Lion and the mindscape, so his chances of being able to get in without dying are much higher than anyone else's."

"His chances of getting in without what now?" Hunk demands.

"How high is 'much higher'?" Lance asks, sounding worried.

"Can you build the machine?" Keith interrupts.

"I think so," Slav replies.

He doesn't move.

"In this reality?" Keith adds.

"Yes."

He still doesn't move.

"Now?"

"Oh, you want me to start now?" Slav asks, sounding surprised. "Alright. I can get started right away." He points at Pidge and Hunk. "I need you two to help me." He points at Keith and Lance. "You two cannot help, and if you try, the chances that something will go wrong increase."

"Wow, rude."

Keith grabs Lance's arm. "We'll go, then," he replies.

"Don't step on the circle!" Slav cries.

Keith carefully steps over the circle. Lance does the same behind him. "Keep me posted," Keith tells Pidge.

"I will," she replies, nodding.

"So what are you going to do now?" Lance asks when he and Keith leave the hangar.

"Train," Keith replies shortly.

"Oh." Lance looks a little disappointed. Keith remembers what Hunk said about Lance's way of coping. He knows that Lance doesn't like being alone.

"You can come with me, if you want," he offers, trying not to sound as begrudging as he feels.

"Really?" Lance asks, his eyes lighting up. "Awesome. I'm so gonna take down more gladiators than you."

Keith is already regretting this a little bit, but he knows it's what Lance needs, and it's not the most awful thing in the world. "Told you you were a good leader," Shiro says, smiling fondly at him.

Keith thinks about sticking his tongue out at Shiro as hard as he can, and judging by Shiro's startled laughter, he gets the message.

Keith is sitting in the Black Lion's cockpit, talking with Shiro, when the message from Pidge comes through. "Yes?" he asks, scrambling for his helmet.

"The machine is ready," Pidge says. "We've tested it the best we can, but you're really the only person it can work for, so we can't test it too much. But we're pretty sure that it'll work. Slav says the chance of you dying horribly is less than fifty percent, so for him, that's pretty optimistic."

"It's ready already?" Keith asks, surprised. He'd figured it would take longer.

"Slav can build things, like, crazy fast," Hunk says, apparently highjacking the comm. "It must be all the arms or something."

"If you're not ready yet, that's okay," Shiro says, looking concerned.

"I'll be there in five minutes," Keith says.

"See you then," Pidge replies.

"Keith, are you sure?" Shiro asks. He's watching Keith worriedly, his arms crossed over his chest. "If you don't want to do this yet, that's okay. You can ask Slav to run more tests, or-"

"This thing will only work for me," Keith replies. "You heard Pidge. I'm the only one who has the connection to the mindscape. They can't test it, because it won't work for anyone else."

"But Keith-"

"Shiro, I'm doing this," Keith snaps, whirling around. "I'm not letting you stay in the mindscape forever. I'm getting you out of there, and you can't stop me."

Shiro swallows hard. "Be careful."

"I will be," Keith promises. He puts on his helmet and runs out of the Black Lion's cockpit. Before he leaves the hangar, he puts a hand on her muzzle. "You'll help me, right, girl?"

It feels like the Black Lion is purring in his mind. She's just as ready to get Shiro back as Keith is. He's not offended that she wants her real Paladin back. If he were her, he would too.

He gets to the Green Lion's hangar quickly, but apparently he's the last one there. Everyone else is standing around inside Slav's giant circle, which he seems to have enlarged since the last time Keith was in there. "Keith!" Pidge calls when she sees him. "Come here. Let me show you how this works."

"What is everyone doing here?" Keith asks, looking around as he carefully steps over the line.

"We weren't going to let you go in there without moral support!" Lance cries.

"Slav says your quintessence might be unstable when you come out of the mindscape," Coran adds. "And we don't know if you can get injured in there, so we're ready for anything. I've already got cryopods prepared for you and Shiro, just in case."

"Are you sure you're ready?" Allura asks, stepping up to Keith and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"As long as the machine is, I am," Keith replies. He looks at Pidge, Hunk, and Slav. "Is the machine as ready as it's going to be?"

"There's nothing else we can do," Pidge confirms. "We're pretty sure it'll work, but…" She shrugs. "It needs to be you going through, so we can't test it with anything else."

"Then let's see if it works with me," Keith replies. "How are we going to do we do this?"

"Okay." Pidge grabs Keith's arm and drags him over to a large X drawn on the floor. In front of him is a cobbled-together metal circle. It reminds Keith a little of the teladuv that they made to wormhole Zarkon's ship. "This is the gateway," Pidge explains. "We need you here so we can open it through you. It'll look kinda like a wormhole when it opens. You'll need to go in and it should bring you into the mindscape. Once you're there, you need to find Shiro, and then take him back to the spot where you came into the mindscape. That's where the gateway will be. We're not sure how long we'll be able to keep it open, and we're not sure if time works the same way in the mindscape as it does out here, so be as quick as you can."

Keith nods. "Okay. When are we going to do this?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"Be careful," Hunk blurts out.

"Don't get lost," Lance adds.

Allura pulls Keith into a hug, both of them ignoring Lance's spluttering protests. "Bring Shiro home," she whispers in his ear.

"I will."

"You'll be alright, Number Four," Coran says, looking a little like he might cry. "Be careful, alright? Don't get lost in there. We don't want you missing as well."

"I'll be careful," Keith promises. He looks around at everyone. All eyes are on him. "Let's do this."

Slav and Pidge communicate in some incomprehensible techno-babble while Keith stands on the X, waiting. "Alright," Pidge says after a moment. "Keith, take this." She hands Keith a small piece of plastic with buttons on it. "That comm should work in the mindscape," she tells him. "Keep it safe."

"I will."

"We're opening up the mindscape now," Pidge says, pressing a button.

Keith can feel the Black Lion's surprise in the back of his mind and can feel the slight tugging at the place where their bond lives. Then something starts to spark in the middle of the metal circle, first just a little bit and then more and more, and then with a roar that sounds like a lion, there's a black swirling hole in the circle.

"Go!"

Keith doesn't need any more convincing. He hurtles forward, throwing himself through the portal. For a moment, it feels like he's being compressed horribly, and then-

He's there.

It's the mindscape, he recognizes it. Shiro was right, it feels different to be there physically than it did to be there mentally. Part of that is probably that Keith's head doesn't feel like it's about to explode now, which is a welcome change.

"Keith!" Pidge's voice yells. Keith blinks at the comm. He feels discombobulated, a little confused-

He's here to find Shiro. He needs to get a grip.

"I'm here, Pidge," he says. His voice sounds a little strange. "I'm in."

"Good," Pidge replies. "The gateway is a bit more stable than we were expecting it to be, but it might still collapse. Be fast."

"I will be," Keith promises. If he closes his eyes, he can feel a slight tug in one direction. His bond with the Black Lion is still nestled in the back of his mind, and he can feel her radiating approval as he takes a tentative step towards the pull. It must be Shiro.

Keith breaks into a run. He can feel the tugging get stronger and stronger as he gets closer to its source, and then-

He's in an arena, with Galra yelling and jeering all around. Keith is on the outskirts, but in the middle are two fighters. One of them, Keith doesn't know, but the other he would recognize anywhere.

"Shiro!"

Shiro turns, and he's distracted just long enough for the other alien to backhand him across the face, sending him flying across the arena. Keith sprints forward, skidding to a stop next to Shiro.

"Keith," Shiro whispers, looking up at him. "Keith, how did you get here? Did they take you? Did they already get to Earth?"

"No, Shiro, this isn't real," Keith tells him, his voice pleading. "Shiro, this is just a memory. You're not here anymore, you got out, remember?"

"I… got out?" Shiro repeats, sounding very confused.

"You- Duck!"

Both Keith and Shiro roll out of the way as the alien's massive hands slam down where they had been just moments before. "Stay out of this!" Shiro yells. "I'll take care of it!"

"Shiro, this isn't real!" Keith yells back, although he materializes his bayard, just in case.

Shiro doesn't seem to hear him, running forward and punching the alien hard in the gut. Keith notices that he has both of his regular hands, no glowing Galra prosthetic. If he had the prosthetic, the fight would be over much more quickly, but he's unarmed and barely a match for this giant alien fighter.

"Shiro, listen to me!" Keith yells. "This isn't real. This is just a memory. You're in the mindscape, you got stuck there after we defeated Zarkon, I'm here to get you out!" Still, Shiro doesn't seem to hear him. "Shiro!" Keith yells again, grabbing Shiro's shoulder.

Shiro's punch sends him flying back at least five feet, hitting the ground painfully as he lands. Horror spreads over Shiro's face immediately, but before he has a chance to get over to Keith, the alien hits him again and he falls.

"Shiro!" Keith screams. He unsheathes his Marmora knife and holds it steady in his left hand, then he throws himself at the alien. This might just be a memory, but he doesn't know if Shiro can still get hurt, so he's not taking any chances.

With the use of his bayard and his knife, it doesn't take Keith long to take down the alien. It's not a fair fight, but this isn't real anyways. He runs to Shiro as soon as the alien falls.

"Shiro, Shiro, listen to me, this isn't real," he begs, kneeling next to him. "This is just a memory, please, Shiro, we need to get you out of here, the others are waiting for you-"

"The others?" Shiro asks, his voice hoarse.

"Allura and Coran and Hunk and Pidge and Lance and even Slav, and the Lions are waiting too, I know the Black Lion wants you back, she needs you back, Shiro-"

"The Black Lion," Shiro repeats hazily. "Allura and Coran. Hunk and Pidge and Lance."

"Yes, Shiro, the other Paladins and the Lions-"

"I'm a Paladin of Voltron," Shiro says, his voice a little stronger. The arena around them starts to fade. "I'm a Paladin of Voltron."

"You're a Paladin of Voltron," Keith agrees. "We're both Paladins, and we need to get back to the others."

The arena disappears, and Shiro has his Galra arm again. "Keith," he whispers. "How did you get in here?"

"Slav and Pidge and Hunk built a gateway into the mindscape," Keith replies. "But I don't know how long it's going to stay open, so we need to be fast."

"Okay," Shiro agrees, letting Keith pull him upright. "Where's the gateway?"

Keith whirls around. "Oh no."

The mindscape is entirely featureless, with no way of knowing where he came from. Keith scrambles for his comm.

"Pidge! I got Shiro, but I don't know where the gateway is. Is there anything you can do on your side to help?"

"I can't see exactly where you are," Pidge says slowly, "but I can see how far away you are from the gateway. If you start moving, I should be able to tell you if you're moving closer or further away."

"So a game of hot and cold where the stakes are our lives?" Shiro asks.

"Oh my God, Shiro," Pidge gasps. Keith realizes this is the first time she's heard his voice since she disappeared. "I mean, yeah, pretty much. Hurry back, Keith, we're not sure how long we can keep the gateway open. Some of the energy readings are starting to fluctuate a little."

"We'll be as fast as we can," Keith replies. He looks at Shiro, then starts off in a random direction.

"Cold!" Pidge cries.

Keith tries another direction.

"Warmer!"

He turns a little bit more.

"Hot! Keep going that way!"

"I guess we're going this way," Shiro says, a slight smile on his face.

"Guess we are," Keith replies, and they both start to run.

Pidge directs them a bit more, but they mostly just run in a straight line. It takes a few minutes of running, but finally, Keith can see the gateway in the distance.

It seems to be flickering.

"Pidge, is the gateway stable enough for us to go through?" he demands.

"Yes, but be fast," Pidge replies. "It might not be for much longer."

By unspoken agreement, both Keith and Shiro speed up. They're running as fast as they can, and Keith is very glad there's nothing in their path that could trip them, and then finally, they're at the gateway.

"It's starting to break down!" Pidge yells, sounding panicked. "Hurry!"

"Go through!" Keith yells to Shiro.

"You first!" Shiro yells back.

Keith doesn't have time for this. "Together, then," he says, grabbing Shiro's hand. They look at each other for one moment, and then they throw themselves through the gateway and-

They're out.

Keith falls onto the floor, and Shiro crumples next to him, and there are hands reaching towards them and voices talking above them and none of that matters as much as the fact that Keith's hand is still clutching Shiro's.

He's out. Shiro's back.

Keith comes out of the cryopod earlier than Shiro does. Coran catches him this time. "Easy there, Number Four," he says, holding Keith up as he tries to get his legs steady under him. "Your quintessence was very unstable when you came out of the mindscape, and you had a couple of bumps and bruises, but the cryopod fixed all that up for you."

"What about Shiro?" Keith rasps.

Coran looks over at the cryopod next to the one Keith just got out of, where Shiro rests. "He should be fine, but he'll need to be in there a bit longer than you," he replies. "If you're feeling up to it, you can go join the others in the dining hall. It was getting very crowded in here, so I had to send them out."

Keith looks over at Shiro's cryopod again, torn. "Don't worry," Coran adds. "He's not going to come out for a while yet, and I'll be sure to call you all in with at least half a varga to spare. You came out a little earlier than I expected, so that's why no one's here yet. I won't make the same mistake with Shiro."

"Keep us updated," Keith replies. His legs are still a little shaky, but not so much so that he can't walk. He stops in his room quickly to get changed back into his clothes, then he goes to the dining hall.

"Keith!" four voices yell in unison, and then suddenly Keith is being bombarded by four figures all scrambling for a hug. He flails a bit, his legs not quite steady enough for this, but Hunk braces him from behind and Allura is squeezing him so tightly he's pretty sure she could hold him upright on her own without breaking a sweat.

"Can you guys let go?" Keith asks after about a minute of enduring the hug. Everyone obligingly releases him, but no one goes very far.

"We were so worried!" Allura cries. "Your quintessence was very unstable when you came out of the mindscape, and you've been in the cryopod for so long-"

"-And Coran kicked all of us out of the infirmary, so we've been stuck in here," Lance adds.

"Are you okay?" Pidge demands.

"I'm fine," Keith replies. "Coran says Shiro won't be out for a while, but he'll be sure to call us in early enough that we'll be there when he comes out of the cryopod."

Suddenly, there are arms around him again, and Pidge is hugging him so tightly Keith can barely breathe. "Thank you so much for getting him back."

"We all owe you a debt of gratitude," Allura agrees. "Without you, we never would have gotten Shiro back."

"You would have figured something out," Keith counters, a little uncomfortable with the praise. His voice comes out a little breathless. "Uh, Pidge, could you-"

"Oh, sorry." Pidge lets go and Keith feels his lungs expand gratefully.

"You hungry?" Hunk asks, shepherding him over to a chair. Keith sinks into it gratefully, still feeling a little shaky from the cryopod. Hunk doesn't wait for Keith to reply. "I'll grab you something," he says, bustling off into the kitchen.

"So what was the mindscape like?" Lance asks, sitting across from Keith at the table. Allura and Pidge settle into the seats at Keith's sides, looking at him with the same eagerness that's on Lance's face, albeit a bit more restrained.

"Empty, mostly," Keith replies. He's not going to tell the others about Shiro's memories. It's not his story to tell.

Hunk reenters the dining room and puts a huge bowl of food in front of Keith. "Well, I, for one, am terrified of this mindscape place," he announces as he sits next to Lance, "and if Yellow ever tries to send me there, I'll probably scream."

"Agreed," Lance and Pidge reply in unison.

"I imagine you're relieved to be flying the Red Lion again, Keith," Allura says. "Lance has already told us how much he misses Blue."

"Do you wish you could still fly a Lion?" Keith asks.

Allura shrugs. "It was quite exciting, but I think I can do more good from the Castle. Although I will miss my bayard. I'll have to get a new whip."

Allura is, quite frankly, terrifying with her whip, but Keith's found she's terrifying with most weapons, and also without them, when she wants to be. He's sparred with her a few times, and he's very glad they're on the same side.

"The Black Lion is amazing, but I will be glad to fly Red again," Keith says. His bond with Black is almost completely faded, but his bond with Red feels stronger now that Lance isn't trying to bond with her, and Keith can feel her purring. "I think she's glad too."

Lance scoffs. "She just doesn't know how to handle a pilot as amazing as me."

Red huffs in irritation. "She's offended," Keith tells Lance.

Lance sighs. "Okay, fine, I take it back."

"Eat your food, dude," Hunk tells Keith, reaching over and nudging him. "Shiro's gonna kill us if we don't make you take care of yourself."

Keith makes a face, but he knows Shiro will give him that disappointed face if he comes out of the cryopod and finds out that Keith hasn't been eating properly. He's so distracted by thoughts of Shiro that he barely tastes the food, which seems a disservice to Hunk's cooking, but Hunk just seems satisfied that he finishes it.

Allura and Lance strike up a conversation, with Hunk and Pidge joining in, but Keith doesn't speak. He's too focused on Shiro. He keeps prodding at his bond with the Black Lion, even though it's almost completely faded. He can still just barely feel her, though, and through the weak bond, she's sending him reassurances that Shiro is alright. The Red Lion is doing her best to reassure him too, feeling calmer than Keith thinks he's ever felt her before.

Then the message from Coran comes through the comms, and Keith scrambles out of his chair before the others have even moved.

"He shouldn't be out for another half a varga, but I thought it was better to call you in early, just in case," Coran says when they all skid to a stop in the infirmary. "The cryopod is fixing all the damage without a problem. He should be fine when he comes out."

"Oh, thank goodness," Allura sighs.

Now that it's so close, Keith can't sit still. He can see the others watching him pace, and he's pretty sure he's irritating them, but he can't stop. He knows Shiro's alright - he's the one who got him out, he's the one who's been seeing him this whole time, he's the one with a connection to Shiro's goddamn Lion - but he still can't shake the worry that something will go wrong.

His heart nearly stops when the cryopod starts to open.

Coran catches Shiro, just like he caught Keith. Shiro's eyes are wide and wild for a moment, then he seems to realize where he is.

"Shiro," Pidge whispers, and she throws herself forward, hitting Shiro hard in the torso and hugging him tightly. The others all swarm towards him too, but Keith holds back a bit. He's already seen Shiro, he's been seeing Shiro this whole time, and he should give the others a chance to reunite.

"Keith?" Shiro asks, looking at him over Pidge's shoulder.

"Get over here, you big emo idiot," Lance says, grabbing Keith's arm and yanking him into the group hug. Keith falls against Allura's back with a startled noise, but Lance and Hunk enfold him into the hug before he can move.

"Don't think you're getting away that easy," Lance says, sounding like he's smirking. Keith's a little worried he might cry if he tries to talk, so he stays silent.

Somehow, they all manage to get into the lounge without really letting go of each other. Everyone ends up in a pile with Shiro in the middle, babbling and chatting happily. Keith still hasn't said a word.

"Keith?" Pidge asks, nudging him. "You okay?"

Keith nods, blinking rapidly. It's not enough to mask the tears that are threatening to fall.

Pidge, to her credit, doesn't say a word. She just shifts over slightly, letting Keith wiggle closer to Shiro. With a bit of maneuvering, Keith ends up pressed against Shiro's side, his head on Shiro's chest.

Shiro looks down at him with a smile. "Hey, Keith."

Keith buries his face in Shiro's chest and finally, finally lets himself cry.

He must fall asleep, because when he next opens his eyes, the lights are dimmed and the others are scattered all around the lounge, sleeping. Shiro is still under him, a blanket covering both of them. "Hey," Shiro whispers when Keith's eyes open. "You feeling better?"

"Sorry I cried all over you," Keith whispers back, his voice little more than a croak.

"From what the others told me after you fell asleep, it sounds like you needed it," Shiro replies. "You were a good leader."

"Never make me do that again," Keith replies fervently.

"I'm sorry I put all of that on you," Shiro says, his hand gently running through Keith's hair. "It wasn't fair."

"It wasn't that," Keith counters. "I mean, I didn't like being the leader that much, but it wasn't that bad. The hard part was that you…"

"That I was gone," Shiro finishes softly when Keith's words fail him.

"Yeah."

"But you got me back," Shiro says, running his hand through Keith's hair again. "You got me out of there, Keith. And I swear to you, I'm going to do everything in my power to never leave any of you again."

"And if anything ever happens like this again, we'll get you back," Keith promises.

Shiro grins at him. "Between both of those, I don't think I'll ever get far."

"Good."

Shiro chokes back his laughter, trying not to wake any of the others. Allura rolls over, but no one else moves.

"The Black Lion really likes you," Shiro remarks offhandedly. "I don't think she ever wants me to leave her again either, but she liked having you as a pilot."

"Tell her I liked flying with her, but I'd rather you be her pilot," Keith replies. He thinks he feels a rumble of amusement from his bond with the Black Lion. "I think we're still bonded, just a little."

"She says you will be," Shiro agrees. "You two deepened your bond a lot to get me out, so it's not ever going to fully go away."

"I don't mind if she doesn't," Keith says.

Shiro grins. "I don't think she does."

Keith grins back. "Nah, I don't think she does either."

"And if anything ever happens to me again, the two of you will be able to find me," Shiro adds.

"Oh, believe me, we will."

Shiro chuckles. He looks around at all of the others, scattered around the room, and he sighs, leaning his head back on the couch. "I'm glad I'm back."

Keith nestles into Shiro's side, closing his eyes. "So am I."