By the time I reach Arus, I can barely see and my ribs are cheerfully informing me that at least one of them was broken, and two more cracked. The last time I hurt this bad, I was in a Doom dungeon with a nice new brand on my arm. Damn Kogane, anyway.

Sven and Allura are waiting in the hangar when I drop the Fractal with a clumsiness I would curse a first year cadet for. Almost before the gear touches the ground, my Norwegian brother is in the cockpit, cursing in his native tongue as he gets a good look at me. "Come, min bror. Let's get you to your room. Ve'll get you cleaned up, get Dr. Gorma to look at you, und you can rest."

I don't have the energy to protest that I'm fine—especially since I know I'm not—and I'm definitely not too proud to accept Sven's steadying arm when my overly abused right knee gives out on me. I do protest, though, when he takes most of my weight on his shoulder. "Wait, what about your back? Sven!"

"Hush yourself, Lance." Sven doesn't break stride, walking through the hangar as Allura falls in beside him. "I am fine; you are not. Und ve are here already." He gently settles me on my bed and eases my boots off; Allura excuses herself to get Gorma. Once she leaves, I get my uniform off with a little pain and WAY more help than I'd like to need from Sven. He checks me over when I'm down to my shorts. "Mostly bruises, I tink, though your ribs und dat knee are bad." He disappears into my bathroom, returning with a couple of damp towels and starting to clean me up. I just watch, too tired and sore to protest, and besides . . . it's Sven. He's been my brother since day one at the Academy. I trust him above pretty much the entire damned universe.

"Yeah, lost a tooth, too," I sigh, shifting to a less uncomfortable position. "At least Keith's as bad off as I am." The adrenalin is totally gone now; I'm exhausted, and everything HURTS. "He's . . . he's changed, Sven. He was so cold, and absolutely obsessed with the fact that I slept with Allura."

"Such a mess," Sven sighs, finishing his work and sitting in my desk chair. "He does not vant her, but now he decides no von else can haf her eiter? Und to fight you over it. . ." Before he can continue his thought, Allura comes back with Gorma to look me over.

"Well, Commander . . . you have two cracked ribs, one broken one, your knee is badly sprained, but other than that, mere bruising," the doctor finally says in his formal manner. Three years, and he STILL refuses to use any of our first names. "I will tape your ribs and wrap your knee; I also have a mild sedative for you; the best thing for you is rest."

I hate being doped up; any pilot does, but the Force is worse than most. Right now, though, all I want to do is sleep, and I know I'll never be able to without help. "All right, Doc; do your worst," I sigh, physically and mentally more wrung out than I've been in a very long time. Gorma nods and goes to work, patching me up with his usual gentle thoroughness while Sven and a teary Allura watch. As soon as he finishes and withdraws the needle from my arm, Allura's on my bed, holding my hand in both of hers. Sven and Gorma smile at me behind her, and slip from the room with a quiet promise to check in later. I barely nod, then turn my attention to Allura. "I'm all right, sweetheart. I've had worse, I promise."

Delicate fingers trace the bruise on my cheek. "I know. But not from . . . HIM. Why, Lance? After all this time, why? And why hurt you? I thought—I thought he'd be happy for us!"

"Honey, I wish I knew." I turn my head to kiss her fingertips. "I never expected it from him either. He's . . . changed." Gorma's drugs are starting to work; I'm not going to be awake much longer. "C'mere, Princess; lay down by me? Gonna sleep now, don't wanna be 'lone." She hesitates for a moment, then slides down gingerly beside me, carefully draping her arm across my waist.

"Sleep, Lance. We'll figure things out later." She barely finishes the sentence before I'm absolutely gone.

When I wake up again, sunlight's pouring into my room, Allura's gone from my bed, and Sven's sitting at my desk watching me. "How long?" I croak, managing to sit up as he hands me a thermal mug of thrice-blessed coffee.

"About eighteen hours, min bror. How are you feeling?"

I shrug as best I can. "Knee hurts, ribs are a bitch . . . I'll live otherwise. Where's Allura?"

"Talking to Vade, spinning him a tale of you taking a beating from one of his Arusian detractors." Sven almost smiles. "She could charm de birds from de trees vhen she vants to."

I have to laugh, much as it hurts. "She damned sure can. Charmed us into forgetting why we were sent here." Time to get serious. "Do we know how Keith got into the Castle?"

"Of course. He IS still captain of de Voltron Force, und de security codes haf not been changed. He chust valked right in." Sven runs a weary hand through his hair. "Vhich is something you und Allura need to talk about, I tink."

"Of course he did. And we do." I close my eyes and groan, cursing Charles Herbert Wade, Keith Akira Kogane, and anyone else I can think of.

Sven stands slowly. "I must go take my meds and lie down, min bror; de veather is changing. Gorma vill be here soon, und Allura; do you need anyting?"

"Yeah, much as I don't want to ask." I'm on fire from blushing, but I don't have a choice. "Gorma would make me use a bedpan, no way in hell am I going to ask Allura. So, you get to help me go pee."

He chuckles as he helps me stand without putting weight on my fucked up knee. "So long as you do not expect me to hold your kuk. I love you, min bror, but I have limits."

"So do I. You are SO not my type, Viking." I glare at him, and he laughs all the way to the bathroom, leaving me at the door to do my business in private before helping me hobble back to bed.

Gorma comes in as Sven slips out, checking me over and admonishing me to stay in bed as much as possible. After offering pain meds, which I decline, he leaves and I close my eyes, still worn out from the fight. As I'm dozing off, I hear light footsteps and smell a distinctive perfume. "Hello, sweetheart. Everything go OK with Wade?"

"Yes, he's proud of you, actually; nearly made me vomit." Allura perches on the side of my bed, and I open my eyes as she smooths my hair back. "My poor, gallant, knight," she says softly. "Lance . . . what are we going to do about Keith? He was in the Castle, he did this to you . . ."

"Shhh. . . .I told you, I'll be fine."I reach up and take her hand, wincing at the motion. "Call Pidge, get him to reprogram the access codes so Keith can't get back in, and tell him why. He and Hunk should know."

"I will. Rest now; I'll stay with you." She pulls her datapad from her pocket and starts working, idly humming some song I don't recognize. I want to watch her, talk to her, just . . . be with her. I know my time's limited. But the body's had enough, and doesn't care what I want. Allura's song follows me into blessed oblivion.