Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron or any of its characters.

Rating/Setting: Rated T for mild swearing and some violence. Setting is DotU.

Author's Notes: Well, we have come to the end of the story. For some of you it worked, for some of you it may have been too simplistic. But I hope that for all you read it to the end, that you enjoyed it flaws and all. ;-D

Chapter Nine

Keith woke up on his cot and checked the time. His internal clock had woke him up saying it was time to get ready for Lion practice. Gathering his things from beside the cot, he glanced over to see Lance was still sleeping. Of course, Lance wasn't the early riser that Keith was, so once again, he'd probably cut it close to being late for practice. It had been eight weeks since the incident that had hospitalized him. Ever since he had been released, he and Lance had been roommates - once it was determined that the drugs were completely out of their systems. It seemed that the team was concerned about their mental state, even though they were both seeing the psychiatrist that Dr. Gorma had brought in from the southern province. So to appease everyone, they had agreed to this. One week Lance slept on a cot in Keith's room and the next Keith did the same in Lance's room. They had alternated every week and this was the last one.

Taking one last look around the room, he headed out for his own room down the hall to shower and dress. It had been reminiscent of their Academy days where they had shared a room, but they were grown men now who liked having their space. Lance also told Keith that it had put a real big damper on his love life. He smiled thinking about that comment but then his smile faded. Lance's comment had been mostly bluster a few weeks ago, as on more than one night Keith had had to awaken him from a nightmare. When he woke up, he would breathe rapidly and look Keith over for some imaginary wound and then collapse back against the pillows when he saw Keith was fine. He hadn't had one of those nightmares in two weeks, which is why they were going back to solo bunking. Now Keith's nightmares were more silent and he had rarely caused Lance to awaken. The nightmares were not of the beating he took from Lance but of Allura and the forced kiss… and the thoughts that he had had of doing more when he was in that drugged state. He didn't have the nightmares often, but they were still there. Keith had told the psychiatrist of Allura's request for a kiss. Due to the doctor/patient confidentiality, he felt safe doing so. The doctor had indicated that granting the princess' request might help ease his nightmares even more by replacing those unwanted mental images with pleasant real ones.

Today was the day that he would create those pleasant images.

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Allura was a little frustrated as she returned from morning Lion practice to shower and change. It had been eight weeks, eight weeks since Keith's injury andover a month since his release from the medical wing. Not once had he tried to be alone with her or try to kiss her. In fact, one of the rare times they had been alone, she had tried to kiss him and he had put a finger on her lips and said, "Not yet." The wait was torturing her.

Entering her room, she walked to her vanity table that was neatly arrayed with various cosmetics, brushes, and a vase of flowers. She pulled the pin to release her hair from its confining bun and shook it free so that her blonde curls tumbled around her shoulders. It was as she dropped the pin in a tray that she noticed the flowers in the vase were not the same ones from this morning. These flowers were her favorite. The ones that grew on the cliff side and were hard to pick. A white envelope with her name on it was propped against the crystal vase. Sinking down to the bench in front of the vanity, she reached out to take the note. The handwriting was scratchy and she knew it was Keith's. While he would never win any awards for penmanship, he knew how to make a girl feel special. She opened the note and read:

"Allura,
I know that you've been impatient with me and the fulfilling of my 'obligation.' But I think you know that it isn't any obligation for me.

Meet me at the balcony at 12:00.
Keith"

Holding the note close to her breast, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She noticed the sparkle in her eyes and the joy in her smile. Today was the day. Her eyes widened as she looked at herself. Oh! What would she wear?! Jumping up from the vanity, she rushed into her dressing room to start her search.

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Promptly at 12:00, Allura walked onto the balcony overlooking Castle Lake. There could be no doubting that this was the balcony he was talking about. She looked out across the lake to Black Lion and closed her eyes.

From an alcove, Keith watched Allura walk out onto the balcony. After some time on the balcony, he planned to take her out for a picnic. He had wanted to go horseback riding or out in a rowboat, but the doctor had said to wait a few more weeks for those activities. So he was limited to kissing and a picnic. Smiling to himself, he decided he could live with that. He walked over to the balcony door and saw her standing near the rail. She was wearing a blue sundress, a lightweight yellow sweater, and white sandals. "Beautiful."

Allura's head snapped around. "Keith!" She saw that he was dressed casually as well, wearing jeans and a pale yellow tee shirt. Her heart skipped a beat as her desire to be held by him became almost overwhelming.

Walking up so that he was an arm's length away, he repeated his compliment. "You look beautiful, Allura."

Suddenly, she was shy and she didn't want to be. "Thank you, Keith." It came out sounding formal and she bit her lip.

He laughed at her and smiled, "Where's the Allura that has tried to kiss me several times?" His voice softened, "You haven't changed your mind have you?"

She saw his eyes searching hers and knew that he was reliving that awful kiss. He doubted that she wanted this. Reaching out a hand, she laid it on his chest and she could feel that his heart was beating as rapidly as hers. "I haven't changed my mind at all. In fact, I want a kiss from you more than anything."

Not breaking eye contact, he moved closer with one arm going around her to rest on the small of her back.

Allura's breathing was rapid and she felt on fire from the touch of his hand along her back. Melting against him, she moved a hand from his chest to his face.

The feel of Allura in his arms was more intoxicating than he had imagined. Her hand on his chest sent little tongues of flame into his skin. When she moved her hand from his chest to his face, his lips parted as his breathing became more ragged. Things didn't improve as her gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips and her fingers followed suit.

Taking her finger, she ran it back and forth along his lower lip mesmorized at the sensations coursing through her blood. Allura felt like every nerve ending in her body was electrified.

Keith let out a low moan at the torture she was putting him through without even knowing it. He had wanted to be soft and gentle with her since the last kiss was nothing like that. But the sensual feelings he was currently having wouldn't allow for it if he didn't do soemthing himself. Reaching up, he gently took her hand and guided it to his neck. He felt her fingers on his bare skin, tracing fire along his skin as her hand made it's way into his hair. Keith could feel her urgency as she gently pulled at his hair, trying to bring his lips down to hers. But he wasn't ready yet, he would torture her as she had him. Looking at her lips, he watched as they opened and her tongue moved across her lower lip. Tracing her lower lip with his finger, he planned to delay the kiss. Then sensually, her tongue darted out to lick his finger. That was it, his control broke and he could only pray that the sensations he generated with this kiss would be far different from those of the last one. Moving his hand from her face to the back of her neck, he let her pull his head down to her lips.

Allura felt him finally give in to her pull and when their lips met, it wasn't with any of the pressure of anger or possession that had filled their previous kiss. This was one full of mutual passion and love. Her lips were already open when they touched and his opened with the invitation of hers. This was no chaste kiss from the beginning and that satisfied both of them.

Pulling back a little, Keith looked into her eyes and saw his emotions reflected back at him. Letting out a low growl he leaned into her for a second kiss filled with passion to match the first one. Kissing Allura could become quite an addiction he decided as he moved his mouth from her lips to the side of her throat.

Her lips parted with a moan as her fingers entwined in his hair. These kisses were so different from that first kiss; these made her want more, so much more.

In between kisses, Keith looked once again into her eyes and saw the mirror of what he felt -love. That was what he saw. That and desire. He made a decision then, he would give into the love and the desire he felt for her. She had seen him at his worst - filled with an unnatural and unwarranted jealousy. In spite of it, she still loved him for who he really was. The battle between him and the expectations of those who expected a royal suitor would be large and unpleasant at the least. And as he gave in to the temptation of her lips yet again, he knew that the fight for her hand would be worth it.