"Lanc…. wake up …. me buddy. Com….on Lance, open….. eyes." Lance can hear Shiro but it sounds like he's underwater. Are we swimming? He thinks but Blue's concern buzzes in his head and he knows that's not right. At this point he's starting to become aware, things are clearer he can hear Keith whispering that he's so sorry God is he sorry. That's weird Keith is never apologetic… Lance is still coming to and he feels so cold. He doesn't understand why but he knows he should probably open his eyes soon.

"Mm'c-cold" It comes out as a whisper, heavily slurred as he scrunches his eyebrows and shivers begin coursing through his body once more.

"Lance… please can you open your eyes?" Shiro sounds desperate now so Lance tries to do so. His eyelids are so heavy though. It takes a few tries but finally he's able to open his eyes halfway. Blue sends him her feelings of pride, giving him the encouragement he needs to stay awake. He then has the opportunity to take in his surroundings, he sees Keith and Shiro both in his line of vision. The look relieved to see his eyes but they are both ghostly pale. He realizes he's lying on the cold metal floor of Blue and he feels how much his whole body hurts every time he shivers. He's more lucid now and he remembers everything that has got him to this point. A whimper slips from his lips as his body racks with shivers causing white hot pain to shoot up through his side. His eyes screw closed as his breath hitches in his chest. Somebody drapes something over his body and he barely registers that it was Keith's jacket. He feels like he can't breathe. "Hey hey hey Lance it's going to be okay we really just need you to relax okay? I know it hurts bud, you're doing such a good job." He feels fingers gently carding through his hair, Keith he thinks. Tears sting the corners of his eyes from the pain he feels like his body is betraying him.

"M sorry" he slurs, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. He's not sure how much longer he can stay awake for. He is fighting the pain so hard trying to stay with Keith and Shiro. He wants to do what Shiro asked of him desperately fighting the exhaustion and the pain. His eyes drift open once more slowly and only halfway, but they're open. He makes eye contact with Keith, he wishes he could tell him how much he cares for him, or at least make a halfhearted joke about getting blood on Keith's favorite jacket but he can't find enough energy to do anything but keep his eyes open. He keeps his eyes on Keith as Shiro moves closer to his body.

"Shh Lance it's okay, you have nothing to be sorry for alright? I know this is sudden but I want to get you back to the Castle okay? We are too vulnerable out in the open." He then takes his eyes off of Lance and looks at Keith. "Keith? I need you to grab Lance and take him in Red. I'll follow behind carrying Blue with Black, are we clear? Pidge, Hunk? You guys still stay on high alert. We move in formation back to the Castle." Keith stared at Shiro with wide eyes and all he could do was send him a curt nod in response, too overwhelmed to do anything else as he heard the strained voices of his other teammates agreeing with the plan through the comms.

Keith as gently as he could manage tries to lift Lance up off the floor and attempt a bridal carry. The moment Keith gets Lance in a sitting position the Blue Paladin's eyes fly open for a split second before squeezing shut and he lets out the most horrible scream Keith has ever heard. Too late to turn back Keith quickly gets him off the floor and hurries as fast as his body will take him outside of Blue's cockpit and into Red's. For the duration of their short journey to Red, Lance is shaking harder than he was before and it has Keith hugging Lance as close to his body as possible trying to share as much of his warmth as he can. "Lance it's okay, I've got you. I'm so sorry." Keith is saying this on loop not quite sure if he is trying to convince Lance or himself. He lets out a sigh of relief as red opens her cockpit to him.

Lance feels Keith lower him to the floor as gently as possible. He doesn't want Keith to leave him so with what little energy he has left, he grips on the Keith's shirt and doesn't let go. In a small voice that doesn't sound at all like his own he whispers, "please don't leave me…" Keith looks him in the eyes for a second before responding with a slight nod. Keith must have communicated with Red that she'll have to take over piloting for the trip back to the Castle because Red starts to lift off the ground gently without so much as a word.