Epilogue

Allura took a deep breath. She looked out the windows. All her anxiety, fear and concern had built up to this single moment. The vessel had docked at an enormous cargo junction. Hundreds of other vessels were docking on all different levels and crew members came and went in a frantic rush to keep on schedule while cargo was transferred. Allura waited patiently. Nervously.

She physically felt the moment that the transport decompressed and the hatch doors opened. A hollow, mechanical sound ran the length of the ship as all the exterior doors and hatches released their emergency seals. Lotor stood tensely at her side, waiting for the main doors to open. She glanced over her shoulder and looked up at him. The moment was upon them and she waited to see his reaction.

He glanced down as soon as he felt her eyes on her and his jaw tensed. An unreadable emotion flickered across his eyes before disappearing completely when the main doors unlocked. He gestured for her to go first and watched with a strange wistfulness as she quickly bounded off the ship, looking around eagerly for her companions. Relief flooded her to a capacity that nearly made her giddy. He did keep his word!

Allura caught sight of her commander far before he saw her. Her body collided with his and her arms wrapped around his shoulders just as he realized who was assaulting him. Keith's arms were strong and fierce around her body in return, his head bowed low over hers. Neither said anything to each other, but a chorus of "Princess!" rose up behind them when the other Space Explorers realized she had been found.

Keith exhaled into her hair, his arms tightening around her and pulling her even closer.

"I thought you were lost," he whispered into her ear. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." Allura startled, surprised by the unusual affection from her commander. She smiled awkwardly and gave his shoulders a squeeze before trying to step back. With reluctance, he released her as if afraid she would disappear again.

Allura smiled up at her comrades as they circled around her excitedly. She wrapped her arms around Lance for a quick hug.

"Careful Hunk!" Allura cried out worriedly as her tank of a co-pilot went to lift her into the air. "It still hurts some," she admitted sheepishly. Hunk murmured and apology and settled for a shoulder hug.

"Where are the people who helped you? I want to thank them," Keith said after the commotion died down.

"I'm not so sure that you do," Allura muttered under her breath.

"Of course I do. They saved your life. They did what I should have been able to do but couldn't," he looked at her fiercely, a sense of pride on his face. "At the very least I want to shake their hand. I owe them that much."

Allura's face strained into a false smile as she tried to imagine Keith giving Lotor a hug.

"I'm sure they're busy getting ready for relaunch," she said tensely. "Don't worry, I made sure to let them know how grateful I was. We can send them a fruit basket once we get back to Arus," she supplied quickly as Keith started to scan the people running around.

The bustling center was full of mostly uniformed, non-military personnel as they hauled cargo or moved briskly to their next station. The Voltron force was gathering some attention as some of the tradesmen recognized the fighting force's bright uniforms. Some waved, some saluted, others just pointed the party out to the person they were walking next to.

"I just want to see, just a moment," he continued to scan as Allura shifted uncomfortably.

"Princess, what are you so worried about?" Pidge's voice piped up as Allura tried to lead Keith to where the lions were docked.

"How's Blue Lion?" She changed the subject quickly, tugging on her commander's hand.

"Princess, why are you so-" When Keith stopped talking suddenly, Allura just sighed and gave up and dropped his hand. He knew.

"You have got to be kidding me," he choked out. Allura glanced up to look in the direction Keith was staring. As she predicted, Lotor, Haggar and Tiken had disembarked and lingered near the hatch as if discussing where they were headed next. Keith leveled Allura with a look. "Tell me it wasn't him."

The princess only shrugged helplessly at him in response. Keith cursed and turned. His hand hovered over his pistol as he marched swiftly toward the three loitering Drules.

"Keith, don't!" Allura called after him, her hands coming to cover her mouth in alarm. Lance placed a hand on her shoulder to keep the princess from rushing after the commander.

Lotor turned as Allura's voice echoed across the large room. He had expected the Voltron Force would have carted the princess off after a brief welcome and instead he found the commander himself storming toward him.

Tiken drew his saber and Lotor just nudged him lightly.

"Put it away. If this escalates, he is mine to deal with," he murmured quietly to his entourage.

"Sire," Tiken responded and sheathed his weapon. "Would you like me to go back on the vessel and get the-"

"Yes," he instructed. Tiken nodded and bowed before his prince before reboarding the trade vessel behind them.

Keith came to stand in front of Lotor and Haggar and glared at both of them.

"I get it now. I absolutely understand what happened. You take a cheap shot at her so you can be her hero," he ground out between clenched teeth. Lotor startled, but waved Haggar off as the witch began to speak. Keith continued. "She could have died."

"Yes, she could have," he responded dangerously. Both men were tense and itching to draw their weapons, but they continued to use restraint in the busy harbor.

"I can't believe you would sink that low to orchestrate this whole thing," he continued to seethe at the prince. "A lot of my questions are now answered," he added, beginning to calm down. "But two remain. Why did you bring her back?"

"Her injuries will require further care. It's not something that can be easily handled on Castle Doom," Lotor explained dismissively. Keith missed the confused look Haggar gave her prince. Fury rolled off the commander as he glared at the man he felt responsible for Allura's dangerous condition.

"Keith!" The princess's strained voice from the background caught his attention. Lotor glanced up, surprised by the concern on Allura's face. "Just stop it!" Keith's face remained impassive until she pleaded gently. "Please." Lance was holding her arm as firmly as he could without hurting her. He was afraid she would run right back into Lotor's grasp and he would change his mind.

"Princess," he murmured as his demeanor softened.

"I want to go home now," she said gently. "Can we?"

Keith just sighed again and shook his head once. He glanced back to Lotor with a bitter look.

"For someone you claim to love-"

"Keith." Allura's quiet voice sounded by his side. His head snapped over to look as the princess came to stand beside him before the Drules. She shook her head once. "It's not like that. Let's go home. I'll explain on the way, okay?" Keith shot Lance a wary look and the carefree pilot just shrugged.

"What? She was going to slap me! I didn't want that," he explained while hooking his thumbs through his belt loops. Lotor had to fight the chuckle that blossomed from within.

"Thank you both, and please tell Tiken- Oh!" Allura stopped mid-sentence as the man in question appeared.

"I went back to fetch this. It was left on the dresser in your room," he said, holding out the damaged pink helmet. Allura took it gently between her hands, running her gloved fingers over the deep scratches in the side and the crack across the visor. She could feel Keith stiffen in horror beside her.

"Thank you," she said genuinely, tracing the crack along the glass visor. She glanced to Keith's pale face. "Don't look like that. It's why we were helmets." She nodded and tucked the damaged headwear under her arm and looked back to the prince.

"Thank you, again. For everything," she smiled genuinely to him before shifting her gaze to Haggar. "You know, if you ever decided to use your magic for good, you would be incredible with it," she said playfully. Haggar let out a dark cackle in response.

"I think it is beyond that time for me, dearie. " She shook her cloaked head and patted the princess on the hand. "Mind the wound. It's on the mend now, but nothing strenuous for the next few days." Allura nodded at the witch's advice before looking to Tiken.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Tiken. I hope I don't see you again next across the battlefield," she said earnestly. He nodded once and bowed before her. She gave a smile to the trio before turning to Keith. "I'm tired. Let's go back to Arus now." She turned and began making her way toward the rest of the Voltron Force. Keith cast Lotor one last, suspicious look before following behind the princess.

Lotor watched as the five made their way down the corridor to another docking platform. As they disappeared from sight, Lotor lingered. Haggar tossed him a speculative look, but he missed it as he made his way to one of the large pane windows overlooking the sky outside.

"What's he waiting for?" Tiken looked to Haggar. The witch just nodded.

"We'll just give him a minute. Did you send the transmitter for the coffin ships?"

"Yes, they are docked on level B, waiting for us. Why did he let their commander make those assumptions? None were correct," Tiken inquired. He glanced back to his prince. Lotor let out a low exhale as four lion ships launched from level D and made their way back to Arus. Once the feline warships had become pinpricks of light in the distance, Lotor finally turned away from the glass.

"Your guess is as good as mine on that," she admitted dryly as the prince approached them again.

"Are the ships ready?"

"Yes, Sire," Haggar said. "Up a flight deck." Lotor just nodded quietly.

"Let's go," he said sharply, his face once more becoming an impassive mask of arrogance that everyone was familiar with.

Haggar and Tiken followed suit, the three boarding the private vessels to take them back to Planet Doom. As he settled into the coffin ship and programmed the flight course, he let his mind wonder. He worried about Allura's injuries, but Haggar had assured him they would be fine. He wondered what she must think of him. Coward? Weak?

He sighed as the hum of the vessel surrounded him. No, he reminded himself. Those are things another Drule would think. Not her. His lips curled into a smirk as he realized Haggar had been right the entire time – despite returning to Doom without her, he far closer than he had ever been before to winning her hand. That alone was worth any hell that was waiting for him from his father. He chuckled softly to himself and relaxed for the rest of the voyage.

Yay I completed it! This wasn't ever intended to be a stand alone chapter, but there were some loose ends to tie up. Thank you for following it all the way through! Please leave a note - liked it, didn't like it, etc. I like hearing what did/didn't work. Sorry for the delay in tying this up, I have another project in the works that has been catching my attention. Stay tuned!