Serendipity

A/N: Last chapter folks. Sorry I took so long, my life got a little hectic. I went on several camping trips, ended up in a car rollover (everyone's fine!), visited family and got my summer homework done! So now I have time to finish. Thank you to everyone who read this, I am so glad you enjoyed the series!

Lance felt as light as feather, hugging Allura, knowing that she was real, that they had come back. Pidge had joined in, and soon Hunk. Even Shiro, albeit not balling his eyes out like the rest, enveloped Lance in a warm embrace.

Tears fell and laughs abounded. Lance was safe, he wasn't alone, he could go home. They didn't hate him! The cared about him! And the Keith had showed up.

The thousand pounds that had been weighing Lance down before came crashing down upon him once more, and all the air in his lungs puffed out as Lance said one word.

"Keith."

After a great loss, after a difficult victory, after suffering extreme trauma, Lance wished life would give him a longer break. Not two hours. Not two days. Two years. Some serious time to pull himself together. Why did life always have to roll relentlessly forward? Why was every victory or defeat followed by new works and new problems?

Why was Keith here? Had the others forced him to come back? Hadn't Keith said that Lance was a monster? Why would he come back of his own free will if that was what he thought of Lance?

The other Paladins slowly, and uncomfortably, unraveled themselves and pulled away from Lance. He wished they wouldn't, he didn't know how to feel right now.

Keith just stared at the ground, and Lance at Keith. Both remained silent, the tension the air growing so taught, a single touch could make it snap.

Shiro placed a hand on Lance's shoulder, and leaned into (thankfully) Lance's right ear. "You should go talk to him, he's very sorry about what happened before." He whispered.

"I-I don't know if I can face him. Not yet." Lance croaked.

Shiro frowned, "You have to talk with him at some point Lance, it's hard to forgive others, but it's necessary. You can't live your life holding on to grudges, they'll only weigh you down."

Lance winced, "I know that, it's just...I'm not ready to forgive him, no, I don't think I can forgive him so soon after all….this. Just...give me a few days, please, Shiro?"

Shiro sighed, "Fine, I'll talk to him. Two days, that's as long as I'm giving you to think about it. After that, you and Keith need to talk, and if I need to make that happen, then so be it, got that?"

Lance nodded, "Clear as day, sir."

Shiro walked over to Keith, and whispered something in his ear. Lance watched, guilt gnawing at him, as Keith looked up at Lance in a sad form of horror, then turn around, and walked back towards Black without saying a word. He kept his fists clenched tight at his side, and his steps awkward and stiff.

Lance felt terrible, but what Keith had said to him was something that Lance would have a hard time getting over. Eventually, Lance would have to face Keith, this, he knew. But, at least he would have some time to think about it.

After many "I'm glad you're okay's" and "Thank heavens we found you's", the group split up and headed to the Lions. Allura and Keith with Shiro, Pidge and Hunk with Lance.

Lance didn't know what it was like for Shiro's group, but Pidge and Hunk spent the entire trip celebrating. Pidge stuck next to Lance like glue, and Hunk was listing off all the cool food he would try to make once they returned to the Castle-Ship. Including replica's of all of Lance's favorite Cuban delicacies.

After what seemed like minutes, but was actually hours, the group made it to the ship, where Coran was waiting for them. As soon as Lance was within his view, he rushed forward and pulled the Blue Paladin into a tight hug.

"Woah there Coran," Lance half laughed, half wheezed, "Watch the ribs bud." After Coran pulled away, Lance smiled, "Miss me much?" He joked.

Coran returned the smile, "You have no idea. Are you aware of how long you were down there?"

Lance pondered on the question, trying to assess just how long he had been prisoner, "Um...I'd say about...er, a two or three quintant's?"

Coran laughed, "Try six or seven my friend."

Lance stared at Coran, frozen in place, "That long?" He whispered.

Coran smiled comfortingly, "No worries Lance, you're home now, you're safe. How about we get you to a pod, eh? Those wounds look pretty nasty."

"They are." Lance replied. Everything hurt, and the world was beginning to spin around him. Black dots popped into view, and before Lance knew it, was falling to the ground, Coran catching him before he could add yet another injury to the already lengthy list.

Keith stared at the pod despondently. Inside, hidden behind a tinted glass, was Lance, still healing almost three days later. After Lance had passed out, Keith had volunteered to carry Lance over to the healing pods, and the others, pity in their eyes, quickly agreed. Keith didn't need their pity, no, he didn't deserve their pity.

Keith winced as he remembered Shiro talking to Lance, then coming over and whispering in his ear, "Not yet. He's not ready to forgive you. Just give him some time.". A burning, prickling sensation grew behind his eyes, but Keith pushed back.

Behind him, a doorway opened, and in walked Pidge. She reached up high, her tiny figure barely reaching his chest, and placed a slender hand upon his shoulder. "Keith? Hey bud, Shiro asked me to check up on you, you haven't eaten yet today, and you barely ate yesterday either. You need food, and rest. Your eyes are darker than space. You must take better care of yourself.

Keith remained silent, frozen in a state of overwhelming depression.

Pidge sighed, "I'll bring your dinner in here, but you better eat it, got that?"

No response.

Pidge walked away, and Keith clenched his fists. He wasn't hungry, and he wasn't tired. Keith, was determined. Determined to be there when Lance woke up, determined to apologise, to mend his relationship with Lance. It was all his fault. If Keith hadn't given into the sweet allure of the planet and lost control of himself, Lance might have never been captured. None of this would have happened, Lance would still be happy and annoying, he wouldn't have had to become cold, and cruel to protect himself. He wouldn't have those scars that would mark him as a victim for the rest of his life.

Lance had to pay the price for Keith's mistake, and Keith had repaid him by calling him a monster. Keith relaxed his hands and took a deep breath, continuing his endless watch over Lance's pod.

Lance was lost, somewhere in the dark. "Hello?" He called out, "Anyone there?". A bright streak of lightning struck right beside Lance, and he stumbled backward, screaming in fear. Another strike, and more and more. They kept coming, and Lance kept running. He checked behind him and ran right into someone else. He knew exactly who it was before he even saw her. He'd recognise that smell anywhere.

Homemade Pastelitos de Guayaba, tobacco leaves and violets. "Madre?" Lance stared up into the deep brown eyes of his mother, her tan skin was warm, as if she had just come in from off the beach, her chocolaty hair was spun into a bun to keep it out her face while she worked. Tears ran free down Lance's face as his mother pulled him into her arms and squeezed him tightly.

"Mi pequeño, todo crecido." She whispered, brushing his hair, "How you've grown, mi alma, mi vida, mi hijo."

"Are you real? Or is this just a dream?" Lance murmured.

His mother looked around, "I'm not sure son, For me, this is my dream, but perhaps dios decided to grant us both a blessing and dream of each other, either way, I am so glad I got to see your handsome face once more." She grabbed his chin and began turning his head, getting a good look at him. "You've changed hijo, what happened to you?"

Lance glanced down, "You'll never believe me madre."

"Por favor hijo, just tell me."

So Lance began at the very beginning, telling his mother of all his adventures, the scary ones, the fun ones, the ones that no-one knew quite how to describe. He gave her every minute detail, how he felt, what he thought, all right down to his latest adventure, with those horrible, hollow creatures, and how, he had been forced to kill them.

Lance broke down at that part, "Lo siento madre, I know how disappointed in me you must be."

"Disappointed? No mi cielito, I am proud of you. You are a hero, a...Paladin of Voltron."

"But-but madre, I-I killed people!"

"No, you saved them."

"What?"

Lance's mother smiled at him and squeezed him once more. "Think of it this way son, what would you have wanted if you were trapped in the last moments of death, in a never ending agony in a form that was not your own?"

Lance didn't even have to think about it, "I would have wanted to die."

"Exactly." His mother stared him straight in the eyes, "You saved those poor people, along with any other travelers who might have come across that planet. I am not disappointed hijo, I am proud of my little heroic boy." She ruffled his hair, "Now, about this friend who called you monster, does madre need to teach him a lesson?"

Lance chuckled, "No, he sent the ship back and tried to apologise."

His mother nodded, "Ah, then all es bueno, ¿sí?"

Lance shifted uncomfortably, "Not-not quite."

His mother frowned, "What do you mean?"

Lance sighed, "Madre, how do you forgive someone when they seem unforgivable? Is a 'sorry I called you monster and abandoned you' truly forgivable?"

His mother thought for a moment, "No, it isn't. But you know what hijo? Sometimes we must simply move on and forgive the ones who are past forgiveness. That is the only way to keep the world moving down the right path. We all make unforgivable mistakes, but if no one ever forgave, where would we be? You don't have to trust him, or call him a friend just yet. But forgive him. The poor boy seems terribly distraught about it, you should ease his pain, alright hijo?"

Lance smiled, "sí, madre." A flash of blue caught Lance's eye and he checked behind his mother to see Blue striding towards them.

His mother looked over her shoulder to see what Lance was looking at and noticed the large, metallic lion. "Seems like my time is up."

"What?"

His mother turned back to Lance, "That's one special creature hijo, it's what led me here."

"Blue?" Lance stared up at Blue, and rubbed his eyes, "Thank's blue," he whispered, "I needed this."

His mother gave him one last hug, "Te amo mi niño, sé valiente, sé fuerte y hazme sentir orgulloso."

"Yo también te amo mamá." Lance said, hugging her back. Then he watched, with both a sadness and a joy, as his mother walked away. "I'll see you soon." He whispered, just to himself, "I just gotta save the universe first." He looked up to see a bright white light coming down, and he opened his arms, and let it take control.

Keith had lost track of time, as bowls and plates full of food continued to gather around him. Everything was blurry, and fuzzy. The only clear thing in the room was the pod Lance was in.

And then, the pod began to open. Keith stood up straighter, everything coming back into focus. "Everybody!" He called out as loudly as he could, "He's waking up!" The pod finished opening and Keith reached out and caught Lance before he hit the ground.

Lance groaned and opened his eyes slowly, trying to focus. Someone was holding him. He stood up and stared right into the face of Keith. A fist of fear and hate gripped his heart, only to be loosened as he remembered the conversation he had had with his mom.

Lance noticed deep bags under Keith's eyes, and how thin Keith had become. Keith truly was depressed over this whole event, wasn't he? Lance smiled and placed a hand on Keith's shoulder, "Hey bud, what's up?"

Keith smiled, "Not too bad, how bout' you?"

Lance shrugged, "Could be a little better."

Keith's smile fell, "Listen, about what happened, I am so, so, so sorry. It was all my fault and-"

Lance held up his hand, "Whoa there, calm down man. It's ok."

"Wh-what?" Keith looked confused, "But, I abandoned you, left you to die, mocked you. It can't be alright?"

Lance just smiled, "It might never be alright, but we're friends. So I forgive you. It's all in the past, got it?"

Keith stared at Lance, stunned. Then slowly, he grinned and held out his hand to shake Lance's. "Deal."

Lance shook Keith's hand. "Now, I do believe we have a couple galaxies to save from the Galra, what'd'ya say we go out there and get to work?"

"Right behind you man."

And together, they walked out of the pod room to meet with their friends, who were waiting with smiles, laughter, hugs, and a bond that would never break again.

That's it folks. I'm done. I am so glad you all enjoyed the story, I hope you all have a grand day, and keep on smiling and moving on. In case you are interested in reading some of my original work, visit this website /series/Druid-Forest1

The story is about a boy named Ethan Peregrin, a lazy nobody, who meets a druid girl named Kit Sparen who tells him he is destined to be a hero of mankind (whether he likes it or not). But the price for saving the world may be a little higher than he's willing to pay...It's very sad. You should read it.