The sentinel's footsteps reverberated down the passageway, growing louder as they marched nearer. One, two, one two. Shiro tapped his finger to the pattern. He felt the sweat bead along his skin under his armor as he waited for them to pass. There—the way was clear.

He reached and found Princess Allura's arm next to him. "This way," he murmured. With a tug he pulled her after him and they darted out, down the passageway.

They dodged and evaded the marching guards; with each pair they passed, an uncomfortable feeling grew inside him. This was when they'd be caught. Surely they would be discovered. The guards would hear them, turn and see them, and both he and Princess Allura would be captured. Shiro would become a prisoner again, but the worst part was that this time the Princess would as well.

But they weren't caught. They slipped into the access room unseen, and the sentinels who had been working there were taken out and on the floor almost before Shiro knew what he was doing. (How…how had he taken them out? Never mind, there wasn't time.) While he set to work connecting Pidge to the information on the computers, the Princess stood watch at the door. Shiro worked rapidly, frantically at the screens, and his pace only picked up when he became aware of the guard talking with the Princess at the doorway.

Everything was going so well, just according to plan, right up until the alarm went off.

There were shouts and scuffling behind him. Shiro knew the guard was pulling out his weapon, and that Princess Allura was diving for the control to shut and lock the door. Both moved quickly—but the guard was quicker.

Princess Allura cried out, and Shiro spun around to see her falling backwards as the door finished shutting.

"Allura!"

He ran and dropped to his knees beside her, reaching to support her back. Her hands clutched at her left shoulder, and she grimaced with each movement. Gently, he pulled her hands away to look at the wound. The blaster had burned through the armor, showing burned, bleeding flesh underneath.

(This isn't what happened. She didn't get shot. This isn't what's supposed to happen.)

"It hurts," the Princess gasped. Even through the dark purple of the Galra disguise, Shiro could see how pale her face had become.

"I know, I know it hurts. You'll be okay, though, it's not that bad. We just need to get you back to the castle."

But there was pounding at the door behind him; more guards had arrived, and they were working to get inside.

"You—you have to get out of here," Allura said. "Leave me."

"What? It's only a shoulder wound! Why would I leave you behind?"

"Shiro, I don't—"

"No! I'm not leaving you!"

(But he did. He left her.)

Shiro jerked his head, trying to shake the thoughts away. "No," he murmured. "I didn't want to—I would have stayed."

He wouldn't leave her this time.

"Please, Princess—Allura. You have to stand up. We can get out of here, trust me. I'll get you out of here."

He was still trying to help her rise, trying to make her see that he refused too leave her behind, when he woke up.

A jerk shuddered through his body, and he felt it pull him away from Allura's wounded body and into his own dark room in the castle. Shiro lay there in his bed, stiff and frozen, for what felt like an eternity. When his breathing began to slow, he found himself able to move. He shook his head on the pillow to clear the images and sensations from his mind, and dug his fingers into the sheets.

The room felt closed up, tight, caging. Throwing off his sheets and blanket, he left the room. The hall was comfortably cool on his sweat-coated skin. He was halfway to the kitchen before he realized where he was going, and had to halt, unsure what he would do once he got there. Before he had taken another step, Princess Allura suddenly appeared at the other end of the hallway. When she paused, Shiro knew she had caught sight of him.

He opened his mouth to greet her, but found his throat had dried up.

"Shiro," she said, continuing towards him. "I hope I didn't wake you. I've been busy adjusting a few of the castle's systems, and hadn't noticed how late it had become."

She waited, surely expecting a response. Shiro swallowed, unsure what to say.

The Princess's expression shifted into something curious and a little concerned as the silence lengthened. She peered at his face and Shiro realized, with a start, that he had been staring at her.

"Are you alright, Shiro?" the Princess asked.

"I—" Shiro swallowed again, heavily. "I'm fine. Just…still a-a little asleep."

She looked skeptical.

"I'm fine," he repeated. "I'm just going to get water. Goodnight."

He made to move past her. Princess Allura placed a flat hand on his chest and pushed him back to stand still.

"You're soaked with sweat, and your face looks whiter than your hair," she observed. "Clearly, you are not fine. What is it? If something is wrong, your team needs to know."

Shiro opened his mouth, to dismiss her again. He slammed his mouth shut again when met with Allura's stern, commanding gaze.

After a moment, he quietly admitted, "It was only a nightmare."

"Oh," Allura said.

There was another silence, and this one somehow felt more awkward than the previous.

"Well," Allura started slowly, "…that's nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has nightmares, even those who haven't…gone…through the—the trauma you have. It's—it's natural that you would have them—I'm sure—I know…being a prisoner of Zarkon, and having been forced to fight in the arena, would have left scars for anyone—"

"No," Shiro interrupted. "It wasn't that, Princess." Although he wasn't free from nightmares about those times, either. Reluctantly, he searched for the words to explain.

He said, "You and I were aboard the Galra warship, getting the information for Pidge. But it was different. You…were injured. You wanted me to leave you behind, but I couldn't—not again, not with you hurt. And they were outside the door. They were going to capture us both, and I wouldn't be able to save you."

He sucked in a breath, trying to calm himself; the air left him in a shudder. He could feel the Princess staring at him. Nervously, he looked up to meet her gaze. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was open.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It was just a dream, and I'm keeping you from getting rest. I'll—"

"Shiro…"

He felt her hand rest on his arm.

There was a soft expression in her eyes, and her mouth wore a reassuring smile. "It's alright. I'm here now, aren't I? And I'm not wounded."

Shiro nodded.

"Well, then," Allura said. "I was actually just thinking I'd like something warm to drink before I head to bed. Since we're both up, perhaps you'll join me? You could show me how to make that 'hot chocolate' Lance has been telling me about?"

A small smile turned up Shiro's mouth. "Sure, Princess."

A/N: This was written back in May for the birthday of Aceofstars16 on Tumblr, because I know she loves her some Shallura. I have to give lots of thanks to Maysartcorner (also on Tumblr) for beta-reading this and staying up late with me rewatching the episode this is inspired by so that I could better write the dream sequence.

I wanted to write the hot chocolate scene, but like I said above, I don't personally ship these two. So I didn't feel like I could write a happy shippy scene for them and do it justice.

Anywho. Reviews would be appreciated! I have a few more Voltron fics I'm working on, so I'd love any feedback that could help me improve for those.