Pidge tried to hold back tears as the other paladins arrived, Shiro bringing with him her father and her brother.

"I don't know about Mrs Holt--"

"Coleen son, she hates formalities." Sam grimaced as Matt nodded along from beside Shiro. Said boy was as close to his teammate as it was physically possible to be without actually touching him.

"Coleen;" Shiro corrected himself, before forging on.

"but Katie is..." Here he trailed off, looking over to Pidge who was still huddled in Keith's arms, who was beginning to look just a little uncomfortable with the situation. 

Shiro wondered how long their youngest two paladins had been up, and if Keith had even attempted to sleep in the first place. Somehow, Shiro didn't think so. Then again, no one really had a normal sleep cycle on the ship anyway, and he himself couldn't really talk.

Hunk stepped up and gently pulled Pidge from Keith's arms, allowing the girl to hide her face as he folded his arms around her. After all, he prided himself of being the team's emotional support- the Leg. Good hugs were just part of the job description.

"Keith? What is it?" Allura asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"Pidge needs us," Lance deadpanned, shrugging his shoulders. "and it's not like Keith can help- He's emotionally constipated." 

"Shut your quiznak." Keith growled, folding his arms.

"I don't think you're using that word correctly." Lance retorted. 

Pidge giggled- it was wet sounding and mildly hysterical- but she giggled. Lance beamed, and Hunk gave him an approving look. Pidge pulled back from Hunk's arms, and she turned, freezing at the sight of her brother and father.

Matt stared, forehead creased, trying to remember something long forgotten in his time as a Galra prisoner. He remembered stormy nights, and blanket forts. A small child curled in his arms as thunder roared from outside shaking windows. 

Before he really knew what was happening he was walking forward, staring intently at the green paladin.

"Katie?" He asked cautiously. He wanted to believe it, wanted to believe that his little sister was here, and that it was she that had rescued them. 

Pidge nodded, not breaking eye contact, hands beginning to shake as hope, fear, and self-hatred flickered through her eyes. It was only Lance who noticed the last two. For some reason, Pidge was scared. Lance watched as Matt took a step forward, only for Pidge to take a step back.

"Katie, what is it?" Sam asked, placing a steadying hand on his confused and hurt son's shoulder. Lance watched as Pidge turned to Keith, who frowned at her. Lance shot the red paladin an angry glare. How dare he make Pidge feel worse than she already did? 

He was about to give him a piece of his mind but Coran gave a minute shake of his head, and Lance closed his mouth.

"Pidge thinks we hate her because of the last mission." Keith explained monotonously.

"What!? But you saved all the prisoners!" Lance shouted, whirling around to face their youngest paladin in disbelief. Pidge seemed to shrink in on herself, shivering as she stared down at the blood that still stained her hands, blood she couldn't seem to wash off. 

A set of hands, one metal and one flesh grabbed hers, covering the blood splotches. She tried to pull away. Why would somebody want to touch her murderous palms?

"Pidge, look at me? Please?" Pidge couldn't bear the sound of Shiro's quiet and pained plea, and complied. 

Her eyes connected with the darker, more haunted pair of her leaders, no words being said as understanding and compassion reflected from them. 

Pidge sank into Shiro's arms, feeling the warmth and love that he seemed to emit from his very core for her, no for all of them. She felt other arms encircle the pair, joined by a tentative hand on her back. It's presence was familiar from the past hours spent crying into the chest of it's owner.

Pidge raised her head, borrowing strength from her fellow paladins in the group hug, Keith just off to the side, hand firmly between her shoulders. 

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face her brother and father, hanging back from the paladins.

She took a step forward, and her father held his arms up hesitantly, unsure of himself. He had, after all, been gone for quite a while. 

Pidge smiled and threw herself at her father, catching her brother's hand and pulling him into the embrace as well. 

She had finally found her family. 

They were with her. And they would remain with her as she and her second family defended the universe. They would remain with her as they attempted to beat the Galra in the hopes that one day, when the universe no longer needed them, they would be able to return home and reunite with the last piece of her family; so that she could be whole once more. 

Whole, with both her families standing proudly beside her. 

- Fin -  

A/N: Sorry for feels, and thank you to Lavander_Fox for the cover art!