As soon as the red lion appeared in the jaws of the black lion Allura ordered the remaining paladins to their stations. Keith's cat was shut down, burns stained the ruby red metal and it convulsed ever so slightly as broken electricity sparked. Beside Shiro's lion, the yellow lion had a few small dents and shared a few burns.

"We need to worm jump now." Shiro's voice ordered urgently despite knowing Coran was already in the process of opening a wormhole. The portal opened just as Zarkon' ship arrived and Allura was quick to enter followed closely by Shiro and Hunk. They didn't hear the raging yell or the broken body of the nearest soldier, their eyes and ears focused on the approaching lions. Pidge was out the bridge and sprinting towards the black lions bay as Shiro landed inside. The others were close behind and they made it just as Shiro gently lowered the red lion to the ground. Hunk arrived a few moments later huffing, removing his helmet as he closed in on them. The red lion didn't move for a few seconds, broken current making it spasm before its eyes lit up and it creaked onto it metal paws standing before the green paladin. It gently lowered its head slowly opening its mouth, tears pricking at Pidge's eyes as her brother appeared, a leaning post to a very weak and pained Keith.

"Keith!" Hunk shot forward taking the weight from Matt so the brunette could concentrate on his sister who was already running towards him. Pidge flung her arms around her brother, hearing his heart beat, the familiar hold of Matt's hugs the green paladin clutched at her brother.

"Matt I can't believe you're here." Pidge sobbed into the boy's dirty shirt. "I thought you were with the rebels."

"I was. I got recaptured." Matt smoothed his sister hair noting how extremely short it was. He broke apart from his sister and took in her appearance, from the boyish clothing to the heart warming smile to the glistening brown eyes. "Are those my glasses?"

"Yeah." Pidge removed them wiping her tears away before handing them back to him.

"Keith? Keith?!"

Pidge's attention was taken as Hunk shouted out the red paladin's name. The boy had blacked out again, his clothes tattered and ripped, his body not fairing any better. The advancement of his Galra DNA had enveloped most if his body crawling its way to his face.

Coran rushed over removing Keith from Hunk's arms and checked his pulse. "It's very weak. Let's get him to the healing pod."

  ***  

"Nara come on, let me in."

"Lotor what do you want?" Nara panicked a little, blocking the door hiding what could destroy everything she worked towards.

"I just want to talk to you sister." Lotor pouted trying to push past her. "I'm leaving soon."

"I'm a bit busy right now. Can this wait till dinner?"

"Ah fine." Lotor sighed scraping a nail down her door lightly. "Don't be late."

Nara faked a smile closing her door after seeing Lotor turn the corner and quietly walked over to her bed. As she approached she let a genuine loving smile grace her lips as the huge grey-blue eyes stared at her in awe. The small gurgle noise that admitted from the smooth-skinned baby had Nara even more smitten with her child.

"That was close wasn't it." Nara picked the bundle up gently swaying the baby in her arms, pressing a kiss to the boys head almost giggling along as her baby did. "How about Redra?"

The baby sneered it's nose making Nara chuckle a little.

"Hmm how about Taiun?" Another sneer. Nara hummed tickling her son's stomach gently, his eyes reminding her of the man who she left on Earth, the man who made her feel whole. "What about Keith?"

The baby cooed, his fingers flexing towards his mother who chuckled and held her son close.

"You'll be free soon Keith. I promise."

  ***  

Pidge watched Keith's brows furrow within the cryo pod curious to what the teen was dreaming of. Matt was beside her arm draped around her shoulders squeezing her arm in reassurance.

"How long should it be until he's healed?" Shiro asked Coran who typed away at Keith's vitals.

"He has some extensive damage but they should clear up," Coran explained. "The wound to his side will take a day or two."

  ***  

"Father please, this is getting out of hand."

"Oh daughter." Zarkon chuckled. "Lotor seems to be enjoying himself."

Nara sighed angrily as she watched her brother dance with the many women that flaunted themselves at him.

"Perhaps I should join Haggar." Nara snickered. "She looks like she's having a great time."

Haggar stood in the corner, scowl as frightening as ever, a sneer on her lips as the druid eyed the dancing Galra.

"Speaking of Haggar, you haven't seen Rarg have you?" Zarkon eyed her daughter suspiciously. "Haggar wishes to speak with him."

"No father, I can't say I have." Nara lied through her teeth, knowing exactly where the druid was. Forced into her room looking over Keith keeping the boy silent, not wanting to alert anyone of the baby that could destroy Zarkon's domination.

  ***  

Allura stood before the cryo pod watching as the deep cuts and bruises slowly mended themselves. The light purple skin that knitted itself together before darkening in colour. Coran was beside her checking over the boy vitals unfazed by the colour of the red paladin's skin.

"Coran, how long have you known Keith to show his Galra heritage?"

"A while now princess." Coran answered, "Since he saved Lance from the druids bolt."

"I see." Allura pressed a hand to the glass, eyeing the naked purple chest, "It suits him, doesn't it Coran?"

"Yes, it does princess."

Allura let her arm fall to her side clenching her hand into a fist, her emotions were becoming muddled and confused and the princess was unsure on how to feel about Keith's transformation.

  ***  

"You need to get him out of here." Rarg finally put his foot down, "I can't keep babysitting the fleshling. Haggar is getting suspicious."

"Please Rarg, just for one more night." Nara pleaded gently swaying Keith in her arms, "Zarkon wishes to see me and I can't leave him alone."

"I will watch him until you return then we are sending this boy away."

Nara glanced down to the cooing blue eyed baby, forming a sorrowful frown knowing she was never going to see him again. "Fine."

  ***  

"You fly in this?" Matt awed as Pidge dragged him over to the green lion.

"Yeah, isn't it cool?"

"How'd you even find this place?"

"It's a long story." Pidge grinned in happiness. "I still can't believe you're here."

"How about now?" Matt brought his sister into a bone crushing hug laughing as the girl yelped in surprise. Pidge soon joined in with her brother's beautiful laugh and slowly began crying in happiness. "Hey Katie, why are you crying?"

"I never thought I'd see you again." Pidge hiccupped. "How did Keith even find you?"

"He was brought to the arena, I only saw him for a few minutes before they took him again. The next thing I know I'm being pulled from my cell and taken to the main ship." Matt sat down pulling Katie with him. " Keith's going to be okay right?"

"Yeah the Altean's have self-healing pods, it's all quite fascinating."

  ***  

Nara stood before her father her confidence slowly waning as the man stared her down, her brother was beside her watching her in shock.

"You saved a HUMAN?" Zarkon raised his voice. "I sent you on that mission to keep my soldiers in line. My specific orders were to kill on sight."

"Father the man saved my life, he-"

"-ENOUGH!" Zarkon bellowed. "You disobeyed a direct order, you will be punished and that human insect will be taken care of."

"What you can't!" Nara exclaimed.

"The sentence has been ordered already, it is too late to stop it, Nara," Zarkon spoke flippantly before turning to Lotor who was watching the man in shock. "You knew about this and you said nothing."

"He saved her life, it is our law to respect those who save our or our families lives." Lotor bowed, "I did not expect this to cause such a stir."

"Of course you didn't," Zarkon sighed heavily, "You both will be punished accordingly."

Lotor slandered a look his sister way to see her absolutely horrified, her eyes glistened with tears and her body was shaking in terror.

"Sister? Are you okay?"

Nara's head snapped towards Lotor who was watching her in worry his eyes flowering in confusion. Two soldiers brought the princess from her knees and silently pulled the woman from the room.

"What will you do with her?" Lotor growled as he shook off his captors.

"That is none of your business." Zarkon snapped. "Take him away."