The New Paladin

23: Recover

Lance's head was spinning when he woke up. He felt cold. Really cold.

A whooshing sound and Lance came tripping out of the pod into a very bright room.

He stumbled eventually stopping only when he rested against the control podium at the center of the room. He leaned on it heavily trying to get his eyes to clear.

"Ah Lance." Coran greeted. "I'm glad to see that you're awake, Allura and the others are preparing our attack plan to take down the Galran on the Balmera."

"Oh." Lance mumbled. "Right."

"They asked me to inform you of their intentions to move as quickly as possible in this attack." Coran continued.

Lance squeezed his eyes shut gripping the edge of the control panel hoping it would ground him just slightly.

"Are you alright my boy?"

"I think... I need to sit..." Lance mumbled, slowly lowering himself down. He rubbed his face trying to get the tiredness to pass.

He wanted to sleep.

"Lance?"

"Sorry." He breathed from behind his hands. "I just... This wasn't where I expected to wake up."

Coran's hand pressed against his back rubbing gently. "Take your time then."

"What happened?" Lance asked tilting his head to look at him. "What happened with the attack?"

"With Sendak?"

"Yeah."

Coran's eyebrows furrowed. He looked perplexed. "You don't remember?"

"No?" Lance replied hesitantly.

"You helped Shiro defend the castle, then you helped protect Pidge and distracted Sendak for a final blow." Coran explained looking just as confused. "You really don't remember?"

"Not a thing." Lance admitted running a hand through his hair.

He was baffled truly baffled. Surely if he did all those things he would have some memory of it, right?

He shivered suddenly acutely aware of how cold he really felt.

"My boy are you ill?"

"Huh?"

"Your whole body just shook." Coran frowned looking perplexed.

"Oh, it's called shivering." Lance explained. "You don't shiver? You know when you're cold?"

"No." Coran admitted curtly.

"Ah." Lance said looking at the floor. "It sort of helps warm up my muscles and stuff, a human thing I guess."

Coran nodded tugging at his mustache. "I will have to learn more about the human body and what it does."

"You've never met a human before?"

"I have." Coran whispered looking down. "But we were at war at the time and we didn't really have time to learn about humans in general."

Lance gave a weak nod. "Do you know where my jacket it?"

"Yes." Coran examined jumping across the room. He returned with Lance's jacket layed over his arm.

Lance shot him the best smile he could offer. "Thanks."

"You treasure this don't you." Coran said tilting his head.

Lance's smile softened as he rubbed his thumb over the fabric. "It was my dad's."