There has to be an After for Us ~ (shadam / klance)

Chapter 1 - The After

Shiro's fingertips had grown cold. He didn't know how long he'd been standing there, touching that one word on the fallen soldier memorial.

A name:

Adam

It was all that was left.

"Was he someone special to you?" asked Allura.

Shiro hadn't heard her approach. Maybe he would've been startled had he not already been feeling so much.

"We were engaged," said Shiro.

"Oh Shiro, I'm so sorry," said Allura, emotion filling her voice.

"He broke it off right before I left for space. He told me if I went on the Kerberos mission to not expect him to be here when I got back. He was right I guess."

"That's terrible, Shiro," said Allura, stepping up to Shiro and hugging him on pure instinct.

Shiro's fingertips finally lifted off the name as he slowly wrapped his arms around the Princess. She was a dear friend. He'd never opened up to her before, but what was there left to lose?

"I've been having these dreams lately," said Shiro. His voice felt disconnected. It's not like he was choosing his words, it was just coming out on its own. "That I'm back in the astral plane." Shiro shuddered. He'd been trapped there so long between life and death. The other-worldly sky was seared in his memory. When he closed his eyes he'd see blue and red stars.

Allura waited patiently for him to continue. Surely there was more to this dream of his.

"This time it's different. I keep hearing Adam's voice, but when I turn to look, he's not there."

"Do you think he's reaching out to you?" asked Allura.

This question sent a bolt of shock through Shiro. "Re-reaching out to me? I don't understand."

"From the after," said Allura.

Shiro pulled back to look at her. "The after? I still don't follow."

Allura blinked, realizing he truly didn't know what she meant. "In Altean culture we believe that once your mortal life is complete, there's an after, a place where our quintessence goes when we've passed. When we travel to the astral plane, we leave our physical body behind and only our quintessence makes the journey. The belief is that if our quintessence can travel from this world to the astral plane that those who have passed on and are only their quintessence may be able to travel to the astral plane as well. Some Alteans have claimed to have met loved ones on the astral plane, but these things are never verifiable."

"We have these concepts on Earth," said Shiro. "There's lots of interpretations, but the idea of an afterlife is part of nearly all Earth religions. I guess in the Altean context the astral plane would be our limbo."

"Limbo?" questioned Allura. "Like that stick dance Lance made us do on his birthday?"

"No, it has another meaning. Like an in-between place between life and death." Shiro felt cold again. Before there had always been a crisis to keep his mind from processing his time when he was dead, in the astral plane where time was not a concept, where he was in limbo.

"It certainly sounds the same. Perhaps you really are having more than just dreams. Maybe Adam is calling out and wants to meet you there. Would you like to try to see him?"

Shiro didn't know how to react. Allura was talking like this was all very practical and not impossible like it should be. "I...," Shiro almost said he wasn't sure if he wanted to, but instead he said, "I don't think I can travel to the astral plane anymore. I think I lost that ability."

"Perhaps, but we may be able to bring you there."

Shiro wondered who the 'we' was, but then it was obvious. The other Paladins. Great...

"The decision is yours," said Allura. "I understand if it's too painful. It's just in Altean culture we believe that if the dead send you a message, you are best to hear it." Allura looked sad suddenly.

Shiro remembered though young, she'd lost so much. All her family and friends were dead. If anyone could understand his feelings with true respect, it was Allura.

"I appreciate what you're offering," said Shiro. "I want to try." And when he said it, he knew it was true. He'd do anything to see Adam one more time.