Love, Loss and Everything in Between. Klance AU

Chapter 30 - Vengeance

The big finale... but will everyone make it out alive?

"We're getting an incoming signal. That's... peculiar." Coran murmured, pressing some buttons until a video was projected. Lance stiffened up from where he was hiding behind Keith as he noticed Allura was on the screen. She was grinning widely as if she was proud of all of the destruction she had caused. Keith wrapped a protective arm around Lance, even though Allura couldn't get to him through a message.

"Hello, paladins. Remember me?" Allura's voice was cocky and full of pep. Coran shook his head in disappointment: he had hoped Allura would have mended her ways after she had been abandoned.

"Oh, cut to the chase. We don't need this right now, Allura. If you didn't know, we're currently in the middle of a battle to defend the universe." Shiro retorted, hands on his hips to add to his perceived level of authority. Allura threw her head back and barked out a laugh.

"I'm part of it, you rag." Lance started trembling at the familiar nickname. "I'm working with the Galra now and I'm here to tell you that we want the blue paladin back."

"You aren't going to take him again!" Keith yelled, voice much louder than he had anticipated.

"Well, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, Keith. We can take him with your consent and no one gets hurt or... we can take him by force and we will make sure to damage your team as much as possible."

Keith let out an inhumane growl, stepping away from Lance to get closer to the screen. Raising a clenched fist, he snapped out, "We'll do it the hard way and, do you know why? Because we are loyal. We will protect each other, no matter what shit you put us through. We love each other unlike you who I'm sure has never experienced love. It almost makes me pity you, Allura."

"Okay, Keith. The Galra empire is larger than your tiny, pathetic team. We'll demolish you with ease."

To everyone's surprise, Coran stepped forward, nervously twiddling his moustache. "Allura, tell me something. Why are you working with the ones who destroyed our home planet? Our Altea? Don't you remember how beautiful it was? How proud the king was of it all?"

"Because Altea was corrupted. Peace never gets you anywhere. If you want something, you have to fight for it. My father was useless at that. This is all his fault." With that, Allura slammed her hand down on a button and ended the broadcast. Lance collapsed onto his knees, hugging them close to his chest as he sobbed softly.

"What has she done?" Coran whispered before turning away so the paladins couldn't see his tears. He stormed out of the room, only letting himself cry once he was safely locked inside his room.

"They're going to take me again..." Lance whispered into his knees, voice fragile.

"No, no, they're not." Keith bent down to hit height but kept his distance, like Shiro had told him to. "No one is ever going to take you again. I'm going to protect you, I promise."

"I- I don't want to go back."

"You won't have to, okay?" Lance just nodded. "Is it okay if I touch you?" When Lance gave his consent, Keith wrapped an arm around Lance's frail body, pulling him close to let him know he was safe.

"It just doesn't make sense," Shiro said, thinking aloud. "Why do they want Lance specifically?" Hunk and Pidge exchanged similar looks full of confusion, unable to answer the question.

Keith shook his head before snapping, "Because they think he's weak and easy to break. They've broken him before and they think it would be easy to do again but it won't be easy. We will protect Lance as much as we can because we love him." Lance hummed in response, unable to form a coherent verbal answer. "Lance isn't weak. He can fight. He's ready to take on the Galra again and I know it."