Pidge Captured

The End *I think*

Epilogue Bonus due to requests

(And my desire to get back to writing!)

Pidge feels herself being unlocked from restraints. Did they catch, whoa, her brain may be fine but none of her muscles work at all! She feels herself falling forward despite willing her body to stand. Rationally she reasons she was in the pod but she feels an other worldliness that she cannot describe, none of her muscles work and she's lost track of time. Suddenly, her body hits a wall. A very solid and warm one. She looks up and her gaze meets Keith. Scratch that, not a wall, just Keith and while she cannot really control her movements she knows she's safe. Keith would never let anything hurt her.

Keith holds her and makes his way carefully to sit on a cot cradling her in his arms, moving so slowly that Pidge doesn't even feel any jarring. Pidge finds herself caught in Keith's gaze, which is much more intense and focused than usual. She has no clue what's on his mind but she knows what's on hers. Almost dying certainly can give a girl perspective. She's tired of hiding her feelings for Keith and wants to fess up and see what he wants. If there is a chance. That's the right thing do???

But as quickly as she resolves to speak she hesitates. She doesn't want to risk their friendship, their connection. Maybe it was enough. She opens her mouth only to close it.

Lost in her own thoughts, she barely hears Keith say, "So, what's this I'm hearing about you not sleeping and eating?"

Shit! Who snitched?

"Pidge, why didn't you say something?" He strokes her hair from her eyes and looks directly at her, "Didn't you trust me to understand?"

Pidge switches gears, scrambling to find an answer he would accept. "Yeah, of course I trust you!!! Always, all of you. It's just, you know how it is. It's just been a rough few months. It's just that, everyone is finding their place and I felt like I was stagnating. Stuck. People are getting married, helping save planets, and here I am. Back on Earth, basically living with my parents. But I'm okay, I'm fine, really. (Sigh)"

Keith responds, "Yeah, okay, I can buy that but why didn't you say anything? (Softly) To me? I told you I'd always be there for you. And if I'm being totally honest, it hurt hearing it from your brother."

Pidge nods, "Ugh, he's such a tattle tale!" But then I notices how he's not laughing. "Okay, look, I know. But you are busy and you don't need to hold my hand. Believe it or not, I'm a big girl. I'm not a kid anymore."

Keith looks so serious I question what's wrong. Something is happening here. Fuck! I don't want to hurt his feelings!

Keith then holds me tighter and pulls me even closer, I swear I can feel his heartbeat. He arranges my legs so they are on the bed and he scoots back so his back is on the wall. I'm sitting across the his lap with his right arm supporting my back. Maintaining eye contact, he takes a deep breath,  "Pidge, I know you are a big girl, but I...I need you to know, I love you. I've loved you for a while. But I was scared of unbalancing our relationship, scared of voicing my feelings, scared of so many things. Then I get a message."

He stops talking and instead hugs me tight. His head burrows into my neck/shoulders, just holding me tight. "You've gotta know that I would do anything, drop anything to help you. But I HATED hearing that you were in trouble from Shiro. I hated not knowing you weren't safe on Earth. Please don't block me out. Let me help."

Pidge freezes, absently thinking, she must still be in the pod. There's no way her life just suddenly aligned with how she has dreamed. She shakes her head and runs her fingers through her hair. She takes a deep breath in, "Um, I must be really out of it, so can you um, run that by me again?"

Keith smiles softly, "No...words aren't enough. I almost lost you, and I went mad. Literally. I did things that I didn't know I was capable of without a second thought. Please, let me show you-what you mean to me." Keith leans towards her and softly brushes a kiss against her lips. "I need you, so much. Do you thing you could ever feel the same?"

Pidge's eyes fill with tears. "Keith, I've felt this way for you for so long. But, I didn't want to push you. I...can't be the one who holds you back."

Keith smiles, "Katie, don't you know, you could never hold me back. So how about when you go off planet I'm in the loop? Or better yet, I'm with you."

A couple of hours later, Lance comes in to find his friends, snoozing on a twin cot next to the wall along the healing pod. He isn't 100% sure but he doesn't think they have clothes on under that blanket! Ick!!! But never the less he smiles and closes the door softly, rapidly talking through his ear piece, "Guys, come in, Kidge has officially commenced! Thank goodness for small miracles. I don't think there are two other humans who are quite this oblivious in the history of the time! And I think everyone owes me at least one drink!!!"

He can hear groans all around and he knows, he's going to get some fun out of the pictures he just took! Hey, it's all in good fun...plus he needed the proof for drinks.