Allies to Traitors [A Voltron Fanfic] [Kidge]

11. Answers

The entire flight back to the castle was eerily silent. Those in the Lions would occasionally glance at each other. But no words were spoken.

Pidge didn't let go of Keith, and Keith didn't let go of Samie. Hunk stayed close by, trying to silently reassure the pair that everything would be okay. Or in the very least that he was on their side. He ultimately wasn't sure if his attempts worked.

When they got to the castle, everyone assembled in the control room. Lance didn't look at Keith, neither did Allura. It was clear that the whole traitor thing was still a problem. Shiro however, was frozen. He didn't look up from his hands, and stayed hunched over and still as a statue.

However, this changed for a moment as Coran entered the room, unable to hide the smile on his face as he saw Keith looking relatively healthy. As well as the moving bundle in his arms.

Coran: Welcome back, Keith! It's good to have you here again!

Keith smiled, and spoke despite being unsure if he was in a good position to speak or not.

Keith: Thank you, Coran. I missed you too.

Coran smiled brighter, ignoring the look Allura was giving him. Then he paused, and frowned as he saw the Keith's poorly bandaged shoulder. Coran acted fast and spoke up again.

Coran: Do you need a cryopod, Keith? For that wound on your shoulder?

Kieth was unsure if the others would negatively react to him saying yes, but he nodded after a minute. He would have otherwise said that he was fine. But his wound was incredibly neglected, and he didn't take any rest while he was in that forest protecting and caring for Samie at all time.

Keith: If it's not to much trouble, I'd appreciate that...

Coran nodded.

Coran: Alright, Pidge, if you want you can come with me, but Keith will need to hand the child over to you while in the pod.

Pidge nodded, gladly accepting the bundle Keith handed her. Then she was about to get up, and someone spoke up.

Allura: I'd actually like Pidge to stay with us for the time being.

Pidge sulked as Keith was led to the cryopod room to heal his wound. He gave Pidge and Samie a worried glance as he left the room. It went quiet again. Pidge however glanced down as Samie looked up and smiled at her.

Pidge took in a breath as if she had just gotten the ability to take a deep breath. She relaxed immediately, and tried to ignore the others as she held her daughter close to her.

Shiro: Pidge?

Pidge sighed.

Pidge: Yeah?

Shiro hesitated, but then finished his thought.

Shiro: What's the whole story between you and Keith? Including the child you're holding? If you're willing to say, I'd like to know all the details.

Pidge bit her lip. And spoke up.

Pidge: Well... Keith and I... we've been together for a few years. And yes, I've known he was a Galra that whole time. And, we went to Olkarion that one time, because we found out we were going to be parents. We figured they'd have the most accurate test. When we went to that planet, and Keith and I stopped our lions, it was because I had gone into labor.

Lance blinked and looked down.

Lance: That doesn't make sense...

Pidge tilted her head, directing a glare at Lance.

Pidge: What do you mean?

Lance: I mean, Allura went to check on you, right? Right when it was over?

Pidge nodded suspiciously, not knowing where this was going.

Lance: Well... Allura told us you miscarried because of a genetic defect from being a hybrid. As for Keith...

Lance paused, but continued as anger rose in his chest realizing Allura lied to them to make them try to kill Keith.

Lance: Well, she said that Keith did something—bad to you to cause the whole situation. And she told us he was a spy. Clearly that was a lie...

Among the anger the other Paladins were feeling was guilt. Lance for forgetting that Keith wasn't that kind of person. Shiro for forgetting that he practically raised Keith after he was orphaned at the age of fourteen.

Pidge blinked in shock, it explained why all of the Paladins tried to not bring the situation up with Pidge, because as far as they knew it was a traumatic memory for her. It explained why they tried comforting her and keeping her out of missions to try and make her feel safe. She had a very likely guess as to what Allura told them Keith did.

Pidge: So, it's not you I should be mad at? Just Allura?

Lance blinked.

Lance: Well, no, we still lashed out at Keith, remember...? Just because we were lied to doesn't excuse what we did...

Pidge's expression softened slightly.

Pidge: It explains it, though. Explaining and excusing are two different things. Believe me I'm still mad at you for doing that to Keith, but not nearly as much seeing as Allura had to lie to you to get you to do it.

Allura suddenly sputtered.

Allura: I—I was doing it for the sake of the team! Do you have any idea what would have happened if anyone found out that we had a Galra on our team?!

Lance: For the sake of the team?! Look at what happened! Red refused to activate for over two months, causing us to nearly lose multiple battles. And you had me nearly kill Pidge's family and lower her mental health until she wasn't in the proper state of mind to pilot!

Shiro glared at the ground, his vision blurry, as a tear falling to the floor.

Shiro: Why...? Why did I ever allow myself to fall for a lie like that? Enough to allow my own brother to nearly die!

Allura's eyes widened slightly.

Allura: So you think it would have been a good idea to have a Galra and an infant live in the castle in the middle of a war?! Especially considering that we are a moving target!

Shiro: I know Keith enough to say that he would rather die a brutal death than betray Voltron. I should have remembered that.

Hunk: Besides, sure we're a moving target, but we're winning the war! In fact I'd say that we're only two battles away from coming out on top! And I know we can't do that without Keith's help!

Allura places her hand against her head, processing everything that she'd caused. Everything she jeopardized.

How could she forget what kind of person Keith was?

Allura: You're right.

Pidge lit up with surprise.

Pidge: What?

Allura: You're all right. None of this should have happened. I shouldn't have been so stubborn to forget everything Keith has done to assist the team in defeating Zarkon. I certainly shouldn't have put a single person in harms way. I'm sorry.

Everyone was surprised at the sincerity of Allura's words. She spoke again.

Allura: Now, I won't become involved in any decisions or conversations if I make anybody uncomfortable, but as far as I am concerned. Keith is still the red paladin of Voltron. And he, as well as your daughter, deserve the upmost respect. You have my word now that I will give it to them.

After a while of shock, and a caution period, Keith was let out of the pod and happily welcomed back into the team.

He and Pidge assisted in the defeat of Zarkon while raising Samir together. And the universe was finally at peace.

[The End]