"Hey," said Cyann, as she gently nudged Keith out of his reverie.  "Wanna talk?"

They were sitting in the rec room, the usual haunt of the Voltron Force when they had nothing better to do.  Allura and Ginger were laughing and teasing the chittering space mice on one of the small couches.  On the set of chairs, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and Jeff were engaged in a spirited political discussion.

Without waiting for a reply, Cyann plopped down next to Keith on the second small couch.  "I don't know about you, but I'm still reeling from that news about Planet Doom being destroyed," she mused, looking sideways at him. "I can't think of why Aldran didn't tell us."

"I don't like it," Keith declared. "There's something weird going on, something that we don't know about. It's unethical of Aldran to withhold information like that about our adversaries."

"But Planet Doom isn't our adversary, Keith," Cyann reminded him. "Doom is Planet Arus' problem."

 Keith looked up sharply. "But Planet Arus is a member of the Galaxy Alliance," he argued, "and therefore any problem of Arus is a problem of ours." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You never heard a word about Planet Doom?"

Cyann raised her eyebrows in innocence. "Keith, do you actually think I'd keep something like that from you?"

Keith did not reply. He looked away, but after a few seconds of silence his eyes once again focused on her. "Hey, Cyann, did that Jed guy look familiar to you?"

"And what are you two being so secretive about?"  Allura asked, suddenly appearing in front of them, hands on her hips in mock severity.

"Nothing much," Cyann replied, shifting gears easily.  "We were just talking about you behind your back."

Allura smiled, knowing Cyann was kidding.  "You two looked pretty serious.  Is anything wrong?"

Something caught Cyann's eye across the room.  "As a matter of fact, there is.  Lance is telling jokes.  I'd better go rescue poor Jeff.  Catch ya later."

Allura and Keith both grinned as Cyann sauntered away.  Then Allura asked, "Mind if I sit down?"

"Not at all.  Have a seat, Princess."

Allura sat down beside him. "You don't have to be so formal, you know. You can call me by my name."

He smiled. "Sorry, Princess--I mean, Allura. Old habits die hard."

Allura started slightly, remembering that Lance had said the very same thing that morning. She studied him in the corner of her eye; there was so much to say, yet the words stuck in her throat.
"So," she drawled, grasping for the first phrase that came to mind, "are you happy at Galaxy Garrison?"

"You already asked me that," he reminded her.
 
"Well, I'm asking you again.  Are you happy--really happy--there?"

He sighed.  "I guess."

Allura's eyebrows shot up.  "You guess?"

"Well, if I said I've never been happier, not only would I be lying, but I'd run the risk of hurting your feelings."

"I see."  Allura hesitated.  "I missed you. We all did," she added self- consciously.

Keith looked back at her, the beginnings of a crooked grin showing at his lips.  "I missed you guys, too."

Allura felt a rosy flush start to creep toward her face.  Instinctively, she looked away--only to realize that she and Keith were alone in the room.

Keith followed her gaze.  "Subtle, aren't they?"

"Y-yes."  The realization of being alone with Keith had temporarily thrown Allura off.  She tried to think of something to say.

Keith spoke first.  "So, how've you been?"

"Good.  You?"
 
"Good."

"I'm glad."  Nervous silence.  Allura glanced at her watch.  "Oh!"

"What?"  inquired Keith.

"It's after ten o'clock," Allura said in dismay.  "Koran will be activating the nighttime alarm system.  I have to help him."  She got up quickly.

Keith rose as well.  "Can I help?"

Allura smiled. "If you want to. Let's go."
 
"Lead, the way--Your Majesty," he teased.
 

When they reached the control room, Allura pressed the entrance button and the doors slid apart.

Koran was hunched over the central keyboard.  He turned at their entrance.  "Ah, Princess.  Hello, Keith."

"Is there anything that I can help with?"  Keith wanted to know.

"Let me do it, Koran," Allura said, hurrying to his side.  Immediately, she began to furiously type the commands that would activate the perimeter alarm and the early warning satellites that would alert the Castle in case of attack.

"I am perfectly fine," Koran said, with a touch of self-reproach.   "It's just a little dim in here, that's all."

Allura finished setting the alarms and turned away from the keyboard. "There.  Now, Koran," she admonished, like a mother scolding her child, "next time, I want you to wait for me.  You mustn't strain your eyes."

"My eyes are fine," Koran insisted, if half-heartedly.  He was suddenly seized by a fit of coughing.  Keith and Allura were at his side in an instant.  They exchanged a concerned glance over his bowed head.

When the spasm ended, Koran looked noticeably older and oceans more fatigued.

"Koran, you should get to bed,"  Allura said, fighting to keep the lump in her throat from affecting her tone.

They escorted him out of the control room and down the hall to his bedchamber.  There, Allura tenderly kissed his cheek.  "Get a good night's sleep, Koran.  There's a lot of diplomacy to dish out tomorrow at the Conference."

The minister smiled.  "Good night, Allura, Keith."

"Good night, Koran," said Keith.

When the door closed, Allura turned and took a few steps down the hall, then stopped.  Keith sensed her distress and was immediately at her side.

"Allura, are you okay?"

"It makes my heart ache to see him like this," she said softly, making no effort to control her shaking voice.  She felt Keith's hands on her shoulders, gently turning her to face him.

"Don't cry, Allura.  Koran is a strong man.  He's got decades left in him."

"He's very proud.  I'm afraid that he's not telling me everything.  He hates to appear weak."

Keith knew she was right, but he also knew better than to say it.  Instead of replying, he simply squeezed her shoulders with more affection than the gesture implied.  Too upset to monitor her behavior, Allura instinctively leaned forward,  her tear-stained face against his broad shoulder.  She waited until she felt his arms go around her, before she closed hers around him.  Finally allowing herself to relax, Allura closed her eyes, remembering the last time she had sought warmth against Keith's strong shoulder.

Unseen to Allura, Keith closed his eyes as well.

Self-awareness seemed to hit them both at once.  They pulled away at the same instant.  But their gaze did not break.

"Allura," Keith said quietly, "I want you to know something."

"Yes?"  Her heart was suddenly in her throat.

"I want you to know that, even though I don't fly with you guys anymore, I'm still with you. If you guys ever get into trouble, I want you to contact me.  Don't go through Galaxy Garrison; contact me directly, and I promise you that I'll drop whatever I'm doing and set course for Arus."

"Keith," Allura protested, "I can't ask you to do that.  You have responsibilities at Galaxy Garrison.  We can take care of ourselves."

Keith smiled, seeing the stubborn girl he remembered in the woman who stood before him. "Humor me, Princess.  I don't like the fact that we just now heard about Planet Doom.  It means that Galaxy Garrison is withholding information, and that could be dangerous.  It worries me.  I don't like the idea of you guys calling for help and me never knowing about it.  Promise me that you'll contact me if you ever need--anything?"

"Keith, I can't ask--"

"You don't have to," he interrupted.  "I'm offering.  Please," he looked into her eyes, "promise me."

"I will," Allura replied, almost hypnotized.  "And the same goes for you.  I mean that," she added, when she saw Keith start to protest.  "I know we're a defense force, but we're also your friends.  Friends look out for each other."

"Allura--"  he was at a loss.

Allura sensed they were on the brink of something important.  Suddenly the inhibitions that had held her prisoner for so many years dispelled.  "You just told me that, if I needed you, you'd come at the drop of a hat. Well, Commander Keith," she smiled at his old nickname, "what if I were to tell you that I'd do the same for you?"  The words were simple, yet heavy with feeling.

"Allura," he repeated softly, his eyes serious as they held hers. After a brief hesitation, he reached for her hands, enclosing them in his. "There's something I have to tell you."

"Yes?" Allura breathed, her heart pounding.

"Two years ago," Keith began slowly, "when I left, it wasn't because I didn't--" he broke off, his eyes imploring her to understand his meaning.

Allura expelled the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "I know."

Later, Allura could not recall which of them moved first.  All she could remember was Keith's face moving toward hers, herself saying a desperate prayer that Koran or Nanny or anyone wouldn't suddenly walk by.  And then she felt the wonderful sensation of his lips against hers.  Instinctively, Allura's hands moved to touch his shoulders, resting yet holding on for dear life.  She felt Keith's arms close around her waist, and she reached up to lock her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, hardly aware of what she was doing, and not really caring.  For a brief eternity, she and Keith were the only two people on the planet.

When, inevitably, the kiss ended, their arms remained entwined.  Allura looked up at him and asked, "Do you love me, Keith?"

A moment passed before he replied.  "Yes," Keith whispered, his voice husky with emotion, "I always have, with all my heart."

"Good," she whispered back, her voice thick.  "Because you've always had mine."

Keith gazed at her in wonder, the significance of her words rendering him speechless.  Gently, his hand lifted to touch her cheek, caressing it like a delicate work of art, his eyes holding hers with an intensity that forbade breathing. Suddenly he smiled.  "I've wanted to do this for a long time, Princess," and he lowered his lips to touch hers again in a kiss that made Allura weak in the knees.  She relished every moment, feeling hot tears seeping from her closed eyes - only now they were tears of happiness.