Take Over

Chapter 22

It might be a bit confusing this chapter. Let me break it down...

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Italic text in this box-like thing means we're in Keith's POV
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Regular text is with the team as they work to get him back.

The reason it's like this is because Haggar is preparing Keith to kill them and I wanted it like a movie. You know, the part with the voice-over of the good guys and cuts between both as you see the good side and the bad side doing stuff...yeah.

Anyway...on to the story...

Lance chuckled as Hunk tried to balance a spoon on his nose, only to fail miserably after every attempt.

Lance cleared his throat, giving everyone a dramatic bow, "Allow me." The team laughed as Lance gingerly swiped the spoon from the fumbling boy's face, winking as he pouted like a child. A twinge of guilt shot through him and his grin faltered before he recollected himself. He swept his arms out, watching as the team waited in mock anticipation.

Lance raised his hand holding the spoon to his nose dramatically slow, raising an eyebrow as he sucked in a breath. He placed the spoon on his nose, being sure to keep it balanced as he held completely still. He opened his eyes and gestured to his nose, cracking a smile as he watched the team clap for him. He bowed, forgetting the spoon on his nose. It clattered loudly on the floor and he winced, laughing loudly as he bent to pick it up.

"Thank you, thank you! No encores, please don't crowd, thank you!" Lance boomed as he placed the utensil in the sink.

"How ever did you do it, Lance?" Hunk asked with mock astonishment.

"Why it took a bit of spit, grit, and a whole lot of willpower," Lance answered as he clapped a hand on the boy's large shoulder. His statement sent the team into another fit of laughter, the small twinge of guilt in his stomach spreading, twisting and turning his insides as he laughed. He pushed it to the back of his mind, wanting to be happy a bit longer. Keith wouldn't want him to be so sad over him, right?

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"Let's go, young paladin," Haggar clapped as Keith shakily picked himself up off the ground, "Time to prepare."
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The team dispersed throughout the castle, their morning shenanigans over as they went to do their own things. Lance followed Pidge to her room, hoping she would have any leads on Keith's predicament. Shiro headed to the training deck, needing to punch something as the weight of Keith being taken from him again hit him hard. Hunk closed himself up in the kitchen, Allura joining to watch the paladin experiment. Coran floated around the castle, wanting to be sure the ship was in perfect shape as soon as they found something on Keith. They wouldn't let anything bad happen to him.

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Keith followed silently behind Haggar, his encounters with his so-called "family" had drained him of all his energy. He felt hollow and numb, just a husk that was made to follow orders from its race. Keith looked up with glazed eyes, watching as Haggar led them to a new room.
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Lance smiled at Pidge before falling onto her bed with a huff. This was beginning to become his new hangout, he was here so often anyway.

"Any luck?" Lance asked, pushing himself up onto his elbows.

"I think we're close," Pidge pointed at a small cluster of dots in the far right corner of an open window on her computer screen, the green line revolving around lazily, "We haven't checked out this area and all the others came up with zilch according to Shiro and Hunk's scouting."