Our Future (VOLTRON AU) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 21

"You brat!" Lilith hissed looking at Liam before she disappeared.

Liam ran over to where Kora and Lance sat beside Keith trying to stop the bleeding.

"It's not stopping!" Kora cried. "Dad!"

"Listen you guys." Keith's weak voice rang out. "Don't give up. Understand? I love you guys no matter what."

"Stop talking like that!" Liam shouted. "You're going to make it! You have to!"

"I love you."

"Come on." Lance mumbled. "Don't give up Keith. Don't give up."

"Kosmo!" Kora cried standing up. "Get him out of here."

Kosmo did as told and teleported with Keith.

The teenagers, and Lance, all ran back to their Lions and quickly flew back to the ship.

"If I didn't- didn't loose it dad would've been okay." Kora whispered looking down at her hand which were covered with Keith's blood. "He would've been okay."

"We have him in the healing pod now." Allura said as she met them in the control room. "We don't know if he'll be okay or not yet."

Lance leaned agaisnt the wall, watching as everyone broke.

The room went silent as dread filled everyone.

"Mom?" Georgia babbled.

Kora tensed up.

"Mom?"

"He's not here Georgia." Kora whispered. "He's not here."

Lance slid down the wall as he pulled his knees into his chest, everything sinking in.

Georgia walked over to Lance and gave him a hug. "Da?"

"Kora." Adam spoke. "Why don't we go get you cleaned up?"

Kora didn't say anything as she nodded and followed Adam.

Liam shook as anger filled him. "I'm going to kill her."

"Liam. Calm down." Jade spoke.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" Liam snapped. "You don't know anything!"

Jade flinched and took a step back.

"Lia-" a hand on Jade's shoulder stopped her from talking.

Jade looked up to see Shiro shaking her head at her.

Liam left the room slamming the door behind him.

"Lance?" Hunk questioned moving towards his friend.

Lance didn't say anything as he sat with his head in hands.

"Lance?" Hunk tried again.

"I-i should've done something sooner." Lance finally spoke. "But I just stood there. That should be me in there. Not him." His voice cracking at the end.

"Lance." Hunk said wrapping his arms around the male. "Don't blame yourself. There's only one person to blame and that's Lilith."

"My dad!" Georgia squealed trying to squeeze in between Hunk and Lance.

"He's going to be okay." Hunk mumbled moving so that Georgia could hug her father. "He's strong like that. So don't loose hope."

~~~~

Everyone had their different ways of coping.

It's only been a few hours, but to the twins and Lance it felt like days since they last spoke with Keith.

Lance stayed with the others and Georgia, trying to distract himself from Keith. He acted as if everything was okay on the outside, but inside, he was breaking.

Liam on the other hand was constantly in the training deck. He was angry, livid even. He took his anger out on the bots.

But Kora, was doing worse. Not only was her best friend missing, her father lied in a healing pod. She sat in the room that was created for Georgia in case of emergencies.

She hasn't said one word to anyone, after the events with Lilith and Keith happened.

Lance was worried about the girl, little did he know, she was blaming herself for everything.

It was late, and everyone had made their way to their rooms.

Except for Liam and Kora.

Liam stayed in the training deck while Kora stayed in the sound proof room.

No one knew where Kora was except for Lance.

"Don't give up."

"I love you."

Kora let out a sob as she curled into a ball on the floor memories of her and her father haunting her mind.

"Come on Kora." Keith chucked. "You'll be okay. Trust me."

"What if I'm not?" Kora questioned her father. "It's scawy."

"Look at your brother." Keith smiled.

Kora turned around and looked at her brother who stood with Lance with a grin on his face.

"You just stay with him and you'll be okay."

"Pwomise?" Kora asked.

"Promise." Keith said. "You can do it hunny."

"Okay." Kora said taking a breath. "I love you daddy!"

"I love you too Kora."

"Why?! Why him!?" Kora screamed as she started throwing things around the room.

"Stupid Lilith! Stupid life!"

"Wait." Kora said. "You mean, my parents are the paladins of Voltron."

Keith and Lance nodded.

"That's so cool!" Liam exclaimed.

"And one day, you two will be Paladins as well." Keith said with a smile on his face. "Hopefully not facing the dangers we did though."

Kora crumpled to the ground just as Lance walked into the room.

"Oh Kora." Lance muttered walking over to his daughter.

"I'm sorry Papa." Kora cried as Lance wrapped his arms around the small girl. "I'm sorry! If I didn't do anything stupid, dad could still be with us!"

"It's not your fault Kora." Lance said holding her close. "It's going to be okay. Your dad is one of the strongest men I've met. I can't say he'll be okay, because we don't know that. But this is your dad we are talking about. He's been through hell and back. Don't loose hope just yet."

"We have to take her down Papa." Kora whispered. "She killed Alec's parents, and now dads hurt because of her. We can't let her do anymore damage."

"Don't worry Kora. We'll take her down. No matter what."