Lance wiped his brow with the back of his hand. His jacket was tied absentmindedly around his waist while he worked tirelessly on the Red lion. Due to the fact that the entire manual was in Altean, he had Coran help him translate it from start to finish. He looked down at the notes he wrote after getting the translation from Coran so many hours ago. A drop of water hit the page. Lance wiped his eyes as the memories washed over him.
How's Keith? Did you reach him?
Shiro was clearly anxious.
He didn't pick up, Shiro.
Lance wasn't used to lying. He stretched the truth a few times, sure, but he never lied like this. He continued.
I-I don't think he made it.
The look on Shiro's face was heart wrenching.
How can you be sure?
Shiro had asked weakly. Lance knew that he was searching for the smallest fragment of hope. He couldn't do this to Shiro. Quiznak, this would break him!
He's dead, Shiro.
Three words. Three gut wrenching words. It's all a lie! Lance wanted to shout at the top of his lungs; anything to take away the guilt that was eating away at his heart. But he couldn't. He promised Keith that he would never tell.
"Lance? Hello? LANCE!" A hand shook him by the shoulder. "Snap out of it!"
"What?" Lance mumbled.
"Have you been here all night?" A rather exhausted looking Matt asked.
"Yeah?" Lance shrugged Matt off. "So why are you here?"
Matt rubbed his eyes. "I was hungry so I thought I'd go down to the dining hall to get something to eat but the lights were on already. I followed the lights down to the hangar to find you here."
"I'm just getting some important work done."
"Your eyes are bloodshot, Lance!" Matt said with surprise. "How long has it been since you've actually slept?"
Lance turned away. "I don't know... a while?"
"You haven't slept at all, have you?"
"I try... I just can't, okay?"
"Lance, I know you miss him--"
"--just drop it," Lance interrupted firmly.
Matt seemed taken aback. "I'm sorry. But I can't watch you do this to yourself. Keith wouldn't want this for you."
"How would you know what Keith would have wanted?"
"I don't know, but I know he wouldn't want this. Come on. Get up. You're going to bed." Matt took Lance's arm and tried to pull him to his feet. Lance had to admit that Pidge's brother was stronger than he looked but that didn't stop him from pushing Matt away.
"How's Shiro?" Lance asked, changing the subject.
"He's... fine."
Lance stared at him without blinking. "Are you sure?"
Matt's eyes darted to the floor. "Well, he's taking it pretty hard. I mean, Keith was like a brother to him. It's never easy to lose someone close to you."
"Yeah." Lance replied quietly.
"But he's taking care of himself, which is more than I can say for you."
"This is important!"
"SLEEP is important!" Matt snapped. "I know that if Katie was acting this way, I'd tell her the same thing. Now come on. You can at least try to sleep." He moved to help Lance to his feet.
Pins and needles in his legs made it difficult for Lance to keep his balance. "But I'm not done," He complained.
"You can continue when you wake up. AFTER you get a decent night's sleep." He guided Lance away from the Red lion.
"Okay, fine." Lance said warily. "But I'll get back to work first thing tomorrow."
He yawned.
"Sounds good."
___________________________
The door to the hangar slid shut, bathing the room in darkness. In the center, the Red lion rested dormant. Her condition could never be mistaken for sleep for she was very much awake, listening and waiting. For what, she did not know. But she had a feeling that her Paladin would need her very soon and she intended to be ready for him when he did. But, for now, while the her paladin's mate worked on the necessary repairs, she waited.