Wake Me Up~A Sequel to Don't You Trust Me

Chapter 11

The crate thudded against the pod's metal flooring. Lance stood above it brushing her hands together. With a sigh, she placed her boot against the crate and shoved it further back. It hit the already loaded grates a little harder than what was necessary.

"Woah there." Haeithil said, "Someone's a little upset." Lance jumped from the pod hardly reacting to the comment. She went for another crate her hands were practically on it when Haeithil jerked her back. "Hey, slow down."

"We've got to get this loaded," Lance huffed. She tucked a few whisps of hair behind her ear. She reached for the crate again and Haeithill didn't stop her. Lance set it down on the pod's flooring before hopping up into the pod itself.

"So who's the guy?" Haeithil called. Her black ears flicked in amusement when Lance's face reappeared.

"Pardon?"

"You only get like this when you're having trouble with a guy. So, who's the guy?" Haeithil placed the tablet she had been using on one of the crates. She moved towards the pod while Lance dropped to sit on the edge.

"Guys" Lance corrected. Pulling her sleeve over her hand she used it to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

Haeithtil raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Two? Damn. Who are the lucky guys?"

"It's not like that exactly," Lance picked at her sleeve, "Jarep is obviously still living in the past or was at least."

"Did something happen when you two ran off?" Haiethil asked suddenly. "You guys were gone a while."

Lance didn't answer at first. Jarep had been ready to kiss her, and she had been prepared herself. Having been swept up into the moment. Her feelings she had once felt a ghost in her mind and body, but it felt all too real. Then she had seen Keith's face. Every moment they had spent together. And then the fear that she was going to lose him came rushing into her system. Seeing him bleeding out beneath her. Jarep was here though, someone she knew that was alive. Someone she had a history with. But he wasn't Keith. He wasn't the man she now loved.

"Jarep and I almost kissed," Lance said finally, "We were practically there, but I stopped it." She shifted. "There's nothing there anymore. Maybe at one time, but not now."

"What happened between the two of you? One day you were all buddies then the next it was as if you didn't even know each other."

"We were a distraction to each other and it almost got us killed." It was all Lance said before she slid from the pod's edge. She dropped to the ground and headed to get another crate.

"And Keith?"

Lance froze, her back to Haiethil. "I'm going to make sure Haggar pays for what she did to Keith." She reached for a crate. The small voice at the back of her mind told her that what Zhamoht told her was true. She just couldn't bring herself to believe it.

"She had been walking down the path, just a few feet in front of me. The flower I had given her she had placed in her hair. We were the only ones on the path, or so we thought. We had been so caught up with each other that we completely missed that our enemies were surrounding us. They jumped her first. She had been so unprepared that the force of her attacker took them into the bushes. I tried to follow, but my own attacker was quickly upon me." Jarep took a breath.

Shiro listened patiently nodding every so often. "What happened next?" he asked. He couldn't blame Jarep for not meeting his gaze.

"We fought. It felt like hours but we both emerged triumphant, covered in our enemy's blood. The walk back to base was eerily quiet. We were both covered in blood, the flower in her hair was gone."

"Then you guys kept your distance?" Shiro guessed.

Jarep nodded. "There was an unspoken agreement to keep our distance. After a time we grew apart and our relationship became strictly professional. I tried a couple of times to talk to her about it, but she refused to speak a word of it."

Shiro shrugged, "It may have affected her more than you."

Jarep gave a half-smile, "Yeah probably."

"Say, can I ask you something?"

"Yes of course," Jarep said, grateful for the distraction.

"Lance seems convinced that Keith is alive. That Zhamoht is Keith. Is that even possible? It just doesn't seem plausible that Haggar would keep Keith alive. I just can't see a way for it to benefit her, it just seems like more work on her end."

"I mean it would give her complete access to his mind. And if she kept him under her control she could manipulate him to hurt the paladins and agents they captured. Course Keith wouldn't be knowledgeable about the actions he is participating in, and the prisoners would be just as clueless about who he is."

"So it's possible?"

"Yes. Very much so." Jarep paused his eyes narrowing into tight yellow slits. "You're thinking she's onto something aren't you?"

Before he had a chance to respond Lance walked into the room. Her hand rested on the door jamb as she gestured behind her with the other.

"We're all ready to load up."

"Well be right there," Shiro answered. As soon as she had gone Shiro turned back to Jarep. "I'm not just thinking. I know she's right."