"Because I Care About Her" A Plance Fanfic

Chapter 7

"They both said they would rather risk dying than loose who they are," Shiro said to Kolivan and Krolia. They were once again gathered around a table, trying to choose the best course of action.

"We can be sure they won't threaten anyone else, but how do we keep them from harming themselves any time soon?" Kolivan asked.

"We can sedate them and put them in restraints," Krolia offered. No one liked that idea.

"Until when?" Hunk asked.

No one knew the answer to that question.

"For now, it's all we can do," Shiro said.

***

"It's the only way we can be absultely certain you won't try and hurt yourself," Shiro told Lance as a doctor came in with IV's and what looked like some form of anesthesia.

"No choice?" Lance said, glancing at the equipment.

"No," Shiro said.

"You won't feel anything. It'll be like falling asleep," Hunk said. He was trying hard not to burst into tears.

"For how long?" Lance asked. That was what he was most worried about. He'd already lost enough time as it was.

"As long as it takes to find a treatment with better odds than what we have avalible," Keith told him.

Allura, Krolia, and Kolivan walked into the room.

"Come to say your goodbyes?" Lance asked in a dejected tone.

"If there's anything else you require, Lance..." Allura said.

"Another option would be nice," Lance mumbled.

"There is still time to try the procedure," Krolia told him.

Everyone gave a sullen look as Lance rocked his seat back and forth.

"If you could do a full study on a Zatarc, you might be able to solve this thing, right?" Lance asked Krolia.

"It would provide much more information."

Lance thought about it for a long moment. Did he really want to spend the rest of his life asleep? Or...could he sacrifice his life for someone else?

"I'll do it," he said so quietly the others barely heard.

"What?" Keith asked.

"I don't want to be drugged out, strapped to a table my whole life," Lance said.

"And...if the procedure goes wrong?" Shiro prompted.

Lance shrugged. "Maybe it'll help Pidge." Lance looked away. "Her brain's worth a lot more than mine." He tried to smile at that but failed. Anything that could possibly help Pidge was worth it. 

***

"What? He can't!" Pidge exclaimed once she heard the news. How could he possibly think of doing such a thing? Hunk, Shiro, Matt, and Allura were with her now, explaining everything to her.

"He's on his way down now," Shiro said.

"Why is he doing this?" Pidge insisted. None of this made any sense.

"He said he'd rather take the risk instead of being put to sleep indefinitely," Hunk told her.

"But, if it doesn't-"

"He thinks he needs to do this to save you," Allura finally said. It was the truth, and they all knew it.

Pidge looked at them all in disbelief. Then, without a second thought, she rushed to the door as the guards constrained her.

"Pidge," Matt warned.

"Lance!" Pidge called out. She looked out beyond the reach of the guards and saw Lance walking away, with Keith behind him surrounded by guards.

He looked back and saw the desperate look on her face. He wanted to stay and assure her that everything would be alright, but he knew what he had to do. He flashed her one last, sincere smile before turning back away, certain he would never see her again.

It felt as if Pidge's whole heart was crumbling inside of her. No, no, how could he do this? She kept staring, wishing she could say a thousand things, yet not a single word came out of her mouth.

Finally, she turned away, back into the room. "You have to stop him," she told the others.

"It's his choice," Shiro said as sympathetically as he could.

Pidge stared at him in disbelief. No. No. How could this be happening?

"Please, Pidge, we have to do this," Allura said. A doctor had entered the room, with a floating table full of anesthesia and an IV.

Pidge closed her eyes, looked away, then gave in. What choice did they have? She sat down on her bed, placing both hands above her head.