The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[1] Hello? Anyone there?

{ A/N: Based on @CultofKurasano prompt, chapter coming where your actual prompt happens. Also @Vol_Voltron watch this space for the Matt and Lance Bffs you wanted ;) }

The first thing that Lance really noticed when he had woken was how strangely dark it was within the blue lion. His lion, usually so filled with life and colour, was dark. He glanced quickly at the control panel, hoping to garner any information to their whereabouts. There was nothing, only a blank screen.

"Hello? Anyone there?" he called.

Not even the sound of static replied to him. Everything was eerily silent.

The second thing he noticed was how absolutely battered his body felt. And how this pain didn't seem to extend to his ankle. In fact, he couldn't seem to feel his ankle at all. Slowly he looked down, mustering his courage as he did so.

His ankle was definitely broken, but Lance smiled in relief. He was just glad that his foot was still there. Besides, his last broken ankle was worse. He blamed the peach tree outside his abuela's house. He bent over and gently began to inspect the swollen appendage. This was fine, he could treat this.

For now he ignored the intense pain in his lower back. He would not be able to asses that injury just yet. He needed to focus on the things he could do.

Gently, Lance hauled himself to his feet, ignoring his body as it ached with fiery protest. He slowly limped over to the panel that hid his emergency supplies. He reached out to open it and groaned.

He couldn't open it without power.

Lance growled and dropped to the floor. How was he supposed to help himself if he didn't even have the most basic supplies? He was going to die in the middle of space in a stupid, robotic cat.

He immediately felt guilty. This was not Blue's fault.

"Sorry girl," He whispered, bringing up a hand to rest on one of the metal walls.

Lance sighed and dropped his hand back down to the floor. Blue couldn't hear him, and his connection to her had grown dim. He was alone out here, lost in the endless void of space.

His stomach grumbled, and he debated if he should even bother feeding himself. He was going to die anyway, what was the point?

His stomach growled at him once more, and lance let himself fall back. He stared up at Blue's ceiling, it was dented, quite obviously damaged from the faulty wormhole incident.

That needed to be fixed, he couldn't let Blue suffer like this. He couldn't give up, he had to keep going. If not for himself, then for Blue.

He forced himself to stand, reaching out for his bayard. He lifted it hesitantly. A gun would not help him here, he needed something smaller, and a little sharp. Honestly what he wouldn't give for Keith's knife right about now. He stared at the panel, maybe he had something knife like on board? He ignored the warmth in his hand, only paying attention when a sharp stab of pain shot through his palm. He looked down at his bayard, gasping and holding it closer to his face, in order to see it better. Instead of a gun, there sat a small dagger. Its blade a little bloody from where he had gripped it wrong. It was perfect.

Gently he stuck the blade in the small crevice above the panel. Slowly he wiggled it down, gently prising the panel from the wall and taking the small bag from its place. He didn't bother replacing the covering. Instead he tossed it to the side, causing it to clang loudly on the metal wall. He smiled, he liked the noise. It was strangely soothing, something chaotic in the strange silence that surrounded him.

He set to work patching up his injuries. After applying a shoddy splint to his ankle, he put away his supplies, tucking the small bag under Blue's main console. He knew he should probably begin work on her, but for now he rested, drifting into a fitful sleep.

At first, Lance wasn't entirely sure what had woken him. He blinked and tried to block out the glow from the safety light beside his face.

The lights!

Lance sat up quickly, laughing with joy as he stared around at the now glowing cockpit.

"Blue! My girl, thank goodness!" He laughed, tears of happiness dripping down his face as he buried it in his hands. He felt Blue's wave of apology wash over him. She wasn't able to fly yet, but she was awake and that's all that mattered to the blue paladin. He wasn't alone, he had Blue.

Lance yelled in triumph once more when the comms came to life, Hunk's voice echoing through the cabin.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Lance jumped up, gasping as his ankle started to throb. He had forgotten about that.

"Hunk buddy! It's so good to hear from you!"

"Hello, anybody there?"

Lance felt his good mood deflate like a balloon.

Hunk couldn't hear him. Or he was being ignored.

Lance felt anger flash within him as he shut off the comms. If Hunk didn't want to talk to him then that was fine. He sat heavily in the pilot seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

But then his brain kicked in and he sighed before reaching up and switching the comms back on. Hunk would never ignore him.

"Guys, please! Lance? Shiro? Pidge? Keith? Please! Anyone?"

Lance brought his hands up to his mouth, trying to hold back sobs as he listened to Hunk's pleas and laboured breathing. He didn't fail to notice that it was him that Hunk called for first. He could do nothing to help.

Lance continued to listen to Hunk's panicked voice as it turned into gut wrenching sobs. At this point Lance couldn't bear it anymore, hiding his face and joining his friend in sorrow.