A Space In-Between (Shidge/Klance AU)

23- The Others

Katie looked up helplessly at the bath. "How do we even get in?" her mother asked, looking at the pool of water in thought. After a while of contemplation, a person attacked Katie from behind with a hug. 

"There you are! We had gotten so worried when we were told you were sent back to your world with no way back," Allura whined, clearly upset about the topic. "Matt had turned white on the spot!" Allura stopped her rambling when she noticed the woman standing behind Katie. 

"Ah, this is my mother," Katie announced, realizing they have yet to meet. Shay burst into the bath house and spotted Katie. Her entire face lit up like the sun at her appearance.

"Katie! You're alive! We were so worried about you, especially your brother," she said as she engulfed Katie in a hug. She was still the only person who could out-shine Hunk. Katie gave small pats to symbol that she needed to be let go. Shay did so instantly. "Well, let's talk more in the bath," Shay insisted. 

Apparently, baths were supposed to be defying the rules of gravity in this dimension because nether one of them looked horrified or confused. Allura stepped to the middle and was suddenly lifted into the water. "Come on, the water isn't getting any warmer!" she called out and settled deeper into the bath.

Shay followed and it happened again. Questioning the physics of the place, she and her mother did the same. Once they had both feet in the middle, a force came from below and pushed them into the air. They were then safely flipped and placed in the bath. It was as if the ceiling became the floor and the floor, the ceiling. 

Amazed, Katie began to swim around. The water was warm and it soothed her. The earlier conversation with Lotor had disappeared from mind. "So how has my brother been?" she asked once she settled on one of the bath's sides. Shay glanced to Allura and giggled.

"He is doing just fine, minus the near heart attack he experienced when he heard what had happened to you. Your return brought him back to life and sure he will be even better when news of your mother reaches him," the ex-princess explained with a quaint nod.

"Hunk has been fine too, in case you were wondering," Shay added, smiling with unspeakable happiness. Katie couldn't help but smile back. It was as if the last few days never happened.

"I was just about to ask about him. Here's the more important question: how is your relationships with them?" Katie inquired, her smile now a smirk. Shay turned red and sank into the water. Allura, on the other hand, stood unashamed. Katie watched the droplets fall off of the woman's towel when she rose.

"Our relationship is quite fine!" Allura cheered before turning to Mrs. Holt, "Oh, I am your son's girlfriend!" Katie waited for her mother's response, but only tears came from her mother's eyes.

"He found someone as gorgeous as you? Did he blackmail you or something of the sort? I apologize, I sincerely do," Mrs. Holt apologized, holding both of Allura's hands. Katie couldn't hold back the laughter that welled up because of the scene before her.

"That's not the case!" Allura shouted, displeased with the way Mrs. Holt views her son. "Matt is doing nothing of the sort. Only thing he's done is made me fall, hard. I actually love you son." Mrs. Holt was taken aback. All the sudden tears were gone and a smile was in place of them.

"That's good to hear. You are a good match for the Mathew I used to know. He must be very different now to have caught a catch as wonderful as you," Katie's mother replied, warmth in her eyes. This was the happiest Katie had seen her mother since the disappearance. 

"This is relaxing compared to the past few days," Katie suddenly said, taking away the moment. She couldn't watch the sappiness for long. "Though, I can't help but feel I'm the only here without a love life..."

 "That is not true. I have been able to watch you with Shiro and I think you already have a love life," her mother responded with a little laugh. Allura and Shay nodded in agreement.

"We have observed you two for a while now and there's totally something there," Shay explained. Katie could feel her cheeks heating up and it wasn't from the bath. She dunked her head underwater to hide it. 

Hearing the truth she knew well was just making the reality close in. She did not want to admit anything much less something of her own feelings. Suddenly, she had longed to leave the pool and hide underneath a cover. When she came up again, the conversation had moved on, thankfully. 

A large clang was heard from the room's entrance. Matt looked around desperately as Hunk and Shiro tried their best to keep him from entering. All four girls sank further into the bath's water. Matt spotted the pool and looked confused for a moment. He eyes scanned each of their faces till they landed on Katie and Mrs. Holt.

He broke free from the two guys' grip somehow and fell to his knees. Relief covered his face as a few tears fell from his eyes. "I though I lost you too. Now your here, with mom of all things," he said, voice tired and rough. No doubt from screaming at something.

"Yes, Matt. We are fine. Can you leave? We'll meet you outside in a few minutes," Katie hollered so he could hear from below. He nodded and let Shiro pull him out and he lecture him. Turning to her mother, Katie realized the woman was paralyzed, staring at the area Matt had just been.

"It was really him. It was really my baby, Matthew," Mrs. Holt whispered, disbelief in her voice, "My has he grown... and I wasn't there to see it either." Katie patted her back and looked to Allura.

"How do we get down?" she asked in a low, simple voice. Allura silently stood and jumped up. She suddenly had flipped and landed perfectly fine on the floor below. Shay followed once again, leaving Katie and Mrs. Holt behind. It took a few tries and one of them had almost lost the towel that was wrapped around their bodies.

After a bit, she finally get down with her mother in tow. They got properly dressed and went to meet Matt. Mrs. Holt rushed out of the door and jumped at Matt, wrapping her arms around him in a motherly hug. Katie couldn't resist joining in, so she ran into the hug.

She could hear her mother crying as the woman held her children that went missing. It was a moment they all were waiting for. Though there was still a piece missing that they needed to be whole again. 

But for that moment, that forgot about the world as they were reunited at last.

YAY!!! I am permanently back! I will try to write for you guys, but this time the updates will be whenever. Having a due date really put pressure on me and made me rush and mess things up. I apologize for taking an entire month off. But I'm back so all's good!

-ThatOneServant, the returning author, out!!