PARADOX ↦ ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

49

Lance watched as the gunshot pierced through her forehead and instantly killed her, only giving them a few minutes before she would turn.

Lance glanced at the gun he held in his hands, before he put it in his back pocket, his eyes then trailed to keith from where he hung against the wall. Lance rushed over, taking the glass from his hand and immediately cutting the tie-line.

Keith slumps over immediately, Lance catching him before he could hit the ground hard and gently pulled him down to sit against the wall. Lance brushed his bangs from his eyes as he smiled softly, trying to get his violet eyes to meet with his.

"Hey... hey are you with me?" Lance begged, the tears in his eyes as he prayed keith was alright. "Come on... please..."

There was silence as lance just looks at keith, biting his lip as he rested his head on Keith's shoulder in fear and worry, when he felt a hand gently brush the back of his neck.

Lance looked up quickly and felt keith cough, opening his eyes slowly as he recovered.

" i guess you really are 'unkillable' aren't you?" Keith managed to speak slowly, his head still spinning as he made eye contact with lance.

Lance laughs softly in disbelief, before he shook his head and leans forward, placing his lips against Keith's in an act of happiness, pulling away and looking at him with a big smile.

Keith gently traced his hand against Lance's cheek, before he pulled him closer, grabbing Lance's collar as well before he brought the two together, holding the kiss as they finally feel a moment of peace. A moment of happiness for the first time in a long time. And it was the reason they were both here alive today.

—

No one was there as the cabin doors opened again. The remaining soldiers were just gone, having taken the trucks they had brought to drive along to. And they were all alone.

Shiro held the bloodied and dead Rover in his arms as he stepped into the sunlight, Pidge behind him with no more tears in her eyes, but a choice of staying strong for everything she was fighting for .

Lotor held the body of Ezor in his arms, while Acxa gripped the coat between her hands to keep herself covered and protected, but the look on her face did not seem violated. It just seemed powerful. With hints of blood spattered all over her face, she was too far gone to stop fighting now.

Lance had slung Keith's arm over his shoulder, carrying him out into the sunlight as they scan the area. All nine of them had arrived that night, and only six remain standing here.

Four graves were dug on the top of the hill, overlooking everything.

One for Hunk, one for Narti, one for Ezor, and one for Rover.

And as they all stood there, the silence of mourning overtook them all. Even as they lifted each body into each grave and covered it with the cold and almost frozen soil. The sun seemed to come out only to show them that there was hope and to let them bury the people, and dog, they loved.

Once done, they stand there in a half circle, their eyes on the graves that stood in front of them all.

Lance gently took the gun from his holster, looking to Lotor and handing it to him. "She left herself open. Gave me a chance to attack. I'm sorry." Lance whispered softly.

Lotor looked at the gun , before he unloaded both bullet shells. He then sighed softly as he traced his hand along the pearl handle. A gun like this would be worth so much money. But now, money had no place in anyone's heart anymore. He put both bullets in again before he handed the gun back to Lance.

"Keep it." He told him, a kind smile on his face. " you earned it Sharpshooter."

Lance looked at Lotor with a warm smile before he took the gun back in his hand, sliding it into his pocket before keith squeezes his hand tightly.

Pidge kept her eyes on the graves that were for both of her true friends, and most trusted allies. It seemed almost crazy with how much everything had quickly overturned. She stepped forward, holding two objects in her hands, the green collar and orange headband.

She stepped forward as she gently placed the headband on the cross arm, and laid the collar against the freshly turned dirt on the grave that laid the dog. Her eyes closed for a moment as she knelt on the ground, shiro's hand gently placed against her shoulder as a sigh of reassurance.

His right arm remained bandaged, stitched together with crappy thread and a canteen-cleaned needle. But that didn't stop him as he looked to the others.

"We've all faced the question whether or not we are here for a reason. And after today I know the answer we are burdened with isn't one we want to hear." He turned to face them now, his stance strong as he looked to each one of them.

"We lost people today. Family. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't want us to stop fighting. We need to fight with them. With their strength that they passed down to us. It will be harder than it had ever been now. But I know that with each of you, you all have an aspect from them that we will carry within each of us."

Shiro looked at all of them with a clenched fist, more determined than ever. " we have Hunk's kindness. We have Narti's trust. We have Ezor's fearlessness. And we all have Rover's loyalty. I see it within each one of you."

"They said that Zarkon is on his way to Altea. And if we can take down his army once before, we will go back there and do it again. We are a team."

"And we will never let them take away our family again. Now let's go show them what we have learned from our fallen friends."

"Let's take back what is ours."