Growing From The Pain

4

My window was open. I didn't open it. Must have been the wind or something. Either way I was awake. A small breeze blew into my face. "Skip out early," it whispered on my neck. I immediately jumped from my bed. I put on a shirt and rushed from my bedroom. I pulled my Galra knife out from my pocket. Racing down the hallway I found myself at Lance's doorway. Right before I knocked I stepped in something wet.

Looking down my eyes widened. I went into panic mode. I activated the knife and frantically stabbed the door. I made one large incision, but it wasn't enough. "Lance! Lance, can you hear me," I yelled. I was hoping not to wake the others. Blood covered my feet and kept running. Tears were streaming down my eyes.

I was almost done. I just need one more incision and I would be through. I could see him. He held a his bayard to his his mouth while blood spilled down his arms. I could see though that his eye were rolling towards the back of his head. He was losing consciousness. With a loud struggling yell I got the knife through and a section of the door, large enough for me to get through, came off. I jumped through and pulled the gun out of his mouth. I took it from his hand and it reverted back to his Bayard.

I immediately jumped up with him in my arms and made my way to healing pod room. The others started to cone out of their rooms. "Keith? What're you doing," Pidge asked. I just rushed past her. I didn't stop. Frantically and shaking I put him in a pod as quickly as possible. The blood was still pouring before it actually activated. I watched his seemingly lifeless body. I checked anything I could to see if he was still living.

I heard a rush of feet which only added to my short breaths. I heard the others arrive behind me. My breathing quickened. "Keith, why is there blood everywhere," Pidge asked. She gasped before I could even answer. I started to tap my foot.

"Keith," Shiro said. I ignored him and focused on Lance. Tears were forming again. My hands went over the screen shakily searching for something. "Keith," he called again. He put a hand on my shoulder. It through me over the edge. I dropped to the ground and put a hand over my mouth. "Keith, talk to me." He kneeled next to me. Panic finally settled in. "Breathe Keith. Breathe."

I took some deep breaths, spacing them out one by one until they reached a fairly normal pace. I could hear them gather around me. "Look at me," Shiro said. I did as he asked. "Good. Now, tell us what happened."

"I-I-I-I do-don't kn-know," I struggled to say. My mind struggled to form words. The scene of his bloodied body and a gun in his mouth were replaying like nightmares. "I f-f-found him-m wi-with a g-g-gun in his m-m-mouth a-a-and c-cuts all-all ov-v-ver." Pidge gasped again. She took the screen in her hands and tried to make sense of what I couldn't. A sigh of relief flew from her lips.

"He's alive. He passed out from major blood loss. His heartbeat is weak, but steady." I pull my hair back and look to the ceiling. I stand slowly and keep my hands behind my head. I pay attention to my breathing and heartbeat. Shiro rubs my shoulders, following me as I pace. I turn to Hunk and Coran who stand speechless.

"I'm gonna take a walk for a bit," I finally decide, Shiro moving back. "I'll be back." I walk with my head down. I walk along side the bloody footprints and puddles made by Lance and myself. I make my way into his room where a large pool of still wet blood is. Doing my best trying not to touch it I make it to his bed. There I sit, silently contemplating what drove him to this point. While in my mind a white fragment catches my eye in its peripheral. "What's this?"

I pull the paper off the bedside table. Opening I find his writing. I find myself reading it intently. My brow furrows as I finish it. I can't wait for him to get out of that pod. All the things I want to say to him. My mind races with all the ways I hate how he feels, and how I wish I could do something to make him know just how amazing he is. In that moment a special plan for him presents itself to me. I head back to the others. "Keith," Shiro says as I enter. "His condition." My breath catches and I prepare for the worst. "He's not doing so great. He flat lined for a few seconds before you got here."

I walk up to the glass. I pound on it. "You better not give up. You hear me!" I yell. The others pull me away. I kick and scream. "Let me go! I can't leave him! Please," I plead. They bring my over to a nearby chair. "Please. Let me stay next to him." I start to cry again. It's ugly and sad. Something you wouldn't do in the company of others. I'm pulled into a large hug.

"He'll pull through," Shiro encouraged me. "He will. He will. I know he will." I cried into his chest. He pat my back and held me closely.

"He can't die," I reassure myself. "Not yet. I'm not ready."

"I know," Shiro continues. "I know. But all we can do is wait and hope Keith. Wait and hope." So that's what I did. I waited and hoped. The others returned to whatever they were doing within a few days. I stayed on Altea with Lance. One week passed. Then two. I was now entering the end of the third today. Coran walked into the room I had occupied without moving.

I kept my eyes on the pod. "There's some food for you in the dining room." I didn't reply. "I'll bring it here." He left and the door slid closed behind him. I blinked for a second. My eyes were tired and heavy, but I didn't close them. I jumped up as my sleep tried to get the better of me. The hissing sound of a sliding door further kept me awake, but it was only Coram returning. I turned to him who held my plate in one hand, but ended up absently staring him down.

"I'll leave it here for you." He walked away again and I turned back to my duty. I narrowed my eyes on his body.

"Wake up, you idiot," I whispered. And then the pod opened.