Season 8 Rewrite | Plance

Episode 10

PIDGE POV

We were back. Things hadn't gone exactly to plan, but they hadn't gone absolutely terribly, so we counted this as a win. The Atlas was weirdly quiet and calm, everyone talking in hushed tones and hurrying from place to place.

The team was situated outside the medical bay, waiting anxiously for any news. When we returned from Honerva's mind, everyone was totally unscathed, except for Allura. She now lay serenely on the hospital bed, hair splayed out beneath her like some kind of angel. Lotor paced in front of the window, glancing every few seconds into Allura's little cubby, hoping for some kind of miracle. Everyone else sat in the plastic chairs, staring into space. Lance sat next to me, fiddling with a loose thread on his shirt. We'd changed quickly out of our armour before rushing back here, and Lance had opted for... pyjamas? Whatever. He could do what he wanted. We were in the middle of a crisis.

Two rather flustered-looking medics quietly came into the waiting room, turning to face us with worried expressions.

"We have bad news." One said. Her nametag read 'Milly'. "Allura is... " She sighed.

"Allura's in a coma," The other, 'Melanie', finished. "We can't be sure when she will wake up, or if she ever will."

"It's not looking good."

Lotor stopped pacing. "Isn't there something you can do?" He asked, desperation lacing his voice. The British doctors glanced at each other.

"We are doing everything we can," explained Milly, "But there is no point in you all sitting out here. I'm afraid it won't wake her up." Melanie nodded in agreement.

"Leave. We will alert Shiro if there are any changes."

Everyone stood reluctantly, silently filing out of the room. I followed Keith out and turned to Lance. Before I could get a word out Lotor stormed past, pushing me out the way.

"Oi!" Lance called after him. Lotor didn't pay him any heed. "That guy's got some nerve." He said grumpily. I hummed absent-mindedly in agreement.

"So what should we do now?" I asked. Lance shrugged miserably.

"I don't know. Allura was our only shot at beating Honerva, and now she's not even concious. I suppose the medics are right. We just have to sit it out." He paused. "That's assuming the coma even ends."

"We need food." I decided. "Peanut butter cookies should be enough to cheer us up." Lance nodded.

"They're going to have to."

LANCE POV

We sat cross-legged in front of the wide window on the second level. All the drama that day left us slightly out of it, so only when we sat down with our plate of slightly stale peanut butter cookies did we realise it was basically midnight. Most of the ship was silent, only the occasional patrol slipping quietly through the corridors disturbed us.

I looked at my companion. She stared into the open expanse ten feet away, eyes wide and starry. Her hair stuck up at eccentric angles from the chaos of the day, and her glasses sat slightly askew atop her nose. Her pale skin looked even paler in the harsh light of the ship, contrasting with the dark freckles painted across her face. She wore a loose T-shirt, (at second glance, it was actually my 'THE MCCLAINS RULE THE GAME' shirt Veronica passed on from Mum) baggy cargo shorts and bright green socks pulled up to her knees.

I inspected the empty room around us, and then the glittering view in front of us. It was perfect. What was I waiting for? I cleared my throat.

"Pidge?" I rubbed the back of my neck, already uncomfortable. "There is something... something I've been meaning to talk to you about."