As soon as Katie stepped into the large room, she wanted to immediately turn and run. However, she forced her feet forward and smiled. "Ugh, my feet are already killing me. Fuck you, Lance."

Lance raised his head from the plate he was currently stacking snacks onto. "What? Why? What'd I do?"

Katie whined, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "You picked these damn heels!"

"Language, Pidge," Shiro muttered from behind her. Katie blushed, but groaned. "This is a formal, business dance. Your language will give people a bad impression."

"I don't care what people think of me," Katie grumbled, picking up a cherry.

Lance nodded. "She really doesn't. She'll walk into a meeting in her pajamas, yawning and cussing like a sailor." Katie grinned.

"I'm so proud of myself."

Shiro sighed, shaking his head. "Well, try not to curse while we're here. I'm sure Allura wouldn't appreciate it."

Katie was about to make a quip about her boss, but then quickly shut her mouth. He was right. If I ruin this for Allura, I won't get my raise. She also might make me pay her back for the dress and shoes. Katie narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brows in thought before she sighed. "Fine. I'll keep cursing on the down low. Not one bad word will pass these gorgeous lips from here on out." She smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "Sound good?"

"Sounds great." Shiro smiled and nodded, then picked up an apple slice. "Want some peanuts? There's a whole bowl right here."

Katie's nose scrunched up. "He- uh... No!" She shouted, taking a step back. "Peanuts are nasty!"

Lance sniggered, stepping up beside them with food stuffed into his cheeks and more on his plate. "She hates peanuts."

Shiro nodded. "I noticed."

"But," Lance raised a finger and swallowed, "she loves peanut butter and peanut butter cookies. They're her favorite." Katie folded her arms and nodded. "She nearly killed me one time because I took her peanut butter that was hidden in her desk."

"I still hate you for that."

"And I still don't regret it. It'd do it again, but only if paid."

Katie grinned and rolled her eyes. "I'll pay you twenty bucks to steal my peanut butter just so I can beat you with a rod." Lance stuck out his tongue.

Shiro sighed, laying his flesh hand on Katie's shoulder. "Come on, let's not talk like that while we're in a professional setting." Lance and Katie both snorted. "Guys..."

"Yes, dad," Lance muttered, turning and wandering away, probably to go find girls to flirt with. Katie snickered at her coworker's comment, then ducked her head and the disapproving raise of Shiro's eyebrow.

The older man sighed, then held up his arm. "Come on... Let's go dance."

Katie blinked, then looked up at him. "Dance?"

"Yes," Shiro nodded, taking Katie's hand and leading her to where others dance. "Do you not know how?"

The petite girl smirked. "I know how." She raised her hand and placed it on his shoulder. "I know how to do a lot of dances. The waltz, two-step, square dance, hip-hop- I could go on."

Shiro chuckled as he lead Katie. "What about... Let's see..."

Katie grinned. "I know how to ho-down. My favorite when I was little to dance to was Cotton-Eyed-Joe. I knew that dance by heart." Shiro hummed, smiling fondly as he true to picture a little Pidge dancing to Cotton-Eyed-Joe. "But, aside from Dance, technology is where my heart belongs. I've always loved technology. I've loved the feel, the knowledge. Don't tell anyone, but I've hacked into government files. It was child's play."

"What!?" Shiro stopped, his eyes widening. "Why would you do that?"

Katie frowned, looking down. "To find my family... Well, my brother and father, to be more exact... They were apart of the military and had gone missing. They practically disappeared, and yet the government refused to go searching for them. They were just listed as MIA. I know the military is hiding something from my mom and I."

Takashi swallowed thickly, then continued to dance with Katie. "If... If you're so smart, how come you're working this job? You could be working with NASA or something."

The small girl sighed, spinning under his arm. "To lay low. To seem ordinary. Besides, if I already have access to the files, then I'll have no fun hacking into them." She smirked, looking back up at him. "Where's the fun, Takashi?"

Said man gulped at how his name slid from her tongue. He shook his head. "I would have never guess that you enjoyed hacking into government and military files."

Katie shrugged. "I hacked into Allura's database."

Shiro laughed, then immediately stopped himself. "Why?"

"To get me the job." She shrugged. "Kidding. I hack into it every time applications are up. I was hired because her father promised my father I'd get a job here if other places didn't work. They were good friends. Both shared a deep love for tech and exploration. Also, Allura would babysit me sometimes while Matt was at school, dad working and mom working. She was the one who gave me the nickname, Pidge. Her and my mom."

Shiro smiled. "I'm glad you didn't cheat to get your job."

Katie grinned. "I play fair. I don't like playing dirty. I like getting places on my own. I like to work towards my goals rather than just earn them."

"But you enjoy hacking."

"It a pass-time activity."

"While you're laying low?"

"Yup."

"What happens if you get caught?"

"I won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm a Holt," she stated, dipping back with his prosthetic hand on the small of her back, Shiro leaning down with her. Katie looked straight into his gray eyes. "Holt's don't get caught unless they want to be. I don't want to get caught, so I'm not gonna."

Shiro swears he heard that somewhere before, but shrugs it off and raises Katie. He chuckled and shakes his head. "Okay, Pidge. I'll let you believe that, but if you get caught-"

"Which I won't."

"-don't come running to me." Shiro sighed at the interruption, slowly their dance to a stop. "If you're caught-"

"Which I won't be."

"-you could get into serious trouble."

Katie pouted. "You're no fun." She kept him with her and initiated a second dance. "You're just worried about the consequences on if I somehow get caught-which I won't. I don't get caught. I like to live in the moment and worry later. Really, Shiro, stop worrying so much. You worry more than my mother used to." She meant it to tease him, but Shiro could spot the underlying sadness in her golden eyes. "Besides, I haven't done much hacking lately beside for games. Also while ordering medication."

"What?"

"Helps cheapen it up while getting the best."

"Katie."

"I don't have the best paying job in the world, Shiro. My mom needs those meds." She shrugs, twirling on her toes before leaning against Shiro. "I'm not hacking for myself when I'm doing the hacking that could potentially get me in trouble. I'm doing it for my family, Shiro."

"It's still wrong," Shiro whispered, gently pulling her closer.

Katie sighed, resting her head on his chest just below his shoulder. "I know that... I wouldn't have to do it if I just knew where my father and brother were... Where they are. I'm so tired of seeing my mom how she is. I can't do anything for her but get those meds, make sure she eats, and get her to bed. She can't work in her condition, she can't even take care of herself. I just... I want her to smile again, Shiro. I miss my mom's real smiles. Now when she smiles, it looks like she's about to break down any moment."

They both slowed to a gentle sway. Shiro placed both his hands on her back as both her arms slid over his shoulders. "Takashi, I miss my family. I miss my dad telling me that I'll be the greatest, and my brother's stupid nicknames. I miss how my mom would put her hand on her hip and dad would back down because everyone knows that when Mrs. Holt or Katie Holt puts a hand on her hip, you're about to get the ultimate sassy snap. I miss laughing at the dinner table and messing around with tech my parents would buy."

Shiro listened to Katie go on about her family and everything she missed. He felt his own heart twist as her voice cracked.

She was about to cry.

"Katie," he murmured, and pulled her from the crowd. They went to an empty corner, Katie trying desperately hard not to cry and ruin Lance's work. Once they halted, Shiro turned back to Katie and pulled her to his chest. She hurriedly accepted his embrace, grasping his suit jacket and tucking her face into his chest. "It's okay to cry, Katie," he whispered, rubbing her back with his flesh hand. "Let it out. You need to at some point."

Katie shook her head, but he could already feel her tears wetting his tux. Shiro kept his eyes up, making sure no one came near as Katie began to sob, the weak noises muffled by Shiro's chest.

"It's going to be okay." Shiro leant down and softly pressed his lips to her hair. "It'll be alright... I'll text Allura and tell her I'm bringing you home."

"No," Katie tugged his arm back into place before he could reached his phone. "No, I-I can stay... I just need a moment... And then after that moment, I'll need Lance to fix whatever I ruined."

Shiro chuckled. "Alright, Pidge."