The paladins were on their way home. After the distress call- and 4 years in space- they decided it was time.

By now, they were almost at the Milky Way. The wave of relief they all felt was incredible.

"Well, everyone," Shiro beamed. "It looks like we're almost-"

A blaring alarm sounded through the comms. Pidge picked up. "Hello?"
No answer. Just heavy breaths.

"Is anyone there? Are you okay?"

"Help..." croaked a strangled voice. It sounded vaguely familiar. Weak.

"Shiro, they sound like they're in pain." Keith looked over at him. "Should we let them into the hangar?"

"Yeah. I'll go down there to see who is it. Let them in."

Everyone could hear the muffled, weak cries of relief as the banged-up ship let its passenger into the black lion. Shiro went down and all he could see was a darkly-dressed figure curled up in a ball, their clothes tattered and their head hidden by a helmet.

"Hey, are you... oh... oh my god..."

Lotor turned over, desperation in his eyes.
"Please, just... lock me up..."

—

They landed on a nearby planet with Lotor in chains in the black lion and everyone else outside.

"I'm sorry if I'm not the most understanding of him being back here and inside one of our lions!" Lance paced back and forth angrily while ranting. "It's- I'm- UGH!!"

"Oh, trust me, I feel the same way," Allura spoke through gritted teeth. "How in the world could he just have the audacity to contact us for aid?! I can't believe him. He's hurt all of us, I- this is- this is all just..." She sighed. "No, alright, I'm calm. I've calmed down. Nope. No, I haven't. I still hate him."

Coran was seething. "Anyone who hurts the people I care about are nothing but two-faced, no good..." He went on a slew of Altean curses. Everyone was kind of impressed through their frustration.

Romelle had her arms crossed and was almost glaring at the ground trying to hold back her tears of anger.

"Romelle?" Hunk placed a hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. She sighed, turning and softly sobbing into Hunk's shoulder.

A muffled cry of what sounded like agony came from the black lion. Lotor was writhing on the floor, in chains, in pain.
Everything was too much for him. Like all of his senses were on overload and everything was blinding and burning and-
"Make it stop, make it stop..."

He sounded almost pathetic, whining and whimpering to himself, repeating the same wish that he felt would never come true. He screamed again.

"Jeez." Pidge winced. "He really is in pain."

"Good," Lance muttered through gritted teeth.

"Lance, please," Shiro said. "Listen, I know Lotor was kind of a jerk to us in the past-"

"You mispronounced 'asshole'."

"Lance. He came to us for help. Doesn't that mean something? Maybe he's willing to trust us again."

"Here's a thought," Allura said, a shiny fake smile on her face. "Maybe his mother is currently attempting to claim the entire- what was the word? The entire fucking universe and he's just a pawn. Maybe. Just a thought."

"Allura, there's no need for that kind of language."

"Good work on the usage, though, princess."

"Lance, I swear-"

"Guys," Keith held up his hands, "We can keep arguing and talking about how awful Lotor is, but we need to make an actual decision."

"On what?" asked Lance.

"On whether or not to, oh I don't know, leave him in space or not."

"Leave him," said Allura, Lance, Romelle, and Coran in unison.

Keith sighed. "And for everyone else?"

Pidge spoke up. "I don't know, guys. Maybe we should hear what's going on with him first. Get both sides of the story and everything."

"I didn't really expect you to be the sympathetic one," Lance jeered.

"I'm just saying..."

"No, Pidge, that was a good suggestion," said Shiro. "Anyone in favor of that?"

"Weeelllllll," Hunk started, "As mean as he was to all of us, I think that maybe we should do what Pidge said. Like, hear what he had to say and, um... get his side... and...." He trailed off as he noticed Allura glaring at him. "Sorry, princess, I'm just saying what I think we should do..."

"Alright," Shiro sighed. "We'll talk to him, then."

The tension that had suddenly arisen in the air was something that none of them wanted. However, they supposed it was necessary- deciding whether or not to let a crazed alien tag along to your home was something that would bring up a rift.

*******

So... actual first chapter! Yay
The ending kinda sucks but my endings always do
What did you guys think? I noticed that a few more of you are waiting to read this lol
See y'all next time, love ya