Axca walked with lance to the red lion as he had a stern look on his face.

"Lance wait, I know you loved Lotor and I'm sorry for your lost... but-" "hes not dead," lance cut her off.

"What?" Axca felt fear in her heart.

".. Lotor isn't dead, I didn't want to loose him.." lance stopped in front of the lion.

Axca felt many things, mostly the fear of what Lotor could do to her for the betrayal but seeing the look on Lances face showed there was more.

"He's in a pod, healing... but the damage was bad Axca," he said standing still and looked at the ground.

"He lost his arm and leg, theres a lot of scars, I thought he wouldn't make it but he's still alive, but Axca... what happened when you took Lotor with shiro?" He looked up at her curiously as they hung outside of the red lion.

"Did you know Hagar was Lotors mother?" Axca asked calmly.

"She is alive?" Lance breathed wide eyes.

"I've never seen Lotor so angry," Axca nodded.

"He never talked about it, we were open a lot but he never wanted to talk about Honerva being killed by zarkon," lance sighed leaning against the lions claw.

"before the whole battle begun, the blond altean, romelle, she confronted Lotor about killing alteans, Allura attacked him and everyone was suddenly against him again, saying he's like zarkon, then seeing the woman who claims to be a mother who let Lotor he abused and neglected his whole life... I think he broke," Lance looked at her explaining the situation.

"And he's alive?" Axca asked and he nodded.

"What are you going to do?" She asked again.

"He doesn't deserve to die, I'm not defending him but it's hard to tell when he's not even conscious," lance pursed his lips.

"Lance I don't think you realize what Lotor did.." Axca closed her eyes.

"Fine, he was going mad, but his intentions lance... they were cruel, he wanted voltron dead, he wanted the galra dead, that was you and I, at the time... if he was mad, he didn't consider the consequences of his  actions," Axca sighed sadly as lance listened.

"He would've killed us all if we didn't fight back,"

Lance crossed his arms and held himself a little feeling uncomfortable as he let it sink in.

"ezor and zethrid used Lotors words to gain their own loyalty from those pirates, the galra is no longer loyal to Lotor, if he wakes up he isn't an emperor, he won't even be a prince, the galra hate him for even considering them dead,"

"I-I..." Lance was lost for words.

"Your better off as a Paladin lance, cause if you claim to be Lotors general rather than an individual, your good as dead," she looked at him calmly and lance bit his lip.

"Then what do you think we should do?" He sighed.

"Do you still love him?"

"Of course," lance didn't hesitate.

"Just because he made mistakes doesn't mean he's a bad man," he glared a little and Axca knew he was still completely loyal.

"I trusted Lotor too... but you have to admit his intentions were.. dark," she tried to explain.

"I mean I guess.." lance mumbled.

"Lance," she crossed her arms.

"Do you love him?" She asked again.

Lance thought for a moment this time, he thought about that battle with Lotor. That wasn't the man he loved, that didn't seem like Lotor at all...

"I loved the man that was honorable..." lance nodded. "That believed in torture wasn't the way to get answers, that wanted peace... I thought he was that same man,"

"What will you do when he wakes up," Axca asked again but slower as lance wasn't in denial anymore.

"We don't even know who he'll be when he wakes up," lance defended again but Axca grabbed his wrist.

"If hes a power thirsty emperor?" She asked looking him in the eye. Making sure he couldn't get away, they had to face the reality.

"We're taking him to earth either way, if he's like he was before... we lock him up for treason," lance nodded but felt disappointment in his chest. "And if he's the same man I love, we give him a chance to explain himself,"

"When the time comes... you should try regaining the galras trust, even if your human there was still respect, and with your loyalty, use that, you have a good heart lance, the galra could use someone like you rather than warlords," Axca sighed looking at him.

"Axca I cant, I'm weak compared to even half breeds, they will never let a human lead them," he shook his head. "Despite how you are, the galra majority still sees strength as power,"

"I'll be there if you do, your not alone," she smiled softly.

"Why did ezor and zethrid want me dead too?" He asked quietly as it still bothered him.

"They think Lotor is still very alive, ezor never thought you were dead.. only in hiding, she was hurt the most by voltrons disappearing, that you abandoned her, she didn't wanna grieve so she turned it into anger I guess, but zethrid helped her heal," Axca told him calmly.

"They make a nice couple otherwise," lance laughed a little.

"You figured it out?" Axca quirked a brow smirking.

"Easily," he snorted.

"Is it bad that I wish things never changed," he sighed again letting out a soft breath.

"Which part?" Axca asked as lance looked at the lion. He walked through reds mouth with his friend behind him.

"When Lotor was a prince still, when zarkon was on his death bed, before we joined voltron, those were my favorite times with you guys," he smiled to himself as he lead the way.

"Yea... those were happier times," Axca felt a hint of sadness in her chest as she could remember them as a family instead of what ever they were now.

Lance motioned to the pod on the other side of the lions open area, Axca walked forward to see inside the pod, seeing the man that saved her life. But who also ruined the universe.

She covered her mouth with a soft gasp seeing Lotors body inside as his chest was wrapped and there was bandages around his amputated arm and more around his leg, as well as half his face covered in bandage.

"Do you think I was selfish to save him even when he's like this?" Lance asked quietly.

"I feel worst and worst every day he lives, like he's suffering more than if he would be dead, I shouldn't have- I don't know what I should've done- I just know I couldn't leave him behind," lance covered his mouth trying not to cry as Axca touched the cool glass on the pod.

"No, he would've done the same for you," Axca pursed her lips.

"I just don't think I've ever seen him asleep," she felt a tear run down her face. He was so mighty, so strong, no matter what he's done it still hurt so much to see him like this.

"You know I remember when he first told me his feelings for you, he never said it to anyone else, he never said he loved you, he didn't even know what those feelings meant," Axca traced her fingers on the glass as she looked at Lotors face.

"He said he couldn't stand to see you so upset, so damaged, he never wanted to see you hurt, he would kill for you, or replace you with himself every time you were hurt, he physically was in pain when you cried, he loved you so much, I knew you were his mate," she smiled back at lance as more tears ran down her face.

"Axca..." lance walked up to her. He's never seen her cry.

"I never saw this coming, I owe Lotor my life," she whispered as lance grabbed her hand.

"We all owe him our lives," he nodded rubbing her hand gently with his thumb.

"But things have changed, I accept that," lance sighed sadly as they both looked at Lotors pod like he was in a casket. It was weird seeing Lotor so defenseless, sleeping like he was dead.

Lance touched the glass as Axca walked away to collect herself again as her chest hurt. He pursed his lips and walked away as he kept his emotions buried but he couldn't help but get upset, angry almost at what has become of them, Lotors words from the battle, Allura and Lotors words against each other. Hatred.

"Estoy enojado contigo, pero eso no significa que no me importes," lance whispered as his fingertips left the glass and turned to leave the lion but he froze hearing a chime behind him and a soft groan.

Axca spun around as lance didn't move as he was to much in shock to know what to do next.

He finally turned his body back seeing the pod was open but Lotors eyes were still closed, his lips parted slightly like he wanted to say something. Lance looked at him concerned as Axca stood close with wide eyes.

"Lotor?" Lance pursed his lips as they waited.

It was silent.

Lotor inhaled softly as the moments passed. He was healed, so why wasn't he waking up..? Lance looked at Axca confused as she didn't understood either. Axca motioned to leave to get Coran as lance hesitated.

Until those eyes snapped open, replaced with glowing white.