Your conversation with Ezran and Bellox ended and Keith escorted you to your room from some much-needed rest.

"If you need anything, you can call us through this communicator." He searched through his pockets and handed you the orange holo-screen that was about the size of a phone.

"Thanks, Keith." You said taking a hold of it.

"Sure thing, well, night," He said softly before turning away.

"Wai-gah!" You forgot about the whole 'leg thing' and ended up tripping and falling on your left knee on the ground.

"Hey! Geez, you've gotta be more careful." Keith said as he helped you up, but before he could set you back down on your bed you pulled him in for a hug. "Um...Y/n?" He asked completely caught off guard and honestly confused.

"Thank you, Keith, really." You tightened your grip on his waist making him hesitantly return the hug.

"Uh...no problem? I can help you walk around more often if you-"

"I'm not talking about that." You interrupted. "I mean, for being there for me and listening to me when we were back on planet Tralis."

"Oh, no problem." This was one of those moments when he really couldn't come up with anything to say, but you knew that and let the embrace speak for itself. This was what you were waiting for for so long, after two months of being tortured. You could feel the tears start to fall.

"Y/n?" Keith said wondering why you had gone silent.

You sniffed and wiped away your tears. "It's nothing, I just really needed a hug, that's all." You then pulled away and took a seat on your bed. "Goodnight." Keith frowned knowing you were trying to be strong.

"If you need someone to talk to, you know can always count on me." He reached out and patted your head. "Sleep tight." And with that, he left. You let out a long sigh of frustration.

Why can't I just tell him?

-

You suddenly bolted up from your bed in a cold sweat and panting. You looked around and noticed Keith was holding onto your shoulders. He had heard you shouting and bolted out from his room only to find you thrashing around in your bed having night terrors.

"Keith?" You were struggling to catch your breath and frantically looked around. "But I thought."

"It was just a bad dream Y/n." He tried to reassure you. He slowly let you go and you readjusted yourself to sit up.

"But I-" You stopped mid-sentence and held your face in your hands. "Why won't he let me sleep." You mumbled.

"He? Who's he?" Keith asked getting confused and maybe just a tad jealous.

"Stolgen." You answered feeling a chill go down your spine as you said his name.

"Stolgen?" He repeated.

"Yeah, he's the leader. Damn, I forgot to mention that yesterday." You sighed. " I've had my run-ins with him and he's even worse than Zarkon ever was." You rubbed your arm and Keith could tell you were uncomfortable. He awkwardly and hesitantly placed an arm around your shoulders in comfort to which you gave out a chuckle.

"Thanks." You said while casually leaning your head on him.

"If you don't wanna talk about it-"

"I have to tell you guys eventually." You cut in. "The thing is, I'm not even sure we're strong enough to fight him Keith." You said honestly.

"What are you talking about? I'm sure we'll find a way and-"

"No, you haven't seen what he's capable of, he has an enormous army that he's been cultivating for millions of years, with Zarkons help and most of them are undercover." Your grip on the bed sheets tightened.

"But I don't get it if he's got so much power, why wait until now?"

"He used to work along with Zarkon and he's been patiently waiting for his demise to take over, and that's exactly what he's doing." Your hands then held each other tightly as you spoke. "The worst part is that we can't trust anyone anymore, he's got so many people under him from all over the galaxy that were also waiting for Zarkon to be gone." You looked up at Keith with something he hasn't seen in a while.

Fear.

"We're the first target, Keith."

"How do you know that?" He asked knowing it was a pretty stupid question.

"We're the defenders of the universe. We lose and the Univers is his." You said simply. Keith gulped. He didn't know what to say to make you feel better and you could tell. You chuckled lightly and gave him a side hug.

"Thanks for trying Keith, you should go back to sleep. It's pretty late." You moved his arm off of your shoulders.

"Right, well, if you need anything, just give me a call." You looked at him sweetly and gave him one last hug.

"At least I got out of the habit of randomly giving you kisses." You joked once he got up.

"Who said I didn't like it?" You froze in place and Keith realized that he said that out loud. "I'd better get going goodnight!" He said quickly and escaped to his room. You just sat there dumbfounded and could help but crack a smile.

"Night stupid mullet head."

-

You stretched your arms out as you woke up and reached for your communicator.

"Hey hunk." You greeted with your morning voice.

"Morning Y/n, how are you feeling?" He asked, in a cheerful tone in contrast to your tired one.

"A bit nervous but I think I'll live." You chuckled.

"We'll anyone would be nervous if they knew they were getting surgery." He laughed along with you. "You want me to give you a hand?"

"Yeah, that would be great."

"No problem, I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Over and out." You finished with a smile.

Today was the day.

Pidge fulfilled her promise and the three days were up. These days were pretty tranquil. This would be the only time you would get to relax and now your time was up.

You were happy to hear Hunk knocking at the door with a big smile. "Ready?" You lifted your arms for him to carry you and you let out a chuckle. "I'll take that as a yes." He gladly and easily picked you up bridal style and started making his way to the healing pod room.

Shiro and the rest of the paladins and Alteans were there. "Hey, hunk am I gonna look cooler than Shiro?" You asked as he sat you down on a table they had prepared.

"Don't worry, you're gonna look badass." Pidge said with a chuckle.

"Language." You said along with Shiro knowing he was gonna say that.  He squinted his eyes at you while you looked anywhere but him as you whistled.

"Okay, I'm gonna need you guys to wait outside. Allura, Coran you stay here." Pidge instructed as she got out the prosthetic leg. You were amazed by how it looked and how the hell they were gonna connect it to your stump.

Everyone Pidge didn't mention started pooling out of the room and they let the doors slide closed but they turned transparent, letting them see inside but not from the inside out.

"Okay Y/n lay down and we'll get started." You nodded and laid down, feeling your heart beat faster by the tick. They strapped your arms down as well as your left leg. Allura placed the IV on you and along with the anesthetics. You felt yourself slowly start to fall asleep as they covered you with a blanket, leaving your right stump exposed.

"So far so good..." Pidge said nervously.

"Don't worry, everything will turn out great," Allura assured. 

"Coran, can you hand me the scalpel?" Hunk asked. Coran did as he was told and so the surgery began.

Nervewracking was one way to put it. 

Pidge has worked with machines and tec all her life, now she had to perform surgery??? Well, there's a first time for everything. One things for sure, she just kept thinking to herself that it was like reconnecting wires...slimy, bloody wires...

"Allura can you help me-" Hunk paused for a second when he noticed your heart rhythm was elevating slowly. "Uh...Is that supposed to happen?" Hunk looked towards Pidge for answers. She looked up at the holo-screen and her eyebrows furrowed. 

"There's still about thirty minutes left for me to finish, we calculated for her to still be asleep even after that. Why is she starting to wake up?" She looked toward Allura, sweat prominent on her forehead from stress and worry.

"I calculated before how much of dosage we should give her and I've even checked it twice. I don't understand-"

"Just give her more, she can't wake up now, I'm still connecting the last of the central nerves." Allura nodded and did as she was told but after injecting more,  but your heart rhythm didn't slow down.

"Princess why isn't it working?" Coran asked looking over her shoulder.

"I, I don't know, it looks like her body is acting against it-" Meanwhile, as you started regaining consciousness the first thing you could feel was as if your leg was on fire, burning and the pain becoming unbearable.

"Hunk hold her down! I'm almost done!" You started thrashing around and let's just say it was heard for Pidge to keep her cool while you were screaming bloody murder.

"Stop it! It hurts! Please! Make it stop!" You cried out as you struggled in the restraints.

"Shiro get in here and hold her down!" Pidge yelled. The Black paladin was instantly inside, holding your shoulders down while Hunk held your right leg. Lance and Keith were both looking away, unable to bear hearing your cries of help and pain.

But then at one point you just stopped. Lance and Keith looked through the transparent doors, you laid there limp, just the sight of you looking so pail made their blood run cold.

"Don't worry guys, she just fainted...She's fine." Keith could see how Shiro was tired out and it really surprised him, you may be small but you were hella strong.

After that, Pidge was able to finish the surgery successfully and the only thing that was left was for you to rest because heaven knows you had to take a break before what was about to come.

~Celestial-Red~