Screams...

Just- it was everywhere.

He couldn't block it out. He couldn't quiet it.

He couldn't find who was screaming, but they were in pain.

So, so much pain.

Shiro trembled, breathing ragged as dark laughter and agonizing screams filled his ears.

Everything was black. A dark, never ending void of fear and pain.

His name was called out, but he couldn't save them...

"Takashi! Takashi!"

Shiro looked up.

Red... Red dribbled from her soft lips. Red slid down the side of her face, making her hair cling and stain. Red soaked her oversized jacket and covered her shaking hands. "Shiro..." Her trembling lips breathed out.

"Takashi!"

Her voice, but her lips weren't moving.

"Takashi, wake up!"

~

Shiro gasped and jolted. He sat straight up, cold sweat dotting his forehead and making his shirt stick to his skin.

"Takashi!"

The black paladin leapt out of bed, arm glowing and held up for defense.

"Takashi, stop it! It's me, it's just me!" She stumbled out of bed and held her hands up. "Takashi, look at me! It's okay. It's okay, you were having a nightmare." Shiro panted as his hazy eyes searched her own frantic eyes. "Takashi, calm down. Everything is alright." She reached up and cupped his face in both her small hands.

Shiro sucked in deep breaths as he tried to relax, lowering his fading arm. "Katie..."

Katie nodded, petting his white bangs out of his face. "Yes, it's just me. Are you awake now, or will I have to slap you just to make sure?"

He smiled, his shoulders slowly drooping. "I'm... I'm awake."

"Good." Katie relaxed and slouched. "Now will you lay back down? We only got two hours of sleep."

Shiro frowned. "Katie, I-"

"I know, nightmares." She waved her hand and crawled back into bed. "Just come here." Katie sat back against the wall, sitting on her ankles. She patted her lap and looked up at Shiro with tired eyes.

He raised a brow, then slid back onto the bed. Shiro lay down, resting his head on her lap. Her fingers then began gently raking over his scalp, messing up his already messy hair. Shiro sighed, closing his eyes as his body went lax. Katie began to hum, her hand not toying with his hair cupping his face. "Do you like it when someone plays with your hair like this?" Katie asked softly, twirling a white lock of hair loosely around her finger.

Shiro only nodded, slowly beginning to drift asleep.

Katie smiled, petting his hair out of his face. "Get some sleep, Takashi."

~

Alarms blared and lights flashed from blue to red within the castle.

The Paladins all rushed through the hallways, Lance laughing. "Geez, perfect timing! I'd take fighting the Galra over Allura's training any day!"

The other four rolled their eyes, then they split up to get to their lions.

~

Katie grunted as her lion was hit. "Quiznak!" She cursed through clenched teeth. "Where do these drones keep coming from!? They're never-ending!"

Shiro huffed as he activated the jawblade. "Just keep fighting them back! We don't need to form Voltron just yet!"

Lance groaned. "I take back what I said. I'd rather we be training with Allura right now."

"Quit whining and focus on fighting!" Keith shouted, twisting his lion to avoid blasts from the Galran drones.

"Guys, they fixed the ion cannon! They're about to fire it again!" Hunk yelped.

The green paladin sighed. "Of course they are."

"Pidge, watch out-!" Keith steered his lion back, then launched to towards the green lion, but he wasn't quick enough.

Katie gasped as her lion jerked and lurched at being abruptly shot. She cried out as she was thrown, her breath then immediately stolen from her lungs as she collided with the dash.

"Pidge!"

"Katie!"

Her lion was shot again, flinging her off the dash. She grunted, her back crashing into the edge of her seat just before she fell to the floor. Katie wheezed, gasping harshly for breath. Her ears rang obnoxiously and tears fell from her eyes. She couldn't hear as her fellow Paladins shouted and begged for her to respond.

Her lion jerked again and again.

Then it stopped.

Katie was drifting in and out of consciousness.

One moment, she was laying on the floor of her lion, blasts creating the flashing that illuminated the inside of her lion. Then Shiro and the others were rushing in. Then she was being carried in Shiro's strong arms as he hurried through the halls. Then she was being rushed into a pod.

Then nothing.

~

Shiro paced, prosthetic fingers on his chin and and flesh arm tucked under his chest. He stopped and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The pod beside him beeped and the blue sheen began to dematerialize. Shiro stepped forward as Katie groaned and swayed.

Katie stood a step out, then lost balance. Shiro quickly caught her. "Don't push yourself, Katie."

She sighed, her body falling lax in his arms. "Sorry... What happened?"

Shiro helped her sit and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. "The ion connon was... Aimed at you instead of the castle. Before we realized it, they already shot you."

Katie hummed, her eyes closed. "That sucks." She muttered, causing him to chuckle and nod as he sat beside her. "I'm tired. Will you help me to my room?"

"Of course."

The black paladin stood, then carefully scooped her up into his arms. Katie rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "Thanks." She murmured.

Shiro shrugged and he exited the infirmary. "You don't have to thank me." Katie smiled, tucking away her face. Shiro then frowned and looked down at her as he walked. "Katie..." She hummed. "Just before you got out of the pod... I was talking to Allura." Katie opened her eyes and looked up at him. "I... We think we found... We've found the prison your father is being held at."