Shiro woke with a couple blinks. His head was throbbing. He tried to stand up, but lost his balance quickly. He leaned against a nearby wall and forced himself to think clearly.

The battle against Zarkon.

That was the last thing he remembered.

He had a million questions. Did they win? Is it over? More importantly, are his fellow paladins alright? What about Allura and Coran? Did they make it out okay?

And... Where was he?

Shiro looked around, trying to take in his surroundings. He didn't recognize the place at all. He was in a room with nothing but an old cot, which he had been in.

He needed answers.

Shiro left the room and found himself in a hallway. He walked around the area, trying to find something that might help, or maybe an exit. Maybe he could find a computer, he could contact Allura and Coran.

He didn't get very far before he heard a voice that made him stop in his tracks.

"Shiro."

He recognized that voice.

Shiro turned around and saw none other than his old friend, Matt Holt.

"Matt!" Shiro exclaimed. "What're you doing here? Where is here, exactly?"

"I'll explain everything. I promise." Matt said.

Matt ran towards Shiro and immediately grabbed him in a hug. "It's been so long. I was so worried something had happened. I missed you, Shiro."

"I missed you too, Matt." Shiro smiled warmly.

"We found you in the base earlier. You were out cold. I didn't know how you had gotten here or what had happened. I convinced the others that you weren't a threat, and I moved you to a cot." Matt said.

"We?" Shiro asked.

Matt nodded. "We're rebels. We try to fight Zarkon in any way we can. These guys freed me from Zarkon's prisons, and I've been with them ever since."

"I'm part of a team fighting against Zarkon, too. We have a weapon on our side. A weapon called Voltron." Shiro said.

Matt's eyes widened. "Voltron?! You're a paladin of Voltron?"

Shiro nodded.

"God, Shiro! We've only heard legends of Voltron. Just wait until the others hear about this." Matt said.

"There's something else, too." Shiro said.

"Yeah?" Matt said, inviting Shiro to elaborate.

"The pilot of the green lion..." Shiro said. "She's your sister."

"Katie?" Matt breathed the word in one short, faint exhale.

Shiro nodded. "She goes by Pidge now. She cut her hair and she wears glasses. I didn't even recognize her from the pictures you've shown me until she told me that Sam was her father."

Matt didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. Shiro sensed this and kept talking.

"You'd be proud of her, that's for sure. I know I am. She's smart and inquisitive. The green lion couldn't have a better pilot. And I know for a fact that she misses you. She hasn't rested on trying to find you and your father. She even went so far as hacking the Garrison databases to get information on the Kerberos mission." Shiro said. "She attended Garrison, by the way. She was on a team with Lance and Hunk, who are now also paladins of Voltron."

Matt was smiling, but there were also tears forming at his eyes. "Thanks for telling me this, Shiro." He said. He wiped a tear from his eye. "I've missed Katie so much."

"You'll be reunited with her soon. I promise." Shiro said. "You'll see your sister again."

Matt hugged Shiro again. "Thank you, Shiro. Thank you for being a brother to Katie when I couldn't. And thank you for making it so I can see her again. I can finally be reunited with her."

"You're welcome, Matt." Shiro smiled.

~~~

Everyone of Team Voltron was restless.

Keith had been in an eternal bad mood ever since Shiro disappeared. Even Lance knew better than to pick on Keith when he was like this.

Pidge was anxiously fidgeting with her equipment, trying to keep her mind off Shiro's disappearance. Hunk and Lance were staring at the floor, not sure what to say, if anything. Coran was tinkering with the castle's technology. Allura took a deep breath and walked towards Keith.

"Keith," Allura said quietly, keeping her voice steady. "Maybe you should have another go at trying to bond with the Black Lion. You're going to need to—"

"No!" Keith cut her off in an angry outburst. "I'm not going to bond with the Black Lion! I don't want to bond with the Black Lion! I want Shiro back!"

"Don't you think we all want Shiro back?!" Pidge retorted, her temper rising, just like Keith's. "Or did you only think about yourself? Shiro's like a brother to me too, you know! We all miss Shiro!"

"Everybody shut up!" Allura snapped. "Fighting like this isn't going to get Shiro back. Voltron is going to get Shiro back, and we can only do that if Keith learns to pilot the Black Lion."

Keith and Pidge stayed silent.

"Give it another go, Keith. You almost had the Black Lion listening to you last time." Allura said, more calmly this time.

"Kay." Keith said quietly, and got up.

He had hardly moved a step when the castle's technology made a beeping sound.

"Everybody, come look at this!" Coran said excitedly.

All of Team Voltron rushed to where Coran was standing. Coran pressed a button and Shiro appeared on the giant screen. It was a video chat.

"SHIRO!" Everyone exclaimed at once.

Shiro smiled warmly. "I missed you guys too."

"You're okay!" Keith said with relief.

"We were so worried!" Pidge exclaimed.

"Great! Tell us where you are, we'll come get you." Hunk said.

"I'm at some rebel base. Here, I'll send you the coordinates." Shiro visibly typed into some technological equipment, and soon later, the coordinates appeared on Coran's screen.

"Got em," Coran told Shiro.

"We'll be there soon," Allura promised.

"Good." Shiro said.

Shiro hung up.

"Alright, Paladins. We're saving Shiro." Allura said.

~~~

The lions were flying alongside the castle, just in case they ran into trouble and needed to form Voltron. Besides, they figured Black would love to see Shiro again.

Pidge landed the Green Lion and immediately climbed out. The rest of Team Voltron was there alongside her, looking for Shiro.

The doors to the rebel base opened, and Shiro came out. Everyone immediately wrapped Shiro in a group hug, and in doing so, they didn't see the boy who followed Shiro at first.

"Katie?"

Pidge turned around and gasped. "Matt?"

Pidge immediately grabbed her brother in a bear hug. Matt laughed and returned the gesture.

Both of them were smiling, and both of them were crying.

Neither one wanted to let go of the hug.

"It's been so long. I was so worried. I tried to find you." Pidge said.

"I know." Matt said. "Shiro told me. He told me you were the amazing paladin of the green lion, and he told me of the strong girl you've grown to be. I'm proud of ya, sis. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to watch you grow up."

"Like it's your fault." Pidge said. "You were kidnapped by evil aliens."

Matt laughed a dry laugh at that. "I'm just glad to have you back, sis."

"Ditto." Pidge said.

After the moment between the Holts siblings, Matt talked to Allura and Coran.

They were happy to allow Matt to join them on their mission against Zarkon.

It was a choice Matt made to spend more time with his sister and Shiro. Plus, he couldn't wait to get to know the rest of Team Voltron.

Team Voltron gained a new member that day as well as recovered an old one.

And Pidge finally reunited with her brother, after all this time.