Chapter Four

Allura looked warily as Keith entered the small room behind the cockpit. He had to crouch a bit to get through the doorway and he went to sit across from her on the other cot. She moved her legs to give him more room, but it was a tight fit nevertheless. There wasn't even an arm's length between the two cots because the space was only meant for one cot or one big cot for two.

It might as well be a big cot for two, Allura thought sulkily.

"Alright, Princess," he said, reverting to her title. "I'm sick of your attitude. I told you that I'm on your side and I meant it. I don't have the patience or the time to deal with your unfounded anger and I want you to stop treating me like I'm a stranger you don't like."

She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow, her lips curling slightly. "So there," she said.

"What?"

"Had you said that line, your speech would have been perfect. And if you stomped your foot as well."

His mouth opened slightly as if he hadn't expected that response from her and then he glared at her with such venom that she was sure he had been studying her expressions closely.

"That's my way of apologizing," she said, holding out a hand.

The glare disappeared as quickly as it came and was replaced by a small smile. He took her hand in his, enveloping it completely in his larger one. They stared at each other for a long time, thoughtfully more than anything else. Allura knew Keith was a lot more important to her than she realized. It took the idea of him changing sides to make her see that and she wasn't going to take him for granted any more. She looked into his big obsidian eyes and wondered when he stopped being just another Alliance officer to her closest friend. Perhaps it was during the ball celebrating Voltronia that forged their friendship, but she knew now and that was what mattered.

"You should get back to piloting before I start getting emotional," she said.

He grinned and winked at her, a Lance-like action that made her laugh. "Sure, thing."

He let go of her hand, much more slowly than usual, and stood. The Lion rocked suddenly and he lost his balance. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady himself and in the process bringing his face so close to hers that their noses touched. Allura's sky-blue eyes widened with panic more than surprise. She'd never been so close to a man before, friend or no friend, and it was frightening to her. Keith didn't notice her fear. All he saw were the eyes that he could lose himself in and his mouth went dry. He swallowed, his lips parting slightly as he took a much needed breath in.

"Uh..sorry...must have been a little debris or something," he stuttered, pulling himself up with much difficulty.

"Must have been," she said, sounding a bit choked up.

He left the room in a hurry and sat down on the pilot's seat. He took a deep breath to calm himself and ran a slightly shaking hand through his black hair. He didn't know what was happening here, but this trip was turning out to be a bad idea. The last thing they needed was to be alone if he kept on reacting to her like he just did.

You're in big trouble, Porterfield. Princess-sized trouble.

When Allura woke up from her long, but turbulent sleep, she found Keith fast asleep on the pilot's seat. He had his feet up on a clear spot on the control panel so that he wouldn't accidentally fire a torpedo or set the auto-destruct in his sleep, and the chair was reclined slightly, but it still didn't look too comfortable for his tall frame. She shook him hard, hoping to get a laugh when he woke with a start. Instead, her hand was grabbed roughly as she was pulled towards a tensed Keith and put in a headlock. She choked out a curse and punched at his arm as her face turned red. He let her go, his voice tight with what she thought was because of mortification, but instead found that he was holding back his laughter.

"You could have killed me, you moron!" she yelled.

His broad shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. "Don't ever wake me up like that again and you'll be alright."

She scowled at him and pushed him aside so she could take the pilot's seat.

"Go get some sleep you ungrateful, sorry excuse of a man," she said, waving a dismissive hand in the air.

He let out a snicker, but didn't do as he was told. He pulled out the collapsible passenger seat from the wall behind the pilot's seat and sat down. He rolled down his flightsuit's sleeves--they had forgone wearing uniforms for the long trip--and rested his elbows on his knees. She craned her head to give him the evil eye, brushing back a strand that had gotten loose from his headlock.

"I got enough sleep," he said. "I'll keep you company."

"I don't want your company," she said stubbornly.

"Ignore me then. I'll read."

He pulled out a weathered copy of The Godfather from his pocket and began to read. She watched him from the corner of her eye, unable to read the Arabic letters. He felt her eyes on him and turned the book a bit so that she could see it better. Her curiosity got the better of her when the readouts on the scanner told her that everything was normal for hundreds of light-years away and she had time to do something else.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

"The Godfather," he said.

She frowned. "Like from one of your Christian baptisms?"

He smiled. "No." He went on to explain the story and she listenened intently, quickly grasping the concept of the Mafia.

"Read it to me," she demanded.

"It's a little long..."

"We have thirty-six hours to go," she pointed out. "I'm sure we'll get a good part read."

"I will have a good part read," he corrected.

"Read," she growled, pointing a finger at the book.

He sighed and did as he was told.

"Amerigo Bonasera sat in the New York Criminal Court Number three and waited for justice..." he began.

Hours ticked by and his voice began to crack, but she didn't look the least bit bored. She had swung her legs over the armrest and was leaning forward slightly, her chin resting in the cup of her hands. She had sat through hours of Coran's lectures and had learned the art of sitting still, but this story was far from boring and she didn't have a difficult time paying attention. Keith, on the other hand, was beginning to grow weary.

"I'm taking a quick break," he said after the second part within the book. "If I don't, I won't be able to talk during the conference and that won't be any good."

Her expression clouded at the mention of the conference. She had forgotten about it while she was angry with Keith, then again after the disturbing scene when he had nearly fallen on her and now while he was reading. The memory of it all came rushing back to her and she felt a tightness in her stomach.

He cringed as he saw her face and after taking a long drink of water, sat back down. He picked up the book and began reading again, but when he looked at her after reading one page, her expression was still stricken.

"Second thoughts?" he asked.

"No," she said. "I know what we're doing is right. I'm just...just..."

"Nervous?"

"Aren't you?"

He put the book down and clasped his hands together. "They trained us in the Academy to always keep your posture when giving a speech."

"You were probably number one in that class," she muttered.

"Lance was actually, but I was second."

"I never had that kind of training."

"I know, but you speak well. You'll be fine. You spoke to them with no problems during the Intervid conference."

"Yes, but not in front of the GG, too. I'm going to have to talk to a room full of officers who have been fighting longer than I've been alive to tell them that I'm going to take their power away..."

She grabbed the glass of water he had taken with him and took a long drink. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then began taking the pins out of her hair. Her blonde hair fell around her in a mass of curls and she began putting each pin back methodically as Keith watched patiently.

"Want me to help you?" he asked.

"I know how to do my own hair," she answered, too quickly, not wanting his hands in her hair for fear she would become even more unsteady.

"No. I mean with your stage fright."

She stopped her arranging and looked at him. "Could you?" She regarded him suspiciously. "You're not going to tell me to picture them naked, are you?"

He let out a laugh. "No! I'm going to teach the finer points of public speaking and that isn't one of them. So do you want my help?"

She nodded. "That would be great."

He grinned and sat back, crossing his arms. "Good. Now stand in front of me and I'll see what I can come up with."