Allura, Coran, Keith, and Lance sat in the conference room. They faced the screen where Romelle's worried face stared back at them.

"The Senators don't trust Lotor and frankly, I don't blame them," she said gravely. "I have to tell you that I don't fully believe him either. It's so unlike him....and I would know."

"I agree," Keith said, his hands clasped in front of him. "His explanation is a sound one if it had come from another man--but Lotor is too smart for this. He's too proud to lower his head in defeat."

"Surrender is not defeat," Allura interjected.

"To a warrior it is," Keith said thoughtfully.

"He seemed sincere enough to me," Lance said. "But I've got a feeling in my bones...this isn't right somehow."

"Look at his track record," Romelle added. "Look at what he has done to innocents across the galaxy. That man is bloodthirsty and merciless. This person speaking of peace and ending the war is not the Lotor I know. This is an intricate plan of his, I'm sure. Zarkon always underestimated him and I'm afraid that we're about to make the same mistake."

"Even still, we can't refuse him refuge," Allura said resolutely.

"We agreed on that subject, at least," Romelle said, an edge to her voice that told them the Congress had agreed upon little else.

"Have any planets volunteered to take him?" Coran asked.

"No," Romelle replied. "The Senators laughed at the suggestion. They would never harbor a dangerous man like Lotor within their home planets. It's ludicrous."

"Then where could he stay?" Coran thought aloud. "Not on Pollux."

"Why not?" Lance said.

"I take personal offense in that question," Romelle said, glaring at him.

He put his hands up in apology, but said, "Well, think about it. He's already there, and if you want, we can ship out the remaining population to Arus. We'll have guards on him and if there were ever a battle, no civilians would be hurt. What do you think?" He turned to Keith and Allura.

The two glanced at each other, then quickly looked away. Lance would bet his Lion that they were both blushing. But he decided to be merciful and kept his mouth shut.

"I think it's our best bet," Keith said, nodding his head.

"We can have transports ready in an hour," Allura said. "But it's not really up to us. What do you think, Romelle?"

"Pollux is a wasteland, as much as I hate to admit it, and it would be safer for my people to be here," she said with a weary sigh. "It's alright with me, but it's Bandor you have to talk to. He's Pollux's official ruler."

"Do you think..." Coran began.

Romelle nodded. "I'll speak to him and he'll have an answer for you within the hour."

The screen darkened and they stood. Coran and Lance went in separate directions, but Keith fell into step next to Allura, who now had a cane. She glanced at him suspiciously, but he didn't look as if he wanted to start a fight.

"I wanted to apologize about how things have been," he said, not meeting her eyes. "I don't know what it was..."

She put a hand on his arm, feeling a peace inside her that she hadn't even realized was missing. "It's alright, Keith. I apologize, too. Things have been...tense around here."

"It started when Alderain arrived."

Allura stopped and turned to him, her blue eyes questioning. "I noticed that. What is it about him that you don't like?"

Keith stared at her, his dark eyes boring into hers. He felt like he was falling into forever as he stared into her sky blue eyes. He stepped closer, his expression softening. For a crazy moment, he wanted to press his lips against hers and forget everything and everyone around them.

For a moment, Allura thought that he was going to kiss her. She raised her face inquiringly, trying to keep her face impassive, but failing miserably. Then he seemed to break from his reverie and took a step back. He shook his head as if to clear it. Allura felt the sting of his rejection like a slap to the face. She glared at him, silently cursing him for causing her emotions to turn turbulent and herself for almost giving in.

"I don't know. Must be just a bad time for me," he said gruffly. "Excuse me, Princess."

He turned his back and walked away before she could say something. Gritting her teeth, Allura headed towards her chambers. Her head was beginning to ache and she felt herself settle into a bad mood. Her brow was furrowed and her expression thunderous. It wasn't an expression alien to her, but it had been seldom seen the past few months, and she had a feeling she was making up for that lack in just the past week.

"Damn, men," she muttered as she entered her room. "Who needs them anyway?"

And then her eyes widened when she saw the bouquets of flowers that adorned her sparsely decorated room. She reached out and touched a fully bloomed red rose with the tips of her fingers. A plain white card rested on her bureau and a single name written on it: Alderain.

"Oh," she murmured. "That's what they're for."

Keith sat in the soft, comfortable armchair, his expression blank. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, but he found that he didn't care. He had nothing to do but think.

Pidge ambled in and he barely noticed his friend for Keith seemed little more than a statue. He frowned when he saw that Keith made no move to greet him--well, made no move at all really.

"What's wrong?" he asked immediately. "Are you feeling sick again?"

"No," Keith replied without looking at him. "I'm just thinking."

"Need to talk about it?"

It was then did Keith look at Pidge. In the commander's eyes, Pidge saw confusion as well as pain.

"I don't know what's happening with me and Allura," Keith said in a rush as if he was afraid he'd lose his nerve. "I don't know what I want from her."

"Did all this come about because of Alderain?"

"Yes," was the hesitant reply. "I don't like to think that I'm jealous of him because that would mean I want what he has with Allura. But on the other hand, I could also be jealous because we don't spend as much time together as we used to. She is a good friend, Pidge. More than most people think."

Pidge leaned against the couch, crossing his arms. "You know, I don't think it's Alderain's fault that you and Allura have grown apart."

Keith frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You've been pulling away from her. You're the one pushing her towards Alderain, refusing her when she asks you to go for a walk in the gardens or whatever else you two always used to do. It's you who is pushing her away, Keith."

"Me? I don't..." His words tapered off as he thought about what Pidge was suggesting.

"It's probably a reflex mechanism," Pidge mused. "She's finally getting to you and some part of you doesn't want that. Rather, some part of you is afraid of that. Very, very afraid."

"Afraid? I don't think..."

"It's been happening for months," Pidge continued, ignoring Keith as he gathered steam. "Since the beginning maybe, who knows? You two just fit together. There's no other way to describe it. You complement each other. She keeps you on your toes while you do the same for her. It's a perfect partnership."

"Is this what everyone thinks?"

"Everyone except the two of you."

"I just want things to be back the way they were," Keith said stubbornly.

"Can they go back to that?" Pidge asked, getting up. "With what you know and feel? Come on, Keith. You're a genius in everything else but this."

"Thanks, Buddy."

Pidge shrugged. "Well, it's true. At least you finally see the light now, but it took almost three years and a prince to do it."

"There's no light to see, Pidge."

Pidge threw his hands up in exasperation. "What will it take, Keith? A wedding?"

The thought of it made Keith's heart beat a little faster. He looked like a deer caught in headlights to Pidge, who smiled knowingly.

"See?" he said.

"Hell," Keith growled, pushing himself up from the seat. "We've got better things to do than sit around and get all moony-eyed."

"If we can't do that, then what are we fighting for?" Pidge said, feigning innocence.

"Gimme a break." He eyed Pidge as if seeing him for the first time. "How did you get so smart anyway?"

The younger man grinned. "Between you, Hunk, Sven, and Lance, I've got enough experience with love to last me two lifetimes."

Chuckling, Pidge left the room. Keith was close at his heels, a determined expression on his face.