Chapter Text
“Thane, Lorelai, Takashi are you three ready yet?” you called from the kitchen of your home as you threw you purse into your handbag and headed out into the hallway where suitcases were piled up ready to leave.
“Coming mum. Just got to stop Lori from chewing Taka’s ears.”
“I’m not chewing his ears liar.”
“Mummy, she did. Lori lied.”
Full of chatter, three figures appeared at the top of the stairs. Your eldest son, Thane now twelve years old, led the way down. His bright yellow eyes looked up at you and he grinned, revealing his elongated fangs. He still held many of his Galran features and you found that as he was growing up he was starting to look more and more like his father.
Thane’s hand held the much smaller hand of his little brother, the five-year-old Takashi, named, obviously, after Keith’s closest friend. His eyes were much likes Keith’s dark purple ones but he had your hair. Following the two boys was your only daughter, seven-year-old Lorelai. Her hair was long and dark like her father’s whilst she had your eyes. Her skin, although hairless, looked almost mauve in some lights.
“All ready?” you asked enthusiastically, “your dad will be here to pick us up any minute now.”
“Do we really have to go mum? I meant its boring,” Thane grumbled, “plus it means I won’t get to see the guys over the summer break.”
“Thane Kogane, you’re the only boy I know who would moan about getting to spend summer break in space. Anyway, we promised Uncle Hunk that we’d go visit him and Aunt Shay so you’re not getting out of this one mister. We’ve even got enough time to go and see Kolivan and Marka and you know they always dote on you.”
Thane nodded with a small grin, he did enjoy seeing Marka, she spoilt him, and his siblings, rotten.
You heard a car horn beep outside and opened the front door, instructing your brood to go to the car and get in their seats, taking a bag or two if they were able to carry it. Moments later your husband came to the door to help you with the heavier bags.
“Good day?” he asked as he pressed a tender kiss to your lips.
“Better now you’re here, Keith,” you said against his lips before the two of your followed your children to the car with your belongings, locking the house behind you.
After a short drive, the car entered the desert where you could already see the pointed nose of the Castle of Lions standing like a spire. Keith parked the car next to a few others and your family, and belongings, headed towards the castle.
“Hey guys, what’s up?” Shiro greeted you all as you reached the entrance of the ship, “Taka, you’ve grown again haven’t you. You too Lori. I swear every time I see you guys you get bigger,” he fussed their hair affectionately before looking towards Thane, “and you Thane, well look at you, almost a man now.”
“Not too soon please, Shiro,” you shook your head as Thane puffed his chest out, pleased with the compliment that Shiro had given him. You hugged Shiro affectionately in greeting.
“Good to see you two too,” he grinned as he and Keith shared a quick man hug, “not planning on any more then at the moment?”
“I think three is quite enough.”
“Oh, I don’t know, one more couldn’t hurt, right?”
You looked at your husband with narrowed eyes. He knew exactly what kettle of fish he had just opened.
“Yeah I don’t wanna be da youngest.”
“I want a sister. I hate being the only girl.”
“Oh please, no more crying babies.”
You chuckled at your family and took Keith’s hand just as Lance with his family and Pidge with hers, her father and Matt included, arrived. Allura and Coran came to welcome you all onto the ship as you headed out to visit Hunk on Balmera.
As the castle ascended into space, you looked out of the windows in thought. You loved your life. It was a happy one and you had a wonderful family. But when you were in space you were reminded so much of the love that you had lost and the life that could have been.
“Mum? Are you okay?”
You turned around at the sound of your son’s voice and quickly wiped away the tear that had escaped from your eye.
“I was thinking about your father and how proud he would have been to see how you were turning out.”
Thane smiled at you before hugging you tightly.
“I think he’d be happy to know that you’re happy, mum.”
You ruffled his hair as you held him and smiled.
“Oh yeah, mum why did you call me Thane?”
“Your father wanted to call you Thane. He said it was a good, strong Galran name. Why?”
“Well did you also know in Scotland a Thane is the chief of a clan? We studied it recently at school. Pretty cool right, it’s like I’m the chief of the family by default.”
“Woah, not so fast there, Thane,” the voice of your husband chuckled as he approached the two of you, “I don’t think I’m ready to give my ‘man of the house’ status up yet. Still, can I borrow you for a bit?” Thane nodded and stepped towards Keith.
“Where are Lori and Taka?”
“Lori is getting beauty tips from Lance and Taka is playing in the control room, under supervision of course.”
“Ok, I’ll go join Lori then, see what anti-aging miracles Lance can work.” Keith caught your wrist as you passed him.
“You’re beautiful as you are, you know.” You grinned and kissed him lightly on the lips before continuing on your way.
Once you were out of earshot, Thane and Keith started in the other direction.
“Well, were they able to find it?”
“Yes. We’re going to the control room so Allura can show you where it is.”
“I’m taking credit for this though, Dad. After all, I’m the one who found the letters.”
“Don’t worry,” Keith ruffled his adopted son’s hair affectionately, “this one’s all on you.”
~*~
A few days later, after collecting Hunk, Shay and their family from Balmera, you were awoken very early by a knock at the door to your room. You looked at Keith who was peacefully sleeping next to you and apparently undisturbed by the noise. Groggily, you got to your feet and opened the door. You were more than a little surprised to find your eldest, morning hating son stood in the doorway fully dressed and apparently wide eyed.
“Thane, do you have any idea what time it is?” you asked in a hushed whisper, hoping not to wake anyone else up. Thane grinned and nodded.
“Get dressed, Mum. I’ve got something I want to show you.”
You blinked a few times before reacting. Thane had never demanded anything of you before so you were a little surprised but also very curious. You turned on your heels, grabbed your clothes and headed into the bathroom to change. Once ready, you took a fleeting glance at your husband, who still appeared to be very much asleep, and joined your son in the corridor.
He took your hand and lead you through the ship to where the pods were kept. You both got in one, Thane at the controls (you were pleased that Keith had been giving him piloting lessons for years) and headed off into the darkness of space.
You had a feeling that you friends may just be in on whatever it was that Thane was planning since the castle opened up to let the pod out with no problems. Thane seemed to be following a navigation system on the dash but he wouldn’t let you see where you were going.
Eventually, the pod flew close to a planet. You thought you were going to land but Thane didn’t stop, instead he continued until you came to a large mountain. As you flew up towards the peek, you noticed that you had the perfect view of the most beautiful meteorite shower that you had ever seen.
Thane landed the pod atop the mountain and the two of you stepped out into the chilly air of the planet, gazing at the meteorites as you did so. There were so many colours and patterns, and it didn’t seem to be ceasing any time soon. You were completely mesmerised by the sight. Thane hugged your side tightly whilst you watched together.
“I found the letter that you kept from my father,” he said eventually, “he said he wanted to bring you here to see the meteorites. I spoke to dad. He and Princess Allura helped to arrange this.”
“So, this is the Alustrian Quadrant? Thane, this is incredible,” tears started falling from your eyes as you spoke. You were touched by the thoughtfulness of your son, your husband, and your friend. You now understood why Thace had wanted to bring you to the Alustrian Quadrant in the first place and you were so pleased that you hadn’t decided to go there sooner, that it was your son who made that decision for you. It made it a more intimate, more special place, and you figured that Thace would probably be over the moon to know that it was Thane who took you there, that you watched the meteorites together.
You heard a sound behind you and saw that the castle of lions had landed a little further down the mountainside. Your friends, your extended family, were all slowly making their way up to join you and Thane. Taka was the first to make it to you, having made a beeline for you on sight. Thane tussled his hair before picking him up and showing him the meteorites.
Keith followed up shortly afterwards, allowing Lorelai to go and play with Lance’s son. His arm snaked around your waist and he pressed a chaste kiss to your cheek. He didn’t say anything, not about the letters, the meteorites or the tears streaming down your face. You put your arm around Thane’s shoulder, pulling him and Taka closer to you and Keith and looked back at the meteorites.
It might not have been the life you envisaged, Keith had never replaced Thace and he knew that you still loved the Galran martyr, but you had three great kids and a loving family that stood with you now as you looked out on the place that Thace had so much wanted you to see.
You guessed you could cross that final thing off your bucket list now.