The Greatest Gift Part Eleven
The DreamtimeHome, Fan Fiction, The Greatest Gift, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
The Greatest Gift
A Voltron Adaptation by MoiraOriginal story by Philip Van Doren Stern
Story adaptation for the big screen by Frank Capra
Further adapted by me, borrowing from both the authors’ classic tails.
This is a stand alone tale, not pertaining to any other story I have done.Legal Stuff
Voltron, Defender of the Universe and its characters property of World Events Productions, Ltd. ‘The Greatest Gift’ originally written by Philip Van Doren Stern. Story adapted for the big screen by Frank Capra. This story is for entertainment purposes only. Original characters and storyline are property of the author, please do not use, reproduce, or repost without permission.Rating NC17
The NC17 rating due to sexual situations, violence, drug use, and strong language.
So, if you don’t care for that kind of stuff, stop now! You’ve been warned.
And yes, even with all that, is really is a Christmas tale.So, if you dare, grab a fresh box of Kleenex, a cup of cider, dim the lights, and dive in.
The Greatest Gift
A Voltron Christmas Tale
Part Eleven
The Dreamtime
Keith is in a place neither here nor there. Everything is black. There is no light.
“So.” Al’s voice rings out in the void. “What is your choice?”
Keith sputters. “Choice! You call that a choice?”
“Yes.”
“She dies either way. What kind of choice it that?”
“You cannot control if she lives or dies. That is out of your hands. But you can have a say in how she lives her life until she does. In one world she kills herself in order to escape a living hell. In the other she dies defending the world and the man she loves. You cannot control when or how anyone dies. Just like your family. Their deaths were completely out of your hands. You had nothing to do with it, yet you’ve carried that guilt around with you all these years. You cannot control the fates, no more than you can control how your souls are destined to be together.”
“But she’s…”
“You do love her, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think she would have wanted you to kill yourself over her?”
“I…”
“How did you feel when she killed herself over you?”
Keith crumples up into a ball and weeps.“Keith? …Do you want to live? But this time really live, like your parents did? They didn’t let their possible future stop them from enjoying what little time they had, from stopping their love. You need to give up your demons and not be afraid of what your future may bring.”
“Keith?” A woman’s voice calls out. “Keith, come back to me. Please? Keith, please forgive me…”
Al’s voice chimes in again. “Keith? …Do you want to live?”
It’s close to midnight on Christmas Eve and the castle is silent. No parties. No celebrations. Hunk took control watch figuring the distraction of work would do him good. The others are all now taking turns staying with Allura after Hunk saved her on the bridge, everyone fearful of what else she might do in her current state of mind.
Hunk has cried his eyes dry. He still can’t believe it. The one man he thought to be the unbreakable backbone of Voltron is gone. He drops his head down to rest on the consol, hearing a faint beeping coming from another terminal. “Great my mind’s playing tricks on me.” He turns to the noise. His eyes boggle as he realizes where the sound is coming from. A far off console that Pidge didn’t have the heart to turn off. It was set to scan for Keith’s com’s homing signal and it now has picked something up. Hunk races across the room to the screen. Yes, it has picked up Keith’s signal but, Hunk’s face soon falls flat. It has homed in to the base of the Lion Monument, a place they searched thoroughly many times over. Hunk envisions that Keith’s body must have washed up beside it. He swallows down the lump in his throat and keys his com. “Lance, can you and Sven come up here?” The crack in his voice unmistakable.
“We’ll be right there Hunk.” Lance solemnly replies.
Now midnight, two men slowly make their way in silence down the snow covered bridge to the Lion monument dragging a skid behind them. A light snow is falling all around them, the full moon casting a surreal glow to the whole scene. They reach the monument and Sven turns on the handheld scanner to home in on the signal. “Lance, it’s coming from over there.” Sven points to the shoreline beside the monument. The two men pass under the monument to the shore and they both have to choke back cries as the Black Lion fiercely growls at them when they pass underneath, as if he too knew something was terribly wrong. They pick their way along the shore, the scanner leading the way. Then, they see it. What they both hoped yet feared to find. A body lies face down in the snow at the shoreline draped in a huge black cape mostly covered in a light dusting of snow. They reach the body and both stand frozen the reality hitting them hard. Then, from the mouth of the body a white mist of breath freezing on the cool night air snaps them to their senses. “Keith? Keith?” Sven and Lance drop to the body’s side gently flipping it over. It is Keith and he’s alive, but he is strangely dressed and covered from head to toe in blood. “Keith, can you hear me?” Lance calls to him as Sven quickly ascertains his injuries.
A faint voice whispers back. “Lance… not so loud… okay?”
“Are you hurt?”
“Tired...cold…”
Sven shakes his head and can’t help but smile. “I don’t get it. His clothes are trashed, all cut up and covered in blood, but underneath he’s fine.”
“Keith can you move?”
Keith slowly and with huge effort lifts up his hand and softly slaps Sven across his face. “Cargo jock, eh.” He chuckles.
“I guess that’s a yes.” Lance laughs as Sven just shakes his head. He pulls Keith’s arm over his shoulder, Sven does the same, and they gently lift Keith to his feet.
“Sven? What day is it?” Keith listlessly asks.
Sven looks at the time. Just a little after midnight. “It’s Christmas you fool.”
“Christmas?” Keith closes his eyes for a long moment. Lance and Sven exchange worried looks. Keith’s head flips up and he look Sven square in the eye. “Merry Christmas, Sven.”
Lance laughs. “We’ve got to get him inside.” The two men supporting their captain between them head back towards the monument.
Keith looks at Lance and smiles. “Merry Christmas, Lance.” Keith starts to chuckle.
“Oh boy, he has lost it.” Sven laughs. The three reach the monument and are greeted by an ear-shattering roar from the Black.
Keith shoots up to his unsteady feet reaching an arm into the air and yells at the top of his lungs. “Merry Christmas, Black Lion!” He then collapses into Sven and Lance, dizzily laughing.
Lance and Sven help Keith into the skid and quickly make their way to the castle. “Lance to Control.”
“Go ahead Lance.” Is Hunk’s somber reply.
“You ain’t gonna believe this Hunk, but…”
“Merry Christmas Arus!” Keith bellows out in his half conscious state.
“Was that?”
“Yep!”
“Woo hoo!” Hunk yells. Suddenly all the sirens in the castle go off, blaring into the night and the searchlights go on as Hunk hits the alarm.
“Merry Christmas, Castle of Lions!” Keith bellows out with all he has and then falls back onto the skid eyes closing, sleep overtaking his body again.
Lance laughs to Sven. “Whatever he’s on… I want some too.”
Around one in the morning Keith lies unconscious in a hospital bed dressed in a hospital gown, the fatigue catching up with him. The team stand arm in arm around his bed with Romelle, Nanny, Coran and all the space mice. Allura lies sleeping, still under the effects of her heavy sedation, in the next bed over. Dr Gorma is busily checking and rechecking Keith’s vitals. He stands up shaking his head. “I don’t know what he has been through. His body is reacting as if he has suffered a severe trauma yet physically there is nothing wrong with him except for the broken wrist and contusions he had before he disappeared.”
Sven shakes his head. “What about the blood?”
“That’s the strangest thing. Half of it was his. Enough blood loss to have killed him.”
“And the other half?” Coran asks.
The doctor glances over to the sleeping form lying in the next bed. “It‘s the Princess’.”
“What!” They all collectively exclaim.
“I can’t explain it. But it is an exact match. All we can do is wait until he wakes up to hear what happened. Now, why don’t you all go and get some rest. I know you haven’t been sleeping well. Please, I’ll call you if there is any change.”
Romelle steps forward. “Would you mind if I stayed a while with them?”
“No, not at all as long as you’re quiet.” The doctor looks at Sven’s pleading face. “Yes, you can stay too. But that’s all. Now the rest of you, go.” They begin to head for the door but stop, for Nanny now is standing in the doorway.
“Is he going to be alright?” She asks, eyes dropped to the floor.
No one wants to look at her. The doctor finally speaks. “He is exhausted and I believe he has quiet a story to tell, but aside from that he is fine. I expect him to make a full recovery.”
“Oh…may I see him?”
Everyone exchanges worried glances. Coran then signals to the group to leave. They all slowly file out avoiding looking at Nanny as they pass. Coran pauses, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Take as long as you need. I’ll be waiting outside with Sven and Romelle.” She just nods.
Nanny stands in the quiet room for the longest time. Afraid to look at him, she walks up to Allura’s bedside instead running her hand along her leg. “He’s home now Allura. You can rest now. I just wanted to see you before I left. I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you. I… I’m sorry for everything…” She drops her head to kiss Allura’s cheek. She turns around to face the man lying in the other bed. Slowly she crosses to him, her eyes landing on his wrapped wrist, the one she broke days ago. She pulls up a stool and sits next to him then delicately cradles his broken wrist in her hand, placing her other hand atop it. She closes her eyes, focusing everything into his injury. When she opens her eyes they are full of tears. She reaches up to his face, still cradling his hand with her other. Tenderly she brushes his hair back off his face, keeping her hand on his head. “I need to ask you a favor Captain.” She tries to smile through her tears, her lip quivering. “Will you look after her for me? Please? I know now you are the friend she needs, not me. I only bring her suffering and pain.” She strokes his cheek. “Please watch over my baby. I realize now that is what you have been doing all along, I’m sorry for not realizing it earlier. I hope someday you will be able to forgive me for the suffering I brought you.” She stands up and kisses him on the forehead. As she straightens, she fixes his hair, smiling down at him. “Such a handsome boy and the heart of a lion. You do Arus proud, Keith Paladin.” She looks up to the ceiling. “Please watch over them Alfor. Keep them safe.” She looks back down to Keith stroking his cheek once more as she backs away, only then slowly releasing his hand. She backs her way to the door where she pauses turning to Allura and curtseying to her. Nanny turns and walks away down the long hallway alone.
Hours later Romelle sits cuddled up with Sven in a large overstuffed chair in the hospital room. Both sit watching their two sleeping friends as the first rays of sun begin to show in the sky. Sven hugs her close. “Merry Christmas, my love.”
Romelle smiles back at him “Merry Christmas.” She reaches up, pulling his lips to hers. From across the room she hears a faint murmur and pulls away from Sven.
“Romelle? What is it?”
“Shhh.”
“Where are you, my love…?” The voice calls out.
“Allura!” Romelle jumps to her feet rushing to Allura’s bedside, Sven right behind her. “Allura, are you awake? Can you hear me?”
“I… love you.” Allura mutters.
Sven grins. “She’s still dreaming.” He leans into her ear. “Who do you love, Allura?”
“Sven!” Romelle pushes him. That’s not very…” She quickly quiets when Allura mumbles again but frowns when it’s all garbled.
Sven grins at her. “Ha! You want to know too!” He laughs.
“Shut up… and… try again!”
Sven rolls his eyes and gives her a smirk. Leaning in again to Allura’s ear… “Who do you love Allura?”
“Hmmm.” Allura mutters. “Don’t leave me, my love.”
Sven stands up straight. “Well that’s good enough for me! Only one guy left.” He grins.
Romelle blushes. “Do you really think so?”
“Romelle, the woman’s distraught over him. How could you even think otherwise?”
“Well she’s just been so quiet about it. She’s never told me anything, always denying it when I asked. And what about him? Does he even feel the same way?”
“Are you crazy? The man jumped off a bridge because he thought she was dying! I think that might be a subtle hint at where his heart lies. Look Romelle, Keith has lived a hellish life compared to the rest of us. To survive he has had to isolate himself. That’s not something you can just snap your fingers and change.”
As Sven snaps his fingers to illustrate. Allura’s eyes suddenly snap open. Making them both jump.
“Romelle? Sven… What are you…?”
Romelle grins at her cousin. “Merry Christmas, Allura.”
A smiling Sven adds. “Yes Allura, Merry Christmas.”
Allura’s face is flat, registering no emotion. “It’s Christmas?” She whispers.
“Yes.” Sven grins. “And Santa brought you a present.”
“I’m really not in the mood for your jokes Sven.” Allura’s hands move to rub her face awake.
“No joke. It’s right over there.” He points to the other bed.
Allura grows annoyed, slowly sitting up. “Listen, I don’t want to celebrate…” Her eyes focus on the sleeping body in the other bed. “Keith!” She screams, scrambling out of her bed and onto his, climbing over him only in her hospital gown. “Keith! Are you there, Keith?” But still he sleeps. Allura sits up on his bed. “What happened?”
Sven, still a little red from watching her clamber over Keith. “Well, Allura…”
Romelle shoots him a smirk arranging Allura’s gown a little more modestly.
Sven continues. “We don’t know. Doctor Gorma says he’s fine, just exhausted. We’re waiting for Keith to wake up to tell us. We found him dressed in a ripped up red and black leather uniform and…”
“Leather?” Allura’s eyes wander over Keith’s body.
Romelle leans in and whispers in Allura’s ear. “You should have seen it Ally. I never knew he was hiding all that under…” Sven shoots her a look, clamming her up. Allura blushes as her eyes begin to wander over him again now wondering herself. Romelle grabs a blanket and drapes it around Allura smiling as she whispers in her ear. “You should have seen it.”
Sven grabs Romelle by the arm pulling her to the door. “I think we better go, Romelle. We’ll let the others know you’re up and feeling better.” They reach the door almost running into the doctor. “Sorry Doc.” Sven smiles and whispers to Romelle “I can’t believe you were ogling Keith!”
Romelle smiles. “Well, maybe you could borrow that getup and then…” Sven laughs and grabs her into his arms with a spin, whisking her away. “Merry Christmas Ally!” Romelle giggles from down the hall.
“Ah, you’re up.” Doctor Gorma enters the room still grinning and shaking his head from Sven and Romelle’s exit. “And how are you feeling, Allura?”
“Doctor, how is Keith?” she pulls the blanket around her tight, not taking her eyes off Keith.
Gorma walks up to the bedside. “As far as I can tell he’s fine. He’s just exhausted. Whatever happened to him took everything out of him. But everything checks out normal. After some rest he should be good as new. Now, how about you? Are you alright? Any more nightmares?”
Allura drops her eyes and stares at the floor.
“I see. Well maybe now that our Captain is back you’ll be feeling better?” He examines Keith and checks some readings. “I’ve let most my staff off for the day, but I’ll just be down the hall in my office. If you need anything buzz me. Will you keep an eye on him for me?” He regards her as she looks at Keith, seeing her undeniable adoration. “Merry Christmas, Princess.” He smiles and turns to leave closing the door behind him.
Allura bites her lower lip and tentatively reaches out a hand to touch Keith’s chest. “So many secrets.” Her hand rising and falling with his every breath. “I knew you were here Keith. I could feel it.” She slowly lowers herself down to him, lips almost touching but she hesitates, biting her lip harder, instead lays her body down next to him. His body feels so cold next to hers so she drapes her blanket over the both of them, snuggling in tight against him trying to warm him, only the thin fabric of their hospital gowns between them. She allows her hands to tentatively explore him, feeling his toned body. She stops, suddenly feeling him inhale deeply. Softly he groans out. “Don’t leave me…” His arms encircle around her body wrapping around her tightly. “Don’t leave me...” She shudders at the sensation of his touch as his arms hold her tight. Feeing so safe she nests into him and whispers into his neck. “Never.” She exhales, melting into his arms soon joining him in sleep.
Allura walks up to the same old dark house. Slowly opening the door she steps in. Inside the house is all aglow for the season. The tree is twinkling, the fire is burning bright, candles are lit everywhere. But this time she hears faint sobbing. “Hello?” She calls out, but there is no answer. She follows the sound towards the same gory scene. On the sofa lays the bloody bodies of a man and a woman, broken, charred and unrecognizable. In the playpen across the room lay the mangled bodies of two babies. Then she hears the whimpering again and looks down.
Sitting at the base of the tree clutching at his blood-soaked stuffed lion is little Keith. His weak voice cries out looking at the two bodies on the sofa. “Mommy … Daddy … don’t leave me.” He cradles the lion to his chest and sobs again rocking back and forth hugging his lion. Then the old clock in the hall clicks and starts to chime. It rings out into the night … twelve times… Allura quickly looks around the room, eyes locking on an advent calendar on the mantel, every door open but one. The one, the one for Christmas day. “It’s Christmas? It’s Christmas?” She looks down at the little boy dropping down to him. “Keith, is this what happened? Is this what Christmas is to you?” The boy doesn’t seem to hear her. He continues to rock.
She reaches out a hand and starts when she can actually touch him. She strokes his hair. “Keith? Keith can you hear me? I’m here. I…” The boy’s little hands clamp down tighter on his lion, his little knuckles turning white. He buckles over, now wailing. She reaches out and pulls him to her lifting him to her lap cradling him in her arms and rocking him back and forth. “It’s all right, Keith. You can cry.” She holds him as close as she can.
The boy eventually forms to her, clutching at her, his tears soaking through her clothes. His muffled voice cries out. “Bring them back. Please bring them back!”
Allura coos. “I’m sorry, Keith. I can’t bring them back.” She continues to rock him running her hand soothingly over his hair.
“It’s not fair!” He cries. “I don’t want ‘em to go.” He starts to fight.
She tries to sooth him. “No Keith, it’s not fair.” She wipes her own tear soaked face. “It’s not.”
He pulls away from her. “Why? Why did they have to die?” He looks right at her as he stands before her his little body shaking with rage.
Allura is taken aback for a moment. She has nothing she can say to answer him, instead she just shakes her head.
“It’s not fair!” The boy screams throwing his lion into the tree. His whole body tensing as he leaps at the tree pulling it down with a thundering crash and begins ripping at it, tearing it apart, crying the whole time. “I hate Christmas… I hate Christmas!” Repeating it over and over.
Allura just sits back and watches little Keith destroy every bit of Christmas in the house. Eventually he stands in front of the fire. Holding two matching glass angel figurines in his hands, his small shoulders shaking. He recoils back to throw them in the fire. Hesitating, he drops to the floor curling into a small ball, holding one angel in each trembling fist. Allura slowly scoots closer to him, laying a hand on his back. She closes her eyes and weeps with him.
“I never got to know them… Ally.” Allura trembles, his voice now that of the Keith she knows. She slowly opens her eyes seeing him now as an adult. He slowly sits up looking at the glass angels in his hands. His voice is racked with tears. “They were only one when they were killed. They never had a chance to live.” Allura moves in closer to him. He looks at her with his shimmering eyes. “I miss them, Ally.”
Allura completely loose it, reaching out to him wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight. He collapses into her and wails. Wrapping his own arms around her tight, still clutching the figurines. They rock to and fro wrapped around one another for the longest time. Eventually pulling apart she reaches up to his wet face, stroking his hair away. “Keith, remember them. Remember them in happy times, not like this. What was it like the Christmas before this?” He drops his head to hers, sniffling, slowly settling down. He sets the figurines down between them taking her hands in his, deep in thought, eventually a slow smile comes to his lips. The room shimmers, shifting back into perfect order, a huge pile of presents now under the tree. Allura then hears a child’s shout from the top of the stairs. “Come on! Hurry!” The pair sit on the floor, hands wrapped in one another’s and watch as a little five year old Keith slides down the banister and races for the tree. “He came! He was here!”
“Who came?” A mans voice calls down.
“Daaad…Who do you think?… Santa!”
A man appears at the top of the stairs. He is the image of Keith, just older and with a stubbly chin. In each arm he cradles a sleeping infant. His eyes look like he hasn’t slept in weeks. He makes his way down, sitting down on the sofa where before the bodies had been. He arranges the pillows he then scooches to put his feet up on the table in front of him. He moves one of the sleeping babies to the same side as the other, now both lying side by side in his arm supported by a pile of cushions.
Keith jumps up on the other side of his father, pushing on his chest. “Where’s Mommy? Where’s Mommy?”
Keith’s father smiles putting a hand on the boy’s head. “Relax, she’s coming down in a minute.”
Little Keith climbs over his fathers lap to look at the infants. “Mommy’s right they do look like angels.”
“Yes they do.” He laughs. “Well, when they’re sleeping they do. You know Keith, this is their very first Christmas. You’re going to have to show them what it’s all about. Can you do that?”
Little Keith nods suddenly looking very serious.
“Ah, there my two men are.” Keith’s mother appears behind them. Giving them both a hug. “Merry Christmas Keith.” She smiles at her son moving around to sit beside them. Allura is again taken by the woman’s beauty. Her long raven locks flowing behind her. Her eyes the most beautiful shade of green.
Keith father smiles at his son. “So, what’s first?”
Little Keith sits in thought a moment. “The note! Santa’s note!” He bolts off the sofa running to the fireplace running right past the adult Keith and Allura sitting on the floor. They turn to watch. As he pulls down a note tacked to the mantle grinning. “Look! Look!” He runs back.
Keith’s mother snuggles into her husband. “What does it say?”
Little Keith holds it up and slowly reads the note aloud. “Thanks so much for your help last year… Wow! He remembered Dad!” The boy beams at his father. “Keith, I hope you liked your lion. And Angelica I hope you like your two new little angels as much as I liked giving them to you.”
“Why you!” Keith’s mother, blushing feverously, shoves Keith’s father then buries her face into his shoulder bringing a chuckle out of him his hand coming up to stroke her head.
Little Keith gives them a strange look then continues. “Thanks for the milk and cookies and the carrot for Rudolph. Merry Christmas, Santa.” Little Keith stands there for the longest time just looking at the note.
“Son? Don’t you want to open your presents?” His father smiles, pulling his wife in close.
He looks up as if he had forgotten but then drops the note on the table and dives for the tree, pulling out a present for everyone. He carries them over to his parents, stopping in front of them for they are now lost in a kiss. He waits… and they still kiss. He waits some more… still kissing. “Hey! Presents!” They pull apart grinning just in time as he leaps between them handing them the gifts. “This says it’s for the twins”
“Well, let’s save that till they wake up. Then you can help them open it, alright.” Keith’s mother ruffs his hair as the boy smiles up at her. They begin opening their gifts.
Allura turns from the scene playing out before her to the Keith sill holding her hands. “So much love.” She breathes looking up into his eyes. “I…” Her eyes soon get lost in his shimmering ones. She tries to speak again. “So… much… love.” She tracks his eyes as they glance at her lips, the distance between them slowly disappearing. “So much…”
End of part eleven.
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