Keith paced just outside the main doors of the medical wing. It had been over an hour since he handed over the injured young woman to Dr. Gorma, and he was beginning to grow impatient. How long did it take to fix an ankle anyway? Suddenly, the familiar hailing tone of his com link broke through his thoughts.

“Keith? Come in, Keith.”

All at once, Keith remembered he had forgotten to notify the team that he wouldn’t be making it to the village today. He cleared his throat and reluctantly opened the channel. “Keith here - sorry, Allura.”

“Keith, what’s the matter?”

It was hard to miss the undercurrent of concern in her voice, and he knew on a personal level where it stemmed from. He often found himself worrying about any team member who was unaccounted for. He knew she often did the same. “Allura, I’m fine. It’s just…I won’t be able to make it. Sorry I didn’t let you know sooner, but I’ve been a little busy.” He continued. She would understand…he hoped. “On my way into town, I ran across a local villager with a broken ankle. We’re at the castle now, and I’m waiting for them outside Gorma’s office.”

He thought he heard her exhale through the com link. “Oh, that’s fine. I was….we were just worried you might be in trouble.” The com fell silent.

Keith felt a pang of remorse. He knew she would be worried….but then why hadn’t he called?

“Please tell the kids that I’m sorry, and I promise to make it up to them next week.”

Had she giggled? “Okay, but what should I tell the village children?”

“Very funny,” he chuckled. “Please tell my kids and the village children that I’ll be by to play a few games next weekend.”

“Will do, Captain…oh, Keith? Please tell that citizen he is welcome at the castle as long as he wishes.”

“I will, Allura. And actually…he is a she.”

There was a brief lag in her response, so short Keith didn’t even notice. “Well then, tell her that she is our guest. I will not have any one of my people in need of assistance. I’ll notify Nanny when I get back that we have a visitor.”

Keith was hoping that she would offer. As a gentleman, he couldn’t bear the thought of a lady being made to fend for herself in such a primitive civilization as Arus. Everyday living necessities all required some kind of physical labor on this planet, and he couldn’t see her trying to care for herself, not with a broken ankle. But then again, she probably had someone waiting for her. Most likely her family was missing her right now. What if…what if she was married and had a concerned husband scouring the countryside for his missing bride? Keith dismissed the last thought. How could she be married? She couldn’t be any older than Allura. But Arusian customs were different than those that he was used to, and perhaps she really was…

“Hello? Keith? Are you still there?”

He jumped. “Sorry Allura. Sure, I’ll tell Nanny that she’s here.”

Just then, the doors the medical wing slid open, revealing a familiar figure in a stiff, white coat. Keith barely heard his com link.

“Keith, I said that I would tell Nanny…”

“Okay, Allura. Bye now,” he replied absently. He switched off the com link, never to know the confused expression of the person who had just been so abruptly dismissed.

“How is she, doctor?”

The tall gentleman smiled reassuringly and regarded the strange look on the Captain’s face. “She’s fine. We just had a couple of x-rays to take care of and a cast to set. She’ll live, but I told her to stay off that ankle for a while. She broke two bones, and they need time to set in position.”

Keith nodded, only hearing half of it. He was too busy looking over the good doctor’s shoulder for a glimpse of the patient. “Can I see her?”

“Absolutely. You know, it’s a good thing you happened along when you did. She might have been left there for days.”

Keith turned his attention back to the doctor. “But, doesn’t she have family? Wouldn’t they have come looking for her?”

The doctor shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”

Without asking any further questions, Keith nodded in understanding. The war had left many without family or friends. It was not unusual for children to grow up alone. The older ones had it the worst - too old to have the refuge of an orphanage, and yet too young to be alone. It was the latter existence Keith imagined the hardest. He knew himself how it felt to grow up alone. It had taken all him seventeen years to find the family he knew now, but in the years before, he had known loneliness. Suddenly, his heart went out to the poor young woman who was more like himself than he initially thought.

“Would you like to see her now?”

Keith nodded and followed the doctor. When they reached the end of a long hall of examination rooms, the doctor paused. “You know, she had a lot of nice things to say about you while I was put on the cast.”

Keith ignored the comment and the slight heat that came up from under his collar. He made a conscious effort to look emotionless and knocked on the closed door.

“Come in,” came a muffled reply.

Dr. Gorma gestured that he was leaving and spoke over his shoulder. “She’s free to go, but should I assume that she’ll be staying at the castle?”

Keith only nodded in affirmation and watched the doctor retreat down the hall. He took a deep breath and opened the examination room door.

“Hello, Allea.”

“Captain.” The acknowledgement was cold.

He inspected the cast, finally allowing himself to meet her hard gaze. “Please, call me Keith.”

She shifted uncomfortably in the examination chair. “Well then, Keith. When can I get out of here?”

He regarded her with his usual, cool stare. Even with a broken ankle, she had the strength to dish out the attitude. Fortunately, Keith’s team was full of attitude, and he knew just how to deal with it.

“No problem - I’ll gladly take you home. You can find a way to take care of yourself, cook your own meals, wash your clothes…”

As he went on and on, he noticed her cool stare falter. Her gaze dropped to the floor as tears threatened her icy green eyes. She muffled a sniff and covered her eyes with her hands as if not wanting him to see her guard down.

“Allea.”

She looked up to find a pair of warm, deep brown eyes intent on her. He was definitely beautiful (if she were the kind to call a man “beautiful”) but there was not a woman in the galaxy who didn’t think so. Being this close to him, it was almost easy to lose her train of thought. “Why are you being so mean to me?”

His stare remained fixed on her, but his voice softened. “I’m not being mean. It’s just that you need to accept the fact that you aren’t going anywhere for a while. You need to let that ankle heal properly - you need some help. The Princess, herself, has asked that you stay and be her guest at the castle.”

Upon hearing that, Keith saw her eyes double in size. “The Princess Allura?”

Keith nodded. “Listen, I know that you’re used to doing everything for yourself, but it’s okay to accept the help of others.”

Suddenly, Keith thought he caught a glimpse of something new behind her green stare. He saw loneliness and pain, but he also saw something else - something familiar. For some reason, he just couldn’t shake the feeling that he had seen her before.

“Have we met?”

Her gaze dropped to the floor, then back up at the penetrating brown eyes that pinned her against her chair. “Like I said,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders, “I’ve seen you before. Maybe you’ve seen me in a crowd. I’m out and about a bit.”

He gave her reply a moment’s pause. Perhaps he had seen her among the people. He frequently visited the nearby villages. But still…

“Are you this distrustful by nature?” She didn’t try to hide the contempt in her voice.

“I just never forget a face, and I seem to have a hard time placing yours.”

“Well, maybe I just have that kind of forgetful look about me.”

“We both know that’s not true.” It had slipped past his lips before he could contain the words.

Without much thought to proper manners, he intently studied the expression on her face. Her young features seemed to be concealing a deeper, more mature nature. Keith might have thought it curious, but he had come across many who had been forced to grow up because of war. He knew from personal experience that circumstances beyond one’s control could shape a human soul, in both positive and negative ways.

Realizing that he had been staring again, he lowered his gaze. What was it about this woman? Or was she a girl? It was hard to tell. There was one way to find out.

“How old are you?”

She cocked an eyebrow at the blatant question but answered anyway. “Seventeen.”

A grin settled unknowingly across his face. Younger than Allura. What was it with these young, high-spirited Arusian women? Maybe it was something in the water. Breaking the uncomfortable silence, he once again swept her up into his arms.

“I’ll take you to your room for a nap before dinner. You’ll meet the others then.”

She giggled at the business-like tone that was new in his voice. “Well, aren’t you going to answer your own question?”

He looked at her quizzically.

Settling into his arms, she challenged him coolly. “Well? How old are YOU?”

Keith headed for the door. “Too old for you.”

A sly smile spread across her full lips. “Captain…that’s not what I asked.”