The funeral was surreal, because of all the sadness the McClain family showed.

Keith, Shiro, Pidge and Hunk were invited for breakfast at the McClain's house.
Keith never knew where Lance lived before.
Now he did. It was relatively close to the hospital in town. A place, Lance never went to since he died. At least to Keith's knowledge.
Which, honestly, was a surprise, considering his sisters condition.

"Perhaps, I should have stayed at your house.", Lance awkwardly chuckled, as they approached the front door. His mother had cleaned the entire house and yard for the dark occasion. The light shone brightly at the house but Keith had a feeling it was usually never this orderly.
It lacked the sense of comfort and the mentality of organized mess that reminded him of Lance.

"I wasn't invited and the things I'm wearing-"
"Dude, this is your own funeral. Your name might not be on the invitation, but it's literally on the grave stone. Your invitation has to be the most fancy one.", Keith tried to calm him with a smile.

"What is it? What is he saying?", Hunk said, but Keith only waved it off. It meant, ,I can handle it.' Hunk nodded.

Lance understood that it was hard for Keith to repeat everything he said, sometimes.
That was why they bought the chalkboard in the first place. Now however, he did not bring it. Why? Because Lance insisted, his family, except for his mom, should not know about his presence.

People would be freaking out, hearing about the ghost of one of their closest relatives.
They'd be convinced Mrs. McClain was nuts. And Lance was not exactly in the mood to respond to all the people in his family.

They should be allowed to grief in silence, Keith had approved.
Still.

"And those clothes are the ones you died in. You can't do anything about that. Not that it matters.", Keith added. Lance blinked. Then, a grin spread on his translucent face, a sparkle in his eyes at the opportunity.
"Are you, perhaps implying, that I always look good, no matter what I'm wearing?"
Keith answered with confusion. "Yes."
Surely he could have meant it did not matter, because nobody could see him anyway. But his answer was full of certainty. As well as brutal honestly. It made Lance's voice stuck in his throat.

Hunk smiled at Keith from the side, not even knowing what Lance had said, but Keith did not notice. Lance coughed, as though he wanted to disrupt the moment from this – interaction. Which was an unnecessary task. Their conversations were bound to be private. Well – 50% private. They could still hear Keith.
51%, if you counted Lance's rare outbursts.
A moment later, Shiro came to his rescue, as he rang the bell at the front lawn.

It took several tries, until Mrs. McClain opened the door to let them in. She looked exhausted. Tired and sad, but also better than the day they found his body.
"Welcome, hey there Shiro. Hunk, Pidge come in. Hello Keith.", she stopped, as her smile disappeared at his sight. Keith fidgeted in his position. Was his black shirt inappropriate for this occasion? Should he have gone with a smoking like Shiro and Hunk?

"Keith? Ehm – is he here?", she asked as kindly as she could She did not look at him. Not that he blamed her.

The tension in Keith's shoulder relaxed as he got the hint.
"Well – yes.", he put a hand on Lance's shoulder who froze at the motion.

It was a weird feeling, to be honest. For Keith it felt like grabbing for a mix of dense, materialized air. Water, perhaps. But not quite.
While Lance felt the touch as some kind of energy. A warmth that just happened to be there on his shoulder. He noticed that every person he touched felt different.

When Hunk did it, it felt like the warmth and softness of a stuff toy that someone left too close to the heater. It was comforting and nice and he enjoyed it a lot.
When he touched Pidge, she felt like a radiant bundle of energy. A warmth that almost burned. Kind of like electricity. Perhaps it was bound to her personality. She was obsessed with technology and the kind of person who would jump at you, when you said something wrong.

Shiro? When Shiro touched him, it felt the most human Lance could remember. It felt heavy, with a light pressure to it. But also as though a father was approving of you.

With Keith it was a bit different.
Keith felt like an open fire. Even when you stood right next to him, you could feel his presence. It felt dangerous to be close to him. At the same time you wanted to, because of the warmth he provided. Whenever Lance touched him, he was afraid to get burned.
Instead, the feeling barely changed. Touching him felt like cooling him down. Like holding cold hands in front of a flame. Like caressing a single candle. Bright and warm and sparkling.
It startled him every time.

Mrs. McClain looked at the hand that was connected to thick air.
"I see.", she sighed in both relief and anticipation. Maybe she had expected that everything was just a dream. That maybe, her son died and the realization of it made her believe in ghosts.
She was religious, but she always believed ghosts went either straight to heaven or hell. It made her tense, wondering why her son didn't. And she felt selfish for wanting him to stay and talk to her.
Though Lance barely visited. She knew he was not ready for that. Not yet.
She could not even blame him.

"Is – is he okay?", she asked and Lance looked down in shame. Keith's grip tightened.
"Not okay, no.", Keith said, turning slightly to Lance. "But he's better now."
This seemed enough for Lance's mother. "Can, Can I hug him?", she asked. And Lance was glad that she asked for permission. Did she have to ask Keith though?
"You can ask him.", Keith reminded her as calm as possible. Lance looked up in surprise. Keith was getting pretty good at reading him, he had to admit as much.

Mrs. McClain gave him a look. But turned towards the invisible nothing anyway. "Lance? Can I, please, give you a hug? I miss you." Her eyes were pleading, despite the fact they were fixated on the hand that was still on his shoulder.

"I- ", Lance started, until he was reminded that she could not hear him. And believe him when he told you that he tried. Perhaps the level of emotional he needed to talk, was too high to constantly maintain.

So he moved forward, shaking off Keith's hand in the process and hugged his mother.
She felt like a cup of hot chocolate in winter. And he cried a bit as he finally relaxed into her embrace. She, as well, cried a bit.
Shiro, Pidge and Hunk were looking back at them, sad smiles on their faces. They knew what she must feel at the moment.

Keith smiled at them. Wishing, for a split second, his own mother was here somewhere.
After all those years, he could not help but miss her.
He put his hands in his pockets after a while. They didn't seem like they wanted to let go off each other soon, so he shushed his friends and his brother inside.

------------------

A solid half and hour later, finally everyone was seated in the living room of the McClain's house.
Lance's family, Keith realized, was huge. And with huge, I mean, huge.
Keith himself did not have a single cousin, since neither of his parents had siblings.

But Lance? Apparently his father had like four, each of them around three children of their own?
His mother was blessed/cursed with five siblings, each of them with two children.
That made around twenty two cousins. Twenty. Two.

And they went from all ages, here and there a boy- or girlfriend who tagged along.
Lance's mother had put an extra chair out of nowhere for Lance and put it on the short end of the endless table.
There was a name tag on it. The cousins and uncles send her looks of empathy.
However, Since the ghost was actually present, Keith nudged him to go and sit down there.

His many cousins, all whom Lance must have had a friendly relationship with, stared at the empty seat in silence. Some of them were crying. Others were grabbing the food that was placed in huge varieties on the table.

Keith, Shiro, Pidge and Hunk sat down, far away from Lance. It would have been weird for Lance's mother to let them sit so close to her dead son, since nobody knew of his presence.
Still, it bothered Keith. And by the looks of his dead friend, he knew it bothered Lance too.

They began eating. Everyone except Lance of course. It's weird how silent a room of so many people can be, when someone they loved had died. And there was nothing the ghost could do to calm them. He seemed uncomfortable. Like an intruder in his own family. Attending a business that nobody should have attended to. If you asked him that is.

After a while, however, Lance's siblings started talking. They were the most calm about it for some reason. According to what Lance had told Keith some days prior, their names were Nadia and Clause. They were twins and inseparable. Mrs. McClain was busy with the youngest of them. She put him in a stall, next to the door, so that the small child would not hurt himself.

By looks of it, the twins were a lot like Lance. Jittery bundles of joy. Despite the situation. They were making jokes. Telling each other stories of Lance and the people who started listening, such as Keith for instance, could not help but laugh.

"Yeah, he actually made me believe, not only Santa was real, but that he was secretly the monster in my closet!", Clause said, ridiculousness sparkling in his eyes.
"Obviously I did not believe him. I may have been five, but I'm not that stupid."
Nadia was already laughing way too much at this, she already knew the story.

"But he insisted he was right. And I think, he believed it himself. Because one night, I woke up to his screaming. He shouted something like "No Santa! Go back to that closet. It's not Christmas yet.
And then, I heard him screaming even louder.
I thought he was dreaming or something and tried waking him up. But when I opened the door. I tell you I couldn't stop myself from laughing.
There was a giant Santa in the room. It was such a stupid costume really. Santa held one of his favorite toys, threatening to cut it's throat open, if Lance didn't behave."
The giggling grew louder.

"Santa was in your room?", a cousin of Lance's asked bewildered.

"Well, yes, obviously it was a costume. But men, Lance really shouldn't have eaten Veronica's cookies. She was so -", he stopped.
The laughing ebbed away. And the cousin began regretting the question immediately.
Even Lance's initial smile cooled down. And Keith began briefly wondering, when this started.
When did this family break apart.
Lance's mother did not say anything, but Keith could tell she wanted to leave the room.

And in this moment, a thought hit him. Had it been Lance, who kept this family together?
Sure they all gathered here to grief. But that was something you did for your grandmother, not your cousin. At least, unless you were connected somehow. Not with a family this huge, that is.

After a while, another cousin of Lance's picked up where the siblings left off.
He started talking about a snowman they build with Lance once. One that looked exactly like mickey mouse, according to him.
And the stories went on. With every story, Keith felt himself cowering more in his seat.
His theory was proven correct. Everyone in here had at least one story to share about Lance and the great or rather stupid things he did in his life.

After a while, it was Hunk's time to share some stories. And there were a lot of them. Hunk was Lance's best friend. So of course he had a lot to say.
"Lance helped me, when nobody else was there for me. Already in third grade, he helped me, when my parents were about to divorce. My Moms are fine now. But I tell you, it was harsh-", he was interrupted by Nadia.
"You have two moms?", she asked, multiple pairs of eyes fixated on him. Keith opened his mouth to say something. He had not known that. And slight panic settled in his stomach, filling him with hot nausea.

"I do. And I love them dearly.", Hunk nodded at her with a smile.
And then- something magical happened. The tension in the room lifted instantly, when Nadia started beaming. Gentle smiles were shared between people Keith had never met before. About a matter he had been concerned of ever since he met Lotor for the first time. Long ago, on the playground they went to in middle school.

But this? This felt so heartwarming. So nice. So entirely different than living in this town usually provided. As though they were just accepting Keith himself. And Lance too, whom he saw spilling tears in his seat. Grateful for his best friend. Maybe also, because he understood what Keith felt. Perhaps that was why he looked at him with such glee in his eyes.

It took them a while to calm down, but Keith could not help but smile at Lance. The ghost smiled back, despite the odd looks he received from Lance's uncle who sat next to Keith and noticed that his gaze was fixed at Lance's seat.

Now it was Pidge's turn to tell a story. Someone more or less forced her to say something.
"I- I didn't exactly know Lance that well.", she admitted. "However, he visited me here and there in the IT-club in our school.
I can't exactly say, we've been friends. But I'm certain, if he had stopped me from falling asleep in my lab like, one more time, we would have been. I tagged along with Hunk here most of the time. So I heard Lance talk about his crushes and stuff, all the time.

And we were lab partners in chemistry for a while. He wanted to be my friend. I always knew that. Perhaps I was a bit intimidated by the fact that he was one of the popular kids. But really, he was just as much of a nerd as I am.", she send them an apologetic smile. But they nodded at her in understanding.

Nobody asked Shiro to say anything. But he did so anyway.
"I – I think Lance never liked me much.", he began, as silence settled in the room yet again.
And the moods turned tense again. They must know who Shiro was. They must feel for him the same Lance did before.
"But, thanks to my brother here, I – I had a chance to talk with him about stuff.", Shiro did not say when they talked, but Keith could tell he meant after Lance died.
But he could not recall the talk the both might have had. Did they talk to each other a different time? Well – Shiro barely slept and Lance did not at all. So it made sense that they might have shared some bonding time together, without him noticing.

"I blamed myself for what happened three years ago. For the longest time. And I thought he did, too.
He told me I was wrong.", Shiro made a pause. Pregnant with his own guilt.
"He told me it was not my fault. If anything, he blames himself.
Maybe I should not tell you this, since this is his memorial. But I feel like he wants me to tell you anyway."
He raised a brow at Keith in question. Lance raised his thumbs at him, wearing a tired smile. Keith nodded at Shiro to continue. Despite his own confusion.

"I did not know then, that Lance, as a child, had stolen his fathers car. Only days before the accident.", Shiro started.
Keith startled at the confession. He was not the only one.

"He told me that he had known something was wrong with the car. He had his own little accident with it. The brakes were loose after that, he said.
He blames himself, because he did not have the guts to tell his father that something happened.
And when his father and Lance's sister got in the car, days later, they did not get far. They were driving fast. I don't know whether or not they had noticed the damaged brakes then, but when I drove past that stop sign, they could not have stopped the car.

I'm not telling you this, to shine a dark light on Lance. But to tell you, that Lance did care a lot about what happened. That he barely blamed me. He even comforted me, when I apologized to him. It means a lot to me. I don't think it's his fault.
And I cannot blame myself enough for the fact that I hit him with my car, too. That I could have saved him. I know now what I took from the world.
He had a great sense for equality and he genuinely loved all of his friends and his family. The fact that all of you are here is proof to that. I'm so sorry."
Shiro had tears in his eyes at the confession. Keith's gaped in surprise. He had not – known that.
Lance looked down in shame, avoiding Keith's gaze as silence settled over the family.

People looked at each other in a similar matter as they tried to comfort Shiro. Made sure, he was ok. Perhaps it was a McClain thing. Maybe all of them were just like Lance. Kind and full of support.

Then, however, people looked at Keith. And for a second Keith wondered why. Until he understood that it was now his turn to say something. Which proofed to be difficult.

"I- ehm.", he started, intelligently, feeling all the eyes, especially Lance's on him.
"With me it's similar to Pidge, I guess. I didn't know him for long.", he paused, thinking of what to say. "Or at all, that is.", he admitted, as he recalled that before he died, they never talked much. Irritated glances in his direction made him falter as he continued anyway.

"We went to the same school, ever since I moved here. We never talked. Or rather, barely. Actually, that is not entirely true.

Lance was the popular kid. He talked to everyone. And everyone knew him or so it seemed.
I was the odd one. There were rumors about me and I admit, they were mostly true but that is beside the point.

I'm pretty sure he only ever talked to me at my worst moments. Like the day I failed a math test so miserably that our teacher took me to the side and scolded me.
Lance approached me later that day, since we were in the same math class.
He made fun of my score, since his was better. Only by one or two grades, but still. We fought then. Like, verbally. He insulted my hair, like he used to all the time and said something like, ,for someone whose usually the best in class, you really screwed up today. What happened to the guy who always beats me at everything. This is disappointing.'Well, it's not his exact words, but it's close. I don't even know what he was talking about back then. That was one of the first tests we ever took. It's not like we had much to compare.

The thing is, I don't think that was the point. He was not even mean about it. Which, as I assure you is rare in a school like ours.

But I remember that it wormed me. I studied like a maniac after that, only to proof him wrong. That I actually was better at everything than he was.
Our next test, I aced it. Apparently Lance studied hard too, but he scored below me. When he showed me and I showed him mine, I thought he'd be mad. Or angry. But I remember how he only shot finger guns at me and told me that he knew I could do it.

Ever since then, we had a silent competition in class who'd have the best grades. And I guess I got used to watching him from then on.
We did not know each other. All we talked to about was my hair cut and our grades. For some reason he is obsessed with it. But he made me pull myself together. My grades got better because of him. And whenever he noticed my mood drop, he'd always distract me with a challenge. I remember he threw a candy bar at me once. Back then I thought he wanted to annoy me. Later I realized that was not the case.

The Friday before his death, I had the chance to make it up to him. He always cheered me up. And the one day I could have been as nice as he was, I did not even talk to him.
Shiro is wrong when he says it's his fault that he died. I could have prevented it then and there. I'm certain I could have. And I wish I had tried to become his friend, instead of his rival. He was a friend to me. I wasn't to him. And it's the one thing I regret the most."

Keith stopped. For a minute, he had stopped seeing the people in this room. Had only seen Lance and the small memories they shared. Lance stared at him in confusion, not knowing how small gestures could have such a great impact on others. Things like these, behavior like these were normal to him.
He did not know they weren't to everyone.

It was odd. Like in the past, Keith and Lance were sitting distanced from each other.
But it felt like Keith was the only one who could truly, really see Lance. And Lance practically stared at him. Surrounded by the people he loved the most in the world, who couldn't.
And still he was in his own world with Keith. Looking only at him. How had he not seen this before?

The silence continued on and finally Keith realized everyone was staring at him.
Nobody picked up another story, like they had before.

Shiro put an arm around him in an embrace. "It's alright Keith.", he said. And only now Keith noticed the tears in his own eyes. Why was he crying? He could still see Lance.
He could still talk to him. Why was he crying about – loosing him? Loosing what they had and what they have now?

Knowing looks, understanding smiles. Keith was irritated by the intensity of it all.
Even Pidge looked at him in empathy. For the first time in forever, Keith felt like he had actually shocked her. She was used to his antics, but this was new even to her.

Everyone was thinking the same thing. Keith and Lance had something you would call a beginning. A beginning of a beginning. Of something greater than they realized themselves. It could have been more. They could have really grown on each other. But nobody said it. Because it was over before it started.
Like a flower who was denied the chance to blossom.

-------------------------

When it was finally time for the funeral, the family was set in motion. A crowd of people clothed in all the different colors of black made their way to the grave yard.

The church close to their house. No wonder, since it was also pretty close to the hospital.
People often went to church, when someone they cared about was in surgery or about to die.
They often only turned to believe, when everything else had left them.

The march, despite the shortness of the way, was still long. Pidge, Hunk, Shiro and Keith were the last in line. Next to them walked the ghost of Lance. He seemed a bit embarrassed by all the attention his death got.

"You know, the next time I die, make sure I get a party. This is just sad.", he whispered and Keith almost laughed at the ridiculousness of his sentence.
"Let's hope, that won't happen again.", Keith whispered back, hoping nobody saw or heard him, except for his new found friends.

"Man, this is so sad. I bet Lance is mad, we're not throwing some kind of ball for him.", Hunk said soon after, receiving an odd look from Keith.
"What?" "Nothing. It's just, that's exactly what Lance just said.", he explained and Hunk grinned in response.

"Well, yeah. He always hated these depressing traditions.", he said in thought, extending his arms in a motion that included every mourning McClain in front of them.
Pidge repositioned her glassed as she cracked a grin. "Yeah, he seems the type."

Finally, they made it to the hall were Lance's corpse was presented. In a small shack in the middle of the grave yard.

And they thought Keith was emo.

In the center of the hall stood an open coffin. And for the first time since they found the corpse, they were struck with it again.
Being able to communicate with the dead, Keith had completely forgotten there was a completely still version of Lance prepared to be presented to his relatives and friends.

The entire room, if not silent already, was suddenly tense. They did their best to make Lance look stunning in death. In a way, Keith had to admit, they managed to do so.
He wore a pullover Keith had seen him wear a lot in school. It might have been a band shirt, but they could not make out which one it was. With the blue roses covering his chest. Petals bedding his sleeping form.

Keith gulped at the sight, suddenly being reminded how much more serious this was to all of them. He stood there, watching, while everyone else was searching for a place to sit.

Of course they had to hold an entire ceremony in his name. It was kind of exactly Lance's style. Banners with goodbye wished and thousands of flowers decorated the floor in front of the open coffin.
The priest would soon start his monologue, but Keith was suddenly distracted. Pidge grabbed him by his arm, motioning with her head to make him sit down next to her.

But Keith did not react. By what or whom you ask? Well, three people were responsible for that. For one, it was Lance himself, who stood next to him, eyes wide as he grabbed Keith by the wrist to make sure he was not imagining things.
He looked at his coffin, or so it seemed, but then Keith saw who was standing right there. As if nothing could ever disturb the peace in their minds, two figurines gently smiled at Lance's lifeless form. One of them a bit more disturbed than the other.

As soon as she noticed his stares, Allura walked towards him. She was not heading for Keith, as he now realized, but for Lance. Maybe he should have expected that.
"Lance. It is time.", she said, reaching for his hand, her glowing face a mockery to the darkness that settled inside of Keith at the words. Because he understood what this was implying.
"No, no no no. Not now.", he said, way too loud for anyone to consider normal.
Pidge glared at him.

"Keith, sit down.", she said. "I can't." Hectic as he was, he turned around, frantically searching for a familiar face.
Were is Mrs. McClain!", he demanded to know. Loud and clear over the rows and rows of people.
"Keith, calm down.", Shiro said, also trying to hold him down. But Keith only stared at the person standing right next to the coffin.

"Keith, it'll be fine, I promise.", Allura said, a bit irritated by his concern.
Lance smiled at him reassuringly. But he could not fool Keith. "I'll be fine.", Lance insisted at Keith's antics.

"What's wrong, Keith?", Mrs. McClain spoke up. Concern in her eyes. "Is something wrong with Lance?", she asked, causing the audience to startle and give her incredulous looks. How dare she ask something like that.

But Keith's shivering lips made her tilt her head in confusion. He shook his head and took a deep breath.
"I think Veronica just died."

-----------

True to his words, Mrs. McClain's phone rang only minutes of silence later, eyes widening in horror, as she stared at the name that was tagged on it.
"It's – it's the hospital.", she whispered, eyes stern. Murmuring and questioning glares living up the room in shock.

Keith still stared ahead, at Lance who gave him an apologetic smile as he walked towards his sister.
"Hey, Veronica.", he said and the girl in question opened her mouth in shock.
"What – why are you? You're dead! This is your -"
"Funeral? I know.", he said.
Veronica stumbled back. "No.", she said, an incredulous expression proof of the shivering that went down her spine.

"Yeah. It's a long story:"
"No, I mean. Why are you still here then?" So she knew they were both dead. A good sign, Lance decided.

"I was waiting for you.", he said kindly.
"Come on, I'll tell you everything when we're both on the other side."
Keith froze at those words, unable to say anything in his panic. Lance tightened his grip on Keith's wrist in an attempt to calm him. But he only prevented him from interfering.

Finally he let go of him, as Lance grabbed Veronica's hand and sighed in defeat. Allura nodded at them. "You're not going to say goodbye?", she asked, glancing at Keith.

Lance lowered his head, as he turned to him. There was a silent question in his eyes, if Keith was ok with this. But he knew, Keith was not.
"I'm sorry, Keith. This is what I was staying for."

"You're leaving?", Keith responded, a heaviness in his voice that Lance could not quite place. He sounded hurt. Quite the opposite of who he used to be to Lance, long before Lance had died.
Stoic and angry and ignorant of everyone and everything. Now, he was standing here, like his entire world was collapsing.

Keith felt the stares more than he saw them, especially the priest seemed concerned.
But Lance's mother was alarmed, so were Keith's friends. Because they knew this was deeper than it looked at first glance.

"I am.", Lance said, but there was something in his eyes that told Keith to just – wait.
"For now. We'll see each other again, I promise.", he said.
"You can't just – drop that on me and not explain anything!", Keith finally managed to respond.

"See you.", Lance waved at him, winking. Actually winking. "Trust me.", he then added, with a more serious expression.
And Keith? He actually let the bastard go.
A light erupted from nowhere as Lance finally looked at Veronica and shoved her forwards, passed Allura's questioning glance at the two of the. "What about mom?", she Veronica asked.

"She'll be fine. I promise.", Lance lied and dragged her with him.

Allura exchanged an apologetic smile with Keith.
"I'm sorry, Keith.", she murmured. And a second later Keith felt like someone had ripped out a piece of his heart. Just, when he had gotten used to someone this close in his life. Someone who had entered his life without the instant wish to leave him behind.

Soon, they were gone. All that remained were the staring. And Keith could not take it, as he left the room. Just like Mrs. McClain who was now in a heavy exchange with the doctor that supervised Veronica's condition.
He knew they were just telling her what she already knew, but dreaded to hear again.

But Keith ran. He didn't even know where he ran. All he knew was that he wanted to escape those voices that were running after him. And it took a while, but they disappeared eventually.
He needed to be alone. It did not matter where he'd go. He just needed to get away.

-------------------------

When Lance opened his eyes, everything was white. Well, not exactly the white you usually saw in movies, when someone went to the afterlife.
This was something else.
It was a field. Full of white crops, while the sky illuminated in a bluish light. But there was no source of light. The place was light itself. It was a similar glow to the one's outlining their deadly forms.

"This is the afterlife?", Lance asked, irritated at the sheer nothingness of this place.
Allura nodded.
"Yes and no. It is the space between. A few meters further north and we'll be at the river. You two have to cross the river to find the white city.
I call it Altea, other people call it home. It's where your father and your ancestors are.
The fact that we are here, so far from the river however, means that one of you has something left to say. So, spill it.", she said a bit annoyed. Maybe this happened more often than she liked? Who could blame her. She hated it when people could not just move on with their life's.

Lance blinked mischievously.
"That would be me.", he admitted. Allura raised an eyebrow. "But – you – the reason you were still on earth was her. Is there anything else you have to take care of? I am not going to bring you back, Lance."

"That is not what I want. Not exactly", he said.

"Well, say it, Lance. I really want to see dad.", Veronica said, eyes sparkling. There was no regret in her voice, as though she already forgot why they were here in the first place. Perhaps she did. Who knows what that white light thingy does to your mind. It made Lance wonder if he was about to forget some things too.

"I want to know how you got your job. And why you're not coming with us.", he said.
Allura sighed.
"Of course you would ask that.", she sighed. "Why do you want to know?!", she asked.
Lance took a deep breath.
"Because you want Keith to take on your job. And – I don't want that."
Allura opened her mouth again, now curious.

"When I go to the other side. I want to see him again. All of my friends. And I don't want him to take a job that he's definitely going to hate. Only to spend eternity trying to convince people to get here. While I – we wait forever."

Allura sighed again. "I never asked for this job either, Lance. I want to get out of this too. Keith is my only option."
"Is he though? Can't a normal ghost take on your job?"
Allura blinked again.

"Of course they could. But nobody wants to. And I cannot force them. Believe me, I've tried.
I have to make a deal with someone, while they are alive. If they agree, it's like a written contract they cannot betray. And since only mediums can talk to me, I have no other option.
I am the ferryman. I am the guard that gets you to the other side.

My father was the ferryman before me. He gave me the crown that made me who I am now.", she said, pointing to the diadem on her head.

And Lance recalled the story of the ferryman in his mind. It was the kind of story you would hear in history class about Greek mythology.
The ferryman was, much like the reaper, a symbol of death. It was supposed to be a man on a boat with a paddle whose job it was to take people to the other side of the river. Styx was the name of that river and Lance was ninety percent sure that was the river Allura was leading them to.

According to the legend, the ferryman can only ever give up his position, if he handed over the paddle. However, Allura did not have a paddle. Then again, it was only a legend.

Lance smiled. "I'll do it.", he said and both Allura and Veronica froze at the suggestion.

"What- what do you mean?", Allura asked, now totally confused.
"You don't even know what you're saying. This is a responsibility. It's a heavy weight on your shoulder. The crown notifies you every time someone kicks the bucket. You'd have a lot of work to do. Time is going to move differently for you.
The amount of time you spend with your loved once will be down to-"

"I want to." Lance nodded, certainty in his eyes. So, the diadem was the paddle.

"You – do.", she did not ask. She was trying to read his intentions. "Why?"
"I want to help people. And as you said, I can stay with my family. With my friends. I'll come here soon enough, when I find a successor like you were trying to.
It'll be fine. I'll be fine.", he assured her.

"No, Lance. You don't understand. You're not just sending to Altea. But also to the other side. The bad side. What most people call hell.
You-"

"I'll figure it out. Just like you did."
Allura opened her mouth again. "Come on, Allura. I know you want to see your dad. You've been waiting long enough.
Plus, I am already pretty good at talking to living people. I can do this job. I know I can."

Allura closed her mouth and sighed.
"You probably are a better pick than Keith is, to be honest.
Still, let me show you how the crown works first, before you agree to take over this hell of a job.
I was trained by the ferryman before my father for my whole life.
Though, I have to admit, the crown explains it pretty well to you. Just, don't be discouraged by all the souls you'll have to take. It's – a lot."

Lance grinned, as serious as a grin could be.
"First of all, this crown I cannot take of. You won't be able to take it off either. It will always be in your head.
The only way to take it off, is if someone takes it from you, or you have a contract with someone, then you may take it off yourself to hand it over. If they refuse after they already gave their word, the crown will still appear on their heads.

You need consent, but a nod or a promise is enough and counts as a signature. This is a contract that is verbally signed.
However, the person you give it to, needs to have at least basic knowledge about the job of the ferryman.
Do you follow?"

Lance nodded. Allura then started explaining what his job would be exactly.
How he would have to stalk people, get into their private affairs, break into their houses if necessary. He must interfere with the real world as little as possible, though. Moreover, he shall not change someone's fate. A fate that is written inside the jewel of the diadem and will be known to him.

He would have the knowledge of all people's life spans. He would know when his friends will die too. But he would not be allowed to prevent it.
He was allowed to talk to people, but he better refrain from changing their decisions or help them achieve goals that may change their future.
She continued on, explaining rule by rule. With every word Veronica seemed to worry more and more. While Lance's determination only grew.

"Do you understand, Lance?", Allura finally concluded. "You will be trapped in the world of the living forever."

"Don't worry, princess. I can do it. I promise."

And then, Allura took of her diadem and handed it to Lance. He took it with a smile. "Now, take us to the other side?", Allura asked, trying not to look too relieved.
"Yes, thank you princess."
"No, thank you, Lance."

------------------------

Two weeks later

Keith was alone. Why he decided to come here again? He did not know. Perhaps a part of him wanted Lance back.

Perhaps a part of him hoped that Lance would return eventually, like he had promised. But Lance never did.
Another part of him wanted to talk to Allura, too. He wanted to shout at her for taking Lance away, but also to comfort her.

Because while Lance was gone, something else had come to light. Right now, Keith was unable to not think of it.

Two days prior, Coran had asked him to come to his office. Keith remembered entering the room, hesitant at first. Wondering why he was here in the first place.
Why he had not run away again, like he had when Shiro wanted to confront him. But Coran was speaking of new found evidence and that he wanted to ask him something important.

"Hello, Keith.", Coran had greeted him. Keith did not respond, he just nodded. Waiting for a monologue and a speech, though he did not know what that would be about.

"I wanted to thank you." Keith had looked up in surprise, confusion on his expression. He had never seen Coran this tired, this overworked and yet so relieved.

"The CD we found contained more evidence than we anticipated.", he had started, a small smile on his face.

"We found evidence that connects Mr. Sendak to crimes that we thought were long solved or already considered as cold cases.
I wanted to ask you, if this ,Allura', you're talking to sometimes is here right now. And if she is not, could you call her?" He had seemed desperate, as though he had wanted to ask Keith this for a long time now.

Keith hook his head in confusion. "I – I have not talked to her since the funeral. She has disappeared again.", he answered. "But I know she is your niece. Pidge figured that out for me.", he confessed.
Coran opened his mouth, but it turned in to a smile.

"I see. So you know. You see, my best friend was murdered, soon after his daughter was born. Well, up until now we thought it was an accident. But Allura, she is not my real niece, I have to admit, she was like you. And she could still see him.
Sometimes she would not know her ghosts were not real though. And her father, her father made sure she would not know.
He was a ghost, but he still raised her.", Coran had explained, stirring Keith to a halt at the familiarity of the story.

"When she was ten years old, she had figured out her abilities. And many people came to her for questions about the dead. She could not always answer, so many people called her a fraud. But others, whomever she was to seek out by herself, believed her. And so did I, because she knew things about Alfor, she should not have known.

And when her popularity grew, more and more people searched for her.
One of them was Mr. Sendak.", Coran had stopped, causing Keith to shiver at the implication.

"I don't know what they talked about. Allura was very secretive, but I remember him storming out of the room, shouting angrily at her, who looked like she was being strangled by him.
We tried to sew him, but somehow, he bribed his way out of it.

About a week later, someone else in town died. And me and my officers were searching for evidence. One day later, we found Allura had investigated the scene on her own.
We – we found her corpse in front of a crashed car that someone had abandoned somewhere.", Coran stopped at the memory. Until he found the breath to continue.

"We never found any evidence on Sendak. And he left town soon after. With nobody left in my home town, I followed him here. And I tried, believe me, I tried to hard to find him.
I went to the Galra pub more often then necessary, but I could use nothing against him. I could not get a search warrant, because he never lived by himself.

When I met you, I hoped you could help me. That the ghosts you saw would speak the truth.
But I could not risk asking you about Allura. And I thought, maybe it was best if you came to me yourself. You never did.
And I regret now, that I did not ask you sooner.", Coran had looked at him, an apologetic frown painfully visible on his face.

"The CD we found has evidence of a security footage that shows the driver that killed my niece. We also found a box in the McClain household that contains transactions he made to that very person.

"I-", Coran had finally stopped, as he tried tried to breathe again.
"I've waited so long for this moment to happen. But I caused so many people to suffer, I am so – so sorry, Keith."

Keith had just stared at him for one more second. Then he had left. Coran called out to him, but Keith could not bear this any longer.
Everyone was blaming themselves. But it was not Keith they should apologize to. It was Lance. Only that Lance had decided to be a dick and leave.

Which was why he did not understand, why he came to the grave yard in the first place.
Two small stones lay on top of the grave.

"Lance Leandro McClain and Veronica McClain", stood on them.
Veronica had been older than Lance, Keith noticed. But the dates of their death were so close together, that Keith did not dare look at them.

People, to Keith, never died.
He had thought it before. And every time someone did die, the thought resurfaced in his mind.
Because dying was an absolute. It meant that they disappeared and would never come back and that it was nobodies fault.
And Keith envied that that was what everyone else saw in them.

But, Keith knew, ever since his mother had died, that people always had a choice.
And he realized now, as he did all the time, that people always choose to leave.
Because every ghost would disappear then and again. Even Allura disappeared all the time. And she stayed only for her job.
She was forced by his side. She did not have an option. Allura made that clear again and again.

Pidge, Hunk, Shiro, even his friends would die and choose to disappear sooner or later.
Because that's what everyone did.
That's why Keith always kept a certain distance to people. Even his own brother, whom he cared for deeply.

Lance, he had started to trust. Though he was aware of the hurtful truth. For the saddest amount of time, Keith had told himself that Lance would never leave his friends behind. And then, Lance did exactly that.

Without an explanation. Because his family was more important. Keith was stuck in his own mind on that. How could he be so selfish to expect Lance to stay only for him?
How could he hope to be even remotely as important as Lance's family was to him? As his sister was to him?

Only because Lance was more important to Keith than even Allura was?
She had been there for him ever since his mother died. Taken care of him. She was the only constant in his life. And disappeared all the time without an explanation. But he could at least be sure that she'd return.

What had happened?

Lance had been so lively the moment he met him. No difference to his living self. No cold behavior, no mourning of his death. He just hang around, talking to him.
Invading his private life without his approval. What had Lance done to become such an ingrained part of his life? Keith wanted to hate him. He really did. But he could not. Not, when he would never talk to him again. Or so he thought.

"Wow, you look like someone has died."

Keith groaned. "I am at a grave yard, what do you expect, hap-", Keith stopped. And turned around.

"Wow, what a nice greeting. Is that what you said to your mother when she passed away? She wanted me to send you her best wishes, by the way. Your father, too."
Lance looked at him with the same crooked smile, he always send him.

Keith's eyes widened in shock.

He didn't imagine it. Not at all. Right there, stood Lance. Still translucent, still with that stupid grin on his features. But he looked exhausted.

"What -"
"Yeah, I know. It's been a rough couple of years for me. I mean, I'm used to accidents and all. But those mass suicides are getting old. Who even believes in old satanic rituals? Believe me, none of them were pleased when they found out.
Overworking was never my thing."

"Years? What are you talking about? What is that on your head?" He stood up. Still incredulous.

Lance should be gone. He had gone to the afterlife. Keith was certain. He had seen it happen many times before.

"Oh that? Allura quit her job and kind of hired me, I guess? Apparently this diadem thing comes with the job description."

Keith stared at him. He could not help it.
"You're really here?", he asked incredulous.

"Yeah. What did you think? That I was a ghost or something?" Lance chuckled at his own joke.
"No seriously. I told you I'd come back. Don't you trust me?"
And then Keith cracked an obscure smile.

"Dude, if you don't answer, I have to doubt our friendship.", Lance put his hand on his heart in mock betrayal.

Still, Keith smiled as his heart warmed from the inside out. It felt like he was bleeding inside. Bizarre comparison, certainly, but sometimes the bleeding was what prevented the burning sensation of your wounds. And that's what he felt. Along with the warmth it spread and the lightheaded feeling it caused.

Lance stopped in his tracks, because the feeling he usually had around Keith, the warmth, the sparkling, it was heating up. To the point were Lance felt enveloped in the pure presence of the other boy.
Lance tried to smile back.
"Did – did something happen, while I was gone?"
Keith laughed. Really laughed, because really? Lance had been gone for like two weeks. And Keith just went through all the stages of fear over betrayal and loneliness to – well – this. Relief. There is no better word for it.

Keith was just – speechless.

"Not really. Just – thank you, I guess?", Keith finally brought out, smile still wide on his face.
"Thanks for what?"
Keith made a pause. Lance did not know what it was, but he must have done something for Keith to react like this. He did not know he was everything Keith had ever denied himself to hope for.

This was a new beginning. And it would be a work in progress as they would move on with their life's. Keith could not know how to explain it. The feeling he had could not be described in words. He did not know when it had started, where it came from or where it would eventually lead.
But it was a start.

"Nothing, just. -", Keith stopped himself at the questioning look on Lance's face.
"You're here."