{ Violence warning! But I hope you all like the end result ;). }

Keith was ready to put up the fight of his life. He remembered when he'd been stupid, falling for James' blackmail and letting him hurt him. Not again... he was a stronger person now, and no one got to touch him if he didn't want it.

James crawled on the bed, ready to finally teach Keith a lesson for being such a brat. But that was when the basement door opened, and Allura appeared in the stairway.

" J-James, can you come upstairs?" She asked.

" Damn it, I told you not to bother me when I'm down here!" He hissed.

" There's someone outside for you... it's important..." Allura explained, keeping a hand on her belly. She felt like she was going to pass out after seeing who it was, but she couldn't tell Lance and Keith. If they heard, the chances that they'd get caught were way worse. It didn't matter that the basement was soundproof. It would've given them motivation.

James looked between Keith and the stairs.

" If you think for one second that you're in the clear, you're mistaken..." He told him, growling in a deep tone that only an alpha could achieve. Keith stared back at him and his eyebrows had sunk down to show how angry he was.

" Fuck off. I'll die before I let you have me again..."

James didn't say anything, stomping past Allura on the stairs. He was pissed at her, even if it wasn't her fault. She couldn't control who was there.

" This better be good..." He grumbled, and she shut the basement door.

" It's the cops..." She whispered. " They want to ask us about Keith's disappearance. I said I'd grab you and I left them standing out there..."

James' eyes bulged, but then he took a deep breath. They didn't have anything on him... so there was no way. He went ahead and opened the door.

" Officers, what can I help you with?" He asked.

" Well..." One of the two men said. " I'm sure your girlfriend has explained the situation. Keith Kogane and his partner, Lance McClain, have gone missing. Given your history with them, our department figured it would be in our best interest to ask you some questions."

" Um... okay." James said. " Are you asking me to go to the station? I can't leave, so..."

" You can step out here or we can come inside, whichever you would prefer." The cops said, and James glanced over at Allura.

" The back porch would be a good spot... follow me this way..." James said, stepping aside. And damn, it was nerve wracking. But from the sounds of it, they didn't have a search warrant. That was always a plus, and he was really grateful for that. If they would've had enough evidence on him for that, he would've been done for. He couldn't just hide the entire basement from the cops.

" I'll be right out with some drinks for you all..." Allura told them, smiling. But still... what the hell could they do? She felt bad for Lance and Keith in a way, but she knew if this got out, she'd be going to jail for a long time. Plus, she loved James. It wasn't like she could throw him under the bus if they got caught.

In the basement, things were insane. Even if James was trying to act calm upstairs, Keith was yelling at the top of his lungs and had been ever since he left. Maybe the room really was soundproof as he claimed.

" We have to get out of here... we have to!" Keith exclaimed, pulling on the cord and straining himself. His heart was racing and he couldn't contain himself anymore. This was the closest he'd come to a panic attack.

" Keith, listen to me! You need to calm down!" Lance yelled. " You can't do anything if you have a panic attack!"

Keith felt the rip in the cord getting bigger as he pulled it apart, about three fourths of the way through. He looked like he was finally starting to get some confidence about it, and his teeth were grit as he got up. If he could run away... pull it harder... he could rip it.

" Do you still have that pin? For the bandage?" Keith asked, and Lance nodded and held it.

" What are you gonna do?" The alpha was really worried, not wanting to see Keith snap himself and possibly get injured from the cord breaking.

Keith swallowed and then tried to gather himself. He ran away from the bed as far as the cord would allow, catching himself on the bed so he wouldn't fall over again. The cord was getting weaker, and he could feel it ripping. He ran again, and that's when it finally snapped. He hit the wall, bracing himself on it with wide eyes.

" Holy shit..."

He was out! They had to work fast before James could come back.

Keith knelt down in front of Lance's cage, having tears in his eyes as he shook.

" Give me the pin..."

Lance passed it through to him and Keith began to pick at the lock, trying his best. He really wasn't the best at it, though. He wondered if there was another life he'd lived in which he was, but it was irrelevant. He needed the skill right then and there.

" Keith... it's not budging... run and come back for me..." Lance begged from inside. " You need to save yourself."

" You're fucking crazy... he'll kill you." Keith didn't give up, jamming the pin inside and then pulling it back out only to try again. He would be damned if he let Lance sit there. They'd come this far together, and he was never going to leave him. He loved him more than anything, and there was still so much they had to do. Lance and he had to get married and bond, and Lance hadn't gotten to go on tour! They were still so young.

Lance was about to cry, but then they heard the click. The lock popped open, and Keith ripped it off, throwing it aside and yanking the door to the cage open.

" Babe, come on..." He reached in, taking Lance's hand and trying to help him.

Lance gripped his hand, cringing when he put weight on his foot. But with Keith's help, he was pulled out of the doggie door to the cage. He leaned on him heavily, not able to put weight on it at all. His ankle was purple, almost black in some spots. Not to mention, he was so stiff from being curled up in there. He had pins and needles going on and his back ached.

" I love you..." Lance leaned against Keith for a moment.

" I love you too but we have to go!" Keith braced Lance on himself and helped him up the stairs. " We'll fight him if we have to."

This was going to be ugly, and Keith knew that, but this was the only chance that he and Lance had if they were going to get out. They had to stay together and help each other, and then they would live! That was the most important thing for both of them, that their love could continue on.

Keith took a deep breath, and Lance squeezed his eyes shut while trying to deal with the pain. It hurt so bad just to stand, and if he accidentally put down pressure on his ankle, it burned worse than anything he'd ever felt before.

" I'm gonna take him down... make it to the door if you can..." Keith whispered, and before Lance could try and resist or fight back, the omega had already opened the basement door. It wasn't locked, which was a dumb decision on their part. There was a creak noise, and a car could be heard starting out front.

Keith knew the way to the front door, since he'd escaped it before. He was wondering why neither James or Allura had heard the door creak, but then he saw them sitting on the back porch through the sliding glass doors.

If they could tiptoe... they could just sneak out and make it to a neighbor's house or catch the car in the driveway. Whoever had been at the door must've been leaving already, so they had to hurry. Keith had been expecting a fight, but this was even better. If he didn't have to throw hands, it would've been quicker.

" Come on..." Keith whispered, helping Lance as he limped along toward the door. He pulled it open, and that's when they both saw the cop car.

" Oh my god! Don't leave! Please! Help!" Lance called. He figured they were safe because the cops were sitting there, and could most definitely see them.

" It's Keith and Lance!" One of the cops got out of the car while the other scrambled to turn the car off, but Keith had been too distracted by the sight before him. He didn't hear the footsteps coming up behind him.

James knew he was caught anyways, but he couldn't go to jail without having what he wanted. He pushed Lance out of Keith's grip, sending him tumbling onto the doorstep. He slammed the door and pulled Keith back against himself.

" You're not leaving until I'm done with you..." James growled at him, and Keith backed up on the floor for a second before getting up and running. He knew James was right on his tail, and he was absolutely terrified, but he wasn't going to be a victim anymore. He scrambled to the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the block, holding it out.

" Get any closer and I'll shank you." He threatened.

" You really think that scares me?" James asked, pulling out a switchblade from his pocket. " You know... this really is unfortunate... but... I'm getting what I want from you first."

" What is that?" Keith asked, and his neck was burning right over his scent gland. It was almost like he was able to feel Lance's pain in his own body even if just for that second.

" I can't stand that you have a pre-bond with someone else... that was supposed to be me!" James yelled.

" What, so you were just keeping me around and waiting for my heat so you could bond me?! You're sick!" Keith slowly backed up. Honestly, he was only trying to buy some time for himself. The cops would've been calling for backup and trying to figure a less obvious way inside, and all he had to do was wait.

James smirked a little. He didn't have anything to lose at this point. He had let Allura flee out the back, but he didn't go with her. He knew that there was no way she could escape if he was with her, so he'd done maybe the first noble thing over his whole life and told her to go.

" That's exactly what I was going to do..." James told him, getting closer as Keith backed up. " But maybe... since I can't, I won't let that asshole have you, either..."

Keith's eyes widened once he realized what James meant and saw the alpha swinging the blade at him. He dodged and held up his own knife, trying his best to block him. Was James implying that he had to die since this wasn't working?

" I love Lance! Why can't you just let it go?! Even when we were together I wasn't happy!" Keith yelled, and tears began to stream from his eyes as he dodged again, backing up the other way.

" Bullshit!" James barked back. " We were high school sweethearts! You love me!"

" And?! You never treated me like a person once I got famous!"

" YOU LIAR!" James used his alpha voice, and Keith froze when he heard it, shaking. " YOU'RE JUST LYING BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A SLAM PIECE TO HIM!"

Keith slipped down against the fridge, and James swiped the knife across his arm.

" POLICE! DROP THE KNIFE!"

Keith looked over, seeing three officers who had barged in through the back. Sirens were also heard out front, and he realized he was safe. He didn't even feel the cut on his arm, since he was starting to go into shock. He was frozen after the voice had rattled through him.

" Go ahead and shoot." James said.

" DROP THE KNIFE!"

The alpha smirked down at Keith.

" Baby... you'll be mine again in another life..." He told him, and Keith wasn't even listening at that point.

The cops got closer, and once they realized James was about to stab himself, they shot the switchblade from his hand and charged, restraining him. Other officers rushed in and helped Keith up from the floor, putting pressure on his arm and leading him outside.

Keith's eyes beaded and he began looking around for Lance, seeing him sitting in the back of an ambulance and having his ankle bandaged. They were about to take him to the ER.

" Keith, you're going to need some stitches, okay?"

" L-Lance... I want Lance..." The omega stammered. He amazed himself in that moment. He could talk! He might not have punched James or gotten away on his own, but he wasn't as helpless as last time. That was all that mattered to him. Lance was more important.

The first responders helped Keith over toward the ambulance, and Lance was crying when the other got close enough to be within arm's reach. James hadn't hurt him severely? Keith wasn't dead? It was a miracle! To think he'd been alone with that monster was enough to make Lance almost puke.

" Come here, Keith..." He whimpered, and Keith leaned his face against the alpha's neck, trembling. " Thank god you're safe... I love you so much and I'm so sorry I couldn't-..." He sniffled, already blaming himself, even if he tried not to show it."

" We really need to take him to the hospital. Can this wait a second?" One of the paramedics asked, and that was how Lance and Keith ended up being taken in the same ambulance. Keith's arm was treated on the way as best they could, and Lance's ankle had been set in preparation for x-rays. They were certain that it was broken, but they still had to be completely sure, and know how the bones were split apart before they could treat it further.

" Is he dead?" Lance asked, and Keith shook his head.

" I wish..."

" What about Allura?"

" She got away... I don't know if the cops went after her or not..." The omega looked down and to the side. He almost wished that James would've offed himself, and then he wouldn't have had to be afraid anymore.

Lance wanted so badly to hug Keith against himself, but it had to wait. After all... they had all the time in the world now that they weren't locked in a basement. They'd made it out. Together.

{ Am I forgiven yet? :D

I promise the tea is just peacefully bubbling on the stove... I'm keeping an eye on it...}