Better safe than sorry, but a little bit after their launching there will be a sensitive scene. I'm just putting this here because I know there are people that are easily triggered.

▬ ✦✧✦ ▬ 

Ember spent the rest of that day patching Lance up and keeping his stable until Hunk, Coran, and Allura got the crystal to power back up the castle. Even when they got Lance into a pod, Ember was still running around the rest of Team Voltron to patch the rest of them up.

Even thought she mostly did this because of her natural instinct to help others, she also kept busy to avoid Keith's questioning. It soon went to Allura questioning her, Shiro joining in as well. Until the only two people who weren't harassing her with questions she didn't know the answer to were Hunk and Pidge. So, she spent most of her time with her best girl friend and the Yellow Paladin. Throughout that day, Ember couldn't help but let her emotions flow through. 

Emberson - whatever her middle name was - Jalus was terrified. She loved to go on an adventure, she loved to go out and find new things, but she doesn't like sudden changes. Sure, getting launched into space was a sudden change, but she had her friends with her, she wasn't doing this alone. 

Now, that was all Ember was. She was alone - not knowing how the hell she managed to make a swirling circular rainbow shield out of thin air. She was human, and as far as she knew, humans couldn't do what she did. 

When Keith realized finally that she didn't want to take about it - and everyone else was cleaned up - he forced the gray-eyed girl to fix herself up. It was hard, but in the end Ember did end up treating her burns and cleaning herself up as well. 

Which lead them to where they were at now; surrounding Lance while he was in the healing pod.

    "I can't tell if he looks healthy or not." Hunk commented in concern. 

    "I think he's breathing weird." Pidge said. 

    "Oh, come on!" Keith raised a hand to touch the screen separating the rest of them from Lance. But Allura stopped him quickly. 

    "Not yet! A few more ticks." Allura decided. 

    "How much better do you think he's gonna get in a few more ticks?" Keith argued. 

    "And what exactly is a tick?" Pidge defused the situation. 

    "You know, a time slice." Allura tried to explain. 

    "It's like one of our seconds - although I'm not sure how accurate ticks are in seconds." Ember explained from her spot next to Shiro. 

    "What is a 'second'?" Allura turned to face the Voltron's Medic. Pidge reached into her pocket, pulling out a device and showing it to Allura. 

    "Like this." She demonstrated, the clock beeping with each second that passes. 

    "I'm not sure. I think ticks are bigger." Allura hummed, glancing up at the ginger haired Altean at the screen. "Coran, do you have a ticker?"

    "Right here, Princess." Coran replied, showing a different device that beeped just as annoyingly as the clock. 

    "I think ticks are a little slower." Hunk observed, making his way with Pidge and Allura over to the ticker. 

    "I can't tell. We have to start them at the same time." Pidge said. 

    "Okay," Coran agreed as the two got their clocks/tickers ready. "Ready, go!" 

By then, Keith, Shiro and Ember slowly made their way over. Ember watched with an interested expression as Pidge's clock beeped faster than Coran's ticker. 

    "Yes! I think we're winning!" Hunk cheered. 

    "Winning what? The intergalactic time-measuring competition?" Keith asked smartly. 

    "I didn't realize this was a race," Ember joked.

    "Yes, and it's very important." Hunk answered both of the older teens. They watched the clocks/tickers for a few more ticks/seconds before a familiar voice groaned out;

    "You guys having a clock party?" 

    "Aw, Lance, you just ruined it!" Hunk groaned before realizing who he was speaking to. "Hey, Lance!" He cheered, giving Lance a hug. Lance grunted before being set down. 

    "What happened?" Lance asked just as Ember descended on the Blue Paladin.

    "Never mind that! Are you okay? Are their any aches or pains? What about your burns? Are they still their, or are they healed?"

Allura laid a hand an Ember's shoulder and pulled her back slightly. "We can tell you all about it while you get something to eat. Are you able to walk?" The Princess asked. 

    "Talking? Eating? Are you asking me out on a date?" Lance flirted halfheartedly. Allura and Hunk sighed with dismay while Shiro dropped his crossed arms. 

    "Yep, he's okay."

    "At least mentally - for the most part."

    "Classic."

▬ ✦✧✦ ▬ 

Ember sat across from Pidge as Lance ate his fill of green goo, the mice running around on the table. They had explained everything the best they could to Lance as he shoved substance down his throat. Ember forced him to drink some special tea she made for him. 

    "He'd be Sendak's prisoner right now, if not for Pidge." Allura commented, a hand on the back of Lance's chair. 

    "Well, you wouldn't have survived the explosion if Hunk and Coran hadn't gotten a new crystal." Pidge retorted as Lance gave the bigger mouse a spoonful of goo. 

    "Actually," Hunk drawled out, ruffing Ember's hair with a grin. "You wouldn't have even survived as long as you did without Bees' help here."

    "Please," Ember scoffed. "I was taken down by the enemy, I did jack."

    "Wow." Lance looked around at the group. "Thanks, everybody." His gaze went to Keith with a smirk that Ember knew would cause trouble. "Sounds like the mice did more work than you did."

    "I punched Sendak!" Keith exclaimed. 

    "Yeah, apparently after Bee did some weird shield thing and I emerged from a coma - shooting his arm off." Lance listed off, making Ember squirm in her seat. She really did not want to talk about it. 

    "We had a bonding moment. I cradled you in my arms!" Keith recalled. Ember snorted at the look on his face. 

    "Nope. Don't remember, didn't happen." Lance denied and quickly switched topics. "So, what happened to Sendak?" 

    "He's frozen in a cyro-pod. We're keeping him here in the Castle." Allura explained, her eyes narrowing playfully at Ember. "As long as the hommel doesn't unfreeze him to heal him."

    "Even if he is the enemy, it doesn't mean he has to die from infection!" Ember tried to defend herself. 

    "Shush," Lance shook his head at Ember in disbelief. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" 

    "He's too dangerous to be set free." Allura responded. "Besides, we might be able to get some information about Zarkon from him." 

    "So, what's the plan now?" Lance asked. 

    "We have to get back to the Balmera and save Shay and her people." Hunk replied almost instantly, determination in his eyes. 

    "Wow," Lance gawked slightly. "You're really hung up on this lady."

    "No, it's not like that." Hunk denied. "Look, guys, when you see how Zarkon has treated these people and destroyed their home - They've been under his thumb for so long, they don't know what it is to be free. It's up to us to set this right. This is what being a paladin is all about. It's time to man up."

Everyone seem to agree with Hunk's little speech, Ember pursing her lips together in thought. 

    ". . .Who knew all we had to do to get Hunk motivated was to have him meet a cute girl." Ember joked, earning a playfully glare from Hunk. 

    "Oh, I don't wanna hear about it-"

    "Then, let's get moving." Shiro interrupted Hunk with a small snort. "Time to go defend the universe." 

Lance rose from the table and as Team Voltron started to file out of the dining room, before Pidge stood. "Wait, I have something to say first. I need to come clean." 

    "Pidge," Ember walked over to her friend, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to tell them? Don't think anyone is forcing you."

    "I want to tell them, Em." Pidge nodded, looking at her team mates. "I'm afraid this may change the way you all think about me." The Green Paladin looked down, causing Ember to squeeze her shoulder in support. "Just so there are no secrets between us anymore, I can't 'man up'. I'm a girl. I mean, I can 'man up' because that's just a figure of speech. I don't have to actually be a man to 'man up'. I just have to be tough."

    "Pidge, you're rambling." Ember chuckled. 

    "Sorry. . ." Pidge pushed her glasses up. "But what I'm saying-"

    "Wha!? You're a girl? How!?" Lance yelled in disbelief. 

    "She was born that way, Lance," Ember sighed. 

    "I've known for some time now, but I'm glad you've shared it with everyone." Allura admitted gently. 

    "Yeah, I figured." Hunk said. 

    "Oh, yeah, me too."

    "Wait, we were supposed to think you were a boy?" Coran asked, leaning over Allura's shoulder in confusion. 

    "Pidge, owning who you are is going to make you a better paladin." Shiro said. Pidge let out a sigh of relief, giving Ember a hug that the raven-haired girl wanted. Ember hid her twisted expression in Pidge's shoulder before plastering on a happy smile as Pidge pulled away.

    "It's good to get that off my chest," Pidge admitted, standing a bit taller now that the truth was out. "Now, let's launch this Castle-ship!"

Lance stood there with a dumbfound expression on his face, shaking his head wildly after a minute. "Wait, what? Pidge is a girl and the Castle is a ship? How long have I been out?"

    "You've missed a lot, Lance." Ember grinned, grabbing his wrist and pulling him away from the table. "But, lets go!" 

Lance let out a yelp of surprise as the shorter girl pulled him along, but couldn't help but laugh at her. "Calm down, Bee! We'll get this thing in space soon!"

    "Oh!" Ember exclaimed, letting go of Lance. "I've got to talk to Allura real quick. Allura!"

The Princess turned around at her name, watching as Ember jogged to catch up with her. "Yes, Ember?"

    "I need to ask you something," Ember stalled lightly, watching closely as Lance joined the Paladins and Coran to their walk. "It's nothing too bad. . ."

    "Yes?" Allura pressed lightly. 

    "Shiro's little speech to Pidge in there made me realize something. . ." Ember started off softly. "Ignoring everyone that asks about that. . .shield isn't going to solve anything. I need to man up."

    "So, you wanted to speak to me and see if I knew anything." Allura guessed, watching as Ember nodded. "Well, you're in luck. I have a slight idea of what you might be. But, if you want to be sure, we can take a blood sample."

    "Blood. . .Sample. . .Meaning needles. . ." Ember cringed at the thought of needles piercing her skin. "Um. . ."

    "If you don't want to, it's understandable." Allura reassured, noting the stressed air around the medic. "This is all up to you."

Ember hesitated slightly, looking down at her hands. They didn't even seem like her hands anymore - they were not the hands that she looked down at on Earth. She pulled the sleeves down slightly on her yellow jacket (that she spent most of the time waiting for Lance to wake stitching) and looked back at Allura.

    "I need to start owning who I am. If I'm going to be a part of this Voltron Alliance, I have to." Ember stated, making Allura smile.

    "As soon as we're steady in space, we can go to the infirmary to get a sample." Allura put a hand on Ember's shoulder before she could move. "It's okay to be scared, Ember. Don't think for one second that makes you anything less than what you are."

▬ ✦✧✦ ▬ 

Everyone was in their proper seats as they waited for Allura's command. She stood in the middle of the room with blue monitors surrounding her and two pedestals rising up. 

Each of the Paladins were in their own chair with their color glowing in it. Since that left Ember out of the team, she chose to help Coran out in his own station. It was a huge board of buttons and monitors that Coran was happy to share. 

    "Activate interlock." Allura finally spoke, hands hovering over the two orb-like buttons.

    "Dynotherms connected." Coran replied, gesturing to the image on screen. "It looks like this."

    "Right." Ember nodded, studying the image and the symbols. The ship around them seem to glow with new found energy.

    "Mega-thrusters are go."

    "We are ready to depart Planet Arus on your mark, Princess." Coran responded. The once gray walls around them flashed away, replacing itself with the blue sky of Arus. 

    "Firing main engines for launch." The ship rumbled as it slowly started to make its way to the sky. Ember watched, fascinated, as they flew through the fluffy white clouds. The blue sky turned dark before stopping at black, and once the clouds disappeared, stars dotted the sky. 

    "Beautiful," Ember whisper to herself, grinning at Coran as the older man hummed in agreement. "I'll never get use to it. I never want to get use to it."

    "That's good," Coran smiled back. "It shows that even the simple things in life are important to you."

    "I am easily amused," Ember admitted with a laugh, causing Coran to chuckle as well. "But, thank you."

    "Will the ship not crash and burn if Ember and I go to the back room?" Allura asked teasingly as she walked closer to her mentor and friend. 

    "If anything happens, you'll be the first to know." Coran replied, twirling his mustache. 

    "Good," Allura nodded. "Ready?"

    "Uh, Yeah, but," Ember stammered, looking around the room desperately before landing on a certain someone. "Could Shiro come as well? I need. . .support."

    "If you want him to," Allura conceded before the two of them walked over to the Black Paladin. "Shiro, we are in need of your assistance."

    "What can I do for you two?" Shiro asked, standing up from his chair. Ember waved Allura and Shiro towards the exit and the two of them followed. 

    "Ember has agreed to get a sample of her blood drawn to see if there is anything. . .special in her blood. She has told me she has a fear of needles, and needed your support." Allura explained as they walked. 

    "Oh," Shiro glanced at Ember with furrowed eyebrows, making sure his expression didn't show too much. "Yeah, of course I'll be there for you, Em."

    "Thanks, Shiro," Ember smiled, thankful to have someone to look up to for once.

The three of them walked down the hallway in comfortable silence, nothing really needed to be said in that moment. They just dwelled in the silence that surely wouldn't happen that much often now that they were up in space. Finally, they came upon the doors that lead them to the laboratory. At least, that's what Ember thought they were going to. 

As Allura confidently walked through the doors, Shiro and Ember trailed behind the alien and scanned the room. It kind looked like a doctor's office on one side, and a laboratory setting.

    "If you sit on the bed over there, I'll get everything we need ready," Allura said, walking over to some drawers and pulling stuff out. "This shouldn't take too long."

Ember nodded - even though Allura couldn't see her - and walked over to the bed. She jumped up to sit on the edge of it, swinging her legs as she looked around the room. Shiro followed the younger girl, hopping up on the bed with her.

    "Are you doing okay?" Shiro asked in a soft tone. 

    "I'm. . .struggling." Ember replied slowly, furrowing her eyebrows. 

    "You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Shiro reminded her, lowering his voice after that. "If Allura asks, you don't have to answer."

    "Shiro," Ember started, watching the white-haired Princess work. "What if it's time to share my story? What if this is the first step that God wants me to take."

    "Go whatever direction you want to go, Ember," Shiro answered, putting a hand around her shoulder as Allura started to make her way over to them. "Where ever you go, I'll help you in every way I can."

    "Alright," Allura held up the needle carefully. "We just need a little blood before sending this off to the testing machines. It should take a day to find out, but besides that, we won't have to do anything else. Now, the crook of your elbow should be the best place to draw blood."

    "Okay," Ember nodded, feeling a bit queasy as the needle gleamed in the bright light. Blowing the air out of her mouth, Ember started to shuffle around to take her yellow jacket off. 

    "You know," Allura started with amused expression on her face. "I never heard of a medic that was afraid of needles."

    "Only when the needle is going in me," Ember murmured, hesitating slightly before thrusting her arm out. Shiro wrapped his arm around Ember's shoulder in silent support.

    "Well, I guess that woul-" Allura stopped, needle in hand, staring at Ember's arm. "Ember. . ."

    "Yeah," Ember chuckled humorlessly. "Pretty deep, huh? It's been almost six months and they still stand out."

Allura stared at the girl with such sadness Ember brought her grey eyes away and down to her forearm. Deep, jagged lines crossed over her forearms, all the way up to her lower shoulder. They were deep, some were faded, and almost all of them were horizontal across her forearm. The longest ones though were the ones that went from the beginning of Ember's inner wrist to the crook of her elbow; and they seemed the freshest.  

Ember didn't have to look up at Allura to know she was looking at each and ever scar on her right arm before looking at her left arm. "It's not as bad as it seems," Ember mumbled, leaning into Shiro. "Promise. Don't worry Allura, I'm okay now. Could we get this done with?"

The princess didn't say a word as she gently grasped Ember's forearm and pressed the needle easily through the skin. Ember's head was turned to Shiro, who had grabbed her chin and forced it to her right. 

    "Eyes on me," Shiro ordered, staring at Ember's own grey eyes. She nodded, not looking away from Shiro's matching grey eyes before Allura's voice spoke up. 

    "All done," She announced in a quiet tone, walking over to the machines to put the blood samples in. It seemed like no one wanted to break the silent atmosphere that was now pressing on all three of them. 

    "Allura," Ember started, quickly putting her jacket on. "I didn't willingly let you see my scars so I could have you feel pity for me. I willingly let you see my scars so you could help me. Will you?"

    "Of course," Allura's reply was almost instantly, the Altean woman marching over to Ember and grabbing her hands. Her blue and pink eyes stared Ember's eyes down. "I want to help you, Ember. I will do everything in my power to help you. If keeping this secret between the three of us is what will help, I will protect this secret with my life. I'm not even going to ask. You can tell me - tell the rest of the team - on your own time, in your own terms."

    ". . .Thank you," Ember whispered, throwing her arms around Allura. "You really don't know how much that means to me. . ."

    "We'll figure all of this out, Ember, together," Shiro declared, putting a hand on Ember's shoulder as Allura pulled back. 

    "Thank you, again," Ember croaked out, wiping under her eye. "Really."

    "Anything, hommel," Allura teased lightly, making Ember chuckle. 

    "I-Is it okay if I go to the Arboretum? I wanna check on the herbs and plants, and get myself composed." Ember asked, making Allura nod. 

    "Take as long as you need. If we need you, we'll call you." Allura said. Ember pulled away from the two adults with a small smile as she started towards the door. She walked through, and before the door shut, she turned and smiled brilliantly at them. 

    "I'm glad I got you two to look up to."

▬ ✦✧✦ ▬ 

Ember was making her way down the hallway,  her jacket slung around her shoulders and a small drink in hand. Even though she had recently washed her yellow gloves, they were streaked with dirt and mud from her work skills.

The raven-hair girl didn't bother hurrying - the rest of the paladins were out helping a duo of aliens and a robot. Coran had picked up a distress signal and everyone was willing to go help out - besides Hunk. 

He was still worrying over his rocky girlfriend.

When the two aliens assured the girl that they had no injuries - only a damaged ship - Ember went back inside, got herself a drink, and started back towards the Arboretum. She idly sipped from her cup as she looked around the hallway, grey eyes never staying on one thing too long.

Until they landed on a certain door that was the same as any other door - but had a strange energy around it. A different one.

Her feet slowed down until they were at a complete stop - head tilted curiously on the door that seem to call her name. It was like she felt hands of people pushing her to open the door and walk into the new room. 

Slowly but surely, Ember tip-toed to the door. It slid open with little to no noise, reveling a dark room. The only light shining into the ink-black room was from the hallway that Ember blocked. She took a couple steps forwards, letting the door slid shut behind her and enveloping her into the darkness. 

Her chest seized with panic - hands tightening around her cup - before a beautiful field of flowers exploded from the middle of the room. There, she finally noticed, was a pedestal.

Gone was the darkness that once haunted the room and was replaced with an outdoor scene. Green grass pooled around her feet and were dotted with pink flowers. A mountain range surrounded her in the horizon and the sky was a brilliant shade of blue. Fluffy white clouds floated along as if there wasn't a care in the world. 

    "Who are you?" 

Ember jumped, whipping her head to the new voice that spoke. A tall man stood on the pedestal with a blue tint to him - making her realize it was only a hologram. He had tan skin just like Allura's and the same blue eyes. He wore a suit of armor that matched his white messy hair and almost blended into his beard if it wasn't for the blue outline on his neck armor. 

He was Altean - and looked like the male version of Allura!

    "Excuse me, miss?"

    "S-Sorry," Ember stammered, blinking rapidly. "My name's Emberson, but you can call me Ember." 

    "Emberson," Alfor smiled lightly. "Doesn't your name mean 'brilliant light'?" 

    "Actually, it means bravery and power," The raven-hair girl paused. "At least on Earth it does."

    "Earth?" 

    "It's a long story," Ember sighed, shaking her head as she walked closer to the Altean. "So, who are you? You're Altean, I know that much."

    "My name is Alfor," Noting Ember's happy expression, he furrowed his brows in confusion. Ember smiled and answered the unasked question. 

    "You're Allura's dad." She more-less stated. "I can see her in you - did she get her stubbornness from you?"

    "I suppose she had to have gotten it somewhere," Alfor laughed. Ember's shoulders relaxed a lot more and she sat on the ground in front of Alfor, lightly touching the pink flowers with yellow middles. "Those are the juniberry flowers. Allura loved to play around in the fields with them." His expression faltered slightly. "It's hard for her - she'll never be able to see them expect in her memories."

    "They're very pretty," Ember murmured, gently picking a juniberry. Although it felt like she was holding air, the flower followed the movement of her hand and was brought to her face. "They kinda look like. . ." The medic perked up, eyes alight with a new energy. "That's it!"

    "What's it?" Alfor asked in amusement as Ember shot up to stand. 

    "I know how to make Allura cheer up!" She exclaimed, "It was nice meeting you Alfor, but I better get started on these flowers!"

Without waiting for a reply from the AI, she sped walk out of the room and started to jog to her Arboretum. As the door slid shut, Alfor's image seem to glitch out - his kind eyes narrowing in disgust and a sneer pulled at his lips.

    "Filthy half breed," He snarled just as the lights in the room blinked out.