#later they realized he's just absentminded when he's buried in his research

[anneapocalypse]

I do not yet have an answer to the question "Do you need to eat/drink when your soul is separated from your body and just faking being corporal" a la the Scions on the First, but either way I feel that the only reason there aren't more abandoned tea cups lying around Urianger's house is that the pixies keep stealing them.

[bluedemon1995]

Most recent update!

Chapter 14

Pidge POV

Shiro takes a deep breath in and says, “When I first saw you, you looked familiar like I saw you before. But, hey, I see a lot of people in my line of work so I didn’t really think anything of it. Not going to lie, with the people you were hanging around with I just figured I’d seen you on some database of criminals. Plus the first time I saw you I was more concerned about Keith’s reaction to you than your per se. So I was pretty slow on the uptake. But between things Keith told me and what I put together on my own, well, seeing you in person in regular light…I think you need to meet our own personal tech genius, or the man in the chair.”

He opens the door and an actual guy in a wheelchair rolls in. I look into eyes that are startling like mine. I can’t think any more, rational thought is beyond me at this point, and I think I’m just staring. This…guy. He. Me. Shit. I think I must make some kind of sound, maybe even words, but I don’t even know what. It’s like I’m in a tunnel. All I can see is this guy and blackness surrounding me. I think I’m losing it but that when that I feel Keith holding tight and grabbing my hand. He pulls me close and whisper, “Katie, babe, stay with me.”

I instinctively hold on. What the hell?! He looks, a lot, like me. Scarily so.

It’s only as I register Keith’s hand that I notice the guys eyes are filled with tears as well. He’s staring at me and the room is deathly quiet. Finally, he whispers, “My God, Pidgey is that really you?”

I don’t answer. I can’t. That name, that voice, make me choke up. He looks like a younger cooler version of what I think is my… dad? Or a older, male, version of … myself. That makes. No sense. Because I’m alone, an orphan. They said I had no relatives. I blink but he’s still there. I must squeeze Keith’s hand even tighter-that he must take that as an indication that I want him to answer for me.

“Yes?��� Keith queries for me.

God he’s a man of few words. I let out a huff of breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. Eyes closing I focus on his hand on mine. He’s not going to give any more information that he has to. He really does have my back. I can feel his muscles tense, ready to react to anything. And I know he’d protect me. Without a second thought. I also can see his mom at the ready too. Silent and deadly.

Unfortunately, Keith’s friends are NOT like him.

Lance yelps. “Aye Dios mio!!!! Why do you look like her??? Doesn’t he look like her?! You look like Keith’s girlfriend!! Were you adopted too? What the hell Shiro? EXPLAIN!!!”

Hunk moans, “Lance! Shut up! Um, Shiro, I hope you know what you are doing. Cuz, um Pidge here is an orphan. And um, who is this? What is going on??! I’m starting to get worried. And I’m feeling the need to make a cake. I’m feeling very stressed.”

The man in the chair gasps, “Shit, Shiro. I’m going to kill that mother fucking asshole. You can arrest me when I’m done. I don’t care!” He moves his chair forward, closer to me. OMG. What should I do. I freeze and lean away.

Shiro closes his eyes, “Well before you commit any crimes, ANY of you, how about you explain what you think you know. I think we all need to compare stories first. Okay, everyone, this is MATT, or the Rebel, the police force’s secret weapon. He can hack into anything and is a genius at engineering just about anything folks in the field could need. I met him when we were in high school. He helped me graduate and we both joined up with the police force after a stint in the Garrison. We stayed close and well, um, Matt? Can you continue?”

“Oh, um, yeah, sure. So I was in a really bad accident when I was a kid. So bad that I was told my entire family died…I was the only, sole, survivor. After I got out of the hospital, I went to a home for boys, and eventually they registered me at the local high school. I was a natural at science and computers, and it was there I met Shiro. The Garrison is basically a military type of organization that is let’s say off the books. But I made some great connections and got some needed experience. And eventually when we wanted out it wasn’t a problem. I, I never thought anyone lied to me. Because why? Why hide my family? Why say I was an orphan? I don’t understand how you are here but God dammit, you have got to be my baby sister-Pidge-Katie Holt!”

He rolled his chair even closer, looking deep into her eyes and she could see the unmistakable truth. But it was heart breaking. All she could think of was years, YEARS she missed out. On his life and visa versa. But to what end? She bit her lip and tried to control the tears that were threatening her. Family? Brother? Is it true?

Hesitatingly he reached out for her arm and she just sobbed. “Mattie, really?!?”

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, practically picking her up and onto his lap. And as he held her she felt a little part of her soul regain its hope, love, and trust. This couldn’t be bad, she just got her big brother back! Mattie?>! No this was good, she found her other half, her love and it just hit her, it had to be fate. It was meant to be.

And inadvertently, it was all due to Keith…

Keith’s POV

Keith’s mind is racing. Fuck if this is her brother, then there was a whole conspiracy to have people believe Katie was dead AND for her to think she was the sole survivor! And why?! To what end? That means that asshole being her friend, or whatever he made himself as-savior, boyfriend, fiancé, was not a coincidence nor an accident. They used her. From..the… fucking… beginning. Who does that? To a fucking kid?!

Who kills someone’s parents, their brother… and then replaces them with themselves. A child. They manipulated her and hurt her. That… no… good… dirty… bastard. He feels his hands clench and he wants to find Lotor and his father and teach them a lesson. Slowly. It’s then that his head is smacked and he looks up into his mother’s eyes.

With one head shake, she reorients him back to the present. Shit there will be time for that later. Right now he needs to support Katie. This isn’t about him. It’s about Katie and what she must be feeling. Crap he can’t even imagine.

Refocused on his girl, he waits for her to indicate she needs him or what she needs of him. He doesn’t want to pull her from her brother but at the same time wants to be ready just in case she needs him. And after a few minutes she leans back from Matt and frantically turns, breathing fast and uneven. He makes sure to move into her line of vision. Trying to reassure her, he initiates contact by grabbing her shoulder but she launches herself at him. He quickly adjusts her weight in his arms and pulls her closer. Keeping her close. His girl. His. Everything.

“You’re okay, you’re okay. I got you.” He holds her close and even with all his friends and her brother around, he kisses her. Softly, trying to get her to focus just on him. Once he feels her muscles relax, he adjusts her even closer.

Finally, she slumps against him and he finally looks up straight over to Matt. “Can you fill in some of the details. Because I know Shiro and you didn’t just guess. You both did some intensive research in a very quick turnaround of time. Dude, I know you.”

Shiro nods, “Yeah, we did. Or well Matt did. He was in the hospital when the funerals happened and he just took what they said as truth. His family was gone. But not just in death, Katie was just gone but strangely no body.”

Matt interjects, “After a while, I felt a need to know everything about everything. And the information wasn’t easily accessible which was not a big problem for me. But, oddly, nothing really made sense. So I dug. And I dug. This has been a project since, well, high school.”

Katie finally interjects, “ I didn’t go to the funerals either but I have visited your.. grave. Graves. Shit, have I ever really been where they were buried? Oh my, what the hell? What about-!”

“No! Sorry mom and dad, they are gone. But dad was working on a case, a big one. I remember him being even more absentminded and more distracted. But we were just kids and well back then I didn’t realize.”

Keith figures this was expected but not welcomed. He murmurs, “Hey it’s okay, you got brother, just focus on that! Plus you got me and mine. Your ours now, no question.”

It was then Lance, in all his exuberance, interjects, “Yes, you are ours, nuestra familia!”

Keith looks down at Katie, “You compressed? You are mine. So, what do you need?”

She stares, at him, then looks to Matt, “I…dunno. This is a lot to take in. Keith?”

He holds her, “I know, but we have TWO geniuses here, we can figure something out. Right?”

With a watery smile, she nods. “Ok, yeah, let’s come up with a plan.”

Keith smiles, “A kick ass plan.”

Matt watery grins, “A grand, kick ass, Holt plan. Honestly nothing stands a chance.”