Shiro's POV

I was in my office, looking through the shipping reports of the week while keith read a book on the couch, when I got the call. My phone ringing disturbed the peaceful silence that we had been maintaining. I looked at the caller ID and was shocked to see Lance's name appear on my screen.

"Lance?" I answered. "Are you okay? Why are you calling?" Keith looked up from his book as soon as he heard Lance's name. He looked at me with interest.

"I...I just...uh..." Lance said, suddenly I heard him gasp and that noise made my heart stop dead in my chest.

"Lance! What's happening?" I asked, my heart pounding. Keith sat up looking at me concern.

"I'm sorry I just...needed to talk to someone and Allura wasn't picking up," he said, and he sucked in another breath of air. It sounded like he was having a panic attack... "I'm sorry..."

"Lance, are you okay?" I asked, suddenly serious and the dark tone made Keith stand up and walk over to me.

"I...I think so?" he said, his answer sounding like a question. I didn't buy it. "I just...was scared."

"Scared?" I asked. Keith eyed me curiously.

"It's nothing, it's stupid," he said softly, I had to strain to hear him. "I shouldn't have called, I'm sorry."

"Lance, calm down. Take deep breaths, it's okay," I said. "I don't feel safe leaving you alone right now. Keith and I are coming over, okay?"

"O-okay.." Lance whispered.

"Alright, we'll be there in a few minutes," I said and stood up, Keith already fumbling to find our jackets and lock the office door. "Okay Lance?"

"Okay." he said.

"Alright, we'll be there shortly," I said before I hung up.

"What happened?" Keith asked as we ran for my car. I hopped in and started the engine, not bothering to put my seatbelt in when larger problems were about to begin.

"I don't know," I said. "He just called and he sounded like he was having a panic attack. He said he was scared."

"Shit." Keith said, blowing out a breath of air.

"What?"

"Allura said she was going to ask Lance if he had heard from Rolo recently," Keith explained. Ah yes, Rolo, Lance's abusive ex-boyfriend. It explained so much, from the way he reacted to the thought of being a homewrecker to his hesitancy to see us. "He was probably worried about seeing him again."

"But Rolo won't be seen by anyone again," I said, tightening my grip on the steering wheel. "Because I killed that mother fucker."

"But he doesn't know that," Keith said. "And he can't know that."

"Yeah, that could ruin everything," I agreed. "Of course if he did find out we can deny knowledge that he was his ex."

"Yeah..." Keith trailed off. I slammed on the breaks when we arrived at Lance's house. Keith exited the car in a hurry and I followed closely in pursuit. When we arrived at Lance's house, his door was unlocked and slightly ajar.

"What the fuck...?" I said as I pushed the door open. "Lance?" I called, but I received no response. I turned to face Keith who was looking at the building suspiciously.

"I don't like this..." he said.

"Me neither..." I agreed. I looked around. Lance had a nice house. It was small but perfect for one guy living alone. His entryway wall was full of pictures. I stopped to look at them, slightly awed. Some are pictures of Lance's family and others are pictures of him and Allura.

"Shiro!" Keith calls. I turn to see him standing in the kitchen glowering at a piece of paper. "You need to see this.."

"What is it?" I ask, walking next to him.

"A ransom note," Keith says bitterly. I freeze in my tracks.

"A what?" I say, my voice controlled and hopefully not showing just how infuriated I was.

"Listen to this," Keith said before reading the note. "'If you ever want to see your boy toy again you'll hand over La Cosa Nostra to Zarkon. Or else.'. What the fuck?"

"Zarkon," I hissed. This was bad. I was going to murder whoever took Lance. No, I was going to torture them and make them pay. I pulled out my phone, my body shaking with rage.

"What are you doing?" Keith asked, as his arms trembled from the force he was exerting trying not to break any of Lance's things.

"I'm calling Allura." I said.

"Is that a good idea?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "But if I don't let her know she'll kill me when she finds out later."

"Fair enough."

"Hello?" Allura answered after a few rings. "Shiro? What do you want?"

"Allura, we have a problem," I said after taking a big breath. "Involving Lance."

"What, Did. You. Do?" Allura hissed.

"He was taken..." I said slowly. Allura curses on the other end. I heard a loud crash and I cringe wondering which one of my things she just broke.

"Who?" she seethed.

"I don't know," I answered. "There was a ransom note left at him house. Said that we had to turn over La Cosa Nostra to Zarkon or they'd kill him.

"Zarkon?!" Allura screeched. "He's already killed my father and my brother! He wants to take Lance from me now? I'm going to kill him!"

"Allura, do you know where they might keep him?" I asked.

"No, I don't," Allura sighed. "But ask Pidge, she might know. I can ask Hunk, he seems to be good at finding people."

"Good, call Hunk and I'll get Pidge on this," I said. "Allura, we're going to find him."

"We better," she said. "Or I'll never forgive you."

"Well we can't have that," I said before I ended the call. I turned to look at Keith who was staring at me intensely, waiting for the next set of instructions. "Let's go find Lance,"

"And make him ours."