Lance's Boys: Part Three

They made it back home without incident, though Jack had been in a foul mood due to all the scratching. His face and neck were a mess of welts and he'd complained the entire way home. Jason had tried to brain him with his canteen but Lance had stopped him. Link was horrified when she saw Jack and she sat him down and mothered him until he finally quieted down. Jason made a face at him behind her back and he just smiled back.

After Lance showered, he went to Jason's room, leaning against the open doorway as his son repacked his things. There were two open suitcases on the bed and Jason was meticulously picking out what he needed most. He started when he turned around and found Lance there.

"They'll give you plenty of uniforms to wear," Lance said. "Don't be too concerned about what clothes you need. Bring the things that you need the most so that you don't miss home too much."

Jason nodded and pulled out a few sweaters to replace them with pictures and books. Lance glanced at the photographs, saw them to be of family, and smiled.

"If you ever need us, just call," Lance said. "You'll be pretty busy, but me and your Mom want you to check in once and a while so we know you're not in the brig or anything like that. Uncle Sven and Aunt Romelle will be there too if you need anything and Ethan, as well. Though make sure you don't get into any pictures that have him punching out a photographer."

Jason laughed.

"That was a great picture," he said.

"Your Aunt Allura definitely thought so," Lance said, thinking of the new fighter that had been waiting for Ethan when he came home.

"I'll be alright, Dad," Jason reassured him. "My classes sound interesting and I'm sure I'll find someone in that entire place I can talk to. It'll be weird not sleeping in my own bed but..."

Lance gave in and pulled Jason into a gruff hug. He was certain the next time he saw his son, Jason would probably be taller than he was and on his way to becoming his own man. Lance was never one for nostalgia but he missed the little boys who he'd wrestled with and who had followed him around wherever he went. He enjoyed them as much as they enjoyed him, but their relationships would change now because they were both setting out on lives that did not have them so dependent on their parents. He was slowly letting go of Jack, but Jason was his youngest...it was hard.

"It'll be weird, but you'll love it," Lance said. "Just don't forget where you came from, that's all. After tonight, you won't be spending that much time here anymore and you'll grow up faster than you can imagine. You're only fourteen but you're really leaving home now, kid. Look at Jack. We only got to see him during the summer and winter break, and when he goes on assignment, who knows when he'll be back in the quadrant. Just be careful. Watch your six. And make sure this is what you want, Jay."

"I will, Dad. I won't let them bamboozle me like they did with Jack."

The comment made Lance chuckle.

"That's good to hear."

He ruffled his hair and let him go. Jason looked up at him, his head tilted to one side thoughtfully.

"You'll miss me a lot, huh?" he said.

"Yeah, I will."

"I'll miss you too, Dad. I'll be home again soon."

Lance nodded and gave his head one last pat before turning on his heel and walking back out. Jack was still sitting at the kitchen table with Link putting ointment on his insect bites.

"Lance, I thought I gave you that insect repellent to give the boys," she said without looking at him.

Lance gave Jack a look.

"This one didn't think he needed it," he said.

"Tattletale," Jack muttered.

"I didn't want to have it come to this, Jack, but here it is...I told you so."

"That hurts more than these bites, Dad."

"The truth hurts."

"You'll make quite an impression when you show up to report to duty for the first time," Link said.

Jack caught Lance's eye and Lance could read what was going through his son's head. Jack would make quite an impression--and it was one that amused him to no end. Lance grinned, but it quickly turned into a laugh. Jack joined in and Link had to stop what she was doing. Jason came out of his room to see what was going on and when he spotted Jack's new makeup, he began to laugh on his own.

"Nice one, Jack. Maybe I should have gotten a couple bites so that I can be a HUGE hit at the Academy like you," he said mockingly.

"It would be a vast improvement," Jack shot back.

"Right back at you, you bulldog."

"Who are you calling bulldog, pipsqueak."

Link smiled reluctantly.

"You boys," she said to her sons. "No matter how old you get, you'll always be Lance's boys."

The present...

The memory of his son's laughter made Lance smile. He closed his eyes again, holding on to the sound and remembering their faces. Silently, he prayed that nothing would happen to them because they were his boys, his life. They still had so much living to do and he did not want some power-hungry Drule to take that away from them. Somewhere, he knew that Link was probably thinking the same and he missed her calming presence in his life now more than ever.

Sleep was just as elusive as before and he gave up. He couldn't rest until he knew his oldest boy was out of the woods, but in his heart, he knew that Jack would make out of it alive. He didn't want to say that it was a father's blind hope, but was just something that he knew in his gut because he knew Jack. He raised him. Jack was not going to go on a fluke, not without a fight. And Jason was too smart to leave his six open with Lotor around. He was only 18 but Jason had more presence of mind at that age than Lance had at 28.

Putting on his jumpsuit again, he went back out into the corridor to go to central command.

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To The Enemy in the Watchtower: Chapter One
To Black Arus 2