Halfway down chute four, a bare-legged Allura hung motionless and maintaining a death grip on the trapeze bar. She had felt her dress catch on something sharp at the beginning of her descent, but had been unable to stop herself in time. She had watched in horror as her skirt was ripped cleanly away from the pointed seams at her waist and fall into the shadows beneath her, and prayed that her panties would stay intact- but that turned out to be the least of her worries when the trapeze had come to a gut wrenching halt.

Although the thought of being seen in her panties was embarrassing, the prospect of falling installed terror within her. After the initial shock of the incident had worn off, her reason returned, and she had to admit that getting rid of the skirt material was a blessing. She was distinctly lacking in upper body strength and her arms were already beginning to ache from the strain of holding herself in place without the added weight of the heavy silk pulling her downward.

Staring down at the circle of light framed between her dangling feet she could make out a masculine figure that now seemed to be draped in pink. ~Oh gods, my skirt fell on him. How humiliating can this get?~ Brushing aside her mortification, she shouted to the Yellow Lion pilot. “HUNK! CAN YOU HEAR ME? ITS ALLURA!” She could see the figure made several violent gestures and suddenly a white blur of a face appeared.

“I HEAR YA PRINCESS- JUST HANG TOUGH! I ‘M GONNA GET YOU DOWN!” Hunk’s voice boomed back up at her, its tone hearty and reassuring.

“ALL RIGHT, I WILL!” Allura yelled back. She smiled down at her soon-to-be-savior, then gasped and clamped her legs together as realized exactly what the view must look like from below. It was probably far too dark for him to see her underwear from where he stood, of course, but it still seemed very wanton and improper for her legs to be parted with Hunk standing underneath her.

~What in the Sam Hill was she tryin’ to do?~ Hunk thought in astonishment as he untangled himself from and then tossed aside the pink material that had covered him. ~Geez, I gotta get her down!~

He hurried to the control panel and began to search for the source of the problem. It soon became apparent to him that a vital part of the motor had somehow burned out, causing the safety mechanism to engage and stop the descent. Invoking a manual override would cause the safety cable that now held Allura in place to slowly lower the bar, but he had no way of knowing if she had the strength and stamina withstand the violent jerking that type of descent would carry. He could try to ran back to the chute and catch her if she started to fall, but with his lack of foot speed, he doubted he’d cover the distance between the manual controls and the bottom of the chute in time.

He stood for a moment, thinking hard, desperately trying to come up with a solution even while other questions vied for attention in his busy mind. ~Why would she want to ride one of those contraptions when she could take the lift? And why did she want to come down here anyway? There’s nothin’ of interest for a Princess down here, and now it looks she’s ruined that pretty dress of hers too!~ He gasped aloud as his eyes fell on the puddle of pink silk lying on the concrete slap below the chute, finally realizing that the Princess hanging helplessly above him was only partially clothed. ~Oh gods, I hafta get her down quick, before Coran or Nanny or someone else comes along and sees her in this state! Poor Princess, she’d be so humiliated... I can’t let that happen to her ...she’s been through enough crap as it is.~

Spinning on a booted heel, Hunk strode back to the tube to survey his last option for rescuing the Princess. A safety harness and rappelling gear hung at the foot of the tube, and a series of tiny metal rungs ran up the side, forming a very precarious step ladder. They were barely a toe hold for someone with large size feet, but they would have to do.

“I’M COMIN’ UP TO GET YA, PRINCESS!” He yelled, after strapping himself into the harness and throwing rappelling rope over his shoulder. Heaving himself into the tube, he started to climb as quickly as his tenuous toe hold on the rungs would permit. Every few feet he stopped and looked up into the darkened chamber, concerned that he wasn’t yet able to discern the exact location of the shadowy figure dangling above his head. ~She’s higher up than I thought. Wish I could see where she is and how she’s doing.~

Just then golden hair caught the faint light from the chute’s entrance, glinting like a beacon and guiding him to his target and Hunk smiled in relieved appreciation at the sight, before continuing to climb.

It was a sign of just how tired she was that Allura let her legs hang limply instead of drawing them up to cover herself, as Hunk approached her position. Her arms had gone far beyond the aching stage and had entered the dangerously numb phase. She could barely feel the metal surface underneath her curled fingers now, and her jaw clenched as she fought off the pain from the sharp muscle spasms in the back of her neck. She squinted at the brawny male tiptoeing up the side of the chute. From this angle, her rescuer looked very much like a spiky haired spider on steroids. She chuckled at the image, and then moaned softly as the slight ripple of mirth triggered a new round of neck spasms. ~Oh gods, please hurry, Hunk. I don’t think I can hold on much longer. Oh why oh why oh why did I do such a stupid thing?~

Hunk winced in sympathy at hearing the soft moan of pain from the Princess and he increased the pace of his climbing in response to the rush of adrenaline the tiny sound produced. ~She’s hurting, but I’m almost there. Please let her have the strength to hang on a bit longer.~ He glanced up and smiled encouragingly at the strained white face peering down at him over the tops of long, bared legs. It occurred to him that it had been her dress skirt that had torn and so as he drew nearer to her position, he gallantly averted his eyes from the scrap of ivory colored silk covering the junction between the Princess’ long, exquisitely formed limbs.

“Hunk, thank the Lions, you made it!” The Princess gasped, as he drew level with her position. “I can’t feel my hands any more but I don’t think I can let go of this bar either. I’ve never liked heights, and I’m so scared of falling!” She made the confession in a small voice that held misery and none of its usual refinement.

Hunk looked up at the slender digits clutching the trapeze bar, taking note of the white knuckles, and then returned his dark eyed gaze to the azure colored eyes that were filled with a mixture of pain, embarrassment and fear. In that moment Allura looked more like a frightened child than a Princess to him, and any hesitation or shyness Hunk may have felt about addressing her in such awkward circumstances vanished.

“Don’t worry about it,“ he told her in a surprisingly soothing tone. “When the time comes, I promise you that you’ll be able to relax and let go.”

“You sound so sure of that,” he heard her murmur, as he attached the rappelling hooks to a sturdy steel crossbeam above his head.

“That’s cause I am sure!” He sent her a sideways grin, as he tested his weight on the steel cable, letting the end of it fall down to the bottom of the chute. “Great, this cord will be more than long enough!”

“That’s how we’re getting down?” Allura asked in a half whisper, as she stared at Hunk’s physique and then at the slender cable that not only had to bear his bulk, but the additional weight of hers.

“Yep, ‘cause the manual override won’t work in this kind of case.” He replied cheerfully. “Don’t let the circumference fool you, this wire is twenty times as strong as any rope. Trust me Princess- getting you down from your perch is going to be a piece of cake!”

She nodded, reassured by the air of confidence he exuded. “So what do you want me to do?”

“I’m gonna swing myself over to you and grab onto the bar. Once I’m there, wrap your legs...” Hunk stopped and cleared his throat as a blush stained his cheeks. “Um... put your legs around my waist, and then let go with one arm and put that around my neck. Are ya with me so far?”

She nodded solemnly, seemingly fascinated by the crimson color blooming under the bronze-colored skin of his face and throat.

“Then when I say ‘Go’, try to relax your entire body and then let go with your other hand. I’ll take it from there, all you have to do is hang on to me, okay Princess?”

“Okay,” she agreed, in a steady voice. “I’m ready when you are.”

Hunk nodded and gave her a final, reassuring smile before launching himself towards the bar above her. Allura watched on in admiration as he reached his intended target the first time, his sturdy hands grabbing on to the trapeze bar just on the outside of hers. At his brief nod she slowly lifted her legs and hooked them around his waist, blinking in surprise at feeling steel hard muscle under his deceptively rounded abdomen.

At his second nod, Allura released her right hand and slowly wrapped the arm around his solid neck. As she looked into the blunt featured face, and noticed for the first time how thickly lashed Hunk’s eyelids were, and that his irises were not black, as she had first thought, but rather a deep, dark brown. His nose was rather flat and looked like it had been broken several times, but Allura decided it added to rather than detracted from his looks. His jaw was clean cut and firm, and his shoulders were reassuringly big and broad, as was the arm that had now wrapped around her waist.

They were each hanging by an arm now, but strangely she was no longer afraid or embarrassed. She supposed she should have been, given her state of undress and Hunk’s notoriously trademark clumsiness, although she had always suspected he had played that part up for laughs. However, something in the way he was holding her told her without words that he would never let any harm befall her. Relaxing at that thought, Allura lowered her head until it rested on one strong shoulder, and tightened the arm about his neck, but being careful not to choke him.

“Ready, Princess?” He asked, his warm breath stirring her hair. She nodded. “Okay, then...GO!”

At his barked command, Allura immediately let go of the bar and flung her arms around his neck, feeling vaguely surprised that he didn’t let her body move an inch even though his arm bore both their weights. ~He’s so strong. I’ve never met anyone as strong as Hunk is, but... he’s so gentle as well...~

“I’m going to let go now, Princess, and there might be a little bit of a drop before I catch the rope up, okay?”

“I trust you,” she mumbled the words into his vest .

Hunk smiled. ~What a trooper. She’s got more guts than the guys and Coran give her credit for.~ He swallowed hard as he felt lissome legs tighten around his waist. ~She’s got great gams and a nice backside too. Too bad I can’t ever tell the guys about ‘em- I would have loved to see the look on Lance’s face when he found out I saw her this way. Oh well, it’s the price I gotta pay for lettin’ her know I’m a gentleman.~

“Here we go,” he warned gently. “Just hang on to me and everything will be all right.”

“I know, and I’m ready,” she murmured, her legs and arms tightening even more around the solid bulk of his torso and neck.

Hunk took a deep breath and let go. There was a short stomach lurching drop before he grabbed the cable, but to his surprise, Allura made no sound, not even a whimper. He adjusted his weight in the harness before speaking. “You okay, Princess?”

She raised her head and gave him a wobbly smile. “Yes, thanks to you, I’m fine.”

“The worst part’s over. It’s smooth sailin’ from here.” He encouraged.

She nodded wearily, and laid her head back on his shoulder.

Hunk began to lower them the rest of the way to the floor, taking care to keep the motion slow and steady. He could have gone much faster, but he was enjoying the feeling of having a sweet smelling, silky haired, half unclothed princess wrapped around him too much to hurry their descent. ~I kinda feel like the Prince rescuing Rapunzel from her tower. This is gonna be a story to tell my future grandchildren for sure.~

Eventually he and his passenger did touch down, and it was with the greatest reluctance that Hunk assisted the Princess to a standing position. They both blushed as they remembered her lack of a skirt, and Hunk ended up turning his back to her and whipping off his vest and then his t-shirt, which he gave to Allura who in turn tied around her waist as a make shift sarong.

“It’s okay, you can turn around now,” she told him shyly.

He did as she told him, and blurted out the question that had been teasing at him since their adventure had begun. “Princess, if ya don’t mind me askin’, why the heck were you tryin’ to come down here anyway?”

Allura sighed. “I was looking for you, actually.”

Hunk's eyes and mouth opened wide. “You...you were lookin’ for me?”

“Yes I was.”

“Well...gee... if you knew I was here, why didn’t you use the lift?”

She sighed. “I was in a hurry to catch you, because I thought you were leaving, and I was going to ask if you’d take me to the school picnic with you. I really wanted to see the children again and I don’t care what Coran says, I think they need to be near me too- if only to know that someone cares about what happens to them. ”

“I see...and I agree with ya..” Hunk replied, feeling his elation ebb to a resigned acceptance. ~She just needed me for a ride to the picnic, not my company. That figures. But... she went against Coran’s orders to go see the children, and that makes her more than okay in my book anyway. She’s got a big heart, with enough love in it for an entire planet- its too bad she doesn’t get to show that side of her more often.~ “Well, I’m sorry, Princess. I would have liked to take ya there, but I actually stayed behind to run some diagnostics on the computer and mechanical systems down here. I still have tests to run on the other chutes and now I have to fix whatever problem that’s cropped up in number four.” He shrugged and smiled apologetically.

“I understand.” Allura responded, trying hard not to show how disappointed she was at this piece of news.

Hunk gazed at her for a moment, then said, “But I have my communicator with me, I could call one of the guys back here to come and get you. I’m pretty sure that Lance would be here in a heartbeat.” He suggested tonelessly.

Allura felt her cheeks grow hot, but the blush faded at the sad resignation showing in her rescuer’s chocolate brown eyes. “That would be very nice... but I’ve decided I’d rather stay here and help you fix the chute problem- that is, if it’s all right with you.” She said quickly.

She smiled at him, and Hunk’s face lit up like the sun. “W-well, yeah it’s all right...but are ya sure you really want to do that, Princess?”

“Of course I am!” She declared warmly. “Then afterwards, after I change, maybe we could have dinner together? I really haven’t gotten to know you very well, and I think maybe what happened today was sign that I should change that.”

Hunk blinked down at her, his dark eyes shimmering with disbelief. “Are you serious?”

Allura grinned up at him. “Totally serious.”

It’s a deal then! “ He exclaimed, and the sheer happiness in his wide, white smile made Allura forget that her fingers were stiff, her arms ached and that she had a kink in her neck. She’d have to ask him to get her some clothes before she went topside, but after all that had happened up in the chute, that notion didn’t phase her one bit. It was dealing with Coran that worried her

“How will I ever explain the stuck trapeze bar to Coran?” She murmured under her breath, but Hunk overheard.

“I’ll just tell him I found the glitch while I was testing the launch sequences.” He replied promptly. “Just promise me that next time you want to use the chute you won’t be wearin’ a dress. If Coran and Keith ever found out I saw you like...uh, like that... they’d take turns knockin’ me right into next week- and Keith would probably bust me all the way down to ensign, for good measure.”

Allura giggled and placed her hand on his bicep. “I promise, no more dresses in the chute- although I don’t think I’ll even get up the nerve to try it again!” After a slight pause, she went on tip toe and kissed the side of his neck, since she wasn’t able to reach his cheek. “Thank you for rescuing me Hunk, and for keeping my secret.” She said softly, smiling at him as he flushed with pleasure.

“You’re welcome, Princess.” He answered just as softly, mesmerized by the twin oceans of sparkling blue gazing up at him, before his sense of self-preservation gave him a kick in the backside. ~Don’t even go there buddy boy! Guys like you never get the girl, much like a Princess, so don’t set yourself up. Be satisfied that you’re an unsung hero, and move on.~

And he did move. Completely disregarding the fact that he still wore the safety harness, he turned and started to walk toward his abandoned equipment and away from temptation, but much to his chagrin, that temptation followed him, her bare feet making light, slapping noises against the smooth concrete floor. “Hunk, wait!”

“Yes Princess?” He stopped and looked at her inquiringly, and his thick eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he saw her grinning sheepishly at him.

“Since you’ve seen me in my panties and considering I’m now wearing your shirt for a skirt, I think you can call me Allura!” She stated laughingly.

“Yeah...I guess you’re right.” Hunk replied, as an appreciative smile curved his mouth. “Okay then...Allura...would you mind helping me out of this darn harness so we can get to work?”

“Anything for my big, strong hero.” The Princess responded, as she moved to assist him.

“Aw shucks...” Hunk felt warm all over. ~My Gosh, she’s actually flirting with me! The guys will never believe this...~ A broad smile curled his mouth.

Suddenly, there was no place that seemed brighter or more lovely than the dank, steely bowels of the Castle of Lions.

The end...or is it? :D