A/N:
Fly with me falling through the night, fly with me falling out of sight,
find me hold me
in your arms,
'cos I'm scared of their controlling crowds.
keep me calm,
'cos I'm scared of their controlling crowds.
here they come.
Controlling Crowds, Archive.
001.
Vega was walking to Commander Shepard's quarters. He had been 'guarding' the man for the past two weeks and he still remained pretty much a mystery to him. He was slightly cryptic, even if he always seemed to be in an general good mood, which was odd because it seemed he'd be court martialled soon. So yeah, the man was a mystery. There was more to the mystery though, like for example… Anderson's and his conversations were simply… weird. He didn't get most of what they said, and he could bet that it was what just what the pair intended.
When he reaches the hall he notices that the door was open and the guard, who should be watching over Shepard, was at a respectful distance. He approached him, instead of walking inside of the room, figuring that it should be Anderson or Hackett inside. However, he could distinctly hear a feminine voice. He wasn't aware that he was allowed to have visitors…
"I can't believe you. The nerve!" The female stated and groaned angrily. "Who the hell you think you are? Oh, you're the great commander Shepard," she harshly says with a mocking tone. "I had forgotten. You can do what the hell you want, right?"
"Lexi," Shepard muttered. "You're being ridiculous."
She snorted again. "I? Really? That's what you're going with?"
Bursting with curiosity, Vega looks to the other guard. "What's happening?"
"Admiral Anderson dropped her here and stated that she has clearance to visit the Commander, Lieutenant." He makes a brief pause. "I don't know who she is, but she's been at it since she entered the room… I even heard something break."
"Can you calm down?"
Vega hears her snort again. "Can you fucking explain why it had to be Anderson to tell me?"
"Alexandra! Watch your fucking language!"
"You're not my commanding officer Shepard."
Vega looks to the guard. "I'm going in."
The man gives him a disbelieved look. "Okay sir."
Once Vega entered to room he saw an attractive girl dressed in the standard N7 wear. Her hands were glowing blue, indicating that she was a biotic and she was giving Shepard the death stare. The girl was barely 5''5 tall and her dark hair fell messily onto her shoulders, her blue eyes were positively shimmering with rage making them look even colder.
"Lieutenant Vega," Shepard mumbles as his hands relax and he stops clenching them into fists. The girl looks to him and raises an eyebrow.
"I was under the impression that I was free to remain here how long I wished."
Vega nods approvingly. "Yes ma'am. I didn't enter the room to prevent you from speaking with the Commander… My duty just started… I came to warn Shepard about it."
She snorts and narrows her eyes. "Of course." She turns her attention to Shepard. "Look, this isn't over. Your bodyguard might have prevented round one." She smirks. "But love, you know I can keep up at it all fucking night long." She then clicks her heels and makes a mocking salute. "Later Commander."
Shepard raises his hand and immediately drops it. "Lexi," he mumbles as she walks away. He then sighs tiredly.
"Your girlfriend Commander?" Shepard widens his eyes in horror throwing Vega off. By the way she had spoken with him he figured that she had to be… "Uh, did I say something stupid?"
Shepard waves his hand dismissively and walk to the window. "Yeah Vega. She's my sister."
"Oh, I didn't- Wait! What?!"
Shepard gives him a tiredly look before looking through the window. "We don't exactly advertise it." He sighs. "I… It's… I didn't want her to have a hard time 'cause she was my sister and we're both in the Alliance… And, well, she didn't want people to make her life easier…"
"I'm sorry Commander-"
"Vega, it's just Shepard. I told you that already."
Vega nods. Well, he could oblige today. "I didn't mean to open a wound."
"I know… I just wished that Anderson hadn't told her I was here." Shepard stops looking through the window and moves her attention to Vega. "Thanks anyway. It was good that the conversation stopped when it did, knowing Lexi… It would only get worse."
Vega scratches his neck. "Sounded bad already."
Shepard smiles and shakes his head. "She didn't throw me against a wall… So trust me, it could get worse."
"I'll take your word for it." Vega then salutes him. "I'll be outside Shepard, yell if you need anything."
"Will do."
Later, when he got off duty, he saw Shepard's sister again. This time she was speaking with Anderson and they walked around the building. By her expression she seemed as angry as he had seen her when she had spoken with Shepard… Or maybe that was her natural expression… Either way, by the time Vega spotted them the conversation had come to an end because he saw her hugging Anderson and going away. He had tried to disappear subtly but Anderson caught him and called him.
"Lieutenant."
"Admiral," Vega greets him as he salutes Anderson.
"Left duty?" Vega nods making Anderson smile. "You know who I was speaking with?"
"Uh, sir-"
Anderson continues as if Vega hadn't spoken. "That's Shepard's sister: Alexandra. A hard little thing though she's young. She followed her brother's footsteps which wasn't an easy task, she'll have her own ship soon enough." He then laughs and shakes his head. "Unless she gets into a fist fight with Shepard… People are weary of her as it is, given her ability to piss everyone she doesn't agree with… Then there was that time she knocked out her captain and went against his command..."
"She doesn't sound like Shepard at all."
Anderson looks to him and offers him a knowing smile. "Beg to differ Lieutenant. She saved 10.000 lives that day."
"Uh, sir, with due respect… Why are you telling me this?"
Anderson smiles knowingly. "Because she'll be around and I wouldn't want either of them smacking you because you said the wrong thing." Vega furrows his eyebrows prompting Anderson to laugh. "You'll see."
"Whatever you say Admiral."
It wasn't like he didn't believe Anderson… But he was surprised. Next day, since he had the morning shift, he didn't expect her to find her camping at Shepard's door. She was siting and throwing small force fields against the control pad – with one eye half closed and a scorn on her mouth. Once she saw him she muttered 'You' and jolted from the ground. Saying he was a bit startled was an understatement.
"I can't enter," she simply says not bother to greet him. "Open the door, please."
He scratches his head. "Okay…" Once they reached the door she started tapping her foot impatiently on the ground. The woman was starting to get on his nerves. "Commander, you have visitors."
"Lexi?"
She rolls her eyes and enters the room. "Yes, Lexi… You ass."
"I'm gonna leave you to it," Vega mumbles thinking that he couldn't get out of there fast enough on his opinion.
"Stay," Shepard mutters locking his eyes on him. "I should have a guard on me at all times."
Lexi snorts. "That won't save you."
Shepard smiles and then he laughs, unfazed. "It was worth a try. He has to stay though… And with luck… it make you control your temper."
"Uh…" Vega looks to Shepard, he had a serious expression that clearly expressed that he had to stay there but his sister wanted him gone – she had her eyes narrowed almost daring him to remain inside. Thinking that it was better to piss her off than Shepard, Vega nods and walks to the door where he remains. Once she realized he wasn't going out she let out a frustrated 'pff'.
"Fine by me," she says with a forced smile on her lips. "Now I want to talk about: What the hell were you thinking?" She raises her voice and crosses her arms over her chest. "Completely lost it?"
Shepard groans. "Not you too. I didn't had a choice… I had to destroy-"
"Not talking about it," she mutters interrupting him. "Why didn't you turned in your creepy Cerberus followers? They kidnaped me. That freak of a scientist stole my blood and all," she yells outraged.
Shepard crosses his arms over his chest. "Miranda said she was sorry… She needed-"
"I don't give two fucks of what she needed! You know I was almost discharged?" She narrows her eyes. "Wake up on day to find my ass on a bed inside a Cerberus lab!"
"Uh-"
She groans loudly interrupting him. "And not so much of a piece of information there. Just tubes inside of my arm!" She groans again and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Pretty pissed at Liara too! She was the one that fucking set me up."
Shepard furrows his eyebrows. "Liara?"
She glares. "Yeah Liara, you might remember her as your fuck buddy." At that point Vega was biting his lip to prevent himself from laughing, he was sure nothing good would come out of it. "She said she wanted to see me 'cause you've left something for me." She snorts. "Got on the first ship to Illium, calling in some favours just to wake up on a god forsaken lab!" She takes two steps on his direction. "You know how much I hate hospitals!"
"It was a lab," Shepard points out. Vega bites down his lip again.
She snorts and forces a smile on her lips. "Like that's so much better," she mockingly says. "Waking on a lab they used to experiment on people."
"It doesn't-"
She punches his arm, hard. "Damn right it doesn't," she half yells making Shepard laugh. Vega furrows his eyebrows not understanding why the commander was suddenly laughing and by the looks his sister was giving him, neither was she. "Lost it?"
"Can you just hug me like a normal person?"
She shakes her head and smiles, almost timidly. "I'm hardly normal."
"I love you all the same Lexi."
"I love you too… Sometimes at least." She sighs. "I should have guessed it though… You'd never leave something for me…"
Shepard shakes his head. "Lexi-"
She immediately raises her hand. "Don't Lexi me, John Shepard! I didn't got as so much as a fucking email from you telling me that you were alive." She crosses her arms over her chest. "And I always had your back, even if you didn't told me you were alive, you know? I even punched Ashley Williams."
"What?!" Even if she had sounded proud of what she did, Shepard didn't take it as a good thing.
She narrows her eyes. "That fucking bitch started sayin' you joined up Cerberus and were a terrorist. Like the good sister I am, I punched the bitch's face." She clenches her fist and waves it angrily on the air. "Like you'd do that. You might be a dick but you're good… And-" She groans and shakes her hand, letting her hand drop to her side. "Doesn't matter."
"You shouldn't have done that." She raises an eyebrow making him sigh. "Damn it Lexi, you know you can't punch everyone you don't agree with… There are more diplomatic ways to make your point."
She snorts again. "Like what? Coming back from the dead, defeat the collectors with terrorists whom, I might add, stole your sister's blood and turn yourself in after you blew up a mass relay?"
He runs his face, feeling tired. "Lexi."
"Yanking your chain," she mumbles with a small smile on her lips. "Even if you're a dick, you're my dick brother and I'd never side with anyone against you."
He pulls her into a hug and kisses the top of her head. "I never questioned that Lexi."
"I know." She shoves him away with a small smile on her lips. "But I have to go. My Commander contacted and I have to report soon." She makes a pause and tilts her head to the side. "I'll be here later… Even if it's to say goodbye and… I'll be here on your trial." She pats his arm. "Just keep me posted, okay? Or next time, bodyguard or no bodyguard… We'll settle our score."
"Want to learn new tricks, eh?"
She smirks. "I've learnt quite a few and maybe it will be the day I beat your sorry ass." She walks to him and hugs him with one arm, breaking the hug as rapidly as she started it. "Later brother." She glances in Vega's direction and adds, "I guess I'll be seeing you too, Lieutenant Vega."
"Ma'am."
Vega didn't get them.
First she was pissed, so angry that she discussed private things in front of a stranger without second though, but then she was suddenly okay with everything? Well, he wasn't so sure about it… But at least she left this time on better terms than the first time. What was odd was the fact that, well, neither of them really discussed what was bothering her. Maybe it had been because he was inside, or not… He couldn't really say he knew either of them… And since he didn't have siblings he wasn't sure it was the standard procedure.
Then, there was also the fact he had witnessed someone yelling at Commander Shepard. The man he seriously idolized… And he had reacted…Truth to be told, Vega didn't know him well enough to know how he had reacted but it hadn't been the way that Vega had imagined that Shepard would react in that kind of situation… But then again, the girl yelling at him was his sister, so as far as he knew, he had only reacted like that because of it.
Either way, it had to be a sibling's kind of thing and to be more precise, it had to be a Shepard sibling's kind of thing, because he had met several brothers and sisters and they sure as hell didn't acted like that.
