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They weren't friends. In fact they couldn't stand each other as soon as he first set food on the Normandy. Zaeed was a brutal old mercenary that only cared about money and his own survival. Shepard did whatever she could to help others and save lives. It was obvious that the two would be butting heads often when Shepard punched Zaeed on Zorya. Hard. She couldn't fathom how he was willing to sacrifice civilian lives for his own revenge. Shepard had even considered leaving him trapped under the beam that had fallen on him. Eventually her sensibility returned and she helped him up, explaining to him that he was on a team now and needed to start acting like it. She still wasn't positive she could trust him to follow her orders without question, but he agreed to her terms.
The return to the Normandy was quiet. As much tension as there was between the two Shepard still went to visit Zaeed in the cargo hold. He was one of the first people she had recruited so there weren't too many people to talk to. Most of the crew members were too busy with their day to day to chat. And Shepard went crazy sitting alone in her quarters.
After the upset of their initial argument had waned a little she started making her way down to see Zaeed more often. There was plenty of time to kill during travel. He'd always have a story ready to tell about one of his past adventures. Sometimes she would bring a snack and just listen to him talk.
"Anyway that's when I found Jessie. Worth all the goddamn shit," Zaeed said with a smirk.
Shepard smiled back at him finishing her drink. "Well I should go. See if I can manage to get some sleep before my shift. Thanks for the talk."
Shepard stood up and straightened her Cerberus uniform. She hated the damn thing, but it was the best option she had. It wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't have the Cerberus logo printed all over it. They were really trying to get to her. But she was a bit lacking in the civilian clothing department and it wasn't as if she could go traipsing around the CIC in the dress Kasumi had bought her. So it would have to do.
Zaeed nodded at her as she turned to leave. "Shepard," he called as she reached the door. "Can I ask you something?"
She turned around lifting her eyebrow, "What is it?"
"Why do you still come down here?" Zaeed spoke after a beat. The question took Shepard by surprise. She didn't think he would have noticed. "Not that I mind, but ...well there are a lot of bloody people on this boat. And there's got to be others that are a hell of a lot better company than an old merc. Don't tell me that no one else wants a piece of your time?"
"Actually almost everyone has something they want to discuss or something they need help with," Shepard replied. She thought carefully before continuing. As much as she was happy to help it had become exhausting. Everyone was clamoring for her attention and wanting her to talk with them, give her thoughts and opinions. Sometimes all she wanted to do was turn her brain off and let someone else do the talking. Her chats with Zaeed had become very therapeutic for her. Because in his stories she wasn't the hero. The pressure was off and she had someone else to look to, something else to focus on. "I like your stories," she said after a moment.
Zaeed gave her a slightly confused look and shrugged his shoulders. "I do tell good stories," He smiled and let the subject drop. "All right. Talk more later, Shepard." He waved her off casually.
Shepard stretched her neck as the elevator made it to the first floor. Stepping onto the landing between the elevator and the captain's quarters, she felt the whoosh of the door closing behind her.
As Shepard walked down the steps towards her bed and living area, she considered the question Zaeed had asked a little more. Shepard knew that the second the mission was over Zaeed would be back on Omega looking for his next job. That was assuming they made it back from the Omega-4 Relay alive. But who was she kidding? Zaeed was way too stubborn to die before he was ready. They'd come to some kind of unspoken understanding. They would forget about Vido Santiago and get along as best they could while they were taking down the Collectors. After that he'd return to his life as a famous bounty hunter and mercenary for hire and she would move forward on her next mission.
She settled into the sheets of her less than comfortable bed, running her fingers through her short hair. Staring at the ceiling it seemed like she was never going to sleep. She tried to will herself to keep her eyes closed. She tried lying on her side, her back, her stomach. Counting sheep, listening to soft music, changing the temperature of her quarters. She finally decided that sleep was not on the agenda for the night.
Standing up Shepard stripped down and headed for her shower. She relaxed as the hot water kneaded her neck and back letting her thoughts drift. They drifted to Kaidan. Her heart tugged a little bit in her chest. She wished so much that he would have survived on Virmire. She missed him and his positive attitude. Always there with a smile and endless support for her and her choices. At the time she couldn't justify leaving Ashley and the rest of the Salarian team to die while she went back to the bombsite to save him. As much as she might have felt for him it just wouldn't have been right. She tried to shake Kaidan from her thoughts and concentrate on the task ahead.
It was morning already when she emerged and a trip to the Citadel was the plan for the day. Shepard got called in by Captain Anderson, or rather Councilor Anderson, and was finally ready to make her appearance to meet with the council. She wasn't sure she was ready for another reminder of what she'd lost when she died. Not having the support of the council and their resources had made things a bit more difficult. And since Shepard was so hesitant to accept the majority of Cerberus' connections she was hoping the meeting at the Citadel would go well.
