Mas Effect - Tu-Fira

by IAmElvie

My main ME AU Mass Effect story of Thane Krios and Commander Shepard. Will have canon missions, but not a canon story. Starts with Shepard's life on Earth, extends past ME3. This story relates to my Andromeda story. Warning of rainbows and butterflies and NSFW content. Rated M. I'm not a professional writer or editor.

1. Tu-Fira Chapter 1 - Earth

Chapter 1

Home on Earth

Castaria shook her brother's hand off her arm. "I'm not asking for your protection, Castiel! I'm a big girl, in case you haven't noticed. You're my twin not my older brother, so lay off!"

"Keep your goddamned voice down, Aria, or everything we've done for years to protect you will be destroyed!" He growled as he plowed his hand through his crop of thick gold hair in aggravation. "The walls have eyes and ears, Aria…you know that…it's what you do!" Her light amber eyes glowed defiantly bright in the in the dim shadows of their home. He sighed. "I felt your pain, what happened? And where are your contacts?"

She sighed wearily. She had been hoping to make it to her room unnoticed. "I was clambering through the ducts of Ambassador Szosanti's pad, when I dropped down into the office to plant the bugs and…I noticed a drawer in his desk oddly canted. Well, that was too curious by far. When I pried the drawer open, some nasty powder was thrown in my face. Burned like hell. I ripped my contacts out and shoved them in my pocket. Figured I'd rinse them off later and got the hell out of Dodge. " She took the brown contacts out and dumped them into Castiel's hand.

Castiel looked at the melted, twisted films, dropped them on the table and then grabbed his sister's chin to angle her face for a closer inspection of her eyes. He couldn't discern any damage except slightly reddened rims. "It's a damned good thing you heal so fast."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I had to climb back up into the ducts and get out of the high-rise blind as a bat. It is not something I care to repeat."

Castiel grabbed the last pair of contacts from the from the bathroom closet and tossed the package at his sister. "Put them on. We can't have you glowing in the dark. It's a good thing I've still got a few more weeks before I have to change mine. I'll try to get my hands on some more in the next couple of days, just in case you have another accident."

She deftly caught the small projectile. Her yes slid from the contacts to her brother. "You mean steal. I hate that you do that, Cas."

He would never admit to her how much her judgment stung. "Some of us actually have to get our hands dirty to survive, Aria. We can't all be paragons of virtue!"

She glared at her brother. "Really, Cas? I'm hardly that. I break into businesses and homes, spy on them and sell their secrets." I also hunt, dear brother…but that I cannot share with you.

"You're an information broker, Aria. It's not even in the same league as some of the shit I've had to do!" Things he never wanted his sister to find out. It was not that he really hid anything from her. They were too closely attuned for that. But some things he preferred to keep…vague.

"The shit you chose to do, Cas! No one forced you into the arms of the Tenth Street Reds…you did that on your own!" She raked both hands through her golden waves in aggravated frustration.

"No, Aria. I did it to save your ass! I've warned you time and again to keep a low profile, but nooo, you dole out money and food to the riff-raff and you heal them for christ's sake. You heal them! You were making a name for yourself. The Reds wanted you. The fact that they think you're a child and that I was willing to join up in your stead are the only things keeping them off of you. But I think we both know that's not going to keep them at bay forever." They were riding the razor's edge. There was only so much he could do to protect her. One day, that edge would cut deep.

"I'm sorry, Cas. You should have told me. I would have - "

"You would have what, Aria?"

"I would have ghosted them!" she yelled, her eyes blazing. "Nobody should be able to back us into a corner like that. We are the strongest two biotics around. We could have taken them down! We can still take them down! There's no reason for you to be their bitch, Castiel. None." Why couldn't he see things the way she did? She fought and bled for strangers on a daily basis. For her brother, she wouldn't even bat an eye. She'd kill anyone who threatened him.

He let out a loud, exasperated yell. "You understand nothing! Nothing is that simple, Aria. Nothing. Suppose we take down the Reds. We ghost every last one of those fuckers. Then what? The other gangs may all hate each other, but if someone is knocking off gangs, you can bet your sweet ass they will band together to take down the threat. That threatwould be us. We might be able to take down one or two of the gangs, but even we can't take them all down. We have no place else to go. This is our home. The Reds are the best of the worst. Petty crimes. Sometimes it is better to work with the devil you know." His voice trailed to a murmur and fell silent.

He was right. She knew he was right, but it didn't sooth her ire. "I'm tired of the game, Cas. I'm not sure how much more I can take!" She unsnapped her her shirt and tugged off her binding. Her breasts sprang free. "Look at what it is doing to me!"

Castiel swallowed his tongue. He had no clue that his sister had…that she was…damn, he had no clue that any fourteen year old could have boobs like hers. He flushed bright red and turned away.

"No, Castiel. I have to live like this, the least you can do acknowledge my pain. Look at them!"

Castiel returned his eyes to her breasts and this time he looked at them, really looked at them. They were chaffed, raw and had weeping sores from the bindings. He couldn't even imagine the pain she must be in on a daily basis. "I'm sorry, Aria. I didn't know," he said quietly.

"How could you? I've been binding myself for over two years."

"You have money, why do you give it all away? You could have at least bought some medigel," he pointed out.

"I give it away because they need it more than I do. Sore breasts are nothing compared to what those people…ourpeople live through." She grimaced in pain as she put the binding back into place and snapped up her shirt.

"I'll pick up some medigel tomorrow. I expect you to use it. Do not let me find out that you gave it away. We heal fast, Aria. For those wounds to be festering, the problem is far more severe than you realize." His sister was the most loving and giving person he'd ever met, but she also the most stubborn.

"Don't steal for me brother; I can take care of myself." She hated that he risked his future like that. One of these days his luck would run out.

"No, Aria," he said somberly, his gaze taking in every nuance of her face. "You can't, because you are too busy taking care of everyone else." He walked into his bedroom and closed his door.

Castaria slipped into her night suit. It was a black, sweat wicking, form fitting, organic material. It had built in knife sheaths at her thighs and pockets of various sizes down her arms and legs. It had magstrips on her back for larger weapons and a matching magbelt that she slung low on her hips for her pistol and clips. It also had an embedded voice disguiser that rested against her throat. Her two nightsuits and guns for her and her brother were some of the only purchases she'd made for them over the years. She'd created the bracelet OTs they wore herself. Normally, she used the suit for night time breaking and entering to plant her surveillance equipment, but she also slipped into it for the hunt.

Tonight she was hunting. Viktor Linto was going down. Viktor was a prominent figure in the Reds. But Viktor had raped a four year girl and left her for dead, buried in a pile of trash in an ally. She'd found the girl, as she found all things that needed finding. She was pulled to her. She had been able to heal her body, but her mind was broken. Perhaps, it would have been more merciful to help her to her end, but she just couldn't do it. Where there is life there is hope and she had to cling to that. She slipped back through the memories. She gently touched the child's head. "You will never remember what happened, sweetling." She gently removed all memory of Viktor and what he'd done from the little girl's mind, taking it in as her own. She hoped, in some way, this would begin the healing process for that broken, little girl. She had held the little girl tight in her arms and told her she was safe now, before dropping her off at the hospital. The little girl had not wanted to let her go and her heart ached that she couldn't stay, but some things were beyond her control. She had to stay out of the authority's scope, for her sake as well as her brother's. Being forced to hide their differences under the harsh scrutiny of an orphanage or even worse, the risk of being separated, made staying with the girl an impossibility. She unwrapped the little girl's arms from her neck, promised to check in on her soon, kissed the top of her head and disappeared into the bright glare of the mid-day sun. She had a date with a dirty Ambassador's apartment.

She and her brother had once lived in a penthouse like the Ambassador's. They'd known every luxury. The nice couple that had raised them taught them how to hide their differences, to blend in with those around them. They'd always known the couple was not their biological parents, but the Anderson's had always loved them as their own. It had been a shock to come home from school to find their ravaged apartment swarming with the authorities and their parents' sightless, bloody corpses sprawled on the floor, reaching out to each other in death as they had in life. At nine years old, she and Castiel slipped away into the cold, heartless streets with nothing but the clothes on their backs, leaving behind a life that no longer wanted them.

She shook her head to clear away the cobwebs of the past. She snapped a sniper to her back, a pistol to her hip, and slid her knives into their sheaths. She coiled her hair into a tight bun and pulled the mask down over her face. She flipped the light off in her room and looked into the mirror. The only thing that could be seen was the whites of her eyes and two golden, glowing rings. Her irises were a larger than the brown contact films, but it wasn't really noticeable in the daylight. She pulled down the thin eye flap and smiled. Nothing but the dark greeted her.

"I'll be back shortly!" she yelled to her brother and stepped out into the night. She kept tight rein on her biotics, it did no good to go dark if she glowed like a beacon. She slipped from shadow to shadow, avoiding the harsh holosign lights. A scream, cut off too soon and muffled curses from an alleyway caught her attention. She darted into the alley silently and crouched down behind a large trash bin. She peered around the edge and took in the scene unfolding around her. A well dressed man lay on the ground bleeding, a knife in his chest. A woman was shoved up against the wall being held by one man and about to be raped by the second. Not on her watch.

Castaria stepped out of the shadows; she held her hand out, grabbed the two men with her power and flung them against the far wall. With the well dressed man bleeding out, she didn't have time to play with the thugs, as she was wont to do. She grabbed her knives and threw them. They embedded deep into the little black hearts they were aimed at. The men slumped to the ground, with no more than a whisper. The intertwined Ws tattoo on their faces proclaimed them to be from the Wild Wolf gang. The Wolves stole into to every gang's territory, usually stealing children for the sex trade. Though, apparently, thievery and rape were a part of their modus operandi as well. The world was well rid of those two and she was glad that she had been the one to send them to their maker. She was justice. She was retribution. And she was death. Her marks could run…they could hide…but she would not be denied. She was the huntress of the night, known only as NightStar.

She darted past the woman, who was clearly still in shock, and dropped down next to the well dressed man. She stripped off her gloves and tore open his shirt. She saw the faint rise and fall of his chest. "You're going to be fine. Just relax." She put one hand next to the knife and jerked it out with her other. She placed her second hand on the other side of the wound, pushed out with her aura and merged it with his. She pictured the wound healing, the skin knitting together. She watched as an ugly dark mark flowed up her arm and disappeared from sight. She felt the burn and then an icy cold as it settled over her chest. She stumbled back with a gasp, her hand covering the gaping hole in her chest. A wound she felt keenly, but could not see beneath her night suit. She leaned back against the grimy wall of the alley, her breath coming in fast pants as she tried to work through the pain.

The woman, tears streaking down her beautiful face, was helping the shaken man to his feet. She pointed in Castaria's direction; they both approached her reverently, an odd mixture of relief and worry on their faces.

Castaria held her hand up weakly, fending them off. "I'll be fine in a moment. Are you okay?"

"We are now, honey. Thanks to you. You are the one we are worried about," the woman said kneeling down next to their black clad savior, who appeared to be no more than a child. "We should get you to a doctor."

Castaria shook her head. "That's not necessary. I'll be fine. Really. Please stay back."

The man removed the child's hand and unsnapped the front of his bodysuit. He saw the binding saturated with blood and tore it open. "You're a – "

"I'm fine," she said trying to pull closed the binding. But he refused to release her wrist. She forced all her remaining energy into holding back the siphon that would steal from the man to heal her. She was losing the battle fast. It was not something she really had control over. She began to glow softly.

The man stiffened as he felt a pleasurable hum course through him. He looked at his wife, feeling guilty of the sensations he was feeling for the injured woman. He turned to see what his wife was pointing at. They watched in wonder as her wound began to knit closed. He looked her in the eyes, helped her close the binding and snapped up her bodysuit. What he'd seen defied all reason, but he had no right to question his savior. "I do not know why you are pretending to be a boy, but know that your secret is safe with us. What you have done for my wife and I will never be forgotten." He held out his hand. When she grasped it, he helped her to her feet.

She walked around the couple, slipped her gloves back on and bent over the two dead Wolves. She rifled through their pockets, taking what she needed, flipped on her OT and uploaded the contents of their Ots, before wiping them. She dropped a black lily in between them to prevent someone else from being accused of the crime and then returned to the couple. She handed over the credit chits and jewelry that she assumed to be theirs.

The woman slipped on her wedding rings, handed her husband his, hugged Castaria close and thanked her profusely. She held out two necklaces. "That one doesn't belong to me," she said pointing to the first. "This one is mine, but I want you to have it. I won't take no for an answer. If you refuse it, it will be left here in the alley. Every woman should have something beautiful to adorn herself with. I hope you will eventually get the chance to wear it. And when you do, I hope you will remember us. We can never thank you enough," she said pressing the necklaces into the black clad woman's hand.

Castaria nodded and pocketed the necklaces. She then bent over the two Wolves; yanked out her knives and wiped them clean on their coats before sheathing them. As she moved back towards the street, the man called out to her.

"Who do we thank for our lives?"

She turned her head to look at them. "NightStar," she said before disappearing into the night.

His OT chimed and he flipped open the screen. Viktor's scarred face greeted him.

"You're needed. Now." Viktor ground out and dropped the connection.

Castiel sighed, ran his hand through his hair and slipped on his jacket. He left a light on in case Castaria returned before he did and locked up as he left the apartment. Drug dealers and prostitutes propositioned him as he walked by them, but he paid them no mind. They were as much a part of the scenery as the homeless street rats, the flashing holosigns, and the trash that lined the downtown streets.

He jumped a low, dilapidated fence, walked through a holosign and continued around to the back of a two story building. The upper level was the Reds' main living quarters, the lower level held numerous bays. Chop shop, contraband, interrogation, and various other charming activities were each allotted a bay. He knocked a code on the door and a burly, bald, tatted guy ushered him in.

"Boss wants to see you in the interrogation bay."

"Thanks, Cleve." Of course. That was one of his duties, as one of the only biotics in the gang, interrogation tended to fall to him. He sidled around the large man, who refused to step out of his way, and continued through the hall to the interrogation bay. He slipped through the door quietly. A man was bound to the interrogation chair. He preferred the chair to the alternative. Seeing a man bound, drawn, naked, and spread eagle against the wall was not a favorite interrogation technique for him.

Viktor sauntered over to him, a scar ticked on his cheek. "Cas, I don't think you've had the opportunity to meet Marko yet. He's one of our techies. Word's come to my attention that he's an undercover narc. The Reds are movin' up in the world, Cas!" he said, giving Cas a solid thwack on the back. "I need you to dig the truth out him one way or another. I'll leave him in your very capable hands." Viktor spat at Marko's feet and strolled out the door whistling a tune Castiel was unfamiliar with. A small shiver raised down his spine. Something about the man had always made him feel uneasy.

His gaze slid from the Viktor's back to the bound man. He steeled himself for what was to come. He had a job to do, whether he liked it or not. Castiel pulled a chair over next to Marko, and sat down, straddling its back. He laid a conciliatory hand on the man's thigh. "We're going to become good friends, Marko. We're going to know each other well. Or, at least I will know you well. This, you see, is the easy part…the fun part, if you will. I'm going to search your mind for all your little secrets. If all is well, why then you have nothing to worry about. If, say, I find out things aren't quite what you have led us to believe, well then the not so fun part begins. That usually involves lots of pain and even more screaming, and we don't want that. Well, at least I don't want that. It puts a crimp in an otherwise good day. So, between us, is there anything you want to tell me?" He stared into the other man's eyes. The eyes of a man who had lost all hope. Silence fell between them. "No? Well, that's too bad. You'll feel a bit of a pinch, quite unavoidable. Ripping into someone's mind can be a bit unpleasant. I do apologize for the necessity."

"You are just a child, for god's sake. Why are you doing this?" The man's tormented eyes bored into his.

"That is, perhaps, not the smartest thing to point out when you are staring into the eyes of your judge, jury and, perhaps…executioner. But, I am in a good mood right now." He drew in close to Marko's ear. "I'm doing it to protect my brother. My brother is better at this, gentler, kinder, but he does not belong here."

"I think maybe you do not either," Marko whispered.

Castiel shrugged. "The choice is not always ours to make." He pulled back and said aloud, "So, to answer your question, I like making people squirm. I like finding out their darkest secrets and fears and using those against them. It's…entertaining." He placed his hand against Marko's temple. "Just relax, it will…hurt more if you struggle or fight me."

Castiel began pushing into the man's mind. To give Marko credit, he remained relaxed, though Castiel knew the mind probe hurt like a son of a bitch. His sister could have done it precise, painlessly, perhaps even pleasurably, but he didn't have her finesse. He had to hack his way through.

"I see you have a wife, a daughter…very beautiful family, Marko," he said as their pictures flashed into his mind. Castiel hated this, but he had to play his part. His greatest fear was that he would become desensitized to what he was doing and would stop caring. Marko tensed for the briefest of moments and then relaxed again.

"You are afraid of the dark…interesting…and of drowning. Yes, I see. It is a pity what happened to your mother. And you are afraid of losing your family. Family…the bane of us all….our greatest weakness." Then he found what he was looking for, the truth. His eyes shot to Marko's. Marko was an undercover agent. He gave the slightest of nods to Marko. 'Don't ever let me come to regret this," he said quietly. "If you are discovered, my brother and I will pay. Then I will find you, are we clear?" Marko gave a slow blink.

"I see you also fear being caught…by the authorities…being unable to provide for your family. The Reds won't let that happen, Marko. We protect our own. You stay true to us; we will stay true to you. That's what puts the Reds above other gangs. You are a lucky man, Marko. Things could have gone so much worse…for you."

Castiel released the man's head and moved his chair back to the table. He removed Marko's restraints and helped him up. "I'll buy you a beer sometime, Marko…to make up for the mindfuck. After all, it wasn't personal." He slapped Marko on the back. "Best you get your ass home now. I'm sure the boss will have lots of work for you come morning. Be careful out there, the streets are dangerous at night."

Castiel rubbed the crick out of the back of his neck as he followed Marko out the door. He really hoped he didn't come to regret this. He trudged up the stairs and into Viktor's 'office'. A half-naked woman was sprawled on Viktor's lap; he fought to keep the repugnance from showing.

Viktor shoved the woman to the side and stood up. "So, it seems our little rumor mill was wrong. Good work, as always, Cas. Marko is good at his job; it would have been unfortunate to lose his services."

Castartia scaled the side of the building, avoiding the surveillance. It didn't take her long to find a point of entry. She pulled off the vent stack, jumped in feet first, and shimmied her way down the tight pipe. Once in the duct system, she double-checked the layout on her OT. She slipped quietly through the vent until she could hear Viktor's vulgar words and the giggle of a woman. She was practically right on top of them. She opened the vent slats wider. The angle would be a bit odd, but doable if she could catch him standing up. She was, unfortunately, too close for her sniper, so she pulled her pistol and attached the silencer.

She nearly groaned in frustration when the door opened and her brother walked in. Damn and blast. She'd have to be careful not to be seen. As soon as Viktor stood she simultaneously threw a stasis barrier at her brother, while his back was turned to her, and fired her pistol. A faint 'thck' sound was all that was heard.

The woman began screaming as gore splattered her. Viktor stumbled back from the force of the impact and looked down at the growing red stain that covered his mangled groin. He looked up in shock.

She knew she didn't have much time before her brother would break through the stasis hold. The moment Viktor looked up she placed a bullet between his eyes. She pulled a black lily from her pocket, dropped it next to the body, slid the slats closed, and silently slipped away.

She heard her brother shouting something and the sound of scurrying men as they dashed into the office. She shimmied back up the pipe, replaced the vent stack and lowered herself to the ground. She hoped the slight flare of biotics would go unnoticed. She disappeared into the night.

She slammed into the apartment. Sweet mother of god, could nothing go right? She flipped on her OT. "It's done. Viktor is dead. I've fulfilled the contract."

"Well done. But then, I expected nothing less from the NightStar. The money has been posted to your account. Please check out the newest contracts, there are a few that may interest you. It's been a pleasure doing business with you." He paused for a moment and then returned his gaze to young man. "Out of professional courtesy, you should be aware that there is another assassin near your location. He just arrived this morning. He had accepted Viktor's contract as well. I will let him know it has been covered. He's accepted another contract on a…let me see...Castiel Shepard, who apparently pissed off some big-wig gangbanger."

Ice shot through her veins. "Who put out the contract?"

"You know I can't divulge that information, NightStar."

"But, I know you will. Just as you know that no one escapes my justice, Cole."

Cole sighed and rubbed his face. "The Hell Hounds' leader, Skinner…but you didn't hear it from me."

"Hear what? Who's the assassin?"

'The Razor."

"Is there a contract out on either of those men?"

"There's a contract on everyone, NightStar…even you."

"I'll accept them both."

"And will you accept your contract as well?"

"I'll get back to you on that one."

He laughed again. "You are probably the only one capable of fulfilling that particular contract."

"I am. Get the word out – Shepard is under my protection. And before you ask…Let's just say I owe the guy a favor."

"Ok, I'll get the word out. And I've got you down for the…wait. I just received a new ping. It appears another assassin will be in your neck of the woods in the next couple of days."

"Who?"

"I don't know. He's an unknown, a drell, goes by the name Thane Krios. I had to pay heavily just to find out his name. He's not accepted a contract; the hanar must have sent him to fulfill one of theirs. So, heads up…looks like you are going to have your hands full."

"Things appear to be getting a lot more…intriguing. Thanks for the tip, Cole." She flipped off her OT and closed her bedroom door behind her. She put up her guns, tossed the crap she pulled off the Wolves into her top dresser drawer and laid the necklaces on top of the dresser. When her suit was put up, she removed her binding and wrapped a towel around her.

The hot sprays of water felt like tiny massages against her weary skin. Dried blood and sweat washed away down the drain. She smothered herself in pumpkin pie cleansegel, and for just a moment she was in heaven, lost in memories of a home long dead and gone. She rinsed off, stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel tightly. She ran her binding under cold water until it was clean; she hung it up to dry, returned to her room and slipped into a long tee-shirt and panties.

She plopped down in a living room chair, dangled her legs over the arm and relaxed back against the other arm. She flipped on her OT and ran searches on her two marks and the unknown assassin. She'd heard plenty on The Razor. He killed anyone for money, and the long list of deaths linked to him proved just that. But, he was illusive and no one had been able to capture him, at least no one lived through the attempt. Even his species was unknown. His days, however, were numbered now. This megatropolis was her turf and she did not allow anyone to hunt her turf. Skinner had a rap sheet a mile long, but it really didn't matter what crimes he was guilty of. He was gunning for her brother…that alone sealed his fate. On Krios there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was like he didn't exist. No trail of any kind to follow. That was intriguing.

She closed down her search and slipped through a back-door hack into the archives. Her parents had instilled in her the need to learn and the archives were filled with vast amounts of knowledge, if you could get past the security to the truth beneath, which she could.

She may not have officially gone to school in years, but she had taken extranet classes and earned schooling degrees. She'd already earned her combat engineering degree –illegally hacked into the university's records to sign up, but the grades and degree were earned and real. What she had learned had helped her in her chosen, albeit illegal, profession. Right now she was working on a degree in biogenetic engineering, sponsored by an unknown group called Cerberus. These classes were for more personal reasons. She and her brother were different and she was trying to figure out the why of it. Unfortunately, she hadn't learned what she hoped she would learn and she wasn't sure she was going to be willing to finish that degree. The simulated lab experiments had been exciting at first, but they were getting darker in nature and the implications behind some of it were beyond terrifying.

Castiel forced his power out and the stasis field expanded, thinned, and tore open. He stepped out of it and took in the scene around him. Viktor lay dead in a pool of blood, with what appeared to be two bullet holes, one between the eyes and the other at his groin. Castiel could not help but squeeze his thighs together in commiseration. He hated Viktor, but damn… Lisa was screaming and crying, a black lily lay beside the corpse. He could feel the faded echo of another's biotic field, but he knew the biotic was long gone. He opened the door, stuck his head out and yelled, "Reds!" Then he turned to the screaming woman. "Did you see anything, Lisa?" When he saw the shake of her head, he sighed. "Then shut the fuck up and go get cleaned up."

Members of the gang began pouring through the door. They stood and just stared at their dead boss as though expecting him to be resurrected. He doubted even his sister could bring that corpse back to life. He caught sight of a new, but familiar face. "Marko! Glad you haven't left yet. Check out the security feeds inside and out. Jimmy take your scrawny ass outside and look for anything out of the ordinary. Cleve, Tommy, Sammy and Grub! Do an interior sweep. Split up, two upstairs two down here, work from the far end of the building inwards. If NightStar is still here we need to catch him in a pincer. Do NOT try to apprehend him; just corner him, but stay well out of reach. He's dangerous and he's a biotic. I will handle the take down."

"Who died and left you in charge?" Cleve asked belligerently.

Castiel's powers flared, his blue biotic glow sparkled with gold. "Viktor did, you ass. And until one of the senior members arrives, you're stuck with me. Do you want to make something of it or will you get your ass in gear and try to find that fucking intruder?"

When he was alone again he squatted down near Viktor's corpse, uploaded the data from his OT and put his hand against his face in an attempt to catch his last memories. A few pictures trickled into his mind; he stumbled back and fell on his ass. Dear god that man deserved worse than he got. Seeing what he did to that little girl…he felt dirty so deep inside that he feared it would never leave him. He put his hands down to push himself up, under one lay the black lily. He stood up lily in hand. He hoped NightStar was long gone. He did the world a favor ridding it of that filth. He had hoped Viktor had gotten a glimpse of his shooter, it would have been nice to put a face to the NightStar, but for now he would remain a phantom in the night, righting the wrongs that slipped through the cracks of justice. A small smile spread over his chiseled lips. That was how it should be. The world needed more people like that.

When the gang met up, it was as he suspected...there were no signs that an intruder had ever been there. "Burn the body and call in the elders. They can fight over who steps up to take charge without me here. I'm bugging out and heading home, there's nothing more I can do here tonight."

"How do we know you didn't off the boss?" Cleve said as he stepped away from the others.

Castiel's powers flared. "Cleve, I'm tired of your shit, but most of all I'm just tired. If you'd bothered to look, you'd have noticed I don't have a gun. Lisa can tell you that much. So, get the fuck out of my way before I move your ass for you!"

"You can step in and take over," Marko said quietly.

Castiel cast his eyes around the room, most of the heads bobbed in agreement. "When I've a mind to, I will. For now I'm content to see how the pieces fall. But I appreciate the vote of confidence." He nodded and headed for the door. As he neared Cleve, the big man took a step back. About damned time. He couldn't help but hope some of the elders would off each other in a power play before a new king sat on the Red throne.

Aria was sprawled out on a chair reading god knows what when he stepped through the door.

"What did they call you in this time for?"

"Interrogation." When he saw Aria roll her eyes, he shook his head. "I wasn't like that, Aria. Viktor made me interrogate Marko. The man was a real champ; he didn't give me a bit of trouble. Come to find out he's an undercover agent. We came to a silent understanding, so I kept his secret. I think he's probably going to become the closest thing to a friend that I will have in that piss-hole."

"That was a big gamble, Cas. I hope he's never blown."

"You would have preferred it if I'd tortured and killed him?" he asked stunned.

"Of course not! But Viktor's not known for his ability to forgive…I hope it doesn't bite you in the ass."

"You and me both, but Viktor won't be a problem anymore. We had an infiltrator at the base tonight," he said tossing the black lily into her lap. "It seems he'd earned NightStar's notice. That is one mistake he won't be able to repeat."

"Viktor's dead?"

"As dead can be. A shot to the groin and a shot between his eyes. I had to admit I was puzzled by the groin shot, until I read his last memories," he said with a shudder. "I think Lisa and I foiled NightStar's plans, though. He tends to like to play with his victims. I wish he'd had the chance to play with Viktor."

"I didn't expect that from you. I figured you'd be appalled by an assassin."

"Assassin is kind of harsh, Aria. He is not just some assassin killing for money. It's well documented who NightStar takes out and he's never taken out an innocent. He takes out the trash and I'm okay with that. I think justice is a better term than assassin."

She wondered if he would say the same thing if he knew she was NightStar. Easy to romanticize a nonentity, much harder if it's someone you care about. She never doubted his love and she knew he'd try to stop her.

"Oh, speaking of assassins, apparently I'm not the only one making a name for themselves, Cas. There's a contract out on your life. The Razor is coming after you and he's already here, so make damn sure you are on guard at all times."

He knew he shouldn't be surprised at the things she knew, but she had a knack of surprising him over and over again. "Thanks for the heads-up. This could prove to be…interesting."

"Don't take him too lightly, brother. He's as good as what he does as NightStar is." She didn't want him to take foolish chances. He may heal fast, but he's not invincible.

"Doubtful, but I promise you I won't underestimate him. Maybe if we're lucky NightStar will find him and take care of the problem for us."

"Maybe he will, Cas. Maybe he will." Damn straight I will. Her brother sat down in front of her chair and rested his head on her belly. She ran her fingers through his thick golden hair. "I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you, Cas. I probably don't tell you enough, but I love you."

He snuggled his face into her belly. "I never once doubted that, Aria. But it is nice to hear. I love you too , sis. Do you happen to know who put the contract out?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. Skinner from the Hell Hounds. Do you know how you managed to piss him off?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "I apparently interrogated his nephew. He had a brain aneurism and died during the middle of a waking nightmare. To be fair, he was a walking time-bomb that could have gone off at any time…it just so happened to be during my - er, ministrations. I take it his uncle Skinner didn't see things in quite the same light."

"You think?" she said, giving him a light noogie before she resumed massaging his head. He pulled up her shirt, gave her belly a raspberry, and darted out of reach before she could grab him.

"Time to hit the sack. I'm sure tomorrow will be loads of fun with all the big-wigs vying for the kingpin slot."

"Goodnight, little brother." She smiled at the sour look he shot her.

"We don't know who was born first, Aria."

"I was. You see, I was the fat first twin, you were the scrawny, puny second twin."

"Scrawny? Puny?" he asked, flexing his muscle. Then he shrugged. "You might be right. You are rather fat." His dimples flashed before he darted into his bedroom.

"Fat? Why you…" She charged after him in a blur, her face nearly colliding with the door when it slammed shut. She began to hack into his lock.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…I'm…naked!"

Well, that took the air right out of her sails. Not that she hadn't seen her brother's rather splendid form naked before…kind of hard not to in such a tiny apartment with a shared bathroom and his lack of modesty, but it was not a sight she cared to see intentionally…and knowing him, he probably was butt naked just to teach her a lesson. "Fine, you win this round, little brother." His chuckled followed her to her room.

Come morning she made them breakfast, cleaned up, exercised, showered, and then cooked up a huge pot of oatmeal mixed with nutri-paste to feed her urchins. The meals she fed them weren't fancy, but they did fill their bellies. Occasionally, she'd feed them lunch, consisting of whatever fruits she could get her hands on, but primarily breakfast and dinner. Dinner was usually some variation of beans and rice.

During mealtimes she would tell stories to any urchins that cared to listen. Stories that emphasized strength, courage, compassion and love. Nothing in life would come easy for her urchins, but nothing worth having ever did. They would have to struggle and fight for a better life, because if they gave into it they would truly be lost. She taught those that were willing to read, write and do simple math. She hoped they would use what she taught them to forge a better future for themselves.

It broke her heart when familiar faces no longer showed up. She knew all too well what that meant for them. Death had either found them or they were enslaved. She would save those she could, she'd shut down more than one slaver ring, but others…too many others, she had never found.

She scrubbed out the now empty pot, slung her magbelt around her waist, snapped her pistol to her back, slipped a cap over her hair and pulled on a lose jacket to hide her gun. No need to advertise she was armed, especially going into enemy territory. She put a number of black lilies into her pockets as well as surveillance equipment, because she just never knew how things would turn out. It was time to check in on the Hell Hounds. She needed to scout out their base. And if lucky she would find Skinner. Of course, if she caught him alone or mostly alone, all bets were off and he was going down.

She slung her leg over her glider. It was old and beaten up, nothing even a thief would give a second glance at, but she'd tweaked the hell out of it and made it into something…more. She moved silently through the Wolves' territory, raising a hand to the people she knew. Many from neighboring territories found their way to her for their meals. When she crossed into Hell Hound territory she shivered. There was a marked difference here. It was seedier, filthier, like nobody cared, not even the innocent denizens. She saw no familiar faces here. They were probably too frightened to leave.

She pulled over when she saw a family rooting through a trash bin. Their wide eyes looked at her and they cowered back. "I'm not here to hurt you. Here.." She threw some coins at their feet. "Divide that amongst you, if one of you is robbed, you will not lose everything."

"Who are you?" One little girl asked as her grubby hand reached down for one of the coins. Her parents grabbed her and pulled her back.

She knew they would not take the money while she was watching, they were too frightened. "Shepard," she said with a smile and resumed her trek into hell. She knew she could not help everyone. She was only one woman and the need was too great, the injustice too foul. But she did what she could when she could. It would never be enough.

She helped a few other families that had dared to venture out and one little boy on the side of the road with a broken, infected leg. Her leg still throbbed from the healing, but she knew he never would have survived another night like that. She wasn't even sure how he'd survived as long as he had. She hoped he had a family to return to…and hoped they weren't the ones who'd left him like that.

That little boy was the only one that had worked up the courage to talk to her. He'd been able to give her directions to the Hounds' base. That alone had saved her a lot of scout time. The base was a five story building. She drove around it in a wide arc, so as not to draw attention to herself. She scanned it with her OT and took pictures of it at every angle. There was no way she could get inside and scout it by day. She'd give anything to wear a camouflage cloak, but her biotics interfered with it too much. At least she had gotten the information that she had come for.

On her way out of the territory two men on gliders approached her. She knew she could probably outrun them, she had extensively modified her glider, but she was curious about what they intended. She pulled to stop and waited for them. They circled around her twice before stopping in front of her.

"He's mighty purty, isn't he Slag?"

"That he is, Mac," Slag said with a snort. He spat a gob of dark gunk near her glider.

Her gaze went first to Mac. He was scrawny, covered in tats with a mohawk. Then she eyeballed Slag. He had a fat roll that fell over the top of his pants, he had long, greasy hair and scars all over his face, one nearly puckered his right eye closed. "To what do I owe the pleasure, gentleman?" she asked, her voice as low as she could make it.

"He sounds sexy too, Slag," Mac said leering at her. "And don't he talk all spiffy."

"I think we'd knowd you if you was from 'round here. You lookin' to join the Hounds, purty boy?" Slag spat out another glob of brown goo.

"And what would I need to do to join the Hounds?"

The pair started laughing. "Only two things, purty boy. Kill some scrap we tell you to and then each of us would have a go at your purty little ass."

"I see. So both your asses have been well plowed," she said arching a brow. She expected them to explode with indignation, but they just laughed.

"Not since initiation, sweat meat. So, hows about it?" Mac asked leaning towards her.

"I appreciate the thought, gentleman. But I'm not interested. I'm only passing through."

"Well, sorry t' hear that, purty boy. But we wasn't givin' you a choice. Boss likes 'em purty, eh, Mac?"

"Sorry to disappoint and run, fellas. But I'm giving you only one chance to step aside." They were so close she could smell the stench of their unwashed bodies.

"Boy likes t' use his mouth, Slag. What say we put that purty mouth to good use?"

Her arm shot forward, a blast of energy toppled their gliders and sent the men flying several feet. She saluted them with a single finger, boosted her glider into overdrive and shot past them before they could even stop rolling.

She zipped around buildings and dilapidated houses and didn't slow down until she entered into the Wolves territory. She was more than sure she should have killed them. But, she made it a practice not to kill anyone without knowing their crimes. There was a line between justice and murder and she did not care to cross it, for then she would become what she hunted.

She shut off her glider, dismounted, and set the glider's security system. No one may want the damn thing, but no need to take chances.

Cas looked up at her from the threadbare sofa when she walked in. "You didn't go in today?"

"No, thought it best to let the dust settle on the throne before heading in. If I go in now, someone is likely going to try to talk me into ruling the roost…I would rather stay out of the limelight for now. But, we are stocked up on medigel and contacts now."

"I'm going to feed the masses and then I'll make us something to eat."

"I already started your beans." He barely spared her a glance as he continued milling over whatever his OT was displaying.

"You did?" she asked, her voice cracking over the last word. "That was thoughtful of you." She dashed over to the stove, uncertain how bad the damage would be. Apparently she'd gotten home just in time. They were still a little too firm, but that was perfect. She drained out some of the water and then added the rice and a few spices to add some taste to it. She put the lid on to finish cooking it.

She looked over what they had and pulled out the Varren roast to thaw. She would dice it into the next few dinners she fed to her urchins. She was never going to eat the damned thing. Dogs were pets not food. "Chicken alfredo bake sound good to you?"

"With extra cheese on top?"

"Yes, with extra cheese on top." She prepared the meal and tossed it in the oven. "If the buzzer goes off before I get back, take it out and add the cheese. Don't go hog-wild on the cheese, Cas." She knew he was making faces at her. He always did if she tried to limit him when it came to cheese…or steak.

She secured the lid on the bean pot and placed it in the under-seat storage of her glider. She pulled up outside the rec center. People were already there waiting for her, bowls in hand. She ladled out the beans and rice and then sat down in the midst of them. This evening Jinny and Bobbie plopped down on her lap, adults and children alike settled down around her. She told them the story about the Prince and Pauper and the lessons they'd learned about each other's lives. She spent a few minutes chatting, worked with them on their writing, healed a couple of minor injuries, doled out hugs and kisses and then returned home.

She could smell dinner was done the moment she walked in the door. And by the huge grin on her brother's face, she knew right away that he'd gone cheese crazy. She scrubbed out the bean pot, dished up a bowl of cheese and curled up next to her brother on the sofa. The first bite all but stuck to the roof of her mouth. She bumped his shoulder and laughed. "You're incorrigible, Cas."

The man wore a long coat, the cowl pulled over his head. The shadows from the cowl hid his face from view. Not even his eyes could be seen. He had arrived sooner than he had expected. He hoped he would not have to go far to find his mark. This was his first time on Earth and he did not want to stay long. He had researched the area prior to landing. He knew there was one assassin that patrolled this sector regularly. NightStar. He also knew NightStar had a contract on his head. The assassin had documented his kills well, leaving a black lily next to each body. It seemed he only hunted predators, which put him in a minority among assassins. He wondered how the confrontation would end if he chanced upon the other assassin. He stepped off the shuttle and disappeared into the night.

After they washed the dishes and watched a couple of vids, she bid her brother goodnight. She slipped into her nightsuit, snapped her rifle to her back and her pistol on her hip. She rolled the mask down over her face, put some flowers in her pocket and slipped out her bedroom window. There was a slight glow of biotics as she lowered herself to the ground and she vanished into the shadows.

An odd feeling, more like a strange pull, wanted to take her in a direction she didn't need to go. She shook it off. Her first instinct was to hop on her glider and head straight to Skinner's base. But she had to secure her territory first. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one. Even if that one was her brother. She scaled the closest building and began to canvas her territory, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Only an occasional flare of biotics gave hint of her passage.

The man came to a stop and pressed his back up against the side of a building. He didn't know where his mark was only that he would eventually make his way to the Tenth Street Reds' base. The base was in his sight, but something was pulling him away from it. He lived by his instincts, they kept him honed…alive. So he opened himself up to the feeling and let it guide his feet. Before long he heard a whimper followed by cruel laughter. He unsnapped his sniper and followed the sounds. A movement on a nearby roof caught his attention. He focused on the roof. Nothing. He brought his scope to his eye. Nothing. Then the barest shifting of shadows. Was it his mark? Perhaps NightStar? Or just someone up to no good? Whatever that shadow was – it was why he was here instead of casing the base. He rounded the side of the building, peered down the alley and saw a small boy being beaten by a large group of men. Then a blur and a flash of blue and gold. The shadow had cast itself from the building and landed in front of the boy. Another flash of biotics and the men were thrown back; one smashed against the building with a wet thud and fell to the ground. The figure in black threw its hand back, surrounding the child in a gold washed blue bubble, its masked face never leaving sight of the men.

The pull to the figure in black was undeniable. His body reacted in a way it never had before. He was growing hard and heavy. It was a distraction he could ill afford right now. Two lives, besides his own hung in the balance. The men were advancing on the woman. He knew the figure in black was a woman. The way she moved, her scent on the breeze, how his body responded to her presence.

"I will give you one chance to walk away. I suggest you take it, because this won't end well…for you."

Her husky voice sent shivers down his spine and his shaft jerked in response. He noticed she held one hand towards the men and one hand towards him. She knew he was here then. Odd. Most never saw him coming.

"Looks like we got us another boy to play with. I prefer them younger, but he'll do in a pinch. Leto, Tanner try to grab his arms so he can't zap us again."

He raised his scope to his eye, her powers flared and she threw up a shield. He pulled the trigger.

She barely glanced when the man's head, to the right of her, exploded. Apparently, the new comer wasn't after her or he was a lousy shot, the bullet hadn't touched her shield at all. She drew the shield back into herself and focused on the men, who were now alerted to the presence of another.

He stepped into the alleyway. "I suggest you do as the lady says and walk away."

One of the men scoffed. "What lady? Him? Mister, I'd say you were blind as a bat, but you shot Billy's head clean off. Take him down, boys."

The men pulled their guns on the stranger, clearly seeing him as the greater threat. She waved her arm, picked up three of them and threw them against the wall. Keeping the child shielded behind her, she started flicking her arms as fast as she could, ripping the guns from their hands, catching them and tossing them in the trash bin as fast as she could. One bullet whizzed towards her face. She held up her hand and it came to a stop, before dropping harmlessly to the ground.

The stranger's gun was blazing, taking out one thug after the other. His reload time was incredibly fast even by her standards. He dodged bullets like he was made of water, flowing away before they could even reach him. He, rolled to the right, sent one man flying with a burst of biotics and slammed home another clip.

She drew her arm up, dangling one man high above the ground, before jerking her arm downwards. The man smashed into the ground, with a grisly crunch. When the last man took off running she nodded. He would certainly have stories to tell. A bullet to the back of his head ended his mad dash to freedom and silenced his stories forever.

The unknown shooter snapped his gun to his back and approached the woman and child. The closer he got, the stronger his need for the woman became. It was disconcerting. He had felt the woman's power, even when he was at the far end of the alley. Her blue and gold biotic glow was like nothing he'd ever seen before. That her biotic waves were precise and narrow enough to rip the gun from someone's hands was unheard of. He had great respect for her abilities, but why was he so drawn to her? He couldn't understand it.

She drew the barrier bubble back into herself and knelt down at the child's side. She removed her gloves and ran her hands gently over him, sending soothing, comforting energy into him. He was bruised and bloody. He had a broken arm and she suspected broken ribs. She placed one hand over his arm, the other over his ribs and merged their auras. Dark spots began to move up her arms. When his aura shined clear and bright, she dropped the connection and stumbled away from the boy. She did not want to siphon energy from him. She tripped over a body and fell hard against the wall. Crap on toast, she hurt. His broken ribs had punctured one of his lungs. "Take care of the boy," she wheezed weakly as the man approached her.

The man straightened, put his hands behind his back and stood at military rest. He looked over at the boy who was getting to his feet. "Do you live around here?" When the boy pointed to the building he'd been laying against, the man nodded. "Then get inside quickly."

"Th-thank you," the boy said shyly to his downed savior, before darting away.

When he saw the boy scramble through a side door he returned his attention to the woman in black.

"Stay away."

"I'm not going to hurt you, I wish to help you. You healed him, did you not?" He approached her carefully. Injured or not, he knew what she was capable of.

"Yes, but I will be fine. I heal fast. I just need some time." Her breath was coming in rattling gasps.

"I don't need to see your face to know that you are not fine, I have medigel," he said, squatting down next to her. Why did it feel like he knew her?

"No, you don't understand, you must stay away." Her heartbeat sped up at his nearness. She'd already been turned on by his prowess, by his deep rumbling voice that filled her full of unwanted sensations. Now that he was so close, the pull...the need for him was so overwhelming it nearly eclipsed the pain.

"I won't hurt you." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. Her pheromones were wreaking havoc on his senses. He took a deep breath to calm himself and fell forward onto his knees. Gods. He could smell her desire. She wanted him. He didn't know who she was and he didn't care. She had awoken him and he had no intention of letting her get away.

"No, but I will hurt you. My body will siphon from you, taking what it needs to heal. Please go. I'll be fine." Her hand fluttered weakly at her side.

He unsnapped her suit just low enough to place a patch of medigel on her skin. When it absorbed into her, he snapped it back up. He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. She struggled briefly and then relaxed against him. Her back was flush to his chest. His hands sought out hers and he laced their fingers together. Her body began to glow, a stunning mixture of blue and gold. He felt a pull, weak at first, but it became stronger as her glow intensified. Pleasure stole over him and he felt himself grow heavier with need.

She felt the hardness at her back and moved against it. His groan and the tightening of his fingers on hers made her smile despite the pain. Why had he walked into her life tonight of all nights? Too much was at stake.

When her glow subsided she stayed in his arms, not wanting to leave them. She felt safe, protected and it scared her shitless. She sighed and rose, offered him her hand and helped him to his feet.

He felt weak and drained. His legs were shaky. He looked down into her black masked face, wishing he could see something. Anything. Her hands rose to his cowl and pulled it back. Her fingers traced his browridges, his cheek crests and then caressed his soft cheeks. His arms stole around her waist and pulled her against him. It wasn't like him to take liberties, but his control had failed him. And in all fairness, she had touched him first.

She had to see him, this man who had helped her, fought at her side, gave of himself to heal her. When she pulled back his cowl to reveal his face she was shocked. He was a drell and she knew just who he was…the assassin. But he was nothing like what she thought he would be. Oh, there was no denying he was good at his job, but he was also compassionate and giving. She ran her fingers gently over his face, his skin alien, but nice to the touch. His red cheeks, so soft. His large, dark eyes, like liquid pools she could fall into. He was so beautiful it melted her heart.

She could feel her body ripening, growing wet with hunger. It was like her body knew his, knew the pleasure he would give her and craved it. He was emitting a vibration, similar to a melody, which coursed through her causing her core to clench painfully.

"Sweet gods," he groaned. Her heady pheromones and the smell of her desire nearly took him back to his knees. He slid his hands over her ass and brought her up tight against his straining shaft. He ground himself against her soft belly, gasping at the friction and the fire that shot through his veins. He would make love to her right here, surrounded by corpses, if she would let him. He was lost to her pheromones, lost to the scent of her desire, and lost to the need that consumed him, blotting all else out. When she rolled up the bottom of her mask exposing her mouth, his heart slammed painfully in his chest. Her lips feathered across his hesitantly. Her arms tightened around his neck, pulling him closer. Her mouth melded to his, her wet tongue slid across his upper lip. When he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss she backed away and rolled down her mask.

"Not here." She cupped his soft cheek and ran her thumb across his lips. His tongue darted out to taste her and she nearly gave in to the need to devour him. His hand captured hers, brought her palm to his mouth and placed a tender kiss upon it.

"NightStar," he whispered.

She bowed her head in acknowledgement and pulled out of his embrace. "See you around, Thane." She saluted him, amped her power, spun around, scattered her flowers, picked up her gloves and disappeared into the night.

He saw her salute, a flash of blue and gold and she was gone as though she had never been there. But she hadn't left empty-handed, for she had taken his heart with her. Her loss was more devastating than he could have imagined. He shivered as he felt a cold emptiness leach into his soul. Corpses and black lilies littered the alley, the only testament to what they had shared. One of her flowers lay at his feet. He picked it up and smelled its sweet fragrance, before putting it in his pocket. He relaxed and opened his awareness. A faint pull tugged at him and he smiled. He would find her. He settled the cowl back over his head and slipped into the shadows, following the pull to his NightStar.

She mounted her glider, lights off; she sped out into the cloying darkness, which was only broken by occasional holosigns as she passed them. Everything in her screamed for her to return to the man she'd left behind, but she fought to ignore it, couldn't give in to it. Her brother's life was on the line. Desire for some passing assassin played no part in her future.

The Wolves were eerily quiet tonight and that set her already raw nerves on edge. A distant light from a fire caught her attention. As she moved closer she could hear the raucous laughter of several men. She pulled to a stop, slipped off her glider and moved to a better vantage point.

"I'm tellin' you we should push on, Boyd, we're almost home."

"And I'm tellin' you some of these kids won't make it without a rest. The boss'l be pissed if they die. He gets no money from corpses." Another voice reasoned.

"You're a pussy, Reed."

"And you're a dead man to stupid to know it."

She glanced over the scene in front of her. Eight men were sitting around the fire drinking, two were over near a group of children, some as young as four or five, others closer to her age, all dirty, ragged and tied together. The older ones were doing their best to comfort the younger ones. But little comfort could be had, they all knew what the future held in store for them, it was written all over their faces and the beaten droop of their shoulders. They had given up.

She stepped into the glow of the fire. "Having a party, boys? You didn't invite me. I'm hurt." All but one pulled their guns on her. Her hands flew in a blur, yanking the guns from their hands and tossing them behind her in the shadows. "Tsk..tsk..that's not a very pleasant welcome. I'll give you one chance to walk away from this." When they moved aggressively towards her, she shook her head. Idiots never learn. "Do you know who I am?"

The one who had not pulled his gun spoke up. "NightStar," he said simply. She bowed her head to him in acknowledgement.

"I don't much care who you are seein's there are ten of us and one of you. You are nothin' but another piece of meat we can add to our…collection."

"I'd make that nine to two," Reed said as he pulled his dual pistols and fired at the two closest Wolves that had been guarding the children. "Correction, seven to two." He backed up protectively in front of kids. He knew time was up when the vigilante appeared. So he'd made his position known from the start. He would not interfere with what she had planned, so long as the children remained safe.

Well that she hadn't expected. She threw out a barrier shield to cover the children and their protector and then flung a singularity at the remaining men. They were yanked into its vortex, spinning helplessly in its grip, silent screams ripped from their mouths. The fire crackled and belched sparks, its flames being pulled in the direction of the sphere of power. She drew her pistol, and opened her senses, seeking the pattern of the men's movement. She pulled the trigger. The other man joined her until nothing but corpses danced within the mass effect field.

She held up her hands, drawing the energy of the singularity and the barrier bubble back into herself. She turned her attention to the sole survivor, who quickly snapped his guns to his hips and held up his hands. Unlike the other thugs, he was clean, despite the obvious wear of days on the trail.

"I'm assuming these were no friends of yours?"

"Not hardly. I am undercover. I infiltrated the gang some six months back. I've done what I can to ease those I could, but I couldn't allow my cover to be blown. We needed more evidence before we could move in and take the ring down."

"And I foiled your sting. My apologies, that wasn't my intension. But I couldn't allow these children to be sold into slavery." She eyed him intently. "Are we going to have a problem?"

He chuckled. "Not a one. It is not you I am after. Most of us don't want your head. You do a lot of good. You take out those that are slippery enough to slide through the cracks. Of course, we could never publically admit such a thing, but you are an unofficial hero to many of us. Doing what we wished we could do." He held out his hand to her. "The name's Reed Walker, it's a pleasure to finally meet you NightStar."

Will wonders never cease? She shook his hand and then folded her arms over her chest. "What will you do now with your sting and cover blown?"

"My cover is not technically blown. There is no one left alive to tell of my actions. My men have surrounded the base; they are waiting for the children to be delivered before going in. The Wolves have already received payment for them and the buyer is due in the morning." He turned to the eldest of the children. "Are you willing to continue on to the base and help us bring this slave ring down?"

The children talked quietly amongst themselves and then the elder spoke up. "We are. No child should have to suffer this."

He nodded. "Your cooperation is welcomed. We will see that your families are compensated." He returned his gaze to Night Star. "Is this acceptable to you?"

Not even remotely. The thought of using these children was repugnant, but outside of her dropping in on the base and killing every last Wolves member and the buyer, she couldn't come up with better plan. "I do not like it, but I do not see an alternative." The fact that this was clearly something the children felt they needed to do eased her somewhat. "Won't they find it suspicious that you survived?"

"I've already considered that. I need you to shoot me. Somewhere nonlethal is preferred," he said with a grin.

She frowned. "I've never shot an innocent man and it doesn't sit well with me. I don't want that on my conscience."

"I can respect that, but I need your help. If I try to shoot myself, I wouldn't have the correct angle of sight and I could end up with a mortal wound. I'd rather not commit accidental suicide." He flashed her a lopsided grin. "I don't mean to come off as trying to manipulate you, but this will save a lot of children. I need to follow through with this sting."

She could see the sincerity in his eyes. God damn it. "Fine," she said retrieving a gun from the pile she'd taken from the Wolves. "But you were hit by friendly fire, not me. I do not want shooting an innocent on my record. And for the record, this whole incident has been recorded. I will use it to clear my name, should you betray my trust."

He shot a worried look at the children, a slight frown tugged at his lips. He didn't like that they would witness this, though he knew they'd just seen worse. His gaze moved back to the woman in black. Nightstar. "Understood. Now will you shoot me already?"

She instructed the older children to turn the younger ones away. They did not need to see this. "Turn to the side a bit. There. Perfect. You know, that is the -" she pulled the trigger, "first time anyone has ever begged me to shoot them. I wish the criminals would be as obliging."

His body jerked with the impact. He swayed, but managed to remain on his feet. The shot was a through and through. It had pierced his side at an angle, a lot of blood, but little damage. He hissed in pain and covered the wound with his hand. "Impressive shot. You know your shit. That was damn near surgically placed." He tore off his shirt and tied it tightly around his around his middle.

She whistled. "That is an amazing tat." The show of tawny muscle was rather splendid as well. His chest and what she could see of his belly had a lifelike phoenix rising from the ashes. He turned around and moved his long black hair out of the way; his back had the same tattoo, only it was the back of the bird, as though the bird itself was inside of him. "Damn me…"

He chuckled and turned back to face her. "The Phoenix is my totem, my guardian spirit. My people believe a totem animal is one that is with you for life, protecting and guiding you in both the physical and spiritual worlds. I would not be surprised to learn that it is your totem as well."

"Your beliefs are as beautiful as that tattoo. It looks so real, I expect it to fly off your chest at any moment. The feathers look like they would be soft to the touch. I've never seen work like that before."

"The work was done at Raphael's on Mindoir. He's expensive, but worth every penny." He hesitated a brief moment. "You are – umm, it is okay if you wish to touch the feathers, I find myself doing it more often than I like. As embarrassing as that fact is, it can be soothing too."

She couldn't believe she was doing this, but she had to. Curiosity was eating at her. She stripped off her glove and approached the man. Her fingers slid down his smooth chest, hard muscle flexed beneath her touch. She heard his groan and flushed, withdrawing her hand and stepping back. "I'm sorry; I probably should not have done that. The brain is an odd thing. I knew it was a tattoo, yet I still expected to feel the soft down of the feathers."

"I've had it for years and I expect the same thing." He rubbed his chin and then looked at her intently. "Do not be sorry, I cannot help the way my body responds to you. I may not be able to see your face, but my heart sees a beautiful woman…one I would like the chance to know better." He locked his hands behind his back to keep them from reaching out to her. He did not have the right to touch her yet.

She looked into his dark eyes and knew, without a doubt, that she could be happy with him. He was a good man, with an amazing body and a beautiful heart. And, yes, she was honestly attracted to him, but he didn't make her burn the way the assassin did. "You are the law…I am an outlaw."

"No…," he chuckled. "I am the law and you are justice. Our roles are not so different. Yours is just more direct…and more effective."

Krios' life was not here on Earth. He was here to fulfill a contract and then he would disappear as silently as he had arrived. There was no future for them. She dropped flowers over her kills and faced Reed. "There is someone I must protect, something I need to do. But when it is over…and if you still wish it…perhaps we will see if the wind blows in our favor."

She knelt down beside the children. "I will tell you a secret," she whispered. "If you are ever in need, seek out the Shepard. You will welcomed into the flock." She held her finger to her lips. Then she melted into the night.

"NightStar…I'll be waiting…" Reed whispered into the breeze.

Thane saw the glow of the fire and crouched down. He pulled his sniper and peered down the scope. He saw his NightStar remove her glove and touch the man's chest. His heart gave a painful lurch. He trained his scope on the man. That his hands were firmly behind his back was the only thing that spared his life. He could not hear what was being said, but as his woman mounted her glider, he saw the naked look of longing in the man's eyes. When he felt his finger tighten on the trigger, he released it. The man would not cross the sea by his hand this night.

He snapped the gun to his back and approached the camp. He took in the laughing, albeit restrained children and the corpses scattered across the dirt. He didn't need to see the flowers to distinguish his NightStar's kills from the man's. NightStar's were surgically precise. He raised his arms for a moment to signify his non-hostility.

Reed stood up and placed himself between the stranger and the children. "Are you friend or foe?"

He was curious about the man's question, but his face, hidden in the shadows of his cowl, remained expressionless. "That is not a question one's enemies are likely to answer honestly."

The gravelly voice was a surprise. Was he even human? He could make out none of the man's features, for the dark hid him too well. "I can tell when someone is lying to me. Ok, friend…what can I do for you?"

"Normally, this - ," he said pointing at the children, "would not sit well for me. But it is apparent NightStar has found it acceptable or you would not be alive and they would not be tied up like animals."

Reed bristled. "They have remained tied up by choice. It is for their safety. More than that you need not know. What do you know of NightStar? How do you know she was here?"

"I am following her," Thane admitted.

Reed folded his arms over his chest and stood up straighter. "Why?" came the terse reply.

"I seek to protect her. More than that you need not know."

Reed threw his head back and laughed. "I like you." He held his hand out. "Reed Walker."

Thane shook his hand. "Thane Krios." Thane saw the stunning tattoo of the Phoenix that spanned the man's broad chest. Now he understood why she had touched him. The feathers were so lifelike that he felt the need to touch them himself.

He also noticed the man's blood soaked shirt that was tied around his waist. "I have medigel."

"Thank you, but no. That would be difficult to explain come morning."

That didn't make any sense, but he accepted the odd answer. "Are you well?" he asked the children. At their chorus of yeses, he bowed his head to them. His gaze returned to Reed. "Do you know where she is going?"

Reed shook his head. "No, but she said there was someone she needed to protect and something she needed to do. I felt it wise not to inquire further."

Thane nodded. He had learned all he could. "May Arashu grant you her protection." He moved away from the camp and sprinted off after his NightStar.

Reed's gaze followed the stranger until he disappeared into night. It appeared he had competition for NightStar's affection.

She stopped to give coins to two families she found digging through rubbish. She was deep in the Hounds' territory when she saw a family gathered around a woman clutching a very small toddler in her arms. She dismounted and approached them carefully. "Can I help you?"

"It is too late for our Lizzy." The words choked from the woman's throat.

The woman's tears and heartache were difficult to see. "Do you mind?" she asked pointing at the baby girl. She kneeled down next to the woman and laid her hand against the dirt streaked cheek of the small girl. No spark of life remained in the tiny body. "I'm sorry; I would heal her if I could." Looking at the family she realized what the problem was. They had no tools, no means to bury her. She scanned the area. There was nothing at all around except for a large boulder. "Do you need help burying her?"

Small, sad smiles lit their features. "You would help us?"

"I will always help if I can. Stay right here. I'm going to put a protective barrier around you, to keep you safe while I work. I'll be right back." She enclosed them in a barrier bubble and moved towards the massive boulder. The depression left by the boulder should be plenty large enough for the body. She just needed to crack the boulder. But, damn it…it was massive. She took a deep breath, amped her power and brought her hand up. The boulder shuddered, rocked and began to rise…then it slammed to the ground, vibrating the earth beneath her feet. God damn it. She took another deep breath and tried again. It rose higher before slamming back down. Shit! She needed to get it much higher and away from the depression when it fell. She took several breaths trying to calm herself. She amped her power. The boulder rose maybe ten feet before plummeting back down. She stumbled back with the force of the concussion. She hung her head; she just wasn't sure how she was going to do this.

A loud noise alerted him that something was ahead. He flitted from shadow to shadow and slid in behind a scraggly tree. Thane had finally caught up with her. He saw the flash of blue and gold, followed by the rise and fall of the massive boulder. Why was she trying to lift the boulder? He caught sight of a gold washed blue barrier bubble. The pieces just weren't fitting into place. He saw her shoulders slump. It tore at him that she looked so defeated.

She straightened, blew out a cleansing breath, amped her power and slowly began to raise her hand. She pushed more energy into it. An arm slipped around her waist and she felt a jolt as her biotic field collided with another; the rock wavered as she lost concentration. The fields merged and the boulder rose higher. "To the right…more…higher...higher…now let go."

The boulder came down with a thundering crash. It cracked and split apart. "Yes!" She spun around and threw her arms around him; she bounced lightly on the balls of her feet, her excitement nearly bursting out of her. "I can't believe we -" His gasps and groans brought her attention to the fact that her bouncing was causing his hardness to rub up and down against her belly. She stilled as her body became aware of his. Heat flooded through and pooled between her legs. She felt her tender flesh swell as she grew wet with need. His hands slid down her back and kneaded her ass, pulling her flush against him. She put her masked face to the side of his neck and blew hot air against him, before rubbing the side of her cheek against him. "I want you so bad it hurts."

His heart slammed in his chest. He knew she wanted him, he could smell it…taste it, but those words were such sweet music. He crushed her to him. Her head tilted back and his mouth slanted over hers. He could feel the texture of her thin mask upon his lips, the pressure and heat of her tongue moving against his. His hand slipped between the back of her thighs, his fingertips stroking her heat. Sweet gods! She arched into him and cried out. He grazed his teeth along her neck. When he found the seam from her hood, he rubbed his cheek against it, moving it up enough to expose a small amount of skin. His tongue slid against her, tasting her, memorizing her.

She pulled the glove off her hand and slipped her hand between them; her fingers traced the band of his pants. He gasped and sucked in his breath. Her hand slid beneath the band and wrapped around him. He was so soft, yet so hard, so thick. He rocked against her palm and groaned.

"Gods, siha, are you trying to kill me?"

"Siha?" The melodic vibrations he was emitting made her heart sing.

"Later, siha…I'll tell you later."

Kill…there was something…Kill…Oh stars, how could she have forgotten? She withdrew her hand, pulled on her glove, placed her hand against his cheek and pulled back. "Thane, there is something I have to do…I'm sorry." Her hand trailed down his arm and captured his hand, pulling him with her. When she reached the family, she drew the barrier bubble back into her. "Come with me. I found a place you can lay your daughter to rest."

They laid her down in the depression, each family member kissing her forehead. Castaria knelt down next to the little girl. She crossed her hands over her chest and placed a black lily between them. "Sleep well in the hands of you maker, little one." She kissed the baby's cool forehead and stood, reaching out for Thane's hand.

He now understood the need that drove her to move the massive boulder. He bowed his head. "May you rest safe and warm in Kalahira's embrace."

"Back away and I will set the marker."

Thane put his arm around her and together they lifted the larger half of the bolder and laid the flat edge on the ground over the baby's final resting place.

The family crowded around them, hugging them. "Thank you for your kindness."

"If you are ever in need, seek out the Shepard. You will be welcomed into the flock."

She walked back to her glider to leave the family to their private grief. When Thane joined her she held out her hand. He slid his fingers through hers, lacing them together. "How did you find me? Why are you here?"

"I felt the pull of you deep inside of me and I followed," he said, his thumb absently caressing her hand. "As to why I am here, it is because this is where I want to be."

"You want to be with me," she said slowly.

He rested his forehead against hers. "Gods, yes."

"You know I could be hideously ugly under this mask."

"No. Your beauty shines through in everything that you do. You could never be ugly to me."

"Quit doing that."

He lifted a browridge. "Doing what?"

"Melting my heart into a gooey mess." She sighed. "You are here for a job, Thane. When the job is done you will disappear back to your life. So, why are you doing this? Is it just sex? Are you only looking to get laid? What do you want from me? I mean, if it's just sex – damn me, I'd probably give it to you, because I want you so much. But, I don't want my heart broken, so I need to know the rules." The frustrating part was that she feared it was already too late to save her heart.

Just sex? How could she think that? He'd poured his heart out to her over and over…was she really paying so little attention to him? To not even hear – Oh gods…she had him so tied up in knots he wasn't even thinking straight. "You can't hear me."

She tilted her head. "What? I can hear you fine."

He released her fingers, drew his hands up her arms and cupped her mask clad face. "Siha, I've been pouring my heart out to you and you can't hear it. It hadn't even occurred to me that humans couldn't hear our vocalizations. I'm sorry. I thought you knew. No wonder…Yes, I came to Earth to fulfill a contract. But I found you. You awoke something in me, siha. My heart beats for you. I cannot walk away from that."

"Then you will stay?"

"My place is at your side. It is why I came for you…I will always come for you," he said, his thumbs stroking her cheeks.

She felt weak and sucked in a harsh breath. She hadn't even realized she'd been holding it. Her hand slipped between them and slid down his hard length, squeezing his gently. He groaned and rocked into her palm. "I can almost feel you sliding into me." She tightened her thighs, trying to relieve the ache, as her hand slipped from his pants with regret.

Gods, she was going to kill him. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. He could no more stop the cadence that poured out of him then he could stop the heart that beat in his chest.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him, trembling under the onslaught of his melodic vibrations. As much as she wanted to stay, it was past time to go. Castiel's life was at stake. She pulled back. 'I have to go, Thane. There is someone I need to protect. Something I need to do."

"I know, siha. Reed told me…I'm going with you, NightStar."

She froze. No. She couldn't risk him getting hurt. She shook her head. "Thane, where I'm going…it's dangerous..."

His brow ridges drew together. He'd assumed as much and that was precisely why he did not intend to let her out of his sight. "I'm very good at what I do, siha. You needn't worry about me."

"I know…but - "

"I'm coming with you one way or another, NightStar. My place is at your side."

It was more than evident if she him left behind, he would follow. She could protect him better if she knew where he was. "Fine." She mounted her glider. "Get on." He slid in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

The ride to the Hounds' base was a testament to her fortitude. Every dip and sway rubbed his hardness against her back. And as difficult as it was for her to keep focused, she imagined it was much worse for him. With the base in sight, she pulled to a stop and dismounted.

He grabbed her hand before she could take off. "I'm driving on the way back, siha," he said, his voice cracked and he cleared his throat.

She chuckled. "Was it hard on you, Thane?"

When he saw her hand reach out, he moved away. He was so heavy and tight, he knew the slightest touch from her would send him over the edge. He did not need to embarrass himself that way.

She noticed how stiff he stood, how tightly his fists were clenched and realized he was further gone than she had thought. She felt bad for teasing him. Taking him into the base in this state would put both their lives at risk….but it was more than that if she was honest. She wanted him any way she could get him. She fell to her knees, unsnapped his pants and wrapped her hand around him before he could blink. Damn me. I don't know what the hell I'm doing, or what a drell would even like…here's to hoping I don't fuck things up with him. She pulled up her mask to expose her mouth and lowered her head.

He saw a slight flash of biotics, he felt her warm breath, her tongue slid over the tip of him and then the heat of her mouth engulfed him. Sweet gods! He didn't have time to pull away; he didn't have time to think. The heat and the suction took him over the edge into ecstasy. "Siha!" he cried out as he came. Wave after wave of pleasure whipped through him as he rocked against her, releasing more of himself, with each thrust, into her hot mouth. His hands caressed her head gently. She'd already stolen his heart…now she'd taken his soul.

She continued to suckle him until he had no more to give. She licked the last of his essence from the small slit, carefully resnapped his pants and rolled down her mask. She'd never done anything like that before in her life, hell, he was the first guy she'd ever even kissed. She was feeling a bit disoriented, a bit light headed and was at a loss. She didn't know what to do. Walk away? Act like nothing happened? Hug him? What - .

He pulled her up into his arms. His thundering heart filled with love, cadence burst out of him. He was so overcome with emotion. So overwhelmed. What she did for him. What she gave of herself. Tears slipped down his cheeks. His feelings were too raw, nearly unbearable. He felt her lips, through her mask, kissing away his tears. "I love you, NightStar."

Her heart did a somersault. Did he really love her or was he just grateful? She didn't know enough about men to know for certain. "Thane, you don't have to say that because of what I did."

Her words tore at him. How could she think that? He released her and turned away. He was angry and he was hurt. When he felt her hesitant touch on his back, he spun around. "Do you think so little of me? That I would tell you I loved you just because of what you did? Do you think I'm playing a game with you? That I'm just grateful? That my feelings aren't real? Gods damn it, Siha." He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a brisk shake. "This isn't a game for me! You have stolen my heart...captured my soul. There can never be anyone else for me but you, for I have nothing left to give. The thought of losing you…of you not - " He swallowed past a painful lump in his throat. "The thought of you not being in my life…it would destroy me. That is how much I love you!"

She took in a deep, shaky breath. "Forgive me, Thane. I am not like you. I'm new at this. I've never had a relationship before. I've never loved anyone before. I'd never even kissed anyone before you. You are a first for me. I know that I'm falling in with love you, Thane. And that's exhilarating, but it's also terrifying. I've never felt so out of control…and that frightens me. I'm afraid of what you make me feel. I'm afraid of losing myself in you, and most of all I'm afraid I'll do something stupid and I'll lose you."

Sweet gods, she loved him. He hadn't known how badly he needed to hear those precious words until she spoke them. It didn't matter that they'd only met this evening; it felt like he'd always known her, like she had been made just for him. He enfolded her in his arms and rested his cheek against hers. "You are mistaken, siha. I'm new at this too. You are my first, my last and my only love, NightStar. We will walk the lover's path of discovery together…" He kissed her forehead and then her mouth. "Now, unless you wish me to make love to you right here, perhaps we should finish what you came here to do."

Well, that knocked her back into the present. "Yes…Skinner. He put a contract out on someone I care about. I'm afraid he won't live long enough to regret it." She darted through the shadows, skirted the surveillance devices and scaled the side of the building. Five stories was not fun to scale, but she didn't want to risk using her biotics. As soon as they cleared the top she held her hand up. A quick visual scan alerted her to a man talking on a comm, smoking a cigarette. He was standing too close to the vent entrance for them to be able to get around him. Damn it all. She didn't like killing anyone who wasn't trying to kill her. She didn't know his rap sheet or who he was. She signed to Thane. "I hate killing innocents." She didn't expect him to understand, but she felt the need to say it.

"No one here is innocent, NightStar." He signed back. He was surprised she knew Galactic Standard Sign.

She nodded, squatted down and sidled closer, darting from cover to cover. She was appalled to hear him talking about getting women addicted to red sand to make them more compliant. He laughed at how they'd do anything he asked for another fix.

Thane felt the anger coming off of her in waves. When she hung her head he knew she was trying to maintain control. As he slid in next to her, he felt the hum of her power wash over him. He placed a hand on her back to offer his support. She leaned into him. The shadows of the cowl hid his smile. It warmed his heart that this strong woman could acknowledge needing him. He felt something press into his hand. He looked down at the silencer, nodded and screwed it onto his pistol, before snapping it back into place at his side.

The man turned off his OT. She held her hand up. He watched her melt away only to appear as she rose up behind the man. One hand on his shoulder, the other his chin, a quick jerk and his lifeless body fell at her feet. He could easily see how NightStar had earned her reputation. He couldn't have done it any better himself.

She gave the man's head a vicious kick before removing the vent stack. She sat on the edge, dropped into it and began to shimmy her way down. Thane dropped into the pipe, gripped it with his knees, and maneuvered the stack cover back into place. He drew his shoulders forward and shimmied down after her.

She moved away from the pipe when she reached the duct to give Thane room to come down and flipped on her OT. She scanned the building for life signs. There was a large group of people on the third floor, but bosses rarely hung out with the peons. There was a group of three on the fifth floor and a pair on the fourth floor. Half a dozen on the second floor and another two on the first floor. She crawled further along the vent and stopped when she heard grunts, moans and wet slapping noises. Oh gag me. She had no desire to witness what was happening below, but needed to find out if Skinner was down there. She slid the vent blinds open and peered down into the room. Two men were working one woman over, doing things to her that she never wanted to see. But, no Skinner, thank god. The woman appeared to be doing it of her own free will, so she closed the vent blinds, shook her head at Thane and motioned him back in the direction they'd come. When they reached the main pipe, she slipped back into it and began to lower herself to the next floor. They slipped across the fourth floor duct, skirted two room vents and stopped above the one displaying two life signs.

"I told you when I commed you, the contract has been called off. Shepard's under NightStar's protection. I want no beef with him."

"And I told you once I accept a contract; I follow through with it no matter what." Came the deep grumble.

Razor was a krogan? She'd expected him to be more…agile.

"Look, Razor, I'll pay you…just drop the damned contract!" Skinner's voice rose.

"Not going to happen, so shut the fuck up. I've located where he lives. He's as good as dead."

She quietly removed the vent grate and signed Thane to stop. As she dropped down she threw a stasis bubble at the krogan and amped her power into it. She saw Skinner grab his desk before stumbling backwards. "Skinner…Skinner, did you have to go alert everyone to my presence? This did not have to be a bloodbath."

"It wasn't a base-wide emergency, just my guards. You startled me."

"Do you know who I am?" she asked tersely, throwing out a wave of power that slammed him against the wall and held him there.

"Yes! And I canceled the contract as soon as I found out he was under your protection! Razor refuses drop the job!" He hated the panic that crept into his voice, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

'This was a war you started, Skinner! Your nephew died of a brain aneurism! Nothing my – Shepard did gave that to him. Brain aneurisms blow when they are damned good and ready!"

She amped her powers when she heard men outside the door. Four men, guns trained on her filed into the room.

"I do believe we've got a bit of a Mexican standoff, boys. Welcome to the party."

"What the hell are you?" Skinner yelled when he saw her gold washed blue glow.

There was a crunch, followed by a crackling hiss, she swung her head around and a spray of some kind of acid saturated her eye guard. She poured more energy into the stasis bubble to repair the tear and then pinched her contacts to remove them. She kept her eyes closed, not only because they were burning, but because her eye guard had been damaged. She focused instead on her other senses.

Thane dropped down from the vent, snapped the neck of the man on his left, jabbed the solar plexus of the man on his right, swung over his back, kicked the next man in the head, and sent him flying into the fourth man.

"Thane!"

"Kind of busy, siha!"

"Catch!" She tossed the gun in the direction of his voice.

He pulled his pistol; snagged hers out of the air, shot the man on his left in the side of the head, the man to his right between the eyes. Tossed his gun in the air and fired a wave of power at the last man, knocking him backwards. Caught his gun, shot the man in the heart and Skinner between the eyes.

"Damn, I wish I could have seen that!" she said when he snapped her gun to her side. "But, probably just as well, would have made me horny as hell."

Thane grunted. That was a condition he was becoming very intimate with. "Why did you throw me your gun? I know you could have made the shots easily enough."

"Because, asshole here bit into something that was strong enough to burn through the stasis field and my eyes."

Thane pulled his pistol on the Razor. He stopped when he felt her hand on his arm.

"No…I need him. He blinded me and I will use him to heal me."

What? No. If anyone was going to heal her he was. "He does not deserve the pleasure. I will heal you."

"Not that kind of healing, Thane. He will get nothing but nightmares from me."

He tilted her chin and folded up the damaged eye guard. She could see the bloody pocks caused by the burns. "Let me see your eyes." He held her chin firmly when she tried to turn away. "NightStar, you are my woman. I am going to look into your eyes every night when we make love, so look at me," he said softly.

Her eyes opened slowly and a cold rage consumed him. Her eyes were nothing but blood and clear fluids leaking from pocked bone. His foot shot out and slammed into the krogan's groin, with a wet crunch. The need to kill the krogan nearly blotted out all reason. How could she ever heal from that? There was little left from which to build. She couldn't know how extreme the damage had been. She couldn't….Her husky voice brought his thoughts to a standstill.

"I need you to take a shirt off one of the men and stuff it in his mouth and find something to tie it in there with. I don't want his screams bringing the whole base down on our heads. But do it from the backside, just in case he has any more surprises buried in his mouth.

He was quick to take what she asked for from the dead and returned to Razor. The bubble started to recede from the krogan's head; he stopped her when it reached his neck. He kicked out the Krogan's knee when he refused to open his mouth. He shoved the dirty shirt into his mouth before the scream could be heard and tied it tight with a belt.

"Stand back, lover…preferably behind me. And, don't watch what I'm doing, watch the door. I don't want you to see this, it's…monstrous." Her voice cracked over the last word.

She heard him move and amped her power. She held her hand out towards where she knew the krogan had been frozen in place and began to draw from him. When she heard his muffled screams she held up her other hand and pulled the stasis barrier back into her. The krogan arched off the ground, his body contorting, blood saturated the shirt as it exploded out of his mouth, his ear ducts, his nose and seeped from his eyes. When his body stopped twitching, she lowered him to the ground. The act would always horrify her, but this time it felt right. "Thank you for your donation…Razor."

Thane had watched…he had to, in case the krogan tried anything. He was stunned by the magnitude of power she could wield. Most people would have been corrupted by that kind of power, that she wasn't gave testament to her strength of heart. He turned her around and tilted up her chin. He looked into her large, golden, glowing eyes and knew he wanted to look deep into them for the rest of his life. They were still rimmed with blood, but the irises were clear. "Why do you hide them? I've never seen anything more beautiful, siha."

"They are a liability. At night they would glow in the dark and give my position away. When I'm not taking out the trash, I'm brokering information on dirty politicians and businessmen. It requires subtly and stealth…I can't be memorable."

What she didn't seem to understand was that she would always be memorable. Regardless of what she wore or what she looked like, she had a presence that stood out. When she turned to leave he stopped her. "I think you are forgetting something."

"What?"

"Your black lily."

"The kill belongs to you. I'm assuming he is the contract you came for?"

"I resigned from the contract when I discovered you signed on for it. The Hanar won't care so long as he is among the dead." He took a flower from her pocket and tossed it on the Razor.

He followed her to the vent.

"You first," she said, "…age before beauty."

He rose into the shaft and shimmied his way to the roof. He peeked through the grate on the vent cover. Satisfied the coast was clear, he raised it off and climbed out. He held his hand out to NightStar and gave her a boost up, before replacing the vent cover.

They faded into the shadows. When they reached her glider, she climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her hand trailed down and discovered he was hard.

"I did not have that in mind when I said I would drive us back."

"I did," she chuckled. When he spun the glider around and took off, she yelped and locked her arms around him. This time it was his turn to chuckle.

He could see her light glow, felt the hum and the accompanying pleasure as her body began to siphon from his. He couldn't help but smile when he felt her cheek rubbing against his back. He knew, without a doubt, that this was where he was supposed to be…with her.

When they reached the Reds' territory she had him pull up outside the Majestic Tower. He looked questioningly at the dilapidated hotel. "You live at the Mastic Toe?"

She let out a bark of laughter that nearly toppled her from the glider. "The holosign is defunct. It is supposed to be Majestic Tower. And no, I do not live here. I wanted you to get a room here, unless you already have one somewhere else?"

"No…When I arrived I wasn't sure how long I would be here."

"Then take a room."

He shut the glider off, dismounted and helped her off. "Will you join me?" he asked, his voice husky, his gaze boring into her golden, glowing eyes.

"Shortly. I need to speak to my brother…explain everything." She reached into his cowl and placed her gloved hand against his soft cheek. "I will join you after breakfast, sometime around 10….And, lover? I will rock your world."

He slid his hand over hers and then brought her palm to his lips. "You already have." Watching his woman ride off without him tore at him on the deepest level. The ingrained need to follow, to be with her, was the hardest battle he'd ever fought. He purchased a room, hit the shower and then settled himself on the bed. He slipped into memories of his NightStar until sleep overcame him.

She climbed into her bedroom window, barely escaping the dawn's light. She sighed, another night with no sleep, and removed her suit. The organic material of the eyeguard had absorbed her blood, mending itself. She didn't know why her blood caused that reaction or how, it was one of the many anomalies she had hoped to gain insight to through the genetics classes. Thus far, she had found no answers, but that anomaly was why she only wore organic clothing. And because they lived in a synthetic world, her wardrobe was, by correlation, limited.

She wrapped a towel around her, grabbed another for her hair and slipped into the bathroom. Scrubbed and clean she grabbed another pair of contact films and slid them onto her eyes. At least they were no longer red, so she wouldn't have to make up excuses her brother would see through. He was as good as she was about ferreting out lies. When she stepped out of the bathroom she bounced off her brother's hard chest. He held her shoulders to steady her and she made a mad grab for her towel before it ended up at feet, embarrassing them both.

Castiel looked down at her exposed cleavage and moved the towel aside just enough to see the binding damage to her breasts. He sighed and moved her aside. "Stay right there or so help me I'll barge into your bedroom whether your naked or not." He pulled a medigel pad from the closet, tore it in half and gently placed the pads on the worst of the wounds on her breasts. "You need to take better care of yourself, Aria. I could feel your pain." He looked at her closely and saw a glow about her he'd never seen before, the smile plastered on her face stole his breath away. He hated when that happened, it was embarrassing. His only consolation was that it happened to anyone that saw her smile…but still…she was his sister. "Okay, what happened?"

"Let me get dressed and I will tell you." She knew she was smiling like an idiot, but she couldn't stop herself. Once dressed she returned to the living room, took her brother's hand and pulled him down on the sofa.

"I went out last night, I had a couple of families I needed to see to. But, I found something else when I was out. I met someone. A drell."

Castiel saw her glow brighten. His jaw dropped. "Oh my god, you're in love with him." He watched her cheeks pinken and the rings around her contacts shimmer.

"Why do you think it's a him?" she asked impishly. His jaw dropped even further and she giggled.

"Did you just giggle?" At her blush it was his turn to laugh. "So, when am I going to meet her?"

"It's a him, silly. I was just teasing you. We spent the night together and…"

"Aria! That is not something I need to hear about!" He was more than surprised. Castaria might be open and giving to those in need, but she was always withdrawn with everyone else, she had to be, so that her gender remained a secret. As such, he'd always supposed he be the first of them to lose their virginity.

"Not like that, Cas!" He didn't need to know that she intended to rectify that in a few hours. "He's so beautiful, Cas…inside and out. If it was possible for the fates to make someone just for me, it would be him."

"Oh, that's just maudlin," he said rubbing his face to hide his embarrassment.

Her brother was so adorable when he blushed. She yanked him in for a hug. "I hope you find someone that makes you feel this way."

He pulled back uncomfortably and gave her a look of horror. "I'm not in a hurry to walk around with my head in the clouds and a stupid grin on my face. And, Aria? Might I remind you that you have only just met him?"

"I know, Cas. If anyone else had told me that they'd fallen in love with someone in a day, I'd have thought they were crazy. You can lust for someone right away, but true love is built on trust and like a good tea, it takes time to steep. But, it's not always like that, Cas. I felt him deep inside of me in ways that I can't even explain. It feels like I've been made whole…like I've finally come home. Unless it happens to them, I doubt I'll be able to make anyone understand what I'm saying. And just so you know…I intend to marry him."

Castiel shot her a hard glare. In order to marry him at her age she'd have to go to Illium. And what if the drell took her to his world and he never saw his sister again? "Absolutely not. You're too young and…" He looked down and began to pick at the sleeve of his shirt. "And I'm not ready to lose you yet."

"You aren't going to lose me to him, Cas. We're staying here. You're here, my urchins are here, my life is here and he's willing to stay. We'll find another apartment if you think it will be too awkward with Thane and I being…umm…together. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or make you feel left out."

"Being left out of that is fine with me." He scoffed.

"That's not what I meant, you perv!"

"You're the one who said it!" He paused. "Look, I know what you meant. I want you both to stay here. We'll work it out." In truth, he needed her in his life. She gave him strength and grounded him. She was a part of him, perhaps the best of him.

She could smell raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg. "You made the oatmeal for me?"

"Gave me something to do when you were in the shower. And before you freak…I followed your recipe to the T. I even added the nutripaste."

"I know you did, Cas. It smells like perfection." She bumped his shoulder. "Thanks."

"Aw, shucks, it weren't nothin'."

She slung her magbelt on her hips, snapped her pistol to her back and drew on her jacket. With a pot full of oatmeal in hand she headed off to see her urchins. Blake and Tina were the two adorable hooligans that commandeered her lap for story time. She worked with them on their numbers until time forced her to leave. There were still things she needed to do this morning before meeting up with Thane.

She tucked the empty pot into her glider and stopped off at the hospital, on the way to the sting, to see the little girl. The nurses told her they called the little girl Shirley. Because every time someone talked about her, the sentence began with 'surely'. Surely, she would get better soon. Surely, her little mind would heal. But, Shirley was no longer at the hospital, one of the staff had taken a liking to her and until her parents are found, she would be living with them. Her relief was palpable. At least Shirley was being taken care of now.

One last errand and her morning would be complete. She hoped she wasn't too late for the party. She didn't intend to interfere with the take down, but she wanted to ensure the children's safety. She gave the hotel a longing glance as she drove by it. Soon…

Thane came awake. His eyes darted around the room, but nothing was amiss. He opened himself up and reached out with his senses to find what had brought him out of sleep. Then he felt her. She was near. He looked at the time on his OT. It was quite a bit earlier than she'd said, but if he'd had his way he would have stayed with her. When he felt her getting farther away, he snapped on his guns, threw on his coat, and darted out the door.

When she arrived at the Wolves' base, the place was in an uproar. She scanned the scene and her eyes fell on the only friendly face she knew. He was yelling into his OT about screwing orders.

Reed saw the boy approaching him. Great, all he needed was another distraction to add to the hell that had been his morning. But as the boy closed in on him, a familiarity settled over him. The way the boy moved…it was no boy at all…by all that was holy, it was NightStar. He knew it as sure as he knew his own name. He slapped his OT closed, shutting off the voice that had been shouting orders at him.

When she looked up at him, he swallowed his tongue. Despite her hair being held back in a ratty cap, she was more beautiful than he ever could have imagined. He wanted to rip off that cap and see if her hair matched the gold of her eyebrows. "I was hoping you would decide to show up this morning. Could have used you about an hour ago, to be honest, Ni -."

"Shepard," she cut in. "The name is Shepard." How in the hell had he recognized her? She patted her hat and then looked down at her breasts.

"No, everything is still tucked away nice and tight. I'm just more observant than most people. Though, I had no idea you'd be so..."

"Charming? Be careful, Reed. Your men might think you're flirting with a boy," she said, giving him an impish grin.

He just stared at her a moment, that smile had nearly taken him to his knees. "When it comes to you," he said clearing his throat, "I really don't give a damn what they think." He could feel the heat crawling up his neck and into his face. He cleared his throat again. "Are you here to help?"

The dark copper color of his skin reddened. It was rather endearing to see the big man flush and squirm. He just seemed so rugged and stoic; it had caught her off guard. "Where are the children? What happened?"

"To make a long story short one of my guys, a raw recruit, jumped the gun. It happened so fast. The kids are being used as hostages now. I tried getting in, but they aren't allowing any of their guys in right now, probably out of fear that they've been turned."

"Do you know what floor they're being held on?"

"They were on the bottom floor, but it's doubtful they're still there. They've likely moved them to a more central location."

"Orders were to raid the place, but I'm delaying. I don't want the kids hurt in the crossfire. I get the feeling brass doesn't really care."

"Give me twenty minutes. Keep your men out, Reed. I'll have my hands full protecting the kids. If they storm in, I won't be able to protect them and may even end up hurting them by accident."

No. Absolutely not. He would't risk her that way. "Ni – Shepard, I don't like this. I don't like you going into that hell alone."

"It's what I do."

"I know…but it's different now." Damn, he knew he was blushing again.

"Why? Because you know what I look like? Because we're friends? Because I'm…charming? I'm good at what I do…so let me do it."

He knew she was right. Just because he had feelings for her and knew what she looked like didn't make her any less capable. It just made it harder to deal with the risks she took. "Fine. I'll distract my men so that you can get in. Just…be careful." She flipped on her OT and nodded to him. He flipped his on and she synced them.

When she slipped away out of sight, he called his men together to discuss tactics.

After the men moved away she darted around to the side of the building and scaled it. She peeked over the top ledge, but the roof was empty. She didn't think there would be any sentries…it was too exposed, but you never could rely on the intelligence of others. She removed the vent stack cap, slid down into the pipe and lowered the cap back into place. She shimmied down until she reached the first duct track. She flipped on her OT. Central was right. Everyone was centered on the second floor. Several were situated around the stairwell and elevator.

She lowered herself back into the main pipe and shimmied down to the second floor. She opened the first vent grate she came to. Four men were guarding the stairwell. She'd never tried to contain so many at one time, but there was little choice in the matter. She had to contain them or fight them. Fighting would draw the whole base down on her head before she was ready. She quietly removed the vent grate. She flung her arms out in rapid succession as she dropped from the vent, encasing the four men in stasis fields. She flung out a stasis bubble in the direction of the elevator and then made a scratching noise on the wall. As the pair came around the corner they walked into the bubble and froze. Six down.

According to her scans, there were two rooms filled with people. She crept up to the first of the rooms and peeked in. Good this wasn't the room housing the children. She flung her hand out and tossed a singularity into the middle of the room; as soon as the people were sucked into she lobbed two warp bomb blasts. The building shuddered with the explosion. Gig was up. She darted to the last room and threw a barrier bubble over the huddled children. She palmed her knives and let them fly. They sank deep into the hearts of two Wolves. She brought her pistol up and shot the third between the eyes. He was lacking the twin W tattoo on his face, so she assumed him to be the buyer, and he just bought the farm.

She flipped on her OT. "Keep your men out! We're fine – and I want to keep it that way." She closed the connection; her arms flew as she ripped the guns out of the hands of the oncoming Wolves that had been freed from stasis she'd not bothered to maintain. She picked up the first two and flung them at the others and then smacked the pile with a Reave wave. She felt the protective power gather around her and nailed them with another Reave wave. She spun around and snapped the neck of a man that barreled out of the first room she'd hit.

She scanned the first room to see if any others had survived and picked up one more life sign. She slipped through the door and moved cautiously towards where the life sign had been located. A rat darted across the floor. Shit! She hated when that happened. She moved around a desk and stepped over a dead woman to get a better look at a flashing data pad that had caught her attention. She decrypted it and the face of a woman popped into view along with her agent ID number. She looked familiar. The color drained from her face. Fuck! She looked back down at the woman she had just stepped over. There was no doubt it was the woman on the holopad. She'd just killed a federal agent. She was so fucked.

She flipped on her OT. "All clear. I'm sending the children out. Have your men escort them and meet me around back." She removed her knives and wiped them clean on the clothing of the dead Wolves. She absorbed the barrier bubble back into herself and removed the tethers from the children. She turned to the one that had taken charge last night. "You're all clear. Agents and medics are waiting for you outside. Do you know the way to the front door?"

"Yes. Thank you for coming for us, NightStar. We never lost hope that you would. It is twice you have saved us."

"Today I am just Shepard." Was she fooling anyone anymore?

Reed let out a ragged breath in relief. He'd nearly lost it when an explosion rocked the building. Her brief message had done little to calm his nerves. He gave the men their orders and when the first of the children walked out the front door he slipped away to meet up with Shepard.

He watched her lower herself down from the roof, marveling at the beauty of her blue and gold glow.

She marched up to him and threw the data pad at him. "Why the hell didn't you tell me there was an undercover agent in there?"

He glanced down at the datapad and then turned it off. "Because she wasn't supposed to be there. I sent her an encrypted message last night ordering her to pull out. She acknowledged it."

"That was one order she didn't obey. She was there…and now she's dead. I killed her, because I didn't know to be on the lookout for her." She hung her head and took a deep breath. "I've killed a federal agent. Shit! I'm so screwed."

Reed was flummoxed. It wasn't her fault, but she would be blamed regardless. "I'll tell them you were deputized," he said handing the datapad back to her.

"That only works if it were recorded prior to the incident in question." She slipped the datapad into her pocket.

"I'll figure out something, Shepard. I won't let you take the fall for this." He lifted her chin and stared into her unusual gold ringed brown eyes. "I swear this to you. I will protect you."

She flipped on her OT and nodded to him. When he flipped his on a few key strokes severed their sync. She laid a hand on his arm. "Do not risk your career for me. I went in there of my own free will. I alone am responsible for my actions. You need to get back to your men before they get suspicious. I hope they do not send you to take me in. When we meet again, I hope it's under more pleasant circumstances."

He watched her disappear with a heavy heart. He would fix this one way or another.

She mounted her glider and slammed it into overdrive. She wasn't sure how much time she had to play with, but she feared it wasn't much. She pulled up outside the Majestic Tower. She asked the clerk for Krios' room number. When she refused to give it, Castaria laid a gently hand on her, pushing her gently with her mind. She thanked the woman and made a mad dash up to his room. She pounded on his door several times. Of all times for him not to be there. She pulled out the datapad and left him a message. She slid the pad under the door and placed her hand against it. "Goodbye, Thane. I will never forget you."

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she descended the stairs. She mounted the glider, gave one final look at the Mastic Toe and left her future behind.

She grabbed the pot out of the glider and dashed into their apartment. She tossed it onto the table and ran straight for her room. She ripped off her cap, unsnapped her shirt, removed the binding and snapped it back up and then she pulled down her backpack, throwing the barest essentials into it. Her days of aping a boy were over. The only pictures anyone had of her were as a boy. Her safety now lay with her feminity.

Castiel was quick on her heels. "What the hell is going on?"

She couldn't bring herself to look at him. Her heart was breaking. "The Wolves' base was raided. Some children were being held as hostage. I slipped in and took down the ring and freed the kids. In the process a federal agent was killed. She was undercover. I didn't know she was there. They will be coming for me. I'm sorry, Castiel. I have to go."

"Then I'm coming with you." He said matter of fact.

She ran to him and held him tight. "Absolutely not. I won't bring you or Thane down with me. Anyone protecting me, anyone with me, will become a fugitive. They will shoot first. I will not risk anyone's life for me. No one will die for me. I won't let that happen. Not ever."

He stilled. She couldn't mean that. She couldn't leave him behind. "You cannot stop me, Castaria."

She looked at his face, a face so like her own, and then into his eyes. "I think we both know I can. Please don't make me. I need you here to take care of my urchins. They won't survive without you. Please take care of them, Cas. You know what they mean to me." She ran her fingers down his cheek; saw the tears he was fighting to hold back. Hers fell freely. "That's ok, Castiel. I will shed enough tears for both of us. I'm going to miss you so damned much." She turned away, took a deep breath and resumed her packing.

Castiel was in shock. He couldn't lose her like this. What was he supposed to do without her? They'd shared a womb together. They'd never been separated before. Now this? Just gone? He didn't even know if he'd ever see her again. He grabbed the contacts and medigel from the bathroom, along with her pumpkin pie gel and dropped them into her bag. He took a couple of boxes of nutribac bars and four bottles of water from the kitchen and added those to her bag. He knew she'd forget to take care of herself and it looked like this was the last time he'd be able to make sure she did.

She'd taken three outfits, one suit, the two necklaces, some surveillance equipment and two of her guns. She adjusted the bulging pack over her shoulders. "Will you take me to the port?"

"How will you survive?" he asked, staring at her intently.

"I have money I thought I would never touch. I'll use it if I have to. I'll purchase a fake ID at the port. I'll bounce encrypted messages to you when I can. Oh – you should know, the contract on your life has been rescinded. Razor is dead. For now, you are in the clear. So, have a care – you're precious to me. And, Cas? Take care of my urchins."

"I'll take care of them, Aria. I swear to you I will." His throat was tight; it took everything in him to not cry like a baby, to deny her wishes. To demand to go with her.

She mounted the glider behind her brother. The trip to the port seemed to fly by faster than it should have. She hugged him tight and kissed his lips. "Be on your best behavior, Cas. They'll be watching you for some time, I imagine. Scan for bugs daily and lay low for awhile. Keep - "

"Stop worrying about me."

"I can't…it's what I do." She booped his nose and gave him a watery smile. "And if Thane finds you…tell him I love him…that I'm sorry…that…that I will always belong to him. Now go. They will be looking for you soon enough and we don't need to draw them to me."

"Castaria – stay safe out there. You better damn well message me as soon as possible. And for fuck's sake take care of yourself, since I'm not there to do it for you."

"Anything for you, little brother. I love you, Castiel."

"I love you too, Castaria."

She spun him around and smacked his ass. "Get out of here."

He mounted the glider and turned to look at her one last time. Seeing her how she was always meant to look…her long, thick, golden waves blowing loose in the breeze. Her smile stole his breath. He shook his head to clear it, snapped a picture of her with his OT and drove away with a heavy heart, casting off his lifeline. He was going to miss that smile.

Thane could see the something had recently gone down. Law enforcement was crawling all over the place. When he approached the scene one of the men told him he needed to stay back. That wasn't going to happen. He spotted a familiar face in the crowd. "Reed Walker!"

Reed turned with the sound of his name; he excused himself and ambled over to the coated man. "Thane Krios," he said holding out his hand. "Just missed the fun again. NightStar – sorry, Shepard just took down the whole ring by herself. She's an amazing woman."

Shepard. Now it made sense what she said to the children. 'If you are ever in need, seek out the Shepard. You will be welcomed into the flock.' He had thought she was referring to a shepherd or perhaps even the person she was protecting. So, the person she was protecting had been family. "She is no longer here." It was a statement, rather than a question. He could no longer feel her nearby.

"No," Reed said sadly. "A federal agent was killed. She left here believing she'd killed her, that her life was over. I swore to her that I would protect her. She told me not to risk my career, that she alone was responsible for her actions. That, of course, wouldn't have stopped me. I would have protected her. I will protect her. But my protection is not needed in this. I need to find her. She did not kill the agent. When the crime scene was analyzed it was discovered she'd been dead for several hours. Her cover must have been blown, the Wolves took her out. I've been trying to comm Shepard, but the messages bounce back as undeliverable. If you find her before I do, let her know."

Thane gave a slight head bow. "I will tell her."

Reed looked into the hood's shadows, trying to make out the man's face, but he could discern nothing. "And let her know that conditions are more…favorable now."

Thane noticed the hunger in the big man's eyes and shook his head. "Thatyou will have to tell her yourself."

Reed nodded. He had expected as much. "So, that is the way the wind blows."

"It is," Thane acknowledged.

Reed stood up straighter and folded his arms over his chest. "That changes nothing. I intend to press my suit with her."

Thane gave another head bow. "I expected nothing less." Thane respected the human and couldn't help but like him. He held out his hand and then returned to the hunt. When he slipped into the shadows he stilled, opened his mind and reached out to her. The first flickers of panic filtered through. He couldn't feel her. "Where are you, siha?"

He did the only thing he could think of. He returned to his hotel in hopes that she would show up at 10. When he opened his door his foot kicked something. He glanced down and saw a datapad slide across the floor. He retrieved it and flipped it on.

Thane,

I knocked several times, but you did not answer. I hope that all is well and that you receive this. I cannot come as I promised. I'm sorry. I want nothing more than to be with you, but circumstances have altered the chosen path of my future. Our future. I – sorry, damned tears. I killed an innocent today…an undercover federal agent. It doesn't matter that I was unaware of her presence or that she wasn't supposed to still be there. They will come for me all the same. I will be tried, convicted, and executed, probably in the same day. Anyone aiding me…anyone seen with me would be subject to the same penalties. I have become a fugitive on the run. The law is unforgiving in this. I love you, Thane. But I will not let you die for me. Just as I will not let my brother die for me. I alone am responsible for what I've done. Just know that leaving you behind is the hardest thing I've ever done. A part of me dies inside with each step I take away from you. –

Thane's legs gave out and he fell to his knees. "No…" Intense pain engulfed him and harsh sobs tore from his soul as his heart shattered. He wept until exhaustion left him with nothing more to give. A cold anger began to settle into the hole grief had torn in him. How dare she make this choice for him? What gave her the right to decide his future? As quickly as it had hit him, the anger flowed out of him. He would have done the same thing. He would leave her to protect her, even if it destroyed him. A cold resolve filled him. He had to find her. She needed to know the truth of what happened. And he would do whatever it took to make her realize that he would rather die with her than live without her. He would never accept the future she chose for them.

His eyes fell to the datapad in his hands.

- You are a beautiful soul, Thane. I hope you find the love and the happiness you deserve to have. I wish… it doesn't matter what I wish anymore. You will always be in my heart. I will always love you…and even though my heart, my soul, and my arms are empty, I will always be yours…

Aria Shepard

As I am yours, siha…Always.

The first thing he did was scan the passenger manifests for every ship that had left since the raid went down. If she left on one of them it was not under her name. Knowing what he did of her, he suspected she would stow away. If that were the case, there were over twenty ships that left port between then and now. Of course, there was still the chance that she was still planetside. He didn't feel her, but that didn't guarantee she was gone, she could just be too far away for him to pick up on her presence. He would spend the next couple of nights hunting for her, if he could not find her or sense her presence in that time, he would begin hunting down each of those ships and their stops along the way. What he would not do was let her walk away. Come nightfall, the hunt would begin. He put his hand in his pocket and stroked the silky petals of the black lily. "I am coming for you…Aria Shepard."