The group was huddled around a bonfire. Garrus and Tali sat next to each other, blatantly flirting with one another. Vega and Williams also sat closely, staring at each other and saying nothing as they drank. Sam and Cortez laughed and fought over minuscule things. And Jack sat quietly next to Shepard, not really knowing what to say.
"Shots?" Shepard asked as she looked at Jack, gaining a smirk from the tattooed woman.
"Hell yeah," Jack said as she grabbed a bottle of hard liquor.
"This is… weird," Shepard said as she took a swig of the bottle that Jack had passed her.
"Yeah, I'm sure watching people be all mushy with each other when you can't remember a damn thing would be fucking weird," Jack said as she took the bottle from Shepard, taking a large gulp from it.
"It's mainly weird because I'm happy for them," Shepard said, a smile forming on her face. "I don't have a reason to give a shit, but I do. I feel like they've earned a chance to be mushy even though I have no recollection of what they've been through."
"Well, I guess that just means your heart remembers what you're fucked up brain won't," Jack said before taking another big gulp.
"Like with you," Shepard said as she took the bottle from Jack, "I feel so happy that you've changed into such a beautiful person. I don't even know what that means, but I know I feel like I should tell you."
Jack smirked before punching Shepard in the arm. "Yeah, yeah, don't get all mushy on me," she said.
"So," Shepard said before swallowing hard, "What's up with me and Liara?"
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"Like… how were we together?" Shepard asked, not sure how to phrase what she meant.
"Well, I don't know how you two were at fucking," Jack said as she grabbed the bottle the two soldiers were sharing, "But I do know you two looked pretty fucking happy together. It was disgusting actually. You were both always staring at each other lovingly and shit." She took another gulp before continuing. "Always sneaking off every chance you got, and we all pretended we didn't know you two were running off to fuck. It was actually… nice to see two people so in love; sickening, but nice."
"I see," Shepard laughed. "I just feel so… attached to her. To me, it's like I love her for no reason."
"Isn't that what love is," Jack said lowly as she stared into the sand beneath her feet. "Caring for someone weather you have a reason to or not. Being willing to die for them without a second thought. Caring about what they think or how they feel."
"You almost sound like you're in love," Shepard teased as she took a big gulp of liquor.
"Well fuck," Jack laughed, "Maybe I am. I'm just saying; don't think about it so much. Just be… in the moment, ya know."
"Thanks Jack," Shepard said with a genuine smile, "You're a good friend."
"Yeah well, don't fucking tell anyone," Jack said as she punched Shepard in the arm once more.
"May I sit?" a familiar voice asked, causing Shepard to turn.
"Of course," Shepard said with a smile as she realized who it was.
"Yeah, I'm out," Jack said as she stood, "And I'm taking the bottle with me."
"Can't handle all this mushy stuff?" Shepard teased as Jack began to walk away.
"Not for one more second! You fuckers make me sick," Jack yelled.
"I see you and Jack still get along just fine," Liara said as she sat down next to Shepard.
"Yeah, she's a good friend," Shepard said as she turned to look at Liara. Her breath slightly caught in her throat as she watched the shadows of the fire lightly dance on Liara's skin. "What did you do today?"
"I was helping with the rebuilding of the mass relays," Liara said as she stared at Shepard's lips, becoming distracted.
"Oh yeah, I broke them," Shepard said, remembering the stories she was told.
"Yes," Liara said as she lifted her gaze to meet Shepard's piercing blue eyes.
"Sorry," Shepard said as she rose from the sand. "Do you want to go for a walk?" she asked as she extended her hand to the asari.
"That sounds nice," Liara said as she took the humans hand, rising up from her seat.
The two walked together down the beach, the darkness slowly enclosing them as the fire grew out of sight. Shepard grabbed Liara's hand and smiled when she didn't feel any hesitation. She licked her lips nervously, trying to find something to say.
"Shepard," Liara began, "About what happened this morning…"
"I'm sorry," Shepard said, realization hitting that the asari might not have wanted what had happened early that day. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."
"I wouldn't use the word uncomfortable to describe how you make me feel Shepard," Liara said with a smile, causing Shepard to relax a little. "You made it clear last night that you did not want to rush into anything… but your actions this morning…"
"I know," Shepard sighed as they stopped walking. "I just… feel like I can't help it. I have very little control around you."
"I understand," Liara said as she pulled Shepard into her. She wrapped her arms around the Commander and kissed her lightly, only for a moment.
"You're not making it any easier," Shepard said with a smirk, wrapping her arms around the asari.
"Just like you weren't when you decided to prance around naked in front of," Liara said with a cocked eyebrow.
"I was just changing," Shepard said as she tried to play innocent.
"Jane?" a voice questioned, causing the two women to slightly pull apart.
As Shepard saw who it was, furry ignited within her. The tall muscular man smiled at her, opening his arms for an embrace. But Shepard ran toward the man and connected her fist with his face.
"What are you doing her Marc?" Shepard asked, anger spewing from her mouth.
"Jesus Shepard," Jack said as she ran out of the darkness to check on Marc's face. "Nice punch, but what the fuck?"
"I asked you a question?" Shepard asked, ignoring Jack's presence. "What did you do this time that you need help with? Who did you screw over?" Shepard was quickly losing her temper.
Liara grabbed Shepard's arm, confused and scared with her actions. Shepard froze at the contact, some of her anger melting away. Liara looked at her Commander thoughtfully and then looked at the man who looked so much like her lover.
"Okay, I deserved that," Marc said as stood up from the sand, wiping the blood from his mouth. "I'm here, in London, for the same reason just about everyone is. I was fighting a damn war."
"What? Did you think helping save the galaxy would excuse you from whatever you did?" Shepard asked bitterly, hatred burning in her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you Marc? One good action doesn't make up for a trillion bad ones."
"Look, I understand why you hate me," Marc said as he raised his hands in surrender. "I just wanted to see that you were okay."
"I don't need you around Marc," Shepard said as she turned and began to walk away. "You're nothing but bad luck."
Liara looked at the man and Jack, and then followed Shepard. She was highly confused and concerned for her bondmate. "Shepard," she said as she tried to catch up, "Who was that?"
"My brother," Shepard said coldly.
