So I had just realized that unless your me you might be confused by the line breaks in this chapter and other to come. I will start putting my flashbacks it Italic so there is not confusion between passage of time and flashback. It was a mistake on my part. I hope it makes it a little easier to read.

Chaper III

Vallok looked across the apartment at the Asari as she picked slowly at her breakfast. He ticked his talons on the table with impatience, waiting for her to do something. He hated waiting around for something to happen; he had always been the type who always had something to do. He sighed, looking around the apartment, trying to find something to take his attention off his boredom.

Miara shifted in her seat to turn to Vallok, getting ready to break the silence.

"Would you marry me?"

Vallok shook his head, thinking he had heard her wrong.

"What?"

"Would you marry me?"

Vallok shifted in his seat, trying to hide his discomfort from the question.

"No."

"Why not?" She raised her eyebrows, waiting for his next answer.

"Because! You are… And I'm a…"

"Relax, this is a hypothetical conversation Mr. Vallok. I didn't mean to get you so riled up." She turned back to her bowl with a hint of a sigh.

"Why?"

She looked from her bowl again, surprised by his willingness to continue the conversation. She turned her whole body towards him and crossed her arms, debating if she should tell him. She chewed her food, tossing the consequences around in her head. Shrugging her arms, figuring if he knew about the addiction, what was one more secret?

"Well, lets say we were engaged. Wouldn't you want spend time with me?"

"I would assume."

"I thought the same thing but I can't help but feel a little distanced by my fiance. Or mate." she hesitated, trying to adjust the human slang for him.

"I'm afraid I can't be much help."

"Aren't you married?"

Vallok shook his head, trying to avoid looking her in the eyes.

"Why not?"

"Its... complicated."

"You want to talk about it?"

Vallok paused, letting his eyes fall to the table as he thought about Valerie's proposal. Letting only a split second go by, he lifted his eyes to look at her again.

"No."

"You might feel better. I've been told I'm a great listener."

"No thanks."

She shrugged her shoulders, trying not to push the conversation that obviously bothered him. She returned to her breakfast, still thinking about her own problems.

She sighed again as she stood up from the bar stool, grabbing her bowl and putting it in the sink. She walked to the door that lead to her room and stopped before going in.

"I will be leaving in a few minutes, just let me get ready."

Vallok nodded as she walked into the room and closed the door. Vallok stood up, stretching before walking to the window. He looked out on the presidium, trying to find his thoughts of Valerie's proposal again.

Vallok's breathing was heavy as he slammed his fist into the car next to the human, leaving a large dent in the casing of the green car.

"I said apologize!"

"Fuck off Turian!"

"Wrong answer!"

Vallok raised his fist again and continued to punch the human leaving Valloks hand covered in the crimson blood. Vallok stopped still holding on to the humans shirt as he struggled to escape only to be met by Valloks fist again.

"Please! No more!" The man whispered trying to recover from the blows.

Vallok stumbled a little as he tried to stay standing and hold the human in his hand. Vallok finally dropped the human and fell to the ground grasping his head as the alcohol began to take full effect. He looked towards the human again finding the man slumped over passed out by the car.

"Vallok!"

A small female turian came rushing through the crowd that had gathered to watch the Vallok and the man. She bent down to his level and looked at his blood covered face.

"I appreciate you protecting my honor but I think you might have killed him."

"Nah, he will live. I think."

She struggled under his weight as she tried to pick him up under his arm.

"Come on we need to get out of here before the police show up!"

"No let me stay. He called you a whore."

"No he didn't, he just asked if I wanted a good time."

Finally getting him to his feet, the Turian started to walk to the cars with the large Turian leaning on her. She kept pushing Valloks mouth away from her trying to avoid the wreaking stench of alcohol on his breathe. He could barely keep up with her pace as she tried to keep him up and get him to the car.

"Valerie?"

"Yes, Vallok?"

"You know I think I love you." stuttering over his words.

Valerie shrugged the comment off knowing that he didn't know what he was saying but still replied to his comment.

"You think? I'm insulted. You have known me for how long and all you can say is you think."

"I love you Val!"

"Sure you do big guy."

They hobbled along the dark street of the ward towards the car, not noticing the four men that followed them. The door opened to the car and Valerie laid him in the seat, then stretching her back, glad to be out from under him.

"Hey turian?"

Valerie turned around to find where the voice had echoed from, seeing the four men surrounding the car. She grabbed Vallok's shoulder, trying to shake him from his alcohol-induced slumber, only getting Vallok's broken sentences.

"Damn it Vallok! Wake Up!"

Valerie panicked as she looked around and began to violently kick his shin plate to get him to move. Vallok opened his eyes barely and tried to get out of the car to address the four men that surrounded them. Vallok rocked his shoulders trying to get ready for the fight that would soon pursue only to stumble at the sudden change in balance.

"You messed with the wrong guy asshole!"

Vallok shrugged at him before saying "He insulted my girl!"

Valerie smiled at his misplaced since of honor, but quickly lost the smile when one of the men charged Vallok. The two wrestled on the ground as they threw each other around. Vallok got him up and slammed him into her car leaving a dent and making the human fall to the ground. The rest of them charged Vallok allowing him to weave and dodge. In the swift second grabbing one of the humans from the charging group and brought him to the ground. The human panicked as Vallok put his weight of his knee into his throat causing the human to kick his legs and arms around. The human choked and coughed as the pressure increased on his throat, causing the human to pass out from the lack of oxygen.

The two men stared in awe as the supposedly wasted turian was taking them down like they were nothing. The last two charged Vallok at once, both hitting him in the stomach, knocking him back into the car that Valerie sat next to. He stood up, grabbing one the man's arms only to be countered by his other arm. He stumbled again and rammed his head into the humans stomach and continued to charge him into a wall. The man's head whip lashed against the wall, causing him to fall lifeless as blood streamed from the open cut on his head.

Vallok looked around for the last man to find him standing in the darkness of the ally, holding a gun. Vallok growled at the man as he began to point his aim at Valerie. He put himself in front of Valerie thinking about what to do. A few split seconds went by before Vallok began to charge the nervous man holding the gun as two shots rang out into the alleyway. Vallok closed the gap very quickly for a Turian let alone a intoxicated one and grabbed the human by the throat letting him hang in the air. The man kicked and coughed as the last bit of air drained from his lungs letting the life drift from his eyes. He didn't enjoy killing, but he wasn't ready to step down from a fight of protection. He dropped the human and fell to the ground, grabbing his chest with a new found pain.

"Damn! Remind me to never drink again!"

Valerie smiled, running over to Vallok to try to pick him up off the floor once again. She put her arm around him, but pulled back when she felt warm liquid on her arm. She stared a minute in silence before looking Vallok in the eyes with worry.

"What is it?"

"You've been shot!"

Vallok looked down, noticing the dark blue liquid that rushed from the two new holes in his chest. Valerie in panic took her hand and pushed on the wounds hoping to stop the bleeding long enough for an emergency shuttle to arrive.

"Well that's a new one." He coughed letting blood splatter on his lips.

"Just hold on!" Valerie's eyes filled with tears as she looked at her hands that were covered in blood.

Vallok's eyes began to close as Valerie stood next to him, trying to keep him awake until the shuttle arrived.

"Damn it Vallok, stay awake!"

Valerie stunned in fear began to panic as her heart lept with anxiety as Vallok's chest stopped rising and falling. She kept her hand's on the gunshot wounds hoping by some miracle that it would stop the inevitable. Rushing her lips to his she spoke softly to him.

"I love you Vallok Vakarian!"

Vallok opened his eyes barely hoping to show some kind of emotion but couldn't fight the sensations through out his body. His head slumped to his shoulder finally letting the darkness take him over leaving Valerie alone to the pain and sorrow that rushed into her body.

The wards grew dark, leaving only the holo signs to light the streets as Vallok and Miara strut through the failing light. They walked through the wards, passing store after store after store as Miara only stopped to glance at the catalogs. Vallok kept looking around, trying to find anything out of the ordinary but in the wards there was nothing normal. Merchants in the wards were so focused on selling you something most never took interest in the black market dealers around them. They probably didn't care, actually. Most of them were black market dealers anyway and they don't want to bring unwanted attention. C-Sec always told everyone to be careful what you did in the wards alone; C-Sec officers went missing on a monthly bases down here.

Miara threw a package, letting it hit him in the chest before he snapped out of his watch. He looked down at the package, noticing the pictures on it. He opened the small package, revealing a black visor that ran about the length of his head.

"What this?"

"Best visor money can buy. Try not to break it."

"I can't take this."

"Why not?"

"Because it's..." Vallok stopped trying to find a reason, only to be interrupted.

"Listen I was getting bored and I felt like buying something, so just think of it as a salary."

Vallok looked down at the visor, trying to find a reasonable argument not to take it, but could find none. It looked nothing like the standard visor but more like a pair of sun visors. He had seen them before but usually on body guards and private military. Vallok laid it against his head letting it rest above his eye before turning it on. He touched the switch, allowing the visor to link with his omni tool and allow a list of scrolling stats run up and down the visor. Vallok touched his Omni tool, allowing the visor to cover both eyes with a holographic board as he looked around, reading the vitals and range on different people.

"There, now you look like a professional." She said smiling very proud of herself.

"I can't take this. It looks bad, you giving me a gift."

She sank her hand into her hip, looking at Vallok with a frown.

"Its not a gift, it's a required tool that helps keep me safe. Understood?"

"Yes, mam."

"Uh, hm"

"Understood, Miara." Vallok rolled his eyes at having to correct himself. She turned away from Vallok, leaving him to discover the features of the visor. He turned it to one eye mode and began to rush to catch up to Miara as she walked towards the cars again.

"Whats wrong?"

"Nothing I just don't feel so well."

"Ok, we will get you back home."

Vallok walked by her side, ready to help her if need be. They got closer and closer to the cars when Miara collapsed on to the ground, her breathing growing heavy. Vallok knelt to pick her up and try to carry her to the car that waited for them. He didn't have to be a medical professional to know it was the withdraw. Depending on the drug, the withdraw time could vary from days to hours before the symptoms started. He approached the car and laid her in the seat then getting in himself before taking off.

"We will get you to the hospital."

Miara gritted her teeth "No"

Vallok sighed as he stared at her kneeling over her knees with her face in her palms. He did agree to help her through the withdraw without letting anyone know. Taking her to the hospital would for sure set off some alarms about the situation.

"We'll get you home."

Vallok shook his head, thinking about the guards that were at the apartment. They might tell someone. Miara lifted her head in agony and stared at Vallok for a moment before being able to speak.

"Your... place."

Vallok shook his head "Nooo."

Miara gritted her teeth again before glaring at Vallok with menacing eyes.

"You said... you would help me."

Vallok clicked his mandibles, trying to find an alternative solution to his problem. His thoughts were rushed as he stared down at Miara as she grabbed at her stomach. Could he take her back to the apartment without the guards noticing? Vallok's thoughts were interrupted by gunfire that echoed through the wards. Vallok looked up, finding armed mercs firing in the air as they pushed through the crowd, stopping at every Asari and pulling them up to look at them.

"This isn't her!" One of the mercs shouted at the group that quickly approached the car pad.

Vallok looked at Miara, who still laid in the fetal position, trying to figure something out. Vallok turned the car on, making it hover a few feet off the ground. Mercs fired at the car, making it spin out of control, hitting the side of a building and coming to a rest on the streets of the ward. The car hissed as the air from the reserve tanks escaped from the holes that had ripped into the sky car. Vallok opened his eyes after hitting his head, causing blood to rush from an open wound that he got from putting himself over Miara.

Vallok pushed open the door, grabbing Miara, who still sat in the fetal position on the seat. Pulling her from the wreckage, he stood, looking over the car to find mercs rushing their way.

"Keep down!"

Vallok pulled Miara to a safe place behind the car and pulled his side arm, ready for anything. Vallok rose from behind the car, letting a round rip from his pistol, tearing into one of the merc's head. His body dropped next to the other, causing panic as they began to fire randomly at the crashed sky car.

"Cease fire!" One of the merc's belted. "You're surrounded! Just give us the bitch and we might consider leaving you alive!"

Vallok rose from the car again, letting another round rip from his side arm hitting another merc, who he presumed was the Commanding Officer of the group.

"How about you surrender and I will consider letting you live?"

The CO looked around at his men before pushing his loud speaker button on his omni tool.

"Don't be foolish kid! There is seventeen of us and one of you."

"You're right! Come back with twenty and it will be even."

Bullets started to buzz past Vallok again, hitting the skycar, making Miara flinch as they hit. He stared at her, evaluating the situation in his head. He couldn't take them all on, but if he could distract them long enough he might have a chance. Vallok never liked using his overload; it had always shocked him in the process, but he didn't have a choice. He rose one more time, throwing an overload charge at the sign above the mercs, causing it to spark and shock anyone standing near it. He picked up Miara and tried to jog away from the crash sight while the mercs were shocked and awed by his little stunt.

Vallok had made it several blocks carrying Miara, but he had to stop to rest. He never had training for carrying someone several blocks. He laid her down next to him as he leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breathing and keep an eye out for anyone with a gun. He breathed heavy as he rested against the wall, trying not to attract the attention of bystanders. Vallok lifted his head to find a turian in front of him, staring down at them.

"Do you need help?"

"No."

"It's ok, I'm with C-Sec."

Vallok looked the turian over, surprised to see a C-Sec officer out of uniform.

"Where's your badge?"

"It's in my other armor."

"Bullshit! You expect me to believe-"

Vallok was interrupted by the turian pulling a gun from his holster as he tried to point it at him. Vallok grabbed his first and the shot the turian, letting the shot startle everyone on the street. He looked around and sighed as he tried to pick up Miara and carry her to a nearby sky car. Vallok couldn't help but think about the convenient timing of the mercs. Right when Miara started to withdraw. Now he had to carry her as she kicked and moaned in his arms. How could it have gotten any worse?

The sky car door opened and Vallok laid her inside, keeping his side arm in hand as he scanned the crowd before entering himself. The car hummed as it took off from the pad and sped towards the lower wards, where he hoped they would be safe. Miara laid in the seat motionless for a few minutes before Vallok pushed her with his talon to make sure she was alright. She pushed his hand away as she tried to curl up in the seat of the sky car.

"I need to make sure your alright."

"I'm... fantastic. Leave. Me. Alone."

Vallok pushed the thrust on the car as he recognized the nearby buildings where his apartment was. He figured they didn't know who he was, so she would be safe with him for the time being. He hoped, anyways. The car landed on the platform, the doors opening to allow Vallok to get out and scan the area. The area was dark, making Vallok squint as he tried to look into the darkness. He jumped as his visor turned green as it tried to adjust to the dark to allow him to see the surrounding alleyways.

He sighed again, giving one last look around before reaching in and grabbing Miara from the car. She wasn't heavy at first, but Vallok could feel the wear and tear of carrying her around. He struggled as he carried her down the hallway to the apartment labeled 21C and waved his I.D. card at the scanner, allowing the door to open. The apartment was dark as Vallok entered, walking into the bedroom and laying her down on the bed. She moaned one last time before rolling over on the bed and falling asleep. He closed the door, sighing as he walked to the couch and sat down, trying calm himself after what had just happened.

He stood up from his couch again and hooked the door to his visor so it would go off if someone came in or tampered with it. He wasn't going to take any chances. He hated being caught off guard and it pissed him off that it was a merc that got away with it. He walked to his kitchen and grabbed a sniper rifle that he left laying next to the fridge just in case and then sat on the couch. He checked the rifle, loading a round as he thought about his next move.

He glanced at the clock on his visor, reading 0200 hours, realizing he had to get some sleep before he passed out. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he could still smell Valerie's intoxicating smell in the apartment. It brought his mind to ease as he let his thoughts shift to blank as he tried to fall asleep.