New chapter, with a bit more action! I know the pace may seem rather slow for now, but later there will be a lot more adventure as we'll follow Willis during some her missions!

Thank you to all the new followers, I hope you'll enjoy what comes next!

Thanks for reading, and please review! :)


Chapter 2

There was something about her stance, as if she was ready to react if anything should happen, despite her relaxed features and the way she leaned casually in her chair. Liara guessed the admiral was used to being assaulted whenever people thought she was vulnerable – though she was convinced Willis could never look vulnerable, even in her sleep. She had such an aura of power, and strength, and wit, Liara couldn't believe anyone would dare to attempt doing anything to her without fearing for their lives. The Asari smiled softly to herself, founding it irrepressibly sweet to watch the admiral's pale blue eyes taking in the steady flow of skycars with a serene expression, as if the view couldn't be more soothing. Liara realized she probably was witnessing some kind of very intimate moment, sharing precious instants with that woman lost deep in her contemplation, oblivious to the world around her. They remained silent, Willis captivated by the spectacle and Liara unwilling to ruin what appeared to be some sort of tradition for the admiral. For long minutes, the Asari watched the woman with avid eyes, trying to understand how such a fragile being could endure so much anger with genuine indifference. Her smile, her soft features, her sparkling eyes... She couldn't understand why people were unable to see this woman could be trusted – to her it just seemed obvious the Admiral was not someone to take lightly.

Absorbed by her thoughts, Liara didn't notice when the couple of humans sitting at the table behind them finally stood up. Then, it all happened so fast that she barely had the time to blink before Willis was standing before her protectively, iron fingers clasped around the throat of the man. The woman shrieked and ran away as fast as her legs would allow her to, while the man was steadily turning blue, his own fingers desperately clinging to the white sleeve of the admiral. Her nostrils flaring, Willis used her free hand to search his pockets, seemingly looking for something she knew he was hiding. A few seconds later, she put a little gun down on her table, as well as what Liara knew to be a miniature recording device. She eventually released him, and he fell back on a chair with a mute thump, a look of sheer terror spread on his features. She put both hands on each side of the chair and leaned toward the man with a grin, her face inches apart from his. For a split second, Liara thought she saw blue tendrils of biotics flaring menacingly around the woman's finger, and she truly believed the man wouldn't stay alive for much longer. But instead, Willis simply straightened and picked the little device between two fingers, and dropped it into what was left of her coffee.

'Oops,' she grinned wickedly, turning to face the man again. 'I guess I won't be on the front page of the dishrag you call a newspaper tomorrow, after all. Sorry you won't be able to talk about the budding idyll of the xenophile whore, I'm sure you would have sold billions of copies.'

'I'm sorry, I'm just doing my job,' the man cried out, looking nervously around to try and find a way out. 'I never meant to cause you trouble!'

'I don't care if you cause me trouble, I'm used to it', Willis shrugged, examining the little gun with an expert eye. 'However, I'm not as accommodating when you cause trouble to my friends. Doctor T'Soni, would you please make sure there's nothing in your shopping bags that shouldn't be there?'

Liara nodded, having blanched a little and still not having clearly understood what was happening. She rummaged through the many packages at the foot of her chair, and found two other spying devices that she was quick to hand Willis. The admiral shook her head wearily and let the devices fall to the floor before crushing them to little pieces with her heel. The man winced, probably because the equipment had cost him a little fortune, and when Willis scattered the debris around with a kick, he sighed helplessly, knowing there was no way he could retrieve the data. He was more preoccupied by how the admiral returned her attention to himself, however, and he sagged in his chair when she put a strong hand on his shoulder.

'It's a nice gun you have there,' Willis stated calmly, throwing the small weapon on his lap nonchalantly. 'It would be a shame not to put it to good use, so we're going to play a little game, okay? This is your chance to shine; punishing the horrible Admiral Willis for all the wrong she caused humanity. You shoot me with your pretty gun, and we see who survives, how does that sound? Come on tough boy, get up and show me your aim.'

The man suddenly seemed to have a surge of confidence, and grabbed his weapon in a firm grip, thinking it would be his only chance to escape this deadlocked situation. Liara gasped and tried to catch the admiral's arm, thinking it utterly stupid to risk her life for a miserable journalist who had probably never even used a gun in his life. Willis just winked – and, without really knowing why, the Asari felt butterflies flutter in her stomach – and spread her arms open, as if she was asking for a hug. Liara took a few steps back, her hand covering her mouth, unable to believe the admiral was willing to go as far as getting shot to confront a man that didn't even deserve her attention. She watched helplessly as Willis nodded to the man to let him know she was ready, and the journalist extended his arm, his hand shaking so much he had a hard time steadying his aim. Maybe the admiral counted on his inexperience to get out of this unscathed? Maybe she had the certainty his lack of guts would prevent him from shooting? Still, Liara couldn't help but believe it was incredibly risky to tempt fate with so much impudence.

Liara stiffened with a shriek when the sound of a shot rang loudly – despite the size of the gun, it seemed it didn't lack firepower. To her, she was sure Willis had been unable to do anything, for she probably expected the man to not shoot at all. But to the admiral, it happened quite differently. When Willis saw the finger of the journalist slowly coming to lie on the trigger, she had braced herself and dashed toward him so fast no one had the time to register what was happening.

Adrenaline pumping in her veins and a rush of cold blood to the head boosting her awareness, she perceived everything as if time had purely and simply stopped. The world twirling around her in a meld of bright colors as she took the few steps with a rapidity that was supposedly unachievable for a human, she extended her right arm and crushed his nose with the heel of her palm, while her left fingers took hold of the hand holding the gun. She bent a little on the side as a deafening sound split the air for what seemed to be a long minute, thus dodging the bullet that could very well have been fatal with ease. Finally, she tore the gun away from his grasp and stuck the barrel against his temple, slipped behind him and wrapped an arm around his throat. Once she was sure her position was secure, she released a shallow sigh and blinked a few times, feeling as if she was finally coming back to the real world. She straightened her grip on him as he began to shift on his feet, ready to celebrate his victory for he still hadn't realized what had just happened. Within half a second, however, he gasped in shock and brought his hands to his nose, blood rolling down his chin and splashing at his feet. A look of sheer terror spread on his feature, he finally felt the pressure of the gun on the side on his head and the strong arm tightened around his neck.

'You touch my jacket with your dirty hands and I'll kill you,' she whispered in his ear as he started to struggle and was about to grab her sleeve. 'Now listen carefully. You're going to make sure people don't gossip about Doctor T'Soni and how she may be having an affair with me. If I hear so much as a whisper about this story, you're going to have a real bad time, boy. Understood?'

He nodded frenetically and when she released him with a shake of the head, he ran away as fast as his legs would allow him to without throwing a glance back. Willis sighed, exasperated, and brushed her uniform to get rid of the little creases and make sure it still was immaculate. As for Liara, she found it difficult to emerge from her trance. She had no idea what had just happened and stared at Willis as if she were a species she'd never seen in her life. She knew humans could be quick, but what the admiral had just done was beyond quick. She didn't know if she should be amazed or terrified. She didn't know if she should run away or congratulate her for her talent. She just stood there, her arms dangling on her sides, aware of her heart that was hammering wildly against her ribcage and how her hands trembled around the fabric of her dress.

'Well, sorry you had to witness all of this, Doctor T'Soni,' Willis apologized softly, slipping her gloves back on. 'I just couldn't let them smear your name. It's never a good thing for an Asari to be known for having connections with me. I've just spared you a lot of trouble, believe me. '

Liara could only nod slowly, looking at the admiral without really seeing her. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, so many things she wanted to know, and yet, no words would come out of her mouth. She licked her dry lips and bent to pick up her shopping bags, unsure of what to do next. She watched in silence as Willis walked toward the railings of the balcony and leaned on it, lowering her head as if defeated. Liara swallowed hard, wondering if she ought to leave her alone and go back to the Normandy, or if it would be better to try and comfort her. She hesitated a moment, and finally decided to join her. She put her bags down and gently laid a hand on her shoulder, noticing how stiff her muscles felt under the white fabric.

'Are you okay?' she asked kindly, trying to soothe the knot she felt with her thumb.

'Sure,' Willis shrugged, offering an unconvincing smile. 'I'm used to this, don't worry. It's just a bit sad to know you can't make friends just because you know your reputation will have repercussion on their lives.'

'I'd like to be your friend,' Liara said before she could stop the words from falling out her mouth. 'Really. I- I'd like to get to know you better. I think I would very much enjoy spending time with you.'

'Until you'll start being harassed by a hoard of humans trying to squeeze information about me out of you,' the admiral sighed, looking a bit dejected. 'That's how it always ends up. Believe me, you don't want this, and I shouldn't have dragged you into this. You'd better go back to your ship, Doctor T'Soni, before something worse happens. It was nice talking to you.'

Liara was about to try and convince her she honestly wanted to see her again, but Willis had already shoved her hands in pockets and was heading for the elevator, her gait less assured and her strides lacking the confidence she'd shown until now. The Asari watched her go helplessly, definitely feeling sad for this human who didn't seem to be the kind of evil the human race thought her to be. She gathered her packets, all traces of the excitement and delight she'd felt at the beginning of her afternoon of shore leave gone for good. She drew a long breath and shook her head, following the path the admiral had taken moments ago, feeling a little bit downcast.

She made a detour to the table they had shared to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything when her eyes fell on something reflecting the light of the sun on the floor. Intrigued, she picked up the little item and finally understood what it was. A military medal. She brushed a finger against it, biting her lip when she realized it had been grazed. When she turned it around she read a short inscription engraved in gold: 'for military merit'. She remembered having seen that medal attached under the rows of badges and pins, and she had the disagreeable feeling that this particular medal had a special meaning to the admiral. She didn't know much about Earthling customs when it came to military decorations, of course, but she was sure Shepard kept all of her medals locked away in boxes, and never attached any of them on her blues. She looked at it for a while longer, wondering what to do with it. If it was important to her, Willis would probably come back here and ask the owner of the café about it. But then, if she kept it, it would be a good excuse to see her once again. She bit the inside of her cheek, looked around to make sure no one was watching her, and slipped the medal carefully into her pocket.

She headed for the elevator, finally ready to get back on the Normandy and bring Shepard the mods she had requested. She pushed the button, her thoughts always drifting back to the admiral whenever she saw something reminding her of the Alliance. Maybe she could ask Shepard if she knew Admiral Willis. After all, Shepard knew so many people within the Alliance, she'd had to deal with so many superiors and other soldiers during her career, she had probably heard something about the Admiral, or perhaps even met her. Liara just hoped Shepard wasn't going to react just like every other human she'd crossed path with this afternoon. The doors opened with a light swoosh, and she took a step back with a gasp when her eyes fell on a bloodied leg, then travelled back up to contused hands, before finally landing on a face adorned with a black eye and a bleeding nose.

'Willis!' Liara cried out, dropping her packages and kneeling next to the injured Admiral. 'Goddess, what happened?'

'The journalist came back with his crew,' Willis answered feebly, a bead of blood rolling from the corner of her mouth as she let out a feeble cough. 'I can only do so much against seven tough guys.'

'Goddess,' Liara breathed out, hitting the button to the docks. 'I'm taking you to the Normandy; Chakwas needs to take a look at you.'

'No, don't,' the admiral winced, struggling to escape Liara's firm grip. 'I'm fine, just… Help me back to my ship.'

'Don't be stubborn, your leg is bleeding out,' she interjected, somehow managing to lift Willis' heavy body with an arm wrapped around her waist while the human clung to her shoulder.

When the doors opened on the corridor to the docks, Liara asked an officer to take care of her packets, and made sure Willis could stand without tripping on her own feet. She slowly led her to the airlock of the Normandy, stopping every few seconds as the admiral couldn't help but limp dreadfully despite the Asari's help. Liara couldn't help the wave of worry rising in her when she took a look back and saw the shiny trail of blood the admiral was leaving behind. Once inside the ship, Liara called out for Joker and asked him to warn Chakwas she was coming with a wounded admiral.

'That's unnecessary,' Willis coughed, tightening her grip on Liara's shoulder. 'A dose of Medigel would have been just fine.'

'Keep telling yourself that,' Liara shook her head, ignoring the looks the crew gave them as they crossed the CIC.

When they reached the med bay, Doctor Chakwas had already closed the blinds and was putting latex gloves. Liara noticed how the doctor squinted almost imperceptibly as Willis got through the door, but let out a small sigh of relief when she didn't make any comment. Instead, Chakwas gave a curt nod to show her respect, and motioned Liara to come closer. She patted the bed in the middle, and the Asari helped the admiral lie down, readjusting the pillow under her head.

'Liara, would you please leave us alone?' the doctor professionally asked, unbuttoning the white jacket stained with blood.

'The badges,' Willis said abruptly before the Asari could retreat to her quarters. 'Please take my badges and pins.'

Liara looked at Willis quizzically, then at Chakwas who nodded, and carefully picked the badges on the jacket, putting them away in an empty carton box. She finally disappeared through the door at the other end of the med bay, and Willis shifted uncomfortably on the bed, sensing that the doctor had irremediably stiffened once the Asari had gone. Chakwas pinched her lips and took a pair of scissors, and for a second the admiral almost believed she would have her throat slit open. The doctor simply made a disapproving noise, however, and ripped her pants apart, along with the white undershirt, leaving Willis positively embarrassed in her underwear.

'Say it,' Willis growled while Chakwas examined her calf.

'Say what?' the doctor asked, reaching for a needle and string.

'That you hate me just like very goddamned human in this galaxy. That you wished Liara hadn't brought me here. That I don't deserve to be an admiral, that I'm a lazy fat ass who does nothing to help people.'

At those words, Chakwas lifted her eyes to the sky, and without a warning, pinched the skin around the bleeding wound and pricked her needle in the flesh, drawing a hiss of pain from the admiral.

'I don't believe any of this, Admiral,' doctor Chakwas stated calmly, cleaning the blood away with a cotton ball. 'I was just wondering when Alliance soldiers would finally stop looking for trouble all the time.'

'Right,' Willis snorted, the muscles in her leg twitching as the doctor sutured the wound. 'Cause I'm the one looking for trouble.'

'Maybe you're not,' she acknowledged with a nod, splashing some Medigel on the wound to help the sutures hold. 'But surely they wouldn't have dared attack you if you hadn't titillated them beforehand. I know how soldiers work, Admiral, it's no use lying to me.'

Willis shrugged with a grunt, unwilling to admit she may have deserved the backfiring indeed. After an awkward moment of silence, she let out a sigh of relief when the doctor finally broke the string and applied some more gel, before rolling the calf into a tight bandage. Chakwas then moved her hand to her stomach and palpated the area, making sure it was just superficially bruised. She moved to her torso, and when her fingers pressed under her right breast, the Admiral hissed in pain.

'Broken rib,' the doctor informed her, turning on the scanner on her Omnitool. 'Your lung is not perforated, you're lucky. You mustn't push yourself too hard for a while, though. You're off duty for at least a week, Admiral, no excuses.'

Willis opened her mouth to protest, but remembered that doctor was one of the most inflexible of the whole Alliance fleet, so she just sighed and leaned back in the bed. Chakwas applied some more Medigel on her knuckles, washed the blood from her face with a compress, and finally took off her gloves, satisfied. She disappeared for a minute in the same room Liara had, and came back with Alliance clothes, standard issue. She put the neatly folded pants and shirt at the foot of the bed and Willis nodded her thanks, stifling another hiss when she sat on the bed. When the Asari appeared at the other end of the room, the doctor left for the mess hall, thinking they might be embarrassed to talk with her roaming around. The Admiral slipped on the black shirt stamped with an Alliance logo on the left breast, as well as the black cargo pants that were a bit too short for her.