Thank you thank you thank YOU! I love the kudos and the reviews, please feel free to continue!

And thanks ever so much to my beta Amyress and my encouragement BJHanssen!

"You are shitting me," I'd almost spat out my wine, shaking my head. "What the hell possessed him to do that?"

John shook his head, his shoulders still shaking slightly from laughter. "I have yet to get an honest answer." Finally regaining control he picked up his wine glass and took a quick sip. "I will say this though, it took balls."

"Yeah, definitely more balls than brains at work there." I put my empty glass down with a sigh. "It's getting late, where is the waitress? I'm hungry." Sitting up in my chair I looked around and, spotting an Asari standing at another table, gave her a wave and a smile that she returned.

Turning back to John I caught him giving me a look I couldn't readily identify, somewhere between curiosity and… lust maybe? I sat back in my chair and arched a brow at him. "Thoughts?" Apparently unaware of his expression it quickly changed to that charming smile of his as he brought his glass to his lips again.

"Heh, not a chance," he mumbled, putting his now empty glass down. Saving him from explaining, the waitress approached our table and handed us both digital menus then bowed before leaving. I looked it over and realized I had no idea what the hell any of it was.

I shot John a brilliant smile and batted my eye lashes a bit. "Would you mind terribly ordering for me?" I looked back down at the menu and wrinkled my nose. "I am clueless on Asari cuisine." I heard a rumble of laughter come from across the table so I shot him a playful glare. "I live to amuse, Commander."

"Stop, don't worry," he tried to assure me. "Do you like steak, seafood or chicken?"

"I like it all but I could really go for a good steak," I hummed, my mouth watering at the thought. His smile got bigger as he scanned the menu and nodded.

"No worries," he said as he waved the waitress back over. "I got this."

Not understanding what he was ordering I didn't really pay attention, instead I scanned the rest of the open air dining area. There were a few other tables, maybe five or six, all with seating for two. All the tables were occupied, most with Asari but there were also a few Salarians and even a Krogan. Although the Krogan wasn't sitting so maybe he was muscle. When I looked back at our table the wine glasses were full and the waitress was gone.

"So," John breathed out, looking around then resting his eyes back on me. "I understand you have orders so I will only ask one question. What can you tell me about yourself?" He sat back and rested his arms on his chair, the look of a patient listener taking over his face. I took a breath and sat upright in my chair, looking down at my lap thoughtfully then back up, meeting John's eyes.

Those beautiful blue eyes… argh, focus!

I swallowed and nodded. "Ok, well I can tell you about my training, what I am capable of since you will need to know those things to utilize me to the fullest." I saw one side of his lips tug up so I briefly narrowed my eyes. "Easy killer. I can also tell you I was an only child, grew up in a suburb and graduated from college with honors." His eyebrows lifted at that.

"Really," he replied, more interest than surprise, "what did you study?" I paused, thinking through the conversation to see if it could lead somewhere I couldn't go. He put up a hand and shook his head. "No worries, you don't have to answer."

"No, I want to, I just want to be sure it isn't something I shouldn't tell you," I rushed out then bit my lower lip, looking him in the eye. "Oddly enough I want to tell you everything."

As soon as the words left my lips I wanted to suck them back in. It was too much too soon, I knew that but if I was being completely honest it was true. From the moment he lifted me off the floor at the Cerberus base I trusted the man, completely. No doubt, no forethought, it was as if deep down I knew him…

But I didn't, there was no way I could have known him. I was born in the late 1900's, almost 200 years before he was, it just wasn't possible…

Unless… no, I'm not going there. Snap out of it, woman! He is dead and this is…

So lost in my own thoughts I didn't notice that John had leaned forward on the table and taken my hand in his. Rubbing the back of it with his thumb, he waited for me to speak. Pushing away all other thoughts I huffed out a relenting laugh.

"I'm an idiot." I shook my head and looked down at the table. "I need to level with you," I lifted my head and looked into his eyes, those eyes that were so alluring, so familiar, "as to why I trust you like I do. Why this is so easy for me." I slowly pulled my hand away, trying to collect myself and clear my head. John's expression changed from confusion to suspicion as he retracted his hand, resting it in his lap.

"Alright," he said with a nod. "I'm listening." I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to focus.

"Alright, I'm not sure where to start so I'll blurt it all out and pick up the pieces after. Sound good?" I pulled my lips between my teeth, waiting for his response. He nodded and I let loose the breath I had no idea I was holding. "Ok, good. So you remind me of someone. Someone I was very close to and I trusted implicitly. That's saying something because I trust no one." Breathe, you'll pass out if you keep this up.

"It's your eyes mostly," I explained, softly smiling at him as the tears welled up. Feeling the lump in my throat return I swallowed again. "He had blue eyes too, same color and everything. I used to tease him saying he was his mother's worst nightmare." A tear fell and I quickly brushed it away. "I… we were close."

John watched me closely. I could see him mentally collecting all of the information and assessing the validity. I was sure he had questioned my honestly before, I was a stranger and a potential threat, but this time it was personal. It wasn't about the mission or keeping his people safe…

It was his heart. His heart that you are fucking with.

This is wrong.

"I want to apologize," I jutted out my chin, physically accepting full responsibility for the situation as my gut fell to the floor, "I should not have acted on those feelings. It would be akin to replacing him with you and that's not fair. Not to either of you." I stood, slowly and deliberately to ensure my legs' stability. He sat there dumbly, the confusion returning to his face as he stood as well.

"Kayla…" The sound of her name on his lips tore my heart in half. Reigning in my emotions I nodded at him as I turned to leave, stopping only long enough to say a few words.

"This was a mistake and I am the only one to blame. I hope you can forgive me." I glanced back at him, avoiding his eyes for fear of what may lie there. "Good night Commander, I'll see you back on the ship."

I walked calmly at an unhurried pace, acutely aware of my surroundings and the attention I would garner from a speedy retreat. The last thing I wanted to do was attract attention to the situation, possibly embarrassing John. Listening for footsteps behind me, I hoped against hope he would not follow which he did not…

But someone approached him.

As I came to the exit I turned to allow my peripheral vision one final glance at the man I was leaving behind and had to swallow my heart back down at the sight.

There stood John being consoled by an Asari I did not remember seeing in the restaurant before. My head turned toward them and I froze, confusion and rage mingling in my chest as I watched this woman nuzzle into his neck, his head dropping to meet hers, arms encircling her easily as close as they were…

You have no right, he is not yours, I chastised. Swallowing again to secure my heart in my chest I brushed the few tears away that had escaped and just started walking.

He is not YOUR John.

Unconcerned with my whereabouts I just kept going, trying to walk off the tension in my body. Tension that YOU caused, dumbass. I ran a hand through my hair and stopped, steadying my breathing. As my heart rate slowed closer to normal I took in my surroundings.

"Great, you ass," my head spun around, searching for anything familiar but coming up empty. "You're lost. As if tonight couldn't' get any worse."

"Are you alright?" A voice with a slight vibration to it asked from a few feet to my right. I turned to see two large, dark eyes staring back, the hint of smaller green irises hiding in their shadows. I recognized his species as Drell, a people who were humanoid but scaled like lizards. His expression was noticeably blank, as was his body language, save the hint of something deeper in his stance.

His shoulders were squared perfectly even though they appeared to be relaxed, as were his hips except for the slight angling of his right foot. It was as if he was ready to leap at a moment's notice. But was it to leap from something…

Or maybe toward?

"Hello," I smiled, "I am alright, thank you, just utterly and completely lost." I looked around like a lost child then looked back at him. "I don't suppose you know the way to the docking bay?" I gave him my best wide-eyed and innocent smile to which he… smirked?

"If you head back that way," he nodded to the area I had just vacated, "and head left when you reach the end of the hall just keep going straight. When it ends, head left again and you will see the concierge desk." Before I thought better of it I reached for his arm to give it a thankful squeeze. I stopped myself just inches from contact and curled my hand into a fist before dropping it back to my side. You've no idea of their customs, maybe they don't like to be touched.

"Thank you so much," I smiled again, giving him a nod in thanks and turning to leave. Surprising me, he reached for me before I'd turned away, taking my hands in his as he smiled and pulled me closer. Something in his eyes and deep down told me not to be alarmed, that if he wished me harm it would not happen with so many witnesses. His gaze flicked behind me. Before I could pull my hands away he squeezed them gently.

"I believe you are being followed," he whispered, leaning toward me enough to keep the words between us. Feeling the tension in my body escalate I relaxed my stance so it wouldn't be noticed.

"Human male? Short dark hair?" I asked. He shook his head with a grin and gently tucked one of my hands into the crook of his arm, leading me away from my stalker.

"Asari, Eclipse by the look of her," he continued to whisper as we strolled along. Reminding myself that I was a stranger here more so than anyone I decided to play along, giving him a toothy smile and a throaty laugh that my tag along would surely hear. It also gave me the opportunity to turn my head enough to get a glance in my peripheral.

"I don't recognize her." Breathing into his ear I gave him a nudge with my nose. "It's possible she is interested in my companions more so than myself. In any case, I need to get back to my ship." I pulled us to a stop in front of a large window, looking out at the skyline then back at him. "Any help would be greatly appreciated." He nodded.

"I have an idea…"