DISCLAIMER: Mass Effect and its universe (items, object,s names, races, palces etc) belongs to Bioware/EA everything else is actually mine. If you want to use the Zergonians as I have created them, their culture etc please credit me properly.

A/N: Hey you all! I know, I know looong period of time between updates, but I think it'll be worth the wait. I'm actually really happy with how this chapter turned out.

Special info for this chapter: Daly is something I've come up with myself it's a person who works as giving advice to people, mostly royals and nobles.

So, huge, big, enormous thanks to all of you who have read, subscribed, faved and reviewed. You guys! You make my day and you help me get inspired to wrote more. Your reviews is what makes it worth writing these fanfictions.

So question...IF you had to lose ONE companion...who would it be? In case you're wondering, you could be saving someone's life... *mysterious*

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update! If you do please leave me a review I so appreciate hearing from you all.

~Elmjuniper

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THE PLANS WE MAKE

SHE AWOKE WITH A LOUD gasp her heart pounding wildly as she jolted up from where she had been sleeping. Rising slowly to stand she felt her toes dig into the cool sand of the beach, waves brushing the edge of the beach with gentle waves. What..? Looking down she saw a large pink towel with the printed picture of a muscular marine-like man on it. Jarhead Jack?

"Ash?" Her heart stopped momentarily and she swung around as her hand rose to cover her gawking mouth.

"Dad?" She almost whispered in disbelief a wave of intense longing washing over her. He stood by a small protrusion in the sand -a sand castle? The shirt he wore on his days off fluttered briskly in the refreshing summer breeze and the old transistor radio by his feet played an old song about surfing. A crinkled formed between his bushy brows and it showed clearly despite the worn traces on his weathered face.

"Hey, babygirl, did you have a bad dream?" He asked softly as she slumped into his arms her forehead resting against his shoulder.

"The worst!" She exclaimed, feeling small. It had been such an odd dream. Everything had been so different –she- had been different, older. There had been monsters. Horrible monsters.

"It can't have been that bad."

"There were monsters," she grumbled. It sounded stupid when she said it out loud.

"Monsters? Aren't you a little old to be dreaming of monsters?" His voice sparkled with amusement.

Her face split up in a smile. "I thought you said I wasn't old enough to go on a date with Callum."

He snorted. "You will never be old enough to go on a date with that boy."

She laughed. "One day you're going to have to let another man into my life, you know."

"No," he said sounding conspiratorially sure of himself as he walked them back to their blankets. "I don't think so." He sat down on the blanket patting the spot next to him.

"Dad..!" She rolled her eyes at him, but sat down nonetheless and leaned in giving him a playful nudge with her shoulder. "Where are the girls?" She glanced over at her sisters' towels.

"Oh, there not around right now. I wanted to talk you." His voice had turned serious and his eyes which were mostly filled with that fatherly all-knowing-look were damp and distant.

"What is it?" If her father's eyes were slightly damp it was something serious. "Is it mom?" She asked suddenly cold as if dark clouds had abruptly blown in hiding the warm sun behind their thick, white bodies.

He laughed and shook his head. "You always worry about your mother and sisters, but they'll be fine. Even Sarah."

Even Sarah? What was that supposed to mean?

"Look, I wish we could stay like this," he said slowly, a tinge of regret edging his words.

"I think we'd get a little sunburned after a while…"

Another hearty chortle. "That we would, Ash. That we would." Pulling his knees up towards his chest, resting his elbows on them he turned to look towards the endless, coral blue ocean. "I always loved this beach. Some of my best memories are stored here. From my childhood, from times spent her with your mother before the lot of you were born and from visits with you and your sisters." He paused. "I always imagined that if I died this is where I would find my last peace. My own little slice of heaven."

"Daddy, don't talk like that." She could see his lips curl upwards as he turned to look at her.

"I love having you here, Ash, but the sun is about to go down."

It was. She could see the last of the sun burn the surface with its red and gold flames.

"Ok, let's go," she stood up brushing the sand off her legs.

"I'll be right behind you."

Ashley frowned. He was acting so strange. "Are you ok?"

"Go on, Ash, I'll be right behind you. I always am."

Shrugging she slipped into her joggers. "I'll wait by the shuttle."

"Ash?" He was studying her carefully.

"Yes?"

"I love those poems you read me."

"I don't…" She had never read a poem for her dad. It was always he who read them to her.

"And don't forget I'm proud of you. Now go on, go back to that commander of yours. She's waiting for you. She's good one, Ash."

"Daddy?" Something was tugging at her and his expression told her it was time to leave and suddenly she felt like she didn't belong on this beach, not yet at least.

"Go on, baby girl. The shuttle will take you back."

"I love you, dad." She threw one last look at him then she turned around and walked towards the shuttle.

~o~

Haze stared at the sleeping marine. Erusha had come out from the hut a few hours earlier looking pale and tired barley giving Haze a nod before she disappeared into her own hut. Ashley had been drifting in and out of consciousness ever since. At one point her pulse was so weak Haze feared the worse before it came back strong and regular with the same stubbornness that made the marine into the woman she was.

Raking her fingers through her hair she let out a loud sigh sinking into the chair next to the bed. She needed Ashley to get better, she needed her to live. If not only so that they could finally get off this planet, but for her own sanity. There was little these days that made sense to her, but her feelings for Ashley did. It was perhaps the only thing that made any sense.

Yeah she had messed around with Miranda, but they both knew it meant little if nothing to either of them. Not the sex at least, though their friendship did. Where had Miranda gone off to anyway? She had mentioned something about Oriana. She should check in on the informant -if only they could get off this planet.

Her thoughts returned to Ashley as the marine moved in her sleep and she pulled her chair closer to the bed. Leaning forward she took Ashley's hand in her own kissing the fingers, calloused from years of serving the brass. If Ashley woke up –when- she woke up everything would be changed between them. They had crossed that line that had been drawn into the sand between them and now they couldn't return. Placing Ashley's hand against her cheek she looked up at the eyelids that fluttered in the evening sun.

"Come back to me, baby." She closed her eyes, resting her head on the side of the bed still holding Ashley's hand against her cheek. She would just close her eyes for a few minutes, just until Erusha came back to check on Ashley, it shouldn't be long. Only…a few…

~o~

"Dad?" Her own voice woke her up and she blinked into the bright light. It stung her eyes and she had to squint against it as she looked around the room. It was small, all built from bamboo-like wood. A window stood open, the sun flooding the room as children's laughter and the hum of people outside spilled in with the bright of morning. Something was pressed against the side of her thigh and she let her gaze drop towards it. Or rather someone.

Haze's face rested on the side of her bed as she slept soundly. It was an odd sight. Ashley couldn't remember the last time she had seen Haze in such deep sleep. There was always a cloud of anxiety and worry shrouding the commander at night, keeping her up most of it. Lifting her hand she let the tips of her fingers brush Haze's silky hair careful not to waken her.

She remembered very little from what had happened but there was this one bit that kept playing over and over in her head. I love you.

It felt like she had waited a lifetime for Haze to say those few words to her again, for Haze to see her, to look at her the way she used to. Maybe the commander had done so all along, but she had been too blind to see it? Blinded by her mistrust for Cerberus and her mistrust in Haze and too stubborn to give in. It was who she was, stubborn old Ashley Williams. But Haze should have know. Haze should have known she could never stop loving her. Her hand went up to her dog tags and she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't lost them.

"Does she know?" The voice asked quietly.

Looking up she saw the Zergonian woman who had come in to her room earlier. She had been frightened at first, at the close resemblance to the Empress, and she had tried to push her hands off of her before the Zergonian had spoken. Gently and soothing to calm her down. At first it had been just a few words then the Zergonian had started rambling, the words coming faster, almost like a chanting. Though they had confused her their rhythmic flow had lulled her to sleep.

"Does she know what?" Pins and needles assaulted her throat when she spoke and she grimaced.

"That those are hers." The Zergonian nodded towards the dog tags as she handed Ashley a mug. "Careful, it's warm, but good for you. It'll help you regain your strength much faster."

The warm liquid burned her tongue and she hissed before setting the mug to rest on her stomach. "No, she hasn't really paid attention to them."

"She's a stubborn one, she is." The Zergonian grinned as her gaze fell on Ashley's fingers that were playing absentmindedly with Haze's hair.

"You have no idea…" She shook her head.

"And dangerous."

She looked up at the Zergonian. "What did she do?"

"What any loyal lover would." There was a twinkle in the woman's eyes, but Ashley knew the extent Haze would go to to get something done. She had seen Haze threaten people for information. She had seen Haze execute those who opposed her and she had read the reports of Torfan. If Haze wanted something bad enough she would break arms and legs to get it. Ashley quickly let her eyes run the length of the woman's body. Didn't look as if anything was broken or bruised.

"She's not a bad person," she said in defence. "She just does what she can to keep us all safe…"

"Especially you." The Zergonian turned to leave. "Tell her about the necklace. Trust me, you don't want to regret never telling her."

She watched the Zergonian starting to walk away. "Wait."

"Yes?"Golden eyes met with hers.

"What did you do to me?" She had been hurt, she remembered this. She remembered her whole body aching, begging to be put out of its misery. Something had been burning her insides like acid melting metal underneath its merciless touch. She was going to die and she had known it, but now, now she couldn't feel a thing besides a sore and dry throat and maybe the hint of a headache, but that was about it.

"I saved you." Was all she got, but the Zergonian stopped briefly in the doorway. "It'll flush out, but…stay away from flies for a while."

"What?!" She exclaimed, sitting up quickly.

"Huh? What? Yeahi'mawake." Haze sat up looking dizzy and Ashley could swear she heard the Zergonian snicker as she left the hut. She held her breath waiting for the commander to see her. I love you. Had she really meant it or was it just something people said when they were afraid to lose someone they cared about?

Blinking once, twice then rubbing her eyes the corner Haze's mouth curled upwards. "You're awake."

"Yes." She squeaked her voice still not fully back to its strength. She cleared her throat, but before she could speak Haze stood up and pulled her close.

"I was so worried about you," Haze's voice shivered as she spoke. She wrapped her arms around the commander's waist relaxing into the embrace, her face buried against Haze's stomach. She had meant it! She felt the fear of her trial the past few days melt away like snow in spring. She was a strong, independent woman, always had been, always would be, but with Haze next to her there was nothing she couldn't do. She had no fears knowing Haze was with her. Pushing away gently from the commander she looked up at her, pulling Haze's face towards her own. She had waited too damn long to kiss those lips.

She felt her breath hitch in her throat as Haze's lips brushed against her own. Soft and gentle yet passionate and loving as she coaxed Haze's moth open with her tongue, leaning back into the pillows pulling the commander with her.

"Wait, waitwaitwait…Ash…" Haze breathed breaking the kiss. "We can't, you just, you almost died, we have to-"

She silenced the commander with another kiss.

"Nonono…we have to make sure everything's fine with you." Haze broke the kiss once more.

"I was fine and then you died. Then you came back, then I nearly died and then I came back. Now shut up and kiss me or I'll kill you myself," she grumbled impatiently.

"Yes ma'am." A wicked smile flashed at her then all she could feel was Haze's lips on her own, caressing, nipping, exploring as their tongues danced a frenzied dance of dominance. She shuddered in the commander's arms and a warm familiar sensation she hadn't allowed herself to feel in nearly three years washed over her. She arched into Haze her whole body growing hot with need. A hand snaked in under her linen tunic and she gasped at the touch throwing her head backwards as Haze's lips kissed her neck, hot breath tickling the sensitive spot behind her ear.

"If you thought you'd kill me before, you're definitely going to want to kill me now," Haze murmured next to her ear and she could feel the commander starting to pull away.

"I hate you," she hissed.

"No you don't," the voice smiled in her ear. The weight of the commander shifted and Ashley whined in protest. Haze chuckled smugly though Ashley could still hear the thick arousal in the commander's laughter. "You wanted a kiss and I gave you one. But until Erusha comes back you're not getting anything else."

"Fine." She cut back shortly not really angry just…disappointed. It had been so...hot to finally feel Haze so close to her again and now she was going to run off to find this Erusha and it was going to be all business and no play again. That was after all what brass life was like. She sighed in resignation when she felt Haze slip down next to her.

"Scoot over will, you." Haze nudged her and she slid over to the side. Her efforts were rewarded by a kiss as the commander made herself comfortable. Ashley watched Haze sink into the pillows, closing her eyes and she snuggled up close to her.

"Mm, that's tidy that is," Haze murmured contently her thumb gently stroking the outline of Ashley's jaw. Her hand slipped down from her jaw towards her neck and Ashley could feel Haze's hand freeze momentarily as the fingertips brushed against the chain of the dog tags. The commander quickly recovered and moved her hand away to place it on Ashley's stomach instead. If you're embarrassed about walking around with your boyfriend's dog tags you needn't worry about it.

"Haze?" She looked up at the commander who still lay with her eyes close one hand wrapped around the back of her head.

"Mm?"

"They're yours." She confessed.

"I know they are." Came the smug reply.

"What? You did?" Then why hadn't she said anything? Why had Haze teased her and acted jealous about it?

"They have my eyes those kids. They may be knobs, but they have my eyes and intelligence. The rest comes from you."

What? She looked up to see the commander stifling a mirthful laughter. "You dick! That's not what I meant."

"Well how am I supposed to know what you mean?" Haze laughed looking at her.

"I meant-"

"Oh!" The large monstrous Zergonian stopped in the doorway. "I heard voice and figured your woman had woken up," his voice rumbled and he nodded towards Haze.

"Vabenass?"

"Your woman." She quirked her eyebrow at the blushing commander who sat up in a vain attempt to regain some dignity.

"Yes, Ashley," Haze cleared her throat shooting her a quick glance. "Is awake. Have the reinforcements arrived?"

Reinforcements? What were they talking about? Had Haze been able to contact the Normandy? Were they coming for their rescue? She looked from the commander to Vabenass neither of their faces revealing any information to her. Then the Zergonian gave a quick nod, but the way his eyes locked with Haze's she could tell it wasn't a good sign that the reinforcements had arrived.

"Give me just minute and I'll be right out," Haze said her voice once again that of a commanding officer.

"What's going on?" Ashley asked as the commander slipped out of the bed.

"I have some things I need to take care of, but I need you to stay here." Haze gave her an ominous look.

"What things?" She demanded, sitting up.

"Look, Ash, there's confrontation brewing between the Empress and the rebels. I need to fix this so we can get back to the Normandy and stop the Reapers." Haze was tucking her top inside her pants as she spoke her brows furrowing as she no doubt worked on a plan in her head.

"Then I'll come with you," she said determinedly throwing her cover to the side. If Haze was going to go up against the Empress and her army Ashley was going to be by her side. Besides the commander was going to need all the help she could get.

"No!" Haze exclaimed antagonized her hand coming up as if to push her back into the pillows. "Just...stay in the bed, Ash."

"I'm not staying here, there are Reapers out there! And you are going to do what? Lead the rebels through the jungle and what exactly?" She raised her voice in anger. Haze couldn't tell her to stay back. Just because they had kissed didn't mean she was some delicate girlfriend who needed to sit safely in a house whilst the others went into battle. She was a marine! This was what she had trained for –war.

"You are not leaving this bed, Ashley. You just woke up from nearly dying. If not for your own recovery I can't risk having you with me out there."

"I'm a marine, Haze! I get hurt and I move on. I'm fine now and you will need me out there." She argued. She didn't even have bruise anymore. She wasn't sure what the Zergonian woman had done to her, but whatever it was it had healed her completely, faster than humanly possible.

"Not if you're going to be a distraction. I won't be able to keep you safe." The commander's voice was getting strained with annoyance, her eyes darkening.

"A distraction?!" She started at Haze incredulously. A distraction? "So just because you finally decided to kiss me, all of a sudden I'm a distraction? That's not what it sounded like before Ilos!"

"That was different," Haze shot back, her irritation growing.

"Oh, or are we talking about Virmire distraction?" She quipped her temper igniting before she could stop herself. She could see Haze freeze where she stood as their eyes met and she knew she had gone too far.

"What did you say?" The commander's eyes narrowed and Ashley tried not to cringe at the harsh tone.

"You always feel the need to save me, even back on Virmire despite my assertion that I would be fine. Despite me insisting you go assist Alenko."

"This is not the time to talk about Kaidan." Haze growled in warning her jaws clenching. They had never really spoken about Kaidan after Virmire. She suspected it hurt them both too much.

"It never is with you, Haze. You start cooking dinner just to get blown up leaving me wondering if you ever regretted it because there was never the right time to talk about it." She could hear the bitterness and resentment in her voice.

"This time I'm coming back, but please Ash, just stay in the bed and I promise we'll talk about it when I get back."

"It's not about Kaidan! It's not about Virmire! It's about you trying to protect me even though I'm capable of doing so myself! But you just keep on coming back for me. Eden Prime, Virmire, Horizon, Mars, the Citadel, the Empress..."

"You would have been dead if I hadn't come back for you!" Haze finally snapped.

"Yes!" She pushed. "I'm a marine we die sometimes for our country, for our people and Earth! But we don't go down lying stiff in a bed with cotton sheets! You know that! So why? Why won't you let me come with you?!" She threw her hands up in the air.

"Because I can't lose you again!" The commander bellowed, control slipping from her grasp for mere seconds. They stared at each other through the silence, the weight of the her confession causing Haze's shoulder to slump. "Ash...I can't keep everyone safe. Earth is burning, my home is burning, my friends are dying down there, our comrades are dying and there isn't anything I can do to keep them safe." She paused brushing her hand through her hair tiredly. "But I can keep you safe."

Seeing the cracks in the commander's walls from the weight resting upon them Ashley draped her legs across the side of the bed, walking up towards the commander.

"Baby," she murmured cupping the scarred cheeks of her lover. "Don't you know, I am always safest by your side? Besides if I stay, then who will keep you safe? Who will make sure you get that nice ass of yours back to me? I left your side once and I lost you. I'm coming with you and that's an order. My mission is after all to keep you alive. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." Haze finally succumbed trying to sound gloomy, but Ashley could see the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Good," she said satisfied before tiptoeing to kiss the commander, her commander, her Haze.

~o~

"That is preposterous!" The Daly exclaimed in an accusing tone as he stood up. "It cannot be done. They have never taken our side –ever. What could possibly change their minds?"

"I am standing right here, Lontio," Ravu said from where he stood accompanied with a large part of his fellow clan members.

"Because if they do I can guarantee them that they won't have to worry about the Rea...Gileho Kas anymore," Haze said her eyes following the circle of Zergonians and Racorgs standing before her next to the large fire pit. She let her gaze trail the different faces until they reached the racorg who had helped them escape from Zaval Losal.

"And how exactly are you to accomplish that, Kajono?" Erusha asked from the corner of the meeting place.

"I help you with the ones you have roaming here and you lend me your support when I strike against the Reapers and I promise you, you won't be seeing anymore of those," she spoke with conviction. There was no room for insecurities or doubt. They needed to believe her when she said she could defeat the Reapers, just like the rest of the galaxy, just like Earth and her crew.

"And you are certain you can beat this enemy?" The Daly studied her face.

"I have no doubt about it. I have beaten one of them before, I've delayed an invasion once, but this time we are going head-to-head and I will defeat them." She stood up straight just like when she addressed her crew, hands behind her back her eyes going from one face to another holding their gaze showing them she knew exactly what she was doing. That she would not waiver, that she would be the solid rock they could cling to in the gathering storm.

"Why do we need racorgs? Could we not hunt them down and then flank the Empress?" One of the Zergonians asked shooting an apologetic look towards Ravu and his clan.

"I have studied what little history you have stored here and they all describe the battles against the Empress Kajonos as a full on slaughter. They massacred your ancestors on the battlefields.

I told them they'd find you near the red mountains. Vabenass and his warriors should have left traces for them to follow out to the beach where our shuttle crashed.

They will expect to be flanked from the sides once they reach the beach where I directed them to because there is only one entry point -from the jungle." She drew with her stick in the sand to demonstrate the battlefield before them.

"Beyond them is water and nothing can come from there. Unless..." She moved the stick several inches away from where she had marked the map with an x drawing an arrow circling out across the waves of her illustrated ocean then diving back in towards the x.

"Unless we launch an airstrike." Vabenass filled in with wonder in his voice. Even the Daly seemed impressed by the tactical move and he leaned in closer, his silvery hair reflecting the midday sunlight.

"They will expect you to come in from the jungle, and you will, only on racorgs, closely followed by..." Her face took a childishly satisfied expression.

"The Gileho Kas!" Ravu exclaimed and Haze nodded.

"They will tear each other apart," Erusha mumbled. "But one will be left standing. What about those?"

Haze let her eyebrow crawl upwards as she grinned. "You know how you said this power crystal was pretty much useless?" She held up the crystal.

"Well, it is." Erusha frowned and the group gathered at the meeting place nodded in agreement.

"Well, we humans invented this thing called glow sticks."

"Glow sticks..?" Erusha asked sounding sceptical.

"The military used them back in the days, snapped them in half and the sticks would glow in the dark without an external light source. Now back then it was a one-time thing, but this smart lady realised that Dark Energy could be applied to the sticks and recharge them." She explained as she twirled the crystal around between her fingers. "This little thing works pretty much the same. It contains a small amount of power that, when these two parts are twisted, will generate power without an external power source. And just like the glow sticks, we started to figure out that we could recharge the power crystals with Dark Energy."

"But we don't have any Dark Energy. Only members of the High Council possess them," the Daly said glumly.

"Ye of little faith." Haze winked before she let the biotics seep from her fingertips into the crystal. Several gasps were heard around her.

"So they can really be used again?" Erusha wore a curious expression on her face as she let her index finger poke the crystal where the biotics flames licked it hungrily. "It tickles."

Haze let her biotics burn out then she twisted the two parts of the power crystal. A buzzing noise rose from it and a white shimmering light surrounding it.

"It works!" The Daly's voice was filled with wonder and Haze nodded smiling at him the other Zergonians and Racorgs nodding and murmuring amongst themselves.

"It does, however..."

"Uh oh," Vabenass said.

"If overloaded it'll cause an explosion. That's why crystals like these are rarely used more than one time because most people don't know how to recharge them properly or don't want to risk getting blown up."

"So how is it you know all of this?" Erusha asked with a frown. "You don't look like the kind who knows a lot about science."

Haze chuckled. Most humans wouldn't even know what a power crystal was if they saw one, but for a rat, it meant light and warmth for as long as they could keep recharging them without blowing themselves up in the process.

"Let's just say I've had a lot of practice recharging power crystals."

"It is one of the things we learn at the academy."

She turned around at the sound of the familiar voice as Ashley walked up to them dressed in a Zergonian war outfit. She looked deadly. And gorgeous. Mind out of the gutter, Skipper. The marine's eyes told her and she returned her attention to the others.

"So you can also recharge crystals, Bodwana?" Erusha inquired.

"No, I'm not a biotic." Ashley shook her head then grimaced. "Bodwana?"

"The Kajono's bondmate." Erusha clarified, eyes glittering.

"I uh..." Haze coughed. "We're, we're not, no." She shook her head 'no' and slashed with her hand through the air at the implied definition of their relationship. Several chuckles could be heard from around the meeting place and she looked over to see Ashley's eyes twinkle with amusement.

"Ok, yeah, maybe we...we haven't discussed this so let's just go over the plan." She waved the power crystal in the air. "Vabenass and I will lead the ground team. We will lure the Gileho Kas towards the beach. It will be a difficult task and we will need every one who can fight.

Erusha and Ashley will lead the air team, when you see us you strike using whatever weapons that can do damage from the air, keep them busy until the right moment." She looked up at the designated ground team, all large group of pure bloods males and females alike.

"You will not engage the Empress or the High Council. You will fly right above them letting the Empress and her army clash with the Gileho Kas." She handed Erusha the power crystal. "Once all of us is in the air you drop this. We will have only seconds to get to safety so the ground team will dive westwards and air team you'll dive off to the east, heading back here. Ground team will do a last sweep making sure both targets have been eliminated."

She paused looking up, watching her words sink in, letting the plan take form in their minds.

"Understood?"

"Understood, Kajono." Erusha said standing straighter her fellow Zergonians following suit.

"Do we have your support, Ravu of the Racorgs?" She addressed him formally. She thought he would hesitate and try to bargain with her like the turian councillor or all the others she had tried to enlist the help of, but he simply nodded.

"You have. We have isolated ourselves far too long and if this war is lost there is nothing stopping them from coming for us. For the good of my people and for the good of Zergon I lend you my peoples' support."

"Thank you. Then make your preparations, gather the rest of your people and meet us here by dawn." She turned to the others. "You should all get rest. Tomorrow... it's do or die."

TO BE CONTINUED...