A/N: I'm a horrible person I know, for making you wait so long for chapter 14. The holidays hit me hard, and I ended up on a cross country trip with no time that I could devote to my story. However I made sure to give you and extra long chapter, and I promise that chapter 15 will be up before the end of this week. I hope you enjoy 14, and please review :3

Miranda broke the neck of an eclipse merc with a sharp jab to the throat, before executing another with a bone shattering biotic warp.

Shepard was both surprised and impressed with Miranda's actions on this mission. She was far more aggressive than usual, killing anything that come within range as fast as she could, the only expressions on her face being frustration and anger. She obviously wanted to get to her sister as fast as she could.

Shepard fought alongside her, as did Samara, the Asari displaying an arsenal of biotic powers that impressed even Shepard, who had her enhanced abilities. The Justicar moved with all the grace and speed of her kind, weaving in and out of cover and executing hostiles with ease.

They made short work of the mercenaries they encountered, pressing forward, further into the complex, and closer to Miranda's sister, Oriana.

"Area clear." Shepard pronounced as they finished off the last of the mercenaries in the proximity. Her squad lowered their weapons, though they remained tense, ready for anything.

Shepard signalled to move onwards and made her way through the next doorway. The room beyond was empty, though there were a few data pads that looked interesting. Miranda went for them, probably hoping to find something on the people hired to take Oriana in.

Shepard looked around the room, searching for anything else that could be of any help, when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. She tensed, and the sensation vanished as soon as it appeared.

It's trying harder now. Shepard thought to herself, trying to look as if nothing was amiss; she didn't want to alert her squad.

Throughout the mission so far, Shepard had experienced short pains in her head, varying in magnitude but only lasting for a second or two. She could feel a constant frustration in the back of her mind, a frustration that wasn't of her own.

Shepard knew the virus was trying growing impatient and was not trying harder and harder to force dominance over her. So far she had been successful in ignoring it, but that sharpness was the strongest she had felt thus far, and she knew it was only going to get worse.

Pushing the unpleasant thoughts from her head, Shepard led the way out of the room and into the next, keeping an eye out for hostiles.

"Why did you leave us Shepard?" Tail's voice sobbed angrily. Shepard froze, stunned.

"What is it commander?" Samara asked, eyes darting around the room.

"Why couldn't you stay dead?" Kaiden snapped. "We don't want you anymore. We don't want a monster."

"It's… it's nothing." Shepard replied, continuing forward. She realised it was just the virus playing with her mind.

"Are we nothing to you commander?" Chakwas asked coldly.

"That's not what I meant."

"You didn't mean what?" Miranda asked, looking at her suspiciously.

"Don't mind me." Shepard whispered. "It's just the virus trying to play with my head."

"Can you continue?" Miranda suddenly looked concerned.

"I'm fine." Shepard assured her, motioning for them to keep moving.

They passed through the next door and into a room full of mercs. Shepard didn't stop to think; she fired a powerful push at the nearest man, and gunned another two down with her assault rifle.

"We just had just come to terms with the fact that you were dead, and then you come back, but now you're a mess." Kaiden sneered.

"Shut up!" Shepard hissed through clenched teeth, punching a merc across the room with a biotic fist.

"You know it's the truth, even if they don't openly tell you." The virus stated. "If they don't want you, why continue to exist like this?"

Shepard ignored the question and tried to focus on the task at hand. She kept her eyes on the hostiles in front of her, and attacks directed at them. She kept count of the kills she made, what attacks she used, anything that would keep her mind from wandering.

"Stop resisting!" it growled, sending stabs of pain into Shepard's head. The sudden sensation caused Shepard to miss her next biotic attack, and giving the merc an opportunity to launch a rocket at her.

Momentarily caught off guard, Shepard did not have the time to muster her biotic barriers, and her shields exhausted themselves stopping the projectile.

Shepard stumbled back, and pushing the pain aside for a brief moment, killed the merc with three precise shots of her pistol.

Samara had noticed Shepard's behaviour, and rushed to aid her against the incoming mercenaries.

"Commander, you do not have to continue. I will gladly see Miranda through if you need to head back to the Normandy." Samara said, looking at Shepard with concerned eyes.

"I'll be fine." Shepard rasped, though she was exhausted by the toll the virus had inflicted upon her.

The Asari looked at her a moment longer, before nodding and returning to the task at hand.

After they had eliminated all resistance in the area, they took a moment to get their bearings.

"Oriana should be directly above us, thirty stories up. We can use this elevator to get to her." Miranda said, heading for the doors.

Shepard nodded and followed, her movements slow.

"Commander I strongly recommend you take a moment to rest." Samara urged, putting a hand on Shepard's shoulder.

"We can't rest; we need to get to Oriana before the eclipse do." Shepard said firmly.

"With respect, you aren't in any condition to take any more punishment."

Shepard sighed angrily. "I'm fine. If death couldn't stop me, I doubt a few mercenaries can."

She pressed the button and the elevator door closed.

"Shepard, I'd understand if you let us go ahead. We're more than capable of taking care of ourselves." Miranda assured.

"I won't abandon you just because the virus wants to fuck with my head." Shepard spat.

"But you abandoned us Shepard. For two years you abandoned us." Tali's voice sounded so real, so hurt, Shepard had to look away from her team members, trying to fight off the tears that threatened to be shed.

The virus was able to strike at her very core, as it knew everything that bothered her, and everything that gave her strength. She was an open book for it to read, and she couldn't close it out.

It's too strong.

The elevator doors opened and the trio stepped out.

"Niket?" Miranda exclaimed as they stepped out in front of Miranda's contact… who was speaking to the eclipse leader.

"This should be interesting." The Asari in yellow armour smirked, stepping back.

The shipping overseer obviously sensed the danger of the situation and tried to make a break for it, but the eclipse leader made sure she didn't get far, shooting her once in the back with her shotgun.

"What are you doing here?" Miranda demanded, addressing the human man.

"Miranda. You have to let me explain…" Niket started

"You sold me out!" Miranda yelled, moving her aim to Niket's heart.

"It isn't like that! You kidnapped a child, you took her away from the only family she had. You didn't give her a choice!" Niket countered, looking more angry than afraid.

"You know what my father is like, that's why you helped me escape in the first place!" Miranda exclaimed. "I rescued my sister."

"From a life of wealth and happiness? I helped you escape because you wanted too. You had a choice."

"Why didn't you contact me first then? Why didn't you give me a chance to explain?"

"Because you never told me you were with Cerberus, or that you'd stolen your sister. You never told me those things, and I ended up hearing it from your father first. How could I trust you after that?"

"How much?" Miranda asked quietly. "How much did he pay you to help him?" Shepard noticed the look in her eyes; she was going to kill him.

"A great deal. He knew you trust me, that's why he went to me."

"And you just took his money?" Miranda whispered, outraged.

"You've been doing that for years. How's this any different?" Niket demanded.

"So why the eclipse?" Shepard asked, trying to bide their time. "I knew they did shady business, but kidnapping a kid?"

"I'm not kidnapping, I'm rescuing." The Asari smirked. "Come on Niket, let me finish these bitches off and we can get the hell out of here."

"Take your best shot." Shepard snarled, her finger tightening on the trigger.

"Commander…" Samara warned, but it was too late.

Kill them.

Shepard's weapon fired a shot right between the eclipses eyes. She'd coated the round in a powerful biotic aura, allowing it to cut right through the Asari's shields. Her body slumped forward, dead, with everyone looking on in a state of shock.

Both of them.

"Shepard, no!" Miranda yelled as Shepard moved her aim to Niket. Shepard tried to control the virus that had caused her to act so violently, and so her arm shuddered as she fired again, the shot hitting Niket in the arm instead of the head.

Niket fell backwards with a cry as Shepard forced her hand open, dropping her weapon so that she wouldn't be able to attack again.

"Shepard, forgive the insubordination but you should return to the ship now." Samara stated in a gentle tone.

Shepard hesitated before nodding slowly and turning around, back to the elevator.

She couldn't believe what had just happened. She'd surrendered control for mere seconds and the virus had made her kill there only source leading back to Miranda's father and shoot an unarmed civilian.

She felt sick that she'd allowed it to happen, disgusted that she'd let the virus' taunts distract her like they had and terrified at how much control it had gained over her, how close it was getting to gaining complete control over her.

She turned back as she pressed the button in the elevator, and glimpsed Samaras sorrowful expression as the doors shut.

"You left them Shepard. Just like you left me." Garrus' voice whispered in her head.

Shepard let out a scream of frustration, anger and pain as she heard the words uttered by the person that meant more to her than anything in the galaxy. She spun around and punched the wall of the elevator, her fist covered in tendrils of black matter producing from her wrist.

She punched the wall again and again, with more and more force, denting the metal further and further, until she collapsed into a ball in the corner of the small square space.

Tears ran down her face as she stifled her sobs.

I'm weak. She thought pathetically to herself, trying to control her emotions.

You are strong. Stronger than you could possible imagine. You just don't know it yet. The virus whispered gleefully.

"You are strong!" Shepard yelled. "Not me! You broke me. You won." Her words slowly decreased in volume until they were a mere whisper.

I cannot win until you accept what you are. Emotion is a weakness, and you have to sever emotional links. Breaking you only makes you stronger.

"Why?" She whispered. "Why did Cerberus have to bring me back, just to have me leave everyone all over again? Hurt them all over again."

Because you are destined for something greater, and they know it. We are the next step of organic evolution, not only human. They may have only used this method for humans intentionally, but we will spread. We will bring finality to the galaxy and all its colonies.

"Why not someone else?"

They need a symbol, someone the galaxy looks up to. Someone they believe in. when they see you standing there, when they see what you've become and when they hear you tell them to take the next step, they will follow.

Shepard didn't know what to say. Was this really Cerberus' intention, or was it just another of the virus' attempts to gain her acceptance.

She did not know, but she was certain that she was weaker than it, that it would take what it wanted whether she approved or not… eventually.

"I don't want to leave Garrus again." She whispered, thinking of everything they'd been through together, how close they'd come to each other. "He's been hurt too much to have to suffer that again."

The choice is yours Shepard. The virus stated. You can ruin him, or perfect him. Bring him with you, or leave him behind.

"I can't make a decision like that." Shepard growled painfully. "You're not giving me the choice."

Everyone has a choice. It said simply before receding from her conscience.

Shepard spent the next hour and a bit sitting on the end of her bed, waiting for Miranda and Samara to return.

She hated being alone like this, she hated being alone with the virus… it felt as though someone was watching… listening all the time. But she didn't want to come into contact with anyone, especially after the recent incident.

But it had to be the suspense that she was left in after leaving her squad in the warehouse. She wanted to know how Miranda had handled the situation after she left, or if they ran into any other trouble. Did they make it to Oriana in time? Was Niket alive or dead? Was either of them injured?

She had never experienced the feeling of helplessness like this before. She felt disgusted in herself that she just left her squad in the way that she did; how she'd given in and just abandon them.

Is this how the great commander Shepard operates? Is this how she looks after her team? She thought darkly.

If she'd just maintained a little more self-control…

"Commander, Miss Lawson and Samara have returned." EDI chimed over the intercom.

"Thank you EDI." Shepard sighed, getting up and making for the elevator.

"Everyone has a choice, ha!" She snarled into the empty space. She'd been thinking on everything the virus had said, and she found truth in everything but that statement, much to her displeasure; the virus wasn't giving her the choice to remain as she had been. It wanted to hold onto her, it wanted to consume her, and it was never going to give up.

Ever.

The elevator doors opened on the CIC deck, Miranda and Samara both waiting for it.

"Commander, before you say anything we just want you to know that we don't blame you for leaving. Miranda explained to me your current situation and I understand that there are just some things that you can't control, and that you carry a heavy burden."

Now they pity me; Great.

"Oriana is safe." Miranda said, unable to hide the relief in her voice. "She's with her own family and the arrangements have been made to keep my father away from them."

"That's good to hear Miranda." Shepard said, forcing a smile. She did feel relieved that everything had turned out for the better, but she was still resentful of not being there.

"And… I let Niket go." She said after some hesitation. "My father got to him first. He heard his perspective first, and he went with it. I wasn't going to kill him for that."

Shepard was sure Miranda did the right thing, but right now her mind was clouded, nothing was clear to her. She just wanted the day to end.

"I'm glad things worked out." She said simply as the elevator stopped on the crew deck.

Miranda nodded. "Thank you for helping me with this Shepard. I can't express how grateful I am for my sister's safety."

"I have to look out for my crew." Shepard said, even though the words made her sick; she didn't look out for her crew today.

Once Miranda had departed, Shepard pressed the button for her quarters, intending to get some sleep before the next fiasco, until she realised that Samara hadn't left.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked, not unkindly.

"I know how to read people commander." Samara said, surprising Shepard with the force in her voice. "I know that you feel guilty for leaving, and you're right to feel so. I know you don't want my pity, but I had to make a good impression for your XO."

The elevator doors shut but it didn't' start moving. It was then that Shepard realised that Samara had disabled it with her Omni tool. Whatever she was about to say, she didn't want any interruptions.

"You displayed a show of weakness today Commander." She said bluntly. "I expected you to follow through with your intentions to the end, and I thought that you were going to as I watched you fight your discomforts.

"I know what you're going through is hard, that this monstrosity is strong. But you have to be stronger. You have to fight it with every ounce of your being; otherwise you're going to lose yourself to it."

"You're out of line." Shepard growled, but deep down, she wanted Samara to continue.

"That may be, but I cannot stand idly by while my commanding officer fails to carry out her duties, her promises. You let a member of your crew down today Shepard. You weren't being strong for her."

"You were the one who told me to go back!" Shepard exclaimed furiously.

"I told you that I'm good at reading people, and I could tell that Miss Lawson would've wanted you to go back. But this crew needs to be strong; it has to act as a whole. If I made what Miranda would have perceived as a poor decision, we wouldn't be able to function well together.

You showed great strength in resisting the virus' effects, and I expected you to continue even when you let it take control. But you disappointed. You shouldn't have even let it take control in the first place! You of all people should have known what it's like, especially after what happened with Officer Vakarian in the shuttle bay. You have to be more vigilant, and you have to be more tolerating."

"You have no idea what it's like!" Shepard roared, her anger boiling over. "You don't know how strong it is! You don't know what it does, what it whispers in my head, how it manipulates my limbs and forces me to do its will!"

"You're right." Samara said in a gentler tone. "I don't know what it's like. But I do know that there are people out there that need you. They don't need a monster, they need you. I would've thought that you of all people would see that as a reason to fight."

Shepard looked away. She felt disgusted in herself. She had been weak, she'd known that for a while now, but she didn't know how to fight it, how to fight something so powerful, so manipulative.

"It knows everything about me." She whispered. "My weaknesses, my fears, what makes me angry, what makes me want to give up… what makes me hurt. How do you fight something like that?"

Samara grabbed Shepard by the chin, and forced her to look into her eyes.

"You can't get rid of it, but you can put up with it. Just remember everything you're fighting for, and you'll be able to see past the darkness."

She released Shepard, and the commander's head dropped, silent tears ran down her face.

"It may help… but I can't stay in the game for the long haul. It wants me, fully and completely. It'll force its hold if it has to. It's only a matter of time."

"You have to hold out. I know you can. I've read a great deal about you; your strength, your resolve, your determination and your bravery. Be brave now, and don't let it take you. But don't let it make you the villain."

Shepard looked up and nodded, forcing a determined expression. "For everything I fight for."

Samara nodded, apparently satisfied.

"I must apologize now for the way I spoke. It was disrespectful and it was not something I'm proud of. But it had to be done."

"Many things are like that, I understand." Shepard said gently, making it clear that there were no ill feelings towards the Justicar.

"Yes… and I happen to be in one such situation myself." Samara said, her look was one of extreme discomfort.

"I'll do whatever I can to help." Shepard said in a way that showed that she wouldn't fail again.

"I've been hunting a particular criminal for several decades." Samara explained. "She is one of the most dangerous predators to stalk the galaxy, and I must put an end to her. She's an Ardat-Yakshi, an Asari born with a unique genetic mutation. When Asari mate, they connect minds together and the 'mother' as you would call it, takes the genetic coding of the partner and uses it to create her offspring. Ardat-Yakshi on the other hand, unwillingly and uncontrollably mess with the genetic coding in the partner, with can cause huge problems within the person's body, resulting in their death."

Shepard was shocked. "So basically they kill whoever they mate with?"

"Yes. Most Ardat-Yakshi lives in seclusion, so that they won't be tempted to kill anyone. But you see, with every kill they make, their natural biotic abilities become stronger, as well as their body and mind. This power corrupts some Ardat-Yakshi, and make them want to kill.

"The one I'm hunting goes by the name of Morinth, and she has killed many people in her time. She is still young however, giving her plenty of time to cause more destruction before her life's end. I intend to bring about that end, but I cannot do so alone.

"If I went within a hundred feet of her, she'd sense me coming and make a break for it. I've been hunting her for so long, and I cannot let her elude my grasp again."

"So you want me to lure her out?" Shepard said slowly, suddenly slightly uncertain.

"Yes Shepard." Samara said gravely. "You are a warrior, something that will get her attention, and her interest. You are also powerful, something she admires, and you have a dark side that not many know about. Use that to get her attention. I have tracked her to the station of Omega, we must go there, bait her out, and I will finish this once and for all."

The way she said gave Shepard the feeling that there was something else behind it.

"What aren't you telling me?" Shepard asked slowly.

Samara looked away briefly, and when she turned back, Shepard could see the barely controlled sorrow on her face.

"This killer, this monster… She's my daughter." She whispered.

Shepard did not know what to say, she did not know what to think. Samara was hunting down and planning to kill her own daughter?

"Is there no other way?" Shepard asked.

"It is within my code as a Justicar to hunt down and eliminate all Ardat-Yakshi that reside outside our monasteries. She has proven herself hostile numerous times, and has become more and more powerful over the years."

"Why can't you return her to the monastery then?" Shepard asked.

"She would never go willingly. Her hunger for power has become insatiable. No, she must be destroyed, and I must be the one to do it. I brought this demon into this world; therefore it is my duty to remove her."

Samaras face was set, her tone resolute. Shepard knew she could not be swayed, and this had to be done.

Insatiable hunger is a weakness. Weakness must be eliminated. The voice whispered in the back of her head. For the first time, Shepard agreed without reluctance. This Morinth was an unstable danger that had to be dealt with. It had to be done.

"I'll help you Samara." Shepard said gravely.

"I thank you commander." Samara bowed her head in a form of respect, before bringing up her Omni-tool and reactivating the elevator.

"I must prepare for the ordeal ahead. Call for me when the time has come." Samara stepped out of the elevator and towards her quarters in the observation room.

Shepard sighed and pressed the button for her quarters, planning to get some rest before their arrival.

Omega… that place held unpleasant memories for herself and for Garrus.

Especially Garrus. Shepard thought, thinking of Sidonis' betrayal.

The Turian will pay in blood in due time. The voice whispered in the back of her mind. And Vakarian will have fully lived up to his name.

Archangel.

Still no news on Sidonis. No sightings, no messages, not even a whisper of the name. It was as if he had melted into the shadows.

Garrus paced the main battery, calibrations done and nothing else on the daily schedule.

"Honour Weaver, all of us, and make Sidonis pay."

He remembered the dying words of the last squad mate left living in the wreckage of their base, and his fists tightened in fury.

Why had Sidonis done it? Why did he sell out the lives of ten good men, while he was left to go free? Sidonis had always been a little edgy, but Garrus would never have thought, not even for a moment, that anyone on their team would betray the rest.

If anything, he wanted to know why.

It had been twelve hours since Shepard's announcement that they'd be docking at Omega for their nest mission, and that he'd be coming along for this one. Garrus was sceptical about returning to the place that he'd resorted to when he'd lost everything… and then lost it a second time two years later.

Still, they had a mission to see through, and Garrus knew he couldn't let his mind be clouded with such thoughts.

He went to his work table, intending to disassemble and clean his rifle again, when the door to the main battery opened, and Shepard walked in.

Garrus froze as he saw the Commanders face. Her skin was paler now more than ever, black veins could be seen under it at her temples and around her eyes. Her eyes themselves had acquired an orange ting, barely any green remained. Her body was thinner yet her muscles more prominent, as if the skin was stretched thinly over them.

Garrus felt his heart drop at the sight. She was slowly transforming into something she wasn't. The virus had almost completed its hold on her.

"Garrus, are you ready?" Shepard asked. But it wasn't her voice that came out… a horrible rasping, deep, flanged voice emitted from her, like something out of a nightmare.

"Shepard?" Garrus asked in alarm.

Shepard smiled, making her look even more terrifying that before.

"Not anymore." The voice whispered gleefully, before the main battery dissolved around them, and Shepard transformed into a creature of pure black, almost hidden within the shadows that now surrounded them.

"Shepard is gone. And she's never coming back."

"Ever."

Garrus jolted awake, his mind sliding back into reality. He was back in his bed in the main battery, naked from the waist up and covered in icy sweat.

It was just a bad dream. He assured himself. Just a bad dream.

Still, it felt so real, he was half into believing that he'd been knocked unconscious by the not-Shepard, and placed into his bed. But he knew better than that.

He knew Shepard was still in control. How long that was going to last, he wasn't sure.

He checked the time on his Omni tool. There were still a few hours before they reached Omega, and he couldn't sleep now, not after what he'd just seen.

It was time to prepare.

Shepard, Garrus and Samara walked towards the VIP entrance of the nightclub, all three of them apprehensive about the mission ahead.

If they failed, Morinth would get away, and who knew how many more people she'd kill.

Shepard was the calmest of the three, knowing that she had the means to defend herself if Morinth decided to attack once they were alone.

The other two however would have no control over the situation, as they had to watch from afar, unable to intervene.

Shepard's job was to seduce Morinth and get her somewhere private. There, Samara would come and finish the job.

Shepard had brought Garrus along as a precaution. If something went wrong in the nightclub, it was good to know that there was a backup plan ready.

Samara was dressed in her usual attire, whereas Shepard had chosen to wear her black and blue jacket and tight fitting grey jeans, and Garrus wore his regular civvies.

Getting into the nightclub was a breeze; simply bribing the guard secured them easy entrance to the club's upper floor.

"You go on ahead." Shepard told Garrus. "we don't want to let on that we're together. I'll head on in a few minutes after you do. Just sit somewhere where you can see the whole club, order a drink, and act like you're just out to have a good time. Once I'm in, keep an eye out for Morinth or anything else I should be aware of."

Garrus nodded. "I've got your six Shepard."

"Right. If anything goes wrong… well we'll just have to improvise." Shepard said.

Five minutes later, Shepard entered the bar, to be greeted by a young man, asking if Shepard had any tickets to a band called expel 10.

"There's this Asari who said she'd go with me if I bring her the tickets!" He explained excitedly.

"I haven't seen any around sorry." Shepard said, walking off.

She looked around the club subtly; trying to pinpoint either Garrus' or Morinth's location, but it was hard to concentrate with the pulsing lights, heavy beat and constant chatter of the clubs occupants.

Just when she thought she spotted Garrus' blue visor amongst the crowds, a commotion near the dance floor caught her attention.

A Turian who had obviously consumed a fair amount of alcohol was harassing a young Asari dancer.

"Come on, I don't live far from here. We'd be gone and back before anyone knew." The Turian slurred, reaching for the Asari.

"Get away from me! Do I look like a hooker to you?" the dancer yelled.

Shepard stepped over. "Is there a problem?"

"Mind your own business lady." The Turian grumbled. "Why do humans always have to stick their noses in?"

Teach him some respect.

"It looks like you've got your nose where it doesn't belong either." Shepard remarked, ignoring the voice in her head.

"What are you, one of her whore friends?" the Turian demanded, before cracking a mischievous grin. "I guess I could make that work." And he advanced on Shepard instead.

On his knees.

Shepard launched a powerful kick into the Turians knee, shattering the joint and bending it the wrong way. He fell to his good knee, howling in pain.

"I think you've had enough for one night." Shepard sneered before walking away.

She walked up to the bar and ordered a drink from the Batarian bartender.

So far, Shepard had seen no sign of Morinth, which was beginning to make her uneasy. A hidden predator was the most dangerous kind.

Her drink came, and she raised it to her lips.

Poison. The voice whispered.

Shepard paused, considering the virus' words, before consuming the glass' contents anyway.

"Another." She said to the Batarian, trying to appear as cheerful as possible.

The bartender seemed a little phased, but he shrugged it off and poured another drink.

"Thank you. Now drink it." Shepard said, maintaining her pleasant demeanour.

"Excuse me?" the Batarian spluttered.

"You heard me, Shepard said, lowering her voice. "Drink."

"Wha- no!"

"So tell me then, who else have you being trying to poison?" Shepard asked.

The Batarian froze, before growling and drawing a hidden pistol. Shepard grabbed his weapon arm with one hand, forcing his aim upwards. With her free hand she grabbed the back of the Batarian's head and brought it down into the bar top, his face crushing the glass and sending shards of it into his flesh.

The Batarian dropped his weapon and howled in pain as poison coated glass sunk into his face.

"You may want to call a hospital." Shepard remarked.

As she turned to walk away, she spotted an Asari in all black, watching her from a corner. Her face was so like Samaras, Shepard almost mistook it for her entirely, and it took all of her willpower to hide her shock.

Morinth gestured at Shepard to come over, a small grin on her face.

So far so good. Shepard thought before making her way over.

Garrus watched from his booth which overlooked most of the club. Shepard and the Asari whom he assumed was Morinth made their way over to a secluded area of the club and sat down.

He'd been shocked my Shepard's acts of aggression, as it was very unlike her to be so outright with her anger.

The virus was sinking its roots deeper and deeper into Shepard's mind, taking more and more of her humanity from her.

He needed to act soon; otherwise he feared it would already be too late.

He fingered the handle of his hidden pistol absent minded.

"Why so glum?" a male voice asked from beside him.

He turned his head to be greeted by a young human dressed in grey jeans and a black hooded jacket.

"Uh, it's nothing." Garrus stammered, caught off guard. "Just had a rough day."

"I see." The human said. His voice was smooth, deep and held a surprising power about it. Something about him seemed… wrong.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Garrus asked, though not unkindly.

"As a matter of fact, there is." The man said, stepping in front of Garrus, blocking his view of Shepard.

"There's a particular weapon I'm trying to find, and you look like you know your way around these sorts of things. You look like you have some experience with them."

"Uh, I guess I could help." Garrus said uncertainly, leaning to the side slightly; trying to keep Shepard in his sights. "What is the weapon you're looking for?"

"It's a human designed weapon, very rare, very advanced. Few people have heard about it, and the people who have won't share their knowledge with me; it's a dangerous secret you see."

"Well if that's the case, I don't think I'd know anything about it." Garrus said in an apologetic tone.

"But I believe you do." The human grinned. "Tell me Garrus. How far are you willing to go to save the woman you love?"

Garrus lost sight of Shepard again as he locked eyes with the human, his mind frozen in shock.

"Are you willing to die to help her? I can tell you that doing so would only make things worse. Are you willing to kill for her? I don't think she'd approve of you becoming a murderer. Are you willing to join her, to embrace her abnormality and take it upon yourself as well?"

"Who are you?" Garrus growled, his hand clenching around his pistols handle.

"The one that's trying to help you, and her." He flicked his head in Shepard's direction.

"That's not an answer!" Garrus snapped, standing up and beginning to draw his weapon.

The human moved faster than Garrus had even thought possible. He grabbed Garrus gun arm and kept it in place, the weapon only halfway out of its holster, and with his other hand, grabbed Garrus by the throat.

"I can tell you now that you were about to make a very bad decision. Don't make the same mistake with her." And he released him.

Garrus let go of his weapon, but he continued to glare at the human, holding his ground.

"I still want answers. How do you know so much? Who are you?"

"There's no time for that I'm afraid. You have a mission to attend to."

Garrus looked over to where Shepard was sitting, only to find that she and Morinth had left the booth.

Garrus took a step forward, trying to find them among the crowds. He caught a glimpse of the duo leaving the club through the door they had entered.

"Damn it!" Garrus growled, Turing back to the human.

He was gone.

"Shit!"

He put his hand up to his comm. "Samara, they're on the move. They should be coming out the main door now."

"I see them and following. Thank you Garrus." Samaras voice was quaking, as if she was trying to contain her emotions.

Garrus did a brief glance around the club before heading to the exit himself.

The hooded man would have to wait; Shepard needed his help.

"You have a lot of interesting items here." Shepard remarked, looking around the apartment with interest.

"I'm a collector of arts." Morinth smiled, speaking in her usual seductive tone. "People capable of creating wondrous and sometimes even fearful things deserve credit."

"Can't argue with that." Shepard replied, returning the smile.

"Maybe you should come and sit with me, and we'll see what wondrous things we can do together."

Shepard complied, seating herself beside Morinth, who turned so she was looking Shepard directly in the face.

"You're a unique women Alison." Morinth purred, stroking Shepard's cheek.

"In some ways more than others." Shepard smirked.

"You'll have to tell me some of your secrets later. But for now…" Morinth moved so that she was sitting on Shepard's lap.

"Tell me Shepard, what is the most satisfying way to kill someone?"

"You tell me." Shepard replied.

"People feel safest just before they die. Let them believe they are safe; let them believe they can come to no harm. Then when they least expect it, strike. Do you feel safe Shepard?"

"I'm never safe." A pang of discomfort racked her head. "None of us are ever safe. Look to the people we've killed, you and I; death follows everyone."

"Why do you say that I've killed? What do you know?" Morinth demanded, her voice suddenly going icy.

Shepard smiled menacingly. "Do you want to know the true most satisfying way to kill someone?" She whispered, her voice growing deep… and flanged with the virus' words.

"Enough games!" Morinth's eyes had gone black, and Shepard felt a strange pressure around her mind.

"Look into my eyes…" She said in a powerful, seductive tone. "Tell me you want me. That you'd kill for me. Anything that I want."

Weak. She cannot comprehend the force she meddles with!

Shepard allowed the virus to broaden its reach; pushing Morinth's influence back… and blanketing her mind instead.

"You never answered my question." It wasn't Shepard talking anymore, but the virus. Shepard could move, she couldn't talk, she could barely think. The virus was in control now.

"Do you want to know the true most satisfying way to kill someone?"

Her voice was deep, hard, full of malice, and Morinth's eyes were growing in fear.

"Let me tell you." Shepard leant forward so that her lips were at the side of Morinth's head.

"The most satisfying way to kill someone, it when you let them believe that they are strong… you let them believe they are in control… you let them believe that you are helpless. But just when they're about to strike… you show them just how strong you are, show them how little control they have, and show them just how helpless they are."

"Morinth!" a clear voice exclaimed from behind her, a voice full of anger and determination.

Shepard turned around to see the new arrivals, releasing her control over Morinth's mind.

Samara and Garrus had entered the building, the latter's eyes widening in shock as he took in the scene.

Shepard tried to warn them, but her body would not respond to her will. Instead, the virus spoke using her lips.

"She's ours. Do not interfere."

Suddenly Shepard was thrown backwards by a powerful biotic blast, across the room and into the wall.

Morinth was on her feet now, her body surrounded by a blue aura.

"I should've known my mother had put you up to this!" Morinth screamed her voice full of hate.

"Do not call me that!" samara roared, throwing Morinth into the window with a shockwave.

"She is ours!" the virus exclaimed, and gathering up her full power, Shepard seized Morinth in a biotic grip.

"Weak. You are weak. Let us show you the genetic destiny of humanity and every civilized race in this galaxy."

Shepard threw Morinth into a shelf, sending its contents crashing to the floor.

"Shepard, stop!" Samara demanded, but the virus did not listen.

Morinth got to her feet and threw a shockwave at Shepard, who easily blocked it with a flick of her wrist.

"You do not yet comprehend that you cannot stop us. You cannot see that you are about to die." Shepard moved faster than the eye could follow, and now she was standing right in front of the Asari.

"Are you afraid?" her hand wrapped around Morinth's throat, and she lifted her off her feet.

"I'm the genetic destiny of the Asari!" Morinth choked desperately. "I'm just as strong as her, let me join you!"

"You are nothing more than a genetic deformity. We are the final stage of organic evolution. We are powerful, and we will dominate!"

Shepard raised her arm into Morinth's field of view before letting it turn into a black of black and grey.

Morinth's eyes widened in horror as she gazed upon the weapon connected to Shepard's flesh.

"This is strength." And Shepard threw Morinth to the ground, before raising the blade in preparation for her final strike.

"And they call me a monster." Morinth whispered before the blade fell, slicing her across the face, and carving into her skull, killing her instantly.

Shepard stood there, looking down upon her dead victim with contempt, before the virus released its hold over her, letting her collapse in a heap.

I failed. Was all she could think. It's over now. The virus has me.

She heard heavy footsteps approach, followed by the soft feeling of gloved, three fingered hands upon her shoulder.

"Shepard…" She heard Garrus whisper, and she detected a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Shepard looked at the cracked window that Morinth had been thrown into, and caught her own reflection in one of the more whole pieces.

Iris' fully orange, skin pale, veins black beneath her skin, face gaunt and expression almost impossible to read.

Shepard closed her eyes, trying to hold in her tears of anger, grief and fear.

She roughly shoved Garrus' hand away, before standing up and heading for the door.

"There, she's dead. That's one less threat this galaxy has to put up with." She said as she passed Samara, though she could not help but think that she'd just unleashed a new one.

Garrus stormed into the main battery and shut the door, locking it. He grabbed the chair he used while fixing his weapons and hurled it across the room with all his might. Then he swept everything off his work table with a swipe of his arm, sending weapon parts and tool to the floor.

He strode back to the door and punched it once, hard.

And there he stood panting, trying to calm himself, but to no avail.

The virus had won. It had taken her, and now there was very little left for him to save.

I've lost her all over again. He thought, keening quietly in grief.

She's gone.

No. there was still hope. Shepard was still there, he just had to draw her out, he just had to make her fight it!

But there was no way. He couldn't see a way. The path was lost to him.

He thought back to the Human in the club, the one in black, his face hidden beneath his hood.

"How far are you willing to go to save the woman you love?" his words echoed in his head.

Love. He'd always felt a deep connection towards Shepard, but he'd never before put a word to it. And he was still uncertain… how could he love someone that couldn't love him back? He was sure that Shepard cared for him greatly but not to the extent…

Damn it, Focus, Garrus! He thought to himself, trying to bring his thoughts back to the issue at hand.

"will you die for her?"

In a heartbeat. But the human had been right; what would dying accomplish? I'd do nothing but hurt her even more.

"Would you kill for her?"

He'd been right about that too. Murder would accomplish nothing, and Shepard would never approve of it.

But the virus would. It doesn't care who lives or dies, just so long as Shepard remains within its reach.

"Would you join her?"

Garrus did not know what to think of this. On the one hand, shepard would hate to see him bound to the virus, having to endure the suffering she'd been through. On the other hand, it may be the only way to help her, the only way to understand and connect with her.

Die. Kill. Join.

Three choices were lain out before him, yet he was sure there were other options.

Garrus' thoughts were interrupted by a beep at his terminal, indicating that he'd recived a message.

He walked over and opened his inbox.

1 message from Liara T'Soni.

Sidonis.

They'd found him, or at least a strong lead on where he may be, and the means to draw him out.

Better than nothing. Garrus thought, his anger boiling up.

Garrus went to the mess he'd crated and began putting everything back in its respected place.

I can't let Shepard come with me. He thought as he worked. She didn't let me kill Saleon, she won't let me kill Sidonis if she can help it.

But she'd insist on going. He'd never get off the ship without her knowing.

Maybe if EDI locked the battery door, said I was still inside… but his thoughts died as revelation clicked in.

Shepard wouldn't let him kill Saleon, but the virus would. It hated weakness, and cowardice and betrayal were weaknesses; it would want Sidonis eliminated.

Shepard will try and stop me… a chance for her to fight the virus.

But would her will be strong enough? Did she care so much about preventing him from gunning down an unarmed civilian that she'd be able to resist the virus?

It all came down to how much their friendship mattered to her, how much she cared for him.

It also meant that he'd have to let Sidonis go if Shepard stopped him from killing him, a thought that made the scars on his face tingle in remembrance.

He once said that he'd do anything to bring her back… anything at all, but breaking his promise to his crew, to himself, that he'd bring Sidonis to justice?

I have to. She means more to me than that.

He put the last item back on his work table before unlocking the battery door and heading for the CIC.

It was time for a change of plans.