Epilogue: 2179

Leon pressed the muzzle of his gun against her temple. "The next time you find yourself wondering if I ever loved you … I want you to think of this moment." Reaching out with his left hand, blood trailing down his arm, soaking through his shirt, he cupped her cheek, smearing warm blood over her face as he wiped away her tears. He smiled, his eyes cold and hard when she jerked away from his touch. "Think about this moment, when despite all of your betrayals, I let you live."

He reared back—

Jasmine sucked in a gasping breath, filling her nostrils with patchouli and mint. Her eyes shot open, and her heart pounded in her chest; the memory of the butt of Leon's gun flying toward her face sent every nerve into overdrive. Thane's scent cut through the haze, wrapping around her like a gentle caress, pulling her back to the present and the feel of his embrace. She nearly sobbed with the sudden relief washing over her.

Then she remembered: she killed Leon. Squeezing her eyes closed again, she pressed herself closer against Thane's side, begging sleep to reclaim her. Too late. Far too late, her mind raced through everything from the day before, reminding her of all the people who died—everyone she killed—because of Leon's vendetta.

Thanks to Theodus, she'd learned even more than she originally thought were killed in the chaos. Only it wasn't exactly chaos. Once Theodus provided her with a list of the names of the dead, Jasmine didn't even need to know where they were located in RetCorp to know what happened. Myrev Iasir and Corliava Kesus, the two asari Leon and Jasmine spent time with at the gala, as well as the third asari, Halani Atra, from their investment meeting … all three listed among the dead. It got worse; before Leon went after Thane and Nevas, he took a detour to the home of Drulius and Laeria Canso. He left the turians dead at their dining room table. Thank God the couple didn't have children; who knew what Leon might've been capable of in his state of mind?

She'd hand it to Theodus, though, the drell earned his pay twice over, easily. Worth every credit. Damn good at what he did, she easily saw why Thane kept him around. With his help, she had everything she thought she'd need to argue her case with the Alliance. They found evidence tying RetCorp back to the hit on Jasser Solomon, information on the roles played by the original six asari, and perhaps most importantly, evidence Leon was Jasser Solomon's son. At the very least, it'd be enough to convince the Alliance to look through Leon's files and follow the breadcrumbs themselves.

Thane's arm tightened around her and she sighed. Running her fingertips over the scales of his chest, she opened her eyes, turning her face up to find his gaze. The soft light filtering through the diaphanous curtains caught on his face, creating a blur of a halo around him, leaving a sheen on his scales. The dark pools of his eyes drew her attention, and she could almost feel herself slipping away, getting lost inside of them.

God, he's beautiful.

Something wasn't quite right. She blinked her eyes a few times trying to clear her eyes and mind of the last few remnants of sleep, but they stubbornly clung to her, giving everything around her an ethereal quality she couldn't quite shake. "Oh," she whispered as realization dawned.

His brow dipped in concern, the motion creating new shadows on his face to draw her gaze. "Siha?"

She was high on his venom, and it only took her a moment to understand why. Her herbal supplements, long since worn off, weren't protecting her from the sticky residue their lovemaking left behind inside of her. She licked her lips, some part of her mind telling her she ought to be concerned, but for some reason, she didn't feel anything close to the panic that wrapped itself around her throat last time. This didn't seem so bad, something light and mellow instead of harsh and consuming. Maybe the supplements weren't all the way out of her system, or maybe she'd already soaked up and metabolized most of the venom in her sleep. Either way, it wasn't so bad, definitely not overwhelming, and certainly not enough to chase her from his side.

She pressed her palm flat against his chest, delighting in the feel of his heart beating beneath her hand, and smiled. "Morning."

"Jasmine, your eyes … perhaps you'd like for me to get—"

"It's okay." She slid her hand to his waist. "I'm okay. Just stay here with me for a little bit longer."

He lifted his hand, brushing hair back out of her face. "As long as you want."

Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, and she sat her juice back on the table. She looked at the number on her screen before glancing at Thane and taking a deep breath. "Excuse me, I have to take this in private."

He dipped his head. "Of course, siha."

Jasmine left the table and went into the bathroom, making sure the door closed behind her before answering the call. The screen lit up, showing a woman in a navy suit sitting sideways, tapping mauve-lacquered nails on the dark, glass surface of the desk in front of her. Her blond hair, twisted back in a tight bun, pulled at her temples, adding to her severe stare.

"Shepard, I presume?" Tap tap tap, her fingers worked the desk. She arched a sculpted eyebrow.

"Yes, ma'am." Jasmine squared her shoulders, spine stiffening of its own accord as instinct and training recognized the authority the stranger held over her.

The woman watched Jasmine, green eyes piercing, pinning her in place. The older woman pursed her lips before sucking her teeth and waving a finger in Jasmine's direction. "Harding did that to your face?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Hmm." She pressed her lips together into a thin line and turned her chair to face Jasmine fully. "A team is already in place on Illium. They've retrieved Harding's body and are working now to clean up the rest of your mess. I want you out of Saefos Valley. You have two hours, it should be more than enough time to gather your things and take a shuttle to Nos Astros. You'll contact your liaison when you arrive and lay low while you await further instructions. When the team is finished, you'll be contacted again, at which point you'll meet them and they'll escort you back to Earth. If you don't show at the appointed location and time, they have leave to hunt you down and bring you in by force. I suggest you don't make them, Shepard."

Jasmine jerked her head in a sharp nod. "Of course, ma'am. I'll be there."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, and stepped into him. "You're still going to Kahje, right?"

"I gave you my word. I've every intention of doing whatever it takes to ensure I have as long as possible with you and—someday, when he'll speak to me again—with Kolyat." He rubbed his hand up and down her back, and she pressed her cheek against the soft leather of his vest. "I've no reason to linger on Illium; I'll leave tonight."

"Good." She pulled back enough to look up into his eyes. "I don't know what they're going to do, Thane. You know … it's possible … they might put me in prison indefinitely."

Lips pressing tight in one suppressed emotion or another, he lifted a hand to her face. "I'm prepared to wait as long as it takes; so long as I draw breath."

She sighed, the weight of his words weighing heavy on her shoulders and gouging another chunk from her bleeding heart. "I don't want you to. I mean, I'm not saying don't wait at all … but there's got to be a point when if I don't come back … you've got to let me go. I don't want to be the thing you torture yourself with. Or the reason why you shut everyone and everything else out."

A strangled, gentle cough caught in his throat and he tilted his head a little to the side. "Siha, I …."

Licking her lips, she shook her head. She couldn't leave him thinking the second she stepped out of the door he'd wrap himself in his battle sleep and just disappear from life, refusing to let anyone in until she either returned to him or he died. "Promise me."

He lowered his gaze, tears welling up in his eyes as he pressed a hand to the center of his chest. Blinking, both sets of eyelids, he pushed the tears away before meeting her gaze again. Voice raw, rough enough to feel like sandpaper over her wounded soul, he said, "You have my word."

"Thank you." Leaning into him again, she pressed her lips to his mouth.

After returning her kiss, he rested his forehead against hers, taking slow, steady breaths. "Are you sure you don't want me to come to Nos Astra with you?" He pulled back, finding her gaze again. "It sounds as if you'll be there waiting for awhile."

"It's too risky. They might have someone watching, waiting for me to show up." She could tell by the twitch at the corners of his eyes he'd already thought of the possibility but considered himself willing to take whatever chances she dared to take herself. She'd risked him enough, though, putting one of her own on his scent already. No way would she gamble with his life again. "I can't even let myself be seen leaving here, not with everything else happening." She forced a smile on her face and a teasing lilt to her voice. "Don't worry, though, as soon as they're done with me, I'll hunt you down. I promise."

It did the trick, pulling a smile and a soft chuckle from him. "I look forward to the chase."

"I have to go." She squeezed him a little tighter, fighting back her own tears when she turned her face up to him to be kissed. "I love you."

"And I you."

Letting her walk away was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He stood there, his hands hanging helplessly at his side, the minutes ticking by as he stared at the door praying it'd open again. He shamed himself and he shamed her, but he knew if she did come back, he'd beg her to never leave his side. The smell of her still lingered, reaching inside of him and wrapping itself around every fiber of his being. How had she managed to slip through his battle sleep and consume him so completely?

He forced his feet to move, turning aimlessly, he let his gaze roam over the apartment, desolate without her. She'd return to him, he must believe, needed to have faith that Arashu would return his siha to him. He'd breathe in her scent fresh from her skin and hair, taste her lips, and feel her body pressed against his again. And until then, he had the memories of her to get him through the long nights. It amazed him he ever thought of her as a punishment.

This … this feels like the punishment, perhaps this was always the intent. To give me someone to love again, only to take her away. No. She will return to me; I mustn't allow fear to diminish my faith.

Taking a deep breath, he went into his room, her smell so much stronger in there. He opened the window, welcoming the cleansing breeze. Slipping off his jacket and vest, he lowered himself to the floor, folding his legs beneath him. An hour in meditation to clear his mind, and then he'd be better prepared for what he must do next.

"Jasmine? What time is it? What's wrong?" Geoffrey switched on the bedside lamp, giving her a view of Karin sleeping soundly next to him.

She sucked in a shuddering breath and wiped at her wet eyes. "Can you … can you go to your office?"

"Sure, give me just a minute." He turned off the light again, and made his way through the dark room. The dim light of the hallway cast shadows over him as he left his bedroom, and a few moments later, the brighter light of his office fully illuminated his face. With the door closed behind him, he sat down in the arm chair behind his desk and turned his attention fully on her. "Talk to me, kid. I don't think I've seen you cry since that asshole Leon broke your heart."

Jasmine snorted, swiping a thumb under her eyes again, finding the idea hit a little too close to home. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the empty shuttle. "I fucked up," she whispered, fresh tears welling up at alarming speeds to spill over her cheeks with scorching heat. She sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "Bad. I can't … God, I can't tell you what happened. I really wish I could, but I can't put this on you."

"How can I help, Jasmine? Tell me what you need me to do," he said, his voice steady and sure, filled with a faith in her she never thought she deserved from him or anyone else.

"You can't. Not really. I just … I can't go radio silent on you without telling you something. It's a … legal issue. I don't know how bad it is just yet, but there's a chance I'm in serious trouble. I'm on my way to meet my escorts now, and I probably won't be able to contact anyone until at least after the Alliance determines whether I'm going to be held responsible for this incredibly fucked up situation."

Geoffrey let out a long, slow breath and pinched the bridge of his nose before spreading his thumb and finger out over his closed eyelids. "Christ. What should I tell Karin and the kids?"

She shook her head, pulling her shoulders up so high they nearly touched her ears. "I don't know." She swallowed, trying to fight back the tears but her voice cracked and the floodgates opened. "I don't know. I don't know."

"Hey, hey, it's alright. I'll think of something."

How long were they going to keep her waiting? Were they testing her, did they want her to run? The option still stood. It'd be easy to call Thane and tell him she changed her mind, tell him she wanted to go with him to Kahje. But they'd chase her, find her … and either bring her in kicking and screaming or put her down like a rabid dog. Maybe him, too.

She stared at her omni-tool, willing the call to come through and end her misery. The waiting and uncertainty felt like being drawn and quartered; pulled in too many directions at once. Her omni-tool remained stubbornly silent, leaving her to stew in her self-pity and doubt for awhile longer. Letting her gaze roam over the walls of the cheap motel, she took in the abstract paintings and tried to think about something else. Anything else.

Laying back on the bed, she took stock of all her aches and pains, reminding herself of how much worse it could be. Leon caught her dead to rights, by all accounts it should be her lying dead in their apartment floor instead of him on Nevas'. So why didn't he? Hell, maybe he did love her in his own sick, twisted way, but he had to know … had to know she'd come after him if he left her alive, all things considered.

Doesn't really matter now, does it?

Her omni-tool vibrated against her wrist, startling her out of her rumination. She sat up, opening the glowing, orange screen and swallowed. Gathering her courage, she accepted the call and took in the unfamiliar man's face in silence. Dark brown eyes studied her, sweeping over every centimeter of her face with a cold, calculating measure leaving her certain the odds weren't stacked in her favor and wouldn't be anytime soon.

"Nos Astra Commercial Spaceport. Dock thirty. One hour." He watched her until she nodded her understanding, and then he cut the call, leaving her screen dark.

"Fantastic." Jasmine closed her omni-tool and took a deep, calming breath, imagining herself pulling it all the way down to her toes before letting it out nice and slow.

Gathering her things, she checked out of the motel and took the first available shuttle. An hour wasn't much time to get to the spaceport, bypass customs and security, and make her way to the appointed dock; not in one of the busiest central hubs of trade and commerce in the galaxy, but she managed with a few minutes to spare.

One minute she stood alone, searching the docks for the face of the man who called her, and the next minute he appeared beside her. Her jaw twitched, everything inside of her wanting to lash out or run, but she willed herself to calm. Unsurprisingly, she still felt hidden eyes watching her. He brought back up, no doubt they'd taken up position in the catwalks with her in their sights. It's what she'd do.

"We're going in with the cargo until takeoff," he said, curt and to the point without so much as a hello. "We won't be on any official registries, but if anyone asks, your name is Katherine Hunter and you're returning your brother's body to Earth for burial."

Nausea swept of her, settling deep in the pit of her stomach. "Leon?"

"David Hunter is in a cryopod secured in the cargo of the SSV Holmstead." His gaze bore into her, his words left hanging in the air. "Once we board, you will surrender every weapon on your person or in your luggage, your omni-tool, and any of David's possessions you kept. Any questions?"

She pursed her lips. She didn't exactly expect a warm welcome, but being asked to pretend her dead handler—her former lover and the man she killed—was her brother seemed a little calloused. "What do I call you?"

His gaze shifted to the Holmstead's open hangar where the crew and dock workers loaded crates onto the ship. "Michael Hunter."

Resisting the urge to scoff, she studied his profile. Ignoring the contrast in complexions between this man, herself, and Leon, they still looked absolutely nothing alike. No one would mistake them for family. "Another brother?"

His gaze flickered to her before going back to the ship. "Yes."

She allowed herself a soft snort. Whose great idea? "I suppose we're all adopted?"

Turning back to her her, he narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Is this funny to you?"

She gave him a slow shake of her head, and sucked on her teeth. "Not even a little. What about the others?"

He arched an eyebrow at her.

She tilted her head toward the catwalks. "Whoever's hiding in the shadows watching me through their scope."

"The only other person you'll meet and need to be concerned with is Jessica Hunter, my wife. She'll meet us on the ship later." He turned his attention to the open hangar door of the ship ahead of them. "Time to go, Katherine."

He'd spoken to Mouse; asked his most trusted of the drala'fa to spread the word to the others that both he and Jasmine would be unreachable for awhile. He hoped speaking on her behalf didn't upset her if she ever had the opportunity to hear of it, but he felt something needed to be said to the drala'fa. Especially when Mouse made a point of asking him if he ever found Jasmine again. He remained ambiguous with his explanations, and felt grateful toward the boy for not asking pressing questions.

He packed his few belongings, the handful of items he cared to take with him. Finding a forgotten, cloth-covered elastic band—a few strands of Jasmine's hair tangled and clinging to its surface—nearly robbed him of his breath. Pain flared to life in his chest, memories of her flooding his mind, unraveling him all over again. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, he tucked the elastic band and its trapped hairs into his pocket before forcing himself to continue on.

Now he sat in the fading light of Illium's day, packed bags waiting next to the door; the ship he scheduled to leave on didn't depart for another two hours. He imagined she'd already left the planet behind her, on her way back to Earth to be judged for crimes another's ill-conceived actions forced her to commit, each passing minute getting further and further away from him. He fought the urge to pull his battle sleep around him to escape the pain. He made his siha promises he intended to keep.

Opening his omni-tool, he placed a call to Rone, stilling his features into an inscrutable mask while the call connected. "Hello, Brother," he said when Rone's face filled his screen.

A light smile ghosted over Rone's lips and he dipped his head. "Brother, I am glad you called. I decided to take the liberty of researching hospitals on Kahje with advanced care in Kepral's Syndrome. I have a list prepared for you, if you care to look. There are a few specialty locations, the best of which is located here in Enkindler's Pass."

Thane cleared his throat, new emotions tugging at his carefully constructed wall. "I'm certain any of the others will do just fine. There's no need for me to come to Enkindler's Pass, I don't wish to intrude." He waved a hand, attempting to dismiss the overwhelming sense of humbleness brought on by Rone's generosity more than anything else. "Thank you, I'll gladly look over the list you've compiled, you have my gratitude for taking the time to look into this for me."

"The hospital in Enkindler's Pass is exceptional, I see no reason to dismiss it from consideration. The choice is, of course, yours, however. I would be interested to know what you decide. I will forward you the list now."

"I—Thank you, Rone." Thane dipped his head, understanding Rone's words for the invitation they were—the opportunity to be a little closer to Kolyat, to family, even if it didn't mean he'd be able to actually see them during his stay. "I'll consider each option carefully and inform you of my decision." He forced himself to return the other drell's smile, even if it hurt to do so. "I'm calling now, though, to inform you my business here is concluded and I'm scheduled to leave for Kahje in a couple of hours."

Rone blinked, surprise lifting his brow ridge. "This is excellent news. From my understanding, the sooner you begin treatment, the better the outcome."

For all of his kind gestures, it became clear to Thane that the man wasn't as prepared for Thane's return to Kahje as he seemed. "I apologize it's such short notice …."

"Not at all." Rone held up a hand, giving Thane a light shake of his head.

She'd barely slept the entire trip. Everytime she closed her eyes, she saw the pain in Thane's eyes as she told him goodbye. Whenever she drifted off, she saw one dead asari's face or another … or worse, Leon's. She couldn't even let herself mourn; her 'escorts' kept too close of a watchful eye over her. So she fought to keep her feelings at bay, wrapping herself in her cloak of nothingness she used when the time came to take down a target. Her simpler, maladjusted version of Thane's battle sleep—learned not just through Phantom training, but a shitty childhood, too. It served her well over the years. Kept her in one piece. Mostly. It was the only thing keeping her together now.

She sat alone in an empty, white room; nothing but the chair under her ass to keep her company. They didn't let her see where they took her, and with no windows, she couldn't make any guesses. Hell, she wasn't even sure whether it was night or day anymore. Someone brought her food and water—judging by the gnawing pit in her stomach—several hours ago. He'd leaned against the wall and watched her eat in silence, taking her empty dishes away when she finished. About an hour later, a woman came and took her to the restroom, standing just outside the stall while Jasmine relieved herself. Afterward, the woman patted Jasmine down and took her back to her room without a word.

The door opened, and Jasmine looked up. The blond woman who called her the morning before walked into the room carrying a datapad. Jasmine stood at attention, and the woman waved at her to sit back down. A man—not the same one who brought her food—walked in behind the lady, carrying another chair. He sat the chair down across from Jasmine and left again, leaving her alone under the narrow-eyed scrutiny of the blond in a pencil skirt and heels.

The woman rested her palm on the back of the chair, lacquered nails tapping away against the plastic surface, her gaze turned to the datapad. "You're being held on multiple charges of murder under the UCMJ Article one-eighteen. It should be clear these charges are subject to change as we review the available evidence provided by both yourself and those tasked with investigation of the incidences on Illium." She paused, glancing up at Jasmine. "Someone will be in shortly to show you to your new quarters for the foreseeable future. I suggest you make yourself comfortable, Shepard. You'll be here for awhile."

A/N: Stay tuned for the second part of the series! Thank you everyone who's followed along with Jasmine and Thane's story. Your comments and favorite/follows have helped to keep me going!