After a few hours of trying to sleep, Ali made her way down to the mess hall to get a cup of tea hoping it may calm her pounding head.
It was the man again. Like always. He was just standing there in front of her. The usual fear overwhelmed her. This time though she did run. As fast as her legs could carry her, she ran into the forest that surrounded the Fac. She didn't know how she got there since they had been standing in a plain room with no lights. But it didn't matter. Ali was finally going to get away from this guy. If you can't fight your fear, then the only thing left is to run from it.
But as she kept running, she found it had been a mistake. It started with the animals. Of course it didn't really make sense. It was a dream, but all the same, it felt real. Animals that she would often see in the forest were skewered on the spikes that the Reapers had used commonly referred to as Dragon's Teeth. The smell was horrible. That of decaying meat, but it was a dream; so of course, it was amplified tenfold. She felt bile rising in the back of her throat but kept running hoping to leave the death behind.
Ali felt like the man was still behind her breathing down her neck filling her with more terror if that was even possible. And of course, she never left the horror behind her. As she kept careening through the woods, the scene got worse. It was people on the spikes this time. Their eyes glassy and unfocused staring at her as if she were the cause of their deaths. Then the eyes actually started following her moving in the putrefying sockets as she passed.
"They're coming for you," the man whispered. He was so near that his breath was hot on her neck. Looking over her shoulder, she saw it was true. The half formed husks were following her through the woods. The gaping wounds in their chests were oozing some kind of liquid, but it didn't slow them down. There was no circuitry, but their eyes glowed blue.
Then the unthinkable happened. She tripped on a root because she had been so distracted by looking at them. But she suspected that the root had probably been meant to trip her up. She rolled a couple times before trying to land on her feet and continue running, but a tree was suddenly in front of her. She smashed into it with her whole right side: shoulder to hip. The pain was blinding, and she fell just because half her body was not responding because it was overloaded with the flash of sudden agony.
And they were on her. Moaning and tearing at her clothes and flesh. Asking in rasping voices why she had killed them. All she could do was scream as they picked her up. She struggled as much as she could, but there were so many of them that it was just hopeless. Tears ran down her face as she screamed words that made no sense. Then they set her on one of the spikes holding her down as it ripped through her chest while she screamed and shrieked.
That was how she had woken up: screaming and sweating from a run she hadn't actually done. Ali shuddered as she poured, and she breathed deep thinking maybe the steam would help get rid of the banging in her head that just wouldn't stop. It didn't, but she liked the idea that it might. Maybe I am just going crazy. I have never had dreams that horrible and vivid. She looked up when she heard music coming from Life Support and started to follow it to its source. Instead of the window looking out at the drive core which was on the Normandy, there was a monitor that looked out at the vast expanse of space, but it was so detailed that it looked like an actual window to the outside world. Thane stood leaning against the wall looking out into space seemingly peaceful and content. Ali turned around not wanting to disturb him. "Please, you don't have to leave," he said not looking at her.
"I didn't want to bother you. You looked like you were meditating." He turned to look at her before beckoning her to come closer. There was a dramatic sweep in the instrumental making Ali close her eyes, so she could drift upwards with it in her mind pushing all thoughts of the nightmare away. "I thought you would probably like this." She smiled taking a sip of her tea trying to hide her blush.
"How did you know I would be down here to hear it?"
"You always drink tea in the morning, so I knew you would be down here at some time." He looked down at his feet looking nervous which was uncharacteristic making her curious to hear what he wanted to say. Finally he looked up at her. "Truthfully, I became jealous last night when you were dancing and that man had his hands all over you. I want to see how you dance without some man to seduce."
"Well, maybe you are the one I wanted to seduce." The corners of his lips quirked up slightly as he held out his hand.
"I have watched some vids from Earth about ballroom dancing. It should be relatively simple," he said when she hesitated.
"Ballroom dancing simple? There are people who take lessons for years and still suck at it." She took his hand and let him guide her into the right stance. "I'm not one of those people though. Which dance have you watched the most of?"
"Something called the waltz," he said taking the first step.
They danced for the rest of the piece that was playing and as it ended he slowly dipped her. Her head had stopped pounding whether from just being around Thane again or from the tea she couldn't tell, but for the first time in weeks, she felt good.
"You're such a showoff. You and your perfect memory." As the next song started, she grabbed his hands and put them around her waist as she put her arms around his neck.
"Here, this is how we dance when not wanting to be professional," she whispered into his ear. Ali pressed her cheek against his chest as they lazily circled in the middle of the room.
"I never knew you were that good at dancing. Last night you were mesmerizing, but that was incredible, Siha."
"We were taught to be spies, and that meant being able to blend in with any crowd hence the dancing lessons." Her head felt like it was being crushed by vice and at the same time someone was digging stilettos into her eyes.
"Pain threshold closing fast," Guardian said. Her knees gave out as she grabbed her head. Thane tightened his hold on her waist placing his other on her upper back.
"Siha, are you all right?" She couldn't answer, the pain seemed like it disabled her tongue from working.
"Sere Krios, she is about to pass out." He picked her up bride style and slowly walked towards the elevator after her body went limp.
"Guardian, is she all right?" he asked after he got in the elevator.
"Her breathing is shallow, and she is still in a lot of pain; but she will be fine." When the elevator doors slid open, he made his way to her bed where he laid her down.
When Ali opened her eyes, her head was still pounding but there had been no nightmares as she slept. She moaned and rolled onto her back when she saw Thane sitting on a chair next to the bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked with worry etched on every scale on his face.
"My head still hurts," she muttered sitting up and putting her chin on her knees. He moved from the chair to the edge of her bed and gently put his hand on her ankle. "How long was I out?"
"Almost a full day" He looked at the sheets. "We're heading towards the Citadel. Guardian found a doctor who got out of the station before it was destroyed. She has agreed to meet us to confer about this medical hardship that is happening to you."
"You what?"
"Guardian and I discussed and decided to find someone who could figure out what was wrong."
"When was this?"
"The first time it debilitated you." There was a pause.
"How far are we from the Citadel?"
"You're not angry?"
"Yes, but that's not the point."
"I apologize. I didn't think you would want to go," Thane said sliding closer to her.
"I'm not angry about that. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you would be angry that I wanted to ask for help for you." She smiled shaking her head then winced and started to rub her temples.
Thane moved behind her pulling her gently into his arms and replacing her fingers with his. "You are amazing," she murmured tilting her head back in relief. "I'm not mad at you anymore."
"Thank the gods." She started to rub up and down his shins in time with his fingers. He smiled at her unconscious gesture of affection and pressed slightly harder with his fingers. She moaned again making his smile widen.
"Why am I so tired?"
"You actually didn't get much sleep. You tossed and turned a lot." She looked over her shoulder at him suspiciously. "I was sitting in the chair the whole time to make sure you were all right."
"Sure, Sere Krios." He smiled moving a little closer to her.
"How far away from the Citadel are we?"
"Approximately two more days," Guardian said from the console.
"Thank you, Guardian. Could you enact privacy mode please?"
"Of course." She chuckled shaking her head slightly.
"I should let you get some rest before we get to the Citadel," Thane announced taking his fingers away from her temples. He started to move, but she grabbed his hand pinning him there.
"Can you please stay?" Ali asked looking up at him.
"You really should get some sleep."
"I will. I promise. Just please, stay with me?" He sighed but sat back down on the bed. Giving him an appreciative tired smile, she put her head on his abdomen and closed her eyes. He looked on gently brushing his fingers through her hair as her breathing evened. He wanted desperately to give her what she needed, and if that meant watching over her while she slept, then he had no trouble with it at all. As her warmth and scent surrounded, Thane let himself be pulled into his memories.
She came through the door of the apartment and immediately jumped into my arms kissing me deeply. Her tongue tangled with mine. "What's the matter?" I asked pulling away.
"Why does something have to be wrong for me to make love to my boyfriend?" A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, but I stamped it down.
"There is something wrong when you are trying to force yourself on me not that I'm not flattered." A frown creased her forehead.
"One of my people died today." I tightened my grip on her hips keeping her in my arms when she tried to release me.
"I'm sorry for your loss. I know that your people mean the world to you."
"They're my family." I pressed a chaste kiss against her lips.
"I know. There is nothing I can say to make you feel better except that they will be across the sea." She smiled tears spilling down her cheeks, and she hugged me hard.
"I love you." She kissed me deeply again running her hands down my chest.
"Now this is more you," I murmured kissing her neck.
I slowly took off her shirt throwing it over her shoulder and trailing my lips across her collar bone. I started walking towards the bedroom until my knees hit the bed then I laid her out beneath me. She quickly undid the buckles on my jacket and vest throwing them off my body. When I settled my weight on my arms, she rolled forcing me under her. As I grinned in confusion, she trailed open mouth kisses down my chest and abdomen giving special attention to the sensitive stripes running down my torso. I groaned when she finally took the head of my cock into her mouth teasing me with her tongue. I had excellent self control thanks to the training given to me by the Hanar, but when she started doing what she called oral sex, all my cool manners went out the window. And secretly, I knew she loved that she could drive me insane. She took hold of me to ensure I wouldn't be able to thrust too hard and took as much as she could into her mouth before slowly pulling away while swirling with her tongue. "Siha," I moaned bunching her hair in my fist. She ignored me doing the same action teasingly slow then starting up a rhythm she knew I could not resist. She took me skyrocketing up fast swallowing as my seed exploded inside her mouth. I was breathing hard my head hitting the mattress as she slowly snaked back up my body to lay her head on my chest until I came back to her.
"Siha, you are incredible," I murmured after a few moments. She smiled up at me as I pulled her lips against mine. Her own taste over powered the taste of myself as my tongue explored her mouth. When my fingers started deftly removing her pants, she pulled away leaving me looking at her in confusion.
"I like that I can at least take care of one person that I love. That's good enough for me," she said answering my confusion before I could voice it. Before she could move away any more, I grasped her hips pulling her into my lap.
"I know that you feel lost when you lose one of your people. I have seen it a few times, but you have to understand that they have volunteered for this work. And they believe that this is the right thing to do. You shouldn't carry the weight of their deaths on your shoulders alone."She chuckled without humor.
"And who would share the burden with me?"
"If you allow me, I would share anything with you." She looked into my eyes seeing only truth where she sought lies. Ali's mouth curved up in the beginnings of a smile before she kissed me gently and deeply.
"How is C-Sec dealing with the attack on the Citadel?"
"They have started checking all the incoming ships for any signs of Phoenix which means they will have to board the ship and search it," Joker said from his seat.
"Great," Ali muttered. "And technically, I don't exist anymore."
"We can hope that they will not check any ID in their search." Thane murmured from his place beside her.
"Where are we meeting this doctor?"
"She sent an apartment number to Guardian." Ali nodded mostly to herself trying to ignore the wave of dizziness that hit from the motion. Thane resisted the urge to steady her as she swayed ever so slightly and swallowed instead.
The C-Sec officers announced their entry before storming through the airlock and fanning out to search the entire ship. "Are you armed?" one asked walking up to them instead of following the others. He was obviously the leader.
"Yes," Ali answered simply. All she had on at the moment was a pistol and her knife that Thane had given her back. He gave her a cursory glance seeing the pistol immediately and writing it off. Then he glanced at Thane seeing him armed as well with his SMG and sniper rifle.
"Are any other crew members armed?"
"No, we only have a pilot and his VI helper. Since he has brittle bone disease, you will find he is well within his rights. We also have other crew members including some engineers on the engineering deck and others on this deck here." The officer nodded again and started communicating with his team effectively ignoring Ali and Thane. Several minutes passed before the other members of C-Sec came back to the front of the ship to report they found nothing.
"Thank-you for your cooperation," he said as the men started filing out of the ship. "I welcome you personally to the Citadel." With that, he left the ship after nodding to every person in turn.
"That was fun. How about we get to this doctor before anything else happens?" Ali muttered before leaving the ship in Joker's hands.
