Ok, this is going to be the third to last chapter before getting back on track with core worlds. I was going to have this whole thing be a part of next chapter, but it ended up going off on its own and I decided it was too long to not be a separate chapter.

I hate to potentially jinx myself here, but I'm going to do it anyway. The next chapter should be up later today or early tomorrow, and the third should be up late Black Friday. (Though that probably means the day after depending on where you live.) Then I'll try to get through the majority of Feros over the weekend. Or I might just end up too stuffed with turkey and Pumpkin Pie and do it the weekend after.

Either way, I don't own Mass Effect. If I did, Wrex would be a party member in ME2. Just imagine having him and Grunt on a team. But then again, there'd probably be way too much head-butting in that case.

"Nice shot Liara!"

"Eh, not bad." That earned me an eye roll from Shepard. We'd been helping Liara for about half an hour, and she was, well….

(Man, no wonder I never took her on missions. She could barely hit the backside of a mako)

) Yeah, well, she couldn't get actual help in game. Who knows, maybe I can help Shepard turn her into a crack shot.(

(Only if you really think you can work against yourself) With that, Iron withdrew to the back of my mind. What the hell is he talking about? I shook my head and focused back on the two of them.

"Shepard, this is no use. I'm a decent shot, but not nearly good enough for what you encounter on your missions."

"Liara, you're just lacking confidence." Shepard replied.

"Yes, well, as you humans say, confidence and a few creds can get you a hot drink."

I chuckled despite myself. "I don't think that's quite how that saying goes."

Liara shook her head, collapsing her gun. "I still don't see how you thought this would be a good idea."

Jokers timing was impeccably bad. "Uh, Commander, that Mako just showed up. But they need to talk to you to get the final details settled. Or because they want your autograph. I'm guessing it's the first one though."

Shepard shot the ceiling a dirty look. Sighing, she said she'd be right up. "I guess we're done here." She said to me and Liara.

"Actually Raptor, I'd rather practice a little more with Lt. Bourne." I just rolled my eyes at that, knowing that it was just her way of talking about the military people on the ship. Well except for Joker, but that was different. "If I have to carry a gun, I'd like to know that I can actually use it."

I barely kept my eyes from narrowing in suspicion. "Yeah, no problem." Ok, she's a horrible liar. Lucky for her that Shepard is oblivious because she's he-

(Because she's imagining Liara naked.)

Uh, yeah, something like that. I programed the range for another set of targets, then heard Shepard leave. I waited until I was she was out of earshot, then turned to Liara.

"Ok Liara, why did you really want to talk to me?" I asked her, dropping the charade.

She tried to deny it, but I cut her off before the words were even out of her mouth. "Liara, I can tell if you had a choice in the matter, you wouldn't be using that gun in the first place, so I doubt that you'd choose to spend more time with it." I sighed. "What's really bothering you?" And how the Hell did I suddenly become a freaking shrink?

Liara sighed. "Nothing can get past you, can it? I noticed Shepard wasn't acting like herself."

I tried to keep my face neutral. "What do you mean?"

"Not things that you would have noticed. But since Shepard and I are so close…"

I forced myself to keep a poker face, but it was not easy at all. "Well if I had to guess…she just got some news that could have caused it." I fought back a grimace, my knowledge of the future not exactly pleasant. "Someone is killing alliance scientists. The thing is, every single one of them did something on Akuze. Admiral Hacket wants us to investigate."

Liara was not remotely experienced at hiding her expressions, and I could see that she was shocked enough to be knocked over by a feather. "Is that why we're getting the Mako early? So that she can go and have to face her worst nightmares!"

Well, in a matter of speaking, yes. It was actually because of me, but no sense telling her that.

(You may have to.) I knew what he meant, and I hoped I could put it off as long as possible. Too risky until I have Shiala as a Guinea Pig. Christ, what am I saying? Am I really going to kill her if she finds out where I'm from?

I shook my head. "Liara, I know that Shepard means a lot to you, but…"

"Do you know that she has nightmares about it almost every night? She wakes up in a cold sweat, fighting back screams. The only reason she has them less is because she feels less alone with me beside her in…."

"Liara, I did not need to know that!" Christ, now it's going to take me forever to work that image out of my head. There are some things you just cannot know about the people you work with. "Look, the fact is, Shepard needs this." I noticed that the Holo Geth kept shooting me in the side, and turned to cancel the program. "You heard what happened to those soldiers on Edolous. They were lured into a Thresher nest."

I hesitated, trying to toe the line between common sense, and what would be too much information to be explained. "It's possible that the same thing happened on Akuze, and that the Scientists are being killed to hide it. It's a remote possibility I grant you, but it would make sense"

I turned back to her. "Shepard's haunted by Akuze, I don't need to get into her head to know that. If it was caused by someone else, she needs to know. Otherwise she's going to blame herself for the rest of her life."

"I want to come with you when we get there." Her words caught me off guard.

"What?"

"I agree that Shepard needs to do this, and that no force will convince her otherwise. But if you're right, I want to be there for her."

I looked at her in shock, then, for what was becoming much too common an occurrence, Iron and I agreed on something. (Bad idea if you want her to live.)

I turned and walked to the far side of the room, the walked back. If she dies, Shepard is going to be screwed.

(Duh. Losing a loved one will tend to do that. Heh Heh Heh, Just imagine how Kaiden's family will a tragady, don't you agree?)

His words were like a punch in the gut, but that wasn't the only reason I knew it wouldn't be good. She's the one that'll get Shepard's body away from the Shadow Broker. Who knows what'd happen if Shepard didn't get Lazarussed. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the dark thoughts, and turned to her. "Liara, Shepard couldn't have anybody better than you based on what you just offered. But no. It's way too risky for you."

"I might be young by Asari Standards, but I think you can agree I'm not a child anymore."

"It's not about your age. Look, what Shepard and I do is dangerous." I pulled up the side of my shirt to show her the still healing scar from when we had rescued her. I saw her eyes widen slightly at the sight. "Here's proof. I only barely pulled through, and that was mostly luck." I covered it back up and crossed my arms. "If you died because of that, Shepard would never forgive herself. And you wouldn't forgive yourself if she died to keep a bullet from hitting you instead. Not many people have what you two have. Don't risk it over something like this."

I turned to leave, and suddenly the world was tinted blue. I tried to turn, but I was immobilized.

(She put you in stasis? So much for being able to read anybody.)

)Hey *Bronze*? Yeah, SHUT UP.(

"I've only once found myself anywhere I couldn't handle, and that was when you found me. My combat skills might not be great, but I am very experienced with my Biotics."

I tried to answer, but even my jaw was held fast.

"If I can surprise someone like you, I believe I can deal with a few common soldiers. And I'm not letting you out of Stasis until you agree to let me accompany the two of you."

I rolled my eyes at her empty threat, and focused on activating my own abilities. Biotics were typically trained to focus their powers by associating a specific ability with a certain action, but I had been self-taught. My method was more to picture the result in my mind and let my instincts I got from coming here take over. I just imagined warping the stasis field, and that's what happened.

Liara stumbled back, surprised by the move.

I turned to face her, my own Biotics activated in case she was foolish enough to try doing it again. The fact that my eyes smoldered like miniature suns was also a bonus in a case like this.

"Liara, face it. You aren't ready for this. Right now, the best way you can help Shepard is to be here when she gets back. She may need a shoulder to lean on."

"Is Tali ready for all this than?"

Her question brought me up short, and I only barely kept my Biotics from simmering out of existence.

"She's no more experienced than I am, and yet you let her-"

"Ok, you have a point." I cut her off, also releasing my Biotics. I sighed. "Alright, I'll ask Shepard about it, but I'm not promising anything." I turned to leave. I stopped at the door

"Oh, and if you ever put me in stasis again, I'm going to leave you suspended via Singularity for the rest of the day."

(Nice touch)

)I thought so.(

Shepard.

Shepard tried not to breathe a sigh of relief when she stepped through the airlock. Now I remember how much I hate paperwork. At least it was me doing it and not Bourne. He'd probably just tell them he was taking it and since he's a Spectre there's nothing they can do.

She went over to the Galaxy Map so she could program it for the coordinates that Admiral Hacket had sent. She and Bourne had agreed that this was more important then shoreleave. Some of the crew had disagreed, but Shepard managed to make a compramise. The people that hadn't had shoreleave would stay on the Citadel while the Normandy went looking for answers. Everyone else was coming with.

Of course, people had still complained then...Until Bouren got fed up and said that anybody that didn't like it could take option B and get spaced via airlock. That had dispelled the rebellion pretty quickly. Bourne is not someone to piss off. Ever.

While she was dialing up the Galaxy map, she heard the bridge doors open, and she assumed that Bourne walked out since she didn't hear anything. Speak of the devil, and he will send an annoying person to talk to you She thought with a smile.

"Hey Shepard?" Yep, I was right.

She turned to face him "Yeah Bourne?"

He held up a hand. "Ok, I'm just going to say right now that this isn't my idea-"

"What did you do this time?" Shepard asked resignedly.

"Very funny. Long story short: Liara wanted to come along when we go looking for Dr. Whatever."

"Let me guess. She appealed to you to talk to me."

He shrugged. "That's one way to put it, I guess." He glanced around at the nearby crew, who were clearly listening in. His voice dropped to just above a whisper. "Shepard, I might have been blind about Ashley, but I can see that you and Liara…on second thought I'm not going to finish that sentence. Point is, she cares about you and wants to be there for you."

Shepard shook her head. "No way. Way too risky."

"Yeah, that's what I said. Then I was reminded me that Tali was willing to take this whole risk and we'd let her."

Shepard crossed her arms. "Ok, how did she really convince you? That can't be the only reason."

Bourne turned to go. "Shepard, this is your problem to deal with." He smirked. "No way am I getting in the middle of a lovers' quarrel."

Shepard's face turned red, and he darted through the door and down the stairs, laughing the whole way.

"I thought Joker was Juvinile" She muttered to herself. The she glanced at the few crew members on deck, and they hastily turned back to their tasks, pretending they hadn't heard and hoping to avoid her wrath. Man, who I'm involved with is all they're going to talk about for days. Crap, and I'm the one that said it was a she. Bourne was deliberately avoiding her name. Shepard chuckled at the Irony that Bourne had actually tried not to reveal anything, and that she had ended up doing it herself.

Bourne just shook her head and went down stairs to Liara's "office" behind the Med-Bay. Chakwas nodded at her as she walked past, but she was busy dealing with a crew member that had had too much to drink the night before. Shepard thought about talking with him later, but decided it wasn't worth it.

She opened the door, and walked in. She'd asked for permission before, but now she was here almost as much as Liara. I wonder if I should talk to Bourne about giving him Anderson's old room since I haven't slept there for several days. Then again, he'd probably want to know where I have been sleeping, and I don't want to give him anymore ammo then he has already.

Liara had several data pads on her desk; covered with information about the Protheans and their remnants. She was trying to find anything that matched the vision she'd seen when she merged with Shepard.

"Liara, can I talk to you for a second?"

Liara turned her chair to face her, setting down a data pad as she did so. "Of course Raptor." Shepard still felt a little thrill when she heard Liara say that. Almost nobody ever called her by her first name. But Liara wasn't just anyone.

Shepard sat down on the bed across from Liara. She just gazed at her lover for a moment, not believing how lucky she had been to find her. "Liara, why do you really want to come with me on this mission?"

"Did Lt. Bourne talk to you?"

Shepard nodded.

"Did he tell you what I said?"

"Well, he gave me a sort of outline, but told me to talk to you for details."

"I managed to put him in Stasis before he even reacted." Shepard just gaped at her as she continued. "I reminded him that I might not be the best shot, but I know how to use my Biotics very well."

Shepard hesitated, torn between logic and love. "Liara, everything you're saying makes sense, but I still think it's risky."

"No more risky than for anyone. I'm not just going to let you walk into your nightmares alone."

"Liara, I know you care; you don't have to prove it by doing this."

"I know. But I want to."

Shepard hesitated again, but she nodded. "Ok. But don't take any risks you don't have to. Even with your Biotics you don't have any combat training. I don't want you to put yourself in harm's way just to protect me."

Liara nodded. "You know, Lt. Bourne said the same thing about you."

Shepard smiled. "At least we have that much in common."

Liara got up and set next to her on the bed. "You do have a point. You're a dashing starship commander and the first human spectre. I'm just a Scientist who's spent most of her time studying an extinct race."

Shepard laughed. "Make that a cute Scientist."

Liara's cheeks turned purple in embarrassment. "Don't let Bourne hear you talking like that or you will never hear the end of it."

Shepard chuckled. "Tell me about it. He's made too many jokes about us for me to count." She felt Liara tense next to her.

"Yes, I suppose he has."

Shepard frowned. "Is there something wrong Liara?"

Liara glanced at her, then turned her head away. "Are you embarrassed that we're together Shepard?"

Shepard just stared at her in surprise. "What?"

"Bourne said that being with an Asari might be looked down on by some members of your species." She turned back to Shepard. "Is that why you never want to talk about us where other people can hear?"

"Liara, stop. I would never be embarrassed by you. I just…"

Liara looked at her, waiting for her to finish her thought.

"I don't know. It just hasn't seemed like a good move until now. But you're right. I'm not going to be especially open about it, but I'm not going to hide it anymore either."

Liara leaned her head on Shepard's shoulder. "You don't know how much it means to hear you say that."

"We might both be women, or close enough anyway, but I really don't give a damn anymore." Shepard turned to her. "I just know that the connection you talked about before, couldn't be more right."

"Doesn't this seem a bit strange? That we can be so close, and yet so different? Not even the same species?"

"Cross species relationships may not be common, but we aren't the first, and we definitely won't be the last."

"Still- we have only known each other a short time. Are you sure-"

Shepard put a finger to her lips, cutting her off. "Stop thinking like a Scientist for a minute. Love isn't something that you can just analyze. All you can do is let yourself get swept away in the storm"

"You make it sound so random, so dangerous… I think I could get used to that"

Shepard pulled her in closer. "Shut up and kiss me."

Their lips met passionately, and they tumbled back onto the bed. Shepard was glad she'd locked the door behind her when she came in. If Bourne caught us right now, I don't know who'd die of shock and embarrassment first.

Yeah, since the next chapter is going to be more…Actiony… I'm glad I didn't put this with that Chapter.

And for those of you disappointed by *ahem* where I ended, look at the rating again.

Next Chapter: Cerberus. (Took me long enough to get there.)