Chapter 36

Liara did not feel comfortable as they left the apartment, aware of the woman beside her and acutely aware of the fury that burned inside her. Originally when Chakwas had asked her to take Helena in she had seen… hesitance in the good doctor when she spoke of the relationship between the the commander and the survivor. Later she had seen that same reserve in Katelyn and she could see through their interaction that it was always strained.

But she had never seen Katelyn come so close to losing her temper with someone and she had never seen anybody that was supposedly on their side show such fear of the commander. When they settled in the car, Liara looked at her navigation set and realised that she didn't know where they needed to go. Instead she found herself turning back to Katelyn, studying her features, wondering what was going on in her head. When Katelyn became aware of her concentration she turned to her and frowned, her mouth thin.

"What?" Her snap was like a whip. Liara gave her a look, silently telling her that she wasn't going to stand for it.

"You need to calm down, Kate," she said and started the car, thinking that it might simply be better to take her back to the Normandy. "You were very hard on Helena. She was telling the truth, I knew that she was looking for this person. I'd have put a stop to it if I considered her dangerous myself."

Katelyn continued to glare at her, but when she realised that Liara wasn't going to back down, she took a deep breath and looked away. "That's not the problem," she said through clenched teeth. "It might be normal for a child to throw a rock into a bush to see if something comes out, but she should know better. She is no child and she can't be so reckless."

Remembering Helena's fear, Liara had to sigh. "You inspire that in people, Katelyn," she said quietly. "She wants to help. The only way she seems to understand how. Yes," she added quickly when she felt Katelyn shift, "I don't approve of her secrecy. I also think that she should simply tell us everything. But, in this instance…" She frowned. "I led them to believe that they were safe here. I had thought that no one would be able to get in there, whether it is a thief, or someone who caught onto what they are and who wants to take them." She frowned. "This is on me, not her."

Katelyn snorted and crossed her arms. "You can't protect them from themselves," she said gruffly, then softened as she touched the asari's elbow. "This is not on you."

Liara didn't reply immediately, but decided to change course, heading for her office instead. Katelyn didn't pick up on it, not very familiar with Nos Astra.

"You asked me to take care of Helena, Kate," she pointed out. "And you have to remember that we are training Rinn to do the same. I was angry when I got there, because I didn't hear of this infiltration from them. But I am not disappointed with how it was handled. Rinn did well. She did what I will ask of her in the very close future and that is to protect Helena when I send her out for business."

She felt Kate stiffen. "Business?" She queried in a tone that Liara had anticipated.

"She's my assistant, Kate," she clarified. "I want her to start going out in the field with me." She could tell that Katelyn wasn't happy with the statement.

"Her work was supposed to be administrative," she pointed out. "She wasn't going to do fieldwork. Are you sure that's wise? Are you sure you can trust her?"

Liara nodded, sure of herself because she had already spend quite a lot of time thinking about it. "Keeping her at a desk was what might have prompted this," she pointed out. "She wants to do something more. I've seen her work with my clients and I've included her in some negotiations. She has a knack for this, especially when dealing with human clients. I think… she'll do well with the extra responsibility and trust."

Katelyn still didn't agree, but she had not expected her to. "And exposing her to danger?"

Liara shrugged, realising that it wasn't the time to point out that that was what they had been training Rinn for. Why they had started training her.

"She'll be in no more danger out in the field than she'll be walking to her apartment or running with Rinn." She pointed out. "My rivals already know that she has access to most of my data. I don't intend to use her in dangerous exchanges, just more intricate ones." It bothered her that Katelyn was quiet for a very long time.

"I'm not going to lie and say I'm not comfortable with that, Liara," she said finally. "We still don't know anything about her. Not enough."

Shrugging, Liara took the final turn towards her office. "Nor do we know anything of Rinn," she pointed out. "I should remind you that she too has kept her silence. Helena needs more, Kate. More… Time. Responsibility. She's the kind of person that you have to invest in before there is any payoff. Through doing this, through evolving our work relationship I am also trying to evolve our personal one. I want her to trust me. More than she does now."

And it is a hell of a lot more than she trusts you…

Katelyn sighed loudly, clearly still not keen on the idea, but she looked away from Liara and shrugged. "I suppose it will keep her busier," she pointed out grudgingly, but then shook her head. "You're her employer, Liara. You're right, I did trust you with her. Or, her with you. But do you really think she is ready to be exposed to your field? Do you think she has the heart for it?"

Liara hesitated, thinking about her assistant. "She wouldn't have excelled in this if she didn't have the heart for it," she pointed out. "If you had looked at me three years ago, would you have said that I am cut out for this job?"

She was surprised by the force she met when Katelyn turned to face her.

"I don't like you doing this either, Liara," she said, her tone surprisingly harsh. "I've come to accept it. But I don't like it." She sniffed suddenly and turned her attention to the window again. "Where are we going?"

Not replying immediately, Liara had to take a moment to wrestle with herself and the ever present urge that she had to flee to the Normandy.

"My office," she said finally. "I have something I want to show you." She hesitated then softened her voice. "Kate, I know you don't understand my choices. But… I made them. I will come to the Normandy when I am ready."

Catching Katelyn's grimace as they parked, Liara felt the woman's hand briefly touch her leg. "I'm sorry, Liara," she said quietly. "I wasn't accusing you of anything. It's just…" She grimaced. "That woman brings out the worst in me." The last was a very guilty sounding confession and it wasn't the first time Liara had heard something along those lines. Sighing she touched Katelyn's hand.

"I know," she said quietly and honestly. "And… I don't always understand why she makes you so angry. You frightened me almost as much as you did her in that apartment. I don't know you like that."

Katelyn accepted her hand, but didn't say anything else. Instead, she got out of the vehicle when the door opened and looked up at her office building, her features twisted to a slight frown.

"What do you want me to see?" she asked instead. "Why have you brought me here?"

Hoping that she was doing the right thing and fearing the fallout if she wasn't, Liara led the way to her office, disabling her security system as she did so. "I just… want to show you what else happened this week," she confessed. "Between them. While they were training at Orcas." Again she could sense Katelyn's disapproval.

"How much do you intend to let them teach Helena?" She queried.

Shrugging, Liara sat down at her desk and turned on her system. "The decision was made to only teach her some self-defence. She won't be allowed to carry a firearm. The feeling is that, with her inhibited movement in the arm, she isn't in an ideal condition to handle a weapon safely."

Katelyn's chuckle that followed her statement was filled with genuine mirth.

"The world is a safer place," she said, then focused her attention on the screen Liara had turned on. The asari had found the file that she had requested from Jachett for her own records on the two. Originally she had not planned to tell anybody from the Normandy of the attack, but she felt that Katelyn needed to understand the two's reaction to the evening's events.

"I didn't know that the instructors planned something like this," Liara said when she had the file open. "If I did… I wouldn't have send Helena, Kate. Here… Watch this." She played the file and then watched as Katelyn studied the sequence of events with a frown slowly deepening on her features.

"If you let me carry one, then she won't have to," Katelyn frowned at Helena's tone of voice, at the anger and desperation that Liara recognized there. "She has her own skills and I know they'll be able to protect me. This isn't about you turning her into a weapon, this is just…" Katelyn briefly turned to Liara as if she wanted to say something, then froze as she saw the events that transpired. She didn't say anything until the video ended, but when she turned to Liara then her eyes were bright with anger.

"This is the asari that was in the apartment," she pointed out, her gaze demanding an answer from Liara who could only nod.

"Yulia," the information broker replied. "She is Jachett's second-in-command and has taken a primary role in Rinn's training." She watched as Katelyn's features twitched, her hand immediately coming up in the monitor's direction.

"And this is her idea of a lesson?" She snapped. "How did you get a hold of this?"

I was there.

"Jachett shared it with me," Liara replied levelly. "In my interest, he said. To show me how her training is progressing. This is what they are teaching her, Kate." And you have to make your peace with it. "I… figured that you need to know."

Looking at her, but not commenting immediately, Liara could see that Katelyn was conflicted. She looked at the screen again and put her hands in her hips before she blew out a slow breath and dropped them to her sides again.

"How long ago was this?" She asked quietly, sitting down on the edge of the desk. Pausing to get her dates straight and lined up with the Normandy's travels, Liara turned off the monitor. She half expected Katelyn to ask her to send the file to her.

"Just before you arrived at the Citadel," she pointed out. "A few days ago. Your trial was the next day." She added the last as if to explain why she had not informed them. She saw Katelyn grimace and turn her attention back to the blank screen.

"I'm surprised that Rinn is still working there at all," the commander said. "How can she go back there? Who the hell are these people?"

Liara didn't know how to answer, so she remained quiet, studying Katelyn's features until the commander shifted uncomfortably and turned away from her.

"Sorry," she said and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's just… taken me of guard." She looked out of the large window in Liara's office that overlooked a section of the trading floor. "I didn't realise… I'm sorry."

Better, Liara thought to herself and moved closer to her friend, resting a hand on her elbow. "I'm sorry too, Katelyn," she said honestly. "If you have been led to believe that they were partaking in different activities than they are. This is ultimately what I thought we had planned for them. For Rinn." She looked at the screen. "I needed you to just… realise that as well. Before you are so hard on Helena, before you decide whether Rinn's actions are wrong or not, know that Helena doesn't agree with this either."

Katelyn's gaze was very neutral when she looked at her. "Then why do we do it?" She asked quietly. "Why do we allow them to stay on here?"

We? Liara thought and shook her head slowly. "Because Helena cannot go to the Normandy," she pointed out. "You know this. And Rinn won't stay there without her." She tightened her hand in Katelyn's elbow. "As long as they are allowed some spectrum of freedom, we also have to allow them or give them the means at least to protect themselves." Her words clearly troubled Katelyn, but the commander didn't argue, sighing instead.

"Rinn has come quite far in a very short span of time," she said quietly. "And, clearly they found the right trigger. I don't like it, Liara, but you are right." Her frown deepened as she seemed to argue with herself. "I want Helena... I want her knowledge too much. She is safer here with you. And Rinn." The last she added grudgingly.

Liara nodded and allowed her hand to slip away.

"We agreed to let her train," she affirmed. "For these circumstances where my security fails them." She looked to Helena's desk and spared a moment's thought towards Nyxeris. "I think… the three of us are all doing the best we can. And that includes Helena. I am trying my best with her. I hate her secrets, but she is trying to give us what she can. The mere fact that she is trying shows something Kate."

At the mention of her assistants name Katelyn's features darkened again. "It's not enough," she began, then took a steadying breath. There was a long pause before she spoke again.

"What do you know about this woman who broke in?" She crossed her arms. "If I am going to… consider helping. I am going to need all the information that I can get."

As Yulia finally charged out of the apartment with promises, no doubt sincere, about the trouble the hybrid would be in the following day, Rinn stood looking at her now quiet apartment and imagined dust flecks slowly drifting down to the bottom. And as the dust finally settled in her mind, she sighed.

"Well," she said finally. "That was fun."

She turned to face Da'an, noting his body language. It was one more thing she found interesting about the quarians. In a race where one couldn't read each other's facial expressions, they had resorted to letting their body language do all the work. And while the politicians and the higher ranked of their kind may have worked to unlearn this racial 'flaw' in a world where it's best not to show what you think and feel, many of the other quarians still did very little to hide what they felt.

And all Da'an really wanted to do was bolt from the room. Poor thing, he's as nervous as I am.

For some reason, despite the fact that he was adding to Helena's already inexhaustible arsenal of mischief, Rinn rather liked the guy. He was a mischievous little bastard, but in an almost playful way. And he was friendly and undemanding – both things Helena definitely needed in her life. Someone to help her escape without really wanting anything in return… Except maybe for a partner in crime.

I wonder whether Liara would have to post bail or whether I would be the one? Maybe I should start saving up...

"So, uh," he said, shifting feet. "I didn't know you knew Shepard."

What is the general opinion of Katelyn is among the quarians?

"She… stumbled over us during her travels," Rinn replied, moving to the living room to clear the mugs Katelyn and Liara had left behind. "She's why Dr T'Soni came to interview Helena for her job." That made Rinn pause and grimace. "I should have been nicer to Dr T'Soni," she added quietly.

She heard a shift from Helena's bedroom door a fraction before her friend spoke.

"I doubt it would have helped," the ginger said.

Da'an turned in her direction, seeming almost a bit relieved to see her friend join them. Rinn also turned and examined the shade of a person standing by the doorframe.

There was a time long before this madness had befallen them that Rinn and Helena had been in a public setting – a braai with some friends. The conversation turned to something that had made Rinn trigger and, ashamed of her weakness and not wanting to make a spectacle of herself, she had carefully and quietly ducked out of the conversation. It wasn't exactly socially acceptable, but at that point what had mattered more was keeping her turmoil inside and keeping the world's eyes on something else.

Now, as she lay eyes upon her friend, she wondered what turmoil had sent Helena to her bedroom before all the 'guests' had left. What weakness shamed her into hiding? Tears? Anger?

Seemed more the former than the latter.

"Probably not," Rinn answered. "Still… Manners."

"And you know Tali'Zora vas Normandy?" Da'an asked, still stuck in this sense of awe that left him oblivious to Helena's state. "You have met her?"

A fan. Rinn smiled at him.

"She is very kind. And smart. She reflects the good of your people." Then Rinn shrugged. "Despite those people and their opinions."

"I was very surprised with their decision to banish her," Da'an replied awkwardly.

Rinn shrugged and moved to the kitchen with the mugs.

"Politics." She paused as an idea popped into her head. "I can't make any promises, but I can try and get her to show you the Normandy, if you like. I'm guessing you'll be heading to the Flotilla once your service is over. Besides the skills you've already accumulated, perhaps she might add to some of your knowledge… Or at least just give you a tour."

How forward of me, just assuming that Tali would be fine with entertaining a stranger, even if it is one of her own, she thought as she put the mugs in the sink. And now I have to go be that forward to her...

"No promises though," she added apologetically. "I'm bad at asking for things."

"That…" Da'an's surprise at the idea made his voice hitch. "That would be great. I… I would really like that."

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask. I just really hope I didn't set this man up to be disappointed. Rinn grinned at him.

"I'll see what I can do," she said. "Then you can explain some of it in layman's terms to me. I mostly watched her explain and went 'ooh pretty'. I wasn't the most educated of audiences. She might welcome someone who knows a nut from a bolt." Not that I've seen either around here. "And she's very proud of the ship."

Da'an's eyes seemed to narrow in what Rinn could only interpret as either a smile or a scowl.

"Thank you," he said pleasantly, then he turned to Helena. There was a pause as he looked at her and Rinn wondered whether he noticed how unwell she seemed. "Do you need me for anything else? Or should I go?"

"You can go, Da'an," Helena said, shaking her head. "I am sorry about… The mess. Thank you."

"We really appreciate it," Rinn added sincerely.

He nodded at the both of them, then hesitated.

"Should I order you some pizza?" He asked, a smile creeping up in his tone. "I know I can't have any, but I've always wondered what it is like to order it."

"Gods," Helena exhaled, glancing at Rinn. "Can we risk it? He might put anything on."

Rinn noted the half attempt at a smile her friend threw her way and returned it.

"Well, you know him better. How mischievous is he?"

"Too much," she answered immediately. "Thanks for the offer, Da'an, but we will pass for our own sakes." She winked at him.

"Maybe next time," Rinn offered.

"We'll see if we can organise a similar experience for you," Helena added and, by her tone, it seemed that she already had a few ideas of what delights she could order him.

Da'an chuckled, grabbed his things and, with a final three-fingered wave, which Rinn returned, left the apartment.

Again there was a moment of waiting for the room to settle before Rinn turned to her friend. All life had faded from Helena's face as the mask dropped. Da'an wasn't there to see it anymore.

"You okay?" Rinn asked.

Helena shook her head quietly. Again Rinn wondered what was stirring in her friend. She took a step towards the ginger, instinctively wanting to make contact, to strengthen… But this was Helena. And Rinn was…

She stopped.

"What is it?" She asked carefully, then had an idea. "I'll go make you some coffee."

Helena always feels a little better with coffee in her system.

Rinn turned, walking to the kitchen. In her mind, she was already trying to put together how her friend like it. Was it two of the one and three of the other? Na… That was in the world before. What was it here again?

"I am sorry, Rinn."

The words were barely a whisper, but it made Rinn stop dead. She turned back, frowning in question.

Helena shrugged.

"My… My word was no guarantee that she wouldn't have harmed us," Helena said, her tone quiet and empty. She turned back to her room. "I'm sorry."

It was the hollowness, the wretchedness, of that confession that struck at her the hardest. It burned her insides. Rinn barely realised that she had moved to Helena when she already had the ginger's wrist in her hand.

"Hey."

Helena stopped and then, realising what she was doing, Rinn released the wrist and stepped back. There was no reason to add further discomfort.

The truth was that Rinn didn't really know what to say. She felt… Conflicted.

"You… know things no one else does," Rinn began, trying to put her own mind in order. "Maybe… Well, in this case you were right. It's just… frightening. I was frightened – am frightened by the prospect of us being targeted here."

Rinn shrugged, looked around the room. How often will she feel that she'd need to do that now?

"I can't, I can't be on guard all the time. It's exhausting. This just scared me. I know," she grimaced, wishing the words would pop into her head in the order they should. "Nowhere is safe. It's just like back home. You have to accept that people might come in and kill you for no good reason. And we were blasé about it at home. It was a simple reality. But somehow, it's just a lot harder to have that attitude here. Here it wouldn't be for no good reason. Here it would be for what we are. Or what I am."

She blew out a breath and rubbed at the back of her neck, feeling where one of the implants lay. She hadn't checked her monitoring programme yet. It niggled at her.

"I just need you to be," she stopped and shook her head. "I want us to minimise risks. I know it's the ISTJ in me – order, structure, control. But we're not impervious to what happens in this world."

Helena's voice took on a sense of urgency: Desperation and loss mingling in this strange maelstrom.

"The future is horrible, Rinn," she said. "I am just trying… Just trying to make it a little bit less so. To find some hope. Somewhere. In the hands of a thief. For Katelyn. For myself. For you."

A Herculean mission, Rinn thought, quietly considering while her friend waited, as she always waited, for words to come to the hybrid.

"You can't take all of that on by yourself, Lena," Rinn replied finally. "I know the risk in you telling me anything. Believe me, I know it better than you do. And I'm not saying tell everyone else everything. Just… try to not to do this on your own. Like," she gave a small shrug with her shoulder. "Let Miranda track someone down for you. She doesn't have to know why. Take Kate with you when you meet potential allies. Don't take this on alone when it affects all of us. Let us help carry the load."

Rinn grimaced.

"I mean them. Let them help. I'll…. make sure your person is safe and help supply coffee."

Lame. Oh well, points for effort.

Helena closed her eyes.

"I'm so scared of trusting the wrong person. Of doing the wrong thing, but," she sighed and met Rinn's gaze. "I will try, Rinn. But I can't tell Katelyn the truth and she won't be satisfied with anything less."

"Let me talk to her then. Reason with her," Rinn replied. "I'll try and keep it as vague as possible. You can give me a list of things not to mention."

Helena gave a bitter chuckle.

"Me."

"Okay… So… Kate, there's this mystery person and she's going to nab you and Miranda every now and then for things that won't make sense…" Rinn gave a half smile. "That's a little tricky."

"Welcome to my life," Helena replied, matching the expression. Then something shifted and her eyes became serious. "Don't step between me and a bullet, Rinn. Please."

And with that all levity fled the room. Rinn felt her own features go dead, her eyes go dull, and something like an adamantine shell slam over her heart.

Because that's not what I'm being conditioned to do? Because I'm not already willing to do that?

"What do you think they are training me for?"

The statement came out as devoid of anything as Helena's voice had been but a moment before.

Rinn turned then, knowing the insanity of their situation, knowing her own role in the twisted game, knowing how surreal this matter was, and not really wanting to speak of it more. To her it was like waiting to be attacked in the world before. In her country, the crime rate was so high that it felt like you were just waiting your turn.

And here she also felt like she was waiting her turn. The only difference was, she had more control over the event not taking place in her home.

Or had thought she had had more control till that evening.

She stepped to the kitchen and grabbed two mugs to rinse out.

"They should stop," Helena was saying behind her. "We should really… make them stop."

"Because we won't end up in a conflict situation?" Rinn asked. The water was cooler than she intended, but she focused on that tingle on her finders as she said, "Did you know that over 60% of assassinations happen at almost point blank range? There isn't time to reach for your gun the moment you see it happening. It's hand-to-hand or bust."

She closed the tap, remembering how bloody her knuckles had been after her most recent session. At least she healed up fast.

"I'm not that important," Helena dismissed the thought. "They won't assassinate me."

That's not the point.

"No, but they may try to capture you. You're working for one of Illium's leading information brokers. There won't be time to haul out a gun... and I don't really need one, now do I?" She couldn't help the bitterness that tinged her voice at that. She shook her head, focusing on her task, watching the steam of the kettle float up from the mugs. "You are very sharp of wit, Helena, and fantastic with a fire arm, but unless I can get you far enough away, you will never get the opportunity to use it. Simple as that.

"We're using what I have, what I am… because things are going to be ugly – whether now or later. It is going to get there. And when it comes down to it," Rinn felt herself hesitate, "what you know outweighs what I am. You might not like it, but that's the harsh reality." She pushed the cup over to her friend. "We just need to make sure that it happens later rather than sooner."

She watched Helena simply nod and look down at her cup. What can one really to say to that? To any of this, really? This world is so messed up.

"I'm going to check my console thinger and see what's showing on stage," Rinn said, picking up her own mug. "And play some mini-games… I really miss my computer. Never got to finish XCOM 2."

Let's talk about death and then switch over to computer games… this really does remind me of home.

"We should… get a console," Helena added, maybe also trying to get past the conversation neither of them really knew what to make of. "I'm sure we can find something somewhere. I'm…" she shook her head, what energy the disagreement gave her leaving her body. Again, only the shell remained. "I'm going to go bed. Take a shower and such. We never got around to that."

"Call me when we need to get your shoulder brace off," Rinn said and left, feeling a creeping discomfort wrap around her spine. Somehow she knew that wasn't going to go away any time soon. She made a mental note to check Helena's room once the ginger was in the shower and do a quick scan after she had gone to bed.

And couldn't be too careful. Not anymore.

The devil finally left Katelyn as the night progressed, leaving in its place a shell of the woman that Liara had known before she died. She remembered this figure, sitting against the Normandy's hull after Kaiden's death. Defeated, broken. Disheartened.

They had come so close to kissing then, but Joker, dear Joker had broken the moment.

Tonight, there was nobody around.

Katelyn sat on the floor, Liara's file resting on her legs as her features looked at the bright lights of Nos Astra. She looked strangely younger, despite the ever present burden in her eyes. And she looked… Just a little scared.

"You have to wonder what someone like this," she said softly, motioning to the datapad as if it was Kasumi Goto herself. "Would need from someone like me. What is Helena playing at? What's the end game?" There was no menace in her voice this time, just pure curiosity.

Liara shifted beside her, aware of their hips touching. Aware of Katelyn's very breathing.

"We should find out," she murmured. "See it through maybe. Could be interesting." She smiled at the ghost of a grin that appeared on Katelyn's features.

"Interesting?" The commander intoned. "Why, Dr. T'Soni, is that your adventurous spirit talking?"

Smiling, inclining her head, Liara breathed in deeply, finally relaxing beside this woman that she was only now starting to get to know again.

"You have to wonder," she said amused. "For all the information that I couldn't find, this Kasumi seems like an interesting woman. And I think she was caught just as off guard by this as we were, if you consider how secretive her history is."

Katelyn nodded, but her features had sobered up a little. She reached out and enclosed her hand around a glass of strong brandy that Liara had provided her with, from her stash that she kept for specific clients. It was expensive liquor, but she suspected that the commander needed it.

What do they call it on Earth? Dutch courage? I wonder what a dutch is.

"I think," Katelyn began slowly. "That I would… be able to deal with Helena better, if I didn't feel so… so damned judged. I mean… Why can't she tell me what she knows? What makes me… so terrible?" Her features darkened. "What will make me so terrible that she can't trust me now?"

Liara had never considered it that way and it bothered her a little.

"I don't think she judges you, Katelyn," she said quietly. "She just… has that way about her. I've met a lot of people like that in recent years. They hide all their fears, all their insecurities behind this façade of arrogance. Just to try and show you that whatever you do to them, whatever you tell them or show them, won't hurt them. I think that's how she is. She's scared of being hurt."

Katelyn glanced at her, her features soft and puzzled. "Do you care for her?" She asked, the notion seemingly foreign to her. And, maybe there was just a little bit of insecurity. Jealousy.

Liara smiled quickly and shook her head. "Not like that," she said with a soft chuckle. "But I appreciate the effort that I think it takes for her to get up every day and pretend that she is alright. I know what that feels like." She sighed and remembered the woman she had brought to Nos Astra. Grieving, injured, sick with worry over her friend that she had saved but lost.

"She cried so much when I brought her here. All the way from the Citadel. She just couldn't stop, even though she tried so hard to. You don't cry like that if you feel as little as she pretends to. You don't cry like that if you believe the world is simply a massive chessboard for you to move your pieces on. And she looks at me sometimes as if…" She noticed the look in Katelyn's eyes and smiled. "As you do right now. Just like that."

Katelyn's eyes had found hers. "And how is that?" She breathed.

Liara reached for her own glass and brought it to her lips. "You tell me, Commander," she pointed out. "How do you feel right now?"

Katelyn's gaze became more intense as her hand allowed the glass to slip back down to the floor. Something other than anger burned in her eyes and that emotion seemed to guide her to slip her hand into Liara's. Unable to help herself, Liara couldn't help but think that it was a good start.

"As if you are something worth loving," she said quietly. "And that I don't deserve you. For all the things that I've done to you. Dumped on you. Made you deal with."

Well, that's a start too.

Liara smiled. "Just as long as you realise that I need a little bit of extra appreciation," she said with a chuckle, which Katelyn shared.

"I'm worried that you might never forgive me for dumping all of this on you," Katelyn confessed with a smile. "I really appreciate all your help. Especially when it comes to…" Her gaze went to the monitor. "Giving me perspective different point of view. I don't know why I become so blind sometimes."

Liara smiled, shrugged. "Maybe because you don't spend enough time with me," she said. "Do so this week, Kate, we've never… we've never had the opportunity to do so."

She felt Katelyn squeeze her hand. Felt her eagerness.

"I'd like that," she breathed and for just a moment, Liara thought that she might lean over and kiss her. Her heart raced at the prospect, but somehow she also knew that it wasn't right. Not yet, not quite.

She smiled at Katelyn and hoped that this time that she had been given with her, wouldn't be another wasted opportunity.

"And," Liara said, grinning suddenly. "If it works out, and you and I get to spend some time with each other like real friends, I might just offer to take in another Normandy delinquent simply to have another opportunity to do so."

Katelyn laughed at this, and it was a wonderful sound.

"Dr T'Soni," she stated. "Two is more than enough."