THESSIA
Shepard had a very restless night. She dreamt of him. Something she has not done for years. It is near sunrise and she is in the basement beating the hell out of her punching bag.
After Mia left their bedroom yesterday she and Liara continued to discuss what to do about Dava. Is Shepard supposed to talk to Valya and tell her what happened? Is she supposed to say oh hey by the way your daughter might be an Ardat-Yakshi? It is not exactly dinner conversation.
What has Shepard so upset though is that Liara changed her mind. Her bondmate agrees with Mia in that the young asari should maybe hear an explanation from Dava. Liara tried to tell her that it is a little different. That Shepard's example of attempted rape is close to what happened but it is not the same. It is not uncommon when sexual feelings arise within an asari that they lose control and want a mind connection. They get caught up in their emotions, flooded by them in fact is what Liara said. Of course that never happened to her. Liara was very gentle with Shepard. And still is when the human blocks her.
So Shepard dreamt of him. Of the man she has not thought about for over fifteen years. The man who tried to rape her when she was sixteen years old. She disagrees with Liara wholeheartedly. She does not want her daughter anywhere near Dava. In her book Dava crossed an imaginary line that should have never be crossed and one you can never return from. Dava did not respect Mia's boundaries. She was selfish and she tried to force herself on her daughter.
The human does not understand how Liara could change her mind. She even volunteered to monitor their meeting if Mia really did want to invite Dava over. But Shepard refused. She told her bondmate that Dava is not welcome in their home. They went to bed agreeing to disagree and it is not sitting well with the retired Captain, not one bit. She has been hitting the hell out of her demons for the last two hours. She does not hear the soft footsteps descending the stairs.
"I thought I would find you here Elly. Are you alright?" asks Liara. She looks tired and worried. She pulls out the chair from the corner and sits down.
Shepard stops punching and grabs her towel. She takes off her gloves then wipes her drenched brow. "Why are you awake?" Her tone is not a nice one.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know what you mean Liara."
"Elly. I know you better than that so please refrain from insulting me for knowing something is bothering you."
Shepard sits on the bench across from the chair where her bondmate is waiting for a reply. "I don't know what you want me to say Liara. We covered everything last night. You want our daughter to see Dava and I don't. I don't know where we go from here."
Not sure how exactly to phrase it Liara does her best. "I think perhaps you should give Mia the benefit of the doubt Elly. Let her talk to her. Find out what happened. They both have had time to gain perspective."
"And if I say no?"
"I think our daughter needs this Elly."
"Why don't you just say it Liara!" She stands. Her hands are on her hips.
"Say what?"
"That I don't understand because I am not an asari. Isn't that what you really mean to say Liara? I can't possibly understand our daughter because I am not an…." She feels the heat behind her eyes instantly. It catches her off guard. She is angry; she certainly didn't think she would cry. Her mind flashes to Mia curled into a ball needing help and she could do nothing to help her. A meld was needed and she could not help her daughter.
Liara stands. She starts to approach her but Elly puts up a hand up in warning. She doesn't want comfort. Liara waits.
Shepard wipes her face again then faces her bondmate. "We are at an impasse Liara. You want Mia to see Dava and I don't. We can agree to disagree until the cows come home, it won't change a damn thing."
Liara is not sure what the expression means but remains quiet.
"I trust you Liara. I am not an asari. If you want our daughter to put herself in danger than you better not be far behind." Shepard takes a step toward her and with deadly seriousness says, "if anything happens to Mia because of her meeting with Dava I am holding you responsible Liara. Do you understand?"
Liara studies her a moment. "I know you do not mean that as a threat Elly. I will not tolerate that tone of voice."
Shepard blinks a few times and backs up.
"She is my daughter too. Nothing will happen because we know Dava and we know our daughter. If Mia says she was terrified then she was terrified. Dava did not mean to do it."
"Oh that's right," says Shepard as she grabs her towel, "I forgot that she didn't mean to do it. That makes it all better." She walks past her bondmate toward the stairs.
"Don't let your past dictate our daughter's future."
Shepard freezes. She turns to Liara.
Liara is waiting to get yelled at. She is waiting for some type of explosive reaction. Instead she sees immense pain in her bondmate's eyes. She sees tears she is trying not to shed. She sees the old wound opened and she just poured salt on it. "Elly I…" she starts to walk toward her but the human turns and goes upstairs without another word.
EARTH
Blake approached Oriana and Claire and asked them both out to lunch. She wanted an update on their work. The woman wanted to see if perhaps the two would be honest with her instead of withholding information.
She knows Cooper wants Oriana to pay for her breach of contract but Blake is willing to overlook it. She is not threatened by Miranda Lawson. Her uncle taught the ex-cerberus agent what she knows so Blake knows how to counteract anything she tries. Her data, her background, her finances are all pieces of information Miranda will not be able to piece together. Not unless she wants her to. She told Cooper to be patient. To not do anything at the moment because she doesn't want Oriana distracted. The woman is on to something and she wants to give her everything she needs. Oriana and Claire right now are her only hope. It took a few hours of arguing, but Cooper understands. He promised he would not do anything….for now.
During lunch the two Doctors were very upfront with Dr. Sadler. They withheld nothing. Oriana thought it would be too suspicious and risky to withhold anything because she felt the timing of the lunch was odd. She also didn't want to put her friend Claire in an uncomfortable situation. Odder still was that during the update Dr. Blair Sadler did not seem all that surprised at their progress.
"I appreciate you two taking the time to update me. You are making excellent progress. I cannot wait to see where you are a month from now," says Blair.
"Yes it is very exciting," says Claire.
"We were going to inform you sooner Blair," says Oriana, "but I insisted we run a few more simulations before reporting our findings. I hope you do not mind."
"Not at all Oriana. I am familiar with how you work. Do you forget?" asks Blair.
Oriana smiles.
All three walk out of the restaurant and stop on the sidewalk.
"I keep forgetting you two went to school together," says Claire. "What a small world."
"Oriana?"
The woman turns to find Ashley Williams. "Ashley hello how are you?"
"I'm good. I…" her eyes move to Claire then stop on Blair for a few lingering seconds. "I don't want to interrupt, but I wanted to say hi."
"Oh we are actually heading back. Ashley, this is Dr. Claire Grossman and Dr. Blair Sadler, this is Ashley Williams retired Alliance Captain."
Ashley shakes hands with the two women.
"I will see you back there," says Blair. "Nice to meet you Ashley." She turns and rounds the corner.
"I need to run a quick errand Oriana so I will be another hour," says Claire, "Nice to meet you Ashley." She gets into her nearby car. Her driver pulls away and flies off.
"What brings you down here Ashley?"
She doesn't respond.
"Ashley?"
"Huh? Oh sorry. I …well that woman looks awfully familiar to me. Have you worked with her before?"
"Who Dr. Sadler?"
"Yeah."
"We went to school together. But this is the first time I have worked on a project with her. I don't know where you two would have met."
"Hmm, maybe she just has one of those faces." Ashley continues to think.
Oriana clears her throat. She doesn't want to be rude but she has to get going.
"Sorry Oriana. I don't want to keep you. It was good to see you. You and your family should come over for dinner soon."
"We would love that Ashley. We are going out of town this weekend. How about I call you next week and we can set something up."
"Sounds great. Maybe we can talk about something other than my daughter wanting to visit Thessia. She keeps begging me to go visit Raina."
"Oh?"
"Yeah they really hit it off when they were here. And since she goes back to college in two months she wants me and her father to hurry up and let her go."
"Maybe you should." Oriana herself is not sure she would allow it, but she can't help but think that perhaps Abby could get something to Miranda for her.
"You think so? I think she is too young."
"You are probably right."
"Well we are having a family meeting about it."
"Really a family meeting?" the scientist laughs a little.
"Yeah. My parents used to the do the same for us. It was a way for them to communicate with us and it allowed me and my three sisters a chance to call the meeting if we wanted to be heard about something."
"Wow. That actually sounds like a great idea."
"Works pretty well."
"Well I wish you luck Ashley." Oriana gives her a quick hug.
"Thanks Oriana. I'll call you next week."
THESSIA
"Are you sure you want to do this honey?" asks Liara. It is early afternoon. There is not a cloud in the sky. The slight breeze feels good against the high temperature. She and Mia are sitting on a bench away from the playground in the park. It is the same bench Mia and Dava were at not too long ago. They are waiting for the asari.
"Yeah…I'm just nervous." She stands and starts to pace. Something all of the kids picked up from their father.
"I won't let anything happen to you Mia."
Mia stops and looks at her mother. "I know Mom. It's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"Did you and Dad have a fight?"
Liara does not want to trouble her daughter. "We had a disagreement, nothing to concern yourself with." She feels awful for saying what she said to her bondmate. The minute the words left her mouth she wished she could have taken them back. Shepard left the house after breakfast and hasn't been home since.
"Yeah but I saw….."
"Hi Mia. Hi Liara," says Dava with a nod of her head.
Mia swallows the lump in her throat. Her friend doesn't look much better than the last time she saw her. Though she is happy to see that her face has healed nicely, no more bruising.
"Dava how are you feeling?" asks Liara. She stands and places her arm around her daughter.
"Headaches are gone and my nose is healed." She smiles a little but it quickly fades away. She is very nervous.
"And your father?"
"She is resting at home. I think she returns to work next week."
Liara gives her daughter's shoulder a squeeze. Mia nods to her.
"I will be right over there if you two need anything," says Liara. She gestures to a bench closer to the playground.
"Uh….Liara?" asks Dava as Liara starts to walk away.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to apologize to you for what I did to Mia."
Mia is shocked to say the least, Liara is not. She expected an apology from the asari. It shows her character.
"I appreciate you saying that Dava"
"I also wanted to thank you for helping me. I understand almost your whole family helped me. Thank you."
Liara places her hand on the young asari's shoulder. "I am glad everything worked out Dava. You are very welcome." She turns her attention to her daughter, "I will be just over there." She heads toward the nearby bench.
Dava and Mia stand for a few moments not looking at each other. Dava finally says, "Do you want to sit down?"
"I think I'll stand." Mia was not expecting to feel so uncomfortable, but she does and she doesn't like it. She has always been able to be herself with Dava. Now she feels she has to protect herself somehow, keep her distance.
Dava slowly sits. She does not keep her eyes off of Mia. "Thank you for agreeing to see me."
"Sure."
She clears her throat. "I wanted to thank you for helping me Mia especially after I …after I hurt you."
Mia shrugs her shoulders.
"Can you fill the blanks for me?"
"What do you mean?" Mia finally makes eye contact.
"I don't remember a lot of what happened. I mean I remember you coming into the shack…"
"That wasn't me," Mia interrupts.
"It wasn't?"
"No. It was my Mom. Her and my Dad didn't feel comfortable with my going in on my own. Raina and I were outside in case the fight moved there which it did."
Silence hangs in the air. Mia finally sits down but keeps her distance from the asari.
"She hurt my Mom. Everything happened so fast." Mia tells Dava the rest of what happened from her perspective.
"I wondered who that asari was that helped me get out of the shack. I had no idea it was my Dad's partner," says Dava. "But everyone is okay right? I mean your Mom and Dad?"
"Yeah they are fine now."
"And Raina?"
"Fine."
"And you?" Without thinking Dava reaches her hand out to touch her friend.
Mia recoils at it. She stands.
"I'm sorry Mia…I…I wasn't thinking."
Mia could just hit herself for this. She should not be afraid of Dava but for some reason she is. The severity of what Dava did to her is sinking in. She wonders if her father was right, maybe she shouldn't be talking to her.
"I'm sorry Mia."
She hears a soft sniffle. When she looks she sees Dava wipe away a tear.
"I have liked you for a while. Did you know that?"
Mia shakes her head.
"I was too scared to say anything even when you started to flirt with me. Do you remember when you were flirting with me at the pizza parlor before Caressa showed up?"
It feels like a lifetime ago. "Yeah I remember."
"Even then I was scared to tell you. Then with my parents fighting and everything I don't know. I felt so alone. And when you met me and we were hugging I just…well I just wanted to not feel like shit ya know? I never meant to hurt you Mia. I really, really like you."
Mia sits down again keeping her distance. "Then why didn't you stop when I blocked you?"
"I don't know. I felt …I don't know…overwhelmed. I was kissing you and it only felt natural to reach out with my mind."
"Yeah but I blocked you Dava and you didn't stop."
"I know. And you should hate me because I hate myself for it. I was just so caught up in the moment. I thought maybe you didn't feel me so I pushed harder."
Mia studies her. After a minute of silence she asks, "Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"
Dava looks confused. "Yeah?"
"Did you feel me block you Dava?" Mia is starting to get angry.
"Yes."
"Then you should have stopped. Not pushed harder."
"I know but…"
"No there are no butts Dava. No means no."
"You're right Mia. You are absolutely right. I should not have done what I did. I lost control. I got lost in the moment. Kissing you…I mean kissing you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I wanted more. I wanted …" her voice trails off. She thinks she sounds too much like Elina.
Mia feels a shiver down her spine. "I have to go." She stands.
"So soon?" Dava also stands. "I mean I thought we could talk some more."
"No. I'm done talking."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know Dava. Two weeks ago we were best friends and now I can't trust you. I am afraid to be alone with you. I don't know what you want from me."
"Friendship Mia…I don't expect anything more."
"Well I think you ask too much." Mia swears she sees Dava flinch at her words. "I need time. I have to think about this."
"Anything you need. I am not going anywhere."
"Don't call me Dava okay? I need time to think about what you did and whether or not I can move past it for us to be like we were. Right now I can tell you I can't. Right now I can tell you I don't want to be friends. So just give me time."
"I understand."
Mia starts to walk toward her mother. She turns to look at Dava. "I am glad your parents are doing better."
"Thanks. And Mia?"
"Yes?"
"I am very sorry for what I did."
"Yeah. Me too." She turns her back on her friend and meets up with her Mom to head home.
"Shepard, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Well with that type of greeting I wonder why I am not over here more often Aethyta." She waits for an invitation. When she doesn't get one, "Can I come in?"
"Sure." The Matriarch closes the door. "What's going on? Liara okay?"
"Yeah she's fine. You have any Ryncol?"
"Shit Shepard make yourself at home."
"Thanks." The human knows she doesn't mean it. But the human grabs the bottle she sees on the kitchen counter and pours herself one.
"I thought you preferred beer."
"Need something stronger."
"That explains it." Aethyta sits in her family room. She extends her legs and crosses them at the ankles.
"Explains what?" Shepard sits down across from her.
"My missing bottle."
"What are you talking about?"
"When you came home from the hospital I picked up groceries for all of you."
"Yeah I remember."
"Well I bought three bottle of Ryncol. But when I got home I only had two. You took one."
"No I didn't" Shepard looks like she is in pain when she takes a sip of the strong alcohol.
"Then where did it go? Did it sprout wings and fly away?"
"No idea Aethyta. I did not take your bottle."
"Fine."
"Fine."
They drink in silence for a few minutes. "So why are you here?"
"I need to ask you about melding."
"Shit Shepard you have four kids. I think you understand what happens." She takes a long swig of her drink.
"Very funny Aethyta."
The Matriarch gets up to pour another glass. She brings the bottle with her and sets it down between them.
"You looking for advice? I think it's a little creepy coming to your lover's Dad for advice between the sheets."
Shepard nearly spits out her drink. She wipes her mouth. "Too far."
The Matriarch shrugs.
"I have general questions about asari behavior and melding."
It doesn't take long for Shepard to convey the story of what happened between Mia and Dava. The Matriarch landed on both sides of the story. She agreed with her daughter in that it can be very overwhelming for an asari that they lose control and reach out with their mind. That they are so overwhelmed they don't feel the block. And there are other asari who would never try to forcefully push harder after being blocked.
Shepard was looking for a more concrete answer. She was hoping this was a black and white situation. That what Dava did was wrong. But if she really was overwhelmed and it is somewhat common for asari to have this happen then maybe her daughter really wasn't in danger like she originally thought. She knows Liara is right. She knows that her being attacked as a teenager has influenced how she sees this whole mess. Maybe she is wrong. Perhaps Dava was overwhelmed and it is okay that Mia wants to talk to her about it. Perhaps her daughter is not weak for wanting to talk to Dava, but strong.
That is Shepard's greatest fear. That Mia will let this experience change her, or make her gun shy. That is what happened to her. She said no to love until she met Liara and even then it was a very long, hard, painful process to fully open to her asari bondmate.
Shepard thanks Aethyta for her perspective. She knows it is time to go home. She knows it is time to talk to her bondmate and daughter.