Here is the next chapter of Soldiers and Cops. We are starting down the home stretch. I would love to hear what y'all think about it. Please r&r and enjoy!

Claire sat in the mess hall trying to figure out if anything could have been done differently during the mission. She knew what her training told her to do and she had done it time and time again, but this time was a little different. It was Luke's girlfriend she had left behind to die. It was her inability as a commander that got Ashley killed.

I could have ordered Kaidan and Mallory to not activate the bomb with a direct order from me. Or maybe Luke could have made it to Ashley and back if we had had a little more time. Or maybe…no no no. Stop thinking like this. Ash died because of Saren. Though she kept telling herself that it was not her fault, she could not help feeling responsible for everything that had happened.

But seeing Luke emerge from the elevator with a bag over his shoulder, unsettled her slightly. What could he possibly be doing with a bag?

"Luke, what's up?" Claire watched as Luke's gaze immediately fell to the floor. He had something he was sorry for. That was the look he had been getting when he was doing something he believed in but he knew would hurt her or she would not approve of.

"I can't stay here anymore. Everything reminds me of…" Luke's voice slowly trailed off. Claire watched as a tear formed in the corner of Luke's eye.

"Ashley," Claire said. She understood. She had felt that way about an old shirt from Mindoir that their parents had gotten for her. She had locked it in a closet in her new house hoping that hiding it from sight would help her to get over losing her parents, but it never did. "Let's head to my cabin and talk about his before you decide anything, okay?"

Luke sighed and swallowed. He shifted his weight from foot to foot several times over and adjusted his grip on the bag. The idea of talking to Claire about everything that was going on was obviously weighing on him fairly heavily. What was he planning? Had he already decided on something?

"Okay, but only because you deserve to know." The way Luke spoke made Claire nervous. His tone was calm, yet stricken with grief and anger. She could not say that she blamed him for that. His sisters had been instrumental in the death of the woman he loved. How could she ever expect him to look at her the same way again? She had given the order to leave Ashley behind. She had chosen to secure the bombsite first.

Claire got up and followed Luke to her cabin. Right as she turned around to close the door she saw Liara some running out of the elevator looking desperately around for someone. Claire saw the asari spot her and sprint toward her.

This has to be important. Liara never sprints anywhere except on the battlefield, and even then I have not seen her move this fast.

"Commander, you have to talk him out of it. Please, he is not thinking straight," Liara pleaded.

Claire raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her brother as he dropped his bag on the floor. The sound of titanium metal composites clanking together as the weapons settled on the floor inside the duffle. There was another sound that was a thinner metal. It had to be his armor. What did he need with all his equipment?

"Calm down Liara. I'll gonna talk to him right now. We'll be done in a second." Claire closed the door and turned to face Luke. He sat silent on the bed with his fingers interlaced and his elbows on his knees. Her heart felt heavy as she approached. There was a part of her deep down that was screaming at her. Screaming that her brother was about to vanish again.

"Where're we headed?" Luke asked. The tone of his voice had not changed. Still just as calm as calm could be… There was something very wrong.

"Um…to the Citadel for reinforcements. Luke tell me that is not all of your equipment in a bag."

"Can't do that."

Claire crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall. "And why not?"

"Cause I'd be lying." Luke's gaze fixed on the floor as Claire sat down next to him. Her heart was pounding as nerves gripped her stomach. What was Luke doing? Liara said he was not thinking straight, could he be dangerous? Could he have gone insane? Everyone had felt the biotic detonations when they had gotten back to the ship.

"Why do you have all your gear?" Claire asked nudging the bag with her foot.

Luke looked up slowly. Maybe it was the light or Claire's mind playing tricks, but it looked like there might have been tears in his eyes. That was certainly understandable, he had just lost the woman he loved. Of course he would be crying.

"I can't stay… I can't stay on a ship that reminds me of Ashley…with the people that killed her," Luke said as he wiped his eyes.

"The only person responsible for Ashley's death is Saren, and he is going to get his, I promise," Claire said clenching her fists. Luke shook his head causing her to loosen. She turned to face him.

"You were forced into a choice that you could not make easily. Saren was not even in the facility when the bomb was activated. Mallory and Kaidan were the ones that activated the bomb and killed Ashley. They forced you to decide between them and Ash. I can't work with people like that," Luke said as he tried to choke back tears. Claire put her arm around her brother as he laid his head on her shoulder. "I don't want to leave, I really don't, but I can't stay. I'm getting off at the Citadel. If Mallory and Kaidan ever leave the ship, I'll come back…but not until."

Claire sighed. She could not blame Luke for feeling that way. She did not want to be near her commanding officer back during the beginning of her career after the man had gotten three marines killed in a raid on a batarian ship. It was so difficult to be around someone that got some of her friends killed. She could not imagine how difficult it was to be around someone that she believed killed someone she loved.

"Luke, you are my brother, but you are also a member of my team. You can leave whenever you want, but you will always be welcome back." Claire fought the urge to cry and beg Luke to stay. She finally had her brother back, and now he was leaving again. She was losing him just like on Mindoir. What was she going to do? She could not kick Mallory and Kaidan off the ship, but she did not want to lose Luke as an asset to the team or as simply having her long-lost-brother with her. He seemed to understand her most of the time, and he was willing to do the cold hearted things that she just could not bring herself to do.

"If you need in tech support or an agent on the Citadel, give me a ring. I'll always be here for you." Luke embraced his sister, burying his face into Claire's neck. She smiled as she clutched her brother. She had missed getting hugs from him. He was always so warm, strong, and understanding to her.

"I'm putting a note in your file that you are clear to carry any and all equipment anywhere on the Citadel. I'm also gonna give you full access to the comm channels so we can stay in constant contact." Claire punched in a few codes into her omni-tool and transferred a few data packets. "Don't you go disappearing on me, okay?"

"Never again," Luke placed his hand in his sister's and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze before kissing her on the forehead. Claire sighed as Luke stood and headed for the door. "See you around the galaxy."

Claire smiled and gave him a half hearted wave as he slung his bag over his shoulder and slipped out the door.

Not able to fight it anymore, Claire started sobbing as she buried her face in her hands. Ashley was gone, Kaidan was out of action for a week or two, and now Luke was leaving the ship. She was failing as a commander and a spectre.

"Is this a bad time?" The two toned voice made Claire start. She sniffed and wiped her face.

"No, I have an open door policy. What's up?" Claire asked trying desperately to wipe the tears away. She looked up and Garrus crossed his arms and leaned against wall and closed the door.

"Just came to check on you. Liara told me that Luke is leaving. I thought that with everything else that might hit you really hard," Garrus said as his mandibles flared slightly.

"Garrus, I don't know what I'm doing anymore. Luke's leaving, Kaidan's hurt, and Ashley's dead. I really screwed up on this one. Even Saren got away with at worst a few bruises." Claire lost control. She had to be strong for so many people and hold the course so everyone thinks that she knew what she was doing. It was so much pressure. Why did they expect her to be perfect?

"Commander, you got closer to Saren than anyone else. We landed a few punches and we are right on his heels. When we catch him again, you will put him in the ground. That is the kind of commander you are. You get results. Virmire may have been a high cost mission, but you destroyed the genophage cure, a top secret research facility Saren had used as a base, and rescued a couple dozen STG troops. I am not saying it was an equal trade for Ashley, but we delivered one hell of a blow to Saren's organization. No one else has done anything like this," Garrus said placing a hand on her shoulder. "You are our leader and our friend. We will go to hell and back for you."

Claire smiled. How was it that Garrus always knew exactly what to say to make her feel better? He was there to support her both on and off the field. He even sat with her while she tried to sleep. She felt like she could trust him, and she was not sure why. He had proven several times over that he would fight for her and defend her, but she thought she might be able to trust him with more than her life.

No time to think about that. Let's just get those reinforcements, kick Saren's ass, and then I can think about Garrus and how…hummmm…muscular he looks in that armor…Dang it! Stop thinking about that!