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Shepard hovered outside the door of the port observation deck, listening to the voices inside. One, unfamilar, was Kasumi's. The thief had taken up residence in the room, much to Shepard's chagrin. She hadn't felt she could argue the point, since space was beginning to be at a premium on the Normandy, but she had mourned the loss of the private space looking out at the stars she and Thane had enjoyed.

His was the other voice coming from inside the room. She hadn't known he was so social, but here he was, chatting up the new arrival. Shepard had to admit to a corrosive thread of jealousy. Kasumi was beautiful, and she was also sneaky and very good at what she did, and she and Thane had similar skill sets and experiences. Whereas Shepard was blunt and brash and not sneaky in the least. What could he possibly see in her that he wouldn't find more attractive in Kasumi?

At last she decided to knock, because the alternative was to run away as though she was scared, and she was damned if she was doing that. If Thane preferred Kasumi, she wanted to know that, right up front.

"Come in," Kasumi called in her musical voice.

Shepard stepped through the doors and stood blinking at a totally transformed room. Kasumi had moved in with a vengeance—a soft bed, paintings, knick-knacks, and a shelf full of books. Real books, like the one Thane had lent her. Just another thing the two of them had in common. He was holding one now, his slender fingers riffling through the pages.

"Shepard, come sit. I was just showing Thane some of my favorite books."

"She has terrible taste." Thane moved over to let Shepard take the spot next to him. Did his eyes warm when he saw her? It was so hard to tell, and anything she thought she saw might easily be wishful thinking.

"You only say that because you've never read a good noir novel. You have to try this one—Dashiell Hammett. He's perfect for you."

"Mass-produced pot-boilers?" Thane frowned down at the volume.

"Mass-produced doesn't mean bad. What do you read, poetry?"

Shepard couldn't help but chuckle at the look on Thane's face, and Kasumi clapped her hands together, laughing delightedly. "Caught! I knew it." She looked at Shepard. "Thane tells me you're not much of a reader."

"Too busy saving the galaxy," Shepard said stiffly, and then cursed herself for sounding pretentious and dismissive of her companions' habits.

Thane closed the book and looked up at her with surprise. "I'm hoping to encourage her to develop a taste for it, but as you can imagine, there are many demands on her time."

"And he gave you the poetry, didn't he?" Kasumi shook her head in mock disappointment. "Let me look through what I have and see what I think you might like. We can talk about it on the way to Hock's party."

Standing up—and still holding the book, Shepard couldn't help but notice—Thane said, "I believe that is my cue to let the two of you discuss your plans. Kasumi. Shepard." There was a faint questioning lilt in his voice on Shepard's name, as though he was querying whether she intended to visit him later. She gave him a distracted nod, although she wasn't certain it was a good idea—in her current mood, she would be too likely to fall on him and demand all sorts of promises and reassurances, and she did not want to be that woman. Regardless of what he might think of her, she would despise herself.

He left, the doors sliding closed behind him, and Kasumi remained silent, her eyes on Shepard's face.

"So … Hock's party?" Shepard asked.

"You have nothing to worry about, you know," Kasumi told her.

"I hope not, but infiltrating society parties isn't my usual method of operation."

Kasumi smiled. "I meant Thane. Oh, I can't deny he has a certain mystique about him, but …" She glanced out the window at the stars, and then looked back at Shepard. "He isn't my type. Besides." Her smile widened, her eyes dancing with humor. "It's as plain as the nose on your face that he really likes you. Those big black eyes of his go all a-flutter when he talks about you."

"Do they? I mean …" Shepard could feel herself blushing.

"They do," Kasumi assured her. "And if there was any doubt about it being mutual, the look on your face when you found him in here put that to rest."

"I … This also isn't my usual method of operation."

"I know. I did my homework before I agreed to come on board. I intend to follow you, Shepard, all the way through the Omega 4. I just need to get Keiji's greybox first."

"And that requires going to this party?"

"It's the easiest way, yes." Kasumi looked her over. "Looks like I got my sizes right. I took the liberty of bringing aboard a dress and shoes, figuring that killer party wear wasn't really your thing."

"You figured right. I'm not even sure what to do in a dress and shoes."

"Be impressive."

"I think I can manage that. Maybe."

"Well, you won't have to wear them all night," Kasumi assured her. "You can change once we get into the vault."

"That's a relief. And the party's day after tomorrow, you said?"

"Yes. So you can practice walking in the shoes."

Shepard grinned. "The crew will think I've gone mad."

"It's good to keep them guessing." Kasumi tapped a few things on her omni-tool. "I've also sent you the dossier on your cover, so you can read up on it. I've named you Alison Gunn."

"Gunn? Isn't that a bit on-the-nose?"

"No one uses their real name in this line of work."

"Good." Shepard glanced at the door, and Kasumi chuckled.

"Go, go, put everyone's fears to rest. I'll be here. We can go over more of the details tomorrow."

"I'll find you," Shepard told her. She got up, Kasumi's laugh following her out of the room, and knocked on the door of life support.

"Ah, there you are," Thane said when she entered. There was very definitely relief on his face.

"Sorry, I just …" Should she admit that she had been jealous? She found she felt shy about it, so she didn't say as much. "I needed to check in with Kasumi on her requested assignment."

"I'm very glad you came here after you were done." He reached for her hand, his smooth, cool fingers closing around hers.

"I am, too." She glanced over her shoulder. "Although life support lacks the ambience of the observation deck."

"Yes, the view there is much nicer. But now it lacks privacy." His voice dropped to a deeper register on the last word, his thumb rubbing over the back of her hand, and Juniper shivered.

"That it does." A thought came to her, and she started to voice it, then thought better of it.

Thane tugged her a little closer to him. "What is it, Siha?"

"I … wondered if you might occasionally like to come up to my quarters. I have a lovely view, and … a couch, and …" She stumbled over the words, not wanting him to think that she was trying to push him to move faster toward the physical aspects than he was ready for—it was very evident that he wanted to take that in smaller steps, and she was willing to wait. But it was a more private place, and somewhere that she could take her boots off, for example, and be more comfortable.

If possible, his black eyes darkened, his grip on her hand tightening. Then he closed his eyes, resting his forehead against hers. "I … don't know, Siha. I …" He stopped, and then tried again, but with the same result. "I don't know."

"Well, think about it. No pressure, Thane. Nothing like that. Just … a place to be comfortable."

At that, he pulled her completely into his arms, embracing her, resting his cheek against her hair. "And now I've made you uncomfortable. I'm sorry, Juniper. I … it isn't that I don't—want …" The word came heavily from him, deep and rich and full of desire, and she pushed herself away from him to avoid reaching for him when he wasn't ready. "I … am sorry," he said again.

"It's all right. It really is. I—well, I won't say I understand, because I'm not sure I do, but I don't care. When you need me to understand, I will, and until then, I want whatever happens between us to be when it's right for both of us. I can wait, Thane."

"You shouldn't have to."

She smiled. "Maybe it's good for me."

Thane smiled, too, but he didn't reach for her as she turned to go. "You are an extraordinary woman, Siha."

She let the door close behind her and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes, wishing that just one thing in her life could be simple, and easy. Then again, she thought, heading for the elevator, maybe she wouldn't appreciate what she had as much if it all came easily.