Ashley

"I simply cannot let you out of this hospital yet, Commander!" Dr. Michele frowned at her. "Your neck was broken barely more than a week ago!"

"But I'm doing okay!" Ashley reasoned.

"You are running around this hospital like you own it, Commander! If I let you leave? You would be running battle simulations on the roofs, conducting space-walks in full battle-armor on the outside of the Wards! With a recently-broken neck!" She paused, raising a perfectly manicured brow. "You know that I am right."

Ashley frowned for a second before shaking her head with a sigh. "Jesus, woman, you're just like my mother."

"Then I can only imagine she has a great deal more good sense than you," the doctor retorted.

Ashley grinned. "Well, she is a nurse and the mother to four crazy girls, and she did it mostly on her own, so…"

The doctor raised her brow once more. "I see. So perhaps not good sense so much as the stamina of a fully-matured krogan male?"

Ashley blinked a few times. "I… did you just say my mom has a quad?"

"You can interpret that however you wish, Commander. However, do not distract me – I cannot discharge you for at least another week, likely two. Your face is still a horror scene of bruises, you cannot fully turn your head, and you would likely pass out if you were to try a workout in full battle-gear – or if I took you off your pain medications. Besides all that, do not think I have not been speaking with Doctor Chakwas." Ashley let out a groan at this. "I follow her recommendations, and they are that you stay here for at least another two weeks before being released to sleep in the Alliance barracks. And then another few weeks of physical therapy beyond that. Your neck was broken, Commander. This is not a simple fix of a 'boo-boo'."

Ashley couldn't help it. She snorted out a laugh at that last line. Shaking her head, she relented. "All right, all right. Fine. You win. Geez."

The doctor nodded. "You will stay here, and you will get better." She paused, her expression taking on a more sympathetic quality. "You will fight for your home. My job is to get you well enough to be effective, and not die prematurely. I want you to be able to marry that fiancée of yours, Commander."

Ashley sighed, feeling the fight leave her as she did so. "Yeah. I… I've never sat out of a fight well. Ever. Sorry for being a pain in your ass."

Dr. Michele chuckled. "You are hardly the worst patient I've had, Commander. Remember, you met your quarian friend because of me. That invited a whole mess of trouble down on me."

The image of Dr. Michele with a thug's gun pressed to her temple flashed before Ashley's eyes. That was when she'd met Garrus. The turian sharpshooter hadn't hesitated, rounding the corner and planting a bullet between the thug's eyes the moment the oaf had been distracted by Miriam. He'd then coolly dragged the doctor out of harm's way and helped to dispatch the rest of the assholes shaking her down before going back to the doctor and pulling her to her feet, gently insisting she take a seat on her own biobed before she passed the fuck out. It had been Ashley's first real interaction with an alien, and she had been so surprised to find him both clean and efficient as well as compassionate. She felt dumb for that opinion now – people were complicated, and compartmentalizing was not a habit unique to humans – but at the time it had been a revelation, and she had wanted to see what made the man tick.

Now he was on the Normandy. And she was here. Under the care of the doctor that had brought them all together. How strange that it should happen that way.

Ashley was about to respond to the doctor when the terminal in the room began beeping with an incoming call. Ashley looked to the doctor apologetically.

"Saved by the bell, I see," Dr. Michele quipped, heading for the door. "I will leave you alone, Commander. But no more talk of being discharged, even with follow-up care, for at least another ten days. Or the answer will be three weeks."

"Damn," Ashley whispered, shaking her head as the doctor left the room. She conveniently ignored the ache in her neck muscles from shaking her head like that, instead getting up and moving to stand in front of the terminal. Answering the call, she grinned broadly to see Sam's face.

"There you are," she said, seeing in the specialist's eyes that she was back to her normal self.

Sam had the good grace to blush. "Yes, I… apologize for last night."

"No need, baby. I'm just glad you're doing better. You scared me, Sam. I… I see your face is still bruised."

"I'm sorry, Ash. I… I wasn't expecting to get hurt. I was just going to check on something, and…" She trailed off, making a frustrated noise. "I can't tell you-"

Ashley held up a hand. "It's okay, babe. Shepard told me what happened. No need to go into details. How are you feeling today?"

Sam sighed, adjusting her neck and shoulders. She was clearly in the Engineering subdeck again. That would probably be one of the few places the specialist would be guaranteed even minor privacy on a crowded ship. She should just get used to it, she supposed. The lighting was bad, though, not showing all the details of Sam's face. It was also suggestive, reminiscent of a bedroom, and it made Ashley's heart ache just a little more to be with her fiancée.

"I'm feeling okay. I probably won't need painkillers tomorrow. I'll just be sore and bruised. Just like a marine, right?" A small smile pulled at her lips.

Ashley chuckled. "Just like a marine. Sam Traynor, Arms Master."

Sam chuckled, shaking her head. "Right. I could absolutely save the day. By cowering in the corner like I did when-"

"Hey," Ashley interrupted, scowling a little. Sam was referencing Horizon. "None of that. You were wonderful. You did what you needed to despite being terrified. I'm glad I could take the shot for you, but I know you woulda been great and done it if you'd had to." She paused until she had Sam's big, brown eyes on her own. "You're not any less important for not being a combat specialist, Sam. Your work, the intel you provide, is crucial to the mission being a success. And you know that; it's one of the first things you told me when you started flirting with me on that shuttle. So what's wrong?"

Sam sighed. "I'm fine, I just… I miss you. I accidentally eavesdropped on Commander Shepard and Doctor T'Soni, and it was so…"

"A hot mess?" Ashley supplied.

Sam smiled. "Something like that. There's obviously something between them, but it's incredibly strained, and it honestly just makes me miss you more. We're just so… uncomplicated. You love me, and you make sure I know it, and I don't have to worry about that. There's none of this awkward body language and not knowing what to say and… are we strange, Ash?"

Ashley wasn't expecting that. "I… what? What do you mean?"

"I mean… we've never really had a fight or a disagreement. We just…"

"Fuck a lot?" Ashley said with a grin.

Sam snorted a laugh, shaking her head. "Inappropriate!"

"And true."

Sam sighed, a smile still on her face. "Yes, all right, it's true."

"Very true," Ashley added, still grinning.

"Oh, you poor thing, you haven't had it in more than a week," Sam teased. "You must be about ready to explode."

Ashley smirked. "Laugh it up, princess. You're the one who pounces me at the door more often than not. And then there was that time you dragged me into the supply closet in Vancouver and-"

"Yes, okay, no more details please! I don't know who might be listening! Besides EDI, who is always listening!" Sam almost shouted, her cheeks growing a little redder than the lighting could explain.

Ashley just continued to smirk, not saying anything else.

After a moment Samantha sighed again. "I… I just miss you, I guess. And watching two people fail so spectacularly at communicating with each other is making me need to communicate with you. I'm craving normalcy, Ash."

Ashley's smirk softened. "All right, baby. Since I can't be there to fuck you silly-" Sam snorted a laugh "-let's talk. What's been going on?"

"Well, I can't give you the details, but I might see Timothy tomorrow. I hope I'll see Timothy tomorrow."

Ashley nodded. That meant they were headed to Grissom. Ashley couldn't figure out why, but she wouldn't be able to ask what was going on with this unsecure link. "I hope so, too. Have you gotten a hold of anyone?"

Sam lost her smile, her lips thinning into a line and a crease marring her forehead. "No. It worries me. I think it's just because of the comm buoys being destroyed, but… I worry about my family. And I have no way of finding out about your family – the only communication with Earth is via mobile QEC that isn't being utilized unless there's an emergency. I… I'm sorry I can't find them for you, Ashley."

Ashley shook her head. "I understand, baby. I'm lucky I can talk to you, honestly. So many people don't even know how any of their loved ones are doing. So… let's focus on something else. Any shenanigans on the ship?"

"Joker's been leaving me alone, though I suppose it's only been a week. Oh! Actually, I think it's my turn to prank him... James and Shepard got into a bit of a brawl. They both had bleeding noses and puckered lips. But they seem to be getting along better now." Sam shook her head. "Honestly, you marines."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Ashley said with a grin. "Sometimes we just gotta duke it out and then we're good."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Let's see… well, I had a good discussion with Shepard this afternoon. She teased the ever-loving hell out of me, and then I met Garrus Vakarian by running right into him and he dished out the teasing, too!"

"Damn, girl! You can't catch a break, can you?"

Sam laughed. "I guess not! Honestly, I feel I should be given a break – I battled a robot last night and lived to tell the tale!" Sam shook her head while Ashley laughed. "Honestly, I don't see why Shepard has such a scary reputation. She seems incredibly laid-back to me. Teasing, smiling… she asks people their opinions and really listens."

Ashely nodded. "Yeah, she's all right. But she also has a temper, baby. Just… pray you're not on the receiving end."

Samantha furrowed her brows. "What… can you give me an example?"

Ashley thought for a moment. "Well… she punched a reporter once."

Sam just stared wide-eyed for a moment. "She what?!"

Ashley grinned. "Yeah. Liara had just sent her mom's body to go back to Thessia, and this reporter comes in and starts asking Liara if she plans to go back to stripping and dancing and Miriam just calmly steps up and decks her. It was fucking awesome. She didn't even give a fuck that the camera was rolling. Just put her arm around Liara's shoulders and led us away, leaving that Al-Jilani woman on the ground."

Sam's eyes were big. "Wow. I never would have thought."

Ashley nodded. "Yeah, she's… a bit protective."

Sam was quiet for a second, giving Ash a look she recognized. "What?" she asked.

"I… can't help but notice that you seem to be a bit more agreeable on the subject of Shepard."

Ashley just blinked for a second. "Uh… yeah, I guess you're right."

"So I suppose that means you had a good chat after I tried to get you to take your clothes off?"

"Heh, yeah, we did. She… I miss her, Sam. I'm tired of being mad, but… I can't just ignore who she worked for."

Samantha sighed. "I know, Ash. You'll… you'll figure it out. But… I need to know something."

"What?"

"Will you be horribly offended if I end up friends with her, too? It's just that she's my commander, and I have to work rather closely with her, and… well, I like her Ash. She seems like a good person. I know why you're angry, but for me… she kept my family from being abducted, and-"

Indignation flared, wounding Ashley's pride. "I… thought I kept you safe…" She felt like a child, but it was out, and it did hurt.

"Oh Ashley that's not what I meant!" Sam rushed. "I just meant that she's the one that got the Collectors to leave, and I… am shutting up now. Shit. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I can't quite get it right today, it seems. Keep getting my foot stuck in my mouth."

Ashley sighed. "It's okay. My pride and I will have a chat and I'm sure we'll both get over it. You're right, I couldn't have fought them off myself. Shepard is the one who chased them off the planet. I just… God, it kills me I can't keep you safe, baby."

"Well, get better, and come onto the Normandy. I want you back, so I can welcome home the conquering hero again."

An image came to mind, of Sam welcoming her into the specialist's bed on Horizon each night after a full day of hard work directly after the Collector attack. It… it had been what had sealed Ashley's fate. She'd allowed herself to fall in love the rest of the way, their short time together be damned.

"I'm working on it, Sam. Is… is there any chance I'll get some warning when you get here next?"

Sam shook her head. "Not from me, I'm afraid. I can't say anything about where we'll be. Maybe you can check in with Alliance HQ? Maybe you can register us with them while you're at it?"

"Yeah, okay… God, so unromantic. Like going to the damn DMV," Ashley said with a dramatic sigh.

Sam giggled. "I-"

They were interrupted when the door to the room slid open, a nurse appearing through the privacy-screen. "I apologize, Commander Williams, but you have a very important visitor."

Ashley frowned. "No one's more important than the person I'm currently on a vid-call with."

"Oh, Ashley, honestly," Sam started, but was again interrupted.

"I'm sorry, but it is Councilor Udina, Commander."

"Oh. Shit. Um…"

Samantha cleared her throat. "I'll go. Call me later?"

Ashley nodded. "You got it, babe. Hey."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Samantha smiled, a warm, open thing that only came out around family. "I love you, too. Bye, Ashley."

"Bye."

Taking a deep breath, Ashley turned just in time to see the human Councilor enter the room. "Councilor Udina," she greeted, feeling entirely underdressed. "I apologize I'm not in uniform."

"Please, it is quite all right," he countered, taking the hand she held out. "It is good to see you in one piece."

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"I'll get right to the point, Commander Williams. I have a proposition for you…"

Ashley walked as if in a daze. She had sat and listened while Udina had proposed she be the second human Spectre. He had said that while Shepard had done her people proud, she was not the ideal Spectre he had hoped she would be. Miriam had a huge black mark on her record – working for Cerberus – and before that had kept screwing the pooch during their chase through the galaxy of Saren. Ashley hadn't been happy to hear that, but at the same time… she couldn't help but think what he had to say made at least some sense.

Then he had thrown out his nuclear weapon.

"This will be a chance to redeem your family, Lieutenant-Commander. To remove the black mark brought on by your grandfather and to put your name in the history books in a positive light. Think about it, Commander… This would be an excellent way to start your new family."

He had then walked out, leaving her to ponder his words. After about ten minutes of sitting dumbly staring at the wall – thinking about her father, her grandfather, her childhood spent struggling because her dad couldn't get a raise, how her mother's family hated her father and didn't really want much to do with the kids – she finally left the fucking hospital room. Now she wandered out into the lobby.

It was much less crowded than it had been the first week. God, what's it been, ten days since the Reapers invaded? Not even? No wonder Dr. Michele is so adamant about keeping me here longer. Reckless, Ash. Dad woulda said so, even. Shaking her head, she found who she was looking for – and hadn't even known she was looking for until she found him.

"Hey, Thane," she greeted as she drew near, getting his attention from staring out the window. He'd told her about a drell's perfect memory, and how it was both a blessing and a curse. She did not envy him that, getting lost in every mistake she'd made. She did that sometimes even without perfect memory. They'd had many conversations over the last several days, building up a guarded trust and friendship. He had continued to ask her about her religion, and her about his, and it had devolved into conversations about family and loss and everything else one might talk about. She was surprised to find they had a lot in common. And she mourned for his losses. He had told her that, more often than not, his memories showed him the horrifying moments, and not the wonderful moments of love and light experienced with his family.

Thane blinked, looking up at her as she came to sit next to him. "Ashley. Hello. I hope you were not calling my name multiple times?"

She shook her head. "No. Still haven't snuck up on you," she said with a smile.

Nodding, he hummed. "Good. Then my reflexes have not atrophied too badly."

"How are you feeling today?"

Blinking his strange blink a few times, Thane seemed to assess himself. "I am… all right. My fingers are a bit tingly, but overall I feel better than I have felt the last several days."

"What were you thinking about this time?"

He actually smiled. "My wife, Irakah. I was thinking about… the good times. The intimate moments."

Ashley grinned a little. "Yeah? I'm glad. Nothing like those moments with a beautiful woman who loves you."

"Yes. I… am sorry you are deprived of them with your intended."

Ashley slouched back in her chair. "Yeah, it's the fuckin' pits, but I can't change it. Only thing I can do is get better."

"You seem to be doing all right, all things considered," he pointed out.

Ashley sighed. "I know. But they also still have me on some pretty heavy painkillers, and when you and I are done I'll probably be ready for a nap, so…"

"So you must be patient and let your body rest and heal. It is difficult for those of us who fight, who move constantly."

"You… you fight?" This was news.

He blinked a few times. Was he uncomfortable? What didn't he want to share? "Yes, though I am not in good enough health to fight any longer. I… was an assassin for the Hanar, and after that I free-lanced. It is… it is why my wife was killed. I am not proud of the dark things I have added to the world through my contracts. It was not I who ultimately condemned those people to death, but I have accepted that I had some part, thanks to a very good and persistent friend. I pray for forgiveness, and have done what I can to repent. Now I await my death, and hope to see my wife once more across the sea."

Ashley was stunned. "I…"

"I am not looking for your approval or sympathy. I am at peace with it. They are my sins to live with, as the souls you have taken from this world in the line of duty are yours." He wasn't angry as he spoke, merely stating facts.

And he was right. "Okay, I got you. Is… is that why things are so strained with your son?"

He nodded. "I abandoned him to be raised by family. We only became reacquainted in the last 8 months. He is a man now." He looked away. "I will never see him marry or produce children. But he visits daily and we talk. I am content, despite his fussing."

Ashley was quiet for a moment. Talking to Thane always put her life in perspective. She was troubled by Udina's offer, yes, but she was young, her life hopeful. Thane was watching the galaxy crumble and was dying; he could do nothing about it. If they did succeed, he probably wouldn't see it. Ashley merely had to heal and then could go and do something. Hell, she had the opportunity to become a Spectre! With those kind of resources? She could do a whole lot.

"What is troubling you, Ashley?"

Ashley shook herself out of her reverie. Looking over to him, she saw the drell's somber eyes focused intently on her. "I… I just had a weird conversation. With the human Councilor, of all people."

Thane didn't say anything, merely nodded and continued holding her gaze. It had taken her a while to realize it was just how he was. He wasn't staring, he was just looking. Different species had different social cues. Hell, even among humans it changed from culture to culture. So she pushed her discomfort aside – it felt like he was staring right into her soul – and continued her explanation.

"He wants to make me the next human Spectre. I… don't really know how to feel about it."

"That is an honorable title to hold. One can do much good with it. But Spectres also have a reputation for doing whatever is necessary to get something done, even if innocents must be sacrificed." Blinking, Thane settled back in his chair. "And you would be loyal to the Council, not your Alliance."

"Well, in addition to the Alliance, which can get sticky," Ashley corrected. Sighing, she slouched further in her chair. "I hate Udina, but… he had some good points. Shepard hasn't exactly been the exemplary human Spectre, and my record is way less stained. And I'd be able to lift my family off the blacklist of doom. I…"

"You know Commander Shepard?" Thane asked, completely derailing Ashley's thoughts.

"I… yeah. I served on the original Normandy. I was on Eden Prime when the geth attacked. Why? Do you know her?"

He nodded. "Yes. I served on the Normandy SR-2. I was on the Collector base with her." Pausing, he added quietly, "She is the one who helped me reunite with my son, who woke me up from my battle-sleep and made me see that I was not merely a weapon."

To say Ashley was shocked would be a severe understatement. "I… shit. Talk about a fucking coincidence."

"Perhaps it is not a coincidence. Perhaps we were supposed to meet," he said, fixing his gaze on her once more, making her straighten a little in her seat.

"I… you worked with Cerberus, Thane. I can't…"

He blinked. "We used Cerberus resources, but I worked for Commander Shepard. Even the Cerberus members of the crew fled from Cerberus when the ship docked here at the Citadel to be turned over to the Alliance."

Ashley sighed. "I was the one she turned it over to."

Thane just smiled. "Hardly a coincidence, then. We were meant to cross paths."

"I…" Ashley groaned, frustrated. "How do I trust her again? She's not even remorseful that she was with Cerberus!"

"Ashley, she did not have much choice, as far as I understand it. The Alliance wasn't doing enough to save its colonies, and Cerberus was willing to write her a blank check, as I believe the human expression goes. They-"

"The Alliance was doing plenty," Ashley huffed defensively. "I was on Horizon. We just didn't know it was the Collectors who were abducting our colonists."

"Ashley… you were lured to Horizon. As was Commander Shepard. As were the Collectors. By the Illusive Man. He is your true enemy. He is the puppeteer."

Frowning, Ashley sat up straight. "What… what do you know? Tell me what happened on that ship, Thane. I… I want to trust my friend again."

He was quiet for a moment. Adjusting his seat, he began to speak. "I was not brought in at the beginning, however, from what I know…"