This takes place after several side missions. Their relationships are now solidified, and Leah has become a respected member of their crew. She and Shepard have been sparring late at night for several months now by this time... Again... picking up the pace to get to ME2!
...w...
The Normandy crew sat down for chow after a very hard mission and were headed to Virmire. They were all closer to Saren but still too far. This was an occasion that brought everyone out. After several drinks, laughs and bowls later, Leah's history was brought up.
"Leah, do you hate all Bartarians?" Kaiden asked.
The table went silent and everyone's eyes stared at Leah. Shepard opened his mouth to say something, but Leah answered before he could.
"Do you hate the Turians for the first contact war?"
"Of course not."
"I do not hate every Bartarian."
Ashley stood from the table and stomped toward the elevator. Leah and Shepard met eyes; she saw disappointment in his eyes. He was embarrassed by the way Ashley always acted around her and she decided she needed to approach Ashley about it. Leah stood from the table, winked at Shepard and suddenly vanished.
Shepard smiled because she winked every time they met eyes. He didn't want to feel like a schoolboy with a crush, but her beauty was unlike any other. She haunted his dreams and has saved his life more than Garrus has. He respected her and the more they spoke the deeper he felt. Their sparring matches started becoming more of chatting sessions, he was kind of happy with talking because she was starting to knock him down faster and faster. It was starting to get embarrassing. Shepard stood from the table and headed down to where he knew Ashley would be, he needed to clear this up.
Ashley slammed her locker shut and stood, meeting eyes with Leah. Leah was perched effortlessly on top of the lockers and Ashley had no idea she was even there.
"Mother of Christ!" She screamed.
"No." Leah joked. "I have no children."
Ashley turned to walk away from her but as she stepped forward Leah was standing right in front of her again.
"How?"
"Are you always this racist with every species?"
"I'm not...who are you to... Leave me alone!" Ashley stammered.
"I've saved your life several times. Haven't I proved I'm not a threat?"
"It's not you." She sighed and sat down on the floor.
"It's Shepard." Leah added then sat down with her.
"He saved my life back on Eden Prime. He's my Commander... I shouldn't have feelings for him. But then I see the way he looks at you and ... it's stupid. I have no shot with a man like him anyway with someone like you in his eye sight."
"Shepard and I are just friends."
"Do you know anything about humans and love?"
Shepard exited the elevator and saw Leah and Ashley sitting together. He stopped and leaned against the wall, listening. He was hoping that Leah didn't know he was there.
"Only that a lot of you are free with love like the Asari. But I know about Irlan and love. If you have feelings for someone, tell them. Holding onto that will only make it worse."
Shepard swallowed hard at Leah's words. He got back onto the elevator and headed to his room. He'd talk to Ashley another time right now he wanted to be alone.
...w...
A day later, Shepard's crew, consisting of Garrus, Leah, and Kaiden exited the Mako. They had a quick stop off before they headed to Virmire. They were getting readings from an area, it looks as though an Astroid was heading for a planet.
The crew took out the first 5 sentry towers easily and headed into the last outpost. They were trying to stop the asteroid from crashing into Terra Nova and killing millions of people. The female voice on the comm stated that they were going the right way, so they were able to find the buildings easily. Two of the three thrusters making the Astroid hurl toward the planet, were already taken out, but they still haven't seen any terrorists. It was clear, this was intentional.
The group walked up to the service station and the door opened. They entered the building and it was quiet. As they went further into the building they stopped when they came face to face with 6 Bartarians. They stood, obviously stunned by their presence but no one moved. Leah's blood immediately began to boil and she wanted these men dead. They were trying to intentionally kill another planet… just like her planet. All logical thought left her. They needed to die. There were two varren having a meal in what used to be a man's stomach.
"Dead..." Leah hissed through gritted teeth.
"Harak! Chekt! Chekt!" One of them yelled.
The varren charged as the Bartarians suddenly ran for cover. Leah pulled 2 knives and ran between the 2 varren without them paying any attention to her.
"Leah!" Shepard's tone was protective, but she ignored him.
When Shepard, Garrus, and Kaiden finished the varren, they ran further into the warehouse to help Leah. She was covered in Bartarian blood and not one of them were left alive. There was a fire behind her eyes that none of the men have seen before, she was angry.
"When I give you an order, follow it!" Shepard shouted his tone obviously shaken.
He holstered his pistol and headed into the control room where a scientist named Kate Bowman made further contact. As Shepard spoke to her, Garrus walked up to Leah putting his hand on her shoulder.
"You need to stop charging into unknown situations for Spirits' sake. We know you're a Master Assassin and all but we kind of care about you." He whispered into her ear. "Especially that man and not to mention the Primarch... I'd hate to see those two mad... and they would be mad at me."
Leah said nothing. She didn't want to cause Garrus any pain but these Bartarians were killing civilians, she needed to kill them.
"You're not alone anymore. Remember that." He added.
This made her gasp. She didn't know why this hit her so hard. She sheathed her knives and leaned against a crate and took a deep breath. She was used to being alone. Things were easier when she was alone, now she had to worry about all of them. She hated it but it made her feel whole, having a family and people to watch her back.
After the conversation with Kate, they headed out toward the front of the building when another group of Bartarians stood blocking their way.
"Hold it right there! This doesn't have to end in bloodshed!" Charn shouted.
The group of 4 and Kate stopped in front of the Bartarians. Leah grabbed onto her knives again but before she could unsheathe them, Shepard gently grabbed her hand and shook his head at her with a concerned look on his face.
"Wait." He mouthed.
As Shepard spoke to Charn, Leah couldn't focus again because she wanted them all dead. Shepard and Charn came to an agreement that if they leave the asteroid and they'd live.
Shepard's crew obtained the key card from Charn and they left the building headed for the main compound to see this Balak, Charn had mentioned. Leah jumped out and Shepard grabbed onto her hand.
"Are you okay?"
"Aye."
"We do this together."
Leah just nodded at him.
...w...
"You humans..." Balak hissed. "Are almost more trouble than you're worth."
"I'm just getting started." Shepard cocked his gun.
"Predictable but this is over. I am leaving this asteroid. If you try to stop me i will detonate these charges and your helper and her friends are all going to die."
Leah stood and stared at the Bartarian surrounded by his men and varren.
"Coward." She hissed through her teeth.
"How do you know, human?"
Leah pulled out her butterfly knife. After an impressive flip it opened, and she stabbed herself in the thigh. The Bartarians stared in amazement until she withdrew the knife. They gasped seeing her blue blood and began muttering silently to each other.
"So... there was more survivors." Balak gave a hair crawling smile.
"More survivors?" Leah repeated what he said feeling it's weight.
"I can't let you go, Balak." Shepard added. "Not after what happened here."
"This is nothing. You humans have done far worse to the Bartarians. We've been forced into exile, forced to survive on what we can scrounge up, it's been like that for decades."
"Don't make it sound like you're the innocent party here. You brought it upon yourselves."
"Really? You invaded our space. Took our resources. And when we asked the counsel for aid, they brushed us off. We were left to defend ourselves and the humans were stronger than us, we knew that, the council knew that, but it didn't matter. It was you. You and your kind are the only reason we're in this position."
"How does killing innocent people make up for that?"
"We had no other choice, sometimes you need to get someone's attention before they'll listen."
"Is that what Elysium was?" Shepard growled.
"And you murdered my entire race!" Leah shouted.
Balak stared Leah down and Shepard took a step forward in front of her. No one will look at her that way.
"We'll meet again." Shepard holstered his pistol.
"I can't wait." Balak and his men left the asteroid.
After saving the Scientists and Terra Nova, the Normandy headed to the Citadel. Shepard began to worry because Leah was nowhere to be seen. The entire time they were all on the Citadel, she was missing. He decided to give everyone a 48-hour restart, wanting everyone to relax while he checks his resources on Saren.
...w...
After everyone was done with their Shore Leave and back on board, Shepard headed up to chat with Joker.
"Alright," He sighed after the 2 men chatted about what weird things Joker saw in the underbelly of the Citadel. "...let's head to Virmire for real this time. No more distractions."
Joker began his pre-flight checks and Shepard turned to head to the Galaxy Map.
"Shepard!" Garrus puffed. "We can't leave! Leah...she's not on the ship."
"Wait...what? Is her stuff..." His voice trailed off fearing she'd left.
"No... she hasn't left, left. After Terra Nova...she was depressed. She said she'd be back and that was days ago."
"Joker..." Shepard began then stopped. He was upset with himself for not noticing she had vanished.
"Yes, Commander?"
"Scan the ship for Leah."
"She is not aboard, sir." He answered after a five second silence.
"Cancel takeoff. Garrus, head to Flux. I'll head to Chora's."
The two men headed out immediately. Why would she take off and without talking to him? She's been such an asset to the team, and he felt responsible for her safety. Ever since he touched her, and that shock vibrated through their bodies, the long sparring matches, and talks… He also thought it had something to do with the fact that he cared for her deeply and her chat with Ashley. Maybe he needed to come clean, give her a purpose...if she felt the same.
Shepard walked into Chora's Den and it was packed. Fights breaking out, half-dressed Asari dancing, and very questionable activity happening in one corner. He regretted just coming out in jeans and his N7 jacket, unarmed. He walked around the bar and through the crowd with his guard up, until he spotted Leah sitting alone at a table. Several empty shot glasses surrounding her relaxed body. Her legs were dangling from the bar stool, her head on the table and her arms cradling her head.
"Leah?" He asked softly but loud, at account of the music, after approaching her.
"The great Commander John Shepard..." She slurred as she looked up. "Please. Join me."
She pointed at the empty chair next to her. He sat and relaxed grabbing the full shot from her hand and taking it for her.
"That...was mine." She stared him down.
"It was delicious, good choice." He winked playfully.
"Aye..." She agreed holding a second shot up.
Shepard smiled at her and shot the second one before he slammed the empty glass on the table. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes so fiercely green they tore into his heart.
"Can I help you, Commander?" She tried to sound professional, but it failed. "Or did you come to drink all my drinks?"
"We need to go to Virmire but you were missing. You're part of my crew, Leah. I won't leave without you."
Leah sighed at his words, his voice stirring up feelings within her. Why did this human have such a deep hold on her? It was as if he had reached into her chest and took her heart out for his own. They've only known each other a short time but she loved him. He reached out and grabbed her hand gently. The same shock vibrated through him only this time he saw a crying young girl, ships destroying buildings, and dead bodies. Shepard flinched and Leah yanked her hand away.
"What was that?!" He stared at his hand.
"Something that a short-drunk conversation couldn't explain."
"You ready to head out? We need to go."
"Aye."
Leah stood uneasily and almost fell but Shepard was there to grab her. His strong arms were around her waist and their faces inches from each other.
"Kiss him!" Leah's mind screamed.
"Kiss her." Shepard's mind screamed.
Leah straightened up and together they walked out of Chora's Den. They made it to C-Sec in silence and entered the elevator, pressing the button for the docks.
As the news played Leah looked up at Shepard, his beautiful face, strong arms, and blue eyes looked back at her. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, but she didn't care anymore. She closed the distance between them in a flash and her lips crashed onto his awkwardly. As she gained her footing, she deepened the kiss wanting to taste all of him. Shepard's primal instinct took over and he pushed her body into the nearest wall, sucking and nipping at her delicious lips. She gasped into their kiss as he lifted her off the ground, grabbed her legs wrapping them around his waist. His taste awoke something even deeper in her that had been dormant for years and her taste drove him insane, he needed to have her. A moan left her throat bringing him back to reality and he suddenly stopped putting their foreheads together trying to catch his breath and his composure. He set her back down on her feet and awkwardly adjusted his straining length, his trousers now very uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry..." He was breathless.
"Don't be... I've been wanting to do that for a while." She panted back chuckling.
"Me too. Leah…" He started but she stopped him.
"We will finish this on another time?" She cleared her throat and stepped away from him.
"Aye." He smiled copying her response and winking.
Garrus met them as they got off the elevator at Normandy's dock.
"Leah! Don't take off like that again! Spirits... I..."
"I know it's ingrained in you to want to protect me. I'll be okay. Thank you though."
The Normandy was headed to Virmire, the crew was either sleeping or securing the ship. Leah couldn't sleep. She was now stone sober and couldn't stop thinking of Shepard. He kissed her with such earnest...she has shared herself with a select few but no one made her body react like he did.
Shepard was lying in bed unable to sleep. He was in love with an alien, she was incredible but how could he allow himself to be so selfish. The way she fought...the way she shot a gun... She was everything he wanted and more. He sat up and swung his feet to the side if the bed. His elbows rested on his knees and his hands ran through his short hair. His door slid open and he looked up, Leah stood there in a tank top and short shorts.
"Leah?"
"I can't get you out of my head. I'm not the type..."
"Stop."
He stood and walked to her, placing his left hand on her left cheek. His skin setting her's on fire.
"John..."
As if a dam burst, they came together. He spun and tossed her on his bed and fell onto it with her. Leah ripped his underwear off as she kept kissing and nibbling at his skin. In return, Shepard ripped her shorts off and entered her harshly. He felt bad at first but the feeling of himself inside of her quickly took over him. He sat there in silence for a minute, trying not to finish. Leah rolled them over and took control… she would have him and now.
...w...
"Commander Shepard?" Joker's voice woke him.
"Y-yea..." He attempted to sit up and failed. His body ached.
"We're 10 minutes out from Virmire."
"Thanks."
His second attempt at sitting up was successful. He looked around and his room was trashed, not one thing in its right place.
"Leah?" He stood looking around.
He headed into his bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. Other than being sore he felt fantastic, more relaxed and the relief was impeccable. He then gasped when he saw his body. Scratches and bite marks covered his chest and he smiled remembering how rigorous and fantastic the sex was.
After a quick shower, Shepard headed down to get ready for the mission. As they got ready to go onto Virmire, Shepard and Leah made eye contact. She winked quickly making him smile.