Chapter 26

Shepard waved good bye to Jacob and Brynn as they left the party. The blazing chandelier light from inside turned them to silhouettes as they moved through the patio doorway.

"Already losing some of the rabble." James sighed. "Party's just starting. Little musica and ballamous, right, Lola?"

"Where's your date?"

"Huh? Oh …" James said. "Talking with Miranda, I think. Rebecca's, like, wicked smart."

"Yeah? Too bookish?" Shepard flopped down onto a wicker patio chair.

"Nah. Not like that." James grinned standing next to the arm. "More … uh …"

He glanced around them. Shepard watched him with a smile.

"Kaidan's over with Cortez and Joker."

"Oh, uh, yeah." James gave a light laugh. "Sure, sure. She's cool though. Pretty, uh … athletic figure, you know?"

Garrus rounded the patio chair next to Shepard and sat down with a thud. "When are you dancing, Shepard? Promised everyone a show."

"Ballamous, huh?" James grinned and set his drink on the table. "In that case, gotta find my date."

"Better tame down your better moves," Shepard said.

"I move with the music, Lola. Can't tame the Vega on the dance floor." He moved off.

Shepard chuckled and leaned against the arm of the chair. She rested the side of her face against her hand. Across the patio, Adams circled his hands around in the air with big eyes, apparently telling some tall tale. Cortez stood next to him with droopy eyes. Joker laughed before Adams paused for the punchline. From the hand gestures, it looked like the story of the duel coupling system that backed up over Ronan during the shuttle drop mission. Yeah, a good one.

Kaidan nodded with the story, but his head tipped to the side to see past Adams. The wine glass lowered in his hand, and his brow wrinkled into a deep line. Shepard followed his eyes. In the shadows at the end of the lawn, Liara stood rigidly holding her elbows and staring down at her feet. Her glass rested on a napkin on the garden wall next to her. Shepard's eyes flicked back to Kaidan. He touched Adam's shoulder and said something. He left his glass on top of a table and hurried down the stair. He strode across the grass to her.

"It's a good night, Shepard," Garrus sighed stretching his legs onto the table. "Good to see everyone back together one last time."

"Last time?" Shepard echoed with her eyes fixed on shadows at the end of the lawn.

"I'm sure everyone will see each other here and there. But the end of an era, isn't it, Shepard?"

"Uh," Shepard said darting a look at Garrus. "Right."

"What are you …" Garrus frowned and turned his head.

Kaidan touched Liara's arm, and her head snapped up. The wine glass nearly tipped over she snatched it up so fast and straightened. Kaidan shifted in front of her and said something.

Garrus leaned toward Shepard. "A surprise, that, right?"

"What?"

"Didn't see it coming." Garrus rested his arms on the chair's armrest. "But I guess that's how those things go."

"Liara and … Kaidan?" Shepard said. A rushing sound beat in her ears.

Garrus nodded. "A good thing, I think."

"Think so?" Shepard stared at Kaidan and Liara. Talking.

Garrus rolled his neck around with cracking sounds then sighed. "Kaidan's never been like us, Shepard. He doesn't just dust himself off and press on with that sort of stuff. He's been all mopey over you. Finally getting his act together though. This is good."

Shepard met Garrus's eyes and gave strain-lipped smile with a firm nod. Her eyes drifted back to the garden. Liara angled away from him with a hard look. The wine glass trembled in her hand. Kaidan grabbed it around the bowl and waited for Liara's fingers to fall away from the stem. Her hand fell to her side balling up the damp napkin and watching as Kaidan set the glass back on the stone wall.

The music volume rose and boomed across the grass. James drew Rebecca out into the middle of the lawn and beckoned people on the patio. Jack slammed a drink down on one of the tables and leaped off the patio. Others followed down the stairs. Garrus smiled broadly and looked pointedly between Shepard and the dancers. She rolled her eyes with an elaborate sigh. Her eyes wandered back to the shadows.

Kaidan watched the dancers grouping to the loud music then turned back to Liara. Her head was bowed with slumped shoulders. The napkin twisted in hands. He said something, but she didn't look up. Her hands twisted it over and over, faster and faster, until shaking. Kaidan clapped a hand over hers. He ducked his head and looked up into her face. Shepard's breath clenched in her chest.

Garrus shifted next to her. "Shepard … that bother you?"

"What?" Shepard whipped her head back to him. "That? Hell no."

Shepard snatched a wine glass off the table. Whether it was hers from earlier or someone else's she didn't even care. She took a long drink and lowered the glass with a smile. Garrus watched her for a moment then shrugged.

"Suppose it takes getting used to. Tali and I …" Garrus chuckled. "The faces alone were worth it."

"Kaidan and Liara aren't you and Tali, Garrus. It could be a, uh … fling or something."

Garrus choked out a laugh. Shepard tightened her grip on the wine glass.

"Right, right," he said.

"Why's that funny?"

"It's Alenko. It's Liara. You think either of them even know what a fling is? Damn, Shepard. Either you're trying to be funny or the drinks are catching up with you."

Shepard downed the rest wine and shot up. "You'll be pleased, Garrus. I'm going to dance."

She turned to the lawn, and her eyes focused on Liara brushing her fingertips under one eye. Kaidan inclined his head to the house. They followed the rock wall along the lawn and went through the far patio door. Shepard angled herself to watch them cross the living room. Kaidan's steps slowed as he entered the back hallway. Liara came up beside him, and he put a hand on her back just below the nape of the neck. They turned a corner out of sight.

She stumbled down the patio stairs kicking off her heels with each step. Fire burned through her veins as she shot across the grass into the movement and music. The base beat hard and fast, but the pulsing blaze in her chest outpaced it.

XXX

The party was winding down with the moon low in the distance. James was still going strong. Rebecca seemed an equally resilient partier. They moved in time with the music and laughed at something Jack was telling them. Tali looked on shaking her head as Garrus picked up empty glasses.

"Keelah," she exhaled.

"Turn off the lights and go to bed," Shepard said wobbling up the patio steps with heels dangling from her fingertips. "James's a party veteran. He knows what that means."

"Them too?" Tali pointed to Grunt sleeping face up in the lawn arms outstretched with a half-spilled beer mug in one hand. Illora stood nearby smiling at something Wrex said. He pointed at Grunt with a brewhahaing laugh, and Illora ducked her head covering a laugh behind her hand. Shepard gave a faint smile, setting down an empty glass, and dropping her shoes on the brick. She sloppily jammed her feet into them and teetered as she turned to the house.

Liara had already left hours ago. No 'good bye.' She just whispered something to Garrus and Tali before dashing out the door. It made Shepard's fingers curl tightly into her palms as she focused on crossing the living room.

Across the room, Kaidan leaned over the bar in conversation with Miranda, Joker, and Cortez. His head turned as she passed them to the hallway. She flashed a smile with a wave and picked up her pace with eyes on the entryway.

"Hey, Shepard." Kaidan's footsteps came up behind her in the hall.

Shepard closed her eyes briefly then turned. "What'd you need?"

Laughter and clanking bottles echoed from the kitchen.

"Have you talked to anyone?" Kaidan asked.

"I talked to everyone." Shepard waved expansively.

"Talked to about tomorrow?" Kaidan corrected.

"Not really," Shepard said. "Small teams though."

"Teams?"

"Teams." Shepard nodded. She pointed between them. "My team. Your team."

"Okay …" He shifted. "So … what's the plan? I'll take your point on this one, Shepard."

"Ah, like old times then." Shepard grabbed hold of the wall. Steady on. "Yes, so … you focus on the meeting. The private meeting. Meanwhile, I'll … I'll … Do you think it's hot in here?"

"What?" Kaidan frowned.

"Like … balmy?" Shepard leaned into the wall. "Anyway, well … It must be a turien thing, right? So hot? Anyway …"

"Anyway," Kaidan prodded.

"Anyway," Shepard said. "I, uh … I'll find the explosives. There you go. The plan."

"What about the meeting then the explosives? Keep our numbers together."

"The bombs are shipping out to the attack sites. Best chance of finding them is during the meeting. That's the plan."

Shepard pushed off from the wall and started down the hall toward the door. Kaidan trotted around in front of her.

"Do you need help home?"

Shepard stopped. "You have a shuttle?"

"Well, no. I'll call you one."

"Oh." Shepard frowned. "No, I can do that."

She pushed around him.

"What about who we're bringing?" Kaidan continued. "We should loop them in soon, right?"

"Uh, sure. Makes sense." Shepard punched the open button and walked out into the darkness and city air – a mixture of asphalt and ozone.

Kaidan followed her through the door. It closed behind them. Foliage hugged a gravel landing pad. A cement walkway in the distance probably lead through the rest of the embassy. The embassy's other buildings were vague shadows against the night sky. Shepard fumbled with her Omni-Tool. Damn screen. It never worked right.

"Why don't I just call you one, Shepard?" Kaidan came up beside her and turned on his Omni-Tool.

"If you insist." She swayed and put a hand out but the wall was further than she thought.

"Whoa." Kaidan grabbed her elbow.

She slid his hand off her arm. "Uh, thanks."

She concentrated on the wall and staggered a few steps to it. The orange glow of Kaidan's Omni-Tool went off. He faced her, arms folded, and watching her. She rested her weight against the wall and tapped her head back against the siding.

"What?" she said.

"I think the bartender should have cut herself off."

"There was a bartender?" Shepard frowned lifting her head off the wall then froze. She nodded. "Oh, yeah. Right. I remember."

Kaidan gave a crooked smile. "Yeah, okay."

He settled against the wall next to her. His arm brushed hers. She frowned over at him and tipped her upper body away with folding arms. Kaidan raised his eyebrows but smiled crookedly again.

"You okay?"

"I just feel hot."

"We're not even inside anymore."

"I know that! How far gone do you think I am?" Then added belatedly, "Kaidan."

Kaidan sighed. "Well, I want to talk to you more about the set up for tomorrow night, but … I think it will have to wait."

"What?" Shepard peered at him. "No, it's fine. The plan … people … Who do you want? Who do I want?"

"Works like that, huh?" Kaidan said. "Like picking gym teams?"

"Exactly." Shepard held up an index finger. "I go first."

"As always." Kaidan waved his hand out. "Go ahead."

"Garrus," Shepard said firmly and stared at Kaidan.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He smirked. "I'm not going to object. You get Garrus. Fine."

"Your turn."

"Okay … If I'm tracking Terra Firma's middle managment to their meeting, I'll need humans. I'll ask James and Miranda."

"What?" Shepard gaped. "That's two. You ever pick gym teams, Kaidan?"

"And you?" Kaidan continued. "If you're after the warheads, you need someone to disarm them. Bring Tali."

"You ruined the game, Kaidan."

"And bring Liara too. Someone to compliment your biotics."

Shepard straightened. "Liara?"

"I already talked to her. She'll come."

Shepard ground her shoulder into the wall as she twisted to face him. "Sure you want her complimenting my biotics?"

Kaidan froze. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Shepard waited. He shifted against the wall.

"I need humans in my group. But I, uh, think you know that."

"Hmm." Shepard nodded. "We could switch objectives then. Swap teams."

Kaidan pushed off against the wall. "Uh, okay, Shepard. We can talk about this tomorrow."

Shepard's mouth tightened. "Uncomfortable, Kaidan?"

Kaidan put his hands on his hips and scuffed the gravel with his boot. "Something you're getting at, Shepard?"

"No," Shepard said. "Just noticed that you and Liara seem … close."

Kaidan shrugged. "Yes, we're close." He eyed her. "That really the question you're trying to ask me?"

Shepard held his eye. "No, I guess not."

"Look." He sighed. "I'm not ignorant of the rumors. I'm fine talking about it with you, Shepard. Just, another time, all right?"

Shepard's throat constricted. Then there was something to talk about. Shepard stepped away from the wall. The embassy walkways probably eventually connected with Alliance Headquarters. The walk wasn't an unreasonable distance.

"Shepard, wait. Your cab's coming."

"You can take it." She waved him off and crossed toward the walkway.

Kaidan came up behind her and hooked her elbow. "Listen, Shepard. We're not together."

Shepard spun on him wrenching her arm free. "I know we're not together, Kaidan!"

Kaidan's hand dropped. He stepped back. "Liara and I. Liara and I aren't together."

Gravel twisted her feet as she pivoted in thought. She snapped her head back to him.

"Something happened though?"

Kaidan hesitated.

"Yes," he said softly.

Shepard put her hands up and turned around. "I don't need to know anymore. It's your business."

His footsteps came up fast behind her, but he didn't try to touch her again.

"Shepard, listen. That implies something it isn't. I want to talk to you about this but not here, now. Everyone's around, and it's late."

"Just! Kaidan!" Shepard cut the air with her hand and looked over at him. "Leave me alone. I can get home on my own. I don't need your help here, now, and—after tomorrow night and the Summit—ever. Just leave me alone."

Kaidan's eyebrows slanted up. He stopped. Shepard shot ahead focused on the walkway. It wasn't lit and the trail darkened into the distance as she started down it. Kaidan's boots shifted in the gravel behind her, and she pushed ahead.

She stayed on the path until she was in the full darkness. She took the first corner rounding some faceless, gray embassy building. Split paths wound a webwork of cement buildings. Shepard charged ahead. Her foot caught the edge of the sideway and she tripped ahead a few steps. She didn't fall though and pressed on.

"Shepard!"

Shepard spun around to Miranda's voice. An Omni-Tool light bounded down the trail with the sound of labored breathing.

"Miranda?" Shepard held up a hand to block the light flashing over her.

"Shepard. Where are you going? This is absurd."

"I know where I'm going."

"I'm sure. Let's take a cab. It'll be easier."

"No." Shepard turned and continued ahead.

Maybe she should be using her Omni-Tool light too. Shepard flicked it on. Miranda gave a growling sigh, but her footsteps followed.

"Go back, Miranda, if—"

"Lead on, Shepard," Miranda said. "But I'm coming along."

"Fine." Shepard shrugged. "This way …"