"So, Joker, how have you been?" Lili asked, walking onto the Normandy.
"All right. EDI helps man the ship now. You said Liara's ship, right?" the pilot replied, easing the ship out of the docking bay of Omega after shutting the airlock.
"Yes, EDI what's the status of my cabin?"
"As you left it, Shepard."
"Okay, I'll be up there. Just checking some stuff out. Call me down when we're at the ship. Garrus, why don't you come with me." she suggested, walking to the elevator. Her friend just fallowed and they headed up together in silence.
When she unlocked the cabin door and walked in, it was all the same. She sat over an the bed and fell backwards.
"You know, that one day they took me away, I really was scared. I cut that man's arm off and acted like that to show them the opposite of how I felt. It was stupid, maybe, but I didn't know what else to do." she sighed.
"That's understandable. Kasumi took out most the reinforcements while you were out. I tried to get you back up as well as protect you but those damn cops went insane. Kasumi got wounded as did I. Nothing Chakwas could help with, when they took you, Kasumi almost cried because you two are such good friends. I admit I got drunk a couple times after that, nothing big. But Kasumi might want to see you again." he replied, sitting down next to her.
"Yeah, one of my first stops will be to find her. You know, most every thought I had in prison was of my friends. I'm lucky I'm who I am, if I wasn't...I'd still be there, or dead or insane. I really don't know what's worse of those. Look, even my eyes got dimmer and my scars from the Lazarus project, like from four years ago. Are glowing more red. It's horrible. Either way, it's good I was able to start that damn riot. Now, I can find my friends and spend time with the people I care about." she told him, sitting up and looking at him with a smile. Lili leaned forward and kissed him again.
"I'll tell you this, I missed doing that. And I missed you." Lili whispered.
"I can agree."
~x~X~x~
"Liara, have you come up with a name?" Lili asked. The Asari turned around and nodded.
"Yes, and the locations of most of your old friends." Liara paused. "But, the name is Alison Gunn."
"Wait, that's the name Kasumi gave me." Lili said. Liara gave her a look. "Oh! Alright. Any official documents?" Lili continued. Liara handed her a datapad. "Thanks. Do you have a room I could barrow? I need to change how I look."
"Down the hall to the right." Liara instructed, turning back to her terminal. Lili nodded, taking the datapad and extra clothing In her arms and leaving the Shadow Broker's office then heading down the hall. She open the correct door, stepped in and locked it.
"Okay," she thought, taking down her hair and letting it fall past her shoulders. Then she took the dye and began to rub in into her hair. When she rinsed it out her hair was black. Lili dried it off and brushed it, then put on her new clothing. It was a simple jeans and a tank top. Lili laced up her high-heel boots then tied them and walked out of the room, holding her old torn clothing and the datapad. She returned to Liara's office.
"You don't look like you did before, for sure. So, Alison, how do you feel?" Liara asked.
"Fine, Liara.. So, does the datapad have all the locations on it?"
"Yes."
"Good, I'll leave you to your work. Liara, you helped me out today. Thank you." Lili thanked, giving her friend a hug.
"It's no problem. If you need anything else, don't hesitate." Liara assured her.
"I won't. I should probably get back to the Normandy. Thanks again Liara. Your a good friend." she told the Asari and went over to the door and headed to the Normandy's airlock.
"Your a good friend too, Shepard." Liara called as the door opened and Lili disappeared.
~x~X~x~
"Joker, head to the Citadel. It's time to pick up Kasumi again." Lili ordered.
"Of course, Shepard." Joker replied.
"You have to call me Gunn." Lili snapped, as she entered the elevator. "Oh, and EDI, tell Garrus to come up to my cabin. I need to speak with him."
"Yes, of course." the AI's smooth voice said. The elevator doors shut and Lili headed to her cabin. When they parted she entered her cabin and stepped in. She walked over and sat on the couch, closing her eyes, only to open them when the door hissed open moments later.
"You can come over here, Garrus. By the way, my name is Alison Gunn." Lili greeted, looking over to him.
"The best Liara had?" he asked, walking over. Lili nodded.
"Yeah, but it'll do."
"Even when your a convict your pretty." he complimented.
"Kiss ass. Either way, I liked being Lili Shepard, now I feel different. Like, I died and came back as somebody else, a clean slate. One thing I want to know is if we're still a couple? You were with Lili but now that I'm Alison..." she trailed off, blinking back tears, but some rolled down her face. She could feel one of Garrus' talons wipe them away.
"You may go by a different name, but your still you."
"When did you get so wise? Last time I say you...you were so different."
"Losing somebody close to you more then once does that to a person." he explained, wrapping her into a hug. Lili let her tears fall off her face.
"Heh, you have but haven't changed. You know that, right? " she laughed.
"And if I know what your thinking of doing, you haven't either. Every time you had that tone in your voice you had a certain thing in mind." he pointed out. Lili's skin turned pink and hot. She kept quiet until he had spoken again. "I think it's fine. You had a lot of time in prison, and you deserve something."
"I have lots of things. But if your okay with my thought, all right then. You don't have to."
"No, I don't but I can."
"Okay then, just let me-" she started but was cut off.
We're pulling into the Citadel." Joker reported. Lili's blood began to boil.
"If you were listening in, Joker, your a dead man." she hissed.
"No ma'am, just telling you we're there." the pilot lied. Lili got off the couch, but looked at Garrus.
"I guess I'll take you up on that offer later. Why don't you come with? Just so Kasumi knows even more. She'd know me, but I still want my friend." she suggested, holding out a hand with a sigh. Garrus took her hand with a nod.
"Agreed." he simply said, fallowing her out of the cabin.
~x~X~x~
"So, Alison, you want me to come along with you?" Kasumi asked, crossing her arms. Lili nodded.
"Yes, that is what I'm asking. So, will you, Ms. Goto?"
"Not many people know me, but I know who you are. You had an article in Badass Weekly, I remember. Nice to meet you." Kasumi said, uncrossing her arms and extending her hand. Lili took it and smiled.
"Good, I'll see you aboard my ship, Kasumi. Good to have your skills." Lili thanked. Kasumi gave her a wink but her eyes were still covered by the red hood.
"Of course. Why don't we head back together?"
"I have another couple people to speak with." Lili explained, as Kasumi walked off in the direction of the Normandy. "Come on, Garrus, we need to go see Miranda and Jacob."
"Hello, Ms. Gunn." came a voice, a familiar accent in it. Lili turned.
"Ms. Lawson." Lili greeted. Miranda walked over to her, boots clicking with each step.
"Nice to see you, so what's this about me and Mr. Taylor? Would you like us on your ship? We'd be happy to come if you so want us to."
"If you'd be so kind to, then yes."
"I take it you might want me to come too?" another woman voice asked. She was in Alliance casuals, her arms crossed and her hair gathered in a bun on the lower back of her head.
"Yes, Ms. Williams." Lili replied.
"I'll come. Meet you on the ship then. Miranda, what about you?" Ashley questioned. Miranda nodded and shook one of Lili's hand. Both of the women walked off.
"Easier then I thought. I still need a message from Zaeed and Jack. I asked some others that I knew would come back. Samara said she was busy, Tali said yes, Legion comes with Tali, Grunt told me he's busy with his girlfriend." Lili sighed.
"I never thought he'd get a girl. Other then him being perfect, he's got no scars or anything else, well maybe a few but you've beaten him by a lot." Garrus commented.
"Yeah, well time to take you up on your offer as we head to pick up Ms. Tali' Zorah and her Geth friend." she told him, walking back to the ship fallowing the tracks of Kasumi.
"Alright, I did promise you that, now didn't I? Plus the wait for the other three to get on the ship. We have plenty of time, yes?"
"Yup."
~x~X~x~
"You know, you've changed more then I thought. As in for the better." Lili commented, pulling the strap of her black bra back onto her shoulder as she was pinned to her bed and she gave a little squeak.
"For being in prison, you have too, Ms. Gunn."
"Please, it's Alison." she laughed, pulling her hair off her face. She gave a small groan then ran a hand over his face.
"Alison then. You still have a good figure."
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do."
"Fine, maybe I do. I don't want to sound modest."
"You don't sound like that because it's true." he said. Lili grinned.
"Eh, either way," she said, kissing him. "Your to kind. Hey, that tickles!" she squealed, feeling his mandibles on her neck as he kissed her back.
"What, you don't like it? You did before." he complained, looking at her.
"Now, Garrus, I never said that." she giggled. "Of course I still like it."
"Good."
"Gunn, we are almost at Ms. Zorah's homeworld." EDI chided in. Lili sighed, giving Garrus one last kiss before he let her up. She put on her jeans, shirt and boots.
"Right, EDI, prepare the shuttle. I'll go alone on this one, just in case." she said, zipping her shoes and grabbing a breath mask. "EDI, is one needed?"
"No, a breather is not required."
"Okay, I'll see you later, Garrus." Lili managed in a firm voice and took the breather anyway. She left her cabin and entered the elevator to head to the shuttle and see more of her old friends.