"You, Sere, are an idiot…"

Kolyat had never heard Fae address his father like that. He had just exited the showers, not meaning to eavesdrop, but hearing Fae and his father fighting had caused him to pause.

"You are not a doctor, Shepard; I am fine I assure you."

"Yea, you're the picture of health. I completely forgot that only the healthiest individuals hack up their own organs."

"It was a moment of weakness nothing more, it will not happen again."

"Yea, not where I can catch you. You aren't sleeping are you?"

It was true. In the two days Kolyat had stayed aboard the Normandy he had seen his father sleep maybe once. The rest of the time Thane either read books he had borrowed from Kasumi or slipped into his meditations.

Thane didn't respond. Kolyat peered around the corner to find his father seated at one of the large dining tables, his head resting against the smooth surface. He was panting, as if he couldn't catch his breath, and Kolyat felt his chest tighten in response.

Fae stood across the table from Thane, her arms crossed and hip cocked to one side. The petite commander's expression was a mixture of concern and rage, the loose t-shirt and pants she wore virtually vibrating from the anger she barely held in check.

"You son of a bitch" She hissed, "I trusted you to take care of yourself, assuming you would rest when you were supposed to and keep your illness in check and you've been lying to my face this whole time." She stormed around the table, "What the hell are you playing at Krios? You want to spend more time with your son. How the fuck are you going to do that dead?"

Thane still didn't respond, though his posture stiffened. Kolyat watched Fae bring a hand to her face, covering her eyes as her frame trembled slightly.

"Thane…just…please take better care of yourself…I've lost so many people I just…" His father stood at that, moving towards the tiny human.

"I'll take better care of myself Commander…" He murmured as he pulled her into a hug, placing a hand on her head as his other arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Kolyat slipped into Life Support then, wanting to give them privacy. He threw his towel down the laundry disposal and quickly dressed, trying not to think of just how sick his father really was.

. . .

"Should we intervene?"

"Nah, I don't think they've thrown any punches. That crash was one of the chairs hitting the window."

Both the turian and the human watched the closed door to Life Support, the holopad a bright and angry red as the raspy voices from within rose in volume.

Thane had gone in to get Kolyat ready to leave…two hours before.

"Is something wrong?" Samara asked softly, appearing at Garrus's side. The Justicar was extremely protective of Thane.

"I'm not sure," Fae murmured, stirring her tea before moving to sit on one of the counter tops.

"I SAID NO! I FORBID IT!"

"AND I SAY YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER ME ANYMORE! I'M AN ADULT NOW, I MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS!"

"Score one for Junior!" Fae crowed, ticking an imaginary score card.

"Do you even know what they're fighting about?" Garrus chuckled.

"Not a clue, but hey I hate parental authority."

"I assume you gave your parents absolute hell as a child…"

Fae smirked at Garrus, "Oh you have absolutely no idea sweetie, no idea at all."

It was then the doors to Life Support opened, father and son storming towards the trio in the mess.

"I'll ask Shepard," Kolyat growled, "After all it's her ship!"

"What the fuck is going on?" Fae snapped, "Kolyat, the ship to Kahje leaves in three hours. You two need to hurry, not tear each other a new one."

"My son has something he wants to ask you." Thane hissed, eyes narrowing in Kolyat's direction before turning his angry gaze back on her, "A question I don't think is even worthy of an answer."

"And I think it's a valid question!" Kolyat roared, the lights hitting his eyes just right, showing Fae the bright silver color of his irises.

"Well out with it then." She grunted, crossing her legs as she folded her hands over her knees.

Kolyat straightened, clasping his hands behind his back in a gesture that screamed who his father was, "I want to join your crew."

There was a moment of tense silence before Fae responded, "Say what now?"

"You heard me." Kolyat murmured, moving to stand right in front of her, "I want to join your crew."

Dear God, he's actually serious…

"Kolyat," Fae tried to keep her voice calm, "What the hell? I mean, shit, do you even know what you're asking?"

"Yes." He responded, "I've seen some of the mission reports, I know what you guys are up against and I want to help."

"Wait, how did you see those reports?!" Miranda Lawson snapped as she left her office, "Those are encrypted!" She was pissed.

A small smirk quirked the boy's lips as he shrugged, "I'm pretty good at hacking."

Fae couldn't quite stifle her smile. Anything that upset the Cerberus cheerleader was extremely amusing.

Kolyat turned back to Fae, "I know the dangers. I know that this is being labeled a suicide mission, but I want to help." Determination etched his features, "I want to fight."

Thane hissed at that, his expression one of utter rage, "No. You are not sharing the path of sin. I forbid it."

"Is it a sin to want to save the galaxy?!" Kolyat turned on his father, "Knowing what I know now, the real sin would be going back home to my quiet little boring life and pretending like the Reapers don't exist!"

"Hey!" Fae shouted, sliding from the counter as she put herself between the two drell, "I think we've had enough fights on this ship already. Both of you calm the hell down."

Thane huffed as he backed off, crossing his arms as he glared at his son. Fae ached for him, knowing that the look on his face would have been the same look on her parents' faces if they had been alive when she'd joined the Alliance.

Kolyat wasn't finished, "I just got you back." He said, stepping towards his father, "I've lived my whole life wanting to get to know you, the real you. I'm not going to just sit and wait to hear whether you lived through this mission or not."

"Kolyat," Thane sighed, his voice thick. He shook his head, eyes pleading for help from Fae.

Fae looked around and noticed the crowd had dispersed-Miranda was gone and Samara had quietly slipped back to her rooms. Without the Justicar's calming aura, the space felt somewhat more hostile and hit home how alone they now were in the Mess. A quick glance at Garrus showed the turian appearing as if he wished to be anywhere but right in the middle of the father/son moment.

"Go." She snapped in his direction, Garrus giving her a grateful look before all but running back to his calibrations.

"It's not a sin to want to help Shepard, Dad. This is helping save trillions of lives; I want to be a part of it." Kolyat wasn't backing down.

Thane remained silent for a long moment. Fae began to wonder if he might allow his son to do this.

"No." There was a final edge to his words, "Even if you hate me for it, no. I would rather you despise me than dead."

"Who says I'm going to die?!" Kolyat cried as his father turned from him.

Thane was almost back at the doors to Life Support when Kolyat pulled out his last option.

"I'll go to them."

Thane froze, every muscle in his body tensing, "You are too old."

"Not old enough that they can't find a use for me. I know they asked for me when I was born…"

Fae moved towards Kolyat, "Um, would you mind dumbing this down so that the puny human can comprehend whatever the fuck's going on?"

Kolyat continued to glare at his father, "The Hanar, when their assassins have children, always ask after the child. When the time came for the question to be answered my parents told them no."

Shit.

Thane turned back to his son, "You wouldn't dare."

"It's your choice Dad, either you let me do this or I really do follow in your footsteps."

Fae buried her face in her hands, shoulders sagging before she looked up, "Kolyat, do you even have combat training?"

"Yes. My aunt made sure after my mother died that I be trained thoroughly in hand to hand so that if, Gods forbid, the batarians came back for me I'd be prepared."

"What about guns?"

"I have some experience with pistols…"

Fae couldn't help herself, "I saw three Krogan limping outta C-Sec that suggest otherwise."

"I was distracted!"

Fae sobered, "Kolyat, way worse distractions than someone shouting your name happen in a fire fight."

"I learn fast."

Fae glared down at her feet, debating for what felt like forever. After sharing a look with Thane she shook her head and began walking towards the elevator.

"Get out of those leathers and into some sweats. I'll meet you down in the Cargo Bay."

"Wait…what?"

Fae didn't look back as she punched the call button, "You and me are gonna have a little sparring match. If you take me down you can stay."

Kolyat barely had time to register what was said before the elevator doors closed, Thane Krios slipping inside at the last minute.