"What's wrong?" Miranda asked, the moment Lizzie stepped from the shuttle.

"Just tired," Lizzie shrugged and gave a half smile.

"Gods, woman, you look like you haven't slept in a week!" Miranda clutched her chin and turned her face side to side.

"I haven't…much," Lizzie smiled wryly.

"I think you need to come home, I have a surprise for you,"

"I'm not sure I can handle any more surprises," came the flat response.

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

"Tali!" Lizzie cried, when she stepped into Miranda's apartment and saw the quarian sitting on the couch with a bowl of dextro-gloop in hand.

"Lizzie!" Tali's modulated voice vibrated with happiness, "Thank the ancestors you are here!" She set aside the bowl and leapt up to embrace her friend, "I'm so glad to see you." Her voice was thick with tears.

"Oh Tali, I'm so sorry," Lizzie rested her forehead on Tali's helmet, "What happened?"

"I don't know! One day it was fine. He had I…we had been seeing each other since the day I got attacked. He said he was in love with me, and…it was so sweet and right," Tali slumped back onto the couch, her hands boneless in her lap, "Then I went to work the other day, and he was so distant. When I finally spoke to him at the end of the day, he said that he was sorry, but he didn't think it was working between us. He said I could keep working there, or he would give me an excellent reference if I wished to leave."

"Tali," Lizzie murmured gently, "Who is the drell?"

"The who?" Tali was confused.

"The drell. In the club?" Lizzie kept her voice soft.

"That's just Thane…" Tali was mystified, "He's married to a dear friend of mine and brought me a pictures of their children." She reached into a pocket on her tunic and tugged out the small datapad, switching it on. Sure enough, a male and female drell, holding onto a gorgeous little wide eyed moppet of a drell between them, all smiling for the camera.

"Oh hells," Lizzie dropped her head onto her hand, "Kal got the idea that Thane was a boyfriend."

"What?" Tali's voice rose an octave, "Why didn't the silly man just ask?"

"I…well…" Lizzie was hesitant, "I…have no idea."

"You think that is the only reason that Kal broke up with me?" Tali was hopeful, "That because he got some daft idea in his head that I wasn't hopelessly in love with him?"

"Have you told him you are in love with him?" Lizzie asked, with a lifted brow.

"Well…no, but I thought he got the idea," Tali wrung her hands in her lap.

"Oh Tali," Lizzie laughed softly.

"Well, what about you!?" Tali protested, "I know Garrus went to see you on Eden Prime! Since you left he was like a bear with a sore head. Kal finally convinced him to go see you. What happened?" She turned eagerly on the couch to face Lizzie.

Lizzie blushed, "Uhh, I yelled at him."

"You…what?" Miranda interrupted and went to seat herself in the chair next to the two girls.

Lizzie groaned and put her face in her hands to hide the flushed cheeks, "I yelled at him a lot. Accused him of some awful things." She ran her hand through her hair.

"Oh, Lizzie," Tali groaned, "But he…he was…he is…"

"I know. I know," Lizzie rubbed her forehead.

"It's not too late," Miranda said abruptly, "He is back on the Citadel."

Lizzie blinked. And was silent for a time, staring at the coffee table. She looked sharply at Miranda, "Simon Quinn. What did you find out about him?"

Miranda frowned, "Well, not much. Had an exemplary record, except for the debacle in Apien's Crest. He's been put forward for training again and the Council accepted him."

Lizzie leapt to her feet, and paced, "Shit." She ran her hand through her hair. The two girls looked at each other, then back at Lizzie.

"Uhh, Lizzie, what's going on?" Tali asked hesitantly.

"It was all bullshit. Quinn's story. He betrayed the turian unit and it got Garrus' brother killed. He's connected to Cerberus."

"To Cerberus?" Miranda was mystified, "Aren't they just a research company?"

"Apparently not. And he is part of them," Lizzie rubbed the back of her neck, "Garrus has been here trying to find evidence on who Cerberus is."

Miranda slumped back, relaxing her normally rigid posture, "Oh man."

Tali eyed Lizzie, "You accused Garrus of lying to the Council about Quinn, didn't you?"

Lizzie looked guiltily at the two.

"Oh, Lizzie," Tali breathed out.

"I know!" Lizzie wailed.

"Do you like him?" Miranda asked bluntly.

"I don't know…" Lizzie was hesitant, "I don't…dislike him. I hardly know him. But he's…when I think of him…"

"That's a start," Tali nodded sharply, and Miranda echoed the gesture.

"I want to get this Cerberus information," Lizzie uttered finally, "The apology I owe the General might hold some creedance if I can come to him with the evidence he seeks."

"Help him take down Quinn?" Tali queried, sharing another look with Miranda.

"Yeah," Lizzie dropped into a chair.

"We're in," Miranda nodded seriously.

"Really?" Lizzie looked at them both, hope flaring in her eyes, "Good, because I think I have a plan."

Lizzie sat at the table, fidgeting with the napkin.

"Sit up straight," she heard hissed in her ear.

She straightened, and hissed back, "My tits are going to fall out of this top."

"Your tits look amazing. Shut up. He's headed to the table."

Lizzie growled, and adjusted the straps of the sleeveless green silk dress that ended at the top of her thighs, revealing long lengths of honey coloured, finely muscled legs. As Simon Quinn approached the table with a sexy smile plastered on his face, she stood and gave him a fake smile dripping with sincerity.

"I missed you," he rumbled low in his throat, and picked up her hand to kiss it, "If only I could convince you to join me in a night of licentious sex."

Lizzie sat down, crossing her legs, letting the skirt slide up just a little higher, "The night isn't over yet," she picked up her glass of wine and saluted him.

"I was happy to get your call, I have wonderful news," Simon took his seat, after tearing his eyes from her amazing legs.

"Oh, do tell," she injected a little bit of breathiness into her voice. She heard a snort in her earpiece.

"I have been accepted for Spectre training," he smiled broadly and she rose her glass to him in salute.

"It couldn't have been more well deserved," Lizzie lied through her teeth.

"Tali is in," came the information through the earpiece.

"It is so wonderful seeing so many humans attaining positions that were once denied them," she leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "I confess, it is so satisfying to see you get the better of those who see themselves in power."

"Careful," she heard the warning.

"It is, isn't it?" Simon smiled, though there was little warmth in his eyes, "I thought you enjoyed the company of aliens, Lizzie."

"Well sure," Lizzie shrugged easily, "What's not to like? They are just so fascinating with their…quaint traditions."

The waitress approached to take their order. Lizzie wasn't even given the chance to speak as he ordered the two specials and a bottle of wine.

"You don't mind, do you? I'm very particular about my wine," he glowered attractively at him.

"Of course not," Lizzie smiled back, swirling her remaining wine and taking a decent belt to fortify herself.

"Holy shit. This guy is a moron. He has communiques from these Cerberus creeps on his computer. I mean..okay, they are in an encrypted file, but I'm damn good at what I do," she could hear Tali's drawl.

"You intrigue me, Lizzie Shepard," Simon leaned forward in his chair and grasped her hand, "A great deal."

"You are going to turn a girl's head talking like that," Shepard smouldered at him.

"And he kept names! Places! Wow. He doesn't know the meaning of discretion."

"And here I was hoping I had turned it already," Lizzie began to regret the quiet corner she had booked, as he shifted in his chair to bring his lips to hers. With a wince of distaste she hoped he didn't notice, she tilted her head to break the kiss and sit back. She made a show of fanning her face.

"Oh my," she made her voice throaty and deep, "Oh, I'm very turned."

"Okay Shep, I'm out," she heard Tali report.

Quinn took out a card, tossed it on the table. He stood and held out his hand. She placed hers within it and rose. The waitress hurried over and he drawled, "Have the meal sent to the address on that credit chit. I'm taking my girl home."

Lizzie smiled weakly and tugged down the hem of her skirts. He pulled her toward the door and as they reached it, she saw it open. And just because there was no justice in the world, Garrus Vakarian entered, escorting his sister.

"Lizzie!" Solana sounded pleased to see her, right up until she noted the escort, "Oh." She shrank back. Simon's lip curled with amusement, "General Vakarian. Miss Vakarian."

Lizzie was in misery, she stared up at Garrus mutely.

"Have a good meal," Quinn drawled and pulled Lizzie with him. She stumbled on the heels, and looked back over her shoulder at the turned backs of the Vakarian siblings.

"Garrus…" she murmured softly, before turning to follow Simon out of the restaurant. She didn't see Garrus turn to stare after her intently, a thoughtful expression on his face, before leaning down to whisper something in his sister's ear.

"This is a lovely view," Lizzie commented, holding a barely sipped glass of wine in her hand. She needed her wits right now, "I can see all the way to the Prothean statue."

"Where are you, Lizzie?" she heard Miranda ask.

"Your apartment is lovely, Simon," she called back over her shoulder, leaning on the railing, revealing the fact that her dress was backless.

"She's gone to his place." Miranda.

"Damn. I was just there!" Tali.

Lizzie felt cool fingertips trace her spine, "You have lovely skin." A pair of lips pressed between her shoulderblades. She shivered at the sensation. Her hands fisted around the stem of her glass.

"We would be a powerful couple if you joined me, Lizzie Shepard. I have friends in high places that could see you succeed."

She turned around and faced him. His arms rested either side of her, but she wanted to watch his face, "I thought I was doing pretty well. N7 and all."

Simon pressed a kiss to her neck, "You could be so much more. Squatting in the dirt, living rough, fighting aliens…that's no way for someone like you to live." He traced a finger down her neckline, "You should live up here with me."

Her lip curled in irritation, "That's a big jump." She made a cautious laugh.

"There is this organisation that has the best interests of humans at the forefront of what they do," Simon murmured, his lips hovering above hers.

"Is there?" she put a little sigh into her voice.

"Mmm hmmm," he brushed his lips over hers.

"Simon?"

"Mmmm?"

Lizzie traced a hand up his forearm to his wrist, encircling the solid joint. She brushed her lips against his, "What's their name?"

"Cerberus," he kissed her hard, sliding his tongue into her mouth. She wrenched his wrist around, kicked his feet out from under him and put him down hard. She was pretty sure that he bit his tongue in the process.

"What the fuck?" he yelled, as she knelt on his back, sliding a ziptie from her bra. She had his hands and feet bound in moments, just as the door burst open. Her head jerked up. Garrus swept in easily, blue eyes razor sharp in the sights of the pistol he held steadily. When he saw her posture, and the position that Simon Quinn was in, swearing on the ground, he frowned.

"Garrus," Lizzie breathed out, relief clearing her features.

"What is going on, Elizabeth?" Garrus holstered his weapon.

"Got him dead to rights," Lizzie kicked Simon in the ribs, "He admitted he was part of Cerberus and you will find he has several datafiles on his system relating to the organisation."

"Lies!" Simon howled, "You have no proof!"

Lizzie tapped her comm, "Did you get all that, Miranda?"

"All of it, Lizzie. Recorded and ready for the Council to review."

"You are going to spend a long time in jail, Mister Quinn," Lizzie looked down at the man, "And you have given us the best place to start looking for the rest of them."

She looked up at Garrus and smiled, then frowned, "Wait. Why are you here?"

Garrus was keying something into his omnitool, and looked up, "You called me 'Garrus'. You never call me Garrus. I knew something was wrong and followed you."

Lizzie muttered, "Yeah. I guess I did."

"Bailey? I have a suspect for you to pick up," Garrus activated his comm, "Yeah. I will send through the address. Thanks."

He ended the call, "You have done the Citadel a great service."

Lizzie couldn't believe how much it bothered her that he was being so formal, "Yeah. The Citadel." She rubbed the back of her neck. Tiredness hit her in a wave. She had been running on empty the last couple of days.

Garrus finished what he was typing and finally looked at her. His voice was coolly formal, "So you believed me about all this?"

Lizzie moved back to the balcony wall, shifting away from the cursing Quinn. Garrus followed her and looked down at her with that intense expression.

"Yes," she nodded, staring at her twined fingers.

"What changed your mind?" he reached out and touched her bare arm with his calloused fingertip, the talon lightly scraping. She touched it with her own.

"I…" she was interrupted from replying by C-Sec entering the premises.

"Damn," Garrus muttered and withdrew his hand. They stepped apart.

Lizzie spent the rest of the night at C-Sec HQ giving a full and complete report of Simon Quinn and Cerberus. Under questioning, he broke and confessed that he had betrayed Garrus' squad. It was nearly dawn when Miranda called a taxi back to her apartment. Lizzie didn't see Garrus that night but when she slept, she dreamed of his face. His eyes. And his touch.