A/N: This is a short chapter that will be completed with the next installment, I just wanted to get this out there since it was finished. Please review. By the way, Hungarian food, especially dessert, is vastly underrated.
FALSA OPINIO pt. 1
Two of Ashley's sisters were in the kitchen together preparing a special dinner in honor of the 229th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. This event was a poor excuse for the American women to cook a meal as extravagant as this one, but an excuse was all it was.
Stirring together a large pot of halaszle Abby looked over at Lynn who appeared fascinated by the deep, salty taste of the Teliszalami. This wasn't one of the usual faux-meat products but was actually the real thing. A luxury which had become so rare in the last fifty years as Earth's population boomed that the delicacy had cost Abby almost a week's salary. As usual between siblings Abby was not hesitant to voice her irritation at Lynn's sampling of the expensive cured meat, "Stop eating all the salami! I bought it as an appetizer, not to be your own personal snack."
"Only if you lay off the Tokaji wine I got. I had to specially order the stuff and you're drinking it like its boxed wine!" Lynn retorted.
Glaring at her sister Abby continued, pointedly ignoring Lynn's accusation, "Just make the damn Dobos cake already; and don't forget what this whole dinner is for."
"I already made that!" Lynn indignantly defended herself before counterattacking, "And, anyways, didn't you say that you were going to make Vinetta? Because I don't see the grill going yet…"
Just then the door opened interrupting the two chefs' escalating argument as Sarah and Ashley entered the house carrying in the last of the groceries.
Several hours later the four women were seated on the house's deck enjoying the setting fall sun and pleasantly cool weather as they finished the last of the excellent wine Lynn had selected. The four sisters were enjoying each other's company as they joked about the Magyar names for the various dishes they had just eaten. Stumbling over the pronunciation of the words with their seemingly indiscriminate use of l'sand z's the sisters butchered the Magyar language until Ashley finally stopped laughing at her sisters' attempts long enough to correctly pronounce the various words.
After a particularly irresistible fit of giggling the laughter died away and the women were content to just be together in silence as the sun finally sunk below the horizon. Just as the night chill was about to make Lynn suggest they head indoors Ashley spoke in a voice that was unusually quiet for the marine.
"Don't get me wrong, the food was great, but all the expensive ingredients were probably unnecessary."
"What do you mean, Ash?" asked Abby, her voice matching Ashley's quiet tone encouraging her to continue.
"The 1956 rebellion…really, what sort of an excuse is that? You're trying to make me remember the time I spent with John in Budapest, and this food really didn't help with that. Remember, we weren't there on vacation. The Danube had flooded, it was a humanitarian op; we didn't eat anything that this wonderful meal would remind me of, military rations would have been a better choice for that."
Not quite picking up on the newly serious tone of the conversation Sarah interjected, "Yeah, but then we'd have had to eat them too."
"So, why did you want me to remember Budapest?" Ashley asked, ignoring Sarah.
Knowing this was the pivotal moment Lynn cut off Sarah's slightly intoxicated response, "You've been home for a while now, Ash. You told us the facts of the situation with Shepard but this whole time you haven't talked about how you feel about it. And you need to do that; after all not talking about it is what grounded you here on enforced leave in the first place."
Seeing Ashley remain silent Lynn pressed ahead, "The first night you were home you told me about Horizon and your unanswered letter to John afterwards but you haven't said a thing about him since. That makes me think you're trying to move on from him…but I don't think you should."
"What! Why do you think you can tell me what to do?" shouted Ash, her anger welling up.
Calmly Lynn refused to back down from her chosen course, "You wrote us about your time in Hungary with John and you seemed so happy in your message. I haven't seen you that happy at any other time since father's death and it was obviously because of Shepard."
"Oh, so you want me to just get back together with him, is that it? You don't really know anything about what's going on!"
"I am not telling you what to do. But I am giving you advice that all of us, your sisters who know you better than anyone else, agree on. You sent Shepard away on Horizon, understandable; you then sent Shepard a message to repair that damage, also understandable. But then when no answer came you gave up, and that is not understandable. You turned him away once and regretted it; what if ignoring your message is something he regrets?
Taking Ashley's silence at Lynn's statement as permission to continue Abby took over, "The message you sent him was essentially asking for a second chance from Shepard. He turned you down; now help him out by giving him a second chance of his own…send another message."
"You're right. I gave up." Bitterly Ashley laughed, "Who have I become, abandoning the man I loved and then giving up when I realized my mistake. Disloyal and a quitter…wouldn't Dad be proud."
"Stop it, Ash! It's not too late, try again and it will prove your loyalty and perseverance." said Sarah, pleading with Ashley to exhibit her usual strengths and stop her self-loathing.
Smiling at her youngest sister's plea Ashley relented as far as her pride would allow, "Okay, I'll think about it."
"Mordin, need help with anything?"
"Ah, Shepard. Good to see you. No, have everything I need. Maelon last loose end, already taked care of that. Well, there is one thing…"
"What is it? Maybe I can help." Shepard interrupted, excited at the prospect of helping the STG veteran because Mordin's practical 'the end justifies the means' morality appreciated any lengths Shepard went to in pursuit of the goal.
"Time, Shepard." the salarian chuckled to himself at his joke, "I need time. For research, music, do you have any of that?"
Disappointment at the salarian's 'joke'deflated Shepard's excitement as the prospect of helping the doctor vanished. Heaving a sigh, Shepard left the science lab, the strains of Gilbert and Sullivan echoing through the Normandy from behind him.
Entering the CIC Shepard approached Kelly hoping that she would have a message of some sort for him, preferable without too much blind optimism accompanying its delivery.
"Nothing right now, Commander." Kelly answered cheerfully.
"Damn it, of course there isn't." Shepard grumbled as he turned and headed for the elevator.
Several minutes later Shepard walked out of Morinth's lair shaking his head in disappointment. Morinth was the last crew member he had checked in with and, as expected, she didn't need anything from Shepard, except to hold still and let her kill him, of course. There had been several requests made of him; menial tasks like fetching spare parts for the Normandy, food for the cook, and booze for the doc, but none of these were life-defining moments. And it was such a moment, one equal in importance to the events surrounding Tali's trial that was needed. A problem that, once solved by Shepard, would be able to provide a balm for Shepard's tormented psyche by comforting another's torment.
Returning to his room Shepard threw himself into his chair, frustration etched across his countenance. Catching sight of Ashley's picture Shepard's expression shifted from frustration to a kaleidoscope of anger and despair as the two emotions warred for dominance of Shepard's mind. Ash would be just like Tali if she was here now; loving the man I was, not the…thing I am. She could tell I was already ruined, that's why Ash left me on Horizon. Just like Tali would have after Haestrom if she had known me as well as Ash did.
On the other hand, I wasn't completely lost until after Ash rejected me, first on Horizon and then in her letter. Before that I still hoped had hope…hope of finding her and it kept me from losing my pre-death self completely. If only she had joined me I wouldn't have been forced into becoming what Kasumi called 'the Butcher of the Terminus System'.
It's her fault, if Ash hadn't abandoned me I wouldn't be what I am now. I thought she loved me, apparently I was wrong. Garrus, Tali, Joker, Chakwas, friends but certainly not lovers, stayed with me. Even Liara didn't completely abandon me despite her own transformation. Only Ashley left me, the one I most trusted. If she had loved me she would be here now and none of this would have happened, it's her fault…Ashley's betrayal killed what I once was. Fuck her; it's time to move on. Grabbing the picture frame Shepard hesitated for only a moment before erasing the image and tossing the now-blank screen carelessly aside.