Omega seemed oddly inactive today, making Aria wonder if something had set off the silence. The customers in Afterlife kept to themselves. Few people were dancing or even talking for that matter. The line outside was shorter than usual. Even the Elcor bouncer looked bored. She sat at the bar next to one of her personal favorite bartenders. Her drink was new, something usually served on Illium. It was strong but also refined, giving Aria a charged feel. She glanced around, trying to pick out Shepard in the crowd.

He didn't arrive till much later, his Quarian and Turian friends trailing behind him. Aria glared at the girl, remembering her from the other day. She flinched, taking a step back. Shepard noticed their confrontation and quirked an eyebrow at Aria. She stared him down, making Shepard's company nervous. She didn't have anything against the Quarian but it bothered Aria that Shepard brought her everywhere. As for the Turian, his identity was confirmed by his armor which matched the description of Archangel's perfectly. Aria tilted her chin up, trying to look as if his their presence didn't bother her. Shepard saw through her act almost immediately. With a wink, he sent them back towards the entrance. He took a seat next to Aria.

"I take it you don't really like my partners."

She turned her head away, agitated. "Your a Spectre and a soldier. You shouldn't need them. It's pathetic."

"And just what does that say about you and your entourage of guards?"

"They deal with the problems I don't have time for."

"So in other words, they do everything."

Aria snapped her head around, ready to kill. For once, Shepard looked a bit concerned. Not for his well being, but hers. If she really intended to pick a fight, he wouldn't be backing down.

She pushed him away with an alarming amount of force. Shepard steadied himself seconds, narrowly avoiding a fall from his stool. The customers in Afterlife had their eyes on them, preparing for a fight. His team looked ready to jump into action. Aria calmed her frothing rage with a sip of her drink but it was too late to turn back. Shepard had clearly lost a bit of his bravo. He was suddenly more quiet.

"What happened to having protection?"

"I said that there are some people I can't protect you from."

Shepard recalled her words from the other day. He snorted.

"Should've known I wouldn't be safe from you. You are Omega's queen after all."

Aria could feel her lips twitch into a smile. "Damn right."

Shepard looked a bit annoyed. "Well, if you're done attacking me, can we get to business?"

Shepard and Aria glanced to the side where Patriarch stood. For once, he was quiet. Aria could see the tension in his wide shoulders. His normal prideful attitude was more mellow today. His eyes skirted towards the entrance of Afterlife every few seconds. Aria turned to Shepard who lifted an eyebrow in response.

"So, what's wrong with Godzilla over there?"

Aria blinked. " God of what?"

Shepard laughed and shook his head. Aria glared at him as he tried to stop, failing miserably. She focused on Patriarch again while Shepard calmed himself. She still didn't get what was so funny. Patriarch was looking pitiful, sulking in the corner like a lost Varren.

She cleared her throat. "Our... alliance," she grimaced. "Is based off of a barter system. You help me with Patriarch and I'll help you with what you need."

Shepard stretched and took a quick drink. "Yeah, about that." He yawned, "I don't really need your assistance at the moment."

"Then consider it a future promise for cooperation."

He pondered for a moment, trying to read Aria's face. Suddenly, the bartender noticed him at the bar. His face contorted and Aria could see the hatred in his eyes. He set a drink next to Shepard. Who glanced at the glass but didn't complain. He focused his attention back to Aria after taking a sip. She tried hard to look composed and to keep the tremble in her hands from spreading. Shepard must have been satisfied with the deal because he nodded, then returned to gawking at the the Krogan.

"So, is he sick or something?" He asked Aria, "I've never seen a Krogan that tranquil. I mean, can Krogan even be calm?"

"I've recently received word that he's got a few friends after him. He's been acting like a little bitch ever since." She replied without care.

Shepard concentrated on Patriarch, occasionally glancing at Aria. His brow creased as he tried to guess what Aria had in mind. She couldn't help but smile at his obvious ignorance. It was cute in a pitiful type of way. Not that Shepard was anything close to pathetic, Aria thought to herself. To take on a rogue Spectre without fear, not stopping even when the rest of the galaxy turned away. She studied him curiously, his rough but handsome appearance with a cocky but intelligent attitude. And yet at times he could be like a child, annoying and oblivious. She took another sip of refreshing alcohol so not to look like she was staring, although sometimes it was hard not to. Aria didn't understand how she could take such an interest in him.

The logical side of her mind told her that it was stupid and weak to get more attached to him. That there was no way a man like him would be interested. The other side told her that she was doing nothing wrong, spending time with him, that Shepard was the only one flirting here.

His voice cut through her hazy thoughts. "Alright, how about I ask him about his 'friends' and see how to deal with them?" He scanned her face for a sign of approval for his plan.

Aria, feeling embarrassed and blushing from her thoughts, simply nodded. She was ashamed that she let her mind wander again. She couldn't get her thoughts together so instead she waved him away. He rose from the stool and rushed to his friends who still stood by the door, looking impatient. She didn't bother waiting for him to go after Patriarch. Aria rushed back to her personal lounge, trying not to look frazzled. Sleep was comforting but not a smart thing to do at the moment so she did what she always did.

Aria snapped her fingers and the guard retrieved her Brandy. They kept at least four in this room alone to keep her sated. Omega never ran out of stock because they knew she would lose her mind without it.

She really needed to stop drinking.

It took a while, but Aria finally relaxed. Shepard would help patriarch, leave, and then she could stop thinking of him. She knew she was lying to herself but it was easier than saying the truth. The guard to her left cleared his throat and Aria's hand twitched with annoyance, she wasn't ready to deal with other people. He handed her a data pad with fine print on every inch. She raised an eyebrow at the guard who shrugged.

"The mercenaries are hoping for your assistance again."

"Hmph." She tossed the datapad across the room and smiled as it snapped. Violence always made her feel better.

"Tell the mercs that Omega preys on the weak, and their the next meal."

He nodded and left without another word. Tired of sitting on the sofa, Aria pushed herself up. Shepard could just inform a guard when he was done. Aria needed some time to think, she's been so focused on Shepard that her work had been building up. Omega was too important to lose. She turned to the remaining guard.

"I'm leaving, keep things in check."

He looked a bit surprised but didn't object.

She pulled on a cloak of black and white silk. While Omega belonged to her, there are many people who would challenge her authority, so she kept her face hidden. It wasn't unusual for a person to hide their identity here. Aria began walking to nowhere specific. She tended to take occasional strolls to let herself breathe. A new environment helped her think more clearly and made the stress of being queen seem like a dream. She remembered before she had clawed her way to the top, before she was a criminal. It seemed so far away.

She found herself going from the markets, down to the the slums of Omega. The smell was the first to hit her, a musk clearly from the homeless, and the faint scent of rotting flesh. The view came next, making the smell seem like nothing. People of all kind were scattered everywhere, most looked dead, others clearly weren't breathing. Aria tried to cover her disgust and horror but it wouldn't disappear. She knew that her rule over Omega caused many issues, but she never expected it to have such an impact on her. She forced the bike in her throat away and tried to keep moving. Turning back would just prove that she didn't deserve to be called a queen, so she continued on.

The bodies lying around were probably the most disturbing for her. Aria stepped precariously over each one. One of the bodies made her stop instantly and she gasped in recognition.

Shepard lay face down, his companions crowded around him with clear concern. He looked deathly pale as a small groan escaped his lips. Aria fell to her knees beside him, the hood of her cloak falling to reveal her face. The Quarian recognized her immediately and pulled Shepard away.

"Y-you! Stay away from him!"

Her voice broke as she tried to protect Shepard. Her arms wrapped around him like a shield and her pistol sat next to her. Even with the mask, Aria could see the hatred and fear.

She glared at the girl, suddenly feeling malicious and annoyed. "I'd watch your tone, I doubt that you can shoot that pistol before I break you."

The Quarian blanched and hugged Shepard tighter. this time it was Archangel who spoke up.

"He's sick with something bad, and he wasn't sick until he came back from Afterlife."

Aria blinked, surprised. "Sick? I didn't do shit to him!"

The girl lashed out again. "You're lying, you have to be! You-"

"Umm excuse me."

They stopped to stare at the man who interrupted. Dirt caked his features and a slight stench wavered off of him. He was most likely part of the homeless. He leveled himself next to the the group and motioned towards Shepard.

"I believe I might know what happened to your friend."

The girl leaned towards him, seeming more hopeful than before. Aria and the Turian looked surprised and quite skeptical. The man leaned forward and studied Shepard's pale and lifeless body. Shepard groaned in response, this one louder than before. He nodded and addressed the group.

"He isn't the first victim. There's this bartender in Afterlife, the guy is more than just racist. He poisons Human customers. I've never seen someone survive but it looks like your friend is still breathing. He'll be up soon."

It felt as if Aria had plunged into a pool of icy water. She should have saw it coming. The bartender had poisoned him right in front of her and she didn't even notice. Guilt ricocheted throughout her body. She needed to fix this.

Suddenly, Shepard's eyes shot open. They bounced around the room, finally settling on his audience. He pushed himself up with the help of his squad, panting with the effort. A little colour had seeped back into his skin but not enough to remove his sickly complexion. A dark expression of pain and confusion masked his face but it quickly turned to surprise. His voice carried shock when he spoke.

"I think I just died."

He glanced around the room, taking in his grimy surroundings.

"Damn it, I'm in Hell."

Archangel choked on laughter while the Quarian huffed with anger. Aria didn't really know what to make of it, she was an outsider to their close knit group. She simply stared, unable to think of anything to do.

Shepard finally noticed Aria standing awkwardly nearby. He turned back to his friends.

"Get back to the Normandy, I'll catch up later."

They hesitated, the girl protested. "Shepard. What about that bartender?"

He shook his head. "Don't worry, Aria can help me. We have business to discuss anyways."

The Quarian clenched her fists in outrage but did as she was told, the Turian behind her. Shepard motioned for Aria to come closer. She squatted down next to him, regaining her professionalism. He smirked at her but it was strained.

"Well, I just got poisoned by a bartender." He exclaimed. "But at least I fixed your Patriarch problem."

Aria rolled her eyes but she was relieved inside. "You're no good to me if you're dead."

"Speaking of dead, the Krogan doesn't have anything to worry about anymore. Only took a few bullets"

He grinned at Aria with the same cockiness as before. She found it amazing that he could even speak. This was her fault, she should have been more careful. Aria almost lost a partner today, 0maybe something more. She had to do something to make it up to Shepard.

"You've helped with patriarch, now let me help you."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You mean the bartender?" He glanced around as if he could appear out of thin air.

Aria stood and brushed the dirt from her cloak. "Yes, I mean the bartender, you idiot."

She began walking back to Afterlife but stopped when she realized he wasn't following. Shepard narrowed his eyes at her and stared, making her feel self conscious. Aria glared back, trying to push his gaze away from hers. She could already feel the annoyance for Shepard resurfacing. Finally, he shook his head.

"What?" She snapped.

"You." His voice was serious, which was very odd coming from I'm him. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You're always putting up a front, making yourself secluded from everyone else."

She stiffened. "I don't know what your talking about." She started walking again, faster this time.

He snorted and stood to catch up with her. "Oh yes you do. You know, just because your a crime lord, it doesn't mean you have block people out. Criminals can have friends too."

"I have friends," Aria hissed.

"Do you block them out too?"

"I don't block people out!"

"Then what do you call that?"

She turned, causing Shepard to stop in his tracks. This was it. No more games between them. "We are business partners. We are not friends, nor will we ever be. I do what I need to do to stay on top, no matter what. You do what you need to do to stop people like me, no matter what. We are not two different sides of the galaxy, Spectre."

"If that's how it is, then why am i still here?"

In that instant, Aria decided to make her decision. "You won't be. Not for much longer." She turned away. Once things are finished, and we both have what we need, you're gone. Permanently."

Shepard narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't seem at all surprised by the change of direction. His expression was just as cold as hers was.

"That's fine. I didn't intend to stay."

And with one quick motion, he left her alone in the slums. It was over just like that. Their alliance had taken a blow, and sooner or later, it would crumble.

Author's Note

So, usually I don't add these but I feel like this story needs one. First off, thanks to everyone who has continued reading, I really appreciate it! Second, the last time I have edited this story was a couple years ago (and honestly, my writing is terrible) so its difficult for me to get back into it. But, I will be updating more now! You can expect to see the writing style changed slightly. Anyway, hope you enjoyed! :)