On the way to the fancy restaurant, Michael had complained until Haku and Shepard relented, getting him a cherry slurpee, and now he was making them regret it by making loud slurping noises.
"We'll be there soon," Haku said, and the Commander, sitting in the passenger seat, replied with above-average irritation.
"Who am I going to see?" Shepard asked, crossing his arms.
"You'll see in about fifteen minutes." Haku answered with a smile fitting the Sphinx.
Shepard sighed, looking out the window. He almost immediately looked back to Haku, pale face slightly green.
Michael slurped particularly loud, then said "Are you afraid of heights?"
"If this weren't my vehicle," Shepard said, "I'd knock that drink out of your hands."
Michael slurped, and said "So, you get car sick? That's...well, human."
"What do you mean by that?" Shepard asked.
"Shep, you seem kind of like a...how do I put this, inhuman being." Michael said. "No offense."
Shepard wasn't surprised. He'd frequently wondered where his humanity went.
"I think Shep's human, if a bit troubled." Haku said, patting Shepard on the shoulder. The sides of his smile twitched, making him almost smile.
"Play some music!" Michael said, ruining the silent, personal moment.
"It's like I have a kid, and he's annoying." Haku said, turning the radio on. Being Shepard's vehicle, it went immediately to a radio station that played old human songs.
"Mama take this badge from me." The song, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, said. "I can't use it anymore/ It's gettin' dark, too dark to see/ Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door."
Haku related to this verse of the song, as her kidnappers had drugged her, making her feel fantastic. After that, however, they had tossed her into a special compartment of their ship, and slowly shut the door. Her last thoughts before she passed out in the darkness was 'It's getting too dark to see.' She also related to the first line, as she had lost her time with the Marines, effectively taking a metaphorical badge from her.
"Mama put my guns in the ground/ I can't shoot them anymore/ That cold black cloud is coming down/ Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door."
Shepard related to this, even though his mother had passed on. Shepard wanted to 'put his guns in the ground,' but was too busy attempting to get revenge. Shepard wished, and even prayed at his lowest points despite having little faith, that he wouldn't wake and be able to kill, but every day he awoke angrier and more bloodthirsty. Finally, the cold black cloud was the anger Shepard contained, stealing his humanity and making him feel like his soul was dead while his body continued living.
"This song sucks." Michael said.
"Shut up!" Shepard and Haku said, looking back in anger at the teen.
Michael jumped, nearly losing his slurpee.
Once they arrived at the diner, Haku looked over Shepard's appearance. They had all worn dress clothes: Shepard wearing a suit and tie; Michael wearing a suit, tie and black beanie over his hair; and Haku wore a suit with a skirt. Michael had claimed this made her a girl, and Haku replied that she only wore the skirt because Shepard believed that she was a woman.
Haku lead the two, and Michael looked her back over, then nudged Shepard. "Hey, Shep, are you two going to get together?"
Shepard looked at Michael angrily.
"I'm being serious!" Michael said.
Shepard was surprised that Michael could be serious, and answered, hoping to encourage serious behavior. "I don't know."
"Well, if ya' do, help me out. I got a crush on this girl, right, and you're, like, Shepard, a hero. And, like, even though you're kinda mean you're still nicer than my brother." Michael said, not used to talking to anyone about personal things.
Shepard thought about what Haku would want him to do, and said "Okay."
Michael smiled brightly.
"Come on Big guy!" Haku said, and the Commander and the Criminal followed her into the diner, surprising the maitre d.
"Hello Shepard." The female Maitre d said.
"Haku, table for four." Haku said.
'Four. Who is this mysterious fourth person?' Shepard wondered, following Haku and the Maitre d. Haku suddenly turned, handing Shepard a jet black piece of cloth that was just as dark as Shepard's hair.
"Over your eyes." Haku commanded, then glared at Michael. "I dare you to say something."
Michael pretended to lock his mouth, then throw away the key.
Shepard put the cloth over his eyes, knowing arguing with Haku wasn't a viable option. He didn't know why, but something about Haku made him want to do whatever she wished him to.
'Miri was that way.' Shepard thought, using Lawson's nickname for the first time, in thoughts or speech, in years.
Haku took Shepard's large hand, leading to a table and sitting him in at the corner. Then, Haku removed his blindfold. And there, sitting in front of Shepard, was a four-year-old girl. She had dark hair, beautiful blue eyes, and skin darker than Shepard's.
"Hey dad." Rosaline, Shepard and Lawson's daughter, said.