A/N: My deepest apologies. I was down with the creepy crawly plague from Saturday through Monday, and for all of yesterday my work computer was on the fritz and I was unable to write. However, it is now back up…and we are back in action. That said, this is a rather short chapter. Too long away and my rusty brain is struggling to get back into the groove. Normal chapter tomorrow.

"What are we going to do about Thane?" Jacob asked as Shepard turned away from the galaxy map. Sydney and Wilcher had just departed, Shepard watching the little blip that was their ship heading away from the Normandy and toward Folsberg.

Glancing up at the man she had, early on, nicknamed Boy Scout, Shepard's already brooding brows knit tighter. "What do you mean?"

"Shepard, the man is a murderer-" Jacob began, only to halt as she held her hand up, then gestured sharply toward the armory.

"Let's discuss this in private," she said, her tone anything but suggestion. Following the man within, once they were alone she straightened.

"All right, lay it on me."

"He's a murderer."

"He's an assassin. We knew that when we signed him on."

"This is different, Shepard. Rasler is your friend. That man gunned someone down in front of her, in cold blood…don't you care about that?"

"I do," she replied. "I also care about second chances, Taylor."

"Commander, honestly…does he deserve a second chance?"

"Did I?" Shepard demanded.

"You're different. You're a hero, saved lives. You never kill unnecessarily-"

Stepping forward, the still bruised and battered commander narrowed her eyes as she glared into his. "You don't know me that well, Jacob," she said. "You were a marine, just like I was. We were both trained to be killers-"

"C'mon, Shep…you know that's not the same thing. We were trained by the military to protect our people, innocent civilians-"

"And the only military training that counts is human? The Hanar Illuminated Primacy trained Thane…that's not the same?"

"He wasn't trained as a soldier, he was trained as an assassin."

"And the Alliance doesn't train assassins? Cerberus doesn't?"

"I can't believe you're defending him!"

"I'm not defending what he did, what he was asked to do," Shepard replied, "but the man is dying, Jacob. He's trying to make up for his past, and like anyone he deserves a chance to make a goddamn difference. I'm not going to throw him off the ship because of a mistake he made, years ago. If you think he should go then I should go too. Or do you think my hands are clean?"

"It's not the same thing-"

"Keep telling yourself that, Boy Scout. I don't care if you agree, or if you like him. Thane stays on this crew. Now, if you don't mind, I have a splitting fucking headache."

"Yes, ma'am," Jacob frowned, then saluted her. Tossing off a reply with her good arm, the snap of the motion all irritation, she turned on her heel and strode back out to the CIC.

"Fast as anything, she lays him out with this beautiful right hook and as he hits the ground, she gets to her feet and she says, no lie…"I'm Commander fucking Shepard!"

Liara blinked over at Kasumi, bottle hovering over the edge of the glass just on the cusp of pouring. The thief was giggling like a school girl. Shaking her head, Liara couldn't help the smile as she looked back down, pouring the drink.

"That sounds like her," she said. "I still cannot believe you got her into a dress and heels."

"She was smokin' too," Kasumi agreed, taking a sip of her own drink as she leaned on the tiny bar. Not lowering the glass she cocked one finger out, pointing at the asari. "And in the limo on the way over to the house, she talked about nothing but finding you."

Liara's blue eyes lifted almost bashfully to Kasumi's, the human woman nodding.

"It's true. Wouldn't shut up about you. Went on and on. I finally agreed to help search for you out of sheer desperation. I was afraid she'd faint right there in the car."

She smirked, giving a wink, and Liara giggled. "I doubt it went quite like that."

"No, she was very sweet about it. And after you were shot-"

"You do not have to convince me that she cares about me," Liara interrupted, before her voice softened. "I know that she does. It is just…"

"I know," Kasumi murmured in reply. "Road goes both ways. I just think she's still not used to that, you know? Having someone care about her so much…it's foreign territory to her. Jumping into a pit to fist-fight a krogan, now that is every day."

Reaching out the thief picked up the bottle and topped off her own glass before lifting it up. "Here's to Shepard, the craziest, bravest and most irritatingly psychotic human being both of us will ever have the pleasure to know."

Liara smirked, shaking her head before lifting her own glass. "To Shepard."

Shepard stepped into her quarters, crossing from the office space down into the living, plucking up a half-empty bottle of whiskey. Grimacing a little as she spun the cap off she took a swig directly from the neck, shaking her head.

Booze was probably not the best combination while she was still on painkillers, though those did seem to be wearing off. Her head ached, as did her shoulder. Every one of her bruises throbbed in a way that made it seem as if Wrex's ghost was still doing his best to beat her senseless. Reluctantly setting the bottle down after a second, smaller swig she flopped back on the bed, then grimaced in regret as the motion created more pain than it solved. As it faded down again she sighed.

She heard a faint tapping near the bed and half sat, leaning over to open the tube for Rat's habitat. The rodent hurried out, crossing over onto Shepard's chest, sniffing at her chin.

"At least someone still likes me," Shepard murmured, scratching the rodent's back before reaching for her console remote. Switching on some Flatwood she let the remote drop, closing her eyes as she listened to the music, softly trailing her fingers over Rat's back.

Liara entered the room a moment later, standing at the partition between office and living space, watching the woman a moment as the familiar music moved over her.

The commander had to hear her as she stepped down and moved over to the bedside, yet she didn't turn her head or open her eyes until Liara had drawn even. "Hey, you," she murmured.

"Shepard, you seem to have wildlife making a nest on your shirt," Liara informed her. Shepard cocked that lopsided grin the asari loved so much, and scooped Rat up, maneuvering herself into a sit.

"Li, this is Rat. Rat, this is Li."

"I thought 'rat' was what this species was called."

"It is."

"…and you named her Rat?"

"So, I'm not great with naming," Shepard snorted, leaning over to deposit Rat back into her tunnel, snapping it shut. "Most of the time I just point at shit and grunt."

Liara sat down on the edge of the bed. Despite her other feelings, she couldn't help a small twinge of adoring amusement. Shepard looked like a petulant child about to be punished, the way she looked down at her lap, the slightest hint of a pout on her face.

"Will Sydney be all right?" Liara asked. "She looked quite upset, and Wilcher…he told me some of what occurred, but it was very brief."

Shepard blew out a breath, then shook her head. "I don't know. I know that when Blumenthal died it hit her hard. Kid was a hothead, reckless. Half the time Sydney couldn't even stand him."

"Hotheaded and reckless…" Liara murmured. Shepard gave her a level look.

"Not like I was. At least I wasn't a fucking moron about it, most of the time. And I only risked myself. I didn't put other people in danger. You never risk your goddamn team."

She shook her head, brushing some hair back from her forehead. " He was out of hand, selfish…liked to party, would show up on duty drunk sometimes…thought he was shit out by God himself. It's no great big surprise he ended up getting himself in a hole, pissing someone off enough they'd want to take him out. It's just unfortunate Thane was the one to carry out the order."

"When I saw Sydney's face, I thought perhaps he was…a very close friend," Liara ventured.

"Pth, no," Shepard said. "It's just that he was a kid, you know? Nineteen. She was responsible for him. He was a fuckwad but he still had family. Parents, cousins, a younger brother…it was her job to get him home safely and instead she watched his life end on a routine recon mission on a safe goddamn colony planet."

Liara nodded sadly. "I see."

Shepard wiped her palm over her mouth before she looked at the woman seated beside her. "Look, Li…I really am sorry. Not about going to help Mordin with his friend or facing that maw with Grunt but…I shouldn't have fought Wrex like that."

"No, you should not have," Liara told her. "Shepard, I know that what you must do is dangerous…that is exactly the point. You are too important to risk yourself for such foolish things. To this galaxy, and to me."

"I know…" Shepard murmured softly.

Liara reached out, the tips of her pale blue fingers lightly tracing over Shepard's forehead, stirring thin locks of her black hair. "I cannot live without you," she whispered. "I know…I tried."

Reaching out with her good arm, Shepard sat up and hugged the asari close, ignoring the way it made her healing arm ache. After a moment, Liara's arms wound around her, gripping tightly.

The Folly, as it was affectionately known, was noted on star charts and navigation maps as 'orbital body 27322 ident Folsberg'…or just Folsberg for short. A rocky moon orbiting a gas giant, Folsberg had nothing in the way of usable resources, strategic location, or even aesthetics. Just slightly larger than Earth's moon it was ten times less valuable…which is why Sydney had gotten it so cheap.

Now, Folsberg was home base to Thanatos, a sprawling underground complex and ship dry-dock betrayed on the surface only by access hatches and observation/weapons turrets. As the Pale Horse entered orbit, a shuttle appeared from its hatchway and ferried down to the uninteresting, gray surface…disappearing into a gaping, artificial maw as landing bay doors strewn with dust and rock slowly parted.

As soon as Rasler stepped off-board the shuttle lifted again to return to the ship. The trip had cooled a lot of the blonde's immediate frustration and temper but she had in no-wise forgotten the conversation with Thane...of being face to face with Carl's killer.

A man was waiting for her at the exit of the landing bay. He had a small pack riding high on his shoulder, a pair of almost invisible clear tubes emerging from it. One sank into his forearm. The other looped over an ear and into his right nostril. His face was gaunt and pale but handsome enough, a face built for smiling under a thick shock of black hair.

He was not, however, currently smiling…concern instead showing in his eyes. "I have a bottle of Turkey waiting in the rec-room," he told her. "And I am here if you feel the need to punch things."

"Not going to hit you, Conroy," Sydney snorted as they wended their way through half-empty halls. Half-empty because a good portion of her crew were on Hagalaz. "Turkey sounds good though. We get those shipment manifests yet? The deck boys know what we're in for?"

"We have some," he nodded. "Should get the first shipment in by Friday. No schematics as of yet, save for that cannon. That is a serious wicked gun, by the way."

"Shepard still hasn't approved the armor and shielding upgrades yet. She wants to pow-wow with her crew, get their suggestions. Tell the monkeys to start on those guns as soon as we have the resources."

"You sticking around a while or are you planning to head back to Hagalaz?"

"Don't know what the fuck I'm going to do yet."

"Touchy…don't know why, can't be my charm, that never fails-"

"Conroy," she warned, piercing him with a look. He smiled like a cat that had gotten into the cream.

"Navis is here."

Sydney stared at him a moment, before her jaw went tight. Stepping past him she strode into the rec-room, swiftly catching sight of her prey as the asari woman half turned, lifting a brow in her direction. She was speaking with one of the engineers, dressed in a soft black velvet jacket trimmed with gold and an elegantly cut pair of trousers over a pair of boots that probably cost a year's credits for any of Sydney's men.

The blonde's duffle hit the ground with a bang as she snatched her pistol out of its holster, muscles cording as she aimed it directly at the asari woman. Almost in the same motion the asari drew her own side arm, the motion as graceful as water as she aimed it toward Sydney.

"You have a lot of fucking nerve showing your face around here," the blonde human shot.

"I see you still compensate for your lack of skill, tact, and personal hygiene by covering yourself in ugly tattoos and spouting reprehensible language."

"Oh, reprehensible…did you hurt your poor little brain on that big long word?" Sydney demanded. The asari stalked forward, her aim never wavering. Sydney inclined her head in warning, fingers white-knuckled on the butt of her pistol.

"At least I am not an unwashed, uncouth, weakling little human," the asari retorted hotly.

Sydney's eyes sparked. "Who you callin' 'unwashed'," she snarled. "Shoot me, Navis. I dare you."

"If you lovely ladies are done I'd like to point out that you'd be far more convincing if you took your safeties off first," Conroy pointed out, folding his arms with a smirk.

Sydney's smile was the first to crack. "Are you kidding? Butterfingers here might actually have shot me if she'd done that."

"Blah blah," the asari grinned, shipping her pistol as the blonde human lowered hers, stepping forward and hugging her tightly. Sydney clapped her on the back with the first genuine laugh she'd uttered since Thane had sat down opposite her.

"What was that about my hygiene?" she asked as her friend released her.

"Really?" the other woman smirked. "And who said I had a 'poor little brain?'"

Sydney smiled and shook her head. "I'm glad you're here, Deeds."

Seeing the faint downturn of Sydney's eyelashes, the slump to her shoulders, Deirdre Navis pursed her lips ever so slightly. "What is it?" she asked seriously. "What's the matter?"

"It's…a long story, my friend. And I need a drink before it starts coming out."

It was amazing how quickly Liara adapted to being on the Normandy again. Though it was not quite the original, the feel was the same. With Joker, Garrus, Chakwas and Tali there it almost felt like home again.

There were other differences as well, of course. She stayed in Shepard's quarters in the Nest instead of on a cot in the lab, though the first night she utterly refused to sleep in the bed…and refused to allow Shepard to sleep on the sofa. The commander had to heal and Liara brooked no argument. Even so, she was unsurprised to wake in the morning to find that Shepard had removed the cover from the bed in the middle of the night, draping it over her as she slept and leaving only a sheet for herself.

That afternoon Chakwas had determined the bone weave was solid enough to take off the sling and though Liara wanted to remain angry with Del for what she'd done…they had suffered too much for one another and spent far too long apart for her to hold to her temper for long. That night was most certainly not spent upon the sofa…for either of them.

Liara was almost dreading returning to Hagalaz, mentally counting down the final hours until Wilcher would arrive to ferry her back to the storm-riding ship. She knew that it was the best way to help Shepard, that the Broker's information was beyond valuable in the effort against the Collectors, but she could only think about how she was leaving her real home…calculating the impossible miles that would be between the two of them once again.

They were having lunch down in the mess, Tali, Garrus, Chakwas, Daniels, Kasumi, Liara and Shepard, when Miranda suddenly strode out of her office with a set look that Shepard had long learned to recognize meant trouble. Setting down her fork, she wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Lawson?"

"Shepard, we have a problem," the XO stated, passing her a data pad even as she explained. "Another Cerberus operation, Project Overlord, has suddenly gone dark. We have lost all communication. They are only two hours from our current position."

Shepard frowned at the info on the data pad. "You realize we're rendezvousing with Wilcher in four hours time? That we have an incredible amount of work and preparation in front of us and a short amount of time to do it in? We can't go running off every time Cerberus calls, I made that clear from the beginning. Does this project have anything to do with the Collectors? Anything at all?"

"No," Miranda replied. "I am not privy to the specifics of other projects, Shepard, so I cannot tell you exactly what their goals are. What I can tell you, however, is that there are three hundred men and women stationed at that project. Scientists, mathematicians, engineers…they're not soldiers, Shepard, and they only have a few security mechs for protection."

Shepard felt her gut tighten. Miranda knew exactly what buttons to push, as always. Three hundred civvies that could be in trouble…she knew that Shepard would see that before she would see helping 'Cerberus'.

"Where's the project located?" she said at last.

"Aite," Miranda replied instantly. "As I said, we can make it there in two hours."

"We can rendezvous with Wilcher later at these coordinates," Liara spoke up from beside her, laying her hand on Shepard's arm. "Those lives far outweigh my need to go home."

Shepard looked at her, then nodded reluctantly, handing the data pad back to Miranda. "Tell Joker to get us on course. Have EDI relay the message to Wilcher that we will be a bit later than planned and can return Liara to Hagalaz ourselves if need be. And see if Mr. Illusive won't loosen up his asshole a bit and actually give us some idea of what they were working on. You know, so we're not walking in completely blind?"

"Of course, Shepard," Miranda replied.

"Commander, I want to give you one last exam before you go running into battle again," Chakwas piped in. "Not that I'll be able to stop you but at least you'll have a better idea of what you'll be able to endure."

Shepard nodded, then looked at Liara. "You have full run of the ship while we're gone, of course. I have a couple of vids up in my quarters-"

"I will be going with you," Liara stated as she neatly folded her napkin. Shepard frowned.

"The hell you will be!"

"Shepard, I may have forgiven you but I am still angry," Liara warned her. "As much as I dislike it I have to come to terms with the fact that I cannot protect you, not even from yourself. You must come to accept the same about me. I cannot let you take all of the risks, and I refuse to sit up here watching vids while you and your crew are potentially risking your lives for civilians. I will be going with you, and that is the end of our discussion."

Laying the napkin perfectly over her empty tray she rose and went to dispose of it. Shepard stared after her, her mouth only slamming shut when she heard Kasumi's muffled giggle.

"Laugh it up, Goto," she scowled. "You just volunteered to go with us. Tali, you too. I want you both suited up and prepped the moment we hit orbit, dong ma?"