Here's another one. I seem to always struggle with a good ratio between R&R and action sequences. I imagine most readers who are reading for more of the romance aspect prefer the R&R?

Also, I know some readers don't really care much for Thane while others adore him - and I apologize if this chapter is too much Thane for those who don't. No worries for Saren-lovers/fans as he'll get more of the spotlight soon.

Even before Thane entered Life Support he could sense the presence of someone waiting for him within. While expecting to find the familiar red-haired woman sitting in her usual spot, he instead found the turian, Saren seated in the chair which Shepard normally occupied, clawed fingers interlaced patiently. His bright blue gaze concentrated on the drell as he entered.

"Saren," Thane greeted with an incline of his head. "You have come to talk?" It was more an observation than a question.

"I have." His words were calm but his expression was set in an unflinching grimace.

Thane took his seat across from the turian, placing one hand over the other atop the table. "What would you like to discuss?"

"Shepard," Saren responded, flatly.

"Ah." Just as he thought. While he still didn't know Saren on a personal level, he had struck him as the type to keep to himself rather than seek casual conversation with someone he'd just met. It would have had to require a pressing concern in which they'd both had a hand. "She's an exceptional woman," the drell went on, not certain of what else to say other than stating the obvious.

Saren's eyes narrowed at the male seated before him. "Indeed she is. Which is why I've come to ask about your relationship with her." The look in his avian eyes was territorial.

Thane blinked at him, uncertain of how to proceed with the answer. In his short time of knowing Shepard, he had come to love and respect her a great deal. It was different from what he'd once had with his wife, Irikah. His feelings for Shepard had been unconditional and unchanging even though he wasn't sure she could ever truly return them. For a time he thought it was possible, but just when the two of them had grown close, she'd pushed him away.

"I love her," Thane responded, his answer plainly honest.

Saren growled deep in his chest, so quietly it could barely be heard. "What about Shepard? Does she feel the same?" He spat out the question like it was poison in his mouth.

"She—" He wanted to lie; to tell the turian that she loved him back. But he'd always had a hard time committing crimes against his own moral beliefs. "I don't know." Again he settled for the simple truth.

"You were lovers?" Saren asked somewhat hesitantly. Despite being able to guess the answer, it was if he needed confirmation. He needed to know what he was up against.

"We were… For a short time." Thane had to force back the lapse into solipsism that threatened to consume his thoughts. Slipping into memory of their intimate time together would be… uncomfortable, given the present situation.

"She ended it?" the turian asked, almost hopeful.

"Yes," Thane responded, bowing his head slightly.

While it should have helped him to know that she was the one who broke off the relationship with Krios, he still felt uneasy. They hadn't been intimate since the drell arrived, not that recent events would have allowed much time for that anyway. He couldn't tell if she was avoiding him, or what…

"Was there something else?" Thane asked, studying the contemplating turian.

"Actually, yes," Saren said, eyeing up the drell. "When Shepard returned from the Citadel with you, she was acting a bit… off. She mentioned there was an attack but wouldn't say any more." He hoped the assassin would be able to provide any type of insight, something he could use to better understand how to proceed with the commander.

Thane straightened as the memories came flashing back involuntarily.

"Her head hits the floor… cries out in pain. I'm angry, frightened. But it's too early to strike." Thane pauses as he relives the memory. After a few seconds he continues. "He struggles with her armor. This time I strike. His neck snaps under my hands. He falls… lifeless."

When his vision focuses once again on the turian, his expression is grim. "Had I not acted when I did... Well," Thane hesitated. "Let's just say it's good I was there."

Saren stared back, rage twisting his features. "The Cerberus assassin?" While this was the first time experiencing a drell's solipsism, he wasn't at all phased by curiosity, his concern for Shepard taking precedence.

"Yes. He seemed to have a rather personal hatred of the commander. But that is no longer relevant." Thane paused briefly. "He is dead."

Saren sweltered at the thought of Shepard being potentially harmed in such a way, especially by another of her kind. Though, if what the drell said was true, that was likely the reason for her earlier reaction to his persistence.

"You do know I care for her," Saren stated, eyes burning in challenge.

"Yes. Else you wouldn't be asking me these questions." Thane paused to study the turian thoughtfully. "And what about Shepard? Does she feel the same?"

"I don't know," Saren admitted.

"I see," Thane responded with interest.

Saren's eyes narrowed as he studied the drell. "Don't sound so eager," he warned.

Thane smiled. "My primary concern is for her happiness. It has yet to be seen that you can provide that," he explained.

"You think you can?" the turian snarled.

"Perhaps," the assassin said with a shrug. "But that, also, has yet to be seen."

Saren rose up from his chair, but not before giving the drell a long, hard glare. "I think we are done here."

"I will see to my meditations," Thane responded stoically.

"You do that," Saren muttered before slipping from the room.

Now that he was finally alone, Thane was making a valiant effort to clear his mind. However, his thoughts viciously attacked every attempt he made to fall into a silent meditation. Thoughts of his siha flashed into his mind, ones that made him burn with feelings he had so often repressed. Seeing her again had caused those desires to resurface relentlessly. They were no longer so easily ignored as they had once been.

"EDI, where can I find the commander?" Thane asked while trying to keep his voice controlled.

"She's currently in the hangar bay," the AI responded.

"Thanks." He didn't know what reason he'd come up with, but he had to see her. He didn't expect her to change her mind about being with him; she'd made her decision long ago. But he needed her company, even if it was only as a friend. He'd always been so accustomed to being alone. It was easy, less complicated. But since meeting Shepard, that had drastically changed. She taught him to enjoy the company of others, specifically hers. With the battle to take back Palaven, there hadn't been much time to spend in one another's company, and now it was time to remedy that.

Shepard circled the Lieutenant's right quickly, her left fist arcing out towards his face. The moment he blocked it, her right one struck his gut. However, the impact had no affect – on James that is. The man's stomach was as hard as rock and left Shepard's knuckles throbbing as a result. A large fist flew past her face, grazing her skin just enough to make her think twice about underestimating his speed.

"What's the matter, Lola? Didn't expect that one did ya?" James teased, a grin flashing on his face.

"I dodged it didn't I?" she huffed, taking another swing.

He scoffed. "Barely."

"Haha, okay, so I didn't expect it…" She blocked another attack. "You're just that slow," she finished, her voice slightly tensed as the knee of her good leg met solidly with his bulky side. He grunted, the force of her blow a bit more powerful than expected. He swung at her in response, which she deflected. But the defensive move left her vulnerable. Taking advantage of the new opening, he punched again, this time the strike colliding with her stomach. She reeled over, a grin spreading over her face as she peered up at him.

"Got me that time," she uttered in a strained voice as she attempted to regain her composure.

Before James could respond with one of his typical witty or flirtatious comments, their attentions were drawn away by an audible cough from the sidelines.

"Thane!" Shepard exclaimed with a warm smile, still rubbing the pain away from her stomach. "Have you come to kick my ass too?"

"I would never dream of passing up the opportunity," he rumbled, all the while, giving her that look; his chin tilted downward and dark eyes intense and assertive. While she'd always admired his stoicism, it was because of that look that she'd found herself in his arms more than once in the past. However, she hadn't seen it since the day they'd agreed to not pursue a relationship together. Her feelings for him had been strong, but it was… complicated. It wasn't really due to his illness, but rather her own imminent death. Every day she faced it, and the idea of causing Thane the pain of, yet another loss, drove her mad. She had no room in her life for happy endings; she learned that on Akuze, and doubly so when the Collectors fried her ass. And now here he was, that damn assassin, giving her the look that had far too often caused her to melt. Not only that, but now he was removing his jacket… Her cheeks reddened with the realization.

"Damn why didn't I think of that?" James chuckled, noticing the commander's reaction.

"Cause you need your shirt on to keep yourself from bursting through the hull," she commented, elbowing him in the gut.

"Good point," he replied, with a wink. "Catch ya later, Lola. Krios." He gave the pair a short wave as he headed back to his workbench.

Tossing his jacket to the side, Thane smiled as her eyes lingered on him. Though removing his jacket was never entirely necessary for sparring, he knew it always had a way of distracting her, and frankly, he loved the attention. As his eyes roamed over her, he found that she had more than enough of her own distractions for him, from her tight grey tank top that hugged her curves so deliciously, to her loose blue combats that hung around her hips. Her red hair was tied up high and hung down her back like a lava stream. For a moment, he wondered if maybe this wasn't such a good idea…

"Your leg is feeling better?" he asked, trying to divert his own attention from her womanly curves.

"It feels great," she replied, raising her arms before her in a defensive stance. "Never underestimate the power of heavy bone weave."

"Good," he answered with a smile. He fell into a stance that was much less defensive and a bit more lax, or so it seemed. No matter his stance, he was always ready to react to any situation. It came with the profession.

"How have you been feeling?" she asked, throwing the first punch to test the waters.

"Not bad," he replied, blocking her attack easily. Moving in for a counter strike, his first fist impacted with her forearm, while the second provided her with a warning blow to the ribs. "It's good to be back on the Normandy," he finished.

"It's good to have you back," Shepard said. She truly meant it. It wasn't every day that you made friends that would follow you into a suicide mission. Fortunately for her, she'd met many.

They circled one another, each in search for an opening that the other wouldn't give. One bold move prompted countless exchanges. They met each other, step for step, strike for strike, circling, charging, dodging like a graceful dance. She wasn't certain how long they'd been exchanging blows, but it was about time they stepped it up. It was time to put her leg to the test. She spun, her leg wheeling around to glance against the back of his knees. His stance was loose enough to keep him on his feet and he shot his arm forward to impact with her side. She jumped back, but not soon enough to avoid the blow. Lunging forward again, she dared a cuff to his face. He caught her wrist in mid-strike and pulled her forward, spinning her around so her back was trapped against his chest.

She hesitated, feeling his heart pound against her shoulder blade. The way he was holding her was by no means unpleasant. Forcing herself to snap back into the moment, she flipped forward, bringing him with her and causing him to fall on his back with a surprised grunt. When he released her, both parties scrambled to their feet rising to meet one another again, head-on. Breaths heavy from exertion, neither had any apparent intention of stopping.

With each moment that their fight intensified she noticed the edge in his gaze becoming more prominent. It made her realize why they'd stopped sparring without an audience to begin with. His movements were becoming more directed and precise as if they had a distinct purpose. She could see he was leaving himself open, seemingly deliberately as if taunting her to make the move. So, against her better judgment, she dove in for a strike. Her fist glanced off of the dense muscles of his stomach. As she suspected, he was prepared. Grabbing her wrist and forearm, he yanked her forward and flipped her. The hangar spun in her vision before her back hit the floor hard, knocking the wind from her lungs. With one swift movement, he straddled her and held down her wrists above her head to pin her. Breathing heavily, neither made any additional attempts to move.

She could feel his warm breath caressing against her face, could smell the intoxicating scent of a salty sea breeze and otherworldly spices. His chest heaved above her, the black stripes rising against the deep green, scaled background with each inhale.

"Looks like you kicked my ass, Krios," she said breathlessly.

He smiled down at her before lowering his soft lips to brush against her jawbone. "And I would gladly do so again," he murmured against her skin, gently releasing her wrists.

Closing her eyes she drew in a breath. She felt like putty beneath him, softening under his warmth and the sensation against her skin. As his body pressed down on her she could feel his obvious arousal growing beneath his leathers. It caused her heart to pound in her chest anxiously. Something was urging her put a stop to this now, but her head was spinning and she couldn't think straight. Her breath hitched as she suddenly felt his warm hands on her sides, gliding up to her ribs with skilled precision.

"We shouldn't…" she objected, bringing her hands down to stop his.

He stopped. "You're right," he rasped, removing his hands from her.

Before she could blink he was already on his feet and extending a hand to help her up. Accepting his hand she rose, all the while willing away the blush that burned her cheeks.

"I apologize if I was too bold," he told her.

"Not at all, it's just—" she bit her bottom lip, unsure of what reason she could give.

"The turian, Arterius. You have feelings for him." His tone was not even remotely accusatory, but simply an observation.

The blush that was nearly gone returned with a vengeance. "N-no – I mean…"

Taking both her hands in his, he gripped them gently but determinately. He was so close she could smell him. It was a scent that reminded her of oceans of a distant world. She'd always wondered if that's what Kahje smelled like.

"I will wait for you, siha. Whatever you decide, well…" he smiled reassuringly, "You know where to find me."

Shepard stared blankly at the fish in her illuminated aquarium as they swam to and fro. A skald fish darted away after wandering too close to the aggressive snapping eel. After chasing away its intruder, the snake-like fish slipped back into its tiny, secluded hiding spot. Due to its mannerisms, she had dubbed the eel, Saren, though she'd never told him that. She smiled to herself, thinking about how not far off the turian was from the hostile little creature.

Raising her fingertips, she lightly touched her jaw line. The sensation of Thane's lips still lingered there. The drell had easily reignited the passion they had once shared. Even though she had broken things off between them, it was clear his feelings for her had remained unchanged all this time. Hers? She wasn't sure. She cared for him yes, but… there was Saren. That bastard turian had sunk his teeth into her and now she couldn't get him out of her damn head. Their last private conversation hadn't ended very well, no thanks to her. The Cerberus assassin's attack left her realizing just how vulnerable she really was. If Thane hadn't been there, she likely wouldn't have survived whatever he had in store for her. Commander Shepard wasn't the invincible vanguard everyone seemed to think she was. She was no stronger than the next marine, and certainly no less mortal. And she had absolutely no grand plans of surviving whatever awaited her at the final battle.

She sighed, turning away from the tank. Her eyes strayed to her helmet, gaze lingering on the burns and gouges that scarred its surface. "Maybe it's just best that I draw the line with both of them," she said aloud to herself. It always came down to that. She needed to stop getting herself into situations in the first place—

"Commander, you have an urgent communication request from a Kahlee Sanders," Joker interrupted, jolting her from her thoughts. He's good at that.

"Says she's from Grissom Academy. I'll patch her through to the communications room when you're ready." he finished before waiting for her response.

Grissom Academy? The school for biotics? Didn't the Alliance lose contact with them recently? "I'll be right there, Joker," she replied hurriedly.

Making her way quickly through the ship's mid-level, she dashed for the communications room. When she arrived, the space was dim and quiet as she approached the terminal to initiate the holo. Pressing the button on the terminal, the holo image of a woman materialized on the platform, illuminating the room.

"Ms. Sanders?" Shepard inquired.

"Commander Shepard! Thank you so much for meeting with me," the woman said with relief. "I don't have much time, but Grissom Academy is under attack and we need your help."

"Attack? The Reapers?"

"No… Cerberus," Kahlee corrected. "I don't have time to go into details. I've been hiding out in a security room trying to contact anyone from the outside. I was so happy when I found out it was you. David has told me so much about you."

"David? You mean Admiral Anderson?" Shepard asked.

"Yes." She allowed herself a brief nostalgic smile before forcing herself to remember her predicament. "Please, Shepard. You're the only hope these students have. So many have already died due to these brutes."

Damn Cerberus, they just don't let up do they? she thought with a scowl. "Stay where you are Ms. Sanders. Leave the heroics to us."

"Thank you, Commander!" The woman released a huffed breath of relief. "I must go before they track the communication link. Be careful." And with that, the holo dissipated.

This is going to be one more mark on my rather extensive Cerberus shit list, Shepard thought bitterly before running off to round up her squad.