Guilt of the Healthy
Chapter Description: This focuses mostly on Ashley. Her thoughts and views. As well as her guilt for what was said to Shepard on Horizon. Enjoy!
Liara was vaguely aware of the conversation between Grunt and Samara as they were led away from the med bay towards the mess. It was idle chit chat, she realized as she tuned in on it, listening as Grunt told Samara the story about Shepard helping him through his Rite of Passage on Tuchanka, laughing as he told her Shepard's reaction to the one mating request. "I didn't think a human could move that fast without using biotics." Grunt bellowed in amusement. This caused the Asari to smile and earned a chuckle from Ashley as they shared a glance. Both could only imagine the panic and utter horror that would have been on Shepard's face as she hightailed it to the shuttle.
Samara's reaction was more subdued than anyone present. A serene smile passed over her lips, her words lost amongst Grunt's laughter, as they entered the mess. "Help yourselves to whatever you need. My home is yours for the duration of your stay." Liara stated simply, taking a seat at the nearby table while the rest filed away to check out the room and find something to eat. All except Ashley.
Brown eyes watched as Liara as she slumped into the table, her jaw resting in her left hand. Now that she was actually looking at the Asari, she appeared to be exhausted. Ashley watched as Liara's eyes fluttered over to the Krogan as he mumbled something to himself, inspecting something within the refridgeration unit. Those eyes then darted over to the Justicar as she made some tea. It was as if she were inspecting the occupants of the room. Soon though, Ashley found herself meeting Liara's eyes.
As brown met blue, Ashley could see the worry within that azure gaze. Liara loved Shepard, had already lost her once. The fear that Liara had would watch her lover slip through her fingers yet again was palpable. It radiated off the Asari in waves that anyone, if they looked closely, could feel.
Minutes had ticked by, and before long, someone clearing their throat caught their attention. Liara's head jerked around as Samara placed a cup of tea down on the table in front of her. "Drink. It will help ease you." Ashley observed the two Asari silently, having not moved from her spot, despite the somewhat awkward staring contest she and Liara had been caught in. Samara was gentle, seemingly at peace with whatever may happen, untroubled at the thought of losing a great hero to the galaxy. Well, I guess being a thousand years old will have that effect on you.. Ashley thought, nibbling on her lip.
Samara had been part of Shepard's team on Horizon. Along with that Cerberus bitch, Lawson. Ashley's lips twitched into a small snarl at the thought of that woman. She was the leader of the team that brought Shepard back. The leash that tied Shepard to Cerberus. Forget about the 4 billion credits spent on the woman. That only ensured that Shepard felt indebted to them in the first place. But to put that little bird, or huge honking, annoying bird, in her ear...
"Would you care for some tea also, Chief Williams?" The dulcet tones of the Justicar carried to her eardrums, cutting through the woman's thoughts and meanderings. Despite her previous unpleasant thought pattern, a polite smile came over Ashley's lips. "No, thank you." She winced as she caught the look the elder Asari was giving her, as if knowing exactly what she was thinking about. She took her nonverbal chastisement and turned, ignoring the confused look she was receiving from Liara, to find herself some grub.
As she searched through the cabinet for something to satisfy her stomach, Ashley cast a side glance over to the two Asari sitting at the table. She mostly observed the Justicar this time, intrigued by her. They had both been present for the words spoken to Shepard that day. Guilt ran through Ashley's veins as she remembered what she had accused Shepard of. And yet, Samara, loyal to Shepard as she was, kept the peace and offered her own serenity to the human female who had belittled her leader. Deciding that she wasn't as hungry as she initially thought, mostly due to her physical reaction to her thoughts and everything going on, she grabbed a granola bar, a cup of coffee and moved back to the table, taking a seat next to Samara and across from Liara.
The silence was easy within the room, each enjoying their procured food items. "Is there something I can shoot on this hunk of junk?" Grunt's voice seemed to echo through the room, startling the human occupant and causing the Asari ones to look up at him. Samara simply tilted her head while Liara frowned. Ashley bit back a smile, hiding it behind her coffee mug. "My ship is not a 'hunk of junk'...But yes. There is a simulator that allows you to run programs to your liking." Grunt seemed pleased with this answer and pushed off his perch. "Mind showing me the way?"
Ashley looked on as Liara stood, pushing back from the table. "Is there somewhere I might be able to meditate? Where I can see out? Halagaz isn't the most beautiful of planets but it's far better than gazing at a bulk head." There was amusement in the Justicar's voice as she caught the pair before they left. Liara smiled and nodded, motioning for her to follow.
And then there was one...
Ashley was left alone within the room, content to sit quietly with her coffee, granola bar and thoughts. But it seems the PTB had other ideas. Lost as she was in her thoughts, Ashley didn't hear the soft noise of a cloak disengaging. Didn't sense another person within the room she sat in. "You know. You really hurt Shep's feelings with your accusations." Ashley jumped, hot coffee splashing out of her mug to land on her hand. This, in turn, caused her to drop the mug, spilling its contents on the table and breaking off the handle.
Ashley whirled on Kasumi, holding her injured hand. "What the fuck!" She bellowed, eyes wild. Kasumi didn't budge, arms crossed as she gazed upon the injured Williams woman from under her hood. It was unclear, however, if Ashley was yelling due to her burned hand or the words spoken. "I am well aware of what my words did to Shepard." Ashley hissed, stalking past Kasumi to the sink. "I let my loyalty to the Alliance blind me to my loyalty to Shepard." Her eyes focused on the water that ran over her hand, only making the sting of the burn worse. Or was that the guilt brought on by Kasumi's words. "Who the fuck are you to say anything anyway?" Ashley's words were harsh and bitter as she glared over her shoulder at the other woman.
Kasumi's lips twitched from under her hood. "I'm Shepard's friend. Who are you?" Ashley visibly winced at the words and Kasumi felt triumphant over her other woman. Before Ashley could reply, or stir up more trouble, Liara swept back into the room, stopping in surprise at someone new in the room and Ashley standing at the sink, looking hurt and guilty. "What is going on here?" She asked slowly, eyes flicking between the hood woman and Ashley. She moved over to join Ashley at the sink, carefully taking the woman's wrist to look at the pink tinged hand, not missing the look that Ashley shot Kasumi. "She uncloaked and startled me." A shoulder shrugs. "Split my coffee and burnt myself."
The look on Liara's face told her that her lie wasn't believed. No doubt, the Shadow Broker would ask the minute they were alone. Blue eyes shifted over to Kasumi as she nodded. "Nothing a little medigel can't handle." Liara stated, looking up to meet Ashley gaze with a small, comforting smile. "Dry off your hand and sit down. I will be right back." She ordered softly, exiting the room once more.
Following the instructions she was given, Ashley glared up at Kasumi from across the table. "The guilt trip wasn't needed." She growled. Kasumi remained stationary for a moment, teeth caught between her bottom lip. "Maybe not..." She mumbled cryptically. She moved then, finding a towel to clean the spilled coffee as Liara came back into the room. The room was silent. This time, thought, it was uneasy. Ashley was angry. Liara was confused. And Kasumi...Well, she's just Kasumi.
Man, I had a hard time with this chapter. Sorry it took so long to write. I started it then life(By life, I mean work) got in the way. R&R please!