Miranda POV:

Another day and once again I am writing another report. I cannot believe that Bellona got hurt that bad, again. I thought for a moment that I had lost her. Even thinking about that makes my heart freeze and hurt. She is the only one who I can truly count on no matter what. I just wish... enough thinking I should really finish up this report. Come on focus Miranda. Ok where was I? Event #45A-section C, local time...really I could use some help finishing the report up. What was it with Bellona and her being so bad at writing reports? This is really below standard; why doesn't she understand that I need more details to write to the Illusive Men?

Miranda in her frustration after reading the incomplete report just send a message to Bellona's Omni-tool asking her to return to the ship.

I hope she won't take too long to get here, I really do have a lot to do.

Miranda continued to muse for a while as she was sitting at her place before the terminal. Bellona walked through the doors into Miranda in a less than happy manner. Miranda noticed that her body language just screamed frustration.

I saw her face hardening as her eyes turned icy cold. "We need to talk." Bellona said.

If she wanted to go the unfriendly way fine, two can play this game. I calmly looked at her with a serious expression and asked "About what Agent?"

I saw Bellona's eyes narrowing in anger as she replied "What the hell is wrong with you Miranda?! Why are you treating me like this?"

Treat her like what? She is the one getting all angry with me for no reason. Besides it is not like I am treating her any different from what I have normally done. I don't have time to argue with her, I have responsibilities and to achieve that I will have to be cold I cannot be that happy go lucky girl at the moment. I do not have time for childish behavior and silly little fights.

"I'm treating you like I always have." I said back to her emotionless.

Bellona slammed her palms on the desk. A loud smack echoed around the office. "Bull! You treat me as if I'm a stranger to you! When I try to bring up past, you give me a cold shoulder! When I try to be friendly, you ignore me; you don't listen to me when I need you to do so. But when you need me, I'm always there! Always ready to listen to you, to care for you. You don't talk to me anymore! It's only about missions with you. About humanity, Illusive Men."

That hurt, besides she is wrong it has nothing to do with Illusive Men and I tried to tell her as such. "It has nothing do to with Illusive Men- I" however before I got to finish Bellona interrupted me.

"Damn it Miranda, why can't you see what is in front of you all this time? Why are you so hung up on this 'humanity deserves the best' moto?! Tell me Miranda where was the last time you ever asked me how I feel? Where was the last time you spend some time with me? For fuck sake Miranda do you even remember me?!"

"Of course I do—"

"Well it doesn't look like you do! Damn it Miranda, sometimes I feel like I'm talking with a stranger instead of my best friend. As if you not the same person I used to know."

"Time change people Bell. You know that."

"It has nothing to do with time Miri. Don't you see you're so deep into Cerberus, into TIM that you losing sight in front of you? Is Cerberus that important to you? Is humanity so important that you will lose yourself in the process? That you would follow his ideas over yours?"

"Illusive man has a high hope for humanity, and you know –"

"Damn it! Miri why are you so freaking blind? Why are you….why!" Bellona could help herself as she felt tears blur in her eyes, but she didn't let them drop.

"Why can't you see that you're just a tool to him, nothing more, nothing less, he can replace you at any time. You live only once, and I don't want to lose you. I care about you…" she whispered softly, "sometimes, I wonder if you ever cared about me…"

For a moment I forgot that Bellona was still in the room, I was lost in my thoughts feeling hurt and anger.

That last bit, did Bell really wonder if I cared about her? Does she not see how worried I was about her? That I always help her when she gets hurt on her mission, I even went as far as to rescue her before! Was this really the woman she considered her best friend? How could Bellona even be this harsh, what have I done to deserve this? Fine! If she wants to be a bitch, so be it. I have a job to do, and if she won't be there to help I will not let that affect me. I will be the ice queen I need to be in order to succeed.

In that time I had been silent, not saying a word.

I could tell that Bellona was studying me, waiting for an answer or explination of my actions. What she didn't realize was that she no longer deserved that. How dare she take all her anger out on me! I was the one keeping everything together!

"Are you done?" I could see that my cold voice stabbed her through her heart, and right in front of us, all our years of friendship turned to dust. I could tell that Bellona was shocked. Then her features turned hard, her eyes were empty, hard as ice glaring into mine.

"Yes." Was all she said.

I nodded my head and turned back to her terminal. "You're dismissed."

"Yes ma'am." Bellona then burning with anger left my office, without looking back.

I breathed out deeply. This was not how I had wanted this conversation to go.

Next day: Normandy: 6000 am.

Bellona woke up as tired as she had gone asleep. Slowly opening one eye to see what time it was, she saw a cure of short red hair on next pillow.

What... As memories of the previous night flashed in her head, the fight with Miranda, then Shepard finding her in bar on the Normandy drinking, then taking her to her quarters saying she can room-up with her for a night.

Bellona sighed, the fight between Miranda and her, took all of her strength, then she just had to go and blow things up with Miranda. For so long I stayed silent when she was pissed off, took everything she trowel at me. Done everything she asked.

Breathing down deeply, Bellona tried to slow down her heartbeat, to calm down and not wake up a woman close to her that was sleeping.

So…why the hell do I feel like a worse human in the galaxy? Why does my chest hurt so much? Bellona felt as if her life was drowning. Bellona swallowed hard as she clutched furiously at her chest, hoping to stop her heart from racing, for her body to shut down to stop feeling this…guilt and anger.

I need to get up and get a grip! Bellona closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"Are you alright?"

Bellona turned her head toward the voice and slowly opened her hazel-eyes, looking into deep green's of Shepard.

"I will be. Sorry did I wake you?"

Shepard smiled drowsily. "I always wake up at time like this. No hangover?"

Bellona smiled softly at Shepard, even though she didn't ask her, Shepard still coming and helping.

"Not really. What about you?"

Bellona got out of bed and stumbled across to the other side of cab, picking up her clothes, before going into the bathroom.

Shepard chuckled, "Sure make use of my bathroom."

"I will." Shepard heard Bellona call back teasingly. Before getting up and dressing herself up.

Bellona walked out of the bathroom, dressed and refreshed.

"Thanks."

Shepard looked at Bellona and nodded her head. "You're welcome. Listen, whatever happens between you both, I'm sure it will pass. Friendship like you're doesn't disappear overnight. But if you need anyone to talk to, my room is always open."

If only I could believe that Shep. "Thanks. So does that mean I can take a place on your bed?" Bellona teased slightly.

Shepard crossed her arms and arched and eyebrow. "Are you flirting with me Rose?"

Rose showed her arms in surrender, " Whoa… Now please stop looking at me like that. No really stop."

Shepard slowly walked up to Bellona, "My, Agent you have a lot of guts to get on with me like this."

Bellona chuckled and smirked. "I know I'm irresistible. Woman just can't get enough of me."

Shepard laughed. "Oh I'm sure they just can't wait to swoop you up."

Bellona shook her head. "No, 'swooping' is bad. More like jump."

Shepard eyes twinkled with humor. "I'll swoop you up if you won't get back to your station. I'll need you today." Bellona raised an eyebrow and smirked flirty at Shepard who in turn blushed as she understood what she had asked.

"Don't look at me like that! You know what I mean, now Shoo!"

Bellona backed away to the elevator and out of captain quieter's. "Yes my lady" then she bowed before the doors closed on her.

Bellona walked up to her locker, nodding toward Jacob who was busy with repair again. She pick her armor and put it on, Jacob looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You're going somewhere?"

Bellona was picking her weapons, as she nodded her head. "Shepard, going to take me and Archangel, to get our new teammate."

"I see. Good luck. I know how much you hate being on the front lines."

"Hey, right now, I want to get some shooting down."

"Bad day?"

"Something like that."

Try as she might, Bellona couldn't control the anger deep inside of her, when she saw Miranda will be joining them. Miranda had a way of walking that made her seem tenser then a tiger who stalk her prey.

Shepard on other hand was walking like a marching soldier.

Bellona fought back a scowl as the guard asked Shepard to give up her weapon.

Before the guard could blink Shepard gun was in her hands. "I'll relinquish one bullet, where do you want it?" she told them casually.

Bellona and Miranda also had their weapon draw and pointing.

The sealed doors opened and turian walked out. "Everyone stand down."

"Commander, I'm Warden Kuril, and this is my ship. Your weapons will be returned on the way out. You must realize this is just a standard procedure."

Yeah right. So when are you going to betray us and put us into cages? Ass. Bellona rolled her eyes, she was not in the mood playing politician.

And this silence between her and Miranda was, making her angry. Miranda didn't even glance at her since they left the ship. And it fucking hurt.

"It's my standard procedure to keep my gun."

The too looked at each other, gaze narrowed.

"Let them proceed. Our facility is more than sacure enough to handle three armed quests." He turned to Shepard. "We're bringing Jack out of statist. If you'll follow me to Outprocessing for a pickup, Commander."

As they fallowed him, Bellona could help but say. " I have a bad feeling about this."

"Try to be more professional Agent."

"What? Are you saying you don't feel something amiss? Miss Lawson."

"I'm saying that you need to keep your thought to yourself. Agent."

"I'm sure you would like that won't you? After all who care about little old me?"

"Do you really want to do this here? Agent."

"I don't know, why don't you tell me what I should do, Miss Lawson."

"Why would I do that?"

"Why? You ask. Because you always do,"

"I don't always tell you what to do."

"Really? So tell me when was the last time you ever asked me about how I am feeling?"

"Two years ago, when you were on Omega, talking to me."

"And who's fault was it I was there?"

"why are you looking at me, you're the one who agreed."

"Because you didn't want to go! As you said 'I don't want to stay in that shit-smelling-hole' let Bellona do it."

"Oh, Shut up."

"Now you shutting me up, how nice of you Miss Lawson."

"Agent –"

"If you two won't cut it out, I'll space you though airlock! Both of you! You're acting like children! Get a grip!" Shouted Shepard enjoyed by them both. Why did I think it was good idea to take Miranda instead of Garrus?

Bullets. Cover. Shoot. Run. And do it all over again. Bellona took all her anger out on guard as they stood on their way. Run after Jack she said. Oh I'll fucking run after her.

This ship was going down, systems hacked, everyone killed by them. Today was a good day. Let's just hope the naked tattooed woman, won't use her biotic power to clean walls with them.

When Shepard and her squad arrived, three guard had already surrounded the unarmored naked biotic who wear only straps over her tits, and pants. With a scream, Jack glowed with her biotic and knocked down those two in front of her. The echoes of their screams and broken next filed the air. The last one stood ready to kill Jack, but before her could left his gun a bullet found home in his head.

Jack whipped around and sneered at the three of them. "You again? What the hell do you want?"

"I'm Commander Jane Shepard and this is my team. I'm here to get you off this ship."

"Why? What the hell do you want from me?"

"I want you to join my team."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. You're Cerberus."

"Alright. What do you want?"

Jack grinned. "I bet your ship's got a lot of Cerberus databases. I want to look at those files. See what Cerberus has got on me. You want me on your team, get me the databases."

"All right, you'll get the full access."

Miranda protested "Shepard, you're not authorized to do that!"

Jack grin spread on her face. "Ohhh, it upsets the cheerleader – even better."

Bellona eyes narrowed, sure she was pissed off at Miranda, but she didn't like the tone this woman was using. "Why don't you keep your mouth shut Zero?"

Jack turned to her and sneered at her. "Name's Jack for your safety you should remember that."

Bellona glared at Jack. "Whatever you say Zero-Jack"

Miranda eye soften as she heard Bellona protective nature showing her face.

Shepard rubbed her neck. "Good. We are done here. Move out. I had enough of this place!"

Bellona glared at Jack back as she fallowed Shepard back to the ship. Asshole. She felt a gentle squeeze on her elbow, she turned to see Miranda's hand on her, as she said.

"Thank you." Bellona looked at Miranda, her features hard, as she nodded.

"Just doing my job. Ma'am." Before turning her back and walking away, without seeing flash of hurt in Miranda's eyes.

Deck 4: Cargo Holde.

Bellona never felt more alone in her life. Since the argument between Miranda and her, they were emotionally distant, angry. At least that was how she felt. The bond she shared with her had been like a bridge out of her troubled mind. Now she had gone and the bridge was no longer there, broken to pieces, and she doesn't know how to build it back. Now, no matter how many people surround her, she felt alone. She was completely and utterly alone in her mind, body, and soul.

The guilt sat inside her, crawling and hurting. What she had done she could not un-do. She could make amends in subtle ways, but confession was out of question. Bellona head swam with half-formed regrets.

Bellona was disappointed; she has no idea why she allowed her to do it to her over and over again. She forgive her, and then the dance will start again, each time with a new start, she will be faced with disappointed. Her heart sank and her anger flared. Why? Why can't she just understand how I feel?

Well, she had only herself to blame.

The beeping on her Omni-tool, distracted her from her gloomy thought.

To: Rose K.

From: Elenya

Hey hun,

Hope you are doing well, I know you probably busy with this mission you are on. But I was wondering if you can visit me? I miss you. Omega is still the same, the business is going well. Hope the same goes for you.

Remember what I told you? About the restaurant? Did you think about it? I just know if you open it, there will be tons of people who will like to try your dishes. I even help!

Anyway, I wanted to know when you will be coming, and if, or when you do we could go out on date?

You know you want to. I know you do.

When you have a free time, call me.

Love,

Elenya.

Bellona's corner of her mouth lifts up into a smile. Maybe she was not alone as she thought she was. Maybe Elenays was the one who can save her. Maybe I won't have to feel so alone now.

AN: Hey, everyone here is another chap to go, and also that my friend fumes for help. Don't forget reviews!