Here is the next chapter of Soldiers and Cops. I hope you all like what I have decided to do with the up coming chapters. Please let me know what you think of my little deviationfrom the cannon story. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

The elevator seemed to be moving slower than usual, or maybe she was just tired from the mission and the melding with Shepard. Of course it was because of that act that she was sent down to the bay.

During the meld, Liara had had to navigate not only through Claire's memories but her emotions as well, during which one thought kept popping up…Luke. Sisterly love had glittered brilliantly around the thought of him but a haze of concern… sorrow… even despair had moved over it like an approaching storm.

After the commander had dismissed everyone from the medbay, Liara had brought Luke up. Claire had asked Liara to go down and check on him to put her mind at ease. Liara agreed, but she had already intended to go check on her friend.

Yet as the door opened, she witnessed something that she had never thought possible. Her mouth fell open at seeing the state of the cargo bay. The Mako was on its side threatening to turn over completely if it had not been for the hull of the ship occupying the space where the tank was trying to fall. Pieces of the crates that had once crowded the floor were in pieces scatters all around along with the contents, ranging from food to weapons upgrades to armor to personal items. There was a feeling in the air that Liara knew quite well. The slight tingle along her skin was one of the tell-tale signs of it. Biotics…Luke had been using his biotics; extremely powerful detonations at that.

There he was. Huddled in the corner by the lockers was Luke. He was holding something to his chest but she could not make out what it was. She wanted to figure out what to say to him as she approached but nothing came to mind. Wrex had told her to be careful since Luke had hurled him across the cargo bay, but surely Luke had calmed down by now. Most of his anger seemed to have been taken out on the rest of the cargo bay.

Before she could think of a single word, she was next to him. He had been there for her when her mother died and had made her feel welcome just as much as Claire had. Perhaps she felt like she owed him or maybe it was because he was her friend, but she got the feeling that it was best not to say anything. She sat down next to him and put an arm around his quaking shoulders. Her eyes were drawn to the items in his hands.

Holos of Ashley. That is why he is distraught. Liara looked down at the holo of Ashley and felt the sorrow seep into her own heart. Ashley may not have been the most friendly member of the crew to her, but she had been a friend. She had defended Liara in battle and helped her get her armor to sit right the first time she wore it.

Liara couldn't hold it back any longer. She placed her forehead on Luke's shoulder and began to cry as well. This only seemed to bring more tears to Luke's eyes but for the moment he was allowing her to be sad with him. That was more than he had allowed Wrex to do.

"I am going to miss her very much." Liara sniffed just barely choking out the words between sobs. "May I show you something?"

Luke looked up at her. Blood covered the lower part of his face showing that his nose had been bleeding quite a bit. Even a few blood vessels in his eyes had ruptured turning the whites of his eyes to sinister crimson.

"Asari are able to share memories with each other. We only do it with really close friends or family," Liara said softly as she turned to face Luke. "Relax…embrace eternity."

Liara felt the emotion wash over her. Not being an asari made it so that Luke could not control what emotions came into her mind, but Liara steadied herself and showed Luke her fondest memories of Ashley. A blue haze surrounded them, but not the soft, warm blue like clean bath water, but cold and gloomy like a drizzly rain in the middle of winter. Liara showed Luke how Ashley helped her get her armor situated before her first ground side mission with Claire. The sorrow she felt made her realize that Luke was hurting but there was an air of happiness to it as well. Perhaps the ability to see Ashley again helped him.

Liara withdrew her mind and looked over at Luke. Tears were still streaming down his face but he seemed more relaxed and possibly even a little happier. His body was less tense and she could even see a slight smile across his face, yet that smile slowly vanished.

"Liara, I'm leaving."

Liara's eyes fell to the floor. Had she done something wrong? Did he not want to be around her even though she was trying to cheer him up? Did he even want to be cheered up?

"I can't stay on this ship anymore. Not while Mallory and Kaidan are on board. Too many things remind me of Ash and I can't be at my best if she is always on my mind." Luke sighed and wiped his face with his sleeve.

Could he really be serious? Could he really be leaving the ship? Liara understood Luke being reminded of Ashley especially here in the cargo bay, but did he really have to leave? "What would Ashley say about this? Do you think Ashley would want you to give up on the chase?"

"I'll keep fighting Saren…but not on this ship. Not with Kaidan or Mallory," Luke said. His tone caused Liara to shrink back a little. She had hoped that reminding him of Ashley and her final wishes would cause Luke to reconsider and maybe stay on board, but obviously it did not work. "I appreciate you coming down here and talking with me. Showing me your memories of Ash, that was really nice. I just…I can't be here."

"What the hell happened down here!?"

Liara turned to see Mallory limping out of the elevator with Tali. Tali immediately turned and jogged down the hall to the engine room. With the way she glanced around and ran off, Liara assumed that she did not want to be a witness to what would happen next, no matter what it was.

"Luke, you have gone way too far this time. Look at this place, you destroyed the cargo bay and most of our supplies." Mallory winced as she screamed. She leaned down and picked up one of the weapons up grades that was scattered across the floor and examined it. "You really have no respect for Alliance procedure or protocol do you?"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Luke roared. Liara had never heard Luke shout like that. Not even in the middle of a battle. She immediately moved back against the wall hoping to not get caught in the shouting match. As Luke stood and moved forward, Liara noticed he was not giving off any biotic energy. He must have turned the amp back to suppression after realizing his nose was bleeding, or possibly his headache had become too much. "I'm so sick of you treating me like your subordinate. You aren't my commander, you're not my superior in any way, and you are hardly my sister." Luke's face was turning read almost to the point of matching the blood in his eyes. I can see why you got the title of Butcher of Torfan. Ash is dead because of you and your boy toy and you don't give a damn."

Surely he was not serious about all of that. She knew Mallory had a cold demeanor to her but surely she cared if a team member had been killed. Liara felt her stomach turn and a chill slither up her spine as she watched Luke snap at Mallory. There was only one emotion that could really describe the amount of hostility radiating from Luke…hate. Liara was not sure where the hate was directed but she was sure. Luke hated something, or someone. Maybe he just needed something to hate to help him heal and Mallory was just the unlucky recipient. Human behavior was so strange.

"You're such a brat. Marines die. I've lost friends too. I lost Mom and Dad too. I know you have been through Hell, but be a man about it."

"What, like your man? The L2 poster boy and dutiful soldier that can do no wrong. Oh, wait a minute, he did do something wrong. He got someone killed! JUST LIKE YOU!" Luke immediately pushed past Mallory almost knocking her to the floor.

"Where'd you think you are going?" Mallory snapped.

"To let Claire know that my mind is made up." Liara covered her mouth with her hands. He wasn't going to let anther fight with Mallory drive him off the ship was he? They needed him. He was part of the team, part of the family, even if Mallory did not like it.

Luke came over to Liara and placed a hand on her shoulder. The weight felt heavier than it should for some reason. Why couldn't she make him see that his place was on the Normandy with the people that cared about him? "This is why I have to leave. Keep in contact, okay? No matter what happens."

Liara nodded as tears filled her eyes again. She had not just lost Ashley, Luke was leaving now too. Their crew, their team, their family was falling apart.

"So you'll just run away again? Abandon us again?" Mallory shouted as Luke collected his gear and slipped Ashley's holos into his bag. Liara watched as Luke tossed the bag over his shoulder and started heading for the elevator.

"Us?" Luke sighed and chuckled. "No…you. I'll always be here for Claire, but as long as you are on this ship, I won't be. I can't serve on a team with someone who kills their own people."

Liara could not believe Luke just said that. Mallory was cold and mission-driven but she would never intentionally harm a member of her own team…right?

As the doors of the elevator closed behind him, Liara stormed over to Mallory. Her cheeks flush red with anger. Heat swelled in her chest and she was so mad that she thought she might even get sick.

"How could you treat him like that, your own brother? He has lost someone most dear to him and you scold him over the state of the cargo bay? How can you expect anyone to follow you into battle if you do not respect them and know them? Luke is not only your flesh and blood, but he is part of our team. I am going to make sure he remembers that. I would think very hard about what I want Luke to think of me if I were you. At the moment, I am fairly certain he hates you." Liara could not believe she had said that but the words had come out and there was no taking them back.

She did not wait for a response. If she hurried, she might be able to get to Claire and Luke in time to help Claire talk Luke out of leaving.