III.
Cora stands for a moment watching Scott walk away from her, she sees him navigating his way through the crowds of people until she can only see the back of his head and then he is gone and she loses sight of him. She hopes he can find the room and that he doesn't get lost in this huge maze of corridors and rooms. Scott was a very big boy though and she was sure he could take care of himself.
The Lieutenant turns on the spot and places her hands on the edges of the bar taking a deep breath. Everything had gotten very intense very quickly. But Scott seemed so lovely and he made her feel like she'd never felt before and surely that was a good thing. She closes her eyes for a moment when she thinks about how angry Alec would be if he saw her like this. But he'd made his choice. It was their last night to enjoy themselves, so she was going to make it one to remember and do something she wouldn't ever do. Cora perches on her barstool again waiting to get the bartenders attention, he notices that she is waiting to be served and moves down to her to take her order.
"Hi.." Cora begins smiling at him, she still felt bad that Scott had so gracefully spat out their original drinks all over the floor. "The drink we had before.." She adds picking up the datapad and pointing to the drink she'd selected for them. "Could I have a bottle?" She gives him another smile seeing him raise his eyebrow at her slightly.
"That depends." The Bartender begins, she watches him bend down and reach for something from under the bar that she hopes is what she's asked for. Her and Scott didn't need glasses and she'd only have to carry them. There were probably already some in the room. "Is your boyfriend going to spit it on the carpet again?" He asks making her blush at his words.
"Trust me, he's not my boyfriend.." Cora laughs lightly. "That was the drink from the tray anyway, too many bubbles." Cora adds giving him another smile. The Bartender finally finds what he was looking for and stands up straight again. He places a small glass pot of cherries on the counter and motions to Cora that they are for her.
"That stuff is disgusting." The Bartender nods making Cora laugh. "They water it down and hope that no one notices too. All the credits the AI has and they scrimp on the wine. But, you didn't hear that from me." He adds, giving her another smile, he pushes the cherries towards her with the back of his hand. "I'll get you two a bottle. Back soon." Cora watches him wander off down the other end of the bar and through a door that she imagines must lead to the storeroom.
Cora picks up a cherry from the jar and pops it into her mouth, she wondered if they'd have glacier cherries in Andromeda. Cora smiles when she remembers that Scott had told her how much he liked Strawberry pudding. It was a staple food item for those serving in the military because it was generally the only thing that tasted edible. That of course was only because it was so artificially flavoured, sickeningly sweet and most people hadn't tasted real strawberries for years, if ever. It came in an airtight vacuum-packed silver packet that was so inconspicuous you might sometimes get it mixed up for coffee powder or shower gel, both of which were disappointing when you were hoping for bright pink sugar-rich pudding.
Alec hated strawberry pudding and always traded his for more coffee instead of giving her his share. Cora sighs before shaking her head, she should not be letting him come back to the front of her mind again. Even if she was going to miss terribly sipping coffee with him, late into the evening in his lab while he worked on a project or two, finally getting him to agree to put it down long enough to wrap his arms around her. Cora sighs again and drives the thought away. Tonight was about Scott, and she couldn't get too attached to him either.
"Here. Hope you and your not boyfriend enjoy it." The Bartender places the bottle down in front of her; she gives him a smile as thanks before he walks away again. Cora picks up another cherry and twirls it around in her fingers for a moment with its stem.
She had to be realistic about Scott; she was going to be in the Pathfinder's team and Scott was going to be stationed on some freezing cold planet somewhere guarding a settlement, bored out of his mind with his unit. Their lives weren't going in the same direction as each other. She would probably never see him again and even if she did, these things never lasted once you tried to build a relationship on something more than sex. Even if it did work for a while, they'd never get shore leave approved at the same time and he would soon stray. He probably didn't even pick up his socks off of the floor.
Cora huffs and picks up the bottle. She couldn't believe she was worried about his socks when she should be back in the room by now, preferably naked and with him between her legs.
"Is this seat taken?" A voice asks.
"No, I was actually just about to leave.." Cora begins glancing up to see the Initiative Officer that had been speaking to her and Alec, earlier in the night, had found her and motioning to the empty stool beside her. She also notices that it is the same Officer that she thought had been laughing at her expense. "Oh, I'm sorry Commander.."
"Raymond." He announces as he perches on the stool next to her without waiting to be asked. He motions to the bartender to bring him a drink and places his hands on the bar in front of him. "And you are Lieutenant Harper. Alec's protégé." Cora just nods at his words, yes Alec had picked her but her blood, sweat, and hard work had got her this far, not his.
"That's right." Cora replies giving him a nod, she'd learnt by now that it was pointless to say anything more. Years of training with the Alliance and the Talien's Daughters as an Asari Commando Huntress was now compressed down into three words: Alec Ryder's protégé. Not his partner, not his wife, not even his friend.
"Forgive me for interrupting, I see you are having a party of your own." He chuckles nodding towards the bottle of brown liquor on the bar. "Although I haven't seen a drop of alcohol pass Alec's lips since." The man hums and looks off into the distance as if he is trying to remember. "2157. First Contact War. Sometimes you just realise the world has gotten a lot stranger and there are no answers at the bottom of your glass." He laughs making Cora smile lightly.
Alec had been slightly older than she was now and in his late twenties during that dreadful time, he'd told her that nothing had ever wavered his want to be in the military as much as that battle and time of his life.
"I don't need answers, I'm just very thirsty." Cora glances at him as he lifts his glass and downs it quickly; he chuckles again at her words. Cora sighs quietly, she didn't know what this mans intentions were but she was sure from his previous accusations he was trying to coax information out of her about Alec. She didn't want to sit here and listen to this; she wanted to be with Scott. Cora wraps his jumper around her body tighter when she thinks of him.
"I can see why he is so taken with you," Raymond announces turning to look at Cora, she just and turns her attention back to the bottle. Was he talking about Scott? They'd only just met but she guessed their public display had been, very public. "The Pathfinder, I mean." He adds, making Cora lift her brows in surprise.
"That is a very complicated subject." Cora replies turning to look at him again, he gives her a sympathetic nod. Alec had not been as tight-lipped about their relationship, as she had been lead to believe. Commander Raymond was either trying to gain a reaction from her to prove a suspicion he had, or she was meeting the one other person that knew about her and Alec.
"I know, and I don't push him to discuss you with me." Raymond replies giving her another sympathetic look. He knew and that meant he also knew about their argument. Cora huffs quietly to herself, she felt annoyed at Alec and rightly so. He would fly into a rage every time she accidentally looked at him the wrong way or touched him in public in case someone found out and here he was blabbing about it to an old military buddy.
"I see.." Cora sighs and brings her hands up to her face for a moment, she takes a deep breath trying to process this new information. Maybe if she'd been allowed friends and someone to confide in other than Alec it would have never gotten this far. Maybe if she had, had a friend like Scott in her life he would have told her to ditch Alec months ago and she would have been happy. She'd wasted so much time on him, waiting for a future that was never coming.
"I did just assume you were more of an ambitious woman than this." Commander Raymond sighs making Cora drop her hands from her face and frown. Did he really just say that to her? How dare he assume that she was with Alec for her professional gain? Cora feels herself fume at his words, they might as well have come out of the Pathfinder's mouth.
"Is that what he told you?" Cora replies standing up from her barstool trying to stop her legs from wobbling again, she didn't need to sit and be demeaned like this by a man that didn't even know her. "With all due respect Commander Raymond, but you have no idea about my ambition." Cora adds, she sees him lift his hand waving at her as if he is trying to calm her and retract his words.
"I meant no disrespect, Lieutenant Harper. I just meant that I hope that the unfortunate timing of your argument with Alec hasn't damaged things for you, on a professional level." Raymond gives her an apologetic glance.
"The timing was all him." Cora huffs picking up the bottle from the bar, she didn't want to think about Alec anymore and knowing that she'd been discussed in such a personal and intimate detail made her uncomfortable. This man knew too much. "You don't even know me." Cora whispers seeing the man sigh.
"No, but I know Alec.." Commander Raymond chuckles. "I've known that man for a very, very long time and I know what can happen when he doesn't get his way. I know he is the right man for the Pathfinder job but he lets his temper get the better of him. I just hope that my oldest and dearest friend doesn't come between you and Scott. He's a good kid." He fixes his eyes on her when pauses hearing his words.
"You know Scott?" Cora asks lowering herself onto the stool again; she was suddenly more interested in what Commander Raymond had to say. She didn't think there was much anyone could tell her about Alec, but Scott was a whole new adventure. And probably starting to wonder where she was.
"Of course, everyone knows Scott." Raymond chuckles swirling his drink his glass. Not everyone, clearly she'd never heard of him before tonight and didn't think she'd ever even set eyes on him. Cora decides she couldn't have been spending time in the right places if she didn't know Scott.
"Wait, were you spying on us?" Cora frowns, the only way he'd have known to mention Scott was if he'd seen them together. Why was he so concerned about her and Scott? Did he think the Pathfinder would hurt him? She didn't think Alec cared enough about her to be that concerned.
"No, I'm just an observant man." Commander Raymond smiles. "Don't worry, he didn't see you together. But I imagine Alec wouldn't be very happy about it." The Commander adds making Cora nod, what would Alec do other than throw her off of the Pathfinder team? Nothing. "Alec told me that you argued. He was upset about it, but I hadn't realised that you'd met Scott.. Very complicated." Raymond tuts quietly to himself.
"Alec and I are no longer together." Cora huffs, not that they ever really were. "Did he ask you to speak to me?" Cora asks him, she sees him sigh again as if he is feeling conflicted. He must have known Alec for years and she knew it was a big deal for this man to discuss it with her.
"No, he was concerned for you. So take from that what you will." Raymond chuckles "Take care of yourself Lieutenant and spend what time you have here doing what makes you happy, not Alec." He adds; making Cora smile lightly. "Now Scott, he is an interesting one."
"Interesting, how?" Cora glances over his head and into the party half expecting to set eyes on Alec. Especially as he'd been so angry with her, she knew he was probably on the warpath somewhere breaking something.
Cora looks back at Commander Raymond, she felt strange finding out things about Scott from everyone else. Maybe, now she wasn't going to be spending her last hours with Alec, they could spend the time before cryo, getting to know each other. Maybe they could make arrangements for 600 years and see each other again. Maybe get a coffee in Andromeda. But, maybe they would say goodbye tomorrow and never cross paths again. She was getting ahead of herself.
"Sometimes you just know that they are destined for good things." Raymond begins and nods his head. Cora sees him tap his hands gently against the bar. "Every once in a while a recruit will come along and they make you wish you had one hundred more of them because they make your job so easy." He chuckles, so had this man trained Scott?
"He was in the Alliance?" She asks him seeing him nod. She had figured that out from their conversation but she hadn't asked about his career any more than that. She assumed he was fairly green, however. She hadn't even asked his age.
"Yes, from a young age. It was the obvious future for him." Commander Raymond hums for a moment as if he is thinking about it and trying to recall a memory. "No one can deny Scott's potential, the Alliance certainly couldn't." He adds with a smile that she can only assume is pride. "I first met Scott when he was just a few minutes old and even then I believed he would do great things." He sighs before continuing, "It's just a shame that his Alliance carer was cut short, because of his father." Cora feels her eyes widen in surprise when she hears this, poor Scott.
"I didn't know.." Cora whispers seeing the Commander give her a puzzled expression. Raymond had known Scott all of his life? Maybe the Pathfinder, even longer?
"It was a tragedy what happened to that family but luckily the Andromeda Initiative picked him up and gave him another chance." Raymond continues making Cora wonder how the big ball of sunshine that she knew to be Scott ever managed to keep that smile on his face when he'd faced such hard times.
"I like him." Cora announces hearing him chuckle again, why was she even telling him that? Did she really like him enough to be telling a total stranger that? She'd only known him for a few hours. "I wish I'd met him before all of this." She adds lowering her eyes for a moment.
"He is a good man Lieutenant and that is why everyone is so fond of him. Andromeda is going to need good men like him and even better women like you." He gives her a genuine smile, which she returns. "Not old men like Alec and me." He laughs. "You two will have plenty of time to make a difference I'm sure." Commander Raymond begins to stand up his bar stool, he had shared enough wisdom with her for one evening.
"How do you know so much about him?" Cora asks jumping to her feet too. She felt like rather than answers she now just had hundreds of questions.
"Because Scott is my nephew." Commander Raymond laughs making her eyes widen in surprise again. She'd only just met Scott and she was already meeting his family. "You'll be good for him, I can tell. It was nice to meet you, Cora." He adds holding his hand out to her, which she accepts. "Tell my Nephew I'd like to see him before he's put into stasis, I didn't raise him for all those years to not get to see him before cryo."
"I will.." Cora replies as he lets go of her hand, he gives her a final smile as he turns and walks away from her.
Cora quickly picks up the bottle again and moves away from the bar, she'd been much longer than she had intended on being and hoped Scott would still be waiting for her when she got to the room. She smiles to herself when she thinks about the strange conversation she has just had with Commander Raymond, strange but comforting. Of course, he was family and would always think Scott was wonderful but it made her feel good that her judge of character, was right.
The Lieutenant holds her head higher as she walks through the crowds of people. She glances up at the large digital display that has been hung high in the centre of the room counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until they left from Andromeda. 33 hours to go. One Day, Eight Hours, Fourteen Minutes and Thirty-Two Seconds. It wasn't enough time.
Cora quickly slips off her shoes and tucks them under her arm so she can move faster across the room; she takes the first corridor that branch off leading towards her room. Cora glances around to make sure that she is alone before breaking into a slow run, she could feel the alcohol making her legs wobble beneath her but she didn't care. Every minute she wasn't with Scott tonight was wasted.
"I'm sorry I took so long." Cora shouts as she stops outside the room and taps the door code into her Omni, she waves her arm in front of the door control wishing it would hurry and turn green. "I hope you are naked." Cora giggles as the door slides open, she blinks a couple of times trying to get her eyes adjusted to the darkness in the bedroom as most of the lights are off.
"Harper.." She hears Alec's voice from somewhere in the darkness and feels her stomach knot. "Expecting someone else?" He asks, his voice low and quiet. Cora blinks again and lets the door slide closed behind her. Her eyes slowly begin to adjust and she sees the Pathfinder is stood over by the large window with his back to her. He has his hands clasped behind him. "Didn't you get any of my messages?"
"No." She whispers and notices that he doesn't move. "What are you doing in here?" Cora asks as she steps further into the room. She glances down at her Omni and sees that she has no messages and that of course, she had blocked him.
"I was worried about you." The Pathfinder replies in a gentle voice that makes her heartache. She sees him glance over his shoulder at her. "I couldn't leave things like this." He sighs and moves to place his hands on the rail in front of him, tightening his grip around the metal bar.
"Where is he?" Cora asks feeling her words tremble as they leave her lips. "Did you hurt him?" She asks thinking back to what Commander Raymond had said about Alec being upset about their argument and wondering if The Pathfinder had found Scott in their room. She glances around the room and sees that there is no sign of any altercation or any sign that Scott had been there at all. Cora hears Alec scoff.
"Who are you talking about?" The Pathfinder replies, she watches him turn to face her and cross his arms over his chest. He fixes his eyes on her, which she sees him narrow angrily when he takes in the sight of her. He notices the Initiative jumper wrapped around her body and shakes his head. "Maybe I should have whoever he is, thrown off this ship." Alec laughs but she hears no humour in his words. Cora lowers the bottle to the floor at her feet, with a clunk.
"Then he hasn't been here?" Cora asks, she could hear the worry in her voice and he must have done too because she sees him tense at her words. He was obviously angry with her inviting Scott back, but Alec didn't need to punish Scott, she didn't think he even knew him and he'd done nothing wrong.
"He's probably gone to find his next conquest. I thought you were better than that." The Pathfinder replies flatly.
"I don't need your permission." Cora huffs, she couldn't believe the nerve of him. After everything that had happened and he had said he was still trying to interfere and control her. Cora sees him just shrug and turn his back on her again. Cora hated when he did that. She throws her shoes onto to floor trying to get his attention.
"Are you drunk?" Alec sighs disapprovingly. "You are out of line, Lieutenant." Alec replies quietly "You would be court marshalled for your disrespect if we were in the Alliance now. Raising your voice to your superior?" Alec clasps his hands behind his back again. "I could have the both you out on your asses before morning." He adds, of course, he was right. Cora takes a breath, he could take everything away from her if wanted and she doubted anyone would believe her side of the story. Whichever way he told the story, she would be removed from the Initiative and he would be the victim. "Did you think he'd wait for you?"
"You don't even know him." Cora huffs trying to keep her voice even, she sees Alec lower his head as he unclasps his hands. He lowers them to his sides and squeezes his hands into tight fists, he was angry and she knew this wouldn't end well. Cora feels an ache in her chest just hearing him speak, the man she knew she loved, threatening to destroy her. And why? Because he was jealous? Because of his pride?
"What is he? A Grunt? Trust me when I say that I've met hundreds just like him. They send dozens of arrogant disappointments to me every day and I soon have them begging me to send them home. Is that the kind of man you want?" Alec laughs and turns to face her again, he crosses the small space that separates them. Cora backs up slightly knowing he is trying to intimidate her.
"He is wonderful," Cora announces hearing Alec laugh again and shake his head as if he is dismissing her words. "He is considerate, sweet, and everything you never were to me." She sees Alec pause before returning his eyes to her face; she can see him suck his teeth, trying to control his temper as his jaw tenses.
"You've been reckless to get involved, he could have been anyone. Of course, he'd be all of those things to get you into bed with him. He could have hurt you." Alec adds; she watches him step closer to her again. He takes hold of Scott's hooded jumper and pulls it from her and lets it drop onto the floor.
"He wouldn't hurt me." Cora whispers, she glances down at the jumper on the floor and back to Alec. He was jealous and couldn't stand the idea of her being anywhere near someone else. "Scott is kind." Cora adds which makes a sneer appear on Alec's face.
"Who cares that he's kind? Life will chew him up and spit him out. Life doesn't care that he's kind." Alec begins, his voice rising in anger. "Do you think if I offered him you, or a promotion, he'd pick you? I don't think you know him at all." Cora feels his eyes burning into her again trying to get a reaction from her and hurt her with his words. No, she didn't know him very well but she knew hoped his intentions were good.
"Why do you even care? You made it clear you don't want me." Cora whispers trying to defuse the situation slightly and show him that she wasn't going to let his words cut through her any more.
"Because, Harper, you are embarrassing me. You disrespect me and everything I've given you." Cora watches him bring his hand up to his face and scrape it over his chin. "To be honest I'm feeling disappointed that you'd put a man you don't even know before your career and more importantly before me." Alec crosses his arms over his chest again.
"Scott.." Cora begins before he interrupts her; he unfolds his arms and brings a finger up to his lips trying to silence her. He shakes his head.
"If I hear his name from your lips one more time, I will throw him out of the airlock. Do you understand?" Alec mumbles making Cora close her mouth tight, as much as she didn't want to stand there and take his cruelty, she didn't want Scott dragged into this messy situation. Although, she couldn't help but feel he already was. "This is a very bad decision, even for you." That stung. Especially coming from what was now turning out to be the worst decision she'd ever made.
"Alec, please just leave. I need to get ready.." Cora whispers, she didn't have any intention of attending his talk, but she wanted to remove him from this room and find some way, to get off of this ship. Cora sees him fix his eyes on her again, he could clearly see that she was upset and she sees him lower his eyes to his feet. Was he suddenly feeling guilty for his inability to control his temper and not be a bully? Cora didn't think she could ever forgive him, but they were going to have to work with each other.
"You are letting yourself get upset over nothing," Alec begins again making Cora huff in frustration; of course he didn't feel guilty. He was enjoying every minute of this. "I understand what I said upset you but you need to stop being so over-sensitive and arguing with me. You know it makes me angry and you get worked up," Alec continues making Cora shake her head, not believing what she is hearing. This man truly believed he could play the victim; he would probably talk himself out of a murder trial where he was found with his blaster to someone's chest, committing it.
"You are unbelievable Alec Ryder." Cora laughs, no happiness in it like she had when she was with Scott. How had she let it get to this? She had she let Alec poison her for so long. Cora sees Alec scoff again before stepping closer to her; he reaches out and places his hand on her cheek.
"Get your things together so as soon as I've finished my speech, we can leave." He states, not asks, in the gentle voice she recognised when they were alone. "We can be on the first shuttle home and forget all about this, Okay?" Cora feels him stroke his thumb against her skin gently; she closes her eyes for a moment feeling the ache in her chest again. Manipulative bastard.
"Our home, Alec, has been packed into metal boxes and loaded onto an Arc. We have no home together anymore and really, we never did." Cora whispers seeing his expression change when he realises she isn't going to bend to his will anymore. "I'm not going anywhere with you." Cora hisses at him, she grabs hold of his wrist dragging his hand away from her face.
"Stop being ridiculous." Alec sighs throwing his hands up in frustration.
"Do not call me ridiculous." Cora replies coolly, she walks towards the crates that contain their armour and his bag on the floor next to it. She picks his kitbag up off of the floor; he fixes his eyes on it and then on her as he watches her.
"Cora, this is your last chance. I am willing to forgive you and we can move on from this but you are testing my patience." The Pathfinder begins making Cora laugh again. He was ridiculous. "You will pack our bag and you will return with me, you will spend what's left of the night with me and tomorrow we will discuss what it will take for me to forgive your insolence." Cora narrows her eyes at his words and sees him hesitate for a moment.
"You don't get to tell me what to do. I've packed your bag, Alec. So you can leave now." Cora replies throwing his bag at him, which surprises him and he nearly doesn't catch it. Alec looks down at the bag in his arms and then back to her, she notices the look of confusion on his face when he realises she is kicking him out.
"You are mine, the sooner you realise that, the better." Alec huffs lifting the bag onto his shoulder.
The Lieutenant watches The Pathfinder step away from her and stomp across the room towards the door. He doesn't even look back and as soon as the door slides open she sees him nearly collide with Scott who is opening the door from the other side. Cora sees Alec take no notice of Scott and push past him, almost knocking him off of his feet.
"Wait, who was that?" Scott asks sounding and looking confused, she sees him turn to look down the hallway in the direction that Alec has retreated.
"Scott?" Cora laughs running towards him, she didn't think she'd ever felt so relieved and pleased to see someone, in her life. "Are you okay?" She adds as he turns his attention to her and smiles at her. He looked okay and perfect. "I was so worried." Cora realises she was sounding just as ridiculous as Alec had called her, but she didn't care. She throws her arms around his neck pulling him into a tight embrace, which he returns. "Where have you been? Are you hurt?" She whispers resting her head into his neck. Cora feels him rub his hands gently against her back trying to comfort her.
"Hey hey, slow down." Scott mumbles, she feels him let go of her and he brings both of his hands up to cup her face in his palms so he can look at her. She feels his blue eyes examining her intently. "I'm fine, I went looking for you when you didn't appear." He whispers brushing her hair away gently. "I was worried about you." He adds, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, which she mirrors.
"Such a sweetheart." Cora smiles seeing him smirk; he leans forward and presses a kiss against her mouth making her sigh, right now she didn't want this ever to end. She feels him let go of her and turns towards the door again, she watches him wave his arm over the door sliding it closed and locking it.
"I think we were in the middle of something?" Scott asks as he steps towards her, Cora feels his eyes on her and sees how clear and sober they now are. This was all them and she wanted him more than ever. "I was about to get you out of that dress, right?" He asks stepping so close to her that his body is pressed against her again.
"Yes.." Cora nods suddenly finding it difficult to find words and places her hands on his hips. She tries to stop a moan escaping her lips when Scott lowers his mouth to press his mouth against her neck. She feels his hands slide down her body and take hold of the material between his thumbs and first fingers.