Chapter 16

Shepard, Tali, Garrus and Kaidan were gathered in the cargo bay. After the Normandy guardsman came back from dropping Shiala off. There had been no word on what would happen next. So Shepard bought a pack of cards from the Normandy's requisition officer and had set up a game of old fashioned Poker with most of her crew. Something they used to do a lot back on their cargo ship. Wrex, as always, opted out finding it pointless.

"Full house." Kaidan said, seemingly proud as the rest of the crew boo'd at him, but they were all smiling and laughing. Shepard had thrown a small chunk of potato chip at him in response, getting a laugh out of Kaidan as it pelted him right in the forehead. "Hey, come on. Not my fault you suck at this." He said with a grin, scooping up all the cards.

Shepard grinned as well. "I think he's cheating. Anyone else think he's cheating?" Shepard asked, making fun of the fact he won the last three rounds. But it was all in good humor, and he was smiling so she knew he had realized she was joking around.

"He's gotta be pulling his cards biotically." Garrus chimed in as Kaidan laughed and shook his had, taking the moment to shuffle the deck.

He looked to Garrus with an easy smile. "I don't think biotics work that way, Garrus." He retorted as the turian grinned back at him.

Kaidan already began dealing out another hand as the elevator doors opened. Shepard looked over her shoulder, she and her crew gathered in a small circle on the floor. She felt her heart skip a beat as she saw Liara, her cheeks flushing red but she couldn't help but smile at the asari. Liara gave her a shy smile as well, also flushing a bit as she approached the small group. "T'Soni, come play some poker with us." Garrus said, apparently having seen her as well.

Liara stood by the group as Kaidan looked up at her as well, offering to give her a hand of cards. "I do not know how to play..." She said, sounding like she was about to refuse. She looked to Shepard who gave her a lopsided smile, patting a spot on the floor next to her. Liara's cheeks turned a dark violet as she decided to sit down next to Shepard.

"It's not hard, I'll teach you." Nicole said. It didn't take long for her crew to tease her though.

Tali looked in Shepard's direction. "Oh no you don't, Shepard. You'll cheat." Tali said, her voice teasing. "Or get too distracted." She continued on as Shepard reached over and playfully shoved at the young quarian next to her.

"I agree, Shepard just wants to use you as bait, Liara." Garrus said, a grin plastered on his face. Liara looked to Garrus, feeling confused. Shepard laughed as she rolled her eyes at the two.

She passed Liara her hand. "You guys aren't fun." Shepard said, but she was smirking, scooting closer to Liara. "Alright, the point of the game is to get a specific sort of hand. The best hand wins." Shepard said as she brought out her omni-tool, looking up info on poker on the extranet. "See, these are the hands you should go for, the best hands are at the top." She said as Liara leaned over, getting a better look at the image on Shepard's omni-tool. Shepard felt her heart flutter at Liara's proximity. "The uh.. uhm.." Shepard said as she felt butterflies, Liara looking to her, her face so close to her own. "Sorry. Usually Poker involves betting..." Shepard said. She shook her head trying to get her head back on straight.

Her stumble did not go unnoticed. Nor did Liara's close proximity to the mercenary. "You two going to play or make out?" Garrus said, but teasingly. Shepard had never felt her cheeks burn so much in her life as she almost instantly snapped away from Liara. Liara just looked at Garrus in confusion.

"Make out?" She questioned, never having heard the more human saying before. Shepard glared at Garrus, clearing her throat at him. He just shrugged at Shepard, but he gave her a grin. He had meant it in good nature, Shepard knew. But given that Liara now knew how she felt just made things feel a little more awkward. At least for Shepard.

Shepard then sighed as she shook her head. "You don't have to bet if you don't want to. We kind of throw duties around usually on my ship but we're just betting with credits, nothing outrageous though." she went on, interrupting any further teasing from her crew. After having both her and Liara confessing to growing feelings earlier in the morning, she had just felt much more self aware of everything. Her crew didn't even know they had such a conversation.

But Liara nodded, already forgetting the short lived incident. "Trade in these three." Shepard said as she pointed out three cards in Liara's hands. Liara simply nodded, doing as Shepard had suggested, getting three new cards from Kaidan. Tali also traded in three, while Garrus traded in four. They both got new cards.

Kaidan couldn't help but watch Liara and Shepard, both slowly getting closer together again as Liara showed Shepard her hand, Shepard whispering suggestions and what she could do with whatever she had perhaps. He couldn't hear what either one of them were saying. "Ten credits." Garrus said as Kaidan dealt himself three new cards, looking at what he had, trying to focus on the game.

Liara leaned closer yet towards Shepard. "Nicole, what does make out mean?" Liara finally asked as Shepard helped rearrange the cards in Liara's hand. Thankfully no one else was either paying attention, or heard what they were saying. Tali was betting fifteen credits. By Shepard's rules they couldn't go over twenty. She didn't want any of her crew feeling disgruntled if they had lost too much to one another.

Shepard sighed as she eyed the others, who were still making bets. She leaned in closer to Liara, trying not to get too loud. "It means kissing..." Shepard said. Finally Liara's eyes went wide, her cheeks turning dark violate as she was suddenly aware how close they were to each other and tried to sit more straight.

"You gonna bet, Liara?" Kaidan asked as Liara tried to get the new bit of information out of her head. She then looked to Shepard questioningly as Shepard gave her a bit of a lopsided smile and nodded.

"My rule is no more than twenty credits." Shepard said. "Last bet was fifteen?" She asked as the others nodded. "So you could match that bet or go higher." Shepard informed Liara, trying to get her mind off the very concept of 'making out' with Liara. It was rather distracting.

Liara gained a look of thought, recalling the information Shepard had given her about the better hands a moment ago in her mind. "I will bet twenty." Liara then said as the others looked at her in surprise. But Liara smiled as she felt confident in her hand. The others looked to Shepard as she shrugged her shoulders, but her grin probably said it all. Liara had beginners luck, and a good hand.

"Alright, lets see it." Kaidan said. They all showed their hands, Liara taking that as a sign to show hers. She had a straight flush. Everyone groaned as they threw down their hands, Liara giggling at her apparent victory.


Shepard had been informed by Pressly that they were now on their way to the Citadel. The Council were looking for new leads on Saren. When Pressly had made a call to Zhu's Hope, asking if Shiala had any idea where Saren or Benezia might have been now she did not know. She had been held hostage by the Thorian shortly before the Eden Prime incident.

So Anderson had issued a couple days worth of shore leave. The Alliance would be calling on them soon for other matters to attend to until their investigation on Saren had new leads. So naturally that meant Shepard and her crew were able to go out as well, so long as they staid in touch with the Normandy. When her crew heard of their two day leave they were pretty happy to just be able to have a couple days to do something other than sit around the ship. But Pressly had also informed, begrudgingly, Shepard that her crew would have new assignments once leave was over.

"Councillor, I have a favor to ask." Shepard said once Tevos answered her call. Tevos nodded at the human to proceed with her request.

Shepard cleared her throat. "I need to get my hands on some better gear for me and my crew, if we're going against an ex Spectre I have a feeling we'll need it." She said.

Tevos regarded her for a moment, wondering what Shepard might ask for. "This depends, Shepard. I cannot open certan stocks to you or your crew, but I can see what I can do." Tevos responded. Shepard nodded. She knew her options would be limited, but she had a feeling she could get her hands on some upper tier stuff still. A little sweet talking could go a long way.

Shepard forwarded a list to the asari Councillor, who received it fairly quickly on the other end, appearing to look over the list. "I know what I'm asking for isn't cheap, and hard to come by... But I'm willing to pay. You can even take it out of whatever you're planning to pay me. I don't expect this to come free or as part of the fee for hiring us."

Tevos seemed to think on the matter. She then nodded. "I will try to get these things for you." She agreed. "But, if I cannot, you will have to tell me what you would like in its place." Tevos warned. Shepard nodded as she already had the next best thing lined up and ready if such a scenario occurred.

Shepard smiled some. "Not a problem. And... If you could do me one more favor? I'd like these personalized, I'll send you an image of what I'd like." Shepard said. Tevos nodded her agreement. Shepard quickly sent her an image. "We should be on the Citadel by morning. I know it's short notice, but if we could get this stuff before we leave?" Shepard asked.

Tevos smiled and shook her head. "You test my limits, Shepard. But again, I will see what I can do." She said before ending the transmission. Shepard grinned to herself some. She could work magic when she needed to.

Shepard settled back on the medical bed, opening her book finding the need to unwind some. As she started to become more focused on the book she read the med bay doors opened, Liara walking in. Shepard looked to Liara, giving her that lopsided smile she seemed to only reserve for the asari. Liara flushed some as Shepard lowered her book. "I take it you were having fun with Poker?" Shepard quipped.

Liara approached the bed Shepard had taken residence on and nodded some. "It is a very simple game, but your crew has made it very entertaining." She admitted. Shepard sat up as she patted the spot to her right, allowing Liara to sit if she wanted. Liara took the offer as she moved to seat herself next to Shepard, both feeling their stomachs do flops.

Shepard cleared her throat. "Well, if you're still serious about before... They're your crew now too." Shepard said, hoping that perhaps she could still try to talk Liara out of joining their ground missions. "I know what you said before, Liara. About wanting to join us, at least until this mess is over but... Well I just want you to be absolutely certain." Shepard said, looking down at the floor below them, her legs dangling over the edge of the bed. "Being out there, in gun fights... You'll have to realize killing and risking your life comes with the territory.

Liara looked to Shepard, who looked back at her. "I will admit, I am afraid of the consequences... But I want to contribute. I am involved already." She said. Shepard dared to be bold enough to scoot her hand over, grabbing Liara's. Liara laced her index finger around Shepard's, both of them knowing the significance of such a simple action.

"That doesn't mean you have to be out there, in the violence." Shepard tried. Liara just couldn't resist it as she leaned against Shepard's side, her head resting on the human's shoulder. Shepard felt like perhaps she should resist this. Move away, take her hand back. But the simpleness of what they were doing... It felt so soothing to her. But it reminded her of what she would lose if Liara was hurt out on the battlefield.

Liara tried to think of how to say what was on her mind. "I feel it is my duty. My mother, however unwilling it may be, is out there, hurting people. I must make this right. I must help defend them." Liara said. Shepard sighed but nodded.

She could understand what Liara was saying. It was part of what made her into a mercenary. Sure she took shady jobs, but if people needed help, she would be there. To defend them. Protect them, make sure they made it out of their bad situations in one piece. "Alright... I will do some digging, see where we can go to get you started on some training..." Shepard said.

"Thank you." Liara said. She truly did fear what would happen when she took this step. But she felt like as long as Shepard was there to guide her, to help her, to support her. She would be alright.

Shepard on the other hand felt knots in her heart and her stomach. She didn't want Liara to experience what she had for so many years. But she knew talking Liara out of whatever she had decided would be next to impossible. "I'll keep you safe, Li. I promise." It was all Shepard could do. She could feel Liara nod against her shoulder in silence response.

And just like that they both fell silent, just sitting there on the med bay as they were. Only finally Shepard succumbed as well, resting her head atop Liara's, both of them thinking about what laid ahead.


This one's a bit shorter, I know. The past three days have been exhausting, and I had my first day outside of orientation, learning what my job entails. I face a long week ahead of me as well, and possibly a number of weeks after. So my updates will likely slow down from here out. I apologize for that, but I promise I will keep this up. This story has become oddly important to me lol.

The next chapter should have a lot more stuff in it. What I have in mind should also be fun. =3 Until then.