A/N: Hi everyone. I'm back! This story has been calling to me since replaying MELE. I've got some bright, new ideas I can't wait to share with you all. I know in the end I ended up going off the main story plan, but I will get on it soon enough. I wanted to give Kolyat more light than what the game could offer. Even let him have some moments with just Shepard as they try to bond together.
I'm going to try to update this as much as I can, but I am also writing another book and I'm working full time. So please, bear with me and I'll do as much as I can on days off, etc. Thanks all!
Shepard leaned into the bar on the ship, it was empty besides Garrus tending the bar as he poured her some Asari wine and himself Turian whiskey. Drinking wasn't his usual past-time, but he wanted to relax Shepard enough she'd drink with him.
She stares a hole into the bar top, only looking up when the glass is pushed into her view. "Thanks," she mutters. Garrus' mandibles go loose, and he takes a sip of his own as Shepard just pushes hers around.
"Are you okay?" he asks. Shepard looked up, brows deeply furrowed. "I know, I know," he laughs. "Stupid question."
"I just can't believe this is happening to me. I can't get out of the spotlight for two minutes. What will Kaidan think?" Garrus stopped with his glass to his lip plates, looking confused at her.
"Why do you care what he thinks?" he asks. Shepard finally takes a drink, but downs it all in one. Garrus doesn't speak a word, just tops it up as she clears her throat.
"I told him back on the SR-1, I never had time to date. I pushed him away when he and even Liara threw themselves at me." She shakes her head, "I felt so bad after. Then on Horizon, he told me he loved me. I shut him down a second time. Now," she waves her hand to the broken datapad she'd previously thrown at the wall. "He's going to see I am in fact in love and with a different species of all."
Garrus grabs the bottle of wine, passing the whole thing to Shepard as she downed the second glass. There was no point in trying to stop her from drinking. Her cybernetics and biotics would burn most of it anyway. "Shepard, you don't need to explain yourself to him. If he loves you, he will be happy for you. Don't be afraid of your relationship with Thane."
"Kolyat is going to be devastated," she mutters. She could only drink her sorrow away, hoping Thane can get him back to the ship and away from prying eyes.
Thane had woken Bailey, practically putting fear into the man himself before he finally got the cell code for Kolyat to get him out. He pulled Shepard's Spectre status, seeing as she'd let him do what he needed with it. Kolyat was in danger and was to be under guard of him and Shepard on the Normandy.
"Son?" Thane calls from the door to Kolyat's small cell. It had only been a couple of days since the altercation and Bailey still had Kolyat arrested. He wanted the Drell to fully understand the consequences of the actions he performed.
Kolywat was laid on his back to the door, his eyes snapping open and jumping to his father's voice. "Father?" he whispers into the dark. Thane turns the light on.
"Yes, son. It's me. We must get you to the Normandy." Kolyat stands up, watching Thane move around the room gracefully as he packs a duffle bag with the little things Kolyat owned.
"Why? Bailey won't let me go." Thane shakes his head.
"Don't worry about Bailey. He knows you're coming with me. We've had an issue arise and now you're in danger." They both stood in silence as Kolyats face went through every emotion before finally giving in to endless panic.
"What?" he shouts. He paces the room. "Why? I haven't done anything wrong, only killed that Krogan."
"That isn't the issue, Kolyat. Please, come with me and I'll explain everything." Kolyat relented and finally took Thane's extended hand as he was dragged out of the room and back towards the docking station.
The Zakara Ward was still filled with life, even this early in the morning. Luckily, Thane was able to slip them both through without being noticed and they both slowed down once they were at the docking tunnel of the ship.
"Will you tell me now?" Kolyat asks. Thane looks at the floor, coming to a stop in front of the docking doors. Edi runs the decontamination protocol before they are both allowed onto the dark, quiet ship.
"A reporter has found out about my and Shepard's relationship. She is all over the tabloids and now the Alliance wish for her to return to Earth for questioning. Khaje is also involved." Kolyat's mouth dropped open, usually running moist from his venom. It was drier than the desert.
"So what? I'm now in danger because people are jealous?" Thane smirks slightly, which only angers Kolyat. "Answer me," he snaps.
"Yes, in short. Many are more upset the Commander is with me than someone of her own species." Kolyat crosses his hands over his chest.
"They aren't wrong," he whispers. Thane snaps his head to him, his brow ridges narrowing in annoyance.
"Watch your tone, son," he shouts in a deep rumble. The elevator had opened at that moment. Garrus and Shepard come through. Edi had obviously told them Thane had returned.
"Hello, kid," Shepard calls with a smile as the distance is closed between them. Kolyat quivered his lip up at her.
"Are you drunk, Commander?" he asks with some attitude to his tone. Thane covers his mouth and then looks at Garrus for answers.
"Hey, I was told the Cybernetics would burn it off. She'll be fine soon," he says. He turns to Kolyat, waving him along. "Welcome to the Normandy. Sorry, we had to meet this way, come on. I'll show you to your bunk."
"Siha, are you well?" Thane asks as Shepard falls into his chest.
"Yeah," she drawled. "No," she then quickly adds. "I've ruined yours and Kolyats lives," she cries.
Thane holds her, letting her burrow her face into his partly bare chest. "You have done no such thing, Siha. We will sort this out and return to our mission."
"Is Kolyat angry?" Shepard asks, pulling her head back.
Thane chuckles, she can feel his chest rumble. "He's a moody young adult who I woke up in the middle of the night. Of course, he'll be angry." Shepard smiles at him. "Let's return to bed, you need to rest."
With a defeated yawn, Shepard nods and doesn't put up a fight as she's pulled to the lift. Thane could only hope the news isn't going to hit so hard in the morning when the busy life of the Citadel finally kicks in. His mind rushed to Kolyat again, he was worried for his son. The Normandy was no life for him, he had no fighting experience and could barely defend himself. He wondered if Garrus would help train Kolyat, find something he's especially good at and exploit it to his advantage if a battle ever came to them.
Kolyat woke to the crew moving around the crew quarters. Most knew Kolyat had just arrived, others nearly screamed in fear he'd broken onto the ship. Garrus had found him searching for the bathroom when he led him along and showed him to the kitchen for breakfast.
They both sat in silence as they ate breakfast. Kolyat only played with his food, not looking at anyone. Jack appeared from her dark corner under the main parts of the ship, looking straight at Kolyat with a smirk on her lips.
"Does Shepard have them hiding in her room or something?" she jokes. Garrus huffs into his drink. Kolyat only looks at her with daggers, not liking the small human.
"Does Shepard allow you to walk around half-naked?" he shoots back. That makes Garrus choke on his food. Jack freezes by the serving of food, turning slowly with low glare in her eyes. "Hit a nerve?"
"Who the fuck is this kid?" she asks Garrus.
"Thane's son, Kolyat," he answers.
"I like him," she laughs. Kolyat smirks. "Names Jack, word of warning. Piss me off and I'll rip you apart."
"You're very small," he comments.
Garrus shakes his head, looking at Kolyat with a plea. "Don't go there with her. She could rip this whole ship apart with her biotics. She's stronger than any Asari biotic I've met."
"Even Samara?" Shepard's voice calls as she and Thane are around the corner together. "Morning Kolyat. You okay?"
Kolyat didn't answer, he pushed his chair back aggressively and walked off. Thane watches in annoyance, he wasn't liking this attitude of his. "I'll be just a moment," he whispers, kissing Shepard's cheek and following after his son.
Kolyat had only just made it to the Life support room, it was to be his own room. But everything was all last minute with getting him aboard, Garrus thought it was easier to just put him into the crew quarters for the first night.
Thane walks in, seeing Kolyat lean against the window that looks at the drive core. "You must apologise to Shepard for your behaviour."
"Why should I?" he asks with a laugh. Thane comes closer, putting a heavy hand on his shoulder to spin him around.
"I did not expect this from you, Kolyat. Your mother and I did not raise you to be this way." Kolyat snaps, pushing Thane away.
"You didn't raise me at all. My mother died when I was ten, I had no one to raise me. This is all your fault, why did you have to love a human?" he asks with bitter tears falling down his cheeks.
"Kolyat, do not dishonour Irikah like that." Thane crosses his arms over his chest, growing more impatient with Kolyat's harsh words.
"You really think she'll be waiting for you across the sea when you're sleeping with some human?" Time slowed down, everything almost seemed to stop on a dim as Kolyat quickly regretted his words. Thane didn't move, his face was enough to put pure fear into his son.
Moving a step closer, Thane's eyes turn even darker. Burning a hole into Kolyat's, "I will forget you just said that to your father. I get this is a lot to take in, but you shall not speak to me, Shepard or about your mother like that. Who I will be with is my own business, not yours. I expect you to come back out and say sorry to Shepard."
Not saying anything else, Thane turns on his heel and leaves the room. Kolyat lets out the breath he had been holding. He never wanted to see that side of Thane again, he feared for his own life at that moment.
He thought back to when he wanted to know where Thane went all those years ago, now he wished he'd never tried to find out and just moved on. This wasn't worth all the trouble to try to have a father he'd not seen in ten years.
A/N: Bit of a cold start back, but I knew Kolyat wouldn't make this easy. The next stop is Earth for the crew, hopefully, Shepard could connect with Koylat slightly as they travel the galaxy.
