Book 2, Chapter 14 – Vengeance

I'd been in a foul mood ever since my conversations with Jack. The night we'd sat down in her cubby hole and she'd told me everything, and that was after spilling her guts about what happened on Pragia, I got straight onto the Illusive Man and I tore him a secondary arsehole. I'm not sure how long I ranted and raved before I switched off the link before I had to listen to him say a word in reply.

Then I stood there in the dark and cried for her. Because no-one in the galaxy deserved what she'd been put through. I just felt overwhelming guilt about our entire relationship. But I meant what I said. She would have me at her side from now on and I would do anything to help.

My next stop was Miranda. I unloaded on her as well. I didn't accuse her of anything. I just really let her know what I thought about Cerberus. I told her of every single thing we'd found during my time on the old Normandy, every world I'd visited, every horrific experiment, and I damn well made sure she didn't write each one off as a rogue cell. She mollified me by promising she would do her own research, that she believed me, and that she even believed Jack, but… if she believed everything, she would also question everything. I didn't think that was a bad thing, to be honest.

Through it all, Kelly was an absolute diamond. She could see I was lurching from one emotion to the next. I tried to maintain my usual air of calm in front of the crew and my squad, but when I was alone with her, I went through every emotion possible. We didn't enjoy anything physical for at least three nights, but I held her as close as possible for each of them, needing to feel her love and comfort as I thought about everything Jack told me over and again.

The boxing bags downstairs got beaten mercilessly, picturing random faces as I worked up a sweat, hitting away until my muscles simply cried enough and I almost collapsed to the floor in agony. Jacob seemed to realise what was going on and stayed away. I certainly didn't blame him at all, but I could see why he did.

Somehow, Jack seemed to come out of it… better. As if getting it all off her chest lifted a weight off her shoulders. Maybe that's what she had needed, to unburden herself, to stop carrying the weight, and now she might be able to start the process of healing. I'd talked with Chakwas, who only learned the basics, and within a couple of days, Jack headed into the med-bay to speak with her. I'm not sure what they talked about, but she was in there for a couple of hours to begin with. Walking back out, she wandered over and sat next to me, letting me know that she'd been given plenty of recommendations, and that she would start talking to people immediately who could help. Chakwas had also prescribed one or two things which might help her as well. "Not addictive, are they?"

"No, nothing like that. I think they'll just take the edge off, not turn me into a drooling zombie. Plus, I need to remain fighting fit as I still want to kill bad guys. But now I do it because I want to, and because you order me to, not for… other reasons."

"You told Chakwas?"

She nodded. "I figured telling her that was important. She explained how and why I'd feel that way. So it's reconditioning my mind, that sex should be something appreciated, that should happen naturally, not bargained for or… you know…" She paused before looking at me. "But what if…"

"I'm not sure if I'd feel entirely comfortable. I still have flashes of what I saw, Jack. I know you went through it, but what I saw was bad enough. God, what we did…"

She grabbed my chin between her thumb and fingers. "Shut up," she said quietly, "I don't regret that at all, Shepard. That's probably one of the few times I've ever desired sex with someone, not had it coerced or forced upon me. I practically forced you, not the other way around. I know why you feel guilt. Even I can understand that." She let me go and I moved my jaw about, making her laugh. "Anyway, it was one meeting. I haven't even begun to unload on the poor bastards who will have to listen to it all then figured out how to help."

"As long as it does in the end, Jack. That's what matters."

While I focused on Jack, I did carry on making sure everyone else was content on the ship at the same time. I knew Garrus was still looking into who betrayed him on Omega. Samara was still hunting the fugitive she had been chasing on Illium. Thane was at peace, merely waiting for our journey through the Omega Four. Kasumi was investigating the job she wanted to do, and would let me know as soon as possible. Zaeed was suggesting he might come to me soon regarding the job he wanted doing. Grunt was happy, in fact very happy, after his visit to Omega, going into detail about the three asari he paid for and enjoyed nearly two nights with. Mordin rarely slept but spent most of his time in the lab. Miranda was busy as usual, and after my little explosion, things went straight back to how they were before. She desired intimacy again but realised I wasn't in the right frame of mood, again, not because of her directly.

It was a good week before I was intimate again. I was already feeling better about things once I knew Jack was okay, but it took Kelly to make the first move. She slept with me every night, and I think she simply appreciated the affection I still gave her. The night it finally happened, we ate dinner in the mess with the others, conversation flowing as usual, watching as friendships formed between the different groups of people. As we were all a team, everyone was doing their best to gain an understanding of the other. It was good to see, and I guess in that regard, I did lead by example.

Kelly waited until we were nearly alone before she grabbed me by the hand and led me to the elevator. I wasn't expecting anything when we arrived upstairs. A kiss and a hug was nothing out the ordinary. Taking off my shirt wasn't either. When she started to undo my jeans, I knew something was probably up, figuratively speaking for the moment. I helped by kicking off my shoes as she lowered my jeans and underwear, giving me a moment to take off my socks so I stood before her naked.

"That's better," she whispered, hands immediately running down my chest.

"I take it you have plans."

"I do. I want you to do something for me."

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

She disappeared to my desk and returned holding a pair of cuffs. I couldn't help chuckle before asking, "Seriously?"

"I want you to sit on the couch while I get ready but put these on. I'll make sure you're comfortable."

The idea actually excited me a little, as I knew she'd have some ideas, so I turned around and felt her put each loop around my wrist before they clicked shut. She then asked me to sit on the couch, watching me get comfortable before she moved the coffee table out of the way, sliding towards the foot of the bed. I had no idea what she had planned as she giggled, bounding away towards the bathroom, where she disappeared for a few minutes, before returning in a red pair of bra and panties, covered by a see through negligee in the same colour. She came close and leaned down to kiss me before turning around, noticing the thin trip of material disappeared between her cheeks. She then keyed her omni-tool and music started to play. I was treated to a very erotic dance over the next few minutes, where Kelly Chambers showed grace, beauty, flexibility and a desire to perform for me. I watched, utterly mesmerised by her movements. It was a mix of striptease, ballet and dancing. She danced through around three songs, leaving the music playing as she came towards me, moving my legs apart as she kneeled between them.

I could lean forward at least to kiss her before she gently pushed me back, her lips quickly finding places on my chest, moving downwards over my abs before she even kissed my thighs. I was now rock hard, and she kept teasing me, hot breath of my cock and she'd give me the lightest lick before kissing somewhere else.

"Do you love me?" she asked quietly.

"God yes."

She swallowed nearly my entire length at once before lifting her head up, her tongue circling the head of my cock before she simply licked it up and down a few times. I could only groan at every little thing she was doing. "I love you too, Shepard," she whispered, "I hope you cum for me quickly."

"I don't mind. Fast or slow. I just love you doing this."

Slowly, she swallowed my length again, and this time I could only roll my head back as she started to focus on blowing me to completion. Since I'd gone a week without doing anything, I knew I was going to cum hard and fast, but Kelly seemed to realise that, so never established a pace that was going to make me explode quickly. But I couldn't watch her too much otherwise I would.

"Kelly," I breathed, "So talented…"

That made her look up and I met her eyes, emerald green sparkling with desire. Despite the fact she was blowing me, I really wanted to kiss her, or touch her. That was frustrating, but also a lot of fun too. When her head started to bob faster, I groaned as I could feel the impending tsunami about to flood her mouth. "Oh god," I groaned, starting to buck my hips. She upped the tempo even more, and I gave her one final warning. No more than thirty seconds after that, I exploded into her mouth, groaning loudly as I felt her slurp and suck down everything, almost eager to swallow every single drop.

I relaxed, with probably a stupid grin on my face, my head resting back as Kelly continued to slowly bob her head up and down, feeling her tongue along my shaft and the head of my cock before she finally let it fall back onto my stomach, her lips kissing their way back up over my abs and then chest before she lifted herself up to straddle my lap. "Anyone would think you enjoyed that, Shepard," she whispered into my ear.

"Uh-huh," I replied, feeling rather incapable of speech at that moment.

She giggled as I felt her kiss my cheek, running a hand around the back of my neck as I looked at her. "Are you comfortable?"

"Absolutely."

Getting off my lap, she hooked her thumbs into her panties and dropped those to the floor, exposing her pussy but left the other two items on, before she sat on my lap again, feeling her wet pussy slide against my still rather stiff cock. It wouldn't take too long for me to get hard again. "I can't wait to feel this inside me again, Shepard. It's been a while. Longest we've gone without sex since our first time together."

"I was going to do something soon but…"

"I understand, Shepard. I've spoken to her as well. But let's not discuss that. Right now, it's me and you. And I'm in control."

"No complaints from me, gorgeous."

She leaned forward to kiss me as she lifted herself up, grabbing the base of my cock, feeling the head pop inside her as she ever so slowly lowered herself down, moaning into my mouth as she stopped, lifting herself up slightly, then lowered herself down a little more, doing that a few times until my entire length was inside her. She gasped as she broke the kiss. "Fuck that's good," she moaned.

"You're telling me," I retorted with a chuckle.

"Should have just done this straight away. Would have made you cum in a couple of minutes."

"Oh, I would have guaranteed that after your dancing. You were beautiful."

That compliment made her face absolutely light up with delight. "You really liked it?"

"Kelly, you're beautiful as it is. That was something else entirely. Captivating is what it was."

The kiss I received for that was something else as well, and as she kissed me, she started to rock herself on my cock, not lifting herself too high. In this position, I knew for sure I'd be touching the right places inside her. Wrapping her arms around the back of my neck, she watched my eyes as she rode me. I just watched her face and the emotions expressed. I really wanted to touch her, whether it to be stroke her cheek, or run my hand through her hair, or stroke her back. Only that bit was frustrating, but it made me appreciate it when I could do it.

When her hands moved to my shoulder, her fingers started to dig in as she rode me a little faster, her breathing growing ragged, and that's when she started to moan. "Loving my cock, aren't you?"

"I always love it, Shepard," she breathed, "But I really needed it tonight."

I leaned forward to kiss her. "Are you going to keep riding after you've cum?"

"I'm not stopping until I'm completely worn out, or you cum so much you can't get it up."

"Oh, a challenge then. Will I be cuffed the entire time?"

She reached into her bra to retrieve a little key, reaching behind to undo them. "I want your hands on me, Shepard," she said. As soon as my hands were free, one immediately went to her face, running through her before I dragged her forward to kiss her, my other hand running down her back towards her arse. When I gave it a good squeeze, she whimpered into my mouth, her bounces on my cock now even faster. She had to break the kiss to breath and I knew she was getting close, so I kissed down her neck, knowing she found that exciting as her moved her hands to my back, digging her fingers in.

"Oh god," she moaned softly, "Shepard…"

I didn't say anything, just waiting for her orgasm to arrive. She was now riding me with abandon, desperate for her climax to arrive. When I felt the walls constrict, squeezing my cock, I made sure I held her stable as she seemed to shudder from toes to the top of her head, refusing to stop as she cried out, fingers really digging into my back, perhaps scratching me. "I love you," she cried out, but through it all, she did not stop for a second. I was worn out for her.

I sat back, taking her with me slightly. By now, her brow was damp, with red hair stuck to it. Her cheeks were bright red. Her breathing was ragged from the exertion. She'd never looked more beautiful. And still, she kept on riding me.

"Let's move," she said. Picking her up was easy, arms and legs wrapped around me as I carried her to bed. Placing her down, she surprised me by turning around onto all fours, before she then lay flat on the bed, spreading her legs and looking back. She wasn't offering her back door, just something a little different. Getting behind her, I slid inside her again as I leaned forward, resting my head next to hers, grabbing her hands and holding them on the bed. "Now you're in charge," she whispered.

I started slow, taking my time with each thrust into her. She loved each one, moaning as I buried my cock. But she knew what we both wanted, and slowly but surely, I picked up the tempo. She lifted her arse into the air a little bit, changing the angle, and I was soon pumping into her harder, the sound of our skin slapping together echoing around the cabin. I was now holding her hands tight, my fingers locking her, and I was busy kissing and nibbling at her neck, making her giggle.

"Kelly," I whispered into her ear

"Close?" she asked.

"God yes."

She lifted her arse a little higher still, releasing a loud moan when I started to go even faster. I was only moments away from finishing. She didn't say a word, enjoying every second, turning her head to kiss me, and it was during one of those that I buried myself and finished again, groaning into her mouth, something that made her stop to giggle slightly, as she lowered her body flat to the bed, taking me with her at the same time. I then rested on top of her, just doing enough so I didn't squash her.

"Well, that was different. I loved that," she said.

"I thought you were offering… you know…"

"You know I will if you want, Shepard."

I pulled out and sat back on my knees as she looked back and really spread her legs. That word again. Provocative. I leaned down to kiss one of her little feet, making her giggle, as I kissed up her calf and the back of her knee, then up the back of her upper legs to her butt cheek, giving that a gentle bite before kissing around her lower back. She was sensitive, and gasped at some of my touches, before I lowered my mouth and ran my tongue over her puckered little hole. That made her gasp, so I did it again. "Shepard," she breathed.

She lifted her arse a little, definitely wanting some attention. I knew she kept lube, so I leaned over to the bedside table and found it in the top drawer. Keeping it aside for later, I gently rubbed her first with a little lube before lowering my tongue again. She loved it immediately, looking back with interest as her arsehole got attention for the very first time. "I washed earlier, Shepard," she whispered. Raising my eyebrows, she admitted, "I thought doing it this way might get your attention."

"Really wanted it?"

"For you, Shepard. I want you to have all of me."

"Okay."

Pouring some lube onto my fingers, I knew what to do as I'd done this before. First one finger, slowly and gently, letting her get used to it. Then a second when she was ready, starting to just stretch her out a little. With my left hand, I also fondled her pussy, enjoying her body gentle writhe at the attention I was giving her. Once I slid three fingers into her arse, she was definitely enjoying. "Just your fingers are wonderful," she whispered.

Lubing myself up, I asked, "Are you sure?"

"I want this, Shepard. I want you to have me like this."

Making sure my cock was nice and slick, I positioned myself and prodded her. She was ready for me, showing no hesitation as I prodded a few times, letting her get used to the idea. Then I ever so gently started to push. When the head of my cock finally popped in, she gasped loudly and I stopped, letting her get used to it. Once she nodded, I slid a little more in each time, pulling back, then pushing forward, taking my time. The noises she made suggested she was enjoying it immensely, so that was a good thing.

It took a while, and it was incredibly exciting, but I managed to slide my entire length into her. Then I rested my forearms to either side of her as she was happy to remain lying flat. "I'm in your arse, Kelly Chambers," I said quietly.

"My god, Shepard, it's feel fantastic. Just take it slow for now."

"I won't go too hard, Kelly. I don't want to hurt you."

That made her smile as I rested my head next to hers as I gently started to fuck her arse. Running hands under her underarms, I held my hands out so she could hold onto them, feeling her squeeze them every so often when I thrust a little harder. I had to stop every so often, just a little more lube, before I got back in the same position. I asked if she wanted to change, and she said no, she felt this way of submitting to me while getting what she desired. An equal trade, she called it. I understood what she meant, but I was happy to do what she wanted regardless.

"Will you cum like this?" I did wonder.

"I'm not sure."

"Why don't you turn around so you can at least play with yourself?"

She loved that idea, so I pulled out and she flipped onto her back. I knew enough to grab something to play under the small of her back, and she spread her legs wide as I lined up. I was gentle again though her body had now adapted for now, so while I gently thrust into her, Kelly started to fondle herself at the same time. "Oh shit," she moaned.

"What?"

"I'm going to cum really hard, Shepard. I can already feel it coming."

"Well, I'm not close so it's up to you."

"Go a little harder."

I did as she asked. She grunted more than once but she was clearly focused on making herself orgasm. I just watched her face, and I think she may have even got a little shy, as she was busy having her arse fucked and rubbing herself at the same time. When her lips parted and her head started to roll back, I knew she was getting close. That's when I leaned down to kiss her neck, just adding a little more pleasure. And within thirty seconds, it set her off. She released probably the loudest moan of the night so far, feeling her legs shake as she rested them on the bed, her free arm immediately wrapping around me as her other furiously rubbed her clit. I could barely thrust now as her arse was clenching my cock nice and tight, and I knew trying to continue would hurt her. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck," she cried. She didn't seem to want to stop rubbing herself, continuing to spasm underneath me before she finally stopped, forcing her fingers into my mouth so I could taste her. "Fuck me, Shepard, that was a good one."

Then she settled back into the bed, looking knackered, so I pulled out and gently rested next to her. She didn't ask if I wanted to continue. I'd had my fun and I didn't feel another orgasm approaching, so she turned onto her side and cuddled into me. "I love a man who focuses on my orgasm."

"Your orgasm face is beautiful." That made her look up and smile. "Though your current face is just as nice."

"This is my post-coital, I've just had some mind-blowing sex face." She kissed me. "Thank you, Shepard, for doing that for me."

"We can do it again, Kelly. I don't mind. I'm just not one of those guys that goes searching for it. I'll put it simply. I love pussy."

"I'd love to do it again though."

We lay together until we'd calmed down before heading for a shower. We were both exhausted by now, so all we did was wash each other down, dry each other off, before heading back to bed, where we cuddled into each other, and that was when we could discuss certain topics. We must have chatted for a good couple of hours, just expressing opinions and thoughts, before she cuddled into me and relaxed a final time, drifting off to sleep as I wished her goodnight.

Everything was back to normal at last.

*****

Kasumi Goto had waited a long time for this day. It had been months since she'd lost him, and now she would gain her revenge. Thieves didn't normally think of vengeance, but Donovan Hock had taken what was most precious to her. And there was only one man capable of helping her for the job, because she knew he'd go through hell to help her.

The Normandy was in orbit of Bekenstein, though the ship itself would not be entering the atmosphere. Shepard would be entering a party hosted by the somewhat infamous Donovan Hock under an assumed identity, and with any luck, would find the whereabouts of something she had considered lost since the day she'd been forced to leave Keiji behind. His graybox. It was the only thing left that contained his memories of their time together.

Waiting by the small shuttle she had secured for transportation down to the planet, she paced back at forth, wondering if the plan would go off without a hitch, or if she shouldn't have organised for more people to join. Too late now, it would only be Shepard and herself.

The man himself appeared a few minutes later and even she had to think 'Wow' as he strolled towards her. He had the usual stubble on his face. His blue eyes looked amused. He kept his hair short, not clipped, but long enough for a woman to run her hand through it. Considering his lovers, she knew exactly why he did it. And the suit she'd chosen suited him perfectly. He was tall, fit, and devilishly handsome. Women were going to swoon as soon as he walked in the door, and every man would want to be his friend.

"Are you ready, Solomon Gunn?"

"And I take it you are my pretty assistant, a Japanese woman with a penchant for kleptomania?"

"The invitation is for you plus one, so here's hoping."

"Are you going in hooded?"

"He doesn't know my face, so no." And, with that, she took off her jacket and hood, showing the dress she was wearing underneath, a little black number that showed off her shallow curves. She certainly appreciated the gaze Shepard returned. She was a diminutive woman, not standing much over five-three or five-four, and certainly didn't weigh much. The dress certainly showed off enough skin to attract attention, and she had cleavage as her breasts were larger than he probably expected, but she also carried weapons and other things she would need for thievery underneath. She was sure Shepard would be packing as well.

"Do you approve, Mr. Gunn?"

"Oh, he certainly does, Miss Goto. He certainly does."

He opened the shuttle door for her, and it was there that he saw the golden statue of Saren Arterius inside. "The fuck is this?" he asked as she sat down, preparing for departure.

"A gift for Mr. Hock. But don't worry, the base of the statue will contain weapons and armour for us to use."

"Oh, fantastic. Guess Saren will come in handy for once then."

He took a seat next to her, strapped himself in, and let her take the controls. As she piloted the shuttle, communicating with the Normandy one last time before cutting transmission, she felt his eyes glance at her more than once. She almost laughed as he was trying his best not to be too obvious. "I'm glad you approve, Shepard."

"I've never seen you without a hood, Kasumi. You are stunning."

The comment made her blush, feeling her cheeks warm up. Shepard laughed, as they obviously started to get a little red. She'd grown her hair out, at least, so could still cover some of her features if necessary. She usually kept her hair shorter as it was easier to manage. "Well, thank you, Shepard. But I can't afford to be distracted and nor can you. Game faces once we're on the ground."

"But I can check you out now?"

"Shepard, I know about your reputation."

"And?"

"Well, I'm not sure if I want to be another notch on your bed post. Plus, there is also the memory of Keiji. It's… difficult. It's hard to even think of moving on. It's been a few months now but… I keep thinking it would be a betrayal."

Shepard looked away out the window. "I know what you mean. Everything was different when I came back," he said quietly.

"It's still nice to know I've got it though," she added.

"You certainly do." He reached over and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry that you lost him. He was obviously very special to you."

"It's why I'm doing this, Shepard. The most important thing is his graybox. If we can get in and out easily, then that will be fine. But part of me wants Hock to pay for what he did too."

"Well, I'll have my weapons if you want to go down that route. You just let me know what you want and I'll work to either end."

As they flew above a city, she pointed the shuttle in the direction of the Hock estate. It was a vast area on the outskirts of the nearby settlement. She knew all about Hock and had given a dossier to Shepard for him to study. Weapons dealer. Weapons smuggler. Extortion. Racketeering. She could at least be a little relieved he kept nose clean in regards to other crimes, but what he did was bad enough. His weapons ended up in the hands of the type of people you would rather not be armed. He had money, power, and influence.

She didn't want to make the mission personal. She missed Keiji every day, but the fact Hock had his graybox was what really mattered. It wasn't just the memories. He had worked for the Alliance as an agent, and he had discovered a damning secret. She could only be thankful that the graybox was heavily encrypted, though was sure Hock had his best people trying to crack it.

Focusing her mind on the here and now, she brought the shuttle into land. "Don't cover your shoulders," Shepard stated.

"Why?"

"Because I don't know the man, but I am one myself. Showing up how you look now? It'll distract him just enough to help us. We are simple creatures, Miss Goto." He paused before asking, "He doesn't know your name, does he?"

"No. He wouldn't even recognise me now. We should be good."

She stepped out of the shuttle with Shepard, watching him throw on his jacket, and gaze around, ever the soldier, no doubt assessing the number of guards, their weapons, armour, and seeing the estate as an enormous battlefield. Heading towards the mansion, a pair of guards walked to the shuttle to retrieve the statue as their eyes looked upon the mansion itself. It was remarkably tasteful for someone who made his millions in the trade of illicit weapons.

Climbing the stairs, the front doors leading inside were already open. Donovan Hock strode towards them. She tried not to tense, feeling Shepard's arm wrap around her waist as they came to a stop.

"I don't believe we've met. Donovan Hock."

He offered his hand, Shepard accepting it immediately, playing his part. "Solomon Gunn. Pleasure to meet you, Mr Hock. Heard a lot about you in return."

"And I you, Mr Gunn. You've been busy from what I have read on the extranet. If you believe everything you read on it, of course."

"There's always an element of truth and fiction to any stories written about people like us, Mr Hock."

"And this is?" he asked, and Shepard was right, his eyes immediately looking her up and down. He didn't leer, but she felt creeped out immediately.

"This is Miss Goto, my personal assistant."

Hock smirked. "Holding someone like that, Mr Gunn, I would believe she would be more than that."

"You might be right, Mr Hock, but that is her official title at least."

After a bit of an issue with the statute, which to her relief was allowed to head inside, Hock invited them both inside and wished them a pleasant evening. He'd met her eyes and there hadn't been a flicker of recognition, so she felt confident they could complete the job. Servants carried around trays of drinks and food, so they grabbed a flute of champagne each and wandered into the crowds, staying together to start off with.

"Can you cloak?" he asked, voice little more than a whisper.

"Of course."

"Then I think I'll mingle with the crowd and you get to work trying to locate what we're here for. You need anything from me, just let me know."

"What are you going to do otherwise?"

"Enjoy my role as mercenary extraordinaire and devilishly handsome man of action."

"Dear god, I've created a monster. Okay, keep in contact the normal way. If I run into any trouble, I'll certainly let you know."

As Shepard disappeared into the crowd, his sights clearly set on a very attractive, busty redhead looking over a painting, she got to work of locating the vault then trying to crack it. Once she was alone and unobserved, she cloaked and headed down a flight of stairs, towards where the guards had taken the statue of Saren. As she tried to figure out the security system, she could hear Shepard in her ear, flirting with the woman he'd been headed towards. She could hear her giggles in her earpiece and couldn't help laugh lightly to herself. "Shepard, no sleeping with the other guests."

She didn't hear a response from him. No doubt he heard it, but he was staying in character, regaling her with an obvious fake story which, even to her ears, was completely unrealistic but very amusing. No wonder she was laughing, though there was also the occasional compliment as well.

"Okay, Shepard. This is what we're up again. Top of the line protection. It's going to take some work. We've got a password voice lock. DNA scanner. Kinetic barrier to top it off. Would be damn near impenetrable… for most other thieves."

"Prognosis?"

"You'll need a voice sample from Hock, so you'll have to chat with him. I'm sure you'll be able to get him talking. We'll need to find the password as well. I've scoped out security room, so that will be our best bet for that. As for DNA, that'll be child's play. You'll just have to break into his private quarters."

"Anything else?"

"There's a kinetic barrier we'll need to disable. Cutting the power will do the trick. Probably the easiest thing to do out of all of them."

"Okay. I'll get cracking. I'll go talk to Hock first."

The voice of his female companion disappeared, Shepard stopping to chat with other guests, introducing himself like he was an old friend, before he finally started talking to Hock. The first thing she learned is that Shepard knew everything about guns, and Hock was genuinely interested in hearing his opinions. The two must have talked for at least twenty minutes about the new weapons being released, modifications, prices, the different sorts, even delving into politics and its effect on being a mercenary around the galaxy. Figuring Shepard was quite happy to keep talking, she eventually told him that she had more than enough of his voice for a sample.

As he was talking, she got to work locating the password. The security room was manned by a lone guard. Cloaking herself, she slipped in, disabled the guard with ease, easily breaking into their system to retrieve the code, and slipping out all in the time Shepard had been talking to Hock. She next focused on disrupting the power. She had an application on her omni-tool to help with that, and as Shepard was still talking, she managed to sort that out as well. All she needed now was a sample of Hock's DNA.

Hearing Shepard move away from Hock, she eventually met him near the door to his private quarters. Managing to get inside was surprisingly easy, and they both had a good look around at the art collection he kept for himself. There were things on just his bedroom wall that would have been considered priceless. Finding something with his DNA was easy, but before they could escape, they heard voices in the living room.

"Shit, if we're caught…"

Shepard thought quickly, and the first thing he did was turn her towards him and kiss her. She almost cried out but went with it for a moment, pulling back to see his lipstick on his lips. Figuring exactly what he was trying to do, he took the shirt from being tucked inside his trousers, undid a couple of buttons, and took off his jacket. She messed up her hair and took off her panties and shoes, feeling very short compared to him now, both of them wandering out of his room to be met by three armed guards.

"You shouldn't be back here," one of them stated.

"We just wanted a little privacy. Know what I mean?" Shepard replied, immediately wrapping an arm around her waist.

"And I'd just got these off too!" she added, holding up her black panties.

The three guards immediately grinned but gestured to the door with their weapons. "Look, you two want to fuck, be our guests, but use one of the guest rooms."

"Of course. My apologies. Just thought there'd be more privacy here," Shepard stated, immediately walking towards the door they had entered. "If Mr Hock does ask, just tell him I was hoping for a little private time with my personal assistant."

"I think it's best Mr Hock doesn't hear about it, sir. Just return to the party and no-one need be disturbed otherwise."

She led Shepard back out towards the large open area where the guests still mingled. She put on her shoes but could do nothing with her panties, Shepard taking them and putting them in his pocket. She felt a little weird walking around with him going commando, but now they had what they wanted, she suggested they head back to where the statue had been place. Pushing the button for the secret compartment, she could see Shepard's eyes light up at the armour and weapons on display.

Without even thinking, she stripped off her dress and immediately blushed as she realised that she now stood next to him stark naked. She hadn't worn a bra, simply because her dress had been tight enough to keep everything in place, and her panties were now in his pocket. She finally chanced a glance towards him, watching him undo the buttons on his shirt. When he took off his shirt, she definitely made an approving sound.

"We both get naked, Kasumi, I'm going to think things. Want your panties back?" he asked, definitely taking a moment to appreciate her in return.

"Part of me wants to be naughty and suggest you keep them, but I do need underwear."

He handed them back as she started to dress, her familiar clothing as usual, making sure cloaking device was clipped to her side, taking a pistol and sub-machine gun. Shepard dressed in his armour and tooled up completely. Shield pack. Shotgun. Pistol. Assault rifle. Heavy weapon. Even grenades. How he managed to walk around carrying all that, she didn't know, but considering he was rather tall, and very board, just the size of his arms alone…

The elevator for the vault arrived. She knocked out the camera before pushing the button to head down. She took a series of deep breaths to calm herself, feeling unusually tense. But they were now in, and what she wanted was closer than it had been since the day she'd lost Keiji. Shepard kept himself busy by rolling his muscles, getting himself nice and loose. She figured he assumed the worst, and was getting ready to fight.

What they learned quickly is that Donovan Hock was a keen collector of art and artefacts. Michelangelo's David, whether real or a replica, was inside his vault. So was the head of the Statue of Liberty. A copy of the Mona Lisa. Shepard even pointed out what he called the Magna Carta was inside. None of it matters, not really. All she wanted was the graybox and then to get out quickly.

She found it eventually after at least a few minutes searching. She quickly scanned in, Shepard jogging over, asking if she'd found it. "Have to be sure, Shep. We know Hock has already tried to crack it."

She was in the middle of ensuring it was still encrypted when a voice boomed, "Don't bother, Miss Goto. It's code-locked." Shepard had his shotgun out and aimed far quicker than she imagined possible. She grabbed the graybox before standing to his side, an enormous hologram of Hock on a nearby wall. "I didn't know your name but I had a feeling it was you. I might not have seen your face, but I knew you were the one with him. Only you would have been so foolish to return."

"You should know that I don't like to disappoint," she replied.

He then did that typical 'bad guy' thing of going into a monologue of what he wanted and why. She turned out while Shepard was clearly looking around for a distraction. He seemed to find something he liked, his shotgun levelling at a nearby Ming vase. No doubt it was absolutely priceless.

So of course Shepard took delight in shooting it. "God, do you people ever not just get around to the business of trying to kill us? Why do you always have to explain your plans?"

"You've just made a serious mistake, Mr. Gunn."

He made the sound like a buzzer. "Wrong answer, Hock. My name is… drumroll, Miss Goto."

"Is this really the time?" she asked, though couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her.

"Spoilsport. Anyway, the name isn't Gunn. It's Shepard. Formerly Commander…"

The eyes narrowed. "Well, I had heard rumours of your return but would never have believed you would be stupid enough to steal from me."

"Though you would have recognised me?"

"You've never interested me before, Shepard. Now you do. Miss Goto, you will not be leaving with what is mine. Rest assured your bodies won't be treated with respect once you're dead."

The hologram flicked out and guards flooded in. Shepard disappeared immediately and she heard a shotgun blast on the other side of the room. Taking out her SMG, she joined the party, cloaking and de-cloaking to leave the enemy completely confused. She'd cloak, get as close to a guard as possible, de-cloak to their surprise, burst into fire into the chest or head, then cloak and move again. She would occasionally de-cloak, only to be fired upon immediately, which was the perfect time to show off her flexibility and gymnastic skills. They couldn't hit what moved like her.

Once they'd cleared the room of his guards, they joined together and thought of a new plan. Heading back up was a no-no. The elevator would likely be locked down anyway. She had gone over extensive plans of his mansion and knew of a landing pad to the east of the building. If they could head there, they could either steal a ship or call in an evac by the Normandy. Shepard agreed immediately and led the way.

Hock had plenty of guards to throw his way, even large mechs that caused concern for both of them. Shepard showed how nuts he was at times, Kasumi taking cover as it opened fire, Shepard simply charging, nearly knocking the enormous machine over before he fired blast after blast, aiming for its weak points, before he moved away, waiting for the mech to explode.

More mechs flooded forward towards them, along with a few guards. The pair worked together, though Shepard clearly led from the front, charging left and right. She spent most of her time simply watching his back, each small burst of SMG fire fining its target. He kept them so occupied, she was barely shot at herself.

The pair reached a dead end. Searching for a way through, there was a garage door but no mechanism to open it. Not even a terminal she could possibly hack into. Shepard the suggested they use a nearby armoured vehicle. She was thinking along the lines of climbing in and driving away. That's not what he was planning as he got into the turret seat, aimed, and fired, blasting an enormous hole in the wall, killing a trio of mercenaries who happened to be waiting on the other side.

"What the hell are you people doing down there?" Hock screamed over the comm system.

"Well, I think blowing up his mansion might be a little extreme. I am thinking about it though," Shepard muttered.

The pair moved on, Shepard now switching to his rifle, now covering and firing alongside her.

"Kill Solomon Gunn! Bring the girl to me!"

"When will they ever learn, Miss Goto?"

"We do seem to end up fighting a lower class of criminal, Shepard."

Mowing down a couple of mercenaries here and there, she felt confident they were reaching the exit, though could only hope there was something waiting for them to escape, otherwise life was going to get difficult. She had the plans in her omni-tool, but from memory, there were not many exit points from the landing pad. Circling around the mansion was out, no doubt the shuttle she'd piloted full of holes and in flames by now to prevent their escape.

Another enormous mech definitely grabbed their attention. This time, there was no messing around from Shepard, taking the heavy weapon from his back, aiming and firing, the mech exploding into tiny flaming fragments. Watching him place the weapon on his back, he looked at her and it was obvious he was now getting pissed off.

"Don't fight me, Kasumi. You know what happened to your boy toy when he fought back."

He reached across to grab her shoulder. "He dies, Kasumi," he growled.

She popped a new heat sink into her SMG and nodded, not feeling confident in her voice at that moment. There were very few guards remaining, the pair killing four more before they burst through a set of doors out onto the landing pad. And it was as she feared. No shuttles waiting. No anything they could use. Shepard immediately walked out into the middle of the landing pad. "I could call in a shuttle?"

"Hock will have defences, Shepard. No chance it'll get here without behind fired upon."

"I could just call in the Normandy."

"I'm sure that'll just spark some sort of diplomatic incident." She opened her omni-tool. "Just give me a sec, I'll check our options. Going back the way we came is out. Maybe there's a trail or something…"

Before she'd really had a chance to investigate, something flew over their heads. She heard Shepard shout 'Gunship!' before she felt herself picked up too easily and carried behind cover. He set her down gently, his eyes immediately peering over cover. "Thanks," she said, taking out her SMG, "You carried me far too easily then."

"No problem. Now, gunship. Ideas?"

"I'm not sure, you?"

Shepard stood up and simply fired a burst into the gunship. He crouched down as it returned fire. She could hear its engines as it moved from side to side. They were well protected from all sides for the moment. "You're good at tech, right? It's well shielded. All I need you to do is disable them. Once you do that, heavy weapon time, and I blow the fucker out of the sky."

"I'll need him closer for it to work."

"Okay, I can play chicken. Give me a minute."

He stored his rifle, took a couple of deep breaths, before standing up and walking a couple of paces. She watched him actually wave and called Hock to come closer. The idiot should have just fired at Shepard and be done with it, but he couldn't just do that. He needed to boast about what he was about to do. While he was pre-occupied, Kasumi got to work. Finding an access to his gunship was easy. She didn't do the shields right away. First, she disabled his guns. Then she fiddled with his engines. Then she disabled his shields. She didn't have to tell Shepard anything as she stood up net to him, giving him a wave as she saw him move, trying to open fire.

Then she keyed a final command, watching as the canopy of the cockpit flew open. Together, she and Shepard took out their weapons and opened fire, riddling his body with bullets. Thankfully, he slumped forward onto the controls, causing the gunship to veer away and over the side of the landing pad, hearing it crash far below them.

She stood next to him, barely believing it was all over, the only sounds being her controlled breathing, noticing him place the weapon on his back. Next thing she knew, he had his arms wrapped around her, just bringing her a little comfort. "Better?" he asked quietly.

"No. It won't bring him back, but at least it's over."

Still holding her with one arm, he called the Normandy, asking for a shuttle to be brought to their location. If those who worked for Hock knew he was dead, she assumed many would now simply go on the run, their pay-master dead. Shepard suggested they go back and take a few things, but she didn't need anything else. She had what she'd come for.

The shuttle arrived ten minutes later and together they stepped on board. He sat down and she sat next to him. She'd felt safe the entire time near him and, with what she was about to do, she might need his comfort yet again.

"You want to do it now?" he asked, sounding slightly surprised.

"I've waited long enough, Shepard."

Sliding the graybox into a slot, she opened the holographic interface that came with it. The shuttle disappeared and she soon found herself in virtual reality, and in front of her stood Keiji. It wasn't really him. It was only a recording. But seeing him, hearing his voice again, was almost too much. Shepard heard her sniffle immediately, wrapping an arm around her. She could still feel that.

"Kasumi. If you're seeing this, it's because I'm dead. The information we found is all here. It's big, Kasumi. If the Council ever got wind of this, the Alliance could be implicated. Kasumi, I encrypted the information to keep it safe. And I uploaded the encryption key to your graybox, so no one could get the whole package. But if I'm dead, and if anyone know about this… then I've made you a target, my love. I'm so, so sorry."

"Keiji," she whispered, seeing other memories of their time together. Brief snippets. Moments they'd stolen together.

"I know you, Kasumi. You'll want to keep these memories forever. But you don't need some neural implant to know I'll always be with you. Please, Kasumi. Destroy these files. There's nothing more I can do to protect you. Goodbye, Kasumi, I love you."

He faded away as she removed the interface from around her eyes. Drying her eyes behind the hood, Shepard simply tightened his arm around her, not saying a word otherwise. He would have heard everything but not seen it. Not seen him. "That man had a lot of love in his heart, it seems."

"He did."

"Memories?"

"Everything."

"Is there any way we can just destroy the information, not the memories?"

"No, he is… was a master at encrypting files. He laced the information into his memories. You can't get one without experiencing the other." She sighed with bitterness. She knew he was right, of course. If the information got out, it could get ugly for humanity in general.

"What will you do?"

"I don't want to, but I'll do what he wants. His last wish, it seems. He's not just protecting me by asking this, he's protecting everyone. But by doing that, he also… breaks my heart a final time. It's like watching him die all over again."

"I've heard you speak about him before, Kasumi. You won't forget him. Some people have one great love in their lives. Some have more. Cherish the time you had together, and never forget it. But by doing this, perhaps it is also his way of saying that you should also move on."

"Sometimes easier said than done."

"I know. I've been there myself."

"Annie?" He nodded. She knew he had gone through exactly the same thing. In many ways, he still hadn't moved on. He may have expressed love for one or two women since, but he still wasn't willing to settle with just one, not willing to make that commitment again, likely fearful of losing her just as quickly again. "Guess we're both unlucky in love, Shepard." She couldn't help sigh as she opened the commands for the graybox. Passing through the sub-menus, she found the one needed. She held out her hand, Shepard immediately grabbing it, holding it tight, before she pushed the button required. A few seconds later, the graybox was empty. Everything was gone.

Arriving back on the Normandy, Shepard immediately called out to Joker that they should leave the system they were in, heading in the direction of Omega for now, though not to actually land there should they arrive anytime soon. He escorted her to her lounge, sitting her down on one of the couches that looked out upon the stars as he walked to the bar. He returned a couple of minutes later with a pair of glasses, handing her something that she immediately took a gulp of. It was strong, very strong, and she couldn't help cough, hearing him chuckle beside her. "Easy. Drinking and grief are not a good combination, but I can understand…"

"Let's invite some people, Shepard. Add some life."

She leaned into his side as he called out to EDI to announce a ship wide broadcast for everyone to head the port observation deck for drinks. Everyone came, even people like Miranda. All of them were aware the two of them had been down for a mission, though none of them knew much more than that. Shepard hadn't told them, nor had she. She didn't think she'd ever share everything with anyone except him now.

He provided comfort all night, gently rubbing her back or her side, as she simply curled her legs underneath her body, snuggling into his side. She didn't say all that much, people like Garrus definitely providing plenty of amusement with some of the stories he shared. Shepard made them laugh as he told them of some of the people he met at Hock's party, with a little teasing from Kelly about the redheaded bombshell that had taken his attention.

It was good night. Everyone had a story to share. Many of them made her laugh. After a few hours, only Shepard and Kelly remained with her, though Kelly whispered something into his ear, kissed his cheek, and she disappeared. Once they were alone, she asked, "What did she say?"

"She thought I should stay with you tonight."

"Oh…"

"Not like that."

"But…"

"Well, she seems to think you find me comforting."

"I do. You've been nothing but… hmm… I'm not sure how to put it. Understanding? Kind? Um… Thoughtful?"

"Grief works in funny ways, Kasumi. The night we lost Kaidan, Ashley came into my room. I was going to send her away, as I didn't think it was the right time, but we ended up making love for the first time. People react to grief differently. She needed to feel alive by being intimate with someone. How do I deal with grief? I generally get steaming drunk then pass out, because then I don't think or dream."

"So after Annie?"

"Bender of epic proportions. I'm fairly sure my liver still hates me for it. So you've been grieving since that day, and now you will deal with that final piece of grief. So you deal with it how you want, Kasumi."

She didn't want to be alone that night, that much she knew, so she asked him to stay. She didn't want intimacy or sex, she certainly wasn't ready for that, but just being around him was enough. Keiji was gone, and he could no longer protect her. Shepard… Shepard was someone who would protect her from now on. He was a good man, cared for his friends, and would go through hell for those alongside him, ensuring they survived.

So that's how she ended up in bed with Shepard that night. She wore underwear and a thin shirt to cover herself. He just wore underwear, and she couldn't help but marvel at his body again. If you looked in a dictionary for a word such as 'adonis', there'd be a picture of him. She cuddled into his side as he felt one of his strong arms wrap around her. Resting against his body, she admitted that he already made her feel safe. That made him smile, a kiss on the top of her forehead as much intimate contact they needed.

It was the best night's sleep she'd had in months, waking up surprisingly late to find him still there next to her, though he'd likely been awake for a while. Maybe he'd been watching her sleep. "Good morning," he whispered, "Sleep well?"

"Best in months, Shepard. You're very warm."

"I get that compliment often."

Running a hand up and down his chest, even when relaxed, she could feel the muscles everywhere. Moving to his arm, there was a strength and power she rarely felt in anyone, yet they were also arms that clearly provided much more. He simply watched her, a slight grin on his face, before she finally met his eyes. Then she leaned up and kissed him. She couldn't help herself. Despite everything, she was still attracted.

"Well, one would soon get ideas with a kiss like that, Miss Goto," he whispered.

"That was quite the kiss you gave me yesterday, Shepard. I just wanted to try again."

"And?"

"Well, let's just say I've enjoyed it both times."

"Don't rush things, Kasumi. Heal your heart first, then when you feel ready, and you really want this, and more importantly, you can accept my life how it is, then by all means, I'm not going to say no."

"You won't?"

"God no." He said it with such passion, she couldn't help kissing him again, eventually moving so she was straddling his body, her shirt quickly disappearing as she felt his hands on her bare skin. She could also feel his erection through their underwear. All that did was make her remember how long it had been since she'd been intimate with anyone. But she could sense his hesitation for anything more than a kiss. "Kasumi…"

"I know. But it's nice to feel wanted. Nice to be like this with someone who obviously likes me in return."

She rested her head of his chest, his arms wrapping around her once again, feeling fingers trail up and down her spine. She could hear his heartbeat, and could tell he was at least a little bit excited by her. Okay, from what she could feel pressing against her, he was more than a little excited. But she felt safe and comfortable with him, and couldn't help lay there with a smile as she gazed upon the twinkling stars in space.

Maybe moving on wouldn't be so hard to do after all.