Book 2, Chapter 8 - Reunions

I'd torn strips off the Illusive Man after demanding Miranda put me in contact with him. She relented quite easily as she could see how pissed off I was. I think she may have even sympathised with me as she would have known about my relationship with Liara, not just the physical side either. She'd been a bloody good friend and had provided numerous theories to prove the Reaper hypothesis true. The fact he'd hidden her from me told me everything I needed to know about his motives. He didn't trust those who'd been with me originally. I was convinced he didn't know Garrus was Archangel otherwise he'd never have sent me to find him.

After I'd said my piece, I cut the line just like I used to do with the Council. Sensing I was rather pissed off about thing still, Kelly grabbed me by the hand and led me upstairs, where she led me to the middle of my cabin, dropped to her knees as she pulled down my trousers, then proceeded to give me a rather excellent blowjob, and made sure I blasted all over her face again. Once I was done, she kept blowing me even though I slowly softened before she looked up and said, "I know you fucked Jack the other night."

I wasn't totally with it after an orgasm so I just shrugged. "She was a good fuck. Gave it to her nice and hard," I admitted.

"You know that's all she'll expect now, for you to basically use her."

"And?"

"You don't care?"

"I do, but I'm not here to mould people or anything, Kelly. I'm here to do the job and get it done right. And I don't have time for her antics. I didn't put up with bullshit while in the Alliance and I won't put up with it here."

She stood up and stripped herself off before she sat back on the bed, resting on her elbows and spreading her legs. "I would hope you would at least look after me, Shepard."

I devoured her pussy like a thirsty man finding an oasis of ice cold water after wandering the desert for months. I always complimented her on how good she tasted, which certainly made her smile, and when I got somewhat vulgar about it, made her blush. I didn't tease her this time. I went in hard and fast, eager to make her cum as quickly as possible, because once she did, I stripped off the rest of my clothes, hopped on the bed as she moved back enough that I could join her, then we fucked.

Twenty minutes later, we were lying on our backs together, breathing deeply. "Well…" I stated.

"I needed that, Shepard. I needed you to eat me out then just fuck me."

"Guess it has been a few days."

She rolled onto her side, cuddling into me. "Don't fret, I know the score, Shepard. One, you have been busy lately. Two, you will be distracted by others. Three, I can look after myself if things get really bad. I'll just use my fingers and think about you."

"I'm not sure what it is but a woman masturbating is erotic as hell."

"Maybe I'll record me doing it and send it to you?"

"Just not when I'm on mission. I like being distracted just not when I'm being shot at."

"Maybe when you're standing next to me near the galaxy map?"

"Then I'd just stride over and fuck you then and there." I paused and chuckled. "Well, I'm sure some of the crew probably expect it now. Not like this is a secret." I pulled her closer and kissed her. "Glad it's not anymore."

She liked the sound of that giving me a squeeze once she wrapped an arm around my chest.

It took over two days to reach the system in which Illium lay. During that time, I spent a lot of time in the gym continuing to work on my fitness, practicing my biotic skills with Jacob and Miranda, and it was only then that Jack finally started to act like part of the team, as she'd come join in, particularly when Miranda and I were training, and I knew it was so she could show off in front of Miranda. The enmity between them was obvious to everyone, but as long as it didn't come to blows, I wasn't going to involve myself. Competition wasn't a bad thing as long as it remained healthy. Jack also appeared at meal times, or at least for breakfast and dinner. She kept to herself each time but the threats must have worked. She didn't talk to me at all, and I didn't go down and talk to her either. But she was meeting me halfway at least, so I had no reason to complain.

The night before we arrived on Illium, I was at my desk in my office when Miranda got in contact with me over the comm system. I was surprised hear from her that the Illusive Man wanted to talk to me again. "What the fuck does he want now?"

"He apparently has more information regarding our visit to Illium and any possible reunion with Liara T'Soni."

"Why do I have a feeling I'm still nothing but a pawn on his chess board?"

"Maybe he has information that could be vital to this mission, Shepard. He does want us to succeed."

"Yeah, I do sometimes wonder about that though," I muttered, "Okay, I'll head downstairs now."

I was rather comfortable this late in the evening so had to change into something decent, including throwing on shoes, before I headed downstairs. Kelly had disappeared, so assumed she was either in one of the lounges or the crew quarters. I hadn't told her I didn't want her company that evening, but I had been distracted most of the day about our impending arrival. She'd learned quite quickly when I needed time to myself.

After keying the code and standing where required, the Illusive Man appeared again. This time he was standing, and I had a feeling this meeting would be brief. Good. Hate talking to this cunt anyway. Still haven't thought of a nickname for him. There are one or two obvious names but I need something with added spice.

"Shepard, I have further information in regards to your arrival on Illium. No doubt you are heading there due to the two dossiers I have sent you and also in regards to any contact you may wish with Liara T'Soni."

"Okay, I'll bite. What do you have?"

"Are you aware of her links with the Shadow Broker?"

"What? What links? Liara's an archaeologist. I don't even know what the hell she's doing on Illium!"

"Things changed in the two years you were gone, Shepard. People moved on, changed careers, as you obviously witnessed with Archangel. No, Liara is no longer that innocent archaeologist you met three years ago."

"Okay, so what's her story with the Shadow Broker? Is she working for him?"

"No. Liara isn't working for the Shadow Broker. She's trying to find him."

"What the hell for?"

"You wouldn't be aware of the new direction Liara has taken with her life. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know what she's been up to since you last saw each other. I'm also sure that she knows of your return. She has tried to reach out to you. We have intercepted those messages until recently."

I felt my fists balls immediately. "Listen, you jumped up son of a…"

"It was for your own benefit, Shepard. I cannot afford to have you distracted chasing after your old friends nor trying to engage in sexual relations with every woman you happen to meet."

"I assume that is in reference to someone on this ship?"

"Give me some credit, Shepard. Miranda reported it as soon as Kelly spent her first night in your room. But I care little as to what Miss Chambers does during her off duty hours. But I knew you'd run off on some little crusade to 'rescue' Liara should she contact you."

"That's not your decision."

"Yes, it is. That's my ship. I spent billions bringing you back. The credits you are spending come from me. The people you are recruiting come from information I collated. I won't say I own you, Shepard, but you owe me. I don't expect your undivided loyalty but I do expect you to do the job I demand for the moment."

"Suddenly, all I want to do is channel Jack and tell you to fuck off."

"You can say what you want, Shepard. We both know the deal here. So, I'm aware you'll be arriving on Illium soon enough. Make contact with Liara and see what her dealings are with the Shadow Broker. If I deem it necessary, I will contact you again or I will feed information to Miranda for her to liaise with you."

"Anything else?"

"No. That will be all for now, Shepard."

I said nothing, simply turning and stepping off the pad as the lights switched on. Every time I finished talking with him, I was left in a bad mood. Heading towards the elevator, my finger hovered over the button for my cabin, before I moved it down to the mess level. It hovered there a moment before I pressed the button below that one.

Stepping out, I rounded the corner and walked down the stairs. Standing at the end of the walkway, Jack raised her head and looked in my direction as I simply glared at her. The smirk that appeared on her face suggested she knew what I was there for. I strode towards her as she stood up, balling her fists. She eventually surged towards me, and I gave her one hell of an almighty backhander. That just made her snarl as she practically leapt at me, surprised she wasn't using her biotics, trying to use her strength. It was never going to work, but that didn't mean she wasn't putting everything into it. Her face as close as it was to mine, I took a chance as kissed her hard. It surprised her for only a moment before she replied in kind, her tongue immediately requesting entrance as I led her to the bench nearby, lifting her up and placing her down, hands immediately reaching for trousers, breaking apart for a moment to rip off my shirts. I helped take off her boots as I took mine off, before trousers and underwear joined them so we were both now naked, lips crashing together again as I blindly lined up my cock and thrust inside her.

"Fuck yes," she moaned. She shuffled forward as I just pumped into her hard and fast, noticing she kept her legs spread nice and wide. "Fuck yes," she moaned again, "Deeper." Grabbing the back of her neck, I kept her still as I really drove into her. "Faster," she cried quietly.

"Fucking hell," I muttered.

"Come on, you pussy. Call this fucking?" I glared at her and she simply smirked. "That's right, boy scout. You think I don't know you get off on this too? Knew you'd come back looking for more." I kissed her again and smirked as I drove into her as hard as possible, making her grunt as she dug her fingers into my back, now moving her legs so they rested loosely around me. "Like that, Shepard. Holy fuck, just like that."

"Love my cock, don't you?"

"Just give it to me and shut the fuck up." I eventually broke the kiss and just looked down as I pumped into her hard and fast, my cock looking like a piston, I grabbed her neck by my left hand as I licked the thumb on my right and lowered it, eventually finding her clit and gently rubbing it. She almost leapt off the bench when I touched her. "Please," she pleaded.

"Oh, now you're going to beg are you?"

She nodded. "Yes," she hissed.

I kept the same tempo, not being gentle at all, but I was gentle when playing with her clit, as it was obvious she was completely turned on and also desperate to cum. Unlike the first time, I came down to fuck but to also have a good time, and it wasn't just about me. I figured we could hate fuck each other if that's what she really wanted in the end. I certainly wasn't after a relationship. Casual, no holds barred sex was on offer, I was going to take it.

"Keep going," she breathed, "Don't stop."

"Going to cum for me, Jack?"

"God yes. Holy fuck, Shepard."

I couldn't help smirk. Make a woman orgasm and her demeanour suddenly changes rather quickly. I didn't relent fucking her nor playing with her clit until she did orgasm, her already tight pussy really clenching as she came, arms and legs both wrapping around me as she cried out with pleasure. I kept right on fucking her even as she calmed down, and only then did she let go of me slightly, resting her hands on my shoulders as I continued. "God yes, destroy this pussy," she cried.

I didn't reply, simply leaning forward to kiss her again, no surprise she really bit my lip this time, enough to draw blood that I could taste. I gave her a gentle slap for that. "Easy," I warned before kissing her again.

Though I was holding back my orgasm, I couldn't hold it back forever and once I knew I was about to cum, I waited until the very last moment before pulling out and spraying all over her stomach and tits, leaving long white streaks of cum everywhere. She cried out something, not that I really paid attention, as the relief of finally releasing nearly overwhelmed me. After a series of deep breaths, I finally looked down and noticed the mess I'd made on her. "What the fuck did you do that for?" she asked.

"Marking my territory."

"Should have just cum in my pussy, idiot."

"Next time." I leaned down and kissed her, lifting her into a seated position so I could whisper into her ear, "Though maybe next time, I'll take your arse instead." I wasn't that big a fan of anal, but I had a feeling…

"I'd like to see you try."

I met her eyes. I enjoyed the defiance in them, but there was an added edge that she liked the idea. "Don't worry, Jack, I'm not a completely callous bastard. I'd bring some lube at least."

The moment was passed though now that we'd both cum. I grabbed the pile of clothing nearby, handing over her clothes as I dressed myself. All she did was grab a nearby rag to wipe off the cum before she threw on her trousers, not even bothering to cover her tits with the thin strapping she used otherwise. Once I was dressed, she was already sitting back on her cot. "What the fuck put you in a bad mood anyway?" she asked. The fact she even asked was a surprise. The fact she could read my mood was almost mind boggling.

"Illusive Man."

"Yeah, well, he's a cunt anyway. Read plenty of information already about what he's been up to."

Now she had my interest in a way that didn't involve sex. I leaned back against the very bench we just fucked on as I asked, "What have you found?"

She looked ready to retort with sarcasm, but noticing my obvious interest, she swallowed down what she was going to originally say. "Nothing definitive yet. What I want to know is where I was… turned into this. Cerberus did this to me, Shepard. The way I am. I mean the biotics. It's obviously not natural, right? I have all these memories, but it's hard to pin them all together."

"What do you hope to find?"

"The very facility. Then I'm going to hunt down the fuckers responsible. Each and every one. Then I'm going to toy with them for a little while, like they did with me, before I kill them."

"Do you want my help?"

"You offering?"

"I am. And I'm being serious here, Jack. I can't claim to know what happened to you, but I think we can both admit you're a little fucked up." I think my honesty helped because she actually laughed. "You've had a shit life, I can see that. If Cerberus is involved, I'll certainly help however way I can."

"Got your own axe to grind?"

"I'm here because of the Collectors. If it wasn't for them, I'd be long gone."

"I'll be gone once I've fulfilled my obligation."

"Like most of us, Jack. Like most of us."

There would be no pleasantries. All I did was turn and head towards the stairs. "Hey, Shepard," she called out. I stopped and turned back. "That was pretty fucking good." I definitely smirked. "You want to do that shit again, just pop down. I love a good fuck as much as the next girl. And at least you know I'll bite." I definitely laughed as I simply turned and headed back upstairs towards the elevator.

I'm fairly sure that people knew the next morning as I arrived in the mess for breakfast. It didn't exactly go quiet, but you get a sixth sense for when people are talking about you before walking into a room. I grabbed a tray and sat in my usual place, across from Garrus and next to Kelly. The conversations resumed but there was a slight atmosphere in the mess. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, but there was something unsaid. It was only when Jack appeared a good fifteen minutes later that Garrus gave me a look that told me he knew.

"Yes, Garrus?"

"I'm not sure I should say in front of Kelly here, Shepard."

"I don't care, Garrus," Kelly stated.

I shrugged as Garrus continue to look at me. Then he shrugged as well. "Guess it's none of my business really. Are we close to Illium?"

"We'll be there at lunchtime. We'll dock and the crew can get some shore leave. Considering we'll be recruiting at the same time, I have a feeling we'll be there a little while."

"And Liara?"

"She'll be the first person I intend on visiting."

I spent most of the time in the CIC. Kelly wasn't awkward at all knowing what I was now up to with Jack, still bringing me a coffee every couple of hours, chatting away and acting like nothing had changed. Regarding our own affair, nothing had. I'd still love her to warm my bed quite often. The thing with Jack was purely physical, a different sort of release. I'm sure Kelly could probably analyse it and let me know what psychologists would call it.

The Normandy docked around lunchtime Illium time. Once the docking bay arm was clamped, the crew quickly departed their stations, ready to depart the ship. Except for ground missions, everyone had been on ship constantly since Omega, so I could understand the desire for everyone to get off for a few hours and days. Having read that Illium was an asari colony world, I didn't think I'd need armour just to visit Liara, so all I did was grab a pistol, putting that in the band of my trousers around the back as I walked up the gangway towards Joker.

"Will you be getting off the ship?" I asked.

"I'm tempted but there's a chance I'll end up signing something that'll have me being someone's slave."

"What?"

"Illium practices something called 'indentured servitude', Commander. The planet is home to what is basically a slave trade."

"And they get away with this?"

"Illium is an asari colony world but not part of the Asari Republics, so the rules are different."

"How the hell do you know all this?"

EDI popped up nearby. "Lieutenant Moreau watches hours of pornography, Shepard. One of his favourite genres is bondage but he also enjoys other types of BDSM pornography. Illium is quite often the setting regarding the dominant and submissive relationships that take place due to slavery."

I could only look at Joker wide eyed. "Yeah, thanks EDI," he muttered.

Eventually, I could only laugh. "We all have our interests, Joker. Watch what you want, like what you want. Anyone who wants to judge? Fuck them." I paused before asking, "Are the movies all asari?"

"Some of them. Others are men with asari."

"Interesting. Are you a practitioner yourself?"

He laughed loudly at that so perhaps it was a stupid question. Eventually he did reply. "No, I just enjoy watching videos, Commander. It's not even about sexual gratification. It's actually interesting to watch the lead up before the sex. Some of it's professional but a lot of it's amateur, filmed by actual couples, so you can see it's genuine."

"Well, I have learned something new today, Joker. Thank you."

"Yeah, let's never mention this again."

The crew were now coming towards us along the gangway and I pressed the button to open the airlock. I gave them a subtle warning about what to expect on Illium but to otherwise enjoy themselves, adding that I expected to be on the planet for a number of days, that Miranda had sent them their shift patterns while in dock, so while there were the usual expectations while on shift, they could otherwise come and go as they pleased. Many would like have booked last minute accommodation off the ship and many were wearing clothing without the Cerberus logo. So they had some brains, at least.

Garrus was hanging around as the rest of my ground team disappeared. Kasumi perhaps to go steal things. Zaeed to find a bar to drink beer and smoke. Mordin to… do whatever interested him. I was surprised Jack leave the ship, and she was wearing a shirt and jacket. She returned a small grin to my surprised glance before she wandered off.

"Well, I didn't expect that," Garrus muttered.

Last off the ship, except those who would remain on station, was Miranda. I probably looked even more surprised at her than at Jack. Her smile was genuine. "You're right, Shepard. We have a few days here, and I'll be honest, I need the break. Might find a comfy little bar and enjoy a girly drink, as you said."

"Alone or with someone?"

"Kelly actually offered to meet up with me and a couple of the other girls on board are coming along."

I couldn't help smile. She was slowly but surely loosening up, which is all I wanted. I didn't expect her to be everyone's friend but the fact she was now forging relationships could only be a good thing. "Well, I'd suggest you go and enjoy yourself then."

"And you're going to meet Liara now?"

"Yeah. Garrus will join me. When I want to head off to find the first recruit, I'll contact everyone, but it likely won't be until tomorrow, so you can enjoy tonight off."

As Miranda headed off, I headed to my terminal for a last minute check for new messages, grabbed my jacket and we headed out into the city of Nos Astra together. We'd barely stepped off the ship when a rather attractive asari walked towards us, hips shaking, a welcoming smile and a definite head turner. "Welcome to Nos Astra, Commander Shepard. We've been instructed to waive all docking and administration fees for your visit."

I glanced at Garrus. "Well, she obviously knows we're here then."

"My name is Careena. If you need information about the area, it would be my pleasure to assist you."

"I assume it was Liara who did this for me?"

"Correct, Commander. She has paid all docking fees on your behalf. Considering the vessel you currently fly, she also helped smooth your entry into the port of Nos Astra."

"Yeah, I've had that problem already," I muttered.

"She's been expecting you for some time, Commander," Careena continued, "She has asked that I direct you to speak with her at your earliest convenience. She's located near the trading floor."

"I understand she's pursued a new career path, but as what?"

"Liara is one of Nos Astra's most respected information brokers. Nos Astra is based upon trade. Information is a valuable currency and commodity, and Liara has done quite well. She is looking forward to seeing you, Commander."

"Thanks, Careena. Visiting Liara was one of our main reasons for stopping here. We'll head there straight away."

"I'm sure she's looking forward to your arrival, Commander. Have a good day."

As she turned and walked away, I definitely watched her. Garrus laughed at me within seconds. "Spirits, Shepard, is it never on your mind?"

"I'm not thinking about fucking her, Garrus. Jesus Christ, give me some credit. Some women, asari or whatever, are just attractive and I take a moment to appreciate it. I'm not leering, I am merely having a quick look then moving on."

Walking away from the docks onto the concourse of what seemed like a skyscraper, it was immediate that Nos Astra was awash in money. I'd never visited an asari world before and it was easy to notice their advanced society. It was also incredibly bright but surprisingly not very loud. And it was obvious that it was rich. Very rich. Anyone we walked by wore the latest design, wore the newest omni-tool, watch or some other techno gadget, and the jewellery on display probably costs millions of credits alone. Many would have been disgusted at the vulgar display of wealth. I just thought it made a place like Nos Astra a good place for Kasumi to go on the rob. I'll have to visit her when we leave, see if she had done any thieving on the side.

As we weaved our way through the crowds, amazed that people were performing business trades at simply kiosks, it was only there that the noise picked up, so I barely heard someone shout my voice until Garrus gave me a nudge and pointed.

My mouth immediately went dry. Shit, I think my knees almost buckled for a moment before I managed to walk forwards again. As for her, the smile on her face was only matched by the fact she looked ready to burst into tears. I closed the gap quickly with only one intention on my mind. I cupped her face with a hand as I kissed her, feeling her immediately embrace me in return, opening her mouth to accept my tongue as I held her close in return. Best kiss I'd had since I woke up, hands down, never will be beaten.

The only reason we stopped was the sound of a cleared throat, glancing back to see Garrus looking awkward as always. "Look, I'll give you some time, Shepard, but I'm sure Liara is expecting us."

"Honestly, she can wait for a moment. This is far more important."

"I know. And it's good to see you, Gianna."

"Garrus, right? I'll only take him for a few minutes. Then I can meet with him later."

Garrus nodded and disappeared so I could give Gianna my full attention. I gently caressed her face, drinking in her features once again. She was as beautiful as I remembered. "You were dead," she whispered.

"I got better," I whispered back. Her lip immediately trembled as I wiped her cheeks. "I never thought in a million years you'd be here."

"It's a long story, Shepard. But I know you're busy."

"No, I honestly don't care about Liara right now."

"I've heard the rumours, Shepard. I don't care one way or the other, but I know it's to do with the disappearance. It's the only reason why you'd be back now. It's your thing, right? Save the galaxy?"

"I do seem to have that reputation nowadays."

She rested her head against my chest as I caressed the back of her head. "God, it's so good to see you again. I don't know whether to just burst into tears or give you an almighty slap for just suddenly reappearing."

"It's a long story, one I'll definitely tell you about. And you'll have to tell me what you're doing here."

"Okay. How long are you here for?"

"A few days. I have a few jobs to do before moving on."

She let me go, standing back to open her omni-tool. I gave her my new contact details and I received her contact details, address and other bits of information I'd lost. "Come find me whenever you're done."

"I'll try not to be too long."

She smiled. "Take your time, Shepard. You're here for a few days, so I'm going to make the most of them anyway." She leaned forward, gave me a soft kiss, then she disappeared into the crowd, glancing back more than once, perhaps wondering if I'd just disappear and she'd dreamed it all. I definitely had a grin on my face and a spring in my step as I met with Garrus, and we continued our journey towards Liara's office.

We entered a plush looking office building, all glass and metal, very futuristic, screens lining the walls playing various news programs from around the galaxy, stock forecasts and stock indexes running along the walls. There was a receptionist nearby who offered a friendly smile as we approached. "Hello. Welcome to T'Soni Analytics. My name is Nyxeris. How may I help you today?"

"I'm here to see Liara. Name's Shepard."

"Oh, yes, I've heard all about you, Commander Shepard." She gestured, adding, "Miss T'Soni has been expecting your arrival for some time. Her office is up the stairs, to the left at the end of the hall."

"Thanks."

Heading in the direction she pointed, we passed by glass frontages, behind which sat banks of people at terminals, busy typing away, or they were taking calls, or in the middle of vid conferences. It all looked rather busy and quite hectic. Approaching Liara's door, I did stop to take a deep breath before opening it and walking in. On first appearance, it was luxury personified though my eyes immediately went to Liara, who was wearing a dress that stuck to her body, her back turned to me, immediately noticing the freckles on her back I remembered quite well. In front of her was a hologram of a human man.

"Have you ever faced an asari commando unit before? Few humans have." She paused, obviously letting the threat sit on his mind. "I'll make it simple. Either pay me or I'll flay you alive. With my mind." The hologram disappeared and Liara grabbed a datapad, reading it over. She still hadn't sensed our presence, so I cleared my throat, causing her to turn around sharply. Soon as she noticed me, the datapad was dropped as she rushed towards me. "Shepard!" she cried.

I opened my arms as I found myself embraced by an old friend very quickly, though she didn't go for the kiss like Gianna, simply hugging me tightly, very tightly. "Well, good to see you too, Liara." She didn't say anything for a moment, so I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment as well. "Where happened to the innocent young asari I met on Therum though?"

She leaned back and managed to look guilty. "Oh, you heard all that?"

"I heard enough. What's going on?"

"Is this where you show concern, Shepard?"

"I've been gone two years, Liara. Seems like an awful lot has changed without me."

"True. Come, take a seat." She hugged Garrus first before offering him a seat, walking around to sit on the other side of her desk. She folded her arms and smiled at me. It seemed sincere but slightly forced, though whether it was because of me or something else, I couldn't be sure. "I have so much to tell you, Shepard. I'm really not sure where to begin?"

"Why don't I tell you what I know and I'll fill in the gaps?" She nodded, so I started. "I got spaced and pretty much died. It was above Alchera, correct?" She nodded again. "Alliance spent all of a week to find my body before abandoning the search. Council didn't even bother. Between that and now, I ended up in the hands of Cerberus, who chose to rebuild me. While I was gone, you've gone from archaeologist to this. Ashley has been promoted."

"You've seen Ashley?"

"On Horizon. Long story, don't want to go into it. Tali is back with the Fleet. Saw her on Freedom's Progress. Collected Garrus on Omega. Rest of my old team has returned home I would assume."

"Wrex is on Tuchanka. He's trying to reunite the clans under his name."

"Well, that's pretty much everyone then. So add to all that, the Council has continued to be absolutely useless, though at least made me a Spectre again, but I've been told to pretty much stay away Council space. The Alliance know I'm back but have barely got in contact. So now I'm stuck with Cerberus because they're the only people willing to give me what I need. I still don't know how I ended up with them in the first place. That's the head scratcher."

"I did it," Liara confessed straight away.

That definitely made me scratch my head. "You did? Why?"

"Have you heard about the Shadow Broker?"

"Of course. That's how we recruited Tali before. And the Illusive Man mentioned you may have dealings with him."

"That's putting it mildly. I'll give a brief summary. You died and your old team was split up. We fell out of contact quite quickly to be honest. The Council thought we were all delusional. The Alliance just wanted us gone. I know Ashley and Tali parted ways because of it. What I knew is that after everything we had learned about the Reapers, we couldn't just stop. They're still out there."

"They are, because they clearly control the Collectors."

"Anyway, I started all of this as I heard the Shadow Broker was offering a reward to retrieve your body and hand it over to them. The Collectors. I worked with a drell, Feron, who eventually helped me retrieve your body and hand it over to Cerberus. The only reason I did that was because the Illusive Man told me that he had the technology to bring you back. I was being given updates by him up until about three months ago. When they stopped, I assumed either it had failed or he was now hiding progress from me. I had people try and hack into their systems but that would make us a target, even on Illium."

"Life's been pretty crazy since I woke up."

"How does it feel being back?"

"It's weird having been gone for two years yet, to me, it felt like two minutes. One moment, I'm floating through space. I'd just watched the Normandy explode. Then things go dark. Next moment, I'm waking up in a Cerberus laboratory. That's a little disconcerting, particularly when I'm told rather quickly that I've missed two whole years." I pause before asking, "So what are you doing now?"

"I run this information brokerage firm. Information is vital, Shepard. It makes me a lot of money, and I've used a lot of that to fund research into the Reapers. Any little clue I've managed to dig out, I've had my best people on it. I've also kept tabs on those closest to you."

"I've already seen Emily on the Citadel."

"Gianna is here, Shepard."

"I know. Already seen her. I'm going to go see her once I'm done here."

"Remember Doctor Ross?" I nodded. "She's now working for the Alliance, specifically for Admiral Hackett. Special R&D division. If there's one man in the Alliance who believes you, it's him. Well, two, if you include Captain Anderson. Also Helena Blake, she's on Omega. She's now a social worker."

"I had no idea she was there."

"You were a little distracted, Shepard," Garrus interrupted with a chuckle, "And I don't mean by the recruiting."

"Oh, you mean Tara?"

"Who's Tara?" Liara asked.

"An asari dancer I met in Afterlife. I also met Aria T'Loak, though I wasn't intimate with her."

Despite everything, Liara could still be rather innocent as the blush was immediate. "Oh… So another notch then, Shepard?"

"He's had a couple more since then too!" Garrus exclaimed, earning a glare from me, which only increased his laughter.

"Anyway, aside from them, two more asari who I know you might be interested to know about. Shiala returned to Zhu's Hope, though I've been reading reports they are having health difficulties. It might be something worth checking out if you have the time. And Benezia is living on Eden Prime. Her estate has passed to me, so I send her money every month. She's now living a simple life, trying to regain control of her mind. But she's still facing difficulties each day. Saren wreaked havoc with anyone he came into contact with. Every day is a struggle for her, but she's made some friends with the locals and they help her each day."

"So what are your plans?" I wondered.

"At the moment, I'm busy with a million and one things, Shepard. But I have a feeling the Shadow Broker looms on the horizon, but for now, I intend to continue with my projects."

"Any chance you'd like to join me again?"

"Not right now. It's been two years, Shepard. Do you understand?"

"Of course. I haven't expected anyone to just drop everything and join me again. Still, this reunion is better than with Ashley. She was… not happy. Not about my return. The fact I was with Cerberus."

"I know it's hard for you as well, Shepard, but it was the best and only choice at the time."

"I'm not complaining about being given a second chance, Liara. Trust me."

"I assume you'd like to go meet Gianna shortly though, right?"

"Yeah. Lovely seeing you and all. I would stay longer but…"

"Don't worry, Shepard. I understand. Though Garrus, if you're not busy, maybe we can catch up?"

"I'd like that, Liara. Been a long time."

Liara escorted me to the door, kissing my cheek, insisting we catch up the next day for lunch and we could discuss my recruitment, as she figured that was what had brought me to Illium. Heading out of the building, I walked back to where I'd met Gianna, but there was no sign of her, so I wandered towards the nearest rank of cabs and took one close to her address. She lived in a nice part of town, perhaps not the most affluent, and I figured it was one of those stories where the poor lived below, and the higher up you lived, the better off you were.

Knocking on her front door, it opened within seconds and I found myself dragged in by the hand, the door closing as I was embraced once again. This time, all she did was giggle and laugh as I held her just as tight, my cheeks almost hurting from the grin on my own face. "God, it's so good to see you again," she said quietly.

"Been waiting to find you too. Thought you would have been on Noveria."

"Long story," she replied before she kissed me. The sort of kiss that deepened quickly, feeling her body mould into mine. Two years were gone in an instant, reminded of our last time on the Citadel, or those brief few days we shared back on Noveria. When we broke apart, her cheeks were certainly red while I felt rather warm myself. "Hungry? For food, that is?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I have dinner cooking. Hope you like pasta." I nodded. "And wine?"

"Of course."

I followed her into the small kitchen, sitting on one of the stools she gestured towards as she got back to cooking. It all looked rather simple but the smell told me it would be delicious nonetheless. "So, Noveria to Illium. How does that work?"

"Once I heard the news about you, Shepard, I couldn't say on Noveria. I still hoped we'd managed to make something work, and I was happy enough in the role, though after bagging Anoleis, my career was at a bit of a turning point. Once you were gone, I looked around and only saw memories of you everywhere. It was… difficult, mourning you alone because barely anyone knew we'd been together. So I packed my job in and readied myself to do something different.

That's when your friend got in touch with me. Liara. She'd got wind I'd quit my job so offered me some temporary work here while I got back on my feet. So I flew here, signed a short term contract with her, found a place, then eventually started to build a name for myself as an investigator. I formed my own company about a year ago now. Same sort of jobs I was doing on Noveria, but now I'm my own boss, and despite the lax laws on Illium, there is still a tonne of work."

She started serving up, passing me the bottle of wine and two glasses so I could pour and take them to the nearby table. I set the rest up before we sat down, Gianna at the head, while I sat to her right. She held out her hand, taking my left with her right, and we ate one handed while sipping our wine in between. "It's interesting here, at least. And the weather is better. I can actually go outside and not freeze my tits off nor have to wear seven layers of clothing just to keep warm. The asari are friendly enough. Humans are still rare enough on Illium to attract attention. Most of it good, though. Been back to Earth to see the family a couple of times. That made me feel better about things through it all."

"You've been busy?"

"I needed to keep busy, Shepard. I didn't want to think. If I had quiet time, I'd think and then…" She paused, taking a deep, shuddering breath, "Shepard, can I ask this bluntly?"

"Of course."

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I burst into laughter, thankful that she did the same. "Sorry, I just really needed to ask that. I'm still holding your hand now and telling myself it's real." I squeezed her hand, which made her smile. "It feels real enough."

I told her the same story I'd just told Liara. She knew about Cerberus and had heard rumours, though once I added the Collector link, she accepted I was simply doing what needed to be done. Other than that, I admitted I was still catching up on what I'd missed but, like her, I had a mission to complete so I didn't really have time to contemplate everything to do with my return.

Sitting side by side on her lounge with another glass of wine, we perhaps chatted for another five minutes before I kissed her again. Glasses were placed down on the coffee table rather quickly as our hands were busy doing other more important things. She'd definitely put on a little make-up. Had done her hair. Her perfume was gorgeous. Her body felt exactly the same. Her skin was still beautiful.

I stood up and helped her up, taking the lead as I led her toward the bedroom. Turning towards her, I didn't even ask a question. I said one word. "Yes?"

"God yes, Shepard," she whispered.

We undressed each other, hands, fingertips, lips and tongue enjoying the skin of the other. Once I had her bra off, I made her giggle as I immediately leaned down, earning a couple of moans as her nipples definitely received attention, my hand blindly lowering her trousers before sliding into her underwear. She gasped when I touched her sex for the first time, feeling my head lifted so she could kiss me. Sitting her down on the bed, I quickly took off everything else as I joined her.

Spreading her legs, it was obvious immediately she wanted only one thing, kissing me again as I gently pressed forward, earning a moan into my mouth as I slowly slid my cock inside her. I had to break the kiss and groan, unable to stop the smile as I ever so slowly buried myself inside her. When I opened my eyes to meet hers, there was another tremble of her lower lip and she had to blink a number of times.

"Never thought…" she said, choking back a sob. I kissed her softly again as her hands caressed my back.

Then we made love. It's the only way to describe it. Nothing like what I did with Jack at all. Nothing like I'd done with Kelly, though I liked Kelly. But the depth of feeling with Gianna was something else entirely. As I said, two years, gone in an instant. At least for me. I could remember vividly our last time on the Citadel. We'd spent every second possible together. We'd made love constantly but also had a lot of fun outside the bedroom. She was perhaps the only woman out of all those I'd been with that I thought I could possibly commit to. And making love to her again for the first time since then, I was having those same thoughts again. God only knows what she was thinking.

Spinning around, watching Gianna ride me was also something spectacular to watch. Her flawless skin. Those wonderful breasts that many would have probably thought fake but were simply a gift from god. Or her mother. Her flat stomach, a sign she looked after herself and ate right. Her legs, which felt wonderful pressed against or wrapped around me. Her tight pussy, which was always wet, willing and very accommodating whenever we were together. Her face which was as if da Vinci painted it himself.

I held on for as long as I could, wanting her to orgasm first. Actually desperate for her to orgasm. When she finally did, I took all of a minute to finish as well, Gianna gently lying herself down on my chest as we lay in silence. Only then did she really start to cry, and I held onto her tightly as I rolled us onto our sides, feeling her shuffle into me, arms and leg around my body.

"I'm going to wake up and you're not going to be here," she sobbed quietly.

I caressed her hair, ran my hand up and down her back. "I'm here, Gianna. It's real."

"You died, Shepard. I felt so alone. I hadn't felt feelings like that for anyone. And now you're back, and I don't know what to think or feel."

I lifted her chin with a finger so she could meet my eyes before I left a soft kiss on her lips. "That was real," I whispered. She returned a crooked grin before I kissed her again, a little firmer this time, before we deepened it together, earning a whimper for my troubles, before we broke apart again. "I was hoping to find you again. Either on Noveria or somewhere in the galaxy."

"How long are you here for?"

"A few days. I'm recruiting a couple of people for my missions. And I'll want to catch up with Liara."

"Will you… I know you had others…"

"Not if I'm on the same planet as you, Gianna. Not a chance."

That made her smile as she snuggled into me, resting her head under my chin. We relaxed before she suggested a shower might be a good idea before we go to sleep. It was a good idea, and though her emotions were obviously still conflicted, I did her best to make her laugh as we showered, either gently feeling her up as I soaped her up, or tickled her just for fun.

Ending up back under the covers afterwards, I don't think either of us were in any hurry to get to sleep. Her hands were constantly going up and down my back, as if reassuring herself I was still there. I constantly gave her little kisses all over her face as reassurance as well. She eventually fell asleep before me, cuddling as close as possible, holding her and returning the gesture of running my fingers up and down her back. For the first time since waking up, apart from that one night with Emily, I felt perfectly content with the world.

There was only one thing I was going to do the next morning once we had both woken up, making sure she was on her back as I quickly lowered myself down her body, spread her legs, and then putting it simply, ate her out until she orgasmed. And I kept going until she simply had to cry enough. I'm sure I must have been going for at least half an hour. At least that long. My jaw was aching by the end. I was even sweating from the exertion. As for Gianna, she lay back with the sort of smile that a woman only had after having done that to her. "I don't think I'll be able to walk," she giggled.

So I wandered into her bathroom, ran a bath, putting some bubble bath into it, before walking back into the bedroom, scooping her up in my arms, making her coo about my muscles, before we enjoyed a relaxing bath together. "I feel very relaxed, Shepard. I wonder why that is…"

We relaxed until the water started to get a little too cold, drying each other off again before needing to get dressed. She offered me breakfast, and she had a couple of things I needed, such as protein and fruits, and she was looking fit as usual in her business attire. We walked hand in hand out of her apartment, out of her building, all the way to where her office was. She said she now had a couple of employees, but they were simply assistants.

"Will you come by again tonight?"

"Gianna, if you want, I'll be with you every night while I'm here."

Gods, the smile that lit up her face. I had that flutter in the heart I'd had before with her. I'd ignored it because… well, the last time I'd had it… She kissed me softly and told me to be safe and that she'd see me later.

Returning to the Normandy, I checked my messages, Kelly at her usual spot as she would go off ship when not on shift, otherwise she would keep busy with work. Miranda was also at work, and I discussed the dossiers with her. Garrus popped in and suggested we just ask Liara about them as she seemed to know quite a lot of information that we didn't. Miranda said she'd meet us later. I made a joke about being worried about Liara, and she admitted it was perhaps best we keep those parts of my life separate. I actually appreciated the sentiment behind that and told her so. It earned a rather warm smile.

"So what did you two discuss last night?" I asked Garrus on the way to Liara's office.

"Told her about what I was up to on Omega. Once I was done explaining, she honestly thought it was her fault for not keeping in touch. It wasn't hers, it wasn't anyone's. It just… happened. Anyway, Liara isn't the same person either. There's a harder edge to her now. A steel inside her that wasn't there before. I think Illium has definitely toughened her up."

"Any regrets about Omega?"

"None whatsoever, Shepard. Well, that's a slight lie. Only one. The bastard who got my men killed. I know who it is, still searching for him. Once I have, I'll explain everything. But about Omega itself and what I was doing? Every kill was righteous, Shepard. Taking out the trash of the galaxy."

"Far as I'm concerned, you were doing great work. It's just unfortunate it ended how it did."

"You turned up and saved the day, Shepard. Saved my life. I'll always be thankful for that."

"No problem, Garrus. Happy to help."

Nyxeris gestured for us to just walk up to Liara's office. She was pleased to see us, Garrus receiving another hug though this time I received a kiss in addition to a hug. I actually felt a tad embarrassed by it, simply because it was unexpected. Liara took a step back and shook her head. "No, that won't do at all, Shepard." So she tried again. This time, I was ready for it, so I made sure to kiss her back… and then some. My hands were soon around her back, one cupping her arse as I pulled her towards me, and she may have released a quiet whimper when I gave it a good squeeze.

"Um, need me to go wait out in the hall?"

We pulled apart, Liara now with red cheeks and breathing heavily, her eyes looking into mine like she definitely wanted to continue. "No," she replied, "That won't be necessary, Garrus. Just waited two years to do that. Sorry I didn't do it yesterday, Shepard. I was just in such shock… and I knew you were meeting Gianna."

"No problem, Liara. I prefer to be greeted that way instead of with a gun to the face or something."

Taking the same seats we took yesterday, I asked, "Can you help us with some information?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

I needed her contact information, and sent her the dossiers once I had it. She glanced over them and nodded. "Sure, Shepard. I can help you with these. Justicars are people I generally avoid for various reasons, but I should be able to locate her for you. Thane Krios? I know that name very well. I can definitely point you in his direction as well. Both of these are possible recruits?"

"They are who the Illusive Man sent me to find."

"Interesting. You're certainly gathering a unique bunch of characters, Shepard."

"As long as they have the skills we need."

"Just one warning, Shepard. Justicars? They take a vow of celibacy so she will be one asari you won't be able to fuck."

Garrus burst into laughter. All I did was ask, "And you, Liara? You still interested in that side of our relationship?"

She smiled and looked at Garrus. "Well, it all depends on your friend here. Do you need to go right away, Shepard?"

"I promised I would meet Gianna tonight. Until then, I'm free. Everyone knows recruitment will take a few days."

"Hmmm. Perhaps not right now. Let's see how things go first. Right, I think your best bet would be to find Thane. Let me do some digging as anytime a drell shows up, it's news. You don't often see them around the galaxy."

"Thanks, Liara. Just send anything you've got to my omni-tool and we'll go from there."