Reignited

Part 2

Thirty minutes later Kaidan found himself facing doors of one of the classy apartments in Upper Wards. The way was blocked by a nimble, hooded figure, with her hands neatly crossed at the chest.

Kaidan recognised her, she was the one that accompanied Shepard on Horizon. So that is Kasumi. There was something unsettling about her, maybe because he couldn't see her eyes, or maybe because he was already emotionally shaken.

The woman smiled wryly at him. "Well, well, Joker managed to pass the message."

"You must be Kasumi?" Kaidan's voice wasn't as steady as he would like it to be.

"Kasumi Goto." She didn't extend her small hand, but nodded curtly. "Shep is inside and Major... She was brought back to you from the grave. You are lucky to have a second chance, the third one is rather unlikely." A shadow of sorrow passed through what was visible of Kasumi's face when she punched a code into the door lock. "Don't mess it up."

Kaidan signed inwardly and entered the apartment.

"Is that you, Joker? Have you got all your gimmicks? It's confirmed, we are leaving tomorrow." Lynn's voice was composed, but Kaidan knew her too well not to catch deeply buried sadness. He heard this tone when Jenkins died and when she had to leave Ash behind. And when she bid him a cold goodbye on Horizon. The lights were dimmed and she was sitting on the carpet, near the fireplace, head bent over the datapad. It always amazed him how deceptively fragile she looked without all the armour. He slowly made his way toward her.

Lynn didn't look up, although the silence surprised her. Joker was always very excited when he managed to get his hands on some new tech he could fit into his beloved ship. Maybe he didn't get anything interesting. She thought absently, scrolling through the details of their mission.

"Lynn."

The datapad slipped from her hands, tumbling to the floor. Quiet, raspy voice didn't belong to Joker. This voice, she would recognise it everywhere.

"Kaidan..." Her own voice failed and she bowed her head, covering face with her hands. She didn't dare to look. Tears she was holding since Horizon filled her eyes.

Before she could gather herself strong, warm arms embraced her. Kaidan's voice was but a whisper, "I am sorry. For what I said. It was selfish and cruel. I don't trust Cerberus, but I trust you. I always was and always will."

Lynn didn't answer, holding to him, petrified it's just another dream and any moment she will wake up in an empty cabin aboard Normandy.

She didn't know how much time passed before she finally dared to open her eyes. Kaidan was still there, kneeling, his arms firmly clasped around her. His forehead pressed against hers and the familiar aura of his biotics tingling her skin.

"What are you doing here?" She managed through still tightened throat.

"Apologising." He exhaled slowly and pulled back a bit, his eyes searching hers. Lynn loved his eyes. The colour, melting brown, warm and deep, she could stare into them for hours.

"I bumped into Joker, and I... I wrote you an email after the Horizon but I never sent it." Kaidan swallowed hard. "I guess I tried to run away from you. From myself. Damn, I really don't know what I tried. And I don't know if it's worth anything now, if you still want me in your life. But I still care."

Dammit, I love you Lynn. He thought bitterly. And I hope I will be able to say it to you one day. Or night.

Lynn blinked, trying to clear her eyes. Shattered embers of her heart started slowly to reignite, banishing this cold emptiness that creeped into her soul after their last meeting.

"You do?" She still didn't quite believe he said that for real. That he really was here.

"Yes." Kaidan's eyes didn't leave hers. "I don't know what it will take to leave Horizon behind us but I have to try. I need to try."

"You and me, both." Lynn whispered, lowering her head onto his broad shoulder. "I am sorry I didn't contact you when they woke me. I looked for you but then..." Her voice was barely audible, muffled by his jacket. "I hesitated. Two years passed, you thought me dead. I was afraid to step uninvited into your life should you move on. And then Horizon happened."

Kaidan said nothing but embraced her even tighter.

They sat for a long moment in complete silence. At long last Lynn broke from him with a quiet sigh. "Stay for a bit? We can watch some old vids." She looked away, her shoulder slumped slightly as an invisible weight was laid on her. "I need to leave tomorrow."

Kaidan nodded. "I know." He sat next to her and frowned, firmly hugging her smaller frame. "Why are you wearing an oversized hoodie?"

Lynn leaned even closer to him. "It's yours. I visited Alchera to see the Normandy crash site." She half closed her eyes and continued.

"I wanted to say goodbye to the people I lost. I was responsible for this ship, this crew, this mission." She shrugged. "I still feel like I failed them, Kaidan."

"No Lynn, you did not." He brushed her hand with his fingers. "You gave your life to save Joker, you did everything you could."

"It wasn't enough." She whispered softly, her eyes fixed on something far away, beyond the walls of the apartment.

"I was there." Kaidan hugged her tighter. "There was nothing more you could have done."

"Maybe you are right." She exhaled slowly, redirecting her gaze at him. "I brought all the tags I could find among the wreckage, twenty of them. Hopefully that will bring some peace to the families."

"Let me guess, our lockers survived and you grabbed this?" He tugged the sleeve of her hoodie.

Lynn shook her head and straightened. "I found only mine. It was badly damaged but the content was mostly intact. You left the hoodie in my cabin that night before Ilos." She gave him a small smile, her grey eyes still bearing a red tint from the tears she shed a moment ago. "I put it into my locker afterwards."

"Right." Kaidan could help but to return the smile.

"Mind if I keep it?" She hesitated.

He shook his head. "No. What do you want to watch?"

Lynn frowned. "Take your pick." She pointed at one of the shelves near the fireplace.