Firebird

Reunion

"Thane, I'm just so happy that you are well. Even if... Even if you're risking your life like this again." Shepard wiped the tears out of her eyes, sighing, looking into his deep black eyes, where she could faintly make out his green irises hidden in their darkness. "And Kolyat? Please tell me he knows." She took Thane's hands into hers, rubbing them gently, unable to take her eyes away from his face. "And your girlfriend seems very nice by the way..." She had moved on, it only made sense that Thane should too. Whatever they had died when well... when he died.

Thane smiled, looking at her hands. They seemed so gentle now that the fight with the reapers was over. Back on on the Normandy, it always seemed like they were cut somewhere or bruised, it had taken quite a toll on her. "Kolyat was the one that brought me to Phoenix, the group that brought me back. And well, the Professor... She's not mine, rather she seems terrified of me." He sighed, looking back to where her footprints were being washed away by the gentle rolling waves behind him. "She's also my employer, that would be quite a breach in professionalism."

"Professionalism never stopped you and me." She pulled his face back to look at her. "Why is she afraid of you? Other than the whole assassin thing." She let his hands go, she didn't want to pull him back into anything. She couldn't. She loved Garrus, and Thane had been gone for so long Thane would be gone again, he couldn't sit still, that's not who he was as a person. She knew him well enough to know that. "You'll win her heart if you want to, Thane."

He cleared his throat, trying to get her off the subject, but it only made her look up even more worried, "Did they not cure your Kepral's Syndrome?! Don't move, open your mouth!" She leaned forward to look into his throat, but he laughed, "Stop moving!"

"The Kepral's Syndrome is long gone. It was indeed cured, in fact the research used to cure me is going to be used to cure other Drell." He smiled, thinking of all the lives in the end that it would save. It would be able to keep the Drell on Kahje, even though he personally felt the Drell should leave to take another homeworld of their own, as much as he loved the Hanar, he felt his kind should become more independent.

She sighed in relief, "I was going to call them morons for bringing back someone with a terminal illness... But it seems they did a good thing. But what is your mission here? I doubt you're here on shore leave." The look in his eyes told it all, that he could not say what he was doing here, "Thane, you can tell me."

He sighed, whispering, "I cannot, if I did, it may foil our purpose-"

That was when he saw Ivy running out of the confectionery, waving her arms at him, and he jumped up, pulling Shepard with him, "I have to go, please Jane, stay safe, for once in your career." He ran up to meet Ivy, "Got a notification?"

She grabbed his wrist and began to pull him in the direction her wrist band indicated. "They spotted Alenko. Undoubtedly the assassin will take him first-"

"This better not be speculation-"

"You said you wouldn't let your past get in the way of this. She will be fine, out of everyone in the galaxy I think she can take care of herself the best." She released his arm, now sure that he would follow, having reminded him of his duty, and fell fell silently into step. "If the assassin really is after Kaidan, which I firmly believe he is, then Ra and Kyre are in danger. I know they'll do anything to help us on this mission, which to be blunt, terrifies me."

"I've seen many good people die when they still had work to do, do not worry, I shall make sure nothing happens to them." He said, perhaps he wasn't really what was worrying her, or even getting in a firefight. Perhaps she was worried about the others more than anything, it sure would seem that way now. She and Kyre did seem pretty close... Did she love him?

"Thanks, but your job is making sure that assassin never gets another mark. I'll worry about my colleagues." She reached her arm out in front of him to stop, using her other hand to push up her glasses, as if moving them that slightly would help her see better. She was now whispering, "I see them, and I see the spectre."