Lifelines{Unedited}

Chapter 5~ A Mistake is Made

Whew, I have been sitting on this chapter since late September but its taken me forever to type it up. Sorry for the wait. I have chapters 6 and 7 written but not typed they should be up either later tonight or sometime tomorrow.

It had been a few days since Alister had taken me in and I hadn't slept since that night or rather early morning. I feared having nightmares that would cause me to flare. My nest is still missing something so only a small comfort is provided. None of the scents that cling to it are comforting to me. It smells of generic detergent and bleach. I shuffle down into the nest more when I hear footsteps down the hall. I still didn't know the man with the amber eyes' name. The man with the scent that calls to me like no other. I think over his features as I fight off sleep. I wish I had a pencil and paper. He had an angular but still somehow soft jaw shape. His hair was slightly curly but was short. He probably kept it that long to stop the static charge his biotics generated. Natural biotics don't produce static but ezo contacted biotics do. It's interesting. One of the doctors on the base had one. His eyes are what draw me to him the most. They're like a combination of browns. Whiskey around his pupil to dark amber on the outer iris. There was a sorrow to them that I had yet to figure out. Something haunted him. I knew that my eyes held the same sorrow.

I'm running. The cold bites at my exposed skin and my bare feet. The crunching of snow under boots and shouts drive me further through the snowy forest. Just have to make it over the perimeter fence and I'm free. I repeat this to myself over and over. A mantra to keep me running despite the pain every step brings and the sting every inhale causes. I trip over something and careen to the snow- and ice-covered ground. I scream as faceless monsters' claw at me. Sharp claws tearing me apart. Then the scene before me changes. I'm suddenly back on Mindoir during the attack though this time I'm not saved. I'm left to die alone beaten and bloody. Broken.

I wake to someone calling my name. I open my eyes and stare into pools of amber gold. I jolt shrinking into myself as my biotics flare around me. He flares too. "Kaidan, is she alright?" I hear Alister ask from the doorway and the man, Kaidan, looks at me before answering. "Just a nightmare." he calls back before retreating footsteps can be heard. "Can I?" he asks gesturing to my nest and I nod hesitantly. I scoot back and make room for him. He shuffles into my nest leaving enough room to not touch me. His scent surrounds me, and I find myself seeking, the nightmare still fresh. He leans forward and bares his neck allowing me more access. I inhale his scent and purr at its calming effect. It calms my biotics. I watched as he preens in response causing me to chuckle softly. "I don't believe I've properly introduced myself. I'm Kaidan Alenko." he says extending his hands to me. I take his offered hand. "Zerdali" he pales slightly. "Your Ivan Shepard's sister aren't you." I nod "I'm sorry." I shrug telling him that it was fine. We sit in awkward silence for a few moments before he speaks up. "How much do you know about controlling your biotics?"

I don't respond right away "I can create a very weak barrier, a lumi, and the other transgenetic biotic powers. I can also float like the Asari. We- I never got to learn how to do normal biotic things. I did do sets. They wanted me to be able to focus my energy better. Though it's been awhile since I've done one." I look down after I've finished embarrassed that I couldn't even create a barrier or even control when I flared. He sighs before speaking up. "I don't know the advanced biotic moves, but I do know the basic ones. I can teach you them if you like." I perk up at his words and nod my head. I wanted to be able to protect myself using regular biotics. It was already bad enough that my biotics were a vivid dark violet-red. Though the color did sometimes change with my mood. I could also turn my biotics translucent but I had only done so a few times. "Follow me." He says as he gets up and extends a hand to me. I have to supress a shiver at the contact. There was a warmth spreading through me from where our hands were connected. He leads me through the house and out a set of sliding glass doors into the backyard. He sits with his legs crossed on the deck and I copy him. "I want you to focus on covering every inch of your body with dark energy. I want you to feel and imagine it encompassing you." I listen to him as he instructs me. His voice was soothing but also rough at the same time. I imagine and feel my biotics encompass me. "Now, I want you to strengthen your flare and bring it closer towards you." I try but I end up knocking myself over. I yelp as I stumble back from the force off the deck and into the bushes. "Shit!" cursing as he runs to me.