Mass Effect 1. Chapter 1

AN: This piece was also for the kmeme, but there is no sex in it. Absolutely none. Please remember that. Also, it may have a followup later. Thanks again to my lovely betas, whose names are commemorated forever on my profile.

* * *

Falacrine looked up and sighed as he saw the familiar little blonde human approaching, her tiny form facilitating in moving through the crowds. She could slide through spaces that were barely there, and if anyone did get annoyed at her trying to politely push her way through, a simple smile was usually enough to get them to let her by. Falacrine didn't know how she did it; getting everyone she met to want to help her, just a little. What was he supposed to tell her?

Again.

Every day she came by, sometimes several times a day, and always she was asking about her parents. Her parents, who may or may not have gotten on an escape shuttle, weeks ago. And he wouldn't even have to be here, except that all the C-Sec trainees were pulled from that to help with the refugee overflow.

_Can't believe the stupid kid is this dense, anyway._ He tried to blame her for it, he really did, but then she was in front of him with her sad eyes, and he felt bad. He couldn't let this go on any longer.

"Have any new shuttles come in?" she asked.

She bit her lip, and Falacrine noticed she must have found some- what did they call it, lip gloss? Her lips were shiny, anyway, slightly tinted to be that candy-pink that could make any human look younger. How old was this one, anyway? Was she too young for honesty?

_She's old enough that she was put on a shuttle by herself to become an orphan. I think she's old enough for someone to tell her. _

Falacrine jabbed angry talons into his terminal to sign out for a break. "Come with me," he told her. He led her through the refugee area to an elevator kept behind do-not-cross-this-means-you-civilians ropes, then jammed the button to call it. The human girl followed him, still with that hopeful little smile on her stupid face.

"So, where are we going?" she asked as they stepped onto the elevator.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Sophie?"

And of course, she says it like a question. With her stupid cute kid name and her stupid cute kid lip gloss. Spirits, why couldn't she have bothered someone else? There were plenty of other people manning that desk in shifts, and any one of them would have told her without a problem. Hell, Lorium would have _enjoyed_ telling her, the way he felt about humans. But no, it had to be him. Looking into her stupid, oversized blue eyes that dominated her stupid, hopeful face.

"Look, kid, I hate to be the one to tell you, but there's some bad news. Then I'm going to take you to get something decent to eat. I still know a good restaurant that wasn't destroyed."

"Oh, that," she muttered, and instantly, the innocent, won't-someone-help-me-look was gone.

Falacrine could see she was older than he'd thought.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

Sophie leaned against the elevator wall and slid down it until she was sitting on the floor. "My parents. I know, dude. I'm not dumb. I was just hoping someone might help me out a little. I am still an orphan. I can't work yet and on the off-chance that the Reapers don't kill us all, I was hoping for something better than just being another useless refugee."

Falacrine gaped for a moment; she sounded so _adult_ suddenly. And it wasn't just the voice, though that had dropped from the childlike, airy tones she'd been using. Her face looked like an adult's now, as well. How in the hell did she do that?

"How old are you?" he finally managed.

"I'm fifteen. Which just, you know, sucks. 'Cause I'm too old for anyone to want to help without the little kid routine, but not old enough to do anything on my own for a couple of years."

"If you were turian, you'd be old enough."

"Yeah, thanks, pal. That helps."

Falacrine snorted. Who knew the little almost-child was so sarcastic?

"What's your name, anyway?" she demanded. "I've been calling you 'sir' and never remembered to ask."

"Falacrine," he said, extending a hand. "Is your name really Sophie?"

"Yeah, that much was true," she said, grabbing his hand to pull herself to her feet. "Nice to officially meet you, I guess."

The elevator stopped and Sophie glanced out into a spacious courtyard that seemed to be filled with nothing but restaurants and little al fresco tables. She licked her lips, and the hopeful look was back in her eyes; not the exaggerated version, but something more honest, Falacrine decided.

"So, you still buying me lunch, Falco? I did still just lose my parents, after all."

"Falco?"

"The other one's too many syllables. Come on, man, I'm hungry."

#

_How? How can she possibly put that much food away? She's tiny!_

Falacrine hadn't wanted to tell her "no," so she'd made them stop at several places for what she called "real human food." Not that he thought much of supposedly-real human food. It all seemed to involve ridiculous amounts of grease and that yellow stuff they made from rotten milk. Falacrine shuddered and tried to pretend it wasn't on the table as he delicately slid a chunk of meat off his kebab.

The kid may be older than he thought, but she was clearly still a kid. She ate hunched over her food and talked with her mouth full. Definitely not like the grown ones he was used to seeing around here. After the third time she tried to tell him something and showed off the disgusting mixture in her mouth, he told her to just eat, and they would talk afterward.

_Poor thing, though. She really shouldn't be down there with all the other refugees. They can't all be decent people, and she's not big enough to defend herself._

"Welp, thanks for the meal, Falco," Sophie said as she stood, having finished her meal in record time.

"Sit down, Sophie," Falacrine ordered. He noticed she looked at him a little wide-eyed before her jaded look returned. She sat down slowly, looking ready to bolt if she had to.

_See? Still a little kid, mostly._

"So, Sophie, tell me why it was you picked _me_ to try to con." Falacrine made sure to put an extra level of threat into his harmonics. The humans, they didn't think they could hear any of it, but you could color their emotions, without them even knowing.

It worked on Sophie, too. She stammered a little, blushing, and almost Falacrine wanted to tell her never mind, it was okay. But then, he'd never get her to answer. Let her stay a little scared, for now.

"Well, it wasn't really a con… well, I mean, not completely, I… Look, dude, I needed the help. You were willing to help me. What's the problem?"

"The problem is, you used me. You knew I was soft, and you exploited that. You never asked anyone else at the help desk. I know. I asked." Falacrine was suddenly aware that he was no longer trying to scare her; he was genuinely angry at the kid.

_No, not the kid. The _teenager_ who's going to turn out to be a criminal if someone doesn't show her it's a mistake now._

Falacrine watched as she looked for an escape, saw her measure his long legs with her eyes and reach the conclusion that she couldn't outrun him. He also saw her study a pair of C-Sec cops for a moment, and he wondered if she would accuse him of something to avoid just answering the question.

But then her jaw started trembling, and her eyes welled up.

"I'm sorry!" she wailed, hiding her face in her arms.

_Shit. Good job, Falco._

Falacrine slid out of his chair and knelt next to hers, trying to ignore the way people were starting to stare. This looked good. Giant hulking turian, taller kneeling than the human girl sitting, and she was bawling her eyes out. Sure, this didn't look like something you go to jail for. He reached out his hand to barely pat her back.

"It's okay, kid, just- just stop crying, okay? It's all right. I'm not that mad."

Sophie looked up, eyes red-rimmed and still streaming. "Are you g-going to have me ar-ar-rested?" she hitched.

"No, I promise. Just, please stop crying." _Stop crying before you get _me_ arrested._

"I really am sorry," she sniffled, wiping her eyes on her arm.

Falacrine grabbed a napkin off the table to hand to her.

"I don't mean to manipulate people," Sophie continued. "It's just my parents have been gone since I was real little, and I don't know how to take care of myself."

"Wait, they weren't just- they didn't put you onto a shuttle here?"

"I don't even remember them."

Falacrine sighed. He had been ready to abandon her back to the refugee docks, but how could he? She wasn't a bad girl, she was sweet and innocent and just trying not to starve. The galaxy was cruel, sometimes.

"Look, Sophie I've got to finish my shift. But I have enough time to run you by my apartment. Can you stay there until tonight? I'll bring some human food for you when I get out."

"Really, Falco?"

"Yes, really. Just clean your face up and let's go."

Once promised a place to stay, Sophie cheered up immensely. She wiped her face clean and helped pick up the food mess from the table.

"It's just for a little while," Falacrine warned. "Until I find some child welfare group that can help you."

"Okay," she agreed. Falacrine thought she agreed too easily. He knew she wasn't faking the tears, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was playing him, somehow.

_You're being silly. She's just a little kid, and she's been on her own for years. In a few days, some asari charity will take her, and then she'll be fine._

"Falco, can we watch a vid tonight? I haven't watched a vid in a really long time."

Falacrine thought of his vid collection, a long list of bloody, gruesome war holos… and then the other vids which were even less appropriate for her age. "I'll pick one up on the way home," he promised.

#

The remainder of Falco's shift passed at an excruciating crawl. He finally gave up and clocked out an hour and a half early; he was too worried about Sophie being left alone. And he still had to bring some food she could eat and the holovid he'd promised. He had no idea how to cook a proper human meal, so he grabbed some things that just needed to be heated up and left; he would bring her by on his day off, if she was still here, and let her pick something out.

The video store was harder. He knew if he picked something too young, she'd be offended, but he was incredibly leery of bringing home anything too adult. In the end, he grabbed a couple of documentaries and an animated vid he remembered from when he was a kid. Hopefully, she wouldn't mind listening to her translator.

#

"Sophie? You here?" Falacrine called out as he entered the apartment. He didn't see her. The couch was empty and there was no movement in the kitchen.

"Hang on," she yelled back. A moment later, she was coming out of his bedroom, wearing his bathrobe and with wet hair streaming down her back.

"I see you've made yourself at home. I guess we'll have to grab you some more clothes for the next couple days."

Sophie bit her lip. "Is it okay? I can change back into my other stuff, if you don't want-"

"Keep it on!" he yelled as her hands started to creep toward the thin tie holding it together.

_Just what I need, a naked juvenile human in my apartment. A naked juvenile human I don't even know, who I may have technically kidnapped from the refugee docks. And I know humans feel very differently about nudity than we do._

"Take this," he told her, shoving a bag of groceries at her to keep her arms busy.

"Score, I love hot dogs. And soft pretzels. You're so awesome, Falco."

"Come on. Let's get this stuff put away, then we can heat something up for dinner." He headed to the kitchen, wondering what he was going to do with her. He'd have to find a site on the extranet for one of the charities. He hoped they weren't too busy to answer a message.

"Can we… can we order a pizza?" Sophie asked. "There's this place that delivers, I got a flyer on my omni-tool. I haven't had pizza in, like, forever."

"Didn't you have some at lunch?" Falacrine asked, shoving the various food containers into the freezer.

"Well, yeah, but that was just a slice. This would be a _whole_ pizza, with all the toppings."

"Fine. Go order it. Then put one of the holos on."

"Sweet," Sophie said, punching her pizza order into the omni-tool while wandering into the living room.

He tried to fit everything into his fridge, but all the prepared meals he'd gotten for Sophie were too much to fit in with all his own frozen bachelor food. He managed to make everything fit by pulling out a Solitary Warrior* dinner.

_Well, I guess that's what I'm eating tonight._ He started it heating, hoping Sophie's pizza got here fast. He didn't want to eat in front of her before she had her food.

"You got a cartoon?" Sophie asked from the other room.

"I got my favorite cartoon from when I was a kid," he answered.

"Can we watch that one first?" she asked.

Falacrine smiled. "Sure thing, Sophie."

The pizza arrived in short order and Sophie pounced on it, ignoring Falacrine's complaints as he found out just how much all those toppings cost.

"Don' forgetta tippa guy," she shouted through a mouthful of pizza.

"Thank you, Sophie. I've got it." He handed the credits to the dark-haired delivery human, who appeared to be trying not to laugh.

"Have a good night," he said, smirking at Falacrine. Falacrine could only sigh as he grabbed his Solitary Warrior and sat down on the couch next to his unexpected ward.

#

Falacrine tried to watch the holo he'd brought home, but he kept glancing at Sophie, hoping she couldn't read the embarrassment from his mandibles. Were all children's movies so _romantic?_ This didn't seem appropriate at all. These were supposed to be little animated varren and they were talking about being bondmates, right on screen.

_What's this stupid thing rated, anyway?_ he wondered, looking it up on his omni-tool.

All ages.

Falacrine snorted. All ages, indeed. Meanwhile, he had this under-aged creature on his couch with him who kept snuggling closer. He was starting to worry she had a crush on him, and that would be really bad. He knew how adolescents acted, sometimes. If she got confused about this just being an adult helping out an orphan until he could get her to a shelter…. He did not want to have to deal with that.

"Sophie? You seem tired. I think you should probably go to bed, now."

Sophie gave a light snore. Falacrine was pretty sure she was pretending, but he didn't want to argue with her. Instead, he just scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom, tucking her in.

"Whas goin' on?" she murmured.

"Go back to sleep. I'll be sleeping on the couch."

"Wait, don't go. I'm scared to be alone." She grabbed his wrist, and her grip was surprisingly strong for her size.

He gently pried her fingers off of him.

"I will be right out there, on the couch," he told her. "I will keep you safe. Anyone would have to go past me to get to you, okay? I'll even leave the bathroom light on for you. See?" He demonstrated by walking over to the bathroom and turning the light on there.

When he turned around, he saw that Sophie had shrugged her top half out of the robe.

Falacrine eye's shot straight to the ceiling. "What are you doing? Stop that. Cover back up."

"You don't… you don't like me?" she asked. Her voice wavered and he knew she was close to tears again.

_Well, you were right about the crush, anyway. Now what?_

"Sophie, I do like you. But you are a child. Now cover yourself up." Eyes still locked on the ceiling, he stumbled sideways until he ran into his dresser and opened it, flinging whatever clothes he could grab toward her without looking. "One of those should be a tunic. Put it on."

"You said it yourself. I'm old enough if I was a turian."

"You're not a turian. Now put something on or I will drop you off at C-Sec."

"You'd just… just abandon me? Like my parents did?" Sophie sniffed dramatically.

"Sophie, just get dressed. You can stay if you behave." Falacrine kept his eyes off her. It was easy enough to remember she was a child. The difficulty was in wondering if she was going to do something even worse if he wasn't paying attention.

"Okay, I'm dressed." She sounded sulky. Did that mean she was doing as he'd asked? He risked a peek and was relieved to find her fully covered.

"I just thought if you liked me enough, you'd stay in here with me. I really am scared, you know."

Falacrine cursed himself. He _knew_ she was conning him. He knew it, and yet it was still working. His feet shuffled him closer to the bed.

"You'll stay fully dressed?" he confirmed.

"Yes."

"And under the blankets?" he pressed. He knew this was a bad idea, but she really did sound frightened.

_Exactly. She _sounds_ frightened. You're going to wake up in a holding cell with some pretty reprehensible charges, you know._ Was he? He wasn't sure. He was pretty sure that whatever she had planned, he wasn't going to be happy about it.

"Under the blankets, fully dressed, I promise. I'll be good."

"I will stay until you fall asleep, and that is it," he told her, lying down on top of the blankets. He pulled her blankets up until they covered her to the chin, hoping to keep her from doing anything until she was out.

"Thank you, Falco," she sighed. "You're so warm…."

"Go to sleep, Sophie." He intended to stay awake until she was unconscious, then sneak away to the couch. Then he would find her a nice, _human_ foster home tomorrow. He would call in sick if he had to. He was fully awake as he watched her eyes slip closed, fully prepared to bolt from the bed the moment she was asleep.

So it was a complete surprise when he woke the next morning, sunlight pouring into his eyes and one arm wrenched above his head.

"What the?" he asked.

"Oh, good. You're awake. I have such a hard time guessing turian weight for dosages."

"Sophie? What are you doing?" He tried to move his arm into a more comfortable position, but it was held fast. Looking up at it, he saw that it was tied to the bedpost. His head swam as he moved, and while only one wrist was tied, pretty much everything seemed to be stuck in that drugged-immobile state for now.

"Robbing you. Sorry about that. You really are a nice guy. That's why I only tied the one wrist. You'll get yourself loose eventually." Sophie smiled apologetically. "It'll take a while, though. I tie excellent knots."

Sophie came closer, and he saw that she was wearing a different outfit from before, not the rags she had been using to pose as a refugee. She opened his eye wide, checking for something; he didn't know what.

"Bitch," he muttered. He noticed that it was her omni-tool alone that was translating; she must have taken his off.

"I know, sweetie. I'm sorry. But, I don't think I overdosed you. Not much, anyway."

Sophie walked away again and picked up a bag next to the bedroom door. "I really did want you to like me, you know."

"Liar," he ground out. He couldn't think much, but he did manage to feel incredibly stupid, and he had a suspicion that that was only going to get worse as his head cleared.

"Mostly," she agreed. "That reminds me. I'm actually nineteen. More than legal. So you really should have gone for it; at least you would have gotten something out of all this."

Falacrine tried to force coherent thought out of the mix of words and colors in his head. "I will find you, you little whore. I will hunt you down, and I will-"

Suddenly, the devious witch was back across the room, half-lying on him and planting a crooked kiss on his mandible.

"I really hope you do come find me," she whispered. "Later, Falco," she sang, waving her little fingers as she took his stuff and disappeared.

* * *

*This joke was inspired by a bit from the hilarious Matt Braunger, in his special _Shovel Fighter. _ I highly recommend it.


	2. Runaway Teaser

Sophie never came back to the refugee docks. Falacrine knew, because he spent all of his off-hours watching security footage at double-speed, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. He wasn't quite sure what he'd do if he found her; most days he was torn between killing her, and just shaking her by the shoulders and asking what the hell she'd done it for. He would have given her money if she'd asked. He vacillated between confused hurt, and rage. Why the kiss? Why suggest he come find her, then make it impossible?

And why had she stolen his damn banner? It had no monetary value, no value at all to anyone but him. When his entire unit had been wiped out by a pirate raid, he had been entrusted to keep the unit's banner, as he was the sole survivor. It was to be a remembrance to honor those who had fallen. And now he felt like half a turian with it gone, as though he'd deliberately turned his back on the unit's spirit.

Falacrine wished he'd had more C-sec training before the current state of emergency had interrupted it. With his current skills and no access, all he'd been able to find on the little witch was a record of her birth that had clearly been tampered with. It listed her first name and a date of birth, along with a picture, but no birthplace, surname, or parents. It was the only trace of her he had been able to find in the system and all it told him was that her name really was Sophie.

That, and the fact that she really was a legal adult.

#

His fruitless search was interrupted once the Reapers came for the Citadel.

Falacrine was working at the docks, wearing a temporary badge while shoving as many people as possible onto the transports before the Reapers got there. As he scanned the crowds, he finally had to admit that he felt more than just anger towards Sophie.

"Go on, you're on this one," Lorium told him, pushing him towards the shuttle.

Falacrine shook his head. "No, you take it. I'll grab the next one." He still hadn't seen her.

"You were assigned to this one. Get your ass on it."

Falacrine gritted his teeth, but did as he was told, like a good turian. He pulled the doors shut as Lorium prevented civilians from swarming the little ship; it was already at capacity.

Falacrine pushed through the passengers, few of them carrying more than the clothes on their backs, as he made his way to the cockpit.

"We're loaded," he told the salarian pilot. "Get it moving."

"Trying, trying. Waiting for clear shot."

"Are you the officer in charge?" asked the asari co-pilot.

"Sort of," Falacrine answered. Technically, he was a trainee, not even able to finish his classes while the Reaper war was going. They needed anyone they could grab to act as some sort of authority to try to- well, not _prevent,_ maybe, but at least _stem _the panic.

"Here," she said, handing him a pistol. Falacrine took it, hoping he wouldn't need to use it on anyone. They were all just refugees fleeing the war.

_Who knew it would actually come to the Citadel?_

The pilot finally saw an open shot and pulled the ship away. The Citadel started to recede behind them.

"They won't all make it," the salarian observed.

Falacrine tried not to think about that; the sheer number of people on the Citadel versus the number of transports that could be loaded and launched in time. Or the one blonde woman who had been staying well away from the docks to avoid him.

* * *

The rest of this story is explicit, so it can be found on my AO3 profile, if you're interested. Thanks for reading.


End file.

Mass Effect