~"Mom! Noo!" I scream. My mother had just started to plant her new flowers around our outside patio. I'd been sitting in the livingroom hovering an apple in the air with my biotics out of boredom. My mom had turned and smiled, waving for me to join her. I looked at her like she was crazy, then a bullet passed through her head with cold precision.

My father who had been in the kitchen turned in alarm and immediately grabbed me. We ran to where the guns were stashed, in the crawl-space under the stair. I grabbed my sniper rifle and slid the strap onto my shoulder while grasping the handgun and frantically loading it.

"Dad, who is it?! What's happening? Why would they shoot mom?" I ask while my father and I get our guns loaded.

"It looks like batarians, probably slavers. I'm going to get your sister. I need you to promise me you will run out the back and away from here and not look back. The Alliance needs to know about what's happening. You know how to use the communication device. We're all counting on you to get that S.O.S out, Ok?"

"No Dad! I can't leave you here while they're coming. I can hold them off.." He grabs her arm and shoves her in the direction of the backyard.

"Hunny, my sunshine, I love you. I promise I'll be right behind you. Now go!" I'm halfway through the backdoor and I look back one more time.

"I love you sweety! I'll see you in a minute." He smiles lopsided, tears in his eyes, and runs up the stairs.

I sprint through the yard and out into the small expanse of green grass before I get to some high brush. I'm about to disappear into the dense, green leaves when I hear a yell that sounds like my father before one gunshot and after a split second another follows, then silence. I stop in my tracks and listen. Nothing.

I turn to go back and a batarian comes slowly out the back door. No! He can't be dead! Nooo! In my anguish and anger I use my biotics to grasp the batarian's neck tightly, breaking it. With the batarians strangled cry I snap back to myself and realize: I killed him. I start running away from the sight of the broken batarian with tears streaming down my face. "Papa, no no no, oh god what have I done..."

Jasmin jerks upright in her bed gasping. Biotics rippling all around her dissapating as tears are making paths down her face. She realizes she's in her own bed, safe and places her hands on her face. Why can't she stop reliving that nightmare? Frustrated, she jumps out of bed to grab a glass of water. She sips slowly while staring out the window, lost in thought. She's snapped out of her dark thoughts at the sudden chime of her doorbell.

Her mind still clouded from her dream, and without thinking who it could be, she opens the door. It's Tali, Liara, Garrus, and Wrex standing at her door in different stages of embarrassment. She had opened her door in her underwear and a leave-nothing-to-the-imagination pink silk tank top.

"Oh hey, what's goin on? Is it time already?" She asks, wondering why Liara has a smirk on her face and Garrus, along with Wrex, are staring in any direction but her own.

"What's wrong? Do I have something on my..." she looks down and her face turns a lovely shade of red. "Shit! Urgh!" She runs away to her room trying to cover her butt with her hands muttering "crap crap crap crap"

"Wow Shepard, a thong? I never knew" Liara yells after her as they settle into the living room.

"We didn't see a thing Shepard!" Tali follows up.

"Ya not too much, is that even considered a piece of clothing?" Wrex asks, then is cuffed by Tali. "What!?" he whines, rubbing his head while Garrus chuckles then coughs into his hand to disguise it. They all make themselves comfortable in Shepard's livingroom, sinking into chairs.

"I'll be right there guys!" They keep seeing her running between her bedroom and the bathroom. After another five minutes she comes out with her backpack slung over her shoulder wearing some gray leggings, a white tank top, white, black and gray cropped jacket, some black combat boots and to complete it all a black gun belt with her handgun holstered. Her long dirty blond hair is loose, straight, and parted to the right with a angled bang.

"Ok, ready to go? Sorry, I was a little...preoccupied this morning" she says as her blue eyes clouded over remembering her dream.

"It's quite alright Shepard. Besides it was treat enough how we were greeted at the door." Liara says, elbowing Garrus and smirking. "Now its time for some sun and fun. Well, artificial sun, but the fun will most definitely be real." Liara says with a wink.

"I have the food!" Tali announces holding up a very picnic-like container.

"And I have the fun." Jasmin says patting her backpack. "We'll be playing one of my favorite games today, flag football." She says with her cerulean blue eyes full of mischief.

"Hmm, if I recall its quite competitive though casual." Tali says thoughtfully.

"Finally something I call fun." Wrex says while he punchs his fists together with excitement.

"Ok lets get this party rockin'!" Jasmin says, gestering them out the door. She waits till Garrus files out and steps into pace with him, locking the door.

She hooks her arm through his and smiles warmly at him. "Care to accompany a girl you big sexy turian?" she says with a hearty wink.

"Sure thing Commander, as the most handsome one here I think I can handle escorting the most sought after arm candy on the citadel" he says with exaggerated chivalry and cockiness.

"Ho ho ho big shot! Better watch that ego, its becoming a monstrosity" she says laughing loudly.

Shepard looks to make sure everyone is otherwise occupied with eachother. "So have you reapplied to Spectre training?" she asks in a low voice with eager anticipation.

"Well, yes I have, thanks to a certain Commanders "gentle nudge". Thank you again Shepard..I..just..thanks" he says as he squeezes her hand while giving a lopsided turian smile.

She cuffs his chin "Anything for my Gar Gar" she says batting her eye lashes rapidly then giggling.

"Oh no, you did not just make up that rediculous nickname for me! Ugh!" he says with mock exasperation. "Seriously though, can't you come up with something a little more...I don't know..masculine? Like Badass, or Oh Handsome One?"

"Hah! as if! Ok fine I'll come up with something more to your liking. Gimme till the end of the day ok space rooster?" in a more serious voice she continues "I am very proud of you Mr. Garrus Vakarian. Someone's gotta join me at the top" she says smirking then hugging his arm closer.

They arrive at the elevator and punch the button to call it. "So what is this game about Shepard?" Wrex asks.

"Well do you remember when Kaiden had you guys watch human football on the projector for your "Guys night"? Well its like that, but no tackling. You have to grab a flag off of a belt from the person who's got the ball instead."

"Aww no tackling?"

"No Wrex, you're such a beast that you'd be breaking bones before we know it, silly krogan."

"Ok, fair enough." he says with an wry grin. "Well this is going to be interesting even without tackling" he said with an evil glint in his eyes.

"Hah, you think you're going to win? Bring it on tough guy!" Jasmin says beckoning him with a challenge.

"It's on!" Tali cheers just as the elevator dings and they all look at the elevator with disgust. It was empty, but not big enough to comfortably fit them all.

Shepard chuckles "Ok we got this. Wrex you go in first, umm Liara, Tali, and Garrus next..hmm..I guess I'll levitate myself above your heads if you guys are ok with that."

Everyone files in and Shepard looks at Garrus with mischief in her eyes. She takes a running jump and fakes like she's jumping on him, but levitates herself with her biotics instead. "Psych!" Liara and Tali start giggling as everyone is jostled against eachother. Wrex starts to grumble. Garrus makes the mistake of looking up at Shepard. Her hair is hanging down almost in his face as she starts making hilarious faces at him.

Garrus can't stop it, he doubles over in laughter. "With curiosity: Is something wrong with my face?" Shepard asks in a super exaggerated monotone elcor voice.

Before she was even done speaking everyone in the elevator was laughing uncontrollably.

As the elevator arrives they burst out of the doors laughing so hard they can't breath.

They finally catch their breathes after about a minute. "Garrus thanks for egging Shepard on." Tali says with mock annoyance.

"Hah! like you weren't busting at the seams laughing just a minute ago" he says accusingly while starting to laugh again. "Nice one Commander, the elcor voice was very good. You sure you weren't one in a past life?"

"Oh ha ha Garrus, being this funny requires skill." she laughs. "Alright ladies and gents, time for some fun!" as she starts to march forward.

"After you Commander" Garrus says with a bow and takes her arm again.

"Psst" Shepard gestures for Garrus to come close. "You can call me Shepard ya know?" she says winking, then taking his arm with exaggerated decorim.

"Oh Space-Ape isn't your real name?" he says mockingly.

"Ugh as if you Velociraptor!" she says with mock disgust, smiling all the while.

They arrive at the grassy park and gather together in a huddle. "Alright ladies and gents! Let's work up our appetites before lunch. Wrex, Liara, and Tali you guys make up team one. Being quick is the key and Wrex isn't the most agile so you ladies help him out. Team two is me and Garrus. We have the advantage here so we will have the handi-cap."

"What a surprise, you'd think they were attached at the hip" grumbles Wrex. Liara and Tali giggle quietly.

"Do I need to come over there Wrex? 'Cause I'm ready to show you how I beat you, all over again?" Shepard says with a wicked grin.

"Urm.." Wrex turns to walk away all you can here is some grumbling and something about a shotgun and Shepard's ass.

Shepard hands out the belts with the yellow flags attached to Tali. "Ok attach these to your waists. Here Garrus I got one expecially for your wispy waist." She said as she dangled it from her index finger and holds it out to Garrus.

Garrus hears Wrex's guffaws from across the field and rubs the back of his head, quickly grabbing the belt. "Wow, thanks for thinking of me. Next time along with whispy waist mention my dashing looks ok? A guy has to maintain a rep ya know."

Shepard smiles wickedly "Only if you mention how badass I am whenever I enter a room."

Shepard turns outward, yelling to team one "Ok you can tell who's on your team from the colors. Team One is yellow and Team Two is red. That tree and that bush over there will be the touchdown zones. Now pair off and lets do this!"

Shepard pries off her boots and throws them off to the side. Everyone pairs off into teams and starts to stretch. Liara and Tali do some side bends, Wrex just rolls his shoulders, Garrus stretches what would be his triceps, and Shepard smiles with content, bending forward to stretch her back and thighs. "Mmm I love stretching! This feels sooo good" she purr's, flexing her hips a little.

Garrus stares for a second "How is it you can bend in half like that? My joints are cringing just looking at you" he shivers.

"Are you staring at my ass Garrus? Sexual harrassment!" she yells as Garrus facepalms. "Hey don't look at me like that, you walked right into that smoothtalker."

She straightens up and walks over. "Ok Garrus, lemme show you some plays we can do" she walks up close next to him while they both look at her omnitool while she acts out moves "Now, I'll pump fake and run to the left while you run down to the right. I'll throw you the ball and you run for the touchdown. Just try to be fast and not look too obvious. They'll never see us coming. You and I can do anything when I've got you on my six. Let's do this!" She turns and holds her fist out and Garrus bumps it with his own and they stretch out there fingers like an explosion.

"Shepard! Are you ready to get wiped across the field?" Wrex taunts them across the field.

"Anytime anywhere Wrex! Bring it!" Shepards taunts back.

"You don't stand a chance Wrex" Garrus drawls lazingly rolling his neck like its the easiest thing he'll ever do. He winks at Shepard and her smile just glows.

"Positions, and let's get started" Jasmin says with a competitive edge to her voice.

Garrus hikes the ball to Shepard and he lazily runs to the right side of the field. Liara follows him closely. Shepard pumps, fakes, then sprints down the field. Garrus can't believe how fast and graceful she is. He runs to get into position, Liara can barely keep up with him. He waits for it and Shepard sees an opening, throws the ball to Garrus while she gets almost tackled down by Tali. He nimbly catches the ball and picks up his pace. He sees Wrex come out of nowhere, diving to grab his flag. Garrus nimbly leaps over him and sprints to make a touchdown. He pumps his arms in victory while holding the ball.

"Wow Shepard this is a lot of fun! Haha I got the slip on you Wrex buddy. Sorrrry, better luck next time."

Shepard and Garrus proceed to tare up the field. Tali and Wrex get a touchdown each, but Shepard get's the winning touchdown. She starts to do the running man on the touchdown line. "Ya, thats right we're the champions" she says laughing loudly and twirling around.

She runs over to Garrus and slaps a high five/three and slaps his butt. "Woh Shepard, be nice to the goods. I've gotten many the lady with those."

"Ha, I can see why" she says as she glances at it for a second. "Tight."

"I didn't think turians were your thing Commander?" he askes teasingly.

"Hmm, well with a butt like that how could I resist? Now come on, it's lunch time!" she exclaims Garrus by his hand to the picnic.

"Yay! Time for lunch. I am starving!" she runs toward the picnic container and flops down stripping off her jacket. "Ugh I'm so warm." she says fanning herself.

"Too bad you don't have an air cooling unit like me Shepard" Tali says with amusement.

Tali passed out all the food to everyone and they started to eat hungrily. Tali sipping something through a straw while everyone was eating with surprised looks on their faces.

"Tali this is great, where'd you learn to cook like this?" Liara asks through mouthfuls.

"I researched a bit and Shepard helped me a little"

"Ya I learned to cook from my Dad, he was a great cook. He made the best apple pie ever. I was too little to cut up the apples so I would roll out the dough" she smiles with remembering. The dream was still too vivid in her mind though. "I miss him" She still missed him so much after all these years. Her eyes were getting a little misty, so she falls back onto the grass, her hair fanning out around her, and gazes into the fake blue sky above. They all look at her with concern for a minute. They don't know a lot, but they know something horrible happened to her and her parents involving batarian slavers. She never told them much more.

"Well this is damn good, thank you" Wrex grunts to break off the silence.

"What did you use in this dish Tali?" Liara asks and everyone gets into the conversation, letting Shepard have a moment.

Garrus gets up and lies down next to her, placing his talons behind his fringe, gazing at the blue sky with her.

"You ok Shepard?" he says, turning his head to look at her, searching her face.

She turns her head and looks at him for a minute with a small sad frown, then it broadens into a small smile. "I'm fine now, thanks Garrus. I don't know what I'd do without you by my side sometimes. Over this whole mission since I asked you on, you've grown to be one of my closest friends against all odds." she smiles wryly. "You were, I mean are, so damn stubborn when I first asked you on" she remembers.

"Pffft whatever Shepard, your name is next to the definition of stubborn." he says waving his hand nonchalantly.

"Ugh whatever bird-lizard" she says pushing him with the heel of her hand.

"I resent that" he's says putting a hurt look on his face, but he breaks into a laugh.

"Well needless to say you've come far." She looks at the sky for a second then looks back at Garrus with an odd look in her eyes. Like she could see the real him beneath the sarcastic armor he wore. "You have made this whole ordeal bearable knowing you had my back. Thank you for being with me through good times and bad. I..I wouldn't have it any other way" She turns to gaze at the sky again.

Garrus puts his hand on her arm to get her attention. They look at eachother for a moment. "It's a pleasure Shepard, if it makes you feel any better you've been that way to me too. I've never really been anything to be proud of turian-wise. My father is not very happy with me for joining you, but I have to say I actually feel like I'm making a difference. Thank you Shepard for giving me the opportunity to be with you on this mission. Thanks for the push in the right direction. You've inspired me to be a better person. Being a spectre will be everything I wanted. The least I can do is look out for you. Besides, you always make it..interesting" he laughs.

"What do you mean by that? I'm always fun! pfft!" she huffs then looks at him with a smirk. "You know I think I found a nickname for you."

"Oh no, ok hit me with it. I'm ready."

"I realize everytime you're with me you seem to warm and lighten my spirits even when I'm in the worst mood. Your my own personal sunshine. It's not that masculine, but it has the most meaning for me. Thanks, Sunshine. I promise I wont be shouting it all over the place. It's more of a between you and me kind of nickname. One day I'll tell you why it's so important, but I don't want to spoil this beautiful day" she says smiling a little sadly.

Garrus looks up then closes his eyes and smiles, then looks at her. "Well besides the fact its kinda prissy, I think I can deal with it." He squeezes her arm then places his talon back behind his head with the other.

"Well I think I'm going to take a nap. Tali, the food was great thank you!" she says raising her voice a bit.

She glances over when she doesn't hear a reply. They were all taking a nap it seemed. Tali cocked her hand in a quick wave at Shepard as a thank you.

"Well I think we've needed this, don't you think Garrus?... Garrus?" she looks over and sees he must have drifted off into his own slumber. "Ugh, really peeps?" she mutters with a smile.

Jasmin looks at everyone while they're sleeping. We have come so far as a team. How did I get so lucky in my friends? Shepard giggles a little to herself. Funny how it took meeting people who aren't human to find kindred souls.

Shepard yawns a bit, laying back down. She closes her eyes and watches the light dance over her eyelids from the passing clouds on the citadel sky. This was the best day... she thinks as she dozes off with a smile.

6 months later...

Garrus gets back to his very small room he stays in, while in spectre training, and notices he has a package sent from Illium. He reads the generic white tag on the top: To: Garrus From: Shepard. "Finally" he breathes. It was almost the end to her long patrol taking out straggling geth cells and Illium was her last stop. Then she'd be back home to the Citadel.

He'd be graduating to a spectre shortly after she arrives. "You, Me, and the crew at Dark Star lounge. We're drinking till we can't stand straight. Gotta celebrate the hot shot graduating to join the badass club with me" she had said with a wink. I can't imagine what she would have sent me. Probably something shocking. Please don't be a Fornax magazine or something equally embarrassing.

He uses his talon to open the paper and finds a metal rimmed plastic box about the size of his palm. "Hmm, ok now you got me Shepard. What is it?" he mutters to himself.

He flips the catch, prying it open slowly and is surprised by what he sees. "Is this a holo?" He picks it up and tries to no avail to open it. "Ok seriously Shepard, this must be a joke" he says with a chuckle.

To his surprise it opens as a digital voice says "Voice signature recognized" Hah, leave it to Shepard he thinks as he shakes his head. He opens it and presses the button bracing himself for anything at this point.

The little screen lights up with a whirring noise and he's in shock. It's a small holo of Shepard herself. She took the picture just right so it looks like she's looking at him. She's sitting back on one hip with her arms crossed, smirking. The picture captured her stubborn chin and defiant eyes perfectly.

After a minute a message from Shepard comes out "Hey Sunshine! Miss ya! I thought this was much more fun than sending a boring email. Hope you get this and stop being so frustrated. You are the best one there I'm assuming and you'll graduate with flying colors. Never mind the fact that you were one of the best men on the team who defeated Saren and Sovereign. And no, I'm not being bias either. How did I know you'd be thinking that?" she giggles. "I'm fucking amazing thats why."

"Still reading me like a book Shepard?" Garrus mutters with a smirk.

"Can't wait to see you! This patrol is shit! Let's send us out to kill geth, cause they are definately the reason we lost all those lives...ugh dumbasses. Anyway, I'm sending a huge hug your way Sunshine. I'll be needing to catch some rays when I get back. See you at the dock! Talk to you soon!" Then the message ended.

Ah, I miss her. I can't wait till I'm done *sigh* "I better get this paperwork out of the way so I can graduate in this century." he laughs.

Garrus sat down at his desk with the holo open next to him while he filled out some papers for his graduation. He was just day dreaming, remembering that last day with everyone picnicking on the presidium, when his omnitool started beeping urgently. It was a call from Anderson. Hmm wonder what he needs?

Garrus presses the answer button "Hey Councilman, how can I help you?"

"Mr. Vakarian I need you to stop by my office in a minute if you could please."

"Umm sure, I finished with training a while ago, I'll be right there Councilman"

"Ok see you in a bit." Anderson says and hangs up.

Garrus a little confused, clips the holo closed and pops it in his pocket, leaving his room after locking it. He gets in the elevator a minute later and presses the button for the Presidium. I wonder whats happening? I guess I'll find out soon. He leaned against the wall of the elevator then smiles remembering Shepard, him, and the crew crowded in the elevator. The doors open and he walks out into Andersons office.

" Councilman Anderson, How can I help you?" he says while walking towards his desk.

"Please sit Garrus" he says, gesturing at the chair in front of his desk. Garrus sits in the chair, meant for a human, as comfortably as he can.

"About an hour ago the Alliance received a distress signal from the Normandy. Apparantly they were attacked."

"WHAT?! What do you mean attacked?" Garrus explodes, gripping the chair armrests so hard deep gouges appear from him talons.

"Please get control of yourself Vakarian." he says soothingly as he stares him down. Garrus sits back in the chair tensely.

"Garrus...I need you to stay calm ok." he stares him down. He takes a steadying breath then continues. "The Normandy was destroyed in the attack" he pauses as he sees the growing shock running across Garrus's face.

"Shepard...Shepard didn't make it. She made sure everyone else got out before it was completely destroyed. We haven't found her body yet, but Joker told me he was the last to see her and watched as she was spaced. I..I'm sorry Garrus. I know how close you were, I wanted to tell you in person rather than you find out on the news or something a lot more impersonal..." he stares at Garrus trying to make eye contact with him. "Garrus?"

Garrus had a blank stony face. He wasn't even twitching a mandable. "Garrus? Are you ok?"

"Shepards dead? How can this be?" He says with despair, putting his face in his hands. After a minute Garrus gets up, walking towards the elevator.

"Garrus wait.." Anderson says reaching for his wrist, but it was too late. Garrus was through the doors and they were shutting.

Garrus turns and punches the wall with a roar of anguish and rage. "Why!" He collapses to the floor on his haunches and wont move. Why does it feel like something is weighing heavily over my chest making it hard to breath? This grief...she was just a comrade right? No! he shakes his head once slowly. She's..she was Shepard, my Shepard. How could this happen? They were supposed to die together in a blaze of fire and bullets...together...

Minutes later he hears the elevator warn that he's almost to his floor. He gets up like a puppet being pulled up by its strings and walks out the door. He doesn't know how, but before he know what's going on, he enters his room. Decrypting the lock, he shuts himself in. He takes out the holo of Shepard, opens it and turns it on, placing it on his nightstand. He lays down on his bed as the message on the holo replays again. "Hey Sunshine! Miss ya!..." A single tear rolls down his face. Miss you too Shepard...

A little less than 2 years later...

Garrus is walking through a green grass meadow with blindingly beautiful sun and wildflowers blanketing the grass. It's his kind of day. He lies down, sinking into the plush grass and stares up into the sky thinking how this reminds him of another day he was happy. As if on cue he feels someone with soft hands squeeze his arm. He looks over and there's Shepard, smiling with that soft look she gave him so long ago. Her cerulean blue eyes seem to glow with warmth.

He can't handle it and turns away in grief. Shepard's dead, she's not coming back he thinks to himself. A hand gently lays on his mandable, pulling his face back over and Shepard is right there, staring into his eyes smiling.

"Shepard.." he sighs and pulls her into his arms in defeat, putting his face in her hair and smelling her scent.

"Hey Sunshine, I miss you..." she says in his ear softly.

Garrus wakes with a start. His eyes start to focus and he can hear Shepards voice. He looks down and the holo clenched in his hand had activated. Must've been talking in my sleep. He still felt her warmth and scent surrounding him..then it was gone. He sits up, holding back his grief, and cradles his head in his hands. It's been two years since Shepard's death and it's still as fresh in his mind as the first day Anderson told him. Although he's started having vivid dreams of her like this only a month ago. They seem more than dreams, but he can't pinpoint there purpose. What are you trying to tell me Shepard? You were never one to beat around the bush.

He sighs and rolls onto his feet and stretches. This is his first day off since he started this squad.

Once he quit spectre training he had gone back to C-Sec. His heart hadn't been in it now that Shepard wasn't there. Shortly after, the Council started a smear campaign against everything Shepard had fought for. "The Reapers are not real, the "Ship" that "crash landed" in the Citadel was just an advanced "Geth ship" etcetera, so on and so forth. Garrus went and argued with Councilor Valern for a good two hours, but it hadn't made a damn difference. Valern believed him, but he was outnumbered. The Council was absolutely blind to the truth! In his frustration, he resigned from C-Sec and took the next available shuttle to Omega, seeking out crimes he could make a difference against. Omega was lawless and he wouldn't have any shortage of criminals.

Now after about a year he's recruited battle ready volunteers. He started off on his own, busting every merc operation he could handle. No thinking required just straight forward surgical sniping. Next thing he knew, locals who had been harrassed by or had lost family to the mercs, were volunteering to help him keep making a difference. The people of Omega started calling him Archangel, there own dark angel of vengeance and justice.

Him and his team would be able to pull off bigger jobs than ever before. Eventually the Blood Pack, Eclipse, and Blue Suns had had enough. They had started a personal vendetta against them. So far they couldn't find their hideout. Today was a prep day. They were moving to another place tomorrow to elude discovery.

Garrus gets dressed, clips his armor in place and starts to check and clean his guns. He finally finished cleaning his sniper rifle when his omnitool starts beeping. Garrus flips it on, presses the answer button and a screen pops up showing his second in command Sidonis.

"Hey Garrus do you have a minute? I need some help with a quick job. Trying to secure some supplies for our new place. Your better at haggling and this guy is trying to sell them for twice what we had agreed."

"Ya sure Sidonis, where do you wanna meet?"

"I guess meet me at the shuttle, we'll get a cab from there and drive to the dealers house."

"Ok, Garrus out." and Garrus closes the connection.

Garrus walks to the door and yells to his team. "Be back in a few Sidonis is having trouble with that supply guy again."

"Dude that dealer is a pansy. Please find us another guy after this. I'm sick of having to grovel to his level and haggle so we don't get raped with the prices he charges." yells Sensat.

"Hah, ya and you try to stop leaving your wet towels on the floor in the bathroom and we'll call it even" Garrus laughs.

As he walks out the door he hears the rest of the team say "Ya seriously man, that shit smells all mildue-y.."

Garrus chuckles lightly and starts walking to the shuttle station.

Meanwhile...

No...I can't die...Sunshine...I miss you..

Shepards brain awakens to find that she may not be dead in space like her last memories, but there was a lot of noise and someone was yelling at her. Disoriented she hears a womens voice.

"...Shepard, you need to get up...Your scars haven't healed yet but the mechs have taken over the station and you are in danger... There's a locker with some armor and a gun...you need to get to it. Hurry!"

Jasmin gets up and grabs her jaw as a sharp pain shoots through it. What scars? What's happened? I obviously didn't die in the crash. What the hell.. Ugh, whatever the hell is happening I'll figure it out after I'm out of danger...

She staggers as she stands up and regains her balance. Walking over to the locker she grabs the armor out and puts it on as quick as she can. Picking up the handgun she finds out it's not loaded.

"Shepard get behind cover quickly!"

Jasmin dives for the partition in front of her as the door blows. "I need clips, this guns not loaded!" she yells at the disembodied voice.

"You'll have to find some. Now quickly through the door and to the right."

Shepard jumps up and sprints through the door. Ugh I'm a bit more than stiff. Seriously, what's happened to my body? she muzes while holding her side.

She bursts through some doors into the second room shes come through and starts to head through cautiously, picking up some clips and loading them.

"Take cover, mechs are on the way into that room."

Well, this women must be on her side, she deduces. She puts on a burst of speed and takes cover as some mechs come through the doors.

Jasmin takes out three out of the five with some quick shots to the head. Then, remembering she has biotics she uses it to throw the rest against the wall behind them. The force of it is off by a lot though. Why does it feel like the "well" that she likes to think her biotics come from is much, much larger than it used to be. The small mechs are thrown so hard that they fall into pieces.

She experiments a little more and starts to levitate some crates. On a good day she could levitate about two or three medium size crates at one time. Right now she had three in the air and two more were following and even though she felt like crap she felt like she could have levitated many more than that. She let's them fall back to the ground in shock. What kind of freak am I? Seriously, I feel like I have precise control over more biotics than I have ever had or seen anyone else have.

"Shepard you've got to move. We need to evacuate this station, now!"

"Ok mother.." grumbled Jasmin as she sprints through the hallways, picking up some credits at a few random wall safes and datapads she finds. She finally comes through a door onto a balcony by an elevator.

"Shepard pick up the grenade launcher that should be right there, hurry some more mechs are coming through the door. Take them out!"

Jasmin picks up the grenade launcher with familiarity. "Oh old friend" she says as she grins. The doors open down below and three mechs start to walk through, but didn't reach the outside before Jasmin gave them a dose of the grenade launcher. Before the fire clears she's on the elevator and going down.

Once she reaches the ground she sprints threw the spewing fire from a leaking gas main that was the result of the grenade launcher explosion. She reaches the door and bursts through to see a dark skinned man in a tight combat suit taking out some mechs that are across on a balcony. She runs up next to him and takes cover.

"Shepard? What are you doing here? It must be pretty bad if Miranda has you up and running around."

"What is this place and how did I get here?" she glares at him hoping to get a straight answer out of him.

"There isn't time right now, we need to take out these mechs and get to the evacuation ships."

"Ok, but I am at leasted owed an explanation. Let's take out these mechs." Jasmin pulls out of cover and picks one off with a headshot then pulls another off the balcony with her biotics.

As Jacob takes out the last one, they stand up and dust themselves off. Jacob smirks at Shepard "Nice to see you haven't lost your touch. Ok lets get to the transport Shepard. It's through..." he's interrupted by someone over the com channel.

"Is anyone on this frequency? Anyone?!"

"Come in, this is Jacob. Who is this?"

"This is Wilson, I'm trying to hold off these mechs, but I wont be able to for much longer."

"Me and Shepard are here, we will try to get to you as soon as possible. Just hold on!"

"Wait what? Shepard's there? What the..? Ok I'll try to direct you around the mechs."

Jacob looks at Shepard "Come on we've got to hurry."

After fighting through some more mechs they run down a hallway and find Wilson and heal him with some Medi-gel. They fight there way through another room full of mechs with a little help from the grenade launcher. They finally arrive at the evacuation door and Jacob stops them.

"Stop, we need to wait for Miranda."

"She's probably dead by now" Wilson grumbles as if annoyed. Shepard looks at him suspiciously.

"Well I think its the least we can do considering she got me out of the lab safely trying to save my life." she glares at Wilson

"Well, we don't have time for this we.." he's cut short as he opens the door and a beautiful women with raven black hair and wearing a white body suit is standing there.

"Miranda!? I thought you were.." he doesn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Miranda shoots him in the head.

"Dead?" Miranda finishes for him.

"Miranda what have you done?" Jacob exclaims.

"He betrayed us all. He's the one who turned the mechs on us."

Shepard nods in the corpse's direction "I had a feeling he was just waiting to shoot me in the back"

"Good instincts. Now it's time to go. Any questions before we go Commander?"

"Uh ya umm where am I? I know it's some kind of lab facility and it must be well funded if there are that many mechs available, but that's just from observation."

"Well it's a good observation. You are on the facility that is working on the Lazarus Project. We have been working two years straight to bring your lifeless body back from the dead."

"Ya you weren't much but meat and tubes when you started off" Jacob adds.

"With the help of a lot of cybernetics and the greatest minds we pulled off a miracle: you." Miranda continues after Jacob's interruption.

"But who would go through all this trouble to bring me back? I mean I don't want to sound ungrateful and thank you for this unspeakably wonderful gift, but if I'm not mistaken this has to have cost a pretty penny."

"Cerberus is the organization who made all of this possible. They tasked me to this project with unlimited resources. If I'm not mistaken, which I rarely am, this project has cost over three billion credits."

"WHAT!?...ok now listen. I hate Cerberus as a collective whole. The experiments and other "Projects" I've seen were sick and horribly in-humaine. I will go along with you since you've "invested" so much into bringing me back, but if I find the reason they brought me back is not my cup of tea I'm out. Sayanara." she says with a finality and dangerous glint in her eye.

Miranda was only to happy to match that glint as she looks her over for a second considering what Shepard had said. "I knew I should have implanted a control chip in you. This is all on the Illusive man now. Come along we need to meet said man at his base of operations." she says with irritation as they pile into the shuttle.

One awefully long and frustrating shuttle ride later they make it to the Illusive Mans' base. It was huge. Shepard saw at least twenty spots where ships could dock.

Their shuttle docks and Miranda shows them to a room. "Shepard, you go through that door, the Illusive man is waiting for you." she says with smug satisfaction.

You best wipe that little smile off your face bitch or I'll permanantly remove it. Shepard thinks as she smiles sweetly and makes her way to the room.

Ugh! The nerve of that self-centered douchebag! The "I own you therefore you do as I say" attitude will NOT fly with me bucco! Shepard calms herself down. At least I have freedom to do as I please. If I do some missions here and there to help out Cerberus no big deal. I may not like the situation, but it definately could be a lot worse..I could be dead still. Shepard stops and shivers remembering bits a pieces from her last moments floating in space.

Jasmin sighs heavily, walking up the hallway and to the armor customizer. I'll talk to these two in a moment. Now let's see if I can still hack my personal settings from before she laughs mischieviously. She rapidly starts to input the data to hack into the settings and within two minutes or so she exclaims in victory with a little fist pump. Jasmin scrolls through the different decals stopping on the bluebird. She puts them on either side of where her collarbone would be in armor in a cerulean blue making the main color of the suit white. Then flipping through the rest she comes upon the perfect symbol for the back of her suit. Well they got rid of my original ones on my back. This will have to do for now till we get to the citadel. Finished the terminal tells her that the armor will be delivered to her later on that day.

Shepard pushes away from the terminal and walks over to Miranda. "Ok so we got off on a bad start. I know you've had the privilage of knowing all about me now for two years, but I on the other hand am a little in the dark on your specs Miss Lawson. And don't give me the "I'm perfect and thats all you need to know" bit. People have tried and failed with me on that one." She says smirking.

Miranda eyes Shepard, checking to make sure she's being serious. "Shepard I don't think this is the time and place for questions of this caliber. Right now all you need to know is that I am very good in everything you need me for on this mission."

Shepard shifts back on her left hip and crosses her arms on her chest. "Ok, later, but you will spill the goods." She says winking at Miranda then turns and walks in Jacob's direction.

Why does she insist on being friends with me? Miranda thinks exasperated and walks to the door to prepare the shuttle.

Shepard approaches Jacob and taps him on the shoulder. When he turns she holds her hand out "Let's do this properly eh? Hi I'm Commander Shepard, Nice to meet you." she says as she shakes his hand.

Jacob smiles and shakes her hand in return. "Jacob Taylor, and likewise." He let's go of her hand and crosses his hands on his chest and leans back on one side of his hip. "So is this where I get interrogated?" he asks, still smirking.

"Hah, you wish. No I just like to be polite if it kills me. If I start off on the right foot, I can at least say I tried." she says laughing. "So what's your background? My first thought was soldier." she urges him on.

"Well, we don't have time for the full story, but I'll give you the condensed version." he says. Jacob goes on to explain his Alliance background and how he left them to get into Cerberus so he could actually get things done without all the red tape. "I'm just anticipating seeing you in action. I've heard a lot about you Commander and it all seems like fairytale stuff." he says smiling.

"Oh, now there, you went and made me blush" she says dripping with sarcasm and fans her face. "I think I can promise a show though. Nothing ever stays normal around me for long. Hell, today is my first day awake after being dead for two years. It's already shaping up to be a fun ride." She laughs then slaps him on the shoulder. "Time to go though, I think Barbie is waiting for us in the shuttle." she says throwing her thumb in the direction of the doors.

Jacob laughs. "Don't ever let her hear you say that unless you want a sure and quick way back the way you came" he smirks

"Hah, thanks for the warning" She'll be my friend if it kills her Jasmin thinks to herself as her and Jacob walk through the door.

Later on after the mission...

Shepard walks into the comm room and steps onto the projection unit. Shortly, the Illusive man appears in front of her. "Good job on Freedom's Progress Shepard" he says with satisfaction like he's her new puppy.

Shepard sighs in disgust "Well, you've convinced me of the threat of these Collectors. The Reapers have to be behind this. I'm going to need a good team so I will go about gathering my old crew as soon as possible."

"Shepard most of your old crew has split up. Some have even changed to other allegiances."

"Has there been any sign of Garrus Vakarian?" she had found most of them, but Garrus really had disappeared off the grid.

"The turian disappeared a few months after you were declared dead. Even we haven't been able to locate him."

Shepard wipes the look of disappointment from her face quickly and replaces it with her Commander's mask of determination and pride. "I'll find him..." she vows.

"Just remember-you've been gone a long time. Things have changed."

"Oh don't get your panties in a twist. You just worry about the Collectors. I'll make sure my team is ready when the time comes." Shepard says, sitting back on one hip and crossing her arms.

"Good. Two things before you go. I need you to head to Omega and find a salarian named Mordin Solus. He's a brilliant scientist and might be able to counteract the Collector's paralyzing swarms. Second, I've found a pilot you might like. I hear he's the best. Someone you can trust." the Illusive man says cryptically as he shuts down the comm terminal.

Shepard hears footsteps behind her and whirls around. She registers that someone in regulation cargo pants and shirt in cerberus colors then looks up into laughing green eyes and scruffy beard. A huge grin grows across her face.

"Hey Commander. Just like old time, huh?" Jokers says with a smirk.

"Joker? Oh thank goodness!" she declares and runs up and squeezes him in a tight hug. Tears squeeze a little out of her closed lids.

"Woh, it's really good to see you too Commander, but remember I'm a little fragilee." Joker says wincing after squeezing her back and smiling.

Shepard pulls him back and turns with him, arm across his shoulders. "I'm so glad you made it Joker. Couldn't imagine doing this without my brother in everything but blood." she squeezes him and lets go walking beside him. "Wait a minute! Hold the fricken phone! You're walking without crutches?! How is this possible?" she pushes Joker for an answer a huge smile on both their faces.

"Well, it all fell apart without you Commander. Everything you stirred up, the council just wanted it gone. Team broke up, records sealed, and I was grounded. The Alliance took away the only thing that mattered to me. So I joined Cerberus. They reinforced my bones which allows me to walk without crutches"

"You really trust the Illusive Douchebag?" Shepard said with astonishment.

Joker turns and smirks at Shepard. "Well I don't trust anyone who makes more than I do, but they aren't all bad. Saved your life, let me fly..and there's this." He looks at me with excitement. "They only told me last night."

They had arrived at a window into a hangar. The lights turn on slowly revealing the new and improved SR-2. "No fucking way..." Shepard breaths.

"Good to be home huh Commander?"

"Guess we'll have to give her a name eh Joker?" They look at eachother in mutual agreement.

Shepard pulls away and says over her shoulder to Joker "Time to put her through her paces buddy 'ol pal" she says waving him forward.

"Thought you'd never ask" Joker laughs.

Shepard, Jacob and Miranda walk in from the station pulling off their helmets. Shepard pats Jacobs shoulder "Good job on Freedoms Progress Jacob. You really are worth all the fuss, but keep working on quicker reaction times on those pulls. You'll get it eventually, I just play faster than most I think." she says with a smirk.

"Thank you Commander, I'll keep working on it. You are just as good as everyone says you are. It's definitely an honor to be on your team. "

"Hah, thanks. It came with hard work and a lot of guts." she says laughing.

As Shepard walks by the cockpit door she hears a faint voice. "Ya well being that old comes with perks."

Jasmin turns right around on her heel looking at Joker with mock disdain. "An age joke? Really? You're going to have to try a little harder than that pal."

"Hey don't hurt my feelings or anything. I'm a little rusty. Noone can seem to keep me on my toes like you."

"Excuses, Excuses..." Shepard mutters as she turns around and waves like she swatting a fly away.

"Ok Jacob go on. I'll check in on you tomorrow on my rounds."

"Ok cya Commander." Jacob waves once and walks towards the armory.

Shepard walks up and grabs Miranda by the shoulder gently. "A word if I might Ms. Lawson." She pulls her hand back to her side comes up beside her. "Walk with me" They walk slowly toward the elevator.

"I just want to say you also did an excellent job today, but there is only one thing I wanted to address if I could."

"Of course Commander. What is it?" she asks with a bored look on her face.

"I noticed you were a very...independent thinker on that mission, which is ok in some instances. I need you to become more of a team player though please Miranda. If we can't work as a cohesive unit we'll be up a creek without a paddle when it comes to crunch time. Am I understood Ms. Lawson?"

Miranda flushes with an indignant look "I'm sorry for the inconvenience I caused you. I will try harder next time." she just barely spits out.

Shepard notices the effort she put into saying that sentence and barely holds in a smile. Maintaining a straight face she looks her straight in the eye "See that you do. That is all Ms. Lawson." allowing a small smirk to escape as she turns around to walk over to meet her yeoman.

Shepard hears sharp quick heel clicks disappear with the 'sssshnick' noise of the elevator doors closing. Jasmin walks over and waves in greeting to Kelly. "Miss Chambers is it? How is everything?"

"Everything is fantastic as always, it is a pleasure to meet you Commander? How are you doing?"

"Terrific actually." she says while shaking her hand. "Any new messages or updates?"

"No emails at present, unless you count the penis enlarging email you got earlier that I took the privilege of deleting for you."

Shepard puts on a frantic look and grabs her arm "You deleted that email?! Oh crap I needed my penis larger by next week for my hot date. How will I ever get it larger in time?!" Shepard barely holds it in before she laughs so hard she has to hold her sides.

Kelly starts laughing just as hard and supports herself on Shepard's shoulder. "Oh my goodness Commander! How did you hold a straight face for that long? I was about to believe you. Hah!"

Shepard stands straight allowing a few last laughs then sighs. "I don't know it's a gift. On a more serious note though, please alert me to any emails of a secure nature. I'm trying to locate my friend."

"I sure can Commander. Are you looking for a Mr. Garrus Vakarian?"

"Uh ya, how did you know?"

"Well as your yeoman and unofficial shrink I was very thorough on my research of my fellow crew."

"Well, good to know that we have the best and brightest working on this ship."

"Thank you Commander" she says beaming "Also I would like you to meet our ensuite mobile defense system EDI" she says gesturing to the console as a blue ball head pops up.

"Hello Commander Shepard, I am EDI short for Enhanced Defense Intelligence."

"Very nice to meet you EDI. I look forward to working with you."

"As am I Commander Shepard. I am at your disposal." EDI ends with and blips out.

"Ms. Chambers, it has been a pleasure I am going to check out the rest of the ship and my crew."

"Thank you, it is very nice to finally meet you also. See you around Commander." she says with a wave then turns back to her console.

For the next hour Shepard makes an effort to introduce herself to everyone on the ship. Finding out there names and a little about them. "She is much nicer than I expected her to be." one support staff whispers once Shepard as left the room.

"I know, but we'll see how well she'll be in a real situation." a man says before they both turn back to work.

Meanwhile Shepard finds her way to the elevator and punches the "Captain's Cabin" floor. "Drumroll please..." she mumbles. 5 min later the elevator makes it to the floor. "Why is this damn elevator still so SLOW! Ack!" she grumbles throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

Jasmin steps forward through to the room door, opening it with a quick press of the green holo-button. When the doors open she's in shock. "This is huge!" she exclaims as she walks past the desk and bathroom to her right before walking down the stairs.

She runs her hand on the couch and then the bed as she walks around to the right side. She sits down slowly and bounces a bit. "Is this a real bed.." she whispers. She steals herself and falls back with an "oof" and a "mmmmm".

"EDI?"

"Yes Commander?"

"Please tell Joker to set a course for Omega and if you could wake me up in 2 hours please, I would appreciate it"

"Of course Commander, sleep well."

"Thanks EDI" she says smiling as she slips off her boots and unclips her armor leaving it in a neat pile on the floor. With her armor off she untucks the blanket and sheets and rolls underneath them. Wedging her pillow under her neck she drifts off into sleep.

Sometime the next day...

Jasmin paces her captains quarters thinking about what they've just found out about the collectors. Now more than ever I need to exploit the resources Cerberus is graciously handing me. Now if only the Illusive Man wasn't such an ass this arrangement wouldn't be half bad she grumbles.

Shepard flops down on her bed with two datapads. Each are the two new dossiers she needs to start her team.

The first is the solarian Mordin Solus. Very qualified for what we need him for, good. We'll grab him first.

The second is for a strategist, sharp shooter, and recently some kind of vigilante turian named Archangel. Wow, Archangel. Poetic yet badass, I like it. Now if only I could find Garrus. He'd show this turian what badass is really all about she thinks, smiling to herself. Man I miss him.

Jasmin gets up and starts to pull on her new armor. "Hey EDI, please inform Miranda and Jacob to get ready. We're going to get the doc and some turian with penchant for sniping."

"Of course Shepard, anything else?" EDI asks with her pleasant, but emotionless womanly voice.

"That'll be all for now, thank you EDI" she says with a smile. I'm liking this AI so far.

"Logging you off Shepard."

"Alright! Time for some action!" Now that her scars are repaired Jasmin is ready to see what this body can do now. "Time to blow some shit up old girl" she says tapping her sniper rifle.

1 day later...

"Alright you two, I think we have our "Sabotage the Enemy Without Them Knowing" list complete, on to "Rescue a Bad Ass Turian Before the Mercs Execute Him" section." Jasmin says cheerfully.

"You do know you just electricuted a batarian just five minutes ago right?" asks Miranda, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever do you mean Miranda?" She says smirking.

"Well it's the decision I would have made. Keeping the gunship at fifty percent increases our odds of accomplishing this task by about ten percent bringing us to a total of eighty five percent chance of success." Mordin cuts in.

"Astute observation my dear Watson, now let's give these mercs a little present" Jasmin says as she unlatches her grenade launcher.

"Ahh lovely stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I love the..." he starts before being cut off.

"I love them too Mordin, but not the best time. Let's schedule another time and have lunch."

"Very nice suggestion *breath* Will send an appointment to your terminal"

"Shepard you are full of surprises." Miranda says a little thoughtfully.

"Hey, I can like literature and electricuting batarians. Think of it as an extra curricular activity" Shepard says smiling. "Ok enough, my pretty grows impatient" she says while petting her grenade launcher. Miranda smirks and follows Mordin and Shepard over the partition.

Garrus...

Garrus takes out yet another wave of cannon fodder from the endless free lancer pool the mercs have conjured up to destroy him. How did he go from leader of a team that spelled out the mercs doom to being at their mercy? That bare face Sidonis will pay dearly! Garrus hits the wall with a roar. There all dead, all twelve of my team are dead. How did I not see his betrayal? I have to stay alive. I will make him wish he died before I'm done with him.

Garrus gets his head back in the game as more free lancers jump over the barrier. He notices three people who seem to be working together. They are armed to the T and the one in the front is smirking like she's having fun. Wait!...those eyes...the hair...Shepard? If I believed in heaven maybe my angel is coming to take me away... He snaps back and focuses, taking out three of the mercs then lining up on the fourth. Before he can pull his trigger a grenade blows the last three off the side of the bridge. In shock he looks for the culprit and spots the blue eyed warrior hefting her grenade launcher onto her shoulder just like..Shepard? Can it really be her? It must be! He gets an impulse and goes with it, loading in a concussive round.

Shepard...

Jasmin is walking over the bridge when all of a sudden she gets blown back by a concussive round. She holds her balance, barely, and looks for the gunman. It's the damn turian I'm trying to save...wait a minute..that armor...the concussive round..Garrus?

"Hahaha!" she laughs and picks up the pace. Garrus and her used to have matches to see who could keep there balance against a concussive round. Damn him she thinks while smiling widely. It's so on!

"I thinks she's gone off the deep-end Mordin." Miranda says in a low voice.

"Hah, I need to settle a score with an old friend. Hurry lets see how fast we can kill these stragglers." she says with a grin, ever the competative type.

"Your on Commander" Miranda says with a wicked sneer.

Jasmin, Mordin, and Miranda get through the rest in record timing. As they walk through the door Garrus stands to greet them and gets a concussive shot as a hello.

"Paybacks are a bitch ain't they?" Shepard says with a smirk.

Garrus steadies himself and pulls off his helmet. He smiles a wide turian smile, opening his arms wide. Seeing what he wants she runs up and takes a flying leap. Garrus catches her and twirls her around then sets her down. He takes her hand back though If I let her go she might disappear. He thinks ernestly. Garrus takes a good look at Shepard. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes. How the hell did you get the same armor decal and everything?" He pauses, lost for words. "Jesus Shepard...it's like you never left...like time just stood still. How are you still alive? I..w-we thought you were dead?" He looks at her with a peircing stare from his predatory face, like he was searching to see if it really was her.

"We will have to save the whole story for another time" she says reaching up to cup the right side of his face with her hand. She peers into his eyes as she speaks. "One thing I can say to you though is that I would never choose to leave you alone. Not ever." she says with a squeeze. Just for a brief second she catches glimpses of...Garrus's thoughts? The grief and loss he's endured since her death... It brings tears to her eyes. What the hells just happened? Is this from my biotics? I felt something was off, but this..I've never heard of this..ever. Ugh I'll have time for this later. She thinks with impatience. She focuses on Garrus's face. "Garrus how did you get yourself into this situation?" she asks.

Garrus turns away from her intense scrutiny, walking over and looking out the window with his head down. "My feelings got in the way of my better judgement." he pauses and looks at Jasmin over his shoulder. "I'll make you a deal, you get me out of here alive I'll tell you the whole damn thing."

Jasmin looks into his eyes for a minute then nods. She walks up and slaps his shoulder. "We'll work as a team. These guys aren't that tough, besides with all of us and the famed "Archangel" how could we be beat?" she smirks at Garrus.

"Oh no, now don't give me shit for the nickname the locals gave me." he says in fake exasperation, falling into the old groove that he and Shepard always had.

"Hey, settle down. It sounds like a stripper name is all I'm saying. I have been gone for two years and a turian has to make ends meat" she starts laughing really hard and walks towards the door.

"Hah! At least my real name doesn't sound like a strippers." he counters with a chuckle.

Shepard turns around and with a flick of her wrist wrenches his gun out of his grasp and starts thumping his own sniper rifle on his head with her biotics. She maintains it for a bit while walking out the door. All he can hear on the comm is "..stop hittin' yourself, stop hittin' yourself.."

It finally stops and Garrus gets control of his rifle again. He sighs contentedly, It's so nice to be back by her side. Partners in crime once again. he thinks with a wide smile.

Just as Shepard get's into position Garrus hears her say "This is gonna be fun.."

The first mechs come over the bridge. He takes out one with a headshot causing it to explode and take out another one with it. Quick as a wink he sees a bullet cleanly pass through the eye of the mech to the right, making it overload. "Been working on our aim have we?" he chuckles.

"I was a little rusty, but Miranda and I had some lovely target practice on Freedom's Progess a couple days ago. Didn't we Miranda?"

"Totally, Jacob got left in the dust the poor sod." she laughs.

After Garrus takes out Jaroth, everyone meets back up top. "So Garrus what's next?" Shepard asks as she saunters over with her rifle thrown over her shoulder.

"Well they don't seem to be.." he's cut off by a explosion that sounds deep below them. "Shit, I guess they had to use their brains eventually. We need to head them off in the basement. Shepard I'll stay here, you and your team try to go close those doors. I'll give you directions if you need it."

Shepard shakes her head. "Let's split up two and two. Mordin, you stay with Garrus just don't talk his ear off ok slugger?"

"He will be safe with me Commander." he says walking over to stand by Garrus while reloading his submachine gun with a click.

"I'm counting on you Mordin thank you." she says grasping his shoulder for a second. "Oh and Garrus, you stay alive. No risky "Bad-ass" maneuvers. Now get your tight turian ass in position while Miranda and I get us some trophies" she says with a wink.

"Are you trying to make me blush Shepard? Better luck next time." Garrus drawls.

"Oh drat! I'll just have to try harder next time" she says mockingly. "Alright, lets hustle Miranda. We've gotta close those doors quickly." she says, getting back into business.

"Yes Commander, at your lead." and they sprint down the stairs.

Miranda turns off her comm for a moment while they are jogging through the hallways "You and Garrus were close I take it?"

"Yes, very. My life has been full of people I couldn't trust or count on. He's filled that void in my life. He was my missing puzzle piece so to speak. I don't know what I'd do without him honestly. I've been searching everyday for him since we got on the Normandy. It's funny to find him here on Omega of all places. I'm just glad to have him back."

"Well, it'll be nice getting to know someone you think so highly of Shepard."

"I didn't know you liked strippers Miranda." she says her giggles echoing down the hallways as they keep up their ground eating pace and get to the first door.

Without realizing it Garrus had heard everything she'd said and a deep rumbling purr had started in his chest. Then he realizes too late that Mordin is there with him and clicks off his comm for a second. "You didn't hear anything are we clear?" he directs his question at Mordin.

"Crystal Garrus" Mordin says with sincerity.

Shepard and Miranda breeze through closing the doors and are on there way back when they hear a strangled yell from Garrus.

"What the hell's going on up there? Mordin I need an answer now. We're on our way."

"Shepard, we are battling the Blood Pack leader Garm. I'm pinned and he has cornered Garrus and it's not looking good."

"Garrus! Please hold on I'm almost there!" I will NOT lose him again! Shepard puts on a burst of speed, her whole body lighting up with her biotics. She feels her biotics rush through her, overwhelming all other thoughts.

"What are you doing Shepard?! I can't keep up with you! Wait!" Miranda yells after Jasmin, but it's too late she has only one focus: keep Garrus alive.

Jasmin rushes through the doors into a battleground, Vorcha and krogan everywhere. She gets pinned and can't get a shot in edge-wise. I have to reach him NOW! Her fury starts to build and the outward manifestation of her biotics starts to show. Her hair starts to lift up in loose tangles, swirling as if in a water current. Her blue eyes become even more intensely blue, almost sparking. She becomes fury and vengeance incarnate creating an aura of blue flame around her. The currents seem to form wings behind her. With utter confidence, this picture of beauty and justice lithely gets to her feet and strides out into the open. With a flick of her wrist she grabs and breaks every vorchas neck with tendrils of biotic power, then turns her attention to the krogan. Creating a large claymore out of blue fire, she darts forward, piercing through the first krogans armor. She pulls it free of the krogan corpse and whirls around to slice the other krogan in half.

As the claymore becomes one with herself once more she hears a yell "Archangel this will be your last stand! Your mine!"

"NEVER!" Jasmin screams as she swiftly flys up into the second story.

When she deftly alights to the floor she spots Garm going for the killing blow on Garrus. Jasmin brings her hands up and multiple biotic spikes pin Garm to the opposite wall. She slowly approaches Garm, all the while he's bleeding profusely onto the floor.

He can't keep his eyes off of this blue angel, this vengeful goddess. Who is she? He can't die! He's motherfucking Garm, leader of the Blood Pack! This bitch dies today! he thinks with a loud snarl, spittle flying at her face.

Before the spit reaches her it hisses and evaporates. She finally reaches him and is a few inches away from his face. "I will not lose him to the likes of you, you worthless scum" she purrs dangerously. Then, while staring at him without blinking, she twists her biotic spikes, eviscerating all four of his hearts. She pulls out the spikes and he slips to the floor.

For a moment, all is very quiet, then she hears a small hoarse double-toned whisper "...Shepard? Is that you?"

She turns around and sees Garrus is tired, but unscathed. "Your ok..I'm so glad." In her relief she loses all her purposed anger. Her biotics absorb back into her and she feels like an empty waterskin. Shepard falls to the ground in a faint.

Garrus jumps forward and catches Shepard in his arms. He sits, all the while cradling her on his lap. What just happened? Her biotics never did that before? She was always a pretty powerful biotic, but this? This was beyond comprehension.

At that moment Miranda skids to a stop in the doorway. "Where's Shepard?! She just ran off and.." she's cut off as she spots Shepard in Garrus's arms. "What the hell happened?"

"She turned into a blue, biotic, flaming person and killed everyone, I think that about sums it up."

"What?!..." Miranda kneeds her forehead.

"Ok can't deal with this just now, we need to get her conscious. The Blue Suns will be on us soon by my calculations." Garrus reminds Miranda. He leans down and gets close to Shepard's ear "Hey Shepard...you better wake up or I'll kill all these mercs by myself..." he says in a sing song two tone voice.

He watches her face and he sees her start to smile, then her eyes open sleepily, ocean meeting ice. "Hey Sunshine" Jasmin says cuffing his chin then starts to sit up. "Can you help me up here stud?" she asks Garrus with a smirk.

"Ok umm so how did I end up here? I remember running as fast as I could to come save you Garrus and after that its a blurr." she's rubbing her forehead.

"I don't know that you lost control, but your biotics flared and you killed everyone to get to Garrus." answers Mordin. "I think there were six vorcha and two krogan. I will check to make sure your implant wasn't damaged when we get back to the ship Shepard."

"Ugh...if you have to. I don't like missing moments in my memory like that. Ok don't we have some Blue Suns coming to play target practice with our heads?" she says with a grin trying to shake the uneasy feeling. What happened to me?

"Ahh there's my Shepard, ok let's do this." Garrus says grinning, but watching her with concern.

Just as if by clockwork they hear the sound of thrusters "What the F...oh shit! Everyone in cover! NOW!" Shepard yells as the Blue Suns gunship breaks through the glass of the room.

Wave after wave of Blue Suns mercs come repelling down the building into the room. "Damn I'm glad I electricuted that batarian" Shepard comments as she takes a last shot on a merc.

"What, you mean the fact that you enjoyed that way too much didn't come into play?" Miranda says smirking and reloading her submachine gun.

"What have you been up to Shepard?" Garrus says with mock exasperation.

"Ugh! Whatever, at least when we have to finally take down that gunship it'll only be halfway working. So shut your respective pie-holes already." Shepard says waving them off her back. "Monkeys..." she mutters.

They all giggle to themselves, but are cut off as the gunship makes a surprise entrance. Garrus was left wide open. "Archangel!" the batarian yells at him over the gunship comm.

Garrus swings around, trying to get a shot in on the pilot, but the pilot shoots first. Garrus is knocked back onto his knees with every round. He is able to crawl into some cover, but the ship tares it apart like its nothing. He sees Shepard, she pleading with her eyes for him to roll to her. He gets halfway across and a missile meets him in the face and his lifeless body rolls to the ground.

Shepard swiftly makes her way as close as she can get to Garrus. "Garrus, please...say something" He doesn't even look like he's breathing. "Arrgh! I am so done with this shit! Your going to fucking die!"

Shepard gets up looks the pilot straight in the eye as she becomes blue flame. She shoots a grenade at the glass cock-pit shattering it. Then she takes her biotics and levitates him out of his seat. "Have a nice trip.." she mutters and biotic slams him plummeting to the ground from three stories.

She calms her breathing and her biotics seep back into herself. She runs to Garrus looking him over without moving him too much. Why isn't he breathing? I WILL bring him back! She thinks, desperately trying to find a way to get him breathing again. Mordin performing the turian for of CPR wasn't working. Shepard hugs him, clinging to him with all she has. She takes off her gloves and gently touches his face, holding it in both hands. On a hunch, she summons her biotics and feels the warmth spread all over. I hope I know what I'm doing. Jasmin pushes her consciousness on Garrus as gently as she could and she instantly feels his thoughts, but they're faint and getting fainter.

"Garrus "Gar-Gar" Vakarian you get your tight, bad-ass, turian butt back here. I'm not nearly done with you!" He's still slipping through her grasp. "Garrus please..I didn't find you to lose you again.." She can't get a grip on him. "No Garrus...please.." She desperately grabs his consciousness with no luck. Shepard starts to cry, she knows there, must be no hope. "You mean the world to me, please come home to me." she begs and starts to cry.

Garrus was slipping away, away from the pain and harsh reality. He knows there's a reason he should fight, but he starts to relax and drift into a slumber. Wait..what's that warmth I'm feeling. He feels a warmth, that he remembers faintly, envelope him. Please Garrus...I couldn't do this again...not without you. It was hard enough getting lost in the dark, but without my sun I'm nothing she sobs. Shepard! Garrus gasps. Was he really just about to take the path that led away from Shepard? His sunny day? His comrade in arms? Never! he growls in his thoughts. I'll never leave you alone, not as long as I have any say in the matter. He feels himself moving back into the harshness he had run away from and braces himself. This is gonna hurt.

Shepard releases her hold on her biotics and sags in exaustion. She ignores Miranda's pleas for her to answer her and leans in to look into Garrus's eyes. Ocean meets ice as Garrus gasps in a breath. "Joker I need you to send a pick-up ASAP! Garrus please hold on!" They held eachothers gaze then Garrus's eyes glaze over and he passes out again, blood squelching from his wound and pooling on the floor.

A few hours later...

Shepard, still in her armor, is pacing back and forth in front of the doors to the med-bay as Mordin and Dr. Chakwas perform surgery on Garrus. Just when she thinks she wont be able to wait any longer Mordin walks out wiping his hands off with a towel. "So Doc...will he be ok?"

"We had to use quite a lot of cybernetics and he lost a lot of blood, but it seems he will make a full recovery." he says while patting Shepard's shoulder.

"Can I go in to see him?" she asks with a little hope in her voice.

"You can, but only for a short while. He's still recovering and he's probably not even conscious for that matter." he says with a little humor as he walks away towards the elevator.

Shepard walks in and carefully walks up to Garrus's bed. First thing she notices is he has only pants on. Wow, this'll probably my first and only time for this peep show she laughs to herself. She bends over and gently places herself above his face looking at him and cringes. I was so close to losing him. She bends even lower till shes level with his right ear.

"Hi Sunshine, I've missed you. Thank you for coming back to me. I'm only popping in for a quick second because Dr. Chakwas is giving me the hairy eyeball. I also really need to take a shower. Three merc groups on top of kneeling in a pool of your blood has made me smell really groady. I'll be waiting for you slugger." She whispers then kisses his ear.

"Ok Chakwas he's all yours." Shepard says with a wave as she walks out.

"Gee thanks, just what I always wanted.." Shepard hears Dr. Chakwas mutter as she strolls out of the door toward the lab.

Jasmin walks in and sees Mordin standing there with his equipment splayed out. "Ready for your check-up?" he says with a smirk.

"Ugh, as ready as I'll ever be. Get this over with quick like bunny." she lies facedown on the exam table.

Jasmin can feel his gentle but confident touch as he starts to test out her implants. Then they pause and she hears a small suck-in of breath. "Something wrong Doc?" She asks a little worried.

"I don't know what to say."

"Ok Doc that is the first time since I've met you. I didn't think it was possible" she says nervously.

"Shepard I don't know what has happened to cause this, but it seems your implants have become fused to you. Simply putting it, they have become one with you body."

"What!?" Shepard jerks up from her position so she can look at his face. "If you were anyone else I would need a second opinion, but I trust you" she steadies her breath. "What does this mean for me?" she looks him straight in the eyes.

"I have not heard of a case of this caliber before Shepard *breath* This is a completely unique case. If you are ok with it I will continue to examine you on a daily basis to mark any changes. I will need you to meet me here everyday immediately after you wake up. *breath* Sometimes twice if you happen to go on a mission that day."

"Am I ok to use my biotics then?"

"Yes, please use them as usual, but please refrain from using them in a highly emotional state. If my guess is correct. *breath* which they usually are. The lapses in memory when your biotics become tempestuous are triggered by extreme emotion." he ends with a smirk.

"Uh, ya hehe...umm I'll try to keep tighter reins on myself Doc." she says sheepishly.

"Ok you may go. I really think you are in need of a hot shower? You smell like you just were in a gunfight."

"Oh haha, thanks a lot Mordin..ugh." she starts to walk out the door, but stops. "Hey send me a good time. I wasn't kidding about having lunch to talk about literature with you. It is a rare thing to meet someone who has the same interests and might be able to enlighten me onto new ones."

"I most certainly will Shepard. I am looking forward to it."

"Me too, cya later Doc" she says, waving as she struts out of the doorway in the direction of the elevator.

She really is something unique he thinks as he watches her hips sway around the corner. The door swished close and Mordin shakes his head. She'll have everyone in the palm of her hands in no time. He chuckles and starts busying himself with the seeker swarm study.

Shepard stops to chat with Kelly Chambers seeing if there's any new messages. "Ok so same time tomorrow Chambers?"

"Yep, we'll go over what's on the agenda next. For now I think we all need some rest. It's been a hectic first few days. I don't want everyone becoming more stressed than they need."

"I can't argue with that." Shepard says as she has a jaw cracking yawn. "Cya later Kelly. Don't work too hard."

"Cya Commander. Sleep well. Oh and don't worry about Garrus. He'll pull through. The best thing you can do for him right now is get some rest so you can be there for him when he wakes up. Noone has seen you cranky yet, but I think I'll pass on that life experience." She smirks at Shepard then turns around to her computer console.

"Hah! Ya I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I'm a sight to be seen when I get cranky sometimes. *Yawn* Ok Ciao bella!" Shepard walks into the elevator and pushes the button for her cabin floor. The minute the doors closes she collapses against the wall in exaustion. It's hard work keeping up that front after all I went through today. Garrus...my good friend. Get better soon Sunshine.

The doors open onto her floor. Shepard mindlessly decrypts her door and walks through peeling off her armor and clothes as she sleepwalks to her bed. She collapses onto the bed and has one last thought to cover herself with the sheet before becoming every semblence of a comatose person. EDI turns off all the lights and feeds the fish for her. "Good sleep Shepard."

Shepard gently wakes to the waterfall noise from the fish tank filter. She notices the lights had turned off and the blue glow of the fish tank was all that illuminated her room. Curious, I don't remember turning those off. She rolls over snuggling in for a minute while she watches the stars drifting across her skylight. If only I could share a moment like this with someone. Some day someone will sweep me off my feet. Jasmin stops her thoughts for a moment Hah! ya right

Sighing, Shepard shifts her feet till they are off the bed. She stands, stretching her willowy body to the ceiling. "EDI has Mr. Vakarian shown any signs of waking up yet?"

"Yes Commander. Dr. Chakwas is preparing to do a full examination to see the extent of his injuries and how everything is healing so far. Dr. Chakwas says that when he is given permission to leave the Med-bay she will tell you so that you can meet him in the briefing room."

"Thank you very much EDI. That's all for now."

"Your welcome Commander."

Shepard slipped into her black, tightfitting, calf-length gym pants and fuschia sports bra. She grabbed her running shoes and slung them over her shoulder. After encrypting her door she hopped in the elevator. She started to slip into her shoes and tie them thinking about what needed to be done for today. She let out a large sigh. "First things first. Time to myself at least for a little while." Shepard leans against the wall quietly, but is interrupted.

"Commander, Mordin has asked you to meet him in the lab to check on your biotic implants."

"Double frick" Shepard sighs heavily. "Ok EDI tell him I'll see him shortly." she grumbles. Shepard reaches over and punches the button for level 2. The elevator changes direction and arrives in seconds. She strides out of the elevator and hangs a left into Mordin's lab.

"Ok Doc, lets get this over with quickly. I have a date with a punching bag."

Mordin turns around "Hello Shepard I'm ready to start your examination if you are." He smiles and guestures at the table.

After Mordin does a thorough investigation of her biotic implants he allows her to sit up. "There has not been any changes it seems *breath* but still be aware of any changes you feel and please report them to me immediately Shepard."

"No problem Doc. I may take risks, but I'm not reckless. This is important. Thank you Mordin." she smiles and kisses his cheek as she skips/jogs out of the lab. "Cya later Mordin!" she says over her shoulder.

"Why is it she seems to always get the last word" he mumbles to himself after touching where she had kissed his cheek. "Women..." he grumbles and walks over to continue his research.

"Ahhh" Shepard sighs as she stretches and seats herself in a single lotus buddha pose, resting her hands in her lap. After her usual exercise routine she usually did meditation. She found it centered her for the entire day, helping her make decisions with cool and calm precision.

She breathes in and out 1, 2.. in and out 3, 4.. She feels warmth spread throughout her body, the muscles relaxing one at a time. With one more breath in, then out, she pushes everything out of her thoughts except the soothing rhythm of her breathing. It never feels empty to her because this wasn't silence, this was calm.

Garrus...

Garrus inches off of Dr. Chakwas's exam table and gingerly plants his feet on the ground, standing slowly. "So what's the damage Dr. Chakwas?" he asks bracing himself mentally.

"Well Garrus you really were on the brink. Shepard said you weren't breathing at one point. There will be some extensive scarring on your face."

"I guess I'll have to start dating krogen." he says smirking at the doctor then winces as the right side of his face gave a sharp pain.

"I told you not to move that side Garrus, please heed my words next time...*sigh*"

"Sorry Doc, you know me. I run before I walk" he says with a chuckle.

Doctor Chakwas sternly glares at him for a couple seconds, but then a small grin replaces the frown on her lips. "Just please be more careful next time Mr. Vakarian."

"Oh man, you mean business. Using last names and everything." he says with a mocking roll of the eyes.

"EDI, can you please contact Shepard. I know she expressely made me promise to tell her when Garrus was up and ok to leave the medbay."

"Commander Shepard is in the cargo bay. I think she is...Meditating if my calculations are correct."

"Hmm..please tell her anyway EDI, thank you."

"You're Welcome Doctor Chakwas, signing you off."

Shepard...

Shepard has just gotten to 1,236,547 she's in complete blissful mental release.

"Shepard, sorry to interrupt, but Garrus is leaving the medbay. Dr. Chakwas just finished."

Shepard pops open her eyes and her face positively beams with the smile on her face. She gives a little *whoop* and with a burst of biotics blasts herself toward the elevator, skipping up to the lift button and pokes it giddily. She starts watching the light blink downward. It arrives and she's waiting for the door, bouncing on her feet. "Where is he at the moment EDI?"

The doors open and Garrus is leaning against the back wall, hands on either side holding the railing, smirking as always. "Right here, in the flesh" he says.

She beams her smile at him. "Hah! You're sneakier than the average turian I see. I should have known you wouldn't wait until I got up there like a good little invalid." Her smile morphs into a smirk and she walks forward and holds out her fist, waiting for Garrus. He smirks and cocks his head. Garrus bumps her fist and they splay their fingers out like an explosion. They laugh together and Garrus makes room for Shepard, both of them leaning on the wall.

"I'm really glad to see you're ok Garrus" she says smiling to herself then looking up at him with a smirk. "At least those scars only enhance your devilishly handsome looks."

"Oh stop it Shepard, you might make me blush this time" he says in a drawl.

Shepard's giggles bubble up and fill the whole elevator with mirth. "Hey, if nothing I'm persistant." she says sneering.

Putting on a little more serious face Shepard looks at Garrus "How long did Chakwas give you till your up and ready?" she asks.

"I'm fit for duty whenever you need me Shepard." he says confidently.

Shepard gives him a pointed stare.

"Oh don't pull out the 'Commander Shepard Radar' so soon in the game. That's just cheating." he scoffs.

"Seriously though Garrus, please take it easy on yourself. I worry ok, you know me."

"Ya ya, ok. Don't get your panties in a twist. I'll be fine. I promise to take it easy."

"Good" the doors open and Shepard walks out with Garrus right behind. They get to the stairs to the forward battery and Shepard stops him and turns him with her hand on his wrist. "I have to go and discuss next the plans of action with Ms. Lawson. I think you can remember how to calibrate large guns Mr. Vakarian." she says waggling her eyebrows.

Garrus shakes his head in humor. "Well, you said you were persistant. Maybe one day you'll make me blush, but don't count on it." He turns to walk away, but Shepard turns him around.

"I promise to have that talk soon. ok? We have some catching up to do." Shepard walks up and gives him a hug.

Garrus is taken by surprise, but finally wraps his own arms around her then laying his head on top of hers. "Missed you too Shepard." he says with a deep chuckle.

Shepard pulls away sniffing and wiping an eye. "Aww now look what you made me do? I'm leaking" she says with mock dismay. "Ok, get some rest. I need you in top shape. You're my best and I need you to stay that way, understood?"

"Of course Shepard."

"Be ready for a brief at 0700 tomorrow. We'll be in the communications room." Shepard says clapping her hands then rubbing them together. "Now down to business. I'll see you later Garrus." she says turning around with a hand in the air saying goodbye.

Garrus turns and walks into the forward battery. He scopes everything out then spies something different. Is that an actual bed? He walks over and takes a better look at it. "It's big enough for me. Oh thank goodness. Thought I would have to sleep on those damn cots again. No good sleep comes out of those." Garrus settles on the bed with his talons behind his head. "*sigh* a turian could get used to this. *Yawn* I think I'll just take a quick nap..." he mumbles as he drifts off to sleep.