Two weeks after the Battle of the Citadel.

Ashley: Skipper, your up early.*Ashley said as she slowly rolled over on the hard bed in Shepard's cabin*

Shepard: Just looking over some mission reports before sending them to the Council.

Ashley: What else is there to report? We haven't seen any geth since sending them home crying to mommy. You got something on your mind?

Shepard: No.

Ashley: Come on, Skipper, I know you. You only work this hard to distract yourself from something troubling.

Shepard: I've been thinking about Toombs.

Ashley: Your former squad mate we met on Ontarom?

Shepard: What Cerberus did to him after Akuze, the experiments he described. I keep wondering what if I had been in his place. It took me a while to get over loosing my entire platoon but it's harder realizing what he was going through at the same time.

Ashley: I bet it felt good putting a bullet between the eyes of that scientist, and not to mention all of those troops we fought on Binthu and Nepheron.

Shepard: That's beside the point, Toombs had it even worse than me. If I had known he was still alive I would have found whatever Cerberus lab he was held in and break him out myself!

Ashley: I know I you feel, not a day goes by that I don't think of the 212. Nirali was one of the first fall when the geth landed. I got a letter from Samesh not long after we bumped into him on the Citadel. He thanks you for allowing him hold the memorial service, he also mentions taking up Nirali's dream of running a restaurant. I was gonna send him a few credits to help him out.

Shepard: That's good to hear. I'm sorry about the 212, I wish we had gotten to Eden Prime a little sooner….maybe we could've saved more.

Ashley: All we can do is keep them in our memories. Helps when your labeled as a "sole-survivor."*Ashley said with a slight smirk on her face*

Shepard:*smiles* I suppose that title means less for me with Toombs alive.

Ashley: Those reports can wait, come back to bed. I'm sure the last thing either of our fallen comrades would want is us to morn their deaths.

Shepard: Your right.*Shepard said as he stripped his shirt and pants off and crawled into bed* Your also right about the Cerberus troops, it did feel good. I just hope I get to kill some more.

Ashley: I'm sure you will, Skipper. I look forward to killing them along with you.