Author's note: The idea for this story came to me as I was mindlessly attempting to play the first Mass Effect on Insane mode. It's been in my head for a while, but I had no idea how to start it. Now I do.

So without further delay, enjoy.

Chapter 1

Goodbye, Old Friend

"Hey!" I heard someone say, "Hey! Wake up!" Whoever it is was asking for a beating if they thought to wake me up.

I rolled over, not wanting to get up. "Go away," I said groggily.

"Oscar, come on! Get up!" I recognized the deep, yet slightly seductive voice, not that my brain had started for the day. I opened my eyes to see the familiar messy red hair of Jane Shepard, my best friend and a fellow member of the Reds. The Reds are a gang on Earth, and while they aren't big, they're not unknown to the public, either.

Shepard and I met each other one day during some party or another back when our leader was kind, for a gang boss. He was like a father to me, and told me to 'mingle amongst the guests.' Who says mingle anymore? Anyway, I spied Shepard in the room by herself and decided to approach her. It started out rough at first because I was going to hit on her and ask her to join me in my bed, but I quickly convinced her that all I wanted to do was talk. During the conversation, I learned she had been a Red for a year and I offered to be a friend of hers.

And although she didn't know it, I had a huge crush on her.

Every time I look at her messy red hair and her piercing, beautiful green eyes, I become smitten…and feel like a swooning princess at the same time.

"Well, okay." I opened my eyes and sat up to look at her in the face, "But only because it's you." I winked at her.

"That's what I thought," She smiled at me. God, what I would give to see that smile for every second of my life. "Now come on, we're going to help some others out with a deal."

I let out an annoyed sigh. I hated dealing, whether I was a dealer or a bodyguard. I hated the idea of selling drugs to other people, but I've been part of this gang since I was born, and it was a lot better back then. Still, if our current boss knew I had these thoughts, he'd gut me alive. He's already demoted me from my second-in-command position from when our previous boss was alive, so any other hint of betrayal would send him over the edge.

"I hate deals. You either get shot at or nothing happens." I complained.

Shepard clicked her tongue, "Oh, quit complaining. It's not that bad. As long as you ignore the fact that we're dealing drugs." Shepard assured me. She then spoke in a baby voice as she put her hands on her hips, "Or does wittle Oscar need Shepy to hold his hand?"

"Shut up." I said flatly, trying to stifle a laugh. I was failing.

She laughed at my expense, then turned to leave my room. "Get dressed." She closed my door on the way out. While she was leaving, I found it hard to divert my eyes away from her butt. It refused to cease its swaying and rocking as she walked. It was almost hypnotizing, but my door making the metallic clink of the lock and the wooden bang against the doorway slammed me back into reality.

Sometimes I wish I had the confidence to tell her I liked her.

I pulled open my drawers and got myself into some clothes. They were nothing special: Brown coat on top of a black shirt with navy blue pants and black shoes. I then reached for the fingerless gloves I had on my nightstand and put those on, too. I had found these at a dumpster the other day, strangely in perfect condition, so I pocketed them and tossed them in with the rest of my laundry that same day and they came out a slightly different color. When I first found them, they were completely brown from the dirt and grime that covered it. After washing them, they happened to be white and black striped on the back, and completely white on the palm. I had obtained the moniker 'Zebra' amongst some of my gangmates because of them.

I exited my room to find Shepard ready to go, waiting for me. What I loved about where I lived was that Shepard was right next door to me. Since we were both orphans and best friends, we became each others' family after some time together and split the cost of two-bedroom loft in town. Living with Shepard in my mind was like being given a gift from God…if he existed.

"Ready?" Shepard asked as she motioned with her head, "Let's go."

We walked for a couple blocks until we found the three other Reds we would be with: Johnny, Francisco, and Randy. Johnny was going to be the dealer while the rest of us made sure nothing bad went on.

Once at the deal location, an empty parking garage, I put the car in park and we waited. I'm not sure why, but everyone in the Reds liked my driving. Maybe I was good, or maybe everyone else sucked in comparison to me. I always gave the condition that Shepard had to be in the front with me, as I was always paranoid of her getting groped if she was in the back without me.

At some point, we noticed another car park far away from us.

That must be the buyer(s). I thought to myself.

"That must be the buyers." Randy said behind me.

Oh yeah, no shit, genius.

"Yep, I recognize the guy in the passenger seat." Johnny noted. He put his hands on the shoulders of Shepard on I. "I need you two to stay here in case something goes wrong."

Then Johnny got out of the car with Randy and Francisco as the other guys got out of their car.

Immediately, the deal looked bad. The buyer was yelling at Johnny, complaining about Francisco and Randy being there. Johnny tried calming him down, which seemed to work.

The buyer pulled out money, and he traded it with the sack of red sand Johnny had over his shoulder.

As Johnny was walking back with Randy and Francisco, the buyer pulled out a pistol and shot Francisco in the back three times, killing him. Johnny and Randy looked back and ran. Along the way, Randy was shot dead, leaving only Johnny to hop in the car.

"Go go go!" Johnny ordered me.

I quickly raised the car and sped away to the Red base.

The Red base was nothing more than a fancied up abandoned factory, but it was home to many of the Reds.

I sat down on a couch with Shepard, panting ever so slightly.

"Well…" I began to speak matter-of-factly, "That went to hell pretty quickly, eh?" I asked the ceiling.

"Yeah, but at least we're alive," She pinched my cheek playfully, "And it's all because you were able to drive away and narrowly avoid that missile." She let go and smiled.

Wait a second…

"What missile?" I asked.

"They fired a missile launcher at us." She raised an eyebrow, "Didn't you notice?"

I let my jaw drop and my brow furrow, "No!" When did they fire a missile!

"Oh, well at least you still got the honor of protecting me like you usually do." She put her arm around me, "And I'm glad we have you, or I may have been dead a while back."

I snorted, "I can't protect forever, can I?"

"Don't say that!" She said, "I would never leave your side!"

Wait…I'm protecting her, so why is she talking about her leaving me?

I felt my brow furrow in concern as I faced her, "Shepard, is there something you're not telling me?"

"What? No! I'd never hide anything from y-" I cut her off by completely turning to her direction and grasping her wrist.

"Shepard…" I said softly, "You're hiding something. I know it." I felt a tiny lump in my throat, "Don't lie to me."

Shepard brought her arm around me to her side as she faced me. She hung her head a moment, then murmured something I couldn't hear.

"What?"

"I said I'm leaving." She said grimly. She looked back up at me, "I'm joining the military, Oscar."

I was completely astonished. If she joined the military, she'd leave Earth… I can't let that happen.

"No…please, Shepard… Don't… Don't leave me behind," I pleaded to her, feeling my eyes become damp.

"I'm sorry, Oscar, but this isn't the life for me. I can't stay in a gang all my life." She sniffled before continuing, "I'd rather die on a battlefield that doe on the streets." I could see her eyes glistening, reflecting what dim light there was.

I could see in those green orbs of hers there was no convincing her otherwise.

"I'm coming with you!" I decided.

"What?"

"I said I'm coming with you!" I said more confidently. "Wherever you go, I go."

She smiled, and looked down and to the side. It was a bittersweet smile, a smile that did not belong on her face. "I appreciate it." She paused. "But I can't risk losing in a fight, so-"

"Look who's talking," I interrupted her, exasperated, "You're the one going off to war, I should be the worried one!"

"Oscar, life in a gang isn't for me. I mean look at me." She moved her head down, then back up, "I'm a girl! I shouldn't even have met you! But you're a man. You can live here with no regrets."

I could feel my eyes leaking tears. How could she have said that? We never should have met? Without her, I'd probably be dead. Or worse, a stupid gangster like the other Reds.

Her other words caught me off guard. I'm a guy, so I can live with gangsters?

I looked around to make sure no one else was within earshot and lowered my voice. "You think I like these motherfuckers?"

"Wha-?"

"I only joined up because the previous leader found me as a baby, and continued because I respected the man. Now, I'm only doing this so that our current brainless leader will kill me if I even try to leave." I explained to her, laying out my reason for being with the Reds my whole life. "And I thought I could live happily after meeting you."

I could see her eyes were watery, and she was sniffling a lot. She obviously was trying not to cry.

"You've been a great friend to me," She whispered, not knowing how much it hurt for me to hear her refer to me only as a 'friend,' "But this is my place in life."

"And you're saying mine is here?" I asked angrily, "With a bunch'a wannabes?"

"I don't know," She said, emotionless, "But you'll find your purpose eventually."

I absorbed all that she said and decided that she was determined to go, and go alone. It felt like a part of me was dying, but I guess that's life…right?

"I'm going to miss you, ya know? I said, eyes still watery.

"Yeah…I know." She smiled, this time a more joyful one, "I'm going to miss you, too."

"When do you leave?"

Her face dropped when I asked this. "Today."

I sniffed, keeping my emotions under control now. "How long?"

"I have to pack and go in a few minutes." Her eyes were becoming more dry as we both calmed down.

"Let me help you pack." I begged. "Please!"

She looked at me for a second and sighed while saying, "Okay."

At our loft, I helped Shepard pack clothes and other essentials into a large duffel bag.

"Hey," I asked as I was helping, "Have you gotten the top drawer yet?"

"Uh…" She sounded kind of nervous, "I don't think so, b-but I'll get it in a minute."

"No, no. I got this," I assured her.

"Nonono! Wait!"

I opened the drawer to find myself staring right into her underwear drawer.

As soon as I realized what the contents were, I slammed it shut and pressed my back against, feeling an unnatural amount of heat hit my face. I looked at Shepard who had a hand over her heart and her mouth wide open.

Well crap! Now she probably hates me for 'invading her privacy' or some shit women say.

I buried my face in knees out of embarrassment.

"Hey, c'mon pick your up." I felt Shepard's breath on my head, making my face even hotter knowing she less than an inch away from me. I'm probably past the 'beet red' stage.

I shook my head in response, muttering, "Mm-mm!"

"C'mon!" She sat down to my right, "What do you think I'll do? Slap you across the face and call you a pervert?"

I looked up at her out of confusion. Some of my confusion came from the question of 'Why is she perfectly okay with me seeing her underwear,' but most of it came from the question of 'How the hell did she know that's what I was thinking?'

"Look, you're my best friend, and probably the only person in the universe I trust right now." She put a comforting hand on my shoulder. Knowing that I was her best friend and the only person she trusted put my mind at ease. "I'm not going to lose you because you saw what I wear under this." She ran her hands down her sides. Oh how I wished those were my hands right now.

"Thanks," I said.

As I packed other things, I kept my eyes off of her when she emptied out her upper drawer, afraid of looking again. Once all her things were packed, I took her bag.

"Just until you leave," I explained, wanting to show some chivalry before we part ways.

"Always the gentleman," Shepard teased.

I shot her an unamused look and we both left the loft.

Once there, the military recruiter greeted me with a friendly smile, a handshake, and a "Hi how are ya?"

I was taken aback. I wasn't used to someone other than Shepard being nice to me. Especially a dude.

"Uh, um…good." I stuttered.

"Ah, don't worry." He waved his forward, "Military's not so bad once you get used to it."

I quickly realized why he had completely ignored Shepard this whole time. He thought I was signing up.

"Oh, no," I put my hands on Shepard's shoulders, "She's the soldier-to-be."

"Agh!" The recruiter jokingly facepalmed himself dramatically, "I apologize. Usually we have girlfriends seeing their boyfriends off, not the other way around."

Both my and Shepard's mouths dropped open as we looked at each other, then the recruiter as we both tried to explain at the same time how we were just best friends and most definitely not dating.

After our desperate and idiotic stammerings, the recruiter gave us a sarcastic, "Uh-huh," before asking Shepard's personal information. "Name?"

"Jane Shepard, sir."

"Age?"

"18, sir."

The recruiter let out an "Oh, geez," before mumbling on about how many 18-year-olds they've been getting recently.

"Okay…sign here, please." He pointed to the bottom of a datapad and handed Shepard a stylus. Shepard slowly signed her name in cursive. When I first met her, she was illiterate, but I taught her how to read and write in print and cursive. Thought I had forgotten how to make a J, so I told her to just make a fancy looking J whenever she wrote her name. I never heard of any problems she had with her signature after that.

Shepard gave the datapad back to the recruiter.

"Okay, and…" He typed a few more things on the datapad, then motioned to a military shuttle nearby. "Hop on when feel like it. You still have a minute or two before we take-off." He looked at the person behind us, "Next!"

We took a few steps to the side, closer to the shuttle.

"Shepard, I…" Should I tell her? She may die out there and may never know how I feel about her. This is my one chance to kiss her or be rejected.

"Yes?" Shepard said, eyebrow raised. She then put on a playful smile, "Don't tell me that…all this time…you've been in love with me?"

She was kidding, and faked a smile, but my stomach churned knowing that she thought it would ridiculous if I liked her.

I hesitated. I hesitated, and I hesitated, and I hesitated. Moment of truth. Do I tell her? She could…

What the hell am I thinking! There's no way she'd die! Shepard's too much of a fighter…but I may never SEE her again…

No! I'll see her…even if I have to search every square inch of the galaxy for her.

At that moment, I lost control of myself and hugged her, squeezing her against my body, crying into her shoulder. "I'm going to miss you…" I sniffed, "So much…"

"Aw, Oscar…" She rubbed the back of my head. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll you because you were the only decent guy I met who didn't hit on me every five seconds."

I laughed a little when she said that.

"All aboard!" I heard some soldiers yell.

I gave Shepard her bag and waved to her. "Bye." I struggled between sniffles.

"Goodbye, Oscar." She waved me away as she stepped into the shuttle. I fidgeted with my necklace as she got on board. It was a necklace that I was found with around my neck when I was first taken in by the previous leader of the Reds. Their leader at the time took it when no one else was looking just so that it wouldn't be stolen, then took me in as his pseudo-son. I always thought it was the key to telling me who my real parents were. That's when I got the idea.

"Wait!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Thankfully, a few soldiers waved their arms, vertically or horizontally, yelling at the pilot to wait for a few more seconds.

The shuttle wasn't even a foot off the ground, so I easily jumped on.

"Oscar, what are you-"

"Take this." I unscrewed the necklace from my necklace and screwed it around Shepard's.

"What is it?" She held up the emblem to her face to look at it.

"It's a necklace the previous leader found on me when I was first on the streets. I didn't even have a functioning memory back then," I explained, "It may be the only thing I have left to find out who my real parents are."

"What?" She had a look of surprise as she reached behind her neck, "Oscar, I can't-" I grasped her wrists, stopping her hands from removing the necklace.

"You can and you will," I held up the emblem, "I will always be there to protect you."

This time, it was Shepard who lost control when she hugged me. I could hear some of the soldiers and civilians go 'Aaawwww…' We stood there, embracing each other, crying into each other's shoulders for I don't know how long. As much as I wished we could stay like this, I knew she had to go. I gave her a kiss on her cheek, getting some of her tears on my lips, and let go of the embrace. I hopped off of the shuttle and waved goodbye to Shepard as she flew away and the shuttle door closed.

The people around me dispersed and went on their ways. Some came from behind me, put their hands on my shoulder, offering their condolences for me having to make such a sad goodbye. After feeling that much comfort from so many different people, I felt a lot better about myself, and soon my eyes and naval cavities dried up.

Unfortunately, I came across Bruce, the 'bully' of the Reds. I wasn't in the mood for this crap, though. Even more unfortunate was that he saw me and smirked arrogantly.

Right now, I wasn't in the mood for his crap.

"Hey, Zebra! I see you're a crybaby now. 'Oh wah…I wost my girlfwe-"

"Bruce, if you keep talking, I'll make you stop by ripping your tongue out and shoving it down your throat." I threatened darkly and monotonously. I really didn't want to deal with him right now.

Bruce didn't say a word.

"That's what I thought," I said as I walked by him.

I lied down on my bed, missing Shepard already. Maybe I'll dream about her tonight…

I fell into a deep sleep.

Author's note: If you're thinking 'Holy Jeebus that was a long chapter,' rest assured when I say that I plan for future chapter to not be as long.

If you're thinking 'That wasn't really a long chapter,' you have nothing to worry about.

Still, I tried to make this short, which became 3k+ words. Anyway, I don't have much going on right now so expect the next chapter soon.