A/N: Um... heyyyy guys... so it's been a while since I finished Vindicated... months... XD I'm sorry! I had this chapter written for months but lost inspiration, and then I got a new xbox so I lost all my progress on the games. If I want to continue it I'm going to have to play through all 3 of them again which is going to take a while and is very tedious, especially with the first game... even though all I want is like one mission from the 3rd game gahhhh! Achem anywho. So. I have 3 chapters of this story completed, and after that it's going to take a while to update because I have to play through everything again to get the in-game scenes and dialogue right. So... bear with me :)

Note: I'm on AO3 now! I'm "AkuChibi". So... yeah. Some of my original stories plus my ME fanfics are there so far.

Anyway... I don't even know if any of you are still reading this series or not, but here you go ;) The third installment of Medical Red Tape.

Quick recap: My Shepard is default appearance, mostly paragon, Colonist and Sole Survivor background, and is a vanguard.

Main thing to know from the rest of the series if you don't want to read them all (which I recommend...) : Shepard got injured, it was minor but messed with his cybernetics. This eventually led to them having to get shore leave enforced by Hackett. While there they met the clone, Shepard further injured himself with his cybernetics until his system inevitably fried and his heart started giving out on him. He refused to take the clone's heart. Yes the clone is still alive; Brooks is in custody. The clone decided to join them on the Normandy after Shepard had surgery and recovered. Roughly 2 months have passed since the end of Vindicated.

Chapter length: 3383

Enjoy!

Let us begin!

Slow Spinning Redemption

Sequel to Vindicated - 3rd in Medical Red Tape series

Written by: Muffy the Dough Slayer

Warnings: MShenko slash, rated T for now, canon-typical violence, clones, language, etc. What I usually have, basically. If something new pops up I'll let you know at the beginning of a chapter. Slash, so if that's not your glass of pineapple juice please return to the fridge and try again. Thanks.

Chapter One

"Commander."

Shepard yawned and rubbed at his eyes from where he sat at his desk, looking over his reports. So far all the numbers were looking good and they were winning the fight in key locations, but he knew the death count was still high and would only continue to rise unless he stopped it. But no pressure or anything, right?

"What, Joker?"

"Your, uh… twin is causing problems in the shuttle bay, sir."

Shepard sighed and pushed to his feet. "Alright. What'd he do now?"

He knew letting the clone, his clone, on board wasn't going to be easy but he at least thought he deserved this chance. It had been a week since he'd been allowed on board and already he'd caused at least three fights that Shepard knew about. He didn't think his clone meant to cause such fights but it was hard for the crew to accept him since he'd been trying to kill them not that long ago, trying to take over Shepard's life.

He deserved this chance, though.

"I'm not sure," Joker replied, obvious sigh in his voice. "Should I alert Kaidan?"

Shepard scowled even though he knew his pilot couldn't see him. "No, Joker, I don't think that will be necessary."

Kaidan didn't want the clone on board at all. He knew it wouldn't be easy but he hadn't expected Kaidan to react so harshly to the idea of the clone joining them. He'd been under constant surveillance while he was part of the crew, after all, and didn't have free reign over the ship in any way. It was a tentative alliance for the time being. Getting Kaidan to see that, though, proved to be rather difficult.

"Aye, aye, sir," Joker said.

Shepard eased out of his cabin and into the elevator, which he rode down to the shuttle bay. He wasn't entirely sure where Kaidan was but figured he was on deck three, either in med bay or in the mess. He spent a lot of time in both of those places, usually forcing Shepard to go with him.

Ever since that surgery where they infused more cybernetics into his heart, the sentinel made him see Dr. Chakwas every day whether he agreed to go or not. In the end Shepard couldn't deny him anything after all they'd been through and after he'd allowed the clone to come aboard the Normandy, against Kaidan's wishes.

The ride down to shuttle bay was quick enough, and soon he stepped out into violence.

"What's going on?" He didn't quite growl, but he might as well have due to the reaction he got.

His clone, James and Cortez all stopped arguing, James with his fist raised to strike the clone, and turned to look at him. Immediately James dropped his fighting stance and let his arms drop to his sides as he released a heavy sigh while Cortez took a step back, away from the scene.

"Um, well, you see, Loco…"

"He started it," his clone said, tossing the lieutenant a glare.

"I did not! You're the one-"

"Enough!" Shepard snapped, glaring at the two of them while Cortez shuffled off to the side, even though Shepard knew he was far from innocent in all of this. He generally didn't get into fights with his clone but he certainly didn't calm James down, either. "I'm tired of you guys fighting! He's a part of the crew now, Lieutenant, whether you like it or not."

James narrowed his eyes but gave into a slow, stiff nod. He wouldn't outwardly argue with the commander, Shepard knew, but that didn't mean he'd won the battle. Far from it, if the look James tossed toward his look alike was anything to go by, but at least it was stopped for the time being. He'd have to keep a closer eye on his clone, as well as the crew, if he wanted things to go more smoothly.

Shepard looked at his clone. It was still unnerving to stare into a face so similar and yet so different, because there was just something about the clone that wasn't the same… something he couldn't entirely place, but it was there all the same, the slight narrowing of the eyes, the darker hue of those blue orbs, so different from when he looked at himself in the mirror. "And you! Why do you keep getting into fights? Do you want me to throw you off this ship?"

The clone scowled, Shepard's features shifting darkly. "No."

"Then…?"

"Sorry I'm not perfect like you."

Shepard sighed and scrubbed a hand across his face. "You think my life is perfect?"

He usually tried not to indulge the clone. But somehow that line got to him. His life was anything but perfect. He died once already, after all. He himself could have easily been a clone as well. He was put in charge of a war when he knew nothing about politics, when he was just one man fighting against many. His life was complicated and difficult and he was tired.

No that he expected his clone to understand that, though. Not that he expected anyone to, really. Well… except Kaidan. Kaidan had proven himself rather adept at understanding him, even though Shepard was still a little confused on how and why the man would even want to. That, however, was a topic for another day.

Sighing, he grabbed his clone's arm and hauled him toward the elevator. Thankfully James didn't say anything as they walked away. Once the elevator doors shut, Shepard reached over and pushed a button, causing the elevator to slow to a stop, between floors.

EDI would wonder what was wrong if the elevator stayed like this for very long, but he didn't intend to keep it this way longer than necessary. He just needed a quiet moment to speak with… himself, without interruption. Without James sneering in the background; without Kaidan hovering around him.

"How do you like your name?"

He wasn't entirely sure where the question came from, but nevertheless, he went with it and found he did actually want to know the answer.

They couldn't just keep calling him 'clone', after all, so it had been decided that the clone really needed a name, an identity of his own since he'd been denied that before, dubbed a 'clone' right from the start. Shepard in no way agreed with his clone's plans, how he tried to kill him and take over his life, but he could understand it. He knew where he was coming from and with understanding came a certain kind of acceptance.

Blue eyes, identical to his own and yet somehow darker, blinked slowly. "I don't mind it."

Shepard smiled. "I'm glad. Flynn suits you."

In a way, it did. Flynn Shepard. That was the first step in creating his own identity separate from Shepard's. The second was to change his appearance but there was little they could do about that right now unless they dyed his hair or something, but that seemed unnecessary at the moment. Instead they'd given him a different uniform of sorts, more like what they wore on the first Normandy. That was his assigned outfit now and he was only allowed to wear that while Shepard generally wore the new uniforms, or 'casual attire', as Kaidan called the blue jeans and hoodie.

His clone, Flynn, smiled somewhat. It was odd to see him smile because he so seldom did it, and when he did, it was only the barest upward twitch of his lips, but it was there all the same. Perhaps only Shepard noticed it and could recognize it for what it was, having grown up with that reflection staring back at him in the mirror.

"Don't worry about the crew," Shepard said. "They'll come around eventually. Not all of them liked me at first, either. It just takes time." He sighed. "In the meantime, please try to keep out of fights."

"And how do you propose I do that?" A delicate brow raised inquisitively.

"Well, for starters, you're gonna be stuck with me for a while," Shepard said, shaking his head. "No one is going to outwardly argue with you and pick a fight if you're with me."

"Your Spectre friend might disagree," Flynn said with this smirk.

"Kaidan isn't someone you need to worry about. Leave him to me."

He pushed the button again and the elevator resumed movement. Best not to tempt EDI, after all. He wasn't exactly watching what floor they were going to, but wasn't entirely surprised when they stopped on deck three instead of deck two and found Kaidan waiting there, arms folded across his chest, foot tapping impatiently as his brown eyes landed on the two of them.

"Hey, Kaidan," Shepard said, smiling at him as he stepped out of the elevator. His clone, Flynn, followed after him even as Kaidan scowled over Shepard's shoulder, watching him. Shepard waved his hand in front of the man, his boyfriend, until those brown eyes shifted toward his face. "Something you need?"

"You're late," the sentinel muttered.

"Late?"

Didn't know I was on a schedule.

Kaidan's fingers enclosed around his wrist in a light yet firm grip as he turned and led him away from the elevator. "Dr. Chakwas is waiting for you."

Shepard sighed, then, because he hadn't exactly been aware this was a thing, now. Was she really going to check him every single day, at nearly the same time? That seemed a little absurd, after all. He was the commander of this ship, leading the war against the Reapers; he didn't have time for this.

He waved Flynn toward the mess while Kaidan drug him through the med bay doors. Dr. Chakwas looked up from her desk as they approached, smiling as she got to her feet. Already her omni-tool blazed orange around her forearm as she lifted her hand, waving it briefly over Shepard's face. Shepard sighed and allowed himself to be scanned, simply thankful it wasn't too invasive this time.

Her tests varied, after all.

Kaidan had yet to release his wrist. Normally Shepard would have said something or lightly pulled away while in the presence of others, but this time he allowed it. She already knew about their relationship anyway, after all. Plus, he didn't really like the thought of continuously hiding it. Thus far they'd told people if they bothered to ask but if they didn't, then they didn't really need to know. It was still technically against the regulations for them to be intimate in any way since Kaidan was his subordinate and he was the commander of this ship, but Shepard didn't care. Regs never bothered him too much before and he wasn't going to let them start now.

Besides, hadn't they all been through enough already? They were in a war, a fight for survival. They could win or lose tomorrow or the next day and he'd rather spend his time not regretting anything than die without allowing himself what he wanted, what everyone wanted. If the Alliance wanted to punish him for it, they could certainly try, but he'd been through hell and back for this damn war and he would do what he wanted for the time being.

Dr. Chakwas stepped back, reading the data from her omni-tool. Finally she nodded and looked at him. "Everything seems to be in order," she said.

"See?" Shepard scowled at Kaidan. "You worry too much."

Kaidan rolled his eyes. "It's just a precaution."

Shepard shook his head. "Uh huh. So everything's good, Doc?"

She nodded. "For the time being, yes, but please keep in mind it has only been a little over a week since the operation."

"Trust me, K won't let me forget," Shepard sighed, even as Kaidan's elbow nudged into his ribs, causing him to chuckle as he turned to face the sentinel. "Can we eat now?"

Kaidan sighed. "I guess. I supposed your clone is going to be joining us?"

The distaste twisted the man's face into a scowl, even as Shepard sighed and nodded. "I know you don't like this, but it's the right thing to do."

"I'm not so sure."

"What happened to not doubting me?" Shepard asked, narrowing his eyes. He knew it was a low blow but it instantly had the scowl slipping off Kaidan's face to be replaced with this hesitant expression instead.

"Right," the sentinel sighed, averting his gaze toward the ground. "Sorry."

Flynn looked up as Shepard and Alenko entered the mess, having left the med bay. Shepard sat across from him at the table while Alenko moved past them, toward the kitchen area. Flynn himself already had a sandwich in his grasp, which he continued to eat despite their presence. A moment later Alenko returned, two sandwiches in hand. He handed one to Shepard and sat next to the man, tossing Flynn a quick glare.

Flynn fought the urge to roll his eyes. Shepard warned him it wouldn't be easy and the crew would probably react negatively to him for a while, but even so, it got a little old, always being treated like the enemy. At one point, yes, he was the enemy. He had his reasons for doing what he did and Shepard claimed to understand them, so why couldn't the rest of the crew? Did the commander not talk to the rest of his crew? Could he not order them to be silent?

What was the point in having that authority if you didn't use the power you got from it?

"Commander."

Flynn didn't flinch when that voice spoke through the comm systems anymore, which was progress. Half the time a part of him still wanted to respond to it, declare that he was Commander Shepard, but he managed to shove that part down. He wasn't Commander Ryan Shepard anymore – he was just Flynn. It wasn't great, it wasn't horrible, but it was his own, separate identity. Something Maya never gave him.

He didn't like thinking about her, though.

"What is it, Joker?" Shepard sighed, taking a bite out of his sandwich, which was mostly gone by this point.

"Hackett has a job for us, sir."

The commander finished off his sandwich and pushed to his feet with a sigh. "Alright. We're on our way to the war room."

"Aye, aye, sir."

Shepard looked at him, then. "C'mon, you're coming with me."

"What?" Alenko's eyes widened. "Shepard, I don't-"

Shepard managed to silence the man with one quick glare. Flynn got to his feet and followed after the commander as he moved away from the table, toward the elevator. Alenko brought up the rear and Flynn tried to ignore the heat of his gaze forever focused on the back of his head.

They filed into the elevator and rode it up to deck two. Flynn had never been past deck three since he joined Shepard's crew, always forced to stay in the lower areas. He had a bunk in the crew quarters on deck three which was where he slept, but the majority of the rest of his day was either spent in the shuttle bay or in the mess, since it seemed to be where he ran into the least trouble. Trouble still managed to find him, of course, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy a good fight, but he found he actually wanted to change things. He wanted to simply be a part of a crew, his own individual person instead of Shepard's clone.

That was all anyone saw him as here, though.

For the first time since he joined Shepard, he was led into the war room, Alenko following right behind him. Instead of focusing on the hologram's words – Hackett's words? Was that his name? – he focused on the surrounding crew members. The two tech people working along the outer edge had tense, rigid postures, most likely due to his presence. Alenko, of course, appeared suspicious of his every movement, forever watching him, arms folded across his chest. Shepard, meanwhile, watched Hackett and listened to what was said.

"We'll look into it," Shepard was saying when Flynn tuned back into the conversation. Hackett nodded and the holographic man disappeared.

Shepard turned away from the console, scrubbing a hand across his face.

"Alright," he sighed, "you two suit up. You're coming with me."

"What?" Alenko spluttered, tossing a glance toward Flynn and back. "You can't be serious."

Shepard rolled his eyes. "It'll be fine." His gaze then landed on Flynn. It was still mildly unsettling how similar they looked in every way. "No trouble, right?"

Flynn shrugged. "No promises."

"Shepard-" Alenko said.

Shepard tossed him a quick look. "It'll be fine, Kaidan." He looked back at Flynn. "Kaidan will take you down to the shuttle bay. I expect both of you to be ready in ten minutes. Right, Kaidan?"

Alenko sighed. "Right, Shepard."

A moment later the two walked toward the elevator. Flynn didn't have to be looking back at Alenko to know his every move was being watched. The man's eyes might as well have been little suns burning holes in the back of his head.

He was surprised Shepard was allowing him to go on this mission, since everyone here was so uneasy around him. It was unsettling for himself as well, because everyone here thought he was going to betray them in some way. He'd be lying if he said it hadn't crossed his mind, but it was either this or jail. He never actually thought Shepard would take him on missions, though. At least not this soon.

He knew he'd be under constant surveillance, but he couldn't help but think of ways to escape the scrutiny and leave this group, this ship. As much he didn't like the thought of jail and whatnot, he didn't particularly like it here, either. Perhaps he could leave and start his own life somewhere…

Except, he had no idea how to go about doing that. In his short life, all he knew was hunting down Shepard and stealing his life. It was all Maya would allow him to think about, and his whole life thus far revolved around that. This gave him a new identity, sure, but no one could see past his resemblance to Shepard, and what he did in the past.

"No trouble," Alenko said once they stepped out of the elevator, now in the shuttle bay.

Flynn fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever."

No trouble? No promises. After all, every little thing he did was considered as trouble, right?

Still a prisoner either way.

Better than a jail cell? Sure.

But it was a prison all the same.

Kaidan couldn't foresee any of this going well. The clone couldn't be trusted, especially not this early. Convincing Shepard of this was more complicated than one would think.

The clone, Flynn, steered cleared of most of the crew but still wound up in a lot of fights, verbal or otherwise. Thus far he'd been nothing but trouble. He'd tried to tell Shepard this wasn't a good idea, but the man could be very stubborn.

Hopefully things would turn out okay. According to Hackett this was a simple mission, but they'd been told that before. Their intel was less than great. Surely there were other crews who could do these little missions, right?

He couldn't fight it, though. At least this way they were doing something instead of waiting around, but sometimes Kaidan wondered if they were really being productive. Then again, they were helping people who would otherwise most likely be ignored. So it couldn't be all bad, right?

He looked over as the elevator door opened to reveal Shepard walking toward them. He was already dressed in his N7 armor and Cortez was already in the shuttle, waiting for them to board. Shepard nodded at them and they all climbed into the shuttle.

Kaidan wondered if they got this mission because they were so close to the target location. It only took ten minutes, after all.

As the shuttle took off, though, he couldn't help but wonder if Shepard was mistaken this time… if it was really smart to trust the clone…

A/N: And there's that chapter. Like I said, it was written months ago. Hope it still sounds okay! I was worried about it which is why I never posted it... but oh well. Thanks for reading and as always, PLEASE REVIEW :D

~Muffy the Dough Slayer~