A/N-Hey guys! So, here we are with book two! This one will start from the begining of ME3 and follow through to the very end! Anyways, let's dive right in!
Chapter One
"I can't believe this…"
Shepard sighed as she looked at Earth as Joker took the Normandy out into space after leaving Anderson behind to help those that needed it.
"Commander, we have an incoming transmission from Hawkeye."
"Patch her through."
Shepard looked down at the console in front of her and saw Angel. Well, barley. She was breaking up and her image was shaky.
"Sis…we…need…evac…"
"Angel, where are you?"
"At…Dad…Mom's…not…mu…time…hurry…"
"Joker, I need you to take us to Missouri. Now!"
"But…"
"No buts! Angel needs us and her parents aren't soldiers…I'm not losing the only family I've actually known."
"Right Commander. Putting in the coordinates now."
~~~~~
Angel threw things into a backpack and glanced around her room, grabbing some more items off a shelf and the top of her dresser. She paused on a picture. A thousand memories flooded over her of that day. It was her and Shepard. They had just graduated high school. They looked so silly, flashing peace signs, grinning from ear to ear, Shepard's arm thrown over Angel's shoulders. She tossed it into her grey duffle bag and looked over at her cat, a full grown black panther, Ember. She knew something was going on as she paced nervously back and forth before Angel knelt in front of her and stroked her ears before hugging her neck.
"It's okay girl. I promise, I'm not leaving you behind. We're all going together. Now grab a few of your toys and put them in that bag. Go on girl. Only a few now."
Ember murred in response and trudged off as Angel resumed her packing. She paused once more on another picture, this one of her and Garrus. It had been taken right before Shepard had been relieved and everyone had gone their separate ways. He held her tightly in his lap, his chin resting on her head as she slept soundly. Once he had given it to her he explained that Shepard had taken it, preserving the momentary peace they had. She tossed it into a bag as well and looked around again. She was at her parent's house on vacation and this small room held so many memories…the deep purple had long since faded since her childhood. The glow in the dark stars had long since lost that glow. The wood of her dresser and bed frame had faded with time. She looked at the blanket and pillows and shoved them into a bag as well, refusing to let them go.
"Maybe I'm being stupid…but I can't abandon some of this stuff…"
She pulled out a small camera and took a photo of her room before grabbing her bags up and shutting the door, perhaps for the last time. She looked down at Ember who was keeping pace with her as they walked towards the front door where a few other bags, her parent's, sat waiting.
"Mom, Dad, hurry up. I know Shep will be here soon."
Her parents appeared from their own room and the both looked a little worse for wear as they smiled at her reassuringly. In her mother's arms was a bag of her art supplies and Angel smiled.
"Don't worry Mama, we'll find a place for everything."
She looked over at her father who was the one that had hardly packed anything as he had long since retired from his career as a scientist. He had a few personal effects, clothes, and had grabbed a few of the old photo albums. Angel hugged them tightly before noticing Ember tilting her head. Angel now heard it too, the sound of a ship hovering outside.
"That's the Normandy. Let's go!"
Angel opened the door to see Shepard and a couple of others running towards them. Shepard and Angel hugged one another quickly before she ordered the two others, Kaiden and James, to help with the bags. Shepard smiled at Mom and Dad before leading them to the Normandy. Ember followed closely behind Angel and she placed a hand on her head reassuringly.
"Thanks Shepard. I know…I know you were probably dealing with other things…"
"I'd never abandon you guys. Ever."
They boarded the ship and followed Shepard along as Joker pulled up and out, heading for space once more. Angel looked out a window and sighed. The house she had known since she was born was rapidly shrinking now, a small white speck.
"Please…let it still be there…"
She whispered to herself before kneeling again and petting Ember. The large cat was used to small shuttles or cruisers to go into town but not going into space.
"Shepard, where are we going?"
"Admiral Hackett wants us to head to Mars. There's something there that may help us in our fight with the Reapers."
"Well, if you need help just let me know."
"Angel?"
"I joined the N7 Program again."
Shepard paused and looked at her and now noticed the difference in Angel. She held herself higher now, and it was clear she had been keeping in peak physical condition. She had cut her hair as regulations wanted it kept short, it now hung just past her shoulders in two military style braids. She wore a black tank top and black cargo pants and black lace up combat boots that came to her knees.
"Holy shit…"
"Yea. I'm surprised at myself. But I'm ready to fight with you."
"Mom, Dad, is there anywhere you wanna go?"
"Yes dears. When you get a moment, just drop us off at the Citadel. If you remember, we have an apartment there. We'll bunker down there for now."
"Right. We'll head there after Mars. We need to go talk to the Council anyways. Until then, you're free to stay where you please."
"Thank you dear. You two better be careful out there."
"Angel, you okay?"
Shepard looked at her as she grabbed up her things and began following her parents.
"Well…I don't really wanna complain…"
"Complain about what?"
"Even before all this…Garrus stopped talking with me. So, I figured I'd go with Mom and Dad and find a place in the crew quarters or something…cuz I dunno if…"
"Angel, go to the battery. I'm sure it's okay. He's just bad at keeping contact…I know that."
"Promise…?"
"Promise. And when we run into him, I'll personally kick his ass for making you worry."
"Alright. Sounds good to me. Let me know when you're ready to go if you need me to go to Mars with you."