Chapter 1.

Before Presop

It was quiet aboard the Normandy; Commander Jacob Shepherd didn't like it one bit. This ship was way too quiet. Normally the ship was bustling with activity whether it was the bridge frantic with combat moves online the juicy gossip that Wrex and Garrus exchanged down below or the constant bickering between Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams and Liara. It was as though all had died. However, noise was occurring, Shepherd just couldn't hear it through his shell-shocked ears. "Ugh." He moaned.

"Doctor he's coming to!" yelled an unknown voice off in the distance .

Shepherd then closed his eyes yet again.

"Move there Jenkins, check it out."

"Eye Eye sir!"

It was Eden Prime. He was conscious or so it seemed, the Normandy dropped them off at the DZ.

"Oh great." He thought "Another hellish battle well time to go destroy some terrorists."

He watched as Jenkins was cut-down by plasma rounds from Geth assault drones.

However this dream was different, little did he know but this dream had the ability to change his entire life, and process of thought. As he rounded the corner he saw the part where Ashley was being chased by Geth.

"And here is the part where I meet Chief Williams wooptey Frickin' Do."

However, to his horror He watched as the Geth shot her weapon. The bigger one then quickly over-powered her. He watched as she looked up and gazed at his eyes, as though pleading for him to save her. He felt tried to run, though every time he got close a weird Asari head popped out and said,

"Remember your commitment you made to me. What use is this one for us?"

He continued to try and reach her but to no avail. Each time the Asari came in and blocked the route. This was beyond any dream he had ever had. After constant attempt after attempt to reach Ashley he stopped.

"Well you don't seem to like my armor running into you, let's see how you like 4 millimeter HAMMERHEAD ROUNDS!" he took out his Banshee IV assault rifle and riddled the transparent wall.

This time when the being appeared it sounded annoyed almost confused,

"IS THIS SOME KIND OF HUMAN MATING RITUAL?!"The being asked.

"Well, you seemed pissed." Shepherd replied jokingly. As he started to chuckle the blue being turned red and anger as though someone dumped in the air filters of her car.

"You pathetic humans have now value on love! AND FOR THAT YOU MUST BE PUNISHED! "

To his horror the Geth Loaded Ashley onto a device that he saw throughout the area. And the a large spike arose through the middle of her chest sending her upward.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He shouted . Right then the Geth turned about-face and spotted them.

"Im gonna blow your metallic, retarded brains out you metal demons!" Shepherd announced. He blindly rushed forward his animal instincts propelling him further and faster. One of the Geth shots hit him square in the leg; he swore then stumbled over.

"Careful Commander! You're no G.I. Joe!" his lieutenant shouted, his word had a hint of mockery in its tone. Shepherd staggered as he tried to get up.

"These demons have something in their bullets," He thought. A green slime oozed out of his leg.

"Oh No You Din'et" He roared. " I will not be killed now Ashley is already dead I cannot die now, My legacy must go on, Humanity must remember us here." He activated a grenade, he was going to sacrifice one of those bubbly creature.

"Oh well, short loss." He primed the fusion grenade then lobbed it into the middle of Geth horde. It exploded sending molten metal flying about. He rushed over to where the spike impaled Ashley. A rock jutted to where she was.

"Please," He pleaded "Sound off trooper."

"……Ashley…..ugh……Williams…..Eden……Security……..please help the others…….I don't……..matter……… "

"Can I do anything for you Williams?" Shepherd asked pleading she wasn't already dead.

" Ya…….Wake up……" She started to sniffle."Please wake up."

"What the hell are you talking about trooper?" Shepherd question. Rain began to fall, It seemed as though the creator him or herself was crying. Then out of nowhere everything started to go black everything was dissolving. The red being now returned, this time a sky blue.

" What the hell do you want do you destroyer of worlds?"

"Calm mortal," the voice said, it's voice like harps strumming all at once" What you have just witnessed is similar of what is to come, change your life or your crew will suffer a similar fate."

With that the being dissipated. And a light formed above, he felt a feeling of cold. A soft humming could be heard off in the distance. There was a shuffling of papers, a clicking off feet. And a being standing above.

"Doctor, he's coming to this time it may be for real!" An anonymous voice called nearby.

"Aww stow it Williams no more bluffs it was funny the first time but not the other 487 times." An annoyed voice called in the distance. The two voices continued to argue in the distance. When Shepherd sat up.

"Don't I get a say in this?" He questioned jokingly.

"Commander!" The two, Ashley, and Doctor Cazpuch said, shocked.

"You should still be in a coma, your vital signs barely sustained you, you weren't supposed to come to this early, if you did, you would come to in seven years. Much less actually survive!" The Doctor explained.

"Haven't you learned I always beat the odds, Just like at the Cit…OW! What was that?

"Your implants that prevent excessive thinking, they kept you alive, A.K.A. don't think hard for another 5 minutes or you will be shocked." Shepherd nodded. The doctor looked a data pad then hit some random buttons. While all this went on Shepherd took a look around the room. There were several random pictures from Liara.

"Oh Yeah we were sort of dating and…."zzzzzztzzztztztzzzz"OWWW!" He yelled he felt a burn seep down his spine

"Man I don't learn well consciously, I wonder how badly I did sub-conciously." He said out loud. A voice in the room chuckled he looked around and his blue eyes made contact with Ashley's big brown ones. He then saw her giggle some more. He gazed at his arm. He saw to Parallel lines run along his arm nearest to his artery in his right arm. They were a black, blue and sort of a copperish color. He laughed.

"Well," he said, "That explains it!" They laughed some more. He then he heard the doctor say "Well, the implants are deactivated as for the arms take the time to take this pill, it helps arm skin cell reproduction."

" Alright I will," he said as the doctor left his quarters. He looked back into Ashley's eyes. They felt like big brown knives, cutting into him and harvesting his feelings."

"Typical human attitude." Said another voice, annoyance in tone." Go back to your armory duties Chief Williams your presence isn't even wanted here right Shepherd?"

"Mnum numnum vew vew weeeeeeeeeee!" said a Shepherd talking in gibberish due to the pill.

"See he agreed in Asarian now leave"

"As you wish scum," and with that she looked back at Shepherd and briefly smiled as she strode out the door.

"We are now alone Commander." Said the voice seductively. Shepherd immediately recognized the voice as that of Liara's.

"Why the hell did you do that?" interrogated Shepherd.

"What are you talking about?" Liara inquired innocently.

"You acting coldly towards the Gunnery Chief," replied Shepherd harshly. There was a beep as Shepherd finished his quote. Oh, that's the other scientists,

"I have to take this we will talk later" and with that Liara strode off.

" I need to talk to Williams " Shepherd thought. He strode off towards the elevator when a random crew member shouted "There goes Mister Invincible!"

"Who-rah marine!" he replied as the elevator door closed. He remembered on the way down the conversation on the Normandy before the Citadel raid. He had said Liara because she had told him afterwards when he said he'd think on it, that Ashley was born to a dancer at a bar and worshipped a cult on Earth. After hearing this he went to her said she was a freak and that he would never love her then slammed the door and headed up the elevator, fuming. He then made out with Liara only to be told by Garrus that the conniving jerk lied but never apologized to Williams nor confront Liara for then they raided the citadel and he lost consciousness after he made it to the Normandy. But yet here was Ashley waiting by his thought-to-be death bed, Staring with her big brown eyes at him waiting despite the crap he said to her. As the elevator stopped he walked out but was confronted by Garrus before he got there.

"Commander, good to know you're alive I'd talk to you more but Williams is on the personal comm. System, so far it's been quite hysterical. You Humans sure act peculiar to relatives."

"Let's hide and listen, I want to here this." Shepherd requested.

"How do you enjoy working on the Normandy sis?"

"It's been quite an experience. All of the crew especially the Commander."

"Commander Who?"

"Oh come on!" Ashley complained.

"Hmm."Commander Shepherd whispered "You were right Garrus, this is quite enjoyable."

"Told ya, you owe me 200 creds"

"Dang, Really?"

"Ya fork over the loot." With that Shepherd handed Garrus 200 credits.

"Oh yeah, that's the good stuff" Garrus said afterwards.

"So what's his name sis?" The other voice on the comm system inquired.

"Oh alright, Commander Shepherd," Ashley replied glumly.

"Shepherd! I've heard that name before, wasn't he on the news?"

"Yeah, he socked that reporter."

"Man, I saw that clip and almost died it was just so freakin funny!"

"I know, I know."

"Yeah we saw him do you think he's cute?"

"Abby!"

"Well do you?"

"My relationship is my business." Ashley said while blushing.

"Well, someone's grumpy," Abby insisted.

"Please drop it," Ashley pleaded, done with the topic.

"No, I ain't done 'till you give me a yes or no."

"Get ready Shepherd!" Garrus Whispered " Now's a good time to walk in!"

"Well……….I……" Ashley stalled. As she was saying this Shepherd walked behind her and said

"Another relative?" With the sound of this she blushed.

"Uhhhhh how much did you hear?" Ashley asked.

"Everywhere after the Normandy."

"Well,um this is awkward."

"I can feel you blushing on the other side of this COMM system" Abby said "You Certainly have lost your edge Ash!"

"Awww stow it Abby!"

"No way I wanna see how you deal with that hunk! Arooga!"

"Lemme get this one Ash." Shepherd said as he saw Ashley gesture towards the Comm. With that he then turned off the Comm.

"Is Abby your sister?"

"Yeah, older then Sara but younger then me."

"So?"

"So, what?" asked a confused Williams.

" Do you think I'm cute?" asked Shepherd jokingly.

Ashley took it the wrong way.

"No, I wouldn't steal another woman's man."

"Hey, Hey, Hey, easy now I was just joking."

"Well, Darn you!" With this she socked him in the arm.

"Ow! That was my arm with 3rd Degree electrical burns from my sub-conscious stupidity!"

"Yeah, well this next one is come straight for your..."

"Commander, this is Joker we're waiting for a destination on the galaxy map."

"Talk about the nick of timing" Shepherd mumbled "Allright I'll be right up."

"So can we talk later?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah, I'll be down again soon."

"Good" she said to herself "There's something different about him but I can't just figure it out."

"Ooooooh someone's got a man!"

"Oh come on Abby, you're supposed to be off the air!"

"You wish." And with that Ash turned off the Comm system.

Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect or BioWare. I got some of my Ideas from other ME stories.