Title: Hot Mess, Prologue: The City is at War.
Element: Mass Effect One & Two.
Writer: Mandy Nara
FYI: Rowdy is a figment of my imagination. He will develop into the story, along side of Shepard. Shepard is a Paragon in this story, who you will later find out more of her background as we progress. The question as to the story is that Doctor Chakwas gave Rowdy her last name because she has no children and she soon accepts him as her own. So when time passes he becomes more like a little brother than a son to her. He is also going to be a simple soldier. You will find out more about later on. As I go through this story, there will be ties of both games into the mixture. Along with Galaxy and the story of Liara going after Shepard's body. So this will be long, I can't help it. One last thing, if you have any sort of questions, comments and/or anything else, please let me know through my inbox. Reviews are welcomed and appreciated. As well, as a few beta readers would be nice as well. If interested please send me a message and before I post the next set of the story I will send you the official copy. This is also going to be a planned FemShepard/Kaidan story, if that was what you were wondering.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bioware, Mass Effect or any of the characters here. They are all owned and loved by Bioware. I do however own Rowdy, he is mine allll mine.
The alley was dark, her eyes hurt from the strain of trying to see. A figure beside her, shuffled their feet. "I do not like this idea," He whispered to her. His soft breath brushed against the back of her neck and she shivered. "Why?" She had to ask him. His hands were freezing, he brought them to his lips and he blew into them. "Because this is the Alliance. We cannot just think they will forget about this." He had a point, she knew it but really she did not want to accept it. She just smiled gently and narrowed her eyes to the door. The lights were off, they were the only two who were doing this. She tried to remind herself, this was for the good of the gang. But she knew he was right.
Michelle Shepard, was born and raised in the streets. It was the young man standing next to her, Rowdy, who had saved her from starvation when she was only four years old. Ever since then they have watched each others backs in the midst of the streets. There was always turf wars, wherever she looked she could see them but she knew that eventually they will have to side with one of them. They decided on the 10th, though from the sigh she heard from Rowdy, she knew it wasn't the greatest choice in the world. "The Alliance has all that money, they can share just a little of it." He fidgeted again. She hated it when he fidgeted. "Mickey," He said her nickname and that brought a smile to her lips. "I know, Rowdy." She was just as worried as he was but she didn't want to end up in the hands of owing the Alliance money.
Ever since she was small, she realized she could do things with her mind that no one else could. Rowdy knew the answer for her question as to why. And one day he told her, it was because whoever her mother was, she was down wind from a transport crash of Element Zero. The one thing on the great Earth that could create Biotics, Shepard just said whatever and went back to the free food they had received from the butcher not too long before the question was asked. There were times while she was sleeping that she could not control it. Rowdy would have to hold her down, and whisper to her that things would be okay. She would cry out and now, now he just held back from her. They had a relationship that no one on the planet could understand. Broke him into a million pieces when she told them they had to join a gang. He protested this idea, stating that they were better off together instead of with a group. What he didn't tell her was he feared they would see her as something else. He would not deny the fact, she was beautiful beyond words. When she smiled her dark eyes would light up with pleasure. Or when she frowned, her heart shaped lips would draw anyone's attention to them. Even the pale skin glistened off the lights around them. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders, long and curly. It was perfection and he didn't want anyone to touch her... ever. He just wished he could tell her how he truly felt for her.
She stood up all a sudden and ran into the street. There was shouts, Rowdy did not know what was happening. It was then that he saw a group coming towards her. "Shepard!" He yelled her name, she looked back to him, but he knew she was lost to him just then. The men, the men he had heard of so many times in his life had cornered her. His worse fear was coming to life before his eyes. Their dark suits, sunglasses in the dark and now they had her backed against the wall. "Mickey!" He yelled and stood up, he ran, his feet carried him over a garbage bin and he slid up behind one of them. His fist came up before he realized what he was doing. He punched the man, hard against the back of the head. The crack rang across the dark street, as he fell to his knees and dropped to the ground at Rowdy's feet. She stared at him and a smile graced her lovely lips. "Run," he whispered and he knew she would not leave without him. When her hand reached out for his, he touched her finger tips gently before she was pulled up against the wall.
Suddenly a sharp pain hit his side, the current sent through his body was painful, he could not move either. She gasped and tried to push them all away from her. "This ones a fighter," one of them said to the rest. "She'll make a good Vanguard." Rowdy screamed, he tried to call for help but he knew it was a trap. A pair of boots came into his line of sight. He wanted nothing more than to tell them to keep on walking but instead they were brought up and down on his face. Great pain shot through his face and then everything went black.
"Rowdy!" She cried out, he was gone to her. "Don't hurt him!" She pleaded, the tone in her voice told them that she meant it. Mickey was in love with the boy on the ground in front of her. Her tears were hot against her cheeks and the man who had kicked him was smiling. "Come with us and we will make sure the Alliance takes good care of him." She gasped and looked up. The tears welled in her eyes and she wanted nothing more than to rip that smug look off his face. "Alright," She buckled to the ground. The gravel cut against her knees. "Can I at least say good bye?" She asked them, the one who held her let go. Ignoring the comments from the rest. Her hands, her cold finger tips touched Rowdy's handsome face. She traced his features over and over again, like she normally did while he was sleeping. Before she was pulled back she kissed his lips as hard as she could, before they told her enough.
"Come on," The one behind her took off his coat and wrapped it around her slender shoulders. She went with them, despite knowing she may never see Rowdy again. The car showed up, the doors opened and a young man had gotten out. She was too tired to get a good look at him but she knew he was alliance. The smell of gun powder was heavy on him, she stood there watching as he came to Rowdy's unconscious form. She cried again when he was picked up. She wanted to hold him, feel his arms around her. It was the only place she has ever felt safe in. And now that safe place no longer existed. She realized this as the reality of it hit her. "You were tipped off weren't you?" She suddenly spoke. Her voice squeaked but she looked among the men who stood around her. "Yes, we were." She realized she was sold out. Her so called gang had given her into the hands of the enemy and they had gotten what they wanted. Her out of the picture and Rowdy as well. "Bastards," She spoke against her closed lips. "Sons of a whore!" She threw off the coat and started to run. "Hey, wait!" The man who had given her his coat rushed after her. She could hear his heavy breathing but she was soon cut off by the car. The driver smiled and reached for something in his breast pocket. Before she realized she was being tasered, she dropped to her knees. "I have... I have... I have to kill them..." She screamed as she felt the pain surge through her bones. "Stop it!" She felt strong hands on her shoulders. She was being lifted this time, by strong arms. "For fuck's sake, Louis." He breath was warm against her hair. "She's just a kid, you could have just knocked her out. Instead you nearly kill her with the volts." She heard something that's she never thought she would hear again. "Anderson, you really are too friendly for your own good." She blinked, looking up to the gentle face of the man who held her. A smile came to her lips before everything went black.
After a few hours, his eyes opened slowly. His face hurt, and he knew he must have been in bad shape. The last thing he remembered was... panic struck him. Every nerve inside him flared up and he looked around. He was tied down to the medical bed and someone walked in, "They should have been gentler to you, Rowdy." He had no idea who this woman was but the kind look in her eyes scared him. "Don't worry, I will not hurt you." She saw the look of pain that covered his no longer bloody face. "That young girl? The one you tried to save is gone." He did not want to hear that, he fought the bonds that were strapped to his wrists. "No, no she cannot be gone. I have to save her." Suddenly he realized what was going on. It hit him so hard that he nearly lost all his breath. "I was recruited?" She did not falter with her next set of words, "Yes, you were. But you do not have a last name, it seems." She walked around to the other side of the bed and turned on her computer. "I will let you decide on your last name, but you have to come up with one soon. Otherwise you will be on the streets again, I am sure you will want nothing more than to see her again." She turned around and smiled even more. Rowdy just blinked, he did not understand what the hell was going on but he was sure this woman wanted him to decide then. "What is your name?" He asked her suddenly, making her blink in confusion. "Doctor Anne Chakwas," Rowdy sighed and stopped pulling at his bonds and watched her for a while. She could have been his mother, he realized looking at her. She seemed to notice the calculating look in his eyes and furrowed her brow. "I am not that old," He laughed and she realized just why she was starting to like this boy on her medical bed. "I like that last name, Chakwas." She was surprised but it did not budge her frustration of him wondering her age. "Alright, Rowdy Chakwas." She turned around and typed his name into the computer. "Get some sleep, Rowdy." She came to the IV that was pumping something into his arm. "You'll need it if you ever want to see that pretty little thing again." Before the sleep took him over, Rowdy stared at the retreating figure of the Doctor. She was laughing, laughing out of the room and he guessed it was because of him. "Mickey, I will come for you, I promise." He dreamed that night, of her delicate perfect smiling face.
