Disclaimer: All characters in this story are the copyright of Bioware Games LLC. I own none of the rights to these characters, but love messing with them and their stories.

A/N: This is a retelling of Mass Effect 2, now with a renegade Shepard, PTSD, a real love triangle (not any passive-aggressive stuff), mind-f*ck issues, and no Yeoman Chambers. Yes, I didn't like the nosy twit but couldn't make myself let her get liquified. I'm a total soft touch like that...

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1

Gangs, human or alien, were the same across the universe.

I'd had enough experience growing up around these kinds of thugs on Earth to know better than to back down when someone tried to intimidate me - I stared at the Krogan Blood Pack leader, arms folded across my chest. He was almost a full head taller than me and weighed at least five times my weight; my intention wasn't to intimidate him, just prove that he didn't intimidate me.

The Krogan had taken a smartass comment I'd made personally; he had charged, stopping inches from me when I didn't budge an inch. Alien faces were still hard for me to read despite my recent experiences with my current companions, but I met his glare eye to eye until, finally, he grunted, turning aside and waving his hand dismissively. "Aren't we paying you to do something other than bother me?" the Krogan muttered, staring morosely across the area.

"Damn, Shepard," Jacob whispered behind me as we exited the room. There was more than a little awe in his voice.

I ignored the comment. His words only served to remind me that I had two Cerberus operatives watching my back, something that made me uncomfortable but couldn't be helped. Jacob, to me, was more dangerous than Miranda: he was ex-Alliance, insisted he was a "good guy" and wanted me to trust him - and dammit, I wanted to. Going into battle unable to rely on who had your back was more than a little uncomfortable. Both operatives said they'd follow my commands, but it didn't take a genius to know who really pulled their strings - the same man whose organization had brought me back to life. That thought was still almost more than I could wrap my brain around, so I chose to ignore it as well.

"I still think we should be going after the doctor first," Miranda said behind me as the sound of gunfire intensified. "Our need for him is more urgent than another soldier."

Resisting the urge to round on the woman and give her a piece of my mind was difficult. Fortunately for her I noticed the gunship then and moved that direction; Miranda and Jacob made their way to the barriers in front of the bridge as I was let in to see the engineer.

He seemed like a nice enough guy, at least for a merc. He answered my questions, then ordered the assault to begin right as I spied the arc welder. His back was turned to me as I picked it up, too focused on his job fixing the airship.

I almost felt guilty killing him. Almost.

Miranda and Jacob were waiting by the barrier as I came up. "Looks like Archangel doesn't have much time," Jacob observed, watching the people moving across the barrier onto the bridge.

"Well, let's not wait around too long."

For the first time, I agreed. The corner of my mouth twitched into an almost-smile as I pulled my gun around to the ready. I'd been itching for a fight since first learning who I was apparently now working for; seemed this was as good as I was going to get for the time being. "We'll give these guys a surprise of our own."

It was pathetically easy getting across that bridge. My shields got pinged twice by sniper fire from above but I didn't blame Archangel; he couldn't know we were there to save him. It felt wrong shooting the merc arming the bomb in the back; the others returned fire so I didn't care so much about their deaths. I was glad I'd broken that kid's gun earlier in Afterlife: if I'd had to shoot him it might have haunted me a bit longer.

The mercs behind the bridge had to have realized by now that we'd switched sides, so I kept barriers between me and that area as I made my way up the stairs. Guns drawn, not knowing what kind of reception we'd get from our target, we entered the large room carefully. Bunks on the far side of the room were shot to hell already as were several of the couches dotting the open area nearest us. Archangel was positioned along the far wall, his back to us, his concentration through the sniper scope the bridge and beyond. I frowned; it was an atypical response to the presence of anyone he may have mistrusted. Cautiously, I lowered my gun. "Archangel?"

He held up his hand, an acknowledgment and motion for silence, then focused his sights on a target. The report of the high powered rifle echoed through the hall and I knew his weapon had found its target. He paused, checking for anyone else he may have missed, then uncurled slowly from his position and turned to face us. He laid his helmet beside him, leaning back against a nearby crate, his rifle propped beneath his leg.

My lips parted in surprise. I took a step forward, unsure if my eyes were playing tricks on me. It couldn't be...

"Shepard." Garrus Vakerian's voice sounded tired. "I thought you were dead."

Joy surged through me, and my face split with a huge grin. "Garrus! What are you doing here?"

"Just keeping my skills sharp. A little target practice."

I couldn't stop grinning: the surprise of seeing a familiar, trusted face was more of a relief than I could have imagined. "What are you doing on Omega?"

Garrus shrugged a shoulder. "I got fed up with all the bureaucratic crap on the Citadel. Figured I could do more on my own. At least it's not hard to find criminals here. All I have to do is point my gun and shoot."

The melancholy of his tone finally penetrated and my smile faltered. "You okay?" I asked, concern replacing my previous elation.

"Been better, but it sure is good to see a friendly face." He lowered his gaze, lost in thought. "Killing mercs is hard work. Especially on my own."

"Since when did you start calling yourself Archangel?"

"It's just a name the locals gave me. For all my good deeds. I don't mind it, but please... it's just "Garrus" to you."

I still couldn't believe my eyes. Something had changed with Garrus; I could hear it in his voice, see it when he moved. Another reminder that I'd been gone far longer than it felt. I didn't want to face it, but I couldn't help but wonder what else had changed while I was being rebuilt. "How'd you manage to piss off every major merc organization in the Terminus Systems?"

"It wasn't easy. I really had to work at it." He gestured with a shoulder toward the bridge. "I am amazed that they teamed up to fight me. They must really hate me."

Now wasn't the time to ask about the melancholy burr in his voice. I shook my head. "Damn, Garrus, but it's good to see you." I couldn't stop smiling, and I saw his mandibles pull back in a reaction I'd come to learn equated to his own smile. Rotating my shoulder and giving him a mock glare, I added, "You nailed me good a couple times, by the way."

"Concussive rounds only. No harm done. Didn't want the mercs getting suspicious."

I looked at him askance. "Uh-huh."

"If I wanted to do more than take your shields down, I'd have done it. Besides," he added, his voice taking on more of the teasing quality I remembered, "you were taking your sweet time. I needed to get you moving."

I gave an amused snort then shrugged, getting serious again. "Well, we got in here but I don't think getting out will be as easy."

He nodded. "That bridge has saved my life, funneling all those witless idiots into scope. But it works both ways. They'll slaughter us if we try to get out that way."

"So we just sit here and wait for them to take us out?" Miranda's voice from behind me was a jolt back to reality, reminding me where I was. Most of my happiness vanished - just because Garrus was here didn't mean everything was suddenly back the way it was before.

"It's not all that bad," Garrus replied but didn't take his eyes off me. I had the feeling he knew exactly what I was thinking, or at least a close approximation. "This place has held them off so far, and with the three of you... I suggest we hold this location, wait for a crack in their defenses, and take our chances." The alien shrugged. "It's not a perfect plan, but it's a plan."

My smile was unpleasant. "I didn't like sneaking anyway. Time to spill a little merc blood."

Garrus gave a low chuckle. "Glad to see you haven't changed. Let's see what they're up to." He peered through his gun across the bridge as I came up beside him. "Looks like they know their infiltration team failed." He handed me the rifle. "Take a look. Scouts; Eclipse, I think."

I frowned at what I saw through the scope. "That looks like a lot more than scouts," I said, handing back over the rifle.

"Indeed. We'd better get ready. I'll stay up here, I can do a lot of damage from this vantage point. You... You do what you do best. Just like old times, Shepard."

"Oh no, you're not getting rid of me that easily." I turned to Jacob and Miranda. "Take positions downstairs, and make sure none of those mercs make it past the bridge. I'll stay up here and pick them off with Garrus."

It was easy to tell Jacob didn't like the idea; his brow furrowed at the order but he said nothing, just saluted. Miranda accepted the directions readily enough and both headed toward the stairs as I switched guns.

"I see you have new friends."

A sharp glance at Garrus saw he was staring at the bridge; I couldn't read his expression. "Not friends," I corrected, readying my own sniper rifle. It wasn't as high-tech as the one Garrus was holding, but it would get the job done. "You're not the only one with problems."

"It has been two years Shepard." Garrus glanced my way. "A lot has changed while you were away."

"Like you?" The urge to take back the words was there the moment they left my mouth, but the alien just shrugged. His mandibles twitched however, telling me I'd struck a nerve. "Look," I said, "buy me a drink later and we can fill each other in on all the gory details."

"Here they come." He hadn't answered my question; whether it was because of the situation at hand or that he no longer trusted me I didn't know, but it hurt.

We spent the next several minutes taking out the mercenaries coming across the bridge one by one. It was obvious why Archangel held this spot so long: the job was like shooting fish in a barrel. Jacob and Miranda, for their part, held their own in the battle as well; the few who managed to get past our sniper fire were taken out or Thrown backwards onto the bridge again, where we took them down. It was morbidly amusing to see the shock on the faces of the Eclipse mercs when their own heavy mech turned its considerable firepower on them instead of us.

I noticed that Garrus was taking down more mercs than me, which soured my mood a bit. This new body was too rusty for my liking.

The wave had stopped and the two Cerberus operatives had only just entered the room again when the ground shook beneath us. "What the hell was that?" Miranda asked.

Garrus checked his omni-tool. "Dammit, they've breached the lower levels. They had to use their brains sometime. Better get down there Shepard."

"I'm not leaving you alone up here," I countered. "Miranda, you stay and help Garrus with the bridge."

"You sure Shepard? Who knows what you'll find down there?"

I snorted. "Thanks for the vote of confidence but I can take care of myself. Jacob, with me."

"The shutters at the main entrances should be thick enough that it should keep them out of here long enough for us to escape."

I didn't waste any more time, just nodded then started toward the stairs, Jacob right on my heels. I wasn't even at the bottom of the staircase when I heard the sniper rifle begin shooting.

A few times in the ensuing fight I briefly regretted leaving Miranda behind; it wasn't anything I couldn't handle but there were more than a few close calls. Jacob was pretty good in a firefight though; twice he Lifted an enemy I hadn't seen coming right before they reached me.

I could give him respect for his combat skills, but I didn't have to like it.

We got back to topside in time to see Garm and his men heading up the stairs straight for Garrus and Miranda. I'd long since switched up my weapon to the assault rifle and mowed my way through the opposition, getting up those stairs as fast as I could. Sure enough Garm had both Garrus and Miranda pinned, his shields making it difficult for their gunfire to penetrate. I changed over my rounds to incendiary and let the Krogan have it, taking cover only when my own shields began to fail as his attention was switched to me. There was a shimmer as the Krogan's shields failed, then Jacob blasted him back with a biotic Throw; before the gangleader could get back on his feet the rest of us made short work of his prone body until it was little more than a corpse.

Certain the firefight was over I stood up from my cover, only to see Garrus swing his gun in my direction. At the same time I heard a Krogan charging bellow behind me. I brought my gun up and turned just as two rapid shots from the sniper rifle whistled past my face, close enough that I could feel the air ripple; by the time I had my gun aimed at the Krogan Bloodpack gang member it was already falling forward dead. I stared at the corpse at my feet, then flicked a sideways glance at Garrus. "Nice shot."

His only response was another half shrug. Smug bastard, I thought in amusement.

"This day just gets better and better." Garrus nudged the body of Garm with his foot, satisfaction in his voice. "He was one tough son of a bitch."

"Only the Blue Suns are left." I tilted my head toward the bridge. "I say we take our chances and fight our way out."

Garrus nodded and started to say something, but the hum of an engine came from my right - suddenly glass shattered and bullets were zinging all through the air around us. Everyone dove for cover as Garrus shouted, "I thought I took that thing out already!"

"They fixed it," I yelled back over the gunfire, "but not completely. I made sure of that." I couldn't get a shot in edgewise; the gunship's firepower was too quick and all encompassing, seeming to be everywhere at once. The instant it stopped I was up and aiming but it was gone from that window, moving into position directly in front of me. Cursing loudly, I scrambled for another cover as it opened up on my previous position. Garrus was making short work of sniping incoming mercs but even he was pinned down from the gunship's fire. Then it pulled out, leaving a wave of mercs pouring in from the outer windows.

The four of us quickly finished off the remaining gang members but one managed to get through Jacob's shields and he went down. Miranda stayed in the fight but as soon as the last merc was down she was at his side tending to the wounds. I moved toward the stairs to make sure nobody else was on the lower levels as Garrus checked the area overlooking the bridge, then I heard the whir of the gunship's engines again. Racing back into the room I arrived just in time to see Garrus getting pelted by the bullets. "Garrus!"

He struggled to pull himself to safety behind a crate, with the Blue Suns leader screaming at him through the loud speakers. "You think you can screw with the Blue Suns!? This ends now!" Then the crate, and Garrus, were blown backwards into the middle of the room.

My heart in my throat I rushed back into the room and slid behind another crate, whatever good it would do me. I couldn't see Garrus well enough to know his injuries but he wasn't moving, and the pool of blue blood was rapidly expanding. Rage suffused me; I threw down the assault rifle and grabbed the grenade launcher, firing everything at the gunship. I barely noticed Miranda and Jacob taking positions beside the large window but kept firing, ignoring the beating my shields, then my armor, was taking. When I ran out of grenades I switched back to the assault rifle, unloading on the gunship and refusing to acknowledge the damage I was taking even as the world started turning red.

A flash split the ship, then it exploded and fell sideways to the bridge below. Utterly spent, I collapsed onto one knee as Miranda rushed over, delivering a hefty dose of the medi-gel; my shields immediately recharged and my body began to repair itself. I stumbled to my feet, then made my way carefully to where Garrus lay still as death. My whole body tense, not wanting to confirm what I was thinking, I knelt slowly beside the alien, afraid to touch him.

A gurgling gasp came from him, shuddering his body. "Garrus!" I exclaimed, putting my hand to his shoulder.

The alien's hands feebly palmed the sniper rifle, trying to pick it up, then collapsed again. He rolled over and my stomach curled: half his face had been blown off. His breathing was uneven and wet, his movements jerky and weak.

I put a hand to his head, feeling the rough scaly skin beneath my gloves. "We're getting you out of here Garrus. Just hold on."

His hand came up and cupped my elbow, the grip light and unsteady. I grabbed his hand in mine as I ordered, "Radio Joker, make sure they're ready for us."

"We'd better hurry." Jacob's voice sounded grim. "He looks bad."

"Come on, stay with me buddy," I whispered, stroking his head as Miranda radioed the Normandy. "I can't lose the only friend I have left. Don't leave me alone again."

Garrus choked in a breath, shuddering, and something in me broke. "JOKER, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" Garrus continued to spasm in my arms and the only thing I knew to do was hold him, praying to whatever God or gods were in the universe to help him.