A/N: Hi! Welcome to Shades of Red. This story was inspired by a song that came on while I was running one day. Specifically, these lyrics:

I've seen my family fade away, you've taken my whole life

There's nothing left to say

Sitting in silence with heaven above me I prayed every night by their graves

While I search for closure I feel it no longer

I can't turn my cheek away

I stand before you; I'll sin when I have to

But now I leave your side, to avenge my family's pride

~from Strength of the World, by Avenged Sevenfold

So, initially, I started thinking about Shepard. What if a Shepard with the colonist background couldn't get over what happened to their family, and decided that it was their personal mission to hunt down the people responsible? But the more I developed Carmine, the more I realized that she wasn't Shepard. The Alliance wasn't the path she would have taken.

So that's when I decided that she was going to be a completely original character. This takes place in the Mass Effect universe, sticks at least close to canon, happens during the same timeframe, and Shepard is in it. He just won't be the main character.

All right. I've babbled enough. Time to start the story. Please let me know what you think. I love getting feedback in all forms. I will hopefully be posting at least once a week, possibly more, depending on real life. :)

A HUGE thank you to Jules Hawk for beta reading this for me. She is amazing, and I can't say that enough.

BioWare owns all. Well, except Carmine and Ellis. I am 100% responsible for those two, for better or worse.


Anna Vaughan knew something was up when her sixteen-year-old daughter came straight home from school and immediately started cleaning her room. She'd been asking Carmine to take care of it all week, and she'd kept putting it off as usual.

She knew the something was big when Carmine cleared the table and started on the dishes immediately after supper, without being prompted by either of her parents. Anna only shrugged when her husband, Elias, raised his brow at her in question. Whatever it was that Carmine wanted, it would come out eventually.

And it did, right before bed that night. She and Elias were sitting in bed, reading and grading papers.

"Mom, Dad, can I ask you a question?"

Anna looked up from her papers and said, "I was wondering when you would get around to it."

"Huh?"

Elias laughed as he put down his book. "You've been ever so helpful, and very much not yourself, all night. Do you really think that we didn't realize that you wanted something?"

"Um...how do I answer that?"

Sighing, Anna said, "Just tell us what you want, Carmine."

Her daughter shifted nervously back and forth a few times before finally spitting it out.

"Lee has invited Ellis and I to go camping with him this weekend at Vernon Park. We would leave after school on Friday, and be back on Sunday afternoon. I was wondering if it would be okay?"

Elias frowned. "That's funny. I thought Robert said that he was leaving for Earth on Saturday night. Something about his mother having a medical procedure of some sort he wanted to be there for."

Anna looked at her daughter, who quickly lowered her eyes to the floor before mumbling, "Lee's parents aren't coming. It would just be us three."

Sharing a look with her husband, Anna answered, "Carmine, your father and I will need to discuss this. We'll let you know in the morning, okay?"

"Okay. Night."

She and Elias both bid their daughter a good night and then turned towards each other. It was Anna who spoke first.

"So, what do you think?"

"I don't know, love. I think, for the most part, they are good kids. But...sometimes…"

"When the three of them get together, they find trouble in every way possible?"

"Exactly."

"Yeah. If it was just for the day, or if they wouldn't be going so far….maybe I'd feel differently."

"I think we have to say no to this one."

"And isn't it convenient that you have an early meeting tomorrow, and I have to be the one to break it to her?"

Her husband leaned over and gave her a quick kiss before leaning back with a grin.

"Very."


"Oh, but please Mom! I'll do anything. I'll keep my room clean, and I'll do the dishes without complaining. And I'll...um...I don't know what else. But I'll think of something."

Carmine didn't like the amused look her mom gave her before replying.

"You do realize that those are things you should be doing anyway?" She shook her head. "Regardless, we just don't think it's a good idea right now. Vernon Park is too far out of town, and I don't like the idea of there being no adult supervision."

"We're almost adults. I mean, El will be an adult next month! We'll be responsible, I promise."

"I'm sorry, Carmine, but our answer is final. Your dad did say that if you guys want, he'll take you as soon as school lets out for the summer."

"Fine."

Sighing heavily, Carmine picked up her cereal bowl and dumped it in the sink. She refused to even look at her mother as she gathered her books and made her way towards the front door. Not stopping until she reached the end of the block, she pulled up her omni-tool and sent a quick message.

To: Lee Shepard

CC: Ellis Wade

From: Carmine Vaughan

Subj: Camping

We'll need to come up with another plan. Parents are lame. Meet at the usual place?

~Carmine


Carmine walked around the back of the maintenance shed and was surprised to find Lee already waiting for her. She was usually the first person there since she lived the closest. Both the Wade and Shepard families lived on farms on the outskirts of town.

"What are you doing here so early?"

"Cam had to be to school early for some club meeting. So I dropped him off and decided to just come here right away. I knew you wouldn't be much longer. You were already on your way when you sent the message."

"How'd you know that?"

He grinned. "Because I know you, Carmine, and you have a temper. The minute your parents said no, you grabbed your stuff and stomped out of the house. You probably didn't stop until you were a block away."

"That's kind of scary, Shep."

Lee's grin disappeared as he mumbled, "Yeah, well. If only Ellis was as easy to read."

Carmine had to fight back a laugh. She was probably a horrible friend. She knew that Lee had a crush on Ellis, but she also knew that Ellis had a crush on Lee. A good friend would probably help clear the air, and not let either of them suffer anymore. But it was just so much fun keeping the secret to herself and watch them dance clumsily around each other.

To be fair to herself, she had hoped that this weekend of camping would help push them towards finally figuring it all out. That's why she had come up with the idea. She'd sold them on the idea by reminding them both that Ellis was a senior this year, and he'd be heading off to college soon. They had both readily agreed that it was a good plan, and she'd been looking forward to it. Until her parents decided to be a huge pain in her butt.

As if reading her mind, Lee said, "So...you think there is any way you can change their mind?"

She shrugged. "Well, my mom and Mrs. Wade are best friends. Maybe El can convince his mom to talk my mom into it."

"Not likely." They both turned as Ellis walked around the corner, hands in his pockets and shoulders slumped. "My parents said no, too. Probably for different reasons, but still. I guess it looks like a no go."

Carmine felt what little hope she had disappear.

Lee, however, didn't seem phased in the slightest as he said, "Well, we just need to find a way to make it happen anyways."

Carmine grinned at him. "See, this is why I love you, Shep."

"Yeah, but what exactly are you suggesting, Lee? Both my parents and Car's parents said no."

Rolling her eyes, Carmine turned towards Ellis. "When has that ever stopped us before?"

"Never, but this is a little different than sneaking out for a party. They're going to notice when we're gone for an entire weekend."

"Yeah, but by then we'll be so deep in the woods, they'll never find us. Yes, we'll probably be grounded, but it will be so worth it." She elbowed him. "Just the three of us? Alone in the woods?"

She waggled her eyebrows at him, and was rewarded with a deep blush as he looked towards Lee and then quickly back to her.

"Fine. What's the plan?"