Okay,this is the first chapter of my story As the Hearse Goes Driving By.

This takes place in Mass Effect 2, stuck somewhere after(on my play throughs at least)you have everyone, but long before you go claim the Reaper IFF.

There is a OC,don't worry not a Mary Sue, and some AU to this story.

This is what the game would've been like, if I made it

On that note

BIOWARE OWNS MASS EFFECT 2 AND ALL CHARACTERS, I OWN ONLY MY MIND AND MY OC.

Enjoy.

11 years ago,New York City

New York City is a slum home. It's rock bottom, the last stop before hell, it's a place where if you walk down the wrong street, make a wrong turn, or say the wrong thing you will disappear and no one will question it. New york city has a will of it own, and it's people have no choice to follow.

You mind your own and nothing will happen. Maybe that's why no one questions when one, two, six children disappear. They were orphans, street rats, the lowest of the low.

Maybe that's why no one questions when one, two, five little bodies are found...six children...five bodies...and no questions.

11 years ago, unknown location.

Why hasn't the Man and Lady in White come today?

A steady dripping sound echos off of white walls. Shadows darted up same walls.

Did I do something bad?

Small feet pad quietly through large puddles,small hands touch white walls. Both come away stained and sticky red.

Is the man with the black hat coming for me? Like he did for the others?

Small hands grasp a door knob, opening to an office. The terminal lay on the ground, blinking in a steady pace. Reminding the owner of a message they'll never read.

Did they leave me? Am I...alone?

Small eyes trace over words on the flat screen, recalling lessons that the Lady in White gave her.

"Ter-mi-nate" A small voice stutters, causing the little body to jump.

Oh...that was my voice

The little body turns from the terminal, eyes catching on a symbol painted on the walls. The same on the Man and Lady in White's clothing. Under the symbol is a word.

"Cer-ber-us"

Little hands lift to a little mouth. A little tongue licks little fingers clean of sticky red on them. A little figure hides in a little shadow.

What a sad little thing

Present Day, SS-RI Normandy, Captain's Quarters.

John Shepard slumped tiredly into his chair,he hated dealing the TIM, more than he hated Udina sometimes. Rubbing his eyes he stared at the data pad Kelly had handed him. A request from Cerberus, to clean up a mistake they had made in the past.

"Project V." John read aloud, snorting softly. "Yeah,that sounds like a bad idea right from the get-go"

The data pad help little information. Just picture of a girl, and some history. Raised in a test facility until a termination order was sent. Only survivor due to the doctors having hid her away. Locations on how to find her, and the order of what to do with her.

"Seems like a smart girl, living eleven years on the run."John murmured softly, eyes looking at the picture. "EDI, any information on this project?"

EDI's blue orb of a face popped up in her little corner. "Project V was a tested run to see if Cerberus could create a self-sustaining soldier. When test subjects started to die, the project was canceled."

"Self-sustaining soldier? What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid that information is blocked Shepard"

"Isn't it always."

John sighed tiredly. This was Jack all over again. Only this time, a murder order instead of a recruitment.

"Well, let's go then. Tell Joker to set a course for Omega."

"Of course Shepard,logging you out."

John placed the data pad on his desk,standing and stretching. It would take 37 hours to reach Omega,with two Mass Relay jumps. Enough time to sleep. Looking at the picture one last time he sighed again, this time in sadness.

The picture was of a small girl, 18 in age by the look of her. Bright red ribbon curls for hair, pale spacer skin, and a frowning mouth,all set against the backdrop of Omega's Afterlife. What caught John's eyes though were hers. Darkened green, peering out from under black lashes.

Such sad eyes.

So, what do we think? I know not very long, but the story in and of itself is gonna be a long story, and I like short chapters when I write.

okay, leave a review if you'd like(they do tend to make me write more and faster*winkwink*)aand if you see a problem messgae me about it. This story is unbeta'd.