Short fic about Shepard waking up at the Cerberus facility in the beginning of ME2
Shepard slowly opened her eyes and was met by an overwhelming headache. The woman's eyes scanned the sealing as she tried to remember what had happened. It didn't take to long before flashes of the past rushed forth; Reapers, Joker, the Normandy, her death. Thats right, she died. So this was the afterlife, the so called Paradise? To tell the truth, she had never been the believing sort...
"Wake up commander" A female voice interrupted her thoughts.
Commander... Just great! So even in the "Paradise" I am going to fight? Shepard sighed.
"Shepard, do you hear me? Get down from that bed now! This facility is under attack" the voice commanded.
Great!
She opened her eyes once again and the woman voice continued:
"Shepard, your scars aren't healed, but I need you to get moving. This facility is under attack"
I heard you the first time! With yet another sigh Shepard sat up on the bed, feeling a severe pain in her ribs. Her mouth was dry, and when she first tried to speak she only coughed. Finally, Shepard got her vocal cords to work her will.
"Where am I?" I sound husky.
"We don't have time for this now commander. I'll explain later. There is a pistol in the locker on the other side of the room. Hurry!"
So, this someone had time enough to say that but not enough time to tell me where the hell I am?! Figures...
Shepard jumped of the bed and at first her legs protester at the weight of her own body.
Why do I feel so weak?
She shook her head and went to grab the pistol.
The Illusive man drew a last smoke from his cigarret before butting it out, after that he looked back at Shepard.
"I found a pilot I think you might like. I hear he's one of the best. Someone you can trust"
"I'll never trust Cerberus, and never a man like you 'Illusive man', even if you are the one that brought me back. But human colonies are being abducted. I guess I'll have to play by your rules for now."
Before the man ended the holo-call, she could see that he was smilig. Not a usual 'I'm happy' smile but more a 'hope-you-like-my-present' evil type of smile.
"And by the way; the only pilot I trust is Joker" She said, talking to herself.
"Hey Commander. Just like old times, huh?" Shepard heard a familiar voice from behind her. Could it be...? She spun around. And there he stood; the pilot of the Normandy, the one and only Jeff "Joker" Moreau.
"Joker!" The woman half walked, half ran towards Jeff and gave him a big hug.
"Hey! Watch out! You're going to crack a bone... or two, or three..." the man protested, but hugged her back.
"I can't believe it's you" Shepard finally let go of him, smiling from ear to ear. She had completely forgotten the 'friendly' chat with the Illusive man. At least for now. Joker chuckled, started to limp up the stairs and signed for his Commander to follow, which she did.
"Look who's talking. I saw you get spaced" the pilot said when they reached an empty hallway. "Sorry bout' that"
"No worries, Joker. And well...I guess i got lucky, with a lot of strings attached. How'd you get here?" She asked. It had been two years since the reapers attacked the Normandy. Two years since she took a last breath of air before she had driven off in space and suffocated. It's hard to imagine. I've been dead, but now I'm back... That shouldn't even be possible...
Shepard knew that two years was a long enough time for things to change dramatically. But Joker joining Cerberus? That was something she hadn't anticipated. It was a good thing though. She needed someone she could trust.
"It all fell apart without you, Commander. Everything you stirred up, the Council just wanted it gone. Team was broken up, records sealed, and I was grounded. The Alliance took away the only thing that mattered to me. Hell yeah I joined Cerberus." Joker had stopped at one of the big windows. They grounded him?!Hah! The Alliance lost their best pilot for that...
"You really trust the Illusive man?"
Jeff turned his head towards the Commander with a big grin pasted on his face.
"I don't trust anyone who makes more than I do. But they aren't all bad. Saved you, let me fly..." He paused and looked out through the window again "and there is this. They only told me last night."
Suddenly the lights in the hangar flashed and lit up a big ship.
It can't bee... But many unlikely things had happened these past days... Hell, she was back from the dead, so all this shouldn't really be such big surprises. Shepard looked at Joker, who was still smiling.
"It's good to be home, huh, Commander?" The pilot sounded like a little kid at christmas, opening his christmas presents. She couldn't help but smile too.
"I guess we'll have to give her a name" Shepard crossed her arms, satisfied by the looks of the new Normandy SR2.