Ok, here's the first real chapter. Sorry to keep you guys waiting! Enjoy!
18 years later
Gun shots could be heard in the Spectre Area of the Citadel.
"C'mon Becca! You shoot better then that!" Shepard encouraged Rebecca who threw down her pistol, leaned against her crutch and exhaled.
"I'm out of it today, Shepard, I give up," Becca sighed. She adjusted one of her leg braces over her pants, grabbed her other crutch, brushed a strand of brown hair away from her blue eyes, and started out of the shooting range.
"Whoa, Becca hold up a sec. You ok kid?" Shepard asked and Becca shook her head.
"No, Shepard, I'm not. I can't do any of this shooting stuff, I'm not cut out to be a soldier, my legs decided that fate long ago," Becca said and Shepard patted her back.
"Go up to the Commons, Joker's up there with EDI," Shepard said and Becca nodded before heading off.
She headed out and to the elevator, pressing a few buttons and the elevator started down for the Commons. Soon as she arrived, Becca looked around for Joker and spotted him sitting on a bench. She headed over and sat down next to him.
"Becca! I was just thinking about you kid. How was shooting with Uncle Shepard?" Joker laughed.
"Terrible...I can't aim today. I'm not cut out to be a soldier," Becca said and she laid her head on his shoulder. Joker wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her gently, rubbing her arm.
"Don't let it get to you, I had the problem at one point too. You just need to figure out what it is you're good at. Took me a while to find what I could do and became the best damn helmsman in the Alliance fleet. You're parents were colonist, so not much can be taken out of that, you certainly aren't made for soldier life. Man that's a story."
"Right...you've told me the story, doesn't hurt to hear it again." Joker smiled at Becca.
"Being colonists they weren't military. When your parents learned that you had Vrolik's Syndrome, they knew about the last one born with it. Me. So bing bang boom, they got a hold of Shepard and told him that they wanted you to be involved with me because our cases are pretty much the same, pretty sever. We couldn't wait until you were born, your parents were great, they were happy to have their first kid, but things didn't go so well. Your mom didn't make it through the birth, few weeks later after being home with your dad, the colony was raided and I got the Normandy there as quick as she could fly and just about shoved Shepard into the shuttle to save you and anybody else that survived. Soon as you were on the Normandy I took care of you with the help of Dr. Chakwas considering I can't walk right. I'm pretty much your dad, the Normandy crew is your family, and we love you for who you are." Becca sighed and looked up at EDI who stood close by.
"Eighteen years and EDI still scares me," Becca said and she grabbed her crutches and stood up. "Can you lend me some credits for food?" Joker smirked and shook his head. "Please? Please Daddy?" Becca teased and laughed.
"Alright alright, but you know the drill," Joker said and used his Omni tool and transferred one hundred credits to Becca's account. She smiled and kissed Joker's cheek before going off to the food area and bought a regular old cheeseburger and a hamburger, real ones. She stared at the two plates and sighed, moving one of the burgers onto a single plate when Joker came up behind her and took the plate before Becca had to figure out how to move it.
"Thanks," she said and they gimped over to a table and sat down.
"Hey, I don't like seeing my girl struggle," Joker said and he ruffled her hair before biting into the burger and moaning at the taste.
"Did you just...?" Becca laughed as Joker waved her off.
"I kick you in the shin if you don't keep your mouth shut." Joker pointed at Becca before taking another bite. She laughed again.
"You'd break your foot in the process Joker!"
"Yeah yeah, we don't win either way. You know, growing up around me, you're snarky kid, I like that."
"I don't know if two jokers is good or bad." They looked up at Shepard with his arms crossed.
"Well look who it is, the hardass," Becca said.
"Very funny, how we doing Becca?" Shepard asked and she shrugged.
"Ok I guess, could be better though."
"Hey, why don't we head over to the apartment, play a few films, hang out for a bit, you and me kiddo," Joker said and Becca smirked.
"Yeah, why not? Wouldn't hurt to get off the ship for a while," Becca said. They finished their food, chatting with the Commander for a while before heading over to a beautiful apartment complex. It was very spacious and perfect for all of Shepard's allies if they were there.
"Pretty cool huh?" Joker asked. Becca looked around with amazement. She couldn't believe how big it was.
"This is unbelievable. I thought apartments were all of a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and small living room. How many bedrooms are there?" Becca asked.
"More than you think. Its easy to get lost in here. Here." He led her to the kitchen and pulled out a can of soda and led her back to the living room, setting it down on the coffee table and heading back to the kitchen. Becca looked around a bit before sitting down and grabbing the soda. It was a clear soda, which is all she drank. She opened the can and drank a mouthful before setting it down and looking around. Joker came back, sitting down next to her and setting a bottle of beer on the table.
"Really?" Becca asked.
"What? I need it after all the crap that's been going on," Joker said.
"What crap?"
"Ah don't worry about it, just an issue with some slavers."
"Is there something you're not telling me?" Joker sighed.
"They're the same ones that killed your dad eighteen years ago."
"Damn..." Becca exhaled and laid her head back. "Great, so what you trying to find the leader and kill him?"
"Yeah pretty much. Becca I want his life to end, he's after everyone who's part of that colony. He probably didn't know about you, but he will soon enough. Its just the matter of keeping you safe from him." Becca curled into Joker's side and he wrapped an arm around her. "You'll be ok kid, you're tough. You've been fighting against Vrolik's Syndrome for a long time, even if medicine today can't cure it. Eighteen years and they still can't cure it, who the hell knows." He stood back up and started a film, Becca smiling when it started.
Halfway through the film, Becca had gotten her feet up on the couch and was leaning against Joker, only to fall asleep on him. Joker looked down at her sleeping face, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
His thoughts ran through the past eighteen years, remembering when Becca was born. Her leg braces, her first steps, meeting the different alien races Shepard allied with over the few years he had been the Commander of the Normandy. Her first round at the shooting range with Shepard.
She's cute I'll give her that.
These'll help you walk, you won't have to worry too much about breaking a bone.
You got this kid, I'm right here to catch you if you fall.
Wrex and Grunt are Krogan. Liara and Samara are Asari, Tali is a Quarian, Kolyet is a Drell, Garrus is a Turian, and you can't forget your friendly Salarians.
Way to go Becca, you handle that pistol really well.
Joker's thoughts were interrupted when his comm beeped and he tapped it.
"How's Becca doing?" Shepard asked.
"Sleeping," Joker whispered.
"I take it she isn't aware her birthday is coming up in a few days?"
"Not a clue, she's so distracted by everything else, she's turning nineteen and I haven't had to worry about any teenage boys in those many years."
"Right, like any teenage boy would hurt her when her adoptive family is the Normandy crew and her Uncle is the Commander Shepard," Liara chimed in. Joker had forgotten Shepard called up his friends for Becca's party. They had been playing it off as "official Alliance business."
"Hey Liara, so who's keeping her busy the next few days?" Joker asked.
"We all are, Garrus wants to take her shooting," Shepard said. "Same place he took me before we fought the Reapers."
"What he's gonna throw cans and have her shoot a two handed gun with one hand?"
"Actually, she's getting her new braces early," Garrus pipped up.
"Oh come on Garrus! That's the special gift from me to her since I practically raised her these eighteen, almost nineteen years," Joker whispered harshly.
"Fine fine, it'll still be fun though, I know she's not meant to be a soldier, but I know she misses Uncle Garrus." Joker held back a laugh, trying to not wake Becca. All of Shepard's friends had fallen for Becca since they met her, which had been for her tenth birthday. Hearing so much about the girl with Vrolik's Syndrome and being adopted by someone who knew the pain, they just had to.
"You taking her when she wakes up Garrus?"
"I guess I could take a few minutes from calibrations to spend some time with her." Garrus chuckled and Joker simply smiled. He looked down when Becca shifted.
"Kid's waking up, I'll get back to you guys in a bit." Joker pulled his hand off his ear and smiled at Becca as her eyes fluttered open. "Have a nice nap?" Becca smiled.
"Yeah, sorry, Joker," she mumbled and stretched her arms up. She inhaled sharply and Joker's breath caught when they heard something pop. "Shit that was my elbow."
"Careful kid." Becca lowered her arms carefully and took a minute to straighten and bend her arm a few times.
"Ok, its fine, phew."
"Wouldn't want to keep you from spending the rest of the day with Garrus now would you?" Becca beamed.
"Seriously? Yes! I missed him."
"Then let's go." Joker stood, helped Becca up, and they headed out to the dock the Normandy was on. Becca and Joker stepped out of the elevator and Garrus' face lit up when he saw her.
"There she is!" Garrus said and hugged Becca around her shoulders. "Man, you really fit now, absolutely beautiful."
"Garrus," Joker warned.
"I'm just saying, there's a huge age difference, Daddy Joker, and you know I have a son," Garrus noted.
"Right, what was his name again? Serlus?"
"Oh I remember him, he was at my tenth wasn't he?" Becca asked.
"Yes, he was," Garrus confirmed.
"Alright, have fun," Joker smirked and patted Becca's shoulder before limping off to the ship. Becca and Garrus watched him walk off before Garrus opened the car door for Becca.
"How much do you remember about Serlus?" Garrus asked and Becca shrugged as he helped her in, throwing her crutches into the back seat.
"I know he busted my knee cause he wasn't able to blow the candles out," Becca snorted.
"Right, I remember that. Still have the scar?"
"Hell yeah I do." Becca pulled her left leg brace off carefully and rolled her pants leg up, revealing the very pale scar tissue on her knee.
"Damn, any new ones?"
"Yeah there's this one on my calf." Becca ran her finger over the said scar, shaped a lot like a seven.
"Could get that inked and have the N7 on your calf." Garrus chuckled and Becca laughed.
"Joker would kill me!"
"You should still get it though, turn a scar into ink, I had my stuff replaced." Garrus ran a talon over the blue paint on his face over scars.
"Right, you should tell me that story again, how you got the scar, your adventures as Archangel." Garrus chuckled.
"Alright, on the way." He started the car and they headed out over the Citadel.
Yes Garrus has a son. Let's just say his "mate" won't make any appearances, you'll know why soon. Please review! I'll post as I finish. See you guys next time.
