Next Morning
The day has finally arrived. Traffic between the Presidium and the Wards is restricted to a few traffic lanes connecting the wards, but all traffic to the Presidium is closed for the parade which starts at 0900. The parade is being broadcast to every planet in the galaxy. There are cameras posted in as many spaces along the parade route as they were allowed by C-Sec. Most of those broadcasting are doing so from some place along the Presidium, except for one broadcasting team from Omega that is set up in the junction between the Presidium and Bachjret Ward.
While the galaxy is excited to see the parade, to see the galaxy's greatest heroes. Those involved with the parade are happy, but the excitement wore off once the younger kids realized they were waiting for everyone to eat the provided breakfast and there's a provided lunch at the end of the route. The Citadel Council spared no expense. They paid for everyone's room and meals before and after the parade, plus the formal gathering for dinner at LuLu's MooMoo then the rest of the night there's a party at LuLu's MooMoo Lounge upstairs from the restaurant. Sunday is a family-friendly barbecue picnic at Torus Recreation Park in the Zakera Ward.
Jeff 'Joker' Moreau, the Normandy's pilot nods in contentment about being in the first vehicle of the Normandy caravan of vehicles. "I'm still a rock star!" shouts the pilot as he gets into the truck for the Normandy's crew who was serving under the late Admiral David Anderson before the retired General Shepard took command of the vessel when she was made a Spectre.
"Papa, he's weird," says Sabrina. Her left arm is pointing at Joker as she looks up at Kaidan.
The retired Spectre picks his daughter up, "You don't know the half of it." A smooch hits the youth's cheek as he helps her into the vehicle.
Steve adds, "I think everyone on the Normandy is weird in their own special way. Even your Papa and I."
Kaja joins in saying as she points her thumb over her at Gaia, who is standing behind her, "That one is very weird."
Liara is about to say something to her oldest when a turian female with a datapad in her hand starts telling everyone to get inside their assigned vehicle because the front cars and floats are starting in five minutes. All the parents help their children into their seats and most want to sit by the edge so they can see the crowds.
Gaia is standing in her seat looking over the edge to see the crowd. The youth waves feverishly at the crowd as their vehicle starts moving. "This is great!"
Leia whispers to Liara, "Let Gaia be. This is something they probably won't experience again, so let her enjoy it. Besides the Council won't spend the money on this type event again. I don't plan on being in anymore parades. Do you?" The retired officer places her hand on her middle child's shoulder to get her to calm down, which Gaia does, but she keeps smiling and waving to the crowd.
Liara wraps her arm around her loves waist and says softly, "No, I don't. " as she smiles and waves at the crowd.
The crowd cheers louder when they get told the Normandy crew is coming by. The crowd is loud for the first vehicle which contains the original Normandy crew from Eden Prime. But the crowd gets as loud when the parade's grand marshal, the Prothean, Javik is announced.
Shepard and Joker start laughing when the route takes a left turn through a tunnel, Grunt's yelling echoes through the tunnel and is crystal clear from four cars away, "I AM KROGAN!" He's as animated as he is loud. The krogan in the crowd hear Grunt's yell and start yelling for the krogan in the parade.
Samara is in the same car as Grunt. The justicar can't keep herself from smiling at the krogan's excitement. "It's good, to see you like this, Urdnot Grunt."
"Yea, yea," replies Grunt before he starts laughing and waving at the crowd.
Jacob Taylor's twelve-year-old daughter, Susan, moves closer to her dad after Grunt's outburst. This is her first time around any krogan and it's her bad luck the one she's stuck with for three hours is very big and very loud. She keeps waving, but is rapidly getting bored and wishes she was some place else. Jacob's oldest, Shep, is enjoying every minute of the activities so far. He can't say he's excited about being one of the adults watching the kids while the adults get an adult party tonight. He points to the big screen, "Hey, Susan, look! We're on the big screen!"
Seeing herself on the big screen brings Susan out of her boredom. She fist-pumps, "Yes! Sam owes me ten credits!"
Jacob and his wife, Dr. Brynn Taylor snap their heads at their daughter with Brynn asking, "Why does Sam owe you ten credits?" Neither parent looks pleased with Susan.
Nerves kick in when Susan sees the look on her parent's faces. Neither one is happy she's betting with her friends from school. "Because Sam didn't believe me I was in the parade and he's said he'd give me ten credits if he saw me in the parade. So, I took him up on it."
Jacob's only reply is, "We'll talk about this later, young lady." His tone screams disapproval.
'I'm sorry," replies the pre-teen before she turns her attention back to those cheering as their vehicle slowly moves around the Presidium.
James Vega along with Samantha Traynor, her wife Abigail, and their six-year-old son, Trenton are in the last vehicle. Behind them is a small procession of C-Sec vehicles setting off their sirens every few minutes. Trenton covers his ears every time he hears them. Vega waves while complaining to Samantha. "Without us, the war doesn't get won. Am I right, Traynor or am I right?"
Samantha sighs as she smiles and keeps waving to the crowd. "I don't know about that, Vega."
"Oh come on. Without your help, we don't find Cerberus' Base or the Catalyst. Admit Traynor. You're the reason we won the war," teases Vega.
Trenton's dark brown-eyes grow big. "Is that true, mommy?"
"I analyzed data, Vega. I passed the info on to Shepard and that's it. Yes, some of it did help with the war. But I won't say I won it. That's on Shepard and you know it," replies Samantha with annoyance in her voice. She gets her son's attention back at waving at the ground, not listening to Vega complain about being the last vehicle.
Vega puts his hands up while saying, "All I'm saying is, we don't deserve to be in the last car. I was on the ground, fighting along side Shepard. We should be in the car with her, not back here." Vega stops complaining when the C-Sec cars behind them turn their sirens on again.
Samantha moves to the seat next to Vega. She continues to wave at the crowd as she leans to whisper into the tattooed human's ear, "Look Vega. You know why we're in the last car. We were the last people to join Shepard's crew and we're both lucky to be a part of it. I was only there working on the retro fits. You were following Alenko's orders to get to the Normandy."
Sarah Campbell, one of the war room guards, has had enough of Vega's complaining and decides to voice her opinion after tiring of Vega's comments, "Stow it, Vega. I am surprised you have the cojones to show up after the chicken shit you pulled on Shanxi, Vega. And here I am stuck with you in this vehicle, you!" She puts her right forefinger in Vega's face.
Vega looks at Sarah's finger, then looks right to left to see everyone's expression and none of them look too pleased including Bethany Westmoreland's two children. Samantha and her family are facing the crowd, trying to enjoy the rest of the parade. He knows Campbell is right. It did take a lot of cojones to show his face after what he did on Shanxi. Vega does the smart thing, he keeps his mouth shut, pretends to enjoy himself, and waves at the crowd. His plan all along was to talk to Shepard face-to-face, but after seeing how the few in the vehicle with him feels, he thinks it's best to just leave once the parade is over without talking to Shepard.
What were you thinking, Vega? You knew some would be pissed about Shanxi. And yet you bring your dumb ass to the parade anyway. Fuck, you knew Campbell was one of the supervising guards at Arcturus Station. I do want to talk to Shepard, hopefully I can find the words to express how sorry I am. Maybe this isn't the time for that. I don't know. The bulky, tattooed human glaces over to Campbell, she has her attention towards the crowd. Smile and wave, Vega, smile and wave. It will be over soon enough.
The second vehicle contains Wrex, Bakara, and their oldest son, Mordin. Tali and her family along with Garrus and his wife. Engineer Greg Adams and his date, Paula Walsh, round out the occupants. Paula shakes her head at the scene she sees in the car in front of hers. "What is that young asari doing? She's acting like this parade is for her?"
Urdnot Mordin says, "Oh. That's Gaia, she's weird like that."
Gaia T'Soni, the middle child, is waving, blowing kisses at the crowd and generally acting like the parade is for her and not her parents and those who served on the Normandy. The fourteen-year-old asari's face is lit up like a Christmas tree. If there's a happier person in the parade, you'd be hard press to find him or her.
Tali is the one person in the vehicle who has spent the most time around Shepard and her kids. Tali is the one who sees a young star in the making. Gaia is going to take the natural gifts bestowed to her by her parents and make a successful career as an actress, either on stage or on film. As much as she wants to stick up for Gaia, watching the aspiring young actress makes Tali giggle to herself. Gaia is acting like Gaia and to anyone who doesn't know her, she is acting weird. Tali admires her spirit and hopes she and Phin can provide a similar type of encouragement for their children. No matter what their interests are, Tali has sworn she won't do to her kids what her father did to her. Force them to fix her mistake, a mistake that almost cost their people everything.
Engineer Adams chuckles, "Well, she is entertaining. I bet she's a handful at home."
"She's not so bad. She will keep you on your toes though, but what kid won't do that?" replies Garrus. He's fully prepaid for parenthood and is actually looking forward to it.
Tali and Phin exchange glances before both look at their son. They both know Rael is a handful and their future child will add to it. Both are looking forward to it. The quarians have lifted the zero birth rate, but they've asked for couple to limit how many they have. Most feel two is a good number to have while they continue to rebuild Rannoch.
Mordin says as he points at the vehicle ahead of his, "She's weird. Look at her."
"This coming from a krogan who's named after a salarian. Talk about weird," retorts Garrus with a slight smirk on his face.
The young krogan spins to face the turian. He grumbles and glares at Garrus, but doesn't say anything after noticing the look on not only his mother's face, but also his father's. He'd rather have a name that fits who he is, a krogan. Not be named after the salarian, who did help cure the genophage. Still, he'd rather have a krogan name than a salarian. Hell, he'd rather be named Shepard or Shep. At least she's a fierce warrior and hero to his people. The young krogan shakes his head then turns back to the crowd so he doesn't say something that will get him into hot water with his parents. He wants badly to participate in the Armax Arena.
Bakara whispers to Wrex, he whispers back then smiles at his son. Wrex is proud of his son with Bakara. They both knew the name they gave him would cause him some grief and if that hasn't been the case. What they've accomplished the past two decades is nothing short of amazing. Rebuilding Tuchanka has been easier than expected, but it's getting the other clans to fully buy into Wrex's direction of not allowing for any type of aggression towards either the salarians or turians. They would not be free of the genophage without either one agreeing to it. And going after them will cause more pain and another genophage will be created, one that terminates the krogan because they can't be trusted.
The krogan need to change and Clan Urdnot is leading it. Wrex knows they wouldn't be moving forward without Bakara's help. She wouldn't have survived without the salaraian, Mordin Solus. While he wanted the name to be for a girl, but they had a boy instead and the name was meant for the first born. He doubts he'd used that name again for a male krogan. That was a time when Wrex gave Bakara everything she wanted. Including other females to mate with him. The older krogan shutters in his clothes a little thinking about those times when he needed more ice and not in his drink.
There are others making Wrex's job easier when it comes to working with the other races and not try for revenge for something their ancestors forced upon them by refusing to be cooperative centuries ago. The few who worked with the Alliance led mix-species strike teams learned the turians and salarians didn't resent them and were fully able to work together for a common goal. If they're able to work together in battle, they should be able to get along during peace. So far, it's been the case. Wrex hasn't exactly gotten his way with his krogan expansion plans, but they have been given back one planet they lost during the krogan rebellions.
Liara keeps glances at her middle daughter, she desperately wants to tell her to tone her enthusiasm down, but every time she's about to say something, Shepard shakes her head and mouths. Leave her be. Liara shakes her head when she sees Gaia bouncing. "Goddess."
The young asari's antics aren't going unnoticed by the Normandy's pilot, Jeff 'Joker' Moreau. "Look who's bouncing. I do wonder where she gets it from?" teases Joker as he looks at Gaia then at her mother, Liara T'Soni.
Shepard says in a tone most in the car hasn't heard in years, "Gaia, stop it now. Wave and smile. No blowing kisses or bouncing up and down." Gaia does at instructed, but she's not a happy kid for the moment. Her mood picks up when Leia leans down to place a soft peck on Gaia's cheek then whispers, "Thank you."
Liara cocks her head to the left, "What ever do you mean, Jeff?"
"You were bouncing when you and Shepard found Javik and brought him aboard the Normandy," replies Joker.
The elder asari shakes her head as she's trying hard to remember if she was actually bouncing or not. She's not remembering her bouncing like her daughter is today. "I was not...bouncing."
Steve makes a noise in disagreement with Liara's stance. He's remembering an asari with a different beat to her step when they got on the shuttle and she wasn't injured to cause the change in her step. She did seem very excited about the prothean joining the crew. "Hmm. I don't know about that. I think I saw a hint of bouncing when you got on the shuttle."
"See, shuttle pilot saw it too." Joker is grinning from ear to ear.
Liara turns to her love, "Shepard?"
The first human Spectre is having a hard time keeping a straight face. She remembers the conversation she had with Joker after talking to both Javik and then Liara in her quarters. Her excitement that day is very close to what Gaia is showing today. Putting her thumb and left forefinger in front of her face about an inch apart, Leia says softly, "Just a little."
Was there a bounce to my step? I don't remember walking any differently. Well, maybe. I was excited about finding Javik. Liara brings her right hand up to her forehead thinking. All the adults are looking, watching, waiting on the asari response. Including Dr. Chakwas, who has remained quiet, but agrees with everyone, Liara had a bounce to her step after they found Javik. The kids glance at the adults from time to time, except for Gaia, she's focused solely on the crowd. Liara's ignoring them so she can think about the day they found Javik still in his stasis pod. She glances over to her love. She still has that smirk. One, I normally love seeing, but not right now. Whew, I'm in luck we're at the end.
Travis nudges his sister to his left and Kaja to his right, "Look, look we're close to the end. Good, I'm hungry."
"Me too. I hope they have pizza for us. For some werid reason, I want pizza," replies Kaja.
Travis' face lights up at the thought of having pizza. He loves pizza, pepperoni with double cheese. Two kinds of cheese if the place carries it. "Yeeeaaaa, pizza sound great." He turns his head to his left, looks at his parents. "Think they'll have pizza for us?"
"Pizza! Pizza!" says Sabrina while bouncing a little and rubbing her hands together.
Kaidan replies to the kids, "I don't know. Shepard, Liara either of you know what type of food they have for us?"
And just like that, the topic changes and Liara's slight embarrassment dissipates quickly. "All I know is one restaurant has recently opened and they're using this as a chance to advertise," answers Liara.
Joker's next poke about the war is directed at Shepard. "As long as there no sushi and a fish tank, I think we'll be okay."
Shepard jabs back, "If so, I can always use you as the bait again," then winks at her former pilot.
Dr. Karin Chakwas can't help but enjoy herself while being around the old crew. They went through hell and back more than once and yet can still laugh and joke about what happened two decades later. She hasn't said much during the parade, but she has enjoyed every moment of it. From the crew teasing each other to Gaia's antics to Olivia falling asleep in a seat. Even the way Kaidan and Steve's kids act is fun for the doctor. While her greatest honor was serving with Shepard, her greatest pleasure is watching the crew's children grow up.
Chakwas sees Shepard's children the most, but a few times a year, someone is staying for a visit. Usually it's Kaidan and Steve or Tali, but she suspects she'll see Garrus' kids from time to time. Smiling as she watches Shepard wrap her arms around her youngest daughter to put the toddler up and places Liv next to her left shoulder, "I'm surprised she's been asleep for about an hour."
A waking asari asks, "Done?"
"Yup, all done." Leia smooches her daughter's cheek. She hands Liv over to Liara before she exits the vehicle.
One by one the vehicles drop the passengers off at the parade's end point. C-Sec funnels everyone through a maze of cars and barricades until they reach the area setup with six different types of food not including dextro-acid based food for the turians and quarians. Which they also have six different types of food to choose from. The food is for the Normandy crew, but also for C-Sec. To the kid's surprise the pizza is provided by the new restaurant Liara mentioned, Chef Mario's Thessian Pizzeria.
Chef Mario has created an unique pizzeria by using ingredients from Thessia in human recipes. Chef Mario has recently moved to the Citadel from Thessia where he's lived with his arari wife for the past five years. The restaurant has been open for less then two months and Mario hopes this events helps his sales. "Here we go everyone. Another wave of people who look very hungry headed our way," says Chef Mario to his staff working the parade.
With the abundance and variety of food for everyone involved in the parade, human and non-human alike, most are sampling a little of everything their species can eat with many eating more than they should with another free meal being provided at 1900. So far, everyone is getting along including the children. Which surprises some parents, but they expect their son or daughter to act up while being under guardian supervision. The guardians are volunteers like Hannah Shepard, Shala'Raan, and Kolyat Krios.
There's games for the kids to play both video and GUI board/card games. The hotel's conference rooms have been transformed into the children's playland with one room being a place for the kids to sleep until their parents pick them up. The hotel has asked for the children to be picked up and in their rooms by 0300 at the latest so the hotel's staff can turn those rooms into a breakfast buffet for the guests in the morning. Which might be a problem for some.
Shepard overhears Westmoreland and Campbell talking about the nerve of Vega to show up for the parade. "Take the girls to the hotel, Liara. I'm going to investigate something. I won't be long."
Kaja gives her father a disappointing look, "Dad?"
"Come on, Kaja. She'll be along shortly," orders Liara. She heard what the marines said about Vega, which makes her want to find where he's living. It has to be on the Citadel or Earth. Any where else is too far to show up for a three-hour event then leave again without saying too much to anyone.
Sarah uses facial cues to inform Bethany Shepard is headed towards their table. The two marines are sitting at a table alone while their families sit at other tables near them. Shepard points to an empty chair, "Mind if I join you?"
Bethany scoots her chair over, giving Shepard room to join them. "Of course not, General. Something we can do for you, ma'am?"
A somber grin on her face, Shepard sits in the empty chair. She's curious on why they're talking about Vega. She's not seen him nor has anyone else mentioned him. "Yes, I thought I overheard you mentioning James Vega. Is he here?" Her blue eyes move from the left slowly moving right scanning the area, looking for a glimpse of the tattooed marine before making eye contact with Westmoreland.
"Was, ma'am. He left as quietly as he entered. Our car was the only ones to see him and then he bitched about being in the last car. He shouldn't even have been here today. He should still be rotting for what he did," answers the now Lieutenant Westmoreland.
Leia stand, places her right hand flat on the table, leaning towards Westmoreland, "That wasn't your decision to make, Bethany. Did you see which direction he went?" Shepard's tone is firm and even, but she's a tad annoyed at the attitude of someone who only watched the war room door and wasn't assigned to the Normandy, but was there watching, guarding Joker like James did for her. She did her job, but made comments which made Shepard think she wasn't fit to lead. The attitude she has today makes Shepard wonder how she was giving an officer's commission.
Bethany shakes her head, "No, ma'am. Once we got out of the vehicle, I paid attention to my children not Vega."
"Thank you. Enjoy the rest of the evening. Tonight should be fun. I hope you're both looking forward to it." The retired General pushes her chair under the table then heads to the hotel. She contacts Liara about looking for Vega while she's en route. Leia isn't surprised when Liara gives her the address for Vega's apartment in the lower wards. "Thanks Liara. I won't be long, but buzz my omni-tool in an hour just in case."
The car changes direction, heading towards Tayseri Lower Ward. The further away from the Presidium Ring the dirtier the ward becomes. The old human adage, shit rolls down hill, is alive and well in each ward's lower levels. "Jeez, James, living in this dump?" mutters Shepard to herself as she parks the skycar near Vega's apartment building.
"Arrrg, what are you looking at human," growls a batarian sitting on the ground near the building's entrance.
Leia ignores the batarian, enters the building, then starts looking at apartment numbers. Vega's on the fourth floor, so the human Specter takes the stairs to get a quick workout even if its four flights of steps. Sprinting up the steps, the red-haired human takes a few cleansing breathes to calm her heart rate before opening the door to the fourth floor east corridor hallway. Apartments 420 and 418 are across the hall from the stairs. 419 is to the door's left with 417 being to the right.
Between apartments 416 and 414 is a T-intersection with more apartments down a north hallway. Exiting 433 is Vega, Shepard picks up her step to meet him by his apartment door. Stopping right next to the bulky tattooed human, Leia says, "So, James, this is where you're living now days?"
Vega turns around with his fist clinched ready to punch someone if needed. "Holy shit, Shepard?! Wha...What are you doing here?" He lowers his right arm and relaxes his fist then opens the door to let Shepard inside. "Here come on inside."
"Damn James, ever clean this place?" asks Shepard when she sees counters full of empty beer bottles and pizza boxes. Trash is overflowing onto the floor with more beer bottle but also tequila bottles and lime peels. It's only an one room apartment. She hates to see what the bathroom looks like Everything else is disgusting. She's surprised she hasn't seen any bugs until a cockroach scurries between two to-go boxes on the kitchen counter.
"Sorry, Shepard. I wasn't expecting company." The former marine grabs a trash bag and cleans off the coffee table and a chair so Shepard can sit. "What can I do you? Have a seat."
Shepard is more disappointed in Vega living in a filthy apartment then she is about his actions five years ago. "I don't think so. I'm not sitting on any of this shit. First thing you can do, James, is tell me why you are you living in this filth? You're better than this!"
James looks away, unable to look Shepard in the eyes. "No, Shepard, I'm not. I could have ran back to Omega like I had before Anderson came and found me there to make me your keeper while under you were under house arrest."
Leia puts her right forefinger in James' face like she did the first time they were on the Normandy together and he was whining about leaving Earth, "Bullshit, Vega! I know you are better than this. You know it too. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, James. You're N7 for fucks sake's. I gave you that promotion because you deserved it."
"Shepard..."
"Now!" Leia flexes her left hand into a fist then relaxes debating if a good punch in the face will get him to see how he's living and it's not him. He's better than this and Leia isn't going to let him forget it.
The two former marines look at either other in an awkward silence. Vega breaks the silence. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I'm a fuck up..."
Shepard isn't having it and lands a roundhouse left against James' right jaw then point her right in his face. "I said stop it, Vega and I meant it. I get it, you feel like shit about what happen on Shanxi. But guess what James, you didn't flinch, you were by my side fighting to keep the spaceport safe. Yea, I got shot, but I'm still here. Liara and our kids are fine. You were put into a bad situation by Prisenscot and his actions pulled you in and you paid for that. Time for you to let it go. I have."
"And Doc?" asks James as he rubs his jaw with his left hand. It stings where Shepard punched him. It will probably leave a mark. He deserved the punch and he knows it. It's making him realize she isn't hold a grudge towards and still cares about him.
"She's fine, James, I promise. So, tell me why did you show up for the parade but don't bother to talk to me, Kaidan, or even Steve?" Her tone is still authoritative more so than she intended, but she can see it is getting through to her muscular friend. When she sees he's relaxed, her demeanor chances from commanding officer to friend. "Hit me with it, James. What's going on?"
Vega shakes his head, makes a noise before saying, "I went to talk to you. I was invited, but since I live here, I didn't feel like staying at the hotel. Then getting bitched at by Westmoreland made me think it was best for everyone if I wasn't around."
"Okay, that explains today, but what about this?" Leia points to the trash all over the apartment.
The bulky human flops down on a half full to-go container on the couch and a splat sound is heard when he puts his full weight on the container. Last night's Chinese. Shit, all over my only pair of clean pants. He rubs his right temple. "I don't know. About eight months ago or I got released from the brig and figured if I moved here no one would find me plus I found a job here on the Citadel. It doesn't pay much, but I have a place to crash every night and it's not on someone's couch. If I knew how to make things right between us plus Kaidan, Doc, Jace, your kids, I'd do it. But I don't know what to do, Shepard. Outside of bounce drunks from the pissing hole down the street I mean. Which I'm going to be late for work and I need to change pants. I just got last night's leftovers on them."
Shepard helps Vega off the couch. "Do you really want to know how you can start to make amends with me anyway, James?"
"Yes, Shepard, I do. How?" He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't have the words to express how sorry I am. Not for getting drummed out of the military, but for putting you, Doc...your kids in harms way and I failed you because of it. Nothing I do will ever make up for it." He starts looking for a semi-clean pair of pants.
Shepard chuckles at the mess he made not only on his couch, but there's noodles stuck to his ass. "You show up for the picnic tomorrow after cleaning this mess you call an apartment. You ignore everyone including Westmoreland, focus only one me, Liara, Kaidan, and Steve. You don't even need to worry about our kids, they'll be off playing. The five of us can talk. I've already forgiven you, James. You need to forgive yourself." Her omni-tool starts buzzing. "Look, I have to go and so do you. I expect you to see you tomorrow, James. Hear me?"
Vega isn't being bashful when he drops his pants and underwear on the floor and changes into semi-clean clothes. "But.."
"NO BUTS! I'll come here and pick you up myself if that is what it takes." The commanding officer voice has returned.
Vega knows Shepard will make do on her word, she will show up and make him go and face his friends for the first time since Shanxi. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be there. You sure..."
Leia cuts him off, "I'm the only one you need to worry about, James. Me and only me no one else." Her right hand touches her chest.
"Okay. If you say so, Shepard," replies a defeated man.
She not only sees his doubt, but feels it radiating off of him. Shepard places her left hand on his right shoulder, "James, you made a mistake. Nothing more. I fought with them on your charges and came close to abusing my Spectre status to get the whole damn thing dismissed. In my opinion, the only thing you're guilt of is failing to follow orders from your commanding officer. I understand why you did it. You didn't follow Kaidan's orders, but then you didn't follow the PM's orders either. You fought by my side to take out the batarians and helped me keep my shuttle carrying my family safe. It's Presinscot's fault, James. I blame him, not you." Her onmi-tool buzzes a second time. "I have to go or I'm going to be late for the dinner tonight."
James offers his hand to Shepard, which she takes with a smack when their hands meet. "I'll be there. I promise and I won't let you down again. Thanks for coming by."
The last thing Shepard says before leaving Vega's apartment, "Don't let yourself down, James."
Vega takes a few minutes to let what Shepard said to sink in. She's right, she's the only one I need to worry about. Shepard is the last person I want to be on a bad side with or Doc for that matter. Well shit I better get going or Knute's going to ream my ass. He picks a few empties off the floor and places them on the counter next to the overflowing trashcan. Clean this mess before leaving tomorrow. Now that I can actually see it, fuck, I'm living in filth and I know I'm better than that. Vega hustles to his job with a renewed outlook. He now knows Shepard doesn't hate him and still considers him a friend plus she wants him at the picnic. That means the world to the tattooed human.