"Shepard, the Illusive Man would like to speak with you," the dark-haired Cerberus operative, Miranda, informed her. Her snide, matter-of-fact tone, struck a nerve in the Commander. So far, she wasn't at all impressed by the woman, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Miranda Lawson was most certainly attractive, and didn't seem to hide the fact that she knew it. While Shepard was typically a supporter of confidence, she wasn't a fan of self-righteous attitudes like the one this woman presented. She was the type of person at whom people would normally gawk… until she opened her mouth. The fact that this woman was also in charge of the Lazarus Project, which was created for the sole purpose of bringing Shepard back from the dead, also irked her. While she should have been a slight bit grateful for having a second chance at life, she wasn't. She had accepted death when it had come; found peace in it. And now that was taken away. There was no peace in being a corpse returned to life, in a body that felt unfamiliar. Two years she had been dead and so much had likely changed in that span of time. She had quickly discovered that her entire team had split upon hearing of her death. Neither Miranda nor Jacob, the Alliance-soldier-turned-Cerberus-Op, could tell her how to locate them. Though at this point, she wasn't even certain if she wanted to. She had briefly met up with Tali while investigating the human colony Freedom's Progress, shortly after her revival. While she seemed both surprised and happy to see Shepard alive, there was a slight distance that had developed between them. It could have possibly been that the quarian was distracted by her mission, but in her current state of mind she felt uncertain. How would the others react to her, knowing that she had once been a charred corpse? Would they be happy to have her returned to life? Or would they feel resentment or disgust? She couldn't be sure. Shoving these thoughts to the back of her mind for now, Shepard made her way to the room where she would meet with the Illusive Man via holo. She wanted to get this over with so that she could get out of her armor and be unbothered for the remainder of the day. Ever since she had woken from her two year "sleep", she had been drug around without rest. Her body, unused to extreme physical activity after two years, ached. Parts of her body that still bared the scars from her reconstruction, felt tingly and slightly numb from the unhealed nerves.

"Shepard," the Illusive Man said, breaking her from her thoughts. "Good work on Freedom's Progress. The quarians forwarded their findings from Veetor's debriefing. We are still analyzing it, but it should prove to be quite useful. But more importantly, you were able to confirm that the Collectors are behind the human disappearances."

Shepard crossed her arms over her chest in impatience. She didn't need a re-telling of what she already knew. "Just tell me what you want me to do next."

"Head to Omega and find a salarian scientist by the name of Mordin Solus. Our intelligence suggests that he may know how to counter-act the Collector's paralyzing Seeker swarms."

"Omega. Got it."

"One more thing," he interjected before she had a chance to break away from the meeting. "I have found a pilot I think you might like. I hear he's one of the best. Someone you can trust." Before she could respond he switched off the holo meeting and her surroundings faded back to reveal her physical location.

"Hey Commander. Just like old times huh?" a familiar voice said behind her.

She turned to find Jeff "Joker" Moreau, looking back at her, his usual goofy grin present on his unshaven face. "Joker!" She smiled back at him despite the strange prickly feeling erupting from the scars on her face. "You have no idea how good it is to see a familiar face."

"Tell me about it! I mean, I saw you get spaced and all..."

"I got lucky I guess," she mumbled through clenched teeth. It would take some time before she considered her resurrection to be more than just a sick joke played by a terrorist organization.

Joker lowered his head slightly, clearly feeling the weight of what had occurred on the Normandy. "Look Commander, I—"

"It wasn't your fault, Joker. It was something I would have done again, given the chance. Of course, maybe I next time I'll hull my ass a little faster," she commented with a grin. The grin faded when her hand reached up to adjust the metal chain that hung at her neck. Several times since waking she had attempted the same action, achieving the same result of coming up empty-handed. She was certain the metal would have survived the atmosphere. So why did she no longer have it in her possession? She's certain it would have still been on her body when they obtained it. It was something she would have to gruel the Cerberus bitch about later.

"Hey Commander," Joker interrupted. "I think there's something you'll want to see."

She nodded, falling into step beside him as he led her through the twists and turns of metal-plated hallways. "So what happened with everyone?" she asked him as they headed for a destination unknown to her.

"It all fell apart without you, Commander. Everyone went their separate ways after hearing about what happened."

"What about Garrus? Did he ever become a Spectre?" She didn't mean to be so obvious of her concern for the turian, but it was a thought that had been nagging at her since she got over the initial shock of being revived.

Joker halted for a moment, turning to look her in the eyes. "No one knows what happened to Garrus. One day he just disappeared. No contact. Nothing."

"Ah." Her heart fell at the news. As ridiculous as it sounded she had hoped more than anything that the turian would be eagerly waiting for her return. And of course it was ridiculous. No one had anticipated her to come back from the dead. Even as they continued on through the hallways, her mind continued to dwell on it. Why would he give up on the Spectres? Was it not something he truly wanted? Was it something that only she wanted for him; guilted him into? If so, perhaps he was now doing something he actually wanted for himself. Nevertheless, she silently hoped he was alright.

"Anyway, the Council has been a mess ever since you were gone," Joker continued as they walked through some sort of viewing room. "From what I heard, the salarian Councilor pretty much runs the show. Councilor Anderson doesn't seem to have much pull as of yet. Nobody seems to see much of the turian Councilor anymore, and the asari Councilor seems to divert to the salarian."

"That's strange," she replied, uncertain of how else to respond to such an observation.

Joker shrugged. "Maybe you just need to show up and stir things up a bit. Mention the 'Reapers'," he said while air-quoting the word, a mocking jab at the turian Councilor. "They love that one."

She chuckled. "And how did you end up here?"

"Ever since you disappeared, the Alliance has had me grounded. They took away the one thing that mattered to me. Cerberus, on the other hand, offered me the chance to fly again. So here I am," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

He led her to stand before one of the wide viewing windows. Looking out, all she could see was a dark empty launch bay. "So you really trust the Illusive Man?"

"I don't trust anyone that makes more than I do. But they aren't all bad. They saved your life. Let me fly." He paused, a pleased smile crossing over his lips as he peered through the window. "And then there's this."

She followed his gaze out the wide window, searching for something she couldn't yet see. She nearly doubled over as the lights in the bay slowly flickered on and the familiar nose of a ship slowly rolled into view. As the shiny vessel moved forward, the lights revealing the remainder of the ship, Shepard stifled a gasp. It was the Normandy, brought back to life as she had been. It had a shiny new paint job, much like her rebuilt flesh. She couldn't help but wonder if everything underneath had been upgraded as well, much like the new cybernetics that often glowed through her healing scars.

"It's good to be home, huh Commander?" Joker said when the ship was in full view, a smile in his voice.

As she stood, staring at the vessel that had once died with her, her eyes shimmered with bittersweet remembrance. "I guess we should give her a name."

Shepard stared blankly at the attractive, unblemished reflection staring back at her through the mirror. She had taken comfort in the idea of finally getting a shower, especially in the confines of her own private bathroom. Her comfort had quickly turned to rage the moment she had removed her clothes and took note of the differences in her body. The soft, nearly perfect new skin was not how she had remembered it, and it disturbed her. All of the scars that had once mapped her life were gone, replaced with unfamiliar glowing new flesh and healing scars from her reconstruction. Her hand smoothed idly over her unmarked stomach, remembering the large gash that had once been present there as a result from a night of passion with Nihlus. Her other hand moved up to brush the unfamiliar locks of long pale hair from her shoulder. Her fingers ran over area where once had resided the mark of Saren's commitment to her. Even the marked-up flesh from her trials on Akuze had been replaced a new, foreign skin. It was if all those pieces of her, all those events that shaped her life, had been washed away like freshly smoothed sand after a tide. It was a haunting reminder of everything she had lost and could not get back. The realization filled her with a resentment that she couldn't restrain. Blinded by her rage, she barely felt the pain as mirrored glass shattered under her closed fist. She rested her forehead against the shattered glass, staring into empty green eyes; eyes that had once boiled and swelled within her skull. A flash of a charred and blackened face gazed back at her and she could feel her stomach lurch. She quickly turned away from the broken image of herself in the fragmented mirror for fear of what else she would see there. Slinking into the open shower she switched it on, ignoring the sting of the hot water as it washed away the blood that covered her hand.

As Shepard exited the bathroom, wrapped in an unusually soft towel, she was greeted by the new Normandy's AI, EDI. "Shepard. Would you like me to request that a replacement mirror be installed at your earliest convenience?"

"No," she responded, quickly dismissing the concerns of the AI. She moved towards the sizable bed and threw herself facedown upon its plush surface. Under normal circumstances she would have been pleased with her luxurious living quarters. However, under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have had luxurious living quarters to begin with. Sighing she rolled onto her back and stared up at the skylight that revealed a section of the expansive universe. She could faintly remember the sensation of peace she felt in her final moments of being spaced. Even as she died in the vast emptiness, she didn't feel as nearly alone as she did now.

"Like it or not, I'll have to get use to this new life," she said aloud, gazing up into the star-dusted blackness. It took her a few moments to realize there was something more behind those final two words. When the realization finally hit her, she sat up straight. She was given a new life and was no longer under Alliance regulations nor the Council's scrutiny. Aside from the Illusive Man's direction and Miranda's bitching, she was free to do whatever she wanted, however she wanted, so long as she didn't lose sight of the main goal. This was her ship and her crew. Things were going to be done her way. No more tip-toeing around for the benefit of the Council and the Alliance. Besides, what did she have to lose? Her life? She laughed silently to herself. If that were the case, Cerberus would likely only bring her back again. She was, and would continue to be, a large investment for them. Even if she passed before the Collectors could be stopped, they would still need her to resolve the Reaper threat. And if not… well, it's not like it would truly matter at that point, would it? Perhaps being among those that she didn't trust could have its advantages. Besides, what did they care as long as she got the job done? She would give them just enough so their investment wasn't wasted. Beginning to feel much more positive about her present situation, she quickly dressed in a long tunic and snug leggings and headed for the CIC.

"Greetings Commander!" As Kelly, her yeoman greeted her cheerfully. Several members of the crew turned to shoot Shepard admiring glances. That was going to take some getting used to. Not that she shouldn't be used to the attention by now. She was an attractive woman with an impressive service record. She suspected that being the Hero of the Citadel who had been brought back from the dead, would also contribute to the attraction of attention. However, as a trained Infiltrator, the increasing notice she was receiving made her uncomfortable. Her training had taught her the importance of being inconspicuous. But ever since Akuze, she had become a name of importance within the Alliance. Her Spectre status had gained her familiarity with the more important denizens of the Citadel. And her heroics during the attack on the Citadel had made her a household name, her face indiscriminately plastered everywhere. Just another thing to which she would need to adapt.

"Hello Kelly," Shepard responded, ignoring the remaining stares.

"You're looking much better this evening!" the yeoman exclaimed. "I imagine you are pleased with your living quarters?"

Shepard nodded. "They are rather substantial."

Kelly grinned with genuine delight. "Oh, I almost forgot! You have new messages on your private terminal," she said, pointing towards the computer to the left of the galaxy map.

"Thanks Kelly," Shepard responded, wondering who could possibly be contacting her so soon after her revival. As she navigated to her unread messages she saw only one staring back at her. Sender: David Anderson. The context of the message expressed the dire need for her to meet him and the other Council members at the Citadel. According to the message he wanted to convince the others to reinstate her Spectre status. Even though she was currently working with Cerberus, he understood that she was working to put a stop to the disappearances of the human colonists. This was good news. If she could be reinstated as a Spectre, she could have access to many more resources.

"Joker, redirect our route to the Citadel," she ordered.

"Aye aye, Commander," he responded over the comm system.

It didn't take long for Miranda to show up, chin turned up to demonstrate a seemingly practiced superior attitude. Despite her striking stature, little to none of the crew bothered to look in her direction. "Commander, what do you think you are doing?" she demanded venomously.

"Taking charge of my ship. What are you doing?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"We should be heading towards Omega. Why did you change our course?"

Shepard shrugged dismissively. "Because I have important business at the Citadel."

"I'm sure whatever business you have at the Citadel can wait. I want you to turn this ship back on our previous course," Miranda demanded.

Shepard smirked at the woman's flushed cheeks. "EDI."

"Yes, Commander?" the AI responded.

"Who is the CO of this ship?" Shepard asked, eyes unwavering from the other woman.

"You are, Commander," EDI replied.

"And who is my XO?"

"Miranda Lawson."

"Right. I think we're done here," she sneered, turning her back on the dark-haired woman. Though the majority of the crew kept their heads down, the amused smirks on their faces were clearly visible from where she had stood.

As the Normandy docked at the Citadel the next morning, Shepard dismissed the crew on shore leave for the remainder of the day, despite her XO's objections. Shepard saw absolutely no need to confine the crew to the ship while she would most likely be spending the better part of the day on the Citadel.

Upon her entry to the Citadel, Shepard was treated quite well, much to her surprise. The human C-Sec officer, Captain Bailey, basically greeted her with open arms, treating her "deceased" status as a mistake in the system. This error, he quickly corrected, and allowed her to proceed unhindered. The Citadel was very different from what she remembered, the majority seemingly rebuilt since the attack. In a way she missed the old layout, however the new was vastly improved.

After taking the transport to the Presidium she immediately took note of the amazing restoration of the area since she had last seen it. All the debris had been cleared, leaving no trace there had ever been a devastating attack. The lakes had been returned to their familiar crystal-clear condition rather than the cloudy consistency she had remembered. Peering up at the sky, she was happy to see that the hologram had been repaired, returning the Presidium to its atmospheric state. On her way to Anderson's office she could see that much of the buildings had been repaired as well. Several keepers were still dotted around the area, perfecting the work that had been done. The building, containing the Councilor offices, was once again pristine. It was clear that the keepers had made a few changes to the architecture during the reconstruction, but the overall layout was the same as she had remembered. Keying herself into the door, it slid open to reveal Anderson and the holos of the other Councilors, seemingly awaiting her arrival.

"Shepard!" the human Councilor exclaimed. "We were just talking about you."

She smiled, taking the Councilor's outstretched hand. "It's been a long time Anderson. I hope the last few years have treated you right."

"There have been some rough spots. But it's good to have you back."

"We have heard many rumors surrounding your unexpected return. Some of them are… unsettling," the salarian Councilor interrupted.

She turned to face the three holos, studying each one individually. The salarian studied her suspiciously. She had never met the salarian Councilor on a personal level, and she doubt that would have affected his assessment. Being a salarian, he was a cognitive thinker and placed his judgments on reasoning and the evidence presented to him. Next she looked to the asari Councilor, whose expression was a mix of both concern and doubt. Tevos had been a rather valuable ally during her search for Saren and, if not for Shepard's disappearance, they might even have become friends at some point. However, reappearing after two years of absence and working with a human terrorist organization could most certainly cause one to question your loyalties. Next assessment was the turian Councilor, Valern, with whom she had several unusual experiences. Turian expressions were generally difficult for humans to read, his in particularly. Since she had entered the room, he never took his avian eyes from her, and as she studied him, their gazes locked. His mandibles were clenched tightly against his face and she couldn't tell if it was due to nervousness or something else. However, under her scrutinizing stare, he remained stiff and unmoving like a statue.

"We called this meeting so you could explain your actions, Shepard. I, for one, do not believe that you would work for a terrorist organization like Cerberus without a good enough reason," Tevos explained.

"I don't work for Cerberus. I am merely utilizing their resources to investigate the disappearance of the human colonies in the Terminus Systems," she explained. "My service record should explain my actions well enough." She shot a quick glance at Valern, who remained stone-faced and silent.

"We are happy to hear that, Shepard," the asari said.

"We have spoken with Councilor Anderson on the matter, and though we cannot become involved in the investigation itself, we would like to offer you the reinstatement of your Spectre status, to show our support of you personally," the salarian informed her.

"Please understand that this is a show of good faith on your personal behalf. Please don't make us regret our decision," Tevos warned.

Shepard nodded. "I accept your offer."

"Good luck with your investigation, Shepard. We hope for a quick resolution… and a quick end to your relationship with Cerberus," Tevos told her.

Valern opened his mouth as if he had something to add, but quickly stopped himself, mandibles clenching tightly against his face once again before the three holos disappeared.

Once alone, Shepard turned toward her old military mentor and friend. She was anxious to speak with him about everything that had happened since she had died. Perhaps he would be able to tell her more about what had happened with her old team.

"I know that look, Shepard," Anderson declared. "You want information."

"You know me all too well," she said with a knowing smile.