This takes place after the crew of the Normandy left Palavan and headed for Eden Prime.

...w...

Shepard awoke suddenly from his bad dream and was happy that he didn't wake Leah who was asleep on his bare chest. He looked down at her and ran a hand across her cheek placing a soft kiss on her forehead before he slowly lifted her off him and sat up. He looked back and stared at her naked back trying to get the images of that little boy burning out of his head. It had worked. Before he realized it was was smiling to himself thankful to have her back on the Normandy. He turned back toward his side of the bed and leaned into the edge trying to clear his head. Knowing Leah was safe with him again made him feel stronger and less hopeless that his home planet was burning under attack right now. With Garrus and Liara back with him, he felt they might have a chance.

"John?" Leah's voice made him smile but he didn't respond right away. "Are you okay?"

"I'm here."

Leah sat up and wrapped her arms around his chest leaning her head on his shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Back on Earth. There was this little boy... I'm just pissed that I made it out and he didn't."

"He didn't make it? What do you mean?"

"As his rescue shuttle took off, one of the Reaper's beams struck it and it blew up midair."

"Are you dreaming of him?"

"Yea. It was a weird dream involving him. I was running through a park or something then he started to burn right in front of me."

"Come back to bed. Let's start you on some new dreams." Leah kissed his shoulder.

"Deal." He smiled rolling over toward her.

...w...

"Eden Prime." Shepard stared.

"This is the place that started it all." Joker added.

"Alright. Let's go!" Shepard ordered everyone to the shuttle.

Cortez was already waiting for them when they got to the cargo hold. Leah, Shepard, Liara, Garrus, and James piled onto the Kodak and they headed toward the city. When they landed there was an uneasy feeling that passed over all of them.

"Where the hell is everyone?" James asked.

"Not sure. Keep your guard up." Shepard ordered.

They traveled through the colony Leah couldn't help but replay the conversation between Garrus, Liara, and Shepard. They were here before she joined the team and didn't see the devastation that Eden Prime when through before. She was happy to save these colonists from Cerberus, if there were any left.

They were able to find some research data to assist the Resistance Movement that the colonists had started against Cerberus. Everyone agreed that they needed to help the resistance immediately. So everyone began searching each pod with seriousness wanting to find anything they could to assist the colonist as well as find what they were there for.

They located the Prothean dig site after sending the information to the colonist Resistance Movement and Liara ran to the controls eager to see the artifact. She hit the button and as the elevator shifted into moving then she gasped after reading the scans.

"Goddess...that doesn't see possible?! It's not a Prothean artifact..." She walked around the console as the elevator locked itself with their platform. "...it's a Prothean."

The team stopped and stared at the cryo tube. They couldn't believe it.

"Like the Collectors?" Garrus asked.

"Or the bodies like we found back on Ilos?" Leah added.

"Like the bodies we found on Ilos...but this one is alive. He's been asleep for the last 50,000 years...waiting for us!"

As Liara, Shepard, and Garrus talked about Prothean history; James and Leah heard something off in the distance. They met eyes then headed toward the area to see what the noise was and that is when Cerberus attacked. As they fired, Shepard ran to Leah's position.

"We can't open the Prothean up without data that is located somewhere in this colony."

"Copy that."

The team moved together and shot down the Cerberus resistance easily searching for the Pod Data. They approached a large door that was shut and they entered it quickly. There was a massive computer system set up and they assumed they were in the right area. Liara started typing away at the computer and was sad to see nothing but data. She looked back at Shepard to report but both Shepard and Leah were standing there like statues. Their eyes were glowing light blue as if their brains were downloading information.

"Shepard? Leah?" She asked poking Shepard but they didn't respond.

"What?" Garrus asked walking next to Leah and stepping back when he saw her eyes.

"What the fuck is going on?!" James shouted.

"Leah! Shepard!" Garrus reached for them.

"No!" Liara grabbed his hand. "Leave them be!"

Leah suddenly gasped and fell to her knees because the vision was so vivid. Shepard gripped onto the console gasping for air but he managed to stay on his feet. Both their eyes went back to normal and Liara stared fascinated wanting to know what they were going through. They acted as if whatever was happening was a major shock to their systems. After the vision passed both Leah and Shepard acted like they could finally breath but still as though they just ran 20 miles. They looked at each other confused.

"Do you think you can duplicate that?" Leah asked.

"I think I can." Shepard was blinking way more than he needed to.

"You understood that?" Liara asked.

"You didn't?" Shepard and Leah asked them together.

"No. It was all static and data for me. Cerberus must have been trying to get the information without success."

"Did you see that?" They asked Garrus unison.

"No. I just saw your eyes go crazy then Leah hit the ground."

"Maybe the ciper..." Shepard helped Leah to her feet.

"And my Prothean DNA."

"Your Prothean what?" Liara gasped.

"Oh... I'll explain that later."

After Shepard and Leah were able to get moving again they moved on to the second Pod Data. They met little Cerberus resistance on the way to the second one. This time Shepard started the computer and the same thing happened. Both their eyes turned light blue and they stared at the screen as though they were in a trance.

"You understood that one too?" Liara asked.

"I've got the signal that the Protheans used to activate the statis pods." Shepard smiled.

They all headed out and toward the Prothean.

...w...

Javik opened his eyes. Shepard, Leah, Garrus, Liara, James, and EDI stared at him. As he became more aware of his surroundings a soft blue glow surrounded his body and the group was tossed back several feet making everyone land on their backs. Javik was on unsteady feet and fell out of the pod onto his knees. Leah and Liara were the first to roll onto their hands and knees, then onto their feet.

As the others began to get up, Javik began backing away from them. Leah took a step forward.

"Be careful!" Liara warned. "He's still confused."

Leah looked back at Shepard and frowned before saying:

"It is okay." She assured him. "We're here to help you."

"What did she say?" Garrus and Liara asked.

"She said," Shepard began then stopped. "...wait. You didn't understand her?"

"She was talking in a language like on Ilos." Garrus stared.

"That distress beacon, yes." Liara agreed.

Shepard looked back and Javik was staring at Leah as if she just said a magic phrase to calm him. Javik looked at the company standing in front of him and held out his hand out to Leah. She reached for it and Shepard ran up swatting her hand away from Javik's.

"Leah..." He warned.

"It's okay."

She took the Prothean's took her hand without hesitating. She then saw images of her species interacting with the Protheans. Several historical things that she did not know about and it brought tears to her eyes seeing her culture alive and well.

"I'm sorry. Your people were the only allies we truly accepted. You deserved more." He said simply.

"Aye. Your species as well."

"Your family. I see that your grand mother..."

"I know." Leah held up her hand stopping Javik from speaking.

"What?" Shepard looked at her confused.

"Nothing. Long story and not here. It isn't safe here. We need to get you back to Shepard's ship the Normandy."

"Your lover, the primitive, has a ship? How interesting. Nice to see you no longer lurk in caves." He hissed at Shepard.

"What the fuck?" James growled.

Shepard held up his hand and shook his head. This was going to get interesting...