A/N: I have been suffering from writer's block and it has been awful. Usually I write and it happens naturally but this chapter was such a struggle i'm not even sure if i'm pleased with the outcome. However I do hope you enjoy it. I plan on getting more into the back story of these guys in the next chapter but for now I wanna get the ball rolling xD You know those little comments you make when your reading a story like "Oh this is dull" or "OMG THIS IS SOO GOOD." Please please please feel free to quickly tell me that in a review. If you're gonna hate as always please be constructive, I need to learn, I need guidance. Especially with this chapter, the force disappeared and some damned asari weakened my integrity :/

I do not own Bioware, Mass Effect, or Kill Bill...*Cries in a corner*


Joker gave up trying to make conversation with Shepard. No matter how many times he apologised she still refused to look at him. It was his damn magazine, his place, he had every right to do as he pleases.

A whistle from outside the window caught his attention. There she was. Kasumi. Her dark hair reflecting the dazzling Tokyo lights as it wavered faintly in the early breeze.

Jacob was with her of course, like he always was. A mischievous grin stuck on his face. He wore the expression well, hell he had every right to it seeing as he had Kasumi wrapped in his arms.

Joker was never that fond of Jacob, probably because he had got his hooks into Kasumi. However his jealousy didn't stop him from admitting that they suited one another.

The Japanese girl shot a wink up to Joker at the window waving a finger signalling that she'll be up there in a minute.

"Kasumi's here," Joker swooned, more to himself than to Shepard.

Shepard bolted up from the couch to a cracked mirror next to his bed. She began fidgeting uncontrollably with her hair, every so often adjusting her breasts. Was it he weird he noticed that? Maybe he had drank too much tonight.

"Do I look okay?" Shepard asked concerned. She took her focus off the mirror to face him, she looked profoundly worried.

"Uh…you look good," Joker managed to say, his voice going more high pitched than usual.

"Really?" she replied unsure.

"Yeah…for someone who's been in a four year coma." He chuckled turning his attention to a knock on his door.

Joker slid off the ledge and limped for the entry panel. Kasumi stood there with a hand placed on her hip.

"You called?" she said before raising an eyebrow.

Joker tried to act completely relaxed and cool, however it was easier said then done. There was something about Kasumi that made him weak and it wasn't just his hollow bones caving in. Her very presence got him nervous and jittering like a school boy all over again, God it was embarrassing. But it was moments like these, Kasumi standing in his doorway, him standing opposite where he liked to pretend that she was his. Even if the moments were usually smashed with the presence of Jacob by her side, it was nice to soak up a few minutes of pleasure.

Joker steadied himself and attempted a sexy smile, all the while trying to look as laid-back as possible. "I sure did, come in."

Kasumi gave her unique laugh before waltzing into his apartment. Jacob followed her like the love sick puppy that he was before Joker spoke again.

"There's someone here i'd like you to meet," he announced locking the door behind him.

Over his shoulder he caught Kasumi eyeing his possessions. Good luck finding something worth of value, he thought.

Kasumi wasn't too fond of how Joker kept his place yet the aggravation always turned into amusement. Physically Joker was well kept…for an alcoholic. His trademark beard trimmed and neat along with the faint smell of cologne on his person. On the other hand his apartment was always clattered and flung about. Dirty wasn't the word exactly, more like unkept. The only thing in his space that Joker dedicated his perfection and time on was his beer-can wall. A long row of empty cans, something you could only find on Earth. Cans of drink weren't really popular outside the Local cluster. Another thing that made the humans seem like a unique race.

A bright smile lit Kasumi's face. "And who will that be?" she asked shooting a confused glance towards Jacob who had already spaced himself out on Joker's couch.

"Kasumi?" came a voice from the bathroom.

The thief's gaze quickly left Jacob to observe the bathroom doorway. A woman's shadow stood there only to outline long legs and a feminine frame. With a clang in her footsteps the shadowed figure appeared under the apartment's light.

"Shepard?" Kasumi choked.

In an attempt to speak again Shepard was quickly driven to halt as Kasumi flashed up before her pulling Shepard close into a tight hug.

"It's been too long," Kasumi beamed keeping her head tucked into her ex -commander's shoulder not prepared to let go anytime soon.

From the corner of his eye Joker noticed that Jacob had been staring for a while. The man's eyes were near enough popping out of his head the poor bastard. So much for a relaxing evening.

Shepard withdrew from Kasumi's hold looking the thief up and down. She had changed. No longer wearing a hood to conceal most of her appearance Shepard was able to observe Kasumi's long shiny hair. It was a midnight black with highlights of dark red that matched the lipstick painted on her lips. It was funny how in four years Kasumi physically changed from looking the cute Japanese girl to a sexy Japanese temptress. Judging by the way Joker and Jacob were eyeing the woman in the background, it dawned on Shepard that Kasumi must have got her fair share of male attention these days.

"How have you been? Joker tells me you own this bar," Shepard tried to make conversation as she fought back some tears.

Kasumi gave a half hearted laugh inclining her head back to Joker. "He's right, I bought the place when we moved here. I let Joker run the bar when i'm away…and i've been good I guess. I'm trying to stop my little addiction." She raised two fingers to mimic an inch emphasising the "little".

"You have a drinking problem too?" Shepard asked unable to hide the shock in her voice.

"Hey!" Joker defended himself. "I can stop drinking whenever I want…I just choose not to."

Jacob shook his head while he laughed on the couch.

Kasumi rolled her eyes at Shepard. "No, my minor addiction of thievery. I haven't stolen anything for five weeks," she relished.

Shepard was clearly amused at the thief's confession no matter how much she tried to hide her grin.

"What was the last thing you stole?" Shepard asked.

Kasumi raised a finger to hush Shepard inclining her head back at Joker.

In a low whisper Kasumi said "That's something I can't really mention here…i'll tell you later."

Shepard shot Kasumi a knowing smile before proceeding into the living room getting a good view of her friend.

Jacob still looked in good shape, nothing had really changed about him besides the fact he grew his hair an inch or two. Her old friend stood up from the couch and held his hand out to Shepard.

"Shepard, never thought i'd see your face again," he smiled.

"Same," Shepard agreed gripping Jacob's hand.

Jacob suddenly pulled Shepard to into his chest suffocating her with his strength. He gripped Shepard's waist holding her in place.

"You just can't help but avoid death can you?" he joked.

Shepard's lungs were continuously struggling for air in his tight hold.

"Er…Jacob…can't…breathe!" she gasped.

He released her quickly and moved his hands to hold her shoulders looking her dead in the eye.

"Sorry Shepard, it's just…it's good to see your okay," he said with a genuine smile.

Shepard and Jacob became close back on the Normandy. Like she did with all the crew, Shepard took the time to chat with him before and after assignments.

Jacob was the man who took care of all the weapons. If your gun was broken, Jacob was the guy who would fix it for you. Back before things went to hell Shepard remembered that just after the Collector mission Garrus found out to his dismay that his sniper rifle had broke. Snapped in half after meeting it's fate to a earthquake of rubble when Garrus, Shepard and Tali went planet-side to respond to a distress signal one day.

Shepard had sent her turian to Jacob only to have him come back depressed because Jacob explained to him how there was no way he could fix it. It was the one time Jacob couldn't do his job, the one time she saw Zaeed step in and lend a hand.


"Taylor there must be something you can do," Garrus pleaded.

Shepard observed the conversation while she sat on the table next to Jacob's console. Garrus to Shepard's surprise looked severely upset about this predicament.

He loved his sniper rifle, it meant the world to him. Shepard had bought him a new one after she witnessed Garrus spare Sidonis, it was the least she could do. Since buying him the pristine rifle Garrus never left it behind. He took it on every mission and was always insistent on using it even in close range combat.

"Garrus for the last time it is snapped in half, I am many things but I ain't no miracle worker!" Jacob shot back breaking a pencil in the process to prove his point.

The turian eyed his prized gun stretched out on the work bench in the same way as someone watching their fatally ill friend in a hospital bed. With a mournful sigh he gently caressed the rifle slowly along it's barrel.

If the situation wasn't so ridiculous the scene would have moved Shepard. She didn't utter a word about how she would just buy him a new one and let Garrus do whatever he needed to do to cope.

"I know quite a bit about guns you know," commented a manly figure who had just entered the room.

A mist of cigar smoke cleared before Shepard could see that it was none other than the mercenary Zaeed.

Jacob was unimpressed, folding his arms as he leaned back against he console. He didn't exactly keep his prejudice against mercenaries a secret and had no reason to be civil to Zaeed.

"Is that so?" Jacob challenged him.

Zaeed didn't give any attention to Jacob, making the soldier's theory of his prejudice being public knowledge seem quite true.

Zaeed aimed his words at Shepard, catching the commander eyeing the massive scar on his face a few times. "I was taking guns apart and putting them back together while cocky bastards like him…" the mercenary inclined his head back at Jacob. "…were still learning how to not wet the fucking bed."

"Your point?" Shepard asked amused.

Zaeed paced up and down the room connoting the power he held over poor Jacob at that moment.

"My point Shepard is, give me that rifle and i'll have her fixed for you in say a week or so?" Massani explained, a faint grin on his ravished face appearing.

Shepard tried to conceal how impressed she was with his statement. Before she could speak Jacob butted in.

"Sorry Grandpa but i'm afraid that even your so called expertise is not going to fix that rifle," the officer chimed with much pessimism.

Garrus raised his arms at Jacob in frustration. "Damn it Jacob i'm willing to try anything. If he says he's got an idea and he can fix it then that's that!"

Jacob adjusted himself from the console a tad startled from Garrus' intervention.

Zaeed glared at Garrus and gave a raspy chuckle. "I know how ya feel mate. I'd give anything to have Jessie back again…" his voice trailed off as if remembering the good old days with his prized gun.

It astonished Shepard how someone so cold and ruthless could feel such strong feelings towards an inanimate object. He patted Garrus with force on his shoulder shaking his head before mournfully grabbing the snapped rifle and heading out the door.

Jacob went back to his console updating the upgrades on the new pistols sent from Cerberus. Weirdly after the whole suicide mission fiasco, The Illusive Man still let Cerberus fund the Normandy with credits and weaponry.

Shepard had no idea what the blue eyed dick was playing at. She refused an order and is partially the reason why Miranda resigned. Maybe Shepard was no longer in the doghouse. This Reaper threat was big and she was ready to take any hands willing to help, including Cerberus.

Shepard glanced at Garrus sitting across the room with his head hung low. She approached him cautiously and placed her hand on his scarred mandible.

"Don't worry Garrus, i'm sure he'll fix it," she smiled

Shaking his head Garrus sighed. "I'm just surprised he even offered to help."

Shepard gave a disbelieving laugh. "I know right, hey what do you say we go to the Citadel and have a drink or two with the crew?"

"I say what the hell, I need a drink." He grinned and slowly got up from the desk.

Returning the smile Shepard began to walk out of the gunnery giving a faint wave to Jacob.

"Shepard?" Garrus called.

"Yes?" she asked turning back to face the turian.

"Who is Jessie?"


Kasumi delicately dimmed the lights within the room before offering Shepard a seat.

Shepard quickly raised a questioning eyebrow at Joker to which he replied with a shrug.

The Japanese thief trailed her fingers across the ledge of the windolooking out at Tokyo's neon lights, leaving Shepard, Jacob and Joker hanging on her every move.

"Tokyo is beautiful at night," Kasumi whispered. "All the lights and glamour are over the top but the scene is just perfect…it's one of the reasons I chose to come here."

"However once you throw in the whole issue of the city being massive tourist attraction and how dangerous it is to walk the streets at night, Tokyo kinda loses it's beautiful status," Joker added destroying the mood.

Kasumi went to speak only to let her lips widen into a grin. In all the years of knowing the woman Shepard had came to the conclusion that it was impossible to anger Kasumi. Her kind nature didn't have the time for measly anger, something Shepard found hard to grasp.

It did however let Shepard begin to wonder how Kasumi would react if she was in her shoes. If the man she loved betrayed her and killed her unborn child…would she have time for revenge and anger then? That was a question Shepard would never be able to answer.

Keeping her brown eyes focused on the city beneath her Kasumi placed both her hands on her hips.

"All pleasantries aside Shepard…why are you here?" she asked changing her tone of voice to sound serious.

In a flash Shepard went into defence mode letting her body stiffen in place prepared to dodge a gun shot of some kind. If Shepard had to name the number of people who were the least likely to shoot her, Kasumi had to be one of them. However just like that Shepard became unsure of her friend's motives.

"I need help Kasumi," was Shepards firm reply, not taking her eyes off the thief for even a second.

A long silence filled the room. Jacob and Joker daren't not make a noise as their eyes switched back and forth between Kasumi and Shepard.

"Garrus…" Kasumi mouthed, a statement not a question.

"Yes," Shepard instantly replied.

"Did Joker mention that we are no longer connected to him or anyone else for that matter from the crew?"

"Kind of."

"I see…in what way do you think us three can help you Shepard?" Kasumi breathed pitifully.

Shepard peered at Joker allowing him to reassure her with an approving nod.

Clearing her throat Shepard hesitantly stood up and approached Kasumi. "I need your help stealing the Normandy back."

Kasumi finally acknowledged Shepard, the seriousness drowning from her face letting her original personality come back. "You never cease to amaze me Shepard."

"I try," she joked back. "So what do you say, are you in?"

Kasumi walked away from her ex-commander letting out a much needed sigh. Her life in Tokyo wasn't perfect but it was hers, something she could call her own. Kasumi had only just accepted that her life on board the Normandy was over and that Jacob and Joker was her life now. She hadn't even fired a pistol for a year or so, give it three more weeks and she can add a two whole months of not stealing to the list. She had changed.

What may seem to be the best to others, wasn't the best for her. Kasumi had changed in order to live a normal life with a normal guy. If she just upped and left she would have to say goodbye to it all…

"I'm in!" Kasumi cheered embracing Shepard once more.

Jacob and Joker exhaled deeply as if they were holding their breath the entire time. The poor guys looked so tense throughout the whole conversation.

"So any ideas where to start? Plans of infiltration? Weapons? Back-up teams?…" Kasumi asked absolutely thrilled as she paced up and down the apartment like a giddy schoolgirl.

Shepard stopped the thief in her tracks. "Actually Kasumi no. I don't know where i'm going to start, I haven't a clue how we are going to infiltrate the Normandy…this shitty combat knife is the only weapon I have and i'm afraid that you guys…" Shepard outstretched her arms, "Are my back-ups."

With their mouths agape the trio stared back at Shepard stunned over her sudden confession.

"Well that sucks," Joker stated.

Kasumi held a hand up to him. "I may have an idea…I can work on on trying to get into the Normandy's systems…"

"That's brilliant, all we need then is to get Joker in he pilot seat," Shepard added.

"Just try and stop me from getting in the cockpit," he laughed lightning the mood until Jacob opened his big mouth.

Standing up from the couch the soldier rubbed the back of his head. "I hate to be the party popper here but you guys are not gonna pull this off with a combat knife."

"What do you suggest?" Kasumi asked intrigued that Jacob got involved in the discussion.

Jacob was very laid-back and usually at peace with everything everyone said. However he knew that stealing the Normandy was pretty much big deal now that it belonged to Vakarian.

She had survived many battles and thanks to the old crew the Normandy was fully upgraded. It would take a lot of firepower and optimism to even get near it. Unfortunately Jacob only kept his pistol back at his apartment with Kasumi for emergencies. After becoming intimate with the thief, Kasumi had asked him to sell all of his weapons that he took from the Normandy when they left. It was one of the saddest days of his life. She said something about "Starting anew." he wasn't really paying attention. If he could benefit this mission in any way Jacob was glad that it had something to do with getting weapons, no matter how pissed he was about his plan - it was the only answer he could come up with.

"Look I ain't too happy about this idea, but i'm taking it you don't have enough credits to go out and buy a bunch of high tech weaponry, am I right?"

Shepard nodded sadly in defeat. Jacob was technically wrong, it wasn't that she didn't have enough money, the downer was that she had no money left at all, not after she bought herself the cheap clothes she was standing in.

Kasumi held her finger up as if in high school to ask a question. "I could always steal some…" she suggested.

Jacob chuckled warmly to himself. "Baby we don't have time for that…I was thinking we pay an old contact of mine…ours…a visit. He's a dick, yes, but he does have his uses. I'm sure if we bring Shepard along he'll be more than happy to help us out."

"Okay i'll bite," sighed Shepard. "Who?"

His face turned hard as Jacob closed his eyes and gripped the table. "Massani."

"Zaeed?" Shepard cried, "He's not on the Normandy?"

"He upped and left too, only he chose to return to playing mercenaries back on Omega…asshole" Jacob stormed venting out little glitches of frustration. "Anyway long story short I heard he is into weapons dealing now…and we are in a certain need of weapons."

He grinned opening a fresh can of beer. Joker was quick to snatch it before it passed Jacobs lips, utterly pleased with his efforts. Shepard didn't have time to laugh, all that recurred through her head was 'Jack is on Omega, Jack is on Omega.' over and over again.

"Shepard?" Kasumi voiced patting her on the shoulder concerned. Bless her and her adorning ways.

Restraining herself from storming to Omega blinded by rage Shepard lightly smiled back. "Omega it is then."