Chapter 11
"Normandy to Citadel control requesting permission to dock" Joker asked for the third time.
"Normandy to control do you copy" he said becoming annoyed as Shepard approached.
"Yeah this is Joker, we wanna dock" he said. "Commander I got an incoming transmission from Thane, your gonna wanna hear this" he said.
"Patch him through Joker" he said as Joker connected them.
"Commander, Cerberus is attacking the Citadel, they've taken over C-Sec" Thane said.
"Is Ashley with you" he asked with a hint of worry in his voice, Ashley was having her mom bring Matthew today.
"She's with the council guarding them" he answered.
"Alright we're coming in, Joker get us around C-Sec we'll go in by shuttle" John said sprinting to the elevator.
"EDI, get the ground team to the shuttle bay, we're all going in" he said as she complied.
Cortez landed the shuttle as they all jumped off engaging the Cerberus team. After clearing the area of resistance John walked over and found Bailey wounded. Liara applied medigel to his wound helping him up as they entered C-Sec headquarters. Bailey fired up the terminal retaking control of the station.
"Joseph, our kids are out here somewhere" John said softly to his brother.
"John, I'm sure Ash has Matt somewhere safe, but I wanna send Miranda to find Jess" he said to his brother worried for his daughter's safety.
"Alright do it, tell her to take Liara with her" John said to Joe.
"Ok, I'm gonna take the roofs and try to catch up with the council faster" Joe said removing John's sniper rifle from his back "I'm gonna borrow this" he said before stepping away as they all broke up and went their way.
John advanced with Garrus, James, and EDI taking down Cerberus troops. They closed in on the Executors office finding the councillor missing and the Executor dead.
"Bailey the Executors dead, no sign of Councillor Valern" John said stepping over to the window seeing a chair roll and the councillor uncloak.
"I got him Bailey" John said relaxing until a masked man dropped down ready to assassinate the councillor. John shot the glass open, jumping down aiming his gun at the assassin.
"Commander Shepard I presume, hmph, I wanted the other one, but I forgot he's too deep up Lawson's ass to care about the council" the assassin said.
"Who the hell are you. Cato?" John asked still locked on the masked man.
"I'm Kai Leng, and I have a debt to repay the other Shepard, but I guess killing you will have to do" he said smirking with an incineration blast pointed directly at the councillor.
"Shepard don't let him kill me" Valern pleaded "Udina sold us out to Cerberus, he's trying to seize control" he informed.
"Three on one, doesn't look good for you buddy" John said as the rest of the team joined him.
"No, now it's fun" Leng said as Thane stepped in to attack him giving the councillor an opportunity to get to safety. Thane put up a good fight almost taking Kai Leng out but Leng got in a lucky stab incapacitating Thane fleeing the premises as John chased him out firing away. After informing Bailey that Thane was down and needed help they took a shuttle to try and catch up to the council.
"Joe any sign of the council" John asked.
"Spotted them heading for an elevator, I'm going up for a higher vantage point in case you need sniper support" Joe said leaping across the rooftops nimbly.
"Alright keep Udina in your sights, he set this up" John said.
"Dirty fuck, alright I got a bullet for him" Joe said.
While driving John noticed the assassin pull up and hop onto his sky car, he opened the door and began firing but Leng had already thrown up a shield to protect himself sabotaging John's car and hopping back into his watching it descend to the lower levels of the presidium. The team jumped out of the downed car and kept moving killing Cerberus troopers, phantoms, and nemesis' before finally reaching the elevators. Bailey put their elevator into high speed helping them gain on the council faster shooting down Kai Leng's elevator several times. When they got next to the council elevator they jumped across hopping on top jumping out of the way from several gun shots most likely from Ashley thinking they were Cerberus. They followed the council onto a landing pad where a showdown occurred between a confused Ashley and John.
"Shepard, what are you doing here" she asked.
"I got a call from the Salarian councillor, Udina set this whole thing up, he's trying to seize control of the Citadel" John explained.
"Shepard is lying he's with Cerberus, he has no proof, do not trust him Williams" Udina said.
"Help me out here John" she said still aiming at him.
"Johnny you get her to put that fucking gun down now or I'm gonna blow a hole through her back, she's got five seconds, I won't watch her kill you" Joe said target locked dead on Ashley.
"Joseph no, Ashley, you know me I've always been the same John, please put that gun down" John said pleadingly.
"Shepard's blocking the door, I'm overriding the lock" Udina said.
"5" Joe began counting down on Ashley's life.
"If you open that door Cerberus will kill you all" John said.
"4"
"We've mistrusted Shepard before and it did not help us" Councillor Tevos said.
"3"
John was getting nervous now
"Ashley you never have to trust me again after this but I'm begging you to trust me right now, trust me Ash, I love you, please baby" John said pleading one last time with her.
"2"
"I better not regret this skipper" she said turning her gun on Udina. "Udina step away from the console" she said firmly.
"To hell with this" Udina said pulling a pistol aiming it at councillor Tevos.
"Joseph" John said as Udina's head exploded.
"Kill shot" Joe exclaimed "now that's me assassinating a politician bitches" he exclaimed audibly.
The door opened revealing Bailey and a few C-Sec officers.
"Wait I thought you said Cerberus was after us" Tevos questioned.
"Cerberus was here but they beat feet into the keeper tunnels when they got wind we were coming" Bailey answered "I hate to say it, but Shepard just saved the lot of ya" he informed them.
"Then you have saved my life twice, I owe you a debt on behalf of myself and Palaven" Sparatus the Turian councillor said.
"Don't mention it, just doing my job" Shepard said looking at Ashley before they all left the area and John headed back to the hospital to check on Thane.
"His time is almost up commander" Thane's son Kolyat said to John as they stood by his bed. John said his final goodbyes and a prayer for his friend before leaving and heading back to the ship finding Ashley waiting for him.
"Skipper" she said tears falling.
"Ash" he said walking over wrapping his arms around her.
"I can't believe that happened" she said holding him tight.
"It's alright Ash, we figured it out, we're still alive, is your mom and Matthew ok" he asked.
"Yeah they're safe, in my apartment" she said looking up into his eyes.
"Can I still see him" he asked looking back into hers.
"Of course skipper, go freshen up first" she said looking at his blood covered armor.
"Ok Ash" he said preparing to walk around her when she grabbed him pulling him back for a deep kiss.
"I love you John" she said.
"I love you too" he replied into her mouth before walking away into the ship to clean himself up.
"DADDY" Jessica Shepard screamed running at her father.
"JESS" he yelled back dropping to his knees as his daughter jumped into his arms hugging him tight.
"I missed you daddy" she said giving him kisses all over his cheeks.
"I missed you too baby" he said holding her as tight as he could standing up to give his mother a hug and a kiss "hi mom"
"Hi Joey" she said looking at her eldest child with all the love in her eye's.
"Thank you for taking care of her for me" he said appreciatively.
"I enjoy having my grand baby, it's like getting a second chance to do the right thing" she said looking down.
"Hey, I would never use that against you and neither would John understand, I'm proud of you" he said reassuring his mother placing a kiss on her forehead.
"I know Joseph, Miranda how have you been dear, we didn't really get a chance to talk seeing all that was going on" Hannah said to her daughter in law.
"I'm fine Hannah, if this one doesn't give me a heart attack first" she said pointing at Joe.
"Yes, I was hoping to have you and John together for this but you'll just have to share my wrath with him later, what the hell were you two thinking running under a reaper fighting a thresher maw, Jessica and I were so worried" Hannah said scolding her son.
"Mom" Joe said rolling his eyes.
"Don't you mom me Joseph Michael Shepard Jr. what is wrong with you two, then not to mention those giant Krogan abominations running around swinging their big claw hands at you" she continued as Miranda sat back holding in her laughter at her husband bowing down to his mothers authority.
"Mom why are you letting her watch Battle Space anyway, you know Allers is on John's ship following us with that camera, she shouldn't be watching that mom" he said to his mother.
"Don't you dare try and change the subject on me Michael" Hannah said firmly.
"Yes maam" Joe said as Miranda stood back in shock at how much of a momma's boy her husband truly was, he wasn't even fighting her back.
"Now get up and take your three girls out for a meal" she said standing up "now Jose" she said putting her foot down as he got up still holding Jess walking towards the elevator muttering obscenities.
"Grandma can be pretty scary" Jessica said looking at her grandmother and Miranda walking behind them laughing and talking.
"Tell me about it" Joe said as they all stepped into the elevator.
"Jose have you spoken to your father, you know he's back on the Orizaba" she asked her son.
"No I haven't spoken to him and yes I know he was called back into service" he answered.
"Joseph you two need to work out whatever's going on between you this has gone on too long now" she said.
"Just drop it mom please" he said shifting uncomfortably.
"Ok Joey, but just think about it, he's still your father after all" she said after they stepped off the elevator heading to Apollo's.
"No mom, this right here" he said pointing to himself and his daughter "This is being a father, he's a sperm donor" Joe said walking ahead of them.
"What's a sperm donor daddy" Jessica asked.
"I'll tell you in ten years" he replied walking down the stairs hiding his frustration from his daughter as she asked him a million and one questions. They sat and ordered their food having a civilized conversation for the rest of their outing together.
John and Ashley walked to her apartment in relative silence. She opened the door to her mom in the kitchen fixing Matthew a bottle and he was crawling towards Ashley.
"Mamamama" he said reaching his little arms up to her.
"Hi sweety" she said picking him up as he grabbed her face smiling at her as she smiled back and John smiled at the sight.
"Matty, this is your daddy, can you say dada" she said passing the boy to John as they looked in each others eye's.
"Da" he said looking at Ashley.
"Yes, da" she laughed answering him.
Ashley left John alone with Matthew as she stood in the kitchen observing the two along with her mother.
"He seems like a natural" Linda Williams said looking out at John and Matthew on the floor playing.
"Yeah, well he and his brother are large children so no doubt they would be good with kids" Ashley said opening a bottle of water watching her two guys get along like they've known each other forever.
"Hmmm he has a brother, is he single you know Abby needs a man in her life" Linda said to Ashley.
"No mom first he's three years older than John and John is four years older than me that would make him like ten years older than Abby and he's married to a super smart genetically perfect beauty queen" Ashley said speaking of Miranda with disdain in her voice.
"You seem bitter towards the wife, what'd I miss" Linda asked her daughter.
"She's ex-Cerberus, the woman that brought John back to life, he seems to trust her but I don't, I just tolerated her out of respect for John, but I never really cared for her" Ashley explained.
"Well honey if you do decide to marry John, you have to learn to like her, she's an extension of his brother, you two are technically the outsiders" Linda said to Ashley.
"I'll try mom, I better get back out there" she said returning to the living room watching Matt beat the hell out of John on the floor.
"Hey Ash, this kid is definitely yours, look at him beating on me already" John said looking up at Ashley.
"Yeah that's definitely 'our' son" she said sitting on the floor next to them as Matthew ceased his attack on Shepard and crawled into his mothers lap.
"Thank you Ashley...for this and for Matthew" John said sincerely.
"You don't have to say anything John" she said looking away.
"Hey" he said looking at her.
"Yeah" she said looking up at him.
"I love you"
"I love you too John"
A/N: Jose is the Spanish translation of Joseph