Chapter 12 – In The Area

"What do you mean you signed up another misfit to this merry fucking cause?" Shepard demanded. It was a few days ago he had diverted to the Citadel to pick up a hooded thief with wide hips and a pleasant ass named Kasumi. The hood stopped anyone seeing her face, but her cheerful manner and the lips that showed were gorgeous enough to convince Shepard to allow a statue of his worst enemy made of gold to remain in his cargo hold. Shepard continued pacing as he ran his hands through his hair furiously. Out of his armor he was still intimidating, the uniform clung to his form, highlighting his muscles as he puffed his chest out, eyes darker than the stormy skies upon earth before a hurricane struck.

"Fine. But I would appreciate if you stop signing random people. I don't want a bullet in the back, unlike you. Joker! Ditch this channel" Shepard stormed away as he hung up on the Illusive Man, teeth bare in his snarl as he stormed towards the main hall.

"Shepard" Miranda started. Shepard growled as he turned to her voice with such fury she winced.

"This better be important" he growled. He rubbed his temples, furious at the interruptions of his thoughts. Shaun had been right, Tali was a sore wound. His friends all didn't trust, it hurt beyond what he could or would show.

"Commander. We've reached the coordinates for this recruit. It's a damaged shuttle" Joker inexplicably saved Miranda a yelling bout with the fiery Shepard. Shepard lifted his eyes up to the roof in consideration, Miranda only saw the whites of his eyes as he thought. She would never admit she was afraid but Shepard scared the hell out of her at times. The look on his face, jaw set and brows lowered over rolled back eyes was purely terrifying before Shepard groaned, raising a hand to his face.

"Bring it into the shuttle bay. Have Shaun and Jack ready to bring whoever's alive to the brig…" Shepard paused, looking to Miranda with a raised brow.

"Do we even have a brig?" Shepard paused; his tone was not humorous but genuinely pissed. Miranda opened her mouth to answer but a voice joined the conversation.

"Don't answer that lass. He'll rip your head off without a second thought" Don jumped to Miranda's rescue with a pleasant smile. Shepard glared at his little brother, who merely shrugged.

"What, the reason we can't have a coffee machine is you have such a bad temper when the foam isn't right" Don blinked innocently as Shepard continued to glare, a red hue to his eyes as he loomed in closer to his taller brother. Despite the obvious height difference Shepard was clearly the stronger of the two, fuelled by his fury to Don's amusement.

"I'm not that temperamental" Shepard defended himself by getting in Don's personal space. The Irish man laughed loudly, not ashamed of the spittle that flicked into Shepard's face. He was forced to endure the little flecks to make his point to his brother, yet he knew he was failing.

"The last time we had a coffee machine at home you tried to make a flat white and then shot the machine when it didn't have foam" Don pointed out. Shepard actually managed to look sheepish as he stared at Don with a small shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm a trained soldier. And it made a strange noise when I clicked foam"

"That was the machine saying flat whites do not have foam, brother"

"Keep your muther fucking hands off meh Snites" A voice boomed. Shepard paused for a moment, Miranda by his side found this peculiar. Then Shepard broke into an all-out sprint, like his life depending on it. Miranda found this very odd.

"Snipes" Shaun corrected, holding his gun on the unarmed and mentally unstable man. The scars down the man's face were unnerving, against the dark skin with a bull neck. This man was bigger than Shaun, and knew it too. He almost flaunted it, threw it in Shaun's face.

"Can we just fucking shoot him?" Jack demanded sarcastically. She was spinning her pistol in hand with an intense boredom. It would either be kill or torture the man or her interest was gone.

"Language" Shaun spoke without thinking. Jack glared at him, actually glared at him. She often glared towards people as if they were an annoyance to her space but she never glared at someone like they personally were the cause of her all her problems. Somehow Shaun found himself smiling back at the furious woman, flattered she would waste such precious time to take an interest in him. Now he just had to change it from negative to… less negative.

"Skip?" Shepard demanded, coming to a standstill beside Shaun. The mans eyes went wide and his hands trembled. He shook his head violently.

"I've finally gone mad. You're dead, Shepard" he mumbled, sweat forming on his brow.

"Snap out of it you black arsehole" Shepard snapped, his tone truly savage. Miranda's eyes went wide when a smile formed on the huge man's face, showing pearly teeth that had to be fake for their cleanness compared to the rest of his body.

"You white tender ass, it really is you" The man laughed and took Shepard's hand and shook it roughly before pulling Shepard into a bro embrace. The two laughed heartily as everyone watched in confusion.

"Does this mean I can't shoot him?" Jack demanded, looking to Shaun.

"No, you cannot shoot him Jack" Miranda interrupted Shaun before he spoke.

"Well, fuck!"

Shepard rested his head back, helmet pulled on as he tried to shut out the sense of anticipation he felt. His knees trembled and his hands gathered into the tightest fists he had ever clenched. Still he was not satisfied, beneath his helmet he ground his teeth as he tried to close his fists even tighter. It was a few hours since he had found out where Tali was and her mission. It was on the planet of Halestrom, deep in Geth Territory space. The prospect that the team hadn't reported gave Shepard the shivers, he desperately needed to see Tali safe and alive. He ignored the shuddering of the shuttle as it was knocked about, his eyes never on Shaun, Jack or Kasumi whom he had brought along. Don was left in charge, something to which Miranda had highly and vocally objected too… loudly.

"Almost time to go, Sheppy" Kasumi said sweetly. The thief was always cheerful, ever since they had picked her up at the Citadel. Shepard had to admit he liked her, it was very hard not to. It was harder to remain angry at the contagiously cheery little thief. She stood bellow his shoulder, short like all Asians, but she owned the room she took board in with a bar and couches. She loved staring out the window, Shepard discovered, she also knew everything that was happening on the ship. All the gossip, which Shepard didn't need or want to know about.

He nodded his response, not trusting his voice to be of a respectable nature. He knew he would sound pissed, beyond his usual grouchiness. The lack of Tali made him a bitter man, even though he had loosened up as more familiar faces came on board. He hated the Cerberus uniform he was forced to wear, making him look like a common soldier on his own ship. Everyone knew he was the boss, and the tight clinging leather did wonders for his looks, but he still hated it.

"Landing now, Shepard" Jacob announced, lowering the ship carefully. Shepard had to admit the guy had his uses, but he was no Shade behind the wheel of a shuttle. Another friendly face he missed, that of the smart mouthed and large hearted engineer slash hacker Dahvie Shade.

The shuttle landed in the shade, allowing Shepard to step out with Shaun in his full armor, Jack with a jacket and mask on with a force field generator to take bullets and Kasumi in her usual gear with a faceplate. Shaun stepped forwards, extending his hand into the light then cursing as the shields came into view and almost wore out.

"Shepard. Radiation is playing havoc with our shields" he warned as they continued through the sun, shields dying quickly.

"And I'm wearing black, can we get into shade please?" Kasumi added her whining. Shepard grinned as Jack began a string of violent curses and made several rude gestures at the sun. In the end Shaun lifted her by the waist and carried her, kicking and yelling into the shade.

"Kasumi, there are gate controls in that building. Get to work" Shepard ordered. The thief saluted smartly then wondered inside. After a minute the gate lifted and Shepard, Shaun and Jack bolted through.

"Geth incoming!" Shaun yelled, drawing his riffle and ducking behind cover. Jack and Shepard followed suit. Shepard quickly ducked into the lower shadows and fought the Geth while Jack stayed up and sent shockwaves through them, laughing and swearing as their limbs flew. Shaun suffered the sun and got up on a wall, sniping quickly into the area ahead of Shepard and the higher places where Geth snipers were at work.

Shaun found himself suddenly on his back, with a Geth Hunter decloaking over him and placing its gun against his gut.

"Fly bitch!" A deep cry came from Jack as she threw a shockwave into the Geth, adding a throw as the Geth flew. It effectively ended up a ball of metal and wires, with Jack glaring like a predator. Shaun just stared as Jack saved his life with a vengeance; he finally smiled and got to his feet.

"Thanks Jacky" he called. She glared at him as she ducked into cover, firing a blind shot with her shotgun. She brought it into her lap as she fidgeted, using her biotics to warp her clips before she slid them into place. Shaun was enchanted for a moment before Jack replied.

"Fuck you Snipes"

"Yay! She knows my name" Shaun called playfully, snipping another Geth aside before he and Jack made a run across the sun into the shade, where Jack popped a Geth in the chest. The second was handled by Shepard's pistol before he squatted and reloaded his Mattock.

….

"Are you actually fucking kidding me?" Shepard growled as he landed flat on his stomach, staring up where a Geth Rocket had blown a bit of building aside. Shepard covered his head to protect himself, knowing the gesture was somewhat foolish as his elbows squeezed his ears. He didn't hear the pops as Shaun shot without his silencer attached.

"Cleared" Shaun called, no longer the quirky boyish soldier, now he was the focused sniper. Even Jack had quit cursing at the Geth, instead focusing her energy on destroying them quickly.

"On my mark bolt for the shadows" Shepard commanded, watching the Geth regroup in the sunlight.

"Now!" He cried then thoughtlessly ran, holding his gun close to his hip as he shot the lone Geth in their way. Shaun threw a grenade at the group of Geth.

"Hey Smokey, throw a field around em" He yelled pointing to the Geth squad. Jack thought about mouthing off but found her body obeying orders like they had been together as a team for years, it irritated her. She hesitated and disobeyed Shepard without a problem, but Shaun's orders she followed blindly. Maybe because Shaun's orders were fun. Creative ways to kill or throwing some powers around. Much more exciting than "stay down, on my mark" and anything else Shepard had ordered. The sudden explosion within was powerful enough to shock Jack, a brilliant ball of orange contained in the blue biotics. Jack grinned smugly as did Shaun, both looking to Shepard like little kids. Shaun held a serious soldier aura about him, which Shepard knew was training. It was cold but the little titbits of excitement couldn't be denied. He had just blown up ten or so Geth, he had a right to smile.

They continued silently down between two buildings, with Jack that was quite the achievement. Shepard suddenly paused, placing his back against the wall. He held his fist out before he let two fingers poke out. He then gestured to Shaun and placed his fingers together as he twisted and gestured around the corner, then up where there was a thin ledge. Shaun nodded, pointing to a position then leaping. He sat and lined the shots up quickly. Before the Geth could react Shaun shot their heads off, relishing the metallic shrieks as they died.

Shepard walked to the dead Geth and tilted his head to the side, listening to the static of a radio. He looked around until he found a radio beside a SMG model he was unfamiliar with due to the extensive damage. He looked almost sorrowful at the poor Quarian squad's fate before he lifted the radio and answered.

"I'm Spectre, Commander Shepard. Your squad is dead. Is Tali safe?"

" Shepard, as in Tali's old Captain?"

"Given I've come to this shithole to help her out, yeah I'm THAT Shepard. Now answer my question, soldier. Is Tali Alright? Is she injured? Is she safe?"

"Yes sir. We are pinned down, we managed to punch Tali through to the labs and seal her in. Geth are on us like flies" a reply came from the soldier, confident yet not cocky. Shepard instantly liked this guy, whoever the heck he was.

"Are you sure Tali is alive?" Shepard demanded again. His heart had been pounding frightfully against his chest, almost beating to freedom but suddenly it stopped as if encased in led. His mind refused to operate for anything but hearing one word, longing for that one word that ensured a huge part of himself was alive, even if she didn't know her importance to him.

"Yes. She is safe" More words were exchanged as the group moved into the courtyard but Shepard couldn't get the words out of his head.

"Tali's safe. She's safe. Thank the universe. She's safe"

The sound of a pillar falling across the doors towards the base camp was enough to drown his thoughts, but not the swell of relief he felt. Then adrenaline kicked in. He wasn't safe yet. They were not safe yet.

Miranda stood making the coffee with barely contained disgust. They had soldiers coffee, which was as delicious as urine with a coffee bean in it, Miranda imagined. She fought the tingling sensation rushing down her spine as she heard the confident footsteps stop, she had spent time remembering how Don walked, she knew how he sounded, how his shoulders stayed straight and his eyes twinkled. She hated it. It was torturous knowing everything about a man she held no emotional connection too, let alone the Shepard brothers. It was hard to disconnect from them. Shepard was an arsehole, the Galactic Dick he was known as but while not very handsome he had a nice body and his eyes were stunning. Don was harder still, he was very likable, which only got on her nerves. He had all the ingredients to be prince charming, but somehow he still looked average Joe. The twinkling green eyes, amazing red hair and soft skin. He should be handsome and yet he was not. He had manners like any officer, yet he still teased Miranda relentlessly. He was a walking contradiction.

"Can I do something for you, Commanding Officer?" Miranda asked finally, catching a glimpse of the Irishman from the corner of her eye. It hit her like a ton of bricks that she actually found him attractive, and he was perfect on paper. She ground her teeth in irritation, stopping her thoughts from lingering on how different he turned out from how she had expected.

"Yes, I want some coffee" Don said simply, eyes twinkling with a joke Miranda would end up been the butt of. She rolled her eyes but spoke without thinking.

"You found Ilos, you can make a cup of coffee without bothering me" She realised how she had spoken as Don raised his brows with a huge smile. She had taken the bait, she realised too late.

"I can't reach the bench with your assets. Honestly, they an extra squad mate, how much do they weigh?" Don kept the smile as Miranda narrowed her eyes at him.

"If you've come to insult me Don Shepard…"

"Insult you, milady I would never insult such a beautiful creature. I was praising you strength, it must take an effort to carry those around and yet you do it without the slightest strain. I am in awe" Don took a step forwards, bowing in jest as Miranda stood at her full height, eyes blazing with blue fire. Don's eyes also held a spark, yet somehow there was a respect in them that shook Miranda. He said the worst things he could come up with her yet he respected her. She didn't understand his humour, which irritated her. Miranda didn't like not understanding anything.

"Well, I am amazed how you manage to tie your shoelaces up you hooligan"

"Hooligan? Did you look that word up or did the Illusive Man teach you it?"

"That is private"

"Hmm… I could teach you, but lacing your boots might take a long time. Can you see your boots over your chest, I'm genuinely curious?"

"How do you function with such a poorly constructed brain?" Miranda snapped, she was not herself when Don insulted her. The Irishman grinned, shrugging her words off with a smile.

"You reconstructed it"

"The single most painful task in my life aside from reconstructing your face"

"Ouch. Touché. That was a good one Miranda"

"Charges are go. Move ya booty or lose a cheek" Shaun boomed loudly, jogging out of reach of the detonators. Shepard couldn't keep his mind of Tali, or the logs where she constantly mentioned something he had done that was incredible. Shepard was on the edge of the blast when something hit his head. He grunted as he hit the ground, knocked out momentarily. It triggered another memory that he shouldn't have born.

The softest skin and beautiful blonde hair. Eyes so blue Shepard almost drowned. She was his, the ring around her finger proved it. No one knew, they were shipped to Akuze. He stared down into blue eyes, no longer drowning sweetly but dying as he held her from a plummet to death bellow.

"Don't let go, Shepard"

"I've got you baby, I'm not letting go" he can't pull her up, can't save her. He holds desperately as his squad run down the path past him.

"HELP ME!" He cries, but no one even notices him. The Thresher Maw is tearing their camp apart, there is nothing but chaos. A boot hits his side, a soldier trips over his body. Shepard is knocked over the ledge himself and he feels the warmth leave his ankle catches on something, the blue falls further away.

"Noooooooooooooooo!" Her cry fades as she falls from him forever. Shepard screams, his throat torn raw from the heartbroken cry as his love is forever lost to him.

"Lily!"

"Shepard!" Jack yelled, shaking the man roughly.

"Lily" he whispered.

"Who the fuck is that? Get up!"

He stared up and nodded, getting silently to his feet as Shaun called Don over the com.

"Don. Shepard got hit in the head, he's up but he was talking about someone called Lily. Clarify?" Shaun waited for Don's reply before he moved to pull Jack back as she yelled again.

Don froze as he heard the message from Shaun. Quickly he touched his com and replied, willing his voice not to shake.

"Do not ask him anything about it. Just pick him up, dust him off and keep your mouth shut. Model soldier, got it Shaun?"

The soldier replied and Don let out a large breath of air he didn't realise he had been holding. He looked back at the data pad in his hand as he strode towards sickbay, utterly disappointed in the lack of organisation. He instantly began changing up his systems, remembering how masterful Shade was at this stuff. He smiled as he finished rearranging his files, had a layout planned for the weapons rules and had signed the order for more clips and a Shotgun blade.

Without looking he sat in a chair, never looking at the motherly doctor Chakwas as he spoke.

"My brothers slipping"

"Slipping how?" The doctor asked, Don took a deep breath before he began.

"He lost someone close at Akuze, she took my place on that mission. For a year all he could say were ramblings of love and goodbye. And her name. We figured out his ramblings, but he started up down groundside with the name, also he took a rough hit to the head"

"What ramblings?"

"The forty nine goodbye letters of the troops he lost to their loved ones"

….

"I wish Shepard was here" Tali's recording ended. Shepard stood before it with tears in his eyes. No one saw them beneath his helmet but he was nearly crying. The memory he had relived haunted him, the letters were engraved upon his memory, the faces he had sacrificed for information. He shuddered, refusing to sacrifice Tali. He had died two years ago for a crewmember. He knew Akuze had broken him, he was fragile even now. He turned that fragileness into rage, rage at the Geth he was about to kill. He was busy sliding a new clip into his gun when a static voice came.

"To basecamp. Come in basecamp" Shepard walked to the log, watching Shaun deconstruct a Geth sniper rifle and store some parts away for reuse. When Shepard reached the radio he fidgeted quickly, using his omni tool to clear the signal. Tali's face came into view as a holographic projection. Instantly Shepard's palm felt sweaty but he removed his helmet.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Tali asked, desperation clear in her voice. Shepard placed his helmet down and then his hands on the controls as he leaned forwards slightly.

"I am" He said simply.

"Shepard? I'm not complaining b-but you show up at the strangest times! What are you doing in the middle of Geth space" Tali touched her mask in confusion before scratching her head. Shepard couldn't help grin slightly as he answered with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

"I was in the area, thought you could use some refreshments. Now I think you could use a Shepard styled rescue" he watched Tali touch her mask again.

"Keelah Shepard, no blowing up the buildings, if you bring the Normandy down it might destabilize these ruins. They are hundreds of years old"

"Jokers going to be disappointed, Garrus too. He was hoping to try out the new guns he and Don arranged" Shepard sounded genuinely disappointed but the small smile on his face betrayed him. Shaun and Jack watched in shock as Shaun began filming, wanting to study this softer side of Shepard further.

"Garrus is with you?" Tali asked in surprise.

"We saved his ass on Omega. He took a missile to the face" Shepard informed.

"This is the second time you've saved my life" Tali suddenly sounded different, her voice almost a whisper filled with longing and wonder. Shepard didn't even notice it, he was too busy focusing on keeping his words coherent.

"Without being on my mission anyway"

"Missions don't count. Besides, how many times have I saved you?" Tali retorted with a friendly challenge.

"Missions don't count. Can you open this door?" Shepard chuckled as Tali got to work, her omni tool working before the door opened.

"There, that should do it" Tali said with a satisfied nod of her head, Shepard lifted his helmet and flashed her a toothy smile, never noticing how Tali caught her breath.

"See you soon"