Normandy-Memorial Wall
Tali Zora Vas Normandy
The name of the former Quarian squad mate was permanently emblazed and memorialized on the memorial, the newest member to honor the forgotten and the dead. A permanent home like so many before her, to be forever immortalized as long as there was a Normandy. To join so many others like Thane, Kaidan, and Wrex.
Abby leaned against the wall, the pain of the losses still acute in her mind. But the faces were starting to blend, to slowly pass into something…else. Some dim echo of what they were. And even Tali's face…snort…Abby coughed self-consciously to suppress the sudden wave of macabre mirth spreading through her. But her face would eventually fade, or at least become less then what it was in her mind. She would remember them all, but time tended to wound all heals, and to make people forget. Especially mine with so much death and struggle
But now she had a way out…
"Hey Lola, there you are, been looking for you."
She turned around, "James." She said seeing her friend and comrade.
"Thinking about the lost." James asked nodding at the wall.
"Remembering the lost." Shepard sighed turning back to the wall. "Trying to anyways…cursing our frail human memory."
"Yeah," James breathed coming to join her.
She snorted leaning against the table. "You know its ironic Miranda comes back to us, we remove her name from the wall, only to have it almost instantly replaced by Tali's."
"'The good Lord giveth the good Lord taketh away?'" James quoted ironically.
"Something like that." Abby nodded, glaring at the name plate. "And it's hard to choose, I don't want to lose either of them, or to feel glad that Miranda is here and Tali is not. I do hate myself for even considering the notion, for even feeling glad that Miranda is here, when we just lost Tali no more than a few weeks later."
"Don't be, Miranda is a friend…Tali is a friend…" the soldier blanched…. "was." He sighed. "I'm sure wherever Sparks is right now she is quite happy to see us safe. Miranda included. And I'm sure she'll understand."
"Speaking of Mianda," Shepard stated the thought dawning on her, "hear what she wants to do with the Cerberus Remnant?"
James nodded slowly, "The Phoenix Organization? Yeah I heard."
"What do you think?" She asked.
James shrugged, "Way above my paygrade. But…"
"But?"
"Well from where I sit Cerberus is leaderless, headless, flailing around, they could thrash themselves to death, but in the meantime they could take a lot of innocent people with them. Just look at what happened on Omega."
She nodded and bit her lip into silence.
Abby shot the Lieutenant a sideways glance. "You know you've…mellowed…since the last time I saw you."
He laughed, "Well you know Lola, facing the end of the world has a way of changing a man. Making him reconsider his priorities. Which would make the third time I've faced the end of the world."
She arched her eyebrow at him.
He sighed, "First the team was fighting the Collectors on, then the Reaper War, almost loosing Earth, and then almost having the whole Galaxy get turned into Reaper food. Drooling husks just waiting in line to be picked apart and mashed into Reaper ships. Really has a way of focusing the mind, you know?"
"Well as long as you are the same gung ho marine that would face down a Thresher Maw…"
He laughed, "I haven't changed that much Lola. Don't expect me to stop flirting with you or giving nicknames to everything that moves…and also don't expect me to not be ferociously loyal to the people who deserve my loyalty." He winked. "That would be you by the ways."
"I wouldn't dream of it…and I'm flattered…James."
The two of them descended into silence, shifting in their positions, watching the names on the roll go rolling by, comfortable in each other's company and enjoying it almost as much as they were studying the names. But yet…
"You wanted to see me for something James?"
"Oh yeah, I did…didn't I?" He asked shifting around and looking down.
Shepard blinked at him, "James?" She asked smirking.
"If I don't get this out of the way now I'll probably lose my nerve… 'face down a Thresher Maw she said…it will be fun she said.'" He sighed.
"Uh…what?" She furrowed her brow at the officer.
Instead of responding he backed away for a few steps, looking her in the eyes, drinking her in, studying her. Abby gulped under the intense scrutiny. Feeling he was sizing her up for some purpose. It's like he is studying me, judging me, my motivations, temperament. Abby had no idea why but she felt as though James was trying to see her for the first time, to try and get a new, fresh, unbiased look at her.
He nodded suddenly, obviously satisfied with his appraisal. It was then he began to get down on one knee, began to bend.
Her eyes widened, no…he can't be doing this…can he? Her heart fluttered as the realization began to dawn on her, a mixture of slight panic, revulsion, dread, but also of hope and awe that someone would do this for her, even be bold enough to make the attempt.
"James…what are you doing?...James?" She asked, trying to stall for time, trying to get her pounding heart back under control, feeling as though she were some punk faced cadet, except without the bravado of her earlier life when she was a punk faced cadet.
He completed his maneuver, still managing to come up quite a distance on her body.
He smiled, barking a sudden laugh. "Well this is actually a lot better than I thought it would be."
"James…" Abby cocked her head sideways, trying to chastise the man, but smirking all the way.
"Come on," He started. "I think we both know how I feel, and I think you feel the same way. So if you would do me the honor…of marrying me…of letting me be your husband, and you, my wife."
"I think you need a ring for this, James." She teased.
He laughed, "Oh come on Lola! I may be traditional but have you seen how much money those things cost these days?"
She chuckled looking down at him smirking.
"So?"
"I'm not taking your name." She teased.
"That's not a no." James replied, grinning
She thought about it for a second, and then looked at him sizing him up, "Sure, what the hell, I could sure do worse then you."
He grinned up at her and launched into her arms, she responded by placing her arms firmly upon his neck and melting into his kiss. She slurped on him passionately; his tongue, and then withdrew pulling on his lip ever so slightly.
"Wow James, aggressive much?" She teased.
"Oh you know Lola, you are mine now." He smirked in mock triumph.
"Oh is that a fact Mr. Vega?" She teased again kissing him deeply.
"Well…I…guess so." He responded flustered.
"That's better." She smirked back.
The two of them held each other for a moment more, "You know Vega, I think I can give you a certain something special…let's just call it practice for the real thing." She said starting to lead it off.
"Won't God complain?" Vega replied worried.
"Oh I'm sure he will understand this…slight…breach of protocol. After all it's been a while."
"Oh, so you have done it before?"
She laughed, "but of course James, I may be heroic and mysterious…and a Valkyrie…that doesn't mean I have herculean resistance to manly charms."
He grinned at her as she led him away, to her chambers.
Normandy-CIC
Paul Leighy leaned against the Galaxy Map with Cynthia doing likewise next to him, along with everyone else, which certainly kills the mood.
Shepard had called them all there before several minutes earlier, every squad member and major crewman on the ship, something that is becoming a regular occurrence, to the CIC. For what purposes no one knew and could only guess at, but Paul suspected it had something to do with the fact they had arrested Keith Faulkner and in effect put an end to the Disciple conflict.
But then…nothing. No apparition of Shepard, no announcement calling it all off…nothing…
"Ugh what is taking her so long?" Cynthia commented disgustedly.
"You don't want to know." EDI commented suddenly.
Paul looked at her bug eyed, and was about to inquire when the elevator door spun open in front of him.
…
Abby Shepard stood with James's hand clasped in hers, and he was grinning like an idiot…worse still the door opened
And she saw the entire squad gathered there turning to face her…and EDI was smirking. God damn, Shepard thought, there are some disadvantages to having an AI onboard, shoulda asked her to turn herself off…then she would have also figured it out and would still be grinning anyways.
Abby traded a look at James…and he was smiling too…down at her. Way to be subtle.
And there was Paul giving the hand clasping a puzzled look.
She walked out with James in tow to the center of the room and gave the squad a glance. "Good evening people." She said.
"Shepard." EDI reported.
She smiled breaking away from James, inspiration striking her suddenly.
"Ladies, gentlemen, everyone else." She started. "We have been together through so much. But this journey is coming to an end…or at least this chapter of this story. There will always be more to do. Always more to see. And some of us," She glanced at Liara, "are moving on. But wherever we go, whatever we do, our home will always be here, our heart will be here. On the Normandy. This vessel has nurtured us and carried us through thick and thin," She saw Ashley straighten slightly. "And as long as it's here we will have a home to come back to. A place to meet and gather. I am so proud to know each and every one of you, and call you my comrades, my colleagues, but more importantly…my friends and loved ones."
She glanced at James then glanced around at the assembled group. They were smiling, frowning, looking down guiltily, the three new members of the family looked proud to be a part of it all, and positively beaming.
"And we shall always remember the lost." She stated looking around.
With that they frowned and looked down, probably remember their own moments with the people they had lost. She gave them a minute to soak it in, to remember.
"But now…for some happy announcments." She grinned.
The squad perked up wondering what the 'happy announcements' could possibly be.
"First of all, I've been engaged…to James Vega." She started.
"Congratulations" Ashley grinned.
EDI smirked.
Palin looked out, "Ah human courtship rituals, should be interesting to witness."
"Where's the rings?" Paul asked furrowing his brows. "Ow!" He yelped as Cynthia elbowed him in the ribs.
"Well congratulations Shepard." Joker nodded.
"Thanks." She nodded. "And that's not all."
The squad looked at her with curiosity, baited breath even…James backing up to look at her puzzled, even he didn't know what was coming.
"I've been promoted." She announced, "I'm now Captain Abigail Shepard."
"But-" Chakwas started before she was drowned out.
"What Lola?! That's awesome!"
"Wow never thought I'd see the day, what has it been like six years since you were promoted to Commander?" Ashley teased.
"Technically some of that was with Cerberus." EDI pointed out.
"And besides the whole being dead thing." Joker cut in smoothly.
"Thank you all."
"Still," Joker said, "Now I have to get used to saying 'Captain' every time you step onto the bridge, that's going to be a real pain getting used to."
"Thank you all, no really." She sniffed emotionally.
Cynthia grinned at the display.
And Abby took in the crew, looking at them for each in turn, happy, smiling, except for Liara who looked more than a little retrospective.
"Hey everyone let's do a group shot." She announced, looking at them each in turn.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Traynor mused.
"I agree."
"Oh man I've always wanted to do this!" Joker pumped his fist in the air and jumped, "Ow! Might've strained something."
He activated his Omni-tool and toggled through it for a moment, going through his list of aps and programs looking for the right one.
"Come on you," He cursed, "Ugh where is it!"
"Jeff," EDI said patting the pilot/ boyfriend on the shoulder. "Let me do it."
Joker relented and stepped into the gathering circle.
EDI removed a small device from her ear and placed it on the Galaxy Map rail. "Say Cheese." She said.
She rushed over to join them, positioning besides Joker, who was beside Ashley.
Ashley, Shepard, and Vega were in the center, the rest of the squad straightening out and fanning out through the back of the CIC.
And it flashed, immortalizing the picture of the finest squad of men, women, and aliens to ever walk the Galaxy. Capturing a perfect moment of heroes celebrating their life, and they had lived to fight another day.
No matter where they would go, or what they would do, a part of them would always belong to each other.
To Shepard, and the Normandy.
AN: 2 Chapters.
