Ashley hated working a desk. She was a soldier, a Marine. Not a fucking paper-pusher. When she received her orders for Vancouver, she'd hoped it was a temporary stationing, just long enough to set up her next assignment, preferably aboard a warship. Instead, she attended endless meetings and prepared seemingly thousands of briefings.

It was awful.

She had thought it was worth it the day she saw Shepard coming off the Normandy. And then Shepard simply vanished. Ashley made inquiries, trying to determine where she had been taken. She submitted requests to visit or at least send a communication. All denied. She tried contacting the JAG Corps on Shepard's behalf, but was rebuffed each time. When Anderson arrived in Vancouver after resigning his seat on the Council, she tracked him down to ask him where Shepard was. He declined to answer, saying his hands were tied. He wouldn't even confirm if Shepard was still in Vancouver, or if she'd been transferred elsewhere. She sent messages to Hannah Shepard, in hopes that the Alliance had at least allowed Shepard to contact her mother, but Hannah was similarly kept in the dark. Ashley didn't give up trying to find or contact Shepard precisely. She simply had no more leads to follow.

Frustrated, Ashley kept herself busy pushing papers. Sitting behind a desk left her restless and irritable, and feeling more than a little out of shape and out of practice. She managed to negotiate an hour or two off during the day so that she could crash some of the Marine drills or take a run. The time wasn't consistent, and she could occasionally go a few days with no activity, but for the most part she found a way to keep her body and skills sharp.

Ashley's insights and contributions must have impressed somebody in the higher echelons. Within four months of her assignment to Alliance HQ, Ashley became a regular fixture at the Alliance Defense Committee meetings. Obviously the committee couldn't allow a grunt to sit in on their deliberations and help shape strategies, so Ashley received a corresponding promotion to Lieutenant Commander. She'd always imagined that her promotions would come from recognition of her abilities as a soldier and a leader, not how well she could string words together in a brief or explain strategy to a desk jockey, making what should have been a proud moment somewhat bittersweet.

As she soon discovered over the next couple of months, the Defense Committee seemed far more interested in talking about a potential Reaper threat than actually doing anything about it. Despite Shepard's warning that a Reaper fleet was poised at the edge of the galaxy, the committee indulged in abstract discussions, with little apparent intent to deploy actual resources to counter what Shepard identified as an imminent attack. More often than not, she returned to her quarters frustrated at the end of each day.

Finally, Ashley attended a meeting where the committee seemed ready for action. Admiral Hackett was ready to mobilize the fleet. The committee discussed how best to support Hackett, and asked Ashley to brief them on various deployment strategies.

Once her briefing was complete, she was allowed to return to her other duties. As she left the chambers, she spotted Anderson on his way in. Just as she greeted the admiral, Ashley spotted a gargantuan Marine over his shoulder. The same soldier that had accompanied Shepard off the Normandy some six months earlier. Her heart thudded in her chest as she scanned the reception area. There! Shepard was with the Marine, and turned when she heard Ashley's voice.

"Ash?"

Neither of them moved. Ashley hadn't seen Shepard in over half a year. She was the slightest bit thinner. Her face was a couple of shades paler. Her copper hair was several inches shorter. But the firm set of her jaw and the fire in her emerald eyes were everything she remembered. Ashley's hand went to the extra set of dog tags she wore under her uniform. She couldn't take her eyes off of Shepard, only half hearing Anderson's question to her.

"Lieutenant Commander." Anderson's voice brought her attention back to him.

"Sorry, sir. What was that?" Her eyes were still focused beyond the admiral.

"I asked how you think it went in there."

"I can never tell with them. I'm just hoping for some orders now." Ashley took a single step towards Shepard, mindful of the room full of Alliance personnel. Hands gripped in tight fists, Ashley concentrated on fighting the desire to throw her arms around Shepard and feel her lips on her own.

Shepard appeared to be waging the same battle. She approached Ashley and Anderson, staying a half step behind the admiral. "Lieutenant Commander?" Her voice was throaty and tight.

Anderson addressed Shepard. "You hadn't heard?"

Irritation passed across Shepard's face. "How would I hear, sir, locked up in solitary for six months? I'm a bit out of the loop these days." Anderson looked properly chastened.

Ashley's hand reached involuntarily towards her lover before she pulled it back. "Sorry, Shepard. I tried. . ."

"I know, Ash. It's good to see you." They stood like that, separated by less than an arm's length, eyes locked, unable to touch or say anything to the other. Shepard's heart thundered in her chest, and breathing was a chore. Based on Ashley's flushed cheeks, she was experiencing a similar reaction. Shepard couldn't look away. Wouldn't look away. She wanted to tell Ashley how much she'd missed her, how much she loved her. But this wasn't the time or place. Instead, she gave Ashley her warmest smile, the one she reserved just for Ashley, hoping that was enough for now.

Ashley returned the smile, opening her mouth to say something more, when a young officer approached the small group and interrupted. "Admiral. They're waiting."

Anderson turned to Shepard. "Come on." Shepard fell into step behind him, passing close enough to Ashley to brush a hand against hers, offering a silent Love you. Ashley had no time to respond. She stood, watching her lover's retreating back. With a searing glare for the large Marine still standing at parade rest, Ashley left to return to her desk to await orders.

OoOoO

Shepard was seething. The committee had lost contact with all colonies beyond the Sol relay, and was just now trying to do something about it? And that something was apparently to ask Shepard to solve the problem for them. After keeping her in a virtual hole for six months.

With barely concealed rage, she fired back at the committee. "The Reapers are here." She was baffled by their confused expressions. "Are you fucking kidding me? You should have figured that out on your own."

A woman on the dais looked particularly horrified. "What do we do to stop them?"

"Stop them? You can't fucking stop them. I blew up a relay and only managed to delay them. We're past stopping them. Now we figure out how to survive. We're going to have to stand together."

Another committee member broke in. "That's it? That's our plan?"

Shepard turned to him. "You've had six goddamn months to come up with a plan. Longer, if you would have taken my warnings some three years ago more seriously. This is all we have. This is what we need to do. The Reapers are more advanced, more powerful, more ruthless than we are. Now, we work on surviving."

Her angry rant was interrupted by a communications officer announcing that communications with Luna were lost. The room looked at the wall of screens in horror as city after city on Earth fell to Reapers.

"What do we do?" that same committee member asked.

Standing ramrod straight, Shepard responded the one way she knew how. "The only thing we can do. We fight."

Anderson placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on. We should get to the Normandy."

Before they could even move, all eyes focused out the window at a looming Reaper ship, descending on Vancouver. "Move! Go go go!" Shepard tried to find cover as the Reaper's red beam blasted through the window into the chambers. Unsuccessful, she was thrown against a wall and lay dazed on the floor.

As she fought her way back to clarity, she could hear Anderson on his comm. "Lieutenant Commander Williams, is that you?" Pause. "Get to the Normandy. Now."

That was enough to instantly clear Shepard's mind. Ashley!

OoOoO

All hell was breaking loose. Debris from the Reaper beam littered the floor around her. Ashley was glad she kept her armor and weapon stowed in a locker behind her desk. She had just strapped everything on when she heard Anderson on her comm. "Admiral? Are you okay?"

"Lieutenant Commander Williams, is that you?"

"Yes, sir. Where do you need me, sir?"

"Get to the Normandy. Now."

She wanted to ask if Shepard was with him. Wanted to know if Shepard was okay. Instead, she followed the admiral's order and made her way to the landing dock. Bodies were strewn along the path. Chunks of masonry blocked her path, slowing her as she had to climb across or around them. She spotted a familiar bulky shape fighting off a few husks ahead. "Big Ape! Need a hand?"

Vega kept his weapon aimed ahead, only barely turning his head to see who was addressing him. "Hey, LC. Where you headed?"

"Normandy. I could use another shooter. Let's go."

Ashley's comm crackled. It was Anderson. "Lieutenant Commander, you read me?"

"Sir, yes sir."

"I'm patching in Shepard." Shepard is alive! Thank god.

"Shepard. Glad you're still breathing. I've got Vega with me. We're almost to the Normandy, but we're taking heavy fire." The comm channel faded out, losing any reply Anderson may have given. Ashley continued on to the landing dock with the huge Marine at her back.

After dispatching a dozen or more husks, they boarded the Normandy. The first person Ashley saw was Joker. She hadn't been in the same space with him since Shepard's memorial service, and wasn't in the mood for a reunion. She gave him a cursory nod and moved back to the CIC, waiting for Shepard and Anderson to arrive.

OoOoO

Anderson finished off the last husk as Shepard pried open the door to a mostly demolished building. They both ducked in, climbing over twisted metal and broken glass. A young boy skittered off through a ventilation duct beyond Shepard's reach, disappearing down the darkness before she could pull him out.

"Shepard, move!" Anderson ordered.

They continued their slow progress. "Shepard, we need to go to the Citadel and talk to the Council."

"With all due respect, sir, the fight is here."

"It'll be everywhere soon enough. They'll have to help us."

They cleared the building, continuing on their way. Anderson contacted Williams again. "Lieutenant Commander, we're on our way to the spaceport. ETA three minutes."

"We're aboard the ship, sir. We're taking heavy fire. Shit, the Reapers are going to take down that dreadnought."

Ashley's comm was filled with the sounds of an explosion and crunching metal. Shepard broke in. "We're going to re-route, Ashley. Do you copy?"

Ashley couldn't get a response through the comm. "Bridge, prepare to move when we get a location." She couldn't even use Joker's name.

The comm crackled. Anderson's message was broken and distorted, but she was able to make out that Anderson and Shepard were at the harbor. Just then a beacon signal glowed on a nearby screen. "There. Set a course for that signal. Now!"

"Aye aye, ma'am."

Ashley ran down to the ship's shuttle bay, opening the bay door as the Normandy approached the harbor. Shepard was running up the remains of a downed ship towards the open door, leaping across the empty space. Ashley instinctively reached out to slow Shepard's trajectory as she landed on the metal deck, involuntarily pulling Shepard into her arms. Ashley swallowed, working moisture back into her dry mouth as she released Shepard. "Welcome back, Skipper."

Shepard reached a hand out to ghost a touch across Ashley's arm. "Thanks." She turned back to Anderson, still perched on top of the wrecked ship. "Come on, Anderson. Jump."

Anderson shook her off. "I'm staying. The survivors here need me. You go. Now. Convince the Council."

"What if they don't listen to me, sir. They haven't yet."

"You'll have to convince them. Now go!"

Shepard crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I don't take orders from you anymore, sir, remember?"

Anderson reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny set of tags, tossing them to her. "You do now. Consider yourself reinstated, Commander."

Shepard caught the tags, conflicting emotions playing across her face.

"You know what you have to do, Shepard. Go do it."

"I'll be back for you, Anderson. And I'll be bringing every fleet I can. Good luck."

"You too, Shepard."

As the Normandy began to move away, Ashley stood next to Shepard, slipping her hand into Shepard's and squeezing it tightly. Shepard watched shuttles land near the harbor, picking up refugees. The little boy she'd seen earlier boarded one, and Shepard allowed herself a small smile. Her pleasure was short lived, as a Reaper beam swept across the harbor, destroying the ship and killing all of its passengers. She turned her head away, bile rising in the back of her throat. "Fuck! Close this door. Now!" Ashley hit the switch while dismissing the few crewmembers who remained in the shuttle bay.

Shepard slammed her fists repeatedly into a nearby crate as the Normandy left Earth behind. As she left Earth behind. Shepard never walked away from a fight. Not once. She punched the crate until her knuckles were raw and bloody. Ashley stood to the side, helplessly watching, knowing she had to let Shepard do this. Finally spent, Shepard slumped to the floor, holding her head in her bloody hands. Ashley silently knelt by her side, wrapping Shepard up in her arms and resting her cheek atop Shepard's head. Shepard relaxed into her embrace, still saying nothing.

When Shepard's labored breath evened out and her shoulders stopped shaking, Ashley stood and extended a hand. "Let's go take care of those hands, Skipper. We've got work to do."

Shepard allowed Ashley to pull her up by her forearm, continuing forward until she held Ashley in her arms. She took a moment to look into Ashley's eyes before kissing her tenderly. "God, I've missed you, Ash."