Two weeks passed since the Normandy made it to Omega. Aria's forces had been great in recovering the ship and getting it back to near perfect condition. The only thing that couldn't be fixed was Edi, she had been reactivated, but her AI was all but gone. A VI was the best the technicians could get, meaning systems were slower and the new Edi wasn't as half as talkative as AI Edi.

"Edi, what are you thinking about right now?" Joker asked as he sat in his usual seat, rubbing his clean-shaven chin.

"I do not understand the question, Mr Moreau," the static voice replies. Joker sighs to himself, he'd been trying to get Edi to talk to him for days, but it didn't understand his questions or puns past basic commands and questions about the actual ship.

Garrus was up on his feet again, though being without an arm had brought on a new form of depression for him. He could barely work in the forward battery and his previous work had been completely changed by Aria's people, he was pissed.

Shepard was awake, though not very talkative. Her body was much more damaged than Chakwas intently thought. Her jaw was broken and locked in place, her left arm was broken. Some of her Cybernetics were destroyed and both her legs had no function to them. Aria's medical team were confident Shepard would walk again, but the surgery equipment needed wasn't anything they had there. She needed to get back to Earth.

"Will the lockjaw be fixed?" Kaidan asked as he stood next to Shepard in her bed. She was tired, tired of the tests and being asked questions she could only hum in answer to. She had a datapad to write her response, but even her fingers were exhausted.

The Salarian doctor, Padok Wiks looked up from his datapad. Shepard knew who he was, he was in Sur'kesh months ago, hiding the Krogan females from Wrex and his clan. The salarian was kind and welcoming to Shepard, agreeing the Genophage should have ended decades ago. He left Sur'kesh and joined Aria not long after the Cerberus attack on the research base he worked on. He didn't agree with his people's way of hiding from all their problems.

"Yes, I have given the Commander medication needed to loosen the muscles. I will then realine her jaw," he calmly explains. Shepard looks frantic at Kaidan, she doesn't want to be pulled around. It's too painful.

Kaidan looked at her, softening his expression at her. "You'll be okay, Shepard." He grabs her hand, letting her squeeze his tightly, she is tired of being in pain. Kaidan looks back at Padok, "how is Thane?"

They all look over at the Drell, he was asleep at that moment. The breather attached to his mouth and nose. Padok slowly shakes his head, "I am less confident about him. He is very sick, so I looked into the notes from Dr Chakwas and the cure from... Miss River," he pauses to look at Kaidan apologetically. The Major's eye almost twitches at Gemma's name being spoken. "I cannot cure him without her, she should do just fine doing it again."

"How long do we have until..." Kaidan couldn't finish the sentence. He knew Thane would die sooner or later without Gemma, but that's if they can even find her. She could be dead for all they know.

"I'd give him a month at most," he sadly answers. Shepard let out a muffled cry, she'd been spending most of her time with Thane whilst recovering. He'd keep her company and tell her stories about his people or past work when he had enough breath to do so. He'd helped her immensely pass the time.

"Okay," Kaidan replies. He needed to get back to the ship and check in on work. He thought they would have more time before needing to head to Earth, but it would take at least two weeks to get the Normandy back at standard light. He'd help Shepard get through the pain of her jaw being relined then head to Aria and see if the work was complete enough to make the journey home.

"Gemma, they are here!" Miranda shouts as she rushes into Gemma's room. She was now nearly fully recovered, just the memory loss being the main problem for her. She was remembering small glimpses into her time forgotten, but only very small details that didn't answer any of her questions.

Hackett and his fleet had finally returned to the Sol System, the first thing being done was to find Gemma. Hackett used everything from past message birds to find out if anyone had seen her since the Citadel blew up. Miranda got the message only a day before, quickly replying that Gemma was alive and well, she explained her memory problems. Hackett didn't care, he needed to see her.

"I can't answer questions though!" Gemma says with worry. She couldn't remember enough to get memories of how the Crucible was activated or what she saw on the Citadel.

"You will be fine, Hackett wanted to see you even when I told him about your memory loss. Come on," she waves her hand for Gemma to follow. Hackett's capital ship had lined up with the much smaller ship that was Mirandas. She'd taken it from her father after killing him, the least he could give up for the lifetime of torture he gave her.

"Admiral," Miranda's guards greeted him. Hackett offered a stern nod at them before walking past. Gemma was sitting down at the table in the mess hall, it'd been cleared of all crew for privacy.

"Ah, Ms Lawson," Hackett greets her at the door. Gemma felt her blood run cold, she remembered that voice. The way he spoke to her over the comms, it was a muffled voice, but a memory came back. It was cold and dark, Gemma felt her breath hitch her brain trying to find the deep lost memory, but it didn't work.

"Gemma?!" Miranda shouts as she rushes over, almost fearing the panic attack Gemma was currently having. She kneels in front of her, holding her shoulders firmly to help her control her breathing. "Slow your breath, copy me," she says sternly as she visibly shows slow rising breaths.

"Are you okay, Lieutenant?" Hackett asks as he stands there, not being of much help. Gemma finally nods, but looks up to him with a confused expression.

"... Lieutenant?" she shudders. Hackett nods, taking the seat across from her. Miranda looks at Gemma, reluctant to leave her. "Don't worry, I am okay now," she smiles. Miranda nods, looking at Hackett before finally leaving.

"How have you been?" Hackett asks as he leans his head to the side. Gemma places both her hands on the table, they still shuck.

"I am confused. I've been told I've helped destroy the Reapers, but I can't remember anything." Hackett nods, he looks down at the shining chain over her Alliance uniform. He knew of her and Kaidan's engagement.

"A nice ring, do you remember where you got it?" Gemma looks down at her chest before placing the ring between her thumb and index finger.

"No, Miranda said it was something too important to tell me herself. Did someone give it to me as a gift?" Hackett nods slightly, smiling a little. Kaidan had not told Hackett due to the rules of fraternization. Hackett found out soon enough and in short said anyone who had a problem with the engagement could have his boot up their ass. Kaidan and Gemma had done more than enough to deserve happiness between themselves.

"Yes, it is a special gift." Gemma smiles, the first pure smile she'd given since waking up.

"Where are they? Can you tell me who it is?" Hackett smiles but shakes his head.

"They are alive and coming home, you will meet them soon enough." They both were in silence for a few moments before he finally spoke up again. "Do you remember anything about the Crucible or Citadel?"

Gemma sagged in her seat, huffing her stifled breath. "No, only what Miranda has told me. How did my biotics destroy the Reapers?"

"We are not sure, Gemma. Only you will know once your memories return. You will have your answers soon enough. The Normandy and Commander Shepard are coming home."

"Really, Shepard is coming back. I was on that ship with the crew, correct?" Hackett nods at her. She smiles, letting a tear fall from her cheek. "How am I a Lieutenant?"

"I promoted you when you joined the Normandy. You are good at what you do, Gemma. You will get back on your feet soon enough." He stood up from his seat, "I have to return to my ship, be well."

Gemma stood up as well, Hackett stood with his hand extended to her. "I will keep in contact with you and Ms Lawson. I hope your memory returns soon, you have many people who wish to thank you for your service to our galaxy." Gemma can only shake his hand and smile in return.

"Thank you, sir. I will try my best," she replies. Hackett gives her a stern nod and leaves the room. Gemma stares at the blank wall as a tear falls down her cheek. She had so many questions and no one could answer them.

Miranda returned a moment later, offering a hug to Gemma as she silently cried into her leather suit. "I'm so lost, Miranda. I need answers."

"You will get them, you have a long road ahead with the recovery. We need to do some tests on your biotics." Gemma looks up at her, she hates the long-winded tests. Her biotics had been very temperamental and would almost lash out at random times.

"Okay," she sighs.

"Are we ready, Joker?" Kaidan asked from behind his pilot's seat. Joker looked at him with an almost upset gaze. Was his commanding officer really questioning the best Alliance pilot's facts that they could easily make it home with the repairs made on the ship.

"Come on, Kaidan. I know what I'm doing. You just sit back and relax," he says as he starts the ship's engines and waits for the clamps to let the ship go. Aria's team had done an amazing job fixing the ship with what materials they had. It would be ten days before they got back to Earth, but hopefully Gemma will be waiting and able to help Thane and Shepard get her long-needed treatment.

"How is it all looking, Edi?" Garrus asks from the forward battery. He'd spent most of his time with Shepard, but having work to do was welcoming to him. Though doing it with one arm was a struggle.

"All systems are running at optical capability," the VI voice replies. Joker scoffs at himself, Kaidan puts his hand on his shoulder for reassurance.

"We will get her sorted," he promised.

"Yeah," Joker sighs.

The ship slowly pulled away from the docking station of Omega and lined up towards the first of many broken mass relays they'd be passing to get home. The ship was running all well, most systems worked just fine. The weapons and shields are beyond saving without engineers who know the layout and technology of the ship. Cortez had offered to stay with Adams and his team, their main objective was to make sure the ship didn't overheat during their long voyage home.

"Okay, get us home, Joker," Kaidan says as he pats his shoulder and stalks off to offer help to other teams on the ship. It would be a long trip home, but as long as they all worked together, it was doable.