Twin Fates

by Tobias5

Fate played as much a role in Shepard's defeat of the Reapers as did his skill. What if fate had different plans? Did you know that the Shepard on Mindoir was born as a twin? What if both had survived the raid? How would the Reapers have dealt with TWO great heroes instead of one? It's time to find out just how much better and worse things get with TWO Shepards fighting a war.

17. Chapter 16

Twin Fates

By Belle and Tobias

Automatic Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the Mass Effect or any other referenced copy righted material.

Belle's Note: I will admit it, I am a lover of DLC. I can honestly say there are very few DLC add-ons I have ever regretted. I think I have enjoyed all of the Bioware ones. But then, I am in a quasi-abusive relationship with Bioware.

Toby's Note: Oh my God is that true. I usually get the DLC for a game before Belle but every time one came out for Mass Effect or Dragon Age she always beat me to them. I also believe BioWare doesn't treat us this way on purpose. They sold themselves to the devil who creates sports games every six months that are essentially the same game as last time and is now firmly forcing Loot Box leeches on us. Seriously, if we published chapters by loot box you'd each need to pay $2.50 per paragraph. *thinks that over for a minute* Actually that appeals to the greedy bastard in me. Better not…

And thank Belle straight up for this chapter. She got it to me within a week after we published 15. *thumps head on desk* Yeah, no pressure to get it back to you right away, Belle. Oh, what's that? Why isn't 17 done already? *grumbles and waves his left hand at her with two broken fingers*

After upload on 4/7/18: Hey guys its Toby. I'm aware of the randomly inserted words and crap Fanfiction Net threw into the story. I think I've corrected them all. Let mew know if I missed any. An extra side note, if you see any typos or other errors please let us know. We're more than willing to correct it. Here or on AO3! I manage the story here, Belle manages it on AO3.

Chapter 16: And I Wonder if I Ever Cross Your Mind

Earth Date: January 31st, 2186 CE

Location: In Transit, Far Rim

As the Shepards entered the conference room, Jane's hair was still damp from her shower, the red was gone from her eyes and the blank look she kept on her face she used in a fight was back in place. John considered saying something but decided against it.

"Patch us through, EDI," John ordered.

"Both of you?" she asked and he nodded as Jane shot him a look.

"The Illusive Man should recognize I'm not working alone. I am a Spectre and he should know both of us are on this ship by now," John said in aside to her. Jane watched as the conference table descended into the floor. John gave her a look before striding forward and she followed him so they were standing side by side in the center. The holographic interface went up and Jane saw him as the hologram filled the room. The Illusive Man. The man was considered a ghost by Alliance brass. Cerberus operatives captured by the Alliance had addressed him only as The Illusive Man, "The" was used as if it were part of the name. The only report that had been issued about him indicated he was the only one. Some of the brass suspected The Illusive Man wasn't real, now Jane knew. Augmented blue eyes looked at Jane, no emotion on his face. She gave him the same back.

"Jane Shepard. A pleasure to meet you," he said and Jane tilted her head. "I underestimated you. I should have invited you in from the beginning."

"I would have rejected your offer and you know that," Jane said. "Too much bad blood between us." He nodded at that.

"Enough pleasantries then, Shepards. I think we have them. Horizon...one of our colonies in the Terminus Systems-has been suspiciously silent," The Illusive Man said and while Jane didn't move, her heart stopped. She knew Horizon, she had recommended it on the list of most likely to be hit colonies. Her recommendation had gotten Kaidan and Ash co-assigned there. Kaidan and Ash were on the colony about to be taken by the Collectors and they would not be able to warn them. Fuck. "If it isn't under attack, it will be. Has Mordin delivered the countermeasure for the seeker swarms?"

"Not yet," John reported.

"Let's hope he works well under pressure. There's something else you should know," The Illusive Man said, his eyes flickering to Jane. "Two of your former crew, Kaidan Alenko and Ashley Williams, are stationed on Horizon."

"Last I knew they were both Alliance, why would they be out in the Terminus Systems together?" John muttered.

"Most likely the woman beside you can answer that," The Illusive Man drawled and both men looked at Jane. John had a look of surprise on his face and The Illusive Man was smirking at Jane who sighed.

"Cerberus likes to think they are the only ones looking out for humanity, but we knew we had to do something. We looked at the Terminus colonies and did a risk assessment. We created several two-man teams to go to each one," Jane explained. "We sent the teams with defense guns to try and protect the colonies. Officially, it's an outreach program to improve Alliance relations with the colonies, but it has always been to try and stop the abductions."

"So, the Collectors just happen to pick a colony with members of our former crew? I don't buy believe for a second that's a coincidence," John said and Jane nodded. It was too convenient, there were seven teams on the most likely to be hit colonies out of the over two dozen potential colonies in the Terminus, the chances of the Collectors just randomly going after Horizon was too small to be coincidence.

"It shouldn't be a surprise the Collectors are interested in you. Especially if they are working for the Reapers. They might be going after them to get to you," The Illusive Man noted, looking at John as he spoke. "I assume you will be informing the Alliance." His eyes moved to Jane and she nodded.

"They need to know we were right about Horizon being a target, but we will able to make it to Horizon before Alliance back up can arrive," Jane said. "The relay here connects us there quicker than from the Sol system or any other closer fleet patrol."

"Good to know they won't be getting in our way," The Illusive Man drawled, before taking a drag of his cigarette. "I'll send them a message personally giving them all the data you discover."

"Send the coordinates. We'll head straight there," John said and The Illusive gave them both a calculated look.

"I've been trying to reach you since you left for Haestrom, the colony may not have much longer," he said and both Shepards shared a look. "This has been the most warning we have had, let us hope your detour didn't cost us that. Good luck." The communication cut out shortly after that. John frowned and shook his head before turning on his comms.

"Joker, set a course for Horizon. I've got to go see the professor," John said and Jane followed him.

"Aye, aye, Commander," Joker responded and the two headed into the research lab. Mordin was staring at one of the seeker insects John had acquired on Freedom's Progress from Veetor.

"Please tell us you have something," Jane said as they approached. For a moment Mordin's face was dark before a pleased smile bloomed on his face. Jane prayed they would make it to Horizon in time.

"Yes," Mordin said, turning to the table in the room and pulling up a display of basic armor. "Have discovered seekers sense bioelectrical energy. Any living creature large enough will be sought out by seekers. Explains why quarian on Freedom's progress not taken. His encounter suit masked said signature. Not even cloaking technology does this, need had never been established previously but Veetor was slightly-" Mordin took in a deep breath. "-unstable. Made various personal modifications to suit."

"Can you adapt this for our armor?" John asked and Mordin nodded.

"Modification simple but not effect against physical contact. If several seekers repeatably impact live flesh swarm will note location. Also, seekers are tuned for only energy of higher life forms." Mordin said, looking at Jane. "Creatures such as varren will be ignored."

"Good to know, Blasto will be a big help then in case we have to wait while a swarm passes." Jane noted.

"How long to complete the upgrades for the entire team Mordin?" John inquired. "This is going to be a full team deployment."

"Several hours. Process relatively simple but need to create module to alter armor." Mordin noted, gesturing at a device on the table John assumed was the prototype. "Tali'Zorah and Legion would be ideal given their capabilities."

"Go ahead and get them up here so you can start right away," John said gesturing to Jane to leave with him. "We're heading straight for Horizon."

"Understood, will begin right away," Mordin noted, turning on his omni-tool as they left.

"Jane, I need to ask you something," John said as they exited the lab and Jane looked at him. "It's something personal. Come up to my cabin." She nodded and the two went up to his quarters.

"Cerberus certainly does try and seduce with its opulence," Jane muttered as she looked at the room. John looked at her before leaning against his desk.

"What happened between you and Kaidan?" he asked and Jane froze. Her face locked down and her eyes moved slowly towards him. "I need to know before we get to Horizon."

"We broke up after the Normandy was destroyed," Jane said.

"I get that, but what caused the break up?" he asked and Jane stared at him.

"The death of John Shepard," Jane explained. John just stared at her, his eyes wide. How was his death what drove them apart?

"How..." he started before Jane cut him off with a shake of her head.

"Kaidan blamed himself and made it clear he felt he didn't deserve me so he left, and I realized just being with me would only make him feel worse so I let him go," Jane said. "It happens. I haven't seen him in about a year." She turned to leave.

"You recommended that Ash and Kaidan work together didn't you, you might even have tapped them for this team," John said and Jane froze at the door.

"You can break up with someone and still respect them for the job they do. Besides, the two of them helped bring down Saren and Sovereign, they know each other and can keep each other alive," Jane said. "So...yes, I did nominate the two of them for this job and I did recommend that they work together." She walked out of the room.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: February 6th, 2186 CE

Location: Shadow Sea, Iera System, Approaching Horizon

"There's nothing on the comms," Joker reported as the ground team prepared to disembark in the shuttle bay. Jane was with Blasto, Jack, Tali, and Kasumi were checking their gear on one side, while Grunt, Mordin, Miranda, and John were preparing on the other. John noticed the two kukris blades on the small of Jane's back as well as the additional clips she was putting on her legs and chest. It looked to him like she was prepared for all out bloodshed.

"Reminder to biotics, biotic energy is a useful tool against seekers, may prove useful against Collectors as well," Mordin spoke up suddenly. Jane and Jack exchanged a high five.

"I'm sticking with you two," Kasumi stated and John rolled his eyes as the elevator doors to the cargo bay opened.

"You're not planning on leaving without me?" Garrus asked as he strolled in the room.

"Do you have medical clearance?" John asked and Garrus gave him a look.

"It was a graze, light duty for that long and I was going crazy, also...Ash and Kaidan are friends," he said and Jane gave him a look. "Besides, how can I keep saving your sister's ass if I'm not there?"

"Still not funny," Jane commented.

"Oh, but you can make rocket to the face jokes?" Garrus chuckled and Jane gave him a look.

"The rocket wasn't aimed at me," she shot back just before she whistled and Blasto jumped into the shuttle right after her.

"God, Shepard, you're going to make me sick with your flirting," Jack said as she climbed in behind Jane.

"I can kill you Jack," Jane's voice carried out of the shuttle.

"Haven't done shit in practice," Jack retorted.

"I will destroy you, bitch," Jane teased.

"Are they friends or should I be worried about making it to the planet?" Tali asked and Kasumi smiled.

"Oh, they're getting along fine," Kasumi replied. "It's sweet, like two rabid varren playing!"

"I'll agree to the rabid varren stament," Miranda huffed and John rolled his eyes as the rest of the team began to board the shuttle.

"More reminiscent of male human bonding than female, but close association without follow through indicates empty threats," Mordin stated.

"Get in the shuttle Garrus, we have a job to do," John sighed, waving his friend inside. God the one person he had to worry about the least was the one who'd been shot.

~*TF*~

The shuttle banked as Ensign Harrison found them a clear landing zone near a supply port with a break area that had a view of the surrounding farm land. As the rest of the team disembarked John was the last one out. He stopped and looked up at the Collector ship landed at the opposite side of the colony as the shuttle flew away. He frowned as he brought his assault rifle off his back and into his arms. He didn't like being so far away from that ship but they had no choice. This was the best and clearest place for ground team entry. They would have to hoof it the rest of the way.

"We're ground side." John said into his comms. As he took his hand away from his ear piece he turned to look at Mordin as a swarm of seekers flew by in the distance. "Mordin, you sure those armor upgrades will protect us from the seeker swarms?"

"Certainty impossible. But in limited numbers, should confuse detection, make us invisible to swarms. In theory." Mordin noted. John sighed. He'd suspected as much.

"In theory?" Miranda drawled but John heard a note of concern in her voice.

"Experimental technology. Only test is contact with seeker swarms. Look forward to seeing if we survive!" Mordin said excitedly as they came around the corner.

"We really need to establish safety guidelines for your tests involving crew, Mordin." Jane noted to the salarian. John snorted and was about to say something when movement up ahead caught his eye. He saw several Collectors…flying in?

"They can fly?" Jack demanded. "You never told me that Jane!"

"I didn't know they could do that!" Jane shouted back to her as the team all took cover and began to shoot at the Collectors. "None of the security footage showed them flying!"

"Oh, this is starting off so well!" John snapped, gunning down a Collector that was trying to flank them.

"-omander…getting… interfe…can't maintain…" Joker tried to call out to them before the comm signal cut into static. John frowned and glanced at Garrus who looked to him as well after checking his own comms.

"The Collectors are disrupting communications," Garrus noted and John grunted, looking over their cover and opening fire on an incoming group.

"We're on our own now," Jane commented, shooting a Collector down. Jack used a biotic shockwave and blasted the remaining Collectors down the way. John gestured the team to move forward just before another squad of Collectors came around the corner, leading husks.

"What the hell are those things?" Kasumi called out from somewhere nearby. John growled and blasted two husks down.

"Husks!" John barked out. "Don't let them get close, they'll take down your shields!"

"Blasto!" Jane barked out this time. "Engage!" Blasto let out a harsh barking sound and leaped from the right, plowing into a group of husks. The varren ripped the head off the one he landed on and lunged at another, grabbing its leg and tossing the husk into the last one in the group. John blinked in surprise, having lost track of the varren.

"Okay, that was badass," John admitted to his sister. Jane blinked at him in surprise as the team put down the last of the Collectors and husks. He missed her actually smile a bit at the praise as he walked up to the team. Mordin was examining a husk body while Miranda helped. Jacob and Garrus were keeping a look out as Grunt came over and frowned at it.

"Sort of looks human. This one of the colonists?" Grunt growled.

"They actually look like the husks the heretic Geth used on Eden prime," John noted as he looked at the body. It looked almost like the husks from before but it seemed different, more advanced.

"Confirms data from Illusive Man," Legion noted, the panels on his head shifting. "Old Machines are aligned with Collector species."

"The geth made husks on Eden Prime by impaling them on spikes. We haven't seen any." Garrus noted, gesturing around.

"These aren't exactly the same as the creatures we fought on Eden Prime. They're more advanced...evolved." Jane noted and John nodded in agreement.

"The Collectors must have brought the husks. They're taking the colonists alive for something else." Miranda noted, standing up as she dusted off her hands. "It explains why they look similar but different. They refined the process since Eden Prime."

"So, then the Collectors must be experimenting on the colonists. What are they up to?" John grunted. Mordin also stood, storing the samples he took on his belt.

"Speculation unwise. Could be anything." Mordin noted. "Hopefully data acquired on body will reveal causality."

"Guess we'll find out when we stop them." Jane noted.

"They still die when you shoot them." Jack said, grinning evilly.

"The Collectors aren't getting away with more victims." John growled. "Let's move out people."

~*TF*~

After that initial encounter they moved deeper into the colony. It took them an hour to make their way in, and in that entire time nothing. Not one Collector or husk. Not one colonist either. It wasn't until they got into a deeper loading area that they saw something. Pods. They appear to be of the same tech that the Collectors were using. They stopped to examine them and Jane even saw John find a Collector's beam rifle near one of them. As he stowed it on his back to take back to the ship as he took a closer look at the pod.

"There's a person in there," John said, looking in the pod that the Collector weapon he found was beside. Jane stared at the empty colony.

"They've been loading the people up," Jane stated, her mind thinking about the design of the colony. The ship was on the outside of the colony about a hundred and thirty degrees to the left from their drop point. They were moving slightly right and had only found these pods and no colonists at this point.

"Collectors have most likely loaded nearly three quarters of the colonists onto their ship by now," Mordin stated as John smacked on the pod a few times trying to force it open.

"How do you know?" Tali asked as she examined one to try and find some sort of control console.

"Because this is the first pod we have found and based on our position, they would load the nearest colonists first and the furthest last, working from the edges inward," Jane said.

"How the fuck did you figure that out?" Jack asked.

"Mathematics," Miranda commented.

"We need to move, we have to stop that ship from leaving," John said.

"Our best bet is the AA defense guns," Jane noted. John nodded in agreement.

"Then let's get to the major controls after we open these pods," John ordered. As they started to move towards a few pods a squad of Collectors flew in.

"Do all of these fuckers fly?" Jack hissed in disgust.

"We don't have time for this!" Jane snarled as she used a slam followed by a singularity to slow down the advancing attackers.

"I am krogan!" Grunt roared and the team went into action. Jack was throwing Collectors into the wall while Garrus shot them through the head. Kasumi was cloaked and seemed to be watching their backs while Mordin used ranged attacks. John and Jane were both in the fray as Miranda covered them and Blasto hit the Collectors attempting to sneak up on Jane. It was going well until one of Collectors began to hover and light glowed through its exoskeleton.

"I am assuming direct control," an inhuman voice called and the Collector's eyes glowed. It looked as if it was on fire. "Direct intervention is necessary."

"That does not look good," John stated.

"Duck!" Jane cried as the glowing Collector threw what looked like a biotic blast at him. He threw himself to the side and as the blast hit the ground the grass ignited.

"That was not a biotic attack," John commented. "It was on fire!"

"That was a biotic attack," Miranda muttered in shock.

"How the fuck...did it make a warp flammable?" Jane muttered, distracted. Kaidan and Ash had been here. How had they neutralized the colony. Jane thought about the outline of the colony. Kaidan and Ash would have been relatively near the center of the colony, unless they had been working on the guns. The chances were good they were already...collected. Panic was building. She had tapped them. She had picked them. If the Collectors had them...anything that happened would be Jane's fault!

"My attacks will tear you apart," the Collector called and more Collectors converged.

"We're pinned," Garrus stated and Jane popped up, throwing a singularity towards a small group, catching them.

"These count as my kill!" Jack snapped, glaring at Garrus and Jane.

"Not if I don't kill them first," Garrus replied.

"We are your genetic destiny," the glowing Collector continued.

"Anyone else creeped out by how it's talking without a mouth?" Kasumi asked and John shot a look in the direction of the voice. "What? It is."

"Genetic destiny...may indicate Collectors are after humans for genetic variation," Mordin commented. "Taken humans might possibly be used for genetic experimentation."

"Not comforting Mordin!" John snapped as he saw the look taking over Jane's eyes.

"This hurts you," the glowing Collector called.

"Not as much as this will hurt you," Jane snapped as she popped up and shot three grenades at it with the grenade launcher she had brought.

"Shepard, I always survive," it hissed as it turned to face her.

"So, do I fucker," Jane sneered before shooting once in the head with her pistol. It seemed to disintegrate into ash. The team quickly took out the few Collectors remaining while John and Jane stared at the ash.

"That Collector knew who you were," John stated, frowning.

"Until today...I have never seen a Collector," Jane said. "It knows who I am...which means it probably knows who you are."

"But it focused on you." John noted, focusing on Jane. "Why?"

"We should head towards the center of colony," Miranda noted, drawing their attention. "These people should be fine and the sooner we stop them loading the ship the more people we'll save." Jane frowned at that as John appeared to consider her words.

"I don't like it but it makes sense." John agreed. Jane's frown turned into a scowl and she opened her mouth to argue against it but realized Miranda was right. She sighed but nodded in agreement. John signaled the team to move forward and they headed towards the center of the colony. Dead center was a large building with reinforced walls and doors.

"It's locked," Tali said as she quickly began hacking the door.

"A good sign, survivors probably in hiding," Mordin replied. The door opened and the team headed in. John glanced around, impressed. He recognized the setup, it was the colony bunker design he had recommended to Jane for her Mindoir report. He had no idea Jane had actually used it. He saw movement out of the corner of his eyes and focused on it. Someone was trying to hide between pieces of equipment and consoles.

"Company" John noted, drawing his pistol, the others following his lead. "Get out here. Now!" John saw a colonist peeking around a storage container and he eased himself out as John lowered his gun, gesturing for the others to do so as well.

"You're...you're human! What were you doing out there? You'll lead them right here!" The man moaned and John narrowed his eyes at him.

"You had to hear them trying to get in. Seems like it's hard to hide from the Collectors." Jane noted.

"Those things are Collectors? You mean...they're real?" the colonist said in obvious surprise. "I thought they were just made up. You know...propaganda. To keep us in Alliance Space. No! They got Lilith. I saw her go down. Sten, too. They got damn near everybody!"

"What's your name? What do you do here?" John asked. He gestured for the others to spread out and acquire anything they needed.

"Name's Delan. Mechanic. I came down to check on the main grid after we lost our comm signals." Delan said as the others spread out and John even saw Mordin treating a graze on Jack's arm. "Then I heard screaming. I looked outside and there was...swarms of bugs. Everyone they touched just froze. I sealed the doors. Damn it...it's the Alliance's fault! They stationed those two marines here. That Alenko and Williams. They built those defense towers. It made us a target." John heard Jane growl softly under her breath as he spoke and he glanced at Jane. She was scowling angrily at him, her left fist was clenched.

"Tell me more about these Alliance reps." John ordered him.

"Commander Alenko and Chief Williams? Heard they were some kind of heroes or something. Didn't mean nothing to me, though. Would've rather they stayed back in Council space." Deland snarled and John shook his head. "They were supposed to be helping us get the defense towers up and running. I got the feeling they were here for something else. Spying on us, maybe. But they brought what they called a gift from the Alliance. High powered GARDIAN lasers. Supposed to keep hostile ships from landing near the colony. Had to build a massive underground generator just to give it enough juice. Only we couldn't get the targeting systems online. So, the Alliance gave us a giant gun that couldn't shoot straight. Stupid sons of bitches."

"Can't argue with that sometimes," John muttered under his breath, thinking of his court martial that was a not an official court martial and subsequent discharge.

"Why do you think this is the Alliance's fault?" Jane demanded.

"We're just a small colony. Nobody bothered us before we started building those damn defense towers and drew attention to ourselves. I left Council space to get away from the Alliance. Nothing good ever comes from getting mixed up with them." Deland noted and John snorted.

"The Collectors are targeting remote colonies. The Alliance was trying to help." Jane retorted.

"I don't need their help. Too many strings attached. Those reps said they were just here to get the towers online but mark my word...there's more to it." Deland said and Jane was now glaring openly at the man.

"If you have defenses we can use them against the Collector ship!" Jacob said from behind them.

"You'd need to calibrate the targeting system first. It's never worked right..." Delan said bitterly.

"We can figure it out. Just tell us where to find it." Miranda said, joining the conversation.

"Head for the main transmitter on the other side of the colony. Pretty hard to miss. The targeting controls are at the base."

"It's probably better for you to stay here out of the way," John said, gesturing for the team to head for the exit.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too," Deland drawled. Jane took a step towards him but John pulled her along by the arm. "I'll let you out, but I'm locking the door behind you. I'm not taking any chances. Good luck. I think you're going to need it."

As the group exited the building Jane shot John a look.

"You realize he probably locked other survivors out of that room too." Jane snapped to John. John sighed and gestured behind them as they left.

"I wish to God I could prove that." John replied and Jane huffed. She turned to focus on the area they were entering, noting that there were more pods. Jane looked in the direction of the transmitter tower. Ash and Kaidan would probably have tried to fight their way to the targeting system. They had to be in this part of the colony...not loaded on the ship. Please God, not loaded onto the ship. It all depended where they were when the attack came. Hopefully they got this far. As the team turned the corner into a courtyard more Collectors swarmed in. There was another glowing one.

"I am Harbinger. Your minions have failed, Shepard," it said and Jane's heart was in her throat. They knew about Kaidan and Ash! Blinding rage narrow her vision of the battlefield so the only thing she saw was the glowing one. She was suddenly in front of it, her head spinning. She knew vaguely in the back of her mind that it was a vanguard rush, but she had never completed it before. She was dazed but not enough to forget her blades. She drew them both and decapitated the Collector before throwing up a barrier, sheathing the blades and drawing her pistol faster than she ever had.

John didn't understand what had just happened. The glowing Collector had snarled at Jane and she had just…vanished, leaving a trail of biotic energy behind her. Miranda had sucked in a breath at the sight of while Jack laughed behind them as Jane charged up the stairs.

"Spread out!" John ordered, blasting a Collector in half with his shotgun. "They're trying to pin us down by the entrance!"

"Assuming control. You escaped us before, Shepard, not again," John heard bellowed from somewhere in front of them and cursed. He saw a group of them heading for where Jane was and he charged for the building, racing after his sister.

Jane was in a rage that would do Wrex proud as she shielded and shot. Her pistol clicked empty and the Collector before her took on an arrogant body posture. She couldn't die to a giant bug, not when Kaidan needed her. She rushed the Collector, tucking its weapon under her left arm before bashing it in the face with her pistol. It staggered before releasing its weapon. Jane dropped the pistol and lifted the Collector's rifle, blasting it away with a beam of energy. She heard the movement around the side of the building and ran headlong at it, screaming. Kaidan needed her, he was going to be used for genetic research. No organism taken by the Collectors for genetic research had ever been seen again. As she rounded the corner she never expected an arm to curl around her at neck height. The agony of the clothesline hit was bad, her momentum was worse, her feet went up and the Collector drove her body down. Jane's back slammed into the ground, shoving all air out of her lungs. The pain was livable, the Collector foot slamming down on her chest indicated this encounter might not. The second mission in a row where her own stupidity was going to kill her. As fast as the Collector had gotten her to the ground and was aiming, John was there, tackling the Collector. He rolled to the side and Blasto was leaping right over him, removing the Collector's head from its body with a large bite.

"Jane, calm down. I don't know what it said to you but you need to calm down." John chided, pulling his sister to her feet. "I know we're trying to get to the others but I won't let you kill yourself to do it." Jane rubbed her throat, panic and rage clear in her eyes.

"I won't let another one of my men die if I can do anything to stop it!" she cried. John grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

"We're trying, damn it!" he shouted at her. "But if we all die trying to get to them then it will have been for nothing!" He glanced over Jane's shoulder and saw Garrus coming up behind them, plainly worried. "I'm not the only one on this team that cares about you." He said to her softly and turned to take point, letting Garrus come up behind her but staying within ear shot. Garrus looked at Jane.

"You okay?" Garrus asked and Jane stared at him, his eyes were on her throat.

"Sorry, went into a krogan blood rage, don't tell Wrex or he'll have to adopt me," she joked in her new raspy voice and Garrus chuckled.

"I make no promises," he teased. The rest of the group entered the room as Jane took control of her emotions again.

"I didn't know you could do a biotic rush," Jack smirked and Jane rubbed her throat.

"I didn't either," Jane hissed, she slowly realized that talking made her throat hurt, her voice box was probably damaged. "We need to keep going."

"One sec..." John stated and Jane gave him a look. "Mordin, quick check." Mordin ran his omni-tool over Jane before making her open her mouth wide. He spayed a mist into her throat and Jane sighed in relief.

"Bruises for the most part, some stain to the throat, non-threatening," the salarian commented and John huffed.

"Spread out everyone." John began. "We still have to clear the area and by now-"

"We are Harbinger! Kill one and a hundred will replace it!" A Collector bellowed and John sighed. "I will direct this personally!"

"I knew that was going to happen." John grunted. He peered out the window and saw the glowing Collector, now he knew the thing controlling it was calling itself Harbinger. Harbinger was directing the others into cover as a swarm of husks showed up. John blinked in surprise as something that looked like several husks stitched together came lurching behind them. It was big and bulbous, with what appeared to be a big organic gun growing from the front.

"What the fuck is that?" Jack demanded, looking out window as well. It aimed at them and an energy blasted fired from its gun, impossibly impacting on the ground and then up the wall toward them. Jack leaped back but the blast hit Jacob who wasn't expecting it. It threw him back as it collapsed his shields. Jacob growled and tried to bring up a barrier but the energy from the blast was shimmering over his armor. It was very slowly beginning to fade.

"We've got to spread out, we're sitting ducks in here!" Kasumi noted.

"Jane take Jack and Blasto." John ordered, pointing back out the way they had all entered. "Focus on the husks but take out what Collectors you can."

"Oh yeah!" Jack bellowed, her barrier flaring to life. "I'm gonna rip them all in half!" Jane nodded and followed Jack out as the convict rushed into battle. John glanced the others over and nodded.

"Garrus, you and Legion turn this into your perch. Jacob and Mordin will stay here to make sure you don't get flanked." John ordered, focusing on Jacob. "Jacob, I want you to see how long it takes for you to be able to bring your shields back up."

"Understood," Jacob said. Legion and Garrus were already moving to the windows to take position.

"Grunt you're front line with me." John ordered and looked at Miranda, Tali and Kasumi. "The rest of you, you're behind us. Cover our flanks as we cut in. We're focusing on the big boys."

"Ready when you are John!" Tali cried. John smiled at her eagerness and led them to the other exit from the room. They moved down the stairs and right into a squad of Collectors. John blasted two right away as Grunt bellowed and charged right into the mess, stomping one under his feet and shoving the others aside. John saw Tali's drone materialize in the mess of them, distracting them further. John shoved one over the side and blasted another.

"John, on the right!" Miranda shouted behind him. John looked right and saw the Harbinger possessed Collector leading a husk-thing right at them.

"Scion, fire!" Harbinger bellowed. The husk-thing bucked as its gun fired. Everyone dove out of the way and John hit the ground by the ramp. Unable to stop his momentum he rolled down the ramp near Harbinger's feet.

"Oh shit." John snarled just as Harbinger reached down and clamped a clawed hand on his shoulder. He lifted John bodily into the air.

"Your body will be preserved, Shepard," Harbinger growled, his free hand beginning to glow.

"No thanks been dead once before," John snarled, kicking out and planting the heels of both his feet in the possessed Collector's eyes. Harbinger bellowed and jerked, letting John go to clutch at its host's mangled face. John saw the Scion charging for another attack and had a crazy idea. He growled, reaching out and used every ounce of strength he had to pick up the possessed Collector. With a scream of rage he jammed in onto the Scion's gun. The possessed Collector actually squealed and John bolted away, leaving it hanging for a moment. Then the Scion fired causing Harbinger and the Scion to explode in a fireball of biotic energy, sending chunks of the walkway, Collector and Scion everywhere, one piece of walkway narrowly missing John. He took a few deep breaths before he looked up and over the crate he'd taken cover behind. He saw the Scion that had hit Jacob was swaying on its feet before collapsing down. The rest of the Collectors were already down and none of the husks lasted much longer after. John took a breath and headed for the entrance the center of colony, most of the squad following him in a kind of shocked surprise. Only Jane was glaring at him. As she got close she smacked him on the arm.

"Hey!"

"Don't do that again!" she scolded him and John rolled his eyes as they entered the center area and headed for the defense towers controls.

"I'll try not to." He retorted. He entered his access codes into the console and frowned as they errored out. He glared at it before he realized the Alliance must have already rescinded them. Jane sighed and gently pushed him aside to enter her own. Jane frowned as she got the same error message. John shook his head and tried his comms.

"Normandy do you copy?" John called.

"Joker here. Signal's weak, Commander, but we got you," Joker responded.

"EDI...can you get the colony's defense towers online?" John asked.

"Errors in the calibration software are easily rectified, but it will take time to bring the towers to full power," EDI explained. "I recommend a defensive posture. I will not be able to mask the increased generator output."

"The Collectors will try to stop it," Grunt chuckled. "Good."

"Got any other helpful hints?" John sighed.

"Just one. Enemy reinforcements are closing in. I suggest you ready weapons," EDI stated.

"Jane and Jack, take cover and take out the husks, help out with any Scions that show up. Mordin stick close to Tali. Miranda, Tali, and Kasumi stick near the transmitter and keep it safe, focus on Collectors. Garrus, find a good spot to drop anything you can kill with one hit. Grunt and I will take on the Scions first and then turn our attention onto the Collectors," John ordered.

The team broke, Kasumi quickly going cloaked while Tali and Mordin took cover on the two trucks near the transmitter. Miranda chose the other truck on the other side of the transmitter. Jack took cover under the overhang between two boxes while Garrus, Jane, and Blasto were on the walkway, protected by the wall and two building units. John and Grunt both prepared for the next attack.

The Collectors came first, but the husks seemed to climb over the walls to get in and John wondered if the Scions just teleported. The team was fighting well, their cover well chosen and each watching the backs of the others. Jane and Jack's biotics threw husks and weakened the defenses of the Scions easily.

"Assuming control," Harbinger's voice called and a Collector glowed. It looked at John. "Preserve the Shepards' bodies if possible."

"Yeah fuck that," John snarled, charging the possessed Collector. It seemed surprised at the move and John slugged it in the face, sending it staggering back. John saw it swinging a hand back at him and he narrowed his eyes as he felt his adrenaline spike. Time seemed to slow and John grabbed the incoming hand by the wrist as it charged a biotic attack in its hand. John shoved the hand into Harbinger's stomach. There was almost a comical look of surprise on its face as its own biotic attack detonated and blasted it flying through air as it disintegrated. As soon as it finished disintegrating another one across the field cried out as it began to glow with a familiar glow. "Assuming control of this form."

"Whatever that thing is, it keeps jumping into their bodies," Garrus growled, shooting the possessed Collector in the head as it began to back. It fell to the ground, as the possession started with another.

"Definitely a problem for us," Jane growled. "EDI, please hurry!" Miranda threw herself out the way of a flaming biotic attack from Harbinger.

"Human; viable possibility, impressive genetic malleability," he said as he approached her. Garrus shot Harbinger in the head and it turned to look at them. It threw another biotic attack at them.

"Thanks for getting his attention, Garrus," Jane hissed from cover.

"Turian; you are considered...too primitive," Harbinger commented.

"Hey...that hurts my feelings," Garrus stated and Jane stood up, pulling up her own stolen Collector weapon and taking this Harbinger's head off before ducking down again. "You don't think I'm too primitive. Right?"

"No, but we have back up coming in! So not the time Garrus," Jane stated as she used her rifle to try and shoot down a few of the incoming Collectors.

"We are the beginning, you are the end," Harbinger said across the field.

"Does he ever shut up?" Jack cried, throwing a shockwave at a group of Collectors, sending them careening away.

"I know, right?" Kasumi quipped as she took out another Collector before cloaking again. Finally, the field seemed clear. Jane moved towards John signaling Garrus to stay back.

"Do you think that was it?" Tali asked from the truck bed she was taking cover in.

"Seems too easy," John commented and then they saw something flying towards them. It looked similar to the Scion but seemed to be much larger.

"Is that a giant seeker?" Grunt asked as the creature flew in. At first it bore a striking resemblance to the Collectors with its four eyes and domed skull but as it landed it opened its 'mouth' and revealed a collection of husks within it.

"The fuck is that..." John muttered as it landed with a pulse that shook the ground. Miranda fell out of her truck bed as both Mordin and Tali lost their footing and fell down.

"My God..." Jane whispered.

"God had nothing to do with that..." Kasumi hissed from where her cloak hand been disabled by the landing creature.

"It's looking at us, Shepard," Grunt grinned before high powered lasers knocked the krogan tail over dome, sending him skidding along the ground with his shields shattered. Jane threw a warp and the creature stared at them.

"Well...now it's looking at us," John commented. The two dove in opposite directions as the creature shot lasers out of its eyes. Despite the heavy fire from the team would regularly re-shield when it slammed the ground. Jane watched in abject horror as Kasumi was thrown away by one ground slam. Jack was buried beneath the boxes she had taken for cover but the last straw for Jane was when it fired at Garrus and Blasto and there was the unmistakable yip from the varren. Once again, Jane felt the battlefield vanish between her and the creature. She had one special trick up her sleeve as she ran at the thing.

"Jane no!" John cried as Jane ran up two boxes and threw herself on top of the creature. It began to try and throw her off. She pulled the grenade belt off with one hand while the other held the carapace of the creature. It shrieked and she activated one grenade before shoving the belt between the husks within the creature. As it spun in the air, physics won and Jane was sent flying back at the door they had come in through. She hit hard, the world swimming as gravity pulled her to the ground behind another truck.

John's mind was a mixture of horror and anger. He couldn't take his eyes off Jane as Blasto limped after her. John growled and whirled, determined to draw the praetorian's attention but he needn't have bothered. Just as EDI got the guns back online and began firing at the Collector vessel, it exploded. He turned to bark an order to Mordin to see to Jane but the Salarian was already there.

Jane was dazed, her head pounding as Mordin hovered over her with Grunt nearby. Her vision began to clear and the headache began to recede as Blasto whined. Mordin helped her to her feet but she wasn't even paying attention to him as she looked her varren over. The varren had a bloody scratch down his side but was otherwise fine. Her head ached still and despite Mordin's field treatment she told herself to check in with Chakwas after this battle. She glanced up to see the cannons firing on the Collector ship as it ascended.

"They have most of the humans on board. They got what they came for," Grunt muttered. Jane began limping over to where the team was converging.

"God damn it, Jane," John started to snarl but was cut off as Delan seemed to appear from nowhere running towards them as the ship was ascending.

"No! Don't let them get away!" he cried.

"There's nothing we can do. They're gone," John said.

"Almost all the colony is in there! They took Egan and Sam and ...and Lilith. Do something!" Delan cried as he paced.

"Obviously we didn't want it to end this way," Miranda huffed.

"We did what we could," John said, it was clear by his tone this was no victory.

"It was a good fight, Shepards," Grunt commented and Delan froze.

"Shepard? Wait. I know that name. Sure I remember you. You're that brother-sister pair, the big Alliance heroes," Delan didn't sound impressed.

"Commander John Shepard, Captain of the Normandy, one of the first human Spectres, one of the Saviors of the Citadel," a voice said and Jane's body felt like it was going to collapse from relief, she hoped it didn't show. Around a corner he came, handsome as ever and just as serious. Kaidan Alenko. Kaidan was here...Kaidan was alive...tears threatened to swell but Jane let exhaustion win and she simply smiled. "Jane Shepard, Terror of the Hegemony, the other first human Spectre, one of the Saviors of the Citadel." His brown eyes met hers and she wondered if he felt any of the old feelings she currently was feeling. Nearly a year since she saw him at the Officers' Ball on the Citadel. She still loved him, even after he left her, maybe a part of her would always love him, he was her first love and her first real heartbreak.

"You're in the presence of legends, Delan," Ash said as she came up behind Kaidan and Jane closed her eyes. She couldn't handle this get together.

"And a ghost," Kaidan said, looking at John. John scowled at that.

"All the good people we lost, and you two get left behind. Figures," Delan huffed. "Screw this. I'm done with you Alliance types." He left and Tali quickly came up behind him.

"We're so glad you two are okay," she said and Kaidan stared at Garrus and Tali, his eyes flittered over Jane, but were back to John. Jane felt her heart break a little more. No...Kaidan felt this was best and probably embraced it. Jane was too tired.

"Hmmm, best get you to the shuttle," Mordin stated as he caught Jane's arm.

"Yeah, you look beat, She-Shep," Kasumi commented taking the other arm. The two helped her walk away. Jane suspected Kaidan wasn't even looking at her as she left the field. She didn't have anything to say anyway. She would send Ash a message later.

John frowned at Jane as Kasumi and Mordin helped her walk away. His first instinct was to berate her when they got back to the ship but he realized he couldn't do that. Jane had made a judgement call. Still he'd talk to her about at least trying to talk to him about options first. John just sighed and focused on the two in front of him. It looked like neither had change too much. They both looked a little tougher but Kaidan seemed uncomfortable.

"Is she going to be alright, Shepard?" Ash asked, concerned. John grinned at her.

"It's Jane, she'll be fine," John replied. "She's in good hands but I'm sure she's got a thumping headache."

"We thought you were dead, Commander. We all did." Kaidan broke in, looking uncomfortable.

"It's been too long. How have you been?" John said. He winced as soon as he said the words. God that was stupid but what else could he say? 'Hey I died! How have you two been?'

"Is that all you have to say? You show up after two years and just act like nothing happened?" Kaidan snapped and John raised an eyebrow at him. "We would have followed you anywhere, Commander. Thinking you were gone...it was like losing a limb."

"You act like I choose to be gone for two years!" John retorted. Now he remembered why he disliked Kaidan so much. He had been Anderson's pick for the team after the Captain had denied John's request to have Jane join him as his team biotic.

"Why didn't you try to contact us? Why didn't you let us know you were alive?" Ash demanded. John glanced at her, inclining his head. It was a fair question.

"I was unconscious for two years." John replied. "Jane was the first person I contacted and she informed the Alliance. Since then it's been mission after mission dealing with the Collectors."

"Some of us did move on." Ash said, glancing at Kaidan who shot her a glare. John focused on the man who shrugged.

"I thought I did, but now we've got reports about you and Cerberus." Kaidan replied. "And you dragged Jane in with you even after what they did on Akuze!"

"Reports? So much for security but what can you do with Jane making reports straight back to Alliance headquarters," Miranda said grumpily to Jacob. John turned to look and saw the rest of the teaming watching the exchange. John had to admit he'd forgotten they were all there.

"Alliance intel indicated the Collectors might be behind the missing human colonies. They got a tip this colony might be the next one to get hit," Kaidan snapped at Miranda and John rolled his eyes.

"Where do you think they got the intel?" John snapped. "Jane has been talking to them. She's my official liaison and observer since the Alliance railroaded me out."

"There were rumors that you weren't dead. That you were working for the enemy," Ash said and gestured to the group next to John. "I can't believe Tali and Garrus would be a part of this though."

"We're trying to help protect human colonies, Ash," Tali replied. "I felt the same way but John is leading this mission. Cerberus is just funding it."

"The Alliance turned its back on me and Cerberus brought me back. To me it seems like Cerberus is the only group willing to trust me to do something about it." John continued after Tali.

"You can't really believe that!" Kaidan snapped back. "We both know what Cerberus is like. What they're capable of. I wanted to believe the rumors that you were alive...that I hadn't caused...but I never expected anything like this. You turned your back on everything we stood for!" Ash seemed surprised at what Kaidan had said and John narrowed his eyes at him.

"I turned my back on everything?!" John shouted at him. "I went back the moment I could!" He gestured wildly at Miranda and Jacob. "I treated them like enemy spies and said nothing to them till I met Jane! I went back and the Alliance turned their back on me without even taking a second to even consider that every single piece of evidence I gave to them to prove I'm me! Since then I've had to deal with a sister who thinks I'm some Cerberus experiment! You were dating my sister and I found out you just up and left her while I was comatose!"

"I want to believe you, Shepard. But I don't trust Cerberus." Ash broke in, trying to bring John's attention to her. "They could be using the threat of a Reaper to manipulate you."

"What if they're behind it? What if they're working with the Collectors?" Kaidan demanded and John growled.

"Then I'll kill every single one of them!" John bellowed, not even realizing what he was saying as Jacob sucked in a breath and exchanged a worry glance with Miranda even as Jack laughed happily. "But everything single thing I've seen, heard, and read from their own records and Spectre files indicates they're not! So I'm trusting them because they've earned it! Holy hell didn't you just see the Collectors? Their ship? Why would Cerberus waste billions of credits on me if they had access to that?!"

"Damn it, Kaidan! You're so focused on Cerberus that you're ignoring the real threat!" Garrus barked, trying to give John a moment to cool down.

"You're letting how you feel about their history get in the way of the facts," John snapped. "Now you're going to tell me what happened with Jane! Why wouldn't you even look at her when she was right here? God damn it, even I could see she still loves you!"

"That's none of your business," Kaidan replied stiffly.

"The hell it isn't!" John replied taking a couple of steps towards him. "You would know how hurt and confused she is and what she's been through if you had just loved her like you did on the Normandy."

"She got over it just fine after I left, right after your funeral!" Kaidan retorted. "I saw her at that Officer's Ball, hanging on Anderson's arm. She's doing just fine and I'm sure she doesn't need me or anyone else now that her big bad brother is back."

Wham!

Everyone seemed to jolt back as John slugged Kaidan in the left side of his jaw. Kaidan hit the ground with a loud thud and was clutching at his face, the left side already swelling. John seemed to just vibrate with fury as he stood there, doing everything in his power not to keep hitting the other man.

"I don't believe you!" John screamed at him. "You left her the same day of my funeral?! God damn it of course she needed you! She was alone after you left! We have no family and only the Normandy team were our real friends! You left her alone! No wonder she buried herself in being a Spectre! She probably thought she didn't have anything after you left!" Kaidan said nothing, his jaw obviously broken. Everyone was glaring at him, even Ashley. He lowered his head.

"You've changed John," Ash said after a moment turning back to John. "And maybe the Alliance did turn their backs on you but I'm still an Alliance solder. Always will be. We have to report back to the Citadel. They can decide if they believe your story or not." She knelt down to help Kaidan to his feet.

"I wanted to ask you two to come back, to help me out like it was before." John said bitterly, his temper starting to cool. "But I'll never trust you with anyone I care about ever again Kaidan. Not my team, not my friends and certainly never again with Jane." John focused on Ash. "Ash, if you ever want to talk. Get the real story about everything from me, contact Jane. She has the extranet address I'm using now. I could use you again."

"I'm sorry Shepard, but I'll never work with Cerberus. Goodbye John," Ash said, helping Kaidan away. John watched them walk away and narrowed his eyes. After a moment he turned around to head for the evac spot.

"I've had enough of this colony," John growled storming by his team. "Let's get the hell out of here."

~*TF*~

"So, was that your ex?" Kasumi asked as she helped Jane onto the shuttle. Blasto looked up at his mistress happily as Mordin healed the scratch on the varren's side.

"Yes, he was," Jane said. She felt tired, beaten down in a way she hadn't felt in years. Kaidan was alive, but...it hurt to see him, it hurt to think of him gone forever. She wished she could get over him.

"Ah, that explains the changes in heart rate, was concerned about your injuries," Mordin noted and Jane smirked at that. "Will give you minor painkiller back on Normandy however. Biotics are slightly over stressed. Recommend practice before attempting maneuver again."

"No, not that kind of injury," Jane sighed and looked out the window.

"He was your first huh?" Kasumi said casually and Jane stared at her in shock. "Oh ho, so I was right! Who would think you would wait that long to pop your cherry, She-Shep."

"Kasumi, please stop, I'm going to be getting quite the yelling at back on the Normandy, give me a few moments peace," Jane sighed.

"Still, good thinking using grenade belt on creature. Commander Shepard looked jealous. If he wished to blow it up, he should have brought his own grenades as you did," Mordin pondered.

~*TF*~

Jane had barely made it back to her room before John was there, knocking on the door. Jane let him in and was surprised when John tossed a big bone to Blasto. What followed was a John rant covering everything from her not coming up with a plan to attack the praetorian to that 'son-of-a-bitch' Alenko. When John began to yet again threaten Kaidan's life Jane decided she needed to derail him.

"Kaidan didn't do anything wrong, John," Jane sighed.

"The hell he didn't, I was gone and when you needed him the most he ghosted," John snapped as he paced in her room. Blasto watched him go, chewing happily on the bone. "I never liked that guy. He was Anderson's pick for my squad after he rejected you as my biotic support."

"We are not having this discussion right now," Jane said.

"Then how about the discussion about what the fuck happened with that praetorian and you doing biotic rushes," John snapped.

"The what now?" Jane sighed as she sat on her hammock.

"The creature you blew up," John said.

"The best Mordin could say is that because I know the theory and I was hyped up on adrenaline, I was able to do something I really shouldn't have been able to," Jane explained and John stared at her.

"So...like a mother lifting a car off her child?" he asked and Jane swung her legs into the hammock.

"Yeah," Jane nodded and John noticed the dark bags under Jane's eyes.

"Why did you do it?" he asked. "Ash and Kaidan were fine. You were right, they got hit running for the transmitter." She stared at him with tired eyes and rubbed at them before speaking again.

"I wasn't thinking about Ash at the end, I was just so scared. I still love him. Even if he won't look at me for more than a moment...I still love him, John, I couldn't stand to lose him too. Not when I put him in that danger," she muttered, her eyes slowly drifting closed. "I couldn't bear it..." John blinked as Jane seemed to pass out into her hammock.

"Don't you dare touch her," Dr. Chakwas said from the door and John jumped. "Those sedatives took forever to kick in. I was worried she was going to pass out in the shower when you were standing out there. Adrenaline is a hell of a hormone."

"You sedated her?" John asked and Dr. Chakwas nodded.

"Spectre Shepard has put herself under a lot of stress, the drug cocktail I gave her will help take that down a bit. She will probably sleep longer than usual tonight into tomorrow and when she wakes up will feel back to herself," she said, taking Jane's pulse. "She has been pushing herself twice as hard as anyone I know. It's time she let you take some of the pressure off."

"She's been working so hard to make up for me not being here," John said, staring at his unconscious sister.

"Yes, but she is still doing it, until she accepts that you are John Shepard, I fear she will work herself to death. I'm glad she is here. Tali, Garrus, Joker, and myself, we missed her. It will be good to remind her, she doesn't have to prove herself to us," Dr. Chakwas said with a smile. She tossed a blanket over Jane. "Let's let her sleep."

~*TF*~

Earth Date: February 12th, 2186 CE

Location: Omega

"So what's on the shopping list?" Jane asked curiously. John shot her a look as he led them to Omega's market. Shortly before they had headed for the airlock Kelly had tracked John down to remind him that he had a huge backlog of messages to go through. Jane was amused to see John was getting irritated with all the spam he was getting on his Cerberus provided e-mail. Submitting his Cerberus e-mail address to all those questionable websites had been a bit of petty yet fun revenge. EDI was also voicing complaints with all the malware and other things she was stopping due to it. Totally worth it, despite John's growing irritation.

"Grenades." He said tersely. He made his way to Harrot and glanced at the kiosk. Jane just raised an eyebrow at John as he selected a long list of items on the kiosk and then slammed a credit chit on the counter. "Grenades. All the grenades."

"Smug satisfaction: One moment while I have my assistant get your docking information to have the grenades loaded onto a pallet for delivery," Harrot said, turning to an Asari standing not to far away with a datapad.

"What's that all about?" Jane heard Garrus whisper to Tali who sighed.

"Apparently Miranda won't outfit the team with grenades. She prefers heavy weapons, I guess." Tali replied back. Jane rolled her eyes as John finished giving Harrot the Normandy's dock number but he took half a dozen grenades with him. Garrus just chuckled in amusement as John sighed in relief as he finished strapping them to his belt. As they headed for another shop to pick up the rest of the supplies they needed Jane shot John an amused look.

"I used up mine on Horizon, mind letting me resupply out of yours?" Jane asked in a fake, sweet tone.

"What are we ten again? Buy your own shit."

~*TF*~

"We should stop by and see Aria," Jane said a few hours later as they left the markets and John blinked. He handed the datapad to the crewman who had joined them a bit ago. The crewman, Jane would be damned if she could remember his name, saluted and pulled the lever on the hover pallet to take the supplies back to the Normandy.

"You're friendly with the Queen of Omega?" John asked as they walked up the stairs into Afterlife.

"Yeah, I've found that being good to her is useful," Jane explained. "Besides, I found this in the storage hold." She held up a datapad.

"I got that from the mercs when we got Garrus," John said. "I'd forgotten all about it."

"The data on it is still relevant, she'll want to know, and she's pretty generous when you help her out," Jane said as she stopped at the turian at the base of the stairs.

"Good to see you...Jane," he purred in a way John didn't like.

"Same to you, Grizz, she got a minute, I got some info she will want," Jane said and Grizz activated his comms. He quickly informed the other person that the Shepards were there. He listened for a moment before nodding to the stairs.

"She'll talk to you," Grizz said and they headed up. Aria looked at the Shepards as they approached. Jane went to sit near Aria and John slipped next to her.

"Good to see you, Shepard. You as well, less attractive Shepard," Aria said, looking at Jane first, then John. "What have you got for me."

"Been a while since we were on Omega, thought I would drop off a piece of intel collected from Eclipse. Looks like Archangel's last gift to you was us taking out the main forces. This data pad was one of the mercs going after Archangel. They were coming for you next," Jane said handing Aria the datapad.

"Let me see," Aria said taking it. She took a moment to read, her expression becoming less and less friendly. "Interesting. Would someone like to tell me how this information slipped the net?" Throwing the pad at a batarian.

"I...I'll look into it," he stammered before rushing off.

"Thanks, Shepard, you should come back and work for me again," Aria said, looking at Jane. The three heads of her team turned to look at her. Jane fought a glare at Aria.

"No thanks, I got my fill of working for tips. Not my style," Jane replied as she got up.

"Talk to Grizz, there's something else you could do that I would truly appreciate," Aria said.

"I'm not on my time right now," Jane said looking to John and Aria smirked.

"Both of you could handle it easily, talk to Grizz," she said and Jane indicated John should go first.

"What was that?" John asked.

"A sign of favor. If Aria has asked us to do something, we should do it. Trust me, having her on our side will make things much easier," Jane said and John shrugged.

"If you say so," John said as they approached Grizz. "What's this job Aria wants us to do?"

"Aria's gotten word that some Blood Pack mercs plan to kill an old acquaintance of hers. A krogan named Patriarch. She'd like you to keep that from happening," Grizz explained.

"What's the Blood Pack's problem with Patriarch?" Jane asked. The old krogan had been a rather fun old man by her memory. The Maws had visited him a few times and Jane had waited on them in private.

"If you've met Patriarch, you know...he can't keep his damned mouth shut," Grizz explained. "Some people don't appreciate his stories. Especially when he dips into nonfiction."

"What's Aria's interest in protecting him?" John asked, Jane was curious too, Patriarch had lived well, but seemed to always be in Afterlife.

"Patriarch was one of her deadliest enemies back in the old days. Now she keeps what's left of him around as a trophy. As long as he lives, he's a perfect example of what happens when you go up against Aria," Grizz said.

"Why come to us with this? Aria has plenty of muscle for this," Garrus stated and Grizz stared at him a moment before shaking his head.

"Because Aria said so. What other reason do you need?" Grizz brushed off, but Jane stared at him a moment.

"Don't bother with me, Grizz, we both know Aria doesn't do things without a damn good reason," Jane sighed and Grizz chuckled.

"Fine, but I didn't tell you this. Got me?" Grizz conceded. "If it gets out that Aria's protecting Patriarch...well, that can look like a weakness. And some people might want to exploit that. You're not on her payroll, so you helping Patriarch just seems like a random act of kindness."

"We'll do it," Jane said and John blinked. As they walked away she looked at him. "Trust me, Patriarch is a fun old krogan. I rather keep him safe. For me." John looked at her and sighed.

"Fine," John said as they headed downstairs. He purposely ignored the crowd around him and the patrons as they headed into the lower portion of Afterlife. Jane seemed to know where they were going and led the way into what looked like a smaller but quieter VIP longue. An old krogan appeared to be lecturing an asari and turian in the room. John had to raise an eyebrow at what he was saying however.

"…no, you said he had close family. They'll just want revenge. Kill the family first. Then he'll get angry and come at you stupid...and then you kill him." Patriarch rumbled. He sniffed and turned around as John came closer to introduce himself. "I don't think I know you, human. I'm the Patriarch. Aria's Patriarch." He focused on Jane and barrowed his eyes. "Although you remind me of a dancer who was here not long ago..."

"I get that a lot." Jane demurred and John heard Garrus chuckle behind him.

"What do you all want?" Patriarch demanded.

"Rumor has it some people want you dead. Know anything about that?" John asked, crossing his arms. He had to admit, this Patriarch had him curious. A krogan didn't get to be his age without being damned good and damn clever.

"I can think of a few." Patriarch drawled, a bit smugly. "I know things. Old secrets. Old grudges. A few floors you can dig up to find bodies underneath. Someone who wanted to weaken Aria might come after me. They'd do it to get to her, you see. Not for me. I don't matter enough anymore to have enemies of my own."

"Well some of those people want you dead. We've been asked to move you to safety." Jane piped up next to him.

"Of course. Aria wouldn't want me hurt. I would make her look weak." Patriarch said and John could practically feel the sarcasm dripping from that statement. Patriarch Turned to face the two he had been lecturing and shook his head, as if the whole situation was proving a point of his. He turned back to them and focused on John. "But perhaps Aria's reputation is no longer my concern. Perhaps I will stay and see who thinks me important enough to kill."

"Here's an idea: Let us handle the assassins for you." John offered impulsively, fighting a smile. Damn it, for some reason he couldn't help but like this old, tough as nails warlord.

"And so your name grows while I remain an old man who lets other fight his battle." Patriarch countered.

"No, you remain a powerful warlord with forces at his command. Not just Aria's trophy." Jane jumped in. John shot a look at Jane, wondering why she phrased it like that but it seemed to resonate with Patriarch.

"You could...you could be my krantt." Patriarch said softly. John was surprised by the hopeful tone he had. "Fighting for my honor. If you would do this for me, I would be grateful. I might even be a krogan again."

"Then that's what we'll do." John said. Patriarch nodded at him and gestured for them to leave. John motioned to the others to follow him. He wanted to ask Jane what she was up to but didn't even get the chance. As soon as they hit the back alley behind Afterlife they almost ran into a pair of heavily armed krogans.

"Out of our way, human." One with a flame thrower snarled, gesturing at him with his weapon.

"You here for Patriarch?" John said, stating the obvious. It seemed to catch them off guard.

"What if we are? You donna do something about it?" the talker snarled.

"Patriarch sent us." Jane said sweetly and John smiled.

"Said to do whatever it takes." He jumped in, cracking his knuckles.

"You're Patriarch's krantt? I wasn't aware the old man had one!" the other krogan barked.

"You should've done your homework." John snarked and ducked as the lead korgan whipped up his flame thrower. John kicked him in the gut, sending him reeling back. Jane and Tali both shot their pistols past John, putting both men down quickly.

The group headed back to Patriarch's room.

"You killed them all! And everyone knows that the Patriarch is not to be crossed," the old krogan chuckled merrily. "Thanks to you, Aria may think of me as more than a trophy. A real advisor, maybe. Or even a threat." Jane smiled kindly at the old guy.

"Take care, Patriarch," Jane said and he nodded.

"For the first time, I like that name," he said before giving them a serious look. "By the way, be careful with Aria. She will approve of what you've done, I think, but not of you altering the balance of Omega. I think it reminds her too much of herself."

"Aria doesn't have to worry about us, we're just here for business and recreation, not to stay," Jane said, giving Garrus a look. They moved out and headed up a level to Grizz who did not look as happy.

"Aria wants to speak with you, humans. She heard you took on the Blood Pack assassins yourselves. I wouldn't keep her waiting," he warned. Jane sighed.

"We pissed her off, didn't we?" John commented and Jane nodded. They took their previous seats and Aria gave Jane a look.

"Word has it that Patriarch's krantt took out the men sent here to kill him. Funny, I didn't know he had a krantt," Aria said in a clipped tone.

"Patriarch has more influence than you thought," John commented and her eyes narrowed at him.

"I see. Well. Maybe I should watch my back then. It's not what I asked, but you go the job done. You've done a lot for me, Shepard, let me return the favor. We're sending you coordinates to a cache on an uncharted world. You want it, it's yours," Aria said nodding at one of her goons.

"We're not looking for payments," Jane said.

"Whatever you find is yours to deal with," Aria said and Jane smiled.

"Thanks," Jane said as she got up.

"Why don't you find yourself a nice man to keep you warm in the meantime? You look like you need to loosen up a little," Aria commented and Jane shook her head before walking out.

The group headed downstairs to the bar outside Patriarch's room.

"Thanks," Jane said and John stared at her.

"Were you the dancer Patriarch was thinking of?" John asked and Jane blinked at him.

"You've seen me dance, do you think I could pass as an exotic dancer?" Jane asked and John stared.

"I have and no," Garrus stated as they walked over to the bar.

"I'm buying," Jane said.

"Seriously?" John asked and she nodded.

"Thank you. Patriarch was a ruler brought down. Ideally, I'd like him to die of old age. Aria and what we've done will allow that," Jane said as she flagged the batarian bartender. "Two dextro, two levo please." She passed two drinks to Tali and Garrus before grabbing the other two, John took his and they clinked glasses. Bad luck was on Jane's side as she didn't expect John to hit it quite that hard. Jane's glass slipped out of her hand and crashed to the floor. "Shit, I'll get another, drink." John looked surprised for a moment, staring at his hand before sighing. With a shrug he knocked back his drink as Jane flagged the bartender again. She was picking up the glass when John felt his vision fade and he fell back. Jane stared in shock as her brother crashed to the ground.

"You better get your friend out of here, he seems to be a lightweight. That door is to the alley," the batarian chuckled as he jerked a thumb past them and Jane quickly helped Tali and Garrus carry John out. Tali fanned John while Garrus looked over them. Jane was scanning him as another man came over to them looking concerned.

"Did you have the batarian bartender serve you drinks?" he asked and Jane stared at him.

"How did you know?" she asked and the man gave her sorrowful look.

"I'm sorry your friend is going to die," he said. "That bartender has been poisoning humans."

"Aria allows that?" Jane gasped.

"He works at the bottom bar, she doesn't care about those people. She gets money from the upper floors and the VIP room," the man said and Jane glared at him as John's eyes opened up. He rolled over to his side and coughed wetly. Jane felt relief flood her veins as John vomited up the contents of his stomach.

"Take him to the Normandy, wait," Jane said as she quickly pulled off her armor, leaving her barefoot in her bra and bike shorts. "Take my armor."

"Shepard...what are you doing?" Tali asked as she collected the armor.

"I'm going to make sure that guy is taken care of," Jane said, tying up her hair.

"How?" Garrus asked.

"Less talky, more getting him to infirmary," Jane ordered and the two sighed. Jane walked to Harrot's where she bought some make-up, a pair of shoes, and a jacket. With her bra and shorts she looked like she was ready to drink and with the make-up she looked just different enough a batarian might not recognize her. She headed back into Afterlife and down the stairs. She sat down at the bar and did her best to look depressed.

"What can I get you?" the batarian asked. He didn't recognize her...good.

"Can you believe it...he cheated on me," she huffed. "I just...I want to drink till I forget my name!" She looked at him. He sneered.

"What will you have?" he growled and Jane looked at him.

"I need a toast," she said and he smirked.

"I'll get you something," he said, pouring another glass of whatever John and she had earlier. She recognized it by the color. "Drink up."

"Join me?" Jane asked, the batarian looked annoyed. "I'll pay." He smirked more as he made a glass of what looked like he made her. She noticed he used different bottles to make his. He finished and Jane pointed behind him. "That guy is going for a bottle!" The batarian whipped around as Jane quickly switched the glasses.

"Which one?" the batarian asked and Jane pointed at a turian moving away.

"He heard me and moved away," Jane sighed and the batarian sneered.

"Slow human," he huffed as Jane picked up the safe glass. He clinked his to hers and she brought it up to her mouth. She still didn't trust it as he drained his glass. She put her still full one down and wiped her mouth. He stared at her and the glass. His eyes widened as she got up and he began to stagger, clutching at his throat before he collapsed. She turned and headed back to the Normandy.

~*TF*~

"Better out than in, Shepard," Miranda advised as John retched. He shot her a withering look before turning back to the bucket she'd placed in his lap. He vomited again and winced. "I'm certain the enhancements to your stomach lining rejected most of the poison but the ipecac I gave you should force you to regurgitate anything you didn't get out on Omega."

"I feel like you're punishing John for something," Jane said sweetly, walking into the infirmary. John moaned and barely glanced at Jane, noting her current outfit.

"What happened to-hurk!" John was cut off by his own stomach. Jane wrinkled her nose in disgust as he vomited again.

"I dealt with the batarian bartender who poisoned you. Apparently he had a history of it," Jane said tersely. "I tricked him into drinking his own poison."

"Not bad Jane," Miranda allowed checking John's vitals on a data pad. Jane shot Miranda look, questioning her sincerity. Miranda ignored her as she checked John over.

"I checked my messages shortly after I got back. Apparently they located the wreckage of the original Normandy. They even shipped a memorial to us via Omega to plant there. " Jane explained to her brother. John looked at her, his face flushed and a woozy look on his face.

"If nothing major has come up we can head there after we're done loading the supplies," John said in a strained tone of voice.

"I'd like it just to be the two of us." Jane said. John looked at her before nodding.

"I should be fine by the time we get th-blarg!"

"Or at least not doing that anymore."

~*TF*~

Earth Date: February 13th, 2186 CE

Location: In transit to Amada System

Jane entered the forward battery and Garrus turned to look at her.

"What are you up to?" Jane asked and Garrus shrugged.

"You know, the usual, calibrations," he hummed and Jane shook her head as she moved to sit on the crates in the corner. "It was...strange...seeing Kaidan."

"Tell me about it," Jane sighed.

"How are you doing?" Garrus asked and Jane blinked. He hadn't moved from the panel and he wasn't looking at her.

"I could just talk to Kasumi or Tali about this," Jane suggested.

"Tali wasn't there for you dressing up for that Officers' Ball and Kasumi doesn't know Kaidan," Garrus said. "Plus I thought Jack was your new best girlfriend."

"Jack would kick my ass if I wanted to mope about my ex-boyfriend to her," Jane said. "Plus I believe you said you couldn't tell if I looked good or not at that ball." Garrus chuckled.

"You humans are all pretty ugly," he stated and Jane smiled. "Especially Kaidan."

"Nope, not doing this, unless you start complaining about your last girlfriend and we have alcohol, I appreciate the effort, but it just feels wrong," Jane said as she looked at the turian. "But thanks for trying Garrus."

"Always glad to help. You look even more hideous when you cry," Garrus commented and Jane smiled.

"Thanks, you always know what to say to make a woman feel good about herself," she said before pausing. Jane turned and looked at Garrus' back. She approached and hugged him from behind.

"Shepard..." he stammered.

"If I'm so ugly when I cry, don't you ever dare make me cry again. When you went missing, I lost it. Getting you back and nearly losing you in the same day on Omega...Haestrom and my stupid, stupid mistake. Stop living like there's nothing beyond the mission," she scolded. He patted her arm.

"Same to you. That Collector could have crushed your trachea with that move. Mordin was surprised it didn't," Garrus scolded and Jane pulled away.

"I'll work on that," Jane said as she headed out.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: February 13th, 2186 CE

Location: Planet Alchera

This felt surreal to John. He watched out the shuttle's window as Harrison landed. The Normandy, the first Normandy, was scattered along the edge of an ice shelf. Every piece of wreckage was a stark, jagged sign to John. It had actually happened. The Normandy had been attacked and he had… John shook himself as the shuttle finished landing. He walked to the exit, Jane already ahead of him as the doors opened. They exited slowly, Jane stared at the wreckage, pieces of the ship were scattered in a way that looked like a broken toy.

"It looks untouched," John said, softly. Jane glanced at him but he'd turned his visor opaque.

"We didn't know she was here," Jane explained as she saw something in the snow. She leaned down. A dog tag. Twenty crew members were unaccounted for and had been declared missing-in-action. She held it up and John stared. "There should be nineteen more." She walked through the snow, the planet seemed so quiet as the two looked around, kicking up snow. Here and there they would find a dog tag. They approached the cockpit, each of them quietly moving off.

"Oh Pressly, I knew you were a good man," Jane heard John mutter. Jane stared at John. He seemed to be thinking, his head cocked to the side as he stared at Pressly's tags held in one hand with a datapad. She was surprised to see a glow coming from the screen. It was actually still functional. She thought about Joker as John handed the data pad her. She felt relieved that she would see Joker again on the new Normandy.

"You should read that," John grunted at her as he moved off. It was Pressly's personal log. She stared at it, the words sinking in as she read the man's words. The closed-minded xenophobe at the beginning and the man he became. He adored Tali by the end. She felt tears in her eyes. Would anything have been different if she had been there?

"I was here," John said, softly. Jane looked up and saw something between his hands. As she made her way to him, she tucked Pressly's data pad into her belt. When she got close enough to see what John was holding she sucked in a breath.

"That was your old helmet," Jane noted, recognizing it easily, especially with the scratches she'd put on the back just to annoy him. John nodded, running a hand over it thoughtfully.

"I wonder who found me," John said to her as they made their way towards the remains of the galaxy map. "Someone had to purposely take my helmet off and leave it behind." Jane shrugged, watching as John clipped the helmet to his belt, the collapsing function must have been broken if he didn't trigger it to tuck into a belt pouch.

"So, you confirmed that twenty didn't make it?" John asked and Jane nodded as she picked up another dog tag near the remains of the galaxy map. John shook his head. He knew it could have been worse but they still weighed heavily on him. He barely noticed Jane leading them to the Mako till they got there, so deep was he in his own thoughts about what he could have done differently during that chaotic evacuation.

"Think we should try and salvage the old girl?" Jane asked as she ran a hand over the Mako.

"Garrus needs a project, he just keeps calibrating," John noted and Jane couldn't help smiling a bit.

"Maybe we shouldn't, Tali might cry seeing her again," Jane said picking up another set of tags while John seemed to have found one in the snow. The snow fell gently, making the area seem like a dream. Jane felt a sense of peace as she looked at the remains of the ship. It was so peaceful in this blue and white world.

"On the plus side we don't have to share a room now," John commented as he looked at the sleeper pods, picking up another set.

"Still mad I kicked Miranda out?" Jane asked.

"Yes," he said before sighing. "But only how you did it. You should have just told me you needed a place to yourself and a secure data connection." They slowly made it to the crew deck and Jane thought about Kaidan. The stolen moments between missions, that first kiss. The Normandy was their start, it made her heart ache. Kaidan was her first real love, the first man she had ever known cardinally, and her first real heartbreak. She shook her head, Kaidan wanted nothing to do with her. She counted eleven dog tags.

"How many tags do you have?" Jane asked and John glanced at her before punching a crate. He pushed the pieces aside and picked up another set of tags.

"Nine," he said and Jane nodded.

"We found them all," she said and John stared at her for a moment before glancing around.

"Where should we put the memorial?" he asked and she looked at the side of the Normandy, its name right side up as if to declare this plot its own.

"This seems fitting," Jane said and John looked at it.

"Yes, their names with hers. So no one forgets," John said. The two of them went to the shuttle and carried the memorial out using a zero-gravity cart. They placed it down and shifted around a bit before stepping back to look at it.

"Thank you for coming here," Jane said after a few minutes and John went to put an arm around her. Jane shook her head and stepped away. "Not yet..." She headed into the shuttle ahead of John.

~*TF*~

"Commander?" John looked up as Kelly called to him from her terminal. "There's a call coming in for you. It's on a secure channel and they want to speak with you privately." John frowned, wondering who it could be.

"Transfer it to my quarters, would you Kelly?" John asked and headed for the elevator. As soon as he got in he accepted the call on his terminal. He blinked in surprise when the empty model display lit up with the call. It's was a salarian, about late middle aged for their species if John figured right. He had a more yellowy-orange face with white from under his cheeks to his neck. He had dark green eyes and some of the natural markings on his forehead were an orangey-red and looked similar to asari markings,

"Greetings, Spectre John Shepard, I am Spectre Chirum Leolor," the salarian said with a brief smile. "I am a...well...I know I consider myself indebted to your sister, but she has referred to me as a friend. I am contacting you because I am concerned for Jane." John blinked at that and instantly connected the name to some of the files on Jane he had been able to access.

"I've heard of you Spectre Leolor," John said and nodded his head to the man respectfully. "You were involved with that incident with Dirake." Chirum nodded, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes...that incident...how much do you know about what happened then?" Chirum asked.

"Not as much as I like," John admitted. "I know what I saw of Jane's fight with Dirake from the vids on the extranet." John scowled at that. "The Spectre records on it have been deemed classified by another Spectre. They even redacted their own name. The only names not redacted are the ones Dirake revealed." Chirum nodded.

"My clan's dalatrass at work. My daughters and nieces were taken and brutalized. I cannot thank your sister enough for what she did for me, my clan, and the young women of my clan. However, she was too late to save another of our team. The turian, Aelaxos, your sister took a shine to him. They bonded on the ship out and in the field. You humans do tend to get along with turians," he chuckled dryly before sighing. "I sometimes wonder what would have happened if you all had met in peace instead of through the First Contact War...but I digress. Jane nearly died saving me and mine. Tela and I made sure to keep her alive, however, after Jane woke up...she was different."

"How so?" John inquired, curious as to why this man was calling him. Chirum interlocked his fingers and leaned at the desk he was probably sitting at.

"She stopped working on teams, unless a Spectre asked for her directly, she began avoiding others, picking solo missions. I wanted to pay her back, so I have been keeping tabs on her. Mordin Solus is an associate of mine from back in our STG days. He's told me about your last two missions when I asked how she was," Chirum stated, blinking slowly in the way of a thoughtful salarian. "Jane impressed many of us in battle, but if what Mordin told me is true I deeply worry about how much longer your sister will be alive. I want to ask you, because I believe Mordin when he says you are who you are, what is your plan for her?"

"I don't have one to be honest," John replied truthfully. "From the moment Cerberus woke me up and I learned who they were I tried to get back. To go home as it were." John scratched the side of his cheek and looked a little bashful at what he said next. "It didn't work out the way I had hoped. I didn't think Jane would distrust who I was. I've just finally realized how much time really has gone by while I was...incapacitated." Chirum nodded.

"For humans two years seems a lot shorter than to my people. However, I do believe that time passes Jane both quickly and slowly," Chirum stated. "She mourned you deeply, as if each day were just after your loss, and I believe she tried to do the work of two Shepards alone, filling all her time with meaningful missions. However, I worry after what I have heard. The mistakes she has made are...unlike her. I ask you to use your position as the Captain of the Normandy to make her slow down. I am fond of your sister, she is a good woman, a fine Spectre, but a broken person."

John was quiet, considering. He didn't think Jane was broken but he did feel she was hurt. Deeply and badly. Kaidan had walked out on her and that still made John angry. She had no one to cling to, no one to confide in while John was gone. She'd thrown herself into her work and worked herself to the bone, almost dying in the process.

"I'll do the best I can but it might help if she had a friend call or write her on occasion," John said and Chirum smiled.

"Of course, but she needs to be the one to make the calls. For my part, I will always answer when she needs me. Another suggestion, encourage bonding. I have notice Jane bonds deeply and quickly under the right circumstance. Encourage that, she taught Aelaxos a game called Poke Her, some form of gambling. As I tell my daughters, games are a waste of time, but Aelaxos enjoyed himself and Jane favored him for that, I think," Chirum said. "If she won't bond on her own, get others to start the bonding with her."

"I think that's already started," John said, thinking of Jack and Garrus. Even Grunt who Jane was training on how to react to real biotic attacks. "Thank you Spectre Leolor." The salarian held up a hand.

"No thanks necessary, Spectre Shepard," Chirum said. "I believe you are the only one who can start to repair what has been damage. The loss of you was devastating. Perhaps she should speak to someone about that. Good luck getting her to do so." The screen cut out.

John turned off the display and walked to the center of the room, thinking. So, it was on him again. He had to stand tall and bear the weight again. He glanced over at his old helmet, sitting on the table by the coffee machine. He stepped over and picked it up between his hands, studying it. He'd already given his life for the mission before. Now Chirum had confirmed just how much that had damaged Jane and he had to be the one to fix her. John thought of his nightmare from a couple of weeks back and realized it was true. He had failed Jane. He tossed the helmet on the desk and turned, heading for the bed and sat at its edge. He looked up at the skylight that showed the flickers of energy passing over the ship as it traveled in FTL. As he stared up at the stars he felt alone. He was surrounded by enemies everywhere and barely had anyone he could trust and turn to. Garrus was helping Jane and while it was nice to spend time and talk to him the Turian had been behaving awkwardly around him. John knew what he wanted to ask but he wouldn't say anything till Garrus worked up the courage to ask John's permission. John snorted at that thought. As if Garrus would be unworthy, especially everything he had done for Jane. Having Tali around was great but she seemed to have gone from naive girl making her way in the world to a strong, confident woman since he'd been gone. What seemed to be a harmless crush on him had the chance to become more, he could see that now. She was an intelligent, caring but brave woman. He smiled to himself as he thought of the women he'd been with in the past. He definitely had a type. If he started confiding in Tali however he might give her the wrong impression or worse he might...

John shook his head and fell back on the bed, pushing that tempting thought away. Miranda, despite their talks and the forming friendship, was permanently on a hate setting for Jane. John mentally ran through the others and realized he couldn't really talk to the them about Jane and everything else. Even Kelly, who was on the ship for this very purpose, worked for Cerberus. Any reports she filed on their talks would almost certainly make their way to the Illusive Man. He sighed trying to put everything in order in his mind and focused on the dossier info he remembered. The justicar Samara and the assassin Thane Krios were both on Ilium. It would be a good place to go and maybe pick up supplies Omega didn't have. In fact, Illium would be a good port to establish the Normandy from and - John jolted and sat up quickly in bed.

Liara. She was on Illium. He hurried over to his terminal and finally checked his backlog of messages. There, only a day ago was the one he'd been desperately hoping to get.

John,

I'm sorry I've been off world chasing a lead and this extranet account is tied to my terminal in my office. But to answer your question I will always help you. Come to Illium, Nos Astra. I maintain an office there and I can arrange for a dock, even a dry dock if needed.

I've missed you John. We have alot to talk about.

~Liara

John closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Liara could help. She would help him. He smiled as treasured memories came to him.

"This, oh-oh my God Liara this is in-incredible."

"Here with me, feel what I feel. Our minds, our souls entwining as we do with our bodies. Here with you, I feel what you feel."

"I love you, Liara T'Soni."

"I love you, John Shepard."

Memories of eternity.

"EDI inform Joker, we're heading straight for Illium."

~*TF*~

Belle Note: So Shakarians, cheering over the defeat of the Shenko fandom? Are you sure that's what is happening? Maybe Garrus will patch up the hole in our fair Jane's heart, or...maybe Kaidan is realizing the report of John's death has been greatly exaggerated and he must act before he loses the lady fair. Oh, I do love teasing the fandoms. FYI, in game I enjoy both their paths, I have had a Shepard stay loyal to Kaidan through ME2 and I have had one go turian and not go back again. While I find Thane sweet as can be, I'm always a little off put that he has an adult kid, how old are you Thane?! My greatest disappointment was when I couldn't make James Vega a man. *sighs* Too bad on that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Toby Note: Okay I now know the reason you were able to write this out within the week since we published 15 and sent 16 to me. *turns to the readers* Please, please, please stop sending her Vakarian love. She just wants to get to the sleeping with him chapter so she can write it in all the smutty details. *rolls his eyes* I should have known…and stop whining about Vega! You got to sleep with him when he had horns! He was literally horny for you! You think Bioware didn't do that on purpose? It was to distract you from Varic and the paragon on manliness you call him all the time! So, the delay was from me being tired and then breaking fingers. Seriously I broke my middle finger in three places.

~*TF*~

OMAKE 1

Augmented blue eyes looked at Jane, no emotion on his face, she gave him the same back.

"Jane Shepard. A pleasure to meet you," he said and Jane tilted her head. "We underestimated you. We should have invited you in from the beginning."

"Fuck you," Jane said as she turned walking away. "Shepard out!"

OMAKE 2

"I am assuming direct control," an inhuman voice called and the Collector's eyes glowed. It looked as if it was on fire. "Direct intervention is necessary."

"Oh that's bullshit!" Jane cried. "Did it just go Super Saiyan?!"

"Okay so before we take this thing out we need a plan. And here it is." John snarled. "All of you will attack from the front and while you're being slaughtered, I'll flank him. Taking him from behind and securing the kill."

"Seriously John?"

"Well I'm sorry! My hands are getting tired from writing out all these different points of view!"

Belle: Toby!

Toby: What? They are! I have broken fingers!

OMAKE 3

"Waaaaaaah! Why won't he love me?" Jane sobbed as she hugged Jack.

"So...how long has this gone on?" John asked.

"She caught me in a barrier right after breakfast," Jack growled as Jane hugged the biotic. "I will destroy her, Shepard."

"Kaiiiiidaaaaaaan...whyyyyyyyyyyy..." Jane sobbed.

"That guy on Horizon..." John began.

"I know! I have had to listen to this for five fucking hours, Shepard, how the fuck is this barrier still going?!" Jack screamed.

"Fascinating," Mordin muttered from behind the two. "Cortisol levels seem to be allowing maintenance of boitic power. An after effect of adrenaline spike on Horizon? Possible."

"So this will end?" John said and Mordin nodded.

"In a few more hours," he said.

"NOOOOOO!" Jack screamed as Jane continued to weep onto her shoulder.

OMAKE 4

Jane entered the forward battery and Garrus turned to look at her.

"What are you up to?" Jane asked and Garrus shrugged.

"You know, the usual, calibrations," he hummed and Jane shook her head as she moved to sit on the crates in the corner. "It was...strange...seeing Kaidan."

"Tell me about it," Jane sighed.

"How are you doing?" Garrus asked and Jane blinked. He hadn't moved from the panel and he wasn't looking at her.

"I could just talk to Kasumi or Tali about this," Jane suggested before Garrus moved in front of her, pressing his body between her legs.

"Kasumi and Tali won't make you forget about Kaidan like I can," he purred. "You know what they say, once you try turian, you never go human again."

"Take me you virile turian stud muffin!" Jane exclaiGFUJK%DFFKJGYI$BHJK

Belle: Ow!

Toby: If I can't smut, you can't smut!