14:17 Dec 20th 2185

Imogen- Hey we've just arrived on the Citadel. Commander Shepard came through and mother has a bed in Huerta Memorial. They have us living in the Silversun Strip.
Jack- The casino district, that sounds like fun
I- This place is huge, there's a jacuzzi, gym, piano and like 10 rooms.
J- Damn, Shepard doesn't half ass anything.
I- I'm not complaining. It's too bad you had to return to the war.
J- My students wouldn't last 10 minutes without me.
I- You gotta tell me about them next time I see you
J- Sure whatever.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

7:32 Dec 21st 2185
Manara- Hello….
18:03 Dec 23rd 2185
Jack- Hey
M- When's the next time you're on the Citadel
J- I've just left Palaven en-route to Tuchanka, not sure how long I'll be here.
M- Mom is awake. Imogen told her about you and she wants to see you
16:27 Dec 25th 2185
M- Jennifer
1:03 Dec 26th 2185
M- This is URGENT!
12:16 Dec 28th
M- WTF Jennifer pick up the damn comm link!
0:15 Dec 29th
J- What's going on?
7:11
M- When are you coming to see mom?
J- I still don't know
M- Forget it, come over when you decide you give a shit about your family.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Jack/Zafir

11:00 Jan 1st 2186
Zafir- Manara told me about your last conversation
9:05 Jan 5th 2186
Jack- Yeah, the little fucker gave me a piece of her mind.
Z- Please forgive her, she's taking this situation hard.
J- People have said worse to my face kid.
Z- That doesn't make what she said right.
J- This Reaper shit has everyone fucked up.
Z-… it's not the war, Jennifer. It's our mother. She's deteriorating fast and we don't know how long she's got.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

13:00 Jan 16th 2186
Manara- I'm sorry for what I said.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Jack/Abel vid-com Jan 17th 2186
Jack- Thanks Shepard
Abel- Anytime Jack, I owe you for the suicide mission.
J- You owe me a lot more than that… asshole.
A- How's your family doing? Are you guys talking.
J- Shit Shepard. Wading through a swarm of Brutes and Marauders is easier than talking to those fuckers.
A- You knew this wasn't going to be easy. Everything worth having requires effort.
J- Do you just pull fortune cookies out your ass or something?
A- Yeah there's a dispenser right next to my asshole.
J- Urgh you're nasty. You should the doc to take a look at that.
A- You know it's probably just as hard for them right. Especially Imogen, I can tell she really missed you.
J- Yeah, I bet I'm the last thing in this world she expected her dead little sister to be. A convict who was tortured, raped, and experimented on. Not to mention how many people I've killed, robbed, and kidnapped. Or the fact there's a kill on sight order for me in asari and hanar space.…..
A- Jack, you're alive and you're protecting the galaxy from the Reapers. She's just happy that she has her sister back. What you did in the past will always be there, but your relationship with your family is entirely yours to decide, not your past.
J- So you don't think I should tell them about that shit.
A- Yeah you should, mainly because your wanted posters might still be around the Citadel. You don't need to go into detail, but just tell them when you think the time's right.
J- Okay… and by the way Shepard-
A- I know, I know, tell anyone about this and you'll rip my balls off, and shove them up my ass.
J- No you asshole… well yes but that's not what I was gonna say.
A- So what were you gonna say
.J- Well you ruined it now, so you can fuck off.
~Jack has cut the signal~

Abel leaned back and relaxed on his chair wearing a whimsical smile.

"You're welcome Jack," he whispered. He knew her well enough that he could look past what she said and listen to what she means. Understanding the secret language of Jack was a skill he was particularly proud of.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Location: Zakera Wards

Feb 14th, 2186

Jack was allowed shore leave after 2 months of active duty, since she didn't have anywhere else in the galaxy to go to, she went to the Citadel. In fact, she had been on board the space station for 2 days of her week-long shore leave and hadn't left the Alliance provided accommodation in that entire time. She was developing cabin fever but refused to go outside.

She was wearing an oil-stained, grey, tank top and comfy loose-fitting sweatpants and her weapons were all on the SSV-Brisbane. But she knew well enough that her biotics would keep her safe.

She stayed quiet and didn't bother anyone, so no one should even try and speak to her or seek out her accommodation. No one even knew she was on the Citadel, which made her extra jumpy when someone rang her doorbell.

"Who the fuck is out there?" she demanded.

"Open the damn door Jack, it's me," Shepard countered.

Jack recognised his voice and opened the door. Without so much as a hello, Abel charged in before she could stop him from entering. He was tense and clearly annoyed at something and Jack couldn't seem figure out why.

"What are you doing here Shepard?"

"The better question is what you are doing here, instead of being with your family?"

"It's my shore leave, I get to spend it however I like."

"So, you'd rather spend it alone in this apartment than with your family."

"I told you I don't know those fuckers. Now you expect me to drop everything and devote my life to them."

He grabbed her by the shoulders, "Jack, your mother is dying. This could be chance you ever get to see her or even hear her voice, why are you wasting it!?" Abel demanded.

Jack looked him in the eyes, she saw that he was being driven by anger and frustration, yet they also masked a deeper emotion, one he hid very well behind the rage.

"What the fuck am I meant to do Shepard!?" she pleaded "What the fuck is a mom Abel?"

Abel's eyes and the rest of his features visibly softened at the use of his first name. She's only ever used that name once and that was when they were entering Teltin.

"I feel a pain in my chest over someone I barely know. A woman I didn't know existed, nor did I even care existed until two months ago. That's not normal Shepard, it may be to you and everyone else but not me. I don't get attached. I shouldn't feel this attached. Then there's all these thoughts crawling in my mind burrowing into my mind. I can't Shepard… I just can't."

His grip on my shoulders tightened, and his eyes started glistening. "I'm sorry that you're going through this right now Jack, but you will regret it if you don't see her before she dies."

Jack's heart sank the word 'die', so she had to fight the urge to grab her chest. It troubled her, just how much power this woman had over Jack. All the thoughts she had wrestled to the bottom of her mind were worming their way to the forefront of her thoughts and she hated it. She wanted to stop thinking about it. She needs to stop thinking about it. Where was hallex when you needed it.

"Leave now Shepard," she threatened. A faint blue biotic aura quickly encapsulated her, particularly around her fists.

"Not this time Jack. Fighting or even hurting me doesn't change the fact that you need to see your family while you still can."

"If family is so important why don't you go see your own and leave me the fuck alone," Jack spat.

Jack could once again see Abel had put his rage mask back on. "What was that?"

"Instead of fucking with me, why don't you talk to your own mom?" Jack said accusatorily with a snarl.

And with that sentence she shattered his rage mask, only to reveal something she had never seen in him before.

Defeat.

His let go of her shoulders, though his arms were still tense. "I have to go and meet Miranda. She's on the Citadel and she needs something. I'll stop bothering you."

"Shepard…" Jack whispered.

Abel turned and left down the corridor he came from, leaving Jack standing there speechless. That had ended far quicker than she had expected. Even though she got what she asked for, it still felt like a loss. As usual she didn't know what she wanted. At least not until it was too late.

Just like it was with her and Abel.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

February 14th, 2186

Another visitor was waiting outside of her door and Jack was subconsciously hoping it was Abel. She wanted to know what the fuck made him leave so abruptly. To say the person waiting outside was surprise would be an understatement.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Jack asked, though with no where near as much venom as she normally used when talking to Miranda.

"I see your manners haven't improved."

"Answer the fucking question," Jack snapped.

Miranda shook her head annoyedly "What did you do to Abel?"

Jack certainly wasn't expecting that. "What's it to you?"

"Because I spoke to him a few hours ago and he almost snapped at the mention of your name."

So, he's pissed at me, Jack thought. "He was here earlier today, and we argued over some bullshit."

"I'm going to need specifics. He is already under a lot of stress as it is, but whatever happened with you two seems to be effecting him profoundly."

Jack stood there with pursed lips. Her stance was strong and uncompromising. She was prepared to weather the storm of insults the Cheerleader had for her or whatever lecture she had to give about her attitude and the argument that was about to ensue. The two were like oil and water.

But the diatribe never came. Instead Miranda sighed and leaned against the door with her arms folded.

"Listen Jack, for better or worse you are his closest friend. He tells you everything that bothers him and he probably does know this but he needs you. If his head isn't straight, then this war is as good as over. Given what he's going through right now, he definitely needs you."

"What do you mean, 'what he's going through right now'?"

Miranda's eyebrow cocked at the revelation, "He didn't tell you… what did the two of you fight over?"

"What is wrong with Abel?" Jack demanded.

"…. Hannah Shepard was KIA. Reapers destroyed the Einstein while it was delivering scientists and resources for the Crucible. There were no survivors…"

"When?"

"February 11th , Abel took a bit of time off after that."

Jack played back their argument and she realised she fucked up.

Instead of hounding me, why don't you talk to your own mom?

"I don't have much time. But whatever is going on with you two, fix it. Abel has done a lot for you. I think you should be the one to fix this mess for once."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Location: Silversun Strip

February 14th, 2186

"Dad, call me as soon as you arrive on the Citadel, I've got an apartment for you to stay" Abel said.

On the other side of the video conference was an elderly man was softer features than Commander Shepard. He had large warm brown eyes, that drew people in closer. His skin was far from flawless and was slightly patchy, with strong defined dimples. The simple fact was that Abel looked nothing like his father. His looks came purely from his mother. Which is why it hurt his father, John, to look at his son.

"We're leaving Mindoir in a few minutes son, don't worry about me. You just do whatever it takes to cope."

Their conversation was interrupted by someone ringing the bell to the apartment.

"Who is it Glyph?" Abel asked Liara's VI.

"It's Miss Jacqueline Nought."

The mention of Jack caused his muscles to tense, with the memory of their last conversation still weighing on his mind.

"Tell her I don't want to see her. I just want to be alone."