Disclaimer: The Mass Effect world and everything in it belongs to BioWare.

[Chapter Ten: Ingénue]

The trip back to the Normandy felt like an awfully long one. Shepard and his crew sat on one side of the ship quietly while Kasumi drove them back at a steady pace. London and Teagan, however, sat on the direct opposite side of the others looking out the window.

The small biotic stared out at the stars that always seemed to be there regardless of the hour. She snuggled into the older woman whose arm wrapped around her shoulders lovingly, protectively.

John and his crew could hear bits and pieces of delicate questions being asked softly into the child's ear: "Did they touch you? Did they hurt you in any way?"

The little girl shook her head quickly, "One of the men tried to take off my implant and made my ear hurt but that's it, London. Promise."

The squeeze around the child's shoulders tightened.

Shepard felt bad to interrupt an obviously personal moment but he had to, "Ma'am, I hate to ask, but what exactly were the Blue Suns wanting with your…?"

London looked over to him, face still serious. She supposed it was a natural question to ask. "She's my sister."

Teagan smiled proudly.

Shepard nodded, "Of course. But what was it they wanted? Isn't she a little too young for a fully developed skill in biotic technique?"

London turned to her little sister, "Do you want to show them?"

The child hesitated then answered slowly, "It's okay. They're not like those other people."

London let her out from under her arm, allowing the child to walk up to Jack of all people.

Jack looked nervous, not knowing how to respond to the little human she just helped save, "…aw come on kid, don't put me in a position like this. You're makin' me all sweaty n' shit…" She tried to wave off the child, but Teagan stood her ground and pointed a small finger to Jack's ear.

Shepard raised his brow. "Her amp?"

The little girl nodded, tucking her long, dark brown hair behind her right ear and showing off both her own amp and a slightly too-small ear.

All three of the Normandy crew had wide eyes.

London began to speak, "As I'm sure you know, in biotics the element zero nodules in the nervous system react to electric stimuli in the brain. Teagan's special circumstance is that the nodules in her system seem to overreact to her brain's stimuli naturally, causing an unusual boost in her biotic capabilities. Now add the L4 that she had surgically attached when she was a baby…and you have your 'child prodigy'." London really hated those two words. "Her earpiece is made of a flexi-weave material that grows with her ear but still slightly hinders its growth. And like Jack, hers cannot be removed. It's become part of her body."

Teagan looked down at her feet, small thumbs twiddling in her hands, "…my ears a little funny lookin' I know…"

Jack frowned. "It's whatever, but I don't see nothin' wrong with it." The ex-convict crossed her arms and looked away from the kid; actually hoping what she said made a difference.

Miranda took Jack's lead and leaned over to put her face at Teagan's level, "I think you're absolutely beautiful."

Teagan blushed furiously before running back to an eagerly waiting London.

Shepard still looked thunderstruck, "Wait a minute, she has a permanent amp at her age?"

London nodded. "That's what they wanted with her. She's just a kid with highly unusual circumstances and biotic capabilities."

Shepard squinted at the little biotic's implant more closely. "That L4… does that mean that she was—"

London was looking out a window, speaking with no emotion. "—subject to testing, yes. But like I said, she was just a baby when it happened. She doesn't remember any of it. It's a damn miracle she survived as it is."

Jack bit the inside of her lower lip so hard she began to taste blood. She wanted to scream, yell, and blow this shitty little planet to fuck—and she could too, she was good at that kind of stuff. "Keep your shit together, you fuckin' idiot—there ain't no turning back now. You saved her, now deal with the goddamn consequences of having to hear the shit that happened. Just fuckin' deal with it." The muscles in Jack's cheeks flexed harshly as she grinded her teeth in quiet contemplation, the words 'deal with it' echoing repeatedly in her mind.

John shook his head, slightly appalled at the thought he was thinking. "Your parents let something like that—"

London turned her head so quickly they all thought they heard a snap. "—with all due respect Commander Shepard, you know nothing about my parents, where we're from, or anything else in between. So I will ask you only once to drop that line of conversation. You wanted to know what was special about Teagan? We told you. Now, is there anything else or are we done?"

Shepard looked slightly annoyed, but pushed his luck. "Sure, I think I got another question in me."

Her face remained neutral. "What is it?"

"Where'd you learn to shoot?"

She turned back to look out the window, voice softening. "…from my father."

Miranda, Jack, and Shepard all exchanged looks while Teagan snuggled back into her older sister, "… London? Are we going back home?"

London looked saddened but tried to keep an encouraging tone for her sister. "No, Tee. We're not going back this time. People found out where we are, see? So we have to keep moving to stay safe."

Teagan tugged at London's sleeve, face begging to go back. "But we have too! All our stuff is there! Mama's old books, daddy's instrument! Mr. Wiggles will get lonely without me and—"

London sighed heavily, looking into her little sister's deep green eyes. "Okay, Tee, okay. I'll go see if I can get our things back. But don't be surprised if someone else already showed up and took them, okay?"

The small biotic had dreadfulness in her eyes. "But…Mr. Wiggles!"

London smiled softly. "We'll see, pun'kin."

Shepard couldn't help but over-hear. "Did…did you all need to pick some things up?"

London looked at Teagan and her pleading eyes then back over to Shepard. "I won't ask that of you."

Jack rolled her eyes, "…he offered ta' help, so just take your goody-goody thumb out of your ass and accept."

The comment made Shepard sigh, Miranda to cover her eyes and groan, and London to simply look at Jack with an un-moved face. "Very well."

John looked at Jack, surprised that it had actually worked. The bald woman shrugged and decided to fiddle with Dirty Willy.

"Well, where's home ma'am?" he asked.

London shifted her eyes down, then back out into the atmosphere. "Omega."

Miranda looked like she just tasted something awful. "That's your home? Your parents live there too?"

Teagan looked at the pretty lady with a sad face and shrugged. "Mama and daddy died a long time ago. It's just me and London now, but we're okay! Right, Lond?"

The older sister clenched her jaw lightly and said nothing. Miranda knew to let the subject go, adding an "I…I'm sure you two are doing just fine," for extra measure.

Seeing the awkward moment, Shepard decided to step in. "Well then, when we get back to the SR2 we'll make course to Omega."

Lawson shot a glace to John, "But Sir, Anderson—"

"—can wait, Lawson. Let's just get this sorted out first, okay?"

The operative backed down and nodded. "Of course, Commander."

London turned back to Shepard. That comment caught her attention. "…Anderson said what? Who is he and what does he want?"

Shepard took off his helmet and rubbed his tired eyes. "You and I have a lot to discuss when we get back."

She gave him a curious look, but a cautious one all the same. "It appears that we do."

Teagan suddenly reached up to touch the side of London's face. The older sister hissed softly and brought down the child's hand into her lap, holding it gently. "I'm fine, Tee. Just don't poke at it anymore okay?" She gave her little sister a half smile.

Teagan shook her head with worried eyes, examining all of her sister's wounds. "Those cuts don't look so good…do they…hurt bad?

London ran her thumb over the top of Teagan's little hand, trying to calm her mind. "It's just a scratch, Tee. Don't go worrying about it. As soon as I get the chance I'll fix myself up."

"W-what about them?" she turned and pointed to the three on the other side of the small vessel. "Can you do anything for her, Mr. Shepard?"

The sniper shook her head, "Honey, don't start asking for all sorts of favors. They helped us out a great deal back there already. We don't need anything—"

Shepard gave her a warm smile. "—it's actually something I have to ask of you two."

London raised a brow.

"It's just protocol, Miss London. I'm going to need to take you two to Dr. Chakwas on in our med day for a small health examination. Just basic safety precautions for both you two and my crew."

"I can care for myself Mr. Shepard, but I will thank you for caring for Teagan. However, I will only agree to have her health checked aboard your ship if I can be present in the room during the examination. As you are quite well aware of, I do not know Dr. Chakwas—or any of you as a matter of fact, and my mind would rest more easily if I could oversee what was happening."

It made perfect sense to him. He knew with London being the only one to care and love for this child that it was only natural to oversee the examination and not leave her in the hands of perfect strangers. "I can and will agree to that, ma'am. But I also must insist on you being checked on as well. I run a multi-racial crew, and for their safety I would like for you to undergo the standard procedure."

She considered his words momentarily, "You've agreed to my standards so, much against my liking, I will agree to yours. I assume all details of the medical reports will remain private?"

"Only you and Dr. Chakwas will know unless something of a somewhat severe nature arises with your health—then, and only then will I be told."

"Then I agree."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Just then Kasumi called out from the pilot's seat. "Hate to interrupt but we're coming in on the Normandy, Shepard!" She pressed a couple of buttons with a few quick strokes, "Coming in Joker, are we good to go with clearance?"

"Rodger that, Kasu. The loading dock is open and ready for landing. Take it easy and bring her in."

[End 10: Ingénue]

A/N: Once again I'm leaving many questions unanswered because I want to answer them as I go along and blend them in with the overall plot.

Let me know what you think so far!