A/N: And so ends Beginning Anew. I hope you've all enjoyed the ride! Epilogue set 10 years later.
Epilogue
"That's ridiculous," sighed Joker as he entered in the latest coordinates. "You know as well as I do there's no way they'll win."
"I don't know, Joker," said Steve from the co-pilot's seat. "The Sorcerers have made quite the comeback this season. Final game's on the Citadel, I have two spare tickets, are you and Shepard up for it?"
Joker chuckled. "And what would we do with the hellions?"
"Drop them off with Hackett and Hannah," replied Steve with a smile. "Richard and I were going to drop Nikki and Danny off with his mother. Come on, Joker, you and she both need a night off especially after we get this mission done."
"Maybe, I'll have to ask her," said Joker when he heard the sound of footsteps coming up behind him. "Stop right there, Lissie!" He spun around in his chair and came face to face with his ten-year-old daughter Felicity.
"How do you always know?!" demanded Felicity, pouting slightly.
"You're not your Aunt Miya, baby," said Joker, pulling her onto his lap and spinning back around to face the console. "What do you need?"
Felicity shrugged. "Nothing, just a little bored. I finished my schoolwork and now Aunt Liara's looking for something else for me to do, she'll probably make me learn how to speak Prothean."
"Talk about a dead language," said Joker with a smile. "What's your brother up to?"
"Tinkering with Uncle Ken," replied Felicity as she checked the core levels. "There's a peak in the core."
Joker nodded and typed a command into his omni-tool. "Compensating. Thanks, Lissie."
"You're as good as your father, Lissie," said Steve as he adjusted his screens. "Where's your mother?"
"Council meeting, I think," said Felicity as she fiddled with her dog tags. "Dad, how soon till we get there?"
"A couple of more hours, honey," said Joker, kissing the top of her head, which was admittedly getting more and more difficult as the years went on. She was nearly eleven and already came up to her mother's shoulder and that was saying something since her mother was 5'10''.
Felicity sighed and leaned back against her father's shoulder. "Can I take the shuttle out for a spin?"
Beside him Steve sniggered, obviously amused by Felicity's request.
"And do what? Beat us there?" asked Joker, poking her in the ribs, making her jump. "I don't think so, little girl."
"Why did Nick get to though?" she asked with an irritated look.
"Because your cousin Nick's almost fourteen and he also went with your Uncle Jacob," sighed Joker. "I can't abandon my station right now, Felicity, you know that."
"And EDI can't fly the ship because . . .?" asked Felicity, knowing this would irritate her father.
"Because she's supposed to be watching you," replied Joker in retaliation. "Why don't you go find your cousins and play with them, and no going near the shuttle until we get there."
Felicity huffed as she climbed off of Joker's lap, before she stomped away she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm still mad at you," she said in a low voice.
"You are so your mother's child," sighed Joker with a shake of his head. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Daddy," she said sweetly before leaving the bridge.
"She has you wound around her little finger, Jeff," said Steve, trying not to fall out of his seat laughing.
"She takes after her mother in more ways than one, I guess," said Joker with a smug grin. "And you can't tell me Nikki doesn't have you wound so tight it's cutting off circulation."
Steve chuckled warmly. "I never said anything to the contrary, she's my little girl, of course she has me at her mercy. I feel bad for Ken, with four girls plus Gabby, he's turned into a contortionist."
Joker let out a loud laugh, Steve was right, Ken was definitely at the mercy of his all female brood. Most of the women on the ship thought it served him right, after all he had said about the various female crew members over the years, he needed a dose of reality: that other men would look at his little girls the same way. That would come later on in life, however, considering that Abigail had barely turned nine. Though she did seem keen to challenge Joker's theory, she followed Nicholas Taylor around like a puppy and was dressing way too grown up in his opinion. This opinion was, however, coming from the man who refused to see his own daughter as being an almost preteen. To him, she was still his baby girl.
"Dad!" shouted Danny as he came running up the bridge. "Dad! Dad! Dad!"
"What? What? What?" asked Steve as he turned around to face his son.
"Come see my armor!" exclaimed the seven year old. "It's bright green and black! Uncle James customized it just for me!"
Steve smiled and pulled his son on his lap. "I'll come see it on my next coffee break, buddy."
"Aw, come on, Dad!" protested Danny with a pout. "It's so much cooler than Mal's, he got his in blue and silver, he looks like a piece of the Normandy."
Joker threw a fist into the air. "That's my boy!"
"Uncle Joker, you're weird," sighed Danny as he pushed himself off of his father's lap then grabbed his hand. "Come on, Dad!" He pulled harder and harder, trying to pull his father out of his chair.
"Alright, alright, I'll come see," sighed Steve, standing up still gripping Danny's hand. "Think you can handle the ship without me, Joker?"
"With one hand tied behind my back," quipped Joker as Steve and Danny left.
He sighed and looked at the screen, they were maybe two hours out from Alchera and while he understood why they were going, it still did not relieve the queasy feeling in his stomach. Today was the anniversary of the SR-1's untimely demise, and Elissa's as well. They were going to Alchera to mark the occasion and were bringing the kids along for the first time, something they were all a little worried about. This was why all of the kids were getting armor, the spacesuits they normally used were too small now and it was just a better idea to have the kids outfitted in something that could grow with them. Just one more thing to remind them they were not living a normal life. He was so deep in thought he did not hear Elissa coming up the bridge.
"You're sulking," said Elissa from behind, making him jump. "What were you thinking about, sweetheart?"
Joker clutched his heart. "Jeez-us! Ellie, don't do that!"
Elissa chuckled as she leaned against the console. "Noted. So, why were you sulking?"
"I was not sulking," protested Joker, adjusting his hat. "Just thinking. The kids got their armor today."
"Yeah, Miranda mentioned something about James doing custom paint jobs for them," replied Elissa, glancing out the window. "Mal got his in blue and silver, Lissie asked for hers to be in white and green. We'll be able to see them for miles." She gave a short laugh then stopped when she saw that Joker was still upset. "Jeff, there's something more going on here, what's bothering you?"
"Our kids are wearing armor, Ellie," he said quietly, "we live on a spaceship, they're being taught their school work virtually, sometimes by the Shadow Broker." He then thought about it for a moment. "Admittedly that last one is kind of cool, but besides that, our kids don't exactly lead normal lives even for us. Do you ever think we should have stayed on Tuchanka and raised them there?"
Elissa was quiet for a moment as she stared out the window, looking at the stars. "I do, believe it or not," she said softly. "There have been so many times when I thought it would be easier to take a desk job and live there. Our kids would be able to go to school, live in a proper house, and for the most part have normal lives." She paused for a moment, her grim look melting away to a pleasant smile. "Then I think about how bored we'd be. I could never be satisfied doing paperwork or training and I know you would go stir crazy if all you did was deliver stuff all over the same planet. Not only that but we'd hardly see our friends and there's no way all of these kids would be so close. Yeah, they have to wear armor but it's better than them wearing nothing if something happens. And sure Liara is teaching them but they're probably getting the same if not better education from her as they would from any colony school. This kind of life isn't perfect, but whose is?"
Joker smiled. "I guess when you put it that way, this really isn't so bad. I'm sorry, honey, I've just been thinking about how our lives might have gone differently if, well, you know."
"If I hadn't died?" she asked plainly. "Or if I had married Alenko instead?"
"Both I guess," sighed Joker. "Do you ever think about those scenarios?"
"Nope," she replied with a grin. "All I think about is us and what we've accomplished together. Alenko's a distant memory from another lifetime."
"Good," said Joker as he suddenly reached over and pulled her onto his lap. She landed with a soft thud and he silently thanked every deity for his strong bones, glad he had gone through with that procedure after all. "So, how did the meeting go? They seem to rely on you a great deal."
Elissa rolled her eyes as she settled herself comfortably between Joker's legs. "I know, but I'd rather be involved than kept in the dark, besides I'm only needed when something major comes up. Otherwise they defer on themselves to make the decisions, which is a huge step up from what the original Council was like."
"You chose their replacements well," said Joker, kissing the top of her head. "And your dad's done amazing things with C-Sec. Speaking of your parents, Steve's invited us to the biotiball final match on the Citadel, he suggested we could leave the kids with your parents."
"It's a good idea," she said, stroking his thigh. "You and I could use a date night."
"A night out without the kids or responsibility? Sounds like how our shore leave used to be before we grew up," he said, waggling his eyebrows and she laughed. "What will we do with ourselves?"
"I can think of a few things," replied Elissa with a seductive grin, leaning in to kiss her husband of ten years.
"Mom!" called a voice from across the CIC and both parents cringed at the sound, they had been so close yet it was only inevitable that someone interrupt. "Mom!"
Elissa tried not to groan. "What, Malcolm?"
"I think I might have broken something on my armor!" replied their son, though he made no effort to come any closer to where they were sitting.
"Already?" asked Elissa with disbelief. "Malcolm, you've helped to repair my armor before, why can't you do your own?"
"I'm already in it and I can't reach my back!" shouted Malcolm. "Please help me, it's starting to hurt."
Elissa rolled her eyes as she extracted herself from Joker's grip. "I guess I'd better go see what our son has done to himself this time."
"He should really stick to engineering," laughed Joker as she started walking away. "Good luck, honey!"
"This could be your problem too," called back Elissa.
"I have a ship to fly," retorted Joker and for emphasis he put both hands on the consoles, something he rarely did except to show people that he was "busy."
Alchera's chilly landscape came into view a few hours later, the sight filling the windshield as Joker made preparations for the ship to land. Normally they would use the shuttles but since everyone was pretty much getting off, it made more sense just to have the ship on the ground rather than hovering above the planet empty. He sighed as he looked at the scans, there was a decent spot not too far from the crash site, memorial he corrected, and decided that would be the best place to land.
"Everyone, prepare for landing," he said into the comms and started to bring the Normandy through the atmosphere, laughing to himself how ironic it was but he decided not to dwell on it too much. Things were different.
"Sounds like we're almost there," said Kaidan as he entered the cockpit. "Never thought I'd see this place again."
Joker bit back a scathing comment, even after all the time that had passed, he was still not overly friendly with Kaidan but he hardly deserved to be snapped at. "Well, if you weren't so busy with running the Fifth Fleet, you could have come with us when we come here every year."
Kaidan nodded as he watched Joker guide the Normandy. "Yeah, it's too bad. We lost a lot of good people that day, I should make it a priority to come pay my respects."
"How's Tristan doing?" asked Joker. During their last stop at Arcturus station, they had met up with Kaidan and Tristan so they could come to the memorial for the first time.
"He's fine, he likes his armor," replied Kaidan kindly. "He looks more like his mother everyday."
"Really? He looks like a mini you," retorted Joker with a laugh. "Just keep him away from my daughter and we should be good."
Kaidan raised an eyebrow. "Is that a threat, Moreau?"
Joker shrugged. "Could be depending how you look at it. Unlike you, I have a daughter who acts like the most feared woman in the galaxy and it's a tough job getting her to behave. I don't need Tristan acting as a bad influence."
"Tristan's hardly a bad influence," countered Kaidan playfully. "You should be more worried about Miya and Jack's son, Josh. He's a much bigger threat."
"Figuratively speaking right?" asked Joker with a wink. "The kid inherited his mother's pink hair and short stature, so he can't pose too big of a threat."
"But he has Jack's biotics and temper, so I would think so," said Kaidan as he sat where Steve had been in the co-pilot's seat. "You know, it's weird not seeing EDI here, now she's hanging around Shepard all the time."
"That's what being second-in-command means," said Joker as he input a few commands. "She would be here still if James hadn't decided to retire to that rock with Miranda."
Kaidan nodded. "They seem to be doing well. Carmen's a sweetheart, that's for sure."
"You'd never think she was spoiled rotten," laughed Joker. "Then again, being a miracle child would give a parent reasons to spoil."
"When did you pick them up?" asked Kaidan, reclining in the seat.
Joker thought for a moment. "A couple of days before you, I believe. If you ever came out of that room you'd have known that."
"The Fifth Fleet never takes a break, even when her admiral tries to," sighed Kaidan as he watched the ship land with its usual grace. "I'm glad you never gave up the Normandy, and I'm glad you and Shepard are really happy together; you two deserved it more than anyone else I know. And your kids are amazing, they're really thriving, you two are great parents."
"What's up, Alenko?" asked Joker, wondering why he was suddenly saying this stuff. "You dying soon or something?"
Kaidan smiled lazily and shook his head. "No, I just thought I should tell you that. Things haven't exactly been well between us since, you know, and I thought you should know that I want to be friends with you again."
"That'd take a lot more than just some compliments," said Joker sternly as he gave the signal to disembark. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to suit up and get ready to pay respects to my first love."
"I should go too," said Kaidan as he stood up at the same moment as Joker, he was already wearing his armor. "Shall we?"
"Fine," sighed Joker and together they left for the shuttle bay.
When they arrived all of the adults were standing around, talking and laughing while the kids compared their armor, each making comments about something they saw on someone's armor that was not on theirs. Malcolm and Felicity were at the center of the group, trying to defuse what could become a tense situation between Josh and Landon, Brynn and Jacob's second son. Joker was tempted to intervene himself but he knew it was better to let the kids do it, they seemed to have a way with people like their mother did. Tristan was joking around with Nicholas, who was holding his baby sister Kasumi, and just a short ways away were Ken and Gabby's all female brood who all appeared to be swooning over the two older boys. Kaidan went off to talk with his son while Joker headed over to where Quaes had set up the armor ready station, his now trademarked black goo bubbling away in its vat.
"Ah Joker, good to see you," said Quaes with a smile. "Ready for armor?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," replied Joker as he headed behind the curtain set up for this purpose.
Elissa watched as Joker stepped behind the curtain, she smiled to herself before turning back to Garrus and Tali. "That was some Council meeting, I didn't think anything would get decided this time."
"We've learned from the mistakes of our predecessors," replied Garrus, having discarded his councilor robes for armor almost the moment he came on the ship. "The only reason we involved you was because to determine the likelihood of war if we decide to shut out the Batarians completely from Council space."
"They're no longer the powerhouse they once were," said Elissa thoughtfully. "Still, if they aren't going to contribute and are only going to cause trouble, I see no reason we can't go in and rescue their slaves after we isolate the Batarians. The slaves are part of the Council races."
"Exactly," said Tali sternly. "The fact this has gone on so long is sickening and should have been a top priority years ago. I feel guilty that it's taken us this long as it is to do something about the Batarians. They should have been dealt with decades ago."
Garrus nodded. "Udina and Ash are already working on organizing a rescue mission, they're quite the team."
Elissa smiled. "I'm glad we kept Udina then, though it's too bad Ash couldn't make it here today."
Tali shrugged. "I am too but what she's doing is pretty important. Kal did send word that she was going to try and put through a proposal to have a formal memorial put on the Citadel beside the war memorial."
"That sounds like her," said Elissa with a laugh. "How are Kal and the kids? Do you see them much?"
"Only every day," retorted Garrus with a twitch of his mandibles. "Shalei and Bellicus are always hanging around them. I think it's good for Bellicus though, he needs to be around a few Quarian kids and spirits know Ash and Kal have them."
"They only have two Quarian kids," sighed Elissa with a shake of her head. "The other two are human."
"I wish there were more Turian children for Shalei to play with," said Tali with a small sigh. "She must be feeling lonely."
"When we visit my sister, she'll have plenty of opportunities to play with other Turian children," said Garrus reassuringly. "How are Malcolm and Felicity doing, Shepard? They seem happy enough despite not having many kids to play with."
Elissa gave him a wry look. "I hope you're being sarcastic, Garrus; between Ken and Gabby's four girls, EDI and Samantha's daughter Elizabeth, Miya and Jack's son Josh, Steve and Richard's kids, and Brynn and Jacob's kids I'd say they are pretty set for playmates."
"Yes, I would have to agree," laughed Garrus. "Not to mention all of the other kids that aren't here yet."
"You mean Liara's four daughters?" asked Elissa. "Or Hilary and Kolyat's two kids?"
"All of the above," said Tali fondly. "You know, I never would have thought our crew would be outnumbered by children."
"We aren't quite there yet, Tali," said Joker as he approached, now wearing full armor. "I'm sure if a few more are added, we'll be outnumbered in a few years though."
Elissa smiled as she kissed her husband's cheek. "The armor suits you, never thought I'd see the day."
"I've got to keep surprising you, Ellie, or you'll get bored and move onto someone else," replied Joker as he put an arm around her shoulders. "If everyone's ready, we can head out, I already gave the all clear."
"Alright, I'll tell the crew," said Elissa then she turned to everyone present. "Attention everyone!" The room grew quiet and she continued. "It's time to go planetside, if you could all please put on your helmets and follow me."
Joker waited until everyone going had put on their helmets before opening the shuttle bay door, then they all proceeded down the platform, their kids rushing ahead to be with them as they walked onto Alchera's icy surface. The four of them led the way to the memorial, no one really spoke as they walked, instead using the time for quiet reflection. Eventually they arrived at the wide open space where the SR-1 had crashed, the debris still scattered about as it had been the last time they were there and the time before that, nothing had changed except for the people approaching.
"Wow," said Malcolm as he looked at the flipped Mako. "So that's the thing Mom couldn't drive very well, right?"
Joker nodded. "That's the Mako, the worst thing to ever come out of the Alliance R&D. Your mother really didn't stand a chance against it."
"I can drive a shuttle much better than that thing," said Elissa with a worn smile as they reached the golden statue that sat in the middle of the space, close to where the ship had gone down but not quite.
"Did you really die here, Mom?" asked Felicity as she looked at the statue, seeing the names of the dead on them, including her mother's name.
Elissa nodded. "Yes, honey, I did. If not for your Aunt Miranda, I would not be standing here today."
"You deserved a second chance, Elissa," said Miranda, her daughter Carmen holding her hand, James beside her. "You always seem to give everyone else one."
"That I do," said Elissa quietly as she looked at Kaidan and Tristan, they were over at where the galaxy map had resided, the two inspecting it further. She then looked down at her own children. "So, what do you think?"
"I think I'm glad to be alive," said Malcolm taking in the surroundings, he sounded almost relieved that he was standing there to begin with. "And I'm really glad for Aunt Miranda, Aunt Miya, and Aunt Liara."
"Same here," echoed Felicity, her voice strangely small. "Without them, we wouldn't be standing here, spirits we wouldn't even exist!"
Hearing those words propelled Elissa to kneel down and embrace her children as tightly as she could, tears swarming as she tried not to cry, the last they needed to see was their mother breaking down. Looking up she saw Joker looking down, through the glass in his helmet she could see him smiling and she knew everything would be alright. She released her hold on the twins and looked up at the statue, with military precision she stood at attention and saluted, the only thing she had to offer the brave men and women who died that day. Being amongst where her first life ended, she suddenly had a new appreciation for her second life, sure it was not perfect and likely never would be but it was her life and she was damn well going to live it.
