Mass Effect

Hell, Yeah

Chapter Two

Rating: T (might change to M)

Main Pairing: Garrus/FemShep

Minor Pairings: Joker/EDI – others(?)

Add Note: Almost half of chapter 2 was already written, then a bunch of bullet points about where I was going to take the story was under it. So, yay! The story has practically written itself lol

Shepard felt sick, but a good kind. Walking around the Normandy again, seeing her crew alive meant the world to her. When she activated the Crucible, flashes of her friends and family flashed through her mind. She knew, as long as the Reapers were gone, they would be okay. She would be okay. But now, as she's hugging and shaking hands with her crew, she knew that some of them wouldn't have been okay. Kaidan was torn, she could see he was trying to stay professional as he walked around the Normandy with her, she could see him turn away whenever she would speak to a crew member to compose himself. Tali was a mess, a giddy-jumpy-overly happy mess, a sight Shepard never thought to see again.

"Keelah, Shepard!" Tali bounced around the shuttle bay, shifting from foot to foot before Shepard pulled her into a hug.

"It's been too long, Tali."

"Never again," Tali pulled away and poked Shepard's shoulder, "You are never allowed to die—I could barely handle it the first time. This time it was easier—but then your N7 soldiers found us and...Never. Again. Understood?"

Shepard rubbed the spot Tali poked, inwardly screaming, but she ignored the pain and smiled, laughing, "Never again. I promise."

James was an amusing sight. He, unlike Kaidan, decided to 'fuck emotions' and pulled Shepard into a bear hug. Shepard was able to pull James off of her before he hurt her, quickly composing himself and speaking about the N7 program.

"So," James rubbed the back of her neck, clearing his throat, "Lola, looks like you're officially my commanding officer for my N7 training."

Shepard nodded, crossing her arms and shifting her weight onto her left leg, "It would seem so, Vega—training starts next month, hope you're ready to get your ass back in shape."

"My ass isn't out of shape." James looked past Shepard as Kaidan chuckled, "Kaidan?"

"N-No, nothing." Kaidan cleared his throat, glancing at Joker as they both started to laugh.

"You two want to join?" Shepard turned around and look at the two, "I don't mind reteaching you, Kaidan. Your ass is out of shape, too. As I recall, I had to save your ass, twice, during the battle on Earth."

"Remember that I helped, Shepard." Joker chimed in, moving away from Kaidan and over to Shepard.

Liara came up next, with the purple drone.

"This EDI?" Shepard asked, tilting her head toward the drone.

"Yes," Liara nodded, "It's been hard trying to get her back to her normal self. For now I'm just getting her to work as a drone—I don't have the correct tech to place her fully back within the Normandy yet, but since you were able to at least rebuild her body, she'll be hooked back up in no time."

"Hello, Shepard." The drone bobbed up and down, lighting up as EDI's voice emitted from it.

"It's good to see you again, EDI. Bet you can't wait to get out of that form." Shepard joked.

"You have no idea, Shepard." EDI's voice was annoyed, "I am happy that I am fully functional again, but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss having a mobile platform."

"Soon, EDI. I'm personally overseeing the project and now that Liara and Tali are here, you're body will be ready within the next couple of months." Shepard smiled, wrapping her arm around Liara's shoulder. Liara lightly laughed before pulled Shepard into a hug.

"You died, again." Liara crossed her arms once the two pulled away from each other.

"Yeah, well," Shepard rolled her shoulders back, glaring at the floor, "War does that to you."

"I'm just happy I didn't have to go on a suicide mission to retrieve you body, again." Liara joked, a taunting smile on her lips.

"I dunno, T'Soni. I'm still young, who knows what the rest of my life will have in store." Shepard joked, shrugging her shoulders.

"How are you feeling?" Liara asked, looking down at Shepard's leg, "From the way you've been walking, I'm guessing your still healing?"

Shepard looked down at her leg before straightening up, "Y—Yeah. Physical Therapy five times a week, weekly psych eval's, the usual when walking back from hell."

Liara frowned, gazing at Shepard, "When reports came in that they couldn't find you...everyone was at a loss, even Javik. You can see already how people seeing you walking on the Normandy again is making the emotions spill out of us. Garrus he...he kept us together—kept our heads on straight. Most of the crew was already in their stasis pods, we kept the most essential crew members to be placed with us. We got EDI running in time to at least hook her up to control the ship while we were in stasis and...Oh, Shepard."

Liara turned her head away, covered her mouth as a sob escaped her lips. Shepard placed a hand on Liara's shoulder, guiding her to her and pulling her into a hug, "It's okay, Liara." Liara wrapped her arms around Shepard, her grip tight, as she cried into her Commander shoulder blade. Liara mumbled over and over that she was sorry, Shepard replied with a soothing laugh and rubbed Liara's back.

"We won, Liara. It's over." Shepard said once Liara let go of her.

"Yes," Liara smiled, wiping away her tears, "Finally."