Before I write anything, I would like to say thanks to the ones who have followed this story, and I'd also like to thank everyone who's read this for not leaving a negative comment. I'm not writing for quality here. I'm writing because this story feels therapeutic, and it has been working for the better.

The rest of this story, save for the majority of the final chapter, are mostly fictional, although some of the next chapter is loosely based off of real events.

Turning Point

It would never been better than if she was still alive, but the story that Lieutenant Walker just told, and the memory flashes that accompanied it, was a comforting thought and image for the mourning soldier. It was just a shame that it wasn't the end of it.

"When did you're relationship end?" Hackett asked Walker.

"The first time we all thought she was dead."

"Interesting. Conflicting reports said that she started a relationship with Dr. T'soni, others saying Alenko."

"No, that wouldn't happen until she was taking down the Collectors. She even told me that, when I saw her after the Sovereign incident, on the Citadel."

"Thane Krios, former Drell Assassin. Killed by Kai Leng, whilst helping Shepard protect the Council."

Walker shook his head. "I never met him," He said authoritatively. "And I was for whatever reason one of the last to hear that Shepard was alive. There relationship was born after I found that out, and when I heard what she was doing, whatever anger I had about her not calling me was gone. So I can't hate him at all, even though I did when I first found out. Fair play, you know."

"You weren't even mad about their relationship?"

"Not at first, because I didn't know anything about it, until after I reached out to call her."

Six months spent in the Sahara Desert, and three fucking months that it turns out that Shepard is alive. I have zero idea as to how, all I've heard is damned rumors. I've already heard in the time since myself and my team have been looking in to these rumors of Geth on Earth, both rumors and facts. But what pisses me off, is the fact that she's been reported as alive for three months now, and no one decided to think it would be a good idea to tell me, regardless of my radio silence order. Guess that's what happens, when the only people who knew about my operation, was high-ranking officials.

It doesn't matter though. Not anymore. I have the means to contact the captain's cabin of the new Normandy, and while I have no idea what I'm going to say, after I ask about the latest rumor, at least I have something to start with. I return to my own Captain's Cabin on the Nightshade, and I don't care when my ship's VI says that "Hackett has requested my presence," or even hear if for that matter, for a while. I switch on my communications console, and dial up the signal I was given. Unlike cell phones, from the 21st century, these consoles will beep upwards of ten times, before going to voicemail. The console beeps nine times, before her image finally is displayed. Her face was lightly scarred, so obviously something happened.

"Hi Griffin." She said to me calmly. I felt like she wasn't as happy to see me, as much as I assumed she would be.

"Jane. It's been awhile." I responded, not knowing the best way to say 'it's good to see you again,' after these circumstances.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I have some time before I have to go, so ask whatever you want to."

"Alright. How best to put this? Which rumor is the truth?"

"That depends. Is there a rumor about the Collectors?"

"The Collectors? No, I've heard nothing about them. Only some nonsense about Cerberus."

"It's not nonsense. I did die, but they spent the past two years trying to bring me back to life."

"So... they're the good guys now?"

"I'm not sure. But something tells me I'll find out, real soon."

"Then be careful."

"Aren't I always?"

"No Jane, no you're not always."

"Fair enough."

"So who was it that told you that Shepard was alive?" Admiral Hackett snaps Walker out of his memories.

"The Extranet." The Lieutenant responded. "I thought what I was reading was at first just a rumor, and then I saw an image of her on the Citadel, Omega, and Illium, among a few other places. I even heard she was partly responsible for what happened in the Bahak system."

"That information is classified." Hackett suddenly cut him off. "Regardless of whether or not she told you about this..."

"Relax Admiral. She told me not to tell anyone, and I gave her my word that I wouldn't even speak of it, even to my own team."

"Good. Ensign, cut out every part of the interview, after where Lieutenant Walker spotted Commander Shepard."

"Yes sir."

"Moving on. How were you able to get in contact with Shepard?"

"I went to her mentor. Admiral Anderson. He wanted to protect her, but once I was able to prove to him that we had a relationship, he didn't hesitate." Walker looks into the distance, as his memories continue.

"So the Collectors, huh?"

"The Collectors. It turns out they were hidden beyond the Omega 4 Relay."

"Jane, that's a suicide run. A crew of notorious pirates one year ago were on the run, and jumped through the Omega 4 relay to avoid the law. No one ever saw them again. And that's just one story."

"No ship has ever had the kind of equipment that the Normandy has. The ship is equipped with a Thanix Cannon, the Armor is near-impregnable, and the Multi-core shielding comes from Cyclonic Barrier Technologies, the best available in the galaxy."

"Then why don't you come pick me up, and I'll help."

"Would you?"

"They gave me a whole month of leave, after my mission was completed, and you sound like you're ready to go through the relay sooner, rather than later."

She smiles brightly, which would be better to see in person. "Thank you, Griffin."

"Maybe the night before we go through the relay, we could... reacquaint."

Her smile quickly vanished, and I knew something was wrong, as I had at first. She looked down at the ground, then back into my eyes. It was time for her to tell me. "Griffin. You're not gonna like what I have to say." Somehow I knew. But I still needed to hear it. "When I went back to the Citadel, to see Anderson. I asked about Kaidan Alenko, and he told me what he was doing was classified. Then I dismissed the two members of my current crew that I had with me at the time, and I asked him about you, and when he told me that he didn't know what became of you, He assumed you were dead, and I had no reason not to believe him."

"Anderson wasn't one of the ones queued in on mine, and my team's operation. Udina knew. Not trying to blame you, or say you made the wrong decision, but if you had chosen Anderson over Udina, he would've been able to tell you."

"Son of a bitch. I knew I should've asked him when I had the chance."

"Don't fool yourself. Anderson cares enough about you, to tell you. Udina doesn't give a shit about either of us. He wouldn't have said a word."

"It's one of the reasons, why I was hesitant to answer your call. I couldn't believe my eyes at first. But the main reason is because I don't know how to say this to you. Hell, I'm a bit ashamed that I'm saying it to you."

"Babe, just get it out."

"I've... I've found someone new." I shut my eyes, looking to the ground and sighing hard.

"You're thoughts when you called her, Lieutenant."

Walker looks to the ground. "At first, I was thinking it would the best day of my life, and then I learned about her relationship with Krios. I was angry... and drinking again. I hadn't touched a drink, since our relationship began, now... I was drowning in a whiskey bottle, all over again, on a nightly basis."

"What did you say after she told you?"

"I blacked out, after she told, so I honestly can't say. Later on, I found out I really hurt her feelings, and when I saw her later, she went from hurt, to pissed." These memories were an extremely hard thing for Walker to recall. He squeezes at the bridge of his nose, as he works to calm his nerves.

"Ensign, lets take a brake."

"Yes sir."

"Walker, you've got half an hour. I'm sure you're hungry, you've got use the bathroom, something along the lines of that."

"Yes sir, I do. I might need more than half an hour though. I feel like a steak right about now."

"Take an hour then."

"Thank you, Admiral."