A/N OMG! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long! My comp crashed but it's all fixed and running better than ever so I'll be able to update(those of you who read my story's)I really want you guys to know that I'll be updating this story more than others(especially that failure of a Harry Potter fic I started on, but who knows, I may try to update that one) but enough of my talking! On with the fic! Oh, and I will do POV switching, if you want me to stop all you have to do is ask.

Shepards POV

I made my rounds through the ship, talking to Jacob and Miranda about their thoughts on the mission thus far, I made my way down to Josh. I vaguely wondered why the Illusive Man wanted us to recruit a fifteen year old boy, I had seen that he could hold his own, but how would he have fared had we not shown up. I pushed the thoughts out of my head as I stepped into Josh's quarters.

"Hello again, Shepard." he said, his back to me staring out the window, into space.

"Hello, Josh, are your quarters adequate?" I asked, trying to get the silent boy to speak.

"I've been in worse." he replied. His voice emotionless.

"What do you think about the mission?" I asked, trying once again to get the boy say more than a sentence.

"You want to know what I think? I think that no matter what I'm not dying. I've fought tougher creatures than these Collectors. You may think this is a suicide mission Shepard, but I think this is a job that will pay enough for me to retire."

"What makes you think you'll live and we wont?" I said, my anger rising quickly. "It sounds as if you plan on killing us yourself."

"Oh I only plan on killing one of you." he said, his voice still devoid of emotion.

"Who?" I asked, angrily.

"Why don't you go back to what you were doing and leave me for awhile." he said, the tone was polite he wasn't leaving room for argument. But I wasn't going to back down.

"Listen boy-" I started only to be quickly interrupted.

"Don't push me Shepard, I'm normally nice but I've got a hell of a lot on my mind right now so I recommend you fuck off." he said, anger starting to leak into his voice. My instinct told me to back off, but my anger told me to keep fighting.

"You better settle down or I will shoot you." I said, my hand reaching for the gun at my side.

"You draw that pistol, you better be ready die." he said, facing me, and I gasped, his eyes had changed from a green to red and catlike. Like that of a krogans. His hand twitched and moved a little towards his gun.

We were at an impasse here, and we either couldn't think of a way to compromise or didn't want to. Suddenly his eyes went from kroganlike back to his normal green, and he went down one knee an elbow was resting on his knee as he had suddenly lost his breath. He shuddered as he stood back up. He stumbled slightly as he did so. He looked up and noticed me, his face flushed in humiliation as he hurried past me, I tried to grab onto him but he just blew me off and went down the hall, I followed after him but realized that he was a fast kid so she found herself sprinting to keep up with him, he had taken the elevator and she got there just as the doors were closing to see a small smile grace his lips.

Two days had passed since then.

Josh's POV

I lounged on one of the benches in the observation center that served as my quarters, I had nothing to do on this ship other than sleep, eat, and workout. But working out was pointless, I couldn't get stronger. I longed to see my father, but he'd been buried six feet back on...uggghh, it was pointless to dwell on the past, but I told Shepard the truth, I would kill one of the people on this ship, but I didn't feel like telling her, not yet, anyway. To be honest, it wasn't any of her damn business.

I remembered back two days ago, the rush I had felt at the confrontation, it was orgasmic(don't get to use that word much lol) the fire burning in Shepard's eyes held no true threat of violence, thus the reason I hadn't shot her then and there.

Suddenly Shepard's voice came over the intercom, "Josh, get up to the CIC, A.S.A.P." she said, I sighed as I stood, on the way to the elevator I reached in pocket for a smoke, none in that one, I checked in one of the inside pockets, and I found one, only one. My last one. I grunted as I realized I'd have to get Shepard to stop by the Citadel and buy me some cigarettes, seeing as I couldn't legally buy them yet. I put the smoke into the pocket over my chest, the lighter in my jeans pocket. As I stepped into the CIC Shepard turned to me and said quite harshly, "Why aren't you suited up?" I looked down at my outfit, a black trenchcoat that hung to my ankles, an old, ripped, black shirt, dark blue jeans that had faded somewhat, and simple everyday work boots, that the 3 pistols I carried on me, two inside of holsters on my thighs, and one in a holster on my back, I always had it there, it was concealed, being behind my back and under the coat so nobody saw it.

"Ummm...I am suited up." I said.

"Your kidding right?" she said skeptically, like this was a joke.

"Do you want my help or not?" I countered. She went silent as she said, "All we're here to do is pick up Jack. You got that Josh? No shooting. At all. Unless I tell you to." she stated firmly.

"Fine, fine, we'll play it your way." I said.

"Good, Joker is docking now so lets go." she said and we exited the ship. It was me, Shepard, and Miranda, a three man squad consisting of a powerful biotic, Miranda, a living legend, Shepard, and a mercenary that killed for kicks more than anything, me. I could tell this was going to be fun.

We boarded the prison and was met by two guards, who immediately raised their guns when we refused to surrender ours. Miranda looked as if she was about to throw the guy through the window with her biotics, and Shepard, was aiming right at the guards head, I stood with my arms folded across my chest. "What, to scared to pull a gun?" one of the guards said, gesturing towards me.

"Ha! I don't need a gun kill a pathetic excuse of a guard such as you." I said, smiling as he leveled his gun at me. "I dare you to pull the trigger." I said, my eyes were shifting, I could tell, my vision was sharper, I could notice every twitch the guard made, and unfortunately he twitched his trigger finger. I easily dodged the bullet and got a running start before getting a running start and brought my right fist into his jaw, but before he could stumble I grabbed him and threw him against the window, he slumped to the ground, unconscious. I walked over, my lips still holding a smile as I lifted him up by the throat, choking him.

"JOSH!" Shepard shouted behind me. I dropped the guard back to the ground and turned to address Shepard.

"Yes?" I said. My eyes not shifting back to normal.

"That's enough." She said, keeping a level head.

"As you wish." I turned back to the guard, only to see he had pistol in his hand and was aiming it at me. Shepard noticed, "Josh." she said, I glanced at her, she nodded. My smile got bigger, I turned towards the guard, and before he had a chance to pull the trigger, I moved so fast he didn't have time, my fist rammed right into his mouth and out the back of his neck, I withdrew it and went to stand next to Shepard, the other guard just stood there shaking. Just then, the Captain of this place came in, noticed the dead body, and noticed the blood on my right sleeve.

"I take it something happened." he stated, calmly.

"Yeah, your guards need to learn to keep their mouths shut." Shepard said.

"It doesn't surprise me, he was to hotheaded to last long in this galaxy. Anyway I believe you are here to pick up Jack?"

"Yes, the Illusive Man, has sent the credits."

"I have receiv-" the Captain stopped as he looked at me. "Josh? Is that you?" he asked.

"The one and only." I stated.

"It's been what? Ten years, since I last saw you?"

"Ten years tomorrow." I stated.

"Well it's good to see you again. But anyway back to business, I have to take care of a few things in my office, just follow the path straight down and you'll come into an observation area, where you can see Jack get released, then you can go down and escort her out of here."

He walked off, and Shepard turned to me. "Ten years? He knew you when you were five?"

"No. He knew me when I was thirteen." I said.

"You're gonna have to explain." she stated.

"For every five years to you I get one, I have been around for seventy-five years Shepard." I said