Good lord people I profusely apologize for leaving for two months but it was do or die time for me. But summer is here and my schedule should be normal-ish so i hope to update more regularly. Much love and enjoy.

It was the lamest greeting ever, but before he could stop it was already said. But what do you say exactly to somebody you loved and thought was dead? Not missing, dead. Miranda had made that part very clear. And how did Laura feel about all of this? Joker could not even begin to fathom how much this could possibly be eating away at the Commander, so he simply waited for a reply.

The commander did not turn around, but her shoulders sagged before she spoke. "I'm so glad you're alive," she said.

"I thought that was my line," he replied as he slowly crept closer. "It's not everyday you watch somebody blow up and the have a conversation two years later."

"Suffocation."

"Hm?"

"The blast pushed me away, cracked the suit, and sent me towards the planet. I ran out of oxygen before I broke the atmosphere," she said dejectedly.

"Laura, I…it's all my fault," said the pilot as he put a hand on Shepard's shoulder.

The commander chuckled and shook her head but remained in her spot. "After all the times you pulled my boots out of the fire? And I'm sure there will be more times in the future. There will be plenty of time to make up for it."

"Why aren't you mad?" Joker queried. "I…I should have abandoned the ship as soon as the pods started launching. You wouldn't have died and we both wouldn't be working with Cerberus."

"What do you want me to say Joker?" anger creeping into her voice. "That it's your fault?"

Yes

"That you're an idiot?"

Yes

"That I want to break your legs again and again?"

Yes

"That I hate you?"

Yes

"Well I can't do that Joker! You're the only person I've got left! When I woke up on that cold slab the first two thoughts in my brain were 'Holy crap I'm alive' and 'Where's Joker?' So I can't just turn my back on you because I know you would never do that to me," she ranted. "So yes, maybe it was your fault, and you were being and idiot, but that's the past. We've got human colonies to save."

"Then why won't you look at me?" he asked as he tried to turn her around.

Laura extracted herself from his grasp and turned away. "I…I don't want you to see me this way," she said sadly.

"What way? I haven't seen you in two years for Christ's sake," he said with a smirk. "Don't you wanna see me? I'm not that ugly."

Laura snorted. "You sure? Alright, but I warned you."

When Shepard turned the first thing Joker thought was that Cerberus got all of the proportions right and he thanked them for finding her. When his eyes finally reached her face he realized why she was surprisingly subconscious. There were still cuts and unhealed scars that spider webbed her face. But what was more was that the scars seemed to glow with an unearthly light. But none of that mattered to the pilot; the most important thing he saw was that her eyes were still the same. The same chocolate brown with the arrowhead in her left iris.

She's still my Laura.

"So you're worried about some scars? You already have plenty, I'm sure these will heal," he said as he pulled the commander into a hug.

"It's more than that Jeff," she sniffed. "I don't even know how far Cerberus went with cybernetics and everything else. I couldn't even tell you which parts of me are fake or real."

"It doesn't matter. I've got you back and that's all that matters."

"Save the romantics flyboy," she said as she smacked his new Cerberus cap affectionately. "We have to go to Freedom's Progress first, then you know, save the galaxy."

Joker mocked a frown. "Damn galaxy saving always gets in the way."

"Do we even have a ship?"

Joker smiled.

"Uh oh, I don't like that shit-eating grin on your face."

"You're gonna love this," he said as he grasped her arm and led her up the steps. "They just told me the other day, but I haven't been inside yet."

"The way you're so excited you would think they…rebuilt…the…" Shepard could only stare with her mouth open as the lights in the hangar came on. "How?"

"Dunno."

"Why?"

"Who cares?"

"Sweet."

"Yep. Come on let's get aboard."

After walking through the new Normandy and meeting the new crew, Joker and Shepard finally settled back at the cockpit. "So Commander, any complaints besides EDI?"

Laura took a slow look around with a thoughtful look. "There's no copilot's chair," she noted sadly.

"That's correct Commander," EDI piped in, much to Joker's dismay. "It was deemed unnecessary as I was installed and occupied any other available space."

"See? It is evil," the pilot whispered.

"Perhaps, but it could mean more auto piloting and meeting me in my new quarters," she said softly. "Now take me to Freedom's Progress and start this little adventure of ours."

"At your command Shepard."

Did anybody else realize there was no copilot seat? Now I can't have Shepard fall asleep all cutely in the cockpit. Oh well. Review!