Only a few people had been going over the final systems checks, they'd rushed to get the final fittings in place for the newly moved up schedule. Shepard was glad, she had no idea what she looked like but she figured right now it wasn't pretty.

A pretty, bubbly red head with sparkling green eyes had greeted her, introducing herself as Kelly Chambers her yeoman. She had her own yeoman! She did feel a little bad about rushing their meeting but bodily functions needed addressing so she asked where her quarters were and she was sent up to what they called the Loft. It was like being on a first class cruise liner not a military ship. Upon entering the first thing she'd noticed was the blue glow of a huge aquarium that took up the majority of the portside wall. To the starboard side was her own bathroom and working space that had a very large display case that also served as a visual communications screen. The Loft was split into two areas, this upper area then down a couple steps was the living area. Flush against the display case was a black leather L shaped lounge with a medium sized coffee table. Past the 'lounge' was a massive queen sized bed that looked so inviting right now and her clothing and armour storage.

Exploring her private domain she found it was already fully stocked with clothes, all the right size of course, though they were all Cerberus uniforms. They would need some... altering if she was going to wear them. She smiled as instead of finding Alliance style underwear she found an assortment of very comfortable, nice looking lingerie. That was definitely a Miranda touch. Grabbing a change of clothes she opted not for a shirt and simply took a white singlet that had no logo and black jogging shorts.

Putting her armour away she was in absolute heaven as the hot water washed over her sensitive skin and washed her hair. It was only when she began to dry herself that heaven shattered. For the first time she was looking down at her body. Her skin was flawless. Tentatively she ran her fingertips over her chest where one of her scars had been. She had been covered in scars, mostly from the Thresher Maws but a few bullet and knife wounds had marked her skin. They'd been battle scars, scars of honour, scars she'd worn with pride, scars that had told her story etched into her very flesh. Her scars were a part of who she was and now they were gone, they were simply not there. She could see them in her mind, could see what she was supposed to look like and it threw her like nothing Miranda had told her about what they'd done to her had been able to do.

Miranda was getting impatient. She knew Shepard was on board. She'd sent her a message that they needed to meet to discuss the many things required for this mission and ship and Shepard was late. Eleven minutes late to be exact. "EDI, where's Commander Shepard?" she growled at the AI.

"In the loft Operative Lawson." EDI responded in her calm, feminine voice.

"Thank you EDI." Miranda was too annoyed with the woman to wait any longer. Storming up there she barged in without touching the door chime to warn Shepard of her presence and looked around. Eyes narrowing she didn't see her out here meaning she was in the bathroom. She didn't even consider just waiting, she'd been waiting too long already. Stepping into the bathroom she found Shepard just standing there naked staring at her reflection with a look of forlorn horror. Her anger softened, Shepard hadn't really seen her face yet and it was still rather scarred.

Shepard hadn't even heard anyone come in so when Miranda's voice broke through her quandary of disjointed thoughts she started and whipped her head around to the woman.

"The scars will heal in time Shepard." Miranda assured her crisply.

"How did you re-grow my skin?" Shepard demanded, ignoring the comment and that she was naked in front of Miranda, the woman had rebuilt her after all so had seen her naked for quite some time. Though truth be told it didn't even register in her mind that she was naked in front of another woman.

"Enhanced dermal regeneration, using your own cells to regrow the skin rather than using artificially grown skin." Miranda observed her closely, something was wrong and it wasn't about her face.

"So my scars should still exist." her tone was accusing and her cybernetics were flaring now.

"They could have, I opted to have them removed for you I thought you would appreciate..." she attempted to explain but Shepard cut her off, her tone was frigid.

"Right here was a knife wound from a Batarian pirate on Elysium, you know how that ended." her finger traced along her left forearm, "Here, here and here were bullet wounds from a raid on Blue Suns outpost, all mercs down, four marines injured, I was the worst because I was shielding a civilian who'd been taken hostage." she pointed to two places on her abdomen and one on her hip. "Most of my shoulder and upper back were scarred from Thresher Maw acid, also here from where I was struck by one of its tendrils and nearly lost my leg. Here I had burn scars from Batarian slavers on Torfan." she was cataloguing each scar she'd collected over the years for Miranda.

Miranda frowned she certainly wasn't expecting such ingratitude for her actions considering she'd done it to help the blasted woman, "Yes, you had a lot of scars, want a medal for them?" she sneered.

Shepard glared at her only partially aware of how red her eyes were glowing right now, "They where my life's story etched into my flesh, they were reminders of what I've sacrificed, what I've lost, what I've given in the line of duty and to protect others. They were a part of who I am, of my self-identity, of what makes me me." she hissed through her teeth, "And you opted to remove them. Why didn't you just give me blue eyes or blonde hair or tanned skin or a fucking nose job?" she yelled at Miranda, tears streaming down her face but she didn't give her a chance to respond, "Because you were ordered to bring me back as me! EXACTLY as I was! These," she gestured to herself, "where my LIFE, my life you just erased to make me look pretty." her voice hitched as she tried not to sob.

Miranda could scarcely keep her jaw from dropping or her eyes from widening at the emotionally enraged and distraught woman before her. She had never imagined that anyone would want to be as scarred as Shepard had been, that Shepard had been so tied to her scars emotionally.

"They were a part of me I earned through blood a part of my soul and you... you..." she couldn't choke the words out through her tightened throat, her shoulders were shaking and her knees were growing weaker by the second.

All of Miranda's previous anger evaporated as Shepard broke down before her, turning from her and covering her eyes with one hand while the other steadied her wavering form on the basin. There wasn't even a way she could get them back for Shepard the genetic markers had been discarded. She had made a gross miscalculation, one that was tearing Shepard apart right now. That had never been her intention. She might have issues with the woman, was incredibly frustrated with her but she still respected her, she had done what no other human had. Shepard had done everything right with Saren and the Reapers, hell she'd even saved the Council when she could have left them to die. She made the tough calls and saw them through to the end ensuring they were tactically sound, what wasn't to respect about that? Everything she'd learned about Shepard had told her the woman was strong and determined, that she gave of herself above and beyond all that was expected of her and now, now she, Miranda Lawson, might have just completely screwed that up.

"Shepard, I'm so sorry, I had no idea they were so important to you." she apologized sincerely, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Shepard was desperately trying to pull herself together. She was Commander fucking Shepard, she didn't cry, especially not in front of other people. There was no point in asking her why, there was no point in demanding an explanation really as there was no way to change this. Her scars, that part of her self was gone. "Why are you here Miranda?" she whispered raggedly.

"We were supposed to meet to discuss the mission." Miranda cleared her throat softly, Shepard was still wet and for the first time she realized that the woman was actually very beautiful. For so long she'd just been a slab of meat on the operating table. Now she was a living, breathing being and her cheeks flushed with shame at not only not having seen that sooner but for her lack of respect for her in her anger. Perhaps it was also because of witnessing her in such a broken state and knowing she was the cause of it.

Shepard growled, her pain channelling into anger, "Of course that's all it bloody is to you isn't. The only reason you brought me back. The only thing I'm alive for. A bloody weapon for your personal disposal. Get out Lawson. We'll meet when I'm fucking ready." she hissed, gripping the basin with both hands and refusing to look at the woman.

Miranda wordlessly left, Shepard clearly needed time. Time they didn't have but right now it would have to be made. If Shepard wasn't ready emotionally this would have all been for nothing.

Shepard shakily dried herself off, she brushed her shoulder length chocolate brown hair missing her long locks that had been against military protocol for years. Tying her hair back she dressed and tried to mentally prepare herself for facing Miranda again. It was so hard. She decided there was only one way she could do it.

To say that Miranda was surprised when Shepard turned up in her quarters in her armour was an understatement. "Should I be worried?"

"This is the only thing that doesn't have a Cerberus logo on it, at least that I've seen. I'd like that fixed even if it means ripping them off my clothes. I agreed to work with you not join you." Shepard returned curtly.

Miranda nodded, "I'll have Miss Chambers see to it."

Though Shepard was icy cold they worked through what needed to be done efficiently and effectively. Miranda was also pleased that Shepard's mind was sharper than most she'd worked with and she thought through things differently. She swallowed her pride when Shepard suggested alternatives to things she put forward and though she felt challenged she thrived on challenges. As Shepard left, still ice cold in demeanour, Miranda knew that if they were going to work together she needed to give ground to the Commander, and fast. She'd never been on a project like this before, where she felt almost incompetent in dealing with the subject. It was so much easier when she was just meat on a slab being put back together. Now every step she took seemed to blow up in her face even when she was trying to be helpful. It was bloody frustrating to the Operative who was supposed to be perfect. She'd done so much research on Stephanie Shepard she'd just about written the bloody manual on her, a clinical and detailed biography of the life of the most famous human to date. And it was useless. Another approach was required and she needed to find it as quickly as possible.