"You have quite the reason to go back John," Kaidan said. The use of Shepard's name gave him pause.
"Yeah, I guess so," Shepard takes one glance back, Mr. Williams was talking with his father, his mother sent him a wave. He turned back to Kaidan, "Let's do this." Kaidan's mouth tugs into a tight line and he just nods.
The poem that Mr. Williams gave to Shepard ran through his mind. Shepard felt nervous, he had to get back and ASAP.
"Gotcha," Kaidan shook his head, cracked his knuckles and got to work.
"London, is just fifteen minutes out LC," Joker calls over the Comms. Ashley winced, the headache medicine Chakwas gave her still tasted horribly, even though she took it hours ago.
"Gotcha," Ash's voice was hoarse, and she'd barely recognize it. Then in a split second she jerked back to her normal self and stood unsteadily.
"Hey! Ashley," Chakwas cringed as Ashley stood, the thought of those kind of fractures and breaks, it churned her stomach. "Be careful," She said gesturing to the crutches that were discarded at the door.
"Right, 'cuz if I fall I'll just break my other leg." Ashley said rolling her eyes but picking up her crutches. The Lieutenant-Commander knew that Chakwas meant well, and that she should heed her warnings. Besides the crutches were good to threaten people with.
She pushed passed all the people in the lower level, mumbling that she was a 'Spectre and to make way' almost constantly. She lead the small group that joined her ground side Even though her crutches stopped her from moving as quickly as she liked, she still left Joker in the dust, even with some of his advancements from Cerberus.
Ashley felt her pace quicken at the thought of Shepard laying alone in the hospital bed, calling for anyone to help him. That gave her a new sense, and she shoved one crutch into a poor pedestrian's arms. Pushing forward much more quickly without the swinging of both the over-rated sticks.
She made way to the front desk and groaned as she saw the line. These people were grieving for their family and friends, who was she to barge in and wreck that... But then again, Shepard did just save the whole universe, twice, so Ashley gave herself some room to wiggle.
"Sorry, 'scuse me," She said pushing and edging people away with her crutch. She heard people call her some very colorful words, in which some crew members stopped to defend her, she didn't notice much more and kept moving.
The receptionist was way over her head and it was blatantly obvious. The papers to her right towered and seemed to teeter with every passing wind. To her left, the terminal she was working at seemed to be running off of snail power. The poor Asian woman looked so frustrated, as any person would be, and when she saw Ashley and the rest of the herd push to the front, she wanted to rip her brown hair from her head and scream. She was on the verge of losing what little marbles she had left.
"CommanderShepard'sRoomPlease." Ashley said in one breathe. Which was fairly surprising given that she was heaving from the bumpy ride she just had.
"I'm sorry?" the receptionist said. She was being nice, at least for now. Ashley sighed and rubbed her one good hand down her face.
"Commander Shepard's room..." She paused, "John Shepard's room, please." this time Ashley took a long pull of air before talking, and she said it slowly... As if the girl in front of her was incompetent. The woman before Ashley scowled,
"Sorry, only people with top level clearance get's into the Commander's room, and you don't seem to have any at all." The woman said smugly, smirking to herself.
Ash responded with a glare and slammed her fist on the desk, the Asian woman jumped back and put a hand over her heart.
"We are Commander Shepard's crew, that's clearance enough, where the hellis his room." Ashley said, her voice taking a low, growl, threatening the only person between her and John. Her statement was backed up with many 'Hell yeahs' and nods from the crew.
"I don't care if you're Admiral Hackett," The woman leans real close to Ashley's face. To which Ashley responds with a fist closing tightly around a crutch, the woman continued oblivious to the anger being stirred in the dangerous marine. "You can't prove anything." Ashley gritted her teeth and resisted slamming her fist into something other than the desk.
"Just tell me where John's room is!" Ashley yelled, the sudden escalation in her voice startled even the crew. Ashley never yelled in front of the other crew members but Shepard, Garrus, Tali, and Liara. According to the rest she was the funny, collected, laid back marine on the ground team. She never yelled with so much anger, or shook as much as she did, then today.
"Now, I can't do that. Nex-" The receptionist was cut off by a gravely voice, one Ashley recognized as Admiral Hackett. Ash sent a look to the crew who seemed just as infuriated at she was, before saluting with her good arm.
"Sir, I didn't expect to see you so soon." Ashley said, holding the Admiral's eye contact.
"At ease, Lieutenant-Commander Williams. What is it that you wish of this poor woman."
Ash scoffed at the idea of this woman being poor, in any sense. If she learned anything from Shepard it was, when speaking to a higher up best to be on your toes, and 'not piss them off... much.'
"We wish to see the Commander, sir. As his crew I think we have a-" Ashley was going to go on a big speech before the Admiral lifted a hand and cut her off.
"Granted. They are to enter and visit under my authority at any time. Ms. Choice lead the way."
Ashley sent over a look that said 'I won,' along with a glare that the receptionist so hastily returned.
"Right this way," She said, stepping from the desk and moving to hidden stairs no one saw upon entrance. Ashley groaned when she saw the stairs, she was hoping for an elevator, it'd make it easier to climb. She kept silent mostly upon stepping up and advancing through a long staircase, filled with stairs. 'When with broken legs, or just one, stairs and gravity are your worst enemy' Ashley thought.
Just when Ashley felt as if she was going to pass out from the exhaustion Ms. Choice turned and said to the following herd. "Down this hallway, to the right, third door." Then she walked off to amongst more important duties. Hackett who walked behind everyone observed the crew.
"Alright guys, I think we should limit how many people go in there at a time." Ashley said, though she hated to admit it.
"I think Ash deserves to go first, and alone." Tali piped up with a nod from Garrus and Joker. Ashley sent a grateful smile to her Quarian friend. Along with hopeful glances to the rest, who nodded as her eyes landed on them in turn. Ashley was not an emotional person, but that right there made her proud to be on the Normandy, they weren't just crew members, they were a family, dysfunctional at best, and at worst, she chose not to think about, but a family.
They moved down the hall more, to Shepard's door and Ashley let out a sigh. She reached slowly for the sensors to pick her up, only to be interrupted by Hackett. She mentally sighed and wanted to give herself a hearty facepalm. She turned to the admiral and raises a brow,
"Williams, like I said, we have much to discuss, in person. Now would be the time. I'd let the others go first." While Ashley before wanted to tear up a bit, now she wanted to bang her head against a wall. This close, and now she can't see John at all?! This was killing her.
"Yes, sir." She said glancing back at the door sadly, before waving the others to go before her.
"Walk with me." Hackett said gesturing for Ashley to follow him.
"Permission to speak freely, sir." Ashley asked.
"Speak your mind Williams." Ashley follows as he turns a corner at the end of the hallway and calls an elevator.
"Sir, I would prefer to-" She gestures over her shoulder with a thumb back from where they had just come.
"This is important Williams. More important than your want to see the Commander." Hackett said, immediately shutting Ash up to mull over what he said.
"How important?" Ashley questioned.
"Life and death for some, Williams." Hackett said, stepping into an elevator that doors' just opened. He allows for Ashley to step in and places his hands behind his back. Ashley sighs and hobbles in, one crutch under her arm. The Lt-Commander believes that Hackett presses a button for a floor, instead he presses the big red emergency one.
"This never leaves this elevator, you hear me?" Hackett said, deadly serious.
"Of course, sir, if you wish." she says, standing straighter with the delivery of the news.
"I do." Hackett pauses, "Shepard is in..." He struggles to find the right word. "not doing so well, he is barely there. It is so different than anything anyone has ever seen before. His cybernetics are so complex, no one knows where to start." Hackett explained, slowly standing at ease as he progressed. Ashley stayed silent.
"I do not know how we can do this. His brain activity it through the roof! It's incredible!" Hackett said with awe in his voice.
"That's good isn't it? Brain activity is good!" Ashley said, grasping to what little hope she had.
"Not in this case it's not. Williams... I don't think he'll make it."
"What! Of course he will! He has too!" Ashley yelled, turning to face Hackett with an angry frown. Hackett holds up a hand.
"Let me rephrase that. Commander Shepard is not going to make it.We're pulling the plug soon. Today actually." Hackett says slowly. Ashley felt the weight cave in on her and she leans against the wall of the elevator. Hackett turns and flips another switch, effectively turning the elevator on. Ashley puts her one good hand to her face to stop the tears. Her voice is hoarse as she talks.
"Why are you telling me this and not the crew?" Ashley couldn't look the man in the eye, instead she stares at the deformed reflection of herself in the steel of the box she was in. It felt like a prison.
"Because you and Shepard have something, I felt you should be the first to know, and not given false hope." Hackett sighs.
"We don't have anything!" Ashley snaps, before muttering in her head 'not for much longer.'which made her tear up more.
"I know what it's like to be in love, and that's it! I had to make the call, Shepard is one man, he is paying the ultimate price so others can live and flourish. You should be proud." At that the elevator pinged and Hackett stepped out, leaving Ashley to finagle her way to the ground.
"On a personal level, Lieutenant-Commander, I am very sorry for your loss, Shepard was a great man." to which the door closed and Hackett couldn't help but hear the thump of a defeated woman fall to the ground, that came from behind the doors. It made him feel like a monster.
Ashley rode the elevator all the way to the basement and all the way back up, several times. She ran through all the possibilities, the what ifs no one seemed to care about. She stopped crying about ten minutes ago, though it wasn't crying, just tears rolling silently down her face, weeping seemed to be a better word. She finally decided that staying in the elevator was definitely not helping, and stood very carefully. Her back hurt, her eyes burned and her legs were stiff, needless to say she had trouble walking.
This wasn't fair! Shepard was the damn hero of the universe, destroyed the Reapers at the ultimate cost! Why the hell would they just unplug him, it didn't seem right. 'Shepard deserves better! C'mon, who'da thunk it that Shepard would die in a hospital room instead of on the battlefield, or happily in a bed. He was in an unbreakable coma. '
'I'm a fool,' Ashley thought to herself, through a heavy haze of emotions. She sighed and stopped at another elevator, pressing the button to take her back to Shepard's floor. She heard muffled voices from the other side of the doors and backed up respectfully. She didn't want people to question her, so she found a nice corner to creepily hide in.
"Honest Mom! She's fine! Nothing happened, she sent word!" A young, reddish haired woman said, seemingly pleading with another woman.
"Four words Sarah! Four words and not heard from her since? I'm sorry but I'm a bit fucking worried!"
"Mom! Language please!"
Ashley stood in the corner dazed, there stood the people most important to her, her mother and sister, arguing over her. She wanted to move but watched helplessly as they marched on down the corridor. Ashley was really on a cowardly streak. She rubbed her eyes hopefully magically vanishing the obvious signs of crying, and hobbled off after her family.
"It's not that! It's the fact that she did contact me, I just want all my daughters safe and sound."
"We all will mom, there's no need to worry." Sarah said as she placed a hand her mother's shoulder.
"Mom... Sarah!" Ashley cried when she was close enough. Once again her voice was hoarse with fresh tears.
"Ash!" Sarah called twirling around so that the few loose strands danced across her face. Their mother turned faster and started running towards her oldest daughter. Mrs. Williams was one for hugs, and it showed, she flung her arms around Ashley's neck in a vice grip.
"Ouw!" Ashley yelped as her arm was crushed, and her mother bumped heads with her. "Ow, mom, injuries!" Ashley reminded.
"Oh, yeah," Mrs. Williams said pulling back wiping furiously at tears that flooded her eyes. "God, your leg, and arm... and your nose! Christ Ashley!" She sobbed out gesturing to each body part in turn Sarah walked over much more calmly and smiled.
"Told you she was fine."
"Yeah well a mother worries, you'll know when you become a mother." She said dismissively The two bickered back and forth and it brought a grin to Ashley's face. It was a long time since she saw her mother and sisters. Speaking of which...
"Where's Abby and, Lynn?" Sarah and their mother glanced at each other.
"Abby fell down some unstable stairs and broke her leg Lynn was helping her to a room." Sarah explained,
"We were just heading there now." Her mother added, "C'mon join us, we've all missed you much." Then a ping sounded and Mrs. Williams cursed under her breath. "Sorry gotta run, Lynn needs some relief." She hugged Ashley this time much softer and headed off in the opposite direction.
"You coming?" Sarah asked. Sparking yet another thought, Ashley averted her sister's eyes.
"No, I have things to arrange." She said vaguely.
"Well then, wipe those tears from your eyes before you go." Sarah said casually.
"What?" Ashley said amazed, she rubbed at her eyes. "How would you know I was crying?" She asked her younger sister.
"Your eyes are red." Sarah was silent a moment, "Now over what is harder to figure out." She said tapping her chin.
"Damn you for being too wise for your own good." Ashley mumbled. Should she tell her sister? They were close, but were they that close? Ashley groaned and raised her good arm to rub her eyes. This was her sister, Sarah, they were talking about! Of course they were close enough to share information.
"The Commander is... in bad shape."
"Oh, i'm sure he'll be fine Ash, he has you as a... hmm, what are you? Girlfriend, lover? This is actually difficult." Sarah said, rambling to herself. Ash felt her anger rise. How could she shrug it off that easily? Her ignorance pissed Ashley off.
"No Sarah! He's not gonna be fine!" Ashley said, her voice raising just a bit with each word.
"I'm sure, he will, Ashley." Sarah replied, giving her sister a glare, "Be optimistic, Ash,"
"He's not, going to be fine! Sarah, you don't understand."
"Fine." Sarah growled. "Don't act like I have no idea what you're going through."
"You don't! Shepard and me, we're not supposed to be together, but we are. I lost him once, and now I'm losing him again, forever." Ashley yelled "You and Thomas has something else, he was able to kiss you or hug you whenever he was in your presence." Ashley felt her frustration spike, everything she ever felt about the relationship she had spilled. "You have not a damnedest clue as to what is happening to me." Ashley pointed an accusing finger at her sister's chest.
"Watch where you point that finger," Sarah growled, "A Reaper might take it." Sarah snarled. Ashley oh so wanted to ignore the ping that came from her arm, or the glow of her Omni-Tool, and explain just how much Sarah understood. But she couldn't, and she checked the message.
Waiting on you.
Hackett
Ashley frowned, 'just me right? I'm the last one.. wonderful.' Sarah held her breath, when Ashley looked away she glanced at the message. Sarah's heart broke a bit for her older sister, putting two and two together inferring what it meant. She didn't want to fight, she wanted her sister to be happy, but Sarah guessed she made it worse.
Ashley let out a shaky breath before turning on her heel, without a second glance to Sarah, striding straight to the elevator, and stepped inside as the doors opened. She didn't even look at her sister as slammed her hand onto the button she needed. Ashley waited until she heard doors closed with a hiss before turning around. She barely noticed her leg pain flaring, the walk did not help it heal, probably made it worse. She raised a hand to her face and let out a scream of frustration, of anger, before she let out another shaky breath.
She found her way to Shepard's room without much thought. She saw the crew smiling and laughing. She felt like the outsider, the evil witch, she couldn't even join if she wanted to. Ashley glanced at the door, she didn't want to go in, just hold out a few seconds before she walked in. She needed to compose herself. Before she could though, a three fingered hand rested upon her shoulder.
"Hey," a soft accented voice with a synthesized quality rang out.
"Hey," Ashley replied, staring at the door. "One question, how bad is it? Is he?" Ashley corrected.
"Not good, I won't lie. But, he'll get better. It's Shepard, he always gets better." Tali said.
That jogged Ashley's memory, she still hadn't told anyone about what Hackett told her.
"Hey, will you grab the crew and meet me in the lobby over there," Ashley said, nodding her head to the lobby where most of the crew were already. "I have some news."
Tali squeezed Ashley's shoulder before replying with a soft 'of course'
Ashley sighed, yet again, she has been sighing a lot lately. Of course, Ashley knew that there would be fallout for what she was about to tell the crew, but she had to do it.
She walked to the lobby after using a few minutes to compose herself.
"Hey Ash, you see Shepard yet? I told him you were coming soon." Joker said softly, he sidled himself beside her.
"No, but," Ashley cleared her throat, and raised her voice. "Everyone I have news, that I should've told you sooner. When Hackett whisked me away, he did it so he should tell me something. You have all been to see Shepard?" She paused and waited for the ground team to nod, "Well, the truth is, they're pulling the plug on him tonight. I-I, am going in there now, and when I leave, He'll be, dead." She barely croaked out the last words.
A/N Cliffhanger spectacular! YAY... You know, Reviews and favorites just might make me upload faster. And Apologizes, Ashley's sisters are not something really talked about in the game, or her mother really. :( (They should be if you romanced her) But Alas, I took some artistic license on that. Too-De-Loooooo, :)