Mass Effect: Each Story Has A Million Tales.

Summary: "There is always more than just one side to a story- and more than one lesson to learn. Follow Garrus Vakarian as he stands by a promise that he means to keep, contemplates the true meaning of life, death, and the ultimate sacrifice, and as he confronts someone who should have been behind him all along. Follow Adelais Vakarian as he mends a broken bond, and as he comes to terms with a terrible loss of his own. Follow Kolyat Krios as he navigates through a very dangerous place, only to find another- under the guidance of someone who may or may not be there at all. And follow Commander Joleen Shepard as she goes through her past and present, only to find herself in the middle of a battle for her future." (Garrus' Story: 'The Promise-Keeper.' Adelais' Story: 'The Old Soldier.' Kolyat's Story: 'The Wanderer.' Shepard's Story: 'The Missing.')

Warning: "This is a heavy one- some swearing, angst, implied adult situations, adult situations, a few character deaths, violence, and blood. All the big ones this time. Remember, this is my Shepard, my feelings on the game and what should have happened and will happen, with my own opinions and storyline, so no nasty comments. Got it? Good." (Commander Joleen Shepard: War Hero, Earthborn. Soldier. Paragon. Romanced Kaidan Alenko in the 1st game, Garrus Vakarian in the 2nd and 3rd. Shot and killed Udina during the Citadel Coup.)

Disclaimer: "I do not own Mass Effect. Don't make me say it again."

Author's Note: "Just so you know, the name 'Adelais,' is Latin for 'Noble.' I thought it fit perfectly. The name 'Carissa' means 'the most beloved one.' Again, I just thought the name fit."

N._.S._.S

Chapter Seventeen: The Missing II.

Atall, fifteen-year-old teen with shoulder-length dark brown hair and even darker brown eyes slowly and carefully made her way up the docks, carrying with her, on her shoulder, a heavy, metal crate.She wore tattered, faded jeans, a badly stained, ripped-at-the-collar white sleeveless shirt, and no shoes despite the cold, December breeze. Worse, the miserable-looking dark grey clouds above promised heavy rain for that night.

Tied around her waist was a tattered, old red sweater.

The stinging, open wounds on her shoulder from the metal cutting into her skin were bleeding (the painful results of such long, hard, heavy work), staining her white shirt, and pale, cold pearly skin, were the only thing really keeping the young woman awake now- she'd been working well around twelve hours now with no real break- save that ten minute lunch period, which she ended up skipping today because she had no credits to spare…

"Hey, Shep, lemme give you a hand there,"A boy, maybe about eighteen or nineteen years old, with dark blue eyes and sun-bleached white blonde hair, hurried up the stairs after her. He wore even shabbier clothing than the girl did- ripped up hand-me-down charity jeans, also no shoes, but at least he wore a sweater- a hooded, faded, still-tattered crimson sweater- but there was no shirt underneath.

Using clumsy Biotics, the boy managed to lift the heavy crate off of his friend's sore, still-bleeding shoulder, causing the girl to turn around to look at him with a small smile.

"Ranger," she admonished, pretending to be annoyed with him while all the while letting him push the crate forward using his Biotics,"You know we'll get in trouble and loose today's pay if you're caught," she said.

The boy grinned back. "Come on, Shep, don't worry. A few missing creds won't kill us," he responded, pushing the crate into its rightful place, as the girl frowned at him and gave him a worried look. "And besides, they're locking up for the night anyway."

"Already?"She asked in surprise.

Ranger chuckled and ruffled the girl's long hair."Don't tell me you forgot what tonight is, Shep,"He said, trying to sound stern and disappointed in her, even as he tried not to laugh.

"What night is it, Ranger?"

Without so much as a warning, the ever-friendly Ranger pulled her into his warm embrace and kissed her forehead."It's Christmas Eve, Shep,"Ranger told her, careful to not touch the festering wounds on both her shoulders."I can't believe," he added, planting another kiss,"That you forgot again."

Shep only laughed.

N._.S._.S

It was a few years later.Shep was now eighteen years old. Ranger stood by her side, as he always had. The two were sitting side-by-side, with Ranger's arms wrapped around the younger girl's waist. They were both staring up into the sky, with Ranger still wearing that famous grin.

"Eighteen, Shep. You made it,"Ranger said, teasingly.

Shep smiled back."Yeah. I did, didn't I?"

"What now, you think?"Ranger asked."You're thinking about what I said last night?"

"What, your idea that we join the Alliance together?"

"Hey," Ranger said, playfully knocking Shep on the back of the head."That wasn't a joke, y'know. I seriously think that we're destined to join them."

"To become 'heroes' though, Ranger? Seriously? You've been listening to way too many drunks."

Ranger laughed. His dark blue eyes flashed in the sunlight- he was always smiling, always cracking jokes, but now, even while wearing that smile, he looked serious.

"I'm not kidding, Shep. Me and you, we're gonna be heroes,"Ranger declared."Just like in the vids."

Shep leaned back onto the grass and laughed when Ranger pinned her down and kissed her."Come on, Shep,"He pleaded, giving her his best puppy-dog look."I swear it'll be the best thing for us. Think about it,"he added, "Me and you. Ranger and Shep, the greatest heroes the Galaxy will ever see!"

Shep kissed him back."All right, soldier boy, all right."

Her soldier boy gave a whoop of delight, kissing her again.

"You'll see, Shep," he said, staring into her dark brown eyes with his dark blue ones,"Me and you are gonna be the best damn soldiers in the Galaxy- we're gonna be heroes."

N._.S._.S

"Stop fucking around, soldier boy," Shep breathed to the man beside her, who was playing a game on his newly-issued omni-tool. "That's Alliance property, and you're using it to-"

"Come on, Shep, the Commander isn't coming down here anytime soon," Ranger responded, grinning even as he dutifully turned off the game and put away the omni-tool. "And you're one to talk," he added, giving her a wolfish grin, "Ms. I-Snuck-Out-Of-Guarding-The-Line-To-Come-Out-And-See-You."

"It's not my fault the Alliance didn't assign us the same line," Shep responded.

"You know if they catch you, you're gonna be in trouble."

"As you said, 'the Commander isn't coming down here anytime soon'," Shep mimicked him, sniffing. "And besides, the worst they'll do out here is give me dish-duty for a week."

"It's pretty out here, isn't it, Shep? They weren't lying when they said this place was pretty." Ranger said, already off-topic and staring into the spacey sky."God, we got so lucky."

Shep chuckled. "The view worth the crap in sign-ups, soldier boy?"

"Hell yeah. And great name, Joleen Shepard." Ranger laughed.

"Like yours is any better, Scott Ranger," Shep retorted, defensively.

"What's with the name Scott, for God's sake? It's a perfectly normal name! Joleen on the other hand? I can't believe you went with Joleen. I thought you were gonna go with Jane."

This time, Shep snorted. "Nah. Joleen was the name of my favorite perfume, remember?"

"You mean that freakishly expensive one?"

"It smelled better than you, at least."

Ranger laughed, and then faked a hurt tone. "Ouch, Shep, Ouch."

The both of them just laughed and joked for as long as they could get away with- until out of absolute necessity (and the fear of being caught) forced Shep to return to her post.

N._.S._.S

Okay! School is finally back in action, and you all know what that means! It means that I'll be busy doing Chem and AP English and Geometry to update as much as I did during the vacation! That does NOT mean that I'm just going to leave everything to rot! I'll be mostly updating on the weekends, and writing some during the week to publish every Friday night the moment I get home from school!

Of course, reviews n' stuff in the meantime are perfectly fine. XD

And once again, thank you to all who've reviewed, favorite, and followed, especially Shynerdylady! Seriously, each review means the Galaxy to me, and I promise you these next few chapters will be even more awesome, girl!

Hints: Kolyat's about to get serious, Adelais has some plotting to do, Garrus has a lecture brewingandgets a much needed confidence-booster, and the story of Commander Shepard's past is about to be revealed in almost humiliating detail.

'Till next time!