Title: Mass Effect Two Chapter Two
Author: DinkyMew and JagesPages
Game: Mass Effect (Two)
Disclaimer: Bioware own all content and characters related to the Mass Effect franchise. Abigail Shepard is my own creation inspired by the character of Jane Shepard created by Bioware. Any original characters contained herein are my own creations (with the exception of Vindex Foster who is the sole property of Julie Jones and the Swagger Vasa Chronicles) and are not necessarily affiliated with Bioware. **You may not copy, edit or distribute this fanfiction as it stands without my expressed permission – thank you**
"Awakening"
She was falling.
Ahead of her the Normandy billowed and smoked as a cacophony of explosions rocked the wreckage and somehow she saw the shuttle breaking from the mass like a shooting star carrying her only wish to the planet below.
She took a sharp breath, knowing it would be one of her last with a sense of calm foreboding as she spread her fingers raising them in front of her mask to peer through them like black pillars at the planet below her. It was like looking up from under water, she thought, like she had been cast into the deep, dark sea.
Her breath whistled out of her, the sound of her heart loud in her ears as she swallowed, wondering how peaceful it seemed in the deep and then she closed her eyes, terrified that the black ink of space would be the last thing she saw.
She thought of Virmire, of Ashley lying in her arms, her hand clasped in her own as Hobbs had soothed her quietly.
"Think of the good times," He had said so gently "It'll start to get warm. It'll slide over you."
She crushed her eyes closed as the air began to thin, her hands grasping at nothing suddenly as a slow panic seized her.
I don't want to die alone, she thought as tears brushed her cheeks. It seemed hard to find faith in such blackness and she felt herself sinking as she clawed for the surface, for life.
It was a heavy choice to make and she let a gentle sob escape as she looked back for the Normandy, hoping in vain that she would see her Paladin coming for her – but there was only the smoking wreck as it slowly sank toward the planet.
She closed her eyes as she tried to draw another breath and came back with nothing – her hands instinctively moved to her throat but they stopped short, caught by someone else's as warm fingers wrapped around her cold ones. She opened her eyes and he was there, green-blue eyes twinkling mischievously as he drew her down on the bed beside him.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked her, his hands grounding her hips against his as he kissed her cheek.
She smiled, leaning her head on his chest, listening to the heavy beat of his heart "I don't want to give up." She said quietly and he shushed her.
"You're not giving up Tempy." He smiled "Just giving in. Sleep." He kissed her forehead gently.
"Don't let me go." She begged and his arms tightened around her as her lungs began to burn angrily.
Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving.
She smiled as the music carried her to sleep, finally safe in his arms.
Shepard twisted the sleeve of her hooded jacket, watching as the Officer took a seat on the other side of the desk from her. He made a show of organising the clutter, moving a datapad here, glancing to his console. The crisp white of his collar dug into his throat and he finally looked at her, black eyes unreadable as he ticked his gaze over her.
"Shepard." He said at length "You know why you've been brought in?"
She hesitated. She figured it had a lot to do with the fact she shot Hobbs in simulation, but she couldn't be sure, he certainly didn't look angry. Slowly she shook her head.
"We have been asked to choose our best." He said calmly "A team is being put together in special operations, top secret – and we have been asked to select the best we have here. There is one spot left open and apparently you are the girl to fit it."
She swallowed, affronted by his use of the word 'girl' but she didn't let it show, her brow creased into a disbelieving frown "Me?" She asked dubiously.
"You." He nodded, his tone almost matching her own "Seems you have friends – or family – in high places."
Shepard shook her head "Who else has been selected?" She asked.
"Most from your squad, Bahasa, Jones, Taylor – you." He tapped the console "You are due to leave in a week. You finish training here and they will be launching you directly into a mission."
She took that in watching his face carefully before she asked "What about Hobbs?"
"What about him?" Officer Prately asked raising a hard eyebrow "He'll be shipped to the marine corp."
Shepard sank in her chair, shaking her head "With all due respect sir, he should have that last spot on the team." She said in a rush and Prately's eyes widened as he looked at her sharply, she sat forward a little, frustration rushing to her surface as she dropped her gaze "He's the best here. You know it. I know it. I've seen him fight in the pits – I know that's why he's overlooked – but that is exactly the man you need in spec ops." She argued "I refuse my place. I want to defer it to him."
There was a long silence and she withdrew a little realising her outburst could have serious consequences a little late as she dropped her gaze submissively.
"You would do that?" Prately asked, and she looked back to him holding his gaze "You would do that for another solider?"
Shepard smiled, her voice full of unexaggerated confidence as she raised her chin "I believe Hobbins has what it takes to make Special Operations." She said firmly.
"It would mean you would be shipped to Biotic division." He said in warning and she moved her shoulders.
"That's fine. I'm not scared of hard work sir." She said seriously "He deserves the chance."
Prately shook his head, tapping the console again "You are lucky I know your guardian." He said quietly "Anderson is a good man, he speaks highly of you. Of your intelligence." He paused "Consider it done Shepard. You ship out with the Biotics at the end of the week." He got to his feet offering a salute and she returned it happily "Dismissed."
"I'll be back soon."
She pushed out her bottom lip and he kissed it with a smile, reaching a hand around to grab her backside through her jeans. She laughed, pushing him back roughly and Hobbs grinned moving back to her like the predatory animal he was, he pulled her to him, landing a suggestive kiss on her neck as he held her a moment longer before letting her go.
"Come on, you two make me sick." Crow complained, loading their duffel bags into the shuttle with stiff heavy throws.
Abigail smiled, they all looked good in their black armour, the special ops logo emblazoned on the shoulder. It faded as she saw Taylor make her way toward the shuttle, somehow the armour only made her look more beautiful as she flicked blonde hair over her shoulder – pulling it back into a bun before she climbed inside the shuttle organising the bags for space.
Hobbs didn't seem to notice the change in her expression though and moved to help Crow load up.
"Such a shame you can't come Abs." Taylor said from where she knelt, hazel eyes caught hers and Abigail felt herself flush with heat as she moved her shoulders.
"It's ok." She smiled weakly "You guys are going to rock."
"Hell yeah we are!" Hobbs cried, throwing the last of the bags onto the shuttle before he climbed inside, leaning over the seat to check the controls and dash "Crow, you still ok to fly this thing? Because I've only done that once."
Crow chuckled, stepping onto the shuttle and dropping into the pilot seat "I can fly this in my sleep." He said grinning.
"Boys." Taylor said, moving behind Hobbs and draping an arm over his shoulder as she leaned into them both "I'm the pilot here."
Abigail bristled, closing her eyes as they three of them laughed and joked, turning just as JJ made her way from the facility restroom.
"It fits!" She cried, a wild grin on her beautiful face as she pulled her strawberry blonde hair back and tied it in place "What do you think?"
Abby gave her a once over and nodded her tone faltering as she smiled weakly "Yeah. You look great JJ." She whispered.
Sensing her distress JJ pushed her hands into her hips, her gaze sliding from Abigail to the shuttle where Taylor still had her arm over Hobbs' shoulders. She didn't have to ask her friend to know what was bothering her and she cracked her knuckles through the black gloves.
"Don't worry Abby." She said quietly "I've got your six. Don't let it get to you."
Abigail shook her head feigning ignorance "Let what get to me?"
JJ's blue eyes twinkled knowingly and she smiled, the light dusting of freckles on her cheeks stretching as she shook her head "I'll keep an eye on her." She said firmly and Abby looked away awkwardly.
"I'm being stupid." She said quietly "I just wish I could be going with you guys."
"Make way!" Hobbs cried coming between them suddenly "Hot stud needing lovin'." He grinned pulling Abigail to him once more and she laughed as he kissed her deeply "I'm going to miss you Tempy." He said seriously and JJ smiled, squeezing her shoulder before she got into the shuttle "Give's a kiss like you mean it." He whispered and she shook her head.
"You had better stay safe." She complained, smoothing her hands down the front of his armour "And… remember I'm waiting for you." She added "Don't forget about me."
His smile widened "Not ever." He promised, kissing her gently, and then he let her go climbing back into the shuttle as the door was closed behind him. Shepard took a few steps back, wrapping her arms around herself as she watched the shuttle take off taking her world with it.
And then there were thoughts.
Like someone had opened a floodgate, or tripped a switch, and shone a light inside her head. Fragments of memory bumped and collided like hot shrapnel, faces and names and events all swirling into a mass as Shepard sucked a breath into her lungs.
"Commander?" The voice was female, distant and she frowned, her hearing was dull and fuzzy, like her head was underwater and suddenly she remembered the black – of floating into space – the pain that had ripped through her as she had tried to breathe and found nothing.
She sucked in another breath as her heart began to hammer against her ribs.
With effort she opened her eyes, the lids feeling like they were weighed down and the ceiling swirled and shifted above her.
"Commander Shepard, I need you to get up." The voice was back, a little clearer this time and she blinked, her vision slowly focusing as she gazed ahead at horrible strip lighting. She was in the medbay, she thought quickly, and then remembered the Normandy had blown up – she had seen it. She had felt it.
"Commander your scars are not healed yet but I need you to get up, this facility is under attack."
As the voice spoke there was a noise – a far off explosion that made the table she was on rock and she flattened her palms against it steadying herself as she jostled a little.
Groaning she pushed against the cool steel, forcing her muscles to move against their will as she sat up painfully. Her chest ached mournfully and she pressed a hand there, glancing around the room for the owner of the voice.
It was empty, a lab of some sort – probably an Alliance medical room she thought and slowly swung her legs around the side of the table. Gently she pressed bare toes to the cold floor – she thought of linoleum, but it was harder than that, colder too and gently pressed weight onto the balls of her feet.
They held – which surprised her – but she could ask those questions later as she slipped off the table carefully, still holding onto its edge for fear she would topple.
"Commander Shepard there is armour and a gun in the locker in the corner. I need you to get changed and arm yourself before they find you." That voice was back and Shepard frowned, wondering if it was in her head and then she heard the low hum and mechanical whir as a camera moved on the wall. She frowned at it – was someone watching her? Was that the voice?
"I need you to move Commander." The voice insisted again. There was an explosion somewhere deep inside the building and Shepard raised her eyes to the door, moving stiffly to the locker in the corner as instructed. She wrenched the door open and sure enough there was armour and a pistol on the top shelf.
With shaking hands she strapped the armour on carefully, grabbing the pistol and cocking it only to be confronted by a flashing monotonous alarm as it showed the chamber was empty. What the? She frowned, looking at the gun closer, apparently they took clips now. Great, she thought angrily how long was I out?
Holstering the pistol she turned, the sound of gunfire and explosions spurring her to movement, but she didn't want to move rashly, she wanted to avoid combat if she could – until she knew what the hell was going on.
"Go through the door Commander." The voice instructed "At the end of the corridor there is a weapons cabinet you can find thermal clips in there."
Shepard bit the inside of her cheek, she didn't like being moved blindly, but she had little choice at this juncture and so followed the instructions. Beyond the door a long corridor stretched with glass windows on each side showing labs much like the one she had come from – at the end as promised a weapons cabinet waited and Shepard found she was able to run, even under the heavy armour as instinct told her to get armed and fast.
Filling up with clips and pushing some into the large pockets on the legs of her armour Shepard cocked the gun, smiling with satisfaction as the screen flashed green and she readied it as she started through the only door out of the corridor.
"Commander Shepard I need you to proce-" The voice cut off suddenly as the sound of static and white noise interrupted the feed and Abigail frowned, both thankful and distressed that the voice was no longer ordering her around.
She moved carefully but quickly down the corridors, every room looked the same, white and clinical – a locked door to her left but the door on the right swung open and she flinched as a noise behind her caught her attention.
"Commander Shepard?!" A male voice called and she turned back around, staring into the room she had just entered. Hunkered down against glass panelling a man was looking at her as though she were a ghost while across the balcony some kind of robotic mechs fired on him. She moved to him, ducking down behind the plexi-glass beside him. He looked handsome, in that rugged soldier-type way, his features defined and sculpted muscle inside a black and white armour suit.
His dark eyes held hers inquisitively and she frowned "Who are you?"
"My name is Jacob Taylor." He said shakily "I didn't expect to see you up and about. Things must be bad if Miranda chose to wake you up now."
"Who?" Shepard frowned and then winced at the pain it brought "Where am I?"
He smiled, almost apologetically and she felt anger flare in her guts "We can answer these questions once we get out of here." He said "We need to deal with these mechs first."
Shepard frowned, frustration choking her words as she slammed the gun into the holster at her hip and wrenched to her feet. Without really thinking about it she threw out a blast of biotic energy, the rush of adrenaline threatening to overwhelm her as the power roared out of her like a freight train slamming into the mechs at the other side sending them jarring and sparking and exploding against each other.
She blinked, looking at her hands and then looking at Jacob who was still crouched on the floor.
"Whoah." He breathed, pulling himself to his feet slowly.
"Yeah." Shepard agreed, and then the momentary shock left her as she whirled on him "Where the hell am I?" she demanded hotly "The last thing I remember is the Normandy blowing up – where are my crew?"
Jacob raised his hands carefully as he shook his head "Look I can tell you what I know, but I'm not privy to the details Commander." He met the intensity of her blue eyes and his voice quaked a little "The Normandy went down, most of the crew made it out alive – some engineering staff didn't and Navigator Pressly was KIA."
Shepard took that in quickly, her vision darkening as she pressed a hand to the railing – any deaths, no matter the class of the crew member was a death she could have prevented, should have prevented. She was their Commander dammit.
"And the rest of the crew?" She pressed "Foster? Kaidan Alenko? The alien crew members?"
Jacob shook his head "I don't know about them Commander – look if you come with me we can get off this station and I can find someone who can answer that for you."
"What station?" Shepard asked, there was no way she about to just follow this guy because he appeared to be on her side.
"You're on a space station." He said patiently "After the Normandy went down you were brought here and spent a lot of time in a comatose state, they rebuilt you Commander."
Shepard caught her breath "They what?" She asked sharply "Did you just say they rebuilt me? How badly injured was I?"
"Badly." A new voice filled in, female, and Shepard flinched turning as a woman came through the door she had earlier holding a wounded side. She looked to them, her face ashen and distinctive, the blue tattoo of turian design stretching over her cheeks and bridge of her nose. Something about her pulled at a memory and Shepard frowned, she had seen this woman before somewhere.
"I recognise you." Shepard said carefully and the woman nodded, lengths of long dark hair with a contrasting, natural white streak down one side fell over her shoulders.
"I remember you Commander Shepard." She said breathlessly "I was at the hospital following the battle on the Citadel."
Hobbs, Shepard thought desperately and she struggled to keep her thoughts from racing as she shook her head.
"You're Alliance." She said bluntly "This is an Alliance project?"
"No." The woman said gently "No Commander. You were in a bad way when we received your body, no expense was spared to bring you back – but it had nothing to do with the Alliance." She shuddered "I worked on the project Commander."
Shepard moved to her "You're injured." She said "Where can I get you seen to?"
"I…" The woman shook her head "There are medigel dispensers in the next room." She suggested.
"What's your name?" Abigail asked.
"Nev." The woman breathed "People call me Nev."
"Alright Nev." Shepard said nodding "You come with me." She turned to Jacob "I don't know you – you come with us you stay in front you get me? I don't want you at my back."
Jacob held up his hands "Sure thing Commander." He said easily "It's this way to the shuttles."
"Lead on." Shepard said firmly.
He gave her a brief smile, as though he had been expecting her to act this way and that unnerved her more than a little. She didn't have time to go through the details now, but something was terribly wrong about this whole thing, she could feel it in her guts.
Oh god, she thought as they pressed into the next room and Nev moved to a medigel dispenser unit please let my crew be alright, please don't let that part be a lie.
"Jacob!" Another voice sound and Shepard spun her pistol ready as a man lumbered into the room – he was bald and dressed in the same kind of white and black clothing as Nev – a uniform? Somehow it sparked a memory but it was slippery and she couldn't quite grasp on to it long enough.
"Wilson!" Jacob cried and moved to the other man, the exchanged words heatedly but out of her earshot as Shepard kept her eyes carefully training all three of them.
"This way!" Wilson cried suddenly and Jacob was moving after him. Patched up with medigel but still looking pale Nev moved after them and Abigail brought up the rear warily. As they pushed into the next room there was another explosion and the door ahead was blown open with a roar.
Ducking quickly Shepard took cover pulling Nev down with her, but the woman only smiled, opening an omnitool that shifted and changed shape to what almost resembled a crossbow. The sight of it made Abigail think of Hobbs with a sudden pang, he liked to mod omnitools too.
"I know how to fight Commander." She said firmly and Shepard have her a nod of understanding, not really understanding at all what was going on as the sound of gunfire burst into the room.
She glanced over the counter they were ducked behind to see mechs storming into the room, the machines were lithe and tall, made of white plate with black glass faces containing two glowing red rings for eyes.
"What are those things?" She frowned and Nev turned to her.
"They're… or they were security mechs." She said with a shake of her dark head "Normally they're here to protect us, but someone must have rerouted them somehow." She swallowed "I know this is confusing Commander but if we can make it to those shuttle I swear I'll tell you everything."
Shepard frowned, ducking as a bullet whizzed past her "You had better." She said firmly.
She turned, sighting a target and fired, the ease of the pistol was remarkable – and so too was her vision she thought frowning, she had never been such a crack shot before; in fact it was a bit of a running joke that Shepard always fired three times at a target – because the third shot was always the charm.
She was probably paranoid she decided as she shot down the last mech, but she just didn't feel right.
"Alright," It was Jacob getting to his feet as he crouched low and made his way to where Shepard and Nev were taking cover "It's just through these doors." He said dark eyes bright as he inclined his head.
Abigail looked at him seriously, every instinct in her telling her not to trust these guys – the black and white suits, the lab, the fact it wasn't Alliance. Something was going on here and she hated being in the dark about it.
The sound of more mechs rattled down the corridor and Jacob bit off a curse reloading his gun. Snaking low Abigail chanced a glance around the cover to see another squad of mechs marching into the room this time accompanied by what looked like stout mech-dogs made of the same white plate and she frowned shaking her head.
Now I know I've seen everything, she thought grimly.
She fired at the mechs, the black glass panels smashing with deadly accuracy and before she could turn on the dogs Nev brought up her omni-crossbow sinking two projectile bolts into their faces. She tucked into a roll, moving out of the way just in time as the jittering mass exploded sending a hail of hot metal spraying around the lab.
Across the room where he had been hiding the whole time Wilson got to his feet and started to hurry through the cleared doorway.
"This way!" He shouted back over his shoulder and Shepard hesitated, her doubts anchoring her feet as she gripped her pistol. Jacob turned back to her, his dark eyebrows rising as he shook his head.
"Commander?"
She blinked at him, getting to her feet slowly as Nev hurried along the corridor after Wilson. Jacob turned, nodding as he jogged after them and Shepard moved swiftly following. By the time she rounded the corner Wilson was hacking a lock on a door, Jacob and Nev standing point guarding his back.
The doors opened with a hiss revealing a dark headed woman in the same black and white attire. She took one look at them raised her pistol and shot Wilson in the face.
Shepard backed up, raising her pistol in defence while simultaneously pushing Nev to cover.
Instead of firing though the newcomer holstered her weapon and raised an eyebrow at Abigail.
"Commander." She said evenly "We finally get to meet."
Jacob stepped into her, his face a picture of paled shock as his wide eyes looked to the crumpled body of Wilson on the floor.
"What the hell Miranda?" He shouted and for a moment his reaction relieved Shepard, if he was as shocked as she was that was a good sign.
Shepard frowned, she recognised the woman's voice as the one on the speaker before and shook her head "What the hell was that? Why did you kill Wilson?"
The woman shook her head "He was behind this attack." Her dark eyes moved to Jacob "I'm sorry Jacob." She said, almost sincere – but Shepard didn't buy it, she didn't buy a whole lot about this woman and that bothered her more than a little.
"Who are you?" Shepard asked, still not lowering her pistol yet and the dark eyes came back to her unreadable.
"My name is Miranda Lawson." She said, her voice thick and heavy with an accent "I'm the project leader for Lazarus. Nev is my assistant. Jacob is head of our defence." She shook her head "Our boss is eager to speak with you now you are awake Commander."
Reluctantly Shepard lowered her gun "Where am I?"
Miranda narrowed her eyes at her "Not now Commander. We have to get off this station while the mechs are out of control. We spent a lot of money bringing you back to lose you now."
Shepard balked, she didn't want to go anywhere with these people "I'm not about to jump in a shuttle with you." She ground out "I don't even know who you are."
Miranda smiled cooly "Your choice Commander, but this is the last shuttle from this station, and I imagine due to the extensive sabotage it will likely be purged. So you can either get in the shuttle and let me answer your questions or you can sit here and wait for the bombs to go off." She raised an eyebrow "Your choice."
With that she turned on her heel – an actual heel, Shepard noticed at the end of long shapely legs, and strode toward the parked shuttle.
Abigail glanced to Nev who moved after Jacob and Miranda hurriedly and slowly, with a heavy sigh she holstered her gun and jogged after the two of them.
Taylor bounced on the balls of her feet, blonde pony-tail swinging wildly as they circled each other. She moved fast, but Hobbs was faster countering each of her blows easily with an infuriating smile and laugh. She feigned a blow to the side, using his block to get inside his defences and hit him in the face but before she could defend herself from the counterattack he had her, his arm catching under hers and lifting her from her feet as he slammed her onto the mat, pinning her beneath him.
Abigail closed her eyes, turning instead to look at JJ and Crow as they sparred. Why did he have to get teamed with Taylor? She swallowed, choking on that thought as Taylor's high laugh rang out in the gym hall.
When she looked back round Hobbs was heading toward her, wiping his brow with a bandaged hand. He smiled and for a moment Abigail felt her spirits lift as he sank to sit on the bench beside her taking the water bottle from her hands and drinking.
"You should come and show her how it's done." He smiled and Shepard moved her shoulders.
"How come you got paired with Taylor?" She asked trying to keep it casual but there was a weight behind the question he didn't sense. He shrugged. Screwing the cap back on the bottle and setting it at his feet.
"I guess they saw us back in training." He said off-handily "She's about your height. Maybe they thought she would you know-"
"Replace me?" Shepard asked and he looked at her, his mouth curving into a wild grin.
"Are you jealous Tempy?" He joked, poking a finger into her ribs "You want me to throw you on a mat?"
She recoiled from the humour, shaking her head as she gave him a small smile "You could try Hobbs." She said bluntly "Once."
"You don't have to be jealous baby." He said gently, his hand moving to her knee "This is just work."
She shook her head "I'm not." She insisted trying to stop her face turning red at the blatant lie, turning her gaze back to Crow and JJ as they wrestled "Crow seems to be having fun."
Hobbs chuckled "Yeah. They should really just have sex and get it over with."
"Hobbs!" Taylor's voice called and he groaned, raising his eyes to look at her "Call for you."
Abigail bristled as he got to his feet and jogged to the end of the gym where a console was set up. Taylor moved to sit beside her, taking the same water bottle and drinking from it heavily.
"He's so funny isn't he?" She asked, and Abigail kept her eyes carefully on Hobbs' back as she nodded. "When we were on our last mission he spent the whole night talking about you."
Shepard smiled and turned to look at her. "He did?"
"Well," Taylor frowned "Not about you specifically. He was telling me about all the things he finds weird about biotics." She laughed, getting to her feet as she screwed the cap back on the water bottle "He was saying how much he missed normal sex – it was so funny." She laughed again, flicking her pony-tail over her shoulder as she dropped the bottle back in Abigail's lap "Hobbs!" She shouted and Abigail slid her gaze back down the gym as he turned to look at Taylor "Round two, hurry up!"
She heard him come in. In the darkness of the apartment she could hear him walking gently up the hallway trying to be quite. She heard the noise of his duffel bag hitting the floor, of him removing his boots, of feet on the bedroom carpet as he crept around to his side of the bed. She wiped her eyes, the tears still threatening and choked back a sob as he drew back the duvet and climbed in next to her.
His hand wandered over the bed, curling round her waist as he pressed himself to her kissing her hair gently "You awake?" He whispered and she stiffened not sure if she should answer. Her silence betrayed her though because she also held her breath.
"You left." He said curiously "I wondered where you went."
You sure didn't come looking for me, she thought angrily and swallowed that remark, taking a shallow, steadying breath.
"Tempy?" She felt his breath on her ear and closed her eyes; he cleared his throat putting on his best dog-whine impression "Tempy?" He tried again, the voice would normally make her smile, but tonight it left her cold against him.
"Have you been talking to Taylor?" She asked and he froze, in the darkness she couldn't see his face and so wished she could – she had to see his reaction, to gauge whether he was lying or not.
"Talking?" He shook his head "What do you mean? Yes, no. I mean I talk to her, sure – why?"
"Nothing." Abigail said firmly "Doesn't matter."
"Did I do something wrong Tempy? It's like -10 in here." He pressed and she turned away from him a little more, hunching her shoulders so he couldn't come any closer. "Abigail?"
She set her jaw, her eyes welling with tears as he hesitated and then slowly turned around so his back was to her. She chewed on her bottom lip as she let Taylor's voice fill her head again, was that true? Had they been laughing about her? She closed her eyes as tears pressed from under her lashes and all she could see was Hobbs pinning her to the mat, Taylor's hands on his shoulders – Taylor's mouth on his and Hobb's relief that he was finally with someone normal.
Normal.
That word stung more than it was meant to and she sniffed, raising a hand to wipe her eyes gently. She could never be that for him, she could never be Taylor.
"We're shipping out tomorrow morning." He said gently "First real mission."
She blinked, clearing her throat gently "Really?" She asked and sensing an opening she felt him turn back in the bed toward her.
"Yeah." He said softly "I don't know how long for, a week or two at the least."
She took that in "Are Crow and JJ going?" she asked.
"Yeah. We're all going." He said quietly. "Look – I don't know why you're being so quiet Temps, but it's killing me – can we talk?"
His lips pressed to her shoulder and she closed her eyes, his breath whispering between her shoulder blades. He pulled her against him, kissing her cheek gently.
"Temps." He said abruptly and he coaxed her round onto her back "Are you crying?"
She resisted weakly, but he pinned her hip under him slightly so she couldn't wrench away.
"Hey, I'll not be gone long." He insisted "It'll be fine." He kissed her, persistent when she held her mouth frozen. Gently he coaxed her lips open, kissing her a bit more deeply "I love you." He whispered "Tempy, I love you."
She lay still, her eyes closed as he whispered over her, his mouth moving from hers to her throat and all the while she wondered if he had been doing the same thing with Taylor.
"You know something?" He whispered, his mouth curving into a smile "You know what sucks about you being a biotic?"
She froze, her eyes flying open in the blackness.
"I can tell when I'm doing this wrong because you don't glow blue." He sighed "What's wron-"
She didn't give him the chance to finish the sentence throwing him off her as she swung her legs out of the bed angrily. She heard him land on the bed, heard his shocked intake of breath as he called for her but she was moving blindly, grabbing for her coat off the rack and hurrying out the door before he could even get to his feet.
When JJ answered the door she was dressed in her pyjamas. She looked Abigail up and down, dressed in her own cotton pyjamas with a long jacket wrapped around her and nothing on her feet before she ushered her inside.
It took some time for Shepard to calm down enough to talk, and when she finally did they were sitting in JJ's living room curled on her sofa with a hot cup of tea each. She told her what Taylor had said, told her what had happened and why she had ran and JJ listened quietly, contemplatively before she answered.
"Hobbs would never say that." She said firmly.
Shepard shook her head, sipping her tea "I thought that too. But I don't know JJ. I feel like I hardly know him."
She raised an eyebrow, pushing her red hair behind her ear "Abby – Hobbs might be an outrageous flirt, and he might have had a reputation at one point, but there is no way he would have said that to Taylor. He doesn't even like her that much. He works with her because he has to."
Abby swallowed "But you like Crow…" She said quietly.
"Yeah." JJ nodded "I do. Not that it does me any good. The guy is thicker than ten short planks – but I liked him before. Being partnered up doesn't mean we're going to end up together. Taylor is a pain in the ass, to no-one more so than Hobbs." She shook her head "I don't even think I have seen him talk to her on down-time. He spends most of his time writing in this journal that he carries around." She frowned "It's this little red leather book – I have no idea what he's doing but any time we're not working that is what he does."
"You think?" Abigail asked and JJ smiled.
"Hobbs used to tell Crow how much he loved your biotics Abby – like… loved them, you know. The way guys talk about that kind of smut. Why would he suddenly turn around and say that?"
She shook her head "I don't know JJ." She moaned pressing a hand to her forehead "I don't know what to think anymore."
"Maybe you should try asking him." She said gently "Hobbs would never lie to you Abby."
"I must sound like I'm going crazy." Abigail smiled apologetically and JJ shook her head.
"You sound like you're in love." JJ assured her gently "And like you're scared you're going to lose it."
Before Abigail could roll her eyes there was a heavy knock on the door that made both women flinch anxiously. JJ got to her feet, padding through the hallway and a moment later she could hear a rich, worried voice talking far too fast and she closed her eyes.
"She's here?!" The voice exclaimed and then there was the sound of rushed footsteps, and Abigail opened her eyes to see Hobbs coming into the living room. She expected him to be angry, but he moved to her quickly, dropping to his knees in front of the couch and pulling her against him in relief.
"Thank God." He breathed and she steadied her cup of tea as she wrapped an arm around him burying her face into the leather of his jacket.
"They found a body downtown while I was looking for you." He whispered "Don't ever do that to me again Tempy."
"Alright." JJ's voice broke them apart and Hobbs looked to her seriously "You're here, so you might as well get your heads down." She sighed "Take the spare room." She made to leave, lifting her mug of tea as she went. She paused in the doorway, glancing back to them "And if there is hanky-panky – which knowing you Hobbs… keep it down. My neighbours are much less accommodating than yours." She drawled rolling her eyes at the grin she received from Hobbs before she padded down the hallway to her bedroom.
Two years.
Shepard dipped her head under the hot spray of the shower and pressed her palms to the cold tile.
Two years.
When they had first told her she had thought she would faint. She had been gone for two years. Two years of her life she had just, stopped, while the world moved without her.
She closed her eyes, the spray washing the tears away as she turned, wetting her hair gently. It was shorter than it had been and felt wiry to her – she missed it trailing down to her hips, instead it barely passed her shoulder blades. Looking at her feet she ran her fingers over the faint pink traces of scars over her skin – a great line up her chest that marked between her breasts like a zipper, a dozen pink marks on her arms and legs where incisions had been cleanly finished – what the hell was she?
She felt like a monster, some kind of abomination dragged back from the dead. Was she a walking corpse? An AI with personality implants? She shuddered, pressing her back against the wall as she slid to the floor gathering her knees against her chest. She flexed her hands, feeling the tendons move and stretch and even that seemed unfamiliar – alien.
Two years.
Miranda had answered as many questions as she could. She had told Abigail about the crew being disbanded and her reports discredited but could offer no details on where people were or even how they were doing. She had offered little information on their own resources except to say they were Cerberus – a name that rattled every fucking alarm inside Shepard at once.
She had dealt with Cerberus before, they had killed Admiral Kahoku, they had performed sick experiments on humans and aliens alike and they were hailed as terrorists within the Alliance. She doubted two years would have changed much of that reputation.
Was she another sick experiment?
Towelling herself Shepard looked over the clothes that had been left for her; this facility was nothing if not organised and she was grateful to have the time to gather her thoughts before they met with the Head of Cerberus, this Illusive Man Miranda had mentioned.
Stupid name, she thought tugging the vest on I bet he's actually called something like Francis; or Lindsay. She smirked, tugging the combats up over her hips, pausing as she discovered another scar cresting the curve there – but it was a real one, a familiar one. She had gained that scar when she had fought Saren and his geth on the Citadel. She ran a finger over the white line, drawing strength from the sight of it – maybe there was some of the real her still there after all.
When she exited the small room Miranda and Jacob were pacing. She wished she had insisted on keeping her pistol feeling decidedly vulnerable as she looked to each of them and then to Nev who stood at the observation window with her arms folded.
"The Illusive Man is waiting Commander." Miranda said pointedly and Shepard bit the inside of her mouth to keep from speaking. The dark haired woman glanced pointedly to a door behind her and Shepard nodded, pushing past her and heading into the room.
The room was darkened, the only light coming from the stairwell she had just climbed down and a blue ring in the middle of the floor. Slowly she approached it, glancing for this Illusive man, but the room was empty. Stepping into the ring immediately she heard the whir of mechanics and froze as an orange net of scanning web came up around her, making her narrow her eyes against the brightness painfully.
As she watched on gradually a holo appeared, the shape of a man in a chair flickered into focus but he was in shadow the backdrop behind him of a roiling mass in space casting him almost in silhouette.
Figures, Shepard frowned, quirking her mouth as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Commander Shepard." He said, and his voice was rich and soft, the hint of too much whisky and smoking there in it's rough tones.
"Illusive Man." She rolled her eyes "Here was me thinking we would be meeting face to face. Got to figure a Cerberus sissy would hide behind a holo."
He didn't move as he took in her words, but he didn't take the bait either, simply inclining his head as a trail of cigarette smoke filtered from his mouth "A necessary precaution." He said stiffly "Not unusual for people who know what you and I know."
She frowned, jutting out a hip as she sighed "If you think I'm going to trust you because I woke up in one of your facilities you are sadly mistaken." She said tightly "What do you want?"
"You need to put your personal feelings aside." The Illusive Man scolded and she balked, her eyes widening "Humanity is up against the greatest threat of our brief existence."
That caught her attention, as much as she hated the hook it sank into her Shepard swallowed "The Reapers." She said, already knowing it was the answer. She knew it wasn't over and now she had lost two years and lord knows what else in the fight against them, how much time did they have?
"Good to see your memory is still intact." The Illusive man commented "How are you feeling?"
Shepard narrowed her eyes at him "That is none of your damned business. I asked you a question before, what do you want and what does the Reapers have to do with it?"
There was a pause as the Illusive man got to his feet, the shift of angle allowing her to see a slice of pink cheek, a smart shirt under a jacket "We're at war." He said archly "No one wants to admit it, but humanity is under attack. While you've been sleeping entire colonies have been going missing. Human colonies."
Shepard caught her breath, she wasn't about to take anything this man said at face value, but she knew she couldn't risk disbelieving him if the Reapers were involved. She had to at least investigate it herself first.
"We believe," The Illusive man continued "It's someone working for the Reapers, just as Saren and the Geth aided Sovereign. You've seen it yourself. You bested all of them. That is one reason why we chose you."
Shepard frowned, he was placing a lot praise at her feet she didn't deserve "Fighting a war doesn't sound like the Cerberus I remember." She said hotly "What's in this for you?"
The Illusive Man chuckled and that got her hackles up "Cerberus is committed to the advancement and preservation of Humanity." He said patiently "Of course we'll take up arms when the Reapers threaten us with extinction."
Shepard shook her head "It doesn't sound like the Reapers. They were out to harvest all life, why would they just be targeting a few human colonies?"
"We don't know why." He said, and at least it sounded honest and sincere "The Alliance are doing little to investigate because the attacks appear random and they are so focused on the new politics of the Citadel they are forgetting to add up the numbers. Hundreds of thousands of colonists have gone missing. We don't know why they are suddenly targeting humanity – maybe you got their attention when you killed Sovereign?"
Abigail swallowed, glancing to her feet; she didn't want it to be that. She didn't want those numbers on her conscience. "If what you are telling me is true, then I want to see proof. If you think you can feed me lines and then point me in a direction to go start killing you need your head examined."
"I would have been disappointed if you had just agreed." The Illusive Man said lightly "I have a shuttle ready to take you to Freedom's Progress, the latest colony to be abducted. Miranda and Jacob will brief you."
Shepard snorted "Are you kidding me?" She shook her head "I'm not going anywhere with a gun for hire and a trigger-happy cheerleader. No way. You want me to work for you I get to pick my team."
There was another long silence and then he sighed "At this juncture Commander that is not possible, I would need time to gather dossiers and make contact with them. I suggest you go with Miranda and Jacob for now to Freedom's Progress, find out what you can, look for anything connecting the attack to the Reapers – with your previous experience that might be easier than someone who has never seen one." He took a long draw on his cigarette "I brought you back. It's up to you now to do the rest."
With that the communication winked out and Shepard stared after the flickering image a moment before she turned back to the stairs.