A\N: Shepard was just rushing through ME1 in the last chapter and Cerberus wouldn't really know about how Shepard was acting. As to some of the other weird actions like why she wasn't excited to see her crew will come out later. (Partially because only one of them had died.) And to the person who said it was just another convenient time travel story, I read several of them before I published this, and they weren't so much of a time travel story as they were putting Shepard A into Shepard B's body and universe after Eden Prime. And in the codex it says that dark energy weapons create space time distortions, and the crucible works as a giant one of those. It would be perfectly possible that the activation of something that uses that much dark energy would cause a massive time distortion that sent Shepard back in time, because she was at the heart of the blast.

Lazarus Station.

Miranda walked towards the room where Shepard was being kept, and inside Wilson said, "Miranda, we're sixty percent done. Shepard should be back among the living again in approximately two months time."

"Good. How are the cybernetic implants working?" Miranda asked.

"They're working at 110% of what we expected. Shepard will be even more of a force to be reckoned with than she was before she died."

"Good, we need to start working on Shepard's brain now that it won't die on us if it's left alone."

Lazarus Station one month later.

Shepard opened her eyes, and saw Miranda yelling at Wilson. She smiled at the Cerberus Operative, and tried to grab her arm, but Miranda noticed this and gently put Shepard's arm back on the side of the bed. Shepard tried to warn her about Wilson, but the words didn't form. Miranda was shocked by the Commander's actions. When she'd turned to look at Shepard there had been a huge idiotic grin on the Commander's face. She sighed and headed back to her quarters. While walking there, she wondered what was wrong with Shepard. They'd never met, yet the Commander seemed ecstatic to see her. She collapsed into her bed and quickly fell asleep.

Lazarus Station, two weeks later.

The station was rocked by an explosion, and Shepard was knocked awake by it. Over the loudspeaker Miranda said, "Commander, get out of that bed now."

"Sure, Miri. How are you?" Shepard asked.

"Now isn't the time for idle conversation, Shepard."

"Right." Shepard said while she pulled on her armor, and grabbed the pistol, and Miranda was surprised because there was no way Shepard could have known they were there. "How did you know to find your armor in there?"

"Well, when I was hunting Saren the people I went after on side missions always kept equipment in lockers like that. It was really weird." Shepard said while she took cover before the door exploded. She then sprinted forward and grabbed the thermal clips on the ground and popped one into her pistol. She then activated disruptor rounds and shot the three mechs that came in through the door. She then sprinted to the next area where she grabbed the grenade launcher and used it to kill the mechs that came through. She then took the lift down and sprinted through the fire. In the next area, Miranda said, "Get to our head of security Jacob Taylor. He'll guide you to the shuttle bay."

Shepard said, "Well, so far things are going normally." before she met up with Jacob and killed the mechs in the room. She said, "Taylor, we need to go. Wilson needs to have his ass kicked." before walking off followed by Jacob who was confused by Shepard's actions. Inside server room B, Shepard shot Wilson in the head, and continued through the station. She shot a group of mechs heads off before heading to the shuttle bay. Inside, Miranda was standing and said, "Where's Wilson?"

"Dead." Shepard said.

"That's good. Did you find any survivors?"

"No, everyone else is dead. I'm sorry, Miranda." Shepard said.

"There was nothing you could do. Wilson had sabotaged the security systems before you were up and on your feet." Miranda replied. In the shuttle, Miranda asked Shepard the same questions she had before the first time. Afterwords, Shepard asked, "So, Miranda, what do you know about TIM."

"Not very much. His file's incredibly well protected."

"Well, I'm sure that TIM is pleased with it. However, I had a few friends find what they could on him. His actual name is Jack Harper, his eyes were messed up by reaper tech, and he's completely insane. He honestly thinks that the best way to handle the reapers is to try and control them. Which, while theoretically possible, would require some sort of organic AI interface. And that kind of technology could have any number of unforeseen negative consequences." Shepard said.

"Who are your contacts?" Miranda asked.

"They aren't alive anymore. Died a while ago." Shepard said.

"That's unfortunate. I'd be interested to learn more the Illusive Man. But how do you know we work for Cerberus?"

"You had the Cerberus emblem everywhere."

Miranda nodded and said, "You have a good point there."

"Yeah," Jacob said, "what are you planning to do when you see the boss?"

"Give him a piece of my mind. The bastard made a few mistakes last time I had to deal with Cerberus. Maybe he'll even tell me where to find that bastard Kai Leng."

"What? You've never encountered Kai Leng before." Miranda said.

"Forget it." Shepard said.

"What do you have against someone you don't even know?"

"Not all of my encounters are open, even to Cerberus." Shepard growled.

"Of course, Commander." Miranda coldly replied.

Cerberus Cronos Station.

The Illusive Man turned his chair around when Shepard showed up in the QEC. "Commander Shepard." he said.

"Jack Harper." She replied, to his surprise. "Surprised that I know your name?"

"It isn't that important." TIM replied.

"Right, what do you want?"

"Human colonies are disappearing. I think the reapers are behind it."

"Why bring me back?"

"You've not just talked to a reaper, but killed one. You know them best, Shepard."

"Right, what else do you want, Jack?"

"Nothing. I just want you to help us end the attacks."

"Why should I trust you?" Shepard asked.

"We brought you back to life, Shepard. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead."

"From what I understand you just funded the project. Lazarus was handled by Miranda."

"And if she'd had complete control over it, you'd have a control chip in your brain."

"Care to tell me something I hadn't already been able to figure out or found out about through the multitude of terminals that were left lying around on the Lazarus station?" Shepard asked. TIM was surprised, but said, "The latest colony to be hit was Freedom's Progress. If you find enough evidence to prove that it's something that you think you should look into, then fine. But if not, then we cut all ties." TIM said.

"Right, I'll look into it. If I find enough evidence I'll work with you." Shepard said as she walked away. In the next area, Shepard said "Ms. Lawson."

"Commander." Miranda said.

"Tell me a bit about yourself, Miranda." Shepard said.

"We don't really have time for that, Commander."

"If I'm going to work with you, Miranda, I'm going to need to know you." Shepard said.

Miranda sighed, and said, "I can crush a mech with my biotics, or shoot it in the head from over a hundred meters."

"I didn't want a resume, Miranda. I wanted to get to know you as a person."

"I'm not looking for a friend, Shepard."

Shepard said, "Miranda, relax. I'm not going to try and manipulate you."

Miranda was surprised, and said, "Well, then you should know that I've had extensive genetic modification. Not my choice but I make the most of it. I'll probably live a time and a half as long as the average human and my biotic abilities are quite advanced, for a human. Everything about me was designed to be perfect. My biotics, my early training, even my looks were designed to give me an edge."

"It's hard, isn't it? Feeling like everyone expects you to be perfect."

"What would you know about it, Shepard?" Miranda asked.

"Ever since Akuze, the Alliance expected that I do everything perfectly just because I'd managed to escape the threshers and then killed them. Every last time I screwed up, it felt like the Alliance brass were angry with me." Miranda nodded, and returned to her work. Shepard walked over to Jacob and said, "Hey, Taylor."

"Commander, I'm glad that the Illusive Man talked you into working with us." Jacob replied.

"I don't trust Cerberus. I never will. I'm just doing what I can to help those colonists."

"Fair enough. Do you trust me, Commander?"

"You're a good man, Jacob. But you're working for the wrong people."

"I thought the same when I was with the Alliance."

Shepard laughed, and said, "The Alliance isn't as bad as it might seem. All that red tape keeps the people in line."

"Even in the Corsairs there was enough red tape to sink a cruiser." Jacob said, and Shepard just nodded. In the shuttle to Freedom's Progress, Shepard began working on a plan for when they attacked the Collector base. Quickly reconstructing the map of the structure EDI had provided, Shepard began working on it. Both Jacob and Miranda were in the passenger bay while Shepard was in the cockpit.

In the passenger bay, Miranda said, "I think Shepard's different somehow. She has behaved completely different from what the reports on her suggested. She hasn't been particularly hostile, but she also doesn't trust Cerberus. Do you think I could have screwed something up in the reconstruction?"

"Miranda, Shepard's fine. I'm sure that the data we had gathered just didn't mention how she would behave." Jacob said, while the shuttle landed, and Shepard came back into the passenger area. She pulled out her avenger, mumbled something about a typhoon, and then continued moving through the colony, ignoring the comments Miranda and Jacob made. When they found Tali, the quarian said, "Shepard? Is that you?"

"The one and only." Shepard replied with a grin.

"Prove it's you. What did you call Sovereign on Virmire?"

"Name or what it is?"

"A name, Shepard."

"Nazara." She replied.

"Wait, you're saying that Sovereign called itself Nazara? Why would it have a name in old Turkish?" Miranda asked.

"What the hell are you talking about, Miranda?" Shepard asked.

"Nazara is old Turkish for one who observes, or one who sees. Why would Sovereign have a name for itself in an earth language?"

"Probably just a translation from the actual name." Shepard said. Tali was satisfied with Shepard's information and agreed to help them. When they reached the heavy mech, Shepard said, "Miranda, hit that thing with an overload. Jacob, give us a barrier so it doesn't tear through our shields."

The Cerberus operatives complied, and when the mech's shields collapsed, Shepard fired two grenades into it. When the mech exploded Shepard grinned and headed straight to Veetor's location. After a brief chat and recovering the info on the Collectors attacking, Shepard took Miranda and Jacob back to the shuttle and left Veetor with Tali.

After her second conversation with TIM, and getting the new Normandy, Shepard set course for Jack's location, hoping to be able to make the convict not try to kill Miranda. She then headed to Miranda's quarters, and asked, "How are you doing, Miranda?"

"I'm fine, Commander. The mission to Freedom's Progress went extremely well."

"We lost four of the quarians, that isn't exactly what I'd call a stunning success."

"They disobeyed their orders and moved in too early. It isn't our fault that they died." Miranda said.

"Yeah, but I still feel bad about it. That was one of Tali's first command roles, and everyone else ended up dead."

"What makes you say that was one of her first command roles?"

"The way the team treated her. She obviously hadn't proven herself to be a leader in the eyes of that team. I've learned how to catch onto these details."

"Of course, was their something you wanted to talk about, Shepard?"

"Miranda, please, call me Sarah."

"Um, okay. Sarah, was their something you wanted to talk about?"

"Earlier you said that your genetic modification wasn't your choice. Who forced you to be modified?"

"My father did. He's an incredibly wealthy man, and he wanted to create a dynasty."

"What about your mother? What did she think of his plans for you?"

"I don't have a mother. I was made in a test tube. My father took his own DNA and his Y chromosome was changed with desirable traits from multiple sources."

"So, your father was a cold man, wasn't he. Raised you with unreasonable expectations, and eventually you got fed up and left?" Shepard asked.

"Correct. I didn't think I'd been that obvious about it."

"It's the only logical explanation. If you'd stayed with him you'd have had a life of wealth and luxury. Except he didn't treat you like a person. You were just a tool to him. But, that isn't everything." Shepard said, thinking of the Shadow Broker's files on Miranda.

"What tells you that?"

"You act as if all you are responsible for are your mistakes. You were made to be perfect, but you obviously think that you are far from it. And it isn't just something to do with how you've taken your life. Something more basic. It's all in your demeanor."

"The files didn't mention you were this good at reading people."

"They didn't because I didn't want them to. I made sure that no one put that detail in. It gave me an advantage." Shepard said.

Miranda nodded, and said, "You're not what I expected."

"I've heard that a lot. I've seen a lot, so I don't seem like what most people would expect a hero to be." Shepard replied, her eyes filling with tears.

"Sarah, are you all right?" Miranda asked.

"Just thinking about something."

"What?"

"Sorry, Miranda, this is something I wouldn't tell anyone. It's private. No one will ever know what it is."

"Not even Doctor T'soni? Your old lover."

"T'soni and I didn't become lovers. She wanted it, but I made it clear that I wasn't interested." Shepard said before walking out, hoping that Miranda would remember the night before they'd gone to the derelict reaper.

Shepard stood on the balcony in the turian councilor's mansion. She stared out into space, and Miranda walked up. The Cerberus agent said, "Sarah."

"Miri." Shepard replied.

"It's a beautiful view."

Shepard looked Miranda in the eye and said, "Not as beautiful as you, Miri."

Miranda looked uncomfortable, but Shepard continued, "Miranda, you're one of the best people I've ever met. You may work for a group that I despise, but you're doing it for the right reasons. You have a firm belief of what is right and wrong, and you let everyone know when you think they're doing the wrong thing. You always act like an ice queen, but you do so to protect yourself. The only time I've seen the real you are when I first woke up on that bed on Lazarus Station, and when you went and talked to your sister. I know you may not be comfortable with this, but I care for you Miranda. And I think you care for me."

"Yes, but now isn't the time for emotional entanglement. There's the mission at hand, and then the reapers. We could all be dead in a few days."

"If we're all going to die, I'd rather die with you at my side than alone."

"I thought you'd rather get back to T'soni."

"Liara and I were over before the Normandy was destroyed." Shepard replied, and Miranda was surprised. The Commander placed a hand on Miranda's shoulder, and gently kissed her. A few moments later, Miranda said, "Maybe you're right. So you better promise me that you won't die on me."

"I promise. We'll both see the end of this war with the reapers." Shepard said, holding Miranda close.

Shepard stared into space from her bed in the loft, when Chambers walked in and said, "Commander, Joker wishes to speak to you."

"Why didn't he have EDI tell me?" Shepard asked.

"Mr. Moreau doesn't trust me." EDI said, which caused Shepard to nearly fall over she laughed so hard. Both Chambers and EDI were confused, and Shepard was clearly not going to be able to explain. Or willing. When Shepard had finally quit laughing she asked Kelly, "What's your name?"

"I'm Yeoman Kelly Chambers."

"Kelly, thanks. EDI thanks for the laugh." Shepard said, before going to talk to Joker.