Note: HI! …...Please don't kill me. So, I have some explaining to do.. I've been doing scheduling in my school, which is chaos, and dealing with some family issues regarding me which is also chaos, so I've been wrapped up in chaos and not in a good mood. HOWEVER I AM HERE NOW and I should be starting up on the stories again. I'm so sorry... I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU!

Part 1 – The Mission

James's fingers twitched over the trigger, standing uneasily near the door. He hated shuttles. Being so close to space.. Shuttles weren't even really designed to be in space for long, right? They would eventually collapse in on themselves. That was something that James was definitely not ready for.

He felt eyes on his back. And he didn't like it. The fact that Shepard brought them as well, it was a little hurtful. But then again it was unlikely that she even noticed the rivalry.

He spied at his squad mates from the corners of his eyes. Liara and Garrus. Two out of the three that Shepard was closest to. Two out of the many that would rather throw him out of the airlock than give him a chance. But then again, there was Shepard herself.

Sitting down on the bench off his left side. Her face was grim, like she was hyping herself up for another fight. He felt something tense in his chest. The fact that she's thrown herself out into every fight with her heart on her armor.

Slowly he slipped down in the seat which earned a few looks from the other team mates. But James was ignoring him. He noticed how Shepard's hair was still down. Thick dark locks hiding her face, her shoulders squared as her body was slumped.

She was exhausted.

Just when he felt the pressure to speak, she threw her head up, hair flying back and out of her face, her calm eyes focused on the door and she let out a sigh. He would rather die than admit he was startled from that, but it didn't help that his body jumped.

Her eyes closed slowly, letting out a breath and her head hit the wall gently. "Fuck.." "Shepard?"

Liara stood up abruptly, walking to the bench across. There wasn't much room on the shuttle, but enough for two benches. So the soldiers could look at each other. And this shuttle in particular could hold up to eight, if you squeeze them in real tight. Minus the pilot.

It was the first time that he saw affection in those cold purple eyes. Genuine concern. Shepard opened her eyes and they shared a moment. All three of them. Garrus was at her side, shoulder to shoulder leaning over to get a better look at her face. They looked so close. Shepard took Liara's hands in her own, smiling at her gently.

There was an acidic taste in Jame's mouth. His throat tight and his chest tighter. It hurt him to see that. They were all so close.. his grip tightened on his gun. Bringing his head down so he didn't have to watch that. He was an outcast.

"I'm alright. Don't worry."

"Shepard.."

"I'm fine, Liara."

Their voices were so soft. He gritted his teeth.

"Alright guys!"

Cortez's voice cracked through the suffocating moment and James actually let out a sigh of relief. A weight coming off of his chest and he leaned his head back against the wall. "We're here. I'm opening the doors."

Shepard stood up first. Popping her jaw she grabbed her assault rifle, hurling it over her shoulder, and James noticed that a Rifle was matching it. A pistol was on her only in a matter of moments. All the weapons clicking into place.

Fuck.

He'd heard about how skilled Shepard was. How quick she could draw a gun and fire off a clean shot through your eye, but he hasn't actually seen her use any sort of weapon before. It was like she was just using another hand. And that was just putting up the weapon.

She tilted her head slightly, enough so he could see the determination in her gaze. Liara stood up next, squaring her jaw and she seemed even more threatening. It was like someone smeared the paint on a work in progress. They changed. All these little subtle details that made them appear completely different. When Garrus stood up he was a little too calm for it to be normal, his intense blue eyes on the back of Shepards head. And that was when Vega realized he should be standing too.

He got up, nearly running into Shepard as he did. She glanced at him briefly, no written words in the way she looked. Just offering a smile and then looking out again. The doors were open, and the clearing was covered in bodies.

"Fuck."