***Author's Note***

Second time I've had to edit this :(

Anyway! Chapter one of the sequel is here! I'll keep posting here because it's easier ^^

Thank you to Gamer072196 for their hard work!

Also, would people like a blow-by-blow of the missions and how the characters feel during them? Let me know!

Enjoy :D

Chapter 1 - Month 6 - Rain of Bullets and Fire

Faiza could not stop grinning to herself. And why would she? It was a glorious day! Well, for Mars anyway. She frowned for a split second as she remembered the storm warning they had for later on but shook it off as soon as it came.

I am so lucky! Her work with Liara T'Soni was going beautifully. The Prothean beacon had so much data that they had begun to store into the archives. Though, she wasn't allowed to see all of it. And Liara was an amazing archaeologist, the things she knew astounded Faiza to no end. And then she did work on top of what she was doing here, strictly asari business of course. And yet, she never seemed tired. Amazing.

And then there was the new doctor. She had only been there a week and had discovered so much about the beacon already. Not as much as Liara, of course. Eva Core was a stern woman and very vain it seemed. Her hair was always perfectly shaped, the way she walked was so acutely thought out it was as though it was programmed in her, and the speed she worked!

Faiza sat at a table in the cafeteria with a few younger scientists she had grown to like. They each had data-pads out, and each data-pad had something different on them. Something that interested each graduate. Hers, of course, held everything Prothean. Examples of their writings, concepts of how they may have looked (Liara had her own ideas on that), graceful depictions of their cultures. And every time she found something new, or if Liara gave her a little information on something she had found to do with the extinct species, her eyes would grow wide and she would lose herself in it for hours.

Her Omni-tool pinged a new message at her and she hastily opened it up. It was from Sandoval. another reason for her grin to get bigger, almost stretching from ear to ear.

"Aww, Faiza! You're blushing!" Amelia laughed behind her hand as the others looked up to grin at her. "Is it from 'Val?"

"Shush! And stop reading my messages." She pouted and opened her message.

Hey!

I'm going to be late for dinner. Engineering have kept me back. Something about cut wires and faulty systems?

Anyway, I heard you were busy with Liara and Dr. Eva today! Damn, they run you ragged babe. Hopefully Liara can get you that job on some other Prothean sites. Maybe I could come too!

See you later.

- 'Val

Blasted engineering!

"'Val's gonna be late, guys." She said with a deflated motion of her shoulders.

Kian laughed. "Good! I can have his rations!" Amelia slapped his arm with a giggle.

Yeah, I know. Two specialists at once is a bit insane. But seriously, I heard about the asari way before she even got here! She's really well known, and she's done some amazing research on the Protheans. I don't know zip about that Dr. Eva chick, but Liara T'Soni? She's the real thing. I'm attaching some of her advanced papers on Prothean culture. Read 'em. you'll be a believer too when you're done!

I hope she can get me that job too! And you'd better come with me!

-Faiza

"Anyway, I really need to get some sleep. I was sooo busy all day!" She moved to stand but at Amelia's saddened look she sat back down quickly. "Fine! I'll wait until 'Val replies, but then I'm gone!"

They cheered and Amelia smiled as she began to write a new message out to her own lover. Faiza began to read over her shoulder, ignoring Amelia's slight nudge to move her.

Hey stupidhead!

I won't ask what you're doing, since I hear you guys are propagating germs in the shape of a cold down there in storage. Look, I know your Prothean doodads are fascinating and all, but you guys have got to stop burning the midnight oil and keep regular sleeping hours, honestly! Anyway, I forwarded your latest findings to HQ on Earth and -

Alarms began to sound. The noise made Faiza's eardrums ring and hurt. she covered her head with her arms and looked around as everyone began to stand a rush for the doors. she glanced back at Amelia who was furiously typing even as she stood and grabbed Faiza's arm to pull her along.

It got difficult to breathe. Her chest tightened as it fought for oxygen. Her legs began to shake with the effort of moving and all around her people began to drop like flies. They cried out and made choking noises on the ground. Clawing at their necks and chests. Faces were turning blue.

And then she was joining them. She slumped against Amelia's still body. Her hands found her throat as her dark hair fell across her face. She gasped but no air filled her emptied lungs. Darkness clouded her vision.

Shit.

The fleets are mobilizing. Contact with some outposts had gone down. What the fuck is going on!?

Kaidan was sat in the waiting area of the Alliance's top facility in Vancouver awaiting news from the defence committee. A building, Kaidan had come to believe, Shepard was currently residing in. Residing being a point of perspective, of course.

Admiral Anderson passed him with no more than a acknowledging nod, escorted by a massive muscular man with a faux hawk. Jeez, they let in anyone these days. They disappeared around a corner and Kaidan relaxed once more into his seat. How long am I going to have to wait? What could they possibly debate over after what I just told them?

A part of him wanted to get back to the Citadel. He hadn't told anyone he was leaving and he was sure they were worrying about him. But then, that had been over a month ago. Maybe I should message her? She might be with the drell though...

He sat thinking about it for over half an hour. His Omni-tool glowing orange on his wrist with the message window pulled up. She wouldn't mind a quick chat, right? It was late into the sleep cycle on the Citadel though, the time being his main concern, of course.

As he picked up the courage and began his message, he spotted Anderson approaching again. The large man stayed back with a man with long blonde hair. Blonde hair he had seen on Horizon.

"Anderson." Kaidan met the Admiral and held out his hand. Anderson nodded and glanced over his shoulder at the blonde man. "Shepard."

The Commander turned warily and frowned at him. I guess I deserve that. The mans brown eyes narrowed slightly before he shook it off and met him in the middle. Actually, no. I don't deserve it. He's the one who was with Cerberus!

"Kaidan?"

Anderson butted in. "How'd it go in there, Major?"

"Okay, I think." Shepard put his weight into one hip and looked him over with a critical gaze. "Hard to know. I'm just waiting for orders now."

A woman with short auburn hair approached them then. "Admiral." Gesturing for them to follow.

"Come on." Anderson barked and began to walk away with Shepard in tow.

Kaidan grinned at the Commander as he passed, hoping to convey some sort of their past friendship. Before he died. The commander ignored him and followed the Admiral toward the doors that lead to the defence committee. Shit.

Kaidan felt the large man come to stand by him as he frowned at the retreating backs. "You know the Commander?"

"I used to." He replied with a heavy sigh.

They would be in there a while so he decided to sit again and wait for them to finish. Then he could straighten things out with Shepard. As he sat, the other man followed and sat beside him.

"So...how do you know Loco?"

"Excuse me?" Kaidan lifted a brow at him. "Who is Loco?"

"The Commander. I know you served under him...but then...you know."

"Yeah, I do. Uhh, what's your name again?"

"Lieutenant James Vega, at your service." He gave a cocky grin. "So, what's the story?"

"I'm not sure-"

A deep rumbling vibrated the chairs they were on. Earthquake? No. Another followed and then a horrifying sound that pierced his eardrums. The two men stood and looked around for the source of attack.

Outside, falling from the sky, were large fireballs. Dropping everywhere. No sign of a particular target. Just dropping into buildings and into the streets far below them. People began screaming and running for the exits, and Kaidan knew why.

James gasped and looked up at the cloud cover. Dark silhouettes emerged from them, long legs and elongated bodies. The Reapers. Kaidan felt like he was going to throw up, but he swallowed down the nausea and watched a Reaper land in the river nearby. What else could he do?

Red filled his vision. A deep, dangerous red line traveled from the Reaper and toward the building they were in.

"Get down!" He roared and threw himself to the ground, pulling Vega with him as he did.

A shattering blow rocked the building. Debris fell around him and the Lieutenant, small bits of rubble landing on them.

"We have to get out of here!" He stood and waited for Vega to gather his bearings. "We have to go now!"

He began to run. Down the corridors, down stairs, jumping over bodies, and skirting around walls. He hoped Vega was following but he dared not to look back.

"This is Admiral Anderson. Report in. Anyone?" The static was awful so Kaidan slowed to a light jog, Vega was beside him.

"Sir! Where are you?" He shouted through the comm. His voice wouldn't stay steady.

"Major Alenko? Is that you? What's your status?"

"I-uhh-We're okay. I have Lieutenant Vega with me. Orders sir?" He stood still among the debris of building and bodies. Fire licked the walls and the building shook with instability. But he would go back if he had too.

"I can't raise the Normandy. You have to contact them. We'll meet you at the landing zone. Anderson out."

Right. "Vega? Where's the Normandy?"

James stood from a pile of rubble where he had pried a rifle from a corpse. "I can show you." He nodded and lead the way.

They were running again. Through the lobby and out into the carnage of the streets. People lay dying in their own blood. Screams echoed around them. And always, there was the low screeching that came from the Reapers. Kaidan desperately wished to cover his ears and curl up like a kid. This...fear...was crippling him. He took deep breaths as he followed Vega past bodies and fires to calm himself. Each breath held the tang of metal and burning flesh. I did not make him feel better.

"We're nearly there!" Vega shouted.

They rounded a corner and there was the Normandy. It was bigger and meaner than it was from the time he had spent on it. One time, he would have called it his home, but now...after Cerberus had rebuilt it and its captain, well it was different now.

The spaceport was so close.

And then Vega stopped moving. He brought his rifle up to his shoulder and held it snugly, looking down its barrel with a keen and practiced eye. From around a corner, a hulking globular creature shuffled toward them. Kaidan wasn't sure on how to react. Until the thing brought up a weapon and pointed it at his face. Vega was quicker, pulling the trigger of his gun and putting holes in the things flesh. It screeched as it fell, its skin bleeding out a black oily ooze.

"At least we know they can die." Vega chuckled and lowered his weapon before turning to Kaidan.

Kaidan's eyes were wide as he looked at the alien corpse. More of them approached it and grouped around the dead. Sickening slurps and wet noises followed soon after as its kin devoured it. Kaidan's skin prickled with his biotics. This is madness. He raised a hand and set of a cryo blast. The ice formed a shell around one of the monsters and Vega spun, using his bullets to shatter it. the others stood and began to raise weapons and shambled toward them. More cryo blasts were followed by more bullets. Screeches preceded the dying. And then they were moving again.

"Major? Do you read me? I'm patching in Shepard."

"We're almost at the Normandy." More things came round and began laying on the bullets. "I still have Vega with me, but we're taking heavy fire." He ducked his head and ran from cover as he shouted over the comm. He desperately wanted the Commander to say something. A calm word of support and confidence...anything. But he never did. All Kaidan could hear was Shepard's heavt breathing as he ran.

"Husks!"

Husks? They have husks now?

Kaidan concentrated on taking down the enemy, using his biotics until his AMP's screamed at him to stop. And even then he kept at it. With no gun, he had no choice.

Eventually, the enemy had fallen and the coast was clear. They could run for the spaceport and await the Admiral and the Commander. With the two senior officers they would have a chance at fighting back.

Kaidan spared a brief thought for his own squad. The 1st Special Operations Biotics Company. They have to be safe! They were clever and skilled, they wouldn't go down without a fight. Maybe when he got a breather he could ping them and make sure they had survived.

Vega shouted as another deathly red beam traveled from the Reaper to a nearby building. The windows shattered and the resulting shards of glass fell to the ground. He glanced up at the Reaper. How are we meant to kill these things!? They were absolutely massive. Hulking, heavy black bodies, longs legs that landed anywhere without discrimination. The people below it must be terrified. And that...laser...

"Alenko!" James was shaking his shoulder, blood smeared his face, and pulling him to his feet. "We have to get the Normandy! Loco will be pissed if we come pick him up with something else!"

"Yeah...yeah. The Normandy." He followed after the Lieutenant in a daze. His skin itched from over using his biotics and a migraine was settling in. Jesus...

"Major Alenko! We're in sight of the spaceport. ETA: three minutes!"

He barely heard what was said as he watched a new Reaper land. The ground shook beneath him as he ran to the Normandy. It's doors were opening for them but they were still too far away.

A bullet buzzed past his face and he turned to fight back. His biotics flaring and making him wince in pain. James gathered what little ammo he could from the meager supplies scattered around the Normandy's dock and reloaded his rifle. There were so many!

"We've made it to the Normandy." He screamed into the comm. "Taking heavy fire-" And engineer had rushed out of the Normandy and took up arms against the enemy. His skinny arms barely holding the rifle before his head exploded in a fine red mist. "Oh, god!"

Kaidan signaled for James to retreat onto the Normandy. The large man frowned but took the orders and fell back, Kaidan close behind him. He debated with himself on bringing the body of the brave engineer but with the onslaught of bullets he couldn't take the risk. The blue eyes of the dead boy stared up at him with accusation.

The doors began to shut behind them when a red light lit up and the Normandy patched into his Omni-tool. He could see the battle taking place around Vancouver. Little blips of distress and minor details. The Normandy took of as soon as the doors had sealed themselves. Kaidan vaguely wondered who was piloting but with the smoothness and gracefulness of the ship as it departed under fire, he decided it could only be Joker. A warning sound came from his Omni-tool and he looked at the details. A lock on had been issued on a nearby dreadnought. It was too close to them. He patched into the ships comms and issued his orders.

"They're gonna take down that dreadnought! Evasive maneuvers!"

"Major? Kaidan! Damn it. They're in trouble." He didn't have time to answer as a shock-wave rocked the ship. He fell into some cargo that knocked the breath out of him. "Normandy. We're going to reroute. Do you copy?" Kaidan pushed himself up and shook his head through the pain. "Normandy. Come in!" Give me a second Anderson. He could barely make out what he was saying through the static.

"Normandy, this is Anderson. Do you read?" Kaidan sighed in relief at the lack in static.

"Admiral. What's your location?" he opened his Omni-tool and tried to lock on to his signature.

"By a downed gunship in the harbor. I'm activating it's distress beacon." Another second and a new blip appeared on his map of Vancouver. Five minutes away, tops. "Send support. We've got wounded down here."

"Of course sir." He sent the coordinates to the cockpit.

"Major?"

"Anderson? Do you read me?"

"Damn it. I lost-"

The line went dead and the Normandy headed toward the Admiral's signal.

"So...uhh...Kaidan. Nice to have you back...on the ship." Joker's voice filled the cargo hold. "Spoke to Shepard yet?"

"If you haven't noticed, Joker, we've had a bit of an issue. You know with the fireballs, aliens, and giant killer ships." He rolled his eyes and gestured to a few staff members to begin clearing up the cargo hold. They nodded and got to work, grateful for something to do. "Just go and pick the Admiral up."

"And the Commander." Joker said nonchalantly.

"Yes...and the Commander."

He sat on a crate not to far away from James who was nursing a bullet scrape to his left bicep. The two of them had just ran through Vancouver with no armour and no weapons, except a single rifle, and survived. He let out a shaky breath and let his migraine have a free reign for a minute, it was the only way to get it to leave.

The ship rocked as it avoided attack and got nearer to Anderson and Shepard.

"Cavalry's here, gentlemen!" Joker called and the ship shuddered as it came to a hover and let loose a barrage of bullets and small missiles. Joker had a way of over-kill.

The doors began to open and James and Kaidan stood to greet the Admiral and Commander. He spied Shepard and Anderson running for the ship, up a steep hill and vaulting over debris. Kaidan got handed a rifle and he and James lifted the guns to provide cover if needed. Shepard was sprinting, sheer determination on his face and a slight grin, his hair fell from its tie and streamed behind him. The Commander jumped and Kaidan grasped his arm as he landed to help him gain his feet. The Commander shook his arm away and turned to watch for Anderson. The Admiral stopped, just shy of the leap.

"Welcome aboard, Shepard." He groaned mentally. Why would I say that? It's Shepard's ship! The Commander glanced at him with a cocked brow and slight shake of his head.

"Thanks..." He said simply, his eyes back on Anderson.

"Shepard!" The Admiral called as two alliance shuttle landed back from them, pulling in the wounded soldiers the Admiral had mentioned.

"Come on!" The Commander growled.

"I'm not going." Shepard shook his head, the slight red lines on his face glowing. "You saw those men back there. There's a million more like them, and they need a leader."

"We're in this fight together, Anderson!"

"It's a fight we can't win. Not without help." The Admiral sighed and glanced back at the shuttles. "We need every species and all their ships to even have a chance at defeating the Reapers." He reached into his pocket and pulled out something shiny. "Talk to the council. Convince them to help us."

"What if they won't listen?" Shepard pouted, his rifle falling limp by his side.

"Then make them listen. Now go! That's an order."

Shepard laughed. "I don't take orders from you anymore, remember?"

Anderson shook his head before throwing the shiny object at him. Shepard caught it a looked down with wide eyes. Dog tags. "Consider yourself reinstated...Commander. You know what you have to do."

"I'll be back for you, and I'll bring every fleet I can!" He turned away and muttered a 'good luck' at the Admiral.

"You too, Shepard."

The Normandy began to take off, its engines whirring and gathering power. Kaidan watched Shepard who kept his eyes on the harbor of Vancouver. More shuttles were landing here and there. The closest ones were gathering civilians and loading them into the hold. Kaidan saw a small boy watching the Normandy before climbing into a shuttle beside a soldier. The shuttle took of slowly before picking up speed. The dull screech sounded as a Reaper appeared from behind a tall building. A red light in its center erupted outwards toward the shuttles. Taking out one and then the next with the small boy on board. Shepard turned and punched the side of the doors before stomping away, his head hanging low. The doors shut and they were away.

They were flying toward the relay, aiming for the Citadel. Kaidan took a second to send a quick message to Marie. Telling her what had happened and that they would be there soon.

"What the hell's going on? Where's Anderson? Where are we going?" James was shouting at Shepard. A bad move. The Commander ignored him, rage clear on his face. "Hey!" Shut up, James. Kaidan wanted to say but he just couldn't.

"We're leaving." Shepard said simply before approaching an armour bench and opening it up.

"Leaving?" The larger man stomped forward, ready to get in Shepard's face.

Kaidan sighed. "What's going on?"

Shepard turned and looked at them both as though they had lost their minds. "Are you two serious? Did you not just see what happened? Anderson want's us to go to the Citadel, get help for the fight." He shook his head, blonde hair sticky with sweat and blood.

"Bullshit! He wouldn't order us to leave." James crossed his arms over his chest.

"James...can you just not?" He muttered as he pulled out a chest plate. He set it down on the bench and turned to face the Lieutenant. "We don't have a choice!" He roared, much louder than was necessary. "Without help, this war's already over." He jabbed a finger into James' chest.

"Forget it! Drop me off someplace, 'cause I'm not leaving."

"Enough!" Shepard shouted and slammed his hands on the bench. "Don't you think I'd rather stay and fight?" The Lieutenant didn't answer. "We're going to the Citadel...you want out, you can catch a ride back from there."

James shook his head and turned away as Joker called over the comm. "Commander."

"Joker...that you?" He had a slight smile on his lips at the pilot's voice.

"Alive and kicking. got an emergency transmission from admiral Hackett for you."

"Patch it through."

And with that, they received orders to travel to Mars and the mess that was there. Today was going to be a long day.

The usually starry sky was filled with fire and smoke. Turian ships went down every other second and turian lives were lost every millisecond. Their screams filled the thin air of Menae as monsters roamed the moon's surface.

Garrus was fighting for his life. The most intense battle he had ever witnessed, let alone been a part of. His sniper rifle was hot to the touch from the frequent reloading and firing. He had never shot so fast in his life. Including his time on Omega, before Shepard had saved him. He almost choked at the thought of his mate but pushed it to the back of his mind. This was not the time to be thinking about his human.

How long had he been fighting? Too long. Their comms were down, they had no chance of calling Palaven for aid. No chance of sending distress signals out past the relay. though he was sure Palaven command had already done that. he glanced up at his home planet and held back a painful trill. A blaze of orange covered Cipritine, his birth place. His father and sister were there. His mother's grave.

A fireball landed nearby and he spun his sniper rifle to face the new threat. His team kept on at the those in front of them, providing cover for the other soldiers there. There were too many.

He felt a presence behind him and he glanced over his shoulder at whoever it was. His mandibles fell slack and he rolled onto his back, ready to defend himself. A...thing...stood over him. It's body was sharp and long, its head was crested, a familiar fringe and mandibles. A turian? A Reaper? He didn't know.

The thing made a metallic roar, an un-natural clinking mockery of the turian language. It stepped forward and planted its weight on Garrus' bicep, the sharp talons of its feet piercing his armour and puncturing his skin beneath.

It lifted its hands, metal claws glinting maliciously in the fire light. Garrus couldn't do anything, his body had seized up, his hand scrambled at the foot on his arm. The crushing weight making him grit his teeth. He was going to die. He shut his eyes, hoping his last thought would be of his friends and mate.

The thing roared once more and he tensed, waiting for the blow. But it never came. There was a wet sound and a small clicking and then something warm and wet dripped onto his face followed by a heavy weight. He opened his eyes and gasped. The things face was mere inches away from him, its gaping maw leaking a black ooze. He moved but something was between him and the monster. A body.

He rolled out from beneath the pair and looked down at what had saved his life. A turian. He pulled the body from beneath the Reaper spawn and looked the turian over. Its head lolled to one side, empty copper eyes and a bare face. Catius. Garrus bowed his head over his fallen second in command, pulling her body to him. He didn't know what to do. She was dead. There was nothing he could do but get revenge.

And so he stood and pulled his comrades weapons from her. He looked around the battle field and allowed himself a second to gather information.

He stood tall, in the rain of fire and bullets.

The hospital room was dim with the night cycle as Marie napped in the chair beside Thane's bed. He had woken for a brief second yesterday. The chemicals from his artificial coma wearing off as his body recovered from his surgery. It had gone well as far as she knew. His body wasn't a hundred percent healthy and it never would be. But it was better than it was. His new lungs provided oxygen for his blood, which allowed it to repair minor damage to his other organs. He was healthier and it showed.

Her Omni-tool beeped loud in the silence and she opened it up. The bright orange blinding her for a moment before her eyes adjusted.

It was a message from Kaidan. The words made her stand in shock before she sat beside Thane on his bed.

Marie,

Earth has been attacked. The Reapers are here. Shepard is with me on the Normandy, we're on our way to the Citadel.

Be there soon.

K

Holy shit! She bit her lip and looked at Thane. Should I wake him? She shook her head. No. He'll know when he wakes. She pulled her Omni-tool back up and typed a quick message.

G

Shepard is on his way to the Citadel. Get here if you can, Reapers are here. See you soon.

M

Hopefully he got the message and could get of Palaven.

The Reapers are here :]

Let me know what you think and if you'd want a blow-by-blow account of the missions!