Ashley Shepard, Forgotten Hero

Chapter 3

"Stealth systems are online, we are invisible." I am standing next to Joker as we fly around, looking for any stray geth. "We have an unidentified ship on the scanners, it isn't geth or any of the ships from council space."

"Joker, make sure people know where we are, it's going to probably turn into a fire fight and I don't like the odds."

"Yes Lieutenant, and Ashley."

"Yes Joker," I say as I start to run towards the commander.

"Lets try not to die."

"We'll try Joker."

The next thing I know all hell brakes loose, I am in my suit next to Kaiden.

"Shepard will the Alliance get here in time?"

She turns to us and says," They'll be here, Kaiden and Ashley make sure everyone gets on an evac shuttle."

"Joker won't abandon ship!" I yell at her.

"I'll take care of Joker, go."

"Commander..."

"Go Ashley, go Kaiden." We hit the emergency evac button and we scramble to the shuttles. I look at the remains of the Normandy, it explodes and I notice someone flying away from the ship.

"Shepard!" I scream. I can't do anything to help her as we go the opposite direction. "Kaiden we have to help her..."

"Ashley we can't, she was a great women and we'll miss her." I cry into his shoulder and I fall asleep.

(Memory)

"You can't forget to get the access code, it is the only way people will remember."

"Why can't we let them remember, why do I have to be frozen!" I yell at the officer.

"I'm sorry Commander but we have to erase all memory of it so we can start fresh. Your friends will be frozen also but in different parts of the facility, so if some parts fail one of you should survive."

I feel my anger rising and I use my biotics to slam them into the wall. My voice echoes as I yell, "You can't decide what I want to do! You can't make me do this!" I feel a prick behind my head and blackness creeps into my vision.

"I'm sorry Commander, but we have to do-"

"ASHLEY!" A boy yells as everything becomes more and more distant.

"Shit, I can't stop it. Ash listen to me, I will always love you. The separation between us isn't forever, I'll love you even after I die."

I whisper my final words," I love you too." Then there is nothing.

"Joker where is Shepard?!" I hear Garrus scream as I wake up.

"She got spaced ok! I tried, I'm sorry..." I hug Joker.

"Joker you could barely, can barely, move. He's just mad because they were dating, we'll all miss her. Don't blame yourself though."

"Ashley you remind me of someone I knew," he whispers.

"People tell me that, according to Garrus Shepard still feels guilty. I mean felt, felt guilty. I will never get used to saying that, ever."

"Same here Lieutenant, same here."

{Week later}

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T SERVE ON ANYMORE SHIPS!" I scream at the council.

"Lieutenant we want you to stay grounded for awhile, to relax and not be stressed."

I glare at them and I sit down next to Joker, "I can't believe they grounded us, I can't understand it. They take a great pilot and an ok soldier from the Alliance, what does it gain them?"

"You are an awesome solider Ashley, it's just you get a little to powerful sometimes."

"I know Joker, well lets day goodbye to everyone else."

I hug Liara first, "Are you sure you don't want to stay with me Ashley?"

"I'm sure, I think Joker is going to need all the help he can get too. I don't really want to be around anyone else, I guess I'm used to being in action so...."

"Ashley you'd be in action with me, just research and stuff."

"I'll stay with you a month, then I have to check on Joker. If you saw Commander Shepard get spaced, I think he might go into a depression Liara."

I am really worried about my friend, even though I'm like a lot younger than him I am still good friends with him. "Can we go Liara, I can't stand seeing Garrus."

I have silent tears run down my face as I wave goodbye to the crew that survived. I don't see Presley in the group and I frown, I learned a lot from that man. To many good people were lost that day, to many.

{one month later}

I knock on the door that leads to the apartment that Joker is living in, I knock harder. I use the skills I mastered as I've been working for the new Shadow Broker, Liara is the new one. I open his door after hacking the lock and what I see nearly brings me to tears.

"Joker!" I scream as I see a shadow of the man he use to be sitting in front of me. Piles of empty beer, wine, I bet every single type of alcohol is in this room. He isn't moving and he is barely breathing.

I dial the emergency health people and they come and rush him to the hospital. I run after them and I fall into a chair outside the hospital, please be ok Joker. Please.

I can't loose another person who knew Shepard, I rarely see Tali, Garrus just disappeared, Kaiden hated me, Wrex is to busy and hates me and I hate him back. So the only people I have are Joker and Liara, even though I work for her I rarely see Liara because it could be dangerous.

So please be ok Joker, PLEASE