#I'm having the hardest time writing Peebee's and Kallo's reaction to LJ so I'm distracting myself in other stories

[midnightswaltz]

WIP Meme

@theoriginalladya said anyone who wants to participate 

Tagging: always assume you are tagged if you want to do this. Please, let me know if you do!

I keep writing everything except what I want to for Nano, so now this is happening.

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  "So how's civilian life treating you?" Shepard hopped back onto the desk. Some of the datapads that had been barely hanging on before now clattered to the ground. Shepard ignored them. She pinned Ryder with a strained smile as if hoping she would ignore them, too.   "Uh, I'm working with my dad, so 'civilian' is probably not the best word for it."   "So, you two've made up."   Ryder shuffled her feet, twisting the beer bottle in her hands before basically ripping the top of it off and taking a long pull. "Yeah, sorta mom's last wish, I guess."   Shepard flinched. "Yeah, I'd just heard about that before…I'm sorry."   "Thanks," Ryder nodded, forcing herself not to look away. "What about your family?" Aside from numerous cousins on Earth, Reese had a mom, stepdad, older brother, younger half brother, and a niece. They had mostly been close at some point. "Have you heard from them? I mean, you were technically dead for two years."   "Not technically," Shepard rubbed the scars on her face. Her eyes looked off into the distance. Ryder just waited for her to come back to the present, trying to not think about what Shepard meant. "Anyway, mom and dad visited just after I turned myself in. They were relieved to see me, at least. Nolan hasn't responded to any of my messages. Cameron sent me one message. That I was not his sister and I should never speak to him or Lily ever again."   Ryder's heart broke for her friend. "I'm sorry, Reese."   Shepard shrugged. "He's always been mad at me since I took our stepdad's name. Just trying to find an excuse to cut me out. I guess I should be relieved it only took murdering three hundred thousand people for him to do it."   "If it were that simple, they would've already had a very public trial and execution," Ryder said.   Shepard narrowed her eyes at Ryder. "Is that why you're here? To get the scoop."   Ryder snorted. "I'm not a narc or a journalist. I came because…I don't have a lot of friends and there wasn't much time left."   "What do you mean?"   "You heard of The Andromeda Initiative?"   "That insanity of Jien Garson's?"   Ryder laughed. "I'm not sure you're one to talk, L.T."   Shepard's eyes widened. "You're not…"   "They're calling my dad a Pathfinder. My brother and I are on his team. It'll be our job to find a permanent settlement for humans in Andromeda. Launch is next Friday."   She leaned back on the desk. "Well, that's a Merry Christmas."   "Yup…," Ryder tapped her fingers on the beer bottle. She needed to explain, but it was hard.