She was coming.
His eyes snapped open as he was shaken from his meditation. Unsurprised, he found himself again on the beach where he had spent everyday since arriving. He sat quietly in the sand, his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. The salty, cool breeze coming off the water brushed against his smooth, green skin and the waves from the sea washed over the beach with a noise that was both soothing and exciting to him. The tide was coming in gradually, signaling the coming of the one he awaited. He fought the urge to stand and pace back and forth. He wished the sea would work faster.
His eyes began to scan the horizon. Only a moment ago he had been in the spacious, vista-like room, watching the battle rage below on his love's planet. He had watched through her eyes as she stood there in front of the Catalyst, listening to it speak. Its haunting voice echoed in her mind as it explained her coming fate. The flash of light from sudden fires and the muted boom of explosions surrounded her, adding to her stress. His warm and loving thoughts had flooded her mind and eased the tension in her body. She shut her eyes as if to lean against the familiar presence now accompanying her. The comfort he provided gave her the clarity she needed to make her final choice.
It had only taken her a few moments to decide. It was simple in the end. She would give her life for the good of all life in the galaxy. In her mind, there really weren't any other options. It certainly wasn't a choice she would've been able to understand under normal circumstances. In this place however, things seemed different to her now. Her mind was focused and clear, far more clear then it had ever been when it came to the kilometers-high, sapient, harvesting machines that were laying waste to her home miles below. The choice, she was sure, was not one anyone but her would've picked... but it was right.
Struggling against the pain in her body, she turned towards the the catwalk that would take her to her destiny. Her peripheral vision blurred, blocking out the faint blue and red glows coming from the strange devices to her sides. They weren't her goal. Quietly, she scanned the pulsing beam in front of her as if she were staring it down. She would face death with the same fire she always displayed when overcoming an adversary, and in the process, usher in new life for the galaxy far beyond her imagination. It would change everything. And she would never see it.
Her legs froze. She stood there, gazing at the beam as her mind hit a stone wall. It wasn't fear that stopped her, it was the realization of finality. These would be her last steps. There would be no more.
This was, finally... the end.
"You were made for this, siha. Come home to me."
The whisper in her head made her gasp. He had not intended to startle her, and in truth, he hadn't. His voice had been so clear. She was so near death, she could actually hear him getting closer to her.
Whatever life that was left in her, sparked with new purpose at the sound of his quiet request. Without another second's hesitation, she staggered forward. Her pace was slow for a long while until her pain began to numb. She sped to a jog that lead to a full fledged sprint. The beam was right in front of her and then with a leap, she threw herself into it.
There was no pain. She could feel her body fading away, being absorbed into the energy, but she did not suffer. As she leaped into oblivion, he consumed her thoughts, alleviating all her pain and erasing the fear in her mind. She was, however, surprised to see her life actually pass before her. Her mind lingered on countless faces; her late parents, her squad on Acuze, her crew on all variations of the Normandy, especially Garrus and Tali who had been the closest friends she had ever had in her life, Admiral Anderson who might as well have been her father for as long as she had known him, and Joker who had gotten into screaming matches with her countless times and then expressed how much he cared about her immediately afterwards.
Just as the last trace of her vanished, she stopped on the final face. It was the face of a man she had loved more than she had even thought possible. It was the same man who now gave solace to her mind. as she faded away, she knew beyond any doubts that she was going to see him soon. With slowly renewing joy, she whispered his name one last time.
Thane...
With a sudden jolt, as her soul left her body, he had been rocked back to where he sat on the beach, feeling strange and alone. He didn't like being separated from her.
Since he had died, he had been watching over her as much as he could, subconsciously comforting her and bringing her any kind of peace he was able to without being there physically. He had guided her as best he could, reached out to her in her movements of doubt and in her dreams. He could often feel her longing for him whenever he was watching her. Despite the elation he felt from knowing his desire for her was not unrequited, even in death, he had become more and more worried about her. She had come to terms with her own mortality not long after he passed. She had known it would be inevitable. She had even begun to welcome it. Once it was all over, once the Reapers were beaten, she would end, she would finally be at peace. Her purpose would be fulfilled and she would go to be with him again. It made him feel more than a little guilty - to be a reason for her yearning for death - but her mind had been set.
He contiued to search the waves in front of him. It seemed like he had been on that shore for an eternity waiting for her. Days would pass - or rather, the sun would rise and set. The sea would reflect a countless abyss of stars in the dark until the light came again. He knew that days and nights didn't really matter in a place like this. Time was irrelevant, it had no meaning. Things never grew old or died. It didn't bother him or even matter to him. "Time" simply passed slowly for him because he was still without her.
He wasn't alone. Beyond the shore, there we others. People he even knew, even people he loved. Whenever that rare someone would come to check on him however, he would refuse to leave. He wished to be left in his own world, one that was incomplete without the one he longed for. In truth, the people who had come were not really concerned about him. They knew he would never leave without her. They were only keeping him company. They knew who he awaited, and were just as anxious as he was to see her again.
When he had first arrived, he was pleasantly surprised by Mordin who had been taking a walk on the beach and singing something about seashells. They shared a quick but warm hug before Mordin sauntered off, humming his song. After him, he had welcomed Legion, of all people, as the robot waded through the water to where he stood, his mouth slightly open from surprise. When the geth reached him, there was a moment of silence before Legion grabbed him in meaningful hug that, despite being shocked, he returned gladly. After Legion, Admiral Anderson arrived, placing a hand on his shoulder, saying a simple, "She'll be here soon." After Anderson had left, he did nothing but anxiously await her with a renewed impatience, and here he still sat, resisting the urge to pace once more.
"You know, the afterlife was meant to give you peace."
The voice had come from behind him. It was Irikah. He looked up at her with a small smile. She stood at his side with a knowing smile. She was as beautiful as ever.
"I'm usually someone of patience," he said. "Not today."
She sat down next to him. "She will be here, Thane. You shouldn't worry."
Her voice was soothing, and he found his calm again within it. His reunion with his wife was a serene one. They found each other after he had met Mordin. No words were exchanged, only a quiet and tranquil understanding of each other. They smiled and embraced for a long time before walking to the spot where he still sat, waiting. He had not left for anything. She had come to him a few times, keeping him company, curbing his anticipation and bringing him temporary peace.
"I know. It won't be long now," he said, taking her hand.
"I am excited about meeting her," she said. "After everything she's done... she'll be remembered forever. She's a legend." He looked over at his smiling wife. There was genuine admiration in her eyes as she stared out to sea with him. "I know what you're thinking and I agree. She should've been a legend long before the end."
"The galaxy didn't give her the credit she deserved. And she still gave everything for them."
Irikah chuckled and looked at him. "You really think she was giving up much? She had you to look forward to if she didn't make it through. Knowing how she felt for you, I can't see why she wouldn't make that sacrifice."
He looked away with a bittersweet smile. He knew she was right, but it still seemed selfish for him to want her here when she could've gone home.
Irikah must have sensed his thoughts and reached out for his face.
"A body," she began, "is a small price to pay for eternity."
And with that, his bittersweet feeling was gone.
She stood an pressed her lips to the crown of his head, then left. He was glad she had come to see him.
It wouldn't be long now. The water was nearly reaching him, washing over the sand and bringing in some small shells. He shut his eyes again, trying to keep the anticipation from setting in. He tried not to think about how long it had been since he had held her, tried not to think about how much he had missed her. He tried not to imagine, as he often did, how wonderful her lips would feel against his after so long. He fought against the thought of how she would feel pressed against him again, how their arms would wrap around each other, and how her skin would feel on his.
Stop. The word had come like a shout in his mind. He was torturing himself thinking like this. She would be here soon. he only had to hold on a little longer. He pushed all thought of what their reunion would be like - and the ache he had given himself from lingering on her absence - from his mind and fell into a state of meditation.
As soon as his mind had become completely blank, there was a splash in the distance. It was different from the crash of the waves, more like the sound of the water moving against itself. Something was blocking the waves out in front of him.
His eyes opened to the sight of a dark figure silhouetted against the rising sun, standing in the sea before him.
He froze. It was her. He knew it was. He could tell without even seeing her face. The shape of her body, the way her hair blew around her, the way she just stood there, waist deep in water looking right back at him was all familiar.
He stood when she began to wade through the water towards him. The knee-length white mantle he wore flapped in the wind around his legs as he forced them to move forward. She broke out into a run, fighting against the water. He picked up his own pace and moved further out until his shins were submerged. There, he held out his arms and felt her run straight into them. He held her against him as tight as he could, lifting her slightly out of the water.
She pulled her head back from his shoulder just enough to look into his eyes. He stared with complete awe into her own tear-filled ones. She was more beautiful then he remembered as a smile spread across her tear-stained cheeks and lit up her glistening eyes. Instinctively, he met her lips in a tender kiss that was long overdue. One of her hands moved to caress the back of his head and he felt the familiar heart-melting warmth from her touch.
He had waited, and she had arrived.
Shepard...
A/N: This was inspired by "Across The Sea" by Aimo on devientart. If you haven't seen her work, you should really check out her page. She's fantastic.