William Shepard staggered back away from the crucible controls and back over towards Anderson, collapsing down onto the ground next to him with a small grunt, as he pulled himself into a seated position, the two wounded military men leaning against each other for support it what was likely their final moments together.

"Commander." Anderson remarked, his voice sounding tired as he glanced over towards William, then back ahead to the view infront of them.

"We did it..." Shepard remarked back, his own head lolling briefly in Andersons direction before returning to face forward as well.

"Yes...We did..." Anderson then sighed out a bit, grunting at the pain originating from the wound in his abdomen. "It's...Quite a view."

"Heh..." Shepard started before grimacing as well from the pain of his own wounds. "Best seats in the house..." He said as he looked straight ahead, glancing over the ship debris, then down towards earth. The planet he had fought for his entire career, even if he had never even seen it until he had joined N7.

"You ever...Wonder how things..." Anderson started before trailing off with a grimace. "Might have been different? How our lives...Would have been different if this...Hadn't happened?" He continued, his eyes tearing up a bit as he thought back over the events of the previous months.

"Sure..." Shepard responded, drawing in a shakey breath before Anderson continued.

"I...Never had a family Shepard...Never had children..."

Shepard then quickly cut in worried that his old friend was reminiscing before his death, and eager to avoid that. "There will be time enough for that now sir...Kahlee is waiting for you..."

Anderson then chuckled, followed by a bit of a wheeze. "I..I think that ship has sailed...What about you? Ever think of...settling down?"

Shepards thoughts then turned away from his dying friend, to the flash of ebony hair he had seen so long ago when he was first being rebuilt...The calming blue eyes...Miranda's beautiful face. She was perfect in every way to him, even if he knew she would probably hate hearing that from anybody. He then felt choked up with emotion, knowing that his promise to her would be broken. That his chances of returning were slim. That his string of luck...had likely run out.

A tear cut down shepards face, cutting through the grime and mixing with the blood. "Yeah...I think that'd be nice after all this..." He said sadly. "I'm...not sure I'd be much good at it though..."

"Sure you would..." Anderson rasped. "I think you'd make a great dad...Think how proud...your kids would be. Telling -everyone- their dad...Is commander Shepard!"

Shepard then chuckled, swallowing thickly as he was once again overcome with emotion, a small tremor running through his body. "I'm not so sure about that...Not everything I've done is something to be proud of..." He then thought back to the things he had done, the Asari on thessia, their cries of anguish as the reapers cut them down, not sure whether their sacrifice was in vain. Thinking back to when he had made the fateful choice to leave one of his men behind...To leave Kaiden on virmire. And then once more to when he had chosen to sacrifice the council...or order to have a better chance at taking down sovereign.

"God...Feels like years since I just...Sat down..." Anderson said, cutting shepard out of his increasingly depressing thoughts.

"I think you've earned a rest...Anderson?"

"Mmmm? Hmmmm..."

"Stay with me...We're almost through this..."

He then felt anderson shift, and glanced over. Seeing his friend and mentor look at him, his eyes glassy and starting to glaze over. "You did good son..." He said quietly. "You did good..." He then gained a bit of his old fire back briefly, meeting Shepard's gaze for one final time. William could see the resignation in his eyes, the finality of his words struck him like a hammer blow. "I'm...Proud of you."

Shepard then felt another tear drip down his face. "Thank you sir..." He said, swallowing again as he struggled to keep ahold his his emotions. He felt Anderson go limp at his side, his head lolling forward on dead neck muscles.

"Anderson?" Shepard asked, glancing over at his mentor before shaking his head sadly. His gaze looking back to earth, before trailing down to look at his bloodied hand as it futilely attempted to stop the blood gushing from his own wound.

Then suddenly a crackle of his communicator snapped Shepard from his dimming thoughts. "Normandy to the citadel! Normandy to the citadel!" Joker's voice called out, causing Shepard to chuckle softly. "Please tell me that's you Commander..."

"Is that you joker?"

"Commander, I'm picking up some strange readings...Like...Really strange... Like off the damn charts." The comm buzzed through.

Shepard then struggled to stand up, to move over to the controls to see what was happening, but he stumbled, smacking the side of his head against the hard floor. A flash of white filling his vision as any will to move left every bit of his body.

"Joker...Go!" Shepard called out with the last bit of force that he had.

Then the darkness that had encroached on the sides of his vision rushed forward, and darkness enveloped him for several moments, complete silence filling the air.

And then, suddenly he wasn't alone. His eyes fluttered back open and he blinked a couple times. He was still in the Citadel, exactly where he had fallen seconds ago. Only now...Miranda was there, looking down at his with her hands on her hips, giving him the same look he had seen on her face when he had first pointed a gun at her, judging him...sizing him up.

"So your really going to break your promise to me?" She asked, her voice carrying the same judgmental tone.

"I..." He started, fumbling for words as his brain refused to work right. "I...Don't want to...But...I'm done Miranda...Hell, I can't even move..."

She shook her head at him, then chuckled a bit. "I never thought I would see the day that the mighty commander Shepard, would give up."

"I'm not giving up!"

"Then wake up."

He then dimly heard voices, blinking again Miranda was suddenly gone. Replaced by, a Alliance Marine?

He weakly reached a hand up, and it was quickly grasped by the Marine. He could dimly hear him say. "Normandy, The commander is Alive, returning for extraction." Then when the Marine helped him up, the room suddenly spun, and he lost consciousness again.

2 weeks later

Shepard sighed as he looked at the list of names on the Normandy memorial wall.

Kaiden Alenko

Charles Pressly

Harvey J Gladstone

Helen M Lowe

Legion

Marcus Grieco

Moroin Solus

Raymond Tanaka

Robert Felawa

Silas Crosby

Thane Crios

Shepard sighed slightly emotion briefly overcoming him as he stood frozen on the spot. Dressing in Admiral attire after hearing word of his supposed promotion. He then glanced towards the words in the center of the wall. 'Ad Astra Per Aspera.' or, To the Stars through difficulties. Shepard then glanced to the other side of the wall.

Caroline Grenado

Germeen Barret

Hector Emerson

Jamin Bakari

Mandira Rahman

Monica Negulesco

Orden Laflamme

Richard Hadley

Rosamund Oraven

Steve Cortez.

Shepard then glanced down to the plaque in his hand. 'Admiral David Anderson.' He then took in a deep breath before slowly stepping forward. Each step took him back to a different conversation he had with Anderson. When he finally reached the front of the wall he found himself unable to move yet again. Then he glanced down at the words written on the plaque in his hands. And Anderson's last words struck him like a hammer blow yet again. 'I'm proud of you.'

He then reached up, his hands shaking from both the emotion he was feeling, as well as the pain from his still healing wounds. Placing the plaque directly over the Latin quote and then firmly pressing it into place. Before slowly taking a couple steps back. Then turning to face the crew. Everyone of them appearing just as sad as he was.

First glancing to Garrus, he was being supported up by Tali. Garrus had only been allowed out of the medical bay for the same reason he was, to place this plaque, even if he protested the gravity of his wounds.

Liara was staring at the ground, struggling to maintain her own composure.

Ashely was being supported by James, both of whom struggled to keep their composure.

Joker was glancing at the plaque fixedly, staring at it as if it might bring back the man itself if he stared hard enough.

Then behind them both stood Edi and Miranda. Meeting Miranda's gaze for a moment he sighed, tearing eyes off of her for a moment to glance back at the plaque. Silence filling the ship entirely. Even breathing seemed to cease for a couple moments.

Then he swallowed thickly and glanced over his shoulder at Miranda. Even though she had met Anderson only a few times, she knew what the man had meant to Shepard, and that was reason enough for her to feel sorrow as well.

He took a couple steps towards her, then silently wrapped his arms around her, He felt her own arms do the same, and her chin delicately rest on his shoulder.

"I found you..." He whispered softly.

A/N: Alright! So if your reading this, you've likely noticed that I've taken down the Original 'After the Reapers' mainly because I decided it's much better to not write smut :D I just finished mass effect 3, and most of this scene was inspired by a -wonderful- mod I found called the Happy Ending mod. Which basically allows that conversation about family to happen between Anderson and Shepard (It was cut for some reason, but still remains in the game files. As well as the original ending, which is what this story is based off of :D)

Anyways, For this story I would like to give you the readers some choice! In how this goes. As such below this here blurb will be two options, that I will let you guys pick from! put your choice in a comment (Or send me a private message) And do tell me what you think of the story! As always R&R and have a wonderful day!

Option 1) Shepard and Miranda discuss whether they think a 'normal life' is something they would like.

Option 2) Shepard and Miranda enjoy a quiet night in on the Citadel.