Author's Note: This story will be my interpretation of the endings as they are and beyond. While some things will be changed, I will still try to work with what I have. I want to try and create an alternate ending that not only expands upon everything, but also gets to each member of the Normandy as well as addressing the 'what now' of Shepard's survival. Some small notes, my Shepard is female and comes from a Colonist/Ruthless background. While all major decisions have mostly been paragon from the first game into the third, she tends to be a little impatient and renegade-ish in attitude. Though, not to the point where she's punching reporters. I will try to update this as quickly as I can as life permits. Please leave feedback, criticisms, and most of all, suggestions. I apologize for any typos or the like. Also, please note before you read and I upset people who have idfferent views of me, I'm treating the red ending as not destroying all synthetics, mainly because I am of the mind that Shepard could not possibly survive without hers. So, in my mind, if she remains in tact, there's no reason the geth do not as well. And as a short disclaimer, I claim ownership of none of the characters or the universe. They are the property of Bioware.

Mass Effect 3: Salvation
Chapter One: Extraction

"The Citadel's flowering!" a voice called over the comms, broadcasting to all the ships that lined in defense to protect the structure from the reapers. Turian, quarian, human- all different ships of many different races held the line, lying in wait for the full gaze of the reaper force to turn on them. Many, if not all of them, knew that this could very well be their final stand and final moments in this life.

"Release the shuttles! Get to the Citadel and get survivors! We don't know what will happen when we fire this thing. Grab as many people as you can hold!"

There was a series of flares following the order as each ship that could send out rescue teams launched their shuttles to descent to the wings of the Citadel. Among them was Lieutenant Steven Cortez, who managed to escape Earth in one piece. An act of generous fate, all things considered. As he descended towards the Presidium, he reflected on his final conversation with Shepard and smiled sadly to himself. Truthfully, he wished he would find her first, untouched, and unharmed. However, he knew that was very unlikely.

Cortez was one of dozens that hit the Presidium first, and panicked citizens wasted no time in coming out of hiding to flood the shuttles. It was a nightmare. There was no way they could carry thirteen million people to safety, and it pained the Lieutenant to even think of. When he landed, almost immediately the sounds of shouting, screaming and banging echoed in the shuttle. People of every race cried out in desperation, ready to rush inside to escape to an uncertain safety. A quiet sigh escaped from Cortez's lips as he stood up from his seat and moved to open the shuttle door. As he predicted, people began fighting to get inside, and in order to try and bring some form of control to the situation, he yelled in a commanding voice he'd never thought he had in him, "Hold on! I cannot possibly shuttle all of you, and if we fill the shuttle too much, we may as well all rot here together! "

Things calmed, but only slightly. Cortez continued, "Not everyone is going to make it out alive. I'm asking you all to be honorable. We all may very well die in the next few minutes and now is not the time for selfishness. Please, I'm asking you to help each other."

It was in that moment, a krogan of all species, turned from the front of the door and proceeded to shove as many people away as he could. Beady eyes then locked onto a human female. She was small, very young, and looked extremely battered. Worry was wrought all over her face as she met his gaze. But there was no hostile action, only an extended hand. The krogan forced a smile, saying softly, "Well, come on. Can't wait here forever." As she took his hand, he bent over and lifted her up, then turned to place her next to Cortez who smiled absently as he watched. Following this act of pure selflessness, other men and women of all the other races began to do the same, helping others onto the shuttle until it filled. The crowd stepped back, waving and saluting sadly the shuttle as its door closed.

Cortez reclaimed his seat, firing up the engines as he lifted from the ground. Several shuttles had already left before him, and some still remained behind as they gathered more citizens. As the shuttle began its exit of the Presidium, a large explosion came from the direction of the tower and the Crucible in the distance began to hum violently. It seemed to be charging. Shepard, Cortez thought to himself. The shuttle pilot glanced behind him at the people who were now panicking at the explosion and the noise before looking back out the window. Faced with a choice, Cortez closed his eyes and made his decision internally. The shuttle turned and began to fly towards the tower where remains of the initial explosion loomed in the distance.

"Where are we going?" a woman cried out as people poured into the cockpit to stare out.

"Are you crazy?" another person called out. "We'll all die if we don't leave!"

"Turn around!"

Cortez didn't respond. He continued on his course, ignoring the words of his passengers, and shrugging off their physical assertions. The Crucible began to light up by the time they were near their destination, and the noise it made was nearly deafening. The screaming of the people in the shuttle did not help the situation either. Upon finding the source of the explosion, all that could be seen was a large, bright beam, deactivated contraption, and a giant hole where another may have been. In front of the decimated one, a motionless body lay. Cortez landed the shuttle and pushed past the people as he made way for the door.

"Who is that?"

"Someone's down there!"

"Who?"

"I don't know!"

Cortez ignored them as he jumped from the shuttle and sprinted towards the body. The sight was almost too much for him. It was her, lying on her stomach covered in melted armor and severe burns. When Cortez knelt down to lift the Commander's motionless, barely breathing body, he was surprised when he was not the only one who helped lift the body. His eyes met with a turian and after only a small moment, he smiled, but not out of happiness for the situation. Rather it was out of bittersweet gratitude for people all rallying to help. Almost the whole ship had exited and together, they all escorted Shepard's body to the shuttle.

Cortez wiped the wetness from his face as he sat back at the helm, and lifted the shuttle from the ground. But it was at that moment that a large, red beam then shot from the Crucible. The people in the shuttle let out a startled scream in unison and Cortez then realized they would not be able to make it back to the fleet. Their only option would be to head back to Earth. Without hesitation, he began to fly towards the planet, hoping they could make it there safely through the ongoing battle happening around them.

Then suddenly, after they had made it to the planet, they experienced some severe turbulence as an unknown energy caused the pilot to lose control of the Kodiak and carried him to the surface in a much more chaotic manner. As he tried to regain control, he realized it would be useless and looked to his right to the still unconscious body of his Commander and friend. Turning in his seat, he took her burned hand in his own. He let out a small choke as his hand was taken by that of the turian he met gazes when they found Shepard. The whole of the passengers began to take the hands of each other, near everyone in tears as they prepared for their time to come.

The UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttle collided with the ground, and Cortez gave the Commander's hand a squeeze as he body braced for what was to come.

There was only pain, and she could feel the hard stone jutting into her body from all around her. She had not regained full consciousness, and still felt like she was in limbo. Was she dead? Commander Elise Shepard's mind and body were two different being at that point, slowly reach out to connect with one another as her brain began to try and comprehend everything. When she could finally remember what was happening, her eyes snapped open…

… and she inhaled a sharp breath.

AN: Well, there it is. I hope you'll stick with it to see what happens next. As I said before, feel free to criticize, suggest, or speak your mind. Stay tuned for the next installment.