Disclaimer: I don't own the Mass Effect trilogy, they belong to Bioware. I don't own the characters either, I just like playing with them and putting them in awkward situations sometimes. Also there are spoilers from all three games mixed in throughout the story...you have been warned.

In The End

~I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter…~

-Linkin Park

Her head pounded as she slowly staggered up one of the ramps. She stopped a moment to catch her breath. Coughing and wincing from her injuries, she slowly pressed forward; she wasn't sure this was the right choice. Perhaps because it was his choice, a man whom she neither cared to know nor gave the time to understand…not that The Illusive Man was too forthcoming about himself.

Smug…bas-bastard…

A sardonic chuckle escaped her lips followed quickly by a wheezing cough and she had to stop again. Her hand clenched tightly over her side; a feeble attempt to keep pressure on a wound too far gone to mend. Looking forward, her blurring steely gray eyes focused on the station in front of her, a soft light-blue glow emanated from the control nodes.

"H-hope the bastard's h-happy…" she let out another bout of coughing before struggling to move her feet again. "I'm gr-granting him h-his wish."

Though the distance between her and the control module was short, in her current condition it felt like a life long journey. One she honestly didn't want to make, but she didn't want her choice of allowing the Geth to live, and all the damned trouble that came with it, to be in vain. As much as she believed the Reapers deserved destruction, she was far too proud to allow the Geth to die now.

Panting, she stopped to catch her breath again.

Almost th-there…

She felt a warm liquid running down her cheek; her hand dropped the weapon it had been clutching since arriving on the Citadel and slowly lifted to check to see what was bleeding now. To her surprise she found herself crying. Quickly wiping her eyes, wincing slightly as her hand grazed the bruises and cuts on her face, she looked forward again. She knew the tears were for her fallen comrades, not because they had died but because she hadn't bothered to get to know them beforehand. As with everyone, she distanced herself from them and now…at the end of her life she regretted not taking the time to be there for them.

P-perhaps I…should've paid more a-attention to them…instead of ru-rushing all those missions…

She had been so distracted by her thoughts that she bumped into the module causing her to draw in a sharp breath and curse mildly to herself, she then looked at the nodes before her.

Finally…I-I can end this…

Her hands slowly reached out to the nodes. The instant one hand made contact electricity shot through her body. The pain brought her to her knees but she managed to grasp the other node and held on as tightly as she could.

Do I h-have to clear my mi-mind or s-something? Wh-where are some instructions when you nee-need them?

She gave a strangled chuckle before biting down hard on her lip determined not to cry out from the pain, and tried to clear her mind of all the regrets she possessed…however they wouldn't leave her be. Soon the faces of those she had watched die invaded her mind: Garrus on the ground in a pool of his own blood with Liara not far from him, Legion shutting down, a falling Tali, Anderson's last words, the elevator going up with Mordin inside, Thane lying in a hospital bed, Miranda dying in her arms, pulling the trigger on Wrex, Zaeed bleeding out, Samara, Jack, and Kasumi's sacrifice for the crew, the last view of Virmire with Ashley still planet-side, shooting the Illusive man, Toombs, Koris, the Quarians, Conrad, Eve, Victus, the Krogan's future, Protheans, planets, brothers and sisters in arms, the child in the vent…

All of the thoughts and images flooded her mind and she quickly closed her eyes trying to block them, but soon the memories grew blurred then everything became a brilliant white. The pain was gone and she felt herself disperse.

"Comman-"

A garbled voice began to ring out in the vast blinding white.

"Dr-...be alright?"

She felt the urge to move, to look around, but she saw nothing.

"Dr. Cha-...think-...up."

Forcing herself to move, she opened her eyes.

~ x ~

"Dr. Chakwas, I think she's waking up."

"So I see, Lieutenant Alenko." Slowly the doctor walked over to her side and helped her sit up. "Steady now."

"Wh-what happened?" She peered at the two feeling a bead of sweat roll down her temple.

Was it all a dream?

"I'm sorry, Commander Shepard, I must have activated some security mechanism when I got too close to the beacon, ma'am."

"Don't worry about it Lieutenan- wait," the Commander gave him a confused look. "What beacon?"

"Th-the beacon down on Eden Prime, ma'am." Kaidan gave Chakwas a worried glance; she, in turn, immediately looked over several charts.

Eden Prime? But that happened years ago…

Shepard bowed her head attempting to process what was happening. Slowly she rubbed her brow trying to sort it all out. When she looked up to gaze at the two concerned crew members she jolted back at the sight she saw.

M-my hand?!

She stared at it, eyes wide with shock. The thoughts in her head racing a million miles an hour, she bolted from the bed and pushed Kaidan aside to get to a mirror in the back room. Gazing upon her reflection her mouth opened wide in silent horror.

"Commander?" Both Chakwas and Kaidan, who had followed her into the room, were now more concerned than ever before.

Shepard began to tremble as she stared into the looking-glass; a woman, whose emerald-green eyes revealed they were just as shocked as she, stared back.

Author's Note: Well I hope this goes over well, and I hope you enjoyed it. And remember reviews and critiques are always welcome :D