A/N: Had a whole long Author's note ready, then accidentally deleted it. Nice going. Anyway due to reasons of complete suckiness, I have rewritten the chapter and tried using 2. person perspective instead. Trial and error!
Yes, the story has Joker/Shepard as its endgame, but it's not smooth sailing, people. As the summary warns, there are moments of Vega/Shepard, because in my head, he is a really cool guy (Man! I used to watch 'She's all that' over and over as a teen), and people don't always take the easiest road. Shepard, in this story, is sort of broken, which means she often gets her feelings tangled. You be forewarned, yes? Read and review people, if nothing else then just to gush about the awesome multiplayer and the fact that the game is JUST AROUND THE CORNER. (Yelling is necessary.)
After the End
Chapter 1. The End
You have never really been one for parties. Even before you became the savior of the galaxy (again), and thus the natural center of attention at these things, you preferred keeping to yourself and slipping out quietly. It has become a lot harder these days, but Kasumi has taught you how to use a tactical cloak, and after the compulsory introductions to the most influential politicians in Council controlled space, you discreetly manage to slip into the shadows from which you can quietly observe the people in the grand ballroom. Mostly you search the crowd for familiar faces - Liara dancing with a female Alliance soldier; Kaidan talking with a couple of stuffy admirals and looking distinctly uncomfortable with amount of attention, but trying desperately to hide it. You smirk and consider pulling a rescue, but it seems impossible without giving away your own position, so you stay your ground.
It seems so silly, all the people in their finest clothing all to spend the evening with people they hardly knew, and mostly did not like. The world has nearly ended, all life destroyed and this is what they choose to do with their time after being rescued? Briefly you consider that this really is something they do in your honor, but frankly you doubt it and they would have spared themselves a lot of trouble had they bothered asking you. You hate big parties, you hate wearing a dress and you most certainly hate the heels (they squish your feet and make you walk like Bambi on ice).
Tali stands in the opposite corner, in deep conversation with some of the few Quarians invited, it is hard to tell under the mask, but you think she looks happy and certainly the excited gestures of her arms indicate as much. You see Kal'Reegar barely escape another wave of the arm, which seems to be illustrating some of the finer points of the final battle, and silently laugh to yourself at her enthusiasm and his silent, but steady admiration.
You see the Asari Counselor approaches you, the last living member of the Council, and frankly right now your spirits are too high for this. You quickly gulp the last of your drink, set your glass on a nearby table and slip out the backdoor eager to get away from uncomfortable conversations. You take the time to enjoy the sight of Luna on the sky amongst billion of stars, which is a sight more comforting than you might have imagined. It isn't your first visit on earth, but you grew up in the colonies and any visit has been brief and infrequent. Still it feels familiar and comforting, second only to being on the Normandy amongst your crew. The Colonies have long since stopped feeling like home, the memories of fire, smoke and the sound of screaming from her mother too attached.
You thought you would be alone out here, but the sound of voices and laughing draws you in, the sound of them sounding familiar. On the staircase leading up to the main building, you see Wrex, Ken Donnelly, James Vega and Joker playing Skyllian Five Poker and sipping locally bought cheap beer.
Ken is clearly in the middle of a most obscene story, because Joker's beer seems to come out in equal amounts through the mouth and through his nose, while Vega is chortling so loudly he can barely sit straight. Wrex just smirks and pads Ken on the back, which seems almost patronizing (Wrex knows the filthiest stories), but clearly a much better party than the one you just left.
You join them on the staircase, seating yourself so you can join the game throwing 500 credits into the mix buying yourself an in. Ken loudly declares that no one should be fooled by her sweet face, having learned the hard way that Shepard plays poker well indeed. Joker just smirks and says that Ken is a fool for having bought the lie, while James looks and you and promises not to be fooled in the slightest. You look away, trying not to encourage his affections which have become more and more obvious in the past few weeks, and instead deal the cards. In between rounds of cards, you open your omnitool to summon the rest of the crew. As your stair-party grows larger and more rambunctious, you allow yourself to really relax for the first time in years. Even the scolding you receive from Admiral Anderson on proper decorum does not deter you from the feeling of contentment.
Tomorrow it will all be over, you know, but tonight you allow yourself to enjoy their company before having to watch them leave for their respective lives. You wish you knew what it meant for you.