This story was inspired by Thane's letter in the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC. Hope you enjoy.

| Forever |

"Thane…" Shepard sighed, her voice hardly rising above a whisper. Her fingers coursed along the curve of his bare back, stopping short of his lumbar.

"Be soft…" he hushed passionately, his shoulders swaying as he cradled her in his embrace. He backed his head until his eyes met with hers. He stared longingly into her essence, her soul. He smoothly ran his digits through her streaks of her auburn red hair, his hand eventually settling on her warm cheek. He leaned forward and stole a kiss from her lips, a somber smile breaking his typically blank countenance. "Let our actions alone speak for us tonight, siha. Let them be our words, our thoughts…" One last look into her cerulean blues calmed the storm of his impetuous heart.

She illuminated the darkness of his twilight hours. The brevity of his life waned with each of his breaths, yet she filled him with the hope to endeavor. Her love subdued the suffering that afflicted him like a poison, if only for a few moments. But in the end, she would live, and he would die.

He was afraid of death.

Yet when he was with her, all his troubles were swept aside.

His only thoughts were of her.

Thane slowly placed her onto the bed. He thatched himself over her and gently caressed her shoulders, dipping his head down to lay a vertical path of kisses along her neck. His breaths grew deeper with anticipation.

A strangled cry of pleasure escaped her lips, her fingers twining tightly around the silken duvet cover.

Thane silenced her quickly. He pushed his lips tenderly against hers, feeling her muscles contract from the sudden oral embrace. He lightly squeezed her arms to let her know it was alright. She mumbled a few incoherent words, her voice dying a shallow whisper. Her body relaxed and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

Thane twisted his tongue against hers, absorbing the sweet scent of her breath. It was like blades of grass freshly cut, like autumn leaves that had just started to fall.

Shepard's tongue twitched. Her eyelids felt so heavy, like she was being wisped into a state of ecstasy. She moaned and arched her back forwards, her taut stomach pushing against his. An intense warmth flushed over her cheeks, reddening them into a rosy blush. She wished it could have been like this forever. She wished that he could be with her forever. But a part of her knew the concision of his life. A part of her wanted to forget all that.

Their lips parted, and for a moment, they were silent.

"Thane?" she began after they broke the intimacy, her voice coated with worry.

"What is it, siha?" he cooed, grooving his thin brows.

"You'll be with me until the end?"

"Of course I will. I wouldn't think of abandoning you," he replied decisively. Thane descended for a second kiss, but was stopped short when Shepard turned her face to the side. He repealed a troubled expression, the side of his hand smoothing down her cheek. "But that is not what ails you, is it?" He paused and softly continued, "Are you worried of how much time I have left in this life?"

She hesitantly turned her head back to face him, her wrinkled complexion filled with distraught. "I don't want you to go. I don't want you to die."

He gave her a comforting hug and whispered, "All life must end one day. I must return to the cycle that brought me life. I am ready for death."

"But I'm not," Shepard protested roughly, a tight mass developing in her throat. She could feel her own voice breaking as she replied, "Thane, I'm scared. Every day I worry that it might be the last time I'll ever see you. When I go to sleep, I'm afraid that you won't be there when I get up."

"Siha, I will always be there for you. Even if I pass, I will live in your spirit, in your memories."

"But just remembering you won't let me be with you!" she whispered hotly, her eyes fogging with tears. "I won't be able to speak with you, or touch you… or love you." She planted her chin onto his shoulder, her arms coiling around his back. A trickle of hot tears glided down her countenance.

"We all must let go of the things we hold dear when the time comes…" A pause. "But that time isn't now." He beamed a warm smile, his digits moving to wipe the droplets of water flowing down her downy cheeks. He breathed, "For now, you have me, and I have you. Live in this moment. Be in this moment. Love in this moment, and cherish it for the rest of your days. Some things only happen once, and we must make the most of them."

"Thane, I can't just think…"

"No. Do not think," he silenced, his breath beating against the shell of her ear. "Feel."

She found no words to counter him. Her doubts weren't quelled, but she could put them aside for one night. For this night. She kissed him tenderly on the lips and smiled.

"I love you… Thane…"

"I love you too, siha… Shepard... And I will be here for you."

"Forever."

His body was so warm that night.

But the next morning, it was so cold.