A/N: I'm probably going to get flamed for this… but oh what the hell. I want to be the first to do it. This is dedicated to those who want a FemShep/Chief element.

Borrows heavily from Lost Legacy.

XXxxXX

Commander Jane Shepard sat on the rocky outcrop, completely and totally exhausted. She had her elbows on her knees, hands clasped and her rifle resting by her side. Her weary green-blue eyes gazed over the torn fields in the valley below. So many lives had been lost in the assault against the Deus-Gravemind. But the war was finally over. Shepard could finally just sit back and let it all go.

Sitting alone on the outcrop, Jane's mind began to wander, recalling memories of fallen friends who would never see a tomorrow. She gently lifted her helmet off her head and dropped it onto the wet-grass that lay around her boots. She let the rain run through her brown her as she slowly turned to face the sky. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance.

Shepard always liked the rain, and thunder just seemed to add more to it. She let the water run down her face, and wash the blood off her armour. She didn't know how long she had just been sitting there, until soft footfalls brought her back to reality.

His pacing was rhythmic and gentle, like her, he was weary from all the fighting. Slowly, he entered her field of vision, and she could see how badly charred the deep greenish-grey armour was. She looked up and gazed into the gold visor. Jane saw a brief glimpse of her tired reflection before John popped his helmet seals with a hiss, and let it fold into the armour's compartments.

He had a soft weary smile spread across his lips as the heavy rain poured through his crew-cut brown hair.

"Hey," Shepard said softly.

John smiled softly and held out his armoured hand. He'd never been much of a talker, but she was grateful that he had at least responded in a positive manner. Jane wrapped her gloved fingers around his, allowing him to pull her up.

"It's over," she breathed. "It's finally over."

"It finally is," he agreed, exhaling in relief.

The two turned to face the valley and gazed out at everything that stretched beyond them. The war was finally over.

…

ABOARD UNSC MAJESTIC

Jane was happy to get out of the armour and just lie down on her bed. But sleep never came, maybe it was because that she wasn't in her own bed, maybe it was because she wasn't even on her own ship, but something in the back of her mind was keeping her awake. The room was well decorated with ember curtains and sunrise orange walls; it was comforting, but not enough to get her to sleep.

She moved to the dresser and pulled on black cargo pants, and an N7 blouse with its sleeves already rolled up. Jane didn't bother to do up the buttons, just letting her dogtags dangle over her grey singlet. After putting on her boots and making sure her sidearm was strapped to her thigh, she walked past the windows which overlooked the night garden, and out onto the walkway. The café on the landing beneath was open 24/7, and had few patrons at this hour. A couple of doctors, nurses, officers from both the Alliance and UNSC sat at the tables eating a meal, or just talking. People at home would be celebrating, partying in the streets, but those on the frontline would just be happy enough to have a quiet place to sit down and rest.

Shepard walked to the bar and got herself a glass of iced latte, before moving to a table. As she walked out onto the timber balcony, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she could see John on the level below that stretched over the lake. The blue pulses that ran along his body were slow and rhythmic, and casted a soft glow onto the surrounding area.

Jane placed her drink down on the table before descending the stair case to meet him. She was careful not to make too much noise as she walked on the timber flooring.

"Can't sleep?" she asked. Out here, no one could see them; it was just him and her.

"No," he said, turning around to face her. He was wearing standard UNSC Officer's BDU, without the armour plates. The night was warm, which meant he had his top button undone and his sleeves rolled up.

Jane moved to the railing and leaned onto it, whilst facing her long-time friend. The soft lapsing of water around them gave a soothing effect. It helped her forget about the war.

"So what now?" she asked softly.

It had always been a topic in the back of her mind. What do Spartans do in times of peace, Spartans like him in particular. John averted his gaze to the water and plants below. The loss of one of his closest friends was still raw and fresh.

"I don't know," he sighed.

Jane had never seen him look so lost before. The first time when they met, he looked slightly confused, but quickly found direction. But now, in the brief period of true peace, he looked so lost. She knew a small part of him never wanted to return to the world of clandestine affairs. Though that was what he was good at.

"I'm really tired, Jane," he whispered. "I don't know where to go from here."

She knew what he meant. She knew that he knew that he had a purpose. She knew that he desired for something more. Something more than fighting and killing. He wanted a tomorrow, he wanted to have what everyone took for granted. It was there, Jane decided to give him just that. He had been through what she had been through, and more. They had been through a lot together, they understood each other, and they could be just themselves around one another. Yes, Jane was prepared to take that leap.

"I have an idea," she said with a soft smile.

Slowly, Jane moved in closer and tilted her head upwards. Slightly sooner than expected, she felt their lips touch, and his arms wrapped around her. One across her back, and the other near the base of her neck. She brought up both of her hands and cupped his cheeks as they remained in their soft kiss.

All things considered, this was actually a pretty good kiss for someone who'd never been kissed before. Jane had her fair share of boyfriends while she was in the academy, when she had graduated; there was little time for those things. But now, things were different. She was prepared to take that next step in life, and she'd rather take it with someone who had been alongside her when things were at their worst.

Shepard had seen enough to no longer want the fairy-tale romance dream that so many girls wished for. She wanted someone who knew her by her side, because chances were, just about every male out there wanted her for her fame and not her.

Slowly, they both broke the soft kiss and remained in each other's embrace. Jane brought down her hands and rested them across John's shoulders while she laid her head onto the crook of his shoulder. She felt his chest rise and fall as he breathed contently, aware of a pathway that had just opened for him.

Things change, people change, Jane was aware of that. She was aware of what the augmentations had done to him and his body. But the kiss was sincere, it was the ultimate sign of trust, and that was all that matters, because a relationship based on hormones is doomed to fail, it was something that many failed to grasp.

Jane breathed in slowly, closing her eyes, and relishing this moment.

XXxxXX

A/N: [Breathes in sharply and takes a stance of defiance] Flamers, take your best shot. I'm ready, let's do this.

[Gunshot, bullet hits shoulder] OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWwwwwwwwwwwww w!
[Breathes in deeply] C'mon, let's do this, I'm r-
[Gunshot, round hits the other shoulder] Gaaaaaaaah! C'mon, gut shot! Show me what you got!
[Gunshot]
[Claps both hands in front of abdomen] Hnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh! [In pain] caught the bullet. Oh god. C'mon, headshot, let's go, headshot. End it right hear right n-
[Gunshot] OWWW! Ah my ear!
[Falls to the ground, and produces a detonator] Tada! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
[Presses the button, and detonates thermobaric warheads]

…

Putting that final stand aspect aside, please leave a review and tell me what you guys think.

P.S: I'm well aware of the fact that Spartan-IIs (Not too sure what the deal is with the IVs) have a reduced sex drive.