Chapter 1
Shepard could see the Normandy just in front of him; Garrus and Miranda were now safely aboard waiting for him. A tremor rocked the station, sending debris hurtling down from above him. He watched as a large girder landed on the platforms between him and the Normandy, sending them crashing downwards to their ruin. He narrowed his eyes with grim determination and sped up his run, adamant that he wasn't going to die in this damned place. Shepard reached the edge of the precipice and leapt, Collector gunfire all around him, he knew he wouldn't make it all the way, he just hoped he could hold on.
He slammed into the side of the ship, getting a handhold inside the airlock and tried to pull himself up. Miranda rushed to pull him up into the ship, covered by fire from Joker and Garrus. Shepard looked up into her eyes, seeing the fear in them but also the determination. Miranda took hold of Shepard's arms and pulled him up. Now we're even, she thought. Just as he was almost onboard, Shepard felt something strike him under his right arm but with the adrenaline he thought nothing more of it. Medigel will take care of that, he thought.
Once he was safely onboard and the airlock sealed he raced to the bridge as Joker opened up the throttle to full to get away from the station before it blew. The Normandy raced away, just finding enough clear space to make a short-hop FTL jump back to the Mass Relay that would take them back to Sahrabarik system, back to Omega.
It had been an hour since they'd got back to known space. An hour since the last remnants of the once proud and mighty Prothean race had been wiped out. In that time he'd spoken with the Illusive Man, effectively cutting his ties to Cerberus. About time too, Shepard thought to himself afterwards. He'd been down to the crew deck to see how his crew were doing. He was glad he'd sent Mordin back to escort them, as good a doctor as Dr. Chakwas was she was in no condition to treat all the crew's injuries alone and Mordin was one of the best doctors he'd ever seen. He'd been down to the cargo deck to check on his team. They were all there, just a few scrapes and bruises to show for the brutal and bloody battle they'd just fought. They were all here, almost all anyway.
Miranda had gone to the Medical Bay to get herself checked out. She'd taken a hit in the abdomen just before they discovered the Human-Reaper. Shepard winced as he remembered that moment, seeing the woman he loved stagger backwards until she looked at him and smiled and then carried on. His heart had skipped a beat, fearing the worst. The relief on his face when he saw her smile must have been noticed by the rest of the team, but they didn't say anything. The closest any of them got was Garrus, with just a little smirk on his scarred face.
Shepard was now in his cabin, "The Loft" EDI had said the work crews had called it, and he was feeling a little weak. He wasn't sure why. Shepard remembered feeling a little tug and a short stab of pain, like a pulled muscle, in his chest when he'd removed his armour and changed back into his fatigues but at the time he'd thought nothing of it. Now though he was feeling cold in that side, clammy. He ran the fingers of his left hand under his arm and felt a growing wet patch. He looked down and saw he was bleeding profusely. He started to choke, to gargle in his own blood. He staggered to the elevator, and hit the first button his fogged eyes could make out. He leaned heavily against the door and when it opened, he fell forward onto the deck.
Yeoman Chambers turned as the elevator opened and screamed when she saw Shepard literally fall out. She quickly regained her composure as she raced to her commanding officer's, her friend's, side. She keyed the intercom, "Medical emergency in CIC, Professor Solus to the CIC immediately!" Next thing she knew Mordin was racing from the Tech Lab and at the Commander's side in heartbeat, his omni-tool scanning the damage. "Lacerated pulmonary vein...drowning in own blood...not good, not good. Must get to infirmary...could use help." Kelly hit the intercom hard, "Mr. Taylor! Shepard's in trouble, we need help to get him down to the Med Lab!" The door to the Armoury hissed open, Jacob rushed to help, picking up his friend and helping carefully carry him back into the elevator that would take him to the crew deck. Shepard was still conscious, but barely. He struggled to speak, "Miranda...Miranda..." "Get Miranda to meet us at the Med Lab!" Jacob yelled as the doors closed.
When the doors finally opened, Garrus was standing just outside. He barely managed to contain the shock, covering it with his usual dry humour, "Shepard! What have you gone and done this time?" He helped Jacob get Shepard into the Med Bay and onto one of the beds, Mordin and Dr. Chakwas immediately getting to work to try and repair the damage before he drowned in his own blood. Miranda calmly entered the room as she'd been requested by Yeoman Chambers, over her objections because she was trying to work and the Yeoman wouldn't tell her why she was needed there. When she saw Shepard lying on the bed, blood pouring from his mouth she dropped all appearance of calm and ran to his side. "Shepard! Don't you die on me, damn it! You hear me, don't you go dying on me. I need you Shepard. I...love you, damn it! So don't you die on me!" She began to break off; she could hardly get the words out. She was crying, sobbing. Shepard looked at her, recognising her. "Miranda," he quietly spoke, "I love you too." The last thing he saw before the darkness overcame him was Miranda looking at him lovingly, tears welling in her eyes, streaming down her face. Then he saw no more.