"The choices are open to you. Your actions will decide the fate of the galaxy."
Three choices: synthesize, control, destroy. Each with repercussions that will change the future for us all; not just humans, not just turians, not just one species. The past couple of years have changed me more than Akuze ever could. I've experienced more pain, stress, and anxiety than I ever have before. But I've also experienced happiness.. What it means to fall in love and risk everything for those you care about. I've made friendships that will outlast anything in the galaxy; bonds that can never be broken...
No matter what I choose, I will die.
No matter what I choose, the cycle will end here today.
The Catalyst was wrong about synthetics and organics. The quarians and geth are a prime example of that.
I brought the galaxy together. Organics and synthetics worked side by side to take down the Reapers. There is always another way. The future cannot be predicted, not even by some energy source claiming to know what is best for our galaxy. It was created after all. No species is perfect. No one knows for sure what will happen.
I fought for years to destroy the menace known as the Reapers. I destroyed Sovereign and Saren, took out the Collector base, and united a torn galaxy. I have achieved the impossible. That is not to say that I haven't made mistakes along the way... But I came here with one thought in mind: the Reapers must be destroyed. Anderson would have wanted it.. The countless souls that have died at the hands of the Reapers want it, too. I will not change what my goal is simply because there are other options available. It is time the Reapers disappeared, completely.
My footsteps are heavy, slow..
Blood drips down my body and onto the pristine floor below me, sinking into it as if the ground isn't real. Every fiber of my being screams at me to stop and take a rest, but my job is almost over. I am not going to be weak, not when I am so close. So I straighten up, chin high and proud. This is for Anderson. This is for the galaxy. This is for me. I want to make sure those I care about will have a future free of this threat; free of anymore pain.
Pain...
I knew that all too well and not everyone would be completely free after this is over. I left someone very important to me behind. Memories of him flooded my mind as each agonizing step brought me closer to the end.
"You're about the only friend I've got left in this screwed up galaxy.." "I just want something to go "I'm with you, no matter what." "Don't do it just because all of these people need you.. Do it because "Come back "Shepard I- love you, too.."
My eyes burned with fresh tears, something I wasn't used to. A selfish part of me believed this end wasn't fair. I wanted to live the rest of my life with him. Garrus... I could feel a pain in my chest just thinking about him.. and suddenly, I regretted not telling him enough that I loved him..
"Just like old times?" "I don't know what I'd do without you, Garrus.." "Goodbye Garrus. And if I'm up there in that bar and you're not- I'll be looking down. You'll never be alone." "No matter what happens down here.. you know I love you. I always will."
I didn't have enough time with him...
There it was, the means to the end. Here I was, standing in front of it. Steam poured from the top of the tube-like structure, hissing at me. It wanted me to choose a different path. The Catalyst stood behind me, emotionless as ever. It didn't have a conscience.. It didn't care what happened to us so long as it accomplished what it was created to do.
"If fire burns, is it at war or just doing what it was created to do?"
That did nothing to change my mind about what I wanted to do. However, I could no longer blame the Reapers for what they've done. I could only blame the creators. They were wrong about us and I was going to prove it.
I gripped the handle of the gun tightly in my fist, raising my arm up to the tube. Three bullets left. It better be enough.
"This is for you, Garrus.."
Images of him and the ones I had lost flooded my mind once more. I walked closer to the tube, the loud crack of the gun making the headache I already had even worse. The bullet crashed against the glass, spider webs emerging in its wake. It was weakening... Another bullet and more webs. Finally, the last.
Everything started to slow down. The bullet flew straight through the glass of the tube and into the mechanics.
There was no time to run and I didn't have the strength to do it anyway. It didn't matter what happened to me, so long as he was safe; so long as everyone was safe.
All I could hear in my last moments were explosions all around me and the defeated cry of the monstrosities plaguing my galaxy. All I could see was that bright flash of light and fire before closing my eyes.. And then I saw him.
Not a bad way to go. It was instant.. like putting a gun to your head and pulling the trigger.
Death was painful as hell, though..
"The war is over. The Reapers have been defeated. Against all odds, and in the face of the greatest threat this galaxy has ever known, we survived... This victory belongs to each of us... Every civilization on every world. Now, as we take our first steps toward restoring what we lost, we must remember what it took to win... If this war has taught us anything, it is that we are at our strongest when we work together. And if we can put down our grievances long enough to stop something as powerful as the Reapers, imagine what we can achieve now that they are defeated... Together we can build a future better than any one of us could imagine. A future paid for by the sacrifices of those who fought and died alongside us. A future that many will never see... We will honor those who died to give us that future." -Admiral Hackett
-
"Garrus, it's time," came Liara's voice from the doorway.
The turian was hunched over his usual place at the main battery, clutching a long metal plaque in his hands. The asari couldn't see his face, but she felt his pain. They both lost someone they deeply cared for.
"I'm coming," he replied, his voice gruff, though it cracked.
Liara nodded before heading out of the room, the door sliding closed behind her. As soon as she was gone, his body trembled once more. The tears wouldn't come, if they could even be shed at all. However, the pain he felt right now was enough to shake him to the core.
The Normandy crew, save for EDI who perished in the aftermath, gathered in front of the memorial placed on Deck Three. Garrus, after finding his strength, walked through the center, pausing just in front of it. Admiral Anderson's plaque was already mounted onto the wall. On either side of it were the names of all the members they lost during this war: Jenkins, Ashley, Mordin, Thane, Legion.. So many were gone, but at this moment, they meant nothing to him. It was selfish, he knew, but only Shepard's death had an effect on him. Never before had he felt that way about anyone... Now she was gone and he was left with a worse pain than losing his men, his planet, even the physical pain from the rocket that nearly killed him. He wouldn't get to see her smile or make her laugh.. Damn how he loved her laugh. The feel of her skin on his would fade now that she was gone, but he still felt the lingering touch of her lips on his and her hand on his cheek as she said goodbye..
The others glanced over at him, knowing that it would be the hardest thing he had to do to admit Shepard really was gone. Finally, the veteran turian stepped forward, holding the plaque in his hands. It glistened in the light, highlighting the name 'Commander Shepard'.
"We were supposed to be together until the end.." he whispered, his voice as broken as his heart. "There's no Shepard without Vakarian.. Well, there's no Vakarian without Sh-Shepard..." He looked up at the wall, sighing shakily. "I wanted a future with you... to live in a peaceful place and build a family.. You may have created a future for the rest of the galaxy, but you took mine away! Damn you, Shepard!" He clenched his teeth together, unable to place the plaque on the wall and handing it to Liara. "I can't..." he mumbled before storming off and locking himself in the main battery.
Liara looked down at the plaque, feeling tears spill down her cheeks as she placed it on the memorial. "You will never be forgotten, Shepard," she said, taking the capsule she made a month ago and placing it on the floor in front of the memorial.
"Your story will live on and will be a reminder of how one person truly can change the world."
Behind her, there were a few sniffles. You couldn't see it with the mask in the way, but Tali was crying. Silent tears fell down Joker's face. Not only had he lost EDI, the one he loved, but his own commander yet again.. She was like a sister to him.
Liara stepped back, exchanging glances with the rest of the crew before they all saluted the memorial together.
Shepard made the ultimate sacrifice to save the galaxy. She had been through hell since she was young. None of them believed she deserved this end, but they expected it. She would do anything for them. Her inability to save her parents on Mindoir or her team on Akuze proved that. It was time she did something about it.
~A few hours later~
"The Reaper ground forces have disappeared completely, swept away in the energy emitted by the Crucible. The Reapers themselves no longer function, many blowing up in the atmosphere or on the ground where they crashed. Now begins the long process of finding survivors. Supplies are coming in from all over the galaxy. All wounded are to be transported to Earth where any hospitals left standing will tend to them. We will have search-and-rescue teams scouting the planet. Thessia and Palaven have taken hits as well, so the turians and asari will not be joining us. We start in London. Normandy crew, you check the emergency units on the Citadel. You can get in there quickly and I'll lend you some of my soldiers to assist with escorting survivors onboard. A hospital wing will be establish below near where the beam is."
"Yes sir," Joker replied from the Normandy. They were hovering just above Earth with the rest of Alliance ships. Now, it broke away from the others and headed towards the Citadel. Most of the docks were destroyed, but Joker managed to squeeze them into a tight spot. None of the crew left beforehand. Tali believed the Normandy was where she belonged. Liara didn't have a life left to go back to now that her mother was gone and Javik could provide all the information about Protheans that she wanted. The others were just too attached to the Normandy and Garrus.. It was his only connection to Shepard.
"Alright, we'll split up into teams," Kaidan said as they exited the ship. "Vega, you're with me. Liara, you and Javik check the lower sections near Purgatory and the Commons. Tali and Garrus check the higher sections near the Presidium. We clear?"
The teams nodded in agreement before heading out.
"How are you holding up, Tali?" Garrus asked as they walked through the rubble. "You got hit hard by that truck."
"The infection nearly killed me, but I'm alright," the young quarian replied. "Doctor Chakwas certainly knows what she's doing."
"Yeah..."
"What about you?"
"It was nothing, really. An easy patch-up."
"That is not what I meant, Garrus."
He stayed silent, looking anywhere but at her.
"It helps to t-"
"Look, survivors," Garrus interrupted, running over to some humans who were emerging from their little safehouse. "Is everyone alright?"
"Y-Yeah.. A large boulder fell on Chase's leg and it's broken, but we're alive.." They were young boys, around eighteen years old and shaken pretty badly from the Reaper attack.
Garrus helped the boy with the broken leg over to Tali. "Follow her, she'll lead you to safety."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to look for more survivors."
"Be careful.. There might be Reaper forces left, you never know.."
"I will, Tali. Just help them."
She nodded before taking the injured boys back towards the Normandy.
Garrus continued his search, enjoying the time alone. Liara and Tali had been bugging him for days about his attitude. Frankly, it annoyed the hell out of him. At least now he could just be by himself. He unhooked the sniper rifle from his back and walked around, shooting objects he deemed targets and digging through the rubble for any sign of life.
Suddenly, there was a noise behind him; the sound of rocks falling from the top of one of the hills of rubble. That noise was soon followed by groaning and coughing. He couldn't make out who it was, so he began to climb. He nearly fell off of the hill when he saw the figure.
She was practically black with dirt, her entire body bloodied and covered with burns. Most of her armor had been destroyed, leaving her body exposed in some places. Her face was almost unrecognizable with burn marks, bruises, and cuts covering it. Garrus knew very well who it was though, especially by the bright red hair and brilliant blue eyes that stared up at him desperately.
"Shepard?!"
I thought death was painless, a relief from your suffering? The first time around it was that way. I was begging for death when I could no longer breath and the cold atmosphere chilled me to the bone. It was a slow death, agonizingly so. But then I didn't feel anything. I.. don't remember anything after that either. It was completely painless as far as I'm concerned. But now? I was still in excruciating pain. There was nothing but silence around me and darkness. I couldn't move, couldn't see, couldn't hear. That's what death was all about, right? Until you made it to heaven, if there was such a place. Garrus wouldn't be up there, though, would he? If my plan worked..
Where was the light? I wanted to find my friends.. my family.. Be with them while the world continued on without me. But I'm stumbling around in the darkness...
This isn't a release, it's prison.
It seemed like an eternity that I stayed there in the darkness, the pain turning into numbness while my thoughts drifted endlessly. I wanted to scream, but had no strength to. I wanted to fight through the darkness, but I couldn't even lift my arm up. It felt like something was holding me down, something heavy. I hated this feeling. When would I just disappear?
BANG!
What was that?! It sounded like... a gunshot. Were they memories flooding back again? No, I didn't want to remember right now.. It was too much to bear.
Click. BANG!
There it was again, closer this time. A sniper rifle, no doubt, just by the sound of it. Probably the Mantis. That thing was as loud as they come. Huh, Garrus used to carry around one of those..
Wait, Garrus?
Was he here?
We challenged each other on top of the Presidium to see who was the best shot. I let him win, of course, but was that his signal? That he was here where I was and trying to find me like I tried to find him?
I tried to call out his name. It was nothing more than a whisper.
Enough being weak. I was going to find him..
With a newfound strength, I started to push against the weight holding me down. It wasn't as hard pushing it off as I thought. One arm was free and a few of the other weights left with it. Suddenly, a small ray of light made it into the darkness. It hurt to see it being stuck in the darkness for so long. Bakara's words came back to me upon seeing that small ray of hope.
"I started digging the wrong way and found this. It was my chisel and now it is a reminder that there is always another way out."
I smiled slightly at the memory before emerging into the light. It blinded me and I felt dizzy. The dust clogged my throat, making me cough. Every move I made hurt like hell and I groaned, but kept pushing. I became aware of something near me, a fuzzy shape that was blue and grey. Was I still alive? I must have looked pitiful. The desperation to make the pain stop was clear on my face, but I couldn't tell the figure standing before me that.
Then it spoke.
"Shepard?!"
Garrus?
The darkness swallowed me whole again.
It felt like only a few seconds before I regained consciousness. I was too weak to open my eyes at first, fearing that the light might blind me as well. The sound of monitors could vaguely be heard beside me. The air was clear for the first time in days and I inhaled it greedily. The action only caused pain in my chest, however, and I stopped breathing so deeply. I was aware of other pains, though they were duller than the pain in my ribs. It must have been the painkillers. The room was cool and I would have been freezing if it wasn't for the blanket draped over me. I was aware that I was dressed only in my bra and underwear at the moment and there was a weight on my hand... Someone else's. It was cold to the touch and scaly. I knew that feel anywhere..
Was this real?
Slowly, I opened my eyes. The lights were extremely bright as I suspected, making the white walls have a green tint to them. Once my pupils adjusted to the light and everything was clear, I inclined my head towards where I believed he was sitting.
There he was, the same as always. The same grey skin, blue markings, and handsome scar that stretched across the side of his face. He made eye contact with me right away and looking into his eyes, I could read his very soul like a book. He was devastated at the news I was gone. There was so much pain evident in the way he looked at me. But something started emerging from that pain. There was relief and a happiness I couldn't begin to describe. The corner of my lips twitched into a small, crooked smile. "Y-You're not gonna cry on m-me now are you?"
The joke didn't amuse him at all. His grip on my hand tightened every so slightly. "I thought you were dead, Shepard." He didn't sound the same. His voice was strained, cracking in certain places. I really hurt him.
"You ... should know... i-it's hard to ... get rid of me," I replied. The words hurt coming out, but I had to speak to him, to hear his voice more.
"After the stunt you pulled near the beam? And no word from you afterwards? How could I not believe you were dead? It was hard enough I lost you once, but again? You can't keep doing this to me, Shepard!"
I could hear the anger in his voice and a lump formed in my throat. The tears were starting to resurface.
"Garrus... Everything I d-do is for you." I swallowed back the pain so I could speak clearly. "I didn't want to see you get killed... You needed help. How could I live on a world that you are no longer a part of? We've both lost a lot of people in our time, but you still have a family, Garrus. You still have something to live for. If I lost you... I'd have nothing left. Everyone would have gone their separate ways and I would be alone.. I know I hurt you, Garrus, and I'm sorry.." I started to sit up, scrunching my face in pain as I did so. He stood up a little to help me, looking worried.
"Shepard..."
I looked over at him, resting a hand againt his scarred cheek once more. "I never meant to hurt you... I just wanted to keep you safe. You deserve so much, Garrus, especially with what you've been through."
He rested his hand over mine. "There you go, thinking of others rather than yourself," he commented, shaking his head. "You're the one who deserves so much more than she's been given. Everything you've been through... You need a break.. a little happiness in your life."
"You've given that to me, Garrus."
"And now that you're here.. Now that you're alive.. I can give you even more." He sighed. "I'll only forgive you for scaring the shit out of me if you promise to stay alive this time around."
I smiled, hot tears slipping down my cheeks. It was the first time I cried in front of anyone..
"I promise," I managed to choke out. "I love you, Garrus Vakarian."
His smile grew in size and he rested his forehead against mine, reminding me of our first night together. "And I love you, Commander Shepard."
His mouth brushed against mine playfully. My eyes slowly closed before I leaned in more to kiss him. It was passionate. All of the relief of no more running or fighting and the happiness of knowing they were finally together melting into that kiss. He wrapped her in his arms as she wrapped her own around his neck. No more worries as of now. Who knew how long that would last, but she was going to soak up every second with him.
They did it. Together, they beat the odds and survived. Nothing could ever stand in their way again.
"Whoa.. Did that all really happen, daddy?"
"Yes, and I stood by your mother through it all."
"Do you think she's up there in the stars right now? Watching over us?"
"I do."
"Can you tell me one more story about mommy? Please?"
The old turian chuckled. "You should be sleeping right now, but alright... One more story."