Until the End of Time.
A/N: I hope you enjoy this quick one shot - just something that popped into my head earlier and felt compelled to write. Hopefully this'll be the catalyst to getting me out of my writer's block funk. I apologise in advance for any unintentional mistakes!
Just a quick warning - Spoiler-ish for ME3 ending. This isn't necessarily all sunshine and smiles.
Disclaimer: Apart from my copies of ME1, 2 and 3, I do not own Mass Effect or any of the associated characters.
Shepard knew this was going to be the be all and end all, that his life would, in one way or another, end in battle. Not that he could really complain. The path he'd taken had allowed him to see things others, even the oldest of the Asari, could never begin to imagine - things of abject horror, things of unimaginable beauty, things that defy all logic. All in all, despite where he'd ended up, Shepard could count himself as lucky. After all, for all organic life, there is only one true destination. It's the journey that gets you there that's the important part.
As he laid in the dirt, the slightly alkaline, chalky London soil covering his cracked, blood stained lips, Shepard scanned the landscape. Battered and broken, yes, but defeated? He was glad that this battle had chosen London. Not because he held any animosity against the people of that city or the city itself, in fact he felt quite the contrary, but because of the history. It gave the people something to fight for, or, more accurately, something to by which to remember just what exactly they were fighting for – humanity. A field in the middle of the country side wouldn't have had the same effect, neither a small town. No. London was a good place to make their final stand. Besides, he'd always been meaning to see Big Ben, but for some reason, he'd never found the time…
A bolt of blue light flashed in front of his eyes, the unmistakable hue and hum of biotics left in its wake. There was still fighting to be done, but if that biotic was like Miranda, then Shepard was sure the battle would be over before long.
Miranda. His saviour, both literally and metaphorically. A picture of her shimmered vibrantly in Shepard's head - Miranda's sapphire eyes glinting in the sun, the way they had when they'd accompanied Grunt on Tuchanka. Those eyes had presented Shepard with the perfect mix of mystery and determination, flawlessly framed by the juxtaposition provided by silky raven black hair and delicate porcelain skin, slightly flushed in the harsh, unforgiving wastelands. For all his failings, Shepard had to admit that her father had truly made her perfect.
A laugh turned to a fit of coughing as Shepard recalled the passage of their relationship. She'd perfected the ice-maiden routine, but he hadn't let that deter him. One advantage of seeing and doing all of the things that he had was that Shepard never backed away from anything he wanted. It may sound absurd to some, but life was too short to not live – something the Salarians had discovered millennia ago. She'd eventually let him in, and for that, knowing Miranda, her past and all that she had been through, Shepard was eternally grateful.
Shepard felt his eyes beginning to droop. It had been so long since he'd slept, he couldn't remember when exactly. He'd told Garrus that he could sleep when he was dead.
As his breathing slowed, the image of Miranda returned to him, this time a soft smile graced her lips, her right hand outstretched before a warm and inviting sun.
"I will love you 'til the end of time…" Miranda soothed him, her voice smooth and unwavering, the hand still beckoning him forwards, towards the sun, towards his love and towards freedom.
Closing his eyes, the light patter of falling debris, which had been dancing like snow above him, tickled his eyelids. Shepard extended his hand to hers, the electric feel of her touch sending shivers down his spine.
"Miri…" He whispered as the universe faded to black.
A/N 2: Thanks for taking your time to read this one. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. I've left this kind of open to maybe add some more, but to be honest, that's probably quite unlikely. Thanks again!