Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, Commander Shepard, Miranda Lawson, Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Garrus Vakarian, or Tali'Zorah vas Normandy.

Mass Effect: Epilogue is my take on what happens WAAAAY after Shepard defeats the Reapers, which must happen in ME3. A completely Paragon Shepard who made all the 'canonical' decisions, e.g. elect Anderson for councilor, finished the Normandy crash-site DLC, recruited Legion, all squad members survived the Collector base, blew up the Collector base, resigned from Cerberus, so on, so for. Very strong Shep/Miranda relationship. It might seem out-of-character, but I desperately tried. And please be patient. The 'I tried to make it fit Miranda's character' part coming soon.

Also, just for fun, look at my profile for links to two versions of the cover I made for this story.

Chapter One: The Definition of Sacrifice
"Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience."
- Thomas Merton

THREE YEARS AGO

Caskets were laid in front of him. He didn't bother to count the casualty toll. He didn't want to.

Commander Shepard was well aware of his remaining crew standing behind him. He tried very hard to control his composure; he couldn't break down in front of the team, because he knew they were looking upon him to keep them all strong.

Turning around to face the team, he lowered his head and closed his eyes for a moment, the faces of the dead flashing in his mind.

They died well, was the first thing that came to Shepard's mind, and he was about to begin speaking before he realized that what he was going to say, wasn't the right thing to say.

"Many of our friends," Shepard began, managing to keep his voice from cracking. "Died fighting today. They died fighting for ... They died fighting for the sake of the galaxy, and that makes them heroes, even in death." Shepard finally looked up at his team, and he saw the same grief, the same regret in their faces as well. He was determined to keep them strong, even after this.

"The Reapers were destroyed this morning, and the galaxy was allowed to breathe freely again." Shepard paused, straightening his form. "For centuries, the freedom of the galaxy has been defended by the sacrifices of many, and those who died today are but the greatest among those many. They freely went up against impossible odds, knowing that they could die at any time, fighting for the freedom of an uncountable number of lives, people that they probably didn't even know.

"I believe none of us here are strangers to death, to sacrifice, to loss, and to pain. That's why we cannot allow the deaths of our comrades gnaw away at our core, especially if it's going to tear ourselves apart. I'm not saying that it's going to be easy, moving on from this. But I doubt the fallen would want to see the galaxy lose its greatest protectors just because of the reaction we had to their noble sacrifices. If we continue to fight for the galaxy's freedom, if we continue to fight for peace in their name - it's the most honorable thing we can do for them."

The entire crew was silent for a while, taking in Shepard's little speech.

"Well said, Commander," someone spoke up, but Shepard didn't pay attention to who it was.

Then he turned around and just started walking back to his quarters.

THREE YEARS LATER

Waking up from that horrible memory wasn't exactly how John Alan Shepard wanted to start his day. If anything, he preferred to not have to go through that trauma again. But his memories were momentarily forgotten when there was a sudden ping at his desk terminal.

Forcing himself out of bed, he walked over to the terminal and found that it was a report from Anderson. Even after three years, the blow-back reaction of the public towards the Reapers had caused a lot of panic. Shepard and his little team (Or what was remaining of them, Shepard found himself thinking) of vigilantes had stepped up with a proposal to Anderson; have a joint-operation with N7, the Spectres, along with the other alien governments in order to keep galaxy-wide peace. And the result ...

Some of his teammates had been scattered around the galaxy, commanding special forces responsible for that particular region. Most stayed behind with Shepard, he himself who served as a Spectre again, wandering around the galaxy and maintaining order.

For now, there was a moment of peace.

Shepard shuffled over to the shower, the steady beat of water on his back relaxing in coordination with the warm water trickling down his spine. His mind drifted amongst different thoughts, but he smiled when he thought of Miranda.

Though Shepard had always believed his life would be one of complete, never-ending warfare, he was glad to have been proven wrong in the months that had elapsed after the destruction of the Reapers. She had helped him move on from the appalling loss of their team members, and then ...

"We got married," Shepard chuckled lightly as he wrapped a towel around his waist.

Before he met Miranda, Shepard had no intention of settling down somewhere and raising a family. He was a soldier, in a way, bred to fight, to serve, to protect. But afterward, Shepard would admit he had sometimes entertained thoughts of settling down with Miranda Lawson when his mind went idle. And after saving the galaxy at least three times ... well, you couldn't exactly call it settling down, but at least Shepard was at peace.

We got married on Elysium half a month after the Reapers got their non-organically organic asses kicked, our little group of galactic vigilantes get recognized by the Council, she's now an intel-gatherer and black ops agent stationed at the Citadel, while I'm still flying around the galaxy doing my Spectre peacekeeping duties ... We have a son ...

"Andrew John Shepard," Shepard mumbled to himself, strapping on his armor. The two-year-old son of two galactic heroes - the elite John Alan Shepard, first human Spectre and Savior of the Galaxy thrice-over, and the genetically-modified Miranda Lawson, extremely competent ex-Cerberus officer and 'the Perfect Woman' ... not to mention who brought me back to life. Andrew John Shepard, now in the care of his grandmother because his parents are too busy keeping the galaxy safe. What kind of a life is he going to live? The moment he sets for school, he's instantly recognized as the son of Commander Shepard? Will he be burdened by fame and attention, pestered by 'friends' that just want to be able to say they know Andrew Shepard, the son of the galaxy's most famous hero? Barely able to see his parents? This is wrong - I can't let a child, especially our child, live a life like this. God, if only there was a way ...

He pushed the thoughts aside. He could deal with this later. But now ... he had to go pay his respects to some friends.

"Three years, Commander," Joker said as the Normandy began to enter orbit. "It's been three years since we defeated the Reapers. Y'know, I was actually thinking about retiring after this, but then I realized, 'What other idiot is going to pilot the Normandy without crashing her into some planet?'"

"You wouldn't let someone even touch the seat, would you, Joker?" Shepard snorted.

"This seat? This seat, right here, in all its leather awesomeness? Over my dead body."

Even after three years, Shepard had decided to keep the Cerberus-built Normandy SR-2, after Joker's request of a new, non-Cerberus paint job had been fulfilled, of course, seeing as they weren't with Cerberus anymore. It was this very ship that led the Alliance Navy, the Flotilla's battle-ready starships, the repaired Destiny Ascension, Legion's requested armada of Geth Dropships, as well as the Turian and Salarian dreadnoughts in battle against the Reapers, similar to the way the Normandy SR-1 led the Alliance Navy against Sovereign half a decade ago.

"You're coming down as usual, Joker?" Shepard asked.

"Of course. EDI, make sure the ship's ready to go in case we get some unwanted visitors."

"I'd prefer not to bring weapons, but it's possible that some heartless bastards might take the opportunity to come track us down. Especially Cerberus."

"Better safe than sorry, eh, Commander? Right, keep the ship steady, EDI. Let's go down to the drop shuttle. We've landed on Alchera."

After the deaths of all their teammates, Shepard had decided to bury them himself on Alchera, where the original Normandy SR-1 had crashed on. He'd given them the best memorial service anyone could ask for.

Anderson showed up, as well as Hackett. The surviving squad stayed by Shepard's side throughout his speech. Relatives and friends of the fallen came to pay their respects. Across the galaxy, strangers came to see who had sacrificed themselves for the sake of the galaxy.

Shepard exited the Kodiak drop-shuttle, Joker, Garrus, and Tali behind him. Joker had been outfitted with a breather and temperature stabilizers because of Alchera's low temperature and atmosphere levels. As they trudged silently along, Shepard found his mind wandering. Could he have prevented those deaths? If he had planned better beforehand, if he had thought it through, did the buried corpses on this planet have to die? Could he have prevented their deaths?

Could you have prevented what happened on Virmire as well? Shepard found a part of him thinking. But he pushed those thoughts away. It had been too long ago. Too long for it to cause any more pain. Kaiden, Shepard decided, was a hero like the ones buried on this planet.

But why is it that almost every friend you know, they're 'heroes'? that same voice murmured in his mind. Shepard ignored it. Honoring his friends and grieving his friends could be two different things entirely.

They reached the tombstones, exactly the same way Shepard had seen them last year. There were other things he didn't recall seeing, mostly remembrance items placed at the memorials. Shepard bowed his head.

"Hey guys," Shepard tried to sound more casual-like. To anyone else who could hear the scene but not see it, it would've sounded like Shepard was just talking to some friends. "Well, it's been three years since we last saw you. And we still miss you all terribly.

"You went down heroically, y'know? You were all the best heroes of the century. The story of 'The Battle against the Reapers', well, kids around the galaxy, they probably all want to live up to even a bit of the courage you all had.

"Wherever you guys are ... I hope they're throwing some big eternal party for you guys. You know you all deserve it."

Shepard turned his head around to see Joker take off his SR-2 hat and press it against his chest, his countenance that one of grieving, his head lowered. Garrus was deathly silent, eyes closed, avian-like mouth pressed in a thin line. Shepard couldn't see Tali's expression through her mask, but her head was lowered in respect.

After a minute of silence, Shepard shot a look at his teammates, who nodded in response. Then they started their trudge back to the drop-shuttle.

A/N - Short, I know, but I wanted to start it off. Yes, I will continue Renegade and Epilogue simultaneously. Be patient. The idea for this is not as ridiculous as it seems. And, should you decide to review, don't be a complete ass. Everyone's entitled to their own decisions.