Update: So... recently the Citadel DLC was released and.. It was the most amazing DLC I ever played. It was perfect in every way, and I felt.. there was no better send off for our favorite crew and Shepard him/herself.
Lately I have been thinking of adding to this story. Just bits, not sure how much just yet.. but thinking of adding to it anyways. I had completed this once before, and I was satisfied with it.. still am.. but now I just want to add more, and after the DLC I thought of adding more to this fanfic regarding that, as after thoughts.
Anywho, not sure how many chapters I will add. We will see.
This was started back shortly after ME3 was released. At first it was sort of my take on the ending, how I think my Shepard will react, and what I guess I wish I could see.
Even if the ending feels better then before I still wish I could have seen SOMETHING involving my love interest (Liara), and Shepard (Katelyn). On that note I must mention this is my Katelyn Shepard from my stories Long Forgotten Love, Origins, and I Renegade. This story just follows cannon where my other stories were AU half way through the first story.
Anyways with the updates I hope it's still enjoyable. I had a lot of amazing feed back when I first finished this, and I hope that if those readers return that they can enjoy the new stuff too.
This is a stand alone story, for those who have not read past works.
Here After
Katelyn Shepard, usually the strong, stoic, and proud sort, now she was beaten, bruised, bloodied and could barely stand on her own two feet, let alone walk. She had to however. Despite everything she had been through, all the battles, all the struggling, and even after learning the truth behind it all, she had to keep going. She had to finish this. The costs were high if she didn't. She had sworn to do everything in her power to end the Reapers, break the cycle, and save the Galaxy.
The truth behind it all was staggering. She was barely able to process the new information. Destroying life to save life. It made no sense and at the same time it made all the sense in the world. She knew what it meant to make that kind of call. She had been there once before with The Project. She made the decision to destroy an entire solar system, with over 300,000 batarians. It made sense, but the price was still too high. She couldn't allow them to destroy the galaxy again.
She raised the gun she still clutched in her bloodied hand as she limped towards the device that determined the fate of everything. She had to plug as many bullets into it as possible. Controlling, or merging with the Reapers was not an option to her. Even if it meant sacrificing the Geth... and her synthetic crew mate, Edi... No, they had to be destroyed, it all had to stop. Sound logic or no, it had to end, and it would end with her. She would not allow a risk for the cycle to continue, she couldn't.
As she began to fire her weapon her mind began to race. This was it, this was the end. She stood taller suddenly, finding a new source for energy and strength as her walking grew more confident, faster. She thought of the people she had come to care for, Joker, Anderson, Liara... Liara was the one person who lingered in her mind. She was the one person who gave her the strength she needed. The support that kept her going. Liara gave her a reason to live, to fight.
As she began to fire onto the machine thoughts of their time together flashed by her mind's eye in a blur. Time spent, time lost, things they were missing out on because of the Reapers. Things they had planned for, things they hoped they could have, things they wanted so desperately.
Old age, marriage, and lots of blue children. I need to know you are always coming back. Those words echoed in her mind and ears loudly as her eyes narrowed. I'm always coming back. It was her promise... A promise she couldn't keep now that the time had arrived.
The machine began to spark and flames began to erupt from it as she continued to march right for it, staggering a little as she did. She flinched as sparks of burnt metal flew in her direction, spraying her already bruised and bloodied face. She had to ignore the slight stinging sensation as hot embers pelted her cheeks, still squeezing on the trigger of her gun. She couldn't stop now.
It was funny, before all of this happened she would have never sacrificed herself for almost anything. Now she was here, giving her life for trillions, and at the same time for just one person. Liara meant the galaxy and more to her, and she would give the asari a chance to live, despite the loss of everything the galactic community had achieved through the mass relays, the Citadel, and yes, the Reapers themselves.
Kate gritted her teeth as it became harder to handle the recoil of her once familiar weapon, reaching up with her free hand and gripping it for extra support. The end of it all weighed heavily on her mind. It would finally be over but she knew she would not be around to reap the benefits. Would not be around to help rebuild a new life. Never see Liara again. She faced death before, but this time she knew it was coming... This time it struck a cord.
"I'm sorry, Liara." Were the last words she spoke aloud as the resulting explosion began to erupt from the machinery before her. As the whole thing blew, it engulfed her in flames, feeling the intense heat. Katelyn felt herself being pushed backwards as the wave of heat, fire, and pain surrounded her, causing her to lose her balance.
As her world grow dim, she couldn't help the last thought from entering her mind. She could not keep the promise she made, it was the only thing she could truly regret. She could not return the asari she loved so much.
VWVWV
All those little blue children will be disappointed I didn't have a speech.
"I see someone! Get a medic!" a distant voice.
We'll make up a good story for them.
"It's her! She's alive!" another voice.
This is it isn't it?
"You'll be ok, help is coming." the first voice. Closer, less distant this time. A hand grasping her shoulder, but she could barely feel it. She rasped for air, her world in a daze. She could barely see the blurred shapes around her, and everything seemed dark.
Yeah. This is it. Those words came off a little shorter then she had meant.
The world around her spun as she grunted at the sudden sense of pain from her very core. All that she could feel was the pain. She felt nothing else, and her mind swirled with mixed images as thoughts raced. Where was she? What happened? Nothing made sense and everything was a chaotic mess as she heard more people yelling around her. It was a sudden sense of confusion.
I'm sorry, Liara.
Sleep. All she wanted now was sleep. She wanted to feel nothing, think nothing. "Stay with us!" A female voice amongst all the male voices from before. She didn't want to listen to it. She just wanted to sleep. She was so tired and she didn't know why she felt that way. "Come on, Shepard, don't give up now." that female voice again. She was so persistent.
I love you, Katelyn Shepard.
She couldn't hold onto the conscious world any longer. She didn't even bother trying. She saw the dark swirling blurs fade to black. Not even all the pain could keep her from the sleep she so desperately wanted. Whatever the voices wanted from her didn't matter to her anymore.
VWVWV
Piano music played in the background. The apartment they stood in was vacant, aside from the two of them and Liara's drone. "We should do this more often." Shore leave was not in Katelyn's plans. She didn't want to stop fighting against the Reapers. Every moment spent doing frivolous things meant another moment more people died. However, the Normandy was slated for repairs... She was not given a choice, she was ordered for a day of shore leave while the Normandy was given repairs. Her and her entire crew.
Despite her initial resentment of the orders to catch a day of rest... In the end it turned out to be the best 24 hours she had ever experienced.
"Yes well... Maybe after..." Liara spoke, looking away for a moment. The look on Liara's face... was something Katelyn never wanted to see. Katelyn could clearly see the pain in her bondmate's eyes, the way she stood there, looking so unsure. She wanted to give Liara something to look forward to. Something they both could look forward to.
"Everyday after." Katelyn had said back, smiling at Liara. It seemed to have done the trick. Liara was smiling again as Katelyn pulled Liara closer to herself. She could never get enough of that smile.
Confusion was the first thing Shepard felt. She blinked sore bruised eye lids as she cringed as she woke from the dream... The memory. "She's awake!" someone called out as she gripped her side with her left hand, unable to work her right arm at all. Her whole body felt as though she was ran over by a cruiser. It probably wasn't too far from the truth. But it didn't make sense.
How was she even alive? Last thing she remembered was being enveloped by flames and the regret she felt before losing consciousness. Everything before that was a blank. "What.." she couldn't even finish her sentence as what appeared to be a lone female nurse approaching her bed. She shouldn't have been alive. Her death was a sure thing. She knew it was. She couldn't remember details but she remembered that.
"It's ok, Commander, you're alright." a woman said as soothingly as possible. Shepard looked around herself. The makeshift hospital in ruins, other patients on beds and cots, most bloodied and bruised, while others suffered mild injuries. "We managed to find you in time on the Citadel, you're badly injured, you shouldn't be moving around just yet." She continued.
Katelyn then felt fear prickle at the back of her mind, ignoring the nurse altogether. "Where's Liara?" she questioned with a raspy voice. She tried to sit up but found the woman over her keeping her from moving. Not that it took much effort to put an end to her attempt at getting up. She could barely move at all.
The woman's eyes never met Shepard's as she checked an IV drip that was strapped to the Commander's arm. "We haven't heard from the Normandy in days..." She said solemnly.
At first the reply didn't fully register in Shepard's mind. "Days?" she questioned. How long had she been out? It only fueled her sense of worry... For the crew, for Liara. "I can't just sit here." Katelyn said with a stubborn attitude.
Katelyn tried to get up again. This time she found some sense of strength to push herself up, ignoring the woman's pleas to lay back down. Shepard cringed in sudden pain as she gripped her side, nearly dropping to the floor as her leg gave out. But she couldn't allow it to hold her back now. "I have to find Liara." she insisted. She refused to believe that Liara was gone. Liara was far more stubborn then Shepard some days. To Shepard if it wasn't for Liara's persistence none of this would be possible. They'd of lost the war against the Reapers long before it started.
"Commander Shepard, please you need to rest!" The nurse stated loudly. Katelyn Shepard glared at her once as she got to her feet slowly. Her whole being tried to resist her movements, pain emanating from every joint in her body and then some. Liara had not given up on her once upon a time. She would not give up on Liara. Not now, not ever.
Shepard started to slowly shuffle forward, determined to start searching. "I have to find her." Katelyn repeated firmly, clearly trying to mask whatever physical pain she may have been in. If Katelyn had been paying any attention to the nurse instead of trying to push herself forward she'd of noticed the sedative the woman had just picked up.
The nurse knew of Shepard's reputation, but she'd risk angering the woman. For now it was her duty to make sure Shepard didn't hurt herself any further. She would have to sedate before she got much further. She stood up, caught up to the slow moving Shepard and stuck the needle in her arm quickly. "I'm sorry, Commander, but I cannot let you leave yet..." The nurse said as gently as possible.
If looks could kill. Shepard felt the prick to her arm as she shot the deadliest glare she could muster. "I'm sorry." The nurse again stated. She meant it. She too had people she cared for that were still missing. Everyone did. But it was still her job to keep people from harming themselves further. That included the great Commander Shepard.
Kate found the world fading out again. "She wouldn't have.." Shepard started as she began to fall over. The nurse caught her as she sighed heavily. Shepard was fighting the sedative but she wouldn't win. "Given up.." Shepard managed to finish. She then felt her eyes slowly close as the sedative took effect.
The nurse sighed as she began to drag the Commander back to bed. She didn't know much about this Liara, just that she was scene arm in arm with the Commander on a news vid about a charity shortly before the Geth and Quarians had settled their conflict. Whoever Liara was though, she must have been important to Shepard. She was pretty much the only thought on the Commander's mind when she woke up.
VWVWV
So anyways... I've made some changes, hopefully fixed some mistakes I previously made, added a few things. Like I said not sure how many changes or additions I want to make just yet.. But we'll see.