AN: So, I've wanted to do this for a while. For those of you reading Mass Confusion, I'm still working on it. I just have a major case of writer's block. This is the story of my headcanon Shepard, Katherine Shepard. I'll try to multitask and update both fics at the same time.

Enjoy! R&R!

Chapter 1- The Attack

"Ash, get everyone to the escape pods!" Katherine says as she puts on her breather helmet, flames engulfing her surroundings, explosions sounding off in the distance.

"Are you serious?! I'm not leaving you Shepard! And Joker won't leave the Normandy."

"I can take care of Joker. Now go!"

"Shepard, I-"

"I know." Shepard said, turning to fully face her gunnery chief. "I do too. But this is much more important than the two of us. Now go."

After a moment of hesitance, Ashely nods. "Aye, aye." And with that, she leaves to help the crew.

Wires hanged from the ceiling as Shepard made her wayq to the cockpit. Taking a right to get to the CIC, she felt her mag-boots activate as the force of gravity threatened to send her floating off the ship. The CIC was a disaster. The ceiling was torn to shreds, pieces lay haphazardly about the galaxy map, which was also in disarray, blinking and spinning sporadically.

Joker sat in the cockpit protected by a force field that allowed some gravity to keep him in place, typing commands and sending messages to the Alliance for help.

Help.

Shepard didn't have time to think who was attacking them. Or why. She just needed to get her stubborn pilot off that chair and into an escape pod.

Finally she reached him, crossing the threshold of that separated the now-torn CIC and the mostly intact cockpit. "Joker, we have to get out of here!"

"No! There's still hope! I can save her!"

"Joker, the Normandy's gone. Going down with her won't change a thing." Shepard said, a hand over Joker's shoulder.

"Yeah. Alright." Joker answered after a moment of pondering. "Help me up." A final glance at the screens told Joker of grave news. "Oh no. They're coming around for another attack."

Turning, Shepard saw as a laser cut through the entire ship, literally cutting it in half. After the beam stopped, she quickly went to grab Joker, getting him a bit too tightly. "Arg! Watch the arm!"

Shepard helped the witty pilot up and made their way to the last escape pod. As Joker crawled in, the attacking ship made another run. The blast was too close for comfort, and Katherine was thrown away from the pod.

"Shepard!" cried Joker as his Commander held onto the panel of pod. Slipping and no longer able to hold, Shepard pressed the release button just before another explosion went off, sending her flying away from the pod and into the expanse of space.

This isn't how I planned on dying. Why is it…harder…to breath?

Reaching to the back of her armor, Katherine felt as oxygen began to escape her suit. Struggling, she began to vainly try to cover the holes that must have been caused by the explosion. Her breath became ragged, deep, slowly coming to a stop.

I'm sorry, Ash…

The last image the commander saw was her ship, torn to pieces. The last feeling: regret. And a hot, painful burn.