Heart racing.

Blood boiling.

Fear dissipating.

This was it.

I was ready for anything that was going to be thrown at me. This was not just my moment; this was for every species alike, organic and synthetic. From Turian to Geth, I was ready to be the hero they all needed, willing to make just sacrifices, willing to give my life so mother and child, father and son could breath peacefully once more. I am ready.

"Shepard!" I heard an agonizing yell from behind me. It held ragged breaths and a tired heart.

My minds' gears and cogs went into overdrive, who was calling me? I skidded to a halt, making the rubble of London come up from their industrial grave, under the sweat and dirt covered Armax Arsenal boots. My eyes squinted beneath the Sentry Interface Visor that shielded my eyes with a soft blue screen. I looked frantically, who is calling me?

"Shepard! Look out!" Another yell came from my right before it was cut off by the earth rattling sound of Harbingers Laser. I turned around once more to see a Hammerhead piling towards me with the intent to kill instantly. I fell to the ground with great force, skidding past the metal jagged edges of the vehicle. Out of instinct, I looked to see where it would land, but before I could process it, it smashed with crunching intensity at my teammates.

"Garrus! Liara!" I screamed, sling shooting myself with a boost of my biotics to them. No no no no no….Not them. GOD DAMMIT Not them! I was afraid, more afraid than I have been in a long time.

I came upon them ducking beneath the remains of vehicle; they were both bloodied and bruised. But Garrus seemed to sustain more gashes than our blue skinned friend. I crouched before them, looking over and analyzing their bodies both before making a quick and immediate decision.

"Normandy do you copy? I need and evac. Right Now!" I commanded through the earpiece, holding onto Garrus' shoulder, while searching for any threat's in front of us, men and woman ran past, focusing on their own life, while military vehicles barreled forward.

It came in, barely audible and almost to the point of static. "I'm taking heavy losses up here Comman- but I'm on-" The static took over once more and all I could hear the cries of pain while the Hammerheads went onwards. "We are here!" Joker exclaimed, piloting The Normandy towards thebody piled ground.

"Come on." I said to both, gripping the Turians' side. His breath was heavy, but he couldn't seem to even catch it. We wobbled to the open hatch of the ship, motioning for Liara to take Garrus the rest of the way. I knew what had to be done and I would be damned if I let one more friend die on me. Not by these monsters, not like this.

"Shepard…" Garrus called out, already figuring out what I was doing. He looked at me, pain in not just his voice, but in his small blue eyes.

"You better get out of here." I tried to look at Liara, not wanting to bear with the weight his gaze held.

"And you got to be kidding me!" He snapped back, thrashing out of Liaras' grasp. I had to smile, even though this was nothing but a gruesome situation, he had made me twitch my lips upwards. I really don't know what I'd do without you. I thought to myself.

"Don't argue Garrus."

"We're in this till the end. You said it yourself; there is no Shepard without Vakarian! You cannot just leave." He reached out to me, holding his long fingers to my face as if trying to get me to leave with him and let someone else deal with the Reapers. And I wanted to, more than anything in the world…But if I did this, that means he could live another day.

"I'll always love you" I stared, putting my forehead to his. Sweat, dirt and blood mixed in with each other's bodies. My voice started to crack. "No matter what happens…I love you, I always will Garrus." It almost came out as a whisper.

"Shepard." His eyes searched my face as if making a detailed memory etched into his mind. "I...Love you too." He kissed me on the head and with one last touch we detached ourselves from each other.

"I'll see you at the bar." I said before the Normandy's hatch started to close.

I turned around to see it take off before I went back to look at the Beam.

This was it. I am ready.

"Jane!" My friend Amanda complained out of annoyance. "Are you done with that damn game yet?" She sighed, looking at the cover of Mass Effect 3 trying to deduce as to why I play this. "I really don't know why you waste all your time and money on games. I mean if you want romance, get a real boyfriend. As in, not an elf or an alien."

I snorted, "Actually in Dragon Age: Origins I romanced a Human, Alistar. It was in Dragon Age II that I romanced an elf, Fenris. And besides, the reasons I don't have a real boyfriend is simply because they are all asses and jerks." I adjusted my glasses back onto my nose, turning off the Xbox.

She laughed. "I think you are mistaken, not all guys are like that. You are just a recluse."

"For good reason."

"Look in just three days you are going to be twenty-five, shouldn't you; oh I don't know…Look at getting a boyfriend?" She sat on futon couch next to me, picking off invisible lint.

I blew a raspberry in her direction. "I'm fine, really. I have Wrex and Pabu with me." I pointed to the two older cats basking in the dissipating sun. One looked up at me and lazily turned away from my field of vision.

"Yes, they are quite the company." She replied sarcastically monotone. "But it's eight o'clock on a Saturday night…Do you see anything wrong with this picture?" Amanda questioned whilst, taking my brown locks and braiding it mindlessly.

"No, not really." I replied, picking at my chipped nail polish, only listening to her half-heartedly. "Although, I guess I should work on my term paper for History." I turned towards her. "It's due Monday."

She rolled her eyes.

"Let's go to the movies!" She said suddenly, jumping up from the light green couch. "I heard Men in Black III is still playing at the local theaters."

I only mulled it over for a few seconds before deciding to go. I was a sucker for that series and for Tommy Lee Jones. I sighed while getting off of the couch I sat on for atleast the last four hours. Stretching out my sore bones, I walked into my room and threw on some jeans and a Devil May Cry shirt, then finished off the short braid Amanda started.

"I'm ready!" I yelled, waiting by the door.

It was those words that I would later regret, because what would happen to me in the dim light of street lights…I would never be ready for.

After the Extended Cut DLC, I just HAD to do this.

It will be a series, so I hope you enjoy, and please reveiw!

-Ashland