Mass Effect: Each Story Has A Million Tales.

Summary: "There is always more than just one side to a story- and more than one lesson to learn. Follow Garrus Vakarian as he stands by a promise that he means to keep, contemplates the true meaning of life, death, and the ultimate sacrifice, and as he confronts someone who should have been behind him all along. Follow Adelais Vakarian as he mends a broken bond, and as he comes to terms with a terrible loss of his own. Follow Kolyat Krios as he navigates through a very dangerous place, only to find another- under the guidance of someone who may or may not be there at all. And follow Commander Joleen Shepard as she goes through her past and present, only to find herself in the middle of a battle for her future." (Garrus' Story: 'The Promise-Keeper.' Adelais' Story: 'The Old Soldier.' Kolyat's Story: 'The Wanderer.' Shepard's Story: 'The Missing.')

Warning: "This is a heavy one- some swearing, angst, implied adult situations, adult situations, a few character deaths, violence, and blood. All the big ones this time. Remember, this is my Shepard, my feelings on the game and what should have happened and will happen, with my own opinions and storyline, so no nasty comments. Got it? Good." (Commander Joleen Shepard: War Hero, Earthborn. Soldier. Paragon. Romanced Kaidan Alenko in the 1st game, Garrus Vakarian in the 2nd and 3rd. Shot and killed Udina during the Citadel Coup.)

Disclaimer: "I do not own Mass Effect. Don't make me say it again."

Author's Note: "Just so you know, the name 'Adelais,' is Latin for 'Noble.' I thought it fit perfectly. The name 'Carissa' means 'the most beloved one.' Again, I just thought the name fit."

N._.S._.S

Chapter Three: The Promise-Keeper II.

He was the one who found her first.

It was just hours after the swarms of Keepers had finally backed off and allowed the Citadel's former inhabitants to return. The Normandy was the first ship to dock, followed immediately after the Destiny Ascension. Immediately, Joker and EDI launched a search party for Shepard and Anderson- the only two who made it into the Citadel through the Beam in London.

She was lying against the Control Panel, and had somehow lost her armor. There was a point-blank, still-bleeding gunshot wound in her abdomen. A handgun lay abandoned next to her. Her arms and torso were covered with burns. The rest of her body was covered in bruises and still-bleeding cuts and scratches.

Anderson was sitting across from Shepard in the same position. From how stiffly and silently he sat, Garrus knew without checking that he had been gone for a long time.

The Illusive Man was lying in the middle of the room, away from Shepard and Anderson. He laid spread-eagle, damned strange azure eyes staring unblinkingly into nothing, blood from the single gunshot wound in his neck already dry.

He'd probably killed himself- gently persuaded into it by Shepard. Just like Saren before him.

Resisting the urge to kick the man who had caused them so much grief in the past two years, Garrus instead knelt beside Shepard, and by doing so, he was instantly struck by the thought of how small she looked. Slowly, he reached out and touched her cheek, wondering what he was supposed to do.

He was startled when Shepard reached up and touched the tips of his talons with her fingertips.

Her eyes were still open at this point, and she seemed to recognize him as she slowly lifted her head to look at him, as she actually smiled a little and murmured his name.

"Garrus."

She was conscious, but just barely. Her dark brown eyes were glistening weakly at him as he slowly and gently picked her up, radioing in to the others that he had found her.

As he brought her back, she continuously muttered nonsense at him under her breath, as if she were explaining something that even she didn't quite understand herself.

"Catalyst… so much blood… didn't shoot him… choices…"

Her muttering was… unnerving, at best. Her eyes were still barely open, and she stared past him, as if staring at something high above him. She didn't really react when he picked her up- it was like she didn't even notice the shift in movement. She would mutter a few words, go silent for a bit, and then start up again.

"…others…not following… dead, or…?"

"… damn it… hurts... just keep moving…"

But the worst thing happened when he finally got back down to the others.

She was wrenched from his arms by the medics, who took her away without even telling him what was happening.

He would never forgive them for it.

For just taking her from him.

And it was a week before they even told him where she was- and another month before they let him see her.

Never.

N._.S._.S

He slipped into the room quietly, as if she were only sleeping.

From the beginning, he'd been here, by her side- from Saren, to the Collectors, to the final run to the Beam in London. There were very, very few people in the Galaxy who could say that- only he and Tali could truthfully say that they'd gone to hell and back alongside the Commander.

As he took his usual place beside her bed, he noticed that her eyes were open, and she was smiling a little bit. He knew it was merely by chance that happened as he came in, but nonetheless, he was in a good mood at the moment and wanted to make the most out of that.

"Were you waiting for me to come back, Joleen?"

She doesn't move.

They said she would never be fully awake again.

"It's all right now, I'm here."

She blinks once.

PVS, or a "Persistent Vegetative State," was a "wakeful unconsciousness."

This meant that though Commander Joleen Shepard's heart was still beating, that she could breathe on her own, that her eyes were open, and she was blinking and even smiling, she was not, officially, "conscious."

It was like being woken from a heavy, heavy sleep.

Sometimes she'd wake, but she would always fall back into it.

They didn't know whether or not she could even hear them.

"I went to the top of the Presidium again. You won't believe what I saw up there…"

But that didn't stop him from trying.

Or hoping.

N._.S._.S