Chapter 4 – Returns

Note – Dear Readers, the DreamWeaver was inspired to write this dream by an amazing Deviant named Yuiseppe and the DreamWeaver desires that she take credit for this part of the dream. The DreamWeaver requests that you, dear Readers, take the time to view her additional Deviations and leave this incredible young artist some encouragement. Also, the DreamWeaver would like to leave another resounding "thak you" to the kind Readers who have left a review.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Commander Shepard," a slightly sardonic sounding voice startled her from her contemplations of the grass blades between her feet. Shepard's hand raised to rub along the back of her neck as she slowly sat up on the park bench. "Back so soon? I thought you said you had somewhere to be."

She sat up slowly, looking up at the bearer of the familiar voice as they came to stand in front of her with a hand on the hip. Beyond, a soft summer breeze rustled the branches of a small cluster of trees and whipped bits of pollen up from the growth of wildflowers nearby. It was a beautiful evening. The sight of the familiar figure brought several sensations rushing at her. Relief, sadness and realization flooded her senses and she found herself looking back down at the grass again with a small sigh.

"Oh… it's you…"

"Yeah, me." The figure had a small smirk in their voice. Arms crossed over an Alliance military uniform chest, slender and strong. A woman's frame. Familiar frame. The face was still shrouded in sunlight, but Shepard was already aware of who it was.

Shepard sighed again and rubbed the side of her face now. "Guess that means I'm dead, huh?"

The figure nodded, red hair falling along a chin that Shepard could see now. "Are you content with that?"

Shepard sighed softly and rested her elbows on her knees, tucking her hands underneath her chin in a posture of sadness and defeat.

"Well… I've had a good run… Lived and did more than most… Maybe more than I should… But it was good…" But the words were so bittersweet… Like there was something more that could have been said…

The figure seemed to understand as they asked with head tilted slightly to the side, "No regrets?"

That brought a frown to Shepard's face and she hefted herself back up into a sitting position to look up into the sunlight crowned person, arm flinging over the back of the park bench. "Of course I have regrets! Who doesn't?"

Instead of responding, the figure seemed to give Shepard a long, hard look.

"Shepard, I'm glad you're here!" The faint whisper of a digitized voice sprang out of her memories, making her jaw tighten slightly as she remembered.

"I wanted to see Tali's house on Rannoch, like her father promised." She murmured, lowering her head slowly to look at her boots.

"This is now my favorite spot on the Citadel! I think I'm going to erect a monument right here, bronze this gun so the whole galaxy knows!" Another echo filled her ears, the memory of the bottle shooting contest filling her eyes as she stopped viewing the peaceful park that she had been resting at.

"I wanted to go to the bar with Garrus again."

"Do not mourn for me, Siha." Thane whispered.

"Alright Lola, can you dance?" Vega cracked his knuckles with a laughing look in his dark eyes.

"I wanted to go to Armali with Liara…" she whispered, closing her eyes as the memories of her friends… her crew… her family… came back to her vision.

Joker grinning as he made racial jokes with Garrus on the bridge.

Mordin, smiling with such bittersweet happiness, before climbing into the elevator to free the krogans from the genophage.

Jack cursing Joker out over the shuttle comms, laughter sparkling in her eyes for the first time.

Grunt slamming his fists to his chest and letting out a battle roar that reminded her so much of Wrex, who was watching on with pride puffing his chest no less.

"Shepard…" a familiar, beloved voice echoed in her mind's eye… Or was it somewhere outside of her memories…?

"I can't… lose you again…" he whispered, his hand brushing against her cheek, the smooth metal of his hard suit leaving a tingling trail in its wake.

"I'm going to be there when this is over. You'd better show up…" she had replied, trying to choke down tears.

"And Kaidan…" she told the figure suddenly, the regrets were clawing at her chest, tightening the muscles around her lungs and filling her throat with a lump.

"I love you…" he whispered before crushing his mouth to her own, grabbing her up against him with a longing bordering on desperation. The kiss was filled with sadness and fear, worry and hope. She responded slowly, trying to make it linger, trying to ignore the world for just one more minute… So she could have one more memory of him before she never saw him again. Tried to remind him that she loved him more than the air she breathed, that he was just as essential to her as it was.

"Shit…" she swallowed hard as she forced the tears back, blinking her way through the pain. "I-I… I need to go back… I'm so sorry…"

Shepard looked up at herself as the other approached slowly, taking in the smile that was forming on her lips. The other shook her red head with a warm look in her amethyst colored eyes.

"There, look!" a faint echo sounded on the very edge of her hearing and Shepard looked to the side, wondering if she had heard it or it was just the remnants of a memory.

"Don't be." The other Shepard called her back, causing her to look up with a startled expression on her features. She was smiling and holding her hand out to her.

"We found her! She's here!" It was fainter now, but she swore she was hearing someone else call out to someone else, even though they were alone in the park.

"I wanted for you to live for us. Hell, I still think you owe me one." The other Shepard laughed as she held out her hand. Shepard hesitated only once before taking the offered hand, the offered hope, the offered chance for dreams. The other Shepard hauled her to her feet off the bench and they stood eye to eye for a long moment.

"Now get the hell up, soldier. You have one last fight to win." The other Shepard barked and the park suddenly spun underneath Shepard as she heard the sudden cry of Admiral Anderson's voice.

"Shepard! Oh god, Shepard, hold on!"

Shepard looked back at the park bench, where the other self was now sitting, leaning back with the sun on her face and a smile on her lips. She waved at Shepard as she found herself starting to fall backwards and her parting words echoed over and over in Shepard's mind as she fell down, down, down…

"I'll be here… Keeping your seat warm awhile longer…"

And then, everything faded into nothing...

The DreamWeaver hopes that this part of a dream has pleased you, dear Reader, and, if it has, perhaps you will honor the DreamWeaver with a review.

May your dreams guide you on the pathway to the joys of tomorrow.