Sorry for taking a little longer to post this chapter. I was hit by some nasty writers block. Couple that with the fact that this chapter was saved on my work computer means I couldn't work on it from home. Anywho, here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy! Reviews are always welcome!

I don't own anything related to Mass Effect except for my own musings.

After narrowing down where they were going to search from the information in Garrus' dream, the team called in the change of plan to Alliance headquarters. Surprisingly it was Hackett who answered and not some lackey manning the coms.

"I will advise you to use caution in this area. Our scans have shown that pieces of the Crucible and Citadel have crashed there after the wave came through the area. We haven't had a chance to send troops into that area for recon."

"Noted Admiral," Garrus replied. "We will relay back with whatever information we can to you."

"Thank you, Vakarian and God speed. Hackett out." The video feed fizzled out to black. Garrus returned to helping the rest of the crew ready the shuttle for take-off. As he strapped his weapons onto his back, he ghosted a hand over the pocket that held Shepard's ring. I'm coming, Meara, he promised.

The Intel from Hackett did not lie. There were massive pieces from the Crucible and the Citadel scattered all over the area. They all showed signs of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and like they had been torn apart from an explosion of some kind. The whole crew leaned out as far as they could to get a better look at what they were up against.

"Lola is down there somewhere? This is gonna be like trying to find a needle in haystack," James shocked expression was one Garrus heard before and he silently agreed. Doubts began to race through his mind. What if we don't find her or find her too late? This is such a large area, he thought as he swallowed nervously. She wouldn't give up on you, a voice in his head argued, so don't give up on her. You will find her. Confidence and determination instantly replaced the doubt and Garrus started looking for anything that looked familiar from his dream.

They circled the area several times scanning the ground beneath them for any suitable places to land. Having found none, Cortez found the least problematic spot for him to hover and let the crew off.

"I can drop you here, but I'm going to have to head back a few clicks to land," he shouted over the wind. "I'll stay in radio contact and map out your locations from my end,"

"Will do Estaban," James quickly clapped him on the shoulder before jumping out behind Garrus and Wrex. They all watched as Cortez lifted off and flew back in the direction that they came until they could not see him anymore and silence took over the immediate area.

"Alright," Garrus grunted as he straightened to his full height retrieving his rifle from its lock on his back, "Let's move out."

Almost everything about the area affected the senses as they forced their way through. There was not much of anything resembling a path so it was slow going as they picked their way through the sharp and twisted pieces. They could smell the sharp tang of hot metal other various things on fire. Dust and smoke hindered their sight, sometimes making the team rely on Garrus' visor as their only means to guide them through everything. What tripped the team up the most was the lack of sounds; it was almost eerily quiet as they picked their way through all the wreckage. The only sound came from their breathing, the crunching metal beneath their boots and the occasional settling of other bits of debris in the distance.

After searching for an hour and not finding anything, Garrus could feel his patience and resolve beginning to wear thin. You need to give me a sign here Shepard, he thought as a soft growl from frustration came from his chest. Give me a sign as to where you are. Almost immediately after he thought that, he noticed an opening in the maze of metal off to his left. It was slightly brighter than any other area that he could see. He followed his gut and turned towards that general direction and began picking his way towards it.

"Scars?" James called after noticing the abrupt change, but Garrus did not answer. When he did not answer, he just looked over at Wrex and shrugged.

"He seems to know where he's going. I'm not going to question him," Wrex grumbled quietly. He would never admit it but he was worried about both Shepard and Garrus. He saw what happened to him the last time she died and he did not want it happening again. So he was willing to do whatever it took to help them both.

After picking his way through the shadowy mess of debris, bright sunlight assaulted Garrus' vision. His eyes slammed shut on their own accord and he heard James and Wrex inhale sharply letting him know that they were going through the same thing he was. Several moments passed before he slowly cracked his eyes open, testing them against the light. He was not prepared for what he saw when he finally opened them fully.

Before them laid a crater easily several stories deep and at least fifty feet wide with colossal pieces of metal littering the bottom of it. Garrus hooked his rifle back in its place and gingerly eased towards to edge to peer out over it.

"That must have been one of the bigger pieces," he mused as he scanned the wreckage below them. He heard James and Wrex ease forward as well trying to get a better look.

"Whoa," James breathed from next to him.

"And just how are we going to get down there?" Wrex grumbled looking uneasy on the metal plate they were standing on. He kept looking down and back towards where they came from and shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

James looked around for possible drop points and was about to answer when a high pitch creaking whine pierced the air.

The whole crew froze instantly, crouching slightly and looked around trying to place where the noise came from. The metal plate beneath their feet began to tremble slightly increasing in strength almost knocking the trio to their knees. Garrus whipped his head back towards the direction they came from and noticed the piece they were all standing on was breaking away from the edge.

Fear flooded his veins.

"MOVE!"

He tried to turn away from the crater but then there was nothing beneath his feet. It was strange, it felt like he floated there for a few moments and then, as if gravity finally realized he was there and grabbed onto him, fell amongst various other bits and pieces of debris from the crater edge.

The ground came rushing up to meet him. He knew that if he braced for it, it would potentially injure him more so he let his body go limp and prepared to roll as soon as he hit the ground.

His armor took the brunt of the damage, but he still felt the air burst from his lungs. Still, he threw his shoulders forward to throw himself away to avoid the rubble that was still falling after him. He tried to protect his head and spikes but somehow, something struck his skull causing stars to dance across his vision.

Garrus stayed curled in a fetal position as best as he could, waiting until the roaring grumble of falling debris stopped. It seemed like minutes passed before everything quieted down again save for the smaller bits of debris trickling down from above leaving dust trails behind them. Garrus slowly sat up cradling the side of his head that was throbbing and struggled to bring air back into his lungs. His visor was cracked through part of the view finder but it did not obscure his vision and it was still feeding him information.

"Jimmy?" Garrus croaked out. He could taste the dust in the air and he coughed trying to rid his system of it all. "James? You okay?"

From his left he heard quiet groaning followed by coughing before he saw the Marine's large frame disentangle from under scraps of metal. "Over here, Scars." He slowly got from his hands and knees up to his feet. "That was fun."

Garrus pushed himself to standing as well, feeling his ribs and injured hip begin to protest the abuse he had just put them through. He coughed again and attempted to wave the dust away from his head but it was like trying to swat away rain.

"You alright?"

"I've been better," James groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck, "but then again I've also had worse. You?"

"I'll survive." Garrus looked around for his Krogan teammate.

"Wrex?"

Silence answered him. James glanced at him as they waited for a reply. "Wrex!" This time he shouted a little louder. They were all together when they fell, he could not have fallen that far away from them. Just as worry was starting to flood his veins, he heard a familiar grunt from somewhere behind them.

Garrus and James spun around to see some of the pieces that fell from about ease up and down. Flashes of deep red armor could be seen underneath all of it.

"You don't need to shout," and larger piece of metal lifted with a louder grunt exposing Wrex sprawled out under it. As Garrus and James raced over to help get the rest off of him they heard him mutter "I'm getting too old for this shit," before rolling over to stand.

"Everyone okay?" James asked as he stretched out some of the sore spots. Wrex again grunted noncommittedly and Garrus nodded silently looking off into the distance.

Something caught his eye in the rubble past Wrex, it was reflecting the light directly into his eyes. Just a reflection, he thought to himself as he started to look away.

Oh no you don't, a voice whispered in his mind. Garrus felt his head turning back towards where the refection was coming from. Look harder and he complied.

He squinted towards the reflection again, straining to make it out. He stepped away from the group a few steps attempting to get a better look. Curiosity took hold and he unstrapped his sniper rifle for the scope. It was one of the best on the market and a gift from Shepard. He trained the sights on the general area and zeroed in onto the specific spot.

"What are you doing, Scars?" James stepped up next to him looking in the general direction of Garrus' rifle.

"I thought I saw something," he muttered.

"What?"

"I'm not sure,"

The longer he looked the more he thought he was just seeing things. He couldn't pick anything out of the ordinary. There's nothing there, he thought as he scanned the area again. I'm wasting time.

Then let me help you, a voice whispered again in his mind.

A soft warm breeze caressed Garrus' cheek from behind and fluttered past him towards the spot in the middle of his scope leaving a trail of dust in its wake. Garrus eased the rifle down and watched the breeze catch the grime caught on the wreckage causing it to twist and dance towards the spot he was just zeroed in on. Somehow a piece of wreckage was lifted up and was gently tossed to the side, throwing the dust into the air.

As the dust began to settle, sunbeams cut through the mess illuminated what lay beneath it. Garrus began to pick out scuffed blue and gold patterns on a dark gray background. When a shaft of light directly hit the familiar red and white N7 insignia, illuminating it like a beacon, Garrus swore he felt his heart and time stop.

"Shepard…"