Shepard stood smiling in front of me. Her red hair whipped around her face from the breeze.
"Jane? Where are we?" I looked around not remembering how I got here.
Shepard pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. I loved it when she did that. "What do you mean, Kaidan?" She looked at me puzzled and then laughed. "We're at the beach, dumbass."
Suddenly, everything made sense. Of course, we were at the beach. I promised her we would go for her birthday.
I smiled and wrapped my arms around her tightly. Her bikini exposed her waist and I reveled in the feeling of her soft bare skin against mine.
"Ugh, Kaidan, you're squeezing me too hard!" Shepard giggled and squirmed.
I loosened my grip from her and sighed. "I'm sorry, Jane," I frowned. "I just had the worst dream."
Shepard leaned back to look into my eyes. "What happened?"
I nuzzled her neck, and breathed in her familiar scent. "You smell so good. God, I've missed you."
"You miss me?" Shepard tried making eye contact again. "We've been together every day. Now tell me what your dream was about."
I looked at her solemnly. "You…died." As the words slipped from my lips, I dropped to my knees, holding her long legs in my arms and wept. "But you're here now. Holy shit, Jane, you're here. It was all just a fucked up dream. I didn't appreciate you enough before. I never knew how much I really needed you until now. I swear I will never take this for granted, just don't leave again!" I buried my face into her bare stomach.
Shepard's fingers ran through my hair. "It's too late, Kaidan," she whispered in a strange voice. "You didn't save me. You didn't care about me."
"What? No, no, no. That's not true. Don't say that, baby, please!" Tears fell down my face as I kissed her bare skin. She began to feel cold against my lips. I opened my eyes and glanced at her face.
Shepard's expression was blank. Her eyes void of emotion.
"Jane? What's wrong?" I stood up and cupped her cheeks with both of my hands. "Answer me, dammit!"
Silence.
I shook her vigorously but still no response. I dropped to my knees again and burrowed my face against her cold skin. "No, please don't leave," I moaned.
As I held her, her skin began to fade away from her bones. It disappeared into the air like dust.
"What the fuck?" I refused to let go as I stared in horror at the woman in front of me. "Wait…no. Stop it! What's happening to you? Someone help!"
Suddenly her clothes and skin had all disappeared until there were only bones left.
I stared blankly at the skeleton in my arms. This was all I had left of her.
I yelled in anger at the top of my lungs.
