A/N: Sorry about the delay in getting this chapter up. The emotional wreck that The Last of Us have left me in kinda put me in a state in which I was really unable to write a cheery and uplifting chapter such as this. Don't get me wrong though, the game was sublime and probably the best game that the Playstation 3 has seen yet! Naughty Dog really knows how to make some good games, don't they?

Anyways, I'll be back on track now with the updates now that I've let all the tears out after following Joel and Ellie's trek across America. I can't guarantees that I'll break down in a sobbing heap again when I give the game a second go.

For those returning readers, well, thanks for still sticking with me, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! =D

Recommended Listening

Half Moon Run – Full Circle

MASS EFFECT: REMNANTS

Chapter 36 – I'm Coming Home

"Nazreil!" I beam with a mix of delight and relief into the open comm. screen on my omni-tool. The quarian's slightly groggy face fills the screen and his luminescent eyes greet mine. The sight of his unvisored face is still something I'm trying to get used to. "Good to see that you're awake!"

"Hey, everyone," he manages a weak smile at Ranae and Aunt Lynn, both of whom are hunched behind me at the couch. "Yeah, I got up a couple of hours ago and Doctor Sovani told me that you guys had to urgently leave or something," he mumbles dreamily, no doubt still intoxicated by the medication and antibiotics pumping through his body.

I exchange looks with Ranae and Aunt Lynn and grin sheepishly. "Yeah, about that. I'm not sure if you know by now, but Ralak and I made the news – our faces are plastered all over the Citadel news broadcast."

"So…?" he replies groggily.

"Let's just say that the Broker's men will know by now that Nate's been on the Citadel. So we had to get the hell outta there," Aunt Lynn finishes for me.

Nazreil gives us a blank stare before a look of recognition flitters across his features. "Oh, right. Sorry about that...it's kind of hard to think right now," he tries giving us an apologetic look but it only comes across as another dumb, blank stare. Ranae has to suppress a small giggle.

"Don't worry about it. You're doing pretty well for someone hopped up on meds," I laugh along.

"Anyways, so where are you right now? Once I get out of here – which could be any day now – I'll come find you guys," the semi-conscious quarian continues.

"Uhh…I don't think that's necessary, kiddo. We'll just worry about it once you get better," Aunt Lynn deflects the question away. "You're safer there than with us so you just concentrate on getting better."

"Okay," in his state, Nazreil dumbly nods along. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to sleep again, I just feel so tired."

"Sure, you do just that –"

Without warning, Nazreil's face pulls away from the screen as he collapses back onto bed, having completely forgotten about shutting the comm. line. As my omni-tool screen displays the blank wall of his treatment chamber, I can hear the telltale sounds of the quarian snoring away.

"Poor thing," Ranae tries suppressing another giggle but isn't as successful this time. I can't help but to join in as the three of us share in the moment of mirth together.

"Alright gang, we're here," comes Uncle Leo's flanging voice over the shipwide intercom. "Touchdown at Verona Intergalactic Space Station in five minutes."

Ranae rises from the couch and makes her way over to the starboard viewport. She beckons me over.

"Are you missing home yet?" she asks as she looks out over the waters of Michigan Lake. The early morning sun glistens like flowing crystals over the surface of the lake. New Madison's downtown skyline comes into view as we descend; the city's silhouette a welcome homecoming sight.

"More than you'll ever know."

Home. It's a funny thing; as I look back on it now, I realize just how long ago the two months have been. To think that Uncle Leo and I were the only two sole occupants of this very same house not too long ago is now an implausible notion to wrap my head around. Even more laughable was the fact that I lived in this same house, wishing with all my heart to be nothing but ordinary and to fit in. So much has changed in the time that we've been gone.

Our party of six disembarks from the rented skyvan onto the lawns of the neighborhood that looked all at once so familiar yet so foreign. Uncle Leo and I just stand there, gripped in a moment of nostalgia which the both of us are all too eager to drink in. Those truly were simpler days.

"Well, are we just going to stand out here looking like idiots or what?" Ralak exclaims as he trots towards the front entrance.

Aunt Lynn lets out a low whistle as she admires the house. "Nice digs you've got here, Leonus. This would be the perfect place to start a family," she says.

Wait, is she winking at Uncle Leo?

Before I confirm my suspicions, she takes off after Ralak, lugging her belongings in one of those military duffel bags. However, Uncle Leo's dumbfounded expression tells me that it wasn't just my imagination playing tricks on me.

"Leonus, are you sure about this?" Dad asks, eying the house somewhat warily.

"Why not? The lease doesn't end until next year and this will be last place they'll look for us," Uncle Leo replies, assuaging Dad's doubts. "If it makes you feel any better, Lynn and I will sweep the place for bugs just to be safe."

"Alright, I'm going to trust you on this," Dad relents, picking up his own bag of belongings.

The house looks to be in pristine order – no broken furniture, no bullet marks, nothing. You couldn't even tell that a fight broke out in here. Even the glass pane windows that were shattered in the initial scuffle seem to be magically mended and replaced.

"Called in a favor from a friend to fix this place up before we arrived," Uncle Leo explains.

I'm beginning to wonder if his 'friends' aren't just those elves in that shoemaker fairy tale.

I dump my bag in my former room which looks untouched. There's a sense as if I'm treading on hallowed grounds here as I look around. Everything is exactly the same way I left it – from the posters on the wall to the clothes in my closet. Well, almost everything except for the little fact that I'll be sharing this room with Ranae. Uncle Leo will be in his old room and the remaining guest room will be shared by Dad and Aunt Lynn. Ralak, on the other hand, has volunteered to take the living room's couch – probably the only thing that he'll be able to sleep on.

"Nate, hurry up! We haven't got all day!" I hear Ranae's voice from the back yard flitting up to me.

"I'll be right there!" I stick my head out the window and holler down to her. She frowns impatiently.

I race down the stairs, one half of me excited and the other somewhat anxious of what's to come. Today's the day I'll finally begin biotic training with Ranae.

"Okay, so…how are we gonna do this?" I clap my hands eagerly, instilling my voice with as much confidence I can muster to hide my apprehension at this whole prospect.

Ranae, dressed in her combat fatigues from her commando days, eyes me amusedly. Despite the chilly fall winds blowing softly through the yard, she doesn't seem to be the least bit fazed by the cold. "For today, we'll be running you through some basics. That includes a short lecture as to what biotics actually are."

I roll my eyes and sigh in exasperation. "Can't we just get right to it? If I wanted a boring lesson on training my biotics, I'd read a Biotics for Dummies book."

She just looks at me blankly, neither amused nor annoyed at my attempt at a joke.

"N-never mind…" I say flatly.

"Back to the topic at hand, I think it's necessary that you at least possess some theoretical understanding of what biotics are all about. Conjuring biotics are a complex biomechanical process, although some species generally are more predisposed to mastering their biotic abilities than others."

Is that a hint of smug pride in her voice? "Yeah, like the asari right?"

"Precisely," she smiles. I let that remark slide for now.

"Okay, so enlighten me."

"Biotics are the result of tapping into the element zero nodes in one's body to create and manipulate dark energy fields that can physically affect objects around a biotic…."

Hoo boy. This is going to be a long day.

Two frustrating hours later and I have nothing to show for my efforts. Despite listening attentively to Ranae and trying every possible tip that she doles out, I can't even conjure a weak biotic field to move a pile of leaves, much less save my sorry ass. I throw my hands up in frustration after scrunching my face up in concentration for what must seem like the umpteenth time. This clearly is a lot harder than Ranae makes it look.

"Why isn't anything happening?! I tried everything you said – visualize the biotic field, channel that intent and then push out with my mind," I groan.

"Calm down, this isn't something which you learn overnight. Even I struggled with my biotics at first. I couldn't even lift a pen off a table within the first few weeks," she reassures me, keeping an even tone. "Take a deep breath and try again."

I draw another long breath and exhale while I close my eyes, trying to clear my head. Ranae mentioned of just how important it is that I clearly visualize the type of biotic field I want to conjure before syncing it with a certain physical gesture. Apparently, all biotics do that as it aids the biofeedback mechanism to tap into the eezo nodes.

This could very well be it, this time I'll get it right; I can just feel it inside of me. I go through the motion and lash out with an extended arm.

Nothing. The pile of autumn leaves placidly sit there, mocking me.

"Damn it!" I kick at the dirt. "This just isn't working! Maybe it's just me. M-maybe I need one of those implant things that everyone's talking about."

Ranae rubs her chin, deep in thought as she tries to pinpoint the problem. "Ralak said you almost brought an entire building down with nothing more than just your biotics, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you didn't have any biotic implants at the time, correct?"

I nod as I recall my time in the ring squaring off against Karyllov and then finally, Ralak.

"Then the issue doesn't lie with the magnification power of the amps," she muses. "Biotic abilities are also heavily influenced by one's psychoemotional state…" she perks up, having finally figured it out. "I think I got it!"

I look to her expectantly. "What? What is it?"

"Well, I can't quite be sure but," she clears her throat before continuing, "I think that the problem lies in your subconscious. I think you're somehow afraid of using your biotics."

"A-afraid?" I scoff. "That's nonsense! I'm more afraid of not being to use them!"

"You said it yourself. After that incredible biotic display, you said you didn't want to see yourself becoming a monster, isn't that correct?"

"Well yeah, but –"

"You might be telling yourself that you aren't afraid; but deep down inside of you, it's telling you otherwise," she astutely points out. "There's only one way to be sure but um…I hope you won't find it too weird."

"Well, at this point, I'm willing to try anything!"

"Have you ever heard of the melding process?" she asks, searching my features to see if the word rings a bell.

"No, can't say I have. Do you think it'll help me unlock my biotic potential?" I furrow my brow, puzzled yet curious at the same time.

"It's a common process among us asari. During melding, two partners join together and attune their nervous systems to become one," her voice quavers a little. "Well, it's how we asari reproduce," she continues, fidgeting a little uncomfortably.

"Wait, wait, wait a minute, so what you're saying is that the both of us need to…you know," I lower my voice, struggling to get the words out, "make love to help me with my biotics?"

The conversation hits an abrupt, awkward and ugly stop. Ranae gawps at me, wide-eyed. I do the same.

Oh crap, oh crap. Great going there, genius! Say something! Anything!

The awkwardness of the situation keeps our eyes locked on one another. My cheeks start to flush from the embarrassment. I really ought to say something but my mind is just flailing around helplessly. I just do the first thing that pops into my mind. I let out a hearty, jovial laugh.

"You, you didn't really believe that, did you? I was joking!" I roar in laughter.

The corner of her lips curls up in an unsure smile before she's laughing along with me. She playfully punches me in the chest.

"By the goddess, Nate! That wasn't funny!" she retorts but has a hard time keeping a straight face as she tries suppressing her laughter.

Whew! That was a nice save.

"Oh, you should have seen the looks on your face," I point out. I can feel tears streaming down my cheeks at the sheer hilarity of the situation. Even my sides are starting to hurt.

It takes us a few good minutes for the laughter to subside before the moment passes us by.

"So, now that we've cleared that awkward miscommunication," Ranae reins us back in although I can still see a little bit of laughter tugging at the edges of her features. "Melding can just as easily allow me to see into your mind and remove that subconscious inhibition that prevents you from accessing your biotics."

"You can actually do that?" I whistle in awe. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's do it!" I clap my hands together and psyche myself up.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Nate? It could prove to be a little taxing on the mind," Ranae looks at me worriedly.

"Don't worry too much about me. You heard what my dad said right? I've got the psychological conditioning of a Prothean. I'll be fine!" I crack my neck, eager to give this melding thing a go.

"Alright," she sighs uncertainly. "Here we go. Just relax and let your mind wander free, Nate. It'll be over before you know it." She extends both hands and places them on the sides of my head. The feeling of her soft fingers against mine is…relaxing to say the least.

"Well then. Here goes," she takes a deep breath.

"Embrace eternity!"

I watch as her eyes turn pitch black and that is the last conscious thought that I remember. I suddenly feel another presence enveloping my mind. The sensation isn't unpleasant in the slightest, just unfamiliar. A flurry of images runs through my mind's eye; that of my own intermingled with Ranae's. I recall both of our childhoods, mine with Uncle Leo, and hers with Aurania. They seem to melt together, the possession of each memory indistinguishable from one another. With each image I glimpse, I too can feel the emotions accompanying them. It's just like when I interfaced with the Prothean archives back on Feros.

We linger on the memory of the underground brawl back in Omega. I see myself lashing out against Karyllov with a biotically-charged punch and then, I recall sending a biotic shockwave at Ralak which topples the support pillars of the atrium. In that state when I lingered on the brink of death, I recall a mix of blind anger and a desperate fear. All of a sudden, I see Ranae standing right next to me as I square off against Ralak. She whispers something into my ears. Her words are unintelligible but they are soothing and reassuring all the same. As the support column starts buckling, and as unconsciousness slowly starts to overtake me, I can still feel her presence every step of the way. I wasn't afraid anymore. In fact, I welcomed it as darkness enveloped me.

A ray of light pierces through the darkness before it explodes in my vision. And with that, I'm returned to my own body as the melding process ends. It's like waking up in the morning; with the only recollection I have of Ranae's own memories like that of fading dreams.

"Goddess," Ranae wobbles uncertainly on her feet. I immediately reach out to grab her and slowly set her down on the ground.

"You okay?"

"I am, or at least, I will be in a few minutes," she replies, her voice a little bit hoarse. However, she doesn't seem to be shaken up, it's more like she's overwhelmed with awe. "Try moving that pile of leaves again. Remember what I told you – visualize and concentrate on the biotic field you want to conjure."

I grit my teeth in determination and turn back towards the pile of leaves. I realize just how clear and unburdened my mind is after the melding process. I close my eyes, concentrate on the pile of leaves, make a conscious effort to visualize the field before pushing out with both my mind and arm.

I snap my eyes open and see a haze of blue hurtling the pile of leaves skywards.

"Yes!" I yell out in joy. "I've done it! Did you see that, Ranae? I've done it!"

In fact, joy doesn't even do justice to what I'm feeling right now. Hell, I feel almost as happy as a ten year old discovering that he had superpowers! No longer caring of how much of an idiot I'll make myself look, I run around the yard amid the shower of autumn colors raining down on us and whoop triumphantly. Ranae claps for my success, grinning exuberantly at the same time.

"Oh man, that really took a lot out of me. I'm pooped…and starving too." I collapse on the lawn underneath the shade of the lone tree in the backyard.

After another hour of going through some basic motions with my newfound biotic powers, Ranae's decided to call it a day. Apparently, it wouldn't be wise to overexert myself during my first time but I think she's just a little bit jealous of my abilities. I can tell that she's just as amazed and surprised as I am to the progress I've managed to accomplish in a day. Though I'm not able to conjure a field strong enough to move anything heavier than a pile of leaves, but with enough training, Ranae vouches for me that, quote on quote, 'I'll be just as badass as her one day.'

"That's what biotics will do to you. Your body will need plenty of nourishment to replenish those lost calories. Conjuring those dark-energy fields are no easy feat, after all," she explains as she sits down next to me.

I let my gaze drift off into the clear, cloudless skies. And for once, I'm just content to lie down here and lose myself in the cerulean blue sea above. However, my growling stomach has other plans.

"What time is it?" I sit up, turning to Ranae.

She checks the time on her omni-tool. "It's little over four in the evening. Why?"

As she says that, I recall a little snippet of our conversation from all those months ago. With the way things already are, it can't really hurt to ask. Besides, I really do owe her one for this.

"Are you still serious about that date we promised each other?"

Things would have turned awkward again if she says no, but thankfully that isn't the case. She smiles at me, her eyes twinkling with a small spark of excitement.

"I'd never thought you'd remember."

"Who was it that said she wanted to go over some of our human cultures and conventions again?" I tease. "So, are we still on for Thessia's Corner? Of course, I'll be buying. What say you?"

"And here I thought that the salarians are the only ones that have long-term memories," she chuckles.

"So…is that a yes?" I ask again searchingly.

"Yes, I'd be delighted to. And besides, I think the both of us have earned it." Her stomach rumbles lightly in kind.

With that, the both of us get up and head back into the house.

A/N: One thing that never fails to delight me more in writing is by having the plants set up in the first few chapters of this story finally paying off and coming full circle. It's really a humbling thought to see how far Nate and I have come in writing this.

Back to the topic at hand, I'd like to thank those who favorited and subscribed to this story, you guys are the best! And well, thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter! I'll see you guys in the next update!