The day that Shepard had been dreading had finally arrived. It was time for her to leave her husband and son behind as she was about to head off and raid the Illusive man's base.

She, as her husband knew, there was a high possibility that she would never see them again. It broke her yet made her more determined than ever. She wanted to see her grow up and grow old with her husband. She had earned that right and would fight hard for it.

Standing at dock D24, she held her son while wrapped in her husband's loving embrace. Even Cassius knew that his mother was leaving, so he kept a vice like grip on her uniform and whined into her chest. "I love you, my boy." She whispered in his ear.

Sparatus pressed his crest against her forehead, running his fingers through her hair. "I love you, Spectre."

"I love you, Councillor." She gave him a lingering kiss, hoping it wasn't the last time she would get to do it. "Wait for me."

Sparatus took his son into his arms, holding him tightly. It hurt to feel Cassius's sad subvocals calling out for his mother. "Come back alive, Spectre. That's an order."

"I'd never deny you, your favourite Spectre." She smiled sadly, eventually walking through the door towards the ship.

"Mahda, Mahda." Cassius whined against his father's chest.

"I know, son. I miss her too." They waited until the Normandy departed before they left, heading to Sparatus's office. He couldn't face going home yet, knowing that Shepard wasn't there.

Shepard managed to make it all the way to her cabin before she succumbed to her tears. She didn't want the crew to see her as a blubbering wreck, even though they all knew. She composed herself enough to unpack her bag. As she was pulling out the contents, she found Cassius's small blue blanket, hidden underneath her clothes. He never used it to sleep with, but he would always wrap himself up in it and climb on to Shepard's lap for story time.

She held the blanket close to her chest, smelling her son's soft scent. She longed to her husband and son again. She wasn't ready to face her end.

Garrus entered her cabin, carrying a cup of coffee for her. She took it gratefully, taking a quick sip. "Thanks, Garrus."

"Are you ok?"

"Not really." She offered, honestly.

"You'll see them again." He pulled her into his arms, holding as she cried.

"I really hope so, Garrus." She was grateful for the support that provided. She would never have made it through half the stuff she did without him.

"Have you decided who you want with you when you tell the Illusive man to go fuck himself?"

Her shoulders rumbled with laughter as clutched into him. "You and James. Need my best gunners for this."

"We are with you, Shepard." He pulled her tighter. "To hell and back."

Shepard lingered in the shuttle as she twisted the silver ring around her finger. It was a birthday present from Sparatus after he found out about the Human tradition. He had one custom made for his Turian finger, each ring carved with the name of the wearer's spouse. She had a burning pain in her soul knowing she would never see him again, or her baby boy. There was no way she could survive the hell she had been thrown into.

"Someone on your mind?" Major Coats asked.

"My husband…." She replied, sadly. "And my son."

"I have twin girls, 6 months old. I've only met them once."

"Are they safe?" Shepard could see deep sadness in his eyes.

"There's a bar on the Citadel that makes the "Commander Shepard." I'll buy you and your wife a round."

Coats laughed. "I'm holding you to that, Commander."

"Stay strong, Soldier." Shepard saluted him.

"You too, Commander." He saluted her back, watching as she jumped out of the shuttle. He would see his family again because Shepard would make sure of it. "Shepard?" He called out to her.

She turned back to face him. "Yes?"

"Make sure you come back. The galaxy will need you after this."

"Back at you, Major." Shepard smiled as she left the shelter of the shuttle.

Pure adrenaline is what helped Shepard run to the beam. She had her son on her mind every inch of the way. She couldn't fail him. If she failed, he'd have no future and he deserved to have a long, happy one.

She was beaten, bloodied and bruised, struggling to get to the console to activate the crucible. She has watched her mentor and close friend die in front of her. Shot the Illusive man when he took, "Humanity first" too far. She crawled on her hands and knees to the crucible controls, finally summoning up another energy to hit the controls with her hand before she passed out.

Shepard sucked in a breath as she crashed back into reality. The rubble surrounded her, pushing, and pressing as she clung desperately to her life. She didn't want to die alone in the darkness, thinking of her husband and son. But she was so tired, and her body wrecked from war, she didn't know how long she could keeping going for. She didn't know when she would be found.

She let her body go and slipped into the darkness.

She could do no more.