It was a long walk from the roof of C-SEC HQ to the holding cells. Normally that would put someone transporting a prisoner on edge but neither Shepard nor Garrus were worried. Between the fact that Kaban's hands were cuffed behind his back and that Shepard and Garrus each had a firm grip on one of his arms, Kaban wasn't going anywhere. The only excitement during the walk was the occasional applause from officers that the trio past. Word had spread about the crazy stunts both Shepard and Garrus used in order to make the arrest and the applause was the officers' way of congratulating the detectives for pulling it off…and without getting killed in the process. The latter thing was the one Shepard was most relieved about.

The detectives had just arrived at the holding cell when they noticed three familiar but unexpected faces in the bullpen. Talking with one of the other detectives was the child that Napier had taken hostage and her family. The detective made a gesture towards Bailey's office while he talked. This indicated to Shepard and Garrus that the family was waiting to see Bailey. He also noticed that the mother was carrying a pan. The pan's contents were not visible due to it being covered but Shepard and Garrus figured it was some kind of dessert. Though Shepard didn't do what he did for gifts or rewards, he was slightly angry seeing the pan because he knew the person they brought the food for didn't deserve it. The gift aside, the other thing that was making him slightly angry was that he really wanted to say hi to the child and see how she was doing but knew that the parents would never let him get within ten feet of her.

Not wanting to linger on how unfair the situation was, Shepard and Garrus resumed their task of getting Kaban into the cell. They opened the door, undid Kaban's cuffs and guided him inside. The door slammed shut ensuring Kaban was not going anywhere. Kaban had not said a single word the whole trip and that didn't change when he was in the cell. He just gave the detectives an angry glare and laid himself down on one of the benches. Though Kaban may have felt that his situation was unfair, Shepard and Garrus didn't look at him with any sympathy. Instead they looked at him with disgust. Fortunately the disgust was easily overtaken by the satisfaction they both felt for closing the case and putting Shara's killer behind bars. They turned to head to their desks when they saw Belon approach them.

"Did good today," he said, "killer behind bars. Monster. Not worthy being called salarian. Hope Shara find rest now."

"Amen to that Doc," Shepard replied.

"Hopefully this will also give Torro some closure," said Garrus, "speaking of which, I should call him right now to give him the news."

"DETECTIVE SHEPARD!"

The trio were surprised by the new voice calling Shepard's name. Looking towards the source, they saw the child had broken away from her parents and was running towards the while she was ignoring her parents calling for her to come back. Shepard quickly knelt down so that he was at the child's level. The next thing he knew, the child had reached him and threw her arms around him. Shepard would have enjoyed the hug but the moment was ruined by the child's mother.

"GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" She scolded.

Thankfully Garrus had stepped between them, "ma'am, take it easy."

"Take it easy?! That's the man who almost got our daughter killed," said the father.

"Sir," Belon said while joining Garrus' side, "everything fine. Child not in any danger. Let them be. She'll come back when she's ready."

"Don't you remember me Detective Shepard?"

The child's voice caused all eyes to turn towards her and Shepard. Their hug had broken and the child was looking at Shepard with eager and innocent eyes as she waited for his answer. In that moment, Shepard's heart melted and it was like the room and everyone around him didn't exist. All he could focus on was the sweet, happy child looking at him. It was hard to believe that this was the terrified child he rescued from an evil clown just the day before. He gently reached out and patted the child's head.

"Of course I remember you kiddo," he said on the brink of tears, "we met at the Citadome yesterday. How are you doing today?"

"Fine thank you. I was hoping I'd see you today."

"You were? That's very nice of you."

"Well mommy always says I should thank people when they do something nice for me. You saved me from that mean clown and I wanted to thank you."

"Honey," the mother said as she pulled the child away from Shepard, "this man wasn't the one who saved you. Officer Kadarus did that and we came to thank him by giving him this cake."

"No mommy," the child protested, "Detective Shepard saved me. The clown was going to hurt me if he hadn't shown up. The only reason he didn't hurt the clown was because the clown was holding me."

"What?"

A new voice caught the attention of the group. The voice belonged to Bailey. Shepard figured Bailey had come out of his office to investigate the commotion caused by the child running towards him. He had been keeping his distance, no doubt because he trusted that Shepard and Garrus would be able to handle things smoothly. But something the child had said had now peaked Bailey's interest and caused him to step in.

"Excuse me darling," he said, "you said the clown was holding on to you when Detective Shepard was trying to help you. Was the clown holding you when Officer Kadarus hurt him?"

"Y…yes sir." The child said albeit she was slightly shy around the new authoritative figure in the room, "he…he dropped me when he fell."

Bailey paused to process what the child said before turning to Belon, "Dr. Solus, you did the autopsy on Napier. How was he shot?"

"Head shot," Belon replied, "through and through. Entry wound located back of head."

"Meaning Kadarus was behind Napier when he made the shot," Bailey said while rubbing his chin, "Napier's body would have blocked obstructed Kadarus' view but he should have known that Napier was holding the child. Even so…"

The pieces clicked together.

"Folks," Bailey said to the parents, "I realize that everything you've heard about what happened yesterday has made you understandably distrustful of Detective Shepard. But if what your daughter said is true, then it was dumb luck that Officer Kadarus saved your daughter."

"What do you…?"

The mother's question was interrupted when the bullpen doors opened and Kadarus strolled in. He had a smug smile on his face as he held up a document in his hand. Completely ignoring Shepard, Garrus, Belon and the family, he all but shoved the document in Bailey's face. Bailey reluctantly took the document and started reading it. He didn't get far as Kadarus took it upon himself to explain what Bailey was holding.

"There you go Commander," he said proudly, "a signed document from the executor himself confirming my transfer to homicide. Effective immediately, I am to become Detective Vakarian's new partner and Shepard is to be sent back to patrol. Of course I suggested that Shepard should be kicked off the force altogether but…."

(RIIIIIIIP!)

Everyone including Kadarus gasped when Bailey ripped the document in half. Then Bailey ripped it again. He continued to rip it until the document was nothing but tiny pieces. To add a final insult to injury, Bailey threw the pieces at Kadarus's face. Kadarus initially couldn't react. He struggled to process what had just happened. More importantly he was struggling to figure out the appropriate way to react. He finally lost it.

"COMMANDER HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" He shouted loud enough that the whole HQ could have heard him. "THOSE WERE SIGNED ORDERS FROM THE EXECUTOR! When he hears about this…!"

"I don't care," Bailey replied calmly.

Kadarus looked at Bailey like he was speaking another language, "what did you say?"

"I….DON'T….CARE," Bailey repeated slowly so there could be no doubt to Kadarus what he had said, "you see Kadarus, while you were busy trying to get your promotion, DETECTIVE Shepard and Detective Vakarian found Ms. Shara'Vael's real killer. He's in the holding cell right now."

"Impossible," Kadarus denied, "we all know it was that sicko clown. He killed her because he didn't want her to keep him from doing things to kids I can't even speak about. Killing him was true justice and I have no regrets for doing it."

"You mean you don't even regret almost killing this child in the process," Bailey said while pointing the child who was trying to hide in Shepard's arms.

Kadarus looked back and forth between the child and her parents, "what are you talking about Commander? Who are these people? I've never seen that kid before in my life."

The mother and father looked upon Kadarus in horrific shock. The child managed to find the courage to look at Kadarus with hurtful eyes for a second before hiding herself in Shepard's arms again. Shepard, Garrus and Belon all looked at Kadarus with anger and disapproving glares. But it was Bailey who was feeling all the group members emotions combined and his glare was causing Kadarus to take some cautious steps back.

"This child is the one that was taken hostage by the "sicko clown" you mentioned. How can you not remember her when you spent yesterday boasting about saving her? The thing is, this child was just telling me how Napier was holding her in his arms when you took the shot that killed him. Based on what Dr. Solus found during the autopsy, you were shooting Napier from behind. From that angle, Napier's body would have kept the child hidden from your sight. So how could you possibly have known that your shot wasn't going to hit the child as well?"

"I…I…," Kadarus stuttered trying to come up with a reply, "wait, what does it even matter? The important thing should be that I took that sicko down and that he's never going to hurt another child again."

Bailey shook his head, "that right there Kadarus is one of the reasons I picked Shepard to be a detective instead of you. On top of being a C-SEC detective, Shepard is a Spectre. He could use that authority to close his cases however he wants and I wouldn't be able to challenge his decisions. But unlike you, Shepard would never risk innocent lives to catch his suspect."

"But…but…"

"When I tell that to the executor along with what the child has told me, I can assure you that he'll cancel the transfer order. Now I'm only going to say this once, get out of my bullpen and don't you ever set foot in here again!"

Once again Kadarus found himself being glared at by every detective in the bullpen. He was left with no choice but to run out of the bullpen with his tail between his legs. No doubt he was on his way to cry to his father-in-law again but the smug smile on Bailey's face showed that he didn't care. After accepting a brief applause from his squad, he returned his attention back to the child's parents.

"I'm truly sorry you had to see that folks," he said as he turned to leave, "now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a call coming through that I'll need to take."

The mother turned to Shepard who was still holding the child, "looks like we had the wrong impression of you Detective Shepard. How we can ever make it up to you?"

Shepard smiled as he let the child go, "I'm sure the other detectives would appreciate you leaving that cake so that we can celebrate closing our case. As for me, I feel kind of silly that I've seen this little angel twice now and I don't know her name."

The child smiled and blushed, "my name is Irissa."

"Well Irissa," Shepard replied, "it is pleasure to meet you. I wish we could talk longer but my partner and I should probably get back to work. You be a good girl, okay?"

"I will," Irissa replied before giving Shepard one final hug and left the bullpen with her parents.

Shepard and Garrus were about to head to their desks when Belon stopped them, "Detective Shepard. Asked before why become medical examiner. What just happened, part of reason."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked.

"Originally interested in genetics because of stories. Genes can tell much about individual. Where they come from. Maybe even indicate what they would become. Wanted to learn those stories for myself. One day, found myself studying cadaver. Took samples to study genetic makeup. Found something else. Faint trace of poison. Went unnoticed during autopsy. Death ruled natural causes."

"But you ended up finding proof that it was murder."

"Yes. Experience also gave epiphany. Murder victims have stories as well. Just need right person to help tell them. Realized, could be that person. Find ways to speak for dead so they could help catch their killers. Quit genetics program, switched to anatomical studies. Got job with C-SEC after graduation. Ever since, helped catch killers…and exonerate innocent. Like now. Napier was vile but still had story to tell. His story prove Kadarus recklessly endangered child. As result, station now knows that Shepard's account of events was true."

Shepard smiled and held out his hand for Belon to shake, "thanks Doc. You have been a big help both now and during the case. I have a feeling that you, Garrus and I are going to make a great team."

After Belon had shaken Shepard and Garru's hands, he left to return to his office. Shepard and Garrus proceeded to their desks. Seeing everything in its proper place and knowing it would stay that way pleased Shepard. He was sure that there would be plenty more times where he and Garrus would butt heads with Kadarus but the important thing was that his job as a homicide detective and Garrus' partner was secure…or was it.

Garrus seemed to pick up on Shepard's sudden mood change, "you're worried about Ashley again, aren't you?"

Shepard nodded. He was happy that the case had been resolved but all he could think about was the events at the parking structure. Without a second thought, he jumped from the top of the structure and onto a moving skycar. Even though he had made the landing and didn't fall to his death, his fate was ultimately up to chance from that point onward. There was nothing he could do to bring the skycar to a stop because he had to focus on not falling off. If Garrus and the other officers hadn't trapped Kaban when they did, Kaban would have eventually shaken Shepard off to his death. There was no way Ashley was going to approve of Shepard taking that kind of risk.

"I promised her that we would talk once this case was over," Shepard said, "once she learns about what I did today, I don't think she's going to be okay with me having this job anymore. There have just been too many close calls with my life the last few days and I had promised her that I would do everything in my power to ensure I come home to her and the baby everyday. If I keep putting myself in risky situations, how am I supposed to keep that promise?"

"I hear you partner," Garrus replied, "I'm sure if Tali and I start trying to have kids, she might start thinking the same way Ashley is and then I'll be in the same boat. Let me ask you something? Now that you've closed your first case, how do you feel about this job?"

Shepard sighed, "it has certainly been an interesting first couple of days. Admittedly there is a part of me that wonders what I really accomplished for all the trouble we've gone through. Shara is sill gone and will never have her happily ever after with Torro. But I'm smart enough to see the bigger picture. We made sure that Kaban didn't get away with killing Shara. As an unexpected bonus, we took down Wilkinson and his illegal gambling operation. When you include the lives we've saved along the way, we really are making a difference and that makes me happy. I truly believe that this job is perfect for me."

Garrus shrugged, "well that doesn't help. Don't get me wrong I'm happy to hear that you like this job. I just meant that it would have been easier to make a decision if you didn't. For me personally, I want you to stay. And it's not just because we went through a lot to ensure that Kadarus didn't become my partner. But because there's no Vakarian without Shepard."

"I know. Believe me, I want to stay as well. But Ashley and the baby mean more to me than this job. They both need me and they shouldn't have to worry about me."

The two partners sat at their desks and pondered. After everything they'd done to ensure that they didn't get broken up, it was still possible that they would only work the one case together. It was all going to depend on how Shepard's talk with Ashley went. The clocks on their terminals showed that their shift was over. After promising to call each other later that night, Shepard and Garrus got up from their desks and left the bullpen. A few of the other detectives congratulated them for closing their case as they left. Shepard and Garrus kept a brave face and thanked each one they passed.

"Hey beautiful, I'm home."

Shepard scanned the apartment but didn't see any sign of Ashley on the main floor. However the sound of footsteps from upstairs told him that Ashley had heard his greeting. In the early days of their post-military lifestyle, Ashley would get to the door to greet Shepard when he got home in a blink. As Ashley's pregnancy progressed and her belly got bigger, the time it took her to greet Shepard got longer. If she was coming from upstairs, it was definitely going to take a few minutes. Normally Shepard would make an effort to meet Ashley half way but this time he was okay with waiting a little bit longer.

The entire ride from the station to his apartment, Shepard had been working out he was going to break the news to Ashley about what had happened at work. More importantly he was working on how he was going to keep her from talking him into looking for a different job. At least having a baby on the way would keep her from flat out suggesting he quit right away since Shepard was the one providing the steady income and benefits. Still Shepard wanted to be able to call Garrus later and tell him that he was going to remain a detective for the foreseeable future.

Shepard went to the kitchen to get himself a drink when he heard footsteps coming from the stairs. The sight he saw brought smile to his face. Slowly descending the stairs was Ashley wearing pajamas. According to the clock in the kitchen, it was slightly too early for Ashley to be wearing them. True they were probably the most comfortable clothes she had but Shepard was curious as to why she would have pajama's on during this time of day.

"You look like you've had a relaxing day today," he said.

"I felt I deserved a day off," Ashley replied while looking proud of herself, "my book is finished and going to be published. Today was all about me kicking back in my PJ's and having a me day….well as much of a me day as I can have when the kiddo isn't kicking to remind me that he's still here."

Shepard chuckled, "that sounds nice."

"Really? I would think that sounded boring compared to the day you've had."

The comment cause Shepard to tense up, "how do you know what my day was like?"

Ashley shrugged her shoulders, "at one point I was bored and channel surfing when I saw you on the news. You really rode on top of a moving skycar?"

"I swear I was going to tell you," Shepard replied, "Garrus and I found the killer. We confronted him but he bolted in a skycar. The guy would have been long gone before we would have gotten to Garrus' skycar. I couldn't let him get away so…"

"Shh."

It was kind of surprising to Shepard that Ashley shushed him but he didn't try to keep talking. Instead he followed Ashley as she beckoned him to join her on the couch. When he was seated, Ashley took his hand. Shepard didn't know whether he should have been bracing himself for what Ashley was going to say next.

"I couldn't bare to watch the whole report," Ashley said, "but from what I heard, you and Garrus caught the killer?"

Shepard nodded, "the case is officially closed. On top of that, Bailey was able to get the transfer order rescinded."

Ashley nodded in return, "good. I'm glad to hear that."

"Really? Even the part about me keeping my job."

Ashley sighed, "aside from relaxing, I've been doing a lot of thinking today. I'm always going to be worried that the risks you take on the job will get you killed. Watching you on that skycar reaffirmed that the worry was warranted. But as scared as I am of losing you, I kept thinking about something you said last night."

"What was that?"

"You talked about how you weren't sure how we could raise a child on this station when so many terrible things can happen. The fact that there will always be people like that clown or the killer you caught out there is the thing that terrifies me the most. I know that C-SEC and the military are capable of keeping this station safe but I'm didn't think that would be enough to calm my fears."

Shepard wrapped his arm around Ashley, "I didn't mean to worry you by talking about that stuff yesterday. Is there anything I can do to help reassure you that we're safe here?"

Ashley smiled, "you already have been doing that. You are a true hero-man with a big heart. You care not only about the safety of me and our baby but also for the safety of everyone on this station. And you have a strong moral compass that will ensure you never stoop to the level of the criminals you catch or of the invcometant officers like Kadarus to do your job. I have no doubt that this station will be a lot safer with Detective Shepard and Detective Garrus working hard to catch the killers and save lives."

A tear appeared in Shepard's eye, "you mean it?"

"Absolutely. Now what do you say we have ourselves a nice dinner to celebrate you closing your first case?"

To answer Ashley's question, Shepard helped her off the couch and led her to the kitchen to start preparing their dinner. All the while he was happy that their talk had gone better than he had expected. He was going to use the rest of the night to ensure Ashley knew how much he appreciated her giving her blessing for him to stay with his job. In fact, he wish the night didn't have to end. But he knew the odds were that somewhere on the station another homicide was being committed. Which meant the next day would see him and Garrus vigilantly waiting for the case to come to them so they could hunt down the killer. Because this was his life now. He was Detective Shepard, C-SEC Homicide.

A/N: Well there you have it folks. I couldn't think of a better gift to give you all then the final chapter of this adventure that've been on for the last three years. Obviously I didn't expect the story to take that long to complete but...life happens. In any case, I hope you all have enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

Speaking of life, this has been an unusual year there is one thing I will always cherish about it. Just like Shepard and Ashley in this story, my wife and I are expecting our first child. That's right, I'M GOING TO BE A FATHER! Words can't begin to express how excited I am for our baby to arrive. With the new baby however comes new responsibilities and so I've decided that this is not only going to be the final chapter of Mass Effect: 187, but also the final chapter of my career as a fan fiction writer. It's hard to believe that this journey started seven years ago when I decided to write an expansion of Mass Effect 3's ending. Since then, I've written six additional Mass Effect stories (including one long enough to be considered a novel) as well as one non-Mass Effect related story. A part of me is sad that this phase of my life is over but the other part has no regrets. I'm happy with where my Shepard and Ashley are and I feel there are no more stories that need to be told.

I really want to thank all my followers who have been part of this journey with me. Knowing that there are other fans of Mass Effect who have enjoyed these stories has meant a lot to me. Whether you've followed me from the beginning or somewhere along the way, your support is much appreciated. I also have to give a special shoutout to my friend and frequent collaborator Berserker79. What started as me reaching out to an artist for permission to use their artwork as a cover image quickly turned into a creative partnership and friendship. Thanks so much my friend for providing great cover art, for being a sounding board for me to bounce ideas off of, and, most importantly for being a great friend. For those of you out there who love Mass Effect related artwork, I highly recommend going to Berserker79's deviantart page and check out his pieces. They truly are amazing.

With all that said, it's time to say goodbye. Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you all have a Happy New Year! This is theaterman007, signing off...for the final time.