Shepard had found an intact Avina terminal and was able to harvest some power from it. This was his last chance.
After a few hours of work he fired it up and tuned the channels. He sat there for a few seconds, then minutes… Now hours.

He was going to shut it off when he heard the distinct sound of a ship coming out of a relay.
It was them, he was sure of it. He boosted the signal strength even though it would reduce the beacon's life.

Finally, he heard a voice, her voice…
"Keelah… Joker, look at the radar!"

Joker: "No way? Is that-"

"Shepard…"

"Just can't keep him down, can you?."

"Shepard! If you're there. We're coming for you, just *static*

The beacon lost power, but Shepard didn't care, they found him. Tali found him.

The Normandy sent a shuttle to the Citadel's remains. Tali and Garrus stepped out.
Garrus: "The signal's gone, we'll have to do this the old fashioned way."

Tali:"I don't care how long it takes, we have to find him"

"Don't need to tell me twice."

They walked around, noting the Citadel's rundown condition. Tali felt like she was walking through a living nightmare with decomposed bodies and messy wires everywhere.
They came across an Avina terminal. It was non-functional, but she could tell someone had dismantled it.

Tali turned to Garrus.
"I think we should split up"

Garrus: "Good idea, I'll go to the lower wards, near the bottom. Let me know if you find him."

"Now's not the time for jokes… and who told you about that omni-tattoo?"

"You said a lot of things at the house party. I just thought it was relevant since the Citadel has… lower wards."

"Well now I'll make sure to remove it, Garrus."

Tali pressed on, looking for any further sign of Shepard. Looking at the floor, she noticed dents every few steps she took, as if someone was leaning on a cane.

She decided to call out.
"SHEPARD, ARE YOU THERE?"

Shepard heard her voice. He quickly responded.

Tali! It's me! I'm over here!

But the words didn't come out of his mouth, he touched his throat and tried saying his service number

5923-AC-2826

Again. nothing came out of his mouth. Shepard quickly got up and walked forward when the rod he was leaning on broke and his legs gave out. He yelled in pain, but it only sounded in his mind.

He looked up and saw the apparition of the Illusive Man.
Shep: "Why are you here?"

TIM: "Because you haven't escaped yet."

"How am I talking to you right now?"

"I'm not real, remember?"

"So you've come here to watch me suffer?"

"No, I came to help."

"Help? How can you help if you're not real, and why should I trust you of all people?"

"You don't have to."

The Illusive Man apparition knelt beside Shepard and suddenly changed appearance.
Shep: "What are you-"

"I think we both know that's not going to happen, Commander."
Virmire…

Shepard gritted his teeth as the apparition paced around him, continuing to change appearances.

"Had to be me, someone else might have gotten it wrong."
Mordin…

"Shepard-Commander. I must go to them. I am… I'm sorry. It's the only way."
Legion…

:I am alive, and that is your influence:
EDI…

Shepard understood now, his emotions had been bottled up for so long, and the apparition was attempting to make him lash out.

"You did good son… you did good. I'm… proud of you…"
Anderson…

The apparition walked up to Shepard and looked him straight in the eyes as it took on a final appearance.
"You're the man I love. Don't forget that, no matter what happens."
Tali.

All of the emotion, everything Shepard had been holding back, suddenly released. He yelled out as loud as he could and got up, the pain was overbearing, but he had to see Tali.
His legs told him to sit back down, but he kept moving.

Tali heard someone scream, but it did not sound like they were in pain.
"Shepard, is that you?"

She heard his voice, it was faint, but she knew what she heard

"Tali…."

"Stay where you are, I'm coming!"

Tali ran towards the scream's location. She couldn't believe what she saw.
Shepard limped towards her, she could see the pain on his face.

"Shepard!"

"Tali…"

"Stop! The floor! it's going to-"

Give out.

Time was moving in slow motion as Tali dove forward and just barely caught Shepard's hand.

"Shepard…"

She could see the pain on his scarred face.
"Tali, I- I can't-"

"Don't, please. Don't say that."

"Your grip is slipping."

"Don't do this…"

Shepard looked down and then back up at her.

"I'll always love you."

Tali's grip broke and Shepard fell.

But Garrus caught him.
"How many times am I gonna have to save your ass?"

Shep: "Garrus! I'm out for a few months and you still haven't fixed your ugly mug?"

"You're not the only one who was stranded."

Tali made a loud ahem
"If this is your idea of a joke, I am so dumping you."

Garrus and Shepard looked at each other
"So now you understand Turian humor?"

Shep:"I'd never do anything of the sort, Miss vas Normandy."

Tali:"Very funny, you two. Come on, Shepard, that beard does not suit you"

Shepard woke up on a bed in the med bay.
He heard a camera click and light flashed his eyes

James was right in his face.
"Buenos días, Loco!"

Doctor Chakwas snapped at him
"James! The man opens his eyes for the first time in two days and you decide to flash his eyes?!."
"Come on, Chakwas. He looks like the perfect little angel."

He showed her the photo on his omni-tool, she chuckled. Shepard sat up.

"Geez, James. I'm out for 48 hours and this is all you could come up with?"
"I would've cooked you something, but she insisted we went straight to look for you when we fixed the ship ."

The door to the med bay opened and Tali ran to Shepard's side

Tali: "Shepard, you're awake!"

Shep: "Yeah, you can thank James for that."

"Do you want me to do something about it, commander?"

James looked up from the photo
"Hey, how could I resist? Look at this photo, Tali, isn't he the cutest little thing?"

Tali: "Keelah, Shepard, you look so… adorable."

Shep: "Knock it off, you three!"

The med bay doors opened again. Garrus, followed by Javik, Joker and Liara came through.
Garrus: "Commander! I was gonna come on my own, but I heard someone whining like a baby so I decided to bring backup."

James: "Hey, Garrus, you really need to see this photo!"

"A photo? How can I say no to that?"

The crew looked at the photo and laughed for a few minutes
Shep: "James! I'll have you discharged if you don't delete that."

Javik was able to stop laughing for a few seconds
"But that would be a crime, Commander! A picture such as this… What is it you humans say? Really is worth a thousand words!"
Shep: "Why'd you guys come down here anyway?"

Joker walked up to his bed.
"Well, now that you're awake, we were hoping you'd tell us what the hell happened in the Crucible, and to the Geth, and EDI?"

"Well, I'd advise you all to take a seat."

They listened intently as Shepard told them everything on the Citadel, how The Illusive Man became indoctrinated and made him shoot Anderson, and that the Catalyst was an AI.

Javik started pacing around the medbay.
"So this whole time the Catalyst… was an AI… and it took the form of a human child?"

Shep: "Yeah, tried to appeal to me or something. It gave me three options: I could imbue myself into the Crucible and control the Reapers"

Liara flinched.
"Goddess, that's.. exactly what the Illusive Man wanted to do."

Shep: "I could share my genetic code with the Crucible and join together synthetic and organic DNA in some sick process called Synthesis. Everyone would be equal, and the Reapers would apparently help us rebuild. This was the "ideal" option according to the Catalyst."

Tali hit her armrest.
"Boshtet! That Damn AI would've said anything to survive. It made the Reapers!"

Garrus snapped his fingers.
"Synthesis… that's exactly what Saren did to himself!"

Shep: "Finally, I could fire the Crucible and destroy the Reapers."

James sighed
"Glad you made that decision, commander. Those others sounded horrible."

Shep: "Yeah, but then it revealed that the Crucible would also kill all other synthetic life, the geth… EDI."

Joker sat up
"Wait, Commander, you mean-"

Shep: "I had no other choice, Joker. It was the only way to destroy the Reapers"

He took off his hat, Shepard reached for Joker's shoulder, but he shook it off.
"Joker, if there was another-"

"No, I understand. You had to make a bad choice from bad choices."

"You're not mad at me?"

"Shepard…commander. I loved EDI, I cried for hours when the ship crashed. But those other options… God, I can't imagine what my life would be like. I know you did everything you could.''

"Thank you, Joker, for understanding."

"Yeah, I just… need some time alone."

He walked out and Tali came to Shepard's side
"I'm proud of you, Shepard. To tell him the truth, I know that wasn't easy."

Shep: "I just hope he can get over it."

"You two have known each other longer than we have been together, I know he will."

The door to Shepard's cabin opened, Tali walked in. He was sitting on his bed, legs wrapped up, looking at the picture of her that she gave him after Rannoch.

Tali: "How are you feeling?"

Shep: "I appreciate the concern, Tali, but I got out of the medbay a day ago and you've been coming up here every other hour, I'm not gonna drop dead again."

"I know... Every time I come up here, I want to ask… and then I see your legs and-"

"Ask what?"

"If you… well- wanted some…"

She activated her omni-tool and the music in the cabin turned on, Tali sat next to Shepard and set the photo down.

"Is this what mood we're in, Miss vas Normandy?"

Her attitude seemed to instantly change.
"Only if you think you're sure your legs can stay in one piece. Doctor Chakwas would kill me if she saw me walking you into the medbay."

"I've beaten death twice before, you really think some leg pain would-"

Tali tackled Shepard onto the bed, and he winced for a second. She took off her visor and stared into his eyes.

Shepard contacted Admiral Hackett on vid comm

Hackett: "Commander Shepard… never thought I'd see you standing again."

Shep: "Thank you, sir."

"I received your reports of what happened at the Citadel. David Anderson was a good man, and an even better friend. We'll make sure the galaxy doesn't forget his actions."

"I'll never forget him too, sir. We've been out for months, sir, how is the galaxy doing?"

"After the Crucible fired, all of the Mass Relays damaged themselves, a lot of ships were stranded. We were also going to repair the Citadel, but many argued it should be left alone as a memorial of what we lost, and a reminder of the galaxy's unity. Most of the relays are repaired, though a large majority of planets are still rebuilding, Earth included."

"Is that why you requested me, sir?"

"Commander, right now the galaxy needs someone to follow and boost morale, and I thought you'd be the best person to lead the reconstruction."

"I'd be honored to, sir, but…"

Tali stepped into view and they hooked arms.

Hackett nodded.
"I understand. After all you've done for this galaxy, you deserve a rest, Shepard."

"Well, if the galaxy ever needs someone to die saving it a-Ow!"

Tali stepped on his foot
"If the galaxy needs a savior again, you can always count on me."

To Shepard and Tali's surprise, Hackett chuckled.
"I'm sure something will pop up sooner or later, Shepard. Good seeing you too, Tali'Zorah, don't hesitate to contact me again. Hackett out."

Tali then contacted Shala'Raan

Raan: "Tali, child, is that you?"

Tali: "It's me, Auntie Raan."

"Thank the Ancestors, I was so worried. You were out of contact for months."

"Well I'm here now, Auntie"

"Good, I'm glad. Anyways, what do you need, child?"

"I've… decided to come back to Rannoch."

"As an admiral?"

"No…"

This time Shepard stepped into view

Tali: "As family."

Raan: "I see. Commander Shepard, I received your report on the Citadel, I only wish the Geth could've been spared. But It is good to see you made it out alive."

Shep: "Thank you, admiral."

"After what you did for the Quarians, and my Tali, you're welcome to Rannoch whenever, commander."

"Please, ma'am, call me Shepard."

"Then I hope to see you two soon, Shepard. Keelah se'lai, Tali."

"Keelah se'lai, Auntie Raan."

Shepard and Tali entered the CIC. He spoke into the intercom

Shep: "How are you doing, Joker?"

Joker: "I'm fine, don't worry about me, commander. But it's great to have you up again, where do you want to go?"

Shepard and Tali looked at each other, she stepped forward and leaned into the galaxy map

"Home."

"Wait… do you mean home as in home or home-home?"

Shepard rolled his eyes and stepped forward.
"Take us to Rannoch, Joker."