Sitting on my bed, I once more review the battle plans and fleet compositions for the final assault on Earth. My heart races, flooding me with adrenaline, and I break into a cold sweat. This is it. All my efforts have led up to this moment, and the next few hours will decide the fate of the galaxy. In the end, either future generations will remember this battle as the greatest in history, or the Reapers will harvest everyone as little more than bio-material for their reproduction.

Again, the weight of the galaxy bears down on me, and an icy, crushing sensation racks my chest.

Have I done enough?

Since leaving Earth, I've been all over the galaxy, playing politician, trying to be everywhere at once. Every day, I've scrambled to solve one crisis after the other, just barely managing to function on less than four hours of sleep. And if not for my saera, if not for her frequent love letters during our separation, I surely would have lost my mind. I never would have managed to unite every species and their forces under one banner.

But what if none of that matters?

What if our unity and cohesion are not enough? What if no armada in the galaxy could buy us enough time to activate the Crucible, to stop the Reapers from harvesting every man, woman, and child?

My hands start to tremble. My stomach lurches, and I feel the urge to curl up into a ball, then break down into a sobbing mess.

But then my N7 training kicks in.

With every ounce of willpower and self-discipline within me, I rein in my emotions and squash any urge to surrender to despair. I take a deep, controlled breath through my nose, then slowly count to ten.

No. I can't afford to be weak right now. Everyone is depending on me. Every mistake I make could cost thousands if not millions of lives, and now the galaxy needs the invincible 'Lion of Elysium' and 'Hero of the Citadel'.

Not John Shepard.

Just then, the door to my cabin opens with a metallic whine. I set aside the datapad, then spot my saera stepping inside. I smile and my heart swells with pride. She didn't knock, and she's not wringing her hands. Since our talk about quarian bonding, she's conquered so many of her demons.

"My shift's over in engineering," she says, approaching me. She pops the seals around her mask, and it detaches with a hiss of air, revealing her beautiful face. Her glowing eyes always leave me so damn breathless. "Lately, you've seemed troubled. I know you've been under so much pressure, more than anyone deserves to bear," she tosses her mask onto the nearby couch. She sits right beside me and holds one of my hands. I turn to face her, "so I figured you could use some company. Is everything okay?"

I smile and gently squeeze her hand. "Always so thoughtful," I lean forward, and our lips meet in a brief kiss. "But no, I…I'm okay. I've just been thinking about the next few hours, about all the decisions I've made, and whether I've done enough for us to come out of this alive."

Gently, she holds each side of my head, staring deeply into my eyes. "Keelah, you've done more than enough, saera. You've done more over the past few months than most will ever do in ten lifetimes. If all your efforts still aren't enough, then nothing ever will be."

I smile. No matter how low I might feel, she always knows how to uplift my spirit. "Without you, I never could have done any of the things I've accomplished." Briefly, I look away. I gulp, then purse my lips before meeting her gaze once more. " But I won't lie to you. For the first time, I'm not certain we're going to win. This whole war we've done nothing but react to the Reapers' every move. This is nothing like the assault on the Collector base, and…I'm scared, not for my own life, but that I won't get to build you a house on Rannoch, that we won't get to grow old with each other, or raise a bunch of adorable orphans."

Her eyes look watery. "Oh, John…" She pulls me in for a long, slow kiss. I lean into it, and wrap my arms around her, holding her close. We press our tongues into each other's mouths, and I hum with delight, savoring her sweet, tangy taste and the feel of her soft lips against mine. Eventually, our lips part. Breathless, we rest our foreheads against each other.

"I feel the same way," she says. A tear streams down her cheek. "Keelah, I've already lost you once. Those two years were the worst of my life, and…nothing terrifies me more than losing you again. Rannoch, it…it would be a hollow prize without you."

My eyes water. More than anything, I want to tell her that we'll survive the coming battle, that we'll earn our happily ever after. Given how deeply quarians bond with their partners, I can't imagine what psychological hell would await her, if she was ever forced to go on without me. But I say nothing. I can't make her a promise I can't keep.

She sniffles. Tears stream down her cheeks. "Ever since you came back to me on Freedom's Progress, circumstances have kept trying to take you away from me. It…It's not fair. I want…I want more time."

Her voice sounded choked with emotion. My heart breaks. A tear runs down my cheek. Holding each side of her head, I stare deeply into her eyes. "If we survive this war, I swear you'll have it, all the time you could ever want. Do you understand me?"

Weakly, she smiles, then nods. She leans into my touch, holding my hands. "I have no doubt you will."

Briefly, I look away, pursing my lips. How could I help ease her mind? I take a deep breath. Our eyes meet once more. "Once we're on Earth's surface, know that I'll be fighting not for the galaxy, but for you and our future. Know that nothing – not even Harbinger himself – will stop me from doing whatever it takes for us to succeed. But that if we fail, and this really is the end of galactic civilization, then we'll face that end together."

She lets out a mirthless laugh. For a moment, she looks away. She gulps, then looks at me once more. "John?"

"Yes?"

"If this is the end, if we're going to die, then please…make love to me. I want, no, I need my last memories to be–"

I put one finger on her lips, hushing her. "Sssh, you don't need to say anything more."

Cupping her neck with one hand, I lean forward, and our lips lock in a passionate kiss. Grabbing my head, she deepens it, making heelrou, and our tongues swirl in each other's mouths. My heart pounds. My breathing grows heavy. And blood rushes to my manhood. Gently, I push her back onto the bed, and she moans when I start kissing her neck.

"Get this suit off me," she whispers right into my ear, and my manhood becomes rock hard.

I get off her, then scramble to remove my socks and shoes. As I do so, she yanks off her gloves, then her realk, and then her boots.

Once more, we're facing each other, exchanging kisses, sometimes sucking on each other's tongues. After unplugging the tubes connected to her helmet, I slip it off, then drop it on the floor. Eagerly, she removes her neck collar and astronaut hood. Then she pulls me in for another deep, passionate kiss. Humming and trilling, she runs her hands through the stubble on my head.

Wrapping my arms around her, I lean into the kiss and hold her close. With one hand, I cup one of her breasts. With the other, I caress the middle of her back, trailing my fingers down her spine. One by one, I unlatch the belts, cloths, and buckles around her suit.

I move my kisses onto her bare, supple neck, and she moans and melts in my embrace, cradling the back of my head. Her heelrou fills the air, and a wave of bliss courses through me. No matter how stressed I might feel, that sound never fails to relax me. It is, and always will be, the most beautiful thing I've ever heard.

Soon, she's down to her bare bodysuit. Just like how she showed me, I pop the seals around its torso layer. It droops, revealing her bare shoulders.

Then gently, I push her back onto the bed.

I take my shirt off, then crawl over, planting kisses on her lips, her neck, and her shoulders. Slowly, I peel off her torso layer, and gently squeeze one of her breasts, moving my kisses down to the other, then down along her lean, toned stomach. Meanwhile, she's gasping and moaning, throwing her head back into the mattress.

When I finally peel off her torso layer, I pause and drink in the sight of her naked torso, of her thin waist and luscious breasts. Our eyes meet, and she gives me a sultry stare that ignites something carnal within me. My pulse climbs, and I feel a powerful urge to flip her over, tear off her leggings, then take her from behind like some dirty whore.

But I restrain myself.

No, she had to cum first.

Gradually, I peel off her leggings and relish the sight of her sopping wet sex, of her bare hips and thighs. Once she's free of her leggings, I toss them away, then grab one of her legs, and leave a trail of licks and kisses down her shin, down the inside of her thigh, then down to just above her sex. Between her legs, she's scorchingly hot.

"John…" she manages to say, sweating, barely able to breathe, "please, do that…that thing with your tongue. Oh, I can't…I need you–"

She moans when I slip two fingers into her sex, and start lapping up her juices. They taste like salted honey, and I can't get enough.

Mordin always advised against doing this, but thankfully the risks turned out to be overblown. The first time I did this, I only suffered from some light itching and numbness.

And now, our immune systems have long since adapted to each other. After making love, neither of us experiences any negative reactions.

I slip my fingers out of her sex. With each of my hands, I hook the top of each of her thighs, then push my tongue in between her folds. Instantly, she arches her back and lets out an audible gasp.

"Oh…Oh, Keelah…"

I swirl my tongue against her inner walls, and she grabs my head and pulls it towards her sex. "Don't stop…" she moans, "Oh, don't stop."

I oblige. Soon, it gets hard to breathe. But for her, I endure. Gradually, her moans get louder and louder. Her breathing gets faster and faster. Then finally, she arches her back and groans loud enough to rattle my eardrums.

Her body goes limp. Panting, she lets go of my head, and I gasp for air. I lap up her remaining juices, cleaning her up. Then our eyes meet once more.

"Keelah, that…that was amazing, John," she says, giggling. She bites her lip. "But I want more. Take those pants off and claim me."

Eagerly, I take off my pants and boxers, then crawl onto the bed and position myself in between her legs. Gripping her left hip with one hand, I slide my manhood into her sex with the other. Her inner walls are wet and hot, and they clench around my length, as it goes in one inch at a time.

Closing my eyes, I groan in ecstasy.

When I open my eyes, I meet her gaze, then grab her hips and start thrusting with long, slow strokes. Immediately, her breath hitches. Her heelrou fills the air, and gradually I increase my speed, savoring the sight of her bouncing, wobbling breasts. Leaning forward, I run my right hand up her waist and squeeze one gently.

Sweating and panting, we stare into each other's eyes. She bites her lip and runs her hands up my chest. She grabs my neck, then pulls me toward her.

And I enter a lust-fueled haze.

Leaning forward, I plant each of my forearms by each side of her head. And her breasts are flush against my chest, as I press my lips to hers in a deep, passionate kiss. Our tongues invade each other's mouths, and we're both breathing heavily through our noses, as she grips my ankles with her toes. Soon, her heelrou becomes loud and intense. Soon, we're both breathless. But eventually, our lips part. I start lavishing her neck with kisses, and her moans get louder and louder…

Until she cums for the second time.

Arching her back into me, she lets out a sharp, audible gasp and clings to me tightly. But then she goes limp and lets go of my head, humming and giggling. Gradually, her heelrou becomes calmer and steadier, and her arms rest by each side of her head.

Our hands intertwine. Our lips meet once more. Letting go of all restraint, I thrust away, and the aching pressure in my groin mounts…and mounts…and mounts…

Until finally I cum.

Breaking the kiss, I close my eyes and moan. My manhood spasms, spilling my load into her. And for a few moments, I'm in heaven. Yes, if this was the last time we made love, I could die happy.

Finally, my body goes limp. Catching my breath, I roll off her, then cover us both with the blanket. She snuggles up to me, resting her head on my chest, intertwining her legs with my own. And in response, I wrap one arm around her waist. I hold her close and savor the sensation of her soft skin against mine.

For a while, we remain still, basking in the afterglow of our lovemaking. I close my eyes, and just listen to heelrou. And like always, my body relaxes. All my stresses and worries fade away, and it's though I'm laying on a plushy cloud.

"John?"

I open my eyes. "Yes?"

"Let's not fall asleep," she says, "at least not yet. I don't want to waste any second of this."

"Neither do I."

Later, her chest heaves. Softly, she sobs, and her tears run down onto my chest. Opening my eyes, I turn my body to face her. I look into her eyes and stroke her cheek, wiping away her tears. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She smiles and leans into my touch. "John, if we survive this, can…can you promise me something?"

I kiss her forehead. Whatever it was, I'd do everything I could to fulfill it. "What?"

"Promise me you'll retire, saera. Keelah, after this, I don't think I can do this anymore. I'm so tired of all the constant death and suffering, of always worrying about your safety, never knowing if one day…you wouldn't come back to me. I just…" Briefly, she breaks eye contact. She looks at me once more, "I just want some peace, to live the rest of my life with you, with the orphans we'll raise as our own."

I kiss her soft lips. "Anything for you, saera. When the Reapers are finally gone, I promise that my days of fighting are over." Briefly, I look away and smile. "To be honest with you, nothing would make me happier. After saving the galaxy three times, I think I'd finally deserve some rest."

Giggling, she cuddles into me once more, and my heart melts. "Yes, I think we'd all deserve some rest."

I glance at the holo-clock by my bedside. "We still have about two hours until Hackett arrives. Any ideas on how to pass the time?"

"Oh, I know how," she says, her voice sultry. Staring into my eyes, she starts stroking my now flaccid manhood. My heart races. Blood rushes to my manhood, and within seconds it's hard again.

Without warning, she straddles my waist, then mashes her lips against mine, kissing me deeply and hungrily. Seconds later, our lips part with an audible smack.

"Now, it's my turn," she whispers into my ear.

And then we make love for the second time. As she smothers me with affection, I drink in every moment, burning every sensation into my memory.

Yes, no matter the outcome of the next battle, I'd look back at these moments as among the happiest in my life.