Authors Notes: Thank you everyone for sticking with this story till the end! You can come bug me on tumblr or twitter CrescentBunny anytime! I'm happy to answer questions or just let people bug me while I write the next portion of this story : Of Shallow Graves and Glorious Cinders I'm sure I'll be back with some one shots and such, before I start posting the next part of this story (likely late this year). I look forward to sharing more with you all. Thanks so much for your kind words.


Shepard stood magnetized to the exterior of the Normandy looking up at the huge swing arm bringing in a new hull segment for the cargo bay. Liara had really come through. They were moored inside an expansive shipyard owned by someone whose identity the asari wouldn't give, but who was apparently a sympathetic believer with a whole lot of cash and a lot of influence on Illium. Thanks to that, they'd been able to sail in cloaked and stay off the Nos Astra space port coms, which meant staying perfectly off-record.

Her boots thunked loudly as she moved, weaving through a team of salarians and asari welding and hammering. She was trying to focus on observing them, but the silence in her helmet made her mind keep replaying the goodbyes she'd had hours ago.


The matriarch was standing in front of her usual window, a small duffle slung across a shoulder, surveying the skeletal structure of the ship bay. She turned crystal blue eyes on the Commander's smaller form. "They've already started repairs?"

Shepard inclined her chin. "Should be a few days, then we'll be on to the Citadel."

Samara nodded. "I am proud of what we accomplished together, Commander. Much of my life has been spent in solitude - traveling on the Normandy has been a great privilege." She halted for a beat and a smile pulled at her lips. "And it has been great fun."

The facial expression was so rare for the serene Justicar that it tugged at Shepard's heartstrings. Samara moved forward and slipped both arms gently around her, and rested a cheek on top of her head.

Shepard hugged her fiercely. For a few brief moments they were just a girl who never knew her mother, and a mother who had lost a daughter.


"Commander." Miranda's accented voice pulled her from the email she'd been crafting to Anderson.

It was still weird to see the operative outside of her Cerberus skintex, but here she was in the mess in just a pair of jeans and a fitted t-shirt.

"All packed Lawson?" Shepard stood.

The woman shrugged. "Not a lot of personal items that have nothing to do with Cerberus, and not a lot I can afford to bring while on the lam." Her mouth twitched upwards.

Shepard sighed, working fingers into her temple. "You gave up everything by leaving Cerberus Miri. I guess the only thing I can hope is that I pissed him off more than you did - maybe I'll keep the focus off of you and your sister that way. You don't deserve to have to look over your shoulder all the time."

Miranda clucked her tongue. "You don't deserve that either."

She smiled. "Thanks Miranda. I don't know if I'll be reachable, but that info packet I sent you has names and numbers; if you need help don't be too proud to ask for it." Shepard squeezed the operative's slender hand in hers. "I owe you my life. Thank you for all of your hard work."

A grin spread over Miranda's face. "And don't you forget it. If the Alliance tries to hang you I'm busting you out. It'll be a cold day in hell before I let them destroy what I created with my blood, sweat, and tears."


"Don't make that face Shepard. I've already set a date to break you out with Miranda." The thief smirked from under her hood, standing halfway down the gangway.

"Ha. Please don't, you've already got Bau after you, you don't need the Alliance too." Shepard's lip corners tugged up.

Kasumi waved a hand dismissively. "Pshh. Aria made him sound scarier than he really is. We've been playing cat and mouse for years. He's smart, I like him."

"Well, one Spectre each is manageable I guess." Shepard shook her head.

Kasumi walked back up the airlock and gave the Commander a quick hug. "Thank you Shep, for helping me get Keiji's grey box. You've been a wonderful friend to me. I won't forget it."

Shepard squeezed the small woman's shoulders. "Keep it safe. Whatever he found sounds like it puts you in danger. But, I know you'll manage."

The two women smiled at each other.


"Alright girlie. No tears, I hate it when women cry." Zaeed dropped his heavy rucksack on the table in front of her.

Shepard scrambled to grab her datapad and cup before the bag slammed into them. "I think you're safe, I don't make a habit of crying over old farts."

"Good. I assume you're sitting here compiling evidence and speaking with a team of high profile lawyers?" He rested his palms on the table, glancing around the empty mess hall.

"Mmm, I was toying with the idea of letting Jack represent me - wouldn't that be entertaining?" she said, her face splitting into a grin.

"Bloody hell the bird was right, you DO have a death wish." He straightened and flicked open his omni-tool. "Just so happens I know a few high profile lawyers."

Seconds later her tool beeped with an incoming message. "Aw, I didn't know you cared Zaeed."

His tone sobered. "You being on trial is a fucking travesty, a puppet show for god-damned politicians."

Shepard exhaled a breath. "It does feel like the Alliance has shoved a Hackett-shaped fist up my ass." She dragged a hand through her hair. "What about you? Any idea what you'll do now?"

The old mercenary straightened with a finger on his chin. "Well, since you helped me kill that son of a bitch Vido… I guess retire. Find a place in a desert, somewhere I can see someone coming from miles away. Yeah, that sounds nice." He pointed at her omni-tool. "Once those lawyers get you off, you're welcome to join me. I bet we could even squeeze out a few little red headed bastards before the Reapers come," he said, with a surprisingly charismatic grin.

The Commander threw her head back and laughed.


Legion was the last to leave, and somehow the hardest to let go of. He had challenged so many of her preconceived perceptions of synthetics. He'd shown her that the geth just wanted what any organic had: freedom of will, safety, a place to belong. Their ability to interconnect with consensus was truly amazing - they immediately knew each other's hearts with no obfuscation nor insecurities to taint their interactions.

And even though Legion continued to be somewhat secretive about his true purpose in trying to find her, he had proven himself completely trustworthy in battle - he'd saved her, even carried her when she couldn't walk.

And now he stood just outside the shuttle with not a single personal effect to his name, and somehow that thought left a tight feeling in her chest. He turned and fixed his head lamp on her, the iris expanded and contracted a few times.

"Will you be okay? You've got a pickup scheduled?" She folded her arms and rubbed her biceps.

The little shutters around his light lifted. "Affirmative. This platform requires no sustenance, air, or gravity. The shuttle will suffice."

"Prepare them, Legion. You'll be the only people truly ready for the Reapers." She couldn't suppress a sad smile. "I wish we could all reach consensus. I'm envious of the geth." She hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer. "I know you won't judge me, Legion. Between you and I: I'm scared."

Shepard's eyes roved over the charred N7 breast plate he wore. "So many will die because we are too stupid, too blind, too individual - or maybe because I'm a failure. Maybe I could have done something differently. But I feel better knowing the geth might survive."

Legion very gently placed his palms on her shoulders. "Do not be afraid, Shepard-Commander. Odds of survival are not yet zero for the Milky Way. We will return back through the Veil to seek consensus. We gained much information from the Collector base - an answer will present itself."

She nodded. "I hope you're right. Thank you Legion, for listening. Bend your head down here for a second," she said.

He obliged, his head shutters undulating. Shepard lifted the dog tags from her neck and looped them over his. "I want you to have these."

The geth gazed down at them curiously. "Shepard-Commander?"

"I feel like they belong with that chest piece. And I'm hoping they'll bring you more luck than they brought me." She reached up to pat him on the shoulder. "Be safe, my friend."


Shepard blinked rapidly, trying to drag herself from the memories, moving around the rounded portion of the hull to the underbelly of the Normandy. The repair team had just begun installation of the first plate over a hole their fight with the drone had left behind and Tali, being her foremost expert in safe vacuum repairs, was supervising.

Shepard crossed her arms while watching the quarian bend and point something out to one of the salarian engineers. The Commander chewed on the inside of her cheek - the silence was causing her thoughts to drag her under again. Legion and Wrex were the only ones who would have any success in preparing their people for what was to come, which was at least something… but the rest of the galaxy's ignorant populace was weighing heavily on her conscience.

Shepard's eyes were fixed on Tali, completely unseeing. She'd sent an information packet and vid containing everything she'd found at the Collector base to the Council days ago, and the lack of communication on that front was... telling. At least Anderson was a constant, trying to keep her abreast of things and preparing her for their Citadel arrival.

Wait. Why couldn't she hear her engineer over the com?

"Everything okay Tali?" Shepard called.

The quarian didn't turn her head. Hm. The N7 traipsed over and touched her friend on the shoulder.

Tali looked at her and probably spoke, but nothing except quiet reigned over the communication line. Shepard shook her head and pointed at her helmet. Tali pointed at herself and then the ship. Her coms were working then.

The Commander nodded and walked back up around to the top of the vessel while pulling up her suit diagnostics. She quickly scrolled through the visor's interface. Nothing red at a glance. Odd. She flicked up her omni-tool and started the scanner.

It was a tiny thing, just a glint that seemed odd as she glanced up at the crane. Shepard threw herself sideways - a difficult feat considering the magnetized boots - but whatever spun by her smashed into the hull at such a speed that she didn't even register it was a humanoid until it uncurled itself and stood.

Male. Human most likely, but the visor was shielded so he could be batarian. She drew her pistol but he was lightning fast. The glint again, shit. He had a blade - her shields would be useless. The old fashioned way was still the best way to kill out in vacuum. She drew her pistol but he was lightning fast. Shepard blocked his stab but lost her pistol, the impact of the blade across her knuckles, jarring it from her fingers. The gun bounced against the hull, firing once then spiraling off into space.

Her eyes darted around, but of course, no technicians were up here now. Was this planned? The sympathizer was actually on the Hegemony payroll? Or perhaps Cerberus's. Alright, fine. Knife fight it was. The silence in her helmet was broken only by her staccato breathing.

Shepard activated her omni-blade, the orange glow lit both combatants. He circled slowly so she played along, moving in the opposite direction, both of them getting a feeling for the other's movements.

His hard suit was fairly nondescript, but the swooping lines were something obviously made by Kassa - so he was human. Kassa meant money, no expense spared, which made Cerberus most likely.

He darted forward and they clashed so closely she could see her reflection in his mirrored helmet. She deflected his blade but he jerked his wrists, sending the edge glancing off her thigh plate. Damn, he was fast. Shepard had a sinking feeling the longer this went on, the more it would be his game.

They danced back and forth for minutes, looking for openings in each other's guard patterns. The Commander ducked a high blow and he jammed an elbow into her shoulder, forcing her down against the hull. He reared his sword back as she tried to wrench free of him, and brought it down, aiming for the gaps in her chest plate. She managed to release a mag boot and kick him in the knee, forcing it out from under him and pushing his aim high. The blade bounced off a pauldron but sank through a seam into her collar. Depressurization alarms began blaring immediately, and her visor readout blinked red as Shepard heaved her assailant off of her with a grunt.

All too familiar hissing began when he dragged the blade back out of her.

Shepard clamped a hand over the wound, red droplets already fanned out from the hole, glittering as they floated serenely. She struggled to put her boot back down to the hull as panic blossomed to life inside of her.

The unknown man planted a leg behind himself and launched at her, preparing to strike the killing blow - but mid stride gunshots bounced off his shield. Shepard dived at him as he turned his attention away from her and toward his new assailant.

Unable to bring her omni-tool to bear with her injured arm, she swung hard with her left fist and caught him right in the side of the head. They collided, kicking wildly and wrestling over his blade. She reached behind him, yanking at the hoses to his pack as more rounds bounced off his shields. She felt something tear - success! He tried to jerk away from her but she held him tight, so he put a fist into her head so hard her vision was suddenly just the scaffolding of the shipyard above them. Shepard felt his blade sink into her gut as he wrenched free of her grip. As she struggled to right herself he ignited a thruster pack and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

The Commander's eyes bulged, desperately trying to clamp a palm over her leak she rasped for breath. It was happening again. Her lungs were pure fire as she tried and failed to suck in oxygen, only choking on the nothingness of space.

Maybe whoever that was had just done her good. Certainly things were easier this way.

Mercifully the black tinged edges of her vision soon took over, and all was calm again.


"I swear Garrus, it couldn't have been the sympathizer. I'm looking into the construction team, as fast as I can. I vetted them heavily though." Liara sighed. "I am reluctant to call in a second one. That's just more people putting their eyes on the Normandy."

"But you're looking into whoever that assassin was as well?" His sub-vocals hummed with annoyance.

"Garrus, of course I am! I didn't work so hard to bring her back just to let her die again!" Liara's voice wavered.

He blew out a breath. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to imply-"

"Do you understand how many hits are out for her right now?" she interrupted "It's going to take me weeks to sift through all this information, not to mention how many people are requesting Broker contracts for her too. If I want to keep the change in the Shadow Broker's identity a secret I'm going to have to accept one -"

"He was probably Cerberus," a gravelly voice rose from behind him, breaking the the quiet of the Medbay.

"Shepard. You're awake." Heavy footfalls brought the turian to her bedside.

"How do you know?" Liara's voice issued from Garrus's omni-tool.

Shepard cleared her throat with a dry cough and tried to speak.

Garrus scanned the room for a cup. "Hold on, you were intubated. Let me get you some water." He walked out of her line of sight for a few moments and returned with a cup of blessedly cool water.

She took it gratefully, and after a few sips was able to try again. "He was wearing Kassa armor. No distinguishing marks but considering the price tag - I'd put my bets on Cerberus."

It was silent on the call for a few beats, most likely as the Shadow Broker typed. "Right, I'll narrow my search from there. As for the construction crew -"

Shepard waved a hand the asari couldn't see on a voice call. "It's fine. Don't bother with another crew, I assume we got the important things back up with the engines and the core?" She looked up at Garrus, who nodded. "We don't necessarily need the hull intact to make the jumps to the Citadel. We'll be fine Liara, you've done more than enough."

She could almost hear her friend's hand-wringing over the speakers.

"Okay. Stay vigilant Shepard. I'm doing what I can from here," Liara said softly.

"Thanks for everything Liara. I'll keep in contact this time, I promise," Garrus rumbled into his tool.

The asari huffed. "You'd better. Be well, both of you." The line cut off.

Shepard fixed Garrus with a look. "What was that about?"

His mandible waved slowly. "Ah… when you were…" He hesitated.

"Dead?" she supplied.

He sighed. "Yes, well, I wasn't the most… social of turians afterwards."

They both fell into silence while Shepard sipped.

"Are you alright?" he murmured.

She turned her head to meet his gaze. "Well, I lived this time. What happened?"

Garrus pulled the doctor's desk chair over and sat. "Tali radioed that your coms weren't working, said you looked like you were coming back in. When that didn't happen, coupled with the noises on the hull, Thane and I went out to see what was going on. Whoever he was, he had some sort of jammer device, that's what took out your coms."

The Commander blew out a breath that rustled the hair on her forehead. "I really hope he's just trained on me and Miri got off-planet okay."

"She's a big girl Shepard, I'm sure she's fine. The real question is why can't we have even a few days of peace before you piss someone off enough to send an assassin after you?" he asked.

A chuckle turned into a coughing fit. "Ow. Jesus. You should know by now that those are the dangers of being as awesome as I am." Shepard grinned. "This won't be the first job I quit where someone tried to kill me afterwards, the only difference now is I'm not some scared kid, so Tim can bring it on," she croaked.

Garrus crossed his ankles. "Can't you just write a letter of resignation like the rest of us?"


Garrus kept trying to focus on the conversation Citadel flight control was having with Joker, but his eyes kept wandering to Shepard's form, slouched in the co-pilot's seat. Over the few days of travel time to the Citadel she'd healed from her wounds, but he'd caught her awake in the mess most nights - frowning over datapads and nursing the tea she so hated. He'd sat with her, inquired why her brows were furrowed, but that had only ended in vague mumblings about not wanting to get him involved and some cursing about Hackett or Sparatus.

He leaned back against the bulkhead behind the seats, his hide burning in agitation. She was going somewhere he couldn't follow. Again. And what of the Reapers? Was there even a guarantee they'd let her out, and what deal had she and Anderson spoken about?

Shepard yawned, and rubbed a hand over her face. "Did they say anything special?"

His mandible twinged in a smile. Apparently she hadn't been listening either.

"No, surprisingly. Seems like business as usual," Joker replied.

Shepard sighed and propped her feet up on the console. "Seems fishy - you ready for whatever happens here?"

"I was ready for whatever consequences when I told the Alliance to shove it after Cerberus called me." He reached out to dismiss a flashing indicator on his console.

She smirked. "Wish I'd been there to see it. Must have been good because I had a hell of a time getting you reinstated. At least Chakwas filed for leave properly."

He turned to look at her, eyes wide. "What? How the hell did you do that?!"

"Very carefully."

Garrus snorted and she threw him a lopsided smile over her shoulder. His stomach clenched.

"Okay fine. Mostly it was Hackett. I made an appeal pointing out that if there's even a chance the Reapers are real and coming to kill us all, they'll need every pilot they can get. It also included some threats." She and Joker made telling eye contact, her grin wicked. "You don't make it to Commander without at least some dirt on important people." She stretched and stood up, intending to leave the cockpit.

Joker grabbed her forearm as she passed. "Thanks, Shepard."

She smiled down at him. "No thanks necessary Jeff. Just be sure to brag to everyone who'll listen that you're the only man in the galaxy that has navigated the Omega Relay and lived to tell about it." Shepard knocked the brim of his hat down over the pilot's eyes before stopping in front of Garrus. "What about you, big guy?"

He sighed. "Am I ready for you to be tried? Spirits, no."

She frowned slightly. "Well, think of it this way, at minimum you'll get a few months with no one shooting at you, right?"

Honestly, the statement tugged at some yawning thing inside of him. Months. "I've changed my mind, Joker drop me off on Omega. Can't have that." Even to him his voice sounded strained, but she didn't seem to notice.

Shepard chuckled. "Well book that passage for later in the day okay? I've got to say goodbye to Mordin and Grunt by 1600. Me and you need at least some time to have drinks in Chora's Den. For old time's sake." She put a hand on his shoulder before moving towards the growing chatter in the CIC behind them.

But as with most things in Shepard's life, nothing went according to her plan. She, Mordin, and Grunt were the first ones off the Normandy. Garrus took a few moments to share one last quip with Joker, but her scream interrupted them.

He would remember the sound for the rest of his years.

It was electric, primal, and like a stake had been driven through his carapace. The reaction was overplayed, considering no noise a human made was anything from Palaven, even though it still affected him as if evolution had grown them together.

Thane bolted down the airlock passageway first, with Jacob immediately behind him. By the time Garrus made it down the ramp and onto the sprawling dock, Thane and Jacob were standing between Shepard and a host of hard-suited batarians and two C-Sec officers. Shepard was kneeling over Mordin, cradling him in her lap. There was a spray of green salarian blood across the floor in front of her, intermingled with smears of red. Two batarians lay dead at Grunt's feet while he paced menacingly around his Battlemaster, and a growing crowd of onlookers were rippling away from the menacing krogan.

Damn.

Behind Garrus, Jack sucked in a breath. "What the fuck is going on!? They were down here for five minutes!" The biotic barreled around him to stand next to Thane.

"Everyone on the ground, NOW!" the asari officer yelled. Her and her turian partner had assault rifles pulled on the Normandy crew and the batarians, and the batarians had rifles trained on Shepard.

Spirits, a stand off right here in the open, on the ward docks. C-Sec sirens wailed in the distance, which meant more officers inbound.

"You people and your politics! You're harboring a genocidal maniac!" one of the batarians howled at the C-Sec officers. "How is it that the Butcher of Torfan is elevated through military ranks to be unleashed on the batarian people again?!"

The crowd murmured. Garrus strode down to stand with Thane, Jack, and Jacob, holding both hands out as the turian officer drew a bead on him.

"Unleashed?! You forget Torfan was your doing. Your people round us up like animals and sell us as slaves, remember Mindoir!" a human male yelled back from the front of the crowd. There was a chorus of shouts in agreement. Someone from the crowd threw something towards the batarians, spooking them.

The batarians opened fire on both C-Sec and the Normandy crew, and that was all the excuse Grunt needed to charge headlong towards their assailants with a roar, he crashed into them loudly,scattering bodies as he went.

"Grunt! NO!" Garrus tried to grab him as he shot by.

The dock filled with gunfire and the screams of the on-lookers, the officers yelling above it all. Thank the Spirits for Jack, who kept them all safe with a well-timed barrier.

Chakwas darted down the airlock ramp with a stretcher.

"Jacob! Please!" he heard Shepard shout over the din. The operative bent and helped Shepard pick the Professor up and load him onto the stretcher. Chakwas and Jacob ran back up the ramp just as more officers entered the fray.

Shepard came over open com. "Joker, don't let anyone else up that ramp without my express permission, I don't care if it's Anderson himself. Everyone else, keep those weapons sheathed we are not going to be the cause of an inter species incident! Grunt, get back here! GRUNT!"

C-Sec had shown up in force; thirty officers swarmed them, pointing rifles and shouting threats. Three were on top of Grunt, dragging him to the ground -It was hard to even see his large form in the scuffle but the krogan's bellow and the smell of burnt ozone suggested they'd tazed him.

"STOP IT! Don't hurt him, we aren't your problem!" Shepard darted by Garrus as well.

"Shepard!" Garrus called after her.

She ran out of Jack's barrier, and officers turned their weapons on her as soon as she stepped away from the biotic. The Commander went right up to the officers on Grunt and tore her helmet off. "I have Spectre authority, he is my crewman! I said get off!" She dragged an officer bodily off her krogan.

"Spectres wanted for questioning in the death of another Spectre have no authority here, Commander Shepard. You should be familiar with that," a turian officer snarled back at her.

"Lower the shield and come peacefully!" the one closest to Jack yelled.

Surprisingly she complied, though not without cursing a magnificent string under her breath.

"Please, we didn't start this, there's no reason to point weapons at us!" Garrus pleaded.

He stole a look over towards Grunt. Shepard was standing between him and the officers that had tazed him. All but one unlucky batarian had conveniently been lost in the crowd. While Shepard's back was turned a human officer struck at her with the butt of his rifle. Thane launched himself at the man and that was the last thing Garrus saw.

He blinked groggily. His shredded mandible ached, and the back of his skull radiated pain. Must have taken a stun round to the head. Garrus groaned, trying to pick himself up off the floor, but a weight on his back kept him pinned down. He couldn't move his arms… ah, restraints clamped his wrists together behind his back.

"STOP!" the desperate cry quieted the noise around them, and jarred him back to full consciousness. Garrus craned his neck to glimpse his Commander. She stood tall, her omni-blade pointed at her own throat. "Stop, or I deny everyone any chance at justice!"

A few beats passed where no one moved or spoke. Across from him Thane was also pressed into the floor with omni-cuffs on his wrists.

"Good. Now, I made a deal to turn myself in to the Alliance quietly in exchange for amnesty for my crew mates. Speak with Councilor Anderson."

Behind Shepard on a large vid screen he could see them being shown live on the news - surrounded by C-Sec officers and a large crowd of onlookers.

A dual-toned voice boomed over the officers, "Everyone lower your weapons and step away from the krogan, the human, the drell, and Vakarian." Chellick pushed through the crowd and stood between his men and the Commander, then turned weary eyes on her. "Please, Shepard. Put the blade away, that is no longer necessary."

She lowered it slowly, nodding at the Executor. Garrus felt the officer stand up off of him so he pushed himself up to kneel. The news behind her was now running clips of her and Mordin from just minutes earlier with a ticker title of "Commander Shepard's Salarian Lover Murdered by Batarian Insurgents?" It cut to a replay of Shepard impressively gutting one of the now dead batarians laying behind them, then stooping to check the Professor with a frantic look on her face.

Garrus sighed, suppressing a dark laugh. Nothing ever really changed on the Citadel. He, Wrex, and Tali had made the news rounds coupled with her after the mess with Sovereign.

"Garrus!" a familiar timber cut through the crowd. He snapped his head around just as his father and Anderson stepped forward out of the milling onlookers.

"Shepard!" Anderson called and trotted over to the Commander and Chellick.

"Get these off of him, my son is no criminal!" Castis shouted at the officer nearest them as he grabbed the cuffs.

"Dad?" Garrus was having a hard time wrapping his head around the man's presence.

Castis nodded. "The Commander has been all over the news. I got word the Normandy was slated to come into port today and made my way straight here. I had a bad feeling about all of this," his father rumbled lowly. The young turian officer he'd snapped at fumbled with Garrus's cuffs.

Garrus turned his attention back to Shepard. Chellick had snapped restraints on her and she was nodding at something Anderson was saying. They locked eyes over the shoulders of his father and the Councilor.

The corners of her lips turned up, but her furrowed brow made it a sad look. She tipped her head subtly and glanced at Castis's back. Garrus inclined his chin, never taking his eyes off of the expression on her features. She held up her wrists and pointed at her tool.

Seconds later a message popped up on his own omni-tool.

Hey BG. This will probably be the only message I can get off. Please check on Mordin, make sure he lives for me? Grunt needs to make a transport to Tuchanka at 1600 hours. Don't let them book Thane. I'm sorry to rely on you one last time. Thank you for everything. You look just like your father.

S

She wasn't wrong, that had been the final contact he received from her. And over the next few months as he read and re-read that message, that last blood curdling scream and the look on her face as Chellick had led her away played on repeat every time he closed his eyes to sleep.