Liara looked out from the observation deck of the Digeris IV with grim satisfaction as she watched the Turian flotilla blast Titan Station into nothingness. Shepard stood at her side, saying nothing.

The door opened behind them, and Garrus joined them at the window. "Hell of a show," he remarked as the station's power core exploded.

"Good riddance," Liara murmured.

Shepard let out a single chuckle. "Agreed." He turned to Garrus, smile evident on his face. "Been a long time, Garrus."

Garrus nodded. "Damn good to see you alive and kicking, Shepard." He pulled the human in for a hug, nearly taking Shepard off his feet, who laughed. Liara smiled.

"How's Miranda?" Liara asked.

Garrus released Shepard and straightened his uniform. "She'll be fine. Doctors have her down in the med bay, but I'd expect her to be along shortly. A few bruised ribs and a mild concussion."

Liara nodded. "I owe her a great deal. Without her help I would've never gotten Shepard back."

Garrus nodded, his mandibles working. "It seems like we all owe her a debt of gratitude."

"Let's not forget," Shepard said, wrapping an arm around Liara's waist, "who went looking for me in the first place- again."

The door slid open again, and Miranda walked into the room. "I've been told the party is up here," she said, grinning as she approached.

"Miranda," Shepard nodded. "We were just talking about you."

"Good things, I hope."

Liara nodded. "Actually, I wanted to thank you. Without your help I would've never gotten this far."

Miranda's smile softened. "A chance to bring Shepard back to life again? How could I say no?"

Everyone laughed.

"On a more serious note," Liara said somberly, "I'd like you to take the Vanguard. It's a great ship… and I was hoping you might consider coming to work for me as Feron's replacement in the Terminus systems."

Miranda raised a brow, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Interesting. I think I might take you up on that."

Liara nodded, pleased with her response. She turned to Shepard. "There's still one thing I don't understand."

He raised a brow. "What's that?"

"How did you survive the Crucible event?"

Shepard sighed, and stepped away from her, moving toward the window. He gazed out into the stars for a long time before he spoke.

"After I activated the Crucible, I was taken to… somewhere else. I was given a choice: destroy the Reapers forever, take control of them, or join synthetic and organic life everywhere. It was… overwhelming. The future of every race in the galaxy, decided in that moment. Looking back now, I'm terrified, thinking about that decision. At the time, I was so injured, I figured I wouldn't be around to see the results." He looked down at his feet, taking a deep breath before he continued. "I chose to destroy the Reapers. I didn't want to risk losing control of them in the future, and combining all synthetic and organic life seemed like too much too soon- for everyone. There were too many unknowns. The only safe choice was to eliminate the Reapers once and for all." Shepard turned to the trio, who stood wordless. "I walked down the path, firing my pistol into this mass of machines, knowing it would destroy the Reapers forever, and then, I would die. That would be the end of it, at least for me."

Liara put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I can't imagine bearing that burden, Shepard. No one here is questioning your decision- you saved countless lives that day."

Shepard nodded once. "After I fired, the console exploded, and I was… I don't know; transported away somehow. I woke up back on the Citadel. That's where I met Blaque for the first time, but I was too weak to fight him off. At that point, I was still pretty sure I was going to die." Shepard took a deep breath and let it out before continuing. "I was in and out for a while. Shuttle, and then a med bay or a lab. It's all pretty much a blur, until I woke up suddenly. I was alive, somehow. The drugs they'd given me wore off apparently, and someone forgot to dose me. I tore the line out of my arm and tried to escape. I was about to punch in the coordinates for Earth when I… blacked out."

Liara's brow furrowed. "On the shuttle?"

Shepard nodded. "When I came to, I was back on Earth, but it was… different; empty. There was no one there but me. It took some time- I don't know how long exactly- before I realized I was alone, and what I was seeing couldn't be real." He shook his head. "I don't know how I lived. I can't begin to imagine how my body made it from the relay to wherever you found me."

Miranda let out a laugh. "Blaque was right about one thing, Shepard: you've got as many lives as a cat."

Everyone laughed.

"So," Garrus crossed his arms over his chest, "what's next for the great Shepard?"

"Head back to Earth. I think the Alliance owes me some time off."

Miranda and Garrus laughed, but Liara remained silent.

The Alliance…

"Shepard… we can't go back to Earth."

He let out an incredulous laugh. "What? Why not?"

Liara bit the inside of her lip, searching for the words. "If we go back… something will pull us apart. The Alliance is going to want to parade you around, promote you, and most of all, Shepard, they're going to want to put you back on a ship. Hackett knows you'd never settle for a desk. You were born in space, and it's where you belong. They'll have you commanding again in no time." Liara turned away. "If we go back, this has all been for nothing."

"Liara…"

"No, Shepard! Just this once, can we please be selfish? Haven't we earned that? Haven't I?" She turned back to him, tears welling in her eyes. "I thought you were dead! I dropped everything and ran at the first chance that you were still alive! And I finally- finally!- have you, and the first thing you say you want is to go right back to how things were before the war? Me, the information broker, out here, and you, the proud soldier, back there? Goddess, Shepard!"

He closed the distance then, pulling her into his arms as she let out a shuddering sob. "That's not going to happen this time." Shepard ran a hand down her cheek softly. "We won't let it happen."

Liara looked into his eyes. "Promise me."

Shepard nodded. "We're going back to Earth for a different reason."

Liara thought for a moment before she shook her head. "And what reason is that?"

A grin spilled onto his face. "Because you have to get my mother's seal of approval before I can even think about marrying you."

Liara laughed gently, and hugged him tightly. Shepard turned and nodded to Garrus. "Garrus, I think you owe me a drink, and at the very least, a ride home."

Garrus nodded. "Fair enough, Shepard. Miranda?"

"I could use something to wash the dust from the last Cerberus holdout from my mouth." Everyone laughed again. "Liara?"

She smiled, putting an arm around Shepard and pulling him close. "Lead the way. I think we could all use a drink."

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Author's note: Again, thank you all for reading. As you can guess from the closing above, I have stumbled into an entirely new question, and that new question has bred a new story.

For those of you asking, "what could possibly come next?" you'll just have to wait and see, but it won't be too long. If you'd like notification when I publish the new story, titled Spaces Between the Stars, please don't forget to put me on follow. I plan to publish the opening chapter very soon.

The feedback I've gotten on Lost Among the Stars has been tremendous. Between reviews, private messages, and beta readers, I feel like I learned a great deal along the way. Thank you all for joining me on this journey, and I hope to see you all as we venture into the next installment.

I've listed this story primarily here on Fanfiction, and I linked it on the Mass Effect Reddit, but I'd love to get some more exposure, and the feedback that comes with it. If you know of anywhere else I might cross-post or link this, please send me a message and let me know.

If you have questions or comments about Lost Among the Stars, please feel free to share them in a private message to me, or in the comments section. I reply to nearly every question I receive.

Again, to the readers, my thanks.

Until next time.

-Zero