Author's Note:

Well this chapter took forever! Mostly because of finals and me getting food poisoning (not fun at all). Consider this a Christmas present from me! (If your not Christian: here's a present!)

And… here… we… go!

Chapter 28

Sean hated leaving a battle behind. It went against every fiber of his being, but he understood. He was in no condition to fight, but was feeling increasingly better as time went on and the effects of the gas wore off. He was inclined to turn back and rejoin Shepard and her squad, to be a part of the "Final Mission". Increasing his pace he caught up to Mordin.

"Hey, Mordin. Any chance I could get your pistol, you know to help defend the group?" Sean asked, trying his best to persuade Mordin.

"No chance. Most likely you'll run off. Join up with Shepard. Can't allow that. Not capable of fighting." Mordin responded.

"God damn it Mordin! I don't even know where they went. Running back would be suicide." Sean said, irritation rising in his voice.

"Idea of suicide not likely to stop you. Very tenacious. Can't allow that." Mordin said, his expression remaining stoic.

"Mordin, for all I know those Collectors could be waiting around the corner to ambush us. Handing me your pistol would give us better odds." Sean argued, trying to get some leverage.

A shot rung out somewhere behind the group, reverberating through the chamber, causing everyone to duck and scramble desperately for cover. Sean turned to see a crewmember fall to the ground, shot in the leg. Swiftly Sean ran to the back. He pulled the injured man to his feet, helping him to cover.

Quickly a firefight began to ensue, but Mordin was fighting a losing battle. As each second went by the Collectors drew nearer.

"Mordin! I need, we need the gun! With our combined power we'll have a chance to get out of here alive!" Sean yelled over the sounds of the firefight.

Mordin paused, and then with a deep sigh he passed his pistol to Sean. Sean popped up from the cover and fired multiple shots into the wave of advancing Collectors, but they did not stop. As some fell to the ground, but more swiftly took their place. They were quickly being overwhelmed.

"Mordin! This is a lost battle! We need to get everyone out of here!" Sean said.

"No chance for survival of entire group. Need better odds." Morin said, his brain quickly crunching the numbers.

"I'll stay behind. You need to bring the entire crew back!" Sean said, heart pounding in his chest, "Just tell Tali what happened here."

Mordin nodded. He quickly rounded up the crew and began to file them out, Sean providing covering fire. Slowly he watched as the rest of the crew rounded the corner, leaving him alone with the Collectors. He breathed out a painful sigh as he rose from cover and emptied his clip into the Collectors, trying to bring some down with him.

Suddenly Sean felt an intense heat pass through his lower abdomen. His eyes grew wide as his vision became blurry. His legs became weak and he collapsed to the ground. Gasping for air he pulled himself up to the cover, pistol clasped against his chest. His strength slowly drained out of him, like blood out of his wound. With one last surge of his strength, he threw himself up on top of the cover and began spraying bullets. He could see the glowing yellow eyes of the Collectors closing in on him, their chatter audible. Sean felt a pressure or his shoulder, and braced for the end. He felt something sharp pierce the skin of his shoulder, but instead of pain erupting, it abruptly stopped, as if all of his wounds had disappeared. The pressure tightened around his shoulder as he began to be dragged backwards, away from the fight. Sean looked up to see Mordin slowly pulling him. Sean's heart surged again. It wasn't over. He could make it. With his newfound strength, Sean lifted the pistol once again and fired it into the Collectors. The Collectors still pressed forward, but they quickly shrunk behind Sean.

As they rounded the corner Mordin slowed. He released Sean and rested his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. "Not much time… Need your help… Normandy not too far away… If you can make it…" Mordin said between gasps of air.

Sean nodded, "Come on, help me up." Mordin quickly lifted Sean to his feet. Throwing his arm around Mordin's neck, they both ran forward. It was them against the clock now.

"Come on!" Joker yelled, ushering the crew back onto the Normandy, "Wait, where's Mordin and Sean?"

"They stayed behind so that we can make it." one of the crewmembers said. Joker's face dropped. He didn't want to leave anyone behind. Pushing down his disappointment down, he hopped back aboard the Normandy.

"Lift off in thirty seconds." EDI chimed.

Joker slowly walked into the airlock the gave one last look back, just in hopes of seeing them round the corner, "Come on guys." He whispered to himself.

As if by a miracle, he saw Mordin and Sean round the corner, Sean being helped along by Mordin. "EDI delay the countdown, here they come!" Joker yelled back. He smiled as he saw them running. "Come on!" He yelled, waving them forward. His eyes grew as he saw a swarm of Collectors round the corner. "Oh shit." He muttered. Looking behind him, he lifted the assault rifle he had placed there for the worst-case-scenario. Snapping it up to his shoulder he fired bursts into the swarm, slowly picking them off.

As Sean and Mordin drew nearer he set the gun down and helped them onboard. Once they were all onboard, he punched the door lock the airlock doors clamped shut, a few shots ricocheting off the hull of the ship.

"EDI we need to take off now!" Joker yelled.

"Yes, Mr. Moreau." EDI said, engines roaring to life. All three of them breathed a sigh of relief as the Normandy lifted off the ground.

"I think I may have dislocated my shoulder." Joker said, lightly chuckling.

"Hey, you were a pretty good shot. Thanks." Sean said panting and wheezing. Sean then cringed and gripped at the hole in his abdomen, blood beginning to seep from it as the Medi gel wore off.

"Were you shot?" Joker asked, seeing a bloodstain on Sean's clothing.

"Needs medical attention. Must see Chakwas" Mordin quickly said, "Taking him down to Med bay."

Joker nodded as he helped Sean out of the airlock and to the elevator. He then quickly made his way back to the pilot's seat. "Alright…" He said, sitting down, "Let's get Shepard."

Author's Note: We near the end.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

-Epsilation