Chapter 24: The Day That Never Comes.
Shepard looked out side at the battle around her Citadel and Reaper ships alike were engaged in mortal combat with each other, the Reapers clearly having the upper hand.
"Shepard the ward arms have closed and the Citadel relay is now active." E.D.I announced.
"Good send out your message E.D.I!" Shepard ordered. "Joker get ready."
She watched the Citadel as it churned the dense nebula cloud that surrounded it. This was it every thing she's done has lead her to this point over the last ten years. "Citadel mass relay is in range." Joker announced, flying around the hulks of dead ships that remained in this battle.
E.D.I' s round blue icon popped up in the corner of her eye. "The message has been received. Reapers are now targeting us."
"Relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector."
This was her last chance to atone. She'd avenge every one who died during this conflict with the reapers. Every one who died because of her.
"Board is green. Approach run has begun."
With Reapers on their tail, the Normandy was getting closer to the relay each second. Shepard admired the relays blue aura and thought how much she wanted to share this view with Liara.
"Hitting relay in...3..."
Tears streamed from Shepard's face. She wanted to hold her in her arms one more time and tell her how she loved her.
"2..."
She would never get to.
"1"
Blue energy swarmed the ship and in a flash the Normandy was gone, with Reapers following Shepard into dark space.
15 Years later.
Fifteen years ago the Citadel was attacked by the Reapers who where at one time thought defeated. They smashed the Citadel fleet and nearly destroyed the Citadel. If not for swift and decisive retaliation by Commander Hazel Shepard and her Terminus Alliance, The Citadel would not have been saved. Unfortunately the Commander died. Her body was never recovered. She is survived by her bond mate Dr. Liara T'soni and their daughter Hannah, who is named after Shepard's mother. Alliance news wire would like to pay it's respects to the savior of the galaxy's family.
In other news Councilors Ashley Williams of the Systems Alliance and Urdnot Grunt of the United Krogan clans have stepped down from their positions to pursue other opportunities.
"Cut that shit off!" Jack yelled drunkenly from the other side of the bar.
Liara had arranged a retirement party for Ashley. She'd invited the surviving members of the crews of both Normandy's SR1 and SR2. They all reminisced about missions with Shepard, each tale getting taller than the next. Ashley then joined in by telling the story of how Liara thought Shepard was a hallucination on Therom, much to every ones laughter. An aged wheelchair bound Dr. Chakwas added by mentioning Ashley's first meeting with Shepard.
The crowd grew smaller and smaller as the hours dragged on. After a while it was just Jack who was passed out with a drunken gray haired Kelly Chambers on the bar table. Liara sat alone at the bar downing shot after shot.
"Take it easy blue bird!" A worried voice came from behind the asari. Liara whipped around so fast she nearly fell out of her chair. She looked up and thought she saw Shepard. She shook her head furiously and saw that it was just Ashley.
"Still taking her death hard?" A concerned Ashley asked, raising an eyebrow.
"This is usually how I spend the night on this particular day." Liara explained. "Hard drinking and trying to get lost in my own memories."
"I really do envy the drell at times!" She grunted.
Ashley pulled up a seat next to the asari, pouring her own glass. "I know what you mean." Ashley grumbled.
"Hows Hannah?" Ashley asked.
"She misses her auntie Ashley and her stories." Liara answered.
Ashley chuckled a bit. "You know them don't you?"
Liara laughed. "She says I tell them boring."
Ashley and Liara both shared a laugh, holding onto each others shoulders. They both raised their glasses. "To Shepard!" the both shouted in perfect unison.
"To the deadliest bitch in space!" The both of them looked over and saw Jack holding an empty glass that shattered once she dropped it.
Ashley took a deep breath. "Thanks for the party Liara."
"No problem." She answered.
Ashley stood up and turned to leave the bar. "Tell Hannah I'll be over tomorrow night." She looked back at Liara who gave a wink in reply.
As Ashley walked out of the bar she couldn't help but let out the tears she'd been holding in the entire night. Her sobs echoed in the night. Shepard had died twice and twice Ashley went to a friends funeral, with no body to bury. It was almost like it was yesterday that Shepard died, to Ashley it was yesterday.
It wasn't until a year after the third battle of the Citadel that Ashley allowed herself to cry for her friend. Ashley had always looked up to Shepard and when she died the first time it felt like she was losing apart of herself.
"So you just gonna sit and there and cry!" Ashley imagined Shepard barking.
"No ma'am!" She shouted.
"Good now keep moving soldier!"
That's what Ashley felt like she had to do. Keep moving. It's all she could do. Shepard once told her that when she loses people she didn't cry about it while people need her. Liara and Hannah still needed her. Shepard would want her to keep moving, to keep going for the people that needed her.
And that is what she'll keep doing.
End.
AN/ I can hardly believe this is the end. This story was supposed to end at chapter 15, but it just kept going. I've got two more endings for this story, but this one I liked the most. Thank you all for reading this story (and all it's grammatical errors) I didn't have this story beta read.
Thank you for reading anyway.
But a Time Phantom's work is never done! Now to work on Mass Effect:2183. (which has a beta.)
Thank you for reading and please review on the story as a whole.