Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Every explosion, every bit of shrapnel. Every rent piece of metal in their way. It slammed visions of Akuze into her head so fast she wasn't prepared. The dreams had subsided for weeks now after Omega 4. The traitorous trembling of her hands returned as she gripped the pistol for comfort.
Everything around them was burning. Bodies were strewn everywhere. Once again Jeryn watched as vacant expressions replaced terrorized faces. Rationally, she knew this wasn't her fault. Rationally, she was assured that she'd warned them. Rationally she had given them all the notice she could.
Her mind wouldn't let go of it though. Inside, in that place where she held onto every failure, the little voice told her.
This too, is on your head.
"Shepard!" Anderson's sharp bark pulled her from her reverie and she whipped around to look at him. Brushing a bit of blood that was creeping from her eyebrow she nodded once.
"Right behind you."
Don't die, she thought. I won't be able to handle that right now.
There wasn't time to fall apart.
Later. Later was always the time. Never now.
When, she wondered, would it be now?