Shepard's old N7 Armor felt heavy. The cracks and damaged where cleaned but never removed. Shepard stared at the charcoal black body while his arms caress the red stripe.

He never forgot.

BANG!

Shepard's arm was so weak, the recoil from the pistol made it impossible for him to hold it up.

J-just one more.. his thoughts echoed as he fired another shot.

One more.. He fires again and again and again and again..

After the last shot, he heard the glass cracking and kept firing.

Commander Shepard felt only three things that moment.

The click of an empty pistol, The heat from the explosions and the tears from his eyes.. Liara...

"Shepard?"

Shepard turned around and saw Liara with Javik entering the room. "I'll be in the living room.." Javik walks out.

"Oh.. how'd booksigning go?" Shepard faced his armor again.

"It was okay, Scholars loved it but we were no match for that human/turian love novel they were showcasing in the next booth. Damn teens and their hormones" Liara joked but continued hesitantly "But before we left, Javik said he needed to speak with you.. He said something about Hackett's Job?"

Shepard faced her. Liara was looking down, her hands together.

"Shepard" her voice was weak. "Whats going on? Are you.. Going to leave again?"

Shepard rushed towards her and hugged her tightly. "No.. No.."

"Don't lie to me.. " She tapped her fist on his head, showing him her fingers, one had a beautiful ring on it "We're married now remember?"

"Okay" Shepard smiled and told her everything.

"You should probably get someone else.. let James do it! or Kaidan!" Shepard's voice was getting louder. I dont want to be part of this anymore..

"Shepard calm down.."

"Hell! Ill call Garrus! He loves jobs like this! ANYONE BUT ME! I DONT WANT TO GO OUT THERE ANYMORE! " his fist slams the wall. Hackett grabbed his shoulders lightly "Sit down.. "

Shepard sat down and Hackett threw him a beer. "Thanks... Fine, Ill listen"

"You've seen the Earth Shepard, its a mess. Salarian tech and Asari politics are getting us by... but thats not the problem.. The problem is, no matter how much we try to save it, this solar system's resources are limited."

"Whats you're point?" Shepard took a sip of the beer "2001 Coors light? Nice~"

Hackett nodded "Point is, research tells us that if we keep this up, our solar system will be tapped out in 5 years.. and without the mass relays or the citadel there is nothing to help us.."

"Dont the salarians have the technology to move between systems?"

"No one has perfected inter-system flight. If they did, we wouldnt need the mass relays.."

Shepard finishes his beer and Hackett tosses him another one "What do you want me to do?"

"Here's where it gets tricky.. about 30 years ago, scientist at the mars base found a prothean log saying they have found something" Hackett pauses, remembering the exact words " 'with the power to create worlds'.. studies on it reveals that this artifact was created way before the protheans."

"So you want me to find it? on Mars?"

"No.. we have teams for that. But the destruction of the reapers plus the lack of resources are making this task near impossible... We have a better but riskier way of finding it"

"What?" Shepard finished his second beer and stops Hackett from giving him a third one.

"Have you ever heard of Time Travel?"

"You're Joking?!"

"Thats what I said too" Shepard laughed at Javik's reaction.

"But.." Javik calmed down and looked around for Liara who went off to get them some food. When he was sure she wasn't within earshot, he spoke "What your admiral says is not far from the truth.."

"Though I heard it as an option for stopping the reapers at our cycle.." Javik continued ".. There was this artifact called The Tufahak, its power was legendary.. capable of controlling organics, ending life, creating universes.. Hackett asked me of this weeks ago, but I do not trust him with that information."

"He is a good man, Javik"

"I know, but he will surely report it to those in the higher position.. They are the ones that cannot be trusted"

"Right.." Shepard nodded "So where is this Tufahak, and why does Hackett want me to travel back in time?"

"Im sorry commander" Javik apologized.

"Im not a commander anymore, Javik.. Retired"

"I got used to it" Javik explained again "Regardless, I cannot help you.. for it was already considered a myth when I was born. A legend that was used to inspire us while we fought."

"I see.. Thats why Hackett wanted you to go back in the past" The two saw Liara entering the room with a plate of nachos "Here.."

While the two took the food, Liara asked "Do you know who created the Tufahak?"

"You were listening.." Javik commented

"I am the shadowbroker after all" Liara smiled "Anyway, I looked and studied the log as well as other findings while I was on mars two years ago.. Apparently, The Tufahak wasnt alien"

Shepard's eye's widened

"Thats Right.." Liara smiled again, she loved this expression of Shepard, always found it funny. "The Tufahak was made on Earth.."

"She is correct.." Javik wiped of some cheese from his mouths. "While we knew that you humans were still too early for anything that advance, we always felt that there was something else in your planet that was more powerful than any of us... Before the perfect time to.. 'include'.. them in the empire had arrived, The reapers had already struck.. Unfortunately, I do not know more what happened to them."

"So why should I go back in time? Why cant we find it here now?" Shepard asked, looking at Liara.

"B-because, only a few men knows where it was located.. all of them died more than a century ago.."

"I understand now.." Shepard sighed Find this guy, get this artifact, go home.. simple right?

The three had dinner and soon Javik left.

"She's beautiful isnt she?" Shepard stared at the little blue asari on the crib, sleeping. "She looks like her mother"

"Was that a joke?" Liara smiled as she leaned on Shepard. "Go.."

"But.."

"You're waiting for me to say it arent you? Don't leave me again! Dont Go!" Liara stared at Shepard. "But.. this time I wont.. Cause I look at our little Ashley, and I realize what you have to do. What we both have to do.."

"Come with me"

Liara laughed "The Asari werent popular in the early 21st century... What will people think of me?"

She continued. "Get the artifact and Go home.. its easy! for us It'll seem like minutes.. And dont worry about me, I got Ashley here and.." Liara touches her stomach "..another one will be waiting for you"

"It'll be minutes for you.. who knows how long I'll be there" Shepard hugs Liara.

"Just come back in one piece.."

Shepard kissed his wife one more time.

"Im going to bed.." Liara walks out the room.

Shepard tucks in his baby. "Goodnight Ash"

Tomorrow, he leaves them all behind.