Face It

When I Remember Me

Shepard was sixteen when her home was raided. She'd cried like a child, killed for the first time. Cried some more. Gotten...not over, but used to it. The anniversaries were hard. Most human planets recognized the day, made a celebration of it. Like Memorial Day. Only worse, because that time, it was personal.

In the elevator ride after being contacted by Girard, Shepard could barely breathe. She couldn't ask Garrus and Kaiden to leave her, they would ask questions. But she didn't want to bring them along. She would probably cry. They didn't need to see that.

Commander Shepard abandoned her weapons with her crew, asking them to wait behind. She'd be back soon. The sedatives seemed very light in comparison to what they meant. Of course, Shepard had no idea if she could even get close enough to deliver the medicine.

Shepard introduced herself very quietly. The girl seemed to eye her, wary but at the same time, trusting. She knew that she wasn't in any danger. There were no weapons on Shepard's person. For all she knew, Shepard was harmless, but scary.

"What's your name?" Shepard asked.

"Animals don't get names. The masters put their symbols on her. Hot metal all over her back. She screams when they do it."

Shepard bit back the bile, "You're not an animal. Your parents? What did they call you? Do you remember them?"

The young girl said sadly, "She remembers a lot of things." After thinking a moment the girl added, "Talitha. They called her that. Sh- She doesn't remember the rest." with a rub to her head.

Selecting her words carefully Shepard asked what happened to the girls parents. Shepard knew, but she needed to get the girl to look at it. She needed to force Talitha to see the past. It hurt, but it was for her own good.

"When she thinks, water comes out of her eyes. The masters beat her when she wastes water. So she doesn't think anymore." Without any further prompting, Talitha continued, "She sees them. Mommy and Daddy. Burning in white light. Melting. Going to pieces. They can't even say anything to her."

Shepard took a deep, calming breath. The girl's broken voice was describing her last memory of Mindoir. It was hard to focus, keep herself here for this girl. Her mouth opened to try and console, but Talitha interrupted, "They're dead, Shepard. They try to save her, and the masters burn them."

With her hands on her head, Talitha begged to stop remembering. Shepard announced that she was going to take a step. Talitha was okay, but she didn't allow more than a step. They continued to converse, Shepard's heart breaking with each new revelation, for almost an hour. Talitha reminded Shepard so much of her younger self. There was innocence in the eyes- eyes that didn't understand why.

She could tell people were getting impatient- just a gut feeling that had never steered her wrong- so she took a deep breath and presented the sedatives.

"Talitha, this will make you sleep. If you fall asleep, they'll take you to a place where you can get better." The girl received the drugs readily, completely trusting Shepard. The pills entered her mouth hurriedly.

The effects were instantaneous, but Talitha fought for a few seconds, "Will she have bad dreams?"

Shepard grabbed the girl in an embrace, struggling to keep her voice steady, "You'll dream of a warm place. And when you wake up, you'll be in it."

"She'd like that." Talitha said dreamily.

A few more seconds of weak hug, "It hurts when she- when I remember me. But she wants to... remember..."

Shepard caught the girl as she collapsed, laying her down gently. She took a few moments to steady herself, tears slipping out the corners of her eyes. She cleared her throat and whispered, "Me too."

A/N: I'm thinking about posting an extra chapter, with the rejects. Just a paragraph or so, the way most people do the alphabet prompts. I'm not sure about it. I know y'all want this over with soon.