AN: Well, after thinking real long about it. I honestly just cannot for the life of me come up with a believable scenario for the Normandy to have picked up the entire crew. I hope I don't upset by changing this bit of the ending. But perhaps it will help to understand my perspective. Judging from the fact your squad was supposed to be with you in the beginning and die, I think it was a generous gesture for them to keep everyone else alive, I just don't know if it was well thought out. I imagine it more like Virmire where everyone split up and fought the good fight. Everything I tried to write that stayed 100% true to it seemed very contrived, honestly.

Mass Effect 3: Salvation
Chapter 2: Victory

Liara T'Soni had been behind Shepard as the Hammer squad raced towards the transporter. However, Harbinger loomed over it, taking out people with every shot he took. Part of the asari so desperately wanted to tackle Shepard away and hide until it was over, but she knew this would be the only way. Alongside her ran Javik, determined as always, not even seeming phased by the whole situation.

However, they were both stopped by one of Harbinger's beams. Not from a direct hit, however, a rather large boulder ended up knocking them both off course, and not pleasantly. Liara landed away from the Prothean, the rock resting on top of her. She knew bones were broken, but she couldn't let that stop her. Pressing her hands against the heavy rock, and glowed with biotics as she tries to pull herself free, but she couldn't do it alone. But suddenly, the rock lifted and flew to the side and a hand seized her arm.

"Can you walk, asari?" Javik asked as he pulled her to her feet. She couldn't stand long before she collapsed on him, the whole right side of her body numb with pain. She couldn't even tell what exactly was hurting. She cried out as she grabbed a handful of his armor in attempt to steady herself. Javik let out a quiet grunt and looked around. They could not stay long. Those creatures were still all over. "We have to move."

"No, we have to help Shepard. We have a mission-"

"You cannot even walk, asari," he protested. Liara, however, was having none of it.

"I said I'd give my life to this cause, and I intend to hold to that!" she snapped.

"There is a difference between sacrificing yourself and throwing your life away! What good to the Commander are you dead?"

She pushed herself away from him and promptly fell to the hard ground, a cry of pain escaping her lips. Javik did not help her up. Rather, he looked down at her with that cold, stoic gaze. The both looked towards the transporter where a large wave of husks headed their way. Javik wasted no time bending over to pick the asari up, but not before she mustered up enough energy to place a singularity between them and the husks.

They ran for what felt like forever, and the numbing sensation of the pain was wearing and it was beginning to feel just like it was: excruciating. Then off in the distance, they heard fighting. The sound of firing guns never felt so pleasant to Liara before. "Keep it up!" a familiar voice commanded, followed by the large bang of a powerful sniper rifle. "Their numbers are weakening!" Liara smiled through her pain as they ran up to Garrus who was taking cover behind a tall wall of wreckage, only ducking out to fire a shot into the head of one of the reaper creatures.

"Turian," Javik called out as he sat Liara behind the wall. As Garrus retreated behind the wall at the last shot, he looked over at the two of them. The relief lasted only a split second before it became worry.

"Where is Shepard?" he asked as he gripped tightly at his rifle. "You all should be on the Citadel, you-"

"The Commander is there," the Prothean stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

Liara frowned in confusion as she looked up at him. How did he know that? Did he see? "What?" she asked in a desperate breath.

"The Commander and one other were the only two that made-"

Garrus cut Javik off, pressing his fingers to his comm as his listened. After a moment, he looked at both of them with wide eyes.

"The Citadel opened."

It was beginning to seem hopeless to Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, but she would fight until she was dead. Alongside her was EDI who seemed to be in multiple places at once with all of her decoys. Tali frequently had to double check which one was actually her. Off in the distance a reaper stood, unmovable as it decimated groups of people with little effort. Though, Tali, EDI, and the many soldiers along them did not give up. They mowed down the creatures that tried to reach them, and shot at the reaper in between waves. Tali wondered if it even felt their attacks.

"Tali'Zorah," EDI then said as she ran to crouch beside the quarian.

"What is it, EDI?" she responded as she bobbed out of cover to release a few shots from her SMG at a cannibal.

"There are reports the Crucible has been fired." Tali blinked from behind her mask then looked back out at the reaper. She felt her chest tighten up. Nothing happened! The reaper was still there, firing its deadly beams and taking out full squads of soldiers.

"That can't be right!" she called out as he stood to fire a few more shots at the reaper. "It's still here!"

"It is correct according to the reports. Each one-"

And then it happened. A huge explosion engulfed the area around the reaper and the air became red. The giant being seemed to overload as red sparks danced all around it before falling to the ground in a large crash. The soldiers around Tali stared, both dumbfounded by the sight and completely taken off guard. But it was not long before a loud cry came from all the races around them in victory, and Tali joined in their celebration. She turned to smile at EDI, but the AI's body had collapsed to the ground.

"Remember, we gotta find survivors. Take 'em back to the bases to get better!" Vega called out to his fellow men and women who pulled apart the ground looking for other fellow soldiers in the aftermath. James was pumped and was ready to have a strong, well deserved drink. His smiled only widened when he saw the Lieutenant-Commander off in the distance, helping a small group pull apart a crashed shuttle.

"'Ey, Borracha!" he called out as he jogged over towards her.

Ashley Williams spun around, giving Vega a look as he addressed her by her unendorsed nickname. She smiled softly as she walked over to him and held out a hand. "James," she said with a nod. The large soldier didn't take her hand, however. Rather, he took her arm and pulled her into a large embrace. It may have been nice if the both of them weren't in full suits of armor. His warm disposition faltered a bit as he spoke to her in a quieted voice.

"The Commander," he whispered. "Have you heard any word yet?" Ashley shook her head.

"Not yet. There were reports of an Alliance shuttle crash no too far from here. I told them to bring me a mako," she said as she looked past James with a nod. "And speaking of." Ashley gave a half salute to the driver who waved from the window as the mako rolled up behind James. She then looked back to him and raised her brows. "Coming?"

The ride didn't take long before they found the smoking remains of one of the Alliance Kodiaks. There seemed to be no signs of life, looking out the window at the wreckage. James was sure there would be no survivors. And he highly doubted the Commander would be there. He exited the vehicle after Ashley did, but ended up stopping dead in his tracks when he thought he heard a voice. It didn't say anything, just seemed to groan incomprehensible mutterings.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

"I did. I think someone's alive," Ashley said before running towards the wreckage. "Oh God!" she cried out just before James caught up behind her. He looked down at the body in total shock.

"Shepard!"