Mass Effect: Each Story Has A Million Tales.
Summary: "There is always more than just one side to a story- and more than one lesson to learn. Follow Garrus Vakarian as he stands by a promise that he means to keep, contemplates the true meaning of life, death, and the ultimate sacrifice, and as he confronts someone who should have been behind him all along. Follow Adelais Vakarian as he mends a broken bond, and as he comes to terms with a terrible loss of his own. Follow Kolyat Krios as he navigates through a very dangerous place, only to find another- under the guidance of someone who may or may not be there at all. And follow Commander Joleen Shepard as she goes through her past and present, only to find herself in the middle of a battle for her future." (Garrus' Story: 'The Promise-Keeper.' Adelais' Story: 'The Old Soldier.' Kolyat's Story: 'The Wanderer.' Shepard's Story: 'The Missing.')
Warning: "This is a heavy one- some swearing, angst, implied adult situations, adult situations, a few character deaths, violence, and blood. All the big ones this time. Remember, this is my Shepard, my feelings on the game and what should have happened and will happen, with my own opinions and storyline, so no nasty comments. Got it? Good." (Commander Joleen Shepard: War Hero, Earthborn. Soldier. Paragon. Romanced Kaidan Alenko in the 1st game, Garrus Vakarian in the 2nd and 3rd. Shot and killed Udina during the Citadel Coup.)
Disclaimer: "I do not own Mass Effect. At all. So don't make me say it again."
Author's Note: "Just so you all know, the name 'Adelais,' is Latin for 'Noble,' and the name 'Carissa' means 'the most beloved one.' Personally, I just thought the two names fit the story and what the characters were meant for."
N._.S._.S
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Missing VI.
"It's a simple choice, really," Ranger informed her, grinning again. "All you've got to choose is either come with me, or go back down to the beach and meet your boyfriend."
"Garrus is down there?" Shepard asked in surprise, looking behind her toward the beach. She could spy a glitter of silver-and-blue armor down there, alone at the edge of the water, still and silent, as if waiting for someone- waiting for her, she realized, to make a choice.
"Sure is. You go down there and you go back," Ranger confirmed.
"What happens if I don't?" Shepard answered, curiously, still looking at the figure in the distance. He looks so lonely, she thought. So alone and sad. Is that how he is right now?
"In the chance you come with me? Isn't it obvious?" Ranger chuckled. "You'd move on, Shep. Death isn't so bad as long as Cerberus doesn't bring you back to life. You'd be able to go back, like that Drell, because your connection with that Turian is strong," he added, kindly, "And out there, all that would happen is that your heart would stop beating. A quick and painless death," he promised with another grin.
"I'm going back," Shepard announced with a smile.
"Of course you are, Shep. I knew you would."
"What happens to you now?" Shepard responded, quietly, looking into his dark blue eyes.
"I won't go back home until you go down to that beach."
"Home?"
"You know... on. I get to go home."
"Do you like it there?" Shepard asked without thinking, as she began to walk away. Ranger followed her, and shook his head at her, still grinning. "I guess I do. Nice and quiet."
As they walked, something else occurred to her. "Hey, Ranger... did you ever hold it against me?"
Ranger looked over at her, blankly. "Hold what?"
"You dying. Did you ever blame me?"
N._.S._.S
Had it been her fault?
Of course it was her damn fault.
But Joleen Shepard could never bear that answer.
"Shep! Shep, hold up! Slow down!"
"Hurry the hell up, Ranger! We need to get-"
The glass window she happened to be next to exploded. She was sent flying back into Ranger, and the both of them slammed into the ground. All Shepard could see was red, and all she could feel was something hot and thick flooding through her eyes and down her face.
She was blind!
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God- fuck!" Ranger was cursing wildly as he pulled her off of him, then began wiping away the blood from her face, as tenderly as he would with her tears. "Oh, my God." He said again. "Shep, hold fucking still. You've got a fucking piece of glass stuck between your eyes."
That was how she got the scar.
And indirectly, that scar was the cause of Ranger's death not five minutes later.
An ambush of bombs had been set in the Comm. tower that Shepard had been adamant about getting to- get to the tower, she'd reasoned, get to the Alliance.
Despite his worry, Ranger followed her.
And paid for her mistake with his life.
When they finally entered, Shep, leaning against Ranger because she couldn't see anything but red, the tower blew. Ranger had seen the red flashes of the imminent explosive barrage that Shepard could no longer, and slammed her into the ground- exposing himself to the full might of the bombs.
All because of her.
"Oh my... God... Shep... you okay?"
She crawled next to him, eyes still filled with blood, still rushing down her cheeks like endless tears. He lay spread eagle on the ground- his right arm was missing and his face was splattered with blood.
"R- Ranger?"
He stared up at her, eyes wide in shock. He touched her cheek with his remaining hand. Upon feeling the blood, he somehow mistook them for tears, and his lips twitched into a painful smile.
"My... Shep... is my little Shep... crying?"
"R- Ranger... just stay... just stay with me!"
Ranger smiled up at her. "My little Shep is crying..."
"Ranger, please!"
He presented the ring to her then, making her really cry and embracing him, sobbing into him and begging him to stay- knowing deep in her heart that there was no way he could obey her.
"Hey, listen up, Shep... you're gonna... do something for me."
She was crying so hard she could do nothing but nod.
"You're gonna... hold the line here, okay? Don't let... a single one of them through."
"Ranger- Ranger, please I- I can't..."
"Can't, eh? Ah, my... little... Shep... you'll do fine... you'll be a... a hero."
"I don't want- I don't want to be a h-hero! I want you!"
Ranger's eyes were already closed. "Hold... that line, Shep," he muttered. "Do it for me... okay?"
Shepard nods in desperation. "Y-yes, I'll do it- for you, Ranger! For- for you!"
But he was already gone.
Around that time, the survivors would recall an ear-piercing banshee-like scream.
Then, Shepard, minutes later, with bloody tears rushing down paler-than-death cheeks, would hold that line.
As promised.
And become the hero the Galaxy would hail.
N._.S._.S
"Hell no, Shep." Ranger answered, firmly, abruptly jerking her away from the painful memory. "Just hell no. I didn't blame you for me dying. Wasn't your fault."
"But if I hadn't gotten hurt, you would still be-"
"I never fucking held it against you, Shep, I swear to God." Ranger had stopped walking by this time, giving her a pained look. They had, without Shepard noticing, made it down to the beach. And, she noticed, she was no longer wearing the clothes she'd worn the day of the Blitz-
She was wearing her old Alliance armor.
The old armor felt as comfortable as her own skin. She ran her armored hand against the metal on her arm, touching the hand-painted white streak. She smiled at it, tears coming into her eyes as she looked back at Ranger.
"Never?" she murmured, softly, in relief, "Not once?"
He embraced her then, armor and all. "God, Shep. When the hell did you grow up?" Ranger asked her, softly. "It was like yesterday I bought a ring for some pretty little girl on the beach."
Shepard just smiled sadly at that. "If you had lived," she told him, as tears filled her eyes and began to spill over, "Maybe things would have been different."
"If I'd lived, that Turian would be lonely, Shep," Ranger reminded her, gently, wiping the tears away in a tender, loving fashion. "Look, he's waiting for you."
Shepard turned her head to look over her shoulder. About twenty meters away, Garrus stood with his back to her, framed in the setting Elysium sun.
Ranger gripped her shoulder before she could move. "Shep," he whispered in her ear, "I love you. Remember that when you go back, okay?"
"You'll be there?" Shepard answered back, gazing longingly at the lone figure.
It was time to go home.
She was going home.
"I'll always be there, Shep."
Shepard stepped away from him. As she did so, the beautiful beach around her began melting into each other in vibrant, dizzying colors- all except Garrus and the sunset. She felt Ranger's hand lift off her shoulder, and she began to walk, slowly at first, then faster until she was running-
Garrus was waiting for her.
I'm coming, Shepard thought as she finally approached him, reaching for him, I'm coming back for you.
Everything went back as she felt the cold armor at her fingertips.
Ranger's voice echoed through, piercing through it like a final light.
"See you later, Shep."
And then... she was gone.
N._.S._.S