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 Fifty-Nine: The Missing XI.

Being in a coma for six months really does screw up a lot of things, she was quickly finding out.

It affected even the supposedly simple things, like sprinting.

"Are you all right?" Garrus asked her, raising a single brow-plate and folding his arms in his familiar, (too) obvious 'I told you so' gestures, as she attempted- without much success- to catch her breath.

"Shut… up…" She gasped back, with the best glare she could despite being completely out of breath and feeling like her chest were on fire- it reminded her of the feeling of her first run with the Red Jacks, and then later, with the Alliance during training.

A pulsing, unbearable pressure, heat, and throbbing pain.

At that moment, Garrus' Comm. opened and he answered it instantly, though he was still giving her his silent gesture- though that ended when the person on the other line spoke. In fact, he looked so stunned that his mandibles looked close to dropping to the floor.

"You did what? When?"

Garrus' ice-blue eyes narrowed, as if the person on the other line said something extremely important- and something worth worrying about. "All right, here… she's going to kill you if that assassin doesn't do it first…" Garrus paused before chuckling and handing the Comm to Shepard, who took it, her own eyes narrowing in curiosity and concern as she pulled it on.

"Kolyat?" Shepard questioned, looking over at Garrus with her brows raised in amazement.

Garrus was too busy chuckling and pretending to be on lookout for enemies to notice.

"Commander, I've got the assassin."

That can't be good.

Kolyat confirmed that a second later.

"He just tried to kill Councilor Hackett, but I managed to stop him."

Shepard sired and turned her head toward the Council Chambers- which was still a fair distance away- she had to squint because she couldn't see it clearly even from where she stood.

They would never make it on time to save him, she realized.

It just wasn't possible.

The pulsating pain grew worse, and she staggered, her vision blackening to where she was forced to grab onto the railing.

Her own body was failing her.

Damn it!

"How long can you hold him?"

"He's a persistent little bastard, but thankfully I'm just a little bit faster than him," Kolyat said, sounding a little pleased with himself (though not to the point where he was bragging- he was, Shepard knew, just like Thane in that regard, too kind and definitely not a show-off) and as he spoke, she could hear the clanging of metal on metal- as if the assassin's sword had just screeched on the metal floor. "But evading him won't work forever- when the Atlases and Phantoms come in, I won't stand a chance."

"And the others?"

"Adelais is here stopping reinforcements from getting through," Kolyat near shouted- Shepard could hear a faint scream of fury, followed by a swift slashing noise and a low curse that Shepard could hear through the Comm. "I sent everyone else toward the Normandy- they're almost there now," Kolyat said, "No way I was letting any of them face Hades- it would have been suicide."

"But you can, with that mangled arm?" Shepard said, shakily, as she slowly sank to the ground, unable to support herself. Instantly, Garrus' arms reached around her.

"Thanks, Commander," Kolyat stated, sarcastically, apparently not noticing the faintness in her voice or what had just happened, "I heard you were known for your amazing confidence speeches."

"Easy," Garrus muttered, careful to not speak too near the Comm. "Breathe, Joleen."

"What… what about Adelais? Where is he?" Shepard asked, forcing her voice back to normal, even as faint, tear-drop shaped stars began dancing in front of her eyes, and the pain began to fade.

She was blacking out.

"Slowing down the damn Atlas that just showed up!" Kolyat seemed to finally be losing his cool and slowly beginning to panic- Shepard could hear a barrage of bullets firing through the Drell's headset.

And not all of them were from Adelais' sniper rifle.

She knew now that without a doubt, that Kolyat was just now realizing how dire his situation was becoming, perhaps for the first time since even Kahje.

She could clearly hear it in his voice.

She knew he couldn't win.

And damn it, she knew Kolyat knew, too.

There's no way he didn't know.

But they didn't have a choice now.

There was never a choice.

Especially when there was supposed to have been one.

"We're coming now," Shepard said, as she fought to keep her eyes open, even as she sank deeper to the ground, and Garrus hovering over her, ice-blue eyes fading into mere blurs as her vision began to black out again, "…just keep the assassin as busy as possible."

"Shepard, I'm not sure that's possible anymore! They're-"

"Make it possible, Kolyat," she ordered, sharply. She felt Garrus' arms tightened and heard him say something that she didn't catch, as the young Drell replied.

"Shit! Commander, I can't-"

The Comm cut off just as she blacked out.

N._.S._.S

She was unconscious for only a few minutes, but it felt like hours- days even.

And every second of it was painful.

It was like every wound she'd ever sustained- from the grenade explosion from the Skyllian Blitz, bruises from various fist-fights, Varren bites, bullet-wounds, Biotic pulses, throws, and every other Goddamn thing she'd lived through, had opened up again, all of them all at once.

When her eyes snapped open and she'd bolted up, only Garrus kept her from crying out in blind panic- the pain was so intense, and her body wasn't prepared for the strength of it.

"Stay with me," he ordered her, firmly, "Joleen, just breathe."

She obeyed him as best she could, taking as deep of breaths as she could, despite her burning lungs. Finally, after a few minutes, her harshly beating heart steadied and she could think clearly again. She shook her head to clear out the last panic-stricken thoughts and looked up at him.

"Do you want to go back?" He asked her, his voice cautious, but understanding.

He already knew what she was going to say.

But, the thing was, of course she wanted to go back.

She wanted nothing more at this moment.

But, she still had a job to do.

There was always something she had to do first.

Always.

She shook her head, and he helped her to her feet. "We have to get to the Council Chambers. They're-"

"Being overrun," Garrus answered, just as kindly as before, though his ice-blue eyes flashed with concern as he tapped the side of his visor, "Dad said that if we don't get in there on time, they won't make it."

She steadied herself and shouldered her Mantis. "Come on," she said, softly, knowing that he wouldn't question her, even though she knew he really was concerned for her.

He's sweet- so sweet it's cute. I wonder if he even knows he's doing it, she thought, tenderly, allowing herself to pat his shoulder in an assuring way, smiling at him in a way she hoped comforted him, before moving out, knowing all the while he was following her- like he always did.

And if we survive this, she decided, I'll make sure he knows I love him for every second of it.

N._.S._.S

I revised this chapter today, 5/4/13, to make it easier to read.

Also to make it fit the next few chapters.

Don't worry, next chapter's coming up real quick!