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 Sixty-Three: The Missing XIII.

Garrus' ice-blue eyes stared so deep into her own that Shepard felt as if they were seeing straight into her thoughts, able to see and hear everything that was happening inside her furiously working mind.

"Garrus," she said, carefully, knowing full well that Adelais was listening and watching her every move, even as he adverted his eyes when she glanced at him, "I have to go."

I have to go.

That was such a fucking obvious thing to say.

A cop-out on all accounts.

I have to go.

The way Garrus' eyes flashed, she knew he knew she had to do this- she was, as always, the only one who could. But at the same time, they flashed with such a fiery, burning defiance that even Adelais looked apprehensive and took a retreating step back, still supporting Kolyat, though it didn't look like he was in the shape to keep the Drell on his feet for much longer, with the way he was trembling under the kid's (albeit small) weight.

The old soldier's midnight blue eyes anxiously flickered to the gargantuan window, then quickly back to them.

The Reaper was creeping ever closer.

Garrus looked between Adelais and Shepard a few times, as if he was considering something, and then suddenly sighed in defeat, mandibles clicking in true anger.

"Damn it, Joleen," was all he said.

Adelais looked stunned as Garrus slowly, easily, but gently hefted Kolyat's limp form onto his shoulder, throwing his father a quick, but not unkind, 'I've got this, don't worry' look. Kolyat didn't even move as this happened, eyes staying shut and totally lifeless.

"You'd better make it out this time, Joleen," Garrus said, looking back at the Commander, ice-blue eyes glistening with something she couldn't quite interpret, "That's an order." He added, voice slightly less tense.

Shepard's eyes softened, and she saluted with a wink. "Yes, sir."

"I mean it, Joleen."

Her smile faded a little, and her dark brown eyes glistened with sudden, genuine pain.

How could she promise that?

No one could promise that.

Not even her.

Garrus nodded at his father to start walking, which Adelais did, but with constant glances back, a kind, sort of relieved look in his eyes, as if seeing for the first time that their relationship really was real.

"Joleen," he said, seriously, when his father had disappeared down the steps. "Come back."

Shepard… forgive the insubordination, but your boyfriend has an order for you...come back alive. It'd be an awfully empty galaxy without you.

His voice was as serious as it had been back in London- soft, kind, yes, but as serious as ever.

"Garrus," she finally said, gently, "I can't-"

"Do you remember what I said in London?"

Maybe even find out what a Turian-Human baby looks like.

She looked up at him, startled. "Yes…"

"I meant that."

Something deep inside her unclenched, and she smiled, despite the tears that suddenly filled her eyes. She turned her head to look outside the gargantuan window, and stared at the approaching Reaper.

"I meant it when I asked you to marry me, too."

Feeling a blush creep into her face, she looked back at him. "Who told you about that, anyway?" She asked without thinking.

"About humans marrying?"

"Yeah."

Garrus looked at her, embarrassed. "Well… Vega and Joker. They explained it."

"I'll have to thank them," Shepard answered, without thinking, unconsciously touching the ring under her armor with her left hand, brows furrowing as Ranger's old, cocky grin flashed before her eyes.

Only to be replaced a second later with Garrus' kind, ice-blue eyes.

Garrus approached her, and even with Kolyat on his shoulder, he looked serious. He bowed his head so their foreheads could lightly press together.

Their special gesture.

The gesture that belonged only to them.

"You're coming back," his voice soft, kind- only for her. "Like you always do."

The Reaper shrieked again before Shepard could answer, making her turn her head toward the sound…

Only for Garrus to gently but firmly turn her attention back to him, taloned hand clasped to her cheek.

"Listen to me," he said as the Reaper shrieked. "You're coming back."

Shepard's dark brown eyes softened and she smiled again.

"I'm coming back." She answered, her voice just a murmur.

"Now that's the Shepard I remember," Garrus declared, straightening. "Back to kick some Reaper ass."

Shepard laughed and shook her head. "You'd better be waiting for me when I come back, Garrus."

Garrus' ice-blue eyes burned into hers, brighter and full of a fire that had been missing until now.

"Is that an order, Commander?" he drawled as they met Adelais at the bottom of the stairs.

As Adelais looked on in shock, Shepard grinned back at him.

"Yes," she told him, simply.

"Good."

N._.S._.S

"Stay with me."

"I'm here Shepard."

Shepard breathed a relieved sigh as she slowly crept along up the large flight of stairs that lead to the Control Panel- and God knew what else- awaited her in that small room.

The Reaper was approaching faster and faster, blowing through every defense that most of the Main Fleet could manage to throw at it (mostly because the Cerberus ships were faster and smaller than the bulky warships Hackett could manage to throw together at such short notice).

Shepard knew it was only a matter of minutes until the Reaper made it to the center.

Why it hadn't even started shooting the Citadel yet was beyond her.

"Stay with me," Shepard repeated, unconsciously, as the fresh memories of Anderson's sudden death replayed over and over again, combined with the still-vivid, haunting suicide of the Illusive Man.

"I'm not going anywhere." Garrus reassured, seriously. After a pause, he said, "They're transferring Kolyat onto the Destiny Ascension right now."

"How is he?"

"They won't say."

"It's bad," Shepard responded, quietly, and her steps quickened as she reached the top of the stairs leading to the Control Panel, "If they won't say how bad, then it's bad."

"Not always."

Shepard just chuckled bitterly. "And your father?"

"Shaken, but he'll live... Probably."

Through the Comm., Shepard could hear the sharp smack of Turian talons on metal, and a chuckle.

"Probably?" Shepard answered, calmly. "How bad are his wounds?"

Just keep talking.

Just keep moving.

"He's got a nasty concussion and a few broken bones."

"I hope he's okay."

"He'll be fine, Shepard. My dad's tough. Crazy, but tough."

Another smack and a chuckle.

The Control Room was, much to Shepard's surprise, completely, eerily empty.

"Shepard?"

"I'm still here," Shepard answered, promptly, taking a look around, just in case. "It's empty in here."

"Be careful."

Shepard approached the Control Panel and pulled out the Control Chip. After taking one last, cautious look around the still too-empty room, she ran her hand over the Panel, wondering where the metallic little thing that Kolyat damn near sacrificed himself for actually fit.

She saw a little indent on the very top, one she didn't notice before now.

She pressed it in, surprised when it didn't take more than that, and took a step back.

"It's in."

"What happens now?"

"I have no idea."

At that moment, something flashed on the Control Panel, and Shepard leaned down at it, eyes narrowing.

"What the hell?"

"Shepard?"

"...It wasn't doing this last time."

"Shepard, what happened?"

Before Shepard could answer him like she knew she should have, the bright flash of light flashed again. Unable to control herself, as if moving by pure instinct, she stepped as close as possible to the flashing little Chip.

Garrus said something else, something Shepard didn't quite catch, but before she could even think of asking him to repeat what he'd just said, the bright azure-colored light, now in a solid shape, almost like a blade, without warning shot out and stabbed straight through her, just under her neck.

It was like being hit with the most powerful Concussive Shot in the Galaxy.

Shepard was hurled back into the middle of the room, spread-eagle, unable to move or breathe, and feeling as though millions of electric currents were stabbing through her entire body at that moment.

No blood.

Just pain.

The currents became stronger and stronger, until suddenly, they were gone.

Leaving Shepard laying there, eyes wide open.

"Shepard? Shepard, what happened?"

Shepard slowly lifted her hand up over her face.

The pale flesh was being slowly peeled and disintegrated away, just as it was when she entered the strange little room above this one and met the Catalyst, and made her choice.

"Garrus," she managed to say, watching her hand, flickering blue azure too, beginning to disappear. Her arms and legs felt the same way, like they, too, were disappearing. "Garrus," she said again, this time more urgently, "Do you remember what I said back in London?"

A pause.

A long, terrible pause.

Then-

"Shepard..."

"No matter what happens," she said, strongly, as her right arm, which she couldn't really feel anymore, disappeared, and the feeling of being lifted off the ground by nothing grew stronger. "I'll always love you."

"Shepard, what happened?"

"I love you, Garrus."

When he didn't respond, she added, as softly and kindly as she could, "I'm sorry."

After another long pause, Garrus answered.

She could hear the shaking in his voice.

The same fear from London.

"Don't be. I… I love you, too, Shepard."

She could feel a solitary, burning hot tear slipping down whatever remained over her slowly disintegrating face, and she closed her eyes, a suddenly calm, unafraid feeling washing over her.

The same feeling that had taken over her the last time she had done this-

The last time she had sacrificed herself like this.

Garrus' final words to her before everything went black resonated endlessly through her suddenly blank, calm mind.

"I love you."

N._.S._.S