Lily awoke in a panic, barely able to breath and drenched in a cool sweat. Fix the hole the Alliance will be here soon. Shepard sat on the bed shaking and sobbing until she finally won against the panic attack. She dragged herself from her bed and into her shower. She was a mess, a fucking mess; The Commander Shepard and a panic attack, the media would have a field day. The hot water helped to calm her, just because the panic attack was gone her body was still trying to hard to protect itself. She stayed in the shower until she was numb, and that was as good as she was going to get. They were on their way to the Omega 4 Relay and Garrus insisted that she get some rest. She knew it was wrong for her to not be taking care of herself and endangering the rest of the crew, but she had no willpower to make sleep. Give her mercs to kill, a thresher maw, anything and she could do it no problem, ask her to rest and she would be sent into a panic attack. How do you fight something that is a part of you?

When she stepped out of the bathroom after finishing her routine, Elizabeth was standing at her fish tank, admiring her pets.

"Elizabeth, is there something you wanted?" She asked as she made her way towards the other woman.

"Sort of, you helped everyone else put their affairs in order before this mission, I am here to do the same for you."

"I don't need that, besides we are on our way to the relay now we don't have time for a trip."

"We can do this in your cabin," Elizabeth said as she opened a tear in front of the tank.

They stood in an orchard, the leaves and the wind were dancing with the other. It even smelled like home. She walked towards the tree she had always loved climbing before realizing they weren't on Mindoir at all.

"This is where Kaidan and I stayed on shore leave." She whispered to herself as she reached out and touched the tree. She stared at it for a moment and smiled at the memory.

"This isn't the past." Elizabeth said softly as the door to the guest house opened. Kaidan walked out with Lily not far behind, their fingers intertwined.

"Can they see us?" Shepard asked going to cover behind the tree.

"No, we are just spectating."

The couple walked towards them and the other Shepard began climbing the tree, Kaidan following behind her.

"You and your apples." He said as she took a bite out of one

"What can I say they are my favorite, and they remind me of home."

"I'm sorry about everything Lily," he began as he stared at his feet. She playfully shoved him and handed him an apple. They sat in silence as they eat the apples and she laid her head on his shoulder.

Shepard stared at them from the ground until the two had eaten there apples and began climbing down the tree and headed back to the guest house. She walked to the tree they had been sitting on and took one of the low hanging apples.

"I'm ready to go now Elizabeth," She said softly as she stared at the house waiting for them to return to the tree. The tear closed and was staring at her fish tank.

"Thank you Elizabeth, I really needed that." She didn't take her eyes off of the fish tank for fear that she would look away and the orchard would reappear.

"No need to thank me, I am just happy I could give you something to hold onto. With everything you have done for everyone else on this ship, you deserve some closure to."

"So that was the future?"

"Not exactly, it is a possibility of the future. You have the chance to make it that way."

"Commander we are nearing the relay, just thought you would like to join me on the bridge." Joker voice boomed through her quarters.

"Thanks, I'll be right there. Tell everyone to suit up" Shepard said as she turned back to Elizabeth. Elizabeth nodded and headed towards the elevator.

Saving all of their crew members, check; Getting through swarms of Collector bugs, check; Fighting a human reaper hybrid, however was not what anyone was planning. Thane Grunt, Elizabeth and Shepard where all getting worn out and everyone was low on thermal clips, even with all of the extras Elizabeth had pulled in.

"Wait," Elizabeth yelled at Shepard from across the field, "I have an idea." She opened a tear and a strange musical instrument fell through it. She played four notes on it and suddenly a huge mechanical bird swept through the tear and lunged towards the human-reaper.

"Holy Shit" Grunt yelled as the trio stared in awe at what just happened.

The Bird and the Human- Reaper fought for what seemed like forever. While the bird had brute strength and agility, the Human-Reaper had the beam. The show was short lived as waves of Collectors appeared around them. The Human-Reaper crashed on the platform and it began to crumble. The Songbird tackled the Human-Reaper and the two fell into the pit, never to be seen again. Thane began sliding off of the broken platform and Shepard went after him, there was no way she was losing anyone today. Elizabeth stumbled backwards but Grunt steadied her. That is when small pieces began falling from the ceiling, knocking everyone unconscious.

Booker lunged towards Comstock reaching for Anna. "Give me back my daughter!"

"Close it! Close it!" Comstock yelled as he jumped through the portal.

"She isn't through, we can't" The Luteces said in unison

"Now, do it now!" Comstock yelled as Booker got the upper hand and began pulling Anna back towards him.

"I made a mistake, please she's my daughter I need her." Booker said as the portal began closing. Comstock had pulled her back towards him and the portal closed just around the baby's neck.

"Elizabeth, come on this place is falling apart!" Shepard said as she helped a dazed Elizabeth to her feet. Grunt and Thane began running towards the exit as Shepard and Elizabeth took out as many Collectors and husks as they could while sprinting. Grunt and Thane had just made it on to the Normandy when the platform Elizabeth was on fell under her. Shepard lifted her with her biotics and placed her on the ship, all while leaping for the Normandy. Grunt helped lift her and as soon as they made it aboard, the ship took off thanks to EDI's piloting. "Everyone's all right?" Shepard asked Joker as she began catching her breath.

"Yes Commander, everyone made it back to the ship in one piece." Joker said as they all walked towards the bridge.

"Good, can you patch me through to the Illusive man?"

"Aye, Aye Commander." He said as he took his seat

Shepard walked towards the comm room and lifted up the table. "Shepard, you blew up the base even though we could of used that knowledge to help stop the Reapers."

"No," Shepard said as she glared at the man "I don't want to just stop the Reapers, I want to make sure that no one ever has to worry about them again. I don't want to control them, I want them destroyed because that is the only way I can be sure that they will never harvest another living thing. That station was the place where hundreds of thousands of humans lost their lives. You're damn right I destroyed it, and if you are waiting for me to apologize, you are going to be disappointed."

"I brought you back, I gave you resources and a damn good team and this is how you repay me."

"I already said I would never work for Cerberus and I didn't, I simply used their resources. Thanks for those by the way." She said smugly, barely hiding the smile on her face.

"Shepard, I am not someone you want as your enemy."

"Neither am I." She said as she disconnected the channel she had bigger things to worry about than him. "Joker, take me to the Citadel and drop off the crew, then take us into Archterus, we need to see the Alliance."

"Aye, Aye."

She smiled as she made it back to her cabin, she couldn't believe she had just pulled that mission off, and finally got Cerberus's hands off of her. She took the apple and bit into it, maybe just maybe she could destroy the Reapers.