How had it gotten this far?

That was the question that Shepard kept asking herself as she sat on a park bench. Everything was perfect, it was almost impossible to imagine that just last year they were fighting Reapers and protecting the galaxy from forces millennia older than themselves. Now she sat peacefully on a wooden bench, on Earth, in a plain old park, while she got the chance to watch others enjoying their days.

"Mind if I join you?" Comes a question from a dual-tone voice she had memorized from behind her.

She leans her head back, into him. "Anytime Vakarian."

"What are you doing here commander?" Garrus asks as he sits down next to her.

"Enjoying the day. Everyone is rebuilding so fast. I'm surprised."

"None of it would be going as quickly without you. If it wasn't for you commander then they wouldn't even be working together, they may not even be alive." Garrus says as he pulls Shepard close and rests his chin on top of her head.

Shepard slightly shakes her head, just enough to show she didn't agree but not enough to make him move. "I had nothing to do with them continuing to work with each other as they rebuild. My part in this ended when the reapers were destroyed."

"You don't really believe that do you?"

Shepard doesn't reply. She had taken a few days rests from her job just to have some shore leave. After the war she was hospitalized for a few weeks, but as soon as she was healthy and she passed her mental tests Hackett had her back in the field. Only now she was giving speeches, over seeing meetings where the politics discussed how long their treaties should last, and aiding in the efforts of digging people out from under the rubble and destruction on different planets. The year had been a very full one and she was happy to have a few moments of peace. She watches as an Asari child with it's parents as they slide down the slides on the playground together.

"Remember what we talked about, before that last mission had truly began?" Shepard asks.

"Mm-hmm." Garrus says, his voice was so soothing. "About maybe starting a family?"

"Yeah." Shepard whispers. Back then she had been happy about the idea. She had never really saw herself as a mother and she had been surprised when Garrus suggested it, but the thought was appealing. Especially if it meant he was planning to stick around long enough for them to raise a family together. Before him, she was never really the type who dated men who stuck around. She had been known for having a few one night stands here or there when she was part of the gang, before joining the army.

"Are you thinking about it?" Garrus asks somehow getting a little nervous. Shepard smiles. It was cute when Garrus tripped over words or whenever he was nervous really.

"Yeah. Is that crazy?" She asks earnestly as she moves her head so she could look him in the eyes.

"No. You would make a wonderful mother Shepard."

"I don't know. I've never even had parents myself."

"You don't need parents to be a great one." That made Shepard laugh.

"Well we still don't know if biology will work on our side. I wouldn't mind adopting a tyke maybe two if you don't. We shouldn't be too ambitious after all." Shepard jokes.

Garrus nuzzles his forehead against her neck. "That's saying something coming from you, Commander. I've never met a more ambitious person in my life."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere any quicker, Mr. Vakarian."

It was three years later when they returned to that park. Shepard was now holding the hands of a young five year old turian boy. In her arms was a young hybrid baby girl. She had a crest and mantle like most turians. She actually resembled regular turians except for the small patches of hair that grew on the outer layer of her tough skin. Her skin resembled that of a turian's but it was softer to the touch. Somewhat like her mothers, but not quite the same. A few salarian scientist that were close friends of Mordin and his nephew offered to help them conceive their own child, as long as they brought her back for studies every year or so. Too make sure nothing was ever amiss with her health. At first Shepard objected. They already had Helos, they're adopted turian son, and Dran, their little Krogan, but the salarians were adamant. They said it could help future interspecies couples since there was bound to be more. Shepard was always a sucker when it came to helping the future advance. She hadn't been able to give natural birth, there were too many risks but the scientists had managed to bring starry-eyed Serene into the world.

"Dad hurry up!" Helos shouts as he begins to get excited. "We're so close! Mom can I go play now. Please!"

She laughs. "Go ahead." Helos was quick to take off, in a hurry to join the other children that were already playing. They had a tendency of spending most of their time on the normandy or at Shepard's new apartment on the newly constructed citadel. He did not get to visit places and leave the ship when on other planets often.

"He really is a wild child." Garrus says. He was clearly exhausted. "Do you want to go join him?" Garrus asks the young Krogan that sat in his arms. He was getting too heavy to carry, but that didn't mean much to him. Ever since they brought Serene home with them, Dran has been insistent about getting as much attention as the baby. The four year old Krogan was reluctant but he eventually joins the other children.

The two adults sit on the bench as they keep careful pairs of eyes on them. "Well Rosanne Grace Shepard-Vakarian, they are definitely a handful." She had gotten her name hyphenated which had a few people raising their eyebrows or eyebrow like parts at them. It wasn't that taking Garrus last name bothered her. She had just gone by Shepard for so long that she couldn't imagine being called anything else.

She laughs. "I told you they would be. I am happy we decided on adopting them though." Two years ago they had finally decided to adopt after everything seemed solved and complacent. There were plenty of orphans after the war and Shepard had trouble just picking one out from the crowds. She wanted to bring them all home and keep them safe and away from all the things she had done when growing up alone, abandoned in the streets. She understood that she couldn't though.

The two of them were together when they were visiting one of the many overcrowded orphanages that were struggling to keep up with maintaining facilities and caring for all the children in their care. They were introduced to a few of the children. They had placed the age as any so they saw babies as well as teens. Some causes her to feel as if she had been looking in the mirror when she met them. Shepard saw the fire, anger, and the despair that some of the children felt. They were all things she had gone through.

Garrus was about to excuse themselves and take her out for fresh air outside when he saw that she was starting to shake. That was when a young Turian the age of three had stumbled into the back of Shepard's legs. He rubbed his head and pouts before standing back up. He was holding a Krogan's hand. The krogan could barely walk. The turian was practically dragging him around.

"Hello. What's your name?" Shepard had asked with curiosity. Her shaking was stopping a little. The turian looked at her with dead, empty eyes. Those were the empty eyes of a soldier in war. A child should never have such eyes.

"Ah that is Helos and Dran. They were found together and brought in. Dran doesn't do much but Helos never goes anywhere without him. He doesn't say much but neither of them can really talk yet anyways. We don't know why they were together because all we could get from them was something about fire and loud noises. Sadly we've heard similar and worse stories from many here." The caretaker of the children states.

Shepard frowns and looks up at Garrus with her lips pressed tightly together. Garrus whispers to the caretaker and the ma'am escorts them away from the children. She gave them a hopeful smile. "Have you made a selection?"

Garrus looks over at Shepard who was watching the children. "I think we may have." He sets an arm around Shepard's shoulders and pulls her closer to him. With a peck on the top of her head he was, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" His voice was soothing.

Shepard leans back into him. "I know we agreed only one to make sure we can do to, but no child should have eyes like that." Shepard stares at the two. Helos was already pulling Dran farther away from the other children. "Yet he does and still he carries that krogan boy around." Shepard wouldn't split them up. She couldn't do that. "They'll be a handful." She casually warns him. Waiting for Garrus to object.

"I can handle it." He promises and kisses her again.

Soon after they had the paperwork down and two new children. Now they had been parents for two years and no major accidents or life and death situations so far.

Helos was chasing the other kids around as Dran plays on the collection of slides there. It took awhile but eventually Helos grew more comfortable around others and his eyes were brighter now. He never talked about how he had found Dran and what happened but that was alright, Shepard never pressured him to.

Fourteen years later, Shepard found herself sitting alone in a catena. She stares down at her drink, looking her reflection over in the clear liquid. Soon the Normandy would land. No matter how much her military career put her through she always found a way back to this ship. "We'll be landing in five minutes Shepard."

"Thanks Joker." Shepard runs a hand through her hair. It wasn't gray, yet, but it also wasn't as bright a red as it use to be. She was growing use to it. The draining. It felt like her whole life was draining away nowadays. Shepard wasn't sure how much longer she had to be honest. She felt weaker now than she has ever felt in her life. She wasn't use to it. "-pard? Shepard did you hear me?"

"Sorry Joker. Yeah I heard you. I'm ready for departure just tell me when it's clear." Shepard fixes her military dress. She always preferred wearing her fatigues or her commanding suit but this was a special occasion. She wanted to look her best while also not diverting attention to herself. After all it was about the kids still. Though they were no longer kids. Well, Helos wasn't a child anymore. Dran, although no longer physically one, still hadn't gone through his rite of passage and even still held the mentality of a child. No doubt when it was time for his rite of passage, Helos and Galea would go with him.

"Their ready and waiting for you commander." Joker announces over the intercom as she steps into the elevator.

"You're coming too Joker. You better be suited up." Shepard declares with a smirk on her face.

"Only the best for your family Shepard. Besides I can't disappoint the kids. What would they say if their Uncle Joker didn't show." Joker replies with a joking tone as the intercom switches off.

The doors open to let Joker and Edi in. Edi had a new body that was designed by Tali for her. It looked much like her old body as that was how they all knew EDI but her head came with a customizable head piece so she could change her 'hair piece' if she wanted to try a new look and her body was made out of a slightly lighter metal material but that meant it was as durable as it had been once. The dress she has on was a slick black dress with red trimming. It looked lovely against her blue and silver metal skin. Joker had on special braces to help him stand without putting too much pressure on his bones. He was in a dark black suit. With a matching bow tie.

Edi hangs onto his arm as they stand beside Shepard. "You two look like quite the pair." A smile graces Edi's face.

"Thank you Shepard." Shepard dips her head a little and they wait as the door opens again.

The doors open and Shepard steps out first. She holds out a hand to Edi who takes it and steps out then she helps Joker out. Shepard smiles as the pilot looks around cautiously.

"Nervous Joker?"

"Last time we were on the citadel it was being attacked and then used as a weapon against Earth. So yeah I may not be as calm as you Shepard."

"Not everyone is calm in the face of change."

"For a second there I thought you were going to say danger Edi."

"Why would I say that? There is no immediate danger. However this will incite many changes within your life Shepard."

Shepard laughs. "I know Edi, and it already has." She crosses her arms and rubs them up and down to warm them up a little. They walk across the newly rebuilt citadel and the changes were quite clear. It wasn't all as foreign in its design as the original had been. They had all work together to build it. Some buildings had more of a salarian design to them while other were more of asari. The roads and navigations were done by the humans and the police centers were design by turians. No building was just the design of one species though. Even the ones that resemble Salarian and Asari design more had some resemblance of the others as well. They had all grown closer because of everything the reapers had put them through. Shepard felt proud.

"Mrs. Vakarian it is nice to see you again." For a moment Shepard hesitates and then she smiles and offers her hand in greeting. The school administrator had not always been the happiest with her family but right now in this moment it seems he has put aside personal differences and accounts of discourse in the past.

"I'm very happy to be here." Shepard says as they shake hands.

"Find a seat amongst the crowd the ceremony shall begin within the next half hour."

"And here I thought we would be early." Joker says as they walk away.

Shepard looks over her shoulder at him. "Really? I'm honestly surprised we aren't late."

"Is that a shot at my piloting Shepard?"

"Joker, would I ever insult your capabilities with my ship?" Shepard asks jokingly. She scans the crowd. The stadium was almost completely filled. It would be hard to find any remaining seats in here. Well that is what happens when a mission causes you to run behind schedule. Shepard pulls out her phone and dials Garrus. After two rings he answers.

"Rosanne where are you?"

"I'm with Edi and Joker looking for you guys within the stadium. Mind standing up or telling us a row to sit in or something Mr. Reach?"

"We're in the parents and family seating, it's near the front. We saved you three, seats."

"Understood, we'll find you guys soon." She hangs up and smiles back at Joker. "Alright they're in the family section. Let's go you two." Shepard was quick to find a free helper to lead them to their destination.

"What no pointless running around to do?" Joker asks teasingly.

"I don't do that everywhere I go." Shepard defends.

"You sure about that. Man, I remember so many times that it was suppose to be a quick run or stop at the citadel. Then you come back, six hours later with new missions, letters from people, and sometimes even new crew members."

"But you love your fellow crew members. Don't even try to deny it." Shepard pats his shoulders and Joker made a move that resembled him falling over.

He latches onto Edi before saying, "Shepard you could have killed me."

"Uh huh."

"Right here ma'am." The guide points them at the familial sitting section.

"Thank you." The guide leaves them and with one quick glance over Shepard could spot the gap within the rather filled out crowd. "I think I see where we are suppose to sit. Edi does that look like Garrus right there?" She points at the turian right next to the empty seats.

"Yes." Edi answers.

"Man that's really far up front." Joker says looking down all of the stairs.

"Want Edi or myself to carry you?" Shepard asks, offering.

"Nah, I can handle it." Joker reassures her. They start their descent. Half way down is when he begins to complain. "Alright, I get it. He is filled with fatherly pride. He wants to be as close as possible, but this is ridiculous. If I trip I'm dead. Does your family just want me gone?"

"Carrying is still an option."

Joker groans but now begins to suffer in silence.

"Shepard. I was worried you would be late." Garrus remarks before hugging his wife.

"Garrus, you really thought I would be late to our little boys graduations?"

Garrus chuckles. "I suppose I shouldn't have been. You always seem to make it on time."

"I'm just good at that. Showing up to the party last minute. Always just in time." She winks and Garrus laughs.

"That you do." He rests his chin on top of her head as the ceremony begins.

There were plenty of graduates up on the stage, but only when two crossed did Rosanne cheer.

"Dran Shepard-Vakarian." Calls the announcer. Dran stands up and crosses the stage towards his principal and the school administrators to accept his diploma. He stumbles slightly as he goes to shake his principal's hand. Luckily he managed to catch himself right in time.

As he barrels off the stage excitedly; carrying his diploma in his hand they call the next child.

"Helos Tiberlio Shepard-Vakarian."

With pride swelling up in her chest Rosanne watches the elder of her two boys walk across the stage. He had made it to the top ten of his class with no small effort. His smile was more of a smirk as he accepted his diploma but Shepard knew, deep down, he was more relieved than anything else. Once again the family claps respectfully, with Serene and Joker clapping widely, not caring about respect. They were so proud of those two. Rosanne smiles, and lets her claps die out as they move on to the next child.

After the ceremony the family met up behind the rather large stage. Dran and Helos were already waiting there for the others. When they saw their family approaching Helos stood still, choosing to wave to them. Dran on the other hand let out an ecstatic, "Mama!" and ran over to Shepard. She opens her arms wide and leans back already knowing what the krogan's hugs felt like. She smiles and bites her lip as he squeezes his arms around her before picking her up and spinning her.

"Hey!" A young fourteen year old Serene lets out, tapping her big brother's shoulders.

He lets out an echoing heh heh. "I have not forgotten about you." Dran drops Shepard only to lift Serene up in a very similar hug. He spins her around as a young soldier in N7 armor approaches the small group.

Helos notices the man the same time as his mother did. He quickly looks back at her, nerves and excitement evident on his face. Shepard shakes her head in amusement before her expression hardens. She watches the soldier carefully as he coughs to gain the attention of the rest of her family.

"Shepard. Vakarian." He holds out his hand to shake ours carefully.

"You are?" Joker asks.

"I am lieutenant Frans. I am here to invite these two boys into the N7 program personally. I hold an understanding that the young turian held fantastic scores all throughout his schooling, and that the krogan excelled in military training."

"Yes. That is true." Shepard confirms eyeing the man. "You are inviting them? I thought they had to enroll into a program."

"Turians do. Krogans are less common to be accepted for it so they are usually tested before being invited. However we have been following these two fairly closely. Especially considering who their mother is, and how close their father was to becoming part of the program. We were all surprised by how well they performed in their classes, and test runs in their field practices. We also took a liberty of monitoring them extensively outside of school before making a final decision. Yet my superiors do believe that they hold potential." He turns towards the young males.

"Congratulations. You both have been accepted into the program. If you wish to actually join our ranks then here is a card with all the information you will need on it." With that he passes them each a card before taking his leave. The two young men look back at their mother before their eyes follow the man.

"I suppose this time is as good as any. Who's ready for some take out?" Shepard asks her children. She tries not to think about what this means. Or what will happen tomorrow. She thinks only of the now. Just as she always has after the war.

"You never were much of a cook." Joker teases as Edi helps him up the stairs slowly.

"Nope." Shepard admits lightheartedly.

That night they were all staying in her new apartment on the newly rebuilt citadel. There was still some parts that were under construction, and the entire thing was suppose to be twice the size of the old one. The apartment was given as a gift to her, paid for by the alliance and their allies. Her retirement funds kept it paid for her and her family. Garrus was still an advisor for the Primarch of Palaven. Though now he was not just an advisor over the reapers, but over military assets. A job Garrus found to be quite humorous himself. If not draining.

"Serene is all of your homework done?" Shepard asks as she moves through the kitchen towards the fridge. She opens the door only to have two hands shut it back on her.

"Now, now, you said we were getting takeout." Helos reminds her as he leans on the door to her right. Dran grunts in agreement as he leans on the door to her left.

"Fine boys. I can take a hint. Call whichever place you want. I will be setting out the drinks, however."

"Fair enough." Helos says as he pulls out his phone. "What sounds good Dran?" The two walk off as Serene bounces in.

"Serene did you finish your homework?" Shepard asks as she rests her arms onto the center island.

"Mom vacation is one week away."

"So no, you didn't." Shepard says knowingly.

She grumbles under her breath. "What is one assignment compared to the hundreds I have already done." Serene asks as she wraps one strand of red hair around her finger.

"Not much generally, but sometimes that one can make all the difference. It could be what truly causes you to fail or pass. Or maybe it will help you in the future in a time you never would have even thought of. In a way only it could. So, go do your homework sweetie. Either your father and I will be up there to help you soon."

Serene rolls her bright, deep, blue eyes. "Alright momma. I'm going." Sighing the young hybrid trudges upstairs.

Shepard smiles as she watches her daughter leave. Her eyes were just like her father's. Her hair like her mother's. She was definitely Garrus' little princess, but there was one thing that she did not share with her parents. One thing Helos could understand, maybe even Dran, but not Serene. It made Shepard feel happy if not a little distant from her daughter at times. She had never known war. Or what it is like to lose everyone close to you. To grow up with nothing and no one. There was no haunted looks in her eyes of ghosts who weren't really there. Of decisions she made and had to live with. Helos had only ever shared one story about his childhood before Shepard and Vakarian found him and Dran. Only one, and it made her understand completely why the boy had looked at her with the eyes of a soldier even then. It was the one thing her adopted children shared with her that her biological one could not understand. She and Garrus had always tried treating them all as equals. Loving, and caring for them all the same, but Shepard had to admit she sometimes couldn't understand her daughter as she could her sons. It made her feel like a horrible mother, but some things are just the way they are. Still, Rosanne loved them. She will always do everything in her power to make sure they remain happy. So that the haunting look stays away from their eyes.

"Shepard?" She feels arms wrap around her waist. "You okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine Garrus. Just thinking."

"Don't you think it's about time you wake up Shepard?"

She looks back at him, terrified. "What?"

"Don't you think it is about time you wake up?" Zaeed asks the body lying peacefully before him again. She looked horrible, but better than some of the men he seen leave this fight. A survivor until the end. Zaeed looks back over at the kid he had dragged along with him. The boy was extremely persistent about coming along. Said that he was an old friend of Shepard's who had been trying to find her since she ran off and joined the alliance.

Zaeed didn't buy any of it. Anyone who knew of Shepard's past knew she had grown up on the streets. She joined the alliance on a whim. A sliver of a chance for a better life. If she died then she died. Shepard had never really cared much for her own life after all. Not back then and not now. Anyone who knew that Shepard back then had been cut from her life. Or so she had told him. 'All of them were scoundrels she had said,' ' and none as fun as the scoundrels I know now.'

"Come on Shepard. You shouldn't keep the people waiting. Or else they'll begin to forget about their savior of the hour." Zaeed mumbles as he looks back down to his hands.

"I don't think she can hear you." Grunt looks uncomfortable in his seat. "But keep talking if you want. It's better then the silence Urdnot Wrex kept us sitting in."

"I've heard that in some cases the patients can hear the people around them talk. Some even take the words they hear and incorporate them into their dreams." The other man says.

Zaeed shakes his head trying to forget the headache that the stranger's voice brought onto him. "How do you know Shepard again?" He asks grumpily as he turns around in his chair.

"I grew up with her." He says hesitantly. "My name is Tom Turner. I am a reserve soldier on planet Earth. Though I imagine we are all soldiers now."

"Cut the quotes. I'm still not buying that you actually know Shepard. Probably just another fan who wants to see the legend up close before going back to his buddies."

"Everyone wants to see the commander. She's famous now. And to imagine that she started off as a gang member. I never thought she would make it this far when she first started whispering about joining the alliance." Tom states as he looks her over from the distance. "She hated Earth. Did you know that? Earth was the place she had been born just to be abandoned. The place where she ended up from one foster care home to another before deciding to just live on the streets. All on her own until she found us. Well she found the head of our sector. He was a real piece of work, that guy. Even for a gang member. Shepard hated him. And he hated the fact that she was always so resistant even though she did everything he asked. Nothing could break her spirit. A fire that led her straight to the military. She always did manage to avoid the cops so I guess that was why they accepted her. Nothing on record." Tom laughs a little now. "I can't even tell you her first name. She never told any of us it. When asked she always said she either didn't have one or she didn't want it to be sullied by our mouths. At some point I just started believing that she didn't even know it."

"It's Rosanne. Don't say the e." Zaeed states. "That's her name." He says as he rests his arms on his knees. "Shepard never shared her name very much. I can probably count on two hands all the people who know simply because she told them. Anyone else probably read it off one of the reports or files over her." No one asks him to but he begins to count. Holding up one more finger with each name. "Anderson. Not sure if she told him or not but with how close they were I would bet she did. Garrus, her turian always whispered it whenever she would tease him on the ship. Grunt," he gestures towards Grunt who does not even nod in response. "Tali, those two were like two peas in a pod. Kaiden apparently. Kasumi, and Liara though I am not sure if she told them or they dug around and found out. And myself. Oh and apparently the ship's pilot, Joker. Not sure why it never got around to the rest of the crew. Guess we all respected that she didn't want anyone to know. Besides the whispers of Garrus none of us ever used it anyways. She wasn't Rosanne to us. She was Shepard." Zaeed says with a shrug. He leans back into the chair and sighs. "Maybe that name became to much weight for her to bare."

Silence encompasses the room.

"No. Shepard was a title she carried. She is the strongest human I have ever met. No title would be enough to wear her done. She wouldn't be my krantt otherwise." Grunt states irritably. "Are you two done with storytime yet? I'm hungry."

"Then go get yourself some food."

"And leave Shepard with just you two? No. Cowering human. Go get some food for us." Grunt demands. Tom looks to Zaeed for help. The older man ignores him.

"Um, alright."

"And hurry too before I decide to just eat you." Grunt adds as Tom runs out the door. "Heh heh heh."