The first thing he could hear was the chirping of birds, a sweet and haunting song that whispered throughout the land, flitting into him.

A faint wisp of wind passed over his face, making his nose itch. He twitched it in response, feeling the urge to sneeze. Sunlight was also streaming down through his eyelids, being blocked by the occasional shadow, throwing him into a few seconds of relief.

He inhaled, the first breath passing through as if he drunk deeply from it. The salty scent mixed with rich vegetation was rather comforting to him. It recalled old memories of a place that he wanted to see again, but he could not remember where it was.

His chest depressed, pushing the breath out of him as he started anew, the wonderful taste on his tongue. Now he could feel something start to tickle him on his neck, tiny little brushes that caressed his skin so slightly that he reached over to scratch it.

Finally opening his eyes, Shepard blinked as the light filtered down to him, causing him to squint. Trees of all shapes and sizes hung over him, creating a green canopy that allowed the light to fall on his face ever so gradually. Groaning and wanting to get the light out of his eyes, he sat up, hands planted on the blades of grass that had served as his bed.

He did not recognize this place, he realized as he gradually stood. He was in the middle of some forest, trees covering every direction in sight. The earthy smell of soil now joined in, the familiar stimulus causing him to breathe in deeper, entranced by the intense scents compared to the stale ones he recalled while he was encased in a helmet. Without a covering, all of the delightful smells of the land came to him, surrounding him in an intoxicating whirl.

The temperature was rather cool, low sixties, but he felt just right as he realized he was wearing the appropriate clothing, a set of casual shoes, dark pants, a shirt, and a light jacket. He did not feel a chill or break out into a sweat at all, he realized. He shuffled his arms, feeling the fabric ruffle from the movement. Quite a comfortable feeling.

Shepard threw up a hand to protect him from the glare but stopped as a flash of pink came from down below. Putting his hand in front of his face, he gasped as the fleshy palm was revealed to him, bright in the streaming light. Immediately, he smoothed his hands over his face and was rewarded when a soft, yielding surface was discovered, followed by a sensitive surface beneath. It wasn't just his skin, it was everything.

Not only that, there was something weird about himself, a sensation that he had not felt in a long time. Gripping his hands together, he gently squeezed his right hand with his left and could only stare as the bones beneath shifted to accommodate the rising pressure. The bones shifted beneath.

He said nothing as he reflected the improbability of this outcome, numbly prodding his body so that he was sure that this was not some fluke. Judging by how he could feel the roll of his shoulder again, his ribs yielding when he applied slight force on them, and the fact that he could move his jaw from side to side again told him everything he needed to know.

He was whole again.

Shepard felt like jumping for joy and crying out in jubilation but he was still too stunned to form a coherent thought at the moment. Calming down as he slowed his erratic breathing, he closed his eyes as he felt them itch slightly as a bit of pollen got caught in them. He rubbed them, savoring the temporary relief he felt from doing so, but it further cemented his incredible discovery. The hows or whys could not be fathomed here, there were too many variables to isolate and determine for him to focus on.

He decelerated his racing thoughts, focusing on one thing at a time. Perhaps the first thing that he should find out was where he was at the moment. The damp forest he was still standing in looked like an average rain forest, to his eyes. He could be on Earth, on Sur'Kesh, or any other planet that boasted a climate perfect for this sort of biome. Situated in this one location was not going to get him very far with his analysis.

If he looked hard enough, he could see that the forest ahead of him gradually ended, as evidenced by the presence of more illumination past the dank shadows. Feeling eagerness and a sense of adventure, he smiled and proceeded to walk forward, looking down occasionally so he did not trip on any roots in his way. Shepard gingerly parted branches of trees out of his way as the light grew closer, the alarmed squeaks of fauna sounding as he intruded upon their territory. Up ahead, he could hear the faint sound of water rushing, a stream perhaps? Water meant life and life meant civilization so that was going to be his best bet right there.

Without warning, Shepard stepped out of the forest as it abruptly ended, depositing him on a dusty path, inches from a steep drop off. He then realized that he was standing on top of a cliff face, looking down upon a roaring river as the water surged over boulders, creating thick white foam. The whitewater splashed down the canyon to which it was situated and Shepard followed the flow with his head. Just a few miles downriver, he could see the mouth open wide into a large bay, nestled through a series of high cliffs.

Now that his view to the heavens was unobstructed, he could see the stars twinkling above, despite the fact that it was still sunny. The sky was a burnt orange and if he looked to the horizon, there was a faint glimmer of purple. It must be morning, wherever he was, judging by the position of the sun in the sky.

He glanced in the other direction, looking behind at the downward sloping path. There was nothing in that direction except scattered forests and a dry terrain. The path was uphill if he was going to head over to the bay and he reasoned that he would have a better chance at finding someone if he followed it that way. Paths existed for a reason, after all. Surely this one had to lead somewhere. Besides, a bay would most likely contain a port as a rapid was a poor location to base a town on.

Full of energy, he broke off at a brisk walk, heading up the path. The actual trail was wide and covered with small stones, not exactly a challenge for someone in his shape. Besides, it had been a long time since he felt his joints stretch like this, it would be ideal for him to get some exercise again. He put his hands in his pockets, humming a slight tune as a slight wind blew over his face. That felt good, it helped keep him cool as he walked.

A few times, he would pause to glance down at the river below, entranced by the furious surge of water as it pulverized everything in its path. He had not felt this peaceful in years, when was the last time he had taken a walk and just enjoyed nature? It must have been months, or years. He had lost track of all time entirely at this point.

Half an hour later, Shepard rounded a slight bend in the path and gave a wide grin as the huge bay was revealed to him. He could hear the waves lapping at the shore and the other side was clearly visible without a smog covering masking his field of view. The smell of the sea was more intense here and he stretched his arms until something caught his eye, causing him to turn to the right slightly.

Just up a small hill, nestled next to a cliff wall, lay a modest house. It was a delicate fusion of rock and metal in its construction, a traditional flair with a bit of modern thrown in. Square windows adorned its face, allowing its occupants a wide view of the bay beyond. A winding path led upward to the front door, a porch jutting out which allowed the owners a perfect view to watch the sun set over the water. He had to concede that the house was in a prime location, definitely a place he would want someday. Giving a quick shrug, he followed the walk upwards to the door and rapped firmly upon the face.

He waited a minute before giving up. No one was home. Although, he noticed, a large door lay open to the side of the house. Perhaps he just was not heard? Shepard figured that it didn't hurt to investigate a bit so he wandered over to the side and walked in, peering cautiously around.

The garage was well maintained and precise, but still no one was inside. A skycar was situated to the right of the room while a large desk was set up on the left. Mechanical parts of all shapes and sizes lay on a cloth to catch the excess grease and Shepard walked over to look a bit more. He stepped over a chest of tools, spying a wall beyond that contained every single sort of apparatus he could imagine possible. Clearly whoever kept this had a love for engineering.

On the desk itself, situated underneath a lamp, Shepard recognized the telltale blue glow of a skycar transmission manifold. From the looks of it, the part had been heavily tinkered with, a few extra bits and pieces added to improve its performance slightly. And next to it, positioned just so, lay a Predator pistol, taken completely apart as a few custom components were arranged beside it. A person of many interests, so it seemed.

Not wanting to linger any more, fearful that someone would think him for a burgler, Shepard gave the garage a final look before stomping back out into the sunlight. Blinking in discomfort, he yawned and stretched his back as he adjusted to his vertebrae cracking in place.

Shepard had no idea when the homeowners would get back and he did not really want to steal the skycar if he could help it. He required a need to go somewhere for him to sink to that level, but he really felt like he was not pressured to go anywhere. He was fine like this, content and peaceful. He had no burning desire to actually fly away and go to some other planet. Hell, he still didn't even know what planet he was on to begin with.

But these were answers that he was in no hurry to seek. Why rush at all when he was feeling like this? It seemed to make sense to him, giving a mental shrug. There was a small outcropping on the cliff just a short walk away, he could wait there for a bit and simply enjoy the view while it lasted.

Walking past the dense bushes, he stood upon the edge of the cliff, hands in his pockets, breathing deep as he surveyed the sight before him. The bay stretched on, majestic and bright, as the gentle roar of the waves came to his ears. It was a soothing sound, it even made him a little sleepy. The puffy clouds in the sky blew lazily away and the birds sang their music all around him.

The feeling to be able to be out in the open like this, his joints all stretched and loose, gave him a peace he wrapped around like a cloak. Just standing here, out over the water, all alone with his thoughts, made him feel cleansed, pure.

So far, the house behind him was the only evidence of civilization that he had been able to find. Shepard did not want to dwell on it much; he had not even covered that much ground during his brief walk. But even now, as he gazed over the bay, there was not much evidence of other life in this area, no cities situated at the shore, no ships flying overhead. Just this one little house, an island in an ocean of paradise.

Shepard frowned as he tried to recall if he had ever been here before, feeling a sense of incredible déjà vu. It certainly was not Earth, it was too mountainous to be Sur'Kesh, not developed enough to be Thessia and so on. In fact, there was only one place that had cliffs like this, a bay this big, and a sky this incredible. Could it be that…

A shuffling sound behind him snapped him from his thoughts, causing him to turn around expectedly, maybe thinking that a tiny animal had scurried out from the brush. His gaze, he figured instantly, was way too low as he only caught a pair of legs as they walked toward him. But it was something about those legs that registered instantly with him, making his breath catch uncomfortably in his throat as he tilted his head upward, his eyes unconsciously widening as the person came into view.

Their hands were wrung together, their clothing meticulously placed, their body language somewhat anxious. But they both recognized each other in that one instant.

It was her.

Tali slowly walked toward the astonished Shepard, eyes glowing behind her visor, her small steps leaving tiny imprints in the dirt. Unknotting her hands, they gradually reached out to the human as he felt himself doing the same. With a brushing of skin on an enviro-suit, their hands united in a warm union, each grasping the other tightly.

They stood there for long minutes, each staring at the other as their fingers desperately clung together. Shepard's breathing became heavy again as he tried to make sense of this. How was this even possible? Tali, on the other hand, did not seem fazed in the slightest as she slowly shifted her body towards him, her visor definitely hiding a smile behind that purple filter.

Her arms reached up and wrapped over his neck as he clung to her waist, their chests pressing together. Her hand gently stroked the back of his head as he did the same, patting the back of her hood as the embrace released all sorts of memories, overloading him with powerful emotions.

Rising on her toes, Tali leaned up and positioned her head next to his ear. As she breathed four simple words, Shepard froze in time, everything else being instantly drowned out.

"I've missed you, John."

The tears finally came, breaking loose like floodwater from a dam. They spilled past his cheeks as he started to sob. A few of them trailed past his lips, the salty taste evoking a sense of life, of his own flesh and blood. Quickly, they dripped down his face as he soon found himself wracked with sorrow, with love, with every conceivable emotion possible.

His legs felt rubbery and he stumbled but Tali caught him, gently lowering themselves to the ground. Once their knees hit dirt, she threw her arms around his torso as she nestled her head in his neck. In the middle of his tears, he could feel her body shudder slightly as he realized that she was crying too. Both of them sat like this until Shepard regained some control of his limbs and hugged Tali with all of his might, embracing her with such a might he feared his heart might burst from the strain.

Raising her head up, she gently leaned the top of her visor against his forehead as they came face to face. Her hands cupped his cheeks, her thumbs smoothing across them and wiping away the trails of tears that ran down in rivulets. Breathing raggedly, he forced his mouth into an awkward smile as she gave a choked sob in happiness. Mimicking her movements, his hands rose to hold her head in the same position, smoothing over the brushed metal and hearing her sighs as he moved his fingers towards the correct place.

As the catches depressed, the visor was discarded, and everything became perfect in their own little world. If their lives were truly meant to be intertwined, then it certainly counted for something.

The Rage Inherent Trilogy