A/N: You guys didn't think I'd end my fic with a cliffhanger did you? Ha! Give me some credit.

I don't own Mass Effect

Epilogue

Chase walked down the hall of the lavish building in nothing more than a pair of swim trunks. It had been a shock to him when he had contacted his girls after he recovered from his 'rebirth' and found that the people of Roken had built a house for him and his family. The place was awsome, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, large kitchen and living room, an armory for weapons, armor and medigel, a mini spaceport next door, and a large padio with a pool in the back.

The freelancer couldn't believe that the people of the colony world had given him such a beautiful gift. But he vowed to be there for them whenever they could for their kindness. He entered the large kitchen to see Shepard sitting at the counter drinking a beer. "Yo Shep, why ain't you out back with everyone else?" asked Chase. "Just wanted to check your new home out." said the Commander. Like Chase, he was dressed in swim trunks but also a muscle shirt.

After the Normandy had been repaired and Chase had found out about his new accomidations, he asked the Commander if they could have a little R&R and offered to have a party at his new place. Shepard had agreed, and now the whole crew of the ship were there for a little relaxation.

The two soldiers walked out onto the padio and saw everyone having a great time. Grunt and Garrus were trying to out drink each other, no one could tell who was winning. Donnelly and Gabby were playing a game of cards with Legion. "Dammit! We lost again!" said Gabby. "How in the hell can a Geth smoke us in a game of cards?" asked Donnelly. "We know the game. The rules. The probablities. We achieve victory." said Legion. "Well your a cardshark thats for sure." said Gabby. "Acknowledged. Will we continue to take your currency?" asked the Geth with a raised flap. If Legion had a face, Chase swore that he would have been grinning.

Off to the side, Thane was teaching Kolyat a few hand to hand combat techniques. Lia was a few feet away watching. The freelancer had been surprised when he returned to Roken and found out that his Quarian friend's new name was Lia'Krios vas Normandy, but he could still see the look on Thane's face, priceless.

Gardner stood at the large grill cooking up lunch for everyone while talking with Chakwas. The ship's cook was more than happy to make lunch during the festivities, hell, he said it enjoyed that he could use a grill like he had back on Earth.

At another table, Mordin, Tali, Jacob and Miranda were talking with one another about how the ship could be upgraded to better fit certain situations. Shepard ventured over to the table and wrapped his arms around Tali with a smile on his face.

By the pool, Chase saw Samara meditating. But he could see that there was a small smile on her face. The Justicar was enjoying herself just as much as everyone else. On the other side sat Joker, his fragile legs in the water with Kelly leaning on the side of the pool talking with him. It had turned out that Joker was there for Kelly after Luke's death, and now the two had gotten close to each other.

In the pool itself, Athena and Emily were swimming laps with Jack in the middle using her biotics to make the water slowly push them along. He had never seen the ex con so happy and at peace with life, and he hoped to keep it that way. Chase walked to the side closest to Jack and sat down with two beers in his hand, "One of those better be for me piss-ant." said Jack swiming over. Unlike the other girls, Jack wore a pair of swim trunks and a sports bra for their little swarey. Chase handed her one of the bottles, "Of course." Jack took the beverage and gave him a quick kiss. "Hows the new ink?" she asked taking a drink with a smile.

Chase grinned, Jack was no longer the only one with tattoos in thier relationship. After recovering from his 'death', the freelancer had gotten ink from Illium. He had a black dragon tattooed on his right arm with the head on his shoulder, the body coiling around the whole arm ending with the tail around his wrist. In the dragon's scales in bright red letters were the words 'Duty', 'Honor' and 'Loyalty'. On his back were a pair of large angel wings with 'Emily' in the feathers of the left wing and 'Athena' in the feathers of the right wing.

But the last tattoo was the one that Jack liked best. Just under his collar bone right next to the synthetic metal patch on his right pec was a good size celtic cross with a red heart in the center. Around the heart inside the cross was the name 'Jack'. "I like it, now we have something good in common." said Chase. Jack grinned, she had gotten a new tattoo as well. On her chest ontop of where her heart was, was a tattoo of a heart with a banner around it with 'Chase' etched into it.

"Mommy! Daddy!" called Emily swimming over to them. Chase smiled, everytime he heard Emily speak he felt happy. It wasn't surprising since the child hadn't spoken for so long. Athena came over as well, "Daddy can you sing for everyone?" asked his Asari daughter. Everyone paused what they were doing. "I don't know little blue." said Chase. "Com'mon Chase! We could use some good tunes!" shouted Joker, everyone said something in agreement. "You better get to it piss-ant, your fans are waiting." said Jack smirking.

Chase got up and grabbed his guitar off one of the lawn chairs. He stood on the top step leading to the house and faced everyone who were paying attention when he started to play.

Oh, looking like another Bob Marley day
Hitting from the bong like a diesel train
And now we're hanging out this afternoon

We got weeds in the backyard, four feet tall
Cheech and Chong probably would have smoked them all
So, I'm on the couch this afternoon

Beer bottles laying on the kitchen floor
If we take them out back, we can buy some more
So I doubt we're going out this afternoon, oh

Better hang on if you're tagging along
'Cause we'll be doing this till six in the morning
Nothing wrong with going all night long
Time to put the brakes on, doesn't matter when you gotta

Get up and go out, me and all my friends
Drink up, fall down, we'll do it all again
Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon

Landlord says I should buy a tent
But he can kiss my ass 'cause I paid the rent
So I doubt, he'll kick me out this afternoon

Down on the corner in a seedy bar
Jukebox cranking out the CCR
Had a few to Suzie Q this afternoon, oh

By this point everyone had started to sing along, except for Grunt, Samara and Legion who simply listened.

Better hang on if you're tagging along
'Cause we'll be doing this till six in the morning
Nothing wrong with going all night long
Time to put the brakes on, doesn't matter when you gotta

Get up and go out, me and all my friends
Drink up, fall down, we'll do it all again
Get up, go out, me and all my friends
Drink up, fall down, we'll do it all again, yeah
Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon

Wear a wristwatch and alarm clock to see what time it ends
From the moment I wake up, I just love being with my friends
We barely get by, but have the best times and hope it never ends
We drink all day until we fall down, so we can do it all again

It's not a human walk, it's the human race
If we were living on the edge, taking too much space
So I'll doubt I'll figure out just what to do
But to kicking around, hanging out this afternoon, oh

Garrus started waving his currently opened beer slurring the words. Everyone laughed while Chase continued to play.

Better hang on if you're tagging along
'Cause we'll be doing this till six in the morning
Nothing wrong with going all night long
Time to put the brakes on, doesn't matter when you gotta

Get up and go out, me and all my friends
Drink up and fall down, we'll do it all again, yeah
Get up and go out, me and all my friends
Drink up and fall down, we'll do it all again

Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon
Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon
Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon
Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon

Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon
Just sitting around, hanging out this afternoon

Chase ended the song and got a large round of applause. He looked down at Jack who smiled back. He then looked over at Tali and Shepard, then Joker and Kelly, then Lia and Kolyat. He had an idea for the next song. "This ones for the woman I love." Jack palmed her face but was still grinning, "And everyone else who has a special someone." said Chase as he started the next song.

When I first saw you standing there
You know it was a little hard not to stare
So nervous when I drove you home
I know being apart is a little hard to bare.

Send some flowers to your work in hopes
That I'd have you in my arms again
We kissed that night before I left
And now that's something
I could never forget

You've got all that I need
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I
With you I know that
I am good for something
So lets go give it a try
We got our backs against the ocean
It's just us against the world
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I

Shepard had looked to Tali and offered to dance, Joker and Kolyat did the same with Kelly and Lia. The girls couldn't help but accept.

Lets take a chance go far away today
And never look back again
Since I said I loved you in Las Vegas
It's never been the same since then

You've got all that I need
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I

With you I know
I am good for something
So lets go give it a try
We got our backs against the ocean
It's just us against the world
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I

Chase looked directly into Jack's eyes as he sung the next verse.

This is it nothing to hide
One more kiss never say goodbye
This is it babe your all mine
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I
I know that I am good for something
So lets go give it a try
We got our backs against the ocean
It's just us against the world
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I
With you I know that
I am good for something
So lets go give it a try

Jack felt tears prickle her eyes, she loved it when he played and sang. Athena and Emily each took up a spot on one of Jack's knees, their mother's knees, while they watched their father play his heart out.

We got our backs against the ocean
It's just us against the world
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I
Looking at all or nothing
Babe it's you and I
Babe it's you and I

The padio was alight with clapping, the various couples looked happy at the song choice that their friend had chosen. Tali had snatched her visor off for a moment and kissed Shepard, Lia did the same with Kolyat. Chase looked down at Jack. The woman biotic looked back with a smile and a glint in her eye that promised a long night ahead for them.

The rest of the day and well into the night, the Normandy crew enjoyed their moment of peace. They knew it wouldn't last, the Reapers were still out there and on their way. But for now, they would enjoy the time that they had to have fun and be carefree for once. Chase looked at his friends, his girls, and the woman he had fallen so deeply for. He had gone from an average gamer to a hero of the galaxy, a hellish life to one of serenity. It was no longer a game, not any more. It was now his life, he was reborn in this world and he would not waste a moment on anything.

As he held Jack and his girls later on that evening he knew that they would stop the Reapers, and he and everyone else would finally have what they always wanted. A life free of fear.

END

A/N: The End...for now. I'm planning on writing two other fics. The first is a collection of single fics revolving around Chase's time as a freelancer before he met Shepard called "Rise of a Freelancer: The Wraith Cronicles" The second is a sequal that I will base off of Mass Effect 3 when it comes out, so that one could be a while.

Thanks for the Reviews, and thanks for reading folks. Hope you check out my other fics.

Your fellow Gamer and Author; DEMON SPARTAN!

(I don't own Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman)