As the human reaper fell, crashing down into the cavernous abyss that was at the heart of the collector facility, Jane felt a wave of relief wash over her. It had taken nearly all their ammo to bring that bastard down, but they did it.

And now all they had to do was get their asses out of dodge.

That was the last clear thought that crossed her mind before the platforms tipped, hurdling them towards the edge like a child's toy. Then she saw him. Garrus was ahead of her, close to the edge; much to close. She didn't have time to think, she moved.

Garrus knew he was about to fall. He could tell he had slid far, and the platform wasn't that big. Just as he felt his body supported by nothing but air, a firm hand latched onto his wrist. Looking up into her fierce green eyes, so filled with determination, he felt his heart swell with love; despite the shit storm going down around them. He had to marvel at her strength as she pulled him up next to her and took a firm hold of his armor. Garrus looked over to check on Legion and saw that he was still holding firm, so he grabbed on to Jane and held tight as the platform plummeted.

There was a moment after the crash, between the eerie silence and realizing that he was still alive, that he noticed his arms were empty. He tried to sit up and frantically search for Jane but a metal beam was pinning him down. He was about to call out to her when the weight was suddenly being lifted, and she was standing over him with all the fierceness of an avenging angel. Legion dusting himself off behind her as she helped him up. He didn't know what he was about to say but as he opened his mouth Joker came over the radio.

"Do you copy?" he called, "Commander, come on Shepard don't leave me hanging. Do you copy?"

Jane let go of his hand as she turned and touched the radio at her ear. "I'm here Joker, did the ground team make it?"

"Everyone on board, we're just waiting for you."

Jane allowed herself a moment of relief, right up until she saw the seeker swarm headed straight for them. Then Harbinger's voice crawled up her spine.

"Human." God, she hated that bastard. "You've changed nothing." He continued, "Your species has the attention of those infinitely your greater."

Right, time to go.

Jane nodded to Garrus and Legion to start running as she took up the rear.

"That which you know as Reapers, are your salvation through destruction."

Well, he sure liked the sound of his own voice didn't he?

They sprinted, taking heavy fire from the rear. Just as she felt her shields go down, the ship rose into view. Garrus and Legion were ahead of her, but no more than ten paces. The airlock was already open with Joker laying down cover fire. Her teammates leapt inside.

That was when she felt the bullet slam into her leg.

She looked down and thanked her lucky stars it didn't penetrate her armor, but she was going to have one hell of a bruise later.

Garrus looked back and saw her running, with collectors and husks not far behind. How did she get that far back? He could have sworn she was only a few steps behind them.

Debris fell from above and smashed the platform connecting the ship to the walkway, knocking it down to whatever bottomless pit was beneath them.

Jane was running hard, her muscles screaming in fatigue, when the platform connecting the walkway to the ship was no longer there. She knew the gap was too large; there was no way she would make it. She could hear the collectors close behind her, and she considered her options.

Die there, or die trying.

She jumped.

Everything happened in slow motion; Garrus reaching for her, Joker firing rapidly, and the rumble of the station crashing down around them.

Suddenly she was yanked against hard blue armor and roughly shoved inside the airlock.

The door shut and Joker dropped the rifle and climbed into his chair.

"Detonation in: ten, nine, eight…" EDI droned. Joker grabbed the controls, "Yeah, I get the just of it EDI!"

Jane was aware of the ship moving away from the station, and bolting towards the relay; but only in the back of her mind. Mostly she was focused on the Turian pinning her to the wall with his body, quietly saying some sort of prayer that her translator couldn't pick up. She closed her eyes and felt the Normandy shift, as it did when entering a mass relay.

Garrus held her close. He wasn't entirely sure they were going to make it, and in case of the unthinkable; he wanted to have her in his arms at the end. But there was no crash, no explosion, and no bright light. Looking around he saw that not only were they safely in the space between relays, the crew was celebrating amongst themselves and shooting curious looks over at him and Jane.

Uncaring of who might be looking, he picked her up and headed toward the elevator. She gasped, "Garrus! What are you doing?"

"Celebrating." He growled as the doors closed. Immediately he began stripping her armor and his own.

The door finally opened on her floor and they stumbled into her quarters. They barely made it to the bed before he was on top of her. Jane had expected the animalistic frenzy of their first time together, but he ran his hand gently down her side and reminded her how much he loved her.

They moved slowly, taking their time with each other, making themselves crazed in the process.

After the third or fourth time, Jane was too sated to move and Garrus was lightly stroking her back while she rested on his chest.

"We still have to defeat the Reapers." She said, lifting her head to kiss the side of his mandible.

He smiled. "Of course." He tightened his arms around her. "It just wouldn't be right, if we didn't save the galaxy once and for all."

And so they did.