Commander Karra Shepard stretched slowly, luxuriating in the feel of her bed, the room around her and the sense of home. Slowly she rolled over and opened her eyes to find a pair of amber eyes looking back at her. She loved those eyes, the face that surrounded them, the man they belonged to. Her heart pounded as he smiled at her.

'Hey,' he whispered huskily.

'Hey yourself,' she grinned and ran her hand across his chest. He shivered in response and she laughed.

'Do I amuse you?' he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in closer.

'Oh, in so many ways,' the sultry tone of her voice made him moan and she grinned as she kissed her way down his neck.

'I'll try to be more serious then,' he gripped her hips and rolled so he was pinning her to the bed. 'Should I start here?' He ran his tongue down her neck and repeated it with his lips. 'Or maybe here?' He traced a line of kisses down her breast and nipped at her nipple and she couldn't stop the moan that escaped as his warm mouth enveloped her and his tongue made her feel like she was on fire.

'Maybe,' he kissed his way lower, 'here,' his tongue and lips worked their way across her hips, 'or here,' he kissed the inside of her thighs and she instinctively raised her hips. 'Or here,' he whispered as he sucked the bundle of nerves that forced her hips even higher as she gripped the sheets. 'What about here?' He flicked his tongue into her and she moaned in pure delight as he lovingly brought her to the edge.

'Kaidan,' she moaned and reached for his hands, pulling him up and finding his lips.

'Or is this serious enough for you,' he groaned as he slipped into her, slowly increasing the pace, feeling her tumble over the edge and him following.

'We need to get up,' Karra sounded too sleepy to be convincing as she lay against his chest.

'Yeah, guess we should,' Kaidan chuckled.

'Commander, sorry to intrude, but we'll be at Rannoch in an hour.' Joker almost sounded contrite for breaking their solitude. 'So you'd better tell Alenko to make it a quickie.' There was a chuckle before the com flicked off.

Forty minutes later they both stood behind Joker, their hands resting on the back of his chair, fingers almost touching. They agreed to remain professional when on duty and mostly it worked. Karra hooked her little finger through Kaidans and he grinned. Mostly.

They watched Rannock grow larger before them. This had been one of the biggest milestones in their war against the Reapers, they'd stopped a three hundred year old war and united two races determined to destroy each other. And now they were back at the request of the Quarian and Geth ruling body.

'Ready to be recognised as a legend, Commander?' Joker chuckled and Karra flicked his hat.

As much as she hated pomp and ceremony she had agreed to attend the opening of a memorial, part of which included her and the part she played in the growth of this world. Karra just wanted to get married, she would have been happy to find a quiet beach somewhere with a few close friends. But right now they were about to be welcomed as heroes.

'Just get us on the ground, Joker,' she grimaced and went to make sure she was presentable.

'Shepard,' Tali was waiting when the hangar ramp opened. 'Glad you could come.'

Karra was stunned. Tali wasn't wearing her mask and those piercing eyes she seen through the visor were hypnotic, almost crystal in nature. But it wasn't just the eyes, Tali was beautiful, she actually had hair, long dark silken hair that shone brilliantly. She was dressed in a light blue dress that hugged her almost like a bodysuit but flowed like water with every move.

'Bit of a shock, isn't it,' Garrus chuckled as he came up behind her and pulled her into a hug. 'It's great to see you Shepard.'

'Garrus, I thought you were on Palaven.' Karra returned the hug then moved aside so Kaidan could say hello.

'I was,' Garrus sighed, 'still a lot to do there but I wouldn't miss this for the world. Besides, I can't go upsetting Tali, she's murder when she's angry.' Tali swatted him playfully and he feigned injury. He nodded at Kaidan, 'Let's leave the girls to catch up.' Kaidan smiled at Karra and followed Garrus.

'Tali, what happens now?' Tali just laughed and dragged her towards a prefab shelter and led her inside.

'We have a gift for you,' she picked up a box and handed it to her, 'open it.'

Karra opened the box to find a dress folded inside. She lifted it out gently, the fabric flowing like water as she held it up.

'Try it on,' Tali urged.

Karra obliged. She turned to look at herself in a mirror and sucked in a breath. The bodice was strapless and low cut in the back with soft fabric draped over one shoulder and across the bodice to a fitted waist, the lower half of the dress fell softly around her hips to the floor. But it wasn't the style that took her breath away, it was the fabric. There was a layer of soft, white with multiple overlays of blue ranging from a pale blue to a dark blue that shimmered and glistened as it caught the light. She realised they were Alliance colours. It was cut higher at the front so her ankles were visible with the back pooling around her feet. The fabric was so light and soft, the shimmering layers made her look like she was standing in the centre of a waterfall with the water cascading around her. It was stunning.

'Shepard,' Tali gasped, even she was stunned by the vision of beauty standing before her. As if suddenly remembering she pulled another box from a table and pulled out a pair of shoes, strappy with a low heel, again with varying shades of blue.

Karra looked at the vision in the mirror and couldn't believe she was looking at herself. Tali took a brush to her hair then threaded a chain of silver and blue into her hair, braiding it through and creating a tiara of sorts.

'Tali, this is beautiful,' Karra hugged her friend. 'Thank you. Where did you get this?'

'You forget, we Quarians can find anything we need. We have another gift for you,' Tali said softly and led her outside.

Steve turned as she stepped through the door, 'Holy shit,' he gasped.

'Steve?' Karra looked at him through guarded eyes. He was dressed in full uniform and damn he was a handsome man. That didn't stop her from looking at him in confusion.

'Commander,' Steve held out his arm so she could take it. 'I believe I'm your escort.'

Tali giggled and rushed away, disappearing around the corner of the prefab. Steve slowly led her in the same direction a smile on his face and a shake in his arm. As they rounded the prefab Karra was stunned to see Tali, Liara and EDI, all dressed in the same blue dresses, waiting for her.

She looked up to see the Normandy crew, Admiral Hackett, Kaidan's parents, Grunt, Wrex and Bakara, Quarians and Geth were standing either side of an aisle. Beyond that was a structure that on Earth probably would have been called a pagoda but it was built from Geth metals with Quarian fabrics draped around it, a perfect melding of two races. It was beautiful. Running out on either side was a low wall with holographic images spaced evenly along it, one of which was the image of her and Legion when they had first met. She remembered that image from when she was inside the Geth Collective. There was an image of the Normandy and her crew, other images of Quarian and Geth together. Karra was overwhelmed by the beauty of it all and she fought to hold back tears.

Steve chuckled as she tensed on his arm, 'relax Commander.' He kissed her lightly on the cheek then passed her arm to James who was also in full dress uniform.

What was it about a man in uniform, Karra thought as she leant on his arm and they followed the girls. As she looked down the aisle she almost stumbled. Kaidan was standing there, gaping at her, his eyes shining. He too was in full dress uniform and she felt her breath catch in her throat, he was a gorgeous man and he was all hers. She realised now what was happening and she smiled. She saw him gasp and beside him Garrus chuckled and nudged him gently.

'Wouldn't look good if you passed out,' Garrus whispered and Kaidan grinned as he took in the vision of beauty walking towards him, his heart was racing and threatening to break out of his chest as he realised that after today she would be his forever.

'Hot damn, Lola, you brush up well,' James chuckled, raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly as he handed her over to Joker who looked more than handsome in his dress blues and no cap.

'Shepard,' Joker met her eyes, 'you are beautiful, Alenko is a lucky man.' He pulled her in for a hug and there were tears in his eyes when he pulled back. He grinned as she took his arm and he walked her down the aisle and handed her over to Kaidan.

Their eyes met as they took each other's hands, both with unshed tears and pure love shining out. They were both shaking and their breathing was erratic as they turned to face Admiral Raan who had stepped up before them.

'Today is a momentous occasion for two reasons. We celebrate the end of wars and dedicate this spot in memory of those who survived and those who died. On this spot history was changed and the future of both Quarian and Geth assured. When Major Alenko asked to have his and Commander Shepard's wedding on this spot we were honoured and grateful for the opportunity.

As a Fleet Admiral I have the authority to perform marriage ceremonies and today it gives me great joy and I am extremely privileged to bring together two people who love each other more than life itself. They have come through fire, death and separation but stand here today to become one, to swear their eternal love for each other and to walk into the future together. As is the human custom their vows will be heard.'

Karra had a moment of panic as she realised she would have to speak but it quickly passed as Kaidan met her eyes and began speaking, his husky voice sending shivers down her spine.

'Commander Karra Shepard,' he began and grinned when she raised her eyebrows at the use of her full title. 'You are a warrior, a leader and someone I would follow into hell without question.' He smiled and blinked, fighting back tears, 'Shepard, you are my best friend, with you at my side I can take on the universe,' his grip on her fingers tightened and she couldn't stop the tear that rolled down her cheek. 'Karra, you are my heart, you claimed it the very first time I saw you and I have never wanted it back. I love you with every inch of my being, I want to spend the rest of my life in your arms.' He turned to Garrus who handed him a ring that he slipped onto her finger, 'I give myself to you as a man, as a friend and as a lover, I love you Karra Shepard, from now until the end of time.'

Karra stared at the ring, it was a striped band of multiple colours that rippled as they caught the light, it was beautiful. She realised that he was waiting for her to speak and she smiled as she met his eyes.

'Kaidan,' she paused and trembled, she had thought about this and wanted him to know what was in her heart. 'I remember the first time I saw your smile and the way your beautiful eyes shone, I lost my heart to that smile and those eyes, I drowned in them and I never want to come up for air. You've had my back in battle, you've been my friend when I needed reassurance, you've been my support, my soft place to land,' he grinned at that as a tear rolled down his cheek. She took the matching ring from Garrus and slipped it onto his finger, 'I give myself to you, my heart, my soul, my body. I love you Kaidan Alenko, from now until the end of time.'

'May the promises made here today stand the test of time, may you continue on into the future together, may your dreams come true.' Admiral Raan smiled. 'I believe it's customary to kiss the bride,'

Kaidan cupped her face as she raised her hand to his and their lips met tenderly, slowly deepening as they accepted each other's vows. As if the gods had heard them their rings caught the suns rays and rainbows danced around them, enveloping them in an aura of light.

'Keelah se'lai,' the Quarians whispered. Everyone else simply gasped at the beauty and magic of it all.

'I love you Mrs Alenko,' Kaidan smiled as they separated.

'I love you Mr Alenko,' Karra grinned then laughed as cheering broke out around them and they were swept away by those around them.

Karra stood on the cliff edge and remembered when Tali had picked out this spot for her window. The light caught her ring and she fingered it lovingly. Steve had made them at Kaidan's request from pieces of their past. There was sliver from Kaidan's armour and one from Shepards, there was a sliver from the original Normandy and a piece from the current Normandy, all melded together to create something beautiful. The piece of the SR-1 was surprising, Kaidan had been to visit the site after she'd placed the monument, looking for closure.

'Happy?' Kaidan slid his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

'Extremely,' she relaxed into his embrace. 'I don't know how you managed to keep this secret, especially with Joker knowing.'

'I threatened to ground him if he told, which didn't have much effect until EDI backed me up.' Kaidan chuckled as Karra turned in his arms. 'I know we wanted something special and a little private, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Something to remember.'

'This was perfect,' she smiled and pulled him into a kiss.

'Guess we'd better get back to our guests,' Kaidan pulled back reluctantly.

'Guess so,' she laughed at his grimace and they turned to re-join the celebration.

They stopped as one and looked at the group before them, Garrus, Tali, Liara, Steve, Joker, James, Dr Chakwas, and EDI were standing together watching with smiles that would light the night sky. With a laugh Karra and Kaidan stepped forward into the waiting arms of their family.

A/N: And so it ends. Thank you for reading, reviewing and enjoying. It might not be how everyone saw the story but as the song says - 'I did it my way.'