This is a work of fan fiction from all Mass Effect games owned by EA and Bioware. I do not claim any ownership of the characters or the Mass Effect universe. My thanks to Bioware and EA for creating an amazing story with characters we have all come to know and love.

Chapter 45: Earth Bound

Ellure dug at her eye sockets, straining to wake up. Music blared through the room, bubbling obnoxiously off every wall. Whoever was picking these songs to play at this hour deserved to be shot.

Grouching with pillow overhead, she reached out to slap the clock on the nightstand. Her hand struck something else entirely.

"Spirits!" Garrus covered his nose and rolled to the side.

Pulling upright on her knees beside him, she muttered apologies amongst surging laughter.

"You could have just asked me to get it." he said.

With one hand on his shoulder, she climbed over his waistline and shut off the alarm. Forcing him to lie on his back and face her, she fanned her face in an attempt to control the chortling. "I'm so, so sorry." Elbows tented, nose shielded, Garrus continued his slurring of what she imagined were turian curses lost on her ears. "I thought you said humans were bad at hand-to-hand?"

"Next time we spar I'll strap your clock to my arm and see how you do." She murmured requests for forgiveness in an attempt to offset her giggling.

Moving his hand to her hip, Garrus wiggled his nose as if to realign it. "I'm glad my injury is amusing to you."

"Can you ever forgive me?" She slapped her palms together, pleading.

"Sure, right after my eyes stop watering."

She gently kissed his nose. "I'm sorry."

He exhaled sending a rumble through his chest beneath her. "I know." Drawing her against him, he rotated her shoulders to the bed and hovered over her, hotly breathing down her skin.

"No, no, no. You have to go, I have to-" She smacked the top of his head. "Cut that out!"

"If you are not adorned in armor and wielding a gun, your threats are empty."

"Oh for crying- Hey!"

He groaned and pushed off of her. "You're not really going to turn me down five minutes before I ship out again, are you?"

"Please, don't look at me like that."

"Twenty minutes."

"No."

"Fifteen."

"I am not going to face your sister and have to muddle through an explanation."

Raking a talon down her side, he said, "Your scar from the collector base is completely gone."

"Thank you for pointing that out."

"All right. I'm only agreeing to this because I don't care to explain it to my family either."

Drudged out of bed, she showered, dressed, and prepared for a day thickly fraught. Once home she had to find a way to convince the Defense Committee, to make them understand how little time they had. The clock was ticking with an unknown alarm. The Alliance was the strongest support right now. And that was nauseating.

Whenever the sand settled at the bottom of the hourglass, she hoped Garrus and his family would be safe. After all, the reapers had their gaze transfixed on Earth. But she wouldn't point that out to him, he had enough to deal with already. Her team would be with her.

"Crap." she said, stepping into the elevator alone. What was going to happen to them while she was under trial? Anderson and Hackett certainly wouldn't let them fall under scrutiny. Right?

In the CIC, Solana was already aboard on the bridge, appearing to be enthralled by Joker's commentary on space flight. If she didn't have a smidgen of interest one would never know.

"Hey, Sol." Ellure noted the transformation compared to their first meeting as Solana hugged her while dressed in her white and red patched medical uniform. "Getting back to work then?"

"Oh, yes. Three days is excessive for a vacation. But I enjoyed myself. You have quite the assortment of characters aboard this vessel."

"You have no idea."

"I'm just sorry I didn't get to meet all of them. Especially the geth."

"Legion."

"Legion, yes. My father told me about it."

"He was something." She combed the hair out of her eyes, hoping to force it into compliance today.

The sound of Garrus' heavy stride slowed. "Ready, Sol?"

"I was wondering if I might take a moment to pray for you." Solana said to her, creating hush amongst the gathering.

"I didn't know turians did that."

"Sometimes, in dire circumstances." Solana took her hands. "Spirits, keep us safe and should the worse come to pass may we be ready." She nodded in concurrence with the short but sweet gesture. Bidding goodbye to Joker, Solana passed through the airlock and waited for Garrus outside the Normandy in the Citadel's port. "I can see it's my turn to be pushy." She taunted, tapping two toes impatiently.

Garrus gripped Joker's shoulder. "Fly safe. I know it's always a good feeling to set foot on your own planet."

"Good luck, big guy."

Ellure followed him under Joker and Solana's indiscreet eyes. Garrus reached over and hit the panel, shutting the doors and secluding them. The airlock's scanner created a green model of a turian and human on the vid screen. "I thought we could use a bit of privacy. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"Right..."

"I will. I've got Joker, Jack, Gabby, Donnelly, Jacob, Kelly, and Chakwas making this trek with me."

"They are not the ones going on trial."

"No, but they're accessories. Hopefully I can change that."

He smoothed one sole over the grating and sighed. "You need to tell me when you find out anything."

"Yes, sir." She lifted her tags out of her shirt. "Still following your last order too."

He smiled. "Perfect."

"Same address right?"

"It's for my sister's terminal. That way even if I'm not there she can notify me."

"I'll be sure not to write anything kinky."

"She won't read it. She knows better." Garrus bent forward and kissed her lightly. Weaving his fingers through her hair, he tilted her head back and traced his tongue along her jaw line to her ear. "Something to remember me by."

"I don't plan on forgetting you." she said breathlessly.

Swaying back into usual sanguine stance, he said, "Just the same, though."

Unsure of what to say, she watched him watching her for a time. He smiled once more, like one does in a situation that lacks words, and cleared his throat before turning his gaze to the vid screen.

As he reached for the panel, she stopped him in his tracks. The sight of his uneasiness was not the freshest memory of him she wanted to be left with.

She gripped the front collar of his breastplate and yanked him down to her level. "First of all, get your damn armor fixed already. It's been half a year since Omega... Now, you listen and listen good. I don't date wussy dinosaurs. Suck it up."

With a rasped chuckle, he pushed back. Forehead to nose, his breath against hers. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

She kissed him deeply for the last time and stepped back, rubbing her arm as she wrapped it around herself. "You should go."

He started for the airlock's controls and stalled. "Ell, let me ask you something. I know it's a strange question, but after our talk the other night I think it requires consideration, and it would put my mind at ease."

Lounging in his chair, he purged the files and started up a third scan. "Anything we've missed, EDI?"

"All video and audio feeds have been erased. Only non-classified data is remaining."

"Wipe it all."

"Jeff?"

"You heard me. Wipe it all." The airlock hissed open and Shepard's eyes were enough to make his own stomach gnash. "We'll be cleared in an hour."

"I appreciate you letting me know, Joker." She paced the hallway and chewed her thumbnail.

"You two christening the airlock?"

"Christening?"

"You know." Following his crude hand signal, she huffed and shot him an angry stare. "I just wanted to be sure."

"I don't even... Why?"

"I wondered if I should be scrubbing the Normandy's databanks again. You think the Alliance is going to let us fly in there without a thorough shake down? This is a Cerberus ship."

"Of course." Shepard pinched the top of her nose and rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index finger. "Can I borrow your hat?"

"You're joking right?"

"Look, I just want a little bit of anonymity. Al-Jilani is out to have my head on a platter."

After brief debate, he conceded and lobbed it toward her. "Don't lose it. Where are you going?"

"To the bar." she said, threading her locks through the back of the hat to create a short ponytail.

"But we're-" Joker snapped his jaw tight. She was already gone. "EDI, is there any way you can keep a track on her?"

"There are no tracking bugs in her casual attire."

He smoothed a hand over his hair as a chill crossed his scalp. "Is Taylor available?"

"Jacob Taylor is helping to fill in for Tali'Zorah vas Normandy in engineering."

"I can't believe I'm about to do this." Joker synced to the lower engineering deck. "Jack, you there?"

"Something I can do for you? I would think we should be fucking soaring by now."

Of all the shitty options, he was down the most lunatic of them all. "I need your help."

"I'm listening."

Ellure marched through C-Sec and the Zakera Ward and straight into the Dark Star Lounge. She only had eyes for one person in that bar. The bartender.

Smoldering into her seat, she placed an order. The turian seemed hesitant but poured a single glass of bright jade. She knocked it back and signaled for another. The urge to dull the senses was rising.

She ordered two more.

By her fifth, Ellure slowed, head on her forearm, using the brim of Joker's hat as a blinder. She needed something to get her crew out of this. The truth wasn't cutting it anymore. If Joker was wiping Normandy records, things were worse than she'd anticipated.

She also needed an answer to Garrus' question.

Glasses clattered amongst idle chatter as thump and bump beats vibrated the bar. The gruff sounds of someone clearing their throat from behind forced her to return to the present. "If it isn't the great Commander Shepard. Funny how things work out isn't it?"

The hat had been a futile endeavor. "Zaeed..."

"Oh come now. We can be friends." She refused to acknowledge that statement. "I heard about your little blowing up of those batarians. Nice job. I'm surprised you even made it out of the collector base."

She swiveled around, elbows on the bar, to glower at the disfigured face of a man she'd hoped not to ever run into again. "What brings you here?"

"I've been spending a bit of time giving a hassle to good ol' Cerberus."

"What's the matter? They dock your pay or bounce your check?"

Zaeed chuckled. "You'd like that wouldn't ya'? No, it's much deeper than that. Got hired for a little mission to work for TIM."

"Tim?"

He exhaled. "The Illusive Man."

"Ah... right."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Might as well." She shrugged with defeat and returned to order another round from her favorite person in the bar.

Zaeed's armor rattled onto a stool beside her. "Batarian ale for me... So, where's your turian bodyguard or that drell you were so sweet on?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Here I am trying to be all nice-like. You're making it bloody difficult, Shepard."

"Get done with your gloating. I've got a flight to catch."

"Who said I was here to goddamn gloat? No, I prefer to steer clear of the expected. Let's get down to the brass tacks of it all. I'm looking to put a solid boot in Cerberus' ass. From what I've heard, you are too."

"You've been misinformed. I want nothing to do with Cerberus."

Zaeed slid a handful of credits to the bartender. "I was paying attention on the Normandy you know. You may toss orders around and tromp your way through the muckity, but you can't bullshit a bullshitter."

"What do you want from me?" Ellure relaxed, cheek on her fist, and propped one finger against her pounding temple. Alcohol was sinking in. "Considering our last push and shove, you can see why it would be hard for me to put much stock in your 'bullshit'."

"I've got a few words of warning on something." Lips smacking, he swirled his drink. "Saw you sitting here, looking all down in the mouth, and thought you'd like a little reunion. A reunion to benefit us all." He raised his glass for a toast.

"How does this 'something' have anything to do with me?"

He blew out a terse sigh and set down his un-clinked glass. "Because we're more alike than you think. We both carry grudges, kill anyone for vengeance, and spend our time trying to do good deeds to make up for our shortcomings."

"Well I know a load of crap when I hear it."

"How is it, a few days before you joined the Alliance, an entire division of Hallex distributors were shot down -sniped- not far from your former residency? Funny thing that is."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

With a cynical snort, he said, "Hell if you aren't a stubborn wench. Took my pay that week."

"Again. Don't know what you're talking about."

"Hastings had been on the radar for a while. Had it comin' as far as I'm concerned. But ya' know, with everything we have in common? I'm disappointed you would pry that level of empowering justice away from me when you've committed it yourself."

"The cost was too high. Maybe I was trying to teach you a thing or two."

"Eat some humble pie." Zaeed paused and stared at the shelves of liquor behind the bar. "Believe it or not, I have respect for you. Stepping out of your comfort zone, leaving the warm cushioned embrace of the Alliance to ally with your enemy and unite on a common goal. Someone needs to put these damned synthetic bastards in their place."

Drowsily trying to focus on his good eye, she said, "I didn't know you cared, Zaeed."

"There's a lot you don't know, Shepard."

"You're not going to tell me an old mercenary story now, are you?"

"Gods no. Haven't got the time. You never listened anyway, ya' goddamn fruit."

"Thanks..." She finished the last swallow of her tumbler. "Here's my question for you, Zaeed. Why are you giving trouble to Cerberus?"

"With nothing else to do they offered me a special contract, and, as much as I don't like how they operate, it seemed to be an equally beneficial affair. Till I discovered the employed troops of TIM are no longer all-natural."

"What?"

"They were husked-huskified-changed men."

"Where did you hear this?"

"I didn't. I saw it. Got his hands on some reaper tech..."

"I destroyed the collector base."

"I don't give rocks about what you did. They got something out of it somewhere. All they needed was one good chunk. You think a little bomb is going to turn that entire base to ashes?"

"It wasn't exactly little... Damn it." Face cupped in her hands, she massaged the headache. Crap if he wasn't right. Ellure eased back, re-aligning Joker's hat. "Well isn't that just great. Peachy keen. Wonderful, in fact."

"How's your pretty little XO, Lawson?"

"What do you care-" She hiccupped. "Bout that?"

Zaeed whispered brusquely, "Did you even stop to consider that without her to be TIM's pet, he might find another? Besides you, that is. You could have had a man on the inside."

"No. Miranda deserved... more than deserved... freedom." Staring at her empty spinning see-through cup, she heard footsteps stomping up behind her.

A slight hand tucked under her armpit and yanked her off the stool backwards and onto her wobbled feet. "Let's go, boss lady."

Zaeed stood, lights glowing around him like the aurora borealis. "What's the hurry?"

From her unsteady position leaning on Jack, she tried to stand alone. "Not yet."

Jack said, "You're looking a little green, Shepard. Let's get you back on the ship."

"Let's just sit... and put more of the stuff in the... the thing more stuff goes in. Talking." Numbed, she tried to watch the patterns of lights pattering across the shiny bar.

"Well, look at you all prim and proper. You may be interested in this too, Jack. Stay awhile."

"See here, old man-"

"Old man? Who are you calling old man?"

"You. I'm not looking for bounty hunter thrills. This way, Shepard. We need to get home."

"Home? Didn't think you had one. Of all the goddamn glory chasers, I'm surprised, Jack. I would think you'd be first in line to piss off Cerberus."

"Maybe another day. On my terms."

"Kai Leng."

"What?"

"She's obviously loopy. Just tell her Cerberus' pet project is Kai Leng. It's a name I'm hearing on the wings of butterflies."

"The wings of what? I think you've had too much to drink too. Come on, Shepard."

Jack toddled into the bridge with Shepard hung on her shoulder. "We're clear to go."

Joker nodded and flipped the ignition while the commander was harnessed into the chair at the resource console. "Uhm. Why are you leaving her there?"

"Because she said she doesn't want to go to her room alone." Jack handed back his hat. "And I'm not good with fluffy cuddles."

And with that, their feisty biotic plod through the CIC and disappeared.

Joker stared blankly at the floppy body that sat behind him in a crisscross of security straps. "You with me, Ell?"

"Oh. My. God. That guy... that guy makes the bestest green stuff." Her head bobbed back on the headrest, dropping from side to side. "I like that guy."

"I'm just going to go through the procedures." Tapping into Chambers' station, he said, "Could we get some coffee up here for Shepard? Make a whole pot. I could use some too."

"Not a problem, Flight Lieutenant. I'll bring it up there in a jiffy."

"Thanks infinitely."

Shepard said, "Did you delete, EDI?"

He paused. "Why would I delete EDI?"

"She's a thing."

"A what?"

Waving her hand repeatedly, she said, "AI, thing."

His brow furrowed as he observed the drive core's fluctuations. Why would he delete EDI?

His ribs ached with the ghost of a break. The Alliance. "No." There was no way he would delete that thing. He'd put up with way too much of its crap and spent too much of his time training it to do things his way. That was a good reason. No, he couldn't disable EDI. I mean, sure it was just an AI, but...

That was it! The only people who knew it was an AI was the crew. "I'll take care of it. Don't worry about EDI."

"That's good. So... sleepy."

"Stay with me a minute, I need your permission to fly here."

"Ass."

"Coffee is coming."

"I like coffee."

He chuckled at her glazed expression. "Man, that is an understatement. All right, Commander. Fuel cells are at one hundred percent, drive core heat emissions are stabilized, all ship personnel are on board and ready-except for you-shield barriers at full capacity, and we are cleared for takeoff."

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a hanar."

"This is going to be a long trip."

Shepard slapped her thigh. "You know what's a trip?"

"I'm afraid to ask."

"You." As he turned to look at her, Shepard bent forward and touched his nose with her fingertip. "Boop."

"A very long trip indeed."

"Ell?"

"Hmm?"

"You may want to see this."

She opened her eyes and arched back into a stretch. "How long have I been sleeping up here?"

"Long enough to sober, I hope." Joker pointed to the front external screen. "You think anyone else might want to take a gander?"
She smiled at the sight of the green, tan, blue, and white swirls. It was perfectly beautiful. Syncing into the ship's speakers, she said, "Anyone interested in seeing this better get up here before we enter the atmosphere." Ellure un-harnessed and leaned over the back of Joker's chair. Her heart swelled. Home. No matter how dark her life had been, no matter how long she'd been away, it was still home.

Jack entered with the rest of the crew in tow. "Wow... I've never seen it."

"What?"

"I've never seen it before. I'm not sure where I was born, but I certainly never came here."

She wrapped her arms around Jack's shoulders and pulled her into an awkward sideways hug. It was like hugging an inflexible and indifferent noodle. "Welcome home, Jack."

Jack patted her forearm. "Let's not get soggy over this."

"Just let me fucking hug you, bitch." she harped.

"Fine."

Gabby wiped the smudge of moisture from her eyes. "I can't wait to step off this ship and onto that planet. Our planet."

Donnelly poked at Gabby's side. "Aye. You've been getting a little soft around the edges."

"You're such a dick." said Gabby, taking one step to the side to avoid him.

"Then why are you always following me, woman?"

"Cause without me, you're a disaster waiting to happen."

With his hands gripping the top of the doorway, Jacob said, "Good to be back."

Chakwas smiled to Kelly. "I say full steam ahead, Jeff."

"Agreed," she added.

Ellure placed her things into a topless strongbox. It had been three days since they landed at Alliance Headquarters.

After dusting the frames, she placed Kaidan and Thane's pictures on top of her clothes, datapads, hair brush and the like. She froze at the inspection of Vermin's cage, empty with the lid corner chewed away. "How did he... But he was just... Forget it. Space hamster, my ass." she grumbled, "No more hand feeding that thing."

Dissecting the room from top to bottom, she searched. Couch cushions were thrown asunder. Sheets were balled up and cast aside. Looking under the bed, she spotted something. A white greased up t-shirt. Not hers.

Sitting down on her knees, she pulled it out from under the bed and slapped a palm to her forehead. The night Miranda came to her room to tell her about leaving for Illium she had kicked it under the bed and completely forgotten. Holding it against her chest, she sighed painfully. It still smelled like him.

Giving up on Vermin, she packed Garrus' shirt in with her things. The door hissed open and Ellure stood, box in hand, frozen. Neither one of them seemed willing to speak first.

"Kaidan."

"Shepard."

"How are you?"

He smiled bashfully. "Good. I'm, uh... a major, now." As he glanced down, dark eyelashes shadowed his cheeks. "I, uh, heard you were back. Anderson thought I should help you with your things and get you set up."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Breaking the awkward silence, she handed him her belongings. "I'll be there in a minute. There's something I need to do before I leave the ship."

"Anything I can help with?"

"No, thanks. I got it."

"Alright." Kaidan started towards the door and hesitated. "It's good to see you."

She nodded and he left.

After returning the room to its original state, Ellure sat down at her terminal and opened up her message box, fingertips making heavy strokes.

Garrus,

Before you left, you asked me a question. What am I living for?

I've been called a savior, a loose cannon, and everything in-between. Somehow I have done the things expected of me, and sometimes I have even exceeded them. Yet with all that I've seen and done, a difference hasn't been made. There is no saving grace, no simple answer. I will fight till I die. And for that you might be asking, why? Why put it all on the line for a galaxy that never knew I existed? What makes this pathetic orphan think she can turn the tide?

Because their fate and yours, is my fate. I have a duty to myself. I have a duty to the people I love that love me. I fight for them, and even the ones who fight against me.

I fight for them all, but I live for you.

All my love,

Commander Ellure Shepard

- Message Sent -

Ellure pushed back from her desk, crossed the hall, and stepped into the elevator. Listening to the whirring gears overhead, she hoped it was the answer he needed. Commander Shepard was an individual with high expectations. Ell was someone who only wanted to enjoy the simpler things in life. And she was both.

A blue orb of light flickered on. "Jeff requests to see you on the bridge."

"Works out well then. I was just heading up there."

"Your message was completed to Officer Vakarian's address. It has not been opened."

"I'm sure he's got his hands full. He'll get it eventually."

"Shepard. I wanted you to know, I will take care of the Normandy while you are away."

"EDI... you are the Normandy."

"You walk inside me, tickling me with your steps. That is a joke."

As the doors opened to the CIC, revealing the powered down galaxy map, she said, "If I could, I'd give you a high five. That was pretty good."

"Thank you." EDI chimed happily.

"Don't give Joker too much trouble."

"Logging you out, Commander."

"Goodbye, EDI." Ellure blinked back the well of emotion and walked up to the bridge. She gazed at the silent and dark control station. Who would have guessed she'd be standing here alive on a Cerberus built copy of the SSV and feeling as though she'd miss it.

"Commander."

Standing in the entry way, he saluted stiffly.

She rolled her eyes. "Cut the formalities. No one is here to see." Before he could protest, she hugged him and kissed his cheek. "You behave yourself. Don't eat like a pig and lay off the vids. Eat some damn vegetables once in a while too."

"Man, I told you not to do that."

Face squished between her fingers, she pecked him again. "Too late. It's already been done."

Joker held the brim of his cap as she released. "Well at the very least you're not flicking my hat."

Interrupting, a husky voice said from the airlock, "Commander Shepard." She turned to see a broad shouldered bulk of a man looming in the doorway. Even with the tattoos on his neck and veined arms, she found him to be extremely clean cut compared to Jack's copious artwork. She wondered what he would think of hers.

He saluted. "Lieutenant James Vega. I'm here to take you to see the Alliance Council. Major Alenko is holding your possessions till after the proceedings."

"Thanks, James." She said to Joker, "This is it."

He smiled. "Good luck."

"Oh! One more thing I wanted to tell you before I go." She forced a frown and stepped closer.

Guardedly, he said, "What's that?"

Middle finger tucked under thumb, she flicked the hat. "Love you."

"That was low. Low, I say!"

A final wink and she departed from the Normandy SR-2 with her new acquaintance.

Walking the length of the docking bay and into windowed corridor, she reminded herself to breathe calmly. Maybe Thane was right about meditation lessons. Cybernetics, coffee, and alcohol weren't helping anymore.

Waiting in the elevator as they ascended, Ellure could feel the curious gaze running over her. Being sized up was nothing new, but it presented an opportunity for distraction. She needed to think about something else, even for just a moment, and jumped in head first. "Stop checking me out."

"I, uh... what?"

"I'm not blind, Mr. Vega." She arched one brow, signaling he'd been caught. "At least have the decency to not be so obvious."

"It's just that you're not as mannish as I had pictured."

Arriving at their floor, she exited into the final stretch. "Mannish? What the hell?"

"You're a Commander. I expected a little more, I don't know, ruggedness."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"I'm not complaining."

His posture tensed as she cast a hard glare up at James. "Hmm." Just before the beads of sweat could develop, she thumped his upper arm with the back of her hand. "Loosen up. I'm just pulling your leg."

He exhaled, a broad smile taking shape. "Which leg?" Her jaw dropped and he squared his in response. "Sorry, Commander."

She smiled. "I think you and I are going to get along just fine, James. But I'm already with someone, so don't get your hopes up."

"I wasn't... I was just playing with you, testing the waters." She scowled. "I need to stop talking before I get myself into trouble."

They turned the last corner and climbed the stairs. Anderson was waiting.

"You ready?" he said as she approached.

She had known him long enough to see through the brave mask and tensed smile creating the crow's feet framing his troubled eyes. "So long as you can keep my crew clean from all this."

"You let me take care of that. So far, all eyes are on you. Hackett and I got you down from a trial to a quiet under the table meeting. Maybe we can drag this out long enough for the media to lose interest."

"Sounds promising."

"It's the best we could do."

"We have reached a decision."

Center of the room, Ellure stood alone. The only thing missing from this moment was a giant red letter and a spotlight.

"Commander Shepard, you are hereby stripped of your title and will be placed in detention until further notice. Your ship, the Normandy SR-2, will be detained and acclimated into the fleet."

All the blood in her body rushed to her toes, draining her considerations with it. "I... What?"

"This is best solution to maintaining our limited friendship with the batarians and giving us time to sort out this monstrous mess you've made."

"You're taking my ship? Revoking my credentials?" Her chest rose and fell as she curled and uncurled her fingers. All of her work, everything that meant anything was gone. Poof. Just like that.

With a clear and concise tone, the woman said, "We are sorry, Shepard. You must understand that this is a matter of preventing all-out war."

Her eyelid twitched. Somewhere in her mind she could hear the crystal sharp snap. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" Their faces were hard. Dense. "The Reapers are coming. There isn't time for this! I am the only person out there trying to bolster a defense and you're going to ground me?"

James latched her arm as she tried to pass. "I wouldn't do that."

One motion, she pulled free but refrained from approaching. "You don't realize what you're doing."

"We didn't make this decision lightly. You've accomplished a lot during your tenure with us. We took that into account, but this is necessary to remain at peace."

"Are you nuts?" She scoffed. "Peace? You think this is going to create peace?" With nothing but indignant expressions for a response, she continued slowly and pointed at the marble tiles bedecking the chamber. "I agreed to step down, but I did not agree to quit. They are coming. You have to do something. We have to be ready for the reapers-"

The grey-haired woman slapped her hands on the table and stood, hunching forward. "That's enough! One more word and I will personally see to it that you are court-martialed and sent to the brig."

She bit hard on her trembling bottom lip and nodded twice. "All right. I can see what's going on here. You're all too cowardly to fight them. Too cowardly to even admit that the threat is there. Fair enough."

James whispered, "Commander," and reached for her arm.

Throwing up her hands in frustration and avoidance, she spoke loud enough for the room to hear. "Stick your heads in the sand all you want. Go ahead! Let me know how that works out for you. They. Are. Coming. Whatever you do to me, that fact won't change." Ellure marched out, brushing Anderson's shoulder with hers.

Mind-blowing. Even if she had tied a husk on a leash and dragged it clawing and hissing up to their high and mighty roost, they would have found reasons to avoid it.

James jogged up beside her. "I'm supposed to escort you."

"We're fucked, James. Absolutely fucked."

Full steam ahead, she entered the small confined space to see her box sitting on a desk. The entire outer wall created a frame of the city. At least she had a window in this prison. Cause that's what it was, a fancy prison, a place to keep her happy enough not to bitch and moan.

"Is there anything I can do?"
"No. There's nothing left to do now."

"Commander?" She turned to see his outstretched hand. "I'm afraid I have to take those."

"Huh?"

"Your tags. I have to turn them in to Admiral Anderson."

She laughed maniacally and snapped the chain off of her neck. "Take 'em. You guys want the shirt off my back too? How about my soul? You want to take that while you're at it? Oh, wait. You've already done that."

James pursed his lips. "I'm sorry."

She growled with resignation. "Just go, James. It's not your fault. Just... go."

The door shut.

She collapsed to the bed, slithering to the floor, and sat with her back against the cot, thighs tucked to her chest. Ellure touched the back of her neck and felt the wetness. Bringing back her hand, she rubbed her fingertips with the pad of her thumb smearing the red. She couldn't even feel the pain from it. Zaeed was right about one thing. Rage was a hell of an anesthetic.

The room sheltered a few novelty books, a small desk, and sleeping amenities. There was no contact to the outside world. She was locked up, incarcerated. A decorative form of house arrest. Her forehead thunked to her knees.

Yeah, sure, they could have tossed her in the brig. But what did it matter? It was as though Harbinger had won in an offhanded twist-of-fate sort of way. Her crew was finished and split. Garrus was light years away. Her title was stripped. She was alone and finished. On top of all that, Cerberus was out there executing untold atrocities.

Everything that made her Commander Ellure Shepard had been taken from her. She was washed up and confined. Her next course of action was to sit here and do what? Think about what? That Garrus was off on a completely different planet preparing to fight the fight while she was stuck in her cage waiting for the arrival?

She rose and began unpacking.

Her life was always in motion. Now it was at a standstill. Tapping one short nail on the box, she looked out at the sky.

Ellure propped the side of her hip against the desk and gazed at the falling of night over the city. The sun, a brazen orange, created a ripple of purple and pink hues. The orange haze brought a simplicity of joy with memory.

On the beach with her purple drink in hand, the feel of her toes digging into the sand as she sat beside him looking out over the horizon, the sound of waves lapping at the shore, and her team conversing freely; it was moment in time when the Normandy crew was never going to be kidnapped, and everyone felt as though they weren't about to charge head first into war. The only concern was if the beer Garrus plucked out of the cooler was dextro or levo.

Ellure closed her eyes and focused. The way he would laugh and wrap his arm around her shoulders drawing her against him, his comforting scent, a warm touch, a tender kiss on her forehead, and all of their ridiculous little competitions…

If she had nothing else, she had all of that.

A/N: Amity in the Stars is complete! Honorary fist bumps for all!

I have worked so hard writing this and had a blast. All of your support has been thoroughly appreciated, and I hope that the characters were as real for you as they were to me. I truly adore each of them and have tried my best to let them speak for themselves, good or bad, lame jokes and all! At least, that's how I see them. ;P

And a final thank you to all my followers, watchers, reviewers, guests, and favorites. You guys are awesome! I appreciate those of you who have stuck with this from start to finish. I know it's been rough at times, but I am proud to say this is my first writing project that has been carried to completion. It's not perfect, but I'm okay with that. It's a decent start.

Sprightly out!

January 02, 2013: The sequel has officially kicked off! Sacrificial Choices will be covering the events of Mass Effect 3 as a direct continuation. Similar style of following the main storyline but will contain my own personal adaptions and different POV's to the events that take place.