What awaits me

For you.

A/N: I haven’t written a story in AGES so please excuse a lot. For those of you who haven’t finished ME3 there are spoilers in this and I hope you enjoy reading.



                “Control, destroy or synthesis” mumbled Commander Shepard as he listened to the Crucible list his only options as he limped his heavily wounded body towards the intersection leading to the three options “Yes” replied the AI as it followed him “Control the Reapers, destroy them and let your children repeat your mistakes or become techno-organic life so the Reapers will never return; you must choose.” Shepard stared down at his gun and then back at the three choices “Time is running out, your friends won’t have long until the Reapers overwhelm them” doted the Crucible as war waged outside the Citadel. Shepard took a deep breath as he felt his heart race and slowly began to come to terms with the choice he was about to make “Either way I die” he thought “I’m barely keeping myself up there’s no way I can survive being absorbed, taking control of the Reapers or a blast from destroying them; I’m so sorry Tali.” His mind then began drifting back to the last hour of his life.



Flashback:



                “I want more time” whispered Tali as she was in Shepard’s arms knowing that he may not make it back to her alive “I know.” He responded as he looked into her eyes through her element. The war outside was getting worse and it time for the final push to enter the citadel was drawing closer by the second. He let Tali go and walked towards Anderson. “No more regrets” thought Shepard as he reflected on the moments before, he had said goodbye to all his crewmates past and present “What life would have been like with you after the war...” as he turned around to look at the love of his life one more time as she held herself looking outside and sobbing.  Anderson then interrupted his chain of thought “Time to go Commander, pick your time wisely”



                  For a war to decide the fate of the universe, it went fairly well charging the Reaper head on. As promised, Shepard charged into the final rush with all his friends at his side “We’re making it that beam and we’re ending this war once and for all!” he shouted as they all sprinted as fast as they could to the beam firing at husks, cannibals, brutes and banshees who tried to stop their assault. Time seemed to slow down for him as saw his allies one by one become slowly swarmed by the Reapers’ abominations; first to go down was Wrex then James, Ashley, EDI, Javik. As they neared the beam Garrus, Liara and Tali were the only ones still with him. It was painful to watch to him, he kept turning his head back every time to see his friends get overwhelmed by the massive numbers of assailants  “Shepard don’t stop running” shouted Liara who he barely heard over the gun fire and laser beams flying everywhere “They’ll be fine” Shepard then turned his attention back to the task at hand “Watch out!” yelled Garrus “The Reaper is firing its main cannon” , The four friends looked up as the Reaper pointed it’s laser cannon at them “SHEPARD!” shouted Liara  as she then used her biotics to push everyone out of the way “No, Liara!” shouted Shepard as she tried to multi-task with pushing everyone out of the way and hold a shield up for herself, the last he saw of her was her being blown back by the force and vanishing backwards to the direction they were running from. He awoke a few moments later on the ground in a panic, he looked around for Garrus and Tali. He found them both unconscious next to rubble several meters away “Ah” he said as he winced in pain, he looked down and saw that he wasn’t so fortunate with that push Liara gave him and most of his armor was gone along with himself being heavily wounded.  “I have to get up!” he said to himself as he slowly picked himself up from off the ground, he then saw several husks running towards them “Shit, my weapons!” he began to search for them as he got himself up and saw the husks coming at him, he looked quickly and found a pistol near him, picking it up he quickly dispatched the creatures quickly and limped his broken body towards the light.

 

It was a nightmare when he finally arrived on the Citadel, bodies everywhere; to him it was a scene out of that 21^st century film Saw. “Shepard, I made it onto the Citadel” spoke Anderson in the voice communicator “Maybe it won’t be so bad” he thought, blow the reapers out of the sky and save the world, at least Anderson is here”. After all was said and done, two met in the center of the Citadel where the Crucible controls were supposed to be, the Illusive man found the two and shot Anderson in the stomach “No, Anderson!” shouted Shepard  as he then placed a bullet with his gun in the Illusive man’s head.  Hoisting Anderson up to some rubble, they both had one final talk “we did it.” Anderson said as he closed his eyes for good.



End flashback



“Choose now” said the Crucible interrupting Shepard “You’re time has run out” Shepard then took one more deep breathe and with his battered mind and body spoke “I choose synthesis.” The Crucible smiled at him “Then go, Commander”, as it disappeared.  Shepard with everything he had left in him then dropped his gun and made one last push to run into the light before him, jumping into it and embracing whatever awaited him.