Commander Of The Fallen

Homeward Bound

The view out of the apartment was beautiful, streaming lights, the faint smell of food and faint sound of music. It was like a pause for the moment. A breath to be caught and to rest for just a fraction of a second. Anderson had gifted this amazingly beautiful apartment to her and her first visit ended in a battle with a clone. Shepard shook her head lightly at that memory. The sarcastic comments of her crew, the fact she fell through a bloody fish tank was still making her want to bang her head against the glass. Then there was the aftermath of it all, Joker had all too happily pushed for this 'gathering' and with amount of alcohol that Glyph had bought she had a small amused feeling that someone was bound to be thrown off that balcony.

"They will be here soon, Shepard." came an all too familiar voice that made her sigh slowly. Shivers running down her back as she turned to her partner. A smile played at her lips as her Turian walked over to window. Blue armor reaching up and brushing locks of her bright red hair behind her ear. It was one of the few times she actually let her hair down and it seemed her lover was very interested in what he liked to call a fringe.
"Why am I doing this again?" Shepard asked with a slight tilt of her head, the question was rhetorical but that didn't change the fact that she had invited everyone. All her family.
"Because you need a break?" Garrus replied, "that isn't with your charming bad-boy boyfriend?" he added with a chuckle.

Shepard laughed and brushed her hand over his mandible, how had this happened between them? From releasing stress to being a one turian kind of woman.
"I am sure that we can have fun, without too much trouble?" she was hopeful not to have to call C-Sec or explain why they shouldn't be arrested. She leaned in and kissed him softly, it was the doorbell that brought them out of each other. And that was the start of it all, from the eternal debate of who was stronger to trying to make sure Javik and Wrex didn't blast a hole in her new apartment. Shepard stood by the piano as she looked at the people who saved her so many times. The reason why the great Commander A. Shepard was so great. It was nice to see them talking to each other and be apart of her downtime, a twist in her stomach made her lean back against the black piano.

All her life had been one battle after another, losing her parents and becoming a war hero and then Saren and Geth. Collectors. The only time she had a decent rest was when she was on the operating table, the saying "I'll sleep when I'm dead." applied too well to her really. And now, the Reapers were beating down the door and she was here trying to take a breather. The only difference was now the music and food was inside the apartment not on the other side of glass. Shepard took a sip from her bottle and watched as her friends laughed with each other. Why was it slipping away? It was like she was glossing it over and over in her mind. Maybe that should have been a warning sign as she glanced towards Garrus and Joker, the fact she had now admitted that this was going to be the last time all of them were together.

"I do believe you are supposed to smile at these things." Shepard glanced towards Liara and laughed faintly, though it had a very sad twinge to it. "Something bothering you, commander?" her oldest friend asked as she leaned beside her.
"No, just...letting it all sink in." Alyssa said softly in reply before turning back towards the others, "We have never been like this and well, I just wanna remember it." It must have been the way she said it or the way she was watching her love across the room that gave the clue to Liara.

"You don't think you'll survive this war, do you?" Liara asked slowly, smiling ever so slightly, she was always too good with questions. "We all have noticed that you are becoming less and less like yourself." Shepard glanced at her friend in surprise and maybe she wasn't so sure to deny it. What point was there in hiding the fact she was terrified of not seeing Earth again, or visiting Palaven when it wasn't in flames, or to watch the ships coming and going from the Citadel and to just have a lie in. All those things and more, growing old just didn't seem her thing anymore.
"Sleep just doesn't agree with me and well..." Alyssa wondered for a moment what she should say, "I just know that if we defeat them, it's the end of the legend."
"The legend of the Reapers or the legend of Shepard?" Liara asked with a slight tilt of her drink and looked back at the others. "I know that your clone got to you in more ways then one, but that doesn't mean you should hold it in. He's waiting for you to open up you know." Shepard almost rolled her eyes at that comment. Were they high schoolers now? Whispering in the corner over romance and love and secrets.

"Thanks Liara, for the pep talk, but I am fine." Alyssa said softly before pushing off the black piano and smiling at the Asari. "Cheers."

It had been a nice dream, one that she believed would always stay with her, but it was over now. The memories, both good and bad, were fading as the blood dripped onto the metal floor. What had cut through her armor in the first place? Was it the explosion or the beam she ran into? Fear and adrenaline kept her moving, through the pain that spiked each time she moved. Her mind wandered back to the party, a painful laugh escaping her as she recalled the comments as she took the dance floor. But then she didn't want to think anymore, how many of the people she knew were still walking? Still alive?

Oh god, Anderson. Alyssa opened her eyes again and looked up, where was she on the Citadel? To get a view on it all so beautifully and not be able to hear anything at all. Shepard could see Earth, the edge of the moon and something else. What was that? Was it Hackett's ship? From where she sat, the blue and green seemed so beautiful against the blackness, but the things that surrounded her Earth made her frown slightly. It hurt though, the cuts on her face were probably superficial. Flashes of red and orange, white and purple. This was reality.

Shepard flinching slightly as she looked back at the beam of light that was beginning to explode. The child AI was stood, flickering as the machine began to pulse, sending a shock wave outwards. She had done it. Finished what everyone had expected her to do, beaten the one enemy that had killed so many. What would they all say? Many would ask what's next? There was nothing left for a 'big bad' anymore. What an odd feeling, to break the hold and hope this brought the rest of them together. What had Garrus called her? Peacekeeper. Another painful chuckle escaped her lips as she let her head fall back.

It would be over soon, and for once, Alyssa was not afraid of what was to come. But as she closed her eyes for what she believed was the last time, all her thoughts could come up with was the way Garrus had smiled that way and the way her heart broke when he said "I love you." as she forced him onto the Normandy. Without her.
"I'm...sorry." perhaps if she said it out loud, he could forgive her, a tear escaped her eye as Shepard fell into the darkness once again. This wasn't something she could fight any longer, it was about time she got some sleep.