A/N: Well, this is it. The end. Thank you to everyone who stuck around this long, and a special thanks to Vorcha Girl for all of her reviews and for recommending this story to her readers. I was never entirely happy with parts of this chapter, but I finally had to let it go. I have an idea for a much shorter follow up, but I haven't written it yet, so we'll see. Once again, thank you all for reading After the End, and tell me what you thought of it!

Shepard took a deep breath and picked her own bag up. Time to get back to work.

The tightness in her chest warred with the excitement and anticipation of getting her own ship, of getting back out there.

The distraction helped take the edge off.

She entered a lift and headed to Liara's office.

Which was closed up tight and looked abandoned. Shepard spooled up her omni-tool, mentally kicking herself. A simple check of the most current Citadel maps could have told her of the change.

Spectre command was (not-so-shockingly) missing from the map. She took a deep breath and called Liara.

"Shepard? I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."

"Really? I'm standing outside your old office. Where's the new one?" a hint of irritation seeped into her voice.

Liara laughed. "Sorry. What with you almost dying I forgot to give you the new location. How are you dressed?"

"Are you flirting with me, Liara?"

"What?! No, I… The Council wants to meet with you."

"We have a Council? Huh." Apparently you fall out of the loop when you spend a while nearly dead.

"Official as of last week. And since you're currently on the Citadel, they have requested a meeting."

"This is the first I've heard of it."

"They asked me to pass you the message. I thought I would wait until after you said goodbye to James."

"I assume the Council is back in the Tower?"

"Yes. Sending the co-ordinates to your omni-tool. I'll meet you when you get here."

"See you in a few. Shepard out." She took advantage of the empty office area to change into her dress blues. They weren't pressed, but it was the best she could do on short notice. She chuckled to herself as she wondered what someone would think if they walked in on the infamous Commander Shepard half-dressed in a hallway.

Liara met her outside the lift as she reached the tower. "Looking good," the Asari commented by way of greeting.

Shepard fell into step with her friend as they headed up the stairs. "Long time no see," she replied dryly. She looked around. "Place looks different."

"It's been rebuilt a couple of times since you became a Spectre," Liara offered.

The purple-flowered trees were all gone, replaced with a riot of low-growing flowers. The concrete was lower and smoother, more curved. All told, it lent the Citadel a softer, more welcoming look.

"I like it," Shepard replied. "The cover isn't as good, but there are much better sight-lines."

Liara sighed. "Leave it to you to break down something so beautiful into combat tactics."

Shepard grinned. She was a little surprised when they took a left turn instead of meeting in the spire courtyard. "Council chambers moved?" she asked.

Liara nodded. "We wanted something a little more secure and with so many more members, we had to modify things."

They passed three different security checkpoints, the first of which stowed Shepard's gear for her. If nothing else, they would never allow her to go in armed.

Scans. ID checks. Even a pat-down at the last one. Liara looked on as Shepard was subjected to the security measures. "You responsible for this?" she asked accusingly as the third set of guards gave her suspicious looks. "I should hope after everything I've done for the Citadel, that I can cut through all this next time?"

"I was responsible for implementing some of the new measures, yes. And once your Spectre status is officially ratified by the new Council, you should have easier access."

"Good. Because if I have to go through this every time, I won't be coming back."

"Not even for your Spectre status?"

Shepard shook her head. "Someone once told me I'd make a great pirate. Maybe I could change careers." The joke backfired and her expression turned sad.

"Jack, I take it?"

She nodded. "Damn, but I miss that psychotic bitch sometimes."

"You do tend to attract interesting people."

"Me? You're the one dating a fifty thousand year old extinct alien."

Liara laughed. "Technically, we're not dating."

"But...?"

Liara's shy smile spoke louder than words.

Security finished the last scan and waved them through. The doors opened and they entered a large circular room with chairs behind a long curved table that followed the lines of the wall above where they entered. Shepard smiled as she looked up to see the new Council. "Looks like they took my advice to heart."

"I may have had something to do with that," Liara replied, just loud enough for Shepard to hear.

"Members of the Council, I present Commander Shepard," Liara announced, voice carrying around the room.

Most of the Council members nodded in respect. A few stilled. A couple glared. There was one representative for every sentient race in the Galaxy. She even recognised a few faces. Liara's father Aethyta sat as the Asari representative. Tali's old family friend Shala'Raan was the Quarian. Urdnot Bakara sat for the Krogan. There was even a Geth seated at the outer edge of the semicircle, next to Shala'Raan. She didn't recognise the Human representative.

Shepard stood at ease with her hands behind her back.

Bakara stood. "I would like to say on behalf of those gathered here, welcome back, Shepard."

"Thank you."

"I don't want to waste your time, so I will keep this brief."

How refreshing. They should have had a Krogan on the Council a long time ago.

"Your Spectre status is hereby recognised by this Council, and your duties as such are to resume immediately."

"I would like nothing more, Your Honor."

"Good. As you may know, Liara T'Soni is our co-ordinator for the Spectre program. She will help you to outfit your ship, and give you any intel you need. Your first mission will be to hunt down certain criminal groups who are trying to seize control in the Terminus systems."

"Thank you all. I will do my best to serve the best interests of the people, on behalf of the Council."

"See that you do. You may go, Commander. Good luck."

Shepard bowed and she and Liara turned to leave. "That was shockingly painless," she said under her breath.

Liara smirked but held her tongue.

Two figures stood by the door. Shepard wondered where they'd materialised from. She'd missed them completely on her way in.

"Well that goodbye didn't stick for long. What are you two doing here?"

"Shepard," Garrus replied, "I would like to introduce you to the first Quarian Spectre."

Tali stood next to him, all but vibrating. "Tali! Congratulations! I couldn't think of a better person for the job." Shepard pulled her friend in for a hug.

"Well," Tali replied. "If 'Reegar had survived..."

Shepard's face turned solemn, and she nodded. "He'd have made a damn fine Spectre, Tali."

"Garrus here failed to mention his own promotion," Tali said, changing the subject.

"Oh?" Shepard met the Turian's eyes. "Out with it, Vakarian." The doors opened and they left the Council chambers.

"Not sure what they were thinking, but they made me a Spectre too."

"If they heard about your stint as Archangel, I have no doubt why you were chosen."

Garrus rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the praise.

"Can you blame me for using my influence to put a few trusted operatives in the field?" Liara interjected.

"Not at all," Shepard replied. "With people like these, you're going to actually get stuff done."

"That was the idea," Liara affirmed.

"Don't let us keep you," Tali said. "We'll come by to check out your new ship later."

"I'll hold you to that." The group split as Shepard and Liara headed toward Spectre headquarters.

"That went better than I expected," Shepard commented.

"Was there any doubt?"

"With me and the Council? Historically, yes."

"I suppose that's true. I need to check some things in my office, then we can go see your ship."

Shepard tried not to rub her hands together.

"I promise not to take too long," Liara added with an impish smile as they entered her office. "I know the suspense is killing you."

Shepard put on her best poker face and wandered onto the balcony. "Take your time," she called back.

Liara's grin widened behind her friend's back. Shepard hated to show weakness. She wondered how long it would take for the Commander to start bristling at the wait.

She ended up not pushing her luck, checking her messages and forwarding any urgent calls to her omni-tool. Her info-drone Glyph could handle almost anything in her absence, and she wouldn't be straying far.

Shepard was leaning on the rail, staring out over the curved lines of the Presidium when Liara joined her. "All finished up. Time for you to meet your new ship."

"Lead the way."

It was far easier to pass through security heading out than in. One quick scan, they returned Shepard's gear, and they were back in the lift headed back to the Presidium. "Admiral Anderson wanted to be there to show you the ship he spent so much time and effort securing for you. He'll meet us in the docking bay."

"I hear the Normandy's in for retro-fit?"

Liara shook her head. "Just completing the modifications the Alliance started after you turned her over. Anderson has been too busy over the last few months to let her sit for long enough. The Alliance has prioritized getting her back to one hundred percent now that the personnel is in place to do so."

"So he's here for a couple of days then?"

"Yes. You may even be able to arrange to meet him less formally while you're both here."

"I'd like that," Shepard replied.

"I think he would too."

They made their way across the Presidium to the lifts in C-Sec that would take them straight to the secure docking bays in the Wards.

"This brings back memories," Shepard remarked idly as the lift carried them kilometers away from the center ring of the Citadel.

"We had some interesting conversations in here, didn't we?" Liara replied with a chuckle.

"Longest, most boring lifts in the galaxy. Not much else to do but talk."

"It makes me miss Wrex."

"Me too, Liara. It's sad when the good old days involves running for your life."

"Don't worry Shepard. I'm sure there's plenty of that left in your future."

"You really think so?" Shepard replied on a half-hopeful note.

She received a sidelong look for her trouble. "There's a pool at C-Sec on how long it will take before you're dodging bullets."

"Huh." Shepard blinked. "Put me down for two days."

"You're not allowed in. It would skew the results."

"Damn."

The doors opened to reveal Admiral Anderson, wearing his old casual Alliance blues. "Anderson," Shepard greeted him with a smile and a handshake. "It's good to see you."

"Likewise, Shepard. Except in my case, it's good to see you back in one piece. Miss T'Soni," he nodded respectfully before turning to lead the two women through the almost-empty terminal.

"So, are you going to tell me what I'm getting into here, David?"

"And miss seeing the look on your face?" Anderson laughed.

Shepard's heart lodged itself somewhere in her abdomen. How rough of shape is this heap in, that my reaction would be so funny? She was half-convinced it would be a Mako with three wheels missing.

The double doors before them opened and they stepped out onto the gangplank. Shepard looked around. "Uh, Anderson? I think you took us to the wrong dock." She pointed to the only ship docked there with a homesick pang. "This one's yours."

Anderson stopped just past the front airlock for the Normandy and turned to face her, hands behind his back. Liara moved to stand beside him with an enigmatic smile.

"No, Shepard. She's not," he replied gently.

Shepard stared at the beautiful hunk of metal that had been her home. "Is this some sort of joke?" she managed to croak past the lump in her throat.

"No, Shepard. It's not," he repeated in the same tone. He looked up at the curved lines of the ship as he continued, "Once she was supposed to be mine. Fate intervened, and she became yours. She's been a damn fine ship but for my purposes I need something bigger. Something more intimidating. We've barely used her stealth abilities over the last six months, and you well know that's what she's best at. Alliance brass has decided that she will be best utilised in the hands of the Spectre who made her famous. That's you, Shepard. It will be made official tomorrow. She's all yours."

Shepard placed a hand on the curved hull of the ship, leaning forward to rest her forehead against it. Her eyes blurred as the enormity of his revelation washed over her. She'd gotten her old job back. She was going back into combat, doing what she did best. And she would be doing it in the ship that was the only place she'd called home in sixteen years.

Her shoulders shook as sobs escaped, and she felt gentle hands turn her and pull her into a solid chest. "Welcome home, Shepard," the man who had become like a father to her said.

She cried harder. It took a few minutes before she finally gave in, wrapping her arms around his back and wrinkling his shirt where her fingers dug in. It reminded her of when James had held her as she'd fallen apart.

She blinked hard, stepping out of his arms abruptly and swiping at the tears that blinded her with jerky movements. "Wait… James…"

Anderson smiled. "Doesn't know a damn thing. Technically I brought him here under false pretenses. I thought you could use someone familiar at your back."

"Familiar," Liara snickered from behind Shepard, earning herself a hard glare. Liara did her best but was ultimately unsuccessful at trying to look innocent.

"He'll be leading a contingent of Alliance Marines on loan to you. They may be called on to do missions for the Alliance from time to time when you're on time-sensitive missions of your own."

"Does this mean my allegiances won't be called into question every time the Alliance needs my help?"

"Let's just say that the Alliance understands that it's difficult to change course, mid-mission. So these Marines will be at your disposal, but they'll handle any Alliance missions when you're up to your neck in Spectre duties."

"You read my suggestions," Shepard remarked, regaining her composure.

"Yes, and that's not the only one we're implementing. Come on board and I can give you a tour."

"She's mine tomorrow?"

"Officially, yes. Unofficially, she's yours now." David Anderson smiled as he opened the hatch to the decontamination chamber.

Shepard stared at the interior door as they were scanned for dangerous foreign particles. She'd been completely blindsided by all of this. She had no idea what to say.

The interior door hissed as it slid open. Shepard glanced into the cockpit as they headed for the CIC. She got a glimpse of the back of Joker's head and a knowing smile as EDI looked back over her shoulder.

"As you can see, we finished the retrofit of all the stations and the bulkheads have all been installed," Anderson said as they walked towards the lift. Heads turned and mouths hung open as marines spied their surprise guest.

Samantha Traynor gaped at her as they walked through the CIC to the lift. She just recovered enough to wave before the doors closed on the Commander and her companions.

The doors hissed open on the crew deck, and Shepard saw that her wishes had been honored. Her name still stood on the board there. She smiled. "Thank you."

"It was about damn time someone acknowledged what you sacrificed for the Alliance. It was the least I could do," he said as they headed for the port side of the ship. "As you requested, the unused space in Life Support has been repurposed as quarters for Joker."

"Good. I know pilots don't normally get their own room…"

Anderson waved her off with a slash of his hand. "Lieutenant Moreau's medical condition makes him a special case. It makes sense to accommodate him as we can."

Shepard just nodded.

"We're turning one of the cargo bays into a secure brig for prisoner transfer, and the other will be fitted as Ambassador quarters, and decontamination showers are being installed in the cargo bay."

All recommendations she had made herself. "Any reason the Alliance is going to all this trouble?" she asked suspiciously.

"No. You've done some good work with this ship in the past. We just wanted to make sure we give you every advantage we can for the future."

"Are you sure I'm not dreaming?" she asked. "This feels too good to be true."

Liara grasped her friend's shoulder. "You're awake. Believe it. The Council wants you to be successful. The future of the galaxy hinges on our ability to create stability over the next few months. We plan on your being a big part of that."

Shepard turned to face the Admiral. "This isn't right. I already took the Normandy from you once. I can't possibly…"

"Yes, you can. You will. You're not taking her from me. I'm giving her to you. She's yours. Always was, really. And in your hands, she can continue doing some real good in this galaxy."

They returned to the lift and it dropped towards the cargo bay. Shepard wiped suddenly-damp hands on her uniform. She didn't understand why she was so nervous to see a man she'd already been missing like crazy. It had only been a couple of hours.

The doors opened.

She stepped out into that oh-so-familiar room. There were a few crew there, pulling wrench on the Kodiak or stowing guns and armor. She only had eyes for one.

She felt a light shove from behind as Anderson said, "Go get him, Shepard," just loud enough for her to hear. She spared an incredulous look at her unexpected matchmaker before making her way to James.

He stood at his old bench cleaning some weapon or other, broad shoulders hunched over. Just like old times.

Tears blinded her long before she reached him. Anderson cleared his throat behind her.

James turned, startled. "Sorry, Admiral, I didn't know you were …Shepard?"

She was upset. He felt his stomach drop through the floor. "What… what's going on?"

Anderson and Liara stepped backward, giving the couple the illusion of privacy.

"Shepard, have you been crying? What happened?" he closed the distance between them, tilting her chin up with a knuckle. She looked into his eyes.

"Well, you know how we were going to have to wait six months to ask for your transfer?"

"Yeah?" Foreboding settled on him like a shroud.

"That's not going to be necessary."

He stepped back. "Lola, are you breaking up with me?"

"Not bloody likely," she replied vehemently. She turned and gestured to the cargo bay with a broad wave. "See all this? As of tomorrow, it's mine."

It took a second to settle in.

"They're giving you back the Normandy?"

She nodded.

"Then we don't have to…?"

"Nope."

He pulled her to him in a crushing hug.

After a moment he pushed her away again. "What about the regs?"

"I'll be operating as a Spectre, and you're on loan to me from the Alliance. Technically, you're not under my command."

"You sure you're willing to risk your career for that?"

"After everything the Commander here has done, I doubt they'll bother prosecuting," Anderson piped up from behind them.

"Good," Shepard replied as she stepped into the Lieutenant, pressing her lips to his in a searing kiss. His arms came around her as he gave himself over to the moment.

Wolf-whistles and catcalls echoed through the cargo bay. Shepard didn't care. She had her home, and her James. She could ream them out for insubordination tomorrow.

For the first time in a long time, Commander Shepard was hopeful for tomorrow.

She was finally home.