"Hero's End"

The plaque felt like it weighted a solid two thousand pounds in his hands. Though in truth it barely weighed a pound, the weight of the memories from the name etched into the smooth reflective surface.

Kaidan couldn't help but feel a sense of pride holding the plaque. Pride in Shepard, even though her lost he felt his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He missed her. He always would, but he would live. He would help to rebuild the galaxy the Reapers had tried to destroy. That would be his legacy. He would always and forever love Commander Shepard. Not just the name and the title, which was as much a part of her as her biotics and her coy little smile.

The Normandy didn't feel empty or void of life. Even with EDI gone…no body was certain what had happened, but the circulating theory was whatever Shepard had used to destroy the Reapers had also targeted other synthetics. Joker was handling the lost well…as well as Joker could, which mean he was snappish and told jokes. Bad jokes.

Kaidan worried about the pilot. They had been friends, once. But now their involvement had become strictly professional. They were pleasant with each other because protocol and Shepard had dictated it. But Kaidan was now commanding officer of the Normandy. He was the highest ranking officer left as well as the only Spectre on board.

"I feel like we should say a few words, or something." Garrus said breaking the silent of their gathered peers. "Don't humans usually do that?"

Kaidan nodded and ran his hand over the engraved name. "Yes, we do. We talk about memories and sometimes how they might be in a better place." His voice sounded too cool even to him.

"I could start." Tali volunteered her voice soft even through the mask's translator. She cleared her throat glancing around at everyone gathered. "I remember first meeting Shepard in the Wards. I was terrified of her. She had just taken out several assassins nearly single handedly. And she was looking for me. All I could think of was 'does she plan on killing me next?' But she turned out to be one of the most loyal, nice and honest people I ever knew." Tali's voice hitched a little but remained steady otherwise. They had all been in a similar position before. But this time they had the time and they still had the Normandy in which to remember Shepard. This time it didn't feel abrupt or sudden, but final.

Garrus spoke next. "Shepard is sitting at a bar somewhere in heaven waiting for us all to finally come meet her for a drink. And when we all get there she'll say, 'What the hell took you so long?' she was a hell of fighter and a good friend. Even if she let me win our little competition."

"She was the best damn commanding officer I've ever served under." Joker said fiercely. "She let me fly and she saved my life. I'll never forget that."

"She had a hell of right hook." James added with a bit of laughter. "And a mean roundhouse."

"She still owes me a toothbrush." Traynor replied quietly but not with malice, her eyes were misty and her voice quaked.

"She was a hero." Liara's quiet response was the most jolting to Kaidan. Everyone stopped and looked at the asari. She had been standing in the back of the crowd dry faced and eyes focused solely on the board. "Shepard was one of the greatest heroes this galaxy has ever known. She was a friend and confidant. I will miss her."

Kaidan nodded as several other crewmembers echoed Liara's sentiments. He moved forward then listening to the chatter of people behind him swapping Commander Shepard stories. He was closer to the wall of names now. His fingers once again traced the outline of her name. Commander Vaina Shepard.

It seemed to final putting her name up here with the others. She would be gone. Truly gone. There was no Cerberus plot to bring her back to life this time. The Illusive Man was dead just like her. Humanity…no the galaxy had been saved from the Reapers. For the moment the galaxy and everyone in it was at a tremulous peace. Yet, there was no body. Shepard's body hadn't been discovered along with Admiral Anderson's. She was still missing. Presumed dead, but missing nonetheless.

"Kaidan?" Liara inquired from behind him. Her hand on his shoulder was comforting. "If you can't then…" She trailed off leaving the words unsaid.

"No, I just don't feel like she's really gone." He was surprised to hear himself say so. A little seed of hope blossomed in his chest. He glanced up from the plaque and into Liara's eyes. "She's still out there."

Liara's face flickered with something akin to pity. "Kaidan…"

He shook his head and smiled at her looking up at the rest of them. "I can't stand here mourning Shepard until I know without a doubt she's really gone."

The star box message played in his head. He would live. He would strive to make this galaxy a better place. But he didn't have to give up on Shepard either. Until something of her was found. He would believe she had somehow survived and was waiting for him. One day he would see her again. He knew it. He looked down at the plaque now not so heavy in his hands. Shepard was still alive out there. He just knew it. And until he knew otherwise that plaque wasn't going up on that wall with the others. It would stay in her room waiting until the day it was meant to be placed there.

Bright lights glared at her. Everything was fuzzy around the edges of her vision. She tried to raise her hand to cover her eyes, but her arm felt like it was made of solid lead. Heavy and disjointed. She blinked. A hazy memory played across her mind. She had awoken in a similar situation before. Medical equipment beeped in the background, voices were muffled but near. Her vision was clearing. She didn't feel any pain, not yet.

Curious. Her mined flashed. Remembering that there should be pain-last time there had been pain. Nothing, just a dull ache at the back of mind of remembered pain. She tried again to raise her hand.

A monitor beeped loudly. She flinched.

"Doctor Chakawas? She's waking up." A voice so familiar and dear said. Words from a memory of a life before.

A face hovered into a view. A face framed by short gray hair and starling gray green eyes. A face she knew. "Hello, Shepard," Chakawas grinned, glancing down at her omni-tool that she passed over Shepard's body. Vaina blinked again. Where was she? Her eyes were still fuzzy and not wanting to focus. A hand gripped her left hand. The touch was warm and comforting. She couldn't see who had grabbed her hand, but she was thankful for the thought.

"Well, it looks like she is recovering fairly well. Her eyes are adjusting fine, might be a while before she can fully see properly, but at least they see to be working. Her vitals are stabilizing and her skin graphs are adhering nicely too." Chakawas proclaimed never looking up from her omni-tool.

A sigh escaped the person still holding her hand. "That's good."

"Her hearing is still adjusting though that might take some time. And she'll need physical therapy in order to start walking again. And even then it is not a completely assured that she will be back to a hundred percent. This is a long process of recovery, Kaidan. She's lucky to even be alive. I suspect her implants and cybernetics are the reason she even managed for this long. One thing is for certain Cerberus did one hell of a job bringing her back."

"I know."

Kaidan. Her mind snapped putting together the voice and the face. He had made it out alive. He had survived. Joy blossomed in her chest. She hadn't been certain, she had hoped in those finals moments before the world exploded that he had been safe and sound. He somehow he would survive and make it through all of this. He was a good person. A good soul. It wouldn't have been right for the universe to lose any more of those. And she selfishly was glad he had lived. She loved him and wanted him to live. She tried to squeeze his hand, but her muscles refused to listen to her. She wanted to grit her teeth in frustrating, but even that was impossible.

A breath of air escaped her lips in what she hoped sounded something like a sigh. If she had heard correctly then she was recovering from her injuries still. She wouldn't be able to move or see or hear properly for a while if ever again.

Her vision blurred again. This time it was from tears. She knew it. Too many emotions started tumbling around inside her. Fear. Hope. Lost. Regret. Joy. Sadness. She tried to rein them in, but she was too tired and confused.

A face swam into view. Kaidan. His dark eyes found hers. Dark circles were under his eyes and it looked like he had a bit more grey in his hair. A smile burst onto his lips. Laugh lines crinkled around those beautiful eyes. "Hey, beautiful," His voice was deep and husky, a voice he reserved for their most private of moments. His hand came up and wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks.

She blinked and closed her eyes. His hand felt warm and safe. "I thought I lost you." He whispered to her. "But then I just knew you were out there somewhere." His breath kissed her cheeks. She wanted to lean into his touch, savoring it. "I love you."

She willed her hand to move, or for her voice to work. Her fingers twitched brushing against his hand. She opened her eyes and found herself into his smiling face. "I know you do too."

It would be a long recovering, but she knew as well that it had been worth it. In the long run, everything had been worth it. Her friends, family, even the people she didn't know on Earth, she was glad to have saved them from a fate worse than death.

Commander Vaina Shepard stood looking at the silver and black hatch in front of her. All she had to do was press a button and the doors would open. This is it. She thought. Her hands were shaking. Her hands didn't shake. Commander Shepard didn't get scared. She was a hero. An icon. All around the galaxy people of every species were writing books, articles, making vids about her. She was the woman who had saved them from the Reapers. She didn't want the fame or the glory. She had been doing her job. A lot of brave souls were gone now because they too had been doing their jobs.

She had cleared for duty. The Alliance had asked her to return to help with cleanup effort and to keep galaxy peace in order. The Council had asked her to remain on with the Spectres as well. Kaidan too. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. Kaidan had his own ship now. He was off on a mission with his unit. Undercover. It would be another couple months before she could see him again, but they already had plans. He had been upset that he wouldn't be there for this moment, but he knew she needed to do this on her own too.

She reached out and pressed the button. The airlock hissed as the doors slid open. Commander Vaina Shepard took a breath deep and squared her shoulders as she stepped back aboard the Normandy for the first time in over a year.

She smiled as she looked around at her crew already hard at work preparing for departure. This was truly where she belonged in galaxy. This ship and its people were her home. She stood taking in the moment. She was home.

Welcome home, Commander. The door seemed to whisper as it shut behind her.

Author's Note:
Well, that's all folks! I want to once again thank everyone who followed, favorited, reviewed, or simply just read the story. I have enjoyed it very much. I loved the game and its characters. I will miss writing about Vaina and the gang, but their story feels rightly told. I might work on the back story since I have started replaying Mass Effect 1 and see about how Kaidan and Vaina's first meeting goes, but I am busy working on my own books and a Dragon Age fanfictions again. Thank you so much!

PE