A/N: Hey guys, I've been a long time reader of fiction, and felt that I should give it a try. I attempted to capture a darker version of what the Mass Effect universe was left in. I've rated it M just in case.

Keep in mind that it is my first fan fic ever, so I would appreciate any constructive feedback you have for me. I also apologize ahead of time in case it sucks (lol). So hopefully enjoy.

Disclaimer: I did not create and do not own the Mass Effect Universe. I in no way attempt to profit from it or claim it as my own. Bioware owns all rights to The Mass Effect universe and its direction.

It all had finally come down to this, a choice that had no clear outcome. Shepard stood next to the catalyst, thinking about everything that he had gone through in the past few moments. Shepard had said his goodbyes to everyone before the final charge, but did get a final moment with the woman he loved, Ashley Madeline Williams.

"Go! Get out of here now," Shepard declared to Ashley, who was wounded and held by Liara in the Normandy's docking bay. "With all due respect commander," Ashley seemed to beg a Shepard. Time the momentarily stopped for Shepard; he didn't want to leave, but knew what he had to do. "Ashley," Shepard struggled to vocalize his feelings to her, "no matter what happens… I will always love you." A tear rolled from Ashley's eye as she only managed to say, "I… love you to."

Shepard then left, but was immediately met with the bright painful blast of Harbinger's beam. He recalled reaching the citadel after defeating that Marauder left after all that chaos. "Shepard, you up here too," asked Anderson. Shepard remembered being recalled to life, as if called to his destiny. He remembered the entire conversation with The Illusive Man.

He had killed Anderson, something which had just suddenly emerged in his conscience. The man who had been the only parent Shepard had in his adult life. Shepard had lost his parents after the Batarian raid of Mindoir. Anderson was a symbol, reminding him of the lessons his parents

had always taught him. "I've killed him… and I never got to tell him everything he was to me," the guilt weighed heavily on him.

Now, everything he had believed was flipped upside down. He had talked to the catalyst, which told him of the purpose and origin of the reapers. Shepard had trouble believing the methods of the catalyst; it seemed insane and unbelievable. The catalyst was an AI that had gone insane, he was the first species counted on him to solve their war, but he decided that their deaths were the only solution to the issue.

Shepard looked at the option to destroy. It would stop The Reapers, but it would wipe out all synthetic life; He would had only saved The Geth and EDI to have them be taken away from this world. It was Genocide, even if they were of different mind and background. Shepard knew the lives within The Reapers needed to rest, but the cost.

Shepard looked at the panel that would offer control to him. It was the ultimate power that The Illusive Man wanted. However, Shepard knew no one, not even him, could handle that responsibility or power. Life would always live under the fear of The Reapers, plus he would ultimately become what he fought to prevent.

Shepard finally looked the beam of light in the middle of the Crucible. It was apparently the final stage of evolution; he would decide the fate of everyone in the galaxy. Everyone would become immortal and life would be a utopia, but Shepard couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew that there would never be such thing as peace, life would always evolve and conflict with one another, and that decision of everyone's future, ultimately made Shepard disagree with the catalyst.

"I know what I must do," Shepard said to himself. Shepard limped to the crossroads of the choices the presented to him. He stopped momentarily and faced the catalyst. "My entire life, I've always faced death and destruction; I've played by the rules of others, and lost many friends and loved ones." The Catalyst looked at Shepard and said, "Why tell me this? You must choose, you cannot resist on your own Shepard, you've collected the galaxy, but we decide everything!" Shepard responded, "You do, but now you've made a mistake, you've tried to influence me to abandon my goal, to end the threat of The Reapers." Shepard began to move down the path to his right, "And I will destroy you, no matter the cost."

The Catalyst's voice deepened and his form changed to that of the first species. He then yelled, "You foolish organic, rejecting these gifts that I give you!" "Why? Why reject the options of power I give to you?" Shepard continued to walk toward the tube. "Do you do this for the chance for species to decide its own fate? You will die!" The Catalyst appeared behind Shepard, "Is this for your friends on The Normandy? They will die!" Shepard stopped and raised his gun and fired a couple of shots into the tube. The Catalyst paused then stated, "This is for love, isn't it?" "You organics… these feelings are nothing more than chemical reactions in your minds..." said The Catalyst. Shepard fired another shot into the tube. "You think your connection to that crew, that man back down in the control room, that woman you said goodbye to is any reason to destroy us?" said The Catalyst in a mocking tone.

Shepard looked back at The Catalyst and simply said, "They are the reason I live, and the reason you will die, so they can live in peace!" Shepard began to fire rounds into the tube, and then was embraced by the heat of the explosion. He thought about the people that would be affected. Joker… he was always there, like Tali and Garrus, he had taken me to Ilos and The Collector Base, and saved Ashley from Harbinger, despite the threat. EDI… she would be gone, along with The Geth, and could never come back. He thought about her relationship with Joker, Joker had found the only slice of happiness he could from this war with her, but Shepard had taken that away from him, something he hoped that Joker could one day accept. He finally thought of Ashley. Ashley… she was everything to him; she had doubted him and followed him in this entire journey. He loved her, and wanted nothing more than to have a family with her and live the rest of his life out with her. Shepard hoped she could find love again, and move past his death.

Shepard finally blacked out, and felt the embrace of darkness.

A red light started to appear from The Crucible, Hackett saw this and ordered, "All Ships, disengage and go to the rendezvous point!" The frigates all began to leave towards the relay. Joker was approaching the Crucible to pick up Shepard from the Citadel.

Garrus approached from behind and put his hand on Joker's shoulder. He then stated, "Joker… it's too late… we can't save him." Joker stopped and began to silently cry, "Damn… damn it." He turned the ship away from The Crucible and headed towards The Relay. The blast of light emerged and took the reapers down. The Reapers began to fall all around the galaxy. Turians began to celebrate across the war torn mountains of Palaven. The Asari across of Thessia looked at the destroyed cities that once graced their planet. The Krogan saw the arriving Reaper forces fall into the deserts of Tuchunka. The entire galaxy finally won the war that had taken billions of lives. The Geth ships that were at earth began to fall as well. Quarian soldiers began to examine their fallen comrades. "What is wrong?" asked a Quarian soldier. Another said, "I don't know, but they appear to all be dead, just like The Reapers."

The Normandy was heading through the relay, and was finally hit by the beam. EDI's body suddenly fell in The Normandy. Joker yelled, "What's wrong with EDI? Somebody help her! I gotta put the ship down; it's too damaged from the crucible to remain in flight.

The ship finally entered the orbit of the nearest planet. Joker set it down in the nearest clearing. The crew was relatively unharmed, but EDI was taken down to her AI Core to be repaired. Joker, who was still in shock after EDI's collapse, left the ship to look at their location. Ashley soon followed; the two looked out at the vista of the jungle.

Joker finally said, "Now what?" Ashley responded, "I… I don't know, but we have to get back to Earth."