A/N: Wow, thanks for all the wonderful feedback! I really appreciate it! Thanks for your support! This chapter is a bit shorter...sorry for that. Kind of a filler, before the real trial begins.

Sidenote: I think I mentioned this before but to any of you who may be interested, I do accept prompts now. All I ask is that you keep the requests to familiar territory - ie, Dragon Age, Resident Evil 6, or Mass Effect. I always have a willing ear, so don't hesitate to send me anything you'd like to see me write. I would love to fill some prompts for you guys!

Disclaimer: Bioware owns Mass Effect, I do not own What Dreams May Come.

Kaidan had become used to his heaven. Even settled into the little house that was meant to be his and Shepard's. There was no way to tell how much time had passed, but no more additions – like the willow – appeared. In a way, it pained him, but perhaps it was a sign that she was beginning to accept his death and was, in some small way, beginning the long process of healing from it.

He thought that, at least, until Ashley came to him, clearly uneasy.

"Where have you been?" He asked when she appeared on the balcony beside him. He leaned forward in his seat and gazed at her, brow furrowed.

"I had work to do." She shrugged as if it were no big deal and yet, she avoided meeting his gaze.

Having been a soldier his entire adult life, and a biotic since he was small, Kaidan knew how to read the waves of emotion in the air. Something was obviously amiss. "Work?" he prompted.

"Believe it or not, yes. Work." She shuffled her feet, still refusing to look at him.

"Ashley."

"Kaidan."

"Ashley," he said her name more sternly and stood. "What's wrong?"

She lowered her gaze to her feet, her own brow furrowed, obviously distressed. "Something's...something has happened."

"What is it?" Had he a heart beat, it would have stuttered. As it was he felt suddenly short of breath. His palms grew sweaty and he curled and uncurled his digits as a distraction. There was no use getting worked up until he knew what was upsetting her, and yet, he knew it was bad. He could feel it. "What's happened?"

She sucked in a breath. Held it. Then let it out on a whoosh, words said in a panic; "Shepard's dead."

Time seemed to stand still for Kaidan as her words echoed through his mind. Dead. Shepard was dead. He didn't know how long he'd been gone from the realm of the living, how fast or slow time moved outside of Heaven, but it seemed too soon. Too soon.

"Dead?" The single word came out as nothing more than a feeble croak.

Dead. Shepard was dead? It couldn't be.

"Yes. That's what...that's what I was dealing with." She swallowed and raised her gaze to his, "now, Kaidan –"

"Where is she? Can I see her?" He rushed to her and gripped her shoulders tightly, trying his best not to shake her. If Shepard was here, he had to find her. This very moment.

Ashley's features were set grimly. Sadness reigned in over her eyes. Her hands lifted to gently grip at his wrists as she shook her head. "No, Kaidan, you can't see her. Not now, not ever."

"What?" He jerked back away from her as if she'd reached out and physically slapped him across the face. "Why?"

"You just can't. Kaidan. I'm sorry. I don't know how to handle this. I never saw it coming, especially not from Shepard."

"I don't understand, Ashley! Tell me what's going on!" He nearly screamed the words at her, the clouds darkening the sky above them; lightning streaked across the clouds and thunder boomed seconds behind it, reflecting the inner turmoil of Kaidan's distress and anger. His chest heaved and his body shook, fingers curling and uncurling at his sides.

Ashley swallowed. Audibly. Thickly. He'd never seen her so uncomfortable, even in life. "Shepard killed herself, Kaidan."

The world fell out from beneath Kaidan's feet and spun wildly out of control. His head reeled as thoughts rushed from the dam to run rampant in his mind. God, what was happening? This couldn't be happening. "Her pain...her pain is over then, isn't it?" Kaidan's frantic whisper echoed as loud as the thunder as he fell back into his seat, in shock. "Why isn't she here?"

"Her pain is only beginning." He jumped up and she took a cautious step backward. "I'm sorry Kaidan, but that's the way of things. Suicides...go somewhere else."

"That's bullshit!" Kaidan roared the word, lightning flashing behind him as the clouds opened up, raining coming down on them in sheets. He paid in no heed. "Go where? Shepard deserves heaven more than anyone, Ashley! You know that! She saved so many lives!"

"That doesn't matter, Kaidan, not here! In the end, she took her life. It's a grave sin!"

"So where is she then, hell?"

"Not...exactly."

"What do you mean?" He shook; anger, confusion, and distress warring for dominance within his body.

Ashley paced, agitated. "It's a sort of limbo. She's going to spend eternity reliving her suicide. Over and over."

"There has to be something you can do!" He shouted.

"There isn't!" She shouted back. "Where do you think I've been, Kaidan? What do you think I've been trying to do, huh? I tried everything I can think of, short of heading straight into hell, to limbo!"

"That's what I'll be doing then."

She snapped around to face him, her eyes narrowed. "Say again?"

"I'm going after her, Ashley."

"You can't! It's impossible, Kaidan! It's never been done!"

"Explain the tree then. That was impossible too. You'd never seen that before, but it happened. We're connected," he breathed. He stepped toward, determination in his every movement. This was going to happen. He was doing this, with or without her help. "I'm going to use our connection to find her; it will lead me to her. I'm going, Ashley, with or without you, with or without your help."

Ashley pursed her lips and stared at him for a long, tense moment. Then she sighed and rolled her eyes. Throwing up her hands in defeat, she muttered, "fine." She pointed a finger at him. "If we're doing this, we're doing this my way. First – we need a tracker."

"A tracker?"

"Well I don't know the way into hell. Do you?" His silence was answer enough. "Didn't think so."

Kaidan's eyes took in the grand scenery around him. They stood now in the largest, most grand library he'd ever seen. Souls floated to and from the shelves, some laughing, some merely reading. He found himself unable to tear his eyes away from them, even as Ashley led him to the a small alcove off to the side, where candles flickered and shadows played. They stopped beside a ladder and they both looked up toward whatever soul occupied it.

"Yes, yes. Heaven and hell do exist. So many torn over religious debates. Too many ideas. Answer is clear. So much senseless loss over – "

"Hey!" Ashley shook the ladder. "I know I'm getting in the way of your rambling, but we need your help."

Eyes blinked and then the salarian slowly made his way down the ladder. Kaidan's eyes widened when he realized just who it was he was staring at. "Mordin?"

"The one and the only, yes. I see you did not survive the war. A shame. A good man. A good Major. One of –"

"Solus!" Ashley snapped his name irritably. "Focus, please. We need your help."

"With what, I might ask? Heaven? No, must have questions then. No, not that." The salarian tapped his chin thoughtfully. "About hell then?"

"Kind of. What do you know of suicides?"

Mordin sighed with a shake of his head. "Sad, that. An unnecessary loss. Suicides become trapped in limbo, forced to relive day of death."

"How do we get to limbo?" Kaidan asked.

Mordin eyed him curiously. "Strange, that. Why do you question me of such a place? Has someone you know been lost to limbo? A friend? A lover, perhaps. No, Shepard would not throw her life away." Kaidan's skittish gaze was all the answer he needed. "No! Shepard has really taken her life then? Such a shame. She was the strength of many. Leader. Soldier. Never would have pictured this for her. You plan to go after her then?"

"I do."

"Respectable decision. Something unheard of, however. Tad tricky. Cannot be done, most would say. You still wish to try?" Mordin sniffed.

"Shepard spent her life doing the impossible for us, for everyone, the least we can do is try doing the impossible for her," Kaidan said resolutely. Nothing was going to deter his course; they were going after Shepard. Period.

"Good answer." Mordin nodded and walked past the two of them. "Let's get going then, shall we? Much to do. Much, much to do. This is not going to be easy, I hope you know. You risk your soul."

"It's the least I can do for all that she had done for me. I love her. I'm not going to leave her there to suffer. My soul means nothing, not if sacrificing it can save hers." Kaidan's chin lifted a notch.

Mordin studied him a moment before giving a small smile. "I can see why she loved you. Come on then." He turned and waved for them to follow.

The three of them started to leave the grand cathedral-esque library, just as it began to melt away from them. The world blurred and spun and after much disarray, Kaidan found himself standing before a grand mountain side. Nothing else, just the slated grey of mountain.

Mordin stood in front of him and put his hand to the stone. "You ready then, Major?"

"As I'll ever be."

The mountain side shook and the rocks rumbled around them. The grand stone split down the middle as Mordin stepped away, opening up to a long, endlessly long, tunnel of fire. Kaidan swallowed and looked at Ashley, who seemed just as intimidated by the prophetic and symbolic appearance of the flames. Setting his lips into a thin line, Kaidan turned and stepped toward the fire.

Hold on, Vika. I'm coming.