96A/N - After seven long years, we've made it, readers. Last chapter!
"I'm sorry, doctor. I feel so foolish but living on Earth is just… it's challenging sometimes, particularly with little ones."
"As I said, it's simply allergies. One tablet, once a day for around a week, and your daughter will be right as rain." She turned to the small asari beside her. "Would you like a lollipop?" The little girl nodded eagerly, Karin laughing away as she handed her one. "That's for being a good girl."
"Thank you, doctor."
"You're welcome. Hope you're finding living on Earth comfortable."
"It's different to where I'm from but I'm glad we made the move."
Karin showed them out of her office before turning to see an empty waiting room. She sighed with relief. She thought being a doctor back in the civilian world would be easier. She was being proven wrong nearly every day. "You can sign off for the night, Mary. I've only got some paperwork to finish up, then I'll head next door."
"Are you sure, Karin?"
"I'm sure. A busy mind is a healthy mind." And the distraction helps, she would have added. But no-one really knew…
Once Mary had taken her bag and headed off home, Karin wandered around, locking up and turning off lights before heading back to her office. Around her were mementoes of the war. A picture of the ship took pride of place on the wall. Certificates lined up behind her. Medals and other awards were dotted around. And beside the monitor on her desk was a picture. Despite all this time, she still gazed at it every day.
It was late by the time she passed through the door that split her medical practice from the small apartment she kept for herself. It was a very simple arrangement. Small kitchen, small living room, one bedroom with an en-suite. She barely spent any time there. She didn't really like the solitude. Cooking herself a simple meal, she headed into the shower before relaxing back in bed with a book. It was only when she turned off the light and tried to drift off that her mind was flooded by memories. All these years later, and it was like everything happened only yesterday.
Those last days of the war were the most hectic. The attack on Cerberus HQ was a success, Shepard ensuring the man who had defeated him on Thessia was killed, and they departed ensuring the space station was blown to smithereens.
Then was the formation of the grand armada, the fleet Shepard had spent months trying to organise. Adding to that was the Crucible, the weapon that would aid them in their quest to defeat the Reapers. They still didn't know what it would do, but were confident it wasn't a white elephant, that it would ensure their success.
The battle to retake Earth, and bring peace back to the galaxy, took millions of lives. The fleet was slowly but surely decimated as only a fraction of the forces managed to make it groundside. She kept herself in the loop the entire time, aware that time was precious and that no delays would be tolerated. She could only imagine the stress and strain Shepard was under, and the constant danger, but through each battle, he endured and emerged unscathed.
It was only during the final run to the beam that she allowed herself down the hangar as casualties were reported. The ship descended until it almost touched the ground, the hangar bay door opening to reveal Shepard practically dragging Liara towards her. Garrus was also wounded, his arm barely hanging on. Liara was placed on a stretcher, whisked immediately to med-bay. Garrus muttered he was fine before he almost collapsed into the arms of two others.
Shepard looked at her for a moment. It was almost as if he knew. She did too.
"I'll be waiting, Shepard. No matter how long it takes."
He walked towards her, kissed her one final time, before he turned and ran. The last she saw was a red beam heading towards him. She never knew if it missed him or not. But something did happen, as over the next few minutes, the arms of the Citadel closed and then opened wide. As the remaining ships of the grand fleet departed, Hackett reported in that the Citadel was firing.
And that the Reapers were immediately retreating.
As for Shepard, there was no sign of him. Though he had helped bring together the species of the galaxy, though he had helped bring peace, not only between rivals, but to the entire galaxy, ending a threat a billion years and more in the making, he was yet just one more casualty. Perhaps the most important, but while those who were left mourned, the rebuilding and focus to get on with their lives soon took their focus.
That was ten years ago…
She had retired immediately, returning to Earth and private practice. And having been the centre of the battle, and the home of the man now just referred to 'The Shepard', species from across the galaxy were now residing on her homeworld. Asari. Turian. Salarian. Krogan. Even quarian and geth. She loved walking the streets of the city, seeing so many living in harmony. It was just what Shepard would have wanted to see.
What caused consternation was that, within six months of their retreat, the Reapers returned. The battered remnants prepared for war, not willing to be killed after so much was already sacrificed. But there was no attack. Instead, they silently repaired the mass relays, and assisted in the reconstruction of planets across the galaxy. But those in the know also knew they were patrolling, as if looking for a threat. When violence started to flare between the krogan and salarians, within two years of the apparent victory, the Reapers involved themselves. That is when they spoke for the first time.
THERE WILL BE PEACE
Not wanting to anger the Reapers, a summit was called, old grievances aired, and within six months, a peace treaty was signed between the two species, ending a millennia old conflict. Wounds remained, and it would take time for healing, but the Reapers had now given notice on what they would now do.
The Reapers kept to themselves. No-one dared approach them. They worked silently repairing what they thought was needed before they simply took off and disappeared. Most people were perplexed. Even those who had studied the Reapers at length simply couldn't understand the change. They had arrived to slaughter everyone, and now they were… helping. Everyone knew it had something to do with the Crucible and it being fired, but it was simply mind boggling.
For ten years, she had lived in hope of seeing him again. It was the only thing that kept her going. There had been a funeral, of course. But his body had never been found. She believed he was out there somewhere. She did not have faith, but she knew that any sort of god would not put him through such turmoil, only to snuff him out at the very end. Though the way people spoke of Shepard now, he was almost a messianic, larger than life figure to many. It made her chuckle at what people believed he was like. If only they knew…
It was a Sunday morning, sitting down alone eating breakfast, when a knock at the door grabbed her attention. Opening it to see an Alliance General, she saluted automatically as he removed his cap. "Doctor Chakwas?"
"I am she."
He offered his hand. "General Grissom, ma'am. May I come in? We… need to talk."
"Sure, come on in. Coffee?"
"Yes please. Two sugars only."
After making them each a drink, she sat the table and did wonder why an Alliance General was sitting at her table. She was long retired. Taking a sip, she had to ask, "Consider me intrigued, sir. I've been retired near ten years now. What brings you to my door?"
"The Reapers, ma'am."
She laughed at how awkward he sounded. "I'm sure there are others out there who can tell you much more about them…"
"It's not that, ma'am. We're now used to seeing them around, even here on Earth. Still scare the bejeezus out of us at times when they suddenly descend from the sky, but they never have weapons primed, and ignore ours when we prime them ready to fire. No, this situation is different."
"How so?"
"That big one, the one called Harbinger, or at least they used to. It's in orbit now. Sitting there peacefully. But it sent us a message. Secure channel. So secure, only the highest of ranks knows about it. And it sent a simple message." She raised her eyebrows. "It said 'Send Doctor Karin Chakwas immediately.' We obviously had to check our records, and you are the only Doctor Karin Chakwas to have served recently that remained alive after the war so… here I am."
"What would a Reaper want from me?"
"That's what we'd like to know too, ma'am. You have any idea what a Reaper would want?"
"None whatsoever."
That was a lie. She'd had an inkling since the day the Crucible fired. And the way the Reapers had behaved since. But she'd never told a soul. Even Liara, who believed the same. That Shepard had… ascended, for want of a better word. His brilliant mind, his good heart, his bravery, charisma, and general good nature, despite what he did for a living, all of that now reflected in how the Reapers acted.
"What do you want me to do?"
"We can't exactly order…"
"General, if a Reaper is asking for me, you can tell me how it is. I don't mind."
"I would like you to come with me. We will debrief you at the nearest skyport. From there, it will be a shuttle to the nearest dockyard, and then it's into orbit. You will be dropped within the bowels of the Reaper and then left alone. The Reaper did not speak but its written instructions were clear. You, and only you, are to come alone."
She quickly changed, grabbed her bag and a couple of other things she thought necessary, before following the officer outside. The next few hours were a whirlwind as she was informed as to the situation around the galaxy and the Reaper presence. When asked about why a Reaper wanted her, she gave nothing away, a shrug of the shoulders, acting clueless. They seemed to believe her, at least.
It was only on the shuttle ride towards the Reaper itself that butterflies kicked in. She'd never seen one of the monstrosities up close, but with blue lights across its giant frame, it seemed almost… peaceful, even docile. She could hear the shuttle pilots marvel at it as they entered the Reaper itself, setting down on a landing pad.
"Last stop, ma'am," they joked.
"Will I be collected?"
"No idea, ma'am. We were told to drop you off then leave. I guess someone will contact us or someone if you need picking up."
Stepping out of the shuttle, she shut the door and was amused it practically took off immediately. Despite the apparently docile nature, still being afraid of them wasn't a surprise. The booming voice that quickly followed nearly made her jump with fright.
"Please follow the lights, Doctor Chakwas."
She watched as lights illuminated the path ahead. With a fair amount of trepidation, she slowly walked ahead. Looking around, it was completely alien, like nothing she'd ever seen before. But there was nothing actually that frightening about being inside it. The blue light was strangely comforting, and as she walked along, she was surprised to hear… music. Music that seemed strange to her ears, but it was still a recognisable tune.
Arriving at a set of steps, she climbed those and was greeted by what looked like an operations centre. There was familiarity with that, small signs that reminded her of a ship upon which she had served a decade and more ago. But what brought her to a halt was the man with his back to her, working at a piece of machinery. To his left was a gurney, and if she didn't know any better, underneath the sheet was something.
"Hello?" she asked, taking a careful step forward. The man lifted an index finger before he seemed to do something. "Who are you?" she asked.
It was another thirty seconds before he turned around. She almost fainted straight away, needing to catch herself on the machine that rested next to her. He strode forward immediately, gently taking her wrist. "Sorry, I should have known…"
She hugged him tightly. Ever so tightly. When she felt his arms embrace her, she wept. She sobbed. She cried. Then she leaned back and called him a bastard, which did nothing but provoke a grin she remembered, a grin she saw every night when she'd closed her eyes. "I knew," she whispered, "I just knew you had something to do with them."
Taking her hand, he led her towards the console he'd been working at. "It's difficult to explain everything, Karin," he said, "Because I'm not sure you'll understand. Even I don't fully comprehend everything, but to put it simply, I am now… part of them. Or, I am them, as much as they are me."
"So you… rule them?"
"No. Each Reaper is an avatar, exemplifying the traits I once held as a human. Through my will, they act."
"Liara was right," she whispered, "She knew straight away." She turned and immediately touched his face. His eyes, when gazing into hers, looked exactly the same. "Are you… organic?"
"Yes. Well, mostly. Need a little help to make a human body, after all. Billions of years' worth of science, though…"
"How many…"
He shook his head. "I live with the number, Karin. It's perhaps the most difficult thing. I don't think anyone could have comprehended just how much…"
"But you are… you, Shepard? The man I see in front of me…"
"I reconstructed my body as you would remember it best. Close your eyes and remember. What was our last best day?"
She closed her eyes and smiled. "There are too many to remember, Shepard. But… the final days of the war. Dinner and then the Presidium. Talking for hours. For the first time, there was no way. No Reapers. No annihilation. There was only us."
She opened her eyes and saw him smile, before he took her hand, leading her to the gurney. "I'm going to show you something, Karin. It may shock you at first, but there is a reason that I will explain first. Now that I am them, I am infinite. This body I'm currently in will eventually wither and die, even with all the technology through galactic history, but I will live on forever. I think that could prove awfully lonely. What I've lived on for the past decade are memories of you as the rest of my mind dealt with the melding with the Reaper consciousness. It was not a battle of wills. I was accepted as the… well, I guess you could say ruler in that sense. My will be done. Sounds rather religious."
He pulled the blanket back and she couldn't help gasp. "That's me from…"
"The moment I fell in love with you, Karin. The day we met." He turned and met her eyes, taking his hands in hers. "Come with me."
"Where?"
"Anywhere. Everywhere. The galaxy is small, Karin. The universe? That is an adventure. We will discover galaxies, planets, stars that have never been seen by any eye within this galaxy. Most importantly, I want the woman I love at my side while doing this, today, tomorrow and forever. I know it's…"
"Yes. God yes," she whispered, "But what about… um… I don't know…"
"This body is a hybrid of organic and synthetic, Karin. You won't be entirely human, but no-one will know any different. All it will take is a transfer of your consciousness from you to… you. It will be instantaneous. I've done it before. To myself. A lot. Trial and error." He met her eyes again. "Are you willing to try?"
She nodded immediately, and he helped her up onto the gurney. She was prepared rather quickly for whatever was to come, but he seemed to know what he was doing. "Are you ready?" he asked.
"I am," she replied softly.
"Count down from five. Close your eyes at three. Ready?" She nodded. "Five. Four. Three." She closed her eyes, looking at Shepard and the body next to her. "Two. One. And done. Open your eyes, Karin."
She opened her eyes and saw the inside of the Reaper above her. Turning her head to her left, she noticed Shepard looking down at her with a grin. Turning to her right, she gasped as she noticed her old body. Her old human body. Getting to her feet, she was amazed she felt no change. She put fingers to her throat and felt a heartbeat. Massive intake of breath, almost feeling her lungs expand. She did an eye test. He offered a piece of chocolate for a taste test. Everything was the same.
Standing over her body, Shepard stood alongside her. "The question is, Karin. You will now live forever. But what do you want the people back on Earth to know?"
"Let them know I passed peacefully… in around fifty years' time. I guess being part of a mystery is rather exciting in itself."
She turned to him and fell into his arms as they kissed for the first time in over a decade. She inhaled and could just sense… him. As if it was ten years ago, and they were on the ship alone. Taking her by the hand, they walked to the platform upon which she had arrived. And the Reapers just started moving. She looked at him and smirked. "You're doing this?"
He smiled, almost cheekily. "I am."
"You're going to show off, aren't you?"
"Maybe just a little."
"So in this body, will I need food, drink, sleep…"
"No, no, sort of, but there is no reason why we can't do the first two for simple enjoyment. Why would you want to sleep where there is so much still to see? Trust me, you will never actually feel tired. It will be just your mind adjusting."
She couldn't help smile. "One other thing though, Shepard."
She met his eyes and he grinned. She need say nothing further. "Oh, I thought you'd never ask, doctor. And I have just the place designed for that. But first…" He wrapped an arm around her waist as Earth slowly but surely disappeared from view. Once it was nothing but a spec, a pale blue dot in the distance, he took her by the hand and led her back within the Reaper.
Their new life together had just begun.
A/N - Holy moly, after seven years, this is finally finished. Hope you enjoyed the ride and found it interesting. For those who have followed this since the early days, you have my thanks and respect for hanging around for so long, considering this story did have long gaps between updates.
Thanks for following or adding this as a favourite. It's appreciated.
All the best.