Your CS Pet Pairs? (NEW THREAD)

[Zeee]

As the little girl lay in her bed, the darkness of her room settling upon her, she began to cry. The heart-wrenching sound filled the still atmosphere, breaking the silence of the night in an endless symphony of sobs. She clutched a crumpled letter close to her heart, letting her tears blotch the ink. She whispered the same words over and over, as if saying a prayer.

"Daddy...Daddy...Daddy..."

---

Horrible drabble is horrible ;u; maybe a longer story later, this was more of a in the moment, i need to let out my feelings sort of thing

Drabble? Really? Not even close.
You must write more, aqua. <3 I'd love to hear more.



A mother led her heartbroken son into an airport. All he did was stare off into the distance, in his own world were everything was perfect- unlike his life in this chaotic world.

The boy was startled by a familiar, but distant voice. With a flick of the wrist, his little eyes widened and he twisted his body viciously until he became face to face with a welcomed surprise.

They stared for a brief moment and exchanged huge smiles before the boy running towards the man on the other side of the airport. People stared and applauded, even some breaking town in tears.

A man stood there on his knees in a polished army uniform, complete with his hat, while his son felt his warmth once again.

"Daddy," The boy stared into his father's eyes, and he stared into his son's. The father nodded, them both not even trying to hold back the tears. They both broke out into streams of it, the tears rolling down their cheeks. The boy pulled his father back into the hug and whispered, "I love you."

The father smiled to himself.
"I love you too, son."

Later on, had the son not realized- it was all a trap. A twisted, evil-minded trap that lured him in through a wish he had for years, it seeming that it had came true. Nothing came true that day.
The boy learned to never believe everything a person says.

[ gah. gah. gah. why did i post this? :S ]

[thricewire]

xx

&



jessica xx brandon.

&

grace

~


"why did you lie to me?"
"whatever are you talking about, dear?"
"you aren't my dearest anymore."
it was a warm summer's day, but the ice in my heart overrules all.
"i hate you."
you can't stab my back if my back's not turned.
"i knew you would."
she had a smirk on her face.
i met her with that smirk.
i should've known she'd do this.
i met her with that smirk, and she'd probably die with that smirk.
but i sure.as.heck. wouldn't be there to see it.
"come on, you know i didn't mean it!"
"we're over."
i could feel the tears sliding down my cheeks as i left her house.
i would never see it again.
i knew jessica was there.
"are you okay?! what happened?"
"i'm...fine, she's not the one for me."
and all of a sudden, she held her hand out.
i took it.
perhaps best friends could become more then friends.
"i'm so sorry..."
"it's okay, jessica."
and all of a sudden, she broke away.
and all of a sudden, she kissed me.
"i love you, brandon."
"i love you too, jessica."
we wrapped our scarves around our necks, although we knew we'd be roasting.
we walked the whole way home.
she likes to kiss me when i'm being stupid.
she kisses me a lot.

[Wildmagic_warrior]

[the Weasley twins]

Dear Fred,

Remember when we put our names in the Goblet of Fire?
I wish that hadn't been the only time we saw each other old.

Always missing you,
George.

[Dr. Paine]

Adrian Shepard, Thane Krios,
Mordin Solus, and Legion
We gave our lives to Normandy.

Warning! Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 in this story. Also contains some mild blood/injury references.

Control? No. She couldn't. It was hard enough converting the heretic geth... even the Reapers, horrible as they were, didn't deserve to have all choice taken from them. And it had been what they wanted The Illusive Man to do- who know what would happen if she tried taking them? Things could very well just become that much worse.

Destruction was equally unthinkable. If there was one thing Adrian Shepard wouldn't be remembered for, it was mass genocide the likes of which the galaxy had never seen before. Killing the geth when they had just achieved peace, just achieved true sentience! Not to mention the confirmation that each Reaper was indeed the last remains of an ancient species. Even after all they had done... she couldn't destroy the little that remained of those people.

All that left was what the Catalyst had called 'synthesis'. Her own body, used as a blueprint for all intelligent life in the galaxy. The Reapers would retreat, and then... life would continue on. No more destruction. No more war. Only one more death, and a massive change to the very basic components of life... but if it was her own body used as the template, then it would be so unnoticeable that she could enter the afterlife with relatively little guilt.

Shepard closed her eyes and let out a soft, shallow breath, another hot trickle of blood pour from her mouth. She didn't have much time left to choose- she felt herself growing dizzy and numb, despite the internal bleeding and enormous gash on her side, not to mention the burns and lacerations she had received from Harbinger's final attack. Better to die on her terms, than to sit here and fizzle out.

The walk down the middle path towards the column of light was agonizing. Every cell in her body, every implant, bone, muscle and fiber threatened to break and send her tumbling to the ground, but she would have none of that. Her breath, what little she could still draw, came in shallow bursts that left her feeling weaker than before and made her wonder, in her fading state, if that was what it had been like for Thane in his last few months. Perhaps being run through with a sword was a better way to go, at least it was relatively quick.

Her pace quickened slightly, her pain lessened by the final flood of endorphins through what remained of her blood. Halfway through the path, her mind was overtaken with memories, clear as the day they occurred. Her first crush on an alien, the day she was offered a position in the N7 program, the day she became a Spectre, meeting the people who would later become her crew and closest friends. Mordin singing not too long after first being recruited, then his final ride in the elevator, smiling as he faced certain death to end the genophage. Thane, framed in the Illium sunrise, praying for the monster of a woman he had just killed... then him nearly a year later, listening as she and Kolyat finished the prayer he had begun, one for the salvation of her own soul. Legion's activation, his friendliness, her foray into the geth consciousness. Late nights learning to shoot with Garrus, time in the engine room with Tali, where only she could make the operation of drive cores sound interesting. Biotic training with Miranda, seeing Jack at Grissom Academy, hiding out in the cargo hold with Grunt to play with her models and his action figures, the constant teasing about her inability to care for fish, so many so much, almost too much to take. And as she approached the beam, she no longer saw the light, nor did she feel the metal floor below. She was instead on Rannoch, bathed in the light of the rising sun, watching Legion's final act of breaking up his own collective consciousness in order to forever uplift the geth.

She did not hear the rush of air as she jumped over the edge. She heard only the crashing of waves and of a beloved, rumbling voice mixed with her own, she wasn't sure if she was actually speaking even as her body was being pulled apart, or if it was simply in her mind.

"Guide this one, Kalahira. And I will be a companion to you as they were to me."
---------------------

The echoes of the prayer faded, and very slowly, Shepard felt herself fade back into consciousness. Her eyes were closed, but she could feel the cold tile floor beneath her, and the air had a very distinct odor that she was not going to soon forget, and made every deep breath a mixed blessing. What she had thought to be the pounding of her head was really the muffled throb of music from not too far away, a familiar beat now that she thought of it. Her mouth was dry, but still filled with the coppery taste of blood... but why could she even taste anything?

Shepard groaned softly and did her best to move, only managing to barely shift her right arm (which, aside from feeling like it weighed more than Tali's Claymore, seemed perfectly unharmed) before giving up and remaining spread out on the floor. Several minutes later, she tried again, and this time found much more success- she was able to pick herself up off of the floor and open her eyes, confirming her suspicions as to where she was.

The bathroom of The Dark Star lounge.

Deciding it was best to just not question things for the moment, Adrian staggered out of the bathroom and into the main part of the club, her breathing finally returned to normal as she took in the faces around her. Some were strange, some she vaguely recognized. A shout broke her concentration, and when she turned to face the speaker, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Kaiden!?" she exclaimed, staring at her former crewmate. He had died, there was no doubt about it. But here he was, friendly as ever, not a scratch to be seen on his body.

"Commander," he said with a rather listless salute, a pained look to his expression. "I didn't... I'd hoped you wouldn't end up here."

"Here?" Shepard asked, though she was already having her suspicions.

"Come on. We've got a table, it'll be easier to explain there. Your favorite's there, by the way... I heard you developed a taste for ryncol, eh?" the biotic soldier said with a slight laugh, leading Shepard through the crowd towards a table in the back.

"Yeah... doesn't taste half bad after the third shot," she said in a dazed voice, paying more attention to the other patrons than just where they were going. A krogan looking wistfully at the holo of an asari, mumbling something about roses and Illium. Conrad Verner and Jenna out on the dance floor, laughing and grinning like they were having the time of their lives. Commander Bailey with General Oraka and several C-Sec officers, she could even catch part of their conversation ("I'm just glad I saw that drell kid get onto a shuttle, it was the last one out before the place started coming apart,"). Barla Von, Sha'ira, Councilor Sparatus, someone she could swear was Anderson, but they were lost once she finally reached the table, and got her first look at the people sitting there.

"Shepard-Commander. I am pleased to see you here."

Legion's head flaps moved up and down in the way Shepard usually associated with something that made him happy, and even his voice seemed to have... inflection, something aside from the monotone she had been so used to.

"Saved you a seat," came the next voice, and she found herself looking at Mordin, still grinning like he knew something she didn't and wouldn't share until she'd driven herself insane trying to figure out what he was hiding. "Would like to catch up on the state of krogan population. Poor work ethic to just leave experiments... hanging."

"I... yeah, we'll do that," Shepard said, sinking into the seat Mordin had offered. She found herself shaking and looking over the other tables again, her eyes widening when she caught sight of three men huddled around one, giving her looks that amounted to a mixture of absolute terror and respect.

"That isn't..." she began, glancing from Kaiden to the turian in the middle of the trio.

"That's Saren," Kaiden said. "He came around... not all that long after I did, actually. He still doesn't really like anyone."

"And those-"

"Donnel Udina and Jack Harper- better known to us as The Illusive Man," came a rasping voice from slightly behind her. Shepard's breath caught when she heard it, practically felt that comforting rumble against her skin, and she looked up to see her face (paler than ever save for where it was brown with dried blood) reflected in a pair of large black eyes she hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity.

"Thane?" she whispered, standing up and reaching out touch his face, to confirm he was there in... whatever reality this was. The slight roughness of his scales, the faint tingling in her fingers and then lips as they kissed... wherever or whatever they were, they were real enough for her. They broke their embrace after several long moments and sat down, the other four silent until Shepard finally spoke up again.

"I... you're all... ... everyone here is dead. Aren't they?" she asked, her voice coming out hushed and awestruck. "Y... you, I saw all four of you die, I s-saw them-" she gestured to the trio of Saren, Udina and The Illusive Man, "- die. I killed Udina myself for gods' sake, and he's here? Is... is this heaven? Hell? What?"

Adrian's breathing had become erratic and heavy, it wasn't until Thane gently placed his hand over hers that she got a hold of herself enough to start calming down. To no surprise of hers, Mordin was the first to speak up.

"Best human equivalent would be 'purgatory'. Perhaps Valhalla. A place to rest and come to terms with one's death before..." the salarian trailed off, bringing a finger to his chin as he thought.

"Before?" Shepard asked softly.

"Moving on," Mordin finally said, that all-knowing grin once again appearing on his face. "Salarians were right, after all."

"We remain here because something holds us back," Thane said. "Many of us wait for loved ones, or to see how events surrounding our deaths play out. After we find our peace, we... the process is not understood. Some say their gods approach them, to lead them to the afterlife they believed in. Others-" there he paused, glancing at a still-grinning Mordin, "- believe we return to the world of the living. Others say we are given a choice, whether to move on or go back."

"I... ... but why the Dark Star?" Shepard asked. "Afterlife would've been better!"

A series of groans accompanied that statement (save for from Legion, who gave the geth equivalent of a chuckle), the last being from Shepard herself when she realized what she had said.

"You all know what I meant. The Citadel just seems so... why?" she said, raising her arms in a gesture even she didn't know the meaning of, but hoped it'd get her point across.

"Citadel galactic hub. Has been, ever since first Cycle. Natural place for the restless to come. Personally theorize that afterlife is a creation of the living, what we remember or believe most is what we see-"

"Right, I get it. The living influence the world of the dead, good enough for me," Shepard said quickly, gripping the until-now untouched glass of ryncol until she thought the glass would shatter. "But what about everyone else? You said we're here until we make peace with our deaths, there's no way in... this that I'll be able to do that until I see what's happened!"

"See for yourself," Kaiden said, sliding a datapad across the table. The screen seemed to show some sort of video feed, but Shepard couldn't make heads or tails of where it was showing. It seemed to be a jungle planet, very lush and green with bright blue skies, where two moons were faintly visible even in the daylight. The video shifted, showing a similar location but in more of a clearing, were a few simple pre-fabricated buildings were, indicating there was some sort of colonial presence on the planet; further supported by the sight of a few people milling around the place.

The first thing that caught Adrian's eyes was their skin. Series of bright green-white lines crossed their bodies, not too unlike circuit boards, and their eyes flashed similar colors. After several moments though, those faded, leaving the colonists looking like any other normal humans.

"It... it was right..." she whispered, breathing a soft sigh of relief. The next sight was almost overwhelming, and indeed, Shepard felt her eyes well with tears at it.

EDI. EDI and Joker, walking hand-in-hand, Joker walking steady and sure. The images changed again, showing a helmet-less Tali and Garrus by the mostly-intact Normandy, chatting away as they worked to repair the ship. The images jumped again and again, showing more of the Normandy crew, then more of the galaxy- krogan rebuilding on Tuchanka, the great fleet she had assembled on Earth, a number of geth, quarian and asari ships around what appeared to be a broken mass relay. There was plenty of destruction, so many bodies and so many mourning, and she was certain there would be a great many more lost before all was said and done. But for the first time in years, she saw hope. She saw her friends alive and well, the people she'd worked so hard to save giving it their all to rebuild, the first organics (well, now hybrids) in the history of the galaxy, in the known universe, to ever have the chance to truly develop along their own paths.

Shepard finally set the datapad down, closing her eyes and leaning her head on Thane's shoulder as tears poured down her cheeks. How long had it been since she'd been able to sit and cry, to actually let herself really feel the weight of what she had been done and what had been expected of her? Not since... it had been before she was assigned to the original Normandy nearly four years ago. Four years since she had truly rested. Since she had been able to feel, to be overwhelmed without risking a dozen other lives with her distractions. In Anderson's words, four years since she had just been able to sit down.
-----------------------------------------------------------

After some time, she regained her composure and wiped away the tears, half-laughing as she apologized to Thane and endured his and Kaiden's gentle teasing- after all, none of them had ever seen her truly cry like that in life, and even death wouldn't stop them from getting in a shot at their commander.

By that time, word had gotten around that Adrian Shepard was indeed in the bar, and quite the crowd had gathered around the table. Another tearful reunion was had, once Shepard confirmed that Anderson was indeed present, and she hugged the man who was more of a father to her than anyone else had ever been, once more lost for words. She apologized to Conrad and Jenna, and informed Charr that yes, his dear rose had gotten his final message, earning the first krogan hug she had ever experienced.

The bartender- who Shepard noticed, with a pang of sadness, was Matriarch Aethyta- set up the vid screens scattered around the bar with images of the recovering galaxy, with the largest focusing on the tiny colony where the living crew of the Normandy were gathered in the mess hall of the ship.

As Aethyta served out drinks to everyone in the bar, Shepard watched as Doctor Chakwas did the same to the Normandy crew, using most of her prized reserve of Serris Ice Brandy.

Shepard and the Dark Star patrons, those souls still trying to make peace, raised their glasses high.

"To the living!" they cheered, and all eyes turned on Shepard. She thought for a moment, and then grinned, her dark eyes glittering with an impish delight. "Pity them while you can, it'll be a long time before they have a bar half this good again!"
-------------

The Normandy crew stood in a loose circle around the table, with Garrus and Tali at the head. They and the others raised their glasses over a holo of Commander Adrian Shepard II, the woman who would be remembered as long as there was life in the Milky Way galaxy as the savior of them all, the peacemaker, the paragon of justice and greatness. But to them, as Garrus said-

"She'll always be the woman who couldn't keep a fish alive for more than a week without a VI," the turian said with a dry laugh.
"Yet she always kept that hamster of hers fed," Tali said, shaking her head. "I never understood how that worked."

A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd, and Traynor was the next to speak up.

"The woman who couldn't beat a bloody communications technician in a game of chess. Using standard rules, too!"

"Who couldn't understand the words 'duck and cover'," Chakwas said, smiling though tearstains were clearly visible on her cheeks. "Really, it's a wonder she lived long enough to go out the way she did, the way she acted in a fight."

"To the worst driver in the history of the galaxy," Liara said, looking down at the holo of Shepard. The last memory she'd shared with her had been, of all things, her first and only time out in the Mako while Shepard drove. The asari, the feared Shadow Broker, could safely say that it had been the single most terrifying experience of her life so far, and would likely remain so.

"To Adrian," Joker said, looking up through the hole in the hull and smiling. "No one's ever going to forget you..."

(I've had this brewing for a very long time, and really wanted to share it here for some reason xD I couldn't make the entirety of the cast mentioned here, obviously, but I went for the four most important- Shepard (of course), Thane, Legion, and Mordin, all of whom died aiding her in my run of Mass Effect 3. Hopefully this turned out decently, whether or not you've played the games/enjoyed the endings. I know I did, and I'm glad I finally worked this out )

[corvus corone]

Adrian Shepard, Thane Krios,
Mordin Solus, and Legion
We gave our lives to Normandy.

Warning! Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 in this story. Also contains some mild blood/injury references.

Control? No. She couldn't. It was hard enough converting the heretic geth... even the Reapers, horrible as they were, didn't deserve to have all choice taken from them. And it had been what they wanted The Illusive Man to do- who know what would happen if she tried taking them? Things could very well just become that much worse.

Destruction was equally unthinkable. If there was one thing Adrian Shepard wouldn't be remembered for, it was mass genocide the likes of which the galaxy had never seen before. Killing the geth when they had just achieved peace, just achieved true sentience! Not to mention the confirmation that each Reaper was indeed the last remains of an ancient species. Even after all they had done... she couldn't destroy the little that remained of those people.

All that left was what the Catalyst had called 'synthesis'. Her own body, used as a blueprint for all intelligent life in the galaxy. The Reapers would retreat, and then... life would continue on. No more destruction. No more war. Only one more death, and a massive change to the very basic components of life... but if it was her own body used as the template, then it would be so unnoticeable that she could enter the afterlife with relatively little guilt.

Shepard closed her eyes and let out a soft, shallow breath, another hot trickle of blood pour from her mouth. She didn't have much time left to choose- she felt herself growing dizzy and numb, despite the internal bleeding and enormous gash on her side, not to mention the burns and lacerations she had received from Harbinger's final attack. Better to die on her terms, than to sit here and fizzle out.

The walk down the middle path towards the column of light was agonizing. Every cell in her body, every implant, bone, muscle and fiber threatened to break and send her tumbling to the ground, but she would have none of that. Her breath, what little she could still draw, came in shallow bursts that left her feeling weaker than before and made her wonder, in her fading state, if that was what it had been like for Thane in his last few months. Perhaps being run through with a sword was a better way to go, at least it was relatively quick.

Her pace quickened slightly, her pain lessened by the final flood of endorphins through what remained of her blood. Halfway through the path, her mind was overtaken with memories, clear as the day they occurred. Her first crush on an alien, the day she was offered a position in the N7 program, the day she became a Spectre, meeting the people who would later become her crew and closest friends. Mordin singing not too long after first being recruited, then his final ride in the elevator, smiling as he faced certain death to end the genophage. Thane, framed in the Illium sunrise, praying for the monster of a woman he had just killed... then him nearly a year later, listening as she and Kolyat finished the prayer he had begun, one for the salvation of her own soul. Legion's activation, his friendliness, her foray into the geth consciousness. Late nights learning to shoot with Garrus, time in the engine room with Tali, where only she could make the operation of drive cores sound interesting. Biotic training with Miranda, seeing Jack at Grissom Academy, hiding out in the cargo hold with Grunt to play with her models and his action figures, the constant teasing about her inability to care for fish, so many so much, almost too much to take. And as she approached the beam, she no longer saw the light, nor did she feel the metal floor below. She was instead on Rannoch, bathed in the light of the rising sun, watching Legion's final act of breaking up his own collective consciousness in order to forever uplift the geth.

She did not hear the rush of air as she jumped over the edge. She heard only the crashing of waves and of a beloved, rumbling voice mixed with her own, she wasn't sure if she was actually speaking even as her body was being pulled apart, or if it was simply in her mind.

"Guide this one, Kalahira. And I will be a companion to you as they were to me."
---------------------

The echoes of the prayer faded, and very slowly, Shepard felt herself fade back into consciousness. Her eyes were closed, but she could feel the cold tile floor beneath her, and the air had a very distinct odor that she was not going to soon forget, and made every deep breath a mixed blessing. What she had thought to be the pounding of her head was really the muffled throb of music from not too far away, a familiar beat now that she thought of it. Her mouth was dry, but still filled with the coppery taste of blood... but why could she even taste anything?

Shepard groaned softly and did her best to move, only managing to barely shift her right arm (which, aside from feeling like it weighed more than Tali's Claymore, seemed perfectly unharmed) before giving up and remaining spread out on the floor. Several minutes later, she tried again, and this time found much more success- she was able to pick herself up off of the floor and open her eyes, confirming her suspicions as to where she was.

The bathroom of The Dark Star lounge.

Deciding it was best to just not question things for the moment, Adrian staggered out of the bathroom and into the main part of the club, her breathing finally returned to normal as she took in the faces around her. Some were strange, some she vaguely recognized. A shout broke her concentration, and when she turned to face the speaker, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Kaiden!?" she exclaimed, staring at her former crewmate. He had died, there was no doubt about it. But here he was, friendly as ever, not a scratch to be seen on his body.

"Commander," he said with a rather listless salute, a pained look to his expression. "I didn't... I'd hoped you wouldn't end up here."

"Here?" Shepard asked, though she was already having her suspicions.

"Come on. We've got a table, it'll be easier to explain there. Your favorite's there, by the way... I heard you developed a taste for ryncol, eh?" the biotic soldier said with a slight laugh, leading Shepard through the crowd towards a table in the back.

"Yeah... doesn't taste half bad after the third shot," she said in a dazed voice, paying more attention to the other patrons than just where they were going. A krogan looking wistfully at the holo of an asari, mumbling something about roses and Illium. Conrad Verner and Jenna out on the dance floor, laughing and grinning like they were having the time of their lives. Commander Bailey with General Oraka and several C-Sec officers, she could even catch part of their conversation ("I'm just glad I saw that drell kid get onto a shuttle, it was the last one out before the place started coming apart,"). Barla Von, Sha'ira, Councilor Sparatus, someone she could swear was Anderson, but they were lost once she finally reached the table, and got her first look at the people sitting there.

"Shepard-Commander. I am pleased to see you here."

Legion's head flaps moved up and down in the way Shepard usually associated with something that made him happy, and even his voice seemed to have... inflection, something aside from the monotone she had been so used to.

"Saved you a seat," came the next voice, and she found herself looking at Mordin, still grinning like he knew something she didn't and wouldn't share until she'd driven herself insane trying to figure out what he was hiding. "Would like to catch up on the state of krogan population. Poor work ethic to just leave experiments... hanging."

"I... yeah, we'll do that," Shepard said, sinking into the seat Mordin had offered. She found herself shaking and looking over the other tables again, her eyes widening when she caught sight of three men huddled around one, giving her looks that amounted to a mixture of absolute terror and respect.

"That isn't..." she began, glancing from Kaiden to the turian in the middle of the trio.

"That's Saren," Kaiden said. "He came around... not all that long after I did, actually. He still doesn't really like anyone."

"And those-"

"Donnel Udina and Jack Harper- better known to us as The Illusive Man," came a rasping voice from slightly behind her. Shepard's breath caught when she heard it, practically felt that comforting rumble against her skin, and she looked up to see her face (paler than ever save for where it was brown with dried blood) reflected in a pair of large black eyes she hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity.

"Thane?" she whispered, standing up and reaching out touch his face, to confirm he was there in... whatever reality this was. The slight roughness of his scales, the faint tingling in her fingers and then lips as they kissed... wherever or whatever they were, they were real enough for her. They broke their embrace after several long moments and sat down, the other four silent until Shepard finally spoke up again.

"I... you're all... ... everyone here is dead. Aren't they?" she asked, her voice coming out hushed and awestruck. "Y... you, I saw all four of you die, I s-saw them-" she gestured to the trio of Saren, Udina and The Illusive Man, "- die. I killed Udina myself for gods' sake, and he's here? Is... is this heaven? Hell? What?"

Adrian's breathing had become erratic and heavy, it wasn't until Thane gently placed his hand over hers that she got a hold of herself enough to start calming down. To no surprise of hers, Mordin was the first to speak up.

"Best human equivalent would be 'purgatory'. Perhaps Valhalla. A place to rest and come to terms with one's death before..." the salarian trailed off, bringing a finger to his chin as he thought.

"Before?" Shepard asked softly.

"Moving on," Mordin finally said, that all-knowing grin once again appearing on his face. "Salarians were right, after all."

"We remain here because something holds us back," Thane said. "Many of us wait for loved ones, or to see how events surrounding our deaths play out. After we find our peace, we... the process is not understood. Some say their gods approach them, to lead them to the afterlife they believed in. Others-" there he paused, glancing at a still-grinning Mordin, "- believe we return to the world of the living. Others say we are given a choice, whether to move on or go back."

"I... ... but why the Dark Star?" Shepard asked. "Afterlife would've been better!"

A series of groans accompanied that statement (save for from Legion, who gave the geth equivalent of a chuckle), the last being from Shepard herself when she realized what she had said.

"You all know what I meant. The Citadel just seems so... why?" she said, raising her arms in a gesture even she didn't know the meaning of, but hoped it'd get her point across.

"Citadel galactic hub. Has been, ever since first Cycle. Natural place for the restless to come. Personally theorize that afterlife is a creation of the living, what we remember or believe most is what we see-"

"Right, I get it. The living influence the world of the dead, good enough for me," Shepard said quickly, gripping the until-now untouched glass of ryncol until she thought the glass would shatter. "But what about everyone else? You said we're here until we make peace with our deaths, there's no way in... this that I'll be able to do that until I see what's happened!"

"See for yourself," Kaiden said, sliding a datapad across the table. The screen seemed to show some sort of video feed, but Shepard couldn't make heads or tails of where it was showing. It seemed to be a jungle planet, very lush and green with bright blue skies, where two moons were faintly visible even in the daylight. The video shifted, showing a similar location but in more of a clearing, were a few simple pre-fabricated buildings were, indicating there was some sort of colonial presence on the planet; further supported by the sight of a few people milling around the place.

The first thing that caught Adrian's eyes was their skin. Series of bright green-white lines crossed their bodies, not too unlike circuit boards, and their eyes flashed similar colors. After several moments though, those faded, leaving the colonists looking like any other normal humans.

"It... it was right..." she whispered, breathing a soft sigh of relief. The next sight was almost overwhelming, and indeed, Shepard felt her eyes well with tears at it.

EDI. EDI and Joker, walking hand-in-hand, Joker walking steady and sure. The images changed again, showing a helmet-less Tali and Garrus by the mostly-intact Normandy, chatting away as they worked to repair the ship. The images jumped again and again, showing more of the Normandy crew, then more of the galaxy- krogan rebuilding on Tuchanka, the great fleet she had assembled on Earth, a number of geth, quarian and asari ships around what appeared to be a broken mass relay. There was plenty of destruction, so many bodies and so many mourning, and she was certain there would be a great many more lost before all was said and done. But for the first time in years, she saw hope. She saw her friends alive and well, the people she'd worked so hard to save giving it their all to rebuild, the first organics (well, now hybrids) in the history of the galaxy, in the known universe, to ever have the chance to truly develop along their own paths.

Shepard finally set the datapad down, closing her eyes and leaning her head on Thane's shoulder as tears poured down her cheeks. How long had it been since she'd been able to sit and cry, to actually let herself really feel the weight of what she had been done and what had been expected of her? Not since... it had been before she was assigned to the original Normandy nearly four years ago. Four years since she had truly rested. Since she had been able to feel, to be overwhelmed without risking a dozen other lives with her distractions. In Anderson's words, four years since she had just been able to sit down.
-----------------------------------------------------------

After some time, she regained her composure and wiped away the tears, half-laughing as she apologized to Thane and endured his and Kaiden's gentle teasing- after all, none of them had ever seen her truly cry like that in life, and even death wouldn't stop them from getting in a shot at their commander.

By that time, word had gotten around that Adrian Shepard was indeed in the bar, and quite the crowd had gathered around the table. Another tearful reunion was had, once Shepard confirmed that Anderson was indeed present, and she hugged the man who was more of a father to her than anyone else had ever been, once more lost for words. She apologized to Conrad and Jenna, and informed Charr that yes, his dear rose had gotten his final message, earning the first krogan hug she had ever experienced.

The bartender- who Shepard noticed, with a pang of sadness, was Matriarch Aethyta- set up the vid screens scattered around the bar with images of the recovering galaxy, with the largest focusing on the tiny colony where the living crew of the Normandy were gathered in the mess hall of the ship.

As Aethyta served out drinks to everyone in the bar, Shepard watched as Doctor Chakwas did the same to the Normandy crew, using most of her prized reserve of Serris Ice Brandy.

Shepard and the Dark Star patrons, those souls still trying to make peace, raised their glasses high.

"To the living!" they cheered, and all eyes turned on Shepard. She thought for a moment, and then grinned, her dark eyes glittering with an impish delight. "Pity them while you can, it'll be a long time before they have a bar half this good again!"
-------------

The Normandy crew stood in a loose circle around the table, with Garrus and Tali at the head. They and the others raised their glasses over a holo of Commander Adrian Shepard II, the woman who would be remembered as long as there was life in the Milky Way galaxy as the savior of them all, the peacemaker, the paragon of justice and greatness. But to them, as Garrus said-

"She'll always be the woman who couldn't keep a fish alive for more than a week without a VI," the turian said with a dry laugh.
"Yet she always kept that hamster of hers fed," Tali said, shaking her head. "I never understood how that worked."

A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd, and Traynor was the next to speak up.

"The woman who couldn't beat a bloody communications technician in a game of chess. Using standard rules, too!"

"Who couldn't understand the words 'duck and cover'," Chakwas said, smiling though tearstains were clearly visible on her cheeks. "Really, it's a wonder she lived long enough to go out the way she did, the way she acted in a fight."

"To the worst driver in the history of the galaxy," Liara said, looking down at the holo of Shepard. The last memory she'd shared with her had been, of all things, her first and only time out in the Mako while Shepard drove. The asari, the feared Shadow Broker, could safely say that it had been the single most terrifying experience of her life so far, and would likely remain so.

"To Adrian," Joker said, looking up through the hole in the hull and smiling. "No one's ever going to forget you..."

(I've had this brewing for a very long time, and really wanted to share it here for some reason xD I couldn't make the entirety of the cast mentioned here, obviously, but I went for the four most important- Shepard (of course), Thane, Legion, and Mordin, all of whom died aiding her in my run of Mass Effect 3. Hopefully this turned out decently, whether or not you've played the games/enjoyed the endings. I know I did, and I'm glad I finally worked this out )

So. amazing. I will never look at any of the ME games the same way again.

[vee.]

Oh aw all of these stories are wonderful! I read every one on this page (: Aw Pabu yours was so cute haha. Wildmagic, yours was so short, but it nearly made me cry! Aw aw ): And Tress, you should continue that c: Spooky!

[decim.]

[the Weasley twins]

Dear Fred,

Remember when we put our names in the Goblet of Fire?
I wish that hadn't been the only time we saw each other old.

Always missing you,
George.

I love this a lot c':

♥♥♥♥




She stumbled
Through shallow puddles with
Floating peddles

He smiled at her
Held her gently
By one hand
Like a puppet
On marionette strings

And bounced her carefully
Down the sidewalk
Beside him

It was the age
of Princess'
and making believe

A carefree time
Where his child's
Sighs
Were nothing but
Carefree

[aquamarine]

The pets don't match the story at all ;u; I couldn't find a good match.



As I stepped out of the car and onto the smooth pavement outside the church, a storm brewed in my eyes. Rain threatened to fall from my eyes and pain as sharp as lightning bolts struck my heart again and again. My stepfather saw me falter and gently took my hand, helping me to my feet. Every single bad feeling I had ever had towards him after he married my mom disappeared as he tucked my arm through his and let me lean on his sturdy shoulder.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, his voice deep with concern and his face lined with worry.

I swallowed hard as a lump of unshed tears forced its way down my throat. I nodded.

His kind brown eyes gazed into my tear-filled ones. He hesitated only a moment longer before calling my brother to his side and stepping through the doors of the church.

There were people every, all dressed in black. Some were crying, some were laughing, and some were standing as straight and silent as stone statues. Each one of them; mourning and grieving in their own separate way.

“Madalyn!”

My head turned at the sound of a voice calling my name; it was Olivia Macleod. She swept me up into her arms. No words were needed; her hug was enough to confine both of us to sobs. We stood embracing each other or several minutes before she finally released me, wiping her eyes.

“Would you like to see her?” she asked. I was afraid to answer, afraid to say yes. Olivia seemed to read my mind. “They made her look pretty, don’t worry … she looks like she’s sleeping.” She offered me a weak smile and I knew what my answer had to be.

“Take me to her.” I said, nodding to my stepfather and my brother to come with us. The four of us made our way to the back of the church and went through a wooden door behind the alter. My heart slammed into my chest.

There she was, Juliana Marie Macleod, my best friend in the entire world, lying in her coffin. In a numb, frozen trance, I slowly stepped forward.

Her mother had been right; whoever had prepared her body had made her look beautiful. But it was a waxen beauty. Her skin had a shiny look to it, the lipstick was the wrong shade of color and her hands were placed carefully atop her stomach, holding a single white rose.

“You can touch her if you like.”

Her mother’s words startled me. I could hear my stepfather murmuring to her.

“Olivia, I’m not sure that’s a good idea …”

I raised my hand to silence him. Ever so gently, I ran my fingers through her hair and softly caressed her cheek. Her skin was cold, but felt somewhat familiar. Tears fell down my face as I continued to gaze down at her. A small, whimpering sound drew my attention to the corner of the room.

My little brother stood with his back up against the wall, a shocked expression on his face. He looked stunned and sad and as his eyes met mine, they sent a message:

As much as you’re hurting, I’m glad it’s not you.

---

inspired by something I read ... but this sounded so much better in my head -___-

[.jaskier.]

-------------
The Blind Child----------The Darkness Demon
A child was born blind, but was a orphan, living unloved. A evil demon, seeing this child, felt a bit of sadness. Ends up, this demon had a soft side. He started to talk to this kid, saying he would be his friend. the people around this child, could not see the demon and thought the the blind boy was crazy. The boys hearing has gotten better and he heard them talking and was upset with the way they saw him. he stopped talking to the demon. The demon was now upset that his friend would not talk to him and showed himself to the other people of the small town. They didn't trust this demon but slowly, started to trust him as he helped the blind boy. As the boy got older, the demon didn't age.

(i cant think of what else to add.. the song is what i had listen to when typing this up..)

[vee.]

James x Citric

{ full story here }



The remaining weeks of April passed by quickly, and slid into May seamlessly. Before I knew it, it was the day of prom, and I found myself driving home from school wondering where the time had gone. I always find myself in situations like that; I don't pay attention to the individual hours and days as they fly by, and I end up wishing them back. I suppose it happens to everyone now and then, but it always leaves me feeling so lonely and disheartened.

It didn't help much that I had the next six hours to get ready alone, either; everyone else had plans to get ready with better friends, and my house was empty for a while that day too. So to put myself in better spirits, I blasted some of my old favorite songs and danced around the whole house in my dress for a while, singing in my awful tuneless voice-- I've always wished I could sing, but that just isn't one of my talents.

Now in all honesty, I only would have needed about half an hour tops to get ready, including the time it took for my nails to dry, mainly because I did my own hair and makeup, and my hair was cut in a short pixie crop anyway. However I managed to drag it out into about an hour, and after that I sort of just sat around in an awful state, willing time to pass. It came to a point where I would drive myself mad waiting around for any longer, so at about four o'clock, I got in my pickup truck and drove over to James' place-- no expensive limo for us. He was sitting around his kitchen with a bowl of noodles, so I joined him. He laughed at me for being all dressed up so early when prom didn't even start until 6:30, so I made him get ready too, which took him all of ten minutes, mostly because he couldn't find his left shoe.

Just before five, we both started to grow even more antsy, so we got in my truck and I drove us down to the venue, which was right on the beach. Since we still had about an hour, we decided to walk around in the sand for a while to kill time. Now, this is easier said than done in a prom dress-- mine was a chartreuse mermaid style, simple without any beading, with rouching on the main part of the dress, and strapless to top it off-- so we didn't get far, and ended up sitting on the concrete tide wall and chatting until more people showed up.

Prom was really a blast. The food wasn't great-- I'm a vegetarian, so my meal was specially cooked, and in a nutshell it was soggy peppers on top of soggy rice. James liked his though, of course-- he will eat practically anything. Except my risotto. But once the meal was over and the music started, we had a grand time. The crowd on the dance floor was unappealing for us both, so we contented ourselves dancing with another group of about ten or fifteen others who preferred more than four inches of elbow room on the upper level in between some tables. Now, neither of us is much good in the way of dancing, but it was really a lot of fun looking like dorks together. No one really minded.

Around 10:30 I started to get worn out, and I didn't want to drive home tired, so we left. It was a lovely drive; we encountered no more than two other cars the whole ride home, and let me tell you, I despise driving in crowded areas. So that was quite refreshing to me. James played some nice quiet songs on his iPod through some speakers, and it was just nice and peaceful. We exchanged mindless chatter about other people we had seen and how awful so-and-so looked, how nice someone else looked. Finally I rounded the corner and pulled into his driveway, killing the engine. I turned to look at him, weary-eyed.

"I'm so glad you decided to go, it really was a fun night, wasn't it?" I said with a smile.

He smiled back. "Nah it was pretty stupid. You wanted to go though, so that's the only reason I went." I rolled my eyes at his teasing comment, but didn't say anything. I yawned, and gazed out my window at the pale street lights in the distance.

I heard James shift in his seat, and felt him kiss my cheek lightly. It shocked me a bit to be honest, and I looked at him questioningly. "Stay here tonight," he said. Then quickly, at the look on my face, added, "No, no, I just mean, you're exhausted, so sleep here... and in the morning you can make me breakfast and we'll hang out and watch movies or something dude."

"Well that's quite the proposition, isn't it?" I said, working the options through my mind. Finally, I tugged my keys out of the ignition and shoved them in my bag. With a smirk, I replied, "I accept."
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