Finding a way: Mass effect 3

The end

Ash and Garrus helped him to the med bay and then hurried off to help keep the Normandy going in the battle. It was only when he was on the bed that he saw the source of the pain in his leg was a piece of shrapnel impaling it.

Dr. Chakwas got to work and he was blissfully unaware with the pain meds and sedatives she used. He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he blearily awoke again, but there were heavy bandages around his torso and his leg. He struggled to sit up and swung his legs off the bed.

"Not so fast, Major," Dr. Chakwas said.

"Doc, I need to know what's going on."

Her eyes softened, even though the rest of her expression remained stern. "Reports say that someone made it to the Citadel, but the arms still haven't opened yet."

He pushed himself into a standing position, keeping most of his weight on the left leg and limping forward, ignoring Dr. Chakwas' protests.

"Sorry, Doc, but I can't follow this order," he said as he left the med bay and struggled his way up to the bridge. The CIC was controlled chaos as he stepped off the elevator. Orders and updates were being shouted back and forth and bodies moved with alacrity about their duties.

He looked out the viewport as he approached the bridge. The arms of the Citadel were swinging open and the Crucible was moving into place.

"We have contact," he heard Admiral Hackett say over the comms. "The Crucible is docked."

Everyone waited with bated breath, but after an agonizing couple of minutes...nothing was happening.

"Commander, do you copy?" Joker said.

"Aubrey made it?" he asked from where he leaned heavily on the bulkhead behind him.

"Yeah. We got word it was her and Anderson on the Citadel, but then we lost communication."

"I'm attempting to compensate for Reaper jamming interference," EDI's voice said from the ship.

"Normandy...do you read?" Aubrey's strained and weary voice came through the static.

"We read you!" Joker said.

An image flickered on the screen to Joker's right and they could see Aubrey, leaning over a console in the Citadel control tower. Her face was bruised, swollen, and bloody and her left arm was held at an odd angle indicating it was likely broken.

"I can't get through...to Hackett," she groaned, moving her right hand over the console and pressing several buttons. Her breathing was ragged. "You need to tell him...to move the fleets back. I'm activating the Crucible now...and I have no idea what it's gonna do."

"Yes, ma'am. And we'll get a shuttle over to you right away, Commander."

"No time," she ground out through clenched teeth. "Joker...tell Kaidan..."

"Tell me what, Aubrey?" he said, stepping forward.

Her face softened and tears filled her eyes. "That I'm sorry...I didn't want to break my promise, but...I'm not coming back this time."

He shook his head emphatically, "No, Aubrey...we can send the shuttle, just hang on..."

"I love you," she whispered, pressing her fingers to a flashing red button on the console. "Now, go!" She coughed and blood sputtered from her lips. He watched in agony as her body slid down the console to the floor and the terminal went dark.

"Admiral Hackett," EDI said over comms, "Shepard has activated the Crucible. A massive energy spike is happening. She suggested we withdraw the fleets, and I agree with her assessment."

"All fleets – fall back to rendezvous at the edge of the system," he ordered.

"Joker! We can't leave her!" he said stepping forward.

"No shit...sir," he replied. "Ash, tell me you're there?"

Kaidan's eyes widened and Ash's voice responded with, "I see her!"

"You have three minutes before energy levels reach critical mass," EDI informed them.

"Jesus..." she whispered, "there's so much blood."

"Ash?" he asked, dreading her answer.

"She's alive, Kaidan," came the reply. "I don't know how, but she's alive."

"Joker, we're going to have to land on the fly," came Cortez's voice. "Give me your speed and trajectory and I'll match it. Close the ramp and hit FTL as soon as we're in."

"You got it," he replied, as he banked the ship to face away from the Crucible and the rapidly forming orange light that was spreading from where it was docked with the Citadel.

He turned away from the viewport and started limping back toward the med bay. He had to be there when they brought Aubrey aboard.

The elevator doors slid open and he rounded the corner, only to see the med bay door sliding closed behind the stretcher carrying Aubrey inside. Ash was standing outside the doors and turned to stop him from entering, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me, Kaidan...you don't want to see this."

He took one look at Ash's haunted eyes and knew it was bad. Fear, hopelessness and anguish swept through him and he felt the tears welling up and spilling down his cheeks. "I can't, Ash," he said, "I can't lose her again. What do I do?"

She pulled him into a tight hug and he clung to her like a lifeline. "I know you're not a strong believer, Kaidan, but...you can pray with me."

He nodded mutely against her before stepping back. Garrus ran up from the main gun battery and Tali came around the corner from the elevator to engineering. James, Liara and Cortez weren't far behind her, with Liara being gently supported by James.

They stood outside the med bay, keeping vigil for Aubrey and supporting each other.

**Another movie soundtrack moment**

Liara broke the silence, "You know, the first thing Aubrey said to me when she found me? 'You look like you could use a hand.'" She smiled wistfully at the memory. And it wasn't long before everyone started sharing memories of Aubrey. Ash recounted the night she had kicked their asses at poker after the Battle of the Citadel. Garrus shared a story about the two of them sneaking up to a walkway high in the Presdium and having target practice on thrown cans to determine once and for all who the better shot was. Tali told them how Aubrey helped clear her name with the Quarian flotilla after they wrongly accused her of treason. Cortez shared with everyone how he felt Aubrey had given his dead husband justice. James talked of how much he enjoyed their sparring matches and her faith in him.

Finally, all eyes turned expectantly to him. He thought frantically for a moment. There were so many memories he had of Aubrey it was hard to choose which one to share. He smiled when he found the right one. "We took a vacation in Vancouver. I told my parents I wanted them to meet my girlfriend. So, Aubrey and I walk up to the door and my parents answer completely and over the top excited to meet this mystery woman I'd been talking about. I introduced her and of course they knew right away who she was. My dad started reading me the riot act about fraternizing with a superior officer and Aubrey," he paused, laughing a little at the memory, "interrupted him, saying 'with all due respect, sir, I'm not superior to your son.'"

The deck shuddered underneath them, stopping him from saying anything more.

"What was that?" Tali asked.

He snapped back to himself. "Shit. I'm supposed to be in command of the ship, not down here." He needed to focus. It's what Aubrey would want him to do, so he turned and started heading for the elevator. "Ash, any updates find me immediately." He heard her reply of 'yes, sir,' but opened the comm to Joker, saying, "What's going on up there, Lieutenant?"

"Shockwave from whatever blast the Crucible put out just rolled over us and the fleets, sir. EDI's offline."

"I'm on my way to the comm room. Get me Admiral Hackett."

"Aye-aye, sir."