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While we fought I watched her back. She was my friend, my squad mate, and my mentor. But I also watched her. When she wandered the Normandy, when we explored the universe together, when she spent time with Kaiden. We went through hell together and came out the other end alive. I thought that after surviving sovereign, our deadliest battle, I’d have time. But then over a com transmission my heart sank. I hadn’t wanted to compromise our friendship with my confused emotions but now I’d never know. It didn’t matter.
“The Normandy is lost. We lost Shepard.”
The numbness and shock melted away into incredible anger. At her, and me. How could you let yourself die? After everything we went through how could it end like that? Where was I? Could I have saved you Shepard? Then that too faded and I fell into grief. Shepard was gone and I felt utterly alone. It was then I realized what my feelings were and how much her presence in my life meant to me. For her to have so totally and completely destroyed me by leaving this plane, it was obvious. I loved her. After two years trying to do something right, something just, you came back. You were brought back to us and with our reunion I nearly left this time. As we began to fight alongside each other again all my thoughts and feelings came flooding back to me.
Now I have a chance again. Even if she doesn’t feel that same way at least she’ll know and I’ll make sure to be at her side the next time she tries to leave me alone again. To live, to fight, and to die at her side would be my honor. I will not suffer regrets any longer. Now I will take my chance.