There's no Shepard Without Vakarian

Chapter 3

Pandora's POV

It all went black for a moment. Before I knew it, Anderson was talking to me as if he knew I was here. He was asking me to describe where I was. I told him it was dark and there were corpses everywhere.

"Reminds me of your description of the Collector base" he was telling me as, still limping with a pistol in one hand I moved forward. It was a relief to hear Anderson's voice. I never had a family when I was growing up so he was the closest to the father I would ever get. Anderson was my father and my squad were my brothers and sisters.

Oh Garrus. Please be alive.

Garrus meant a hell of a lot to me. I never thought I'd be safe in the arms of a turian but Garrus was no ordinary turian.

Urging myself to get back to the mission at hand, I concentrated on finding a way forward. Eventually, after an eternity of wandering aimlessly, I found myself at the entrance to another room. Unlike the room I had just been, this was clean, shiny and was almost the complete opposite of what I had just been in. Anderson got in touch with me again. He told me that he was at the top of the stairs that I was approaching now. Following his orders, and the path of the room, I found my way to the top of the stairs and found Anderson just standing there.

Then, out of the blue, the Illusive Man (actually in person) comes up from behind him. Instinctively, I withdrew my gun and kept it pointed at him in case he tried anything. Six months ago, there were so many occasions where he nearly got me killed, he nearly got my brother and sisters killed. I couldn't trust him with anything. He was indoctrinated.

From there on it was a fight between Anderson. (who argued that destroying the Reapers was the only solution) and the Illusive Man (who argued that controlling the Reapers was the way to finish this war).

"If we destroy the Reapers this will end today. If you can't control them..."

"But I can!" He interrupted. Anderson had been quite up to this point but now he had decided to speak.

"Listen to yourself! You're indoctrinated!" that's when something hit me. Why is he looking at me and not him? I'm not indoctrinated. Am I? This is real. I am in the Citadel facing Anderson and the Illusive Man.

Anderson must have been injured like I was here because he was now kneeling on the floor. The Illusive Man then went behind Anderson and held his gun to the back of the Admiral's head. I took the shot and killed the Illusive Man before he could kill the one man who had been a father to me. I couldn't let myself stand there and watch him get killed by someone who has been a bastard since the day I was brought back to life.

I then sat beside Anderson as we watched over a nearby planet. It looked so peaceful even with all the violence and death that is happening back on our home world.

"I can't remember the last time I just sat down."

"I think you deserve it." Anderson than began to pant, as if he wasn't far from leaving. "Anderson. Stay with me. We're almost through this."

'I'm proud of you Shepard. Remember that.' That was the last thing that he said to me. I couldn't fail now.