Shepard Family Stories - Remembering Mordin

The sun glistens off the crystal blue sea. The waves lap lazily on the pure white sand. Kaycee turns to her daughters. "Alright go have fun girls. Don't go too far."

Four streaks of blue later and they're off. Shepard walks slowly into the shallows, feeling the sand between her toes, when something shiny catches her eye. Bending down she picks up a beautiful white seashell. A memory surfaces as she rubs her fingers over the grooves. "Would have liked to run tests on the seashells."

"Mordin, I'm sorry."

"I'm not, had to be me....Someone else might have gotten it wrong."

A tear runs down Kaycee's cheek at the thought. "I miss you Mordin. You were always crazy, but I never knew a gentler soul. Wish you could have had your retirement. The kids would have loved you."

More tears begin to fall."I'm so sorry Mordin. I should have found another way."

"Daddy? Are you alright?"

Kaycee quickly brushes the tears away before turning to face her daughter. "I'm fine Sweetie, just remembering an old friend."

Velair looks at her skeptically before walking over and giving her a hug. "Daddy. You're crying, why?"

Kaycee sighs and shakes her head. "I was remembering Mordin. You know if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be here. He helped to save the crew as well as the galaxy. Though I can't stop believing that he died because of me."

The tears begin to roll down her face once more. "Why couldn't I save him?"

She collapses to a sitting position, her face in her hands. Suddenly she feels four sets of arms coil around her. Lifting her head, she realizes her daughters are all there. She smiles quietly as the tears subside. She begins to hum the ditty Mordin would often sing. She looks up at the setting sun and imagines Mordin walking along the beach collecting seashells towards the horizon, singing as he goes. "My xenoscience studies range from urban to agrarian, I am the very model of a scientist Salarian."