1 - 20 of 118 Works in Shepard Has PTSD (Mass Effect)
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For the Ones Who Need a Hand by Consumed_by_sound
Fandoms: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
01 Jul 2025
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Perfect Destroy ending. Shepard survives and the crew is able to save her from the wreckage of the Citadel. Now she has to learn to live with all the choices she’s made. Will she and Liara get to have all those little blue babies? Will she even still get to hold on to Liara?
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Unchained Souls and Broken Memories by Squidley
Fandoms: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types
23 Jun 2025
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Giana Shepard died that day on the Citadel. She was at peace with it. Until the universe decided it wasn’t done with her.
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After the Reaper War, Shepard and Garrus must navigate their new normal together and support one another in their healing journey.
[Depictions of PTSD flashbacks/panic attacks and other trauma; please take care of yourself if you are not in the headspace for these themes <3]
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- Part 4 of Bloodsoaked Stars (Oneshot Collection)
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On July 9th 2183 at the age of twenty eight Commander Valkyrie Shepard was assigned to the SSV Normandy for a mission on Eden Prime at the age of twenty eight. Unknown to her at that time she was being considered as a candidate for the Specters. Yet the shakedown mission on Eden Prime went south and she had one goal. Take down the rouge Specter Saren. Shepard would have never expected what came in her life and what challenges she had to face to do just that.
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Garrus was used to Shepard sitting in the corner of the room while he worked on calibrations. It was just a way for them to spend time together. This time though, he notices she's not acting like herself and decides to comfort her.
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Reap what you sow by wanderingthevoid
Fandoms: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age - All Media Types
10 Jan 2025
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Asteria Shepard knew how to get the job done, albeit with the occasional explosion. She survived 18 years on the streets of Earth's megacity, a thresher maw, being spaced, the list went on. So when it came down to the wire with what to do with the reapers, she had only one thought: it's finally over. That is, until she wakes up after the battle for Earth in what seems to be the middle ages, surrounded by primatives. This must be what Javik felt, no wonder he was so damn grumpy.
A story of how Shepard went from savior of the Citadel to savior of Thedas.
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On the Third Day by Athenias, Hekaerge-Athenias (Athenias)
Fandoms: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types
21 Oct 2024
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Seconds before an electromagnetic pulse wipes out the Reapers and takes all Quantum Entanglement Communications with it, Miranda receives a message from the Shadow Broker.
When the dust settles, Shepard is left to pick up the pieces of herself and decide, once and for all, who she wants to be without the Alliance or the Council’s influence. She should want peace and quiet, a white picket fence to park herself in with Liara. The universe certainly seems to expect it of her.
Unfortunately for the universe, Shepard can’t seem to keep herself out of trouble. Habits like that are hard to break.
Series
- Part 8 of The Ones Left Alive
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Forgiveness by lobstronamous
Fandoms: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types
19 Oct 2024
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The Spectre simply ignores the panic as she begins to drown in old memories against her will. The hands of her past were at her throat to force her deeper down and swallow the truth.
She had died that day, and so did they.
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Minimize losses.
The mission had to succeed.
He'd made the call. It was the right call.
Kaidan would either accept that, or he wouldn't. Shepard couldn't make him believe.
Series
- Part 5 of Incidents & Accidents (Mass Effect)
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Shepard wasn't used to things happening to him. He made things happen.
But this... this one had been out of his control, because of Cerberus, dammit, again, and he was in a tailspin.
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- Part 14 of Incidents & Accidents (Mass Effect)
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Kasumi has wanted to get her hands on Shepard for a while. But when it happens, it's not what she expected.
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- Part 8 of Incidents & Accidents (Mass Effect)
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Part 2 of the Across the Stars Series:
Two years ago Commander Leila Shepard died. Now she must grapple with the shock of not only remembering her death, but suddenly being thrust into yet another urgent mission to save the galaxy.
Garrus Vakarian, having spent the years coming to terms with the loss of his best friend, now faces a renewed wave of grief as she unexpectedly reenters his life. Seeing her again throws his already crumbling life into disarray as feelings he had attempted to tamp down are brought to the surface.
Despite their individual struggles, Garrus and Shepard are forced to rely on each other to survive. And if they’re going up against insurmountable odds, they might as well face them side by side.
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Story extends through the events of Mass Effect 2 and six months beyond. Heavily focused on all the little moments in between missions. Mostly canon compliant (until it’s not), but with extra feelings. This story will NOT always follow the canon order of events.
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- Part 3 of Across the Stars
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Rising Waters by Kirsche_Wine
Fandoms: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types
16 Sep 2024
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Kara awakes, plagued by recurring nightmares and makes a call.
Across the lightyears, his voice is a comfort in the dark.
Series
- Part 3 of The Bane of the Wood
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Ottilia (Otti) Shepard woke up after being dead for two years. She was revived by Cerberus, the Council still doesn't care about her or her cause, and the Illusive Man is a dick. She's plagued with nightmares and flashbacks, often lashing out at herself for things frankly out of her control. She's able to keep this under wraps from her crew. That is, until a turian with an obsession for calibrations decides to check on her after noticing the tendency to go directly to her cabin one too many times.
(In which Shepard is a mess, Garrus panics at the thought of his best friend suffering, and they end up together. Only Shepard is still, in fact, a hot mess.)
I will make a habit of putting content warnings on chapters containing self-harm as well as an indication of which paragraph you can skip to if you don't want to read that. Please take care of yourself while you read if it's a trigger for you. I won't have it mentioned too often, but it will be in there.
One other thing, my writing style has evolved as I’ve written this fic. The first 4 chapters stick very close to cannon which means it starts slow. I apologize for that, but I promise it gets better starting at chapter 4 and only improves from there!
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Returning from a mission, Shepard finds himself in need of some stress relief - in more than one form.
Series
- Part 16 of Incidents & Accidents (Mass Effect)
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Memento Mori by orphan_account
Fandoms: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms, Mass Effect Trilogy
04 Aug 2024
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Death comes for everyone.
Noble Six refuses.
For his stubbornness, he is sent to a place where heroes do die.
Death stops for no one.
Commander Eva Shepard does die.
She is brought back against her will.
These two paragons of living through death are thrown together. How will they fight the deadliest threat either of them has seen?
An ME/Halo crossover
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Post-Mass Effect 3 destruction ending. Shepard survives, but winds up in a coma and finds Thane waiting for her. When she awakens, someone else is waiting for her - Garrus.
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Weightless by AdmiralVakarian
Fandoms: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types
03 Jul 2024
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Post Destroy ME3
Celia Shepard, Renegade one turian kind of woman. Lots of angst, PTSD, and romance.
Mostly canon compliant. A few small details changed.
Not abandoned, just on the back burner.
Series
- Part 1 of The Universe Said No
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It was a little harder, on grey days, to feel like it had been worth surviving. But, even as he thought that, Garrus came over and pressed their foreheads together. Shepard couldn’t help but smile at the gesture.
Life was still hard sometimes, but Shepard had hope for the future.
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The Moment by Griffamene
Fandoms: Mass Effect, Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types
31 May 2024
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"This moment, right now - it’s all I have."
A tale of the missing moments in Shepard and Thane's time together through each others' eyes. A deep-dive character study of Thane through the eyes of many. An exploration of Shepard and Thane's evolving love for each other, and of Shepard's grief and trauma. The return of Thane to Kalahira's seas with the full recognition and remembrance he deserves.
An ouroboros through which Thane and Shepard can live again and again.This work was a labour of love for me, and I hope that it may bring closure and meaning to others, too.
Series
- Part 1 of The Moment