Reworked from a piece I had on my own profile. Will be posted through Christmas. Enjoy.

December 1st

"Come on, Shep, let me help you." Garrus huffed in exasperation. Nearly dead, but still she insisted on doing anything she could.

And a few things she really can't … or at least definitely shouldn't, he thought, watching her pull the IV out of her arm. "The nurses would have gotten that for you, you know."

"For the millionth time, I'm fine," Shepard insisted. She nudged him to make some space by the bed, groaning as she slid her legs over the edge. Once on her feet, she shuffled across the room to the bag her civvies were in.

"Ah, yes, I forgot; humans are often hospitalized for being 'fine.'" He did the air-quotes, expecting them to get a laugh, as usual; she didn't see them, digging through her bag. Sighing, Garrus leaned against her empty hospital bed.

You really should be in this bed for another week. "At least let me carry you to the skycar. We don't have any shoes for you, and I don't want you to catch a chill."

"Any excuse to get your talons back on me, huh?" Shep asked, flashing her crooked grin.

"Sure, Shep. Not like I actually want to avoid watching you die for the third time." He would never forget uncovering her body in the rubble. Skin pale, even for her; so alabaster and translucent she looked entirely bloodless. He'd been certain he'd lost her for good that time. And now she'd come back twice; there was no way she would come back a third time. "Eventually, you run out of chances, you know." His mandibles swept out and around, a gesture of resignation. On that day, most of him would die, too.

"I know." Shep rubbed the back of her neck, fighting the tension. "I just wish the others—" Her voice cracked, and she turned away from him.

"Hey, no," Garrus soothed. He dropped to his knees next to her, an arm around her shoulders.

Shepard crouched by the bag, a clean tank top pressed against her eyes and covering her face.

"You did the very best you could," he told her. "The very best anyone could do. They had no right to expect you to even pull it off, let alone with so many surviving. It's okay, Shep. Please." He knew humans saw it differently than turians did; if the turians had one man standing at the end, it was worth it. Humans tended to count every loss, second-guess every decision. It would be a long time before she could accept everything that had happened.

Yet a moment later, her face was dry, the pain hidden from everyone, even him. "So, where you taking me, anyway?" She stood up, yanking clean clothes on and taking her hospital gown off after, pulling it through her arm-holes.

She especially hides from me. I'm lucky I saw even a glimpse of it. "I found a place," he said. "Wait til you see it, you'll love it." He tried to keep the sadness out of his tone; if she wanted to pretend she hadn't just broken down, he would let her. For now.

Someday, she was going to share her feelings with him.

"Well, big guy, can we go, then?"

Garrus looked up at her, looking just as much the commander in civilian clothes and barefoot as she ever did in full armor.

"Right behind you, Shepard." He climbed to his feet, ready as always to move on her command.