AN: And here begins the three part conclusion to the Nora/Garrus saga. Set several years after the events of ME3 this will be the last fic I'll write for them. Though they may appear in other works as side characters this marks the final journey of this particular two-some.
Thanks again for all the support on the series, and to all of you who read and review - thank you for taking the time. I can't tell you how much it boosts my drive to write and get better.
~Voi
Disclaimer: I own nothin relating to the ME franchise (they belong to Bioware).
Location: Alliance Headquarters, Earth
Time: 0500 Hours
"Son of a bitch."
Five years of Alliance timetables, Alliance training and the alarm clock was still the uncontested enemy. Even the Reapers had been defeated, the clock was one of those mechanical creations that refused to just roll over and die.
Groaning as she pulled her head from under her pillow Jack scrubbed the sleep from her eyes with a scowl, fists clenched in barely leashed anger.
"Son of a bitch."
She insulted her alarm clock with little effect. Indeed, the high pitched beeping continued uninterrupted until one well aimed slam of her fists sent the little machine into sleep mode.
"Stupid little…"
Jack flopped back onto her bed with a groan, massaging her temples, wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Five years and many students had forced Jack to mind her mouth, at least in the classroom. Here in her apartment was a different matter however, and though she had no good reason for it Jack enjoyed swearing in the privacy the apartment afforded her.
If she had her way she would have jumped on the first ship back to Grissom, but her first class of students had needed her and so she had stayed. One year had become five, and it was only now that the idea of returning to space was becoming a viable option.
One didn't just return to active space duty though, and Jack snarled as she glanced at the glowing blue numbers beside her.
"Damn early morning training."
Exhaling shortly, Jack briefly considered skipping training before rolling out of bed. Scratching at her stomach as she moved across the modest space, it was only coincidence that her eyes fell upon her wall calendar.
A gift from her students, the goofy unicorn and rainbow themed paper had been very creatively edited by Jack's own aesthetic. Today however it was not the unicorns-with-fangs that caught Jack's attention, rather it was the fact that the date, this date, was liberally circled with bright red pen.
"Oh, Shit."
The calendar had no additional detail, but the biotic teacher knew exactly where she had to be. And with another quick glance at her clock Jack swore again, immediately turning away from the tempting confines of the shower to try and find some clean clothes in the mess of her apartment.
No time to do anything but haul ass; she had a shuttle to catch.
Location: Shuttle Bay, Port of Thessia
Time: 0800 hours
"Kaiden, love, you ok?"
The soft words were coupled with an equally gentle hand on his cheek, the deep purple-blue skin drawing him from his thoughts. And though he knew, had been with her for the better part of three years, Kaiden couldn't help but find himself attracted all the more to the lovely asari standing above him.
"Hmm? What?"
Had he been with anyone else he might have felt self-conscious, but as it was there was little Rayna had not yet experienced with him, absent-mindedness included.
"Something on your mind?"
She repeated her question patiently. Rayna T'soni may have been a particularly talented asari but she was no mind reader. Her boyfriend had been quiet all morning, and, with the exception of his tender wake-up call, had seemed more distant than usual.
Rayna wondered if it was part and parcel of what day it was, the memories that were likely to be associated with it despite the years. But just as she was careful to be sensitive to his moods, so too had he been quick to assure her that he was thinking about them not the upcoming event of the day.
"Kaiden?"
She settled in the seat, brushing the strong jaw, enjoying the very human texture of skin and stubble.
"Do you think Liara will have anything to say?"
He asked the question on the heels of a long exhale, his golden eyes flickering over her soft feminine features as he lifted his hand to mirror her movement.
"About us?" Rayna considered the question, mulling it over with quiet contemplation, "Are you sure she'll even be there?"
Leaning her head on his shoulder, she laced her fingers with his, smiling at the ease with which her hand fit in his.
"She wouldn't miss this, not with so many old friends in attendance." Kaiden's thumb traced the back of her hand, rubbing small circles into the smooth skin.
"Well, knowing her as we do, it seems to me that if she had a problem she would have told us by now." She looked up at him with a small smile, "My half-sister is a pretty honest person."
Kaiden made a face at the comment, eliciting a soft laugh from his companion.
"What?" she grinned, "You disagree with me?"
"It's not that," Kaiden grimaced, "I just keep envisioning her using her biotics to peel the skin of my body or something. She's going to make me regret ever telling her I wasn't into asari that way. She hates liars, not that I meant to at the time of course but -"
"I think your several years of friendship will count for at least a warning before she attempts to kill you," Rayna was grinning all the wider now, "Besides, I am her older sister. Asari put good stock in listening to ones elders."
And because the thought occurred to her, Rayne flicked the tip of Kaiden's nose, "Speaking about elders…what does this relationship say about you my very young love?" Pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, Rayne teased her companion until his creased brow had eased into good humor.
"You just love bringing that up, don't you?" Kaiden sighed with a smile, not quite able to hide the subtle flush to his cheeks.
"I do…it makes me feel…what is that phrase again? Oh yes, 'foxy'."
"Foxy?" Kaiden grinned, "Oh you're a bit more than that."
Location: Astella Shuttle Port, Nevos
Time: 1100 hours
"I told you we shouldn't have named him 'Mordin.'"
Wrex complained to his mate over the vid comm for what was likely the hundredth time. Moving through the less than busy Astella Shuttle Port was proving to be far from interesting and the Krogan leader had more pressing matter to discuss. In particular the aberration that seemed to be his eldest son.
"It's as if that crazy salarian has been reborn in krogan form. Did you know he read about planetary atmospheric cycles during the shuttle ride?" Wrex didn't even bother hiding the degree to which he was disgruntled, "I don't know the first thing about planetary whatever – he's your son, Bakara!"
But no sooner had his words crackled over the comm when Bakara made her point well known her voice strong enough to reach both her mate and her small son who followed dutifully behind his father.
"If you're trying to imply that your children should show sub-par intellect then you chose the wrong female to mate with."
"Well-"
She eyed him, cowing him into silence, before continuing, "And if instead you're implying that our son is undesirable because of his intellect then you Urdnot Wrex better think very long and hard about how much you want to come home."
Turning to glance down at her son where he was quietly tucking his book into his travel bag Bakara added sweetly, "But you come home whenever you want, Mordin." And though she was not there in person there the indomitable spirit of Urdnot Bakara lingered long after the transmission had ended.
The remainder of the trip from space shuttle to land cruiser was conducted in silence.
It was not that Wrex had little love for his son, for in actuality it was the opposite. But for a father who had known only warfare and combat, there was little Wrex felt he could share with a boy so very much interested in the growth of planets and their natural systems.
Reapers and husks seemed easy foes compared to the challenge of engaging his very obviously studious son in something more than their shared love of the Tuchanka that was so quickly flowering into an age of renaissance.
It was strange, fatherhood. Glancing out the corner of his eye Wrex watched silently as Mordin tried and failed to remain interested in the goings on of their small cabin. Instead his little son was gazing intently outside; face all but pressed to the window, rocking excitedly back and forth on his little feet.
Mordin remained at his perch until the shuttle stopped at the small port-town of Levahn, and then it was not the sound of birds or warm sun that moved him.
"Father, look!"
And before Wrex could even begin to move his son was off like a shot, his little arms waving frantically at the small female who stood on the platform waiting for them.
"Nakala!" His voice carried easily across the sand and over the crash of ocean waves, "Nakala, I'm back!"
And though Wrex knew his son could not see him a smile crept onto the older krogan's mouth. Strong lungs, he noted with pride, his son had the booming voice of a leader. Good taste in women too, Wrex's lip twitched as he saw the cute little girl beam at his son.
Perhaps Mordin was not without hope after all.
Location: Nevosian Coast
Time: 0800 hours (3 hours earlier)
Nevos was in many ways the place they had both dreamed of but had never dared to speak of. It wasn't mentioned until the end and there was no more time to dream, to spend hours laying together and talking as if the universe itself was not coming down around them.
And he had mentioned it, had promised her a future of sun and sandy beaches. 'Warm and tropical' he had whispered into her ear as he held her close for what they both had believed would be their last moment together.
Because he could scarcely stand the idea of her leaving forever he had promised her the world, as if somehow each promise he made, each one he had yet to fulfill, would tie her that much closer to him, to life. Children, he had wanted children with her, wanted to raise a family in their imaginary house on the beach.
A dream, they had both known, a beautiful dream that they would fight for.
Five years had passed since that fateful day, since he had said goodbye to the woman who was both his best friend and love of his life.
Walking through the quiet of the beach house, Garrus Vakarian paused in front of the wall calendar and touched the number that indicated the date. Five years to the day, and he could still remember the desperation of those final moments, could still feel the press of her small body and the feel of her hand in his as she had repeated their promise from long ago.
There was no Nora without Garrus - no Shepard without Vakarian.
The memories haunted him sometimes, made it impossible to sleep. The war was long over, but those that had fought, had lost friends and family, would never forget.
"Papa?"
The soft chirping of a turian child pulled him from his reverie, as it had for the better part of four years, drawing him away from the calendar and into the present, back to his son.
"Latius."
Four years old, sweet tempered and small, Latius Vakarian looked to be every inch his father's son despite his size, matching both the silvery hide and bright blue eyes.
"Help?" Latius chirped again, smiling as he cocked his head and offered his father the little brush and pot of blue paint. Turian markings; he had received the kit just a few months ago, to celebrate his most recent birthday. And while it would be some time before he could properly mark his own face, Latius was nothing if not diligent in finding his father to do the chore for him.
"Alright squirt, up you go."
And so an hour passed in quiet concentration as father and son observed their ritual; doing their best to remake the marks. There was a familiarity that came with face marking, a connection between father and son. Dip, brush, wait for the first coat to dry before retracing the marks; each time the mark became a little darker.
Sitting in the kitchen, Latius on the table, Garrus on the low bar stool they worked in silence. And with each mark made was the reminder; Diligence, concentration and patience, the traits of a good turian. Garrus hoped his son would learn them well.
Garrus' daughter found them nearly an hour later.
"Papa, why don't you ever paint my face?"
As was her custom, Nakala Vakarian began every greeting with a question, and as was also her custom, she was sure to ask her question with her signature pout. Still dressed in her sleeping robe, the little krogan-and-varren print dress showed signs of a busy night of rolling around in bed. And though she was the oldest, Nakala was not above acting like a little girl, reveling in her position as daddy's princess.
"Good morning, 'Kala." Pausing to wipe the last stray mark from his son's face, Garrus smiled down at the little pouting female, "Sleep well, sweetheart?"
"Mmm..." Making a non-committal grunt, Nakala eyed her brother as he jumped down from the counter, little hands flexing as her younger brother took the paint and brush from their father.
Pouting all the more, Nakala turned to give her father a very pointed look, crossing her stubby arms across her body.
"You are as stubborn as your mother." Sighing, Garrus got up from his seat, scooping his daughter up and giving her a playful poke in the sides.
Quickly reducing his overly-serious daughter into the giggly five year old she usually was Garrus had only just sent her on her way to get dressed when there was a knock on the door.
A crisp and polite tap, Garrus paused, wondering aloud who it could be. He had been expecting company, but it was still early morning.
"Hello?" The word was muffled through the door, but there was no mistaking the voice on the other side of the door. A dear friend, Garrus didn't hesitate to open the door in the next second.
"Liara, hey…" Looking down at the familiar face Garrus smiled faintly despite his earlier melancholy, "Come in."
He gestured the asari inside, watching her eyes glance around the house, her lips curling into a wide smile as she took in the small toy-town, the little asari and krogan dolls his daughter had left on the low lying side table.
"How are you doing?" Her question was gentle but to the point.
"Taking it a day at a time." Garrus responded evenly, moving to the kitchen once more to pour himself a drink "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Yes, thank you." Liara took the offered glass and took a sip, "Oh wonderful, this is just what I needed after that trip."
"I'm glad you could make it," Garrus said with what amounted to a turian smile, "I wasn't sure if you could…but she didn't doubt you for a second."
Liara smiled back, before turning to look at the last still-shut bedroom door, "I wouldn't miss your wedding for anything."
And in that small sun-lit bedroom of the beach house, amidst the soft white sheets and curtains, Nora Shepard stirred from sleep and woke with a smiled.
AN: Part II to come out in a couple weeks - let me know what you think and because this fic isn't quite done, I'd love to know what sort of things you'd like me to include :)