So, this piece is actually going to be part of the large multi- fic that I'm currently working on right now, "The Life and Times of Jane Shepard". However, knowing that this won't come until the events of ME2 come around, which won't be for a while, I decided to upload this as a one-shot. So, have no fear, if you really like this, know that there will be more Garrus/Femshep coming! Let me know if this was really realistic, or if you thought it was OOC. Personally, I think I did a kick-ass job.
The World is Ours if We Want it
Garrus hadn't spoken to her in over a week, since they had the encounter with Sidonis. Garrus had asked Shepard for time to think about what had happened, and she happily gave it to him. But, enough was enough. It wasn't that her patience was wearing thin, but she was worried that Garrus had made himself believe that Sidonis should've died, not given a second chance.
She stood at the door of the forward battery, taking a deep breath. The night cycle on the ship had just begun, and she was actually dressed for bed, in military-issue shorts and tank top, but thoughts about Garrus had driven her to his quarters. Finally, Shepard took the final step for the doors to open, and forced herself to walk in before a second thought could dissuade her mission.
"Hey Garrus, do you have a minute?" Shepard was happy that her voice didn't betray the stormy emotions that lay in her mind. His back was turned to her, and he was typing quickly at the battery gun' console. His hands had subconsciously tensed when she had spoken, and Shepard knew he was still upset at her.
Garrus responded tersely, "Can it wait for a bit? I'm in the middle-"
"of some calibrations? They can definitely wait," Shepard finished his sentence. He hadn't turned to her yet, so she walked over to his console and put her hand on his arm. Her sharp green eyes stared at his face, her heart ached for the pain he was putting himself through over Sidonis, and she needed to explain herself.
"It's been over a week now, and you haven't said a word to me. I don't know about you, but I can't stand idly by someone is actively loathing my existence," Her voice was quiet, eyes pleading.
Garrus gave his full attention to her, his face watching hers, "Shepard, I certainly don't loathe you. I don't think anyone is capable of loathing you. It's just…"
Shepard held up her hand to quiet him, "Garrus, I know you said you weren't ready to talk about it, and that you would come to me when you are ready, but there are just a few things I have to say to you. Things that I should've said before we took on Sidonis," He became silent, like a statue, at her words.
"So, just listen to me. Okay?" Her eyes pleaded with his, and Garrus slowly nodded.
Shepard slowly took one of his hands, holding the massive shape with both of her paler counterparts, and spoke. "Garrus, you have been the truest friend that I've ever known. When I… came back, you were the only one who jumped on board with me, no questions asked. You have no idea how much that meant to me. You are much more of a friend than I deserve…" Shepard's voice wavered at the end, and she took a breath to steady it.
"When we were trying to reach Sidonis, it was not Garrus that I was fighting with. When we interrogated Harkin, that wasn't the Garrus that I knew, iIt was a man that had been imprisoned by rage, blinded by revenge, and that isn't Garrus Vakarian," She knew that what she said had stirred something up inside Garrus, because his mandibles were flicking outwards in an irritated fashion, despite his otherwise calm exterior.
"Are you so sure, Commander?" His deep, flanging voice made her skin shiver. "You were gone for two years, a lot changed," The words were laced with pain and sadness, and Jane's heart clenched.
Shepard had kept her eyes on Garrus' face, "A lot did change. One day, I was with a hot-headed, stubborn Turian that was full of passion and ideas," Her eyes were pinned on his stormy irises, blues and grays filled with turmoil, "The next time I saw that Turian, he was calculating, level-headed, but still full of passion and I realized… Garrus Vakarian had become a leader,"
Garrus scoffed at her words, averting his eyes from her, but Shepard reached up with her other hand and turned his gaze back to hers. "That Garrus is still there, just under the surface…" Her thumb ran over his right cheek lightly, tracing deep blue markings. "You could lead so many people to victory with that passion of yours, Vakarian,"
"Or failure," His voice was harsh, blue eyes widening before he tried to turn his head away from her again, but Shepard's hold was like pliant steel. She knew that his words were directed at himself, and she would rectify that quickly.
"Garrus Vakarian, it was not your fault that Sidonis betrayed you. You could not predict every move that is made in this galaxy, no one is perfect," Shepard's voice was stern, but not harsh, wanting him to fully heed her words. "However, you can't let someone change you into something you aren't,"
"Even if they believe that you're no longer working towards good," Her words were directed more at herself in that moment, but she continued. "I know you, Garrus. I know that you were a great leader, or else those men would not have followed you in a hellish place like Omega. I also know, that being a great leader means putting your crew before yourself,"
She gave him a pointed look, "Doing things for your crewmates that you normally wouldn't do for yourself. That's how I know that if you had killed Sidonis, even though he betrayed you, you wouldn't have forgiven yourself. He was once part of your crew, someone you trusted and shared your life with," Her face was soft, pensive while she spoke; she was still holding his cheek against her palm. Her eyes belied her formal stance, an emotion that Garrus wasn't entirely familiar with settled in their jaden depths.
Shepard hadn't realized how long she had been silent, and stepped away from him in that moment, "That's why I couldn't let you go through with it. And you may be upset with me for the rest of our lives, but I couldn't stand the thought of you being angry with yourself,"
The spot where her palm had been was incredibly warm, Garrus noted, and he immediately wished that her hand was still on his face. Her words had touched him, making him realize how much he meant to her, and in turn, having Garrus realize how much Jane Shepard meant to him.
Shepard hoped her words would be enough to change Garrus' outlook.
If not, Shepard wasn't sure how she could deal with a perpetually melancholy Turian aboard her ship. At least they were on a suicide mission. Perhaps she wouldn't have to deal with it much longer.
She turned to leave the battery, but Garrus grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards him. The look on his face was unreadable, but his mandibles were still, and he was much calmer than when she had entered the room.
He spoke, "Shepard, how do you know exactly what to say… to make me feel like myself again? It's incredibly infuriating," Jane smirked at his playful tone, happy that Garrus Vakarian was once again himself.
"Did I forget to mention that you've always been an insufferable wiseass? It seems to have only gotten worse after I died," Her tone mimicking his as she snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. "I don't know what I would do without you, Garrus," Her voice had gone soft, and the Turian ran his hands down her back in a comforting way.
"Shepard, hell itself will have to tear me from your side for me to leave," The tone he spoke with was serious, and Jane smiled into the side of his neck. He brushed his cheek against her hair, filling his lungs with her sweet scent, reminiscent of rain showers and fresh earth.
Before letting go, his flanging voice whispered, "Thanks, Shepard. I needed this talk,"
Reluctantly, Shepard began moving away, heading towards the door, "Anytime, Vakarian,"
Hope you guys enjoyed this! It was literally the easiest piece of dialogue that I've written, ever. It took me less than half an hour to write this entire thing, which is ridiculously crazy.