MASS EFFECT: ALL FOR ONE
NOTHINGSOSPECIAL
Summary: For the first time in galactic history, there is peace, and the various civilizations have turned to rebuilding and healing from the devastating aftermath of the Reaper War. But without the great Commander Shepard, the one who made their victory possible – and the fate of the enemy that brought them together remaining uncertain, this peace may not be what it seems. So, follow Garrus Vakarian as he stands by a promise he'll do anything to keep, and confronts those who would gladly see his beloved's work undone; then Adelais Vakarian, as he tries to piece his broken family back together and does everything he can to pull those he loves most back from the abyss; all as he tries to come to terms with devastating losses – and one very special promise – of his own. Then, follow Kolyat Krios, as he's forced into the middle of a terrifying ordeal and, as he follows in the footsteps of someone who may or may not be truly there at all, makes a decision that changes everything, proving once and for all, what "growing up" is really all about. And finally, follow Joelle Shepard, as she returns to her past, one memory at a time, only to realize all–too late, that her past and present will always lead her back to the future – a future she may have sacrificed too much to ever be part of again. (Garrus' Story: "The Promise–Keeper." Adelais' Story: "The Old Soldier." Kolyat's Story: "The Wanderer." Shepard's Story: "The Missing.")
Warning: This is a revamped version of "Every Story has a Million Tales." It will be Rated: T for: Language, canon-typical violence, mild alcohol, references to physical/mental/emotional abuse, vague/heavy implications of child abuse and neglect, implications PTSD/depression, suicidal thoughts/actions and self-harm, and other adult themes. (Also: Commander Joelle Shepard: Earth Born/War Hero/Infiltrator/Paragon/Garrus Romance/Control Ending).
Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or any of its main/supporting characters. Author's Note and Introduction at the end.
N._.s._.S
Chapter One: The Promise-Keeper, I.
"Never make a promise you can't keep."
– Elizabeth Hoyt.
"– And you've got to be kidding!"
Garrus Vakarian's voice is harsher, sharper than he'd meant it to be, but he doesn't care – and even now he fought, even in the full–blown chaos of the war-torn world around them, as the soldiers fired over his shoulder into the teeming masses of husks and monsters and the Spirits knew what else to keep them from overrunning the dock all at once, and as Tali tried to pull him back onto the rails of the Normandy. Even with his shattered leg he fought his friends and reached out for his Commander's hand, all as her eyes – her brilliant honey–brown eyes, always half–hidden by the powerful neon blue visor that somehow always saw right through him; saw through damned near everything, in fact – remained calm, gazing back at him… and in that moment, he knew how this would end.
"Don't argue with me, Garrus," She said, simply, as though that settled it, even as she started to turn away from him, made to leave, run, as though it were the easiest thing for her to do - even though Garrus knew better, knew better than anyone, maybe, that it damned near killed her to do it every time, to walk away from him, her team, and knew that her brave, sweet face was just a front – always just a front – for their sake, "Go."
"We're in this to the end!" He shouted back at her, hoarsely, desperately, "Together, Joelle!"
That – that, thank the Spirits – made her look back, and for the first time, Garrus saw it: the pain. Saw it after so many months, maybe years, even, of such incredible, austere calm that everyone, perhaps even the Reapers, had learned to fear as they loomed overhead; threatening everything she and everyone else had ever known – or ever would. He finally glimpsed, for a split second, beneath those glistening, liquid–honey eyes, the anguish that had built in her; the maddening grief that was killing her, grating her iron will down faster than the countless enemies they faced; faster than the Illusive Man, Kai Leng, Cerberus, or even the Reapers. Joelle suddenly turned quickly on her heel toward him in long, purposeful steps, her honey eyes softening – and for one golden moment, as she reached out for him, he actually thought she might come with them –
– With him. –
But no, he'd later realize, No, that wasn't – couldn't ever be – what she would do.
Because that wouldn't be the Commander Shepard he knew.
Not the Joelle he loved.
"No matter what happens here," Shepard said, her voice as confident and as comforting as ever, but strangely low, catching – like it usually got when she was forcing herself not to cry or show some powerful, painful emotion she wasn't quite used to – as her heavy, armored hands gently wiped away the dirt and grime that had smeared his royal–blue markings – the ones she had always admired and almost got him to paint on her own face once, "You know I'll always love you."
It's as though someone stuck a knife into his chest as the reality of what she was saying – as the sheer, crushing truth of what was happening, finally dawns on him, and it hurts so much that it causes the pain in his leg to reignite in newfound agony, even as he shoves Tali out of the way, nearly knocking the Quarian tech expert over, to rush forward to grasp Shepard's armored hands in his three-pronged, taloned hands – forcing himself to look into her familiar, sweet honey eyes for what could be the last time.
Spirits, he couldn't do this – he can't just let her go, not like this. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, drag her back into the Normandy himself, with him, Tali, Joker, EDI, and all the others; wanted to get her away from this, from this damned war that she'd practically fought alone for all this time.
… He'd do anything in this moment, to keep her.
"… I always will."
It's these words that finally kick all the fight out of him; even as they twist the knife deeper. He winces at their strength and he lowers his eyes, as their foreheads briefly touch before she begins to pull away, stepping back at last as she smiled her old, mischievous smile – the pain behind her honey eyes slowly melting away once again; hiding under the ever–present, façade of stoic strength and confidence.
"Shepard I… love you, too."
The words alone are so true, so powerful, that it's through a show of fierce, raw force of will that his legs don't give out underneath him when he realizes how true they are; powerful enough that Shepard's honey eyes light up even more than they have in so long, and she trembles – and suddenly Garrus wished he'd had the quad to tell her that every day. He wished –
– Spirits, Spirits, he wished –
Just then, just overhead, the otherworldly, damnable screech of an approaching Reaper sounded as Harbinger descended over the Crucible; somehow more grating, more powerful, than he remembered it ever being before.
"Go!" She shouted, and with that, Garrus knew it was all lost, that it was all finally over, as Shepard finally stepped away and the Normandy began to lift off, the doors slowly inching closed between them, cutting them apart, "Go!"
Until the moment those doors hissed shut for the final time, until the moment the others dragged him bodily away from that door; he still reached for her, shouting her name, over and over, even though he knew it was too late, that he'd lost her, that she wasn't coming back – and knowing that after all they'd promised, after all he'd made her promise – could very well mean nothing now.
Because she was out there, alone, after all of it.
Garrus fought Tali off again, just to slam his fists against the doors, again and again, until it all finally, mercifully, went black.
N._.s._.S
Hello!
It's been years since I've posted for real, so I hope this debut goes well. I plan to keep writing as long as I can this time; keep publishing and hoping I'm still relevant in the fanfiction world. As mentioned above, this story is a rewrite of the "Every Story Has a Million Tales." As you can see, my writing as really greatly improved since then, and I hope you'll stick around for this revamped version that's been legit years in the making. The plot has changed, so it won't be a chapter-by-chapter rewrite - because that would be boring, and I don't do boring!
See you again, I hope! And thanks for reading.
- NothingSoSpecial
P.S.: I've since been told that Adelais Vakarian counts as a real OC, rather than a semi-OC, because in Mass Effect: Andromeda, you apparently get to meet Garrus' actual father, whose name is "Castis." However, because I've legit had Adelais for years BEFORE ANDROMEDA came out and because this wasn't - and probably still isn't - common knowledge (and because I love Adelais to death), I have, to paraphrase the great Nick Fury, elected to ignore this stupid-ass decision. Three cheers for creative liberty, no? XD