"All I Have Is You"
A/N: Short story about Garrus' reaction and emotions when he sees Shepard coming for him on Omega. Disclaimer: Mass Effect and all related characters are property of the awesome Bioware. Can't wait for ME3! It is going to be the awesomest of all.
Garrus' heart was pounding like never before. Had his longing need to see her finally caused him to go insane? Shepard was dead, lost to the vacuum of space when the Normandy was destroyed. The turian cursed himself for allowing his mind to play such a cruel joke on him. Was it really her that gracefully ran towards him? He took a shot. The form of the spectre dodged the incoming attack. It was impossible. The way she moved was unmistakable. It had to be her. The scowl on her face brought back a flood of memories and emotions. Suddenly he couldn't breathe.
xxxxxxx
Garrus was skimming through some old files on his desk when a chill ran down his spine. He had a feeling something was wrong, very wrong. His mind immediately shifted to Shepard. Had something happened to her? He dropped the data pad in his hand as he rushed to his comm terminal. He entered the private number Shepard had given him in case he needed to contact her directly. When Shepard failed to answer the feeling of dread became worse. Garrus ran out and headed towards Councilor Anderson's office. He had to know something about Shepard's whereabouts.
Councilor Anderson was sitting at his desk when Garrus rushed in. The ex C-Sec officer looked distressed.
"Garrus? What are you doing here? Can I help you with something?"
"Shepard…" he panted. "Something is wrong. I need to know where she is."
"What is this about, Garrus?" The councilor offered him a seat but Garrus denied it.
"I don't know. I just have this feeling that something is wrong. Please. Can you just try to contact her?" The councilor backed up as the alien walked towards him.
"Garrus… I can't really give you any information. I am absolutely sure she's fine. It's just a routine mission. I'll have her contact you as soon as she reports back." Garrus wasn't satisfied but he knew he wouldn't get anything else from the human councilor even if he tried. This was Shepard after all. What could go wrong, right? He dismissed the feeling and headed back to his apartment.
xxxxxxx
Garrus' heard a beep. He rolled over on his bed to reach the omni-tool resting on the night stand.
Spirits? Who is it in the middle of the night cycle?
Garrus' eyes widened to a near impossible size for turian eyes as he read the message.
"The Normandy was attacked. Please come to my office. –Anderson"
Garrus ran into the councilor's office. His heart was beating so loud he swore the whole Citadel could hear it. He walked up to the councilor and the look on his face said it all. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach.
"What… happened?" Garrus could barely contain the shakiness of his voice.
"Garrus… I… The Normandy was attacked by a collector ship… The commander is missing. I'm sorry." The councilor frowned as he turned to face the balcony. Horrified, Garrus dropped himself onto the nearby chair and sat motionless as he felt his whole universe tear apart.
"We found the escape pod from the bridge but the commander was not in it. Joker… The commander saved him but she disappeared into the vacuum. All attempts will be made to find her…" The councilor kept talking but Garrus couldn't hear what he was saying. His whole world was spinning and he didn't know how to react. It was impossible. Something like that couldn't happen to his commander. He slowly stood up and walked to the door not looking back even when the councilor called to him.
xxxxxxx
Two weeks had passed and the rescue team had been called back to the Citadel. Garrus was furious that they had given up. The commander had to be alive. She wouldn't just die like that. She was an incredibly strong woman and to him the only real friend he had. He loved her and he refused to let her go. Garrus was pacing around his apartment when he heard the announcement over the news.
"Reports have come in that Commander Jane Shepard, Hero of the Citadel, has been killed in action. A service in her honor will be held tonight in the Presidium. Her courage will be remembered. Commander Shepard was born in the colony of Mindoir…."
The rest of the announcement went unheard. It finally dawned on Garrus that the commander was gone. He had let his feelings towards her get in the way of reality. Emotions that had been bottled up hit him like a typhoon and he finally broke down. He dropped to his knees and let out his most painful howl.
"Spirits no! Why her? Please let this be a dream. Please don't take her from me. She's all I have. I have no purpose without her. I will gladly trade my life for hers but please give her back... Give her back... Give her back... Please… Give her back. I can't lose her. Please... She's all I have." Garrus sobbed and leaned against his bed bringing his taloned hands up to his face as he rocked himself back and forth. He had lost a great friend and it was time to let his heart mourn the loss.
xxxxxx
Shepard got closer and Garrus' heart pounded harder. He was still debating whether what he was seeing was real or just the wishful hallucinations of a demented turian. As the ghost of his friend got closer, he began to remember how miserable he had been. He left the Citadel and wandered around for aimlessly until he landed on Omega. It was there where he realized the commander would not have wanted him to live his life drowned in his loss. Instead he would honor her memory by continuing to bring justice where it was most needed.
"Archangel?" Garrus' heart skipped a beat when he heard her voice. He tried to remain calm and lifted his finger motioning her to wait. He took a shot and exhaled that breathe he had been holding releasing any doubt that the person behind him was unreal along with it. He slowly walked towards her and removed his helmet. To see her face again was indescribable.
"Garrus! What are you doing here?" Shepard walked towards him as she opened her arms.
"Shepard, I thought you were dead…" Garrus did not move from his position. If he were to rise up and hug her he didn't know how he would react. Mixed emotions came over him. Anger, Happiness but the most overpowering was sadness. All this time she was alive and she had kept him out of her life as if he had not mattered to her. He heard the incoming of mechs and decided for now he would push those feelings aside. There were more important matters at hand right now and he needed Shepard's help to resolve the situation he was currently in.
Garrus stood in his spot but how he was feeling now distracted him. What was in him, what was on his mind was her and the loss he felt as he waited for her to rise out of the ashes. Rise as she had when Sovereign was destroyed and for a brief moment he thought he had lost her forever. He had prayed for her when she was still only 'MIA'. As he was drowning in his memories, Shepard stepped in to save him from the enormous Krogan trying to kill him.
" Just like old times…"
Garrus' blood ran cold when he stared down the barrel of the gunship. He felt the heat of the rocket tearing through his skin as he fell to the ground. Slowly the sound of gunfire around him began to fade and darkness was taking over. Perhaps he could hold on a little longer? If only to hear her voice one last time? His lungs burned as he gasped for air.
"Garrus!"
Fighting to stay conscious he reached for the only item he had kept from his previous life, that piece of Shepard that had kept him strong the past 2 years. When he lost her, he offered his life in exchange for hers. Now that he had heard her precious voice he was happy to give it up. With a content heart he let out a sigh allowing the darkness to take over.
xxxxxxx
A/N: I haven't written anything in a long time. I apologize to those who had me on alert for my other Mass Effect story. I ran out of juice but I have a plan. Please review as it encourages me to keep writing. Story is unbeta'd. Please excuse my horrible excuse for grammar. Inspired by a Mass Effect music vid by ROFLStudios and Solid Falcon Productions entitled "All he has." I literally had it on loop and listened to it as I wrote this. I realized I edit myself a lot and that I use the word 'and' way too much. And the edit is probably worse than the original. And now I'll let you go. Carry on and what not.