Series Title: After the Reapers
Pairing: Garrus/Shepard
Author: Knights-Honour
Disclaimer: Mass Effect universe © BioWare
Any character you haven't heard of © me
Author's Notes:
I've recently become enamoured with the Mass Effect 'verse, thanks to a beautiful piece of Garrus/FemShep art here on DA: Mass Effect - After the Reaper by *ghostfire, and while I haven't actually played the games yet, I did do some research and fell in love with Garrus and Shepard's story and decided to try my hand at writing the 'ship.
Now, my vision for this is that it's going to be a series of short stories about Shepard and Garrus' relationship, so they won't always be in chronological order. I'll let you know in the ANs just where about it fits in the ME timeline and if the story in question is companionable with any of the others.
Thanks go to my Beta; Blueglaceon, who despite having little knowledge of the Mass Effect universe, agreed to edit the series anyway. Thanks, Blue!
Also, the Turians physical appearance in my stories will be based on ghostfire's concept drawings: ME Nude Turian Concepts.
So, first cab of the rank is Happiness, a series of moments between Shepard and Garrus during Lair of the Shadow Broker.
Happiness
"I'll see you at lunch?" Kathryn Shepard murmured to Garrus, standing up on her tip toes to peck him on the muzzle as the elevator came to a stop at the CIC.
"Mmmhmmm..." the Turian murmured in reply as his arms encircled her waist, pulling her closer to him, not willing to lose contact with her just yet.
"Garrus," she drew out his name in a warning tone of voice.
"Okay, okay." he reluctantly let go of his mate and stepped back. "See you at lunch." Shepard smiled warmly up at him before she left the elevator and he continued his journey down to the third deck.
"Morning, Kelly," Shepard greeted the young Yeoman when she drew level with her.
"Good morning, Commander. You've received a new message at your private terminal," Kelly advised her commanding officer.
"Anything else I should know?"
"Nothing right now. Anything else, Commander?"
"That'll be all."
Kelly nodded her head and turned back to her computer as Shepard headed to her own console. Accessing her e-mails, she opened the new message:
To: Shepard We're aware that your old friend Liara T'Soni has been hunting for the Shadow Broker for several years. We wouldn't mind helping her in that hunt, given the Broker's past work for the Collectors. We recently uncovered some information that might give Liara a lead on where to find the Shadow Broker's base of operations, but unfortunately, she doesn't have much faith in Cerberus intel. If you'd visit Illium and pass it on to her as a gesture of goodwill, we'd appreciate it.
From: Cerberus Information Processing
Intel on the Shadow Broker? Liara would want to see this ASAP!
"Is something wrong, Commander?" Kelly queried.
Shepard looked up from her computer. "There's been a change of plans," she told the young yeoman as she logged out. "Can you tell Garrus and Grunt to be on standby, please? I want to get going as soon as we dock."
"Certainly, Commander. But where are we going?"
"Illium," Shepard called back over her shoulder as she strode through the CIC towards the cockpit to alert Joker of what was happening.
~ o ~ o ~ o ~
"Speaking of which: did you find your friend's body?" Vasir queried slyly.
"You mean this body?" Liara stepped from behind the group, gun drawn at the Asari Spectre.
"Liara!" Shepard put herself between the two asari. "Something I should know?"
"This is the woman that tried to kill me," Liara informed Shepard, glancing at the human Spectre briefly, as she advanced on Vasir.
"You've had a rough day, so I'll let that slide," Vasir cajoled Liara, taking a few steps back to keep some distance between them. "Why don't you put that gun down?"
"I saw you!" Liara insisted. "I doubled back after I left. I watched you break into my apartment!"
Behind her, Garrus growled, his mandibles flaring in anger, as Shepard narrowed her eyes, realization dawning on her. "You didn't know where Liara went because she hid the message!" she exclaimed as she drew her assault rifle, Garrus and Grunt quickly following suit. "You needed me to find it for you."
"Thanks for the help." Vasir shrugged indifferently.
"Once she had my location, she signalled the Shadow Broker's forces, and bombed the building to take me out," Liara continued. "She found Sekat, took his data, and killed him." Liara glanced at Shepard. "I'm guessing she's still got the disk on her."
"Good guess," Vasir sneered, showing them the disk. "Not that you'll ever see what's on it..." the window behind Vasir shattered and she sent the shards hurtling towards the four with her biotics. "...you pureblood bitch!"
Shepard dropped to her knees, preparing to hunker down from the projectiles as Liara quickly erected a biotic field to protect her teammates. Seeing her attack fail, Vasir took off, and Shepard was hot on her tail, crash-tackling the asari through what was left of the broken window, which sent them both flying over the edge. Still struggling, Vasir utilised her biotics to stop their fall before violently kicking out at Shepard, dislodging her and sending her plummeting.
Garrus watched, after racing to the windowsill with Grunt, as his mate slammed into the ground with a sickening thud. Vasir touched down gracefully behind her and turned back towards Shepard's prone form, her body glowing with her biotics as she advanced towards her fallen foe, ready to finish what she'd started, as above her the Turian growled as he reached for his sniper rifle. If Vasir thought she was going to hurt Shepard while he was around, then she was in for a rude awakening.
But then, a flash of white shot past Garrus and Grunt as Liara leapt from the windowsill in pursuit of Vasir, and the Asari Spectre took off, Shepard forgotten, as soon as Liara touched the ground, racing across the room with Liara hot on her tail. With the danger to Shepard gone, Garrus raced downstairs, Grunt right behind him, to tend to her.
She was just starting to stir when they reached her.
"Shepard?" Garrus queried as he dropped beside her, his voice thick with concern.
With a moan she pushed herself up into a sitting position, swaying a little as she did so.
"Easy," he rumbled as reached out to steady her. "How're you feeling?"
"A little disorientated. Where's Liara?"
"She went after Vasir."
The sound of a door opening caught his attention then, and he snapped his head up as the Broker's army spewed into the room.
"Trouble!" Grunt announced as the young Krogan charged forward to deal with them.
Shepard made a move to follow, but faltered when her head spun.
"Easy," Garrus soothed as he guided her out of harm's way. "Stay down 'till you get your bearings back. Grunt and I can handle this."
~ o ~ o ~ o ~
"The Shadow Broker's agents are still shooting their way through Illium. With luck they won't notice we've left until it's too late."
Shepard furrowed her brow. "That's a little cold. They killed innocent people!"
Liara stopped walking and turned back to face her friend. "You know what I mean."
"Do I?" Shepard took a step closer. "When I hit the ground back at the trade centre, you went after Vasir without a backward look!"
Liara averted her eyes for a moment. "A little fall wasn't going to kill you." The asari turned and walked over to the hotel's balcony. "I had to stay on Vasir. I had to stay rational, make the call, like I did with Sekat. Besides, Garrus was there. He took care of you."
While that was true, it still stung to see just how much Liara had changed in the two years that she'd been gone. She was no longer the shy young woman that had served at her side against Saren and Sovereign. "That's Vasir's fault." Shepard approached the railing as well. "Not yours."
~ o ~ o ~ o ~
"It's good that you brought Archangel, T'Soni. Your friend's bounty is still unclaimed."
Garrus growled at the Broker as he glanced briefly at Shepard before cocking his gun. No way was anyone going to take him from Shepard's side, not now.
"You're not putting a hand on anyone!" Liara refuted.
"It's pointless to challenge me, Asari. I know you're every secret, while you fumble in the dark."
"Is that right?" Liara challenged back. "You're a Yahg, a pre-spaceflight species quarantined to your home-world for massacring the Council's first contact teams. This base is older than your planet's discovery, which means you killed the original Shadow Broker sixty years ago, then took over. I'm guessing you were taken from your world by a trophy hunter who wanted a slave..." Liara paused, letting her words sink in. "...or a pet. How am I doing?"
The horned beast was silent as he stood up and Shepard took a few steps back warily. Then, suddenly, the Shadow Broker slammed his fist into his table, shattering it and then flinging half of it across the room towards them. Shepard dove on Liara, just in the nick of time, pushing them both out of harm's way. But as she looked across the room, she saw that Garrus had not been so lucky. He was unconscious, pinned down by the shattered wood, but before she could rise to go to him, the Shadow Broker charged at them.
With a frustrated sound, Shepard focussed her attention on the Broker, drawing the Collector Particle Beam from its place on her back. Tending to Garrus would have to wait, all that she could do for him now was to keep the furious Yahg away from his prone form.
~ o ~ o ~ o ~
"Liara! Now!"
Using her biotics, Liara smashed the glass above the head of the Broker, and drawn to the shield around his body, the electricity poured down onto the Yahg until it overloaded his system and he exploded, the shockwave knocking the two women over. Liara was quickly back on her feet, and she strode over to give Shepard a hand up. But as what had happened sunk in, the Asari began to pant heavily.
Out of the corner of her eye, Shepard saw Garrus stir. "Garrus!" She quickly strode over to him, pulling the broken table off of him before crouching down by his side. "How're you feeling?"
"Not too bad, considering," he rumbled as he sat up. "Damn, that thing has a nasty temper- Wait." his eyes suddenly widened and began quickly darting around the room trying to locate the Yahg. "Where is he?"
"Dead."
"How?"
Shepard jerked her head back to where Liara was, as she used her omni-tool to give Garrus a once over. The Turian had already been to hell and back again thanks to the mercs on Omega.
"I'm fine, Shepard, honestly I- what's Liara doing?"
Shepard furrowed her brow, turning to locate the Asari as Liara began to talk into the Broker's monitor. "This is the Shadow Broker. The situation is under control. We experienced a power fluctuation while upgrading hardware. It disrupted communications momentarily." Feron burst through the door, pistol drawn, but Liara didn't flinch, continuing to address the Broker's agents. "However, we are now back online. Resume standard procedures. I want a status report on all operations within the next solar day. Shadow Broker out."
Feron limped over to her. "Goddess of oceans... It's you... You... how?"
"Well," Liara turned from the console to look at the Drell. "Everyone who's seen him in person is dead, so..."
"...You're the new Shadow Broker," Feron finished for her as Garrus, now back on his feet, and Shepard approached them.
"Is taking over as the Shadow Broker really a good idea?" Shepard questioned, worry lacing her voice.
"Well, it was either that or lose everything: his contacts, his trading sources. Those will really help us. With the Shadow Broker's information network. I can give you... I can..."
Seeing her friend struggle, Shepard turned to Garrus and Feron. "Could you give us a minute?"
Feron nodded. "I'll check the power systems," he limped away, Garrus hot on his heels.
Shepard watched them go, then turned back to Liara, who had turned away from the human Spectre, her shoulders beginning to shake as tears rolled down her face. Shepard approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Liara turned to face her again. "It's over. It's finally... for two years..."
Shepard wrapped the Asari up in a hug. "It's all right."
When they parted, Liara seemed a lot more determined. "With the Shadow Broker's network, I can help you against the Reapers. Maybe I can turn this operation into something better!"
~ o ~ o ~ o ~
Liara was glad that she'd been given the chance to tour the new Normandy. Joker, Chakwas, Tali, all of them had been glad to see her. Now she was in Shepard's quarters, sharing a drink and catching up with her former commander.
"So tell me what you want, Shepard? What are you fighting for? A chance to give Garrus some peace?"
"He's been hurt. Betrayed. He deserves something better." Shepard made her way over to her bed and sat on the edge. "I never thought I'd find peace in the arms of a Turian, but..."
Liara approached her. "Why not? Humans seen to have no trouble finding Asari attractive."
"Everyone finds Asari attractive," Shepard reminded her former squad-mate with a slight smirk.
Liara shook her head with a smile of her own. "I hope the two of you find some happiness." She told her friend sincerely before taking a step back. "I should get back to my base, but thanks for inviting me up."
Shepard rose to her feet and followed the Asari to the door of the loft before the two women embraced in a hug. "You're welcome here at any time." She told the information broker when they parted. "Come back soon."
Liara smiled and nodded her head before turning towards the lift just as it opened and Garrus stepped out.
Shepard immediately went to him. "Hey."
"Hey," he returned whilst pressing his forehead against hers and rested there for a moment.
"What's the report?" she questioned him when he drew back. She'd sent him to the Med-Bay as soon as the Kodiak shuttle had touched down back on the Normandy, to be checked over by Chakwas.
"Nothing serious," Garrus replied. "But Chakwas wants me to take it easy for the next day or so just to be sure."
"Good thing we're headed to the Citadel for shore leave, then."
Liara's chuckle at their interaction drew the couple's attention from each other back to the young Asari.
"Sorry, Liara," Shepard apologised.
"Dr. T'Soni." The Turian nodded his head in greeting.
"Thank you again for you help today with the Shadow Broker, Garrus." Liara stepped forward to hug him.
"Don't know about that, seeing as he knocked me out and all," Garrus rumbled with slight amusement as Liara drew back.
"You helped leading up to the final confrontation," the Asari retorted. "That's what matters. Not to mention looking out for Shepard."
"Yeah, that's always a job and a half," he quipped, and was promptly elbowed in the side by his mate.
"Watch it, Vakarian. Or you'll be sleeping on the sofa tonight."
Garrus snorted, "Like that'd happen. You wouldn't last five minutes without your... what'd you call me last night... hot water bottle?
Shepard shook her head as Liara laughed aloud for a moment before she addressed the mock-bickering couple. "It's been wonderful to see you both, but I really should be getting back."
Shepard stepped forward to hug the Asari again. "Don't make a stranger of yourself, Liara."
"Small chance of that. Take care of her, Garrus."
The Turian nodded his head, and Liara smiled at them once more before turning and entering the elevator. The door closed on the vision of Shepard and Garrus sharing a tender embrace before turning and entering their quarters.
Liara smiled as she revised her earlier statement to Shepard in her mind. The two weren't looking for happiness; they had found it.
Fin.