His mandibles twitched with impatience. The doctor should have been there ages ago. Or maybe it was only minutes. Garrus had been having trouble keeping track of time since it happened. It was why he was here now, in the best hospital on Earth sitting next to an empty bed. An empty bed that had gotten cold just a few minutes earlier.
It wasn't the child she had seen die, not really, but the image still broke Shepard's heart. The only thing that hurt more was the weight of his words. No matter what she did, she would be killing almost as many people as the Reapers had so far, for a chance that they wouldn't be able to finish the job.
Garrus supposed it was inevitable: just when things seem to go right, the worst happens. Humans had a name for it, but he couldn't be bothered to try and remember. He'd been just as apathetic towards the nurses' offers of food. He wasn't really in the mood to eat.
All the work put into this war, all the lives lost already, it all seemed for naught. Both choices the not-child offered her would wreak destruction and misery upon the galaxy. It was hardly a choice at all. Shepard couldn't even try to fight the tears that ran down her face.
In all truth, Garrus wasn't even sure what it had been. Shepard had been the only one there, and she wasn't exactly able to tell anyone. Plenty of people had watched from the sidelines and even more had theories. Answers had still yet to be found. Everyone agreed it was incredible, though.
It couldn't be true. There had to be some other way. The galaxy hadn't come this far for so bleak an outcome. Shepard's memories danced through her mind. Everyone she was fighting for, everyone she had fought with. All the seemingly impossible things she had done, and now they were meaningless.
He'd always known she was incredible. Even when Garrus first met Shepard there was something about her, though he didn't know what, that made him listen to and respect her like no one else. He tried to focus on the time they'd had together - Liara had said that it was the best way to think of things – but Garrus' train of thought always ended up at what he had hoped to have with her.
Shepard's heart ached and her eyes burned as she thought her crew. Garrus was first in her mind. Then everyone else: Wrex, Mordin, Joker, Tali, and Legion. Shepard's eyes grew wide. Tali and Legion! That was it! Her hands stopped shaking and she dried her eyes. She knew what to do.
Among other things about human romance, Garrus had looked up their marriage customs. His research was what led Garrus' father to find out about the relationship with Shepard. He'd been surprisingly calm about it. The only sign of any disapproval from the elder Vakarian was pointing out that Garrus' mother had been hoping for grandchildren. Garrus had been toying with the idea of buying a ring when the Reapers hit Palaven.
Tali and Legion, Miranda and Jack, the quarian and the geth, and countless other times Shepard needed to make a tough choice, it had always been there. It was here now, too. A grin full of the confidence she'd pretended to have all through the war slowly grew. "I choose neither," Shepard's words barely audible. The not-child could only be described as confused.
Garrus was so engrossed in thought he almost didn't hear the salarian doctor clear her throat. He stood and tried to ask for news, but no sound came out. He plead with his eyes, instead. The doctor spoke slowly for a salarian. "Condition is stable, but will likely never regain full mobility. Even if she does, she won't be fit for military duty. We'll be moving her back into the ICU shortly." Garrus relaxed slightly at the revelation. The salarian turned to leave only to stop at the door and say "Nurse will be bringing in more food. Please eat it this time. Don't want another patient."
By the time Garrus managed a faint "Yeah," she had already left. He slumped down in the room's only chair, and waited anxiously for the door to open again. What he knew to be less than five minutes had stretched on for an eternity when an asari nurse pushing a wheelchair finally entered. Garrus rushed over, and knelt beside the nurse's charge. "Shepard..."
"Waiting for me?" Bruised, battered, and bandaged, she still had a sense of humor. "Thought I ordered you to get some rest."
He gave a chuckle as he straightened up again. "You're not my commanding officer, anymore. I don't take orders from you," Garrus teased.
Shepard laughed weakly, retorting "And yet you still won't call me by my first name."
"Old habits die hard... Shepard" She stuck her tongue out at him for that one. Another one of those weird human things. Garrus helped the nurse get Shepard back into bed, then lightly touched foreheads with her. The asari left them to talk while fetching them both something to eat. "You know," Garrus said once he and Shepard were alone, "you still need to tell me what happened up there."
She grinned and replied simply, "I took a third option."