Disconnect
Three
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As the reapers lay waste to the galaxy, Commander Shepard rushes to rescue his sister from war-torn Earth. But is there a place on the Normandy for a civilian, and does she even want one at all? AU Shepard/Garrus.
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Disclaimer: This author in no way profits from the writing of this story. All characters, dialogue, or other referenced material from the Mass Effect trilogy belong to Bioware.
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Note: This chapter makes use of the fan theory/assumption that most language you hear in Mass Effect is being simultaneously translated from the speaker's original language.
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When she slept, Jane dreamed of her friends and students back home. She dreamed of them calling out to her from the darkness, begging to be saved. She reached out to them but her hands grasped nothing but air. She sobbed out her helplessness into her pillow when she woke during the night, the only time she allowed herself such weakness.
During the day, she would be strong for John. At least she still had John. And she didn't let herself think about the ones she didn't have anymore.
A girl could drive herself crazy wondering.
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"Now," Garrus said, shaking out his long limbs, "Do you have any experience in hand-to-hand combat?"
Jane shrugged. "I know how to throw a punch. No one survives growing up like John and I did without that. Oh, and I can break up a fistfight in twenty seconds or less. Kind of a necessary skill at the school where I taught."
Garrus stared at her, uncomprehending. "…right. Why don't we start with the basics?"
From that day on, Garrus and Shepard met up nearly every day to train her in either hand-to-hand or weapon handling. It didn't take long before others were taking notice of what they were up to.
"I heard you've got Garrus teaching you how to fight," John said, when they were relaxing in his quarters. "You know you don't have to earn your place here."
"I want to," she said. "I'd like to be more than a burden."
John sat forward. "You're not a burden, Janie. You never have been."
She turned her head away. She knew what he'd given up so that she could have a childhood. He'd run with a gang so that he could protect her and raise her right. He paid out most of his military salary so that she could go to a good high school and college. He'd often told her that the proudest day of his life was when she graduated with her teaching degree. He'd always put her first. He'd always protected her. "That's not true, John. But it's kind of you to say."
John jumped up from where he sat to move beside his sister. "Don't say that." He was firm. "Don't ever say that. You were all I had, Janie. Everything I did for you was worth it. You paid it back in full."
She shook her head. "It doesn't feel that way. Let me do this, at least. Please."
John sighed, wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulders. "If it makes you feel better."
"It does," she said, and finally looked him in the eye. "And when Garrus gives me the okay, you'll let me go on a mission?"
"An easy one," he grumbled. "No reapers."
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It started with Private Ortega, who approached her shyly. "I heard you're an English teacher," the young woman said, hardly any older than Jane's students back on Earth. "Do you think you would be able to teach me?"
Shepard's brows shot up in surprise, then her face transformed into a smile. "Of course I can," she said. "Let me know when your schedule is open."
But when Jane entered the observation lounge at the agreed-upon time, there were several more crewmen waiting. "They all want to learn," Ortega explained. "Do you mind at all?"
Jane didn't mind one bit.
She was in her element now. She'd taught English as a second language before, and wasn't it a pleasure to teach willing adults instead of unruly teens?
Her class began to meet twice weekly, gaining new students nearly every time. Between the class and her training with Garrus, Jane's hours began to fill and her unease on the Normandy began to decrease.
One day, when she was practicing shooting with Garrus, he asked her about the classes. "You seem to have gained something of a following," he said. "I even heard that some of the crewmen are switching shifts so they'll be able to take your class."
"That's gratifying," Jane said, peering through a rifle scope. She pulled the trigger, smiling as she struck her target. "It's nice to feel like I'm contributing something to the Normandy. And it helps to give the crew something to think about other than fighting and death."
"That sounds nice," Garrus agreed. "Maybe you could teach me."
Her head whipped around to look him in the eye. "I've only taught humans before. I don't know how well I can teach a turian."
"I'd like to give it a try," he insisted.
Jane studied his earnest expression. "Alright," she conceded. "But we'll have to do this separate from the class. I have a feeling that my usual curriculum isn't going to cut it."
"One on one attention," he teased. "I feel special already."
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"So… you and Jane," Joker said. "Does the commander know?"
"There's nothing going on between Jane and I," Garrus said quickly.
"Come on," the pilot said, rolling his eyes. "All those private lessons? You're pretty transparent, Garrus."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," the turian said, walking away.
"Yeah, well you'd better hope Shepard doesn't either. Don't think he wants you macking on his little sis," Joker muttered.
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Garrus couldn't get his mind off of what Joker said. He couldn't get his mind off of her. He knew she was special, interesting. But he'd never considered a human romantically before.
But now he was considering. He couldn't stop.
"Did you have anyone special back on Earth?" he asked once, in the middle of one of their lessons.
She quirked a brow. "No boyfriend, if that's what you mean. I kind of poured myself into my work."
"I know how that is," Garrus said.
"Yeah," she agreed. "And besides, I never really found anyone who lived up to my standards."
"Oh?" he asked, heart suddenly pounding.
"I always wanted someone I could talk to. Someone who would stand up to me. You know, an equal." She huffed a laugh. "And having humanity's big hero as a brother only made things harder. Who can live up to that?"
Garrus laughed with her, but internally sighed. Who, indeed?
"What about you?" she asked.
His head shot up. "What about me?"
"Got anyone waiting at home for you? Or are you ugly or something by turian standards? I never can tell." Her eyes sparkled as she teased him.
"I'm not 'ugly or something'!" he said indignantly. "I just want a real partnership, you know?"
Her smirk turned into a real smile. "Yeah," she said. "I know."
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"Garrus," Shepard called, motioning his friend into the elevator with him when they had put their weapons away. The commander was quiet as they rode the elevator up to his cabin.
Once inside, Shepard locked the door and turned to his friend, expression serious. "Garrus, I want to talk to you about Jane."
The turian's mandibles fluttered in alarm. "Joker said—but I didn't think—"
"Relax," Shepard said, holding up a hand to halt his friend's spluttering. "I'm not angry with you."
Garrus's shoulders slumped. "How did you know?"
Shepard shrugged. "I can't always read turians, but I can read you. We've been friends and partners long enough that I can tell. She's really important to you."
"She is," Garrus said quietly.
"Let's get this straight," Shepard said. "If you hurt her, I will kill you. But as long as you don't…" He sighed. "You have my support."
Garrus looked at him strangely. "Joker told me stories of what human men do to friends who date their sisters. So I guess I just want to ask… why?"
Shepard paced across the room, pausing to stare into his fish tank. "Jane has always thought she was a burden. Never thought she was worth the things I did for her." He turned pained eyes upon Garrus. "She was worth everything I had to do to protect her. I don't regret a thing. But she does. And I've never been able to convince her otherwise."
He turned fully to face a rapt Garrus. "If you can somehow convince her to value herself, like I value her, I would be grateful to you forever."
Garrus cleared his throat. "I don't know if I can, Shepard. I don't know if my opinion means that much."
Shepard smiled sadly. "I think it does. I know my sister… and she sees something of value in you."
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