Shepard didn't know why she crying. It was quite ridiculous, really. What kind of hero cries over a man? A pathetic one.
Turian human baby...
She didn't know who to call. She couldn't talk to anyone, really. The two people she trusted most in the galaxy were fucking each other and she wasn't prepared to face them yet.
She wasn't prepared for any of this, at all. It was all so unexpected. My death was confirmed...but...fuck. Really?
She rolled her neck around and decided to get her mind off of things. She wiped her tears and looked at the vid-screen to check any latest news.
Her eyes skimmed until she landed upon a peculiar title; "SHEPARD MOMUMENT ON AKUZE TO BE TAKEN DOWN AFTER RIOTS."
She laughed and clicked the link.
On the page was the most informative piece of journalism written by, not surprisingly, Khalisha Al-Jilani.
Glad she didn't fuck my name over.
The article consisted of eighteen paragraphs, filled with quotes and information on the "dead" war hero. Apparently, after the war, the few batarians that were alive, still enraged over the events in the Alpha Relay, decided to set Shepard's monument on fire.
Shepard shrugged and continued reading until she came upon a quote from...Garrus Vakarian.
"I think it's ridiculous that the batarians are still going to try to ruin Commander Shepard's name. She saved the galaxy. She died...to save this unworthy galaxy...to save me, and my worthlessness."
Shepard stared at the picture of him and started crying again before throwing the monitor across the room.
"Goddamnit I can't take this anymore!" She stood. It was glorious...for about five seconds. The needles in her arm ripped out as she fell to the floor.
She threw a barrier up before she landed on her ass, decreasing the blow.
Shepard was going to get the hell out of the secret hospital. She was going to get a taxi. Go to his apartment.
She scrambled to grab the edge of the bed and slowly stood. Her legs wobbled but held steady and her grip tightened.
She sighed and looked at the guarded door then to the window on her left. Her eyes calculating the amount of steps to get to both, she decided the window was the closest and she slowly shuffled forward.
Shepard was walking. Miranda stormed in and saw the Commander standing.
"Shepard!" Miranda blinked, awed.
Shepard's eyes sparkled, "What did you think, Lawson? The savior of the damned galaxy wouldn't figure out how to walk?" Sarcasm dripped from her mouth.
Miranda sighed, "The damage was severe, Shepard. Both the physical and mental stress you were put under after using the Catalyst...traumatized you. I just wasn't prepared for you to start walking so quickly," she paused and added quietly, "Plus I was sure the news I gave you yesterday wouldn't help. But..."
Emerald eyes were narrowed to slits and her mouth formed a line as she spoke coldly, "It sure as hell gave me incentive." She looked at her hands and sighed.
"How do you even know it's true, Miranda?"
Her gloved hands pulled up her omni-tool and sent a file to the biotic's. "I still have my sources, Shepard. Eyes and ears all over the galaxy."
The Commander rolled her eyes and pressed a button on the holographic hand-held monitor. A couple kissing. An asari and turian...
She enlarged the imagine and her eyes widened and mouth opened.
Shepard screamed.
Liara sat in her cold steel office and folded her hands. Her blue eyes traced the elegant design on her shirt and pants. A glass of wine atop a steel plate on her right, her holographic computer on her left.
She peered at the images on the screen and sighed.
Her hand reached for the glass and she took a slow, delicate sip. Asari wine. Bottle's older than she is.
She smirked and clicked the screen. Results of the reconstruction of Thessia flodded her computer.
A knock on her door interrupted her.
"Come in." Another sip.
Feron walked in with a file on a orange datapad.
"Liara, Glyph and I have been backtracking to the events in the Widow system that took place a few months ago. Only a handful of ships have been at the Citadel since the Reaper attack."
Liara extended her hand and he handed her the datapad. She skimmed it.
"So you've tracked the ships that have gone in and out? No raiders or pirates?"
Feron nodded, "There is one ship I'd like you to look into that arrived three weeks after the Crucible was fired."
Her eyebrow raised, "How is that possible? The Mass Relays weren't close to being complete then."
The drell shrugged, "I don't know, Liara. But this ship got something then left without a good-bye."
Liara rolled her neck around, "Don't waste any time looking into this, Feron. Spend more of our resources on the refugees and on the completion of the Relays and the Citadel."
He nodded and left her office.
She sighed and took another long sip of that sweet asari wine.
Garrus swallowed a handful of medi-gel pills and chased them with a single shot of turian whiskey. He was lying on a roof, sniper rifle in grip, peering through the scope.
After the events with Liara a few weeks ago...he needed time alone.
She only called once, and when he didn't answer, she showed up at his apartment. He pretended he wasn't home.
He hated doing this to her, but he honestly didn't know what to say. What could he say? Was there any way to redeem himself? He completely took advantage of her...but she let him.
He shook his head and blinked.
A mugging was happening down the alley way on the far side of the street. He spotted the crook and took a breath and fired. Bam! Headshot. The criminals head was splattered all over Main Street.
Garrus released his breath and gripped the weapon in his hand tighter.
The Widow.
A gift from Shepard.
He growled. It was like Omega all over again. He was turning vigilante, again, after Shepard's death.
"Goddamnit."
Garrus closed his eyes and moved out of his sniping position to lean against the solid wall around him.
He placed the rifle across his lap and shifted his weight as he grabbed the bottle of whiskey. He took a nice long swig and placed the bottle on top of the brick behind him.
A gunshot went through it.
Garrus scrambled to get into cover and very carefully peered into the streets below him. He took a breath and saw a feminine figure staring at him, pistol drawn.
Green eyes.
Ebony hair.
Black and red armor.
Shepard saw his blue eyes and wanted to scream again. Her pistol drawn, she thought it was just another mindless vigilante.
A cannibal that picked people off and ate them to survive.
No, fuck.
It was him.
It had to be.
She closed her eyes and sighed, taking a step forward, putting her pistol in its holster.
He lowered his sniper rifle.
She waved.
Author's Notes: And there it is. CLIFFHANGER.
Chapter four.
Yup! Chapter four.
Please review! :)
-BrokenEmber