Shepard stepped off the shuttle and looked at the Villa for the first time in a year. It looked so small now. She had to laugh at how naive she had been. She hefted her duffel onto her back and glanced to her left and right as Shaan and Natylia joined her. The three others had failed N6. She had made it. She was exhausted through to her very core. But she had made it, and got just a tiny bit heartbroken on the way. She hadn't heard from Garrus in six months, and tried not to care that it bothered her.

"Seems strange," Shaan admitted, his handsome face twisting in confusion, "It's like going back to high school."

"Gods forbid /that/ eventuality," Natylia drawled, "I might have to biotically strangle my algebra teacher."

Shepard laughed, a gravelled sound that was rarely heard. She rubbed the new scars that divided her eyebrow and straight down to slice open her cheek to the bone. They itched a little still, and she couldn't help but feel slightly self conscious about them.

"Come on, we have to report to Anderson," Shepard yanked on Shaan's sleeve and he stumbled forward.


"Congratulations, Commander," David Anderson handed her the N7 insignia she would bear on her chest, as Hackett passed on to the next recruit.

"Thank you, sir," Shepard replied, with a sharp nod. She looked out over the audience - her eyes seeking, and finding those of her sister. She tilted her chin up and smiled. But when her eyes swept over other faces, she wouldn't admit to herself that she was slightly hurt that there wasn't a certain turian watching the ceremony.

The raucous cheer startled her, and there was only moments before she found herself wrapped in the tough arms of Ashley. She returned the embrace fiercely.

"What're you doing here?" she murmured softly.

"It's not every day that your sister becomes an N7. I got 24 hours leave. I need to head out in another hour," Ashley kissed her noisily on the cheek.

"Erk!" Shepard swiped the cheek in mock disgust.

Ashley laughed, and sobered a little as she touched the new scar with gentleness.

"What happened?"

"Something a lot preferable than what might have happened," Shepard touched Ashley's chin, "I had a good hand to hand teacher. Luckily."

"Come on, I have an hour," Ashley slung an arm around Shepard's shoulder, "Let's get a drink."

Anderson watched the sisters depart.

"When should we tell her what her first assignment is?"

The Admiral took a sip of the obligatory celebratory champagne, "When her sister leaves."

"Yes, sir," Anderson shifted uneasily. He had heard the rumours from Palaven.


"Stay safe," Shepard waved as Ashley stepped onto the shuttle. She pasted a smile on her face, and stood watching until the vehicle was a speck in the sky.

"Commander Shepard, will you come to the CIC, please," she heard Anderson's voice over her comm.

"Aye, sir," Shepard acknowledged.


Shepard saluted sharply.

"Shepard, come in," Anderson gestured. He was standing near the central table, a map illuminated on its surface, standing beside him was a turian with red markings on his face, and Admiral Hackett.

"This is General Victus," Anderson gestured toward the turian and Shepard regarded him thoughtfully before saluting.

"Shepard, we have your first assignment," Hackett's hoarse voice filled the room with its power. She snapped to attention.

"You recently spent time in the Skyllian Verge," he continued, glancing up at her face. She could feel his eyes tracing the scar on her face.

"Yes, sir."

"You know the lay of the land in regards to the Blue Suns in that area?" more of a question.

"As well as anyone, sir…" Shepard was cautious.

Victus interrupted, "General Garrus Vakarian was on assignment in Zorya, square in Blue Suns territory. We have had no communication from him in a week."

Shepard folded her arms in front of her, "So what?" She tried to ignore the flutter of panic in her gut. Garrus was…where?

"The turian military can't go in there without causing a diplomatic incident," Victus replied, "The Citadel will not respond. The Spectres are their arm, but they eschew responsibility if one ends up in trouble."

"So you want me to do what?"

"You," Hackett spoke, typing rapidly and bringing up the map of Zorya, "will select a small strike team. Get the lay of the land. See if you can find out what happened to General Vakarian."


"Wow," Shaan collapsed back on the couch, "Seriously?"

"Yep," Shepard stared out of the window, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Well, I mean, it makes a certain kind of sense," Natylia replied dubiously.

"If you are ready, I will leave tonight," Shepard glanced back at them, "I know you are entitled to leave, we all are. But I'm asking this of you. I need your help." Her hand fisted on her bicep.

"Did you hear that?" Shaan asked Natylia casually.

"I believe I did," Natylia replied cheerfully. He jerked his head toward the reticent Commander. They stood as one, a pair forged by hard training, and moved to flank her sides.

"I believe the Commander just asked for help," Shaan leaned a forearm on her shoulder.

Natylia motioned wiping her eyes, "It's making me positively misty-eyed." She sniffed.

"I hate you guys," Shepard grumbled.

"Awww," Shaan chuckled.

"We get to take down some mercs? That can only be fun!" Natylia looped her solidly muscular arm around Shepard's shoulders.

"Yeah. Fun," Shepard repeated drily.


Shepard peered down her scope, and murmured into the comm, "Three on the bridge."

"Got it," came the reply. A blurred figure smashed into one of them, and fired with a shotgun. Shepard shot the shaken armoured merc through the head. She reloaded. The second exploded into meaty chunks with a carnage blow and the third took a shot to the chest from Shaan right before Shepard shot her.

She swung her scope, "There are four coming up from the building."

"Got 'em," Shaan drawled. He sent a shockwave toward the approaching mercs who were firing wildly. They smashed into walls and skidded on the floor. He powered up a charge, as Shepard shot the nearest. He crunched into the second merc and shot him square in the face. Natylia took down the third with a steady stream of bullets. The fourth shook her shields and he rocked as Shepard shot him in the chest. He staggered and two guns fired simultaneously, blasting him off his feet. Shaan grinned and stepped up beside Natylia, "Brilliant."

Shepard stood and jumped down a couple of levels. Her boots rang on the metal scaffolding as she approached. Looking down at the carnage with a cold gaze, she collapsed the sniper rifle and took out her close quarters weapon.

"Now things get interesting," she powered up her disruptor ammo, "They know we are coming."

The sound of alarms rent the air.


Shepard slid into position behind a barrier and glanced around the corner. The mercs had taken up position into cover and dug in. She could see the door on the opposite side of the room. And it was barred. Barred and bolted. With good old-fashioned iron. She grinned. Piece of cake.

She laid down cover fire, then cloaked as Shaan and Natylia came up.

"When you are ready," she heard Shaan murmur. She crept down the hallway, could see the terrified expressions on the mercs. She lifted her pistol, and gave the signal…shooting the nearest merc in the head. Shaan smashed into the group, his shotgun loud in the narrow hallway.

Natylia fired continuously. Shepard spun into cover, took a couple of breaths and leaned out to shoot again. The mercs suddenly realised they had two killers amongst them and panicked. Shepard threw an incinerate and one of them flailed in horror. She shot him to put him out of his misery. And in moments they stood panting in the hallway. Shepard wiped the sweat from her brow before turning to look at the door. She tilted her head.

"So, that's gonna be…" Shaan muttered.

She powered up her tech and blew the door from its hinges.

"…difficult?" he finished with a chuckle, "Nice."

Shepard ignored them and walked into the room. She activated her omnitool to hack the system and bring up the lights. The overheads came on. She made a distressed sound in her throat.

Garrus was stripped to the waist, seated in filth and chained to the wall. He was limp against the bindings and dark blue blood slowly dripped from several wounds. His hands were bound tightly together in his lap and the manacles had made scratch marks on the metal plates. He had fought against the bindings.

"Garrus," Shepard breathed out and dropped to a knee in front of him. Hesitantly, she touched his face, trying to lift his heavy head up.

Shaan dropped down and activated his omnitool. He applied medigel to the wounds, and they started to close, slowly. He coughed and it was a horrible, wet sound.

"Garrus!" Shepard touched his face gently, "Garrus? Open your eyes."

"Miri?" he murmured, and though it seemed to take great effort his blue eyes sleepily cracked open. His hands tried to reach for her. She clasped his hands with her own, lending him strength where he did not have it, and rested her forehead on his own. He coughed again and his hands went limp in her own as he slipped back to unconsciousness.

"He's bad, Shepard," Shaan muttered, "And the mercs might regroup. We have to get him out of here."

Shepard rose to her feet, her eyes glinting dangerously, "Get him out." Her voice was low, and harsh.

"Shepard…" Natylia's voice was sharp, "Come on. Hold it together. He needs you."

"Get him out," Shepard grabbed Natylia by the front of her armour and yanked her face to face, "I will clear the way."

"Shepard…" Natylia tried again, but Shepard was gone. The sounds of gunfire and the screams of the dying could be heard echoing down the corridor.

"Come on," Natylia hurried to Garrus' side, "This guy is going to weigh a tonne." She knelt down, and slipped her arm across his back and heaved him upright. She staggered under the deadweight.

"Hit him with more gel, Shaan," Natylia demanded, "He needs to be semi-conscious for this."

Shaan activated the medigel again and Garrus swayed in her grasp, a little strength returning to his legs.

"Miri," the name tumbled from his lips again, and his hand flexed on Natylia's shoulder.

"She's giving us time to get out," Shaan spoke confidently, "Come on, General. Let's not waste that time." He stood on Garrus' other side. He activated the comm, "Nerys?" he called for their pilot, "we have the General. Shepard is clearing us out. Swing in to the outdoor landing pad."


They got Garrus to the shuttle, tumbling him in. Natylia grabbed a sniper rifle from her set and extended the sights. It wasn't her speciality, but she was proficient enough. She scanned the compound. A door burst open, Shepard was backing out, firing constantly with her pistol. She set fire to several mercs at the front of the pack pursuing her before turning to make a run for it.

Natylia focused more sharply and could see Shepard's grim expression. She had been hit a couple of times, rends in her armour. Refocusing she started firing - the sound echoing in the shuttle.

"Get ready to take off, Nerys," Shaan ordered. He got out of the shuttle and powered up a shockwave. And held it…and held it. As Shepard sprinted past him and collapsed, gasping, onto the shuttle floor beside the now unconscious turian, he let it fly. The overpowered biotic use exhausted him, but it broke their lines. Natylia grabbed him and yanked him into the shuttle.

"Go!" Shaan shouted.

"Punching it," Nerys replied coolly, her voice a balm in the panic.

Shepard heaved herself up onto a seat, dropped her head into bloody hands and closed her eyes.

"What happened?" Shaan asked softly, "We lost track of you."

"I made it out, didn't I?" her voice was bleak, with none of it's usual harshness.

"Yeah, you did," Natylia rested her hand on Shepard's shoulder, "And we got him out."

"The medbay on the ship has been alerted?" Shepard asked, the same eerie flat tone to her voice.

"Yeah, they know we are incoming."


Shepard sat beside Garrus' bed in medbay. She had showered and changed into her N7 tank and clean cargo pants. The doc hadn't been able to make her shift, one look into her eyes, and he backed off without another word. Garrus had been put under using drugs while turian anti-biotics and medigel went to work on his wounds. They were healing slowly.

The ships clocks said it was 3am when he stirred, coming out of the haze. Shepard slept, her head cocked uncomfortably on the back of the chair she had borrowed from the doctor's station. He was in his cabin and didn't need it.

Garrus turned his head and realised he wasn't in that godforsaken room. He wasn't in pain. And…Shepard sat next to his bed.

"Shepard," he spoke, his voice still hoarse.

She started awake, dark eyes confused for a moment, and she stood to touch his shoulder, "Garrus!"

"You came after me?"

"I was ordered to," a grim half smile curved her lips, "I think they figured I would have carved through half of the Blue Suns ranks to get to you."

Garrus lifted his hand and touched her cheek, "Why?"

"I should think that was perfectly obvious," she curled her fingers around his arm and touched him on that soft skin in his elbow.

"Shepard…"

"Look…wait a moment," Shepard held up a hand to stop whatever he would say, "I have to get this out. After that - you can what you are going to say."

He nodded.

"You changed me," she began, "Not all the way…but you made me think. I blamed you for nearly making me fail my N1 training, and looking back on it, what you said, I was an idiot."

"Shepard…" he tried again.

"I was so focused on N-training, on passing, on being the best, I shut down everything I was feeling for you. On Palaven…that's when I knew for sure. When you left, and I couldn't speak to you…" she shook her head, "…I knew. I was so angry at you for leaving, for not listening to what I said. I'm not a moron, I know you left because you thought you had hurt me, but…"

"Shepard," Garrus' voice gentled, "Stop." He touched the back of his talons against her cheek, "Just…stop."

Shepard paled and released his arm and shoved her hands into her pockets, "Damn, sorry. I'm an idiot. Look, uh…" her skin darkened with embarrassment, "…forget I said anything. This is nuts. I'm tired. Let's just put it down to tiredness."

Garrus' talons traced into her hair and he cupped the back of her head. With no small amount of effort he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His chest was bare, the plates elegantly curved over his torso, the surface scratched and scraped by a lifetime of fighting.

"You beautiful, strong woman," he spoke finally, not allowing her to back off. Even sitting, on the elevated bed, his face was nearly level with her own, "Headstrong, and a little insane," he rumbled a chuckle, and she glanced up, a little of the wariness leaving her eyes, "But still the loveliest thing I have ever laid eyes on."

"Your eyes need checking," Shepard belied her sharp tone by touching him on the chest. He tugged her forward and she slid her hand to the back of his head. He tilted his head and kissed her gently. His arms slid around her, pressing strong fingers into the muscles of her back. She sighed against him.

"You are soft, and yet not soft all at the same time," Garrus murmured, breaking the kiss, "I have wanted to do that since Earth."

"I probably would have laid you flat," Shepard admitted, tracing his jaw with rough fingertips.

"You are a violent woman," Garrus rumbled that laugh that drove heat into her groin.

"Well, duh," Shepard kissed him again, her hands cupping his face, "But for now, you need your rest, and this is not getting rest."

"Don't go," his voice was a dark vibration of a sudden.

"Don't do that," she whispered against his lips, "Or I can't resist."

"I don't want you to resist," he tugged her sharply, and she tumbled over him, already offbalance, and booted feet tangling with bare turian legs. He stilled her struggles by running his talons up her back. Goosebumps rose on her arms.

"I won't go," Shepard hovered over him for a moment, shifting cautiously to take her weight off him, "But you will rest. And my alarm goes off in a couple of hours. The doc will be back on at seven."

"I can deal with that," Garrus shifted on the bed, giving her room. She curled around him, pliable human flesh meeting solid turian, and closed her eyes.

Garrus lay there, wide awake, ignoring the tug of the drugs, his fingertips tracing her back in rhythmic circles.


Shaan rose a brow, his hands in his pockets, "You think…like…she remembers that there are windows looking into there?"

"Probably not, but she's gonna be pissed when she finds out," Natylia spooned soup into her mouth with steady dedication. Shaan picked up his cup of coffee.

"They make a cute couple," Shaan drawled.

"She will definitely be pissed if she hears you say that," she pointed her spoon at Shaan.

"You are going to tell her, aren't you?" Shaan gained a longsuffering look.

"Oh yeah," Natylia nodded.

"Wench."

"Better believe it," her smile was beatific.

"Hurry up," he complained.

"Hey, I need my strength," Natylia took her time with the last few mouthfuls. When she set aside her bowl, he stood and yanked her to her feet and captured her mouth with his own. After a few moments, they took off to their quarters, hand in hand.