[A|N] Thank you everyone for your reviews and messages. Good, bad, or other, I appreciate them all.


"Don't tell me what I do or don't need Kasumi." The angry turian said as he searched the various cabinets in his place. His words filled with venom she had not heard before, at least, not directed at her.

"This isn't you. Can't you see that?" She pleaded with him as he moved from room to room.

"Look, just because I have a drink now and again does not mean I am some raging drunk. You never once had to worry about pulling me out of some bar, or getting physical with …" He tried to say before he was cutoff by a visibly angry thief who finally let out what she had been feeling.

"No I never have, but that doesn't mean you haven't hurt me."

The words hung in the air as Garrus froze.

Slowly he closed the cabinet he had been searching as his hands rested on the handles, his eyes looking back at her. Meeting his gaze with intensity, she knew this could be her only chance at reaching him.

"I am hurting too. But I know that they wouldn't have wanted us to live like this, can't you see that?"

Slowly his hands slumped towards his sides as he contemplated what she had said. Considering this an opening, she pressed further.

"Everything you went through these past years with Shep, are you going to just throw that away now that he's gone?"

Her words stung him. Turning away from her, he walked over to his desk, looking at the picture frame containing his long dead friends. Drawing in a deep breath, he turned and faced Kasumi, speaking in a level voice as he held in his emotions.

"Everything Shepard taught me from the first time I met him I have never forgotten Kasumi. I would have spaced myself if he asked, I still would."

He paused as he let his words sink in. Seeing she was still intently looking at him for more, he continued.

"And Tali was like a sister to me, so don't you dare go putting their ghosts …" He stopped as he felt the anger inside him building as he feared he may say something he couldn't take back. Calming himself, he started again.

"I have to see this through till the end. I owe them that much and hope you can trust me on this." He said as he turned back to his desk, taking a seat as he pulled out the cold case file he had been researching earlier before he began his search.

"But I understand if you can't." He finished before focusing again on his research.

Standing in shock as she felt her heart break, she stared at him for what she felt was forever, his focus never changing.

'This is it.'

Walking towards him she stopped less than a foot from his chair, his back facing her. Reaching out towards him she came close to touching his shoulder but changed her mind. Reluctantly she activated her cloak and made her way to the door.

"Time to wake up!" The armed guard yelled as she threw a bucket of cold water onto her. Instantly she came to life in a coughing fit, the memory of the last moments she had with Garrus fading. The shock of the water quickly wore off as she scanned the room to access her situation.

She was in a small room or so it appeared, the shadows preventing her from correctly identifying its size. Both her feet and hands were bound to a chair that appeared to have sedative injectors incorporated into its design to prevent escape. It was a crude design at best, but very effective.

There were two armed guards, a female human and an asari equipped with pistols and lightweight armor that she could clearly see but no markings were present on the armor to identify them with a certain merc group. She sensed however that these were not the only people in the room.

"Anyway a girl can get some light in here?" she mused.

Her question had the desired effect as out of the shadows came a cool response "Always the jokester, aren't you Kasumi Goto?"

Walking forward, the owner of the voice made his way past the two guards and stood in front of his captive, towering above her. Seeing her eyeing him, he began to pace side to side in front of her for an uncomfortable amount of time, causing the guards in the room to because uneasy as they wondered what exactly he was doing and why.

Deciding to add to the sound of his boots banging on the floor, Kasumi made several hard stops with her feet in time with his before asking "Aren't you supposed to ask me some questions, or am I supposed to admire your little cardio workout?" Her comment instantly drew giggles from the guards.

Unmoved by her attempt at humor at his expense, he leaned in towards her with a smile, his familiar sharpened teeth shown as he spoke.

"It was worth a shot, but I guess you prefer to watch calisthenics, Kasumi Goto."

Searching her face for the reaction he was expecting based on the insider knowledge he had just given, he was surprised to see very little.

'Impressive.'

"I take it you have some questions for me, isn't that right Kasumi Goto?" He said as he stood straight, his hands behind his back while his blade rested at his side. Its handle had been stained with what she assumed was the blood from those who had met an untimely end from it.

Knowing that her own blood could soon be adding to the discoloration; she looked him in the eyes as she arched back slightly in her chair before calmly speaking.

"You'd be doing me a favor by either calling me Kasumi, or Miss Goto, not both."

A half grin crept on the face of her captor, the guards again struck with a fit of giggles.

Turning his head swiftly to the guards he shot them a glare that caused the laughter to cease. Motioning with his eyes to the door, they promptly left the room, re-positioning themselves just outside the door.

Turning his attention back to her he stared silently. Unable to resist, she threw out another verbal jab.

"What? Was it something I said?"

Ignoring her comment he turned around and walked back into the shadow from where he came. Grabbing a chair that was hidden from view he walked back towards his prisoner before setting it in front of her, the back of the chair towards her.

Straddling it as he sat down, he placed his hands in a folded position on top of the backrest of the chair. Oddly he rested his head on his arms as one would expect a child bored in class, staying in this position for a minute before he decided to speak.

"Tell me Kasumi. What is it that you want?" he said with what appeared to be genuine interest as he put strong emphasis on the last word.

Adjusting herself to lean forward as much as possible, she smiled as she spoke "You mean other than you letting me go and me decorating your body with the rounds from my locust? Ramen would be good. A towel too."

Standing to his feet as he let out an awkwardly obnoxious laugh he was joined by Kasumi in the odd revelry.

"I'll see what I can do." He responded before sliding the chair back into the shadows. Bowing, he proceeded to make his way to the door.

Quickly he conversed with the guards, prompting the asari to look her way while nodding at him. Leaving hastily, the asari disappeared from view as the human guard took up a more defensive position for a single person. Shutting the door behind him he looked at Kasumi before shaking his head with a smirk on his face.

"What?" she inquired, allowing herself a small grin.

"Nothing. I just thought you would have wanted Garrus Vakarian to live, that's all."

Seeing her expression drop, he leered at her before shutting the door, knowing that even the most flavorful Ramen in the galaxy would have no taste now.


"He was dead Miranda, you reviewed the reports yourself, even visited the vault they had him in." Jacob said as he lifted Shepard using his biotic powers onto the couch that had managed to stay in one piece after the energetic blast. For some reason, Jacob felt more strain that usual using his biotics while lifting him.

Realizing something he hadn't thought of before, he asked "Wait a minute, why did you go and visit his vault?"

Ignoring his question Miranda rushed to Shepard's side. As she began to examine him, her eyes grew wide as she reviewed the data on her omni-tool.

'These readings, they are … unusual.'

Seeing that he wasn't going to get a response from her at this moment, Jacob sat down on the floor beside the couch. Fumbling with the broken bits of furniture that were near him, he wondered how much longer it would be before he got some answers.

"Anything?" He asked after he felt he had waited long enough.

"I … I don't know for sure." She said in an obvious state of shock after reviewing the data she had gathered from her scans.

"What do you mean you don't know for sure?"

Feeling his anger grow, he bellowed "If you had anything to do with this Miri, so help me …" before being cut off by a sharp look from Miranda, turning to face him before she spoke.

"Mr. Taylor, I'll have you know that I have nothing but respect for the Commander."

"Don't pull that Mr. Taylor crap with me especially after what we have been through. The way I heard it you had a lot more than just respect for Shepard. If this is your way of satisfying that need that everyone on the Citadel seems to be getting a crack at, then you are one sick …"

"Cut the shit you two!" A voice came thundering from behind the arguing former crewmates, the hurt in Miranda's chest from Jacob's comment quickly removed. The voice was rough with authority that demanded obedience.

"Shepard!" They both yelled in unison as they rushed to his side as he slowly tried to steady himself as he sat up.

"Miranda … Jacob … I wish I could say it was good to see both of you."

Looking around at his former residence, the realization of the horrors that took place here sunk in. Placing his elbows on his knees the commander ran his fingers through his hair, the pain in his heart hung heavy in his chest.

Looking at his former XO, he waited for her to say what was on her mind. Seeing that she was still in some state of shock at seeing him, he decided to break the silence.

"You know what I am going to ask Miranda, so just spit it out." Shepard said as he gazed at the ground beneath his feet, his fingers crossing together on his forehead.

"Yes Commander, you are."

"Again …" He said dejectedly, the loneliness of the words mirroring the state of his soul.

"Technically speaking, no. Not again."

Unable to control his urge to barge into the conversation, Jacob blurted "No? What do you mean no, not again?" which drew an agreeing look from the commander, puzzled as well as to meaning behind Miranda's response.

"I don't know how to say this Commander …" she started before being waved at by Shepard to proceed. If anything, he still retained his desire for people to get to the point.

"You were never really dead."

"Well shit on me." He said as he stood up, obviously angered at the news that most men would relish.

"I am not really sure what happened, but it appears that your implants remained functional after your … your untimely demise."

Seeing that Shepard had focused his attention solely on her, she continued.

"The technology we brought you back with was very experimental. Our knowledge of the long term consequences was at best, incomplete."

"Incomplete?"

Jacob said which drew an icy glare from Shepard, quickly stopping any further interruptions that Jacob had in mind. Turning his focus back to Miranda, he nodded which she took as a signal to continue.

"The technology in you has regenerative capabilities which you are already aware of. For reasons I do not comprehend at this time, the rate of regeneration has accelerated considerably. Injuries that you sustain now depending on how extensive …"

Interrupting, Shepard raised a hand in the air signaling for her to stop.

"Just answer me this Miranda, are you telling me I can't die?"

"I am not saying you cannot be killed Shepard. The amount of trauma done to cause you to expire would have to be sufficient to overwhelm the regenerative capabilities of the implants. Even then, there are still complications."

Miranda hesitated to continue as she wasn't sure how to proceed.

"Just spit it out Miranda."

"For you to permanently expire, your implants would have to be sufficiently incapacitated to prevent the regeneration of damaged tissue. Even then, your consciousness may still exist in some form even if the regeneration technology was destroyed; I am just not sure …"

A loud crash was heard as Shepard grabbed the couch with his hands, reinforced with biotic energy as he threw it into the wall, cutting Miranda's explanation short as she recoiled from him.

"Listen Shepard, I know this is a lot to take in ..." Jacob tried to say in a consoling manner without insulting him. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

"Don't give me that shit Jacob! According to Miranda here I was never really dead and would have one hell of time truly dying. Even then the part that makes me me could exist like I was some fucking AI."

Hearing the venom in Shepard's words, Miranda felt the urge to power up her biotics before pushing that thought out of her mind.

"Everyone basically left me to rot and went on with their lives, but for me it has been a never-ending fucking nightmare of watching Tal ..." He froze as his voice broke up at the mention of her name, leaving only silence in its wake.

Walking over to the shattered window that he was the cause of approximately a year ago, he looked down to the street below, imagining what went through the minds of the men who killed him as they saw him fall. Their faces burned into his mind never to be forgotten.

Those men who, in the brief moment they crossed each other's lives had destroyed everything he cared most for. And yet as he gazed out onto the street below, life moved forward oblivious to it all.

'LIFE.'

He thought.

'Life ...'

Cruelly stolen on the eve of what would have been their happiest moment together, her life.

Seeing that he was lost in thought, Miranda started to move towards him but was lightly restrained by Jacob. His hand grasping her wrist as he pulled her close to him, he lightly spoke for only her to hear.

"Give him a minute Miri, I can't imagine the hell he is going through right now."


"Hey, yeah its me … Its been a long time … Listen, did Cain contact you yet?" the turian said to the voice on the other end, listening for any signs of deception.

"Cain, Lucius Cain … No? Okay listen up. He is going to be contacting you … I don't know exactly what the fuck for, hold on."

Pausing as he looked around him to make sure his conversation would be in private, he leaned back against the wall of the alley he had taken refuge in before continuing.

"He is looking to get the old team together … all he said is that the previous employer from that sweep and clear we pulled wants us for another job … yeah, creds enough to retire on he says … Fuck, I don't know what for. Does it even matter? Hold on …"

Hearing footsteps, Cutter took what he felt was a defensible position along a seam where the wall had been decoratively built up, his hand over his pistol. The mark would have their back to him by the time they passed his location for an easy ambush if necessary. Moments passed before the sound finally had a non-threatening figure associated with it. Passing unaware of the armed turian in the dark, he continued on his way.

Moving his hand from his pistol, he continued his conversation.

"Listen, I don't trust Cain but I need the creds … you heard about that huh? Do I need to watch my back from you now too? … I don't like that walking in the shadows shit he likes to pull either … Yeah, you don't know if he is coming to talk or slit your throat … Anyway, I was thinking we meet him together, better odds …"

He said before stopping as he heard a beep on his omni-tool.

'Speak of the devil.'

Quickly he reviewed the message he had just received, committing the instructions to memory before returning to his conversation.

"… You too huh? I guess he figured you wouldn't like that coming out of the shadows shit either … Okay, I'll meet you there and we'll head on over together … I got two pistols on me as always, you? … You still have that? … Alright, meet you there."

Adjusting his weapons to a more concealed position he made his way out of the alley to the agreed upon meeting point.


"Shut Up!" he yelled into the air, his words only to be heard by him alone. Ignoring his command, the buzzing continued on his omni-tool.

'Whoever that is, they sure are persistent.'

Raising his head off of the desk, Garrus assessed the damage.

'Empty bottle of cheap ale – check.'

'Pile of cigarette butts – check.'

'Hangover from hell – check.'

Unfortunately for him, the buzzing from the omin-tool added to the pain he felt in his head. Reaching for his omni-tool he knocked over what was left in the bottle, its contents slowly dripping onto the floor.

'More where that came from ...' He thought as he fumbled for a replacement from his stash of booze and cigarettes.

Finding what he was probing for, he quickly used its contents to fill his waiting throat. Crudely he wiped the excess that escaped from his lips as the pounding in his head started to abate. Placing the bottle down before returning his attention to his omni-tool, he briefly enjoyed the silence before its buzzing started up again.

Angrily he reached for his omni-tool, answering in a gruff manner.

"WHAT! "

Identifying the voice on the other end, he composed himself before continuing.

"Yes, it's me and it's not detective anymore, thanks to you … Cut with the pleasantries Executor, what do you want? … WHAT?"

Garrus paused as he tried to process what Executor Pallin had told him, his face losing the look of disgust that he previously had as he spoke.

'Finally, a real lead …'

Hearing the Executor calling his name, he cleared his mind as he focused back on the conversation.

"Yeah I am still here … Go ahead and send 'em … Okay, I'm pulling it up right now …"

Looking at at his omin-tool as he reviewed the three images that Executor Pallin had sent him, his facial expression changed to one of unadulterated hatred.

Continuing to the video files that were sent, he played what appeared to be some sort of soundless footage shot from a low grade security camera showing the group entering the building before it cut to a new time index. This new index was very brief but from it he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a figure falling through the field of view of the camera, its final resting place unseen.

'Shepard …'

The final footage played with its time index advanced mere minutes after the previous one, its contents showing the group leaving the building quickly before it abruptly ended.

Drawing in anxious breaths as he reviewed the images over and over again, he tightened his fist till his knuckles crackled, his talons drawing slight amounts of blood from his palm.

"When did you get this? … Don't give me that Executor, how could this just have been reviewed now? …"

The explanation he was receiving barely contained Garrus' anger.

According to the Executor, the footage was originally part of a sting on a red sand operation but hadn't been reviewed yet. Before being filed with the rest of the evidence on the case which had fallen apart due to bureaucratic resistance, the date logged caught the attention of a C-Sec clerk who after review brought it to his attention.

"Okay, say I believe all this, where can I find them … Okay, forward it along to me."

Reviewing the data he had just received, he knew the location.

"… You know what I am going to do, so stay out of my way … If I find you are lying to me Executor … That's right, a new one."

He said before ending the transmission. Standing up he found he needed to steady himself against the desk as the shock to his system from the drink and the news were proving to be overwhelming to him.

Wrenching his body to the side, he vomited.

Slowly wiping the filth from his chin, he ignored what had just been deposited on the floor as he made his way to his weapon storage locker. Retrieving his weapons, he gave them a good once over before placing them on his desk.

As he quickly put on his armor a stray thought entered his mind.

'I forgot how much easier this was when she was here.'

Taking a deep breath as he cleared his mind of the thought, he continued. Finishing his checkout on his armor, he positioned his weapons to their respective hard-points. Moving towards the door he stopped briefly at his desk, looking pensively at the lone human in the picture frame before turning his attention to the happy couple in the other.

'Let's finish this.'