Chapter 11
Lights pulsed in the darkness outside the nightclub as Shepard hopped out of the sky car. A year ago, the club had been a warehouse in downtown Vancouver. Now, it was a place to forget about the last year. Or years. Though it was only the last two she really wanted to forget. The ones before that had been the best years of her life. She still felt a ping thinking of the relay being finished. She'd barely seen anyone, but at least for now, they were here.
Garrus sat facing the bar. Shepard moved through the crowd with a grin. Her eyes fell on the man leaning next to him at the bar. Her eyes widened. James raised his glass to her.
"Shepard," Garrus said spinning around on his stool.
"Lola." James took a drink from his glass.
"Hey, Garrus. James, didn't know you'd be here."
"Same here." He grinned motioning to the bartender to bring Shepard a drink. "Make plans too far in advance, fun's gone. Aburrido."
"I guess."
"Shepard," Garrus said. "You didn't say anything about Vega joining your crew. No one likes being out of the loop, makes a friend feel like you don't care."
"Only found out myself last week. Didn't know I'd be waiting over a month for a reply. Thought my message went straight to your spam folder, James."
"Nah, Lola. You know how I feel about plans."
He passed her a pint of beer from the bartender. The foam sloshed on her hand.
"Hey, steady there." James laughed.
Garrus set an empty glass on the counter behind him. "We've been waiting a while if you can't tell. I know on Earth, they say it's fashionable to be late, Shepard, but for a woman I've only seen wear three outfits, I didn't realize you cared about that stuff."
"Hey. It's not like you're sporting a new look each time you hit the town."
"Please." He leaned back against the bar. "I changed my visor color to yellow. Don't tell me you didn't notice."
"I was at a Council meeting. Ran late."
"Sure, Lola. I always use that one too."
"Right." She clinked glasses with James then looked at Garrus's empty hands. "Better get another, Garrus."
"Shepard." He shook his head with a sigh. "You just want me singing the turien battle song again. It'll take more than just one more."
"I'm buying."
"Well, then. Okay."
Shepard waved to the bartender.
"How's the acting ambassador of the quarians?" Shepard asked.
"Sick. Again."
James chuckled. "Wow, Garrus. Again?"
"She's a brave kid." Garrus accepted a full glass from the bartender. "Gotta be hard being in love with a Petri dish."
"Love, huh?" Shepard said.
"Oh, don't raise your eyebrows at me, Shepard. Eight months on Earth, I know what raised eyebrows mean."
James bobbed to the beat. It pulsed deep in the bones from the overhead speakers.
"Yeah! This is a good one."
"Love though?" Shepard leaned forward against the bar and looked over at Garrus. "I'm happy for you, Garrus. I really am."
"I know you are, Shepard." Garrus raised his glass in her direction and took a gulp.
"Hey." James stretched between them and plopped his glass on the bar. "I'll be back. See something I gotta see some more of."
He wound his way through the dance floor. Shepard watched over her shoulder.
"I'd call that swaggering. Wouldn't you, Shepard?"
Shepard twisted around and settled her back against the bar. "You have become quite the observer of human body language."
"Well, I need something to do. Been too long since I shot something."
"I hear ya."
James danced up to an asari. She faced him raising her arms and moving with the beat. They danced trading moves back and forth before he leaned into her ear. She glanced away with a smile. He stretched his neck to look through the dancers until he found Shepard and Garrus at the bar. He winked and made a firing motion with both hands, then he turned and followed her deeper into the crowd.
Garrus looked over at Shepard. "That will take some more study. No idea what he just said."
"I think he found himself a date." Shepard sipped her drink.
"Wow. Quick. If I wasn't all settled down …" Garrus gave an exaggerated sigh. "I need to spend more time with Vega."
"I don't know if he operates well with a wingman."
"If I was only a younger turien. Right, Shepard?"
"Right?" Shepard sputtered into her cup. "I have no idea about being a younger turien."
"Yeah. I don't really know what I'm saying anymore. Someone says 'I'm paying for drink,' and that's the last thing I usually remember."
"Didn't realize turiens and humans had so much in common."
"Well, we both like our alcohol." He raised his glass. "Now, some people I know, last thing remembered is how the first sip tasted."
"Couldn't imagine who you mean, Garrus."
"Yeah."
Pink lights streamed across his face as he watched the dance floor, tapping a talon on the bar to the beat.
"He's really not coming back, is he?" Garrus said.
"No. I don't think so."
Garrus twisted to face her. "So, the Normandy, huh, Shepard? Anyone else I know on board?"
"Joker, of course."
"You ever flown the Normandy with another pilot? I think you've been together longer than most human marriages."
Shepard made a show of rolling her eyes. "This means I'm scoffing you."
"Noted. But really. Who else? James, Joker …"
"Adams."
"Adams? Excellent. Good work there."
"And Cortez, too, with the shuttle."
"More friendly faces than I thought, then. Surprised so many wanted back. We were all drawing lots to be the first person off the ship."
"It's been long enough. I guess they're missing space."
"Hmm, maybe just missing you, Shepard. It was quite the ride."
"That, it was."
Only a shallow swish of beer filled the bottom of the cup. She sloshed it around watching it foam.
Garrus sighed. "Not too long now the relay will be fixed. Comm buoy's already connecting to Palavan. They're devastated about the primarch, of course."
"Shocking. I'm sorry." Garrus inclined his head but didn't say anything. Shepard sighed. "Pretty bold assassin to get into the embassy."
"Bold? Skilled, I'd say. Damned good biotic, but let's not talk shop." He leaned back on the bar. "This time next year, granted progress continues on the relay, I'll be back in Palavan. Home. Been a long time, Shepard."
"And Tali?"
"Well, we've talked about it, of course. There are things needing me back on Palavan, a lot that's fallen apart. They're rebuilding even now though. Once we get the fleet back, check on things … I imagine some time abroad would be nice. Maybe stay groundside for a while."
"On a certain quarian home world?"
"The brochures really sell it."
Shepard leaned back on her elbows. "Must really be love then, Garrus."
"Well, I didn't say otherwise, Shepard. Maybe you can book your next vacation for a time you'll be passing by."
Shepard smiled into the pulsing lights. Her Omni-Tool buzzed. She brought up the messages, and her face brightened. She looked over at Garrus with a grin.
"Hope Vega's packed. Just got a message from Admiral Wilson. Looks like I finally have a departure date."
