Lost and Found:
Eleven
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The Alliance thought Commander Shepard was gone. They were right. They expected to find a corpse. They were wrong. Do our memories make us who we are? Shepard/Garrus, post ME3.
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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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Early the next morning, Shepard padded into the kitchen in search of her favorite salarian tea, only to find Castis sitting at the kitchen table. "Good morning, Commander," he said. "Will you join me?"
When she was sitting across from him, he let out a sigh. "So you're the spectre who taught my son to respect rules. You're quite the conundrum. But I suppose you don't remember any of those decisions, do you?"
She tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. "Everything I know about myself comes from what others have told me."
"It must be odd, not remembering who you are," he observed. "I can't imagine Garrus explaining your relationship when he apparently couldn't even let you know that you were promised."
"Promised?" she asked, puzzled.
"To be married," he clarified.
"Oh." She paused. "When I first saw Garrus, I asked the asari who looked after me if I knew him. She said he was my boyfriend."
Castis leaned forward slightly, staring at her with sharp eyes. "You didn't even remember him. Why are you still with him?" he demanded.
Shepard's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice heated. "Why wouldn't I be with him? He's a wonderful person, and I shouldn't have to explain that to you!" Her eyes blazed.
He sat back calmly, his expression hard. "I need to know that you're not just with him because he was there when you didn't know anyone. My son deserves more than that."
Shepard glared. "From the moment I saw him I trusted him," she said. "I felt things about him that I couldn't understand! He was there for me when I didn't know anyone, but it was more than that. He took care of me, he gave me space, he did everything he could to make sure I was as happy and comfortable as I could be! How dare you insult him, as if he couldn't make me fall for him twice!" She stood from the table, breathing hard. Her fists trembled.
Castis sighed. "Sit down, Commander. There's no need to storm off in a huff."
"I disagree," she said, voice dangerously low.
He tilted his head, raising a brow. "Are you so blind as not to see I was baiting you?" he asked. "I had to know the truth." He paused, allowing his words to sink in. "And now I see. You may well be acceptable after all."
Shepard, still angry, stomped back to Garrus's room without ever getting the tea she had come for.
Castis shook his head. "Young people," he said to the empty room.
…
"What did you say to her?" Garrus demanded.
His father sighed, rubbing his face with a hand. "Nothing of consequence. Calm down, Garrus. I just had to ensure that she was good enough for you."
Garrus stared at him incredulously. "Good enough for me? Do you have even the slightest clue how amazing she is?" he asked.
Castis smiled wryly. "I'm starting to."
…
Shepard stepped out onto the back patio with a drink in each hand, setting one down beside Garrus, who was frowning at his omni-tool.
"What is it?" she asked.
"An invitation," he said. "Or a summons, really."
"From who?" she asked, setting her own drink down before sitting on the bench beside him. Garrus put his arm around her, pulling her in so that she could see the screen.
"The primarch is throwing some sort of victory party. It's a charity event, actually. Apparently the donations will be bigger if the guests get the chance to schmooze around with a couple of war heroes." He sighed.
"It's for a good cause," Shepard offered.
"Free liquor and food. But…"
"What?"
"Formal wear required," he said, waiting for the inevitable protest.
Shepard looked thoughtful. "I probably look pretty in a dress." She frowned. "But where am I going to find one on Palaven?"
Garrus laughed, surprised at Shepard's willingness. "There are some asari boutiques in the city. Solana probably knows if any have reopened since the war."
"Shopping, huh?" Shepard tilted her head. "Did I ever like shopping? I'm feeling this strange sort of dread."
Garrus's mandibles fluttered in amusement. "That sounds about right."
…
Shepard swept into the ballroom on Garrus's arm, wearing a graceful gown of blue and silver. "You were right," he whispered to her. "You do look pretty in a dress."
She had worried, at first, that she'd have a difficult time finding a gown that covered most of her scars, but was pleased to find that Palaven fashions were more conservative than those on Earth. The proprietor of the asari boutique that she and Solana had visited was ecstatic to dress Shepard, exhausting the commander with her enthusiasm. Solana had stepped back to laugh and enjoy the show. Shepard glared at her, but couldn't stay angry. Shepard would have done the same to any of her friends, and she was starting to realize that Solana was just the kind of person she would like to befriend.
"Shepard, Garrus!" The primarch approached them moments after they'd crossed the threshold. "You clean up well," he said, shaking each of their hands in turn.
Shepard smiled. "Likewise, sir. How are things?"
"Improving steadily," Victus said. "Thanks to you."
"Enough of that," Shepard replied, still smiling. "I didn't come to hear about myself."
Victus and Garrus both chuckled at that. "Then you'd best not talk to anyone," the primarch said dryly. "Now if you can bear it, there are some people I'd like to introduce you both to…"
They spent the cocktail hour being dragged from one influential donor to the next, but Shepard didn't mind it as much as she had at the council's gala. No one here had known her personally, so these conversations weren't quite the minefields the ones at the gala had been. She still felt strange at their praise, but with Garrus by her side and a fizzy asari drink in her hand, she found that she was actually enjoying the evening.
Shepard wasn't sure what to expect for dinner as she was one of only a handful of non-turian guests, but she was pleasantly surprised at the meal. She didn't recognize everything on her plate, but she couldn't knock the flavors.
"They always retain an asari chef for these kind of events," Garrus said softly, leaning over to her. "There are usually some asari and salarians present, or the occasional human like you."
Shepard's eyes twinkled at him. "You sound like this isn't the first one you've had to attend."
"This one is better," he said, smiling.
After the dinner, there was dancing.
"How are your legs?" Garrus asked. "You think they can take a dance or two?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "You know I've been doing my physical therapy every day," she reminded him. "How are your dancing skills?"
He smirked. "Better than yours." Before she could snark back at him, he offered his hand to take her to the dance floor.
Shepard followed his lead, grateful that the dance didn't require any intricate steps. She reveled in the feel of Garrus's arms around her as they swayed back and forth together. She smiled up at him, admiring his clear blue eyes and wondering if it was inappropriate to kiss him here.
"May I cut in?" came a familiar voice.
Shepard reluctantly pulled herself from Garrus's grasp to see the primarch looking at them with some amusement. "I'll return her to you shortly," he said to a disappointed Garrus.
Shepard allowed Victus to lead her in the next dance, keeping a much more proper distance between them. "Garrus told me what happened to you," he said after a while.
Shepard's brows jumped up in surprise, but he didn't give her the chance to reply. "I wanted to thank you personally," he said. "For all your sacrifices."
She shook her head, smiling slightly. "I don't remember making them," she said honestly. "It makes me uncomfortable with the gratitude I receive."
Victus looked at her keenly. "You may not remember your sacrifices, but you are living with them nonetheless," he reminded her. "So please, accept our gratitude when it's offered."
She smiled. "I'll try."
When the dance finished, he began leading her back towards where Garrus was waiting. "In the future if there's anything you want or need that I can grant, just say the word. After all, without you, we wouldn't be here."
Shepard turned back to him as she took Garrus's arm. "Thank you, sir."
He gave a slight bow. "Thank you, Commander."
When he had walked away, Garrus turned towards her. "What did he say?"
She looked contemplative. "He offered me anything in his power to grant."
Garrus's mandibles fluttered. "Anything?"
"He said anything I want or need," Shepard replied. She shook her head. "I don't understand."
He pulled her to his chest in a brief embrace, kissing her on the head in the human fashion. "I know it's hard for you to comprehend still," he said softly. "But without you, he would be primarch of nothing."
Shepard sighed as she pulled back from Garrus. "Thinking about all of this is exhausting. One more dance?" she offered. "I'm pretty sure my legs can take it."
He smiled indulgently. "Anything you want."
…