A/N: I apologize if you're just reading my story now, my page breaks disappeared! So much for the triple asterisk :( Anyways, it looks like I still have 2-3 chapters to go with this story so it's not over just yet!
Chapter Twelve: The Interview
Shepard didn't move, didn't even make a sound. It was as if she was frozen in some block of ice on Noveria.
Not that such a sharp reaction (or non-reaction, as it were) phased the infamous Khalisah bint Sinan al-Jilani. The reporter glanced down once again at her infamous datapad, as if she were about to recite some random factoid she'd found on the extranet. But this was no random factoid. This was the question, the one with so many implications, especially for miss al-Jilan's career should the rumor be true. She could be famous, the reporter who discovered Commander Shepard, savior of the Citadel's, dirty little secret. Hell, she might finally land that gig at Galaxy News if she played her cards right.
All of this miss al-Jilani knew well, yet she used a naïve, almost girlish tone to ask the dreaded question. "We have allegations that you've become intimate…"
Shepard was still, but gritted her teeth and tensed her body as she braced herself.
"…with a turian." Al-Jilani arched her brow triumphantly, smoothly continuing. "Sources indicate he is a mister... Garrus Vakarian." She was glad that all that practice pronouncing the turian name had paid off. "He's reported to be a former C-Sec officer and is now a crewmember aboard your ship." She cocked her head like a confused varren. "Is this true?"
Shepard balled her fist so tightly her nails nearly cut through her calloused palm. She kept her jaw clenched, as a trail of obscenities threatened to spill otherwise. Her pupils narrowed to specks, and such was the only response the reporter received for seconds. Finally, Shepard spoke one word. "Yes."
Kelly Chambers wasn't letting go. She made a soft "Mmm" sound as her soft body pressed against Garrus'. The turian was frozen, both by shock and indecision. He didn't want to risk hurting the small human by pushing away, but now even crewmembers stationed clear across the CIC had dropped what they were doing and wandered over to watch the scene. He had to get out of there.
Now was Kelly's chance to finally live out her therapeutic dream on Garrus, the very one she'd admitted to Shepard months ago when the turian had first joined the SR-2. He heard Kelly whisper in an uncharacteristically quiet tone as she caringly stroked his backside. "It will be alright."
Okay, that was it. It was high time to get the hell out of the CIC.
Garrus took a few careful steps back, forcing Kelly to release her iron clad embrace. He pointed vaguely towards the elevator, mumbling awkwardly, "I, uh, have to go calibrate that thing that...err… needs calibrating. I've got to go."
He trotted away swiftly before Chambers could respond, and tried his best to ignore the army of stares directly squarely at him as he leapt into the elevator. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes as the doors slowly closed, trying his best to recover his tattered dignity. That was, until he sensed the presence of another inside the machine.
His head darted, and his mouth flared open in shock. "Thane?"
The drell bowed his head in greeting, his arms securely crossed behind his back. "Garrus," he replied simply, "I regret that I do not have your glove."
Garrus rolled his eyes. How Thane had come to hear about his glove search was a mystery Garrus suspected he didn't want solved.
A predictably awkward silence ensued as the elevator inched its way down. Dammit, Garrus cursed inwardly, feeling sparks of tension arise in the cramped space. The crew quarters are only one floor down, how long does this damned machine take?
Then, to Garrus' surprise, Thane smoothly waved his webbed hand over the elevator controls, pushing the 'stop' button on the panel. The elevator eased to a halt.
What the hell was he doing?
The drell's rotund eyes seemed to gaze through the turian and he dared to take a step forward. His raspy voice spoke. "Is Shepard alright?" he asked simply.
Garrus sized the drell up, trying to find some sign on his face or body to indicate what the hell he was getting at. "What are you talking about? She's fine," Garrus replied, crossing his arms in defense. Was there some implication about him laced in Thane's words?
The drell was still. His previous encounter with their commander was a memory he'd already relived numerous times in his mind. He had no problems dredging his recollection to the surface, as he recited yesterday's events to Garrus.
The clang of boots rings over the chatter in the Zakera Ward. I know that sound. A female flashes past the security entrance in a desperate sprint. "Kolyat," I say to my son, "I will return shortly."
I follow. A familiar scent trails the running woman. Of spring, of flowers, of happier times. Shepard. She makes a sharp turn. I follow still.
The stairwell reeks of grime and rot. Shepard leans against the soiled walls. She heaves her breaths, her body trembles.
I hesitate. Shepard is in pain.
I approach. She turns. Tear-threatened eyes widen. "Thane?"
Garrus was silent, utterly confused by Thane's memory. When the hell did Shepard get so upset? And why?
Thane obstinately pressed forward. "This occurred yesterday. She did not tell me what happened. She only admitted that it had to do, in part, with you."
Garrus repeated Thane's statement absently. "Yesterday…?" Then the answer struck him. Garrus didn't speak for a few moments, but simply dropped his head. It was so damn obvious. "Kaidan."
Thane's black eyes didn't leave his. "Who is Kaidan?" he asked persistently.
The turian stared down absently at his hands, his thoughts slowly wandering back to the SR-1 as he replied. "Kaidan was a soldier on the first Normandy. Before Shepard died, they were…close." His scaled fists clenched, and a streak of anger passed through his words. "They reunited a few months ago on Horizon, when the collectors attacked the colony. He was upset she'd joined Cerberus. " He couldn't hide his disgust as he shook his head bitterly. "He called her a traitor. She met with him for the first time since then… yesterday."
Thane spoke slowly, "He caused her such pain?"
Garrus nodded solemnly.
Finally, Thane pressed the button to resume the elevator's movements. He no longer faced the turian, but reflected anyway. "Shepard has the strength and beauty of an angel of Arashu."
Garrus gave the drell a confused gawk. Was Thane admitting feelings toward his lover?
Anger then broiled inside the turian. Garrus tried to stifle an irritated growl, but a low huff still escaped. Thane heard it and turned slowly. "I do not wish to interfere in your relations with her. I merely wished to remind you of her many admirable qualities." He gave a tactful pause. "She should never be hurt by those she loves..."
Garrus eyed the drell, mandibles opening in slight amusement. "Or else you'll do something about it?"
A flicker passed through Thane's dark eyes. "Should you hurt Shepard, my body might be compelled to defend her."
Thane left the elevator without looking back.
Garrus gave a pleased chortle. He was starting to like that assassin after all.
The reporter smiled. This was going to be like shooting pyjaks in a barrel. "How do you justify sleeping with the species your parents fought in the First Contact War?" she asked sweetly.
Shepard's eye twitched. She didn't respond right away; not because she didn't have an answer, but because she was trying to diffuse her desire to break the reporter's pretty little nose. Shepard couldn't hide the contempt in her voice. "The First Contact War was decades ago, miss al-Jilani." She spit her name like it was a curse. "If you still think that turians are the enemy, then perhaps you should watch more of your own news vids."
The reporter didn't waver, offering a fresh counter ploy. "So you just have a thing for aliens then?"
Shepard snarled, pointing her finger disdainfully at her. "You have a lot of nerve implying that I'm with Garrus just to fulfill some interspecies fantasy. He has fought by my side since I hunted Saren, and has saved my sorry ass more times than I like to admit. I've come to trust that turian a hell of a lot more than I trust most humans. Eventually I even found myself caring for him." Finally Shepard managed to catch a breath. "So yes, miss al-Jilani. I'm in a relationship with Garrus Vakarian. Satisfied?"
Finally, Shepard had managed to wipe that smug smirk off the reporter's face. Instead miss al-Jilani sported a dumbfounded stare, apparently all out of barbed retorts.
The commander hastily continued before she could recover. "Funny that in the traverse, no one so much as stared at us. Yet here I am, in the Citadel," she extended her arms out at the massive metropolis, "the supposed social and cultural hub of the galaxy, and I get confronted by bigots like you. How ironic, and quite frankly, sad."
Shepard angrily stormed off into the Zakera Ward before the reporter could reply, pitying whoever got in her way. Not that she far at all before her communicator beeped. Her fury quickly faded as she glanced at the caller ID.
Slowly, Shepard answered the call in a wavering voice. "…Mom?"
