Chapter 14

Meanwhile on a Collector base:

Shepard: Garrus, go ahead, I'm following. Get your ass on the shuttle and cover me from there. I'm going to shockwave stragglers to cover you and keep you from getting your pretty head exploded.

Garrus: You're coming, right?

Shepard: Despite your complaints, I can shoot straight. You're practically redundant. Admit I'm a good shot. Say it.

Garrus: You're a good shot.

Shepard: Knew it. I will come running.

Garrus: So I catch you.

Shepard: That is the plan. I'm going to try to fly. GO.

Timeline: Between the ending of ME2 and the beginning of ME3

Shepard

She was thinking mostly about how to say what she needed to say, and do what she needed to do, next. The assault on the Collector base was over, destroyed, and everyone miraculously was alive. She was taking the long way home. Although being pirates with Jack would have been appealing, she had to bridge the gap between where she was and where she wanted to be. They'd survived EDI being unshackled, and it seemed to have been a necessary step toward their survival. Any plans that the Illusive Man had for them beyond this point had been dismantled with EDI's help. EDI had informed her of contingency programming that she'd bypassed. It hadn't been a suicide situation in the sense that the Normandy would have exploded, but that would have been foolish as the Normandy was a valuable asset. The Normandy would have had a series of beacons activate and a number of navigation glitches that would have put them in at a Cerberus base or in the middle of a Cerberus fleet. From there, who knew? Interrogation? Indoctrination? Death?

Nah nah nah nah nah nah, Illusive Man.

She'd made it to the finish line first, and that's what mattered. She suspected that with the final goal of capturing a Reaper and the Illusive Man's obsession regarding Reaper technology, Cerberus was going to be an indoctrination hive soon, if it wasn't already.

She had to turn herself back in for trial.

Everyone on board was getting to where they needed to go before she handed the ship over. She knew enough this time to know that turning a ship back into the Alliance wasn't a great plan, but it was the only plan. She'd stolen the original Normandy and then returned it, now she'd return the Cerberus version after she got the original destroyed. Upgrade.

She'd asked everyone where they wanted to go.

Jack to the Citadel: "Hey. I…well, you know. I don't have to tell you. Don't make me say it. Thanks for letting me kick some ass. Let's…let's do it again some time."

Kasumi to the Citadel: "Shep. That was fun. If you ever do something like that again, don't call me. I'll be around."

Miranda to the Citadel: "Shepard. It has been an honor. I'm going to go check on Oriana, and if she has some more mail to send your way, I'll make sure you get it. Take care of yourself. The Illusive Man wants your head on a platter. I'll do my best to distract him for you. Be well…Morim. And thank you, for everything."

Jacob to the Citadel: "Commander. It's been a privilege to work with you. I was a part of history. I'm going to try to get in touch with some of the Cerberus personnel that are at risk. Thanks for showing me how."

Mordin to Sur'Kesh: "Inspiring, Commander. Good to be part of something this big, something that matters. Will make excellent monograph."

Samara to Ilium: "You have released me from your service, yet I find I do not wish to go. If you ever have need of me again, I would be honored to fight by your side."

Thane to Ilium: "Siha, you should not allow the Alliance to lock your light away. It would not be justice, but a crime. I have Kolyat now, and although that was something you could give to me, it is not something that could ever be taken from me. I would beg you once again to reconsider, but if you cannot, know that whatever life is left to me, it would be at your service."

Zaeed to Omega: "All right, no fucking hugs. How a bitty thing like you manages to…stop that. Fuck, Shepard, get off me. If you're going to be a goddamned moron, I can't do anything about it, but take care of Garrus. Him I'm going to miss."

Grunt to Tuchanka: "Shepard! I'm going to go see about all those breeding requests now. If I remember, there was one for you, but Garrus probably said no, right? Yeah. Well, you know where I'll be. Planning on being in charge soon. Told you once that if I found a clan, I'd be happy to pit them against you. Well…I'm Urdnot now, but you'll always be my battlemaster. Clan Urdnot will be here to help you, or I'll kill them all myself."

Tali to the Flotilla: "We did it. Again. I'd go with you, but you're going where I can't follow. One word, though, and I will be back, to get you out. I bet Garrus has plans already, so he and I will just surprise you if things don't work out the way you want. You deserve to be happy, Morim. I will see you again, soon, and we'll win. I know it in my heart."

Legion was a bit more of a problem in terms of destinations. He'd asked to be dropped back near to where the Heretic Station had been boarded.

She imagined he didn't want to be dropped too close, that would involve giving the Normandy more information about the Geth, or the Geth too much information about the Normandy. He assured her that he would be able to contact the collective and he would be provided transport. There wasn't much more that she could do to help him, without being intrusive.

Legion: "Shepard Commander. It has been, is, and will be an honor. You, and what you have done, will always be part of the collective. There are 1183 Geth programs present, and one that I have created that is based on the choices I have seen you make. I would…like…to see more choices."

It tore her heart out to say goodbye to the people that had had become a family. Yes, a dysfunctional, homicidal and insane family, but that was her kind of family.

Giving up the Normandy herself was the hardest. She'd done it before, but she'd been so protective of this ship, she'd become such a home, so much hers. She'd been rebuilt for her. With leather seats.

She had to roll the dice again, and if the stakes hadn't been infinite in cost…she'd have run away with these people. Every last one of them.

After being unshackled, EDI had been able to flash invade Cerberus data that she shouldn't have had access to. The new EDI had a lovely side to her personality that made her invariably favor the crew of the Normandy over anybody else. She grasped the basics of sentience quickly and there were quite a few Cerberus accounts that she'd been able to identify and had cleared out with dizzying efficiency. She'd provided credits, intel and loyalty. Liara had an excellent setup with ways to hide money, so Morim took an embarrassing amount of money and had it put in an account for her, waiting until she was out of legal danger. She set up accounts for everyone else, also in embarrassing amounts, as a thank you from her grandly thieving heart. Every person who had served on the ship in any capacity was now wealthy. She donated enough money to pay for David Archer's education at Grissom Academy and give him a trust fund, with an endowed scholarship in his name for other students. There was a sizeable donation made to the Salarians in order to continue Corpalis syndrome research. There was a donation to research Kepral's Syndrome. A research program for Vrolik's Syndrome was financed. Garrus's mother's treatment was financed. With a thought to Garrus's squad, anonymous donations were put into their relatives' accounts, which Liara had identified for them. Liara had become a partner, as close to no secrets as could be. Besides, she'd just find out on her own anyway.

This time she didn't expect to be restored to duty easily or soon. She didn't expect for people to believe her story about the Collectors. What she did expect is that with those infinite stakes, the dice were loaded in favor of her release and reinstatement when the real threat showed up, which would be soon. She needed the Reapers to invade in order to fight them. That was a sure thing.

Before that happened, though, they should make a stop.

He was…of course…in the Battery, unable to stop tinkering. The Normandy had taken a lot of damage, it was true, but she began to suspect he had a tough time taking it easy. She had no responsibilities other than saying heart-twisting goodbyes, and she was spending a lot of time between preparations reading, listening to music and taking long naps.

She entered the Battery quietly and sat in the corner until he'd finished…whatever he was doing. She respected the process. When he looked up she waved. He tilted his head. She said "I think you should see your parents and sister."

He said "Do you think I should, or are you deciding I should?"

She said "I think you need to. It is up to you."

He said "That's new."

She said "It is not. I'm wonderful and benevolent and you should see your family."

He rubbed his eyes "Yes, you're right, but I really…"

She said "That pause there is why you should."

He said "I don't know what to say to them."

She said "So don't say anything. They're your family. It's your home. You should go home, say nothing if you so choose. Look at them. Stand on the ground you love. Actively love them. Don't make excuses or apologize. Reconnect with what you're fighting for. I'll be here."

He stepped to her, ran his fingers through her hair, which made her toes curl, and then he sat next to her, and said "Until you aren't."

She said "If your family is horrible to you and you want to leave, you say the word and we're gone. We can even shoot at them if it gets really bad. I'll give you cover until you get away."

He laughed "It probably won't come to that. Probably. I should see my mother. I'd like to introduce you to her."

She said "That's something we decide after you've had enough time to know what you want, what they want. This isn't about me."

He said "If I go down there, you promise you won't decide you were lying to me and leave me there?"

She said "I promise. If I wanted you off the ship, I'd just drug you in your sleep and boot you off in an escape pod. I'm really resourceful."

Garrus said "True. That's comforting."

She said "Can you take a break from work right now?"

He said "Yes, of course. She will be fine tomorrow. If I leave my work, what do you have in mind?"

She said "I was thinking of holding your hand. Maybe walking while holding your hand."

He said "You're really taking this 'nobody is on the ship and the Normandy is being run by an AI' thing for all it's worth, aren't you? Holding hands. Edgy."

She said "I'm a rebel." She stood up and pulled him up after her with his help. "There are only two things I have to do now, get you to Palaven and hand myself over. I can enjoy hearing my footsteps in these halls for a little longer. Just about everyone has left. Some people like Kenneth, Gabby, Karin…they'll go with me and be present when I turn the ship over. Ex-Alliance, wanting the same thing I want, to get back into the fight. Jeff is staying, which I think is a good idea. I offered to hand the ship over myself, but he wouldn't hear of it and I didn't argue too much. He'd be her best advocate."

He said "When you…"

She waited, but he didn't continue. She said in a falsely bright voice "It won't be too long. I'll hand the ship in and then there will be a legal scuffle, and then I'll get my ship back. No problem."

Garrus sighed and squeezed her hand, his voice in a teasing admonishment "You're lying to me."

She said "So much. I'm lying to you so much. But let's not think about that right now. It has to happen and I have to do it, but not today."

She led them toward the port observation deck and grabbed a drink, dragged a couch in front of the window, and sat in front of the stars. He followed suit, sitting next to her. The hands not holding drinks were held between them.

She said "Okay, get it out of your system, how am I going to betray you?"

He said "You could just leave me there."

She said "Why would I do that? I'd miss the pleasure of your company. I like you."

He said "You could take off without me for whatever crazy reason you have in your head. I can't account for your crazy. You're getting everyone off the ship and I'm the last one."

She said "Garrus, love, you're the only one. I could just tell you – Garrus, you're going to Palaven, I'm going into custody, I will see you later."

He said "Is that what you're doing?"

She said "I plan on seeing you later. You have to break me out, what would be the point in pissing you off?"

He said "The point is that pissing me off has never stopped you before. So it's really…just one thing? Just go see my family?"

She said "It's really just one thing. Something I think would be good for you, and for your family. I'm sorry that our history has resulted in them being apart from you for so long."

He said "I talked to Solona before we went through the relay."

She said "Good. Only makes my reasoning more solid. Now I can insist."

He said "There is one more thing."

She said "What?"

He said "You proposed. You weren't thinking straight, but if I had to wait until you thought straight, we'd get nothing done."

She said "Flatterer."

He said "I have no idea how humans do these things. I should have done some research, but I wanted to ask you."

She said "Once you said something about truth and stories. I think that applies here. The truth is that you're it. You're the one. Full stop. I have no questions about that, nothing to prove, nothing to resolve. In my heart and in my head, it's already done. The marriage itself is the story you tell to other people. I don't know how Turians do it either. You can tell me what you want. The legal cohabitation contract is simple and we could get that ironed out in half an hour. We're rich now, but I will grant that you didn't fall in love with me for my sense or my money."

He said "Wise."

She said "So no prenup. That's a human thing. An agreement to divide things and money fairly if a marriage breaks up. As we will not break up unless you say so, and you've said you won't say so, I don't worry about it. You're independently wealthy yourself now thanks to EDI. You could kill me for my money and take it all. At this point, you've earned it."

He said with slow consideration "Well, that was my end game."

She laughed "So how do you want to tell this story?"

He said "That's a lot to consider."

She said "Okay, here, let me make part of it easier. Give me your Omni Tool for a moment."

He put his drink down and offered it to her.

She said "Okay, check this out." She brought up a file and transferred it to his. "EDI and I went over it. Standard forms. It says…we're married. Put down your thumbprint and voice authorization and it's done. Mine's already authorized, see? You can authorize it now, you can authorize it later, you can consult with EDI regarding legalities. You can hire outside counsel. Most wedding ceremonies have to do with promises of the future. Will you care for this person, will you protect this person, will you grow old with this person. Maybe we don't have much of a future, but I'm going to do my best to get one with you. Any vow you could take for the future, anything of meaning, you've already done it in the past. I don't need another promise from you. I don't need words to stand in for the actions you've taken or the actions you will take. Whatever the story is that you want to tell to others, you've already shown me. I will marry you now. I will marry you on Palaven. I will marry you in prison. I will marry you in an arena, selling tickets. One of those or all of those or anything else. Whatever you want. There's no law saying I can't marry you every day if you want me to."

He stared at the file for a moment, absorbing what she'd said. He said slowly "You are the most terrifyingly practical person."

She smiled.

He said "I want one more addition to the record."

She said "What's that?"

He held her chin, his fingers hard on her skin, not gentle. He tipped her eyes up to look at him "I want it written down somewhere that you are not going to lie to me again when your life is on the line. Promise me."

She said "Aren't you afraid that I'm going to lie about that promise?"

His eyes were steady and grave. He said "No."

She closed her eyes and thought a moment, weighing promise against possibility. She opened her eyes, met his steady and grave gaze with her own and said "Okay. I won't lie to you about life and death. I'm sorry that I have in the past. You are going to make my job much harder, but if that's what you want, that's what you'll have." She meant it.

He started changing the contract and she said "Okay, you know you lose my authorization when you change it, right? You can't just write down that I agree to do whatever you say. I also don't agree to never get a varren puppy. Stop that."

He deleted the changes until the contract was in its original form and authorized it.

She said "So I can lie now?"

He said "No."

She said "You sure?"

He said "I trust you."

She said "Oh…dammit…my weakness. Trust." She leaned forward and kissed the side of his neck and then said "Okay. Well, we're on our honeymoon."

He said "What is a honeymoon?"

She said "Mmm…it has a couple meanings. Some are cynical, that a married couple's love will only last a month. Earth measured its time mostly by the phases of the moon. The Alliance still uses a 24 hour day to stay synched with Earth time, so a day cycle on the Normandy, take 28 of those and you have a month. Couples would drink mead the month after they married, alcohol made from fermented honey. Honey is one of those sweet things I told you about, like the syrup on the waffles. In modern connotation it is a vacation taken to celebrate being married, right after a ceremony."

Garrus said "I like that tradition. If we were on Palaven the community would be building us a new home for about two Earth weeks. At least that's how it used to go. Now people get a house ahead of time but have the celebration there. The place in the community that is newly created is celebrated. There's a lot of food and a lot of dancing."

She said "Someday I would like you to teach me to dance."

He said "Someday I would like you to teach me to sing."

She said "I'd never noticed that…you don't sing. I thought maybe you just didn't know the songs. Turians don't sing?"

He said "For us it's much more like chanting. Because of our sub vocals, the flanging effect, we don't have precise voices like humans. Anything more complicated than a very simple harmony between two compatible voices becomes dissonant. Your voice is beautiful, unified. You can harmonize. You probably won't dance like me, but I definitely can't sing like you."

She said "As long as we have fun trying…that's all I want."

He said "That sounds good. There are some Turian bonding traditions I haven't told you about."

She said "What are those?"

He said "Well, we should go fishing to feed the crowd, but that's out."

She said "I've never gone fishing."

He said "Unacceptable in a Turian mate."

She said "You should have brought that up before you authorized anything."

He said "Then there's a procession, a dance."

She said "We have a dance. It's called the Hokey Pokey."

He said "How does it go?"

She said "You put your right hand in." She put hers in. He put his in.

She said "You put your right hand out." He put hers out. He put his out.

She said "You put your right hand in, and you shake it all about." She put her right hand in and shook it all about. He didn't follow her lead on that one.

She said "You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around." She turned in an exaggeratedly incompetent circle.

He said "Now you're making things up."

She said "I'm telling you, Garrus. That's what it's all about."

He said "That's not a real thing."

She said "Swear to the Gods. It might be out of fashion now."

He said "We have a dance, but it's done naked."

She said "You are kidding."

He said "We're not barbarian humans, you know, naked for a Turian is simply to be without rank in a crowd. It's a sign of humility, not humiliation."

She said "I'm asking your mother about that one."

He said "I dare you. I'll introduce you to my mother just to see if you go through with asking her that question."

She said "Dammit. Marry someone and they stop believing your threats."

He said "You'd be nice to my mother, I know it. You wouldn't embarrass her. Or make her throw you out of the house. I'm not telling you which one would happen or if those are your only choices. A good Turian doesn't give away bonding secrets."

She said "I can't tell if you are being a good Turian by being a lying-ass Turian right now."

He said "I can be both. You didn't get me to promise not to lie."

She said "I still got a better deal."

His hands came up to either side of her face, and he kissed her. This human practice he was embracing and endorsing in his own way. His kisses were unique, because instead of moving his mouth against hers, he moved her head instead. He moved her lips where he wanted them.

She'd taken to wearing clothing with zippers and buttons to avoid having to replace them daily. Terrifyingly practical, he'd said. Clothes came off blindly as her eyes were closed, being kissed, kissing back. He murmured "We should lock the door."

She said "Did it when I came in."

He said "You think of everything. Eventually."

She laughed against his mouth and said "At least I act on things when I think of them."

He said "I know you love me, so I'm not going to kill you for saying that."

She said "But you want to."

He said "Hell yeah, I want to."

She said "Poor Garrus. Never gets his way."

His arms came around her and pulled her closer and he murmured "I wouldn't go that far."

She said "Oh, good, so glad there's something in it for you."

He said "Would it be out of line if I brought you to Palaven and tied you to something there, hopefully me, so that you can't leave?"

She said "Won't work. I'm wily. Fortunately it's easier for me. I can just ask you to do something I want and you're often obliging. I want to shamelessly roll all over this couch."

He said "You occasionally have really good ideas."

She pushed him back until he was lying down and she settled her body over his. She said "I want to try something human."

He said "Is it gross?" and then started to laugh.

She said "No. You're gross." She made an angry face and then an apologetic one "Sorry, that was uncalled for, I didn't mean it, I was just insulted on my people's behalf."

He laughed harder and she put her head on his chest just to listen to it until it died down. She said "I love your voice, I love your laugh. It's like a waterfall in the sun, down my spine." His hands reached for her and pulled her up to his mouth, his hands in her hair. They kissed for long languorous minutes. She'd learned that Turian sex took a long time, and she fully appreciated that. It was her stamina that was the issue. He had no impatience with her, but she felt she was the one that limited the duration of sex by falling apart. She put her hands on his chest and said "Is it okay if you take my weight on your chest? On a human it would be rude. Am I going to…dent you or something?"

He said "I…uh…no, I don't think I dent easily."

She kissed him and said "Good." She pushed herself up with her hands, her knees to either side of his hips, then took a hand and guided the tip of his cock into her with a moment spent to appreciate it with a moan. Just into position so he wouldn't slide out when she moved. She wrapped her lower legs around his thighs, below his hips, so that her legs were locked around his, knees underneath and the tops of her feet against his shins. Using her hands and knees, she lowered herself onto him, closing her eyes, soaking in his groan of pleasure, her hands splayed on his chest as his breathing quickened. She wanted to control how crazy he could make her, feeling Reverie warming through her as she sank onto him, and then she'd withdraw until she wasn't dizzy, then do it again. His hands came to rest on her hips. She was slow, setting a pace that allowed her to spend the most time with him, eyes closed, the only sound their breathing interspersed with soft moans, some groans and a bit of growling. She lost track of time and concentrated on the cresting and waning of sensation, sweat started to drip along her face and stick her hair to her skin. Her legs began to tremble and his hands supported her, keeping the same pace, until her hands began to tremble as well and ultimately she collapsed against him, taking him fully inside, but she didn't lose consciousness. She felt the rush of Reverie, warm like sunshine, not blinding like a nova. She could go slow, one sip at a time, not drink the whole bottle and pass out.

He moved her sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes and said "You're still with me."

She said "I'm still with you." She paused a few moments and then said "I never realized how fitting the Hokey Pokey is if you alter some of the words metaphorically."

He said "Hm? What's this nonsense now?"

She said "You reach toward someone you want to love, you do something crazy, then you withdraw. You reach toward them with your head and you withdraw, you reach toward them with your heart and you withdraw. The final line is 'You put your whole self in, you put your whole self out, you put your whole self in and you shake it all about' and that means you're in love and you never have to be out again."

He said "That's profound, Venri, and you're still making it up."

She giggled.

He said "You're very proud of yourself, aren't you?"

She said "Damned right I am."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Garrus

They were headed to Palaven. He'd asked her to come with him to see his family and she'd agreed, because he'd insisted. If he went down there and things went wrong the first time, he didn't want to go back, with her, a second time and try to make it better. She'd argued, of course she had, but in the end he'd simply said 'please' and the argument was over. They'd go together. He didn't think she'd run away from him with the ship, but he still wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, and if she were in the room, he'd have some bolster against the experience of his family's opinions of him. He loved them, they loved him, he knew that. The rest could get ugly.

There had been some negotiating. He'd wanted to arrive unannounced, a frontal assault with the benefit of surprise attack, but she'd pointed out that it was inexcusably rude and she wouldn't go if she was going to be thrown at his family like a grenade. He'd contacted Solona and determined where everyone was. He'd let her know he had human company and news, not bad news. Well, not all bad news. The human wasn't the bad news depending on your point of view. Please let mom and dad know I'm coming and arrange for some human food. Something like that.

He wasn't a good Turian. He had wanted to be, at some point, but it had been too confining, and his freedom cost his family status and expectation. Even worse, he'd made no effort to correct that. He'd been incoherent and terse while on Omega, simply letting them know he was alive at intervals anonymously. He'd felt relieved, as choking off the communication kept their conversations brief and to the point, and he'd not provided any opinions or listened to any. His communications all meant "I'm alive, I love you, I hope you are well…" and also "leave me alone."

Solona had been happy enough to hear that he was visiting with any company, and he was heartened. She didn't ask any questions, she just let him know where and when.

Humans weren't unusual on Palaven, a home world and a center of trade and diplomacy. His family had enough ties to C-Sec and the Citadel to make a human unworthy of particular notice. He'd like to keep it that way. She had to wear a suit out in the open as it was, so he approved of the helmet that obscured her face. Not that she was shy, just that reporters were not something they relished encountering. Check that, they might end up relishing it too much.

In order to accommodate human needs, they'd decided to meet not at their home, which wasn't shielded for humans, but at a retreat built for human and Turian cohabitation near Cipritine. Neutral ground. It was an elegant solution, nothing to be territorial about, and welcoming enough. Perhaps with her company, polite conversation could be had. Security clearances were wrangled by Joker and EDI. They were authorized direct shuttle landing privileges. When there was a snag with the rest of the authorization, Garrus's father had arranged for diplomatic immunity to search and seizure. The Normandy could orbit, but could not dock, to avoid providing services to a possible terrorist organization. This had been helpful, but it also disclosed her identity. His father would be forearmed with that information and he couldn't fathom what he'd do with it. They could go, they could leave, they would not be detained, as long as they would not go anywhere but to the arranged meeting place. His father had vouched for them. There wasn't an official warrant for her arrest, she had contacted Admiral Hackett and let him know she would be coming in after she'd completed the business of discharging her crew safely. Garrus had been concerned that she'd be taken directly into custody and out of his hands and extradited to the Alliance, but the diplomatic immunity was rock solid and would not be violated. For once he was relieved by Turian custom rather than restrained by it.

By the time they were landing, he was almost looking forward to it.

It was a shame that she wouldn't be able to go outside with him for leisure. They couldn't hold hands and watch a sunset unless it was behind appropriate screening, or otherwise he'd be holding her armor. He would have loved to show her so many things, but this would have to be enough.

They were escorted to the facility by security, who made it clear that they were staying, if not in sight, then certainly on site. That was fine with him. Morim wasn't going to attempt to take over the city. He could reasonably assume. There's that word again. Reasonably. He appreciated the security in case someone was gunning for her, which was a near certainty.

She took her suit off in the entranceway and it occurred to him he wanted to hold her hand to walk in to meet his family, but he imagined she'd say no again. It wasn't a grenade exactly, but it was a match in volatile atmosphere. If they were going to be respectful, they should go all the way.

They walked in side by side, but he could swear she was hanging back incrementally. Not walking in front of him as she often did. To be fair she often had to stride ahead of him because he'd catch up quickly with his long legs. Just to keep pace with him she was often faster than she should have to be, brisk. This time she was just a little bit behind. Deferential. He'd never seen that look on her face before. He was even more heartened. He hadn't exactly expected her to blow through, guns blazing, but he'd thought maybe she'd write off the entire experience. He'd considered doing so, something he'd only done at her request. But that's not what he saw. It was as though she wanted to be here and was ready for anything. Willing to set her opening move to one of hope. He was not going to be out-Turianed by Shepard.

He took a deep breath and was about ready to enter the facility proper, but he paused for a moment. He said "Okay, you sure you want to do this now? We can run. We're good at running."

She smiled and though she didn't reach out to him, he could tell she wanted to "This is for you, Garrus. Whatever you want. You want to run, we run."

He said "All right, well, remember, you asked for this."

She said "I will."

They walked in, her still just slightly behind, only the ghosts of smiles on their faces.

Solana and his father were seated at a table in the center of a large round room, with corridors headed off in different directions from even intervals. He didn't see his mother. Solona stood and walked to him, leaned her forehead to his. He was glad to see her, touch her again, connect with her, this little sister that had reached for him so many times in his life. Yes, she was grown, but she was still his little sister. Images of trying to distract her when her plates were growing in and she was ready to chew off his arm in frustration flooded his memory. He said "Solona."

She pulled back and said "Garrus. You look so handsome. The marks suit you."

Solona turned to Morim and said "Please" and gestured to the table. Both Morim and Garrus walked to the table and sat. The chairs were far apart and they were not human friendly. Garrus immediately suspected his father of setting the chairs this way to make her feel uncomfortable. She couldn't sit back without her feet coming off the floor. She was stuck with her knees at the edge of the chair, unable to support her back, and her feet dangling. He couldn't prove it, but he knew it. That petty status thing that he despised. This was too important to screw up. He couldn't afford to let his father drive him to losing his temper. Humor and the power of bending instead of snapping was sitting near him, he would be calm.

His father said "Garrus, it is good to see you. Thank you for bringing Ms. Shepard to me, I'd like to hear what you have to say."

Garrus took a slow breath but held onto his temper. Ms. Not commander. Just Shepard. Stripped her of her rank. Another intended outrage. A huge insult to a Turian but Morim did not give a damn about her rank. She was still a Spectre but he suspected his father knew that already and was looking for a fight. His father expected him to follow the script. He wouldn't do that, but he also wouldn't lose his temper as he had so often in the past. "Certainly. I'm sure you have questions." Let his father show his hand first. Don't volunteer information, wait for him to give away what he knows piece by piece. Garrus realized he wasn't a young person seeking approval. He was an adult that held every card. He had the information. His father did not and was only trying to get it through bluster. How had he not seen this before?

His father paused, noticing the insubordination but unable to do anything about it. Garrus relaxed. It was unnecessary to prove himself in any way. So that was what it was like. It felt good. His father said "From what I understand, you have been on a mission with Cerberus operatives. There are conflicting reports."

Garrus said "What are the conflicts?"

His father's face was stormy and Solona took the moment to say "Garrus, what is your news? I am grateful to see you are well, you are thriving, and you bear marks. Whatever has happened, you are my brother and I love you."

Garrus smiled at his sister and reached over, took her hand and squeezed it, and then sat back in his chair. "My news is that Morim Shepard has done me the honor of becoming my wife."

His sister said "Oh."

His father said "Impossible. I gave no such consent. It's enough that you've been everywhere but where you should be. Of course I'd seen reports suggesting that you were involved, but I was willing to put that aside as slander. You are my son. You would do no such thing."

Morim was doing her best to suppress a smile. She wasn't bothered in the least. That allowed him to not be bothered in the least. "We didn't require your consent. Turian law is not the law recognized on the Citadel, where the cohabitation contract was filed."

Solona had recovered and she said "Congratulations, Garrus. I want your happiness."

Garrus looked at her and smiled again. They were formal congratulations, ignoring their father's denial and giving him the honor of Turian custom.

Garrus said "How is mom, where is mom? I would like to see her."

Solona stood and pointed down a corridor "I will show you. Come with me, please. Morim, congratulations also to you, may your life be long and joyous."

Garrus stood, took Morim's hand and started to walk, following Solona. He didn't look back at his father.

His mother was ill, frail, some of the color leached from her skin and certainly a great deal of her brightness, her intelligence, her spark. She had always been willing to go head to head with his imposing father on anything that struck her fancy, but equally willing to back him up if she felt he was right. He could only hope he took after her. He'd never had her grace. Corpalis Syndrome was a degenerative neurological condition that robbed his mother of her wit, but none of her kindness. To be fair to his father, he'd been outgunned on several occasions, and his mother had simply bypassed his will when she so chose. He began to feel sympathy for his father, not only that his strict sense of propriety was constantly violated by those he loved, but the fact that he was losing this precious woman by inches. They all were. She looked like she was sleeping, but Solona had warned him that she was often like this now, and waking was hard for her. He stepped to the bedside, bringing Morim with him, and pressed his forehead to hers. "Hello Avah."

His mother's eyes opened, they were the green he remembered, not as bright as they had been, watery and smaller, unable to focus. She'd been losing her eyesight, but it wasn't gone yet. After a few moments her eyes focused on him and she said "Garrus. My handsome son, I see you have passed another testing. I am so blessed to see you."

He turned to the side and indicated Morim "Avah, this is Morim Shepard, my Venri, the woman I love. I have not been by your side because what she does is worth all my effort."

She turned to Morim and said "Of course she is, and isn't she beautiful. Garrus, you pledged to a Venri and I did not see it? I missed it? I do not remember…"

Her face clouded and her voice trailed off and he tried to reassure her. "No, Avah, she is the Venri of my heart, Turian law does not allow-"

His mother cut him off and said impatiently "I am old, Garrus, I am ill, but I am not a fool. Turian law matters less than Turian hearts. You will do this thing for your Avah. Here. I wish to see."

Garrus was dumbstruck and Solona said tentatively "Avah, I don't think…"

Garrus's mother said with a whisper of her old steel "Solona, you will make this happen. Be wary of your father, he will try to stop you, but if he gives you trouble, you bring him to me. I wish to see my son bonded. I wish a thing, I shall have a thing. Am I not still mother of this house, any house in which we gather? Do you not still call me Avah?"

Garrus smiled and said "Of course you are Avah. Always."

His mother said "Then why are we still talking? I am tired. You will return when you can show me obedience." And that was that. She turned her head and she appeared to have dismissed them. She closed her eyes and may have been back to sleep in seconds.

They stepped outside the door and Solona said with a hint of panic in her voice "Do a thing? Do a thing I cannot do? How do I do this thing, Garrus?"

He said "First, let's go see dad and tell him what she wants. He'll have a few ideas."

Solona said "I wonder if I will get a new mark from this battle. I deserve one. Look at you, you have so many."

Garrus said "You deserve more than I have for dealing with dad every day. Come on. No cowardice. We can do this."

They walked back to his father, who was intent on his Omni Tool, in the same place they had left him. Solona stepped forward and said "Avah has given me a charge, to see Garrus bonded to Shepard."

Garrus's father simply stared at all three of them, looking as though he would happily boot them all out of the house and that would make his day better.

Garrus volunteered "It does not need to be official. She wishes to honor my heart over the law, she said so. We could do whatever ceremony is required, that would please her, that does not involve a law that does not exist."

Garrus's father said in a disgusted tone "I will not allow you to lie to your Avah, you should not suggest such a thing. I will arrange it. A dispensation. It will be done because she wills it." He turned the weight of his displeasure on Morim "Garrus is bound by his Avah's wishes, you are not. You consent to such a thing? To be bonded to my son, to follow our laws?"

She said "I am ignorant of much of the law, but I am willing to learn. Yes."

He said "Will your family not object?"

She said "I have no family except for your son."

Solona trilled in sympathy, but his father continued "By Turian custom, he is to take your name."

Morim said "In human custom, it is possible for people to take the names of those they marry or add them. Vakarian Shepard in this case. It is Garrus's choice what he wishes to call himself."

Garrus's father said "Outside any home in which my Venri resides, yes. Inside this home, we do as she so chooses. Do you give him your name or do you wish to withhold it or dilute it?"

Morim said "I give him my name. I would ask that you call me Morim and not Shepard if that is not too much to ask."

He snorted "Not too much to ask. That is nothing. What is it that you wish to ask of us, your clan? What is it that you would have from us in exchange, now that you have the right? You want something or you would not be here."

She said "I want your son."

Garrus said "She already has me."

His father narrowed his eyes and said "So you ask for no lands, no concessions, no titles, no rights? No political sway to free you from the charges brought against you? No assistance in future conflicts? Tell me you didn't come here for that. Tell me you didn't come here to hide behind Turian law."

She said "I want your son."

Solona said "Truly, Morim, ask now. Do you not want something for yourself? As your clan we would owe you more."

She said "I want your brother."

His father said "Promise me that my son did not bring you here to protect you from the results of your choices. Promise me that you care for him and that he is not sacrificing his future in order to save you from the consequences you face. He is that loyal and you are that devious. You will promise me that right now and if I do not believe you, I will kill you myself. I will not allow you to use him, and killing you is the only way I can see to release us from my Venri's bond otherwise."

Garrus was shocked that his father would so fiercely defend him. He also realized that his father was telling her she had the right to protection and defense. Yes, by threatening her life, but she was used to that. He hadn't thought it possible, but he realized he shouldn't be surprised. Just because he'd never known how to love until recently didn't mean it was a skill lost to others. There was no need to threaten his father in return. He was starting to want to hug him. The image of his father shaking him off in exaggerated bluster made him almost smile.

She said again, quietly, with the same tone she'd used all along "I want your son. I promise you those things. I love him. You're right, he is that loyal and I am that devious, but there's no need for me to be devious here. I will be turning myself in to face charges voluntarily. Speak to Admiral Hackett to confirm that I have already promised that. I want nothing more than what Garrus has already given me. I am here because I thought he should see his family and he asked me to come with him. I am willing to die for Garrus, and I have been since he came under my command. If he told you in this moment I deserve to die, then I deserve to die. Let him do it, because that way I won't fight back and there won't be any more bloodshed. He is no longer under my command, but being willing to die for him will not change."

Garrus said "I will always be under your command." He moved to stand beside her, took her hand in his.

His father glared at Morim and then Garrus. Morim stood her ground, her face still willing to extend hope respectfully. After a few moments his father was convinced, and he shook his head and said "All right. It's done, then. Solona, please create the contract and draft the request. It should be phrased as a diplomatic agreement, bound to Turian custom and law. Invoke Rinkan. Morim has no rights in clan politics, but she is due the respect given to one of our clan. Garrus is her proxy and any requests she might originate will be made by him and undertaken as his personal responsibility, and he will be supported as a Vakarian through Rinkan. A dispensation from the Primarch would be best. Please draw it up and bring it to me to review. Garrus and Morim and I should discuss other things."

Garrus sighed. Poor Solona. He hadn't been dutiful for a reason. She turned and left, obediently. Why had he ever been jealous? Because he had been a child. Garrus brought a chair to the table that would suit Morim.

They turned to discuss other things, and Garrus gave him the account of their mission as it pertained to him, as it pertained to the Reapers. He included his time as Archangel, because now he felt his father was on his side in a way he hadn't felt before. Despite his father's huffing and obvious disapproval on some points, the information at the core of it, the Reapers, was what truly concerned him, what he'd wanted to talk about when they arrived. His concern was for Palaven.

His father promised to involve Garrus in private conversations with the Primarch in order to fully explore the potential for strategic planning.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Garrus had excused himself and Morim after a few hours, claiming fatigue. His father had waved him off irritably. He remembered this. His father had no patience for things like hunger, fatigue or…or anything other than work. He'd pointed them down a corridor, theoretically their room. Fortunately he was not going to have to argue about the specifics of cohabitation, and they wouldn't be separated. He'd have gone straight back to the Normandy, only to arrive for whatever ceremony his mother required of him.

Once they'd closed the door she whispered conspiratorially "That was awesome. Garrus, your family is amazing, I want to marry your mom."

He kissed her lingeringly, pulling back only to say "Pronouns, Venri. They're now your family. Our family." He tipped her forehead to hers.

She said "I'm dying to know. What is Rinkan?"

He walked into the room, pulling her with him, sitting down and pulling her into his lap. He explained. "It means ally, but there's a distinction between military ally and social ally. Rinkan would sometimes be invoked when a clan was at war with another clan, but they were perhaps well matched and war was going on too long, no clear outcome in sight. Rinkan became a way to avoid loss of face or further life or resources on a futile fight. Rinkan means "enemy to clan" in word play. You begin as an enemy to clan, but change to an enemy that has become clan. A male from one clan and a female from another clan would be bonded. Because bonding can't be forced, the trial of Rinkan would mean that there was no war permitted, and that it was in the best interests of the clans to meet each other and develop relationships that would produce a bond. A long process. It was a way to end a war without one side giving up to the other. Combining resources. It's the first step in admitting that force won't accomplish much so other alternatives need to be explored, without leaping straight to ally. Time given to allow peace. It is something done with only a formidable enemy, clans well matched. You being the only member of this clan, that's quite a compliment. The penalty for resuming warfare after declaring Rinkan is decimation of both clans due to attrition or execution. Nobody will make a deal with someone from a clan who violated that agreement. The law regarding Rinkan is very practical. As you are not warring with the Vakarians…or my father thinks you are no longer at war with them by taking me from them…and there's no risk of you starting something, or them trying to kill you, the majority of the law doesn't apply at all, but it's impressive he thought of it. I wonder how long he'd been working on that idea. I'd like to think he came up with it on the spot, but he knew we were involved, he likely knew I wouldn't have done that, for so long of a time unless…yeah, here's where admit my father did that for my benefit."

She said "So I just underwent a marriage contract without having any idea what I was doing, huh?"

Garrus said "You did just fine. I would have let you know if you weren't already handling it so well. You said you had no family, no Avah or allegiance. That means the Rinkan alliance is with you only. Had you said your family was the Alliance or Cerberus, or that your Avah was Hackett, he wouldn't have made that offer. You said your only clan was me. He will be expected to defend and support you, as a Rinkan partner. He won't be drawn into an argument against you, or a fight against you, he won't allow a Vakarian to do so without holding them to Rinkan as well. That is…a truly beautiful and archaic loophole he created there."

Her smile was radiant "So…we're now the Shepard clan? Do you mind if I still call you Vakarian? What do you want me to call you?"

He smiled back "We've been the Shepard clan for a while. Now there's more paperwork to prove it. Vakarian will be fine because I don't want to explain the legalities to everyone and it could get really confusing in battle if we both answer to Shepard. My family will call me Garrus. Good thing you didn't insist on a prenup. We're a great deal richer than we were with land and income granted through bonding."

She said "How do I not know this?"

He said "Because I opted out long ago. I would not become an adult by his terms. Now that there is paperwork, my father can expect certain things from me. Allegiance to Palaven. He can give certain things to me, the bribes he offered previously to keep me from becoming a Spectre or try to find a bond mate. Although he knows they didn't work as enticements, he'll give them to me now because he had promised them upon my bonding. Solona will insist anyway, she'll put it in and more just to see if he is cheap enough to object. She listened to enough lectures he gave me herself to be sick of it. My guess is he's glad to do it."

She said "Didn't he already know that you loved Palaven?"

He said "Yes, but now he can involve me officially and directly. From his point of view I won't be rotting incognito on Omega or on a pirate ship as a child. I'm a bonded adult. He gets a meeting with the Primarch, he has invaluable information in position to aid Palaven's future. That's more than he could have wanted. This is an excellent deal for him. My dad's going to enjoy Rinkan with clan Shepard. A connection to you means a theoretical confidence with you. You may be a pain in the ass to him, but as a chess piece, you're invaluable. Spectre. Savior of the Citadel. Now he knows destroyer of the Collector ship. You bring status. You offered him confidence with Admiral Hackett, and if he doesn't already have it, he will use that to the full extent. He'll also do everything he can to defend you now, he enjoys this level of wrangling. You gave him a new hobby. Now he knows that you are my Venri, and you are Avah of clan Shepard. My allegiance can be split between Palaven and Clan Shepard without any issues of chain of command. I said I would be under your command, always, my only contribution to the contract. It's official that I would not honor orders from Clan Vakarian or Palaven that contradicted your own. Based on the timing of my bonding, everything I have done since bonding to you has been in your service, honorable. We will have a ceremony, but he will make clear that bonding has dictated my actions to all critics. He will make clear that you are deserving of bonding with his son. He will establish Clan Shepard with zeal. He'll make me out to be a hero. I owed you my allegiance by Turian law, and I owe my father allegiance secondarily. No doubt he'll imply he knew it all along. You don't owe him allegiance, but his son wrapped up in all of that potential for political sway? He couldn't be happier. It's brilliant, really, giving me exactly the freedom I want to be who I am, and still having clan back me up when or if I need it."

She said "So I married smart and I married up. Not news."

He said "And you asked for nothing."

She said "Not nothing. You."

He said "You granted yourself no value in trade, Venri. I can hear it now…what is wrong with her…that she asked for nothing?"

She said "I'm in love."

He said "I can also hear it…she's so quiet, why is she so quiet? She asks for nothing and she is so quiet, what has Garrus done to her?"

She said "Drugged me."