Ten billion people over here die, so twenty billion over there can live. After the war, there are pieces to pick up, and lives to rebuild. And even with the Reapers gone, nothing is easy.

When Shepard wakes on Lazarus Station, surrounded by strangers wearing an enemy's colors, she knows things are very, very wrong. She's willing to do what needs doing for the sake of the disappearing colonists, but not at the cost of losing herself or becoming something she hates. Which is, she finds, easier said than done. Written for the Mass Effect Big Bang 2014.

Shepard is distracted. So is Garrus. Awkwardness ensues.

It's a Shepard and Vakarian thing.

She knows what she is. She's a weapon. Point her and shoot. She kills the asari first.

When a routine reconnaissance mission goes awry, Shepard and Garrus are pushed to the bounds of their endurance.

When Shepard strolled into the lounge, wearing civvies and a smile, Garrus knew the time had finally come, whether they were ready or not. She'd lined them up in her scope and was preparing to take her shot.

It was going to be a joke. At least, that's what she told herself as she opened her mouth and the words, "We could test your reach… and my flexibility," fell out.

Even those who will one day achieve greatness have moments of normalcy along the way-at least, as normal as is possible for this bunch. A collection of glimpses at the lives of Shepard and her squadmates before they became galactic heroes.

Some aspects of romancing an alien are strange new territory, while others are all too familiar. Fifty one-sentence snapshots of Garrus and Shepard's relationship.

Squadmates, friends and acquaintances react, in their own words, to the new turn in Garrus and Shepard's relationship. Because everybody's got an opinion. Fem!Shepard/Garrus.