I am extremely sorry this one took so long. Especially since it's apparently the most anticipated chapter in this story so far. It's been nearly a year since I started writing this story and, at the rate I started publishing it, I really thought I'd be done long before now, even knowing how long it was going to be. Well, I guess this one will just have to be a birthday present to myself. ;) Hope you all enjoy it.
Chapter 92: 'Til Death Do Us Part
Is love a feeling that takes root in the heart?
No, but a fire that consumes the soul
Can love be felt in pieces and parts?
No, but for each as the whole
Is love beneath every song and lament?
No, but in every word and rhyme
Can love be felt for just one moment?
No, but for a lifetime
April 24, 2187…
There's no feeling quite like waking up on your wedding day. Even as a poet, Terra couldn't describe the frantic anticipation and shaky elation that came over her as she jumped out of bed that morning. True to her position as maid of honor, Violet was the one who, as soon as she was ready to leave the apartment, dragged her off to the garden and into a side building to get properly prepared.
"We've only got about two hours," Violet urged, "so you better put the dress on."
Terra smirked as she took her dress into the bathroom to change. "Is this what it feels like to have a personal stylist?"
Violet scoffed. "It's the most important day of your life. You deserve to be the most beautiful thing on the station. As your maid of honor, I'd say it's my job to ensure that."
"Hmm," Terra's voice came through the door, "Shame Garrus won't be the first to see me in the dress then."
"Yeah, well, I guess it's better that the first time he lays eyes on his bride is perfect." She leaned back against the wall, waiting a moment for her sister to finish changing.
When the door opened again and Terra stepped out, Violet beamed with so much awe that she almost found it hard to breathe. On anyone else, the white silk gown would be flattering, but on Terra Shepard, it was beyond stunning. The flowing skirt that made it impossible to see her lacy white shoes, the sweetheart neckline, the straps that hung below her shoulders, the tulle over the bodice and waist decorated with patterns of flowers and leaves—it fit her even more perfectly than her armor ever had.
"Terra…" Violet smiled, at a loss for words.
Terra smiled back. "I guess that's the best compliment you could give me."
Violet nodded, pulling herself together and pulling her sister over. "Well, you're already the most beautiful thing on the Citadel, but we're still doing your hair." Before Terra could object, she pulled down the ponytail over her shoulder and attempted to straighten the bangs over her eye.
"Good luck," Terra commented, "It's been like that for 16 years."
"I've been doing some research. I learned a few tricks."
"You wanted this to be perfect and you were planning to do my hair yourself?"
"There aren't exactly many salons on the station."
It took the better part of an hour, but they pulled it off. Her brown hair fell in neat and glistening waves over her shoulders, curled at the ends and seeded with what seemed like sparks of light (something Kasumi had donated to the cause and apparently not given much explanation for). It even resisted its habitual position and rested evenly on both sides, bangs and all. It put her best efforts during the casino infiltration to shame.
To say the least, Terra was pleased. "You really did pick up a few tricks."
Violet smirked. "I thought so."
Terra looked down at her dress, smoothing out the skirt. "That's the dress and the hair, then. What now?"
Violet answered by adjusting her sister's necklace so that the charm was visible. "There's your something old. Guess the ring can be your something blue." She said this as she checked to make sure the bird-shaped sapphire on the ring was also showing. Then she stepped behind Terra and retrieved something from her bag, reaching over to place it gently in her sister's hair. "Here's your something new."
Terra beamed with amazement when she saw that her sister had made her a wreath of flowers wrapped together with blue ribbon. Flowers of Earth, Palaven, and Mindoir. "How did you…?"
Violet smiled. "It was a group effort, but I put on the finishing touches." She took a step back to admire her work. After a moment, she was almost in tears. "Terra, you…you're beautiful."
Terra tried to laugh. "Stop it, you're gonna make me cry."
Violet did laugh. "Yeah, well, the bride is supposed to be so breathtaking she drives everyone to tears."
Terra followed suit. "Right. I still need a 'something borrowed,' though."
The way Violet hesitated made it clear that she had a plan already in mind but didn't know if Terra would approve. For one quiet moment, Terra wondered if she should ask what the problem was. Ultimately, Violet went through with it…reaching around to untie her necklace.
Terra immediately reached to stop her. "Vi, no, I can't—"
"I know you, you'll just give it back the second the ceremony's over. I want to." So she took her sister's wrist and tied the violin string around it to let the Tuchanka crystal shine.
Terra gave her a grateful smile. "So what do you think? Am I ready?"
Violet stepped back to give her one last look. Then she nodded. "You're ready."
Hearing that seemed to make everything sink in. Terra quickly hugged her sister close. "Thank you."
Violet shook her head. "This is how I thank you. For finding me, for giving me a new home…for everything."
Terra scoffed. "We're family. It's part of the deal."
"…yeah…I just wish more of the family could be here."
Terra agreed. But every time she came to regret her losses and everyone she cared about that couldn't be here, she remembered that dream of Nathan after London. "…they are."
Before Violet could question her, the door opened. "Everything's ready and we're moving in five minutes," Liara said as she stepped in with her fellow bridesmaids, "Just—" She stopped dead in her tracks when she caught sight of Terra. "…oh…Terra, you—"
Terra smirked. "Yeah, I know."
Tali quickly stepped over to get a closer look. "You're amazing! Garrus is going to lose it."
"Remind me to take pictures of that," Solana snickered.
"I can do that," a familiar voice called from the back, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."
Terra leaned around to look at the voice in astonishment. "Kasumi?"
Their Japanese thief stood there, her face visible for the first time. "I know, I know. I wanted to just stand back and cloak like at the party, but these guys insisted I go all in. Don't worry, I can still cloak if any trouble comes knocking."
Terra couldn't help but laugh. "Actually, I don't think anyone's gonna recognize you without the hood."
Kasumi laughed briefly at the irony.
With that settled, however, Terra turned her full attention to Tali. "Were you ready?"
Tali sighed. "As I'll ever be. The suit's as dressy as I can get it, and I've been taking antibiotics nonstop for the past day. I can make it about two hours."
"Then let's see it."
"Wait, what?" Ashley leaned in, "What are we seeing?"
Tali answered that by stepping back and reaching up to remove her mask. As she pried it off and slid her hood back, exposing her dark hair, glowing purple eyes, and beautiful face, she looked at her crewmates with new eyes and they looked at her for the first time. Just that much was worth the risk.
"I'd keep the mask close," Terra told her, "I don't want you to get hurt or anything just for me."
"I'll be fine," Tali asserted even as she slid the mask into the biggest pocket on her suit, "I've been preparing for too long not to be."
"Tali…" Miranda smirked, "…I'm shocked."
"Javik said that quarians were beautiful even to the Protheans," Liara said with a gentle smile, "It's good to know that's still true."
Violet shook her head. "Look, I like you, but I put a lot of work into making sure Terra doesn't have to worry about anyone outshining her on her wedding day."
Tali gave Violet a look. "Don't worry, I don't think anyone can compete." Waving off any continued compliments or teasing, she turned back to the door. "We should really get going. It's about to start."
Terra agreed, rushing her friends out so she could prepare to take the long walk into the next phase of her life. Castis was waiting for her while everyone else took their positions. Violet had questioned the choice of having Castis give her away instead of simply walking alone, pointing out that the choice didn't make sense because he was the head of the family she was joining, but Terra had made it clear she wanted to do it this way. If her father and Anderson were both…unavailable, she wanted the closest thing she had to a father to take the position. It wasn't that she didn't see the dilemma, it was that she appreciated the poetry of it (an explanation that was so typical of her that Violet knew better than to argue with it). He was giving her away from the life she was adopted into, and at the same time, he was accepting her into that family in a whole new way. Garrus and Castis seemed to both agree with her, or at least decided to humor her, so Castis was ready now to play his part.
"Are you ready?" Castis asked as Violet thrust a bouquet into Terra's hands and hurried off to the end of the aisle.
Terra smiled, taking him by the arm. "I have been for 17 years."
Terra changed her mind—there was a feeling quite like waking up on your wedding day, that feeling being each heart-pounding step down the aisle at the ceremony itself. If one were to ask Garrus, there was a feeling that topped it: the first time the groom lays eyes on the bride. Garrus had already thought Terra was beautiful, but now was the first time he'd known it. For a brief second, he glanced at Violet, receiving a smug look in return that seemed to be enjoying his reaction. He smirked back before taking Terra's hand and joining her at the altar while Castis sat down, looking at both of them approvingly.
Admiral Hackett had agreed to perform the actual ceremony (there had been some jokes tossed around about Samara or Wrex taking the job, which had died down when they all found out that Samara actually couldn't and, while he technically could in his capacity as chief, Wrex was a far-beyond-crazy idea that was immediately shelved in place of asking the admiral). While everyone else present was smirking at the happy couple, he dove into the traditional words in his own personal way: "We're gathered here to join Commander Terra Shepard and Officer Garrus Vakarian in holy matrimony. It's likely none of us would be here today without these two, and in the time of peace and unity now upon us, we could all learn from them. Not just from their story, but from their love—forged in hardship, tempered in battle, overcoming all obstacles…unbreakable."
Terra couldn't help but smile. Every word was true. She hadn't realized Hackett understood them so well. …though that also made her miss Anderson even more.
In a few minutes, they were taking their vows. "Garrus Vakarian, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"
Garrus smiled, taking Terra's hand and, with the same certainty and belonging he had spoken the turian vows the night before London, answered plainly "I do."
"Terra Luna Shepard, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"
Terra smiled back, clutching Garrus' hand in return and practically tearing up with joy, and said the words every human dreads and dreams of: "I do."
It was safe to say neither of them were really listening to the rest of it. Sapphire was locked on sapphire as they gazed into each other and looked to a future spent purely together. The only thing that could snap Terra out of it was when Joker passed over her ring. Liara and Solana together had pulled a few strings to have one personally crafted for her, Palaven silver and Earth gold perfectly intertwined. It didn't match her necklace like her engagement ring did, but she felt it synonymous, equally symbolic of the bond between her and her turian. It still wasn't as perfect as she wanted since Garrus, for obvious talon-related reasons, couldn't wear the twin ring proudly like a human husband would, but they'd devised a compromise: make the ring a bit larger and he could wear it around his wrist. Terra figured he would be spending a lot more days without gloves from here on out.
"By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife."
There was presumably a "you may now kiss the bride" after that, but they were both already doing it and thus too busy to hear either the statement or the cheers. Even when they separated, they stayed close enough to breathe the same air, lost in the blissful moment as if there was no one else there. It was only when Terra felt his talons on her back that she remembered they were supposed to be doing something else and nudged him to get moving. He answered with a sly glance as if to say "we'll pick this up later" and then, holding onto his wife (he already loved getting to call her that), walked away.
The second it was over, naturally, their friends started pouring in the congratulations and teasing. Even while she was conversing with each of them in turn on the subject, Terra couldn't help but revel in how right it was for them all to, even jokingly, call her "Mrs. Vakarian." It was…wonderful.
"Hey, Commander Vakarian!" Ashley called with a smirk as she backed across the room, "You gonna toss those flowers or what?"
Terra rolled her eyes even as she smirked back and nodded.
"I don't remember hearing about this part," Tali said as Ashley pulled all her fellow bridesmaids over, "What's going on?"
"Well, see, whoever catches the bride's flowers is supposedly the next one to—"
That was when the flowers in question flew over and landed in EDI's hands.
Ashley immediately burst out laughing. "…to get married!"
While the others started laughing along with Ashley, EDI looked between them and the bouquet in her hands. Then she cast a sideways glance at Joker.
Joker looked between the AI and the flowers for a second before turning and walking away with a distressed look on his face.
EDI merely smirked after him. She'd tease him about this later.
Violet struggled not to giggle at this particular occurrence, hurrying back to Terra and Garrus as everyone took their seats for the reception. "By the way…" She hugged Garrus. "Welcome to the family."
Garrus smirked. "Right back at you."
"Hey, Vi," Terra nudged, "aren't the maid of honor and the best man supposed to give speeches about now?"
Violet withdrew. "Uh…isn't Joker supposed to go first?"
"You really wanna follow him?"
Violet winced. "Right." Bracing herself, she stood up and took the floor. She'd never had stage fright, per se, but speaking in front of the crowd was different from performing. That said, she realized any fear she might have had was purely baseless when everyone's eyes were on her. There was no disdain or demand in their gazes, just anticipation and familiarity. This was her family, after all. So she breathed and spoke from the heart: "When I was growing up, I looked up to my sister. I didn't tell her enough. I kind of hogged the spotlight back then. But Terra never needed attention. She never even needed to belong. She was…her own person. 16 years later, she found me and, even though she'd changed, she was still her own person. The difference was that she belonged now. Not to somewhere, but to someone. And I'm happy to say that the person who won her over is someone who not only loves her the same way but always will. Someone who belongs right back."
Terra smirked. Violet didn't need to be as eloquent as her sister was to say everything her music could. It was perfect to her.
Joker smirked, too, seeming to take the speech as a challenge. "Sometimes history is everything. But I think Hackett made a point that we could learn a thing or two from this in the future. I mean, you can tell by looking at us—two hotheaded krogan, a former slave, a quarian most at home on a human ship, an AI dating a guy with glass bones—I'd call that the definition of 'ragtag.' Yet the commander would call it 'family.' You could say this is just sealing the deal. …I just say it's a long time coming. And definitely in for life."
Despite his expectations, Garrus didn't regret asking Joker to step up for him.
What he did regret…
Terra had told him some humans wrote their own vows for the ceremony, right before she immediately rejected the idea because she preferred the traditional promises to any thoughts even she could dream up and believed that they both already knew what the other would say. Well, in light of Violet and Joker's words, he felt like he had to say something now.
So before Terra could question or interrupt him, he stood up. He took Terra by the hand, looked her in the eyes, ignored the curious uncertainty in her gaze, and spoke as if they were alone. "For years, I wondered about my place in the galaxy. I didn't know what I was meant for. …then 17 years ago today, I found a human that made me feel…whole." He smiled. "This was a long time coming. Because I do belong with you. I'm only myself with you. I love you."
Terra smiled back. Then, still clinging to his hand, she stood up with him and said what she needed to. "I thought I knew where I belonged. But when I was lost, where I belonged found me. And it wasn't a 'where' at all. It was a 'who.'" She shook her head. "I didn't even know who I really was. Not until now." Daughter of artists, foster of warriors, hero of Elysium, captain of Normandy, savior of the galaxy, beloved of her Archangel—she was all of this and more. She felt a certain indescribable joy to give herself the name she claimed now "I'm Terra Vakarian." It was true that some part of her would always be a Shepard. That was inescapable. But leaving the name behind was necessary in a way. This was who she was deep inside.
If she was being honest (and if she had some quarian in her background as well as turian), there was a "vas Normandy" to be added on the end.
She thought she said the words "I love you, too," but it didn't matter. It was known. They really didn't need to be said as long as she affirmed them, wrapped up in another kiss with her mate—her husband.
This was definitely the moment her whole life had been leading to.
The newlyweds, to the sounds of Violet's piano prowess, had a moment to embrace, "dancing" like they had for Valentine's Day. The others all looked on, each in the own way admiring how the two were perfect for each other despite their…differences, how everything that had happened had done nothing at all to keep them apart, how they had achieved the union they deserved. None of them really wanted to interrupt the moment, but Tali finally said that they needed to wrap this up so she could get her mask back on before the antibiotics wore off.
So EDI stepped up. "Terra, Garrus?"
Terra didn't break away from her turian even as she drew back to look at her AI friend. "Need something, EDI?"
"I believe it is customary for guests at the ceremony to offer gifts to the bride and groom."
Terra shook her head as she reluctantly stepped back. "Yes, but it's not really necessary, EDI."
"We all prepared gifts already."
She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Of course you did."
Despite all the other hesitancies the team had had, EDI had apparently talked everyone into this one. The AI had even meticulously arranged them all on a table, which Joker found both amusing and adorable (Terra was kind of looking forward to getting her "revenge" by teasing him about when he was going to propose to his co-pilot). Garrus shook his head at the whole thing and sat back to let Terra tear through them. For the most part, the gifts were more personal than practical, which Terra, as an artist, genuinely appreciated. Joker and EDI, insisting they go first, had sculpted a model of the Normandy that rested on a base with the name of the ship inscribed in the language of every crewman to serve on it. Kasumi had given them a series of "mementos" from their missions together that she promised—promised—weren't actually stolen. Tali had…had…
Terra froze when she opened it, prompting Garrus to investigate and follow her amazement. "Tali…"
It was an image of the three of them on the cliffs of Rannoch, when Tali had removed her mask. Terra hadn't been able to capture the moment from memory in any way she thought could do it justice, but this…this was the memory perfectly.
"How did you—?"
"I saw Rannoch in the horizons you drew," Tali explained, "the ones that you put on the extranet two weeks ago. I downloaded it and used some digital trickery of my own to combine it with one I scanned from your book, plus the data from my suit to add myself in…" She shrugged. "I just knew you'd want to keep it."
She had. If she was being honest, part of the reason Terra had originally suggested to Tali to find a way to come to the ceremony without her mask was so they would have photos through the ceremony. That and to let everyone else see what she and Garrus had gotten to see that day on Rannoch. But this was better.
Terra quickly hugged Tali, holding onto the embrace as long as she dared. Then, when she leaned back, she told her it was probably safe now to put her mask back on. While Tali complied, breathing a little easier once she was back in an environment closer to Rannoch's, Terra turned back to the gifts. There were only two left by now, but by her count, that meant one was missing. "Liara?"
Liara shook her head. "My gift is…not quite ready yet. I've been working on it for several months now, but I need a bit more time."
Terra's curiosity was certainly piqued, but she elected to trust her asari friend. "Alright, I guess we can take a rain check. Not like any of us is leaving the ship any time soon."
Liara nodded, letting her know her patience was appreciated.
So Terra turned to Solana's. Apparently, her adopted sister had had much the same thought as Tali, opting to capture a moment she hadn't been able to herself. This moment, though, nearly sent her to tears. …the day they had met, the day she came to Palaven.
While Terra was emotionally reeling, Garrus turned to give a grateful and amazed look to his sister.
Solana shrugged, smiling. "It wasn't hard to piece together. A few shots from our first year, a little editing from memory, and there you go."
James leaned over and smirked. "Wow, Lola, you were even hot then."
Terra responded with a scoffing sideways glance. Garrus answered with a sharp, almost territorial glare.
James stepped back. "Just saying."
Violet all but shoved him aside. "I believe it's my turn."
Terra tentatively put aside the picture to open the last gift. In yet another reminder of that fateful year, Violet had replicated the pencil case she made, this time as a small music box that carried inside it a picture of Terra and Garrus…and the song that Violet had played for them on Valentine's Day.
For this one, Garrus stepped up first, hugging Violet. "Thank you."
Violet smiled, hugging him back. "She's lucky to have you," she whispered.
He smirked. "And vice versa. …you, too."
She barely got to give him a grateful glance before Terra was rushing to hug her as well.
Garrus stood back, letting the sisters have their moment. They deserved it. They'd waited a long time for it.
The rest of the day mostly consisted of various forms of celebration. It went by all too fast, much like the party that seemed so long ago now. Around sunset (or the Citadel's approximation of such), Terra finally said it was time for her and Garrus to head out and begin the final stage of human tradition for the occasion—the honeymoon. The suggestion led to another round of teasing and prodding, but Garrus just took it in stride. He was used to it, expecting it even, and he didn't care as long as he got his human all to himself for a while. It was as they were heading out and accepting well wishes and congratulations that they decided to take their time.
"I'll see you around," Kasumi said as she was putting her hood back on.
"You should drop in more often," Terra retorted.
"We will see you when you return to the ship," EDI said.
"Yes, we will," Joker smirked, "Commander Vakarian."
Terra heard the teasing tone, but she took it as a compliment. The name was only right.
"Goddess be with you both," Samara nodded, "May you find every happiness together."
"I just say this was about time," Grunt waved them off.
"Hear, hear," Wrex shook his head.
"Yes," Tali commented, "which is why I'm glad we were able to witness it."
Terra nodded. "Not as glad as I am you were here."
Tali smiled, offering what was clearly a quarian blessing: "May you walk together in happiness, joy, and prosperity for all your living days. Keelah se'lai."
Terra smiled back as she took her friend's hand. "Keelah se'lai."
"Hey," Violet nudged, "you keep saying goodbye, you're never gonna leave. It's not like they all won't be in touch when you get back."
"Right. Oh!" Terra turned to untie the string around her wrist. "That's yours."
Violet smiled as she took it back and returned it to its place around her neck. "Told you."
Garrus stepped back from the goodbyes as well. "Well, like she said, we'd better be—"
Suddenly, Violet pulled out a vial and dumped the contents all over her sister.
Terra flinched back, withholding a startled cry. "Vi! What—?!" She took a second to look herself over, eying the particles sticking to her skin. "…what is this?"
Violet looked at her as if she should already know. "It's dextro sugar."
Terra blinked at her in confusion. "Why?"
"Solana said it was a turian marital tradition."
Terra started to ask what she was talking about since turian weddings were private and practically tradition free. …then the implication hit her. "SOL!"
Solana immediately busted out laughing.
Terra made a mental note to give her what for about using her sister for a practical joke later.
Garrus decided now was as good a time as any to rush about before everyone else started making fun of his unfortunate wife for the incident (wife…wow). Exchanging a few brief cursory farewells, he waved them all off and started leading Terra off to the apartment.
Terra sighed. "I don't think it's coming off unless we give her what she wanted."
"Well, aside from that, how'd we do?"
She smiled. "Perfect. Exactly what I wanted."
"I'd say that's enough." He held onto her hand, keeping it close and thinking of how he was free to spend the rest of his life clinging to it. Every day from this point on would be with his human, conjoined, entwined, in love. To tell the truth, the ceremony itself had been more for her, because this was all he ever wanted. Her. Happy. His. He breathed the most contented breath of his life as he drew her hand up to his scars and… "…huh."
She looked at him curiously. "What?"
He flicked his tongue between her fingers, lapping the sugar off of her skin. "I think Sol might have been onto something."
