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Fully armed and armored and as ready as they would ever be, Shepard and Garrus took their place on the shuttle. Liara was already there, studying a datapad. Shadow Broker business, Garrus imagined. Either that, or she was tactfully giving them space on this last shuttle trip before they began the final attack. Garrus wanted to believe that when this was all over, they'd all get back on this shuttle and fly home to the Normandy—but he was a turian, and turians were realists. Especially when it came to war.
"Cleared for takeoff, Commander," Cortez announced as the shuttle doors closed behind them.
"Take her down, Lieutenant. Let's get this started."
Cortez nodded, deftly piloting the shuttle off the ship.
Garrus looked back, wanting to watch the Normandy as they left her, but there were no windows on that part of the shuttle.
"Hey." Shepard took his arm. "We'll see her again."
"I guess. Unless this is …"
"Just like old times," she finished for him, offering a smile that was meant to draw him out of his pessimistic mood. Bad for the beginning of a campaign, pessimism ... or, at least, that's what Shepard believed.
"Right. That's what I meant to say. This might be the last chance we get to say it."
Zia sighed. "I hope so. I've had about enough of old times—I'm ready for some new ones."
She looked tired, Garrus thought. And who could blame her, everything she'd been through? He wanted to kiss those dark circles under her eyes and make them disappear.
"Garrus."
"Hm?"
"You're acting like you think—like you think we're going to lose."
He did. He couldn't help it—the Reapers had won every battle they'd ever been in. They were an overwhelming force. Could a cobbled together battle fleet of species who weren't used to working together, run by a scarred old Admiral with a hastily built machine manned by an insane rachni queen really defeat the oldest enemy the galaxy had ever known? He wanted to believe it could, but … it just wasn't in him. On the other hand, he had no business whatsoever telling Zia Shepard that. She needed his support, his encouragement—his belief.
"I think," he said firmly, "that we're about to kick the Reapers back into whatever black hole they crawled out of. That whole Sovereign business a few years ago … he was the first to die. Now all his friends will, too. This nightmare finally ends today."
Zia looked relieved. "I agree."
"Then, after that, you and I are going to retire somewhere warm and tropical and live off the royalties from the vids."
She smiled, her eyes lighting. "That sounds really good. I'm going to hold you to it."
"Maybe we'll even try to find out what a turian-human baby looks like."
At that, she laughed outright. "I'm game. Although I think adopting sounds like the better choice. Biology may not cooperate with us otherwise … unless you want to try carrying the experiment."
"Uh … yeah, I'm not sure that's biologically possible."
"Adoption it is, then."
"I suppose there will be a lot of little krogan around soon."
Zia grimaced. "I'll pass. Grunt is enough baby krogan for a lifetime."
"Good point."
"Garrus."
"Yeah?"
"Seriously. For real. Marry me."
He gathered her hands in his, holding them against his chest while he bent his head to rest his forehead against hers. "It would be my very great honor."
"Good. It's a date. We just have to beat the Reapers first."
"Zia. In case … James told me there's an old saying here on Earth: 'May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead'. If … if we don't … I'm not sure if turian heaven is the same as yours, but if this thing goes sideways and we both end up there, meet me at the bar. I'm buying."
"I'm not going to any heaven you're not in. We're a team, remember? There is no Shepard without Vakarian—there never has been, never will be. So you damn well better remember to duck."
He chuckled. "Sorry. Turians don't know how." She glared at him, and he added hastily, "But for you, I'll improvise. And—you, too. It was an awfully empty galaxy without you. I never want to go through that again."
Zia reached up and kissed him, long and slow and sweet. "You won't have to. And—if I'm up there in that bar and you're not, I'll be looking down. You'll never be alone. Not for a minute."
"Never," he repeated softly, holding her against him. One more kiss, one more touch, before they ran out of chances.
"Commander?" Cortez's voice broke into their moment apologetically. "We're on approach to Earth."
As they disentangled from each other, Liara got up, coming to stand next to Shepard. "This is it, isn't it?"
"Seems to be." Shepard called up to the cockpit. "How's she look, Cortez?"
His voice was strained and tight. "Not as well as she could, Commander. It's a good thing we got back here when we did. I get the feeling we're just in time."
"As long as we're not too late."
