Title: Artemisia Shepard, War Hero
By: Midnight Unicorn
Disclaimers: Main character semi-mine, others and places are not.

As of five minutes ago I beat the second game for the first time. Hooray!

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Garrus watched Miranda for a moment, wondering what is must be like to talk to someone you've protected all their lives without them knowing. Then he turned away respectfully, looking to see where the Commander had gone. Her back was to him as she leaned her elbows on the rail overlooking the vista, Illium spread out in its deceptive splendor, the sunset lights fading to blues and purples in the night, making the pink and red and yellow artificial lights seem that much gaudier.

"It's pretty if you don't think about it," Shepard said as he approached, clearly thinking along the same lines.

"Reality makes everything uglier," Garrus answered carelessly, standing beside her. "Well, I suppose that isn't always true," he amended quietly, glancing briefly back at Miranda and her sister.

Shepard also looked over at the foursome and then up at Garrus, violet eyes intent. "Something on your mind?"

"I'm fine, Commander." Garrus said that so often now, it almost seemed true.

This time she just nodded and returned to the view. "Do you have any siblings we need to catch up with?"

The turian smiled humorlessly. "Nothing nearly so warm." She eyed him curiously at that cryptic response, but he shrugged dismissively. "Yes, my sister, but she's safe on Palaven." She'd better be. "But, turians are encouraged to look after and form bonds with their age-mates, sometimes more than their blood relations."

"Makes sense, since you end up servings with them and need them to watch your back."

Garrus nodded "Precisely." After a spell of comfortable silence, he thought to ask: "What about you? A sister to save, perhaps a brother who needs tactical support?"

Shepard smiled crookedly before answering. "My mother never wanted children in the first place. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, even if it meant I never spent more than a few hours with anyone my own age until I was eight."

"That must have been difficult." Garrus' tone was even; she didn't seem to be looking for sympathy and her dismissive shrug confirmed that.

"It was the way things were. Surrounded by adults I had to learn things fast to get what I wanted, determination, resourcefulness, I had to be cleverer and more careful than them." Her smile had a distinct wolf-like edge when she looked up at him. "I'd say I benefited from that."

"You and the entire galaxy," Garrus said, offering a small smile of his own. "Myself not the least among them."

"Nor I." Shepard straightened and the pair turned to Miranda who rejoined them. Her pale lips trembled slightly and there was a faint flush high in her cheeks, but her gaze was steady and clear. "Let's go." Shepard nodded and led the way to the elevator.

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Thank you Gischa for the fav. A belated thank you also to Suffering Soldier for their helpful comments.