/An Interesting Turn of Events/
When Shepard awoke on the day of her release from the hospital, she was shocked to find that Garrus was not by her side, sitting in that same hospital chair she'd seen in him all these mornings.
She thought it odd, and called for Dr. Chakwas. "Is something wrong, Commander?"
"Well, just something out of the ordinary" Shepard asked, perturbed. "Where'd Garrus get off to?"
"He said he had something important to take care of, and he'd be back shortly." her friend replied, motioning to a vase on the table next to the bed.
"He left those before he left." Dr. Chakwas left the room to check on another of her patients.
She picked up the vase, filled with white roses – her favorite, and read the note.
~ Shepard. Went to meet a friend, something important came up. I'll be back before you know it. Love, Garrus ~
Satisfied, and smelling the roses deeply, she didn't notice the man who entered the room. He had to clear his throat to get his attention. "Ahem".
Snapped from her reverie, Shepard noticed her superior officer, Admiral Steven Hackett, and wondered how long he'd been standing there.
"Apologies, sir!" said Shepard as she moved to get out of bed to stand at attention and salute. "It's alright, Commander, as you were." Replied Hackett, who then stood at ease himself.
"I just wanted to come by and see how you were holding up." Hackett said, with a slight smile – a rare thing for her to see, indeed.
"Not only that, but I wanted to be the first to tell you – We're promoting you, Commander." He added, handing her a sealed envelope. "We'll have the official ceremony tomorrow, once you're out of the hospital and settled back at your apartment."
Once again stunned by this revelation, Shepard could only stammer out the words "t-thank you, Admiral."
"It's us who are thanking you, Shepard." responded the Admiral "You've done what no one else could have done. Not just for humanity and the Alliance, but for every race in the Galaxy. You deserve this, Admiral Shepard."
"I'm sorry?" said Shepard; sure she misheard her commanding officer. "Open it" replied Hackett, motioning to the envelope in her lap.
With trembling hands, she opened the thick envelope, emblazoned with a silver Alliance logo.
Reading the letter aloud, she couldn't believe her eyes. "For her valor in the face of an overwhelming enemy force, and going above and beyond the call of duty in uniting the races of the galaxy to win the Reaper War, the Systems Alliance Navy does hereby confer on Commander Alexandra Shepard the rank of Admiral."
"I can't believe this…" sputtered Shepard
"Ah, Mr. Vakarian, welcome. I hadn't heard you were coming, sir." said Hackett, turning to the door.
"Mr. Vakarian-?" replied Shepard, bounced from her speechlessness after receiving her new orders from Hackett, not understanding the situation.
She looked up to see Garrus enter the room, along with 2 other Turians she'd never met before. The all had the same markings along their mandibles and faces. Could it be..?
"I'll see you tomorrow, Commander, I take my leave." said Hackett as he left the room.
"Garrus, are these the people I think they are?" asked Shepard, a huge smile beginning to creep across her face.
"They are, Shepard." replied the younger Vakarian. "My sister, Solana, and my father, Talus Vakarian."
"I'm not staying in bed for this!" exclaimed Shepard as her feet touched the cold hospital floor. She stood in front of Solana and offered her hand, but was met with a sisterly embrace, as if they'd known each other for years.
"It's nice to finally meet the woman my brother just will not stay quiet about." Said Solana "It's an honor, Commander Shepard."
"I agree, it's an honor to meet the woman who freed us from the fear of the Reapers, now and forever" replied the Elder Vakarian. He stood at attention and raised a smart military salute, which Shepard returned quickly.
"Mr. Vakarian, sir. It's – "
"Please, call me Talus." As Garrus' father cut her off, mid-sentence. "I think it's time we get to know each other, my dear." With a knowing wink thrown Garrus' way.
Shepard, having not noticed the sly gesture, said "I'm being released from the hospital today, and you and Solana are more than welcome to stay with Garrus and I at my apartment here on the Citadel. We've got more than enough room." Offered Shepard.
"Thank you, Commander, we would be delighted to." Replied Talus "We'll meet you there later today."
As they left, she turned to Garrus. "You sneaky Turian, you." She said with a hunger, as she practically leapt into his arms. "I have been in this room so long, I haven't had the chance to be alone with you. Let's go home."
"If a Turian could blush, you can rest assured I would be" was his response as he kissed her deeply. "I've been doing some more… research on human mating practices. Some are… well some look fun" he said with a knowing wink.
They left the hospital, practically running hand in hand, determined to find the fastest possible route home.