The next morning, they finally arrived at the Mu relay and as they were approaching Shepard did seek Garrus out by the Mako.
"Just double checking the calibrations."
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Garrus."
"Thankfully, you'll never have to find out."
"Yeah?" she smiled at him.
He wiped off the tool he was holding. "I'm serious, Jane. You took me on this team, a Turian, and helped me in my quest to get Saren, and with Dr. Saleon. Not many humans would put so much trust, so much loyalty in me. I'm humbled by your faith and your generosity."
"I see you as you, Garrus. Not as a Turian. Our differences work together to become our strengths. You're the most honorable, smart, talented individual I've ever known. I'm proud to call you my best friend. I'd do anything for you."
He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders briefly. "You're amazing." He pulled his hands down. "We can do this today, whatever comes our way, we've got this," he gestured towards his computer screen, "I've got everything calibrated for the Normandy weapons system and the Mako is at optimal. At least for now." He gave her a wry smile.
She put her hand on her hip, "Are you criticizing my driving, Vakarian?"
"I'm just saying you might want to let someone else take the wheel sometimes."
"But I get motion sick when anyone else drives."
He laughed, "How many people have puked after you've been driving? You know we draw straws for the planetary exploration missions?"
"Oh, now you're just making shit up. Right?"
Garrus raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. She smacked his shoulder. "Well, like it or not, you're coming down to Ilos with me."
He got serious, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
She patted him and walked out to the elevator. She wanted to tell him more, but it wasn't the right time. Didn't want to distract him before the mission. To be honest, she didn't want the potential disappointment if he was appalled by her suggestion they move their relationship to something romantic. She sighed heavily and made her way up to the CIC.
Garrus and Liara went on the mission to Ilos. She felt she owed it to Liara to let her see the fabled Prothean ruins. Plus her biotics would be an asset, and she wasn't about to take Kaidan with her. Shepard often admired biotic powers and at times wished she had them. Maybe that's what made Kaidan think she was interested in him. She often asked him about his biotics and his L2 implants. Shepard had put her efforts into being an engineer. She loved the challenge of making things work.
"Shepard, there!" Garrus called out.
Shepard shook out of her musings and took out more geth. The team fought relentlessly, working together as they had learned to do so over the past months. It was hard to believe that six months ago they'd never even met.
The mission proceeded, hot on Saren's trail. They talked to Vigil, and raced to the conduit.
"There it is," Liara said.
"Unbelievable, a mass relay. Okay," Shepard turned to look at her team, "Tighten your belts and hold on. We're going in."
It shot them to the Citadel, and they tracked Saren down to the tower. Desperate to try one last time to get an esteemed Spectre and potential ally to do the right thing, she hid behind a railing and tried to reason with him. She reminded him of who he was. Taking a chance, she emerged, gun down, "You still have time to make this right, if you've got the guts."
"Yes, thank you Shepard." And Saren put his pistol to his head and pulled the trigger.
Horrified, she was frozen to the spot as she watched him fall and heard the glass break. Garrus was suddenly at her side. They slowly walked up and peered over the edge, seeing Saren's lifeless body.
"Make sure he's dead." She said quietly.
Dropping down, Garrus and Liara looked him over. Garrus put another satisfying bullet in his head. "He's dead."
Suddenly the ground shook, and the Reaper technology pushed out of his skin, a mechanical carcass emerging from Saren, exploding off the offensive organic flesh in flashes of red plasma. The creature flew up on the wall, red eyes and sharp metal talons fixed on the team. "I am Sovereign, and this station is MINE!"
"Holy fuck!" Shepard screamed and scrambled up off the ground with Garrus grabbing her arm and pulling her behind a pillar. Liara was across the room shooting biotic attacks at it.
Garrus and Shepard readied their weapons as she peered around at it.
"That thing was inside him the whole time!"
"He said he was upgraded by the Reaper, remember?" Garrus popped out the heat sink. He looked at her, "Ready?"
"Ready." She set her jaw. They emerged around the corner and attacked it, taking the heat off Liara. The way it sprang and flew, sending balls of plasma at them, it was unreal. She used nearly all her ammo, and gestured to Garrus, who flanked it and they finally took it out. This time there was no question as it incinerated into dust.
"Quick, we've got to get control of the station!" Shepard and the team scrambled back up to the control panel. "Vigil's codes worked, I've got control!"
Shepard opened the arms so the fleet could save the Destiny Ascension. The fleet took out Sovereign, tearing it to pieces. Through the window on the tower, Shepard saw an arm from the Reaper flying towards them. She turned to Garrus and Liara, only able to shout out, "Go!" a few seconds before it crashed into them.
Garrus woke up with a C-sec officer's omni-tool shining in his eyes. Captain Anderson was suddenly there, "Take it easy, it's over. You're safe now." He was puzzled, looking between Garrus and Liara who refused to meet his gaze.
"Where's the Commander? Where's Shepard?"
Garrus shook his head and looked over to the last place they saw her, where an enormous arm from Sovereign had crushed everything in its path.
Anderson let out a gasp, then reached down to help Garrus up. They slowly started walking away, Garrus looking back one last time at where he last saw her warn them, saving their lives. There's no way I can go on without her, the thought shocked him. An intense pain and grief gripped his chest and he stopped.
Anderson leaned over him in concern, then a sudden movement caught his eye. He squinted back at the wreckage, straining to see what it was. "Oh my god," Anderson muttered.
They all stopped and turned back to see what he was looking at. Liara looked back at a stunned Garrus as they saw Shepard, limping, clutching her left arm, scampering over the wreckage towards them. Anderson looked at her with pride and relief, helping her down to the floor. He slapped her back and grinned, unable to speak.
"By the goddess," Liara had tears flowing down her cheeks. Shepard smiled at her, "Good work."
She looked between them up at Garrus, still stunned and frozen to the spot. Shepard limped up to him, "Takes more than a Reaper to get me, Garrus."
He reached out and grabbed her, taking her into a tight embrace.
"Oof," she winced.
He let go slightly, "Sorry, did I hurt you?"
"My shoulder, I think it's broken."
He walked to her side and helped her to walk towards the elevator. "Spirits, Jane."
"I know. But I'm here. We're both here, that's what counts." She smiled weakly and looked up at him, touched to see tears in his eyes. He never let go of her until they got into the Normandy medbay. Hospitals on the Citadel were completely overrun by casualties.