Lizzie went back to her quarters to pack for her week's leave. She had been out here three months and she had to admit, she was tired. Miranda had sent through word that she would be expecting her the following day. She opened the door wearily, looking longingly at the bed, but she couldn't afford the time to sleep. She frowned. What was that on her pillow? She walked over and picked it up. It was a letter. An old fashioned, handwritten letter. The script was unfamiliar, the loops and whorls neatly constructed. It had 'Elizabeth' across the front. She turned it over, there was no other writing. She pulled a knife from her boot and slit the edge, sliding the two sheets of paper from the inside. There were no other contents.

Dear Elizabeth, it began. She looked at the other sheet to see who wrote it, and was deeply mortified to see Garrus Vakarian as the signatory. She hurried back to the first page to scan the script, dropping onto the bed to read.

Dear Elizabeth, she read again. Not Lizzie. Elizabeth. He had called her that several times. She read on.

When I left last night I was angry with you and myself for the utter failure on my part in trying to express my utmost and sincere admiration for you. The night we met at the reception, your vividness, your spark caught my heart and my mind. Afterward, you clashed with me, thought for thought, with utmost passion and love for those you cared about.

But I fear you have gravely misunderstood me in several instances.

Firstly, the matter of your humanity. I find you attractive. In fact, I find it hard to even concentrate when you are around. Even when you are head to toe in camouflage paint, you are exquisite because it is not your physical form that is the reason for my devotion. Your people and mine fought to a standstill so long ago, but racial memory is long. This primitive culture bested the might of the turian military time and time again. If I were to declare, as the next Palaven Primarch that my chosen mate was a human - it would cause a political upheaval the likes of which has never be seen. It has been expected since childhood that I would marry Circe Alexis, but there is no formal agreement, nor has there ever been. Perhaps I might have, had my heart and mind not been caught by a headstrong, proud human soldier.

Secondly, your parentage. I had meant no insult to your family. It is with sorrow that I learned of your parents sad demise. But the sad fact remains: I am expected to marry, and marry well - cementing ties with other turian families. Like your humanity, your name that has no history in Palaven's colonies will only add strength to my opponents.

Thirdly, you accused me of preventing a man from becoming a Spectre. I can only assume you refer to Major Simon Quinn. It was true he was appointed to my unit while we were involved in border skirmishes in the Skyllian Verge. The pirates had supposedly broached turian space and my unit was dispatched to take care of it. This Major Quinn is not who you think he is. The so-called pirates were human. A small but vicious group called Cerberus. They hold extremist views about advancing human interests in the galaxy. Quinn betrayed my unit to them. We were cut off then cut down. Three of us survived, including Quinn. He protested innocence, but when I dug through communication records in the months to come, I found his transmission. My youngest brother, Marcellus, died in that attack. I have held my personal hatred for Quinn at bay, until I discover more about this Cerberus and who is in charge there. I have left my home and family to investigate the man as he resides on the Citadel. Quinn still believes I do not know who he truly is. I trust you with this knowledge.

You also accused me of breaking up Kal and Tali. On this point, I confess, you are correct. Solana had seen Tali in a club in Silversun in the embrace of a known drell assassin. I thought then, as I do now, that Tali does not feel the same affection for Kal as he does for her. It broke Kal's heart to end the relationship, and I regret my part in it, but is it not better to know now that your love is one sided than find out when you are already wed?

I will honour your wish not to see me again, Elizabeth. I truly hope that you remain safe. I know now what it is that you do, and I could not feel better knowing that such a brave, passionate woman helps to protect those that I love,

Yours,

Garrus Vakarian

Lizzie put her head in her hands. What had she done? How could she have misread Garrus Vakarian so badly?