Author's Notes:
Thanks go to my Beta; Blueglaceon, who despite having little knowledge of the Mass Effect universe, agreed to edit the series anyway. Thanks, Blue!
Previously on Reapers:
"I'm not ashamed about being with you, Garrus," she told him firmly as he began to clean the wounds on her hips and thighs and the chaffing between her legs. "And anyone who objects can go and shove their opinions where the sun don't shine, because I plan on being with you for the rest of my life."
At her words, Garrus froze, his eyes snapping to hers. Though they'd only been together for a week, he knew in himself that Kat was the one for him, but he had ever only dared to hope that he would hear those words from her, especially so soon…
"Garrus? You okay?" Worried, she reached out to touch him.
Finding his voice, "Are you sure, Kat? Not everyone will approve of this..." He gestured between them.
Shepard shot him a look of affection, before shaking her head. "Weren't you listening to what I just said?"
Resolved, he took a deep breath. "I know we haven't been together very long, but... Will you enter Union with me, Kat? Will you become my life partner?"
With a tender smile, she whispered, "Yes," as Garrus gathered her up in his arms and lowered his forehead to hers. "I love you, Kathryn Shepard."
"And I, you, Garrus Vakarian."
Union - Ceremony
Shepard stood in front of a floor length mirror as she fussed with the garb she was wearing.
In half an hour's time, she and Garrus would be bonded for life.
And she couldn't wait.
~ o ~ o ~ o ~
The Presidium looked beautiful, though Garrus observed as he stood with Cyrus, the Turian priest that would be performing their ceremony, that some of the scars from Sovereign's attack still remained, marring the pristine landscape, serving as a reminder to him, and to all those present, of the ominous threat that was looming over everyone's heads.
Letting out as sigh, Garrus shook his head to banish the ill thoughts swarming in his mind and tried to steer them to a more positive frame of mind.
Today was his wedding day, after all!
A sudden lull in noise from the crew drew Garrus back to the present, and he looked up just as Shepard appeared on the open balcony, arm in arm with her mother and the Turian's breath caught in his throat when he saw what she was garbed in; the traditional Union attire of his race!
It had been altered of course, to fit her frame, and she had chosen the traditional colours of her kind: white with gold trimmings, beige pants and brown boots, but the design was unmistakable and Garrus found himself swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat as he realised just how lucky he was to have this remarkable woman in his life.
When the two women drew level with him, Hannah placed her daughter's hands into his white gloved ones, before looking at him. 'She's yours now,' her brown eyes told him silently. 'Take care of her.'
Garrus nodded his head imperceptivity and Hannah smiled at him before taking her place in the crowd.
"Hey," Shepard whispered softly to him.
"Hey yourself," he whispered back. "You look beautiful."
She blushed and ducked her head, the white hood she was wearing obscuring her face. "You don't look so bad yourself," he heard her murmur. His attire had a distinctive human look about it: white collar, black jacket-like type top with white and silver trimmings, light grey pants and white boots.
"Ready to get started?" Cyrus asked Garrus and the younger male nodded his head as the crowd around them grew silent again.
"Greetings friends and family and welcome to this day of celebration," Cyrus began. "We are united to witness the Union of Garrus and Kathryn. We've been invited to share in the commitment they make to each other today. They ask for your blessing on this joyful occasion. If life has any meaning to us at all, it possesses it because of love. Love enriches our lives experience. It is the reason for the peace in the family and the peace of the peoples of the galaxy. A meeting between two beings who are made for each other is a beautiful miracle."
Cyrus looked at the crew. "We are here not only strengthen the binds of Garrus and Kathryn's love for each other but also to bring family and friends together to celebrate these same said bonds that hold us all together. What defines Garrus and Kathryn's love today will change and grow to new depth in the future. It takes three seconds to say I love you, but it can take a lifetime to show it. This ceremony is the celebration of a single stage in a much larger process that is the love between two life partners. The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your Union. They will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth."
Looking back at the couple before him. "Do you seek to begin this ceremony?" the Turian priest inquired.
"We do," came the unanimous response.
"The soul shares characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigns virtues to the cardinal directions; North, South, East and West. Let us offer a traditional blessing in support of this hand-fasting ceremony. Blessed be this Union with the gifts of the East: communication of the heart, mind, and body, fresh beginnings with the rising of each sun, and the knowledge of growth found in the sharing of silence. Blessed be this Union with the gifts of the South: warmth of hearth and home, the heat of the heart's passion and the light created by both to lighten the darkest of times."
"Blessed be this Union with the gifts of the West: the deep commitments of the lake, the swift excitement of the river, the refreshing cleansing of the rain and the all encompassing passion of the sea.
"Blessed be this Union with the gifts of the North: firm foundation on which to build, fertility of the fields to enrich your lives, and a stable home to which you may always return. Now I ask the couple to look into each others' eyes."
Garrus and Shepard did as they were asked, as Cyrus began, addressing the couple alternately with each question, starting with Garrus. "Will you cause her pain?"
"I may."
"Is that your intention?"
"No."
"Will you cause him pain?"
"I may."
"Is that your intention?"
"No."
"Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?"
"Yes," the couple answered together.
"And so the binding is made."
At Cyrus' words Hannah stepped forward to drape the first cord across the couple's joined hands.
"Will you share his laughter?"
"Yes."
"Will you share her laughter?"
"Yes."
"Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?"
"Yes," again, they spoke collectively.
"And so the binding is made."
Tali moved to lay the second chord.
"Will you burden him?"
"I may."
"Is that your intention?"
"No."
"Will you burden her?"
"I may."
"Is that your intention?"
"No."
"Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this Union?"
"Yes," they responded as one.
"And so the binding is made."
Joker limped toward the couple, placing the third chord over their hands.
"Will you share his dreams?"
"Yes."
"Will you share her dreams?"
"Yes."
"Will you dream together to create new shared realities?"
"Yes."
"And so the binding is made."
Miranda moved next, laying down the forth chord.
"Will you cause her anger?"
"I may."
"Is that your intention?"
"No.
"Will you cause him anger?"
"I may."
"Is that your intention?"
"No."
"Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this Union?"
"We will."
"And so the binding is made."
Then came Mordin with the fifth chord.
"Will you honour him?"
"I will."
"Will you honour her?"
"I will."
"Will you seek to never give cause to break that honour?"
"We shall never do so."
"And so the binding is made."
Chakwas stepped up to place the sixth and final cord across the couple's hands, and as she returned to the crowd, Cyrus tied all the chords together whilst saying. "The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for always you will hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this Union."
With a slice of his claws, and being mindful of Shepard's more fragile skin, Cyrus cut the chords loose and they dropped to the ground, before the priest spoke one final time. "Spirit of love, may Garrus and Kathryn know great love together, and may they live in the desire to always support each other in positive and uplifting ways. May they strengthen one another in sorrow, share with one another in gladness, and be companions to each other in times of silence. May their home be a haven, and wherever they are plagued by changing fortune, may they be united not in word and outward form alone, but by the presence in the hearts of each, of the deepening love they share. You are life partners."
With tender expressions, the newly bonded couple leaned in to press their foreheads together for a few moments. But then Garrus drew back slightly, one of his hands sliding under Shepard's chin to tilt her head upwards, the movement causing her hood to slide back off of her head, before he cupped her cheek and lowered his head to kiss her. Surprised, she stood stock still for a moment, before she began to respond in earnest as rose petals began to rain down on them as the crew cheered and applauded.
When the need for air grew immanent, they parted and Shepard smiled up at him. "Thank you."
Garrus smiled back, he knew that she was not just referring to the kiss that they had shared, before lowering his head again to nuzzle her neck. "Thank you," he rumbled in return, which she, in turn, smiled knowingly about.
"Now, come on. The night is young and we've barely gotten started. It's time to celebrate!"
"Lead the way, husband," Shepard purred at him, linking her arm in his, as they, and the Normandy's crew, headed to their next location.
TBC...