In which they acquire number two.
"Beep."
"Beep"
"Beep"
Taking a slow deep breath, I smelt the distinct smell of a hospital. Waken up a bit more I fell a hand clutching mine and a head on my shoulder. Opening my eyes I see the top of Jane's head.
"Mara, what's this word?" Lilly asked quietly.
"Ball." came the giggled response.
"Good job." Lilly respond.
"Throw ball." came the giggly voice, followed by a thunk. Turning my head I see Lilly getting up to retrieve a block, muttering darkly under her breath. Sitting amid more of the blocks was a small curly blond headed girl...then it came back to me.
"Move. Get back" I pushed people back from the burning house. 'Where the hell are the firemen?' The stench of burning flesh strong, but nothing I had not grown accustom to. Thanks to Shepard's love of incendiary ammo. A cry pierced the hum of the gathering crowd,it was coming from the house. Spinning I darted for the door, someone was still alive. Following the cry I wound up in a small room, with a child in some sort of cage bed. She is holding on to the bars screaming. Picking her up,I tucked her face in my shoulder. Darting back the way I came I see the doorway.But something slams my back. I tumble forward twisting so I land on my shoulder, hunching myself over the child to protect her from the debris. Reaching out I try pulling us free, someone grabs my wrist and pulls me.
"No," I shouted above the flames, handing the child over to one of the firemen. I feel more hand grab me, pulling me, a sharp snap from my leg...
Glancing back over at Jane she was now sitting up, her fingers gently tracing my hand.
"How long?" I asked.
"Three days." she mummers, in a louder voice she said "Lilly, take Mara and go get some food." She held up her credit chip.
"Come on kiddo." Lilly flashed me a smile and snapped the chip out of Jane's hand and was out the door Mara following as fast as her chubby legs could. Jane turned a pensive look back in my direction.
"How did you get here?" I asked.
"Navesky has been bringing us and taking us home. Officer Cain has been taken care of the animals." Jane nibbles on her lip, and traces my hand some more. Finally she turns back to me and I instantly recognize the look she is giving me. It's the same look she gives me when she wants something. But know it will put a burden on me, because she physically cannot take care of what she wants on her own...It's the same look she got each time she talked me in to getting a new animal. Two goats, eight chickens, and a pig later, I am well versed in that look.
"Her name is Mara; you save her life, there were no other survivors. They tell me you ran in to the building. You also try to fight off the firemen, they said you keep yelling to save the child." she frowned.
"You would have done the same." I replied, then trying to brighten the mood, "it's not like it was an exploding volcano or anything." Her laugh ended with a cough.
"Yeah I would have. Sometimes..." She shook her head not finishing the thought.
"What is she doing in my room?" I asked. Already knowing where this conversation was going to go.
"Official she not in this room. She is still a patient of the hospital, they've cleared her but there letting her stay here till they can find someone to take her in... some of the nurse have brought old toys and clothes for her."
"What about her extend family?" I asked.
"All of her family on planet was in the house. They have found family off planet, but none of them want her. The one that did indicate he might...well they decide it might not be the best for her. He has a record..." Jane snarled a bit at that.
"I was wondering if maybe, we could take her in?" Jane finally blurted out. I reached up and gentle ran my claws along her hair and face.
"of course, love." The smile that Jane gave me, reminds me why I had married her, why I had followed her into hell and I would do it all over again to get that smile.
***
"Is that THE commander Shepard?" a hissing whisper cut thru the background noise.
"You mean the woman with the turian, and the two kids?" a second whisper asked. Carefully I glance around, pinpointing the people a few tables over. Two older human women. Nothing to worry about then, just gossiping,
"It's too bad, a nice looking woman like that she marries a turian." the first voice drips with distain. I see Lilly fist clinch, but Jane keeps talking oblivious to the conversation. I catch Lilly's eyes and shake my head. She makes a face, at the next whisper.
"My son would have made a better husband and father." the first voice added. Lilly got a calculating look on her face, then leaned over planted a kiss on my mandible.
"You're the best Dad ever!" She said loud enough for the two women to hear.
"Thanks Lil." I replied as I reached over and mused up her hair. She batted my hand away. We watched as the two woman hurried away. Lilly giggled and so did little Mara, but only because big sis did.
"What did I miss?" Jane asked her head cocked to one side.
"Nothing much. So where we going to catch a play?" Lilly said, attempted to changing the subject.
"Well, which one are showing, and don't forget you have to do a report over it for school." Jane said allowing the subject to be changed. Lilly opened up a brochure.
"Uh. The Elcor Hamlet-"
"NO!!!" Both Jane and I said at the same time. Jane coughed once, and then smiled at our outburst.
"Okay...How about the turian-human remake of Romeo and Juliet?"
"What's that one about?" I ask not that familiar with human plays.
"Well the turian are the Montagues, and humans are the Capulets. The turian Romeo falls in love with the human Juliet. The two are married. However there families fight and the two are killed in the fighting. It brings about the end of the fighting." Lilly replied, then continued with "there is also a Gilbert and Sullivan play, do you have a preference."
"Gilbert and Sullivan..." Jane's eyes light up. "Garrus did you ever hear Mordin do his rendition of the 'The Major-General's Song'? He did a few other patter songs for me, but I always like the major general song the best."
"No I don't believe I did." I replied remembering the fast talking salarian.
"So you want to go to the Gilbert and Sullivan then?" Lilly asked.
Jane shook her head, "No, just remembering. I think the Romeo and Juliet will be the best choice, you'll have some interesting perspective on it, and I doubt that anyone else in your class will be doing a piece over it." Lilly snorted. I opened my mouth to make a comment, but snapped it shut when I smelt a very familiar smell. One that I hoped I would not cross again. Looking around I spotted him. His back held ramrod straight as he walked towards my table. I growled.
"Garrus what's wrong?" Shepard asked just loud enough for me to hear. I did not answer, I did not have too.
"Garrus." his voice cut, his eyes taking in Jane, Lilly, Mara, and finally settling on me.
"Who is that dad?" Lilly asked her eyes hard.
"Vakarian." I replied not even willing say his first name. Not after our last conversation. "Please leave. I am enjoying dinner with my family." I turned to Mara, frowning as I pulled a table knife out of her hands and placing a crayon so she could scribble on the paper some more.
"So you have a family now. I did not think that was possible." He sneered, reminding me of the turian counselor.
"So you took your mate back after she cheated on you?" I felt Jane freeze, and then heard her start to curse. Turning to look at him, it dawned on me what he was implying. That Jane had cheated on me. That the children were hers... I saw his face harden he was please with the verbal wound he inflected. Blood was rushing in my ears. 'Rip his face off. Show him that you will not allow anyone to talk that way about you wife, your mate.' I growled low and bunched ready to leap at him, I saw the panic in his face as he realized he had gone too far. I was please, but one last flicker of self-control stopped me. 'How will Lilly perceive this if you hit him?' I stopped myself on the edge of the lunge, reaching across the table grabbing Lilly in mid lunge.
"Let me get him." she stated in a growling threat. I see his face open in surprise.
"Lilly, what have I said about fighting?" I asked, doing my best to keep my own anger out of my voice.
"But you wanted to." she replied crossing her arms and glaring at the me.
"Yes. But I restrained myself. Now tell me why I did that?" I prodded.
Lilly let out a sigh, "Cause he has not threaten us, word can be harmful, but he did not use any word to threaten us. He also did not make any moves to pull a weapon." I watch him out of the corner of my eye as several different emotions run across his face. Finally he sagged a little.
"You've change Garrus."
"Yes." was all I replied with. Distracted as Mara threw a crayon, "no throwing things." I gently reprimanded her.
"Garrus, don't let Her death change you the way it did me." His eyes softened as he glance at Lilly and Mara again, "take good care of them." Then he turned and left. I realized that was the close I would ever get of an apology from my father.
'I don't do well with grey. What would you do Shepard?'
'I wouldn't let it change me,' she smiled hopefully up at me, 'not in that way.'
well one more chapter down. and oh my goodness, this one shot story has taken on a life of its own :)
that being said, it was brought to my attention that my spelling and grammar need work. and I agree, as much as I love to write, English is not my strong suite (I would like to say that it is in fact possible to pass high school with D's in English. :D )
I know that the last time I was actively writing. Fanfiction was working on some kind of beta reader thing...so if anyone know how to use that. Want to be my beta reader. Or you just want to send me a comment that will not show up in the review section please drop me a PM. I would be over joyed.