Chapter 3, Part 2
Much to his surprise Shepard wasn't subjected to the usual assault of questions as to his activities off the ship, although he assumed this was because much of the crew were preparing to head out had they not done so already. Miranda, of course, still felt the need to delve deeper into the 'personal matters' which had cost the mission a day and was again dissatisfied when Shepard told her that "all would be explained in due course."
Upon reaching his cabin Shepard fell into his bed. He didn't particularly want to listen to any music or watch a quick vid - he didn't want to do anything at all. He just lay there, staring at the stars popping into sight. He let his mind wander, from what Garrus' father had said to what he would say to Garrus when he returned, but soon got up in need of food.
He arrived at the mess hall, to find it empty save for Gardner and himself.
"You know, it'd be nice to have a schedule so I could actually prepare some meals in advance and get some shore time myself."
"We can't all get what we want."
A moment of silence passed as Gardner stared at Shepard.
"So what's the answer to the million credit question?"
"Leftovers."
"Mmmm I can't wait. I can't believe the crew would rather have eat in Cipritine than indulge in the dinner you have so carefully prepared for them."
"I agree, but it's easy to take these things for granted when you have the galaxy's best cook on hand."
"Indeed. Perhaps you could cook them a bad meal and stop them taking you for granted."
"Hmmm, hadn't thought of that. What would you suggest?"
"Awh, tough one. So many choices. Maybe something super greasy, or burnt. And plain. I know, how about fried chicken with rice?"
"Funny you should say that. I was thinking of the exact meal myself! In fact, I've also got a feeling that by some act of god it's been prepared already! In fact, let me check." Gardner disappeared into a storeroom only to emerge some moments later with the food in hand.
"What do you know? It has been prepared already!"
"I don't believe it! How much is there?"
"It seems that miracles only come in small quantities: certainly not enough for the whole crew. Only for two, or one individual if they were really hungry."
"Hmmm, who should we give it to?"
"I'd say the ones who are really spoilt. Like that fellow with a whole cabin to himself. What's he called again?"
"Uhhh, Chief Tarid? Chief Peshard? Or is he a Commander? Hmmm..."
Gardner clicked his fingers and pointed at the Commander.
"I've got it! Commander Shepard!" Shepard hit the bench with the palm of his hand.
"Damn, it was on the tip of my tongue. Now we need to find the bastard."
"Could be useless if he's left already."
"No, I've got the feeling he's still around. Let me go look for him." Shepard ran towards the lift until he was out of sight.
"Oh there you are Commander Shepard! Gardner and I were just looking for you. Why don't you go see him now?"
"What does he want me for? Another request for even better rations?"
"No, no, you'll see."
"I'm trusting you on this one."
"See you later Commander."
"See you buddy." Shepard strolled back over.
"So what's this about? A good-looking fellow stopped me just earlier and said I should see you."
"Hi Commander. Just wanted to let you know that your dinner's prepared."
"What's on the plates tonight?"
"Chicken and rice." Shepard winced.
"As good as that sounds,... I should really leave it for the crew members who aren't going out tonight and go grab something in Cipritine myself."
"Are you telling me I've wasted my day's work Commander?"
"No, just that some of the others will enjoy the fine meal you've prepared."
"Look around Commander! I think it's just us."
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone else has finished eating or gone off."
"Why not save it for tomorrow?"
"No, the food'll spoil by then."
"Hmmm. Say Gardner, what are you fixing yourself tonight?"
"Oh, I was just going to cook myself something small."
"Tell you what. How about you finish the rest with me?" Gardner looked down at the leftovers.
"Commander..."
"It's good! That way nothing will go to waste and you will have had dinner."
"But what if one of the crew comes back? They'll be starving."
"Nah, you said so yourself: there's no one else but us. And just tell them that they should have come sooner."
Gardner tried to think of something else to say but couldn't.
"Yeah good point. Let me heat it up. Again."
It was towards the end of their meal that Gardner got onto the inevitable topic of Garrus and his whereabouts.
"Is he coming down yet?"
"No, he's still on Palaven."
"Oh, I thought you guys left the ship together?"
"Yeah, but he wanted to go visit a friend, so I headed back here."
"I see." Shepard continued eating.
"You know I gotta say Shepard, there's a lot of rumours going around."
"About what?"
"You two."
"Garrus and I?" Gardner nodded.
Shepard swallowed a mouthful of overcooked rice. "What are people saying?"
Gardner chewed a few mouthfuls.
"I think you can guess."
"What, that we're going out?" Shepard briefly laughed.
"What's your take on this?"
Gardner was trying, and failing, to look disinterested.
"Don't know. That's why I asked."
Shepard wasn't sure how to respond. He considered telling Gardner, but decided against it – not only would he have to trust him not to spread the word (which was about as likely as him cooking a great meal) but would have to tell Garrus about their talk, which might upset him.
"It never ceases to amazing me what my crew comes up with. Garrus and I are just really good friends."
"Oh, okay."
Shepard laughed to himself. "Me and Garrus going out. How do male turians and humans even have sex with each other? Wouldn't it be really awkward?"
"I don't know Commander. You tell me."
"Hey, what did I say before?" Gardner continued to eat while staring down at the table. Shepard had nearly finished.
"You know, most of the crew would be okay with it."
"Excuse me?"
"Just sayin' Commander." Now Gardner was laughing to himself quietly.
Shepard sat upright and folded his hands.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh nothing."
"Really?"
"It's just that you're taking this matter so seriously Commander. It's not helping."
"Well what do you expect me to do?"
"You could at least make a joke or something." Shepard finished his plate, pushed it to the center of the table and had a sip from his drink.
"I thought I was no good at that." Gardner let out a deep laugh.
"True, can't argue with that." Shepard stood up and pushed his chair in.
"I should get going."
"Hey before you go, are you interested in another round of poker tonight?"
"Sorry, but I've got a few other plans, maybe tomorrow night?"
"Nah it's fine. But I understand. I don't blame you; I don't think I could take losing that many times in a row. Especially with a poker face as bad as yours."
"No, I really am busy, besides, I'm not that bad... Wait, what?"
"Nothing Commander. I was going to say that..." He stopped and looked to the side of Shepard.
"Hi Shepard."
"Hey Garrus." Garrus glanced at Shepard's empty plate.
"Any good?"
"Well, as good as Gardner can manage."
"Thanks Commander."
"I'm joking."
"Looks like you've got some tough critics here Gardner."
"Aw it's not too bad. Besides, the Commander knows what to do if he wants better food."
"Yeah, stop off and eat at a city." Garrus laughed.
"Because clearly that's where he's eating now." Shepard smiled.
"Nice. Can't argue with that."
"I take it you don't want anything Garrus?" Gardner pushed his seat back and begun to pick up the plates.
"Nah, I had dinner on Palaven." Shepard turned to him.
"I take it things went well?"
"Yeah, surprisingly so. After you left he was okay with everything..." Garrus looked at Gardner.
"Do you want to go back to your cabin? No offense Gardner."
"None taken."
"Yeah sure." Shepard and Garrus both turned and headed towards the elevator. Garrus turned his head towards Shepard who was looking back at him with a grin.
"What?"
"Oh, it's just that you've got this... confidence about you now that I knew you had but wasn't really there before."
"What?"
"Yeah. Well maybe it's just me, but you seem..." Shepard struggled for the word while Garrus called the elevator and stepped in.
"Happier?" Shepard stepped in close to Garrus and put his arms around his neck.
"Yeah, I'd say so." They kissed as the lift doors closed.
"So about before?" Garrus titled his head into the biggest grin.
"Oh, right. I was thinking about other things... Yeah, Dad and I had a long chat over dinner. We talked about everything - from me to him to my mother and sister. It was pretty funny, some of the questions he asked me, coming from the stern, obstinate father I used to know. It was like he was a totally different - no, he was a totally different person..."
The elevator door opened and the two walked into Shepard's cabin.
"...still, there were some things he wasn't going to talk about, but he did touch on most things. As you know my life got pretty busy and complicated after you died, and because of that I didn't visit my mother and sister which just isolated me even more from them, so it was great just to hear what they've been up to. Well, for my sister at least."
Garrus sat down with his back against the wall.
"Mum isn't going very well. She's been sick for a very long time now, and Dad's not coping. And I think that's a big part of why he turned so horrible. I'm not excusing what he did, of course, but I understand him more. And I think he feels the same way about me. He was asking some really intimate questions but he just listened when I responded, or would say something and we'd both laugh. You know, I still can't believe he said this about my sister, but he said that while he was happy that his son had found someone to nest and settle down with, he was sad that he wasn't going to get any grandchildren. To which I said "But what about my sister?" But he replied "Well, there was never any hope there!"
"Ouch!" Shepard joined Garrus on the ground.
"Yeah I know right? I said "Dad!, how can you say such a thing?" but then he rambled on about her recent list of boyfriends. Anyway, I then said that he shouldn't be so hypocritical. I could see that he wanted to argue again with me but he stopped himself, though I think that was because he wanted to talk about something different. Oh yeah, he then started asking about my other relationships. Well not at first anyway. At the start he was asking if I had any serious relationships before you, and I was a bit hesitant at first, but we talked and I asked him what life was like before he met Mum which seemed to make him happier. But yeah, oh Spirits, you know, if you'd said to me back when we were hunting Saren 'Did you know in two years you'll be discussing worst dates and burning crushes with your Dad?' I would have told you to get real, but yeah we did. It's funny, he was like 'I still can't believe I didn't realize it before, how long did you know?' I told him about Dakaar - I've told you about him, haven't I? Yeah, anyway I told him about the military and how I met Dakaar, and I suppose like all Dads he wanted to know more and I was like 'Dad...' but then realized he was just curious so I talked about him... it was kinda fun reliving those memories, actually, but then he said he hoped you were good in bed! We were drinking by this stage, so I only realized later he was joking, but at the time I thought the line had to be drawn somewhere and told him he was crazy asking, but then he said he didn't want to think about those things anyway and soon we were talking about Mum again and then the topic of vacations and how he should take a big one with Mum once she's better. We didn't really say much after that and soon I found myself wishing him goodbye and leaving but yeah."
"Wow, you did talk about a lot of stuff."
"I know right? I'm still surprised that so many years could pass between us but we managed to fit it all into one dinner. But enough from me, did you get up to anything interesting while I was gone?"
"Nah, not really. Pretty much just came here and got myself something to eat with Gardner. No actually, Gardner was asking questions about us. Apparently there's a lot of rumours going around, and he seems pretty convinced about it." Garrus looked surprised at first, but then shook it off.
"Well as you said we've now crossed the hardest hurdle. Well with me anyway. I don't know, do you have a problem talking to the crew?"
"We'll that's the issue. A lot of our team are sensible. No they all are actually, what I mean is that some of them, by which I mean everyone part of Cerberus, will treat me differently which is stupid. How is my personal life any business to them? But you know what they're like. Many of them hate aliens. Period, and for no apparent reason."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I've tried many times to strike up conversations with some of the crew but a few talk to me as if I'm not a real person. I just don't get it. To call some of these people racist would be an understatement."
"Yeah, it's stupid that I'm stuck with them and have no choice in this matter. But, if someone spends a ten-digit sum bringing you back to life you can't just say 'thanks' and walk away. I don't like it, but I can't do anything about it."
"Well you can try. Like forcing them to accept what's going on between us."
"Yeah, but as I said earlier I don't want to do it if it makes the situation worse. I still need to think about it."
"No I understand, but just remember that we can't just continue to delay it. As you said Gardner made it obvious tonight that the crew knows there's something going on, and leaving it until later won't do them any good."
"But still assumptions are assumptions and their attitude towards me, and you,... without knowing is different than if we..." Shepard sighed.
"I just think if we tell them they'll hate you."
"Don't be ridiculous..."
"No I'm serious, won't they be all 'Don't you think you're better than us because Shepard's fallen for you' or 'Who do you think you are, an alien, going out with Shepard?' or something like that?"
"Hardly. They probably won't speak to me. But that'll be no different than usual and besides, I'd prefer they treat me like that but know inside that they can't do anything about our love. I realize how corny that sounds, and I know I'm petty but some of them treat me like I'm not here. But just a while ago I didn't want to go and tell my Dad about us in person because I knew he'd have a fit, but someone convinced me to and I couldn't have been more wrong, and I know you know what I'm going to say, but this situation isn't all that different. What's going to happen will be very different to the way you imagine it, and probably won't be all that bad."
"Yeah I guess you're right. What's the worst that can happen? They don't respect me anymore? Fuck them. They'll have to, because I'm their Commander." Garrus looked to the ceiling.
"Is tomorrow okay?"
"You're the one telling them Shepard."
"Oh, I was thinking of having you stand next to me while we tell them." Garrus' eyes widened.
"Oh, no, you don't want that."
"Why not?"
"Because,..."
"Won't it be worse if you're not with me?"
"You know what, telling everyone at once is a bad idea. Why don't we just invite them - the people we want to tell - separately and just let word get around. It's not as if the ones which hate our relationship would come anyway." Shepard shook his head.
"No this is getting ridiculous. Why don't we just have dinner with the crew tomorrow, and make it obvious that we're together. If anyone asks us we'll just tell them."
"I'll be sure to put on a lisp, and call you 'honey' whenever possible."
Shepard tilted his head forwards.
"I'm kidding,... honey." Shepard smiled, but stopped himself short of grabbing Garrus and putting his tongue down his throat.
"Great, that settles it then. We'll do that tomorrow." Garrus just nodded, unsure of what to say next.
"So, what have you got planned for tonight?" Garrus looked unsure. Shepard got up and wandered over to lie face up on the bed.
"It depends on the mood I'm in." Garrus stood up and walked towards the bed.
"And what mood would that be?" Garrus suspended himself above Shepard and looked down into his eyes.
"Crazy."
Shepard laughed, and turned his head to the side, putting a palm against Garrus' chest.
"Not just yet. I planned to put on a vid." Garrus paused.
"Are you serious? You'd choose a vid over me?" Shepard put on a guilty smile.
"... it's a good vid! But seriously, if we do this now I'll probably be too tired to watch the vid, so can we watch it first? Please?" Garrus looked unimpressed.
"Fine. But it better be a good vid." Garrus got up and positioned himself against the bedhead, arms folded.
"It's just that before the crash I was going through a stage of watching a bunch of famous old films from Earth. Have you watched many?
Garrus shook his head.
"Our film industry started up around two hundred years ago, so I figured if I watched vids which won heaps of awards, one a night, by the time a year was up I'd have seen lots of the best ones, but for obvious reasons I haven't got round to seeing them all, and it's taken a while to used to a new crew and, well,... but I feel that things are settled in now, and I want to finish the list. I'd just got up to the 2020s and..."
"Can you just start the movie?" Shepard glared at him.
"Fine. You choose, Detroit or Witnesses."
"Whatever Shepard, just get one started."
"Nope, if you're going to sit through a two-hour vid with me you should at least choose something you'll like." Garrus continued to give Shepard a look of exhaustion.
"It says here that Detroit's a collection of stories, one about a girl who's sent to prison while Witnesses..."
"Prison, how relateable. Like being in a world where I can't do what I want with my mate because he'd rather watch a stupid...
"Oh shut up... good things come to those who wait." Shepard couldn't help smiling. Garrus shook his head from side to side.
"What are you, five?"
"Me, the kid? Hey, if you don't want this dick, there's a shower downstairs." Garrus sighed.
"Unbelievable."
After selecting play Shepard moved next to Garrus and gestured for his hand. Garrus looked away, feigning interest, but he eventually turned to Shepard and the two laughed. They held hands as the opening credits played.
Shepard was astonished.
"Wow! Wasn't that amazing?"
Garrus looked puzzled.
"You've got to be joking."
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? Where do I begin? For starters, the characters were nearly all cliches, and the one with the most screen-time was such a bimbo - you know I despise protagonists which can't think for themselves, but,..."
"What? Did we watch the same vid?"
"The worst part though, oh Spirits, was the story. But I understand human mentalities a lot more now. Kat commits a murder, gets away with it... and it's the best thing in the world! Everyone says 'poor Kat, you didn't mean it, you don't deserve to die for it.'"
"But she didn't deserve to die for it. Geez."
"Did the guy deserve to get shot?"
"No, I'll admit that was a bit much... but he did sorta have it coming."
"Are you kidding me? She lets herself get used, but convinces herself otherwise, or at least up until the seemingly random point in the story when she realizes what's happening but can't accept the situation so kills him. And then she walks away from the crime with her gang and everyone lives happily ever after!"
"The story aside though, you at least found the music great didn't you?"
Garrus sighed.
"I'll admit, some moments impressed me, like in the balcony scene how the plucking strings in the background went along with the imagery of the theater ropes, although the main reason I found that scene really amusing was the irony. The producer's laughing about how his ex's production failed because he was a control freak but the whole movie to me felt like it was trying to control the audience into feeling certain ways."
"What on Earth are you going on about? I didn't think the film did that at all. I think you're just reading into it too much. Trying to control the audience? I went along with premise, and loved everything about it. And the sense of longing in these characters who you know, want to love each other so badly but deny themselves for the most stupid reasons..." Garrus was shaking his head.
"Yep, and if the film had just focused on that - maybe try and tell the story of one or two characters, not three, I think I would have really liked it. But if you mash up genres, each storyline by itself has to hold up,... to me, Shepard, the balcony scene summarized the whole movie. You have something fairly interesting, these two characters who want to connect to each other so badly, watching the lovers in the crowd whisper to one another over the play... but in the end their words and story, like the ignorant lovers in the audience, get lost in the crowd."
"Wow, deep."
"It's not deep, it's just my opinion. Besides, when I watch vids I think about them. I can't just mindlessly watch shit." Shepard gestured to turn the screen off.
"Well then, I don't think we'll be doing that again."
"No Shepard, I'm happy to watch a vid with you again, just next time pick something that's actually good."
"No, I wouldn't want to subject you to more 'mindless shit'."
"It's not your fault it was crap, as you said, it won a bunch of awards, maybe the committee had a bad bunch that year, maybe there were bribes, maybe it's just that galatic standards are higher."
"No, my mind's made up. Clearly anything I pick is going to be shit, so I think we won't bother altogether. I don't want to waste your precious time, so you choose something next time. At least then you'll be intellectually stimulated, and I won't be mindlessly watching something."
"Screw you." Garrus turned to lie down on his side, his back to Shepard.
"Don't do that to me. As I said, I don't want you to have to sit through..."
"I'm not interesting in talking. And don't even think about touching me."
Shepard sat up, staring blankly at the other side of the room, before shuffling to the other side of the bed. He got up and wandered over to the fish tank. The fish, as always, swam to the surface, expecting food. He grabbed the can from the drawer above and started to untwist it.
"Don't bother, I've fed them. Spirits know too many have died already."
Shepard put the can back and shut the drawer, staring at the fish.
"If you're upset, I didn't mean to upset you."
"Oh, you think this is me upset?" Garrus sat up, arms folded.
"I'm just pissed. Telling my Dad about us wasn't easy today, and when I get back, all I want is for you to fuck me and tell me you love me, but instead you'd rather watch some vid that history's forgotten. You drive me mad." Shepard looked to the bottom of the tank, looking sorry for himself.
"Don't give me that face. I don't expect a mate who's perfect, but I expect someone who considers my feelings."
Shepard watched the fish again. The fish continued to swim near the top of the tank, unable to comprehend the absence of flakes. With his eyes still on the fish, Shepard broke the silence.
"But..."
"But what?"
Shepard walked to the edge of the bed with his arms folded.
"But you're still with me." A pause followed. The two stared at one another before Shepard tilted his head and started pulling sad faces. Garrus looked to the ceiling.
"Unbelievable. Why am I still with you?" Shepard smiled, and climbed onto the edge of the bed. He sat cross-legged, wary of falling off.
"Because we were made for each other." Garrus looked to the side.
"Hate to break it to you, but evolution would suggest otherwise." Shepard laughed, turned around and shuffled backwards, reclining so his head was in Garrus' lap. Shepard looked up to Garrus.
"But you and I know that we fit together quite well."
Garrus chuckled softly, staring at Shepard, smiling.
"You drive me insane, you know that?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be nasty."
"I know you didn't. I'm sorry too. I went too far." They continued to look into each others eyes, smiling. Eventually Garrus looked away to the fish tank.
"C'mon, you know what I want."
Shepard giggled.
"Great minds think alike."
Shepard sat up then crawled over to the head of the bed to get under the sheets with Garrus, who had sunk down on his back. Shepard kissed him gently while he slowly moved his torso on top of Garrus' but as soon as they had interlocked their legs they started slow, deep kisses.
Garrus loved feeling the weight of Shepard pin him to the bed, especially the weight of his lower body pressing into his crotch. Shepard loved the support of Garrus' body, and the sound of their slow breathing through their noses.
Shepard moved his knees to either side of Garrus' legs and sat up on them, taking off his shirt and tossing it to the floor. Garrus sat up and did the same. Shepard smiled and Garrus smiled back, before Shepard pushed him down, kissing him with one hand under his neck while suspending himself with the other.
Shepard moved his hand down to undo Garrus' pants, before Garrus grabbed both sides while moving his crotch up and pushed them down along with his underwear. Shepard came up on his knees again to grab Garrus' gear, tossing the clothes to the floor.
Garrus looked to the ceiling and put his hands through Shepard's hair as Shepard begun to move his lips up and down his penis, making noises whenever Shepard ran his teeth over his head. Shepard then came up and started kissing Garrus on his belly, moving up to his neck. Shepard turned to lie on his back, unbuttoning his pants while Garrus turned to his side.
Pants off, Garrus lay on top of Shepard, kissing him while feeling his penis on Shepard's belly and Shepard's on his. Garrus then suspended himself slightly to grab and tug the shaft of Shepard's penis towards his head, while Shepard put both his hands around Garrus' neck and continue to kiss him.
Garrus then came up before taking Shepard's penis in his mouth, swirling his long tongue around his shaft. Shepard meanwhile looked to the side of the bed, realizing the drawer was slightly out of reach. Shepard paused, enjoying Garrus move his firm lips over the base of his head, before gesturing for him to stop. Shepard turned to his side and Garrus moved up the bed to lie on his side too, before Shepard put an arm around his waist and turned him onto his back.
Shepard suspended himself over Garrus and kissed him on his neck while he reached over to open out the drawer, grabbing and putting the lube next to Garrus, and grabbing a condom for himself. Shepard shuffled down on his knees to Garrus' feet, wiping the remaining saliva off his penis on his thigh before rolling the rubber on. While Garrus was lubing himself up he did the same, before taking Garrus' knees and moving them up, Garrus holding his knees to the sides of his chest.
Garrus groaned as Shepard entered him, Shepard resting his face against Garrus' neck. Shepard slowly lent forwards as he started slowly thrusting, intermittently kissing Garrus' neck. Garrus put an arm around Shepards neck, closing his eyes, trying not to focus on the pain and letting himself be consumed by Shepard's masculinity.
Shepard begun to get faster, biting more and kissing less while breathing more heavily, lost in the warmth and texture and tightness of Garrus.
Garrus started to tilt his head back, breathing very shallowly, Shepard raising himself slightly to kiss him on the mouth. Garrus put both his arms around Shepard's shoulders, almost clinging to him.
Shepard gave him a deep kiss, before feeling Garrus explode onto his chest, exclaiming and resting his neck back on the bed, putting his hands behind him.
Continuing to pound, Shepard moved his weight to his left forearm to grab Garrus' right hand in his, before swapping to take pin down both of Garrus' hands with his. Squeezing his hands and about to come, Shepard slowed down, thrusting deep and long while burying his face in Garrus' neck, pausing as he came.
After a moment he let go of Garrus' hands and pushed himself to look Garrus in the eyes, quickly kissing him on the lips then resting his face on Garrus' neck again, resting for a while before slowly reaching around to grab the shaft of his penis, holding onto the rim of the rubber as he slowly withdrew from Garrus.
As he took it off, Garrus moved to stretch out his legs and grab a pillow, turning to lie on his side. Shepard tossed the rubber to the floor before snuggling in with Garrus, wrapping him tightly with one arm around his chest and the other beneath the pillow beneath his neck. Shepard kissed Garrus lightly on his neck as he intertwined his legs with him.
"You know, I was really proud of you today." Shepard was now speaking much slower and softer than usual.
"Thanks for being there with me. I don't think I would've had the guts to show up by myself and especially tell him about us, but you were right. It went differently to how I thought it would."
"I mean, the beginning was pretty..."
"Yeah, that was kinda what I was expecting would happen, but the long talk I had with him afterwards... I think he really missed me, and me him." Shepard chuckled briefly.
"Not sure if you know this, but he is your father."
Garrus took off Shepard's hand from his chest and flipped over to face him. Garrus smiled and shook his head.
"Oh Shepard, you say the stupidest things sometimes, you know?"
"What? Is it not natural for a father to love his son, and know how he's going?"
"Yes, but you knew the deal,... and besides, for Turians..."
"Oh, it's a Turian thing now?"
"No, well, yes, but... why are we talking about this? Point is, we've made amends. He might even want to see you again." Shepard laughed.
"I'll add it to the list. Reapers, and, facing up to your Dad again."
"You're pretty stressed about it, hey?"
"What, the mission? Well yeah you've seen what they're capable of." Shepard turned to lie on his back, gazing at the stars above.
"It's just sometimes I feel as if the entire mission's a lost cause. We're just one ship. Can we really make a difference?" Garrus lay on his back too.
"Well no, but you've got me."
Shepard glared at him. Garrus laughed.
"I'm joking, derr."
"If I wasn't already tired I'd flip you over now."
"Haha. Keep dreaming buddy. But seriously, I'd quit doubting myself if I was you. Yes, at the end of the day the responsibility to save the galaxy lies with you, but you're not alone. You've got us. You maybe right; perhaps we're too small to make a difference, but we have to try."
Shepard continued to gaze into the stars, nodding.
"Anyway, its late so I'm going to fall asleep now." Garrus rolled over to kiss Shepard on the lips, before rolling on his side, back towards Shepard.
Shepard eventually took his gaze off the stars and looked over to Garrus.
"You're right though, I don't know what I'd do without you", Shepard whispered to himself, before rolling over and snuggling up with Garrus, putting an arm around him and drifting off.