Mass Effect: Each Story Has A Million Tales.

Summary: "There is always more than just one side to a story- and more than one lesson to learn. Follow Garrus Vakarian as he stands by a promise that he means to keep, contemplates the true meaning of life, death, and the ultimate sacrifice, and as he confronts someone who should have been behind him all along. Follow Adelais Vakarian as he mends a broken bond, and as he comes to terms with a terrible loss of his own. Follow Kolyat Krios as he navigates through a very dangerous place, only to find another- under the guidance of someone who may or may not be there at all. And follow Commander Joleen Shepard as she goes through her past and present, only to find herself in the middle of a battle for her future." (Garrus' Story: 'The Promise-Keeper.' Adelais' Story: 'The Old Soldier.' Kolyat's Story: 'The Wanderer.' Shepard's Story: 'The Missing.')

Warning: "This is a heavy one- some swearing, angst, implied adult situations, adult situations, a few character deaths, violence, and blood. All the big ones this time. Remember, this is my Shepard, my feelings on the game and what should have happened and will happen, with my own opinions and storyline, so no nasty comments. Got it? Good." (Commander Joleen Shepard: War Hero, Earthborn. Soldier. Paragon. Romanced Kaidan Alenko in the 1st game, Garrus Vakarian in the 2nd and 3rd. Shot and killed Udina during the Citadel Coup.)

Disclaimer: "I do not own Mass Effect. At all. So don't make me say it again."

Author's Note: "Just so you all know, the name 'Adelais,' is Latin for 'Noble,' and the name 'Carissa' means 'the most beloved one.' Personally, I just thought the two names fit the story and what the characters were meant for."

N._.S._.S

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Promise-Keeper IX.

"I heard you were rejoining C-Sec next month from Sparatus. Is that true?"

The way his father said it was strange. His voice was strained, as if he were in pain. And the way his father avoided his gaze (which was unlike him unless he was angry or disappointed), just proved that something was definitely up- and Garrus hoped that, whatever it was, it wouldn't lead to another argument.

It would probably be best to answer as nicely and truthfully as he could, Garrus decided.

"Yeah, I am. Why?"

Adelais folded his arms and shook his head, looking monumentally worried. "I should ask you the same thing, Garrus. Why are you going back to C-Sec? I thought you hated it there."

Ah, so that's what it was.

"Dad, I'm not leaving the Citadel," Garrus said, as gently as he could. "Their scheduling the Normandy for a six-month tour run, visiting the Council homeworlds. And no one else is staying. Liara is returning to Thessia, Tali to Rannoch, and Kaidan and Vega are heading off to Earth. None of the Normandy's original crew is staying, either- most of them have already left. The only ones that are staying are Joker and EDI."

"But why C-Sec?"

"Is something wrong with that?" Garrus countered, patiently. "Dad, I chose to say yes. No one forced me."

"You sure?" Adelais answered, mildly.

Now Garrus stood. "Dad, what's wrong?" He asked, not unkindly. "You don't want me going back?"

"Your mother wouldn't have wanted you to."

"What?" Garrus sounded shocked at the mention of his mother. "Dad, what does she have to do with-?"

"Your mother wouldn't have wanted you to go back to C-Sec." Adelais repeated, looking over at Garrus for the first time now. "Your mother," he said, again, "wouldn't have wanted it."

"Dad... mom isn't here." Garrus said slowly, cautiously.

"And that means it's fine to disregard her?" Adelais snapped back, flaring up instantly.

"Spirits, dad, no. That's not what I meant." Garrus instantly responded, now monumentally shocked at how quickly this conversation was escalating, "It's just... I'm sure she would have wanted me to do what I wanted to, right? I want to rejoin C-Sec. It's the only way I'll be able to stay here on the Citadel."

Adelais didn't respond.

"Dad, listen," Garrus pressed, smoothly, "I want to rejoin. I don't have to. I want to. There's a difference this time," he added when Adelais met his gaze again.

Adelais sighed. "Garrus, I'm not sure you understand. The Human Councilor isn't giving you a choice."

"Hackett? Dad, I don't-"

"You're being played, Garrus."

"Wait, wait," Garrus countered, "I thought this was about mom."

"This is about your mother," Adelais answered.

"Then why are we talking about what Hackett did, for Spirit's sake?" Garrus demanded, folding his arms. "Dad, what the hell are you talking about?"

Adelais didn't answer.

"Damn it dad, don't do this again," Garrus said, a bit heatedly now.

Not again.

N._.S._.S

When Carissa Vakarian fell ill the first time, Garrus didn't hear the news directly from his father. He heard it from Solana- even she hadn't even heard it from Adelais, she'd heard it from one of their mother's doctors; through a single call that would change everything.

And Garrus couldn't even bring that fact up for years; his father was just so damn upset.

It was the first time Garrus ever saw his father scared. It had been the first time those confident, dark, midnight blue eyes that matched the Vakarian colors so well, had ever been distant and dimming, as if Adelais were dying beside his wife even as he sat there, healthy, alone in that dark room for hours without end, holding her close, as if that alone would cure her illness.

That in itself was the most terrifying thing Garrus had ever seen, and remains so to this very day.

Scarier than Cerberus and the Reapers combined.

His father argued with less anger, less power, during those first months, while his wife was still conscious. It wouldn't be until she fell comatose just before Garrus joined the Normandy did his father's talent for arguing came back with a thousand-times more vehemence and bitterness than ever before.

It wasn't until she died, just before the War, that he began to listen again.

But even then, a light from his eyes had died with her.

Adelais never spoke about Carissa after she fell ill; not about her personally, and never about her illness- he was in full-out denial, Garrus would realize later.

Even as the strange illness grew worse over the course of the next year, more violent and painful by the day, Adelais wouldn't answer Garrus' or Solana's questions, even when Solana broke down and begged.

He just gave them sad glances and slow shakes of the head.

They ended up sneaking into Records and finding out alone.

It was terminal.

Very, very painful.

Violent.

She had two years- if that.

That was one of only two times in his life that Garrus could swear his heart stopped beating for a single instant before coming back louder, and more painfully, than he ever remembered.

His father was always with her, especially after he retired from C-Sec.

He was there with her every moment, it seemed.

When she died, just a week after Garrus returned home after two-and-a-half years of absence, he and Solana walked into their mother's room to find her, already gone, cradled in their father's disturbingly still arms. Adelais was murmuring something under his breath, not noticing their presence even when Solana gasped.

He hadn't been there.

At least, not in heart.

It wasn't until Garrus asked him for help with the Reapers did he come back to life.

But even then... something in his eyes was gone forever.

Whatever that spark was, Garrus was certain, it was with their mother now.

N._.S._.S

"Dad, don't do this again."

Garrus was getting impatient. He'd been standing here for ten minutes now, for his father to answer him. But Adelais wasn't budging. His dark, midnight blue eyes were staring distantly through him, as if he were staring at something standing right behind him.

"Dad-"

"I'm sorry, Garrus."

"Dad, I- wait, what?" Garrus stared at him, absolutely stunned.

Adelais eyes came back then, as if whatever thoughts stopping him from speaking had been vanquished at last. When he spoke again, however, his voice was shaking.

Shaking.

His dad was shaking.

"Dad, what the hell-?"

"I wanted," Adelais interrupted, quietly, "to make sure you were doing what you wanted. Your mother..." his voice trailed off, only to come back to life a few moments later, "Carissa would have never forgiven me if you were pulled back into something you hated, and I didn't try to stop it."

"Dad, mom isn't-"

"That doesn't mean I can just throw away the promises I made to her before, Garrus!" Adelais snapped, dark blue eyes flaring up in his old temper, "Spirits, Garrus, think," he added as his voice rose in his fury, "If your precious Commander were to die right now, you wouldn't just forget about her, would you? Because you love her!"

Wait a second... what does this have to do with-

"Dad, I-"

"I promised your mother you would be happy, Garrus, and the Council will be damned before I let them force you into something," Adelais continued, forcefully, pain clear in his voice now. "I won't let them do what I did to you again."

Stricken into stunned silence, Garrus didn't answer.

Adelais pointed at the prone figure covered in blankets. "You love her," Adelais repeated, his voice softening slightly as he spoke. "Answer me Garrus," he snapped when Garrus just stared at him.

"Of course I do, dad," Garrus finally answered, shaking himself out of his shocked stupor, "I do."

"Then you'd better keep whatever promises you made her," Adelais said, quietly. Abruptly, he turned on his heels and whipped away from him, "Because that's how you prove it."

"Dad, wait a sec-"

The metallic door slipped shut, and Adelais was suddenly gone.

Garrus just shook his head in annoyance.

What the hell was that for?

Turning his attention back to Shepard, he gently pushed a few stray strands of her short, dark brown hair out of her face with the tips of his talons.

Her body suddenly looked infinitely smaller, lying there under the blankets.

He slowly pressed his forehead against hers, ice-blue eyes softening as something within him unclenched.

I love you.

What his dad said bothered him. He loved Joleen. He did.

Who the hell was he to question...

Wait.

Was he questioning?

Garrus sat back into his seat beside Shepard.

It was official now.

His dad was out of his mind.

N._.S._.S