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

Epilogue: The Old Soldier.

"Victus, if you don't stop that…"

"What? It's for your own good, Sparatus."

"You fiddling with my terminal is not for my own good, it's for your own amusement."

"But I happen to know some great-"

"Go fool around elsewhere," Sparatus interrupted in annoyance, "Better yet, just go home."

"I am going home," Victus answers, folding his arms, "Unlike you."

"Why, you-"

"Okay, okay," Adelais spoke up, interrupting them, "Both of you just shut up already."

"What are you so worked up about, Adelais?" Sparatus answered, cautiously, as he gently shooed a knowing, still chuckling Victus away from his terminal.

"He's about to become a… what was that word…" Victus brightened. "An empty-nest."

Adelais shot Victus an even, warning glare.

"Oh?" Sparatus gave the Primarch an odd, considering look as he sat back at his terminal, having finally successfully forced the Primarch to vacate it, "But, by going with that logic, aren't you already an 'empty nest,' Victus, because your house is empty, too?"

Victus folded his arms as Sparatus got back to checking his email.

Thanks for reminding me, his dark eyes seemed to say.

"Wait a minute, Victus," Sparatus added, suddenly, after a moment of silence, "You've forgotten something. Adelais won't be an 'empty nest' just yet."

Of course, interest provoked, Victus looked up, "How so?"

"He still has Solana."

Victus swore under his breath.

Adelais just shook his head.

He was beginning to think he wasn't the only lunatic here.

N._.S._.S

"Dad?"

Adelais looked up from the datapad that Victus had given him (which gave him a brief update on the state of Palaven so he could know before returning what needed to be done) before he'd left Sparatus' office when his daughter entered the room, arms folded across her chest, ice-blue eyes cheerfully glistening down at him.

"Yes?" Adelais asked, looking back down, not thinking anything of it when Solana sat down next to him.

"How old was mom when you met her?"

The question startled Adelais, and he turned his head to her. "Why do you want to know?"

She shrugged. "Because I want to."

"Carissa was very young when I met her, only twenty-two."

"So how old were you?"

"I was born right around 2119, Solana," Adelais answered, slowly, "And I met your mother just a year after the Relay 314 Incident, which was in… let's see… that was…"

"2158, dad."

"Yes, 2158, and I was twenty-eight that year, so…"

Solana chuckled. "I forgot you didn't keep track of your own birthday."

"That doesn't mean I don't know how old I am," Adelais protested, patting his daughter's shoulder.

"How old are you, then?" Solana countered, smugly.

"The year now is 2187, almost thirty years after the Relay 314 Incident… so," Adelais did a few quick calculations in his head before triumphantly stating, "I am around fifty-two."

"Three," Solana corrected, "Depending on the date, which you don't care about for some reason."

"Fifty-three, then," Adelais responded, lightly, standing up.

"Why don't you?"

Adelais looked down at her. "Again; why do you care so much?"

She pouted. "Because I want to know."

"Why?"

"Let me ask one more thing before I tell you."

"Of course…"

"How old was mom when you mated her?"

Adelais paused for a moment. "We were mated within a year of meeting."

"Really?" Solana gasped, eyes brightening up again.

"Solana, what's all this about?" Adelais asked as he laid the datapad on the kitchen table and picked up a worn, rather beat-up weapon's case, which safely held his sniper rifle, his scopes, and his cleaning case.

"I want to know," Solana said, folding her arms, "And it's not like anyone else can tell me."

True. Adelais realized, a little belatedly.

Carissa never had the chance to tell her the story before…

Adelais' talons clenched a bit, but slowly and silently enough not to alert his daughter.

Just one more thing Solana and Garrus were deprived of when she died.

"What did you want to know?" Adelais finally managed to ask.

Solana sat up, enthusiastically. "How did you two actually meet?"

He could tell her that, at least.

"That was when I was still working C-SEC; fresh out of the Academy," Adelais said, slowly, "Your mother was the daughter of one of the Advisors to Primarch Fedorian, and she'd come here with him to see Sparatus about one of the first serious Terra Firma terrorist attacks. She ended up wandering the Presidium when I was on the night shift, and… well, we happened to cross paths."

Solana nodded, though a little sadly, "Why didn't we know the story earlier?"

Adelais sighed lowly and shook his head. "I don't know."

His daughter stood up and stood across the counter, watching him absent-mindedly fiddle with the datapad Victus had given him.

"Do you think she would have been happy?" Solana asked, suddenly.

Adelais looked up, anxiously. "About what?"

"About Garrus, me and you," Solana gestured vaguely to the window, "About all this."

"I hope so, Solana."

N._.S._.S

Would Carissa have been happy with how everything worked out?

Garrus mating a Human woman.

Then there was everything with the Reapers, Cerberus, and the rapidly changing Galaxy- a Galaxy, Adelais was sure, had a little bit more fight in it before it before it fell back into line once again.

Before it went back to "normal-"

Or whatever "normal" would end up being, anyway.

Adelais had sent Solana down to the Decks to check the time that their shuttle to Palaven was leaving- he'd scheduled for early in the morning a day or two from now, knowing that Victus was leaving around that time, as well; they'd leave together and discuss plans for rebuilding on the way.

Standing on the balcony, Adelais looked up into the artificial sky, midnight blue eyes relaxing a bit.

Change and difference had never been something Adelais had loved.

It was dangerous.

Or so he'd once believed.

You've changed most of all, Adelais.

You think so? Adelais responded, mildly.

The Adelais I once knew would never have accepted a Human into his family.

It was against the rules.

Whose rules? Yours or traditions?

Don't make me answer that, Carissa.

A light chuckle was his reply.

Adelais just shook his head. You know something, Carissa? He asked after a long moment.

Hm?

I once believed that I would never be able to keep the promise you and I made. But now… Adelais looked over at her, into the ice-blue eyes he knew he'd never forget, I think I'll be able to.

You were always able to, Adelais. It was only a matter of you believing you could.

But I'll bet you already have my punishment ready for that, too, Adelais teased with a nod.

Sure do.

Adelais just laughed.

I'm happy, he thought, as Carissa's image faded, I'm happy that even after all this…

I can have the chance to fulfill that promise.

N._.S._.S