Two Against One - Danger Mouse and Danielle Luppi feat. Jack White

"What do you call it when a turian gets killed by a horrible spiky monster?"

"Friendly fire. Come on, that one goes back to Shan-Xi."

Shepard was quietly listening to Joker and Garrus razz each other with a knowing smile on her face. They acted tough around each other, but their friendship was solid.

Things had been nothing but difficult since the Shroud. Having to outright lie to Wrex and Eve and provide them with false hope, with the only reward being the salarian dalatrass's smug expression knowing that her plan had succeeded, had been agonizing.

Although she wasn't in a hurry to spread word of what she did, Garrus needed to know. She needed his support, his reminder that she did it for the good of the galaxy, his rumbling subvocals banishing her concerns.

Garrus exited the cockpit and his mandibles twitched into a smile at the sight of her. "Hey there," he grumbled in his most loving voice. "Things got a bit rough back there. How are you holding up?"

Her gaze fell to the floor and she heard a click as the door shut behind Garrus. "I'm alright. Ship's going to be quiet without Mordin and Wrex, though."

He reached for her hand and squeezed it lovingly. "I'm sorry to hear about Mordin. I know he meant a lot to you."

He watched her gaze fall from his face to the floor, her expression morose. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. "Can we talk about it upstairs?"

"Of course," he responded, his subvocals filled with compassion. She regained both her composure and the hardened expression of a commander who had been through more than anyone.

When they reached her quarters, she started shaking off her armour as quickly as if it was on fire. "The salarian dalatrass made me an offer before we went ground side," she began while removing her shoulder guards. "It allowed the salarians to sabotage the genophage without the knowledge of the krogans. Her offer was the only way I could get support from the salarians as well as the turians and krogan."

"It's a tempting offer," Garrus conceded while gingerly removing his chest guard.

Shepard stopped, now wearing only her thigh guards and boots. "I know. That's why I took it."

"Damn war," he growled. The pair was silent as they removed the rest of their gear until they were stripped to their underarmour. When a realization hit Garrus and he spoke, he concentrated to keep his subvocals from trembling. "Did Mordin know?"

Shepard sat down on the bed, gazing at her hands. Her brow was set in a deep furrow, and the corners of her mouth were turned down. "Yes. He was going to release the cure for the genophage regardless of what I said. I had to gun him down."

Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Garrus was shocked: the Zoey Shepard he knew, the one that he would follow to the end of the galaxy and the one that he fell in love with, would never gun down a friend. Regardless of the cost. "That was a tough call," he muttered, reading the distress on her face.

"There was a part of me that kept reminding me that I have to do what's best for the galaxy. This was the only way to unite everyone against the Reapers."

Garrus kneeled on the floor in front of Shepard so he could meet her eyes. Although he wanted to pacify her, tell her that everything would be alright, he also wanted to be honest. "Decisions that we have to make on the spot are never easy, but I want to make sure that you don't let this haunt you."

"What do you mean? Do you think I made the wrong decision?"

"I think you made the right decision as a commander. But did you make the right decision as Zoey?"

Her tone fluctuated angrily. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"For a moment, Zoey, let's say that I'm just your boyfriend, not a soldier. When I met you years ago on the SR-1, you told me many times that your focus is on saving as many lives as possible. I just want to make sure the pressures as a commander aren't forcing you to make decisions you'll regret."

Insubordination. That voice in her head that had guided her to gunning down Mordin was speaking to her again. He's being insubordinate. Don't take that. You're a fucking commander.

She couldn't deny that the voice was right.

She stood up quickly, towering over him. "I am your commander, Garrus. Don't question my decisions."

The malice dripping in her voice was terrifying, and Garrus's knees felt weak when he stood. "I'm trying to help you." He kept his voice steady and calm. "You mean so much to mean and I worry about you. I know those nightmares that keep you up every night. I worry now that you'll have nightmares of Mordin, too."

He doubts you. That voice again. He doubts you as a commander.

"Enough!" she shouted. "Mordin had to die; I did it for the good of humanity and the galaxy. You were the one who reminded me that I have to think of the needs of the many over the needs of the few! And now, you question my decisions. My way has gotten us this far, and it's going to get us to win that war."

"This isn't your way!"

Her lip curled into a ferocious scowl. "I've had enough of this. Get out."

His heart fell to the deepest pits of his stomach. "Shepard, Zoey, I'm sorry, I-"

"GET OUT!"

His entire body trembled violently as he picked up each piece of his armour, his eyes sticking to hers. He had never seen her expression so cold, and it scared him.

I love you, Zoey Shepard.

I love you, Garrus Vakarian.

Was that really just weeks ago? "Zoey-"

She opened the door for him and he stepped out without further argument. She slammed the door behind him and immediately screamed at the room at the top of her lungs. She took a swing at the nearest object she could find: the fish tank. The glass shattered with a loud crack, sending water and shards of glass careening over the floor and soaking her from head to toe while she screamed over and over.

Garrus slumped against the wall in the elevator, covering his ears with his hands while he tried and failed to drown out her cries.