Chapter 30.5
Liara drove down the dirt road she was becoming more familiar with each passing year. Even though she only came once a year and only had the routine for the last four, every kilometer had burned its way into her memory. The trip was too important for anything but.
She exited the car and passed under a stone arch. There was neither a fence surround the field of stunted stone monoliths nor gate to seal the arch, leaving Liara unsure why they felt the construct was needed. But she knew this was a special place, so she let it go.
Liara walked between the erect stones, too many sharing the same date. She rounded the tree that marked the end of her journey only to find someone standing at her destination.
By the goddess, she was dense. Of course he would be here. It was his ritual. She was merely a substitute, standing in for the duration he was gone. Now, he was back. And she was no longer needed.
"Liara?"
The voice made her jump. Liara spun to find a familiar face just as surprised as her.
"Garrus," she whispered.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, just as loud as before.
"Shhhh," she hissed. "I do not want Troy to know I am here."
The turian looked at the man. If he heard, he didn't show it.
"Why not?" he asked quieter.
"Because…" She stumbled for a reason. "This is his. I would be intruding."
Garrus nodded. He had the same thoughts when Shepard asked him to come. But the human said Miranda wouldn't allow him to go without someone with him. So here he was.
"You never answered my first question."
She paused, looking in the direction Shepard stood. "He brought me here once, after we defeated Saren. This was important to him. I felt… Someone should continue the visits."
"So you've come here every year since then? On the anniversary?"
She nodded.
Garrus looked at her meaningfully. "Why aren't you on the Normandy again?"
Liara massaged her temples. She did not want to get into this conversation. She wanted to leave before Shepard returned and caught her here.
"Now is not the time. I need to go." She started to leave, but turned. "Please do not tell Shepard I was here. Do not tell anyone I was here. Promise me, Garrus."
Garrus' mandibles flicked. He didn't want to. This meant something to Shepard, and it would mean even more if he knew Liara was there filling in for him while he was away. It might even be the lynchpin that got them back on speaking terms. Shepard may be thick-plated when it came to Liara sometimes, but there was no way he could deny how important he was to her or she was to him if he knew this.
But Garrus nodded solemnly, hating that he was agreeing.
Liara smiled. It was sad and lonesome. With his promise, she left the Mindoir "cemetery" as Shepard had called it and headed back to Illium.