.

Loyalty and Limerence

Part 3

Chapter 19

The Citadel

"Oh, man. This is the life." Joker groaned happily as he leaned back in a plush chair in the Shepards' apartment. "I could get used to this." He stretched, a lazy grin spreading across his face.

"Well, don't." Jane tossed a decorative pillow at his face, causing the pilot to splutter.

"Hey, after everything that happened on Horizon, that whole Sanctuary ordeal, we deserve a little break." Joker pointed out, and Jane cocked her head and shrugged as she relented.

"I won't argue with that. What a nightmare…"

Garrus knew he wasn't the only one in the room agreeing with that sentiment. There were things they'd seen while storming the secret Cerberus lab on Horizon that he wouldn't be forgetting any time soon, despite his best efforts. He was trying to remain positive, but his fear that his family had ended up there made him feel more than a little sick. At least it had been shut down. If it hadn't been for Traynor's clever work detecting the signal and Jane's quick thinking and leadership, they likely wouldn't have made it in time to help Miranda shut down the facility for good. Nor would they have been able to track Kai Leng to Cerberus' base.

"Well, we've got two days until we ship out." They all looked up as Shepard walked into the living room. "Then the fleet will be ready to mobilize, and we take the fight to Cerberus." There was a chorus of agreement and grim nods from around the room. Faces were long and pinched with anxiety as a chill seemed to grip the room.

"You know what that means, right?" Joker asked with a grin as he sat up, immune to the sudden mood shift. "Plenty of time for that party you promised!"

The room remained quiet as multiple heads turned to gauge Shepard's response with trepidation. The Commander had been out of commission since his run in with Kai Leng on Thessia, but he was mending wel and they were hopeful that he would be cleared for combat before they confronted Cerberus. Despite that, everyone had been treating him with the utmost care, as though looking at him sideways might injure him further.

"Party, huh?" Shepard mused quietly as he crossed his arms, but then winced as he brought a hand to where his bandages lay beneath his shirt. Joker sighed as he slumped.

"No one's going to make you throw a party." He grumbled in defeat, but Shepard shook his head as he smiled.

"No, no. It's a good idea. You all deserve it. You've all really stepped up while I've been healing." His gaze swept the room, but lingered on his sister longer than most. They shared a small smile, and Jane ducked her head in acknowledgment. Glyph hurried into the room and began babbling about discretionary funds and party supplies, and conversations broke out about invitations and plans.

Garrus gave Jane's knee a quick squeeze before leaning in to whisper in her ear, "I need to head out and take care of some errands. Are we still on for later this afternoon?"

"Yeah." She leaned in to press a quick kiss to his mandible before leveling him with an inquisitive smile. "Am I allowed to know what this big surprise is yet?"

"You'll see." Garrus chuckled as he stood and made for the door. "Meet me outside the docks around noon." Being sure to suppress the nerves and excitement in his subvocals, he made for the door.

As Garrus leaned back against the skycar outside the entrance to the docks a few hours later, he couldn't keep his knee from vibrating. The object in his pocket felt as though it was burning against his thigh, though he knew it to be purely his anxious imagination. He'd been planning this date for weeks, ever since the whole clone debacle, and he was positive he'd thought out every little detail. But he really wanted it to go perfectly. Especially since he decided to-

His omni-tool pinged. Looking down, Garrus braced himself. It was probably Jane canceling. Something must have come up. Taking a breath, he looked at the incoming call and blinked as his breath caught. He opened the call.

"Dad?" He asked hopefully, his heart suddenly hammering in his throat.

"Garrus. It's good to hear your voice." Sudden relief hit Garrus so hard that his knees almost buckled.

"Are you both alright? Where are you now? Do you need help? Money? What can I do?"

"Whoa there. We're alright. We finally made it to the Citadel about an hour or two ago, and we're in line to be processed by refugee intake." His father explained as gently as his gruff voice was able, and Garrus sighed as he relaxed.

"Thank the spirits. For a little while there, I was worried you guys had gone to Sanctuary. It's been a while since I'd heard from you."

"Sorry about that. It was nearly impossible to get a stable extranet connection. I tried to send messages, but they never went through."

"Ah, I see. Well, I happen to be on the Citadel at the moment as well. Which refugee docking bay are you in? I can try to help move the process along for you and-"

"No, we'll be fine. We'll wait in line for our turn, just like everyone else who just arrived." His dad stated firmly, and Garrus couldn't help but smile fondly. It was just like his dad to do everything by the book.

"Okay, okay. But at least let me bring you guys some food and help you secure accommodations. Despite my best efforts, the rations given out to refugees are awful, trust me." An idea began forming in the back of his head, and though his father replied, Garrus hardly heard as the idea bloomed into a plan. "How about I take you and Sol out for dinner tonight? Assuming you make it through refugee processing by then."

"Garrus, that's really not nec-"

"I insist. You guys have undoubtedly been through the ringer these past few months. It's the least I can do." He put an edge of steel into his voice, and to his surprise, his father relented.

"Fine. I'll keep you updated on our progress. We'll figure it all out when we're done here." Garrus grinned, elation causing his mandibles to quiver. He hadn't realized how much his concern over his family had been weighing on him until that moment. And the timing couldn't have been better.

"Great, perfect. Hopefully, I'll hear from you soon." They said their goodbyes and hung up, but the smile on his face remained as he leaned back against the skycar.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Garrus turned to see Jane approaching, her hands tucked in her pockets, a warm smile on her lips. He pushed back off the car and stepped toward her, offering his hand.

"Nothing, just another surprise I have for you later, I hope. Until then, I was thinking we could do something fun for a change."

"You've been keeping hush hush about this little surprise for a while. What did you have in mind?" She took his hand, and he led her toward the skycar.

"Something that doesn't involve fighting Reapers."

"I figured," Garrus began as the skycar pulled to a stop and the door popped open, revealing the bright light of the Presidium, "it's time to do something stupid just for the hell of it." Jane stepped out, wide eyed as she gazed up at the skycars passing over them. "Might be the last chance we ever get." He murmured as he began unloading supplies from the backseat.

"Garrus, this is incredible." Jane marveled as she stepped up close to the edge. They were parked atop one of the buildings spanning the width of the Presidium, and Garrus was happy to see the shining wonder on her face as she turned to smile at him.

"Ever have that one thing you always wanted to do before you died?" He asked as he came to stand beside her. Jane smirked as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"I've woken up with a turian next to me." She purred smoothly and Garrus snorted a laugh.

"Still trying to make me blush, huh?"

"It used to be so easy." She sighed melodramatically, her attention drifting back to the breathtaking view before them. "So, what's your one thing?" The object in his pocket pressed into his thigh plates, making itself known, but Garrus continued on with his plan.

"The whole time I worked at C-Sec," He began as he crossed his arms, "I'd stare up at the top of the Presidium and say to myself: I want to go up there." He sighed as he shook his head. "But I never did. There were 137 regulations telling me I couldn't."

"So you got them changed?" Jane looked at him skeptically, and Garrus shrugged as he turned and walked back toward his pile of supplies.

"No. Now I just don't give a damn."

Jane's laughter was a sharp, amused bark. Garrus bent down and grabbed the rifle from the pile before turning back to her.

"Now, there's one thing that we never settled. For a while there, we were keeping track, but I think it's finally time to settle the score." He checked that the practice slugs were loaded properly before looking back up at her slyly. "Not saying you don't know how to handle a gun. Just saying some of us know how to make it dance." With that, he tossed the rifle to Jane, and she caught it deftly with a grin. "So, let's find out who's really the best shot." He picked up one of the many bottles from the case he'd brought and gave it a spin in his hand.

"There's a few people in the galaxy who've seen me in action, Garrus." Jane stated casually as she adjusted her grip on the rifle and took a step closer to him, her posture full of her usual swagger. "They seemed impressed."

"Yeah, but I've actually seen you drive, Jane." Garrus paused, raising a single brow plate in challenge. "No comment."

"Alright, Vakarian. You're going down." Jane stated with playful venom as she checked the rifle and adjusted the settings.

"And don't worry," Garrus added teasingly as he drew his arm back, "I loaded it with practice slugs for when you miss." There was a snort of laughter from beside him, and his arm snapped forward. The bottle sailed into the air, glittering as it caught the light of the Presidium's sky. It had just reached the pinnacle of its arch when it suddenly shattered, the glass sparkling as it fell.

The sound of the rifle's shot was still ringing in his ears as he turned and took in Jane's smug smile. "That was an easy one, let you build up your confidence." He muttered with a roll of his eyes as he handed her the next bottle, exchanging it for the rifle and preparing for his turn.

The minutes ticked by as they took turns, each shot more impressive than the last. Garrus marveled at her form, her skill, the utter perfection of it all. Every line of her body as she took aim was a work of art, placed perfectly and deliberately. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. Spirits, he loved her. He could watch her shoot bottles for hours.

And before he knew it, they had been up there for nearly an hour, trading playful jibes and taunts as they shattered one bottle after the next. Jane's smile only seemed to get wider with each shot, and he could tell he'd knocked it out of the park with this one. It had taken some thought and planning, but he'd guessed right.

He reached down into the crate and blinked in surprise. Standing, he turned to Jane. "Last one. You ready?"

"To win? As usual? Always." Jane quipped as she raised the rifle. She paused then, an odd expression crossing her face as she seemed to consider something. Finally, her smile returned as she readied herself. "Do it."

Garrus drew his arm back, then let it snap forward, and the bottle soared through the air as it spun. Jane fired, but instead of hearing the usual crack of shattering glass, Garrus watched in surprise as the bottle tumbled end over end down toward the water below. The unexpected thrill of victory sent a thrumming warmth through his body as he thrust his arms up into the air.

"I'm Garrus Vakarian, and this is now my favorite spot on the Citadel!" Garrus crowed triumphantly as he spun to grin at her. Jane must have remembered her brother's ridiculous ads as well, because he heard a snort of laughter. He was caught off guard by the gentle smile that graced her lips as she lowered the rifle. There was a fond affection in her eyes that made his chest tighten painfully, but the curl of her lips vanished in a second to be replaced by mock annoyance.

"It's windy up here." Jane explained, the irritation in her voice only vaguely hiding the smile she was fighting against as she lowered the rifle. Garrus sidled up to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"There, there. It's okay." He leaned in to nuzzle her temple, savoring her hum of pleasure. "I know there are… other things you're good at."

"Yeah, yeah, enjoy it while it lasts, Big Guy."

"Believe it or not," Garrus pulled away and moved around her, reaching for a pack nearby, "I didn't bring you up here merely to show you up." He pulled the prepackaged sandwich out and checked the sticker. It was bright red, so he handed it to Jane before pulling out the one with a blue sticker for himself. Jane's smile brightened as she checked the wrapper.

"Mmm, my favorite. You're the best."

"I know." Garrus pulled out two more bottles, these filled with soft drinks, and handed one to Jane. The two of them then sat down to enjoy their meal as they watched the skycars passing by. They discussed a little of this, a little of that, but never once let the conversation drift toward the war.

As Jane finished the last bite of her sandwich, she dusted off her hands before popping her drink open and taking a swig. Putting it down, she leaned back onto her hands and looked up toward the simulated sky above them.

"Thanks for this, Garrus. I really needed it."

"I figured we both needed to get our minds off everything." He mused as he opened his own drink. Jane nodded, her smile lazy and contented as she closed her eyes. He shifted, and the little box in his pocket pressed against his thigh plates again. Garrus' heart began to thump in his chest like a drum, the sound reverberating in his ears as he quickly checked the time. It was now or never.

As soon as he'd come to the decision to do this, Garrus had thrown himself into researching cultural traditions, norms, and expectations when it came to human marriage and proposals. It didn't seem too overly complicated, all things considered. There didn't seem to be too many major variations. But he really didn't want to mess this up.

He swallowed the lump of anxiety in the back of his throat and leaned to the side to pull the small box out of his pocket. Slowly, he shifted so that he was facing her, and cleared his throat.

"This was really fantastic," Jane began as she opened her eyes and sat forward again. "Thank you so m-" She froze as she noticed the box in his hand. "What is…?"

Garrus lifted the box before him and hit the little button, causing it to open and reveal the ring within. Jane's eyes widened as understanding dawned, her eyes taking in the silvery band and the small, sparkling diamond nestled upon it.

Their eyes met again, and just like that, Garrus' carefully crafted and memorized speech vanished from his mind like a speck of dust in the breeze. Neither of them spoke, and panic began building as a vice grip squeezed his chest.

"I, uh…" He cleared his throat, warmth creeping up his neck, "I wasn't sure- Maybe we…" He trailed off, and after a moment, he shook his head, forcing himself to take a deep breath. This was Jane Shepard, the love of his life, and he could do this.

"Jane," Garrus began again after a moment, his voice more confident than before, "While I can't say it was love at first sight, it was pretty damn close. You're the most amazing, intelligent, funny, and beautiful person I've ever met. I don't think I really understood what love was before I fell for you, and not a day goes by that I don't thank the spirits that you feel the same way about me, for whatever reason."

Jane remained quiet as he spoke, sitting completely still as she listened raptly. Garrus swallowed, fighting his returning nerves as he continued.

"I want to spend my life with you. I don't know how much time we have left, but if I were to die tomorrow, my biggest regret would be not having made that promise to you. I want to be your bondmate. Or husband, or partner, or whatever you want to call it. I don't care, as long as I get to be with you." He paused and took another deep breath. He was doing this primarily by the human tradition, or so he hoped, so he knew he was supposed to follow it up with… "Will you marry me?"

Garrus held his breath as he waited, but the silence dragged on as Jane sat before him, still as a statue, and worry began bubbling up unbidden. He racked his brain, trying to figure out if he'd forgotten some important step. Some sources claimed it was traditional to ask a woman's family for permission before you proposed, but most said that was considered fairly antiquated, and apparently it was even insulting to some women. He had assumed Jane would fall under the latter, but was he wrong? Should he have approached John about this beforehand? Dammit, had he completely messed this up already?

"Garrus…" Jane started, and her tone caused the anticipation of disappointment to curl its fist round his heart painfully. "This isn't something we should decide to do simply because we're afraid of dying." Her expression became concerned as she continued, "And don't turians usually bond for life? The chances of us both making out of this is slim, and if something were to happen to me…"

"We're not biologically incapable of falling in love after our bondmate dies, you know." Garrus huffed a small, bitter laugh. "Plenty of turians find a new bondmate. Most just choose not to."

Before Jane could respond, Garrus quickly cut in, "Look, I understand if you don't want to marry me, but I want you to understand that this wasn't just some last-minute decision spurred on by fear. I've wanted to be bonded to you since even before the Reapers arrived, back before the Bahak system. If I don't take the chance to do it now, I might never get another opportunity. One or both of us might die, or the world could end tomorrow. But for now, I just want us to have what small slice of happiness we can."

Finally, Jane's expression softened, a small smile gracing her lips as she turned in her seat to face him more fully. Garrus could taste the barest hint of hope on the tip of his tongue, so he pushed just a little harder. He opened his mouth to continue, but his words died as she leaned forward, her hands coming up to cup his face gently. He leaned in to meet her, their foreheads brushing lightly.

"Okay," Jane whispered, their warm breaths mingling, "I'll marry you. I'll be your bondmate."

Elation roared in his ears as it rushed through Garrus' body. Careful not to accidentally fling the expensive ring off into the water below, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. She laughed in surprise, her own arms coming up around him.

"Whoa there, Big Guy! There are better ways to learn whether or not you can swim!" Jane said as she pulled back slightly, eying the nearby edge.

"Sorry, I'm just happy." Garrus breathed as he grinned. Jane glanced down at the box, and he opened it again. Carefully, he pulled the ring out, and she hesitantly offered him her hand. "I'm going to be honest, I know this is supposed to go on a specific finger, but they all look the same to me."

That got a chortle out of her, and she took the ring from him before placing it on one of the fingers of her left hand. Settling beside him, she held her hand out before them as she inspected the ring sparkling in the bright Presidium light.

"I'm not really a good judge of jewelry, but this is really beautiful. Thank you, Garrus." Jane leaned into him, and he put an arm around her.

"I was assured that it's considered a normal human engagement ring." He murmured with some small amount of anxiety. "It looks like the ones in my research, at least. It wasn't the most expensive one they had, I don't really have the budget for that. And some of them seemed really over the top. I figured you'd appreciate something on the less extravagant side, so I-"

Jane reached up to kiss his mandible, effectively silencing his rambling.

"It's perfect." She stated firmly, and he hummed happily. They sat there admiring the ring and its stone in silence for a moment or two before Jane brought it in for a closer look. "I never thought I'd receive a ring like this," she finally whispered, and Garrus turned to give her a skeptical look. "What? Until you, love and romance hardly played a major role in my life. I never thought I was the sort who would get married." She paused, a strained expression crossing her face. "Wait, you don't want some sort of big party when we get married, do you?"

"No, that's one human tradition I'm fine with skipping. For turians, bonding ceremonies are usually a slightly more sedate affair, usually just with extended family." Garrus explained, but then paused before continuing carefully. "Speaking of which, I do have some good news."

"Oh?"

"I heard from my dad and sister. They made it here to the Citadel safely this morning."

"Garrus, that's wonderful! Are they okay? Where are they now?" Jane brought her hand around to rub his back as her face brightened at the news.

"Yeah, I think they're okay. I only just heard from my dad a little while ago, but he said they're going through refugee processing. I'm planning to take them out for a meal when they're done, and I was wondering if you'd…" Garrus took a breath, assaulted by another sudden bout of nerves, "if you'd like to join us, so I can introduce you."

Jane drew back slightly, but her hand remained on his back as her eyes widened. She seemed to consider, her head tilting ever so slightly.

"The timing does seem fortuitous, doesn't it. Are we going somewhere nice? Is this the sort of thing I'm expected to dress up for?" Something tight in Garrus' chest began unraveling as he pulled her in close for another hug.

"Traditionally, yes, it would be something to look smart for. But they've probably arrived with not much more than the clothes on their backs, so I doubt they want to head out somewhere fancy." Garrus looked down at his omni-tool and blinked as he registered the time. "Speaking of which, we should probably pack up and get going so we can freshen up beforehand."

They began gathering up their belongings, but Garrus paused to watch as Jane loaded the rifle into the back of the skycar. He distinctly remembered the first time he'd imagined a future together with Jane, back after they'd survived the mission through the Omega 4 Relay. It felt like another lifetime ago. If, by some miracle, they defeated the Reapers, maybe they could truly make that future a reality.

His contented smile melted. It really would require a miracle, though. They were preparing to throw themselves against Cerberus in one last ditch effort to retrieve the data they needed to complete the Crucible. Victory against the Reapers hinged on the outcome of their attack, and the future of the entire galaxy depended on them.

"Come on, let's get going." Garrus blinked, coming back to himself as he noticed Jane holding a hand out to him. He took it, reveling in the warmth as she gave him a tug up into the skycar.

For the time being, at least, they could enjoy each other's company a little while longer. A little calm before the storm.

As they approached the cafe, Garrus could barely contain his grin. He felt like a bouncing child with an extra spring in his step. But he couldn't really blame himself. Jane had agreed to be his bondmate, or to 'marry him', or whatever they wanted to call it, and now they were on their way to see his family, whom he'd spent months worrying over. Honestly, the chances that his family had been some of those lucky enough to make it off Palaven were astronomical. It was hard to wrap his mind around the fact that he would see them again in a few minutes.

Garrus was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he almost didn't notice when Jane stopped as he walked toward the door. "Jane?" He turned to notice her standing a ways back, her posture stiff and her face stony. In fact, if she weren't quite so stoic a person, he'd almost say she looked green. "What's wrong?"

"I…" Jane hesitated, her eyes darting toward the door and away again. "This is a horrible idea." She muttered, her eyebrows knitting as she turned partially away. Garrus' excitement and joy drained in an instant.

"What do you mean?" He asked hurriedly as he returned to her side, and after a pause she exhaled a long breath.

"Garrus, your dad is going to hate me." Jane grunted with resignation, and as he raised a comforting hand to her shoulder, he could feel how tense she was. "I'm human, I used to be street trash, and now I'm a Spectre, none of which is going to endear me to him. I should just go and let you enjoy some time with your family without causing a big scene."

"Do you not want to meet them?" Garrus asked quietly, dreading her response. He knew humans didn't set quite as much store by this type of meeting as turians did, but it would be hard to fight the disappointment if she decided to leave.

"Of course I do." Jane spun to look up at him, her eyes wide with surprise at the question. "Garrus, I've never had a family of my own besides John. If we get married, then that's going to change. I don't want them to hate me. I want-" She cut off, unable to continue, but she didn't need to. Garrus understood. The hunger in her eyes said enough.

"It's going to be okay." Garrus said gently as he pulled her in close for a hug. "My sister knows about you already, and my dad knows I'm with someone who isn't turian. He's changed since my mother's death, and with everything going on right now, I think he'll just be happy that we're all still alive."

"Are you sure?" She asked into his chest as her arms came around him.

"No, I'm not sure. But even if he does give you trouble, you're not going into this alone. I'll always have your back." They pulled away before he continued, "Anyway, my dad is strict and by-the-books, but not an asshole. He's not going to cause a scene." Jane seemed to relax a little at that. She took a big breath, steeled herself, and nodded.

"Okay. Let's do this." She said in the same tone of voice she might before charging into a pack of husks armed with nothing but a pistol.

Garrus chuckled, "That's my girl." Jane shoved him playfully before striding through the cafe door.

He spotted them in the back corner immediately. His father was a tall man, and between that and his pale plates, he easily stood out amongst the crowd. As they approached, however, what was left of Garrus' excitement was subdued as he examined them.

To say they looked rough would have been an understatement. Both Solana and his father looked thin, almost gaunt, and their plates looked dull and rough. Their eyes looked sunken and exhausted, their expressions blank nearly to the point of shell-shocked. They sat silently waiting at the table, their eyes staring blankly as they slumped tiredly in their seats.

They looked like they'd been through hell and back. They probably had been.

Two sets of eyes looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, and Garrus could see the instant they registered him.

"Garrus!" Sol cried as she pushed back from the table and struggled to stand. He noticed with surprise the brace covering part of her right leg just before she flung herself at him.

"Sol, I'm so glad you guys are okay." He said as he caught his sister, wrapping her up in an enormous hug. Her subvocals were a mess of emotions, too many to pick out, and he pulled her in tighter. There was another screech of a chair pushing back, and Sol pulled away as Garrus turned to his father.

"Dad," He paused, catching himself awkwardly as he almost extended it for a human style handshake. Before he could react, his father grabbed his wrist and pulled him in for a crushing hug.

"Son," His father rasped amongst a storm of subvocals, "It's good to see you."

Garrus stood there in shock for a breath before he finally returned the hug, unexpected emotions welling up in his chest. He was a boy again, a lonely child reunited with his father, the father he'd feared dead, his last living parent, the man he'd spent his childhood looking up to, his dad, his-

Garrus caught his flailing subvocals, wrangling them back into a semblance of social politeness as his chest tightened painfully. They pulled away slightly, his father's hand sliding down his arm to grip his wrist tightly just as Garrus did the same. The other man's hand came up to rest on his shoulder as their eyes met.

"Spirits, I'm glad you guys made it out alright." Garrus whispered harshly, and his father nodded.

"It was a close thing, but we made it." Their eyes remained locked for a moment longer before they both nodded and released each other, stepping back. Garrus inspected them both closely again, this time noticing their tattered clothing.

"I should have let you guys rest and change first, I'm sorry. Where are you guys staying? Maybe we should just grab something to go and—" Sol cut him off as she fell back into her chair with a grunt, wincing as she brought a hand up to her injured leg.

"No way. I haven't had a proper hot meal in weeks, months maybe, and I'm not leaving this place until I'm stuffed to the brim with real food." Garrus grinned at her as she took a long sniff of whatever smell was drifting lazily from the kitchens.

"Point taken." At that, he heard the soft sound of shifting feet, and winced before stepping to the side. "First though, I have someone I'd like to introduce." Jane stepped up beside him, her face utterly blank as he gently placed a hand on her back. "This is Jane Shepard."

His father remained still, his only sign of surprise being the slight widening of his eyes.

"It's an honor to meet you both." Jane stated with a formality that displayed her discomfort to anyone who knew her.

Sol couldn't contain a gasp, "Garrus, did you…?"

Garrus nodded as he took Jane's hand, the one with her new ring, giving it a squeeze as she turned a small smile on him.

"Yeah. I asked her to marry me."

"And I agreed to be his bondmate." Jane added, her voice warming. There was a squeal, and Sol pulled herself up again to throw her arms around Jane with surprising speed, given her leg. Jane was paralyzed, her face comically confused and panicked. She appeared unsure what to do with her arms, but eventually returned the unexpected hug gingerly.

Garrus' attention, however, was almost entirely centered upon his father. The other man watched from where he stood, his face a carefully crafted mask of impassivity that immediately put Garrus on edge. Regardless of what he'd said to Jane, he did harbor some small amount of concern regarding what his father's response to their announcement would be.

"Come on, let's sit down! I'm starving." Sol stated as she pulled back. She gestured to the seat besides hers, "Jane, you sit here next to me! I've always wanted a sister, and I was starting to think Garrus would never convince someone to settle for him."

"Ouch. Rude." Garrus grumbled with a smile as he reached for the seat beside his father's. "I see how it is. Nice to see I'm so easily replaced."

"Hush, you." Sol dismissed him with a wave of her hand as she shifted her attention back to Jane. They all sat down, and as Sol began peppering her with an array of questions, it wasn't lost on Garrus that their father had yet to make any comment. He simply sat listening as the women talked, his eyes watching and weighing with the same sharpness he'd used while interrogating suspects. As the minutes ticked on, the other man's silence creeped up Garrus' back, digging its tiny claws into sensitive spots as it burrowed in, taking root like a knife poised to strike at any moment.

Jane was right. This was a horrible idea, he never should have put her in this position, he should have-

"And so you were made the second human Spectre ever! I remember watching the holos of your induction ceremony with Garrus a while back!" Sol said with a bright enthusiasm that disguised her earlier exhaustion. Jane turned a quick amused look at Garrus, a single arched eyebrow that made a small flash of heat creep up his neck. Her lips parted to reply, but the words were cut off as his father finally spoke up.

"Ah, yes. It was surprising." Castis mused, looking down at the menu pulled up on his omni-tool. "Your species is still very new to the galactic stage. And with their occasional tendency to be somewhat brash and indelicate, I was surprised when they selected the initial human Spectre candidate so quickly." Castis paused to take a sip of the water before him before lifting his eyes to examine Jane closely, "And then with how turbulent of a career their first choice had, they decided to select you for their second, even given your… colorful service history."

Garrus sat frozen in his seat, seething anger licking at his insides as he threatened to explode. His father's onslaught had come seemingly from nowhere, leaving the other three reeling in its wake.

"Yes, I know about you, Jane Shepard." Castis continued after a pause. "When Garrus first told me he'd be serving under your brother aboard the Normandy, I used my contacts to learn what I could about him and his crew. Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised that you're who my son picked as a partner. You both seem to share a certain level of impetuousness."

Garrus' mandibles flicked in close against his face as he drew in a breath, preparing for battle, but Jane lifted a small hand to stop him. Her steely eyes were narrowed, locked with Castis' as her face hardened.

"From what I remember, sir, you don't think very highly of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance division in general." Her voice was cold, her anger carefully leashed as the temperature of the room dropped with each word. "And to be frank, neither do I. I'm not the Council's biggest fan, nor am I their favorite agent. I accepted the assignment for one reason only, and that was to be given the freedom to investigate the Reapers."

Jane paused, letting the words land before she continued quietly, "Given the current state of the galaxy, I think we can all agree there was some foresight in that." They sat in deathly silence for a moment before she charged on heedlessly. "During my time serving as a Spectre, my biggest project was facilitating the development of the cure for the genophage. The very same cure that quickly ensured the peace between the krogan and turians that has enabled so many refugees to escape Palaven safely.

"So, if you don't mind," Jane's voice dropped to a dangerous hiss as she crossed her arms, "let's go back to the part where we humans are brash and indelicate. Because you're not wrong. And you're most likely alive today because of it."

Garrus wanted to laugh. He wanted to grab Jane and hug her, he wanted to get down on his knees and propose all over again, he wanted to stand up and proclaim to the entire room that he loved this woman. But he sat frozen in his seat as he waited for the other foot to drop.

Solana watched silently, her eyes wide in horror as they flicked between Jane and Castis, her mouth slightly agape. Beside him, his father, who had listened to the entire barrage with stoney indifference, finally relented. His squared shoulders drooped a degree or two, the disquiet and disdain leeching out of him as he exhaled.

"You're right. That was rude of me, especially right after meeting you." His father relented finally, and in that instant, he seemed decades older than Garrus had ever seen him. "It's been a long and difficult few months, so please forgive me." Suddenly, he stood, offering his hand out across the table. "Can we start over?"

Jane watched him searchingly, but eventually smiled as she, too, stood and offered her hand. His father took it in a human style handshake.

"I'm Jane Shepard. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Castis Vakarian. It's a pleasure to meet the woman who will become my daughter."

Jane's face slackened as she blinked in surprise, the unexpected words hitting her with painful force. Her smile returned in an instant, brighter than ever, and they both released each other's hand before sitting down. Garrus watched in wonder, and his father lifted a hand to his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"Looks like you found a mate with a spine, which is good. She'll be able to handle your stubborn bullshit." His father grunted, his subvocals betraying a hint of a chuckle. Garrus remained speechless, his own subvocals conveyed his wonder and confusion, but finally managed to mutter a quiet thanks.

They all took a moment to input their orders on their omni-tools, and soon fell into easy conversation. Much of it between Jane and Sol, who seemed to take to each other immediately.

"I should have known you guys would hit it off." Garrus muttered with pretend annoyance, though seeing them become friends was an unexpected pleasure. "Jane here is also someone's annoying little sister." He winced at the pain of someone kicking his shin under the table, and looked up to see two innocent faces smiling at him. When the food arrived, they were all distracted for a time as everyone, especially his sister and father, tucked in. Sol occasionally moaned in delight as she savored every bite.

"You know, Jane wasn't wrong." Sol began a little while later as they finished up their meal. "I really don't think we would have made it off Palaven without help from the krogan." Garrus nodded along as he pulled up the bill on his omni-tool in order to pay, skimming quickly through the purchases before submitting the payment. "Between them and that one man. He was so kind and helpful, and he risked his life to get us aboard that last ship. What was his name again?" Sol tapped her chin in a way so reminiscent of their mother that it made Garrus' heart twinge. He looked back down at the total with a sad smile. Sol was so much like her that he- "Oh right. It was Sidonis."

The world froze as a fog horn went off in Garrus' brain. His breathing stopped, the air turning to ice in his chest, expanding until it might burst. Sol continued talking, but he was no longer hearing her, the single name repeating over and over in his head as his vision narrowed. He finally managed to grasp at a single thought as it whizzed by.

"Did you say Sidonis?" He asked sharply as he pushed back in his chair, his fists white knuckled as they gripped the table. All eyes were on him now, and he vaguely registered the horrible mishmash of emotions playing out through his subvocals. "Lantar Sidonis?"

"Yes, that was the name of the young man who managed to get us off world. Garrus, what's wrong?" His father asked as he lifted a hand to rest on his shoulder, but Garrus shrugged him off roughly as he stood with a harsh intake of breath.

"Garrus, breathe." Jane's voice was a calm, firm demand that penetrated the buzzing alarm that had overtaken over his senses. Looking up, he noticed that she'd stood as well, and was reaching for him as she gestured to the door. "Come on, let's get some air." She began leading him out as he forced himself to focus on his feet making contact with the floor, on the smell of the food around him, on the sounds of the utensils making contact with plates with soft clicks. "Just give him a minute, we'll be right back."

They stepped out of the restaurant, and Garrus quickly made his way to a nearby railing. It was as though all the emotions, all the pain, all the strife that he'd experienced since the death of his team on Omega had come slamming back into him in a single instant, the moment they'd mentioned Sidonis. He'd thought he'd healed after confronting the man and showing him mercy, but in reality, he'd simply forced himself to focus on other, more pressing things. And he had begun healing, to some extent, but he clearly had a long way to go.

"You okay?" Jane came up beside him, her eyes seeking out his with gentle understanding that did more for him than any words would. Garrus forced himself to take a deep breath. Then another. And another.

"Yeah… Yeah." He sighed as he brought a hand up to brush over his crest. "I just- Of all the people-" He continued focusing on the sensations around him, the warmth of the synthetic light above him, the sound of the skycars passing by, the cool metal under his hands. He tried again, "I've worked hard to not think about him the past year. It took me by surprise."

"Me too, honestly." Jane nodded as her shoulder brushed against his arm lightly, a comforting pressure. "When you let him go that day, I never imagined he'd actually manage to make up for any of what he did. And it's not my place to decide whether what he's doing now repays the debt he has to you and your team, but…" She trailed off, leaving him to consider her words.

Sidonis had promised to make it up to him. There was no way he could have tracked down Garrus' family in the chaos of the war on Palaven, but he'd found them anyway. Had he known they were Garrus' family? How much had he told Sidonis about his life? He couldn't remember, but not certainly not a lot. Was it pure coincidence that his father and sister had been among the refugees that Sidonis had evacuated?

Garrus knew that the spirits didn't intervene in the lives of mortals, but damn if it didn't seem like a possibility. Sidonis might be the reason his team was dead, but he was also the reason his family was alive.

Something painful and confusing began bubbling in his chest. Without warning, it overflowed, starting as a rumble in his throat and cresting into low chuckle. Before he knew it, Garrus was laughing, though his subvocals were a dissonance of tangled emotions. He couldn't control it, the convulsions of mirth rippling through his body so hard it hurt.

None of it was funny, and yet the entire situation was hilarious. Everything had managed to come full circle in a way that didn't feel real. In that moment, nothing felt real. As the laughter ripped through his body, the painful ball in his chest slowly began to unravel, leaving his limbs feeling rubbery and limp, as though they belonged to someone else.

He wasn't sure how long it continued, but it eventually began petering out until all that was left was the occasional odd chuckles. Feeling and sensation seeped back into his body, and he registered Jane's hand rubbing soft circles on his back.

"Not going crazy, are you?" She asked dryly, and he turned to see her crooked smile and the slight tilt of her head, her eyebrows drawn in just enough for her true concern to show. Garrus released his breath in a burst as he scrubbed his hand over his crest again.

"Not any more so than usual." He mused as he tried to flash her a reassuring smile. She returned it, clearly not entirely convinced. "Really. I'm okay."

And he was. Somehow, now that he'd calmed himself and begun to process the information, there was a weight that had lifted that he hadn't realized had been there before. It was as though the final door had been closed on that chapter of his life, allowing him to fully turn to face what was to come. It would be a process, and he was certainly still reeling. But it was a start.

"Garrus, is everything okay? Why did you leave so suddenly?" Sol asked, crutch under one arm as she approached with a limp. Their father was close behind, a hand resting gently on his daughter's back in silent support. Garrus turned to face them, nodding after a moment as his hand came down to rub his eyes. When his hand fell to his side, he felt more relaxed, the smile more natural.

"Yeah, everything's fine. What you said about Sidonis blindsided me a little. He and I-" He cut off, floundering for the correct words. "Sidonis and I have a history. He owed me, but I think…" Garrus trailed off, taking in the sight of his family, alive and whole before him. "I think he's finally managed to pay me back."

Garrus took a deep breath, something in his chest unwinding even further. Jane's soft hand slipped between his fingers, giving his hand a squeeze, and he returned the gesture.

"You knew him?" Sol asked carefully, exchanging a look with their father. "It's a small world, I guess."

"I guess so." Garrus chuckled, but paused as his omni-tool pinged. Looking down, he saw the message from Tali. "I hate to cut it off, but we need to get moving." He turned to Jane, "Tali wants some help with picking up supplies for tomorrow night." Looking back to his sister and father, he asked, "Do you guys have lodging and everything you need? Clean clothing, food, blankets?"

"I managed to get in contact with some old friends from my time with C-Sec. They're hosting us for the time being, so we have everything we need." His father explained, his voice calm and reassuring in a way that made Garrus feel very young, but not in a bad way.

"Okay. Let me know if you need anything else, and I'll see what I can do. We're going to leaving the day after tomorrow, but if you let me know, I can probably still get you in contact with someone who can help at the very least." He took a step toward them, intending to say goodbye, but froze as his throat clenched painfully.

Was this the last time he'd see them before the Normandy left? Would this be their final goodbye? Garrus talked a lot of talk about crushing Cerberus and defeating the Reapers, but he wasn't stupid. He knew that their chances of dying, of failing, were not zero. Would he ever see his family again?

Sol must have read his feelings, or perhaps his subvocals weren't as neutral as he'd thought. Or maybe she had similar fears. But before Garrus knew it, she was flinging her arms around him, her crutch tossed aside as she hugged him tightly.

"Take care of yourself out there, Garrus. Whatever it is that you guys are doing with Commander Shepard, I believe in you." She whispered into their hug, her voice and subvocals heavy with a multitude of layers. He pulled her closer, despair fighting to loose itself from his chest.

"Thanks, Sol. You guys take care of yourselves, too." They finally parted, Jane handing the crutch back to Sol as she hobbled backwards. Garrus turned to his father, who extended a hand. They grasped each other's wrists tightly.

"Be safe, and give 'em hell." His father growled before tugging him in for a tight hug. Garrus grunted in surprise, his eyes wide as he processed the emotions humming under the words. Fear, love, grief, hope, pride-

"We will." Garrus choked out as he returned the hug, further words failing him as for just a moment he let himself be a child in his father's arms again. Finally, they pulled apart, and his father clapped him gently on the shoulder. "What do you guys plan to do next? How long do you guys plan on staying on the Citadel?"

"Not too long, I think. I don't like sitting around, and we want to find a way to help with the war efforts." His father explained as he shared a look with Solana, who turned back from her quiet words with Jane and nodded. "We hear that your Admiral Hackett is recruiting anyone who can help the cause, so we're thinking we might sign up." He gestured to Jane, who brightened.

"I think that's a fabulous idea. Every little bit helps. And believe me, they need it."

"Good. Then once we're rested, we'll get in contact with whoever is organizing Hierarchy forces assisting the Alliance and ship out to wherever they need us."

Garrus couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face, "I think I can help you with that."

(Note: I'm so sorry for the late post, everyone. I was out of town, and am coping with life at the moment. We're getting close, though. I'm so excited! Thank you everyone for your support and for reaching out. I really appreciate it, and it helps me when things get a little crazy.)