AN: Well I hate to say it but this is the last chapter. I wanted to thank you all for joining me and this short and sweet journey...even if it wasn't very sweet. Thank you for the lovely reviews, I really appreciate it! :D

Chapter 10

Therapy continued as planned. On the days that Chakwas had instructed, Garrus showed with Shepard in tow, no doubt. Sometimes Liara tagged along, but recently she had returned to her Shadow Broker work. Feron was apparently getting caught up all of it and needed another pair of hands, so to speak.

For the most part, Shepard had no serious problems with the therapy. She remained calm and answered all of Chakwas' questions to the best of her ability. On one occasion, she experienced another anxiety attack – with heavy, laboured breathing and mutterings of nonsense. Luckily, Garrus had been present during the appointment and used his knowledge from Shepard's previous anxiety attacks to calm her down and return her to a functional state.

The weeks started out slow, creeping along at a slug's pace. But soon the time started to soar and before Garrus realized it, the last week of therapy arrived. Shepard had improved quite well. At times, she still slipped into her wall staring or window staring, but her speech was getting better. She had a little hint of emotion in her voice, like the old Shepard. Her voice carried weight, and was slowly being uplifted from the monotone dullness.

Liara helped as well. She continued looking up other means of treatment but mostly she helped with the therapy. Not only was she one of Shepard's closest friends, she also had seen exactly what Shepard had gone through. The joining had been incredible and frightening, but helped immeasurably in the long run. On the days that Shepard didn't go to the hospital to see Chakwas, Liara sometimes sat down with her and talked, piqued a little more into what she'd seen. She tried to keep it discrete, but Garrus was aware of their meetings. He knew she was only doing this to help. Liara knew how desperate he was to have his Shepard back. So he didn't stop Liara and let her continue her little therapy secessions at home.

As the therapy moved along, Garrus took notice of Shepard's other behavior around the apartment. She started sleeping in the same bed with him again, instead of passing out on the couch. She helped prepare dinner. One time, she even asked Garrus if he wanted to go out, which prompted him to realize Shepard understood her surroundings. She was started to regain control of her thoughts. The memory of the Crucible was leaving her – or Shepard was finally letting it go. With her mind cleared of depression, her catatonia would be fading as well and Shepard would be…normal.

And Garrus could believe it.

The apartment was always quiet at night. Not uncomfortably quiet – a good quiet that allowed you to think or work or read peacefully. Garrus was flipping through a report on Shepard that Chakwas wrote up every time they had a therapy secession. She said it was necessary Garrus knew what happened. Sometimes Chakwas let him the room, and sometimes she didn't which was quite common. On the days Garrus had to wait outside, he always let the hospital with a progress report. Shepard was upstairs in bed. It wasn't even that late but she convinced Garrus she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and went to bed. Liara was somewhere in the apartment. At times, she wasn't in her room, but wandering around claiming to be reminiscing about the old days. She even once admitted she wanted to go back to those times, even if it meant having to relive the nightmare of the Reapers. Her life was so subtle now. She missed the adventure and action and people on the Normandy.

Inside, Garrus knew his missed those days as well but he'd never admit it. He loathed every second of battling the Reapers. He had a front row seat from Palaven's moon as the Reapers invaded his home. Hell, he even saw his home – his birthplace burning bright orange and red from the moon. And at the time, there had not been a damn thing he could do about it. But deep inside him, he missed the adrenaline, the challenge of pulling the trigger on a Reaper-fied person that could have – maybe – been someone he knew once. During those times, Garrus convinced himself he was shooting them to end their misery. And because they were shooting and trying to kill him. But two years is a long to think and recall events that no matter how hard you try, you'll never forget. Ever.

"Garrus?" a voice spoke his name.

"Liara." Garrus said her name without making eye contact.

"Are you busy?" she asked, sounding nervous. Or awkward.

Garrus faced her. Liara stood with posture like a statue, ringing and twisting her hands together. A habit she'd been doing since they met.

"No I'm not. What's up?" Garrus asked.

"I…uh just wanted to let you know I'll be leaving tomorrow. I think I've stayed my welcome and Shepard seemed to have improved greatly," Liara explained.

"Are you sure? Tomorrow is her last treatment. Don't you want to be there?" Garrus informed.

"I know but the only person who should be there is you. You should be there with her, not me," Liara said.

Garrus sighed, sure with himself that he wouldn't be able to convince Liara to stay.

"Alright. Just make sure you don't leave until I'm up. I want to say goodbye," Garrus told her.

"Of course. I'm not going to barge out first thing in the morning. I have many 'thank yous'," Liara said, smiling.

Garrus returned her smile and collected up the report from Chakwas. He was about to head upstairs, when Liara called him again.

"Yes," he replied to her.

"Before you go I wanted to ask you something," she said nervously again.

"Shoot, T'soni," Garrus said.

"I was curiously wondering if you would like…to experience what Shepard saw on the Crucible. I can pass on the memories to you…if you'd like. I just…felt wrong keeping them from you and I thought you deserved to see for yourself," Liara explained.

Garrus averted his gaze from Liara and stared into the floor. If eyes could kill, there would be a giant hole in the floor right now. That's how much he bore his eyes into the floor while he thought over what Liara had just told him.

"I didn't mean to offend you, if I have. I just thought…"

"No."

"What?" Liara asked.

"You haven't offended me. I was just…thinking everything over. I want to see it," Garrus decided.

Liara continued to regard Garrus like she had no clue what he just spoke. But soon enough, she shook her head quickly and regained her focus.

"I was hoping you'd say that. Come here," she beckoned.

Garrus obeyed and approached Liara. She herself moved closer and soon Garrus was closer to Liara than he'd ever been. Suddenly, he felt extremely awkward being this close to her. He wasn't used to it. Sure, she had reached out and touched him before but that was for reassurance or comfort. This felt very intimate all too quickly. Garrus felt glad Shepard was upstairs asleep. He didn't want her getting the…wrong impression.

"Close your eyes," Liara stated.

Garrus did as she instructed. Then he felt her hands grip his forearms gently. She took deep breath, inhale and exhale, probably a way to prepare for the…joining.

"Relax and let go of your physical body," Liara spoke spiritually. "Embrace eternity."

Garrus felt a small tingle run the length of his body. He felt like nothing was happening until he heard Liara speak. Her voice echoed around him. Opening his eyes, Garrus found himself standing on…nothing. Everything around him was black. Stars or something glittered around him. He tried to speak, but nothing would leave his mouth. Liara was next to him, her lips sealed as well. Suddenly, a thin, white line appeared at the…horizon of the black space. It grew bigger and wider and soon sucked both of them in to uncertainty. The light shone unnaturally bright into Garrus' eyes. He had to close them before he went blind. That probably wouldn't happen but you can never be too careful.

A slight tug on his arm made him reopen his eyes. In front of him was a stand-off between the Illusive Man, Anderson and Shepard, who was in a brutal shape. Garrus had to look away for just a moment. Liara was still beside him, her full attention on the standoff – no, the memory playing out in front of them. For the most part, Garrus was able to keep his attention on the memory, but at some moments, he had to look away because seeing Shepard injured again was just a little too much for him.

A white light flashed again, and when Garrus reopened his eyes, he was now seeing the Crucible. It was incredible. Around them was Earth and he could see some Reapers and Alliance ships and Asari ships, Turians ships and more all circling the Crucible. They were defending the Crucible while Shepard prepped it. Speaking of Shepard, Garrus darted his eyes around the magnificent structure until his rested upon her. She was limping and speaking weakly to a glowing child – probably the Catalyst.

"That is the Catalyst." Liara's voice echoed again, but it wasn't coming from her even if she was standing right next to Garrus. All in his mind, he assumed. After a handful of minutes of watching Shepard converse with the Catalyst about her choices, the time came. The glowing child thing backed up and the paths to each choice opened up. Shepard started to make her way up the ramp that would take her to Destroy. Garrus witness with total awe as Shepard fired a few rounds into the mechanism. Then spontaneously, it exploded. Shepard was engulfed in a cloud of fire and the Crucible itself turned red. A wave of red washed over Earth, cleansing the planet of Reapers. The Reapers around the Crucible stopped firing and blew up all at once. Then the Crucible fired a red beam towards the Mass Relay. The Crucible started shaking and falling in on itself. The Citadel collapsed as well. And then a white light blinded Garrus once again.

When he came to, Garrus was back in the familiar apartment, even though he had never left. Liara was still gripping his arms with the same gentle pressure. Her eyes fluttered open and Garrus caught her eyes slowly reversing from black to her nature eye colour.

"So…how do you feel?" Liara asked.

"I…it's…that was pretty amazing actually if not a little creepy at the same time," Garrus said.

"The joining can be a life changing experience to some. I hope you won't be to…scarred from what I just showed you," Liara said.

"Scarred? Hardly. I understand more now than I ever did. Thanks, Liara," Garrus expressed.

"You're welcome," Liara said softly.

She released her grip on Garrus and moved out of his personal space. She smiled a bit before bidding him goodnight. Garrus did the same, watching Liara head down the hall to her room. Garrus returned to his room upstairs, Shepard still peacefully asleep. He joined her and spent the night dreaming about the memory he just witnessed.

2 months later

Garrus was glad to be waking up in the morning hearing the relaxing sound of the ocean waves and caw from the birds that Shepard called 'Seagulls' that circled their house. Being back at their beach house on Earth was better than the apartment on the Citadel. Too much neon and recycled station air. The beach would always be paradise to Garrus.

Shepard had made a full recovery from her catatonic depression. She was back to her normal self and Chakwas guaranteed that she wouldn't slip back into it. Liara was able to deflect any rumors from the news. Garrus didn't want this going galaxy-wide. Shepard had enough publicity already. Oddly enough she didn't remember much from the depression. She said most of her mind was replaying moments from what she had seen on the Crucible. She guessed that it just suddenly became too much for her and she slipped away into a depressed state. But now that she was cured, she was never going to slip away again. She'd fight it.

"I'll never let worry you like that again," Shepard told Garrus.

"You better not. I was a nervous, worried wreck. I'm usually not like that but ever since we got together, it's like a natural response," Garrus said.

"Welcome to life of being a boyfriend Garrus. You'll never stop worrying about me," Shepard teased.

"And you'll never stop worrying about me," Garrus said before leaning down to kiss her.

"Never," Shepard agreed between the kiss.

Underneath her hard, unbreakable shell, Shepard had always been a little fragile. But Garrus would be there forever to protect and he would never let her slip away like that again. Shepard was his everything, and Garrus was her everything.