Origins:
The One Where Shepard Was Born Rich
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Spacer Shepard's family wasn't just an old Alliance family—they were old money too. While she spent most of her formative years at military academies, her summers and vacations were spent on Earth, at one of her family's vast estates.
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It was all too easy to have a crush on Commander Shepard.
She was everything a soldier should be… and also everything a woman should be.
Kaidan Alenko had never seen a soldier walk the way she did out of armor. Gliding across the floor, hips swaying… it was mesmerizing. It didn't help that she could charm the hump off a krogan if she wanted to. She was clever, diplomatic, and damn near perfect as far as Kaidan was concerned.
This… minor obsession… with Shepard was probably the reason Joker shared his discovery with Kaidan. Joker always did enjoy seeing him make a fool of himself.
"Get a load of this," the pilot said, typing something on his console. A picture popped up of a young, elegant woman in a formal gown. Her red hair was piled onto her head in a way that looked both complicated and effortless. Her face was made up flawlessly, pouting ruby lips and long-lashed eyes set in a peaches-and-cream complexion. She wore diamonds round her neck and satin gloves up to her elbows. She stood comfortably, as if she dressed like this every day of her life.
Kaidan tilted his head. Something about this woman looked familiar. He stared at the eyes, at the lips curved into a hint of a smile… He gaped. "Is that Shepard?"
Joker gave him a shit-eating grin. "From her debutante ball."
Both men stared at the picture, Joker laughing, Kaidan enraptured. All he could utter was, "Holy shit."
And he couldn't stop thinking about it.
When he'd asked Shepard where she grew up, she waved off his question. "Oh, all over," she'd said airily. "Military brat, you know."
It seemed like that wasn't anywhere near the full story.
…
…
After saving the Citadel (and the galaxy, Shepard liked to remind herself), the Normandy crew deserved a bit of shore leave. And she knew just the place.
She walked down the Normandy's loading ramp, a duffel slung over her shoulder, and admired the scenery. Fiji was as beautiful as ever.
"How the hell did you find this place?" Ashley asked in awe, stopping next to her. "It must cost a fortune to stay here."
Shepard blushed a little, glancing away. "My, uh… my family owns it."
"Daaamn!" Ash replied. "You guys must be loaded."
"We're comfortable," Shepard said, sounding anything but.
"Sure you are, Shepard."
Shepard ignored Ashley's needling and called to the gathering crew. "Alright everyone! The staff should have rooms ready for each of you. The beach is ours, and there's also tennis and volleyball courts. For those who hate the outdoors, the staff can show you to the gameroom. Let's head inside."
She strode towards the house, motioning the others to follow. She slowed down as they went inside, waving at the staff that greeted her, calling her "Miss Jane".
Shepard made sure all her crew found their way to their rooms before heading to her own. She relaxed her shoulders as she entered the sanctuary of her childhood. Fiji was always her favorite house.
After letting herself bask for just a moment, she changed into her bikini and sarong, and covered herself carefully in high-end moisturizing sunscreen. Just because she'd saved the galaxy didn't mean she could go lax on skincare. After pulling her hair into a casual ponytail, she headed downstairs just in time to catch Garrus outside the doors.
His mandibles fluttered at the sight of her, and she tried to hold in a smirk. She knew she had a bangin' body, but making a turian blush was a new experience.
"Not swimming, Garrus?" she asked, taking in his loose shirt and long pants.
He crossed his arms, regaining his equilibrium. "I told you before, Shepard, turians don't swim. It mostly involves a lot of flailing and drowning. I don't even own swimwear."
"I'm sure we can find you something to wear in the house," she said. "Come on, Garrus, I really want to teach you how to swim." She gazed up at him with her most pleading gaze.
After a moment he sighed. "Fine, fine… survive flying a mako onto the Citadel, get killed on shore leave."
She grinned at him. "You know I would never let you drown, Garrus," she said, steering him back inside.
"You say that now," he said dryly, "but you haven't seen how fast a turian can sink."
…
…
Miranda looked up suddenly from her desk. She thought she heard a shriek from somewhere. But that couldn't be. They were safe on the new Normandy.
A few minutes later, the door to her quarters opened and an angry Commander Shepard stormed in.
"What did you do to my skin?!" the woman growled. Cybernetics glowed through the scars that littered her body and face, looking fiercer in her anger.
Miranda shot up from her chair, startled by the rage she could feel pouring off the commander. "You were woken up before you were ready," she said hurriedly. "The scars should heal in time—"
"TIME?" Shepard yelled. She marched up to Miranda, standing inches away. "You're going to fix my face, Miranda Lawson."
"Yes, of course," Miranda said, shaken. "Let's go see Doctor Chakwas now. She can tell you about the protein-synthetic overlay we can create…" She practically raced out the door, Shepard on her heels, and made a beeline for the doctor.
She only let herself relax once Shepard was fully engrossed with the doctor, discussing her options. Somehow, she just hadn't expected Commander Shepard to be vain.
…
"A heist?" Shepard stared at the thief she'd just recruited. "And I get to wear a dress?"
Kasumi tilted her head and smiled.
The next thing Shepard knew, they were back out on the Citadel, shopping for the perfect outfit.
"I have a dozen dresses that would be perfect for this," Shepard complained. "Too bad they're all back on Earth."
Kasumi flounced up with another dress for Shepard to try on. "You can never have too many," she countered. "You know, I didn't expect a soldier to be so eager to play dress-up."
Shepard shot her a look. "I'm sure you hacked into every file and article about me before you signed the contract with Cerberus. You must have known."
Kasumi smiled enigmatically and said nothing, just pushed another dress into Shepard's hands.
…
…
"Damn it, mother!"
Garrus looked up from the bed to see Shepard frowning at her terminal. "What's wrong?"
"She's trying to set me up on yet another date with some general's son," she said with an irritated wave of her hand. She shut off her terminal and walked down to sit by Garrus on the bed. "You know I'm not interested in that, right?" she said, meeting his eyes. "I have everything I need right here."
"But you can't tell her that, I'm guessing," he said, tilting his head.
Shepard huffed, flopping down on the bed. "I remember you said your dad would hate me." Her red hair fanned out around her head.
Garrus put his hand over hers, propping up on his side to look at her. "He thinks you're a bad influence. But why would your mom hate me? I'm not a lawless spectre," he teased.
She smiled a little, rolling her eyes. "Hardly anyone's good enough for her. They have to come from an old money family, have history in the military. No enlisted men, though, the hypocrite. Only officers."
"Hypocrite?" he asked.
She turned her hand over, gripping his. "My dad was an enlisted man. Mom eloped with him, made the family furious. Dad obliged them by dying in the war when I was just a baby."
"Oh," Garrus said, blindsided. "I'm sorry about your dad."
"I don't remember him," she admitted. "But I know he was a good man. He loved my mom. I just wish she was willing to remember what that was like and let me choose."
"But you're going to choose anyway," Garrus said, knowing her answer.
Her smile ripened into a wide one. "I've already chosen. She just doesn't know it yet." And she pulled Garrus down into a kiss.
…
…
It was known that Shepard couldn't dance. They'd all seen her doing that awkward little sidestep in clubs across the galaxy.
So Garrus got the surprise of his life when it turned out she already knew how to tango.
"What—"
"I had ballroom dancing lessons as a girl," she answered.
"But you don't know how to dance," he said, now uncertain.
"I don't know how to club dance," she replied, and spun away.
Garrus almost missed his cue in his shock. He saw his surprise reflected in James Vega's face, who had helped him plan this little date. His dance lessons in the cargo hold had been a secret for months. And now Shepard was turning the surprise right back on him. He huffed a laugh. This was so like her.
…
…
Shepard gazed around at the destruction that used to be the center of London and sighed.
"I guess the Brook Street townhouse is probably gone," she said, and popped a new heat sink into her rifle. "Shame."
…
…
The war was over. Against all odds, Shepard had survived and Garrus had found his way back to her. The first thing he did when he got her out of the hospital was present her with a ring and a question. Her answer, of course, was yes. But there was just one more hurdle to achieving their dream.
Hannah Shepard and Castis Vakarian sat across the table, holding each other's gaze as their children sat by nervously. Hannah Shepard had the same flawless face as her daughter, with a few more age lines and framed by light brown hair. Castis Vakarian had the same blue eyes as his son, but his plates were paler, showing that Garrus had gotten his coloring from his mother.
As the silence between the two held steady, Jane, in a wheelchair, smoothed out her pants almost compulsively while Garrus squeezed the arms of his chair until he could hear the metal straining. They'd tried to prepare their parents for this meeting and prayed it would go smoothly, but it looked like Hannah and Castis had different ideas.
"Why should I let my Jane marry your son?" Hannah finally said, voice calm and collected. She took a casual sip of her lemonade, barely taking her eyes off of Castis.
"My son is a war hero," Castis growled. "Advisor and friend to the primarch of Palaven. The only turian to ever receive your Star of Terra award."
"My daughter," Hannah replied, "Is the most decorated hero in the galaxy. I can find half a dozen Star of Terra recipients to marry her."
"Mother!" Jane hissed.
Hannah cut her daughter a sharp, quelling look, and Jane huffed and sat back in her chair. Garrus covered her hand with his and squeezed. No matter what strange in-fighting this wedding caused between their parents, there was nothing they could to do stop it from happening.
"None of those soldiers have also received the highest awards granted by Palaven, Sur'Kesh, and Thessia. Not to mention being named a 'friend of Tuchanka,'" Castis retorted.
Hannah tucked a perfectly-highlighted lock of hair behind her ear as she leaned forward. "Perhaps Garrus is acceptable on his own, but who are his people?" she demanded. "Jane comes from a long history of decorated officers in the Alliance and national militaries prior to the Alliance's inception. Her ancestors were nobility!"
At this, Jane put her face in her hands and wondered if it was possible to die of embarrassment even after surviving the reapers.
Castis leaned forward to match Hannah's pose. "Vakarian is an old and respected name on Palaven. We are not without our own wealth or family history. Do you see the color of our clan markings?" he asked. "Only the greatest war heroes earn their clan the right to wear the color of our blood. Had his ancestor not already earned the right, Garrus would have done so in this war. He is worthy of any woman," Castis finished proudly.
Garrus, too, started to wonder if dying of embarrassment was a possibility. Spirits, was it getting hot in here?
Hannah gave Castis a considering look. "I'm giving Jane the house in Fiji."
Jane's head shot up.
"I'll give Garrus the house at Trexus. It's near the south pole of Palaven and has lower radiation."
Garrus stared at his father in shock.
Hannah and Castis ignored them both, holding each other's gaze.
"Agreed." Hannah stuck out her hand and Castis shook it.
"Would you like to discuss the details elsewhere? I'm sure the children have no interest in them," Castis said, taking a quick glance at Jane and Garrus still staring at their parents in disbelief.
"I'd be happy to," Hannah agreed, standing and taking his arm as the two of them walked away.
When Jane finally found her voice, she turned to Garrus. "What the hell was that?" she asked, bewildered.
Garrus rubbed the back of his neck. "I have no idea… but I think he liked her," he said, voice full of wonder. "I didn't think he liked any human."
Shepard sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Garrus?"
"Yes love?"
"What do you think about eloping?"
…
A/N: Thanks for reading this first part of Origins! Upcoming, I'm working on one where Shepard was raised on a hippie commune on Mindoir. Please, if you have your own ideas you'd like to see, I'd love to hear them!