Ok guys, this is a longer chapter. I'm making up for the lack of an update for last week, and this week, I will be super busy. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and if you're crazy enough to go shopping, please be safe! Thank you all to those who have reviewed and set this story on their Favorites. Thanks for all the support!

Shepard's eyes narrowed as she fought an intense battle of will with the silver haired woman before her. "I'm not wearing it," Shepard hissed. She hadn't meant for her tone to sound harsh, but a brief and curt reply was all she could muster at the moment considering that she was still recovering in the Medical Ward. Due to the extensive damage on her back, she was forced to lie down on her stomach for the past two days while Dr. Chakwas and her team worked to repair the muscle tissue and nerve damaged she had sustained. Shepard hadn't regained consciousness until approximately sixteen hours after she had been transported to the hospital. She remembered angry voices all around her. Some were demanding an explanation for what had happened, and others were primarily concerned for her health. Among those voices she was strongly attached to Vakarian's dominant tone, telling people to get out of his way and let the doctors see her.

During her recovery, she was visited by Captain Anderson and Kaidan. They both had apologized profusely to her for either letting her down or for allowing this to happen to her, but Shepard told them they were being unreasonable. Anderson told her that The Council would like to see her when she was fully recovered. She wasn't too surprised to see Nihlus and Vakarian at one point. Their visit was brief and Vakarian was strangely very distant. His body language told her that he was highly uncomfortable being around her, but she said nothing. Nihlus wished her a swift recovery and left, quickly followed by Vakarian who muttered a low goodbye.

The biggest surprise she received was a visit from Peterson. Dr. Chakwas was immediately defensive, but Peterson looked utterly pathetic as though he was going to drop to his knees in apology. Shepard asked him why he had come. Peterson claimed to not know anything about what happened to Grant, and that he never meant to really hurt anyone. He also admitted that the only reason why he was alive was because Nihlus had protected him. "The Turian… Nihlus," he corrected himself when Shepard grunted in disapproval. "He's not that bad." And with that Peterson had left, and Shepard wondered if he would slowly come around to accepting turians.

Now on the eve of her complete recovery, Dr. Chakwas had entered Shepard's room with a large white box under her arm. "Your presence is requested tomorrow evening," Chakwas said, obviously entertained by whatever gift she had brought.

"For?"

Chakwas opened the package in front of Shepard and pulled out a long flowing velvet dress. As Chakwas was showing her different angles, Shepard couldn't tell if the dress was a dark violet or black in color. "You're kidding me…"

There was a huge grin on the doctor's face and she looked like a mother dressing her daughter for a first date. "Now mind you, this request came from The Council as they had decided to have a banquet in your honor. Your team won the exhibition according to the judges, and besides, when was the last time you had a hot gourmet meal?"

"I'm not going to wear that," Shepard repeated. She sat up from her bed and shook her head. Her muscles were still tight and she couldn't wait to get back on the Normandy, or at the very least, out of this ward. Her eyes rested on her reflection that was being cast from the viewing window of her recovery room. She slowly rose and approached the window. Shepard craned her neck to the left slightly noting more scar tissue. Turning her body completely and dropping her nightgown to her waist, she could see multiple gashes that had scarred over across her back.

"There is a procedure that we can use…" Chakwas began. Her voice was very quiet, sounding almost sad. "But I know you. If you'll allow it just for the night, we can hide the scars. This dress is quite revealing."

Shepard covered herself back up and tore her eyes away from the window. She had a feeling that this particular dress was chosen to show people that she had come away from the incident unscathed. "Just for the one night?"

Chakwas nodded. "Honestly, Shepard, you're one hell of a soldier, but you don't need to look-"

Shepard cut her off politely. "I need these reminders, doctor. I need them." That was all the explanation she ever gave anyone. Thankfully, Chakwas seemed to understand more than most. Shepard cleared her throat, trying to rid the atmosphere of the awkward air between the two women. "So… can you help me with my hair?"

XXXXX

Garrus paced back on forth down the hallway that led him to and from Shepard's temporary private quarters. Whenever he gathered enough courage to approach her room, he stepped back and then walked away from the door with a new wave of anxiety that filled his body. He wasn't even supposed to be here. Nihlus was the one that was supposed to be escorting Shepard to the banquet, but he had been called away on a mission last minute. Nihlus hadn't given him any details, but he did mention a rogue Spectre.

Nihlus' words echoed in his mind each time he made an attempt to signal his presence at Shepard's door. Just remember what we talked about. And tread carefully, Garrus. Many people won't understand, but I have faith in you. And her.

Garrus' taloned hand reached up to the control panel beside Shepard's door. He groaned in frustration and turned away. How could he have been so foolish and blind? He buried his face in his hand, looking downward.

"Is having me on your arm really so horrible?" he heard a female voice behind him.

Well, crap. He supposed he must have appeared agitated at her when it was really the opposite. "No, Shepard I-" he spun around to offer an apology, but he lost the ability to speak the moment his eyes found her.

Granted, she was more clothed this time than she was when they first met, but she was dressed in such a way that would rival an Asari's beauty. He never considered humans stunning, but Shepard was unique and that was beautiful in itself. Armor had a way or wrapping around one's body, but whatever material she wore right now appeared to be a second skin. He could see a portion of her legs as the side of her dress was cut in such a way to expose a seductive amount of skin. There was some kind of paint or coloring around her eyes that brought out the color of those emerald irises. Her hair was down but slightly curled, the shorter layers framed her face while the longer strands rested along her collarbone.

He saw a small pendant dangling from a thin silver chain resting above the area where a human's heart would be. Before he could see what the pendant was, her fingers shyly closed around it.

"I … it… belonged to my mom," Shepard said in a low voice.

Garrus forced himself to focus on the agenda for the night. He was to escort Shepard to the banquet and act as her, what the hell did Richards call it… date for the evening. "You look… cute."

Shepard blinked and looked up at Garrus. "Cute?"

Garrus groaned thinking he had offended her. "Is that not the proper term?" He swiftly scanned through his Omni-tool, muttering and cursing to himself. "Oh. Perhaps, beautiful is a much better compliment?" He read off the definition he found on the Omni-tool. "Visually appealing or stunning. Opposite of ugly and unattractive."

Shepard smiled, forgetting about what he assumed was a painful reminder of the loss of her parents. "Thank you, Vakarian."

"Garrus," he offered without a second thought. "You can call me Garrus."

"I would say, you could call me Lia, but no one ever has," Shepard laughed. "I probably wouldn't respond to Lia, so Shepard is fine." Her laugh subsided and she cleared her throat. "So… I have to ask."

"Yes?"

"Do you not like me, Garrus?"

It was his turn to blink. "Not like you?"

"Your demeanor has changed toward me since the exhibition. And I could tell that you weren't very happy to be around when you stopped by to check on me," she said.

Garrus could see that Executive Officer Shepard was back. She was now very calculating and observant of him, and there was no way he could give him a complete and honest answer. "It's just that I'm not comfortable in hospitals. My mother…"

Shepard nodded and held her hand up stopping him from giving her more information. "Fair enough. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't any tension between us."

"You have nothing to worry about," Garrus said. There was much that he wanted to talk to her about, but this was hardly the time. For now, he would settle for her not being upset with his new attitude toward her. He had been briefly taught the human gesture of how a male escorted a female and he offered her his arm. She accepted it with a smile and they made their way down to the Citadel Tower.

XXXXX

Shepard graciously accepted all the compliments, genuine or forced, that were thrown her way. Many soldiers were vying for her attention, but she kept her conversations short and impersonal. Even turians, salarians and asari were granting her praise though some were more heartfelt than others. She managed to catch a break when Richards, Varian, and Qurin closed in on her, effectively keeping people from pestering her.

"You clean up well," Richards said with a whistle. His eyes were friendly and he greeted her with a salute. "Before we lose you to the crowd again, I have to say, our little scrimmage was an honor."

"You hardly look like the same female," Varian said eyeing her closely. "Are you really Shepard?"

"If I say yes, do you owe Qurin credits?" she replied with a chuckle.

The trio laughed though Qurin winced in pain and brought his hand to his chest. "I'll live," he said when he met her eyes. She assumed the concerned look she gave him was enough for him to give her reassurance. "I received the best medical care, I'll be just fine."

"Good," she nodded. "I don't like to lose good people." Since she and Garrus had arrived at the Citadel Tower, her thoughts were consumed with the protocol and procedures of formal etiquette. Her breath was nearly taken away when she saw the lower levels of the tower decorated in crystals and ice sculptures. The cherry blossom trees were laced with golden strands that resembled silk and dozens of tables with magnificent floral centerpieces were set up for hundreds of guests. Garrus had been lured away by his fellow C-Sec officers which left Shepard vulnerable to her growing number of admirers.

"You are a rare being, Shepard," she heard from her right. Her heart lifted when she saw Tanis and Kaidan walking toward her.

"Glad to see you two on your feet," she said greeting them.

"We should be saying that to you," Kaidan sighed. Shepard had to admit that Kaidan looked good in a suit. She had the hardest time looking at herself in a mirror while she was dolled up. It had been such a long time since she had worn heels. Her toes were hoping that she'd slip into combat boots sooner rather than later.

"I'm good. See?" Shepard said holding out her arms and spinning around once. Her dress flowed around her legs and twisted gently at her calves before it loosened and set back in place around her ankles.

"You look amazing," Kaidan said in astonishment, but he then quickly added a "ma'am" after his statement.

A smooth female voice resonated over the Citadel Tower. 'Officer Shepard. Please approach the audience chamber.'

Shepard gulped and her heart began to pound against her chest. She had wondered if she would be granted an audience with the Council, but she didn't think it would happen in front of a large audience. To her surprise, she saw Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina walking toward her. "All right there, Shepard?" Anderson said with a proud smile.

"Yes, sir," she answered, keeping her composure.

"Well, then, shall we?" he said, holding his arm out and letting her lead. Udina kept quiet, and Shepard knew that was hardly a good thing. But they made their way up the audience chamber. She felt all eyes on her and if people weren't looking at her directly, she knew she was being watched through a video feed. She had to remind herself that she wasn't in uniform and she wasn't dressed for combat. Her arms hung uncomfortably at her sides, slightly bent at the elbow, trying her best to look as feminine as possible.

Before her were the three figures that represented the voice of law in their galaxy. Each was dressed for a formal occasion and the primary color of their attire was a deep red color. Before now she had always communicated with the Council through video feed. Each of them was standing behind their own personal terminal, and they were unmoving, almost statuesque. As they were on the highest level of the Tower, the view from the large windows behind them was breath taking and beautiful. And it was at the top level of the Tower that the cherry blossoms were bloomed to their fullest.

"Executive Officer Lia Shepard," greeted the Asari Councilor. Her perfect body was covered in a long crimson dress.

"Ma'am," Shepard nodded and instinctively joined her hands behind her back.

"You are to be commended for your part in stopping Anthony Grant from becoming an abomination," said the Turian Councilor. "You have our thanks and the gratitude of the C-Sec officers you aided."

"Very impressive display of courage," the Salarian Councilor said. "Quick wit, sound judgment, ability to resolve a crisis in a short amount of time. These are the qualities we are quite acceptable."

Shepard's eyes widened. "Sir?"

She felt Anderson clap a hand on her shoulder. "You certainly impressed the hell out of me, Shepard. I always knew you would make a fine leader, and with that said, I can rest easy."

Shepard looked at Anderson with a questioning stare. "Thank you, sir, but I'm afraid I don't quite understand." She tried her best to stand still, but she was suddenly aware of every detail on her body. Her feet were aching and tired, she could feel a knot in her stomach, and she could even feel the weight of mascara on her eyelashes. She cleared her throat. "Sir."

Anderson moved to stand directly in front of her and he saluted her. "I hereby relinquish command of the SSV Normandy. She's all yours. Congratulations… Commander."

"Captain…" Shepard gasped. Her eyes quickly glanced over to Udina and he nodded to her.

"It is well deserved, Shepard," Udina said with more charisma than was needed. "The skills you have shown us have proven that you are ready to command the Normandy. This decision also comes with the approval of the Council."

"I…," Shepard started. There were too many emotions coursing through her when she caught Anderson's eyes with hers. He wouldn't be there anymore. Sure, there were times when she took missions into her own hands, and she already had a reputation among the alien races as being an icon of the human race, but this was so sudden. Would her current crew stay? Did they look up to her as they did with Anderson? Paranoia was creeping up on her, and she forced herself to stay away from it.

"There is also another matter, Commander," said the Turian Councilor. "The Exhibition, save for the incident concerning the human biotic, was … favorable." Shepard wasn't quite convinced that she had earned the Turian's approval, but this was not the time or place to test that theory.

"As you know, Commander, you were selected as a candidate in hopes becoming the first human Spectre," continued the Asari Councilor. "Step forward." Shepard did as requested and she felt even more intense stares on her. "It is the decision of The Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel."

The Salarian Councilor stepped forward. "Spectres are not trained, but chosen," he said. His large black eyes stared at her from underneath his crimson hood. "Individuals forged in the fire or service and battle. Those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file."

The Asari continued, "Spectres are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will."

The Turian Councilor crossed his arms over his chest, keeping composure, but Shepard could see the unfavorable judgment on his face. No amount of white face paint could cover his expression. "Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."

The Asari concluded the induction. "You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species. Please, remember our words."

"I am truly honored," Shepard bowed her head.

She heard a dull roar from the lower levels of the Tower. It seemed as though she had the approval of her audience as well. If she thought she was surprised as hell before, her shock had reached a brand new level. All three Council members pressed numerous buttons on their personal panels and the automatic female voice was heard once again.

Registered Spectre Lia Shepard. Commander of the SSV Normandy. First human Spectre. Welcome, Commander Shepard.

The Asari Councilor waved her arm over her panel, and Shepard heard something similar to electricity dying out. "Now that we are away from prying eyes and ears," said the Councilor, "there is a matter of Anthony Grant."

Shepard straightened her back, very aware of the sudden change in dynamic between the Councilors. It didn't take a genius to figure out the Grant was likely the reason why her change in status had been thrown into overdrive. "You want me to find out what happened to him and if other biotics will suffer the same fate?" she asked.

"Not much will get past her," Anderson said with a smirk.

"Yes," the Turian Councilor said. "If it were up to me, you would still just be a candidate, but you now have first hand experience in dealing with a monstrosity like Grant. And being a biotic yourself will only give you further understanding of what Grant experienced."

"Agreed," added the Salarian Councilor. "Do what you must to ensure that your fellow human was just a single occurrence. We have, however, received reports of uncontrollable biotic uprisings. We believe that these reports have been filed due to paranoia, but it is now your responsibility to confirm these incidents."

"While there is much work to be done, even I cannot say that you should be immediately thrown into the field," said the Turian Councilor. "Enjoy your commemoration party."

And with that, The Council turned away and disappeared from view.

XXXXXXXXXX

Many humans were dancing to the songs of old music legends, and it was entertaining to watch the salarians and turians attempting how to learn to slow dance or waltz. Asari were naturals at adapting with their bodies, so learning a new dance or two was no challenge for them. The atmosphere had slowed and allowed Shepard to breathe a bit, but she was still being bombarded by dozens of people. Kaidan and the others were doing their best to distract Shepard's fans, and luckily they were succeeding for the most part. Kaidan and Richards were being swarmed by a number of females and Shepard couldn't help but laugh. Even her turian team mates had the attention of several admirers.

However, her head was spinning. She couldn't keep track of all the people that were stopping by her table to congratulate her. All she wanted was a bite of her chicken entrée because she was absolutely starving. So far, all she was able to do was sip at her wine glass in between conversations. She smiled and waved a thank you to a couple that had wished her a safe journey, and she made one more attempt to place her fork in her mouth. She was a Spectre, AND she was the commander of the Normandy. Maybe Grant really did kill her. Like a little kid, she pinched her cheek and felt a dull pain on the side of her face. Nope. Still alive.

"Still in shock?" said a very old male voice.

She looked up to see Admiral Hackett sitting across from her. "Sir!" she said, jumping to her feet.

"At ease, Commander," said the old man in amusement. "Commander… got a nice ring to it."

"Thank you, sir," Shepard said, slowly returning to her seat. "You didn't have to come all this way to congratulate me. I know you're a very busy man."

"Even I need a break every now and then, Shepard," he said smiling. His old eyes were tired, but they still had such a fire in them. Shepard had always admired Hackett and she looked up to him a great deal. "Unfortunately, my break is almost over, and I need to be heading back soon. I do, however, have one request, Commander."

"Just name it, sir," Shepard said. "Geth post? Recon mission?"

She heard the music change. There was a light tapping and a flute had joined in seconds later. 'Fly me to the moon. Let me play among the stars…'

"May I have this dance, Shepard?" Hackett asked.

Shepard couldn't say no, empty stomach be damned. She smiled and stood, barely noticing that the group of people around her parted, allowing her and Hackett to join arms. He lead her to the middle of the banquet room and they began to sway from left to right in time with the song. The song began to pick up and she realized how much she had missed listening to the classics.

"Never knew you were fan of ol Blue Eyes," Shepard said with a laugh. She let him gently push her away, but held a firm grip on her hand. He pulled her back and she twirled, feeling the dress flowing around her legs. She heard their audience clap in awe and some were cheering for them.

In other words, please be true…

"I know your father enjoyed the legends," Hackett said when they were face to face once more.

Shepard blinked. Her voice was caught and she was suddenly caught in a wave of memories focused on her father. "He did…" she said quietly. She looked into Hackett's eyes and tried to keep tears from falling. The Admiral was very much like a father figure to her. There were so many times in her military career that he had taken her under his wing. He had protected her, trained her, and she did her best to never let him down. He was damn near family to her.

"He would be proud," Hackett said. "I know I am."

Her lips were tight with emotion, but she managed a smile. Simple words that had such a huge impact on her. "Thank you, sir."

Let me see what's spring is like on… Jupiter and Mars…

Hackett looked behind her and there was an almost wicked gleam in his eyes. "Looks like my break is over, and I have to hand you over. Congratulations, Commander. We'll be in touch soon," he said and twirled her around again. This time he let her go, and she suddenly found herself in the arms of a very tall and very nervous turian.

"There you are," Shepard laughed when she saw Garrus' frightened look. "Relax, will you? You're making me nervous now."

"Well I… I don't know how… I just came to ask how you were doing," Garrus stuttered, trying to find his footing.

In other words… hold my hand

"Garrus… shut up and relax," she said and guided his hands to her hips. She lead him, and they were joined by other couples on the dance floor. It was endearing to watch Garrus look back and forth from her and the other couples. He tried to mimic their movement as best as he could, but it was no secret that his moves were better suited for battle.

Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more…

"This is a great song from our history," Shepard explained, trying to distract him.

"Is it now? What makes it so special?" Garrus asked, returning his gaze to her. He was a good foot taller than her, and she found it was the perfect height for her to rest her hands on his shoulders.

"It's special to me because it was one of my father's favorites," she said. His taloned hands gripped her hips ever so slightly. She could tell that he was respecting the memory of her parents. He was silent and his movement slowed. "This will probably be the last day off I get in a while," Shepard smiled. Without a second thought, she brought her forehead to rest against his and he stiffened in surprise. "Shall we give them a show, Vakarian?" she asked playfully.

You are all I long for, all I worship and adore. In other words, please be true…

"Pardon?" was all he could get out before she livened up their pace. Her timing was perfect as the band began to play louder and the singer put much more feeling and emotion into the lyrics. Shepard grabbed his hand, stepped away from his grasp, then twirled back into his arms. She swayed for two beats before she retreated again. For the first time in years, Shepard allowed herself to be free. She didn't think this moment would find her in the arms of a turian, but she welcomed it all the same. At the very least, Garrus didn't hate her as much of his kind did. Regardless of race, she always enjoyed the company of those who were genuine, and Garrus was just that. It was unfortunate that this would probably be the last time she'd see him in a long time.

The band was playing at full force and the dance floor was full mostly of humans, but they didn't pay much attention to the odd couple in the center. For a few moments, all the worries of the galaxy were forgotten and Shepard danced to the memory of her lost father, hoping that he really was proud of her.