So, I have languished over this for weeks, I've written and rewritten this. My beta just about had a heart attack I know, so I know some of you will want to murder me, but this is the closest it came to what I had in my head at the beginning of all this.
This story grew into so much more than anything I thought it was going to be, thank you, to each and every one of you for following me, reading and commenting. I enjoyed this story so much, and just about a year later, here we are.
ooOo
Jane opened her mouth to ask Marrus what the hell he was talking about when she saw the flash of a rifle to his left; her eyes snapped to the right, Alliance soldiers, how? The thought had barely filtered through her mind when she saw Kaidan lower his rifle and stow it.
"Kaidan," the question was on her lips, but she read the answer in his eyes before she could ask it.
"How could you?"
He wouldn't look at her as the Marines filed in, weapons drawn, the remaining four were forced to their knees, hands behind their head as someone Jane hadn't seen in years walked into the clearing, his smile faltered for a moment as he looked at Garrus behind her, and for a moment James Vega looked worried. But as Kaidan moved towards him his look turned to one of annoyance.
"So, the Admiral told me you decided to not get shot for treason. Good choice."
Jane couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Kaidan Michael Alenko, you look at me right now. You tell me to my face what you've done. I deserve for you to shoot me, not to have you stab me in the back and hand me over to him. Not to him."
The clearing was silent as Jane watched Kaidan's head bow slightly and Vega's grin became one of triumph.
"Yes, tell her what you did."
Kaidan sighed slightly before lifting one shoulder in a seemingly indifferent shrug that caused Jane to bite down on her tongue, "I traded our lives for survival. You know the Admiral would destroy us, look what he did to your colony, Jane. What do you think he was going to do to us?"
Jane swallowed the lump growing in her throat, her body felt numb and she could feel tears burning behind her eyes.
A voice behind her caused her eyes to close as she felt the barrel of a rifle at the back of her neck.
"Aww the little Turian bitch is going to cry looks like she has feelings after all. Maybe you should have thought of who was going to be hurt when you decided to turn traitor."
"Hello, Ashley."
"Don't hello me, bitch, if I had it my way you'd be dead already." The rifle nudged her and she stood.
"You, and you, go find the Major. The Admiral said both. We'll take these back."
'These', Jane repeated the word through her mind; Ashley considered them all lesser life forms. Better to not piss her off or she may get rid of non essentials, and Jane didn't think she could bear another death on her soul.
Jane turned her head slightly towards Ashley and was rewarded for the movement with the butt of her rifle to the Jaw. Her head snapped to the side and she heard Garrus growl but held up a hand.
"Don't, Garrus this is their win. It's not worth it to die out here in the forest. So, Ashely take me to my dad."
Ashley nodded towards James, and the group moved forward through the darkness.
ooOoo
Lillian had to smack a hand over John's mouth to keep him from calling out and giving them away, until the Marines sent after them moved in the other direction. When she finally released him, he glared and moved two steps away from her.
"Good job, mother," the last word was spit at her and she sighed, but John didn't stop.
Liara, Garrus, Marrus and Jane are now firmly in the Admirals grasp, and," John's face screwed up in confusion and he back tracked. "How did you know?"
"I've seen that look before, Kaidan was breaking. He loves Jane, and to him that means doing anything. Especially since he sees this as saving her from herself, to him he's saving them."
"The man is dead, if Jane doesn't do it, Garrus or Marrus will."
"That's if the Admiral doesn't do it first."
"What do mean?"
"I don't know what game Steven is playing, but why involve people who he knows won't take Jane's side if she moves against him? This is his end game and we only have one chance to beat him at it."
ooOoo
The lights in the Admirals forward camp were dim and as her eyes adjusted they landed on the kneeled forms of her dad and Victus. The Admiral stood the side and she saw him do a quick head count as his face contorted into a mask of pure rage, the man was so close to the edge that one mistake was enough to throw him into chaos.
"Where is my son?"
Ashley shook her head but Vega answered. "I don't know, Sir, he wasn't with the others when we found them.
The Admiral glared at Kaidan, "Where is he, Kaidan?"
"I don't know, Sir, I was speaking to you and keeping an eye on, Jane and Garrus, he was gone when we returned."
Red flashed in front of Jane's eyes, her hands began to ache where they were clinched behind her head. She ground her teeth to keep herself calm as the Admiral smiled. It wasn't a kind smile; it was something darker, something sinister and decidedly deadly. He moved towards her as if they were the only ones in the room.
"You can lower your arms, Jane." He nodded as she did so and searched her face.
"You must have known it would end like this, Jane. You can't run from me, you and I are too much alike, I knew you'd come back here, for them. You can't stand losing."
"I am nothing like you." She said the words slowly, deliberately and with as much spite as she could muster. And her eyes widened slightly as she received nothing but a chuckle in return.
"That anger and hate I hear, that is what I mean, you hate me as much as I hate them. You're more like me than you know."
Jane lowered her eyes to the figures kneeled on the ground, she found her dad staring at her, the sorrow etched so deeply in the slack of his mandibles and the tilt of his eyes that she almost broke and ran to him, but clenching her fists she raised her eyes back to the man in front of her and inhaled deeply.
Hackett had watched her eyes drop and smiled; he had her where he wanted her, with a glance up at Garrus he smiled, he had her twofold. She would do whatever he wanted.
"So, the way I see it, Jane. I can keep you out of prison; you and Kaidan will go back to the way things were."
"You know I won't," her voice was laced with defiance and he heard it and before she could finish he reached forward and slapped her hard. She saw her dad flinch, heard Garrus growl, followed by what sounded like the strike of a rifle against the side of a head and she ground her teeth so hard her head began to hurt, as the Admiral shouted, his façade of calm broken.
"You will, so help me God by the end of this you will."
He spun and pulled his sidearm and held it to Ganis' head, "You will do as I say or I will kill him first, and then your other Turians one by one their blood will cover the ground, because of you. Just like your mother and sister on, what was that colony called again?"
Jane felt panic and fear, it was like acid in her throat and mouth, and she held out her hand in a pleading gesture.
"Please, don't," and with those words she knew he had won.
He nodded and motioned towards Victus, "You know I can't let him leave here alive, and I can't have you able to go back to the Turians, so, you will kill him, and it will be reported back to them by your Turian father here that you have chosen your side. He and I will sign a cease-fire treaty. And we all walk away. Though you will never be able to return, Turians are very sticky about treason."
Jane swallowed and felt herself sway on her feet before righting herself.
The Admiral lifted his pistol and placed it against the back of Ganis' head, holding out a pistol for her. "Do it now, and Vega, if she even so much as flinches towards me, kill Garrus."
Jane felt sick, her vision blurred as she stepped towards Victus. Her leg throbbed as she locked her knees to keep from sinking to them in front of him as his mandibles flicked in a smile, and he whispered to her.
"It's okay, Jane. I forgive you, I know, it's okay, it's okay. Do what you have to do." His eyes closed as she lifted her pistol, despite her best efforts her hand shook and she blinked rapidly, trying to keep her eyes clear of tears. Her hand shook again and she sobbed.
"Daddy, I-I-can't, I can't do this. I'm sorry about mom and Des I'm so sorry. It was my fault."
Ganis took a deep breath, "No, little one, none of this is your fault, it's his, you know that as well as I do. I understand."
Before he could continue, Hackett brought the butt of his pistol down on the back of Ganis' head. "You will do it. Kaidan front and center." Hackett's ice blue eyes burrowed into Kaidan's soul as he yelled words Kaidan knew he wouldn't be able to follow.
"Kaidan, kill Garrus, now."
"You promised me you'd let him and the others go."
"Did I? Well I've changed my mind; it seems Jane here needs an example. Kill him."
Kaidan didn't move and the Admiral laughed. "Weak, I don't know why I chose you, pathetic, as bad as my son, I'm done with you. James, kill the Turian." He nodded to a few other Marines, "Restrain the rest."
His tone was bored and Kaidan blinked, he had been so blinded by what he had wanted, what he thought was right, that he had though the Admiral was still fighting for the Alliance, that this was some way, somehow still related to the war. God, how wrong he had been and as he heard Vega pull his weapon he said good-bye to Jane as he heard the rifle fire and threw himself much the same way Jane had, in front of Garrus', three shots to the chest and one to the neck, he sank to the ground, he'd forgotten his shield and the shock of it caused him to laugh until it turned into a bloody cough and he rolled to his side, as Vega stepped up next to him and crouched.
"You're an idiot that didn't save anyone. Sad to think I looked up to you once."
Hackett lifted an eyebrow and shook his head, turning away. "Finish it."
Vega shook his head and lifted his rifle, as Kaidan smiled and fired a biotic blast at Vega that launched him back against the wall with a sickening crack that could only be his neck breaking. With a sigh, Kaidan Alenko, died.
Hackett shook his head and looked slightly annoyed, "Williams, check Vega."
"He's dead, Sir."
"What a waste, kill the Turian, Christ, and do it right or I'll end everything you are."
Garru's hands were tied behind his back or he would have preferred to go down fighting. As much as he hated Kaidan, the man had just given his life for him, the least he could do was put up some sort of challenge. He was mapping out his attack when a commotion at the entrance stopped everyone in their tracks.
John was pushed through the door by none other than Lillian Victor. Everyone looked shocked, most of all Hackett, who had no idea what he was really looking at, or rather who.
John spun back on her and to answer the unasked question pointed to the woman and growled, "The bitch betrayed me."
Jane's face must have shown her confusion because Hackett lifted an eyebrow in interest and nodded to the woman before him. She entered the room and pointed towards John.
"I'm Lillian Victor; I figured you'd be willing to pay for his return."
Hackett seemed to know the name and turned a surprised look at Jane. "The leader of the Blue Suns, really, my,my you hired a Merc to help deal with me, not just any mercenary either. I'm almost impressed; though it seems to me you've been betrayed twice now."
Hackett turned back to the woman with black hair and startling blue eyes, she had moved closer to him and he narrowed his eyes at her. "I thank you for bringing back my worthless son."
He turned towards John and shook his head, "You could have been so much, your mother took the wrong child you're such a disappointment."
"Actually I've always thought you were more of a disappointment, Steven Andrew Hackett. You've been slipping for years. I used to think you were just power-hungry. Now you're just, desperate."
Hackett turned back to the woman and she stepped towards him, his eyes narrowed on her face and he stuttered. "How do you know my middle name? No one has called me that in years. Who are you?"
Stepping forward she smiled and he faltered, he knew that smile, the eyes and hair might be different but that smile, the dimple on her left cheek. His pulse raced and his breath caught in his chest.
"You used to call me Annie once, when we were young and in love."
Victus' eyes hadn't left the woman since she entered the room, and as she said the name, the way it rolled off her tongue he knew it was true, and his heart leapt. When Jane had been in front of him with that pistol he had almost wished she'd pull the trigger, so he could see her, see his Anne. Spirits, Anne.
Her eyes were locked on Hackett's and as the reality of what she said sank into him she stepped forward and ran a hand over his cheek, his eyes fluttered at her touch and she smiled, leaned forward, her lips a breath away from his, time seemed to freeze, Hackett didn't see Anne's eyes flicker to the side as Jane stepped forward aimed her pistol at his head and squeezed the trigger twice from point-blank range. As he slumped to the side Anne pushed Jane back as Ashley and her Marines opened fire as Hackett's body hit the ground.
Even with his hands bound Garrus managed to bowl over the first Marine next to him; Jane sprinted towards him before Ashley could pull the trigger as he lay on top of the downed Marine.
Putting her shoulder into Ashley, Jane pulled Garrus up and back towards where Anne had directed the others. It was a standoff at this point and each side knew it.
Victus leaned his head back against the desk that they had flipped, he stared at Anne who had kneeled next to him, lifting a Talon he traced the dimple on her left cheek and his mandibles spread in a smile.
"I've missed you; I've never stopped thinking about you. You were out there this whole time, Lillian Victor." The tone in his voice said the name was not lost on him, and she shook her head.
"We don't have time for explanations right now I," she was cut off by the shout of someone at the door, Jane glanced around the desk and saw Captain Anderson and she drew a deep breath as the man walked through the door.
Jane motioned for everyone to hold their fire.
Anderson paused next to where Ashley was, there was a short conversation before Anderson stood with a sigh.
"Jane, we have this position surrounded, we've taken Shanxi. We need to talk."
Jane stood and removed herself from the desk and walked towards Anderson, her weapons long forgotten. She didn't want to fight, she wanted this to be over, her eyes drifted over the body of her birth father and she swallowed, as much as she hated the man, as much as he deserved that, he was still a part of her, had he been right? Was she so much like him?
Anderson looked about the room over the bodies of Kaidan, Vega and finally Hackett, his shoulders slumped slightly as he shook his head.
"Jane, you know I have to arrest you and John, you stole an Alliance ship, no don't say it, I know as well as you do what Hackett was turning into, but you still killed an Alliance Admiral, that's Treason, there is a platoon of Marines that saw you kill him, you know I have to."
She nodded but didn't answer, it didn't matter, at least it was over.
The others had stood at this and he nodded towards them.
"The Primarch and General will be taken into custody; they will be treated with respect as their station dictates as prisoners of war. The others will be taken into custody and held on war crimes. I'm sorry, Jane. This is what I have to do, this is a war, there is no treaty yet, but I hope we can work that way, but it's out of my hands."
Jane nodded, as he motioned towards the black-haired woman, "Who is she?"
Jane's eyes met Anne's and she shrugged, but Anne stepped forward and took a deep breath.
"My name is General Anne Shepard. Well I'm assuming I'm retired at this point, considering I'm dead."
"Anne... that's not possible."
"Well possible or not, a simple scan will confirm that it is me, plus I have all my papers back on Omega, but I have a feeling you're not going to let me run back for those."
Anderson actually looked ruffled, and stuttered before motioning for her to be taken into custody as well.
"I have no idea what is going on here, but I will get to the bottom it. If you are, Anne Shepard you have a lot of explaining to do."
"You have no idea the stories I can tell, Andy."
Anderson flinched at the nickname and pulled back from her and motioned for them all to be taken to his ship.
The group was silent as they were taken to the brig on the Tokyo. As the door slid closed and clicked Jane leaned back in her cell and Liara chuckled.
"I'm so glad I could come along on this field trip, nothing like being taken to Alliance prison on war crimes."
Garrus however was not in a laughing mood as he watched the silent exchange between Jane and Ganis.
"What is it? What aren't you two saying to everyone?"
Turning her eyes to the wall Jane shook her head, and Ganis sighed.
"The proof is there, she killed the Admiral."
"So what, the man was insane, he would have killed everyone."
"It doesn't matter; Hackett was the highest ranking official in the Alliance, Jane was under his command, that's assassination, high treason."
"They wouldn't."
John chuckled, it was humorless and it masked the choked sob that was in his chest.
"They would, and the penalty is death."
"Damn that Kaidan, you should have killed him as soon as you knew who he was."
Jane's eyes snapped to Marrus and she shook her head, "Leave it, Marrus. Kaidan has paid what he owed. It's over. Besides, that would have made me no better than the Admiral, killing someone for doing just what I would have done, it would have been killing out of revenge." Her eyes turned back to the wall and closed.
"I've already come too close to becoming him."
Marrus shrugged, "To beat your enemy you must become your enemy."
"Yes, and I'll pay the same price, but at least it's over. At least everyone else has a chance now."
"Jane, don't, it's not over." Garrus stood and held out a hand towards her cell but Jane didn't move, didn't open her eyes and the group fell back to silence. As Garrus felt her slipping away from him, but this time he wasn't sure he could get her back.
ooOoo
Silence, it became her friend, in the days that followed she was separated from the others and placed in solitary confinement, her jailers thought her a cold-blooded murder.
Wasn't she? Should she have wounded him, so he could be arrested, so he could be in a cell and not her?
No, it wouldn't have worked that way; this was the way it needed to be.
She tried not to think about Kaidan, her mom and her sister, instead she focused on those who had lived, who would live, and the war that would hopefully end.
Though when she finally would fall into a fitful sleep, nightmares would awake her in the silence of her cell, she heard their voices; she would try to think of the last words she had ever said to her mom, to the angry words she had thrown at Kaidan, and the look on Hackett's face was burned into her mind. Things that didn't matter to anyone anymore, well anyone but her, and even she wouldn't care soon.
Jane wasn't sure how many days passed when she heard the door to her room click open, Anderson moved through the door and she stood and waited, her Military training winning out through her fatigue and urge to just not care anymore.
"At ease, Jane, I have news."
She relaxed, but only slightly and Anderson nodded and ran a hand over his forehead.
"You should know I was promoted to Admiral, the Primarch and I have called a summit and brokered peace between our people. The war is over; we are negotiating the release of all prisoners of war right now. As well as the various lands and worlds, colonies, Garrus and the others have been released with the Primarch and General. They are still present on Earth, but not as prisoners."
A gasp of air left Jane as she sat down quickly on the edge of her bunk, it had worked, the war, the only thing she had ever known, was over, the thing that had torn her parents lives apart, as well as her own, and her eyes closed and a great weight lifted from her chest and she smiled.
Anderson swallowed as he saw Jane smile and shook his head even though her eyes were closed. "This doesn't change your court-martial, Jane. I can't change that."
The smile didn't fade as Jane opened her eyes, "I know, Sir. Don't worry about it. How's, John?"
"He'll be held until the Court-Martial, his charges are lesser but carry the same weight, he helped you in this and as a Major is your commanding officer in the situation and is an accessory."
"Yes, I know. It's okay, at least the war is over. That's all that matters."
Anderson sighed again and sat in a chair across from her. But before he could speak Jane smiled again, "How's Anne?"
"She's not talking, she hasn't said anything to me or anyone but the Primarch, she's not in custody, I don't know what to do with her."
She nodded but let it sit at that.
"I hope Kaidan's father is okay, he was a good man. I owe him my life you know."
Anderson lifted an eyebrow at that and shook his head.
"I'll be presiding over your Court-Martial, Jane. I won't see you again until then, try and get some rest won't you? You look tired."
Jane laughed, "You know when people say that, it's just another way of saying you look like hell. Well, Anderson, I've been through hell, I might as well look the part."
ooOoo
Jane and John stood alone at their Court-martial. Both knew they were seen as traitors and decided they were better off on their own.
Seeing Garrus in the crowd with her dad was the highlight of her days, Victus was missing but she figured he had important business what with the war being over. Jane actually spent more time staring at Garrus and her dad than listening to all the charges and evidence against her and John in the first two days.
There had been no sign of Anne, and Jane wondered absently if she had run again. She smiled sadly; at least she had helped when it mattered.
The voices droned on in front of her and she wondered why they were going through her whole military career, the actions that she and her squad had taken against the Alliance. She had never denied those things; the Admiral had been the one to smooth them over. But everyone seemed to be skirting around anything to do with the Admiral, until at the end of the second day they finally read the last of the charges against Jane, murder and treason and asked how she pleaded. Jane stood, looked directly into Anderson's eyes and smiled softly.
"Guilty as charged, Sir."
He looked away from her and to John.
"John you've heard the evidence against you, you have been charged with accessory to murder, conspiracy to commit murder and Treason. How do you plead?"
John also stood nodded to Jane and faced Anderson, "Guilty as charged, Sir."
They both remained standing as Anderson lifted his head and stared at each of them in turn.
"There have been a lot of things said here about the both of you, Jane you were raised during a time of war by our enemy, this is not treason, but when you came back and became part of the Alliance as an admitted spy for them, this is treason, do you understand?"
Jane nodded and Anderson sighed again and shifted in his seat.
"I understand from your written testimony and confession that you were sent to stop Hackett, that you were to stop the war, that there was a wish for peace, but you didn't know about what Hackett had done to your mother until much later. You followed the orders of your commanding officers without this knowledge; you followed your orders based on loyalty. I admit that I had witnessed the insanity in the Admiral that you wrote about. I had taken official steps to have him removed, not an easy task."
Anderson tapped his fingers on the desk before speaking again. "This should be easy, you both have admitted your Guilt, and I should have you lined up and shot, be done with this."
Jane's eyes closed in a slow blink and as she opened them Anderson stood and the door at the back of the courtroom opened. Anderson nodded and the group stepped forward, and Jane had to hold back a gasp. It was Primarch Victus, Anne Shepard, Michael Alenko, and the Citadel Council.
"It seems that everything both of you wrote in your confessions is true, Hackett had sabotaged the peace summit killed his own men, he tried to have Anne murdered, the list of his war crimes continues, last of which was the complete destruction of Randiv a civilian colony. But does all of this excuse your and Johns actions? Well the Council has asked to weigh in on this, with the end of the War, thanks in no small part to your actions humanity is now being offered a seat on the Council, so we can better join with the other civilizations of the Galaxy. Like all negotiations though this comes at a cost."
The Asari representative of the Council stepped forward, and nodded towards John and Jane. "What Admiral Anderson says is true, there is a cost, one you must pay, we offer this seat with the Council in exchange for your lives."
Jane tilted her head to the side confused.
"You both have shown that you are willing to do what needs to be done, no matter what, under extreme conditions, and be willing to deal with the consequences. That is rare to find. Jane has had the best training under the Turians and it seems Johns training is equal to this. We see this as an opportunity to bring our species and the Galaxy closer together. That is all, we expect you to report to the Citadel, the arrangements have been made with your governments. You will continue in our employ, as Spectres, that is all."
If Jane's eyebrow could flex any higher it would have bounced off her forehead as the Asari continued, "Jane your Primarch agrees and John your Admiral has agreed. We look forward to working with you."
They stood there speechless as the Council exited the room and the MP's stepped forward to release them.
Anderson stepped forward and Jane stuttered as she spoke.
"I-I don't understand."
"It was brought to my attention by General Shepard that I couldn't hold you as anything but a prisoner of war because you admitted to being a Turian spy. You work for them. So, your Primarch along with General Shepard here brokered a deal for your release and John's, one that I would say suits everyone perfectly. Wouldn't you?"
He didn't wait for her to answer, turned and made his way to the door at the front of the courtroom as Garrus rushed towards her and crushed her to his chest.
"Did you know?"
"No, spirits, I'm just as shocked as you are."
John looked like he was about to pass out when Liara wrapped her arm around his and he jumped.
"Liara, you're still here?"
"I am, my mother is on the Council, and I visit the Citadel often, I thought I'd show you around."
"I'd like that." John lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers, she giggled and deepened the kiss as Jane made a fake gagging sound.
"You two just met, gross."
John broke away and looked up and grinned. "I can't help it if I'm irresistible."
Liara shook her head and rolled her eyes. "More like I find your cheesiness adorable, someone has to save you from yourself."
Garrus nudged Jane as she was about to say something smart and she turned and stared up into her father's eyes and her heart melted as she folded herself into his arms, his talons brushed through her hair as her tears soaked his shirt.
"Don't cry little one."
"Dad,I-I don't know how you can ever forgive me, I should have," Ganis placed a talon over her lips and squeezed her tight his forehead resting against hers.
"No, you did everything you could, it almost cost you your life, loss is part of life, we all have it and have to go through it. We will continue on, because that's what must happen, the world doesn't stop."
Jane watched his eyes turn down and she had to hold back another sob as he ran a talon under her right eye, taking a deep breath she pulled back and tried to smile towards Anne and Victus.
"How did this happen?"
"I explained the situation to Anderson, it was determined that because Hackett had threatened my life and I had gone into hiding to save you and John that I retained my position as General. I had a bit more sway after that, Victus," she took his hand in hers and smiled, "took care of the rest."
"I don't know what to say." Jane looked around the group, out of such tragedy and sorrow, had come something so much more, the happiness she was seeing in her family and friends was mirrored by all those who were now going to get their family back from a war that had almost destroyed them all.
Garrus wrapped his arm around her shoulders and lowered his head to hers, his breath was warm against her temple and she closed her eyes, just breathing in the scent of him and the realness of being in his arms, and tried to let the reality of it all sink in, that it was truly over.
Victus nodded as John and Jane pulled to attention.
"So, it looks like we're headed to the Citadel."
Taking Anne's hand he brushed it across his Mandible. "It's lucky Anderson has made you the Ambassador to the Citadel, I don't think I could leave you ever again."
Anne smiled and Jane was happy that she had found herself, maybe there was hope that she would be able to know her for who she really was.
Turning to Garrus Jane frowned, "What are you going to do, Garrus, I'm not sure I can leave you again, or let you go."
"I'm here, no matter what. The Primarch has given me leave to choose where I go from here, I could be a General, but I choose to be with my mate, if the Citadel is your home base, then it's mine too. I'm thinking C-Sec. Think of the apartment we can have on the Citadel. Not to mention my father will be thrilled. One thing for sure, I'll always be right here, no Vakarian without Vandrel."
Jane had almost relaxed in Garrus' arms content to let things work out, she was almost convinced that things could be okay, when a door slammed open behind her causing her to spin towards it, instantly on high alert.
A young Turian rushed forward to the Primarch, he saluted and the group went silent.
"Sir, the Council is being recalled to the Citadel, I've been told you and the Spectres are needed, it's why the council was in such a hurry to acquire, um, acquire," the young Turian cleared his throat, "why they needed the new Spectres."
"What's the issue, surely it can wait."
"No, Sir, it can't. We're getting reports of a Rogue Spectre."
Garrus chuckled and leaned down towards Jane who heaved a sigh.
"Well love, no rest for the wicked. I guess I'll be decorating our apartment by myself."
"No way, the whole thing will end up blue."
"I happen to know you love blue, and besides, I need to have it ready, we have a lot of catching up to do."
Ganis' smiled at his daughter's happiness and hoped that it wouldn't be short-lived, though he knew that no matter what any of them ran up against, as long as they had each other, this group could make it through anything.
Jane leaned her head against Garrus' and smiled at her dad, catching his look, "Like you always said, dad, if it wasn't this, it would be something else. Besides, it's one Rogue spectre, how big of a problem can it really be?"
ooOoo
But that is another story...
ooOoo
PS. For those who have asked me if I could ever write a story where I'm nice to Kaidan, to you I say... Challenge accepted!
PPS. Yes, I will be finishing Who I Am. Now that this is done and won't be confused with it.
Thank you all again.