New Beginnings

Catching up with the Broker

Garrus didn't want to leave me alone, but he had to go to the turian embassy- the primarch needed his help with something, and apparently, he didn't want no for an answer. He fussed over me, checking the thermostat, making sure my omnitool had a stable connection, taking my temperature... He was running late, so I had to practically kick him off the apartment- he called me from the shuttle, to make sure I was ok... just three minutes after he left. We laughed about it, and I told him I was going to be fine-I had survived the fricking reapers, for god's sake. My head was still a little fuzzy, but I didn't want to worry him, I was just disoriented and tired. Nothing to worry about.

I was already cozied up on the couch, with a cup of cocoa and an old movie, when my omnitool started buzzing.

"Garrus, I'm fine, just where you left me ten minutes ago" I used a light tone, to make sure he'd realize I was truly fine.

"Shepard? I can't believe you haven't called me" it was Liara at the other end of the call, yelling at me.

"Nice to hear your voice too, Liara" I greeted her lively. I imagined her exasperated expression, and it made me laugh a little- which I guess only irritated her more.

"Do you realize I had to hack the Alliance's servers to find the pin to your omnitool comm? It-wasn't-easy" she was still nagging me, I chuckled. I remembered she was the shadow broker now, but the whole how-she-came-to-be... that was a big blank.

"I was a little...busy" I used a suggestive tone.

"Oh, oh! Right, Garrus- sorry" she laughed nervously "I tried to reach him too, now I see why he didn't answer" she sighed "I called to let you know I'm at..." she paused "Around five seconds from your doorstep"

"You're kidding" I sure hoped she was, because as much as I wanted to see my old friend, and catch up on a million blank spaces I had in my head... and the Tali situation.... I just wanted to relax a little. By myself. The doorbell rang-shit; there went my plans for a me day. I put a blanket over my shoulders to hide my pajamas, and walked to greet Liara.

I didn't have the chance to say "hi" to her, she was all over me as soon as I opened the door, hugging me like a thresher maw.

"Shepard" she took me by the shoulders and looked at me like I was an unknown alien; then she scanned me with her omnitool from head to toes, making me feel like an actual unknown alien.

"What's with the scanning?" I was laughing, did she think I was a copy? A clone? I killed the only one I had, as far as I knew. I didn't remember the details, but I could see her face- my face- as she fell from the cargo bay. I must have spaced out for a while, because Liara got worried about my wellbeing and ushered me to the couch without me noticing. One moment I was by the door, the next sitting with a pillow on my knees.

"The Cerberus implants kept you alive, and helped your body heal fast- did they tell you that? But your brain... we were worried you wouldn't wake up. There were... complications; but you're awake now, and functioning... kind of. Do you do that a lot?"

"Do what?" I knew she was referring to the glitch I had back at the door

"You blanked- what happened? I hacked your hospital files, the doctors say you have amnesia- I'm worried about the real extent of your lesions"

"You didn't have to hack my hospital files, you could've just asked" I snorted "And I didn't blank, exactly, I was remembering something; I've been having flashbacks of the bits and pieces I misplaced inside my head- they feel like... dreams, only vivid, like looking through a virtual reality device"

"Thank the goddess" she looked at me, relieved. "No headaches? Nausea?"

"Just a little fuzziness, like a fog- I know things, I remember ... but the memories are shrouded in mist, I can't quite make out what's in them, until something shakes the fog away, and I can see everything like it's happening in front of my eyes" I rubbed my eyes until I saw little bright spots.

"That's good to hear, excellent" she smiled at me

"How did you know where I was? My location was undisclosed" I covered myself tighter with the blanket, but I wasn't really cold- I just needed to do something with my hands.

"Tali told me this morning- could you believe she didn't tell me where you were as soon as she knew? I understand Garrus not telling me, he wanted you all to himself, but Tali- she sounded annoyed that you were here, she said she'd brought groceries for Garrus and you were there" she put both hands in the air, and grunted "she just mentioned in passing, in passing! Like it wasn't important." She furrowed her brows, and looked at me with... Concern?

"What's going on Liara" I actually knew that face- she wanted to tell me something unpleasant. I had a flashback of her, sitting me down, making that exact same face... and telling me Javik had eaten my favorite thessian fish, the one with the stripes: Pomphrey.

"What did you remember this time?" she now gave me a curious look

"I remembered the fish incident, with Javik" I laughed softly; she smirked

"Yes, I remember that- I was about to just go ahead and get you a new one, finding a thessian fish in the middle of a war was going to be near impossible, but I was the shadow broker- I could've gotten you ten" she giggled "But Garrus told me to tell you the truth- he said you'd notice, and it would... by the Godess- your hamster"

"I didn't dare to ask about him, is he..." I started tearing up- he would've been about three years old now, I braced for the worst. They don't usually live that long.

"I have him, he's safe... I think he's ok, I left him in the skycar" she was fretting "I was so eager to get up here, that I completely forgot about him; I'll get him right now"

"Well, you better; I'll give two minutes... starting : now" I set a timer, as a joke, but Liara was already halfway to the elevator. Oh, well, I was going to have to make some tea while I waited for her. Tea always made things better, as far as I could remember. Unless you spilled hot water on yourself while pouring it, then not so much.

After I put some ice on the water burn, and I set up the tea on the table, Liara came into the apartment, panting, and hodling a tiny carrier cage. Cheesepuffs was pressing his tiny pink paws on the plastic surface, sniffing franticly around him.

"I brought him to the hospital sometimes, he played around you- got inside the sheets, between your hair" she chuckled, looking lovingly at my adorable pet. "Garrus wanted me to take care of him, he couldn't properly watch him- he spent most of his time there, with you. He barely even slept, what if she wakes up and I'm asleep?" she tried to mimic his voice, then sighed "I'll miss the little guy, I got used to him"

I opened the cage, and the little guy climbed through my arm all the way up to my shoulder- I was too happy to be reunited with my little fur baby. I decided to postpone asking about Tali, for the time being- all that mattered then was playing with my hamster, and spoiling him with pieces of fruit and letting him explore his new home.