"there's no shepherd without vakarian"

Chapter one: reunion

I was walking across the rubble of buildings, fires eating the ground and what was left of the grass. It was hard to look at and it would probably ruin the innocent minded, I know if shepherd were here I wouldn't be having as much anxiety as I was now, she always seemed to make everything better even if I didn't seem that way. I remember one thing she said to me.....that day...."there's no shepherd without vakarian" all I would have to remind myself to give me the drive to find her.

I leaped across a trench knocking some rubble off but then I stopped hearing something behind me, more rubble being knocked around. I stood still then once I heard it again I flung myself around with my sniper rifle cocked and loaded extended out and front of me, then only to try to smile with what was left of my mandibles. Seems the person was prepared also. "Wrex......didn't think I'd see your ugly face again" I chuckled, Wrex laughed "me neither, but look where we are". I  walked closer putting my sniper in the holder on my back, while Wrex followed along.

"so why are you back on earth?" I said concerned. "I'm here, to help you find shepherd you dummy" he said as he punched me in the chest plate. "watch it I'm still recovering from that damn battle!" I stammered. "well don't let that bother you......here" Wrex flung his hand out in front of me. I snatched the item from his hand looking at what was the only thing of shepherds I had, her N7 dog tags. "it doesn't prove me useful but I'm sure you'll pickup a scent" he said laughing.

I strained to keep myself together, but the pain was to strong and I ended up  collapsing to the ground and started crying "Hey, Vakarian get it together I know you are stronger than this!" The Krogan yelled. I looked up into his eyes, then rested my head back into my palms "yes, I may be.....but not when it comes to shepherd.....never".

Wrex snorted crossing his arms "I understand how loyal you are, but do you think shepherd would want to see you crying over her like this". Wiping the tears from my eyes I looked at Wrex saying "I know....i should find her". The krogan laughed in amusement "haha!, let's go get her tiger".

We worked our way past the enormous piles of rubble making sure everywhere I stepped, I was out of trouble. Wrex grunted "Garrus, hold on.....I think I found something!" quickly I shifted in the opposite direction, running my way towards Wrex, I saw something in the distance, a little hard to see but I managed "Is that....no way". This turian wasn't going to break down again.

I saw the symbol "N7" behind some rubble in a pit "No, I need to get down there! " I growled. Wrex looked at me "Hey be careful down there" looking concerned I said "you are not coming with? " Wrex smirked "no ill be up here if you need me". I nodded and continued my course, I slid down the ditch quickly getting up to run towards the symbol I saw, the only problem was it's a lot harder finding something that you saw from an escalated view.

While I searched I realized where I was. In the crevice of the beam that shepherd went towards after she said goodbye. My heart was beating a thousand miles a minute "shepherd?" I cried out. I stood still as I heard shifting in the rubble. "shepherd!" I screamed. Taking my sniper out just in case it wasn't shepherd or someone I knew.

An asari stepped out from behind the mass of rubble, I had a concerned look pinned to my face. They stepped closer revealing their identity. My eyes widened seeing who it was "Liara?" I said surprised. I ran towards her "are you OK?" she looked at me with tears streaming down her face. "h-he's gone....." I shifted her in front of me staring her in the eyes "who's gone Liara?" whimpering she let out a cry saying "Javik". Tears came down once again pulling herself into me, her cries muffled by my armor.

The more and more she cried the more and more my heart sank. "I saw his body, I tried to find his pulse, there was nothing....it was too much for him" she welped. "He had shepherd's helmet in his hands". I looked at her slowly "really?" I answered. Liara nodded, I shifted my sight towards her arms and I saw it, her helmet with the N7 symbol on it. "d-did you see her at all" she shook her head sadly.

I pat Liara on the back  and told her "Alright let's call joker to send us a transport". I called Joker via omnitool and he sent a ship our way. When I stepped into the ship a feeling in my gut made me sick and I couldn't help it. I felt like I was leaving her all over again. The ship approached the base allowing us to hop off and meet up with Tali, Grunt, and Legion. It had been a while since I saw them so I was hoping for a little reunion. When we walked in the tent Tali was talking to Legion, who had just recently been visiting."Tali, Grunt, Legion!" I said cheery. They all looked with smiles on their faces.

Tali ran towards me"Garrus!, how long has it been?" I looked at Tali and  chuckled. "About a month I presume, didn't think I would ever get to have a moment like this again." Tali looked at me surprised "really a month? Oh Keelah......." Tali's face suddenly sunk as she looked down at the ground. "Tali are you alright?" she perked her head up, staring at me scared. "did you find her Garrus?" she said worried. I looked at her and my stomach began to charm and I shook my head no, "but Liara found this......" I handed her Shepherd's helmet.

Her eyes closed, she firmly held the helmet in her hands and she fell to the ground almost as if she were sobbing. I lifted my hand to rub her head as I knelt down. "listen Tali.....we will find her, I'm sure of it." Tali looked up at me and smiled "we will find her together". I grasped her tightly and said "thank you". She said
"I would do anything to make you happy again". I teared up a little, "let's go!". We all began charging outside with our guns fully loaded."alright we are going back to the beam site, where Liara found Javik." I stated.

Everyone looked at me and nodded "it's good to have all of you back." we raced over rubble the thin air becoming more and more dense from our heavy breathing. Then I stopped,  there was something in front of me, "what's this?" Tali walked over, "it looks like a price of armor...but it's too eroded to tell what it is exactly." I looked at Tali "well could it be that shepherd is nearby?" Tali shrugged "we won't know unless we look". I laughed a little "we must take care of any evidence we find".

We began walking more thoroughly through the massive crater."alright Tali, Wrex your with me, Liara, Grunt, Legion go in the opposite direction" Legion's I eye flickered "affirmative". I nodded towards everyone and stood on top of some rubble to make a speech "I all know that we all want to find shepherd, and we are not going to stop till we find her.....as a team!" I stepped down ending my speech. I ripped my sniper out from behind me and ran as fast as I could keeping a good distance with Wrex and Tali.

I was walking around a massive pile of rocks and rubble, when I heard movement. Telling  I stood still to see if I was going crazy or not. Then "crash" a loud noise came from one side of the rubble.I followed it and I  looked and looked the sound was very loud now. I searched impatiently noticing that I was scanning over what looked like an appendage sticking out of the rocks. "shepherd?" I gasped. Getting nervous I threw my arms into the rocks trying to pull off everyone "I cant do this alone...." I murmured, I called out to Tali and Wrex, "Tali, Wrex...Help me Shepherd is stuck under all these rocks!" I cried.
Tali, and Wrex' footsteps echoes throughout the pit. "we're here Garrus!" Wrex and Tali began pushing with everything they had "umpfh"  Wrex grunted weakly. "one more rock, it's a big one!" I yelled, the rock was very heavy I was hoping she wasn't gone. We pulled the last rock off and I quickly clasped shepherd in my arms "oh no she is bleeding heavily" I said to myself, "hang in there shepherd." her lifeless body scared me....but she was breathing and for me that's a sign that there is still a chance. I ran out of the pit onto the surface....turning my omnitool on. "Joker get me a vehicle asap we need to get shepherd to a nurse NOW!" joker gasped "you found her??".......i put my hand into my palm annoyed.."yes Joker now get me a GODDAMN VEHICLE!"