Survivor

Chapter 51

Shepard
  I stared at the manicured, scared looking woman in the mirror.
  I almost didn't recognize myself, my skin almost looking flawless despite the scars I knew were beneath the makeup. The dark circles from the lack of sleep I had the night before worrying about this day were also hidden beneath the makeup.
  I wore my silk gown I had slept in, a soft rosy pink that somehow brought out how pale I was at the moment.
  The girls had left to give me a moment to grasp what was going on, but I was getting more and more nervous and terrified by the moment.
  Suddenly I stood and wandered out the door of the dressing room in the hotel.
  I wandered down the hall, my fingers trailing the walls as I made my way to where I knew Garrus was getting ready.
  It was another dressing room off the side of the lounge where in just a couple hours we would be getting married.
  I didn't bother knocking, I simply pressed the button and watched the door slide open to see Garrus adjusting the cuffs on his shirt, his tuxedo jacket still hanging neatly, waiting for him.
  He looked up into the reflection of the mirror and turned to face me with wide eyes. "Samantha! I thought you were supposed to be getting ready! What are you doing here?"
  He frowned as if struck by a thought. "You're not having second thoughts, are you? I mean, it would be perfectly fine if you are, I won't be angry but..."
  My wide eyes searched his and I shook my head. "Is this really happening? Is this it? We finally get the happy ending we've been hoping for since we met?"
  Garrus smirked, mischief all over his face. "Technically we've been having happy endings if you know what I mean."
  I coughed out laughter and shook my head, my muscles relaxing. "You know what I mean though."
  He smiled and approached me, wrapping his arms around my waist to pull me close to him. "I know. And I know that this is it. We get our happy ending. Nothing can stop us now. We've fought Geth, Husks, and so many other damned things trying to kill us, not counting the Reapers and we're still here. Together. This is meant to happen. It always was, we just had to be patient. And we were, so here we are now. About to get married, find somewhere warm and tropical and live off the royalties like in the vids- just like I promised you before you kicked ass."
  I smiled at him before I laid my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "I had wanted to believe it could happen so bad when you told me that, but I'll admit I had little hope. I wanted you to hope but I couldn't bring myself to do just that. But I couldn't bring myself to break that hope. But you were right."
  He chuckled, the vibrations coursing through his body and into mine as his arms tightened around me. "Of course I was right. I'm always right when it comes to us... and calibrations."
  I laughed and shook my head. "Don't even start on your damn calibrations or we'll never make it to our own wedding! Spirits know you denied talking to me a million times over those damn calibrations!"
  "I was trying to make sure we had a successful mission! You're welcome for that!"
  I pulled back enough so he could see the evil smirk on my face. "I never thanked you for that."
  "Trust me, I know. I'm still waiting for the thanks I'll probably never get."
  "You know, you are going to have to deal with me for the rest of your life. I wouldn't start that by copping attitude with me."
  "Says the queen of attitude..."
  I opened my mouth to smart back at him when the door opened, cutting me off.
  Garrus and I both turned our heads to see a worried looking Liara in the doorway, along with Garrus' irritated looking sister.
  "There you are!" Liara's voice was filled with relief when she saw me. "We were so worried as to where you went! We weren't sure what to think!"
  "We thought you ran," his sister said bluntly, her hand propped on her hip.
  "Solana! She has just as much of a right to be nervous as I do. I needed to see her too, which means I'm happy she came to find me. She didn't run and you have no right to judge her."
  Solana scowled at him and turned to walk away, leaving an awkward looking Liara standing in the doorway waiting for me.
  I looked up at Garrus, knowing my expression would be questioning and concerned.
  He sighed and rubbed my arms. "She's just stressed out because of dad. She'll be okay though. It'll get better, I promise."
  I rolled my eyes. "You should know better than to make promises for other people by now, Garrus."
  "She's my sister, I know her well enough."
  "You know, I'm a big girl. I can handle it if she just doesn't like me because I'm human."
  "She doesn't like the fact that I told them in a last minute manner."
  I raise my eyebrows at him. "Well I told you to invite your family from the beginning and kept reminding you. You're the one that put it off."
  Garrus sighed and rubbed his hands up and down my arms. "I know. I'll talk to them. Just don't worry about it. This is our special day. Nothing else matters today okay?"
  I nod and stand on my toes to plant a kiss on his lips. "I'll see you at the altar."
Garrus returned the kiss and smirked as I backed away a few steps, letting our clasped hands fall apart. "Just don't leave me there, Sam."
I scowled at him and raised it in a salute at him. "Fuck you Vakarian."
Garrus chuckled. "Watch it, you're cursing the name you'll be taking in about an hour."
I couldn't help but smile at the thought and I shook my head as I walked away.
Liara followed me, shutting the door behind us, with a smile playing on her lips.
"What?" I asked, trying not to laugh.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking how it's about time you two made this official. You've been acting like a married couple since you recruited him back into the team on Menae."
I aimed a playful swat at her but she ducked out of the way quickly and rushed ahead a few steps to open the door for me.
Inside, EDI, Kasumi, and to my surprise and delight, Chakwas waited for me.
Chakwas smiled fondly at me, the deepened lines in the corners of her eyes crinkling like they always did when she smiled a genuine smile.
"We thought you might have run off," Kasumi teased.
I narrowed my eyes at her but before I could speak, Chakwas was speaking.
"I told you she wouldn't. This bride doesn't run. I know this from how many times she's been shot..."
I laughed. "Karen! Did you just compare my wedding day to getting shot?"
A smile played on her lips. "I never know what to expect from you sometimes, so I just have to assume all things are possible with you."
She turned to the other girls and raised her brows at them.
"Can I have a few moments to help the bride into her wedding gown? I'm sure she wouldn't care for an audience, despite us all being women."
Immediately everyone seemed to break out of a trance and shuffle toward the door, letting it slide shut behind them.
Chakwas went to the zipped bag hanging on a mostly empty wall, save for the hanging pegs mounted to the wall.
Carefully, she unzipped it and revealed my gown, perfectly fitted for my body now.
"Get changed into your undergarments of choice if you haven't already."
I nodded and grabbed my underwear and slipped out of my gown, feeling the eyes of my doctor and nearly adoptive mother on me.
"You look much better than when they brought you into the hospital," she commented.
I smiled. "Death doesn't stick to me."
She laughed and shook her head. "I was actually talking about when I first found you in that hospital bed. Barely alive but determined to hang onto that last bit of life. Like there was something urging you on with the might of the galaxy. I had never seen such a young soldier with such determination to return to the battlefield after the kind of loss you suffered. And now here you are. Not only alive, but thriving in this world you helped save. This galaxy."
I smiled at Chakwas, sure the wonder in my heart was showing on my face.
She smiled back at me and took the dress off the hangar, gesturing me over.
She helped me into my gown silently, her hands working quickly and efficiently like usual until the dress was set perfectly on my body.
She turned me gently to face the mirror. What I saw made me gasp, and the woman in the mirror did the same. It was hard to believe.
Tears rose in my eyes as I saw Chakwas crying silently behind me as well.
"What's wrong?"
She shook her head and smiled at me through the tears. "Absolutely nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect."
She gave me a hug, rubbing my shoulders and back before she released me.
"Come on, we need to get you ready for your brother to walk you down the aisle."
I smiled. "I didn't know if he would make it."
Chakwas laughed. "I can tell you he wouldn't miss it for the world. Any of them."
I smiled and wiped the tears from my eyes, straightening myself. "This family is complete. The family of the Normandy."
"It has quite a ring to it," Karen admitted with a smile.
I smiled back and nodded, slipping into my heels. "Yeah it does, doesn't it?"

((A/N: Hey guys! So I'm editing this last minute pretty much I know and probably gonna have this out midnight my time but I haven't done an update so even if I hadn't gotten it done tonight I probably would have skipped the Sunday ritual altogether lol been busy with work and school so it's kind of hard to find time to write and edit! I promise I'm trying to find time to get these last chapters out to you guys though! I haven't quit on you this close to the end!! Hope y'all enjoy this chapter! Lemme know with a comment and vote what you think! Thanks so much guys!! Keelah selai!))