Her fingers traced the edge of his left mandible, affectionately.

When Shepard had jumped into that column of light, she had been jumping to her death - not the possibility of death, but an assured end, a final sacrifice. She had jumped into the Conduit understanding that she would not see the resolution, that no matter what happened, she was done.

She could understand Garrus' hesitance, but she didn't share it.

As far as Shepard was concerned, her old life was over. This was a new one. This was her chance to pretend the last sixteen years didn't happen, that she was still just a teenager on a frontier planet, helping run the farm, skipping school and making out with Hazel Mao in the fuel depot maintenance closet.

"Do what you need to do, Garrus. Turn over the rocks, open up the curtains. If you ask me to, I'll help."

Her voice cracks an almost imperceptible amount. Almost.

"But I'm tired, Garrus. I'm so tired."

She averted her eyes as tears welled up in the corners.