Who: Caleb & Garrus What: Drinks are needed to discuss things When: Recent Where: One of the OC's many watering holes Rating/Warnings: Relatively low, discussions on kidnapping Status: Complete!
Spirits, he hadn’t been to one of these in awhile. A dive bar that was riddled with gossip and scummy intel, the sort of place he frequented during his bounty days of bringing in wanted criminals of various circles. Part of him had missed it, but the government work he’d been steeped into had mostly suited him - despite the obnoxious invisible red tape, though Garrus had managed to make it work.
Considering their was a threat lurking in the deepest, blackest corners of the galaxy biding its time, a literal nightmare made sentient, now more than ever did he know where he was at career-wise was the best place to be. He and Shepard kept the news a bit hush-hush for now, letting the intel leak to a couple people of interest (like his wife, because he kept nothing from Cindy), but the news would emerge soon.
For now he could use the distraction, and he’d been meaning to check up on Caleb anyway. Plenty happened since the kidnapping, it wouldn’t hurt to catch up on drinks, all of which Garrus had been willing to buy. While he waited, he’d begin with a Guinness, draft. Liquid bread in a glass, mmm.
It hadn’t taken long for Caleb to get his life back on track. His boss hadn’t even noticed that he quit his job, his friends had mostly forgiven him o weren’t even mad to begin with, Hanna had forgiven him. Now he just had to forgive himself which he honestly wasn’t sure he ever would. He had been doing his best to push that all aside though and focus on moving forward. Of course that meant more dreams, and they were getting stranger than ever with him being in a separate town from Hanna and A, having some weird ass death pact curse on him and apparently being able to talk to ghosts.
Drinking was definitely necessary. He was more than happy to meet Garrus for a few, although Caleb really should be the one guying. It was the least he could do after Garrus saved his ass. However by the time Caleb arrived Garrus was already there with a beer in hand. “Hey,” Caleb said with a nod taking the empty bar stool beside him. He got the bartender’s attention ordering himself a shot of bourbon. Yeah he needed something stronger than beer lately. “How you been?”
Garrus had to do a double-take. He recognized the voice, just didn’t immediately recognize him - where’d all that hair go? “Working,” he answered, eyebrow raised at his first choice of the night. Shots weren’t completely unusual. It’s not like they came here to sip on fucking juice boxes anyway. “A couple things popped up.” Serious things, which he’d get to after he finished his beer and segued into the harsher stuff.
But before dumping the news of a galactic threat on Caleb’s young shoulders, he wanted to make sure he was good - he stuck around, stayed after that entire clusterfuck, that was a good sign. “You look like you’re keeping it together after what happened. Hanna okay?”
She’d been kidnapped. It wasn’t what you’d call a walk in the park.
Caleb still did a double take when he looked in the mirror sometimes. It took some serious getting used to and while he missed his long locks it was time he grew up. As cheesy as it was the hair was a sort of symbol of that. Plus he just needed a change after everything.
It was Caleb’s turn to raise a brow. It sure sounded like there was a story behind the couple things that popped up. However before he could question Garrus on it he was asking about Hanna. Garrus did deserve to know how they were both holding up given everything he had done for them. “She’s doing okay,” he said as the bartender brought over his drink. Caleb took a sip before continuing. “She’s pretty big on putting it all behind her and just moving forward.” He wasn’t sure how healthy that was but whatever it seemed to be working.
“So, what popped up?” He wasn’t going to let that drop so easily. If Garrus didn’t want to tell him he’d understand that. But he’d at least ask and do the best to help his buddy out.
“If she ever needs to talk about it, you can always direct her to Cindy - she knows what it’s like,” Vakarian sighed, gulping down the rest of his malt beer. Thinking about that certainly made him want to drink a little harder. It’d been a year since that incident, but she’d provide good insight to Hanna if needed. And would direct her to a therapist. There wasn’t any shame needing to talk to a professional after something traumatizing happened; he wished more people would. “But people handle things their own way, at their own pace.”
Pint emptied, he motioned for another drink. This time in a tall shot glass, something to wash down the taste of ale to keep him toasty. If they were going to segue from loved ones being snatched up due to personal package over to a potential alien invasion, he’d need several of these.
A hand scrubbed down his face before he started. “Something big. On a potentially global scale. It’s…” Fuck, where to even start? “You remember the spaceship I showed you? The Normandy?”
He would definitely keep that offer in mind. Bringing it up to Hanna right now might not be the best idea. His girl could be stubborn. But he was keeping an eye on her, if she seemed to be spiraling or having even the slightest bit of an issue you bet he’d bring it up. Or if the timing ever seemed right. But for now he would just let her deal however she needed. “How was Cindy? After it all.” He was curios for Hanna’s sake but he also felt like it was something he should have asked Garrus a long time ago. Like when he first came back.
Caleb finished off the rest of his drink and motioned for another. “Nope. Because being on a spaceship is a thing I would completely forget about,” he joked even though it seemed like there was a genuine matter at hand. “Now what’s this potentially global issue?” he asked getting more serious.
Caleb’s inquiry caused him to rub his jaw in thought, and a thick sigh came before his words. “That’s a loaded question,” Garrus honestly answered. “Two weeks of being kidnapped, beaten, starved? It took her awhile to feel normal. I was with her as much as she needed, gave her space when she asked for it. She took it day by day. At her own pace.” He didn’t want to divulge too much personal information; what happened, all the gritty details she’d gone through, it was something he wanted to keep personal. It wasn’t his story to tell. But if there was anyone who’d know what Hanna had gone through it’d be her.
Anyway, the offer was there - Caleb could let Hanna know, and he knew the missus wouldn’t turn away someone who’d been in a similar situation.
As for that aforementioned dilemma, well…
“There’s these things in my dreams. Mass Relays. Think of portals in space that allow galactic travel to be quicker, and can transport a ship from one system to another in record time. Shepard found two. One outside of Pluto that took us to a system with an empty space station, and a second one that led to the location of a genocidal sentient spaceship.”
Caleb nodded as Garrus spoke. Cindy definitely had it a lot worse off than Hanna had. And it sounded like Garrus did as well. Just the two days Hanna had been gone was torture enough. He couldn’t imagine two weeks of not knowing where she was, what was happening to her. “Damn,” Caleb muttered. “I don’t know how either of you survived that.” And that was all he would say on the matter, unless Garrus wanted to offer more information. Caleb had already pried enough into his older friend’s life. Even if the situation was quite similar.
Mass Relays. Well alright then. Thankfully Garrus went on to explain it further. He still didn’t quite understand how exactly portals were an issue here. Unless they had shown up? Or the genocidal spaceship did? “Go on,” Caleb’s way of signaling that he was following along so far.
“They’re here,” Garrus clarified grimly. “The Mass Relays. The space station. The Reaper.” It was one they’d detected, but one meant the existence of the rest - before it was all theoretical, a mere possibility, but they faced indoctrinated Cerberus troops on that asteroid. All bets were off. That thinning of a ‘magical veil’ that kept the worlds separate wasn’t concentrated to just Orange County.
He downed his shot before continuing. It wasn’t a conversation to have entirely sober. “The Reapers, they’re…” Another sigh escaped him, this time heavier with a hint of exhaustion. “Massive, to put it lightly. They’re spaceships, sentient ones, artificial intelligence gone mad. Their entire purpose is to commit genocide of every major civilization every billion years or so. It’s supposed to give the more primitive races out there a chance to evolve. Shepard and I did some investigating. We found one. We destroyed the Relay it’d take to get to this system in a blink of an eye, it’ll come here. Eventually.”
Reaper? Caleb had no fucking clue what that meant. Sure as hell sounded bad though. Worse than a death pact. Reaper did mean death after all. Caleb was picturing a guy in a hooded black robe (which was oddly similar to A) before Garrus went on to explain what they actually were.
“So let me get this straight,” Caleb said downing his next hot as all the information fully sunk in. “There are spaceships out there that are homicidal maniacs out there? You got rid of the portal that will get them here but eventually one or more of these spaceships are going to come and what? Take out all humankind?” Yeah this conversation definitely required a lot more drinks.
Not a bad summation. Simplified, he supposed, but simplification of the entire concept was the best route to go when explaining it to someone who didn’t share the same dreams and wouldn’t exactly get the full-scope unless there was a thorough elaboration. “Yes,” Garrus confirmed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
It was a fucking nightmare. His dreams had been over, and he’d get a whole slew of unpleasant reruns that still had the ability to make his stomach coil and wake him up with dread. War, planets ravaged, races extinct, all the death of good soldiers. Losing Shepard. PSTD would have been a natural route for him to take, but Vakarian was the steely sort - levelheaded and always put together, he did his best to endure it all and leave emotions to the side.
“We have time to bring our resources together, but I don’t know. This doesn’t just effect California. This affects the entire planet.”
“Shit.” It was all Caleb could think of to say at the moment. With his understanding, the entire world was basically doomed. Simple version or not the point still came across.
“So how do we stop it?” Because yeah Caleb would help. Like hell he was going to let the world end. He had a feeling Garrus still saw him as a kid. But he wasn’t anymore, never had been really. Caleb was forced to grow up fast. And yeah he had needed help to save Hanna, but for the most part he could handle himself. This was a whole other level though, but Caleb had a feeling Garrus was going to need all the help he could get.
“We’ve got a plan or two in mind,” Garrus assured, but it involved all sorts of specific talk when it came to the history and science of his world. A lot to take in, especially when they were both chugging booze and getting a little hazy in the head. “It’ll be an old hands on deck scenario when they make contact. We found an empty space station meant to held an entire civilization. It’s part of the dreams, called the Citadel. It’s stocked with weapons and supplies. We’ll be making sure everyone is well-armed.”
Guns, magic, mutant powers. Every resource they could call in the OC that could throw a spell or hold a gun, or even punch something in the face. They’d need healers, helpers when it came to getting other civilians to safety. But he knew it’d be a bloodbath. He knew people would be lost, carnage on the streets and ruin everywhere if just one Reaper landed and made its mark.
It made him feel cold inside. Hollow. It was tempting to request another drink for consumption, but Vakarian pushed away his glass and left it at that.
“Well, anything you need,” Caleb replied keeping it simple. He finished off his drink and was about to motion for another when he noticed Garrus push his glass away. Drinking alone wasn’t much fun. Not that this entire conversation had been all the fun but still. Caleb refrained from ordering another.
“And on that pleasant note, I guess we should call it a night?” it was more of a question than a statement. If Garrus wasn’t ready to go, needed to talk more, vent, change topics, Caleb would be there for him.
“Too much of a depressing topic to drink to, isn’t it?” Garrus smirked, but since tonight was on him he made sure to pull out the folded cash to cover their rounds - plus tip, of course. “You’ve had a lot more than I’ve ever seen you. You sure everything’s alright on your end?”
Could be that he was still reeling from that entire hostage situation. It wasn’t the first kidnapping he had dealt with, but none of those that he helped kill were that young - and it was Caleb’s girlfriend on the line. It wasn’t the easiest thing to deal with.
“Just a little,” Caleb agreed before Garrus went on to mention Caleb’s drinks. Had it really been that much? Everything was alright on his end as far as his real life was concerned. Of course he still felt guilty about everything that happened but his life was pretty much back together. What was really bugging him now were these new dreams about creepy ass Ravenswood. “Yeah,” he finally said. “Just dream stuff mostly. I left Hanna for this new town where there’s this death pact curse on me and four other people. One of them already died and now I can apparently talk to her ghost.”
“A death pact curse and ghost,” Vakarian deadpanned, both brows rising in some surprise and curiosity. “That’s the last route I expected your dreams to take.” Wasn’t it generally about some overhyped high school drama, maybe a stalker? Not that he was anyone to question it; he dreamed about being an alien that was theorized to be the missing link between birds and dinosaurus, for fuck’s sake.
Patting his blazer’s pocket to assure that everything else was in place - phone especially - he tucked his hands into his pockets and walked out of the bar with Caleb. “I’d drink a little extra too in your place. Sounds like you’re getting a dose of magic, aren’t you?”
“Thanks,” Caleb replied with a nod to the money on the bar as they stood to leave. It was a bit delayed but still it was there.
That was the last route Caleb expected his dreams to go as well. But that’s what happened when you left Rosewood apparently. “Makes me miss A. Sure I still have no idea who A is but at least it’s a person instead of some random curse that I can’t fight.” At least he didn’t think he could. He and the other three survivors were trying to figure a way out of it, along with Miranda’s ghost. “If curses and talking to ghosts are considered magic then yeah,” Caleb replied his eyes searching for a cab. He was smart enough not to drive after all he had drank. “But you have bigger things to worry about,” curses were no where near as bad as potential planet destruction. Caleb hadn’t meant to unload his new, freaky ass dreams on Garrus.
Garrus didn’t mind the unloading of new, freaky ass dreams. Better than the reality that his would eventually manifest into this planet’s atmosphere and wreak havoc, and it seemed like an odd development for Caleb’s dreams. “Magic, supernatural, I’d lump it all together,” he shrugged. It wasn’t his area of expertise - he’d seen the perks of it, as magic was what had brought Cindy back from death, but he’d also seen the kind of terrors it could bestow. All good things came with the bad, like most things.
“Worse case scenario, there’s always that magic guild if things get a little weird for you?” Who knew if Caleb would inherit something - but thankfully abilities seemed to be a widespread occurrence, and he wouldn’t be without support.
It figured there was a magic guild. That really shouldn’t make as much sense to him as it did. “Because shit’s not weird already,” he retorted with a smirk as he spotted a cab. “You good?” referring to Garrus’ ability to drive. He hadn’t had quite as much as Caleb but still he might be over the limit. “I don’t mind sharing,” he added nodding at the cab. “My treat,” Garrus had got the drinks after all.