Sequel to Firing Practise, if you haven't read it a few bits might not make sense. its a spur of the moment thing as a lovely reviewer called Vorbarra asked if I would continue writing onwards from the last fic. Enough from me here's the story.

The one with the cocktail.

Shepard and Garrus stood in the open area before Tulsa, they had travelled down to the wards in the longest elevator rides that she had ever experienced. She passed the time by leaning on Garrus and making suggestive comments every time someone looked at them in a weird way. She could hear Garrus trying not to laugh when a snotty old woman gave Shepard a lecture on 'letting the standards of your species down.'

He just stood there with his mandibles flaring and a slightly noticeable shudder in his shoulders showing that he was trying not to snigger out loud. The particular comment Shepard said made the woman flip out. She patronized and condescended her before leaving two stops before the floor Shepard and Garrus would depart. Praise for Shepard though, Garrus thought she was going to redecorate the walls she looked so angry, that Shepard would reply or make another snarky comment with her biotics but she didn't.

They continued their journey in silence and when the elevator dinged they silently walked toward the tacky bar sign that read 'TULSA.'

'Wow,' Shepard breathed.

'Oh so you can speak I thought that woman might have silenced you forever, what's the phrase? Dog got your tongue?' Garrus nudged her on the shoulder.

She poked out her tongue in reply, 'it's cat actually, but yeah I'm surprised we didn't suffocate from the amount of hot air that stupid cow was bellowing out.' She trotted toward the entrance.

'Well you gotta admit that what you said could have been taken the wrong way.' He quickly followed.

She snorted ungracefully, 'asking if you're shooting blanks is perfectly innocent.'

Garrus said nothing, simply shifted his stance and folded his arms. He raised a brow in mock anger and stared at Shepard.

'What?' She asked, a slight laugh entered her voice and she shrugged her shoulders, 'it is!'

'Shepard.'

'What!? It's perfectly innocent.' She grinned giggling as she said it.

'I know you better than that, and I get the reference, I'm just surprised you didn't knock her out.' He let his arms drop to his sides, relaxing.

She wrapped her arms around his slim waist 'what and risk missing having drinks with my fav turian?' She rubbed her head against his chest and continued, 'and besides killing nosy, old, grumpy bitches is bad for my rep y'know? I got standards.'

Garrus couldn't help but laugh, he gripped her shoulders and pulled her away, she gave a small squeak as he did but obliged, he turned her around and steered her to the door of the bar.

...*...

Inside the décor was bad, it was tacky bad just like the sign outside, an array of colours mixed and clashed, a vibrant patterned material covered everything that was possible. A few asari dancers wandered from table to table, they wore bright orange and purple bodysuits with padded shoulders and flared trousers. Shepard shuddered inside.

'OhmygodIthinkI'mgoingtobesick,' she blurted out in a fast stream.

'Honestly I only caught every other word but yeah I get the gist I also second that thought.' He looked down at her, she had paled a bit and she did look ill. He knew that Shepard was a little bit of a germaphobe not that she would ever admit it. But seeing the horrible colour and design mess that this club portrayed it didn't take a mastermind to make the connection that equalled dirt.

Garrus gave her a gentle shove towards a vacant table. She reluctantly sat in the booth and held her hands in her lap. He sat opposite her and scratched his scar idly. It had healed nicely but still panged when it was cold.

'Glad you suggested this bar Shepard.'

'Uh-huh.'

'You ok?' Concern entering his voice.

'Oh good lord no, do you think being a spectre means I can arrest people for violating fashion laws? I mean those shoes with those trousers? Ugh I feel horrid.' She shuddered.

Garrus laughed 'well I'm going to get a drink let me know when you stop tormenting the poor waitresses in your mind and what drink you want.' He wandered toward the bar ignoring an asari's attempt to get him to dance.

He had stood there for only a minute when his omni-tool bleeped, rolling his eyes he opened his messages. There like he expected a message from Shepard.

Message from Shepard 14.30

Do needles count as torture? Xx

Back to two 'x's thank the spirits, he knew the implication of the 'x's but he could only just handle one or two and he was worried it was going to expand from the three she sent earlier.

Message to Shepard 14.32

Depends in what context xx

Message from Shepard 14.33

A sewing lesson perhaps? Xx

Garrus caught the barman's eye and ordered a drink while he waited for it to arrive he typed his next message already knowing that he was going to be in trouble when she read it but he couldn't resist.

Message to Shepard 14.37

Shepard I've seen you dance, I fear for the asari if you show them your sewing skills. Remember the button? Xx

He heard the gasp of anger from behind him, and instinctively he ducked his head.

Message from Shepard 14.48

Arsehole x

Grinning as his drink arrived, he grabbed the small glass in his talons and returned to the table. He sat back in his seat and continued to grin. Shepard was pouting and playing with her plait.

'You ok?' He asked after a few moments.

'You would have to bring up the button.' She fiddled with the hair band.

'Damn thing nearly took out an eye, so yeah a sewing lesson would mean torture.' He sipped his drink, for a slum looking bar the drinks weren't half bad, taste or price.

'It was annoying.'

'It's an inanimate object, it wasn't purposely trying to piss you off.'

'It wouldn't stay put when I was trying to fasten it back to the shirt, it was mocking me.' She brought up the holographic display of cocktails on the table computer.

'So it deserved to be biotically thrown across the room into the airlock?' He asked, swirling the ice in his glass he could feel the nice warm feeling in his stomach.

'Yes it did. It's not my fault you were entering the mess hall at the same time.' She scrolled down the list occasionally clicking on the ingredients.

They sat in a comfortable silence, and listened to the ever increasing music that was getting louder by the minute.

He heard Shepard gasp but he wasn't prepared for what she said next.

'Oh my god I can have a Screaming Orgasm!'

Garrus choked on his drink and hastily coughed. Thumping his chest he looked around. A few of the asari's had smirks on their faces and the barman had begun to laugh.

'Garrus, Garrus look,' she bounced up and down in her seat, 'an Orgasm, a Screaming Orgasm!' She pointed to the screen of Cocktails.

'Could you please stop repeating that, not everyone knows that you're talking about the drink.' Neither did I till about a minute ago, way to keep a man on his toes Shepard.

'Oh there was a retro bar in Illium and that was the only place I knew of that did 21st century drinks!' She bounced happily 'maybe this place isn't such a dive.'

She practically ran over to the bar to order her drink while Garrus knocked back his.

….*...

Several drinks later and Shepard had dragged Garrus onto the dance floor, true she couldn't dance but neither could he it was fun all the same. Several more groups had entered the bar in the time that they had arrived. Apparently it was a popular spot, despite the appearance. Shepard waggled her hips and stomped her feet. Garrus beamed inside it was rare to see Shepard so relaxed, and happy. She tried to keep a stiff and stern appearance when on duty although she could be fairly blunt and sometimes her mischievous side would pop out.

The bar was getting heavy and very crowded. He felt a bit claustrophobic so he motioned to Shepard that he was going to get another drink and sit down. She nodded and brushed his hand in reply mouthing 'five minutes,' Garrus' mandibles flared as he smiled and he moved his way back toward their table.

Sliding into his seat he leant back and breathed out deeply. This was going to be an interesting evening. The tables around him were filled and bustling, he waved off a couple of female turians that had approached, with a sour look on their faces they disappeared into the throng. He close his eyes and stretched his legs underneath the table. He could hear a turian's braying laugh behind him.

'And then she was like oh, Ruso show me how you use your shotgun,'

'Man, I never would have guessed she was a xeno, I heard rumours but y'know'

'So what happened next, you score?'

'Yeah I was like, baby you know turian's can have more than one partner, and she was like, no I had no idea, and I said,' the one named Ruso paused for effect his mates hanging off every word, 'lets put your skills to the test.'

Garrus grimaced, it was people like this that made him cringe, true a lot of aliens fell for the multiple partner ruse especially if they weren't very well versed in the other alien's culture. No doubt this guy had used that line hundreds of time. Garrus rubbed his forehead with his talons, morons.

'Damn man! Wish I had your luck, Commander Shepard's a babe. The way she uses that pistol? Smoking hot man, bet she was a wildcat in the sack.'

Garrus froze Commander Shepard? He tried to lean back further nonchalantly, he desperately wanted to hear more. When the hell would this scum of my species meet Shepard?

One of Ruso's mates continued, 'For fuck's sake I was going to go to the shooting range today, I can't believe I missed meeting a living fucking legend. Spirits that's so unfair.'

Garrus ordered a drink via the table computer and waited patiently. While tapping his feet, well maybe not patiently. But waiting nonetheless. His omni-tool bleeped half heartedly.

Message from Shepard 17.18

Wher th hel r u? Xxxxxxxxxx

Oh spirits she's either had waaay to much or she's a bit high.

Message to Shepard 17.22

Just relaxing and having a drink at our table xx

Message from Shepard 17.30

Brb need loo. Ill b at th table in 10min xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Message to Shepard 17.31

Ok I'll be here xx

….*...

Half and hour passed and Garrus was considering sending out a search party when she stumbled across and pretty much tripped over the table.

'Sorry hun there was a massive queue,' she took in the expression on his face, 'hey are you alright?'

'Yeah' Thank the spirits I was there when that scum tried to hit on her earlier. I could have taken this the complete wrong way.

'Some stupid turian kept trying to grind me, I think I might have broken a toe.'

Garrus couldn't help but chuckle at the thought.

'So not gonna be a best friend, too much of a jerk?.'

Shepard laughed loudly, 'yeah pretty much. Oh, oh, oh speaking of jerks, I met this right jackass at the shooting range earlier today, before I met you.'

Garrus felt a small bubble of relief, for a moment there I thought she wasn't going to tell me.

'So is the the story you were going to tell me?'

'Uhuh so don't interrupt, see I was practising my shooting, like I uh promised to, and well I drew some interest from a turian and he uh tried to get me to come have some drinks with him I politely refused and he left.' She shrugged her shoulders, 'that's it really.'

'How did you get him to leave?'

'What?'

'Knowing you Shepard it was either very colourful or very violent.' Garrus was trying to hide the fact that he knew exactly how she did it, but he wanted her to say.

'Well I brought up some targets, one of them happened to be um turian and I shot out the ankles and uh wrists.'

'That's vicious, pretty painful, not a quick death'

'Well yeah, hey what happened to not interrupting? Anyway, I then did the knees and shoulders, might as well continue the pain right?' She laughed at Garrus' wincing. 'I know, I know I'm a cruel mistress, well I then went lower from the the chest into the uh, um, well y'know, his uh delicate region.'

Garrus' mandibles twitched, 'Damn Shepard, remind me never to piss you off.'

She rested her hand on his and squeezed lightly.

'You could never piss me off,' She rethought her sentence, 'well not that much anyway.'

They sat sipping their drinks, Shepard didn't let go of his hand and so he revelled in the way her finger unconsciously traced patterns on the back of his hand. The table behind him got louder and louder and Garrus saw the muscle under her eye begin to twitch.

Another round of drinks appeared and the waitress got another appreciative round of applause, Shepard's eyes narrowed, one of the turians grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down into his lap, she slapped his chest and tried to get up, he pulled he down tighter laughing as she struggled.

Shepard stood up and walked over, Garrus didn't even try to stop her, he would be beaten for his pains.

'Let her go.'

'Oh well, look what we got here, wanna join the fun sweetheart.' He raked his hand over his fringe and playfully patted the asari on the thigh.

'I won't repeat myself,' her hand lit in biotic blue, casting her face in shadows.

'Hah look Ruso, she wants to play.'

'Hahaha come one darling I know how to treat human girls right, you can ask the commander herself.'

Shepard froze not turning around. Garrus saw her head incline to the side. He was casually sitting on the edge of their table picking a talon, he knew that Ruso had dug his own grave. He couldn't help but smirk.

'You know Commander Shepard, Ruso?' She said his name with a hiss.

'Hell yeah baby,' He grabbed her wrist.

She spun around and pointed her finger in his face, 'REALLY?! You know me do you?'

Ruso stuttered and dropped her wrist as if it had grown scolding hot, 'h-hey Shep-Shepard,' he chuckled nervously 'how you uh doing?'

His mates whooped and cheered, the asari waitress made her escape, she smiled in Shepard's direction. Garrus made a note to tell her about it later. Ruso looked around, his friends happiness refuelling his ego.

'Told my mates about when I met you down at the shooting range, fun wasn't it?' He winked at his mates who chuckled and sniggered.

'Oh yeah, I can only guess what stories you had to tell.' She crossed her arms and flipped her plait over her shoulder. She glanced at Garrus who shrugged and rolled his eyes. Her omni-tool bleeped. Ignoring the fact that it was completely rude to check one's messages in company she did it anyway.

Message from Vakarian 18.24

Punch him it'll make me feel better. Xx

She smiled he must have sent it just before she looked at him. All anger she she had drained away when she read the words. She straightened and turned to Ruso.

'Have a nice evening Ruso, it was a joy to see you again.'

She turned on her heel and walked the few steps back to Garrus who was shaking his head. She brushed it off with a wave and a grin.

'Should have hit him.'

'Na not worth my time.'

They slid back into their chairs, Garrus sipped his drink and Shepard ordered another. From across the table they heard Ruso talk.

'Just like I told you, hard then gentle.'

Garrus stood up and walked back to the table ignoring Shepard's pleas to 'just drop it.'

Garrus grabbed Ruso by his collar heaving him upright. His friends instantly surrounded him, holding Ruso by the throat he pulled a pistol out and held it to the nearest one.

'Try me.' He said.

Shepard moved close, 'Garrus' she warned.

Ruso's friends backed off. Mandibles clicking in anger, but none of them were stupid enough to go up against a spectre.

'So Ruso, have fun with Shepard today?' He said in a fake tone of voice.

'Yeah why? She done you too? Maybe we should compare notes.' Fear replaced by pure ego.

Garrus' reply was to nut him, hard. Dropping Ruso on the floor he kicked him in the chest. Shepard winced, Garrus happily walked back toward her, leaving Ruso groaning on the floor.

'Was that really necessary?'

'Made me feel better.'

They could hear Ruso's friends fussing around him, they held him upright and led him from the bar.

'Fuck man, he broke your plates,'

'Dude I don't care what he did that was awesome.'

Garrus slid into the booth his mandibles clicking with happiness. Shepard followed suit. He locked his fingers behind his head and leant into his hands, she rested her elbows on the table propping her head on her hand. She traced circles on the table.

'Thankyou Garrus.'

'For what?'

'Sticking up for me. I mean I have never needed anyone to do so, but is nice.'

'Anything for you Evelyn,' He pulled her hand across the table and did the turian version of a kiss on the back of her hand, gently his tongue brushed over her knuckles.

Deep down she shivered with anticipation, hearing him saying her name as rare as it was, she loved it.

He let her hand go and simply gazed in at her.

The music thumped louder but neither of them noticed too engrossed with each other.

'Another Screaming Orgasm Shepard?'

'Oh yes please. Can I have another later?'

'If you play your cards right, and don't forget to wear your glasses, otherwise you might play them, well wrong'

'And that would be such a shame.'

'Indeed.'

Garrus' omni-tool bleeped, he glanced down. One new message.

Message from Shepard 21.48

I love you Vakarian xxxx

Omg that took forever but it was so fun to write. Please let me know what you think people. Love you all my lovlies. xx