~x~X~x~

Shepard walked through the ship, ignoring the snickers and whispers from the crew. Okay, they knew about her relationship, but it didn't matter...even if Miranda had lectured her on how she should be restricted to Humans. Lia's reply was a simple "Fuck you, Lawson. Why don't you go do some shit with Jacob or something. Just, don't be a Cerberus bitch, alright?"

Miranda had a fit after that, but Lia had noticed her XO was calmer, so she had to have done something. Hell, she had caught Tali sending messages to Kal'Reegar and she already knew her engineers had a thing for one another. Kasumi couldn't help playing matchmaker at some points.

The Commander kept walking through the mess hall, she could feel eyes burning into her back. She didn't glance sideways or even show a sign that she noticed them. Her hand lifted and she knocked on the door to the main battery.

"Shepard, what is it?" Garrus asked. Lia just stood there, a smirk on her face.

"Nothing much. I was just on the Citadel and bought something you might want to see." she replied.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Now, you have to come to my cabin to see it. Or your quarters. What ever is better."

"I really don't care."

"Then we can use your quarters for once. My cat is still mad at me after I didn't let her eat my hamster. While I get ready, grab me a cup of coffee, black. Please and thank you." she said, stepping to a door inside the main battery as he went to get her coffee.

The room was fairly small and only had a bed, a table, a desk and a locker for personal items.

Lia pulled off her shirt, untied her shoes, unzipped her pants, stripped off her socks and sat on the bed. She took the band from her hair and threw it all aside. The only things she was in was a wire push-up bra and her undies. Her blond hair fell onto her shoulders.

The door hissed open and Garrus walked back in, only to drop her cup of coffee and the mug shattered while the liquid covered the floor.

"What the hell?" he managed, not moving only blinking.

"Told you I bought something new. So, you going to come here or did I spend my credits for nothing?" Lia pouted. He stepped closer as Lia grabbed him to take off the armor. "God, your so slow when I dress like this! Is there a problem? Do I have to wear my uniform 24/7?" she asked, letting him get up after a moment. "I'd really like to be able to stay in this." she added, locking the door. "Are you going to talk, or should I leave and come back later?"

"Now is fine." he responded, pulling her closer to him. She smiled.

"Good, I don't want to be cat food. That cat is royally pissed off." she sighed, letting him hold her in his arms. She was cold but warm all at the same time.

Garrus couldn't believe he'd dropped the drink, how stupid! Just because she was dressed like that too! He felt so stupid in front of her. But she didn't seem to mind as he held her close.

Her flesh was soft and warm, her hair just silk. He could feel her lay her head on his shoulder and he breathed in her scent. Lia had told him about some of the foods back on Earth, some that she loved were called raspberries. Her favorite shampoo was scented after the fruit. But other times she use stuff that smelled like coconut.

He didn't know if she had worn what she did to look intimidating or sexy. It made her body look bigger to be intimidating but with what she was wearing it made her look more sexy. Either way, it worked out for her.

As she let him pin her to the bed, she suddenly looked small and fragile. But you never underestimate Commander Shepard, everybody knew that, too. She'd snap your neck within seconds or lend a helping hand if you needed one. She had done that for all her crew, now after helping them find closure the ship was headed to get the Reaper IFF. But if she was scared or stressed, she didn't show it.

Lia seemed so emotionless when she was in missions, but other places she had her locked away emotions. She kept her accent under wraps and not many people knew about it, herself, old friends and him...probably Kasumi since the damned woman spied on everybody.

"Ow!" Lia said, bringing back to reality. There was blood on her wrist. Garrus jumped back, remembering what had happened to her on Earth.

"Shit." he cursed himself under his breath. Lia sat up, her dark chocolate eyes glinting.

"Nothing to be worried about. It's just a small cut. I've had worth, I mean I died!" she laughed playfully. "Really. I'm sorry to have scared you at all. I'm fine." she added, getting up. "Come on. We have to go inside a damn dead Reaper, might as well so something now in case we die there. I mean it is a Reaper. And I don't trust the person who gave me the intel on it. I'd much rather trust the Shadow Broker. She's at least trust worthy."

"I see your point." he sighed, taking a hand and running it down her shoulder and over the N7 tattoo.

She had many tattoos, maybe to spite Miranda or maybe just because she wanted them. An N7 on her shoulder, wings on her shoulder blades, a dragon wrapping up her forearm, a rose on her hip and "Survivor" on her ankle.

"Good," he heard her whisper, then fell back onto the bed. "Because, now you have to come and get me. That's an order." she just loved pulling rank sometimes, not that he minded. Garrus sat down next to her, running a hand over her hip and then pulling her close. Lia let out a small groan, but it meant she was happy.

"I can take that order." he murmured and saw a smile touch her lips.

~x~X~x~

"I've been thinking, if people outside of the Normandy knew, what would they say?" Lia asked after a while. Garrus shrugged.

"I have no clue." he replied. "Either we're crazy, stupid or worse."

"Your right." she sighed, blinking and rolling on her side to face him. "But, it doesn't matter what they think. It only matters what we think. So, what do we think?"

"I don't know."

"I can say one thing about it, we love each other but what else? I mean, that's what matters, yes?" she questioned.

"I'd say so." Garrus agreed. Lia pushed herself into a sitting position and smiled. She closed her eyes..

"Glad to hear you agree. Last time I had somebody tell me that...it was on Earth. He just used me, I told him I didn't do certain things with people who didn't really love me. He said he did, he promised. But he used me. Just to get me in bed. He was just as the man I killed when I was thirteen. My other friend. Kina, helped me out. She was a biotic as well, she taught me how to use them, she was Rita's sister but Rita wasn't a biotic. Weird because they were twins. Anyway, she's the one who helped me control my abilities. I snapped his neck, then let the stray animals eat the remains." she paused, opening her eyes. "It hurt, he just tossed me aside like every other girl he had lied to, I stopped him. I never really loved anybody after that, made me more cautious...more aware of people like him. That's why I joined the Alliance.

"I joined them to get away," Lia took a breath before continuing again. "I've had trust issues ever since. Like other things, it hurts. I just...I don't know. I sometimes wish, I grew up in a colony or on a space station, but the hell hole they call Earth." she blinked back the tears from her past. She could feel and arm on her shoulder, the three talons soothing her nerves as they ran over her shoulder.

"Don't worry." he assured. "Your okay now." She looked up at him, suddenly her eyes blazing with hell and fire.

"No! It's never okay! Nothing is ever okay...something will always be coming. The Reapers are a perfect example, coming from dark space, they won't stop. I have to kill them. I have to kill the Collectors. I just...I'm so confused on what to do. I know I have to stop them, to kill them before they kill the galaxy." she raged, moving from his grasp. "It's so much pressure, and knowing I could die at any moment...it's madness. I have a life other then Commander Shepard. I act emotionless to make my enemies fear me, to have my name strike fear to others...but I have a life outside of being that cold hearted bitch. I have feelings and emotions. I have friends and a lover, a life of my own...but people expect me to help them, save their ass over and over. I'm sick of it! I just, nothing is ever going to be the same, or normal or anything even close to okay.

"Never. Not ever will it be that way. Do you think I like knowing that? Because I don't. People think of me, thinking I'm there to help others or kill them, but that's Commander Shepard. But my life as Lia Shepard, is going down in flames around me! I hate it. I just hate it! My past, my future...my destiny is set so far from everybody else's." she ranted, then suddenly stopped and wiped the tears off her face and fell to her knees on the floor.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, tears dropping to the floor. "I didn't mean to break down like that. Between Ash and the trap on the Collector ship, and everything else...Tali's trial almost killed me. She did nothing to deserve that. The others I helped...it was hard for me to help. Jack never deserved what her childhood brought her, never. Kasumi's partner shouldn't have been killed, it's just so sad to me." she managed to say through her sobbing. A weight was on her back, she pushed herself up and wiped her eyes again, then turned around.

"It's fine. I didn't mean it that way." Garrus told her. Lia looked up to him.

"Heh, your to damn good to me." she whispered. "I go off on a rant, yelling and all, and you just stay calm, just listening and trying to help. I guess that's another reason I like you. A friend, a lover and all of the above."

Seeing her cry ripped his heart apart. He really hadn't meant it the way she took it. But once words leave your mouth, it's hard to take them back. He ran one of his hands over her back, trying to calm her again.

"I'll shut up." she muttered as Garrus wiped the remaining tears off her face. She took his hand and moved it away from her face, leaning in closer. She tried to smile as she blinked. He gripped onto her hand, then put the other on the side of her face. Lia's smile faded as she kissed him.

Her lips and the rest of her was warm like before and always. Her flesh up against his plates and skin. They were laid on the floor, her laying on top of him.

Garrus took the hand off her face and ran it down her back, slowly. He could feel her heart beat, such a different pace then his own. When she leaned her head away, she looked intently in his eyes.

"I'd say, I don't have to wear this shit anymore, wouldn't you?" she said, her voice barely a whisper. Garrus just nodded. She got up, unclasped her bra and threw it to the side with the rest of her clothing. Then let the undies fall to around her ankles and kicked it away. Lia got back down onto the floor.

"Why don't we continue?" she questioned.

"Of course." he replied. She got back to the spot she was in before, on top of him. Only this time, he kissed her.

~x~X~x~

"We should probably get ready to get the IFF." Lia suggested, moving away from him and getting to her feet. "Your coming with." she added, putting on her uniform again and putting up her hair.

"Alright." he sighed, getting up as well and putting the under-armor clothing then putting on his armor.

"I'll see you at the airlock. Tell Kasumi she's coming as well. So grab your weapons and get everything ready." she ordered.

"Yes, Shepard."Garrus said, finishing up on his armor.

"Right, well see you at the airlock." she ended, walking out of his quarters and out of the main battery. Lia headed to the elevator, a smile on her lips.

She went up to her cabin and took off her uniform then put on her under-armor. She slipped it on then started to put on her armor, the smile never leaving her lips, even as she left. But it did when she stepped out onto the CIC, switching to her role of Commander Shepard, no longer was she going to be Lia Shepard...not until after she had the IFF.

"Fuck." she whispered as she kept walking to the cockpit as Joker brought the ship near the derelict Reaper. The ship started to shake.

"FUCK!" she muttered again. "Fucking shit!" she repeated, but then kept her calm as she started to speak to Joker.

"Hell." Kasumi said.

"Oh shit." Garrus added.

"I thought...never mind." Kasumi tried to joke but failed do to the ship shaking so much. "I think I'm going to be sick!" then the ship stopped. "Oh god." the thief managed and stood up straight, hearing the Commander coming.

"Grab a weapon, we don't know what's going to meet us head on. And after the Collector ship, I trust Cerberus even less, so keep your guard up." Shepard ordered. Kasumi nodded and took out her Locust SMG, Garrus grabbed his own Mattock assault rifle, Shepard took the Locust as well, and they headed onto the Reaper.