[[This is a prompt fill. I promise I'll get back to work on my other fic as soon as possible.]]

Shepard sidled up behind the hard working Turian with a sly grin. They had finally decided to go 'Steady' as Joker had so lovingly put it. So much for keeping things from the crew; but to be fair, she could barely get anything past that damn pilot. "Hey, Garrus, have you got a minute?" she prompted, hoping he would not be too busy with his calibrations.

Garrus stiffened at the terminal before a low growl escaped his mouth. He turned towards the Commander with a hateful gleam in his small eyes. "You want to talk? Give Kaidan a call!" he seethed, his mandibles making an angry clank against his teeth. "What kind of game do you think you're playing, Shepard?"

Shocked, she took a step back as her brows knitted together in confusion. "What are you talking about, Garrus?" Try as she might, she couldn't keep her face neutral. She knew he could probably read her like an open book. She tried a little harder to mask her hurt under an angry expression. "I don't play games." Her voice was harsh, ready to reprimand should he so deserve it.

The Turian ran a taloned hand over his fringe before continuing. "Don't lie to me, Shepard. I am not one to be used liked this!" He squared his shoulders, making himself look impossibly threatening. Garrus didn't know whether to be ashamed or proud of how Shepard slightly cowered in front of him.

Her eyes contorted in fury and she advanced on the Turian, shoving her finger into his armor. "I don't know what you're getting at, Garrus. But I don't play that game." Her voice rose in volume and she was suddenly glad that the door had closed behind her. "How dare you accuse me of this!" She spat up at him.

Her eyes turned to dark slits as his chest rumbled with his booming laugh; he shrugged off the look and spoke. "You don't fool me, Shepard. You're just using me to get your precious Lieutenant jealous so he'll fall back into your ever open arms." He mocked her.

The fire left her eyes when his words sunk further in. He really believed this garbage! She felt betrayed by the only friend she ever truly trusted. Hot tears streamed down her face before the anger returned to her eyes and she gave him a forceful shove and sent him tumbling over his beloved terminal. "FUCK YOU, GARRUS!" she bellowed before turning on her heel and stormed from the Main Battery hastily wiping the tears from her eyes.

Garrus stared after her as she fled the battery; had those been tears? He shook his head slightly and stood, returning to his calibrations before a rather annoying human voice nagged him over the intercom.

"You done messed up, Garrus. Guess that stick is still wedged way up there." The pilot's voice was slightly harsh and Garrus couldn't quite pinpoint the emotion that was definitely behind his words.

"You're lucky you're in the cockpit and I'm busy with calibrations." He shot back quickly. "Shepard would have your hide if she knew you were listening in." he finished.

"And you're lucky she loves you so much. You can fix this mess, you stupid Turian." Joker's voice sang through the speakers.

"What mess? She left me. She was using me. This is her fault." The anger was returning, but Garrus knew Shepard would definitely kill him if he harmed this pilot.

"You're blind." Was the pilot's only response before the recognizable click of the intercom shutting off echoed through the Main Battery.

Garrus stood before his terminal, unable to enter the data needed to return to his calibrations. He turned and sat on the cot that had been brought into the battery the day he joined Shepard's crew. He put his head in his hands and sighed; recognition of his error finally settling deep into his conscience. The pilot was right. He messed this all up. He finally had a reason to be happy, especially after what happened with Sidonis and the rest of his crew, and he screwed it up completely.

"Spirits! What have I done?" his voice was slightly panicked as he stood and made a hasty retreat to the elevator. He knew where she would be after a fight like this; her quarters. He pressed the panel for the Captain's quarters repeatedly, ignoring the AI's plea for patience.

Joker's voice overrode the AI's, "You owe me." He said as he allowed Garrus access to Shepard's quarters. "Don't tell her I let you up here. Pin it on EDI. Shepard will understand." His voice held a note of humor.

Garrus nodded; no doubt the worm was watching the video feed from his cozy chair. He waited impatiently for the elevator to make its slow path to where he needed to be right now, tapping his left foot all the way up.

He sighed as the elevator doors swished open and he could see the door to her quarters before him. He took confidant steps towards that door and felt himself falter as the doors opened and he saw what was inside.

Spirits, it was a mess. There were data pads strewn all about as well as smashed ship models. He shook his head in grief, knowing he caused this much pain for her deeply troubled him. Garrus' eyes scanned the joined rooms; at first it didn't look like she was up here but once he stepped further into the room he heard her breath hitch and a shaky "Go away" from the sectional sofa on the lower level.

He ignored her pleas and walked further into the room. The sight of her took his breath away. The follicles that usually were in a tidy bun atop her head were now hanging around her face in messy tendrils, her eyes were red and puffy and were still wet, causing some of her face paints to smear down her cheeks.

"I said go away." Shepard's weak voice was barely audible as she hid her face in her arms.

Garrus fell to his knees in front of her, his own breath hitching in his throat, "Shepard…" his words were strangled as his hands pulled her arms from her face. "Shepard, I'm so sorry." He practically pleaded. He placed a talon under her chin and forced her to look up at him. "I was scared, I'm sorry."

Shepard's eyes slowly made their way to the Turian's and she tried hard not to cry in front of him, but she could not stop the few tears that betrayed her wishes. "Why? Why would you do something that awful?" she asked through hiccups.

His eyes fell to her knees, deeply ashamed at himself. "Believing you actually loved me was terrifying, Shepard. I was so afraid of getting hurt that I hurt you instead." He looked back up at her, the plates on his face shifting into an expression that she could clearly see as sorrow.

The Commander smiled weakly before placing her palm over the scarred side of his face. "I would never hurt you, Garrus. I love you. Have loved you for a long time." She whispered before planting a quick kiss over his nose.

Garrus chuckled softly before leaning his forehead against hers. "I will never forget that, Shepard. I love you too."

[[WELL STUFF ME IN A PILLOW CAUSE I'M SO FLUFFY. xD No really. I'm doing quite a lot of fluff and I love it!]]