A/N: I have absolutely fell in love with the fact you can romance Garrus in ME2. It is my favorite fictional pairing since Cloud and Tifa. This is my first try at a fanfic and it is mostly me just lazy writing. When I have more time and it sparks my interest, I may return to it and clean it up and add more content. Until the, enjoy, let me know what you think.

This first chapter is mostly just Garrus thinking way too much. As I would guess he would do so being down in the main battery all day long doing "calibrations".

2/19: Updated this chapter, added a little more to Garrus' musing.

2/20: Updated chapters 1-16. Added a few things here and there and fixed errors I came across.

2/26: Chapter 1 got some much needed updating. Fixed the little problems and added/changed a good bit of the context, hope this makes it flow better. Also thinking of maybe adding a prologue to this fic in the future.

Although this is a complete fic. It is still being revised. So check regularly, I will be posting when a chapter is redone into its shinny goodness. Until then, enjoy.


Chapter 1

Garrus Thinks too Much.

The drone of the gunnery was the only sound in the room. The sound would have driven most people a little mad, but Garrus could barely hear it over is own thoughts. It would not matter anyways since he had long gotten used to listening to such sounds all day long. All he could do at the moment was stand there, staring blankly, with his hands resting on the panel in front of him. He had a small problem.

It had been two days since his last talk with Shepard and he still could not concentrate. It was hard enough that she was such an amazing person that he could barely speak right in front of her. He had made that obvious enough with his metaphorical gaffes recently; he was feeling slightly embarrassed he did not realize the double entendres until he already said them. The whole situation became even more awkward when Mordin decided to become interested in their relationship. Garrus knew he was only trying to help and had every right to worry about the crew, but how in the name of the spirits did he know?! Shepard had forwarded the packets to his personal terminal after her strange conversation with the Salarian, obviously befuddled as to how Mordin had found out.

Garrus had a nagging suspicion of who had informed the Salarian: EDI. Garrus just hoped that the nosey little AI would keep to herself when he decided to pay Shepard a visit. Garrus growled in frustration and gripped the edge of the console leaving scratch marks as his talons dragged across the metal. "Blowing off steam" will be the least of EDI's problems if she spied on their intimate privacy.

A small part of him wondered why he was feeling so strong about their relationship. He was not lying when he told her that he had great respect for her; but he was slowly beginning to wonder if it was more than that.

Shaking his head, he stepped away from the battery controls. He was getting nowhere, and he was in no shape to even be making calibrations. He had been putting off his research he told Shepard he would do. Not that he thought she really cared how long it took him to decide when the time was right; and he had told her that it would be better to wait a while to… well what exactly, he was not entirely sure. She did make one thing very clear: she wanted him. Still, he wanted to make it special, something to share that would be between them. It was not like he had never had any other lovers, and Shepard's history was not much of a secret either.

Kaidan. He felt his body rumble as a small growl escaped his throat. That boy made him angry.

Kaidan had been so rude to Shepard on Horizon. He did not seem to understand, or even acted like he wanted to try. Granted Shepard was clinically dead for two years. It was not like she could send him a message in such a state. Kaidan seemingly forgiven her for that but he could not trust her judgment anymore. He just hated Cerberus too much.

Garrus sorely wished that he had taken the time and talked to her after the mission when she came by to see how he was doing. Instead he was ashamed, afraid that he would say something to upset her more. It was a little late for that now though. He gave a little chuckle at that thought. Shepard was making it quite apparent that she wanted Garrus. Not someone closer to home and definitely not Kaidan. Even so, he wondered what would she do if Kaidan came back; if he said he was sorry and wanted to make it work. What would happen to him? Well, it did not matter right now. He would be there for her and make it as wonderful for her for as long as possible. He would worry about it when it came up.

How had they gotten to this point though? Garrus squeezed his talons together until his hands nearly hurt from the pressure as he remembered the look on Joker's face when he refused to say that their beloved Commander and friend was dead. How he felt so dead inside that he could not even hear Kaidan screaming at the pilot.

Garrus squeezed his eyes closed as the memories started flooding to the surface. He had gone to Omega knowing that he would probably die. At the time he did not care if he did. He would have welcomed it. It was like he was empty inside.

Empty of all emotion until he saw those emerald eyes through his scope. Garrus had finally realized he was shaking when his hold on his rifle wavered and almost let it drop. He could see her face so perfectly through his scope it was like staring at a photo. He was only barely able to keep a calm facade as he removed his helmet and heard her excited voice that it was him behind the mask. He wanted her there alone but the two uptight Cerberus operatives that had accompanied her there had such cold eyes. Maybe it was because he was not human or maybe they just did not like being shot at.

Garrus had to restrain the impulse to sweep her up and squeeze her to make sure she was really alive and not just a dream; despite the fact the mercs after him were very real. He had been fighting for hours but there was no way he was at the point of being delusional.

The look of discomfort on Jacob's face when she had shown such excitement when she saw him made him wonder. The way his gaze lingered too long on Shepard stirred an unknown feeling inside him. It was the first time he had felt something since her death. It was just too weird thinking like that though. If he had known that she was alive he would have been there at her side. To be her guardian angle to watch over her as she come back into existence.

It did not matter now though, they where here together and she enjoyed his company. What surprised him even more was that she even enjoyed his awkward puns. He wished he could stop being so nervous around her. It made him say things before he finished thinking. On the other hand when she was not around, he thought too much.

At first it was mostly just about their friendship. How he wanted her just to be there while he worked on the ships weapons and chatting about random things like old times. Only, in the last few days, his thoughts had started to wonder to what she could possibly look like under her uniform and how exactly would it work. Could she even possibly enjoy having intercourse with a Turian? Granted he did not even think of himself as attractive anymore. Why Shepard would want to be in bed with him was beyond him. The fact that Turians were much more aggressive to begin with did not help either. She had to know that it would carry over to everything else. If she did not, well by the time she finished reading Mordin's information packet she would. If that did not scare her off, nothing he did probably would.

If he was not careful, he could end up hurting her. Especially those amazing lips of hers. He wanted to touch those lips. He wanted to know what they could possibly be for besides being esthetically pleasing to look at. He had seen her press them up against Kaidan's before; he heard once that it was called a "kiss". Turian's did not "kiss". It just was not possible. It did not stop him from noticing how they formed such seductive smiles at him. Smiles he never saw her give to anyone, not even at Kaidan when they where together. It made him want to know every inch of her soft, delicate body. To touch her hair that entranced him to no end. His mind wondered deeper into thoughts he did not know he had. The thought of testing her strength and flexibility enticed him. He knew that some humans where indeed flexible to some extent, He had seen how she could move even in plated armor; it was like she could bend in ways that put Miranda's casual movements to shame.

Garrus sighed. He was thinking too much. Turning his attention toward his terminal, Garrus clicked it on to his personal messages and began going through the vids Shepard had forwarded him and started taking notes on things to look up on the extranet.

___

Garrus's eyes felt a little strained and weak from staring at the screen too long.

"You look like you haven't slept in two days, Vakarian." Garrus blinked rapidly willing moisture to un-dry his eyes. Gardner stood next to the mess table holding a pitcher that was steaming.

"To be honest, I haven't." The mess sergeant shook his head and pored him a drink from the pitcher that smelt very sweet.

"Doesn't happen to be because of anyone in particular?"

Damn it, Garrus looked horror struck. Does everyone know? I swear I will rip EDI's wires from the gunnery. EDI and Joker seemed to never have anything better to do than gossip, and it traveled quickly on a small ship. Gardner gave a hearty chuckle that brought his attention back to reality.

"Well, my advice is a women always enjoys a well cooked meal and candle light." Garrus laughed at that, someone who cooks for a living surely would say something like that. The drink was beginning to make him a little sleepy and he was sure Gardner had something to do with that. Regardless, it was making Garrus a bit more temped and he did not feel like having much of a conversation with the man.

"Thank you, I will keep that in mind. And thank you for the drink as well." Garrus winked at the chef as he stood up and walked back toward the main battery. Gardner did have a point; he was worrying too much and not getting enough sleep.