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Shepard was rummaging through the drawers in her desk. She had misplaced one of the books she was reading and wanted to knock out a few more chapters before she went to bed. Opening one of the lower drawers she saw a silver gleaming bottle. Pulling it out she realized it was the Serrice Ice Brandy that she had bought on Omega for Doctor Chakwas.

Grabbing the bottle she walked out of her room and stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for the crew deck, and leaned against the wall. Most of the crew should be asleep by now and if the Doctor was already out then she would just leave it on her desk.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors hissed open. Jane stepped out and headed toward the Medbay. It looked like the light was on. As she approached the door, the sensor noticed her movement and opened the door for her.

Chakwas was sitting at her desk and turned and smiled at the Commander when she entered the room. "How can I help you Shepard?" she asked.

Jane smiled and held the bottle out in front of her. "I come bearing gifts." She said. "Sorry I didn't get it to you sooner, I got a little distracted after Omega." She handed her the bottle.

Chakwas looked closer at the silver label. "Serrice Ice Brandy?"

Jane sat down in the chair across from the doctor. "I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate you being on my crew." She said, "and how much I appreciate your friendship."

"I'll tell you what," Chakwas said holding up the bottle, "why don't we open this right now, you and me?"

Shepard stood, "You open the bottle, I'll get the glasses." She left the Medbay and walked to the kitchen. After grabbing two small cups from the cabinet, she went back and sat with the good Doctor.

Garrus rhythmically tapped the keys on the console. It was getting late but he was almost done with this particular set of algorithms, not that they weren't endless, but he broke them up into groups so he wouldn't go insane at the thought of typing constantly until the end of time.

Just as he shut the console down to get some sleep, Shepard's high musical laugh caught his attention. He noticed that it was coming from the direction of the Medbay, when he looked he could see the Commander and Doctor Chakwas sitting and talking.

As the two women knocked back a drink, he realized it was definitely more than talking.

The Doctor looked like she was telling a story, and Shepard laughed loudly again. He could barely hear what Chakwas was saying, only catching bits and pieces, but when Shepard laughed, it seemed to flow outward. Not in an obnoxious way like some human women did when they were trying to get attention, but in a way that showed she was truly enjoying herself and lifted the spirits of those around her.

He went back to his quarters and grabbed a mission report; he needed to read it anyway so why not read it at one of the tables in the mess? It didn't have anything to do with listening to Shepard's laugh which happened to make his blood heat. Really it didn't.

Jane couldn't contain herself as Chakwas told another hilarious story about med school. She was laughing so hard she almost spilled the brandy as she filled both their glasses again. As she handed it to the Doctor she took out her pony tail. It was getting uncomfortable, plus she was going to sleep soon anyways. So what did it matter?

Chakwas smiled. "It's been a long time since I've seen you with your hair down Commander, and yes I mean that both metaphorically and literally." She chuckled quietly at her own joke.

Jane smiled back at the older woman. "Hey, I've been known to relax now and again." She was starting to feel a little tipsy.

"I'm sure." The doctor said sarcastically. "But you have such beautiful hair, you should really wear it down more often."

Shepard ran her fingers through the red-brown strands. "I guess I'm just used to wearing it up because of Alliance regulations… do you think it looks better down?"

"Why? Is there someone you want to impress?"

Jane blushed and she wasn't even sure why. "Um… I just… no… nobody I can think of." She poured two more glasses effectively emptying the bottle. When she tried to hand one to the doctor, she waved it away. "I think I've reached my limit Commander."

"Nonsense, it's the last one." She considered her glass carefully, "Let's have a toast… to friends" she said raising her glass and gently knocking it against Doctor Chakwas'.

"May we never take them for granted." The doctor added, drinking the last of the brandy. "Now, Commander, I believe it's time for me to get some rest. Don't stay up too late Shepard."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mom."

Chakwas laughed and went to her quarters. Shepard stood and immediately grabbed the edge of the table as the world began to sway. She didn't understand it, she had been drinking for years. There was no way this amount of alcohol should be affecting her so much.

She made her way to the door and it opened automatically. Leaning her shoulder against the frame, she took a deep breath. She could at least go to the kitchen and grab a cup of water. That should help her clear her head. Jane stumbled on the way to the kitchen but made it in one piece. She didn't notice, however, that a certain Turian was watching her every move.

Garrus was still 'reading' the mission report when he noticed that the Commander and Doctor Chakwas were done talking. He looked up as the door hissed open, Shepard came out looking a little disoriented. He watched her walk to the kitchen, she kept tripping but it was never more than a slight hiccup in her step. She grabbed a cup and filled it with water from the faucet.

After draining the glass Jane set it by the sink, and rested her head against the cabinet.

"Are you alright Commander?" a deep flanging voice said behind her. She jumped almost knocking the glass over. As she ran her hand through her hair she turned around and glared at the very amused Turian sitting at the mess table.

"While I appreciate the heart attack, Garrus, what are you doing up?" she said walking slowly to the table, intent on not stumbling again.

"Just reading." He replied, setting down the mission report that he really didn't care anything about.

She reached the table and tried to sit down, but the pitching of the room was making it hard to balance. So she sat on the floor. Garrus stood quickly. "Shepard are you alright?" he asked going around the table to help her up. She sighed. "I'm fine Garrus, just a little drunk I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yeah… the thing is I don't understand WHY." She put her hands behind her and leaned back, stretching out her legs.

Garrus smirked."Well Commander, when the body ingests alcohol…" His voice was patronizing, like he was talking to a five year old.

She rolled her eyes and kicked his foot."Shut up Garrus I know HOW, but I've built up my tolerance to alcohol over many years, my reaction shouldn't be this strong."

He thought for a moment. "But isn't that a new body?"

She slapped her forehead. "Oh… right… why didn't I think of that?"

"Probably because you're under the influence of alcohol." He said sarcastically.

She gasped as something occurred to her, "I guess that means I'm a virgin too." She laughed at herself.

Garrus' mind was blank, that hadn't occurred to him.

"Are you going to stare at me all night, or are you going to help me up?" She reached her hand up and waited for him to grab it. He just stared down at her with those predator eyes.

Jane wiggled her fingers. "Come on, I don't bite." His warm hand wrapped around hers. "Well… USUALLY." She continued. In his surprise he pulled her up a little too fast, and she swayed against him. Her hand came to rest on his chest and she suddenly realized that he wasn't wearing his armor. She could feel his plating through the thin material of the shirt.

She looked up at his face. He had an expression that she couldn't decipher. She realized she was staring at him. She cleared her throat nervously, and ran her hand through her hair. His eyes tracked the movement.

"Can you help me sit down?" she asked.

Garrus blinked a few times to bring himself back to the present. Shepard had said something about biting, and his mind conjured an image of her biting his neck or running her teeth over his fringe. Now she was pressed against him… Hadn't she said something? Oh yeah, sitting down. He helped her to one of the chairs and sat in one beside her without a word.

Only after she sat down did he notice her hair was flowing around her shoulders, other than being pulled back like it usually was. He wanted to touch it, badly. Before he knew what he was doing he ran his talons through the silky red-brown strands. She stiffened in surprise but laughed it off, "Garrus, why are you so interested in my hair?"

She didn't sound angry just curious. So he left his hand where it was, he didn't want to move it anyway. "I guess it's because humans are the only species I know of that has it." It was easier to explain it to her when he had used the same reason to explain it to himself.

She smiled. "That makes sense." Being as tipsy as she was, she probably would have agreed to any reason he gave.

While he was distracted with her hair, she reached up and lightly ran her fingertips over his fringe. He shuddered and his hand stopped moving, a growl building in his throat. Jane immediately pulled her hand back and apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean… was that offensive?"

Garrus looked embarrassed. "Umm… no it wasn't… I just… I should go get some rest." And with that he stood and walked to the main battery and closed the door.

Shepard sat their stunned. She hadn't meant to offend him, she just had a moment of stupid curiosity. She should have asked first, she thought, she probably just did something horribly wrong in Turian culture. She stood, finding the room slightly steadier than before, and made her way to the elevator. She promised herself she would make it up to him tomorrow.

Garrus braced his hands against the railing of the gun battery. He took deep breaths, trying to cool down his suddenly over heated body. His instincts had almost taken over, he could have hurt her. It had surprised him when she touched his fringe, but he never expected that it would have been so… stimulating. It wasn't like it had never happened before, but he could recall a time when it had been as intense.

But he had walked away from her without an explanation.

Sure, he had been trying to protect her, not to mention confused by his own reaction, but it was rude and she deserved an explanation. He would apologize in the morning.

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