Chapter 7

Shepard's steps were heavy as she wandered the ship. Without thinking, she found herself on the third deck. She entered the main battery and saw a familiar profile working a terminal.

"Shepard, what brings you around at this hour?" the turian's eyes twinkled with amusement. He sobered when he saw the tortured look on her face.

"So, come to share some stories with a fellow anguished soul?" Garrus asked softly.

The commander leaned on the rail, her eyes gazing out at the machinery. She didn't even know where to begin.

"Garrus, ever been so confused over someone, you don't even know what you feel anymore?" she asked.

"Sure, I had the reach but she had the flexibility. It ended in a tie."

"Garrus.." she pleaded, but laughed in spite of the way she was feeling.

"Confused, Shepard, or guilty?" he asked.

Her eyes dropped at his words. "Both," she whispered.

"Well there's always a simple answer," the turian suggested.

"Shooting her won't solve anything," came the snide answer, followed by a weak smile.

"Jack can take care of herself, commander."

"Who said anything about Jack?" Shepard responded a little too defensively. "OK, so maybe I've dragged her into this."

"She didn't look like she was being dragged anywhere when she snuck into the med bay. And it might just be me, but I didn't see you breaking into her quarters," he answered matter of factly.

"Once C-Sec, always C-Sec, is that it?" Shepard couldn't help but smile at her friend.

"So what's really bothering you, Shepard? It's not the biotic, but she does seem to be distracting you."

"I'm still in love with Liara, Garrus," she whispered, almost afraid to say it out loud. "Only I died on her and I guess she can't forgive me for that."

"Hearing you were alive was a bit shocking for all of us, Shepard. Not knowing where your loyalties were. Maybe you just need to give her a chance to see that it's really you, not some Cerberus robot in your skin. Then again, maybe it was the having to live without you that was the problem and whatever else she has been through to get where she is. Maybe you should try to understand the whole picture before you jump to any conclusions." The lecture over, Garrus let the conversation lag, a comfortable silence between friends.

"I think you're right, Garrus," the spectre conceded. "She asked for time, but I didn't understand. I thought she was just pushing me away gracefully."

"Hey, when you live for 1000 years, you can't be blamed for adjusting slowly," he grinned.

The spectre's smile was much more genuine now, a clear path starting to form in her mind.

"Thanks, Garrus…" she began.

The turian cut her off before she said any more.

"Just give me a little warning before you tell the crazy convict. I think I'll go hide behind Grunt for a while."

"Goodnight Garrus," she said turning to leave. "It is good to have you back."

The turian beamed as he turned back to his terminal. He had been thinking the same of his commander.