The FTL drives hummed quietly in the background noise of the ship. Sonya hung over the railing of the galaxy map platform looking down at the winding route they were taking to get to the rendezvous that would take them to the Council. He always thought it made her ass look amazing when she did that, not that it didn't any other time, but looking up the ramp so see that staring back at him was just too much. He took the liberty of joining her on the platform and gazing down at the map. She didn't mind. He'd done it before with less suavity. At least Kelly wasn't giggling or snickering behind them like a teenager. His mandibles fluttered. He could smell her, and himself on her. Then Nihlus walked by and her eyes flashed to him and held his gaze for a brief moment before she returned those dark pools to the map. It made him feel guilty about keeping her longer than he should have. If she really wanted to she could leave him. That's what he told himself to make it acceptable, but he knew why she stayed with him. It's what she felt was the right thing to do, not because it's what she wanted. Sure she loved him, and they had something great together, but Nihlus was back. In this game Nihlus trumps Garrus. His hand was all Garrus. He was out. Garrus started to walk away. A needle of pain stung him when she didn't call him back. He wasn't sure why he should feel that way. They were on duty. She had things to do, as did he. Running silent for as long as they could then taking cover until the engines cooled down required a fair amount of maintenance and repairs to overloaded systems. He had calibrations to do.


Reapers had been detected in the area and the Normandy sought shelter in yet another asteroid, powered down except for vital systems like Life Support. Everyone wore a thermal suit to keep warm. They were awkward and rather unflattering, but it was better than dieing in their best duds. There wasn't much that could be done until it could be confirmed that the Reaper had moved beyond detection range. Several members of the crew found other things to do, other ways to keep warm. Precautions were a must quietly enforced by the doctor. People would need to procreate, but not until the threat was removed.

Sonya sat curled up on her bed wrapped in an extra layer of thermal sheets reading another report. The power cells would need to be replaced once they got to the base, as well as a few of the guns, hull plating, the list went on. The Normandy had seen many hard battles and only barely escaped from a few of them. She was lucky compared to those that did not make it. Sonya glanced up when her doors hissed open. Garrus walked in with an odd grace, considering the cumbersome thermal wear, and he had a small space heater in hand. She raised brow at him.

"What are..."

Garrus cut her off, "Joker said a personal space heater shouldn't put out enough of an energy signature to be detected and it's damn cold. I thought I could share mine with you."

Garrus set the heater on the floor a meter or two away from the bed and climbed in next to her. He wrapped his arms and legs around her and buried his nose in the bend of her neck. She cringed and smiled.

"That tickles."

He nuzzled her neck more firmly to avoid tickling her. She giggled and it made him chuckle. Her skin was warm to the touch thanks to all the thermal she had wrapped around her. It would be a few hours before they dared the energy spike to check sensors. For a long while they sat together listening to the heater quietly whirr. Garrus read the reports over her shoulder, breathing her scent. He tightened his arms around her in a little hug every now and then, treasuring the moment. Keeping her.

His hot breath on her skin tickled, but it wasn't the kind of tickle that made her laugh. Instead she was finding more and more difficult to concentrate on the pad as the turian behind her started quietly purring. The rumble in his chest threatened to put her to sleep. She put the pad down on the thermal comforter and glanced back at him over her shoulder. She smirked when she found him with his eyes closed. She gently nuzzled him and his baby blues sleepily fluttered open.

"You fell asleep on me." She told him, and kissed a cobalt streaked mandible.

"Oh, well... you're so comfortable." He teased.

"If you're tired we can get out of these suits and take a nap." She suggested.

She was tired to, bored from reading the reports. Plus she wanted to snuggle in close to his firm body and find all the areas of unshielded nodded his agreement. They undressed quickly and dove under the thermal sheets and comforter, leaving their suits laying in a heap at the foot of the bed. They wrapped each other up in their arms to share heat more than to be close, but the result had them caressing and kissing and nuzzling one another as soon as the chill had subsided. Garrus' hands moved over her body as smooth as silk, only nicking her occasionally with a light scratch to pull a gasp from her and feel her tense against him. He slipped one hand between the fabric of her panties and her skin and found the wetness already moistening the path. He gently rubbed the pads of his fingers over her, rousing her and caressing the bud that swelled under his urging. She panted heavily against him. Her fingers flexed and dug into the hard plating of his chest. When she tried to move to return the favor, he tightened his arm around her, pinning her arms between them.

"You mean to torture me!" She accused him.

He growled softly and nuzzled her face. His long, tapered tongue found it's way passed her parted lips. She surrendered to his exploration and looked a leg over his hip to allow him better access to her. Her willing vulnerability set the fire in his gut to a roaring blaze. His own wetness was a slick sheen on the surface of his folds. Removing his hand from her blushing loins, he pulled her atop him and let her grind herself against his folds. The sticky smacking sounds were muted by the heavy bedding, but he heard them none the less and the hardness within him began to peek out and enter her open body. His tongue lapped at her erect nipples and lightly bouncing breasts. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over the smooth skin of her tummy and pressed into her belly button on the way to caress the flesh that rolled with his penetration. This made her cry out with pleasure each time his head passed by the pressure of his thumb. When he was fully inside her he could see the end of him slide up to tease her belly button, then down again as she pumped him. He waited for her to orgasm a few times before rolling her under him. His rhythm was faster than hers, and his thrusts were harder and more complete. His love was hard, but tender at the same time, as was his heart. He nuzzled her as he loved her. She kissed and caressed the naked skin of his throat. She moaned his name and he growled against her neck with his teeth in her shoulder as they reached their apex together. They drifted off to sleep holding one another with foreheads pressed together. He whispered those three words she knew so well just before her dreams carried her off.

When she woke the heat was suffocating. The combined heat from the turian and all the thermal bedding was stifling. Sleepy blue eyes blinked to wakefulness. He nuzzled her and pressed his mouth to hers in a 'kiss'. He always did like a mourning love session and began fondling her breasts. He rolled over her, using his width to spread her open to him and she let him. Her morning wetness allowed him quick entry and lead them both to orgasm within minutes, but that didn't stop him from continuing to fill her with his hardness and grind his hips into her. This wasn't about reaching climax to begin the day. This was about being half asleep and indulging in a dirty pleasure. So when he peaked again when she did it surprised both of them. He didn't stop until his length finally softened and receded. Then he slid off her to lay next to her. She rolled over to face him. Both were beyond satisfied, but he continued to caress her and play with his favorite parts. His gaze was on her but the thoughts behind them were not in the room.

"What is it?"She asked softly, surrendering to his gently roving talons.

"The Reapers aren't going away." Garrus sighed. "They probably know we're here. We could all die before the end. I don't intend to waste a second of my time with you over 'rights' to who should be the one to be with you. I know you love me, Sonya. You know I would do anything for you. Nihlus is my friend, though we don't always play nice. There's no point or time to be bitter or selfish. If ever two people should be together it's you and Nihlus. I let my personal feelings cloud that."

His eyes were wet with tears that would never be allowed to fall. He had too much pride. But her pride did not prevent the water that trailed down to the pillow. He wiped the tears away with the pad of one thumb. She kissed him then, sweetly, the way a grateful friend my show their application. They made love to each other for the last time that morning, tender and slow. When it was over he held her, and she held him back. He already missed her, being with her like this, but it was the right thing to do.