A/N Hello friends, told you I would have it out sooner! Enjoy!- Kristin

Jane Chapter 10

"Aria," Garrus said, lowly.

"You helped us, now you have guns pointed to our heads? Can you fill in the blanks?" Tali asked.

Aria did not smile, only waved her lackeys off. Her purple face was covered in her usual sneer of an expression. She was wearing a dark leather jacket with low cut red top on the inside. Black leather pants hugged her legs tightly along with army boots. Garrus felt the gun leave his head. He knew they were outnumbered, they could not retaliate. There was no sign of escape except for the blocked elevator behind them. They were trapped. Frustration crossed his expression.

"This is something you cannot comprehend. All I ask is you leave and never look back. The Galaxy belongs to me now," Aria said simply. She spoke to Garrus the way she spoke to her grunts; almost lost like he was a child.

"The galaxy is safe. It's best to keep it that way," he growled.

"Oh it will be safe as long as you don't interfere with my plans. I'm letting you walk away with your friends. If you don't, I'll be forced to take drastic measures" her voice became more menacing.

The Turian took a deep breath. He wasn't meant for negotiations. It was always listen and shoot if Shepard gave the signal. He was the one in charge now. He wanted to take this opportunity to just escape and figure it out later but he couldn't let her do whatever she was thinking about doing. He also couldn't leave the other two councilors behind.

"Just hand over the councilors and no one gets hurt" he lifted his gun back up.

"Now I can't do that. They don't agree to my terms and conditions. I can't have them run off and tell the Alliance and everyone else" She nodded her head to Tevos, who bought a gun to the back of the salarian councilor's head.

"So what? You'll just kill them?" He sneered, well aware of how outnumbered they were. He began plotting their escape, shooting Aria in the shoulder and legs then Tevos, Tali and Javik should follow suit dealing with the grunts.

"Please, I'm not stupid, Archangel. They're just going to be really expensive hostages. As long as Hackett agrees to my demands, he will get the council back." Aria had it all figured out, plans A through Z. Garrus was barely trying to get through his own plan A. He needed Aria distracted. "I also see you calculating over there. I happen to be very good with reading Turian expressions" she nearly smiled. "You're trapped, outnumbered, sound familiar?"

"Yes and I've gotten out of stickier situations than arguing with a crazed Asari" now he nearly laughed as he said this.

"Yes but you always had your commander getting you out things," as she spoke she brought up what looked like a small remote. "Walk away, or suffer the consequences" he finger hovered over a button.

"You planning to blow us all up? Not your style, Aria" he snickered, his own finger hovering over the trigger.

"Oh I'm not planning on blowing myself up. You, all, of course" she then clicked the button, "In 2 minutes, this ship is blowing up into oblivion." Tali and Javik shot looks at their leader. It wasn't just them that would get blown up, it was the Normandy too. Not unless he could tell them. His hand slowly went up to his comm radio. Aria did not move to stop him.

"Garrus to Normandy, this ship is going to blow, double time it. Get to the bridge for extraction. Be ready to come in hot with the shuttle." He nearly screeched into the radio. Static feedback was given in response. "Shit" he muttered.

"Well I gave you a chance, too bad about the radio jammers" she shrugged. The grunts used the butt of their rifles and knocked out Tali and Javik. Garrus tensed and swung behind his back and knocked out each grunt behind him. He took two shots at Tevos and only seemed to nick her in the arm. She sneered at him and shot her pistol, he jumped under a nearby desk and shot at her again, shooting a nice bullet into her knee. She yelped and fell. Aria held up her shotgun and they seemed to dance around each other's attack. She used her biotics to lift his cover. A bullet hit his chest, Tevos was balanced herself on the desk across from him. Garrus clutched his armor, his hand was blue with his blood. He cussed, getting up. He looked at Tali, her mask had been punctured. Javik was bleeding from the nose and mouth. He needed to get them out of there. Tevos shot at his legs, he fell to the ground. It can't end this way. I can't fail her he thought fiercely. He started to feel weak from the loss of blood and struggled to get up.

From above he could hear a rustling, another of Aria's tricks? He held his hand to his side and raised his gun to the vents. The rustling continued to Aria and she looked up defensively, holding her gun up. The vent opened and Aria and Tevos shot into it. After a couple rounds, Aria gestured her partner to stop. She looked to Garrus, "What are you trying to pull, Vakarian?" She screeched at him.

The Turian managed to laugh, "You know, I was about to ask you the same thing." As he said this, Shepard jumped from the vent.

The former commander nearly yelped as her biotics hit the floor. Everything cracked beneath them and Aria and Tevos were thrown off their feet. She got up from kneeling and looked over at Garrus. He could only see her eyes but they were controlled. She had a plan or at least an idea.

Garrus took advantage as Shepard leaped at Aria, and shot Tevos in the back of the head. She fell to the ground motionless. One down, he thought. As Shepard swung at Aria, she grabbed her by the throat threw her against the wall, holding her above the ground. Shepard choked, clawing at the Asari's face. The asari clenched at her throat hard with both hands.

"Shepard" She snickered through the blood on her face, "I thought you were dead."

Shepard coughed blood into Aria's face. She grimaced at this while Shepard laughed weakly, "Surprise" she managed to say. Before Aria could respond, Shepard shot her in the foot. She immediately let go but before she could take another hit, she slammed her hand into the wall, opening an escape pod. Shepard felt her throat closing from being swollen. Her hand shook to find the gun she dropped. Her airways were cut off and she was losing oxygen quickly.

Before Aria could make an escape, Shepard shot the panel by her. Aria made a b-line to the commander and quickly knocked Shepard's helmet off. The cold air shocked her. The oxygen in the room was already little. Aria dragged her by her long hair and held her up by her hair. Her scalp screamed for relief as all the strands of blonde hair on her head fought with gravity. Involuntary tears showed watered her eyes. She let out a yelp.

"Could never see you with long hair, Shepard. Not your style. You never were the girly girl" Aria whispered. She then slammed her head into the desk. "Why aren't you fighting back? You could have killed me by now. You holding back, old partner?" She let out a loud wail of pain. Her plan was not going as well as she thought. Tali was right, she wasn't ready. God damn it, she thought. Aria slammed her head into the panel again. Fury began flowing through her. Not again, I will not be weak, she thought furiously. Swiftly working her fingers, she activated her omni-blade. Without too much thought, she grunted, slicing the hair that Aria was holding onto. Physics did not help as her head fell to the floor. Her scalp ceased hurting and her hand found her hair, short, uneven, and free. Aria dropped the hair she was holding, Shepard kicked her foot underneath Aria's legs, bringing her to the floor. Shepard straddled her and punched her in the face.

In an angry burst, Aria's hands went back to Shepard's throat, squeezing harder than before. Spots covered her vision as she uselessly try to grab her face. Eventually the lack of oxygen halted her attempts. Aria dropped her to the floor and ran for the open escape pod. She used her omni tool to remotely to close the doors.

"So long, Commander. Stay dead this time!" she screamed at Shepard through the door shut.

She coughed as the escape pod blasted away from the ship. She convulsed and saw Garrus barely awake in the corner. He clutched his stomach right below his heart.

"Garrus," she whimpered. He looked over at her, defeated. He nodded at her weakly. She could feel water from her eyes. She nodded to him in agreement and crawled over to the bridge where Aria had left the detonator. The comm jammer was next to it. She disabled it with the push of a button.

She wheezed into her radio, "Normandy!"

"What's going on, Shepard? Communications were shut off!"

"The ship is going to blow, you need to get out of here" she coughed

"Not without you" he cut her off almost immediately.

"I'm trying to disable it but you need to get the hell out of here, Joker," she demanded, "We'll get to an escape pod if I can stop it"

She shut off the communications and began disabling the bomb with shaky hands. It was all too complicated. She didn't stop working at it. The technology was completely foreign, nothing Tali had shown her was like this. She couldn't die again, not without trying first. Then the ship tilted. Something had docked into the ship, hard. Shepard kept trying to disable it. The device kept beeping but nonetheless she worked in. After countless attempts, she yelped in frustration. I can't die. I just can't! She thought furiously. She slammed the detonator into the ground, destroying it. Not sure if it stopped the bomb or not.. Her head hit the ground and all she could see was her old lover in the corner passed out. She looked at her omni-tool, scanning the detonator. "Scanning" the omni tool said mechanically. Her vision started to become blurry, "explosion device disabled" was the last thing Shepard heard before falling into darkness.

"Now, the night is coming to an end, (Oh)
The sun will rise, and we will try again. (Oh)
Stay alive, stay alive, for me." - Twenty-One Pilots

She knew this feeling. Holding on by a thread. She was on the edge of darkness, just holding out to the light. She tried. She did everything she could to save them. It wasn't enough. She felt herself cry ghost tears. It was all her fault. Then she heard it, a familiar sound. Oxygen flowing. Her throat was still closed but she was breathing.

Unlike during her first time waking up, everything came rushing to her senses. Her eyes shot open, fluorescent lights filled her vision; the hospital. God no, not that place, she thought in panic. grasping for her neck. She felt bandages and began to panic, clawing. She heard her voice wheezing but not getting out words. Get it off get it off get it off, she screamed. A hand grabbed hers. She looked over and saw warm brown eyes.

"Shepard, no" Kaidan said softly.

"Wh-Wher…" she tried to get out the words and her throat did not allow anymore. She had been given a cast around her neck, surrounding her throat.

"Shhh, I'll talk. Just relax, please" he nearly begged her. He took one of his other hands and held her face softly. "We're in the Normandy's med bay. You were able to disable the bomb. While we were already trying to dock closer to you, we got help. Do you remember Major Kirrahe?" he asked.

Shepard could not recall the name so she shook her head. He took a small strand of hair and put it behind her ear. She normally would not want him touching her but it was the only reminder that this was real and it was not a nightmare.

"He docked his ship after hearing your transmission. He and his team tracked where the transmission was and found all of you. He was able to hand you guys over to us" He said.

Then she remembered Tali, Javik, and Garrus. She immediately looked to her left, which was a bad idea because she felt the pain of movement. Garrus was on the cot beside her, out cold. She reached her hand from Kaidan out to the Turian.

"Garrus" she whispered, almost mute.

"He'll be okay, Shepard. Chakwas was able to get the bullets out of his system. The one just missed his heart" he murmured.

Sweet relief, she felt. She let out the little breath she was holding and looked up at the ceiling. Now what? She asked herself. She slowly got up, she smacked Kaidan's hand out of the way when he tried to restrain her. She felt her fatigues on her, who dressed her? She dreaded the thought of Kaidan seeing her bruised nude body underneath her armor.

"Who dressed me?" she rasped. She gave him an accusing look.

"I believe Liara did," Kaidan said, sounding confused.

"Okay" she said, beginning to walk away.

Once she opened the door, she groaned. "And where do you think you're going?" Chakwas asked in front of her patient with her arms folded.

"Tali, Javik-" Shepard struggled to say.

"Tali is suffering an infection, she is bedridden and will be fine. Javik is already back to work in his quarters. You, my dear, need rest," Chakwas had cut her off. The doctor took her with a strong hand. Shepard let Chakwas drag her, knowing better than to argue when she was in no condition. She sat back down on the cot, refusing to lie down. She folded her legs underneath her. Then her head began to throb. Shepard groaned. Chakwas handed her an ice pack for her head. Shepard felt bandages around her scalp. "You're not leaving until I tell you to," Chakwas said with a stern expression. Shepard nodded, defeated.

Her eyes wandered back to Garrus, too still on his cot. Chakwas walked over to the turian with a stethoscope, listening to his heart. She looked at her watched, counting. He nearly died, is this how he felt when she died? She felt empty, lost, and guilty. The old her could have saved him. Her eyebrows knitted together. She promised herself she would not think about it and here she was, wishing she was her old self.

"H-How is h…" she rasped at the doctor.

"No talking, Shepard. You're lucky you still have your voice," Chakwas snapped, writing on a clipboard. She turned back to Shepard's glare. "He will be fine. He needs rest, just like you. It's a good thing Kirrahe got here when he did or else you both might have been dead," the doctor sounded grateful, despite her strict prescriptions.

Before she could try to speak, Liara walked into the room.

"Shepard! Thank the goddess," She rushed over and hugged her friend. A happy face is just what the former commander needed. The asari squeezed her shoulders. Shepard returned the embrace, patting her back.

Thank you, she mouthed.

Liara grabbed a nearby chair, sitting between Shepard and Garrus' cots. Liara kept one of Shepard's hands, giving them a small amount of pressure. Shepard was forever grateful to her friend for her positive attitude. The moral support of Liara was more effective than Kaidan. Just as she thought that, the asari turned to her ex.

"I can take it from here, Kaidan" she said politely.

Kaidan nodded getting up from his seat, "let me know if you need anything" he said to Shepard. She merely nodded when he walked out. Shepard turned to Liara, a million questions on her tongue.

Liara read her well and began listing off what she knew, "The Destiny Ascension is one piece, the two councilors are fine, just shaken, Kirrahe is on the ship and ready to talk whenever you are-"

"-She isn't ready!" Chakwas interrupted.

Liara smiled apologetically.

"I shouldn't have let you go alone," Liara said after a long pause. Shepard tried to protest and the asari just shook her head. No one could have stopped Shepard after the elevator had reached the top. She knew something was deeply wrong. After some arguing, Liara had told her to use the vent on the ceiling. She scaled the wall using her biotics before reaching the small tunnel. She fit and and used her omni-tool to map out the ship. Liara tried to go with her but she couldn't risk her friend's life, not after everything she has done for her. "I should have known something was wrong. I let you go because I truly believed we were only extracting the councilors. It was very naive of me. I'm so sorry, Shepard" she bowed her head.

Now Shepard squeezed the asari's hand and was the one to shake her head. Her solemn blue eyes looked to her commander. "You…" she tried to clear her throat but felt it reject her, "couldn't have known" she croaked. Chakwas gave her a prescription that would make her drowsy. She could feel the lull of sleep after taking the pill.

"But I-"

"Needed t-… stay" she finished for her.

"I guess…" Liara trailed off.

"That...was an order" she used the last of her breath to say the words, exhausted by talking.

"Yes, Commander," were the last words Shepard heard.

Shepard was not sure how long she left but she hated the sleep. It was dreamless but it was forced. It was the drugged stupor she woke up to was what she hated. The sleep wasn't natural and the medicine only made her more tired. It hurt to eat or drink anything so Chakwas had her on a strict liquid diet. Garrus had apparently woken up at one point during the night cycle but not enough to notice Shepard; he was also under a drugged sleep. Incoherently,he went back to sleep before even asking Chakwas what was going on.

Chakwas finally took bandages off Shepard's head two days after the attack, the bleeding had eased up enough. Remembering the fight, her hand reach back immediately and found a severe lack of long hair. The strands were all uneven and yet, she seemed to like it. All the long hair got annoying to keep in line. Chakwas had held a mirror behind her while she snipped at the split ends, giving herself almost a pixie cut; something she had always wanted to try but never felt was a right fit. She could not think of anything better.

After, she looked at Garrus, who had miraculously started moving. Shepard limped over to the chair by his cot. His eye slit open. Instinctively, she grabbed his hand. It took him a few minutes to come to.

"Take a slow, Garrus. You had it the worst" Chakwas said, holding a tight hand over his shoulder. He looked over from Chakwas to Shepard.

"Shepard, what happened?" he asked, rubbing his head. Shepard tried to speak but only seemed to rasp out nothingness. His eyes got wider when he saw her struggling. He then saw her neck, still covered in bandages. He started to get up but Chakwas and Shepard pushed him down. He easily broke through both of them, cradling her head with one head. She tried not to wince with his talons like that on her neck. His fingers twisted through her short hair. His look got more menacing at the realization of what had happened. "Who did this to you?" he demanded, trying to catch his own voice. Chakwas stepped back for once. Shepard then noted the only way to get the doctor to back off was to become a Turian. Damn, she thought. She heard the air rushed as the door opened then closed.

"I'm-...fine" her voice just barely reached audibility.

He loosened his grip but his mandibles pulled together tightly.

"Aria…" She managed to say. "It'-ll…" she took a deep breath trying to relieve her throat, "come back…"

"Shepard…" he shook his head. She couldn't read his expression. She could not tell if he was angry or upset or both. He pulled her into his neck. He wrapped his other hand around her waist, holding her in an awkward embrace. She returned it, relieved that she could at least hold him. "Spirits...I'm sorry" he whispered into her ear. She caressed his face without bringing her head up. They stayed in that position for a long while before Garrus pulled away just enough to look at her face. "You saved us," he said.

Shepard huffed and shook her head. Coughing, she spit "made it worse."

"The situation had already gone to hell. Everyone is alive because of you." He pulled her back to look into her eyes. "We will find her and stop her" he said.

"Together" she said, muted.

He nodded. She wanted to use her voice so bad. Tell him how sorry she was because of everything that had happened before the Destiny Ascension. She wanted to tell him there was no one else. She just needed to know that her feelings were genuine. Seeing him broken on the floor like that resonated something in her. She had been there before. It was something from her past life, no images, just the urgency. Her instincts acted on her impulses. She had given up so easily, feeling trapped with no way out. She nearly let go of everything she had worked hard to get back. She refused to be weak yet giving up was the weakest thing she did. If Kirrahe hadn't come along, they would have rotted on the Ascension. He tipped her chin, knowing she had been thinking too hard.

"N...early gave-..." she winced, waiting for the pain to pass, "up."

Shepard was not sure of Garrus' expression until he let out a humorless laugh, "Going into each mission, Shepard, we're giving up until we have a chance to succeed. We always expect the best and prepare for the worst," He struggled now. "This was your first mission since the Reaper War. You weren't graceful yet here we are," he leaned in, their foreheads touching, "because you refused to die without a fight," he ran his fingers through her pixie hair, "damn, that's one of the things I always loved about you, Jane," now when he said her name, it wasn't full of remorse, it was full of affection, love, and awe. He made it sound like it belonged to her and not a ghost. Her fingers found their way to the back of his neck, near his fringe. Her heart was slamming in her chest so much it hurt. She was done thinking. She was done choosing. The one she needed was there, alive because of her.

"Damn it," she said, feeling her eyes water. She hated crying. She'd done enough crying to last her a lifetime. "Just…" her throat screamed to stop, blinking through the tears, "Please just kiss me, Garrus," she whispered as loud as she could. He didn't hesitate, he brought her lips to his mouth plates. As hard as his mouth plates were, it was gentle, patient, and deliberate. Then it clicked. Kaidan felt all wrong because this is what she had been waiting for. Everything about kissing Kaidan was rushed, too excited, too fast. She can't even kiss humans anymore because she was never meant to be with one. She was always meant to be with Garrus. She wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing him in, taking him all in. He constricted her in a cage of his arms, nearly breaking her in half. Her body hollered in protest especially her neck. She didn't stop though, she had been waiting long enough. Her fingers gripped to his fringe and he groaned inside her mouth. Before she could do it again, she heard the rush of the medbay doors and a gasp. Like two positive magnets, they pulled away from each other quickly.

"Sheparddddd!" Tali exclaimed in the threshold, "Garrussss!"

"Tali?" They both asked, confused.

Tali was wrapped in a blanket, swaying. "I knewwww it! I knew it, I knew it!" She began walking but lost her balance. Shepard jumped from the cot to catch her.

"Tali," Shepard whispered "Been drinking?" She asked hoarsely.

"What?" Tali nearly yelled into the commander's' ear. Shepard looked to Garrus, panicked.

"How much have you had to drink, Tali?" Garrus asked slowly.

She held up her fingers in a O, "Zippp! Dr. Chakwas gave me some medicine for my infection" She then sneezed, "You!" she pointed to the turian. She swayed away from Shepard who kept a firm hand on her shoulder. "You and her...you were….!" she tried to find her words.

"Yes Tali, go back to bed" He finished for her, standing up, regaining balance on the cot.

"Are you? Are you gonna ask her?" Tali asked, stumbling over to him, hand on his arm as an anchor.

"Ask me…?" Shepard asked really confused. She looked to Garrus, nervous. His mandibles shot out in shock.

"That's it! Back to bed, Tali" He guided her to the door.

"Garrus!" Shepard tried to say but he was already through the door.

What had just happened? Shepard sat on the cot, small smile on her face.

After Garrus had gotten the drugged Quarian backed to her quarters, it was only then he noticed the searing pain in his abdomen. Something didn't feel right. He stuck his talon under his fatigues and felt a sticky substance. "Fuck," he cussed. The staples had broken apart from his wound. He dragged himself into the elevator and back to the medbay.

When the doors opened to the crew's quarters, he found Major Kirrahe in the flesh. The Salarian smiled, "Commander Vakarian" He stuck his arm out for a handshake.

"Please, Kirrahe, it's just Garrus," the turian shook his hand with his clean talon.

"Sorry for being so formal then. How are-..." he stopped abruptly, noticing the turian grasping his stomach, "are you bleeding?" he asked.

"Just a scratch" he winced at the pain that was only getting worse, "I'm going to the medbay if you'd like to talk. Shepard is there too." He began walking and the Salarian slipped his arm under him as a support.

"Absolutely," he concurred.

They walked into the medbay and Shepard stood from her cot. Her eyes got bigger from looking at his wound. She bolted over to his other side. Chakwas was still absent. They settled Garrus into his cot and Shepard touched his face briefly.

"I'll-...go find…" she just gestured behind her. Garrus nodded. She passed by Kirrahe without so much as a sideways gaze. The salarian stared after her, not conveying any emotion. Shepard limped from the medbay.

Kirrahe turned to the turian. Garrus was looking at the door. "She looks better" Kirrahe murmured, "you weren't kidding, her memory is gone."

He took a deep breath, "she's...made some progress"

"She hasn't seemed to forgotten you, my friend," the major commented.

"We've come along way, though, I'm sure you have not stayed this long just to ask about my personal life" the turian joked.

"I wanted to speak with you before I left," Kirrahe stated. Garrus gestured for him to sit in the chair beside the cot. "I can't thank you enough for saving our councilor. From what I've heard of Aria, she must have been truly distracted to just leave both the Salarian and Turian councilor's alive. I wonder why that is," he said, putting his fingers to his lips, pondering.

"Either way, we were lucky if it wasn't for Shepard," Garrus said.

"She is remarkable. I always knew the commander was stubborn but even when she has no idea what is going on," Kirrahe said in awe.

Garrus' mandibles pulled together, "What do you mean? She knew exactly what was going on. That is how she saved us," the Turian felt his temper flaring. Shepard was not a simpleton, even now. She may have lost her memory but she is still smart in the battlefield. She still thinks on her feet. She is a little rusty but who wouldn't after what she has been through?

"I apologize, I used the wrong words," the salarian held up his hands in defensive position, "having lost her knowledge of commanding and battlefield tactics, she was very resilient."

"Apology accepted. You could say my protectiveness over her has grown in the time she has rejoined us on the Normandy," the turian said, wondering where his mate was at that moment.

"Being protective means you have not lost sight of what is important to you; the reason you go into battle everyday…" the salarian trailed.

"But?" Garrus prompted, knowing there was more.

"Say she does not get her memory back," Garrus felt a twinge of distress in his heart from this, Kirrahe continued, "would you be able to relinquish command to her if she had asked for it?"

Garrus opened his mouth and then closed it. Of course he would give her the Normandy back, wouldn't he? However if she walked to the medbay in that exact moment and asked for the Normandy from him, would he do it? He felt a strong desire to oppose it, keep the Normandy under his command until she was ready. Until she was ready. Would she ever be if her memory never returned? It took her years before she was put onto the Normandy; Alliance bootcamp, countless missions, N7 training, Elysium...

"She's a spectre, I have no say," Garrus said, fearing the words as they left him. She could invoke her spectre status and he cannot stand up to that.

"Yes, she maybe a Spectre, but she is honorable. It is one of her weaknesses I'm afraid. She will not allow herself to do things because her honor dictates her from doing so. She hardly ever invokes her Spectre status unless she deems the situation has no other solution," he said slowly, taking his time with his words.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that you must not let your feelings for her as your mate,-" Garrus had been shocked to hear him use that terminology for his relationship to Shepard. It was no secret to anyone in the galaxy now what Garrus and his former commander have, "-get in the way of your duty as interim Commander of this vessel. You must hold your ground, do what is best for the Normandy, not just Shepard," the salarian looked stern yet concerned. Duty was always first to Kirrahe, a good captain, a better major, and one hell of a comrade.

"I will take that into consideration, Major. Thank you for the talk," he said as Chakwas entered the medbay. She let out a rough sigh at the sight of Garrus holding together his wound.

"I will take my leave. If you are ever in need of my assistance, I am a call away. I will be taking the Salarian councilor with me as he must meet with the dalatrass as to the condition of sur'kesh," Kirrahe sighed.

"Of course, send him my regards, Stay safe out there, Kirrahe" Garrus replied, giving him a solid clasp on the shoulder.

The major nodded and left the medbay swiftly.

Chakwas walked out to him with a sterile stapler, "I hope you don't think you're getting any numbing agents. This is a lesson for running before you can walk, Garrus" She chastised.

The turian commander looked away from her, "I wouldn't have thought you to be so merciful, doctor"

"Good"

He felt the gun to his gut and he refused to wince. She put six staples in his abdomen. Damn, those fuckers were sharp. He grunted each time they entered his skin. He felt that if he moved, he would burst.

"Don't move," She wagged her finger at him.

"Yes, Ma'am" Garrus croaked.