Chapter 10
"Keep him talking so I have time line up a shot." Garrus told her. So, she got him talking. It sounded like he was pressured into the betrayal. She didn't move out of the way yet. Garrus called him a coward. She wanted Garrus to hear more of what Sidonis had to say. Sidonis kept talking, saying he had trouble sleeping, eating, was having suicidal thoughts. "He's paying for this already, Garrus." "He has to pay for those 10 people, Shepard." "Isn't this supposed to be about his rehabilitation, if possible? Do you believe he's a danger anymore?" Sidonis said "I'll make this up to him somehow." "Damn it, Shepard, you're right. Let him go."
She went back to the ship to shower and then joined Kasumi for a second shopping trip. This time Kasumi talked her into a two-piece red with black patterns. Kasumi teased her, "This one highlights your waist, Shepard. It's, um, very enticing to turians." Cassidy gave Kasumi a look. "I see how you look at him, Shepard. You should approach him soon, now that he's resolved his team issue. I think he'll be receptive."
That evening, she ordered her dinner up in her cabin. When the door chime rang, it was Garrus, bringing both her tray and one for him. "I hope you don't mind, Shepard. I know I said I wasn't ready to talk about this down there, and I also know that you will give me my space until I'm ready. Well, um, I don't really want space between us, so I thought we'd get that talk done and behind us." "You are most certainly welcome to dine here with me, Garrus, just like old times. I missed our talks over meals in front of the old mission board." He came in and put the trays on the table.
"Garrus, are you OK with the Sidonis situation?" "Actually, Shepard, I am. You were right, it was supposed to be about rehabilitating him if possible and protecting the community in the future. I didn't expect you to know about those things." "I did a lot of research about the Turian attitudes and expectations. There's an excellent book that our ambassadors to the Turian Hierarchy have to read, and so I read it. I really wanted to understand where your head was at and I wanted to make an honest effort at making my advice to you appropriate to your beliefs, not human ones."
He got up and paced a bit. "Why would you go to so much effort for a crew person, Shepard?" She put down her fork and looked up at his eyes. "You are much more to me than a crew person, Garrus. I care for you, personally. I hope you feel the same way, but if not, I'll not mention it again." Garrus stopped. "Are you saying that you would like us to be something more than friendly colleagues, something more intimate?" "Yes, Garrus. That's what I'm asking." and she looked away, turning red. He reached out and gently lifted her chin until she was standing.
"Shepard, when you died, part of me died also. I didn't realize how much you had become important to me until you weren't there anymore. Without you, my world was gray and bleak, but I didn't realize even how gray, until the day you walked back into my life. Yes, I care for you very much and to be with you personally would make my world very very bright." He took hold of her shoulders and brought his forehead down to touch hers. After a bit, she brought her lips to his and gently kissed him. "Shepard . . ." "It's "Cassidy" to you, now, please." His flanges went wide. "Cassidy. Let's finish our dinner." He took her hand and led her back to the table.
They ate in silence for a few minutes. "Cassidy, I'm finding myself at a loss as to what to do next. If this were a turian ship, we might relieve tension sexually together without any serious commitment. If this were a committed turian relationship, it would not be unusual for us to spend most of our non-duty time together. This is a human ship and you are the captain. So, tell me how you want to proceed." Cassidy thought about this for a bit while she ate. "Normally, I might say let's wait for shore leave to get together, but this mission may be possibly suicidal. I want as much of you as I can get while we can. So, I'm inviting you back up here for dinner tomorrow after Kasumi's party and I'd like you to stay the night after that. We can then talk about what we want to do after that. How does that sound to you?" He ate his last bite. "I can do that, Cassidy. I look forward to dinner, and after, tomorrow." He leaned over to her and kissed her. Then he got up, picked up both their trays, widened his flanges at her and left.
She got up and thought about the after dinner part of tomorrow, "EDI, please ask Dr Chakwas to come up here."
The doctor arrived, carrying her medical satchel about 10 minutes later. "Shepard, you asked to see me?" "Please come in and sit, doctor. This is a personal consultation, please." "OK, what can I do for you?" "Well, what do I need to know about human-turian sexual contact?" "Oh, you and Garrus are finally together, Shepard? That's happy news. Let's see. Well, because of the incompatibility of the levo and dextro amino acid biologies of each species, you should avoid any exchange of fluids, at least until you determine if either will react allergically. So, a condom is necessary at first, and I suggest you use a lubricating barrier as well just in case, until you can rule out allergic reactions." "So, basic skin on skin is not a problem?" "Yes, basic skin on skin is probably fine, unless you have noticed any redness or swelling? No? Tomorrow I will bring up some appropriate supplies for you – or do you want them tonight?" "No, tomorrow will be fine. Thank you." "Well, I hope you don't mind my saying, Shepard, I think he is a wonderful choice for you. You seem to match each other well, personality-wise. I think your mother will approve, when you are ready to let her know."
EDI's voice came into the room. "Shepard, the Illusive Man wishes to speak with you. He says it is urgent." "I'll be right down." They both got up and headed for the elevator. Dr Chakwas said, "I'll go to the med bay in case the Illusive Man's call is leading us to an imminent combat situation." Cassidy nodded to her and got off at the CIC, while Dr Chakwas continued another deck down.
–
"He tries another stunt like that again and the Collectors will be the least of his problems!" Cassidy growled. "Joker, how much delay will we have getting to Bekenstein?" "Well, Commander, I think you'll just be fashionably late to the party." "Alright then, I'm going to get as much sleep as I can before we get there."
–
So much for Donovan Hock. Cassidy had lept into the shuttle right behind Kasumi. Kasumi dropped a bag on the floor as she dropped into a seat. Cassidy asked the pilot, "Any trouble with flight control on the planet?" "No, Hock apparently had no official scrutiny on any shuttles coming in or out of his place, so no questions asked." She turned back to Kasumi, "What's in the bag?" "Your party clothes, the graybox, and one or two small treasures from Hock's place." "Ah."
"So, you had dinner with Garrus, but he didn't stay." "Are you keeping tabs on me?" "More like noticing Garrus being out and about more that he did before. He seemed more relaxed on the way back." "Well, we have another dinner date tonight. You shouldn't wait up to see him on the way back, though. I invited him to stay the night." "Oo, good for you two! Quite a few of the crew have been hoping that you two would get together already." Kasumi smiled.
Back on the ship, Kasumi asked Cassidy to come down and be there when she explored Keiji's graybox. So, Cassidy went up, put away her dress and boots, took a shower and changed. She noticed a box on her desk, labeled from Dr Chakwas. She opened it and noticed a container of personal lubricating sealant, two injectors and two different kinds of antihistime, and a massage roller. She put the lid on the box with a quick smile, taking it over and placing it beside the bed. Then she went to see Kasumi. After Keiji's final message played, Cassidy encouraged Kasumi to do as Keiji asked and delete the contents, but Kasumi couldn't do it herself, but allowed Cassidy to wipe the box for her. Then Cassidy turned and hugged Kasumi and let her cry. Kasumi eventually broke away, saying she'd like to be alone. Cassidy left Kasumi to grieve.
It was a few hours before dinner time, so Cassidy went to the debriefing room to update her mission board. She printed off an image of the giant inner chamber of the Collector ship. The note she put with that was "They have spaces for everyone on Earth." She put a note under the Collector image about them being re-purposed Protheans.
Miranda walked in and looked over the board. She said, "Shepard, I was just talking with Mordin. He mentioned he'd like to talk to you." She turned and left. Cassidy cleaned up and went to see Mordin.
–
Cassidy met Garrus in the mess hall where they both collected dinner trays. He had a small duffel bag on his back. As they rode up in the elevator, he asked her about the party and the associated mission with Kasumi. She told him about holding back a smirk during Hock's "gleeful delusions of peace" speech and about the treasures in his vault.
They went into her cabin and sat down to dinner. She told him about Mordin's concern for his student from the genophage alteration project. Then she asked, "So what did you do while Kasumi and I were hobnobbing with slavers and mass-murderers?" "Several of us went down to the city and picked up some supplies." He reached down and pulled a couple of wine bottles and goblets out of his bag. "I found a wine shop that was well stocked and reasonably priced." He handed her a glass and poured for her from the bottle with the blue ring around its neck. Then he poured for himself from the other bottle, which had a red ring around its neck.
Cassidy took a sip of her wine, enjoying the light fruity taste. She asked, "Is yours similar, just dextro?" "Yes, I thought some nice simple white would be safe. The clerk called it a 'ger-shwerts-a-meener'." "OK, that's nice to know. I'm not knowledgeable about wines. I do like this. What else was notable about the city?" "They had a nice art museum that I walked through. They even had one turian painter on display. They said his work was on loan." They finished eating, talking about the art in the museum.
Garrus picked up their trays and got up, putting them on her desk. He turned back, his flanges loose. He teased, "So, you sure you don't want something closer to home. I saw Hopkins admiring you in that dress as you were leaving earlier." Cassidy got up and walked over to him, quite serious, "I want someone I trust. I want you, Garrus." She put her hands on the chest plate of his armor and presented her forehead. He lowered his to hers.
He raised his head and went back to get his duffel. "Mordin suggested a way to see if we'll have allergic reactions right off." He pulled a couple of bottles out. He sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him. "Come see." She came and sat down and took one of the bottles from him, reading "Chocolate Mint, edible body oil, levo." He said "I also found an adult store down there." He took the bottle from her hand and opened it. Then he exposed the skin of one of his arms up to the elbow and squeezed a bit onto the softer skin just inside his elbow. "If we leave this for a few minutes and the skin doesn't react then we can try the next step."
She pushed her sleeve up and presented her elbow to him and he squeezed some from the red labeled bottle onto her. She smiled, "So, the next step would be that I get to lick chocolate mint oil off of you?" His subharmonics started purring "And I off of you."
Neither of them showed any skin reactions, so they took the next step, unable to keep from laughing. While they waited again, they helped each other out of their top clothing. He cupped her breast with his hand, teasing the nipple to attention. He then pulled her to him in a hug, breathing into her hair. His heartbeat was flying. She pulled back and checked her elbow and then his. No reaction. She grabbed one of the bottles and got up. She went and dug a sheet from a drawer and covered the bed with it. Then she motioned him over. She reached up and pulled his head down for a kiss. Then they helped each other out of their remaining clothing.
They explored each other, with oils and tongues and fingers. When he placed his finger on her clit, he looked up at her, "Here?" "Oh, yes, please!" So he turned his gaze downward and used his tongue there. He was pleased to hear her moan, to feel her heat, to see her flush. He kept at it until she rasped at him, "I want you now, Garrus." He sat up, reached over to his duffel, pulling out a condom. She scooched up and got her box, taking the sealant out. She came back down to him and took the condom. She reached down and found his cock, swollen and hot. She eased the condom down onto him, unrolling it with stroke after stroke. His eyes dazed a bit, "Cassidy . . ." She poured some sealant into her hands and coated the condom with it.
She encouraged him onto his back on the bed, his crest over the edge. She straddled herself over him. He reached down and touched her to guide his tip into her. She slowly lowered herself onto him, easing herself back and forth as he filled her bit by bit. He was amazed as she lowered herself nearly all the way. She started rocking herself up and down in a languid ride. Then she grabbed hold of him and turned them so that he was on his knees on the floor and she on her back connected with him at the edge. His turn. He rocked in and back, starting slowly then grabbing her hips and gaining speed. She, breathing hard, moaned "Garrus!" The heat ran up his body as he released.
She pulled him down to her on the bed and hugged him, their breathing returning slowly to normal. "Mmmm" she hummed into his shoulder. He breathed in the scent of her hair and said, "Mmmm, indeed." After a while, she kissed him and said, "You go get in the shower first, then me." They untangled themselves and he grabbed his duffel and went to the shower. She lay there, enjoying the glow for a bit. Then she got up, put the sealant bottle back into the box and putting the box into a bedside drawer.
Just then, her bedside com started blinking and the word "EDI" appeared on the display. She touched a button on the com, saying "Audio only, accept com request. What do you need, EDI?" "Shepard, the sound of cracking glass has been noted coming from Grunt's room. You should investigate." "I'll be down there momentarily." She got up, grabbed some sweats out of the bedside drawer and started dressing. Garrus came out of the shower, "Something up?" "I gotta go see Grunt. Seems he's become agitated. I'll be back shortly." She went out to the elevator and down.
"EDI says you're tearing up the place. What's going on?" "Shepard, it's a blood haze in my head and even you are just noise. On the battlefield I can focus, but here, the fury, it's not my choice." "We're heading to Tuchanka anyway. We'll take you to Urdnot, see what they have to say about this. Can you reign yourself in until then? Do we need to give you something to help you calm down?" "Now that I know we are going to Tuchanka, I can handle it until tomorrow. Thank you, Shepard."
She went back to the elevator, met Jack who was coming off the elevator with a mug in her hand. Jack stopped a moment, "Chocolate Mint . . . and sex. Well well, look who's finally bagged her turian." Then Jack brushed past Cassidy and went toward her quarters. Cassidy shook her head and went back to her cabin.
Garrus was there on the couch, reading something on his omni-tool. "The ship going to survive?" "He says it's a fury, a blood haze in his head. But he also says that since we're headed to Tuchanka, he can handle it 'til we get there." She turned and went into the shower.
Cassidy took the side of the bed to her left (farthest from the lockers), letting Garrus take the right. She fell asleep with his arm over her, which felt extremely comforting.