A/N: Thanks to my lovely reviewers who makes me continue this story. Just want to warn you about incoming mature stuff.

I know that you're sleeping
I feel the heat from your skin
Just the scent is enough to make me weak
But I don't dare to wake you up

I would give you
Everything you're pointing at
But only when you can't hear me
I dare to say so.

I can't even walk
Without your air in my lungs
I can't even stand
When you're not watching
And translucent gray I become
Without your breaths

My clock has stopped
Under your eyelids
The dreams are fluttering by
On the inside you're featherly light and white

And without a sound
My heart in your hand
I've lost my speech
It is stuck in your hair

I can't even walk
Without your air in my lungs
I can't even stand
When you're not watching
And colorless like a tear I become
Without your breaths…

What would I be
Without your breaths?

.:Utan dina andetag – Kent:.

(swedish band, lyrics translated from swedish to english)

Garrus woke up in the middle of the night by a strange, ventilating sound, which he couldn't really place. He looked up and saw Shepard lay at full length, staring up at the canopy above the bed. She laid and hyperventilated with eyes wide open, and whimpering. Through his visor he could see her high heart rate.

"Kayla?" He didn't get any answer. Garrus shook her shoulder a little and said her name, louder this time. "KAYLA? What's wrong?" Still no response. He looked up at the roof, but couldn't see anything in particular. What had made her react like this?

"Kayla, please answer me! What's happening?" Garrus panicked.

"EDI, can you please wake up Dr Chakwas and tell her to come. Say it's urgent."

"Negative, Officer Vakarian. Commander Shepard has forbidden me to do so when this occur."

"You mean this has happened before?"

"Yes, every night since she boarded the ship, except for when she slept down in the main battery last night. It will pass within an hour, and Commander Shepard doesn't want to disturb Dr Chakwas with this in the middle of the night. "

"Ok, thanks EDI."

"Good night, Officer Vakarian."

Garrus kneeled over Shepard and caressed her cheek, and he seemed to hear her breathing slow down just a little. He took her head in his hands and put his forehead against hers, and started to hum lowly in her ear. His thumbs caressed her cheeks gently and she started to breath more regularly. Her eyes finally met his own.

"Garrus?"

"I'm here, Kayla." Shepard started to sob, and he felt tears run down her cheeks, and over his fingers. He laid himself on the side and took her in his arms while she sobbed against his shoulder. She had no fringe like him, but he stroked her hair, and it seemed to have a calming effect. After a while Shepard's cry decelerated and he could hear her breath go back to normal.

"I'm so sorry, Garrus, that you had to see me like this."

"Don't be. I just got so afraid for your sake, and didn't know what to do. I asked EDI to bring Chakwas, but you had forbidden it. What happened?"

"Angst attack." Shepard seemed to be embarrassed and didn't want to look at him.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked, and continued to caress her hair.

"No, but I guess you want an explanation. It's just that..I don't want to lay a burden on you. "

"I don't require anything, Kayla. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but it will NEVER be a burden to me. I'm here for you whenever you need me, and that includes the difficult moments too. I don't want you to suffer like you did now."

"Thanks, Garrus." Shepard kissed him lightly on the mandible. "You know I've had problems with my sleep, and lately it has become much worse. It is this fucking canopy's fault. When I open my eyes and the stars are the first thing I see…"

"It reminds you of your death, doesn't it?" Garrus mumbled into her hair.

"Yes, and I know it is so irrational but I panick and can't get out of it. Not the best to be mentally unstable as a Commander. And that's why I don't want Chakwas to know."

"It would be more strange if you didn't react in one way or another. You need to talk with someone, and don't let the stress build up too much tension within you. "

"Well, I refuse to speak with Ms. Flirty."

Garrus chuckled.

"What?"

"Flirty, alright!"

"What has she done?" Shepard asked a little warily.

"Jealous?" He smiled a little.

"No, but we clashed a little some days ago, and she hinted she had some interest in you. "

"That's the least you can say. She said that if you weren't interested then she would gladly help me blow off some steam. Very forward, so to speak."

"Arr, that bitch!"

"Hehe, don't worry. I'm yours. "

"I know, but I'm surprised she couldn't manage to be more professional."

"Not everyone can be like you, you know. And besides she tried to be helpful, which is her job."

"By sleeping with my crew?"

"Not in the way you think. When turians get too stressed they need to ease the tension, either by sparring or having sex. Too much stress without release for a long time could be lethal. We don't have the same stigma about sex as you humans, and we are more open about it."

"Oh." Shepard silenced for a minute. "Am I making it worse for you? I mean…"

Garrus interrupted her and said "What? NO! Don't worry about that." He rose himself up on one elbow and laid a hand on her neck and stroke her cheek. "Spirits know I want you, but as I said yesterday I want it to be right. I'm in no hurry. "

Shepard looked up at him with gratitude. She laid her hand behind his neck and lifted her head against his.

"Thanks, Garrus. It means a lot to me. Want to hold me until I fall asleep again?"

"Of course, Kayla. There's nothing I rather do now. Come here. "

Shepard laid her self to rest in his arms, and sighed . Garrus was so happy for having her in his arms, and unconsciously started to purr. She smiled inwardly while she felt a pleasant tiredness spread through her body. Soon she breathed heavily.

One hour later Garrus was still awake, and he was thinking about them. They had had a rough time, both of them, and he would never want to see her suffer like this again as she had done this night. Even if he had to paint the roof in black just to cover the canopy. Garrus leered down on this wonderful, sleeping creature that was his. Under her eyelid her dreams were fluttering by. His heart laid exposed in her hands, and he was about to explode by all these feelings she created within him. He would never want to loose her again, and he would do anything in his power to prevent it. He would always have her back. Always.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

His eyes shot wide open and his pulse increased. What was happening? It took him a few seconds to realise it was Shepard's alarm that had set off. She murmured in his arms, and clearly showed she didn't intend to go up.

"Good morning, Sunshine" he said and only got an "grrmmmm" for an answer. He smiled to himself and nibbled her a little at her neck. He got a big smile as a reward.

"I'm taking the liberty to use your shower while I'm here."

"Mmm, do that. I will be up in a minute." Shepard snuggled herself deep into the pillow. He rose unwillingly from the bed, and looked down on her for a moment before he headed for the shower. He wasn't surprised about the big space in the bathroom, but it was a shame the crew quarters were so small in comparison. He turned the shower on and pressed the button for higher degrees. The scalding water hit his plated body, and he enjoyed that he didn't have to hurry because other was waiting for their turn. He put the hands on the wall above his head and rested his forehad on the cooler wall.

The steam was getting thicker and he was about to step out of the shower when he heard the door open, and the air on the floor instantly got cooler. Garrus froze and didn't know if he should say something or if he should pretend nothing was happening. With his sharp hearing he could hear her night clothes drop softly to the floor, and her neat steps came towards him, but she stopped halfway, as if she was insecure.

He right then got very conscious about his naked body. Should he turn around? What was she thinking when she looked at him, if she looked at all? He hated to be this unsure. Suddenly he felt her fingertips on his back. She was so close, and he didn't dare to turn, if it would ruin the moment. The fingers slowly slided down his back and when they touched his waist he couldn't hold in a low growl. Her hands disappeared quickly.

"Sorry…I.." she began, but he interrupted her by turning around and look down at her beautiful face.

"Don't be. It was…pleasant. The waist is very sensitive for sensual touching."

She looked so embarrased, and so unlike her Commander face right now. Garrus bent down and tried to kiss her human-style by nibble her carefully in her lips. Her soft tongue met his rougher one, ans she tasted fantastic. Like the rare summer rain on Palaven. Like the metallic air in the mountains. Like home. The water beams wet her red hair, and it turned into mahogny, but Garrus didn't notice. The only thing existing was this sensation when their tongues played with each other.

Shepard awkwardly put her hands on his waist again, and a vibrant moan rumbled in his chest. He could barely control himself, and he worridly felt his lower abdomen plates start to shift. He didn't want to take her here in the shower, but he didn't want to quit either. No matter how little he wanted to, he broke their kissing and looked her in the eyes.

"Shepard…I…I can't resist for much longer. You are too desirable." She could hear in his voice that she affected him, and she felt joy that he actuallty desired her. HER!

"Then don't." She stroke her thumbs daringly over his bulging pelvis plates and she could feel they was about to make way for something bigger. She didn't know what to expect, but she was done with taking it easy. Her words were redemptive, and Garrus felt how his slit widened when his erection wanted to get free.

Shepard dared to look down, and with her thumb she softly stroke over his incipient erection. She looked at him and he nodded weakly. She continued to stroke the tip on his sex and was fascinated of how it grew out of the slit. It was so big, and a little ridged all the way back, and so beautifully blue.

She carefully drew a finger along his length, and he began to purr. Since he didn't say anything she took a trying grip at the shaft, which was sticky with lubricate from the slit. She let her hand slide up a few inches and then down again.

"Kayla, what are you doing with me?" His voice was so much more darker and more guttural.

"Don't you touch each other like this?" She looked questioningly at him, and became a bit unsure.

"No, not really. Turians almost never touch the sex. We have a…different kind of foreplay."

"Oh, do you want me to stop?"

"Spirits, no! What you are doing feels fantastic."

She smiled at him shrewdly, and began to stroke his member more steadily. Garrus purred rumbled higher and he had to take a step back to get some support from the wall when she touched him and kissed him at the same time. After a while her mouth began to kiss his mandible, and let her tongue slide down his neck and throat. She didn't know why, but it felt natural to bite him carefully there, and Shepard got rewarded with a fierce growl.

With the other hand she began to caress his waist while her mouth wandered down his chest. Finally she kneeled before him and kissed his plates on the stomach. Before she continued downwards, she looked up at him, as if to ask for permission, but he looked back uncomprehendingly.

Her lips parted and her tongue tryingly tasted his tip. He moaned and Shepard dared to let her whole tongue circulate, he tasted waguely metallic, but not unpleasant in any way. Garrus closed his eyes and stroke her hair.

Shepard felt a huge inner need of satisfying him, and she opened her mouth more and let her lips close around his ridged erection. He was big, and she barely managed to take him in her mouth.

Garrus had difficulties to control himself where he stood. He had never experienced something like this. The feeling of smooth, warm tongue and her soft lips were almost too much, and he didn't think it had never felt this good ever before. The sensation was so rich and he couldn't see anything but lots of colors before his eyes. When he thought it couldn't get better she began to move her head slowly up and down. Her soft, red lips enveloped him in a fantastic way, and her tongue massaged his ridged skin. She fucked him with her mouth. He wouldn't hold for long and he had to tell her.

"Shepard, I can't hold it for much longer." His words didn't make her to retreat, but instead she tried to take more of him in her mouth and he couldn't hold it in anymore. He came, and animalistically growled out his orgasm, making it echoing in the bathroom. His legs didn't bear him, and he sank down to the floor.

"Kayla, that was the most pleasant thing I've experienced in my whole life. A thanks is not enough, but thank you."

"No need to thank me. It pleased me that I could satisfy you." She sat down opposite to him, and kissed his mandible.

"I think I understand why your mouths are so elastic." He winked at her.

"Shame on you, Garrus." Shepard smiled at him.

"I believe it is my turn to explore your body." Garrus took her hand in his and was about to kiss her when they were interrupted.

"Commander, wakie wakie. We are at the Citadel in one and a half hour."

"You gotta be kidding me Joker, You have the shittiest timing ever. "

"Not my fault you chose to take a morning in, sweetheart." Shepard stuck out her tongue at the speaker in the bathroom.

"If you are not playing nice I might ask EDI to make your life a little more difficult. "

"You wouldn't dare. " Joker laughed and turned off the speaker.

Shepard sighed loudly, and then looked at Garrus.

"I guess I will owe you one." he said.

"Hell yeah you are. I think we have to finish our shower and get ready."

When they were done and had dressed they walked out of the cabin and was waiting for the elevator.

"So…How do you want to do this? I don't think anyone will miss that I haven't slept down in the battery this night. "

"Do you know what? I don't care. I'm the Commander and as long as I get the shit done they don't have a saying about my private life. Let's go down together.

Shepard tiptoed and threw her arms around his neck, just to nibble him a little in his mandible. He nibbled her back and they smiled sheepishly at each other, just like people in love did. When the doors opened to the CIC they stepped out at the same time and Chambers turned around.

Her face was priceless, and Shepard laughed inwards.

"Good Morning, Yeoman."

"Eh..Good morning, Commander."

"So, any new mails?"

"No, Commander." An awkward silence was threatening their conversation. "You and Garrus, huh?"

"Yep. That means hands off."

"Well, a girl can dream at least."

"I didn't hear that, Chambers." Shepard walked towards the cockpit to have a word with Joker.