(sorry if there's any grammar or spelling mistakes. I do check but some slip through. Sorry again)

Chapter 11

Shepard sat at the table with her food, unfortunately the only seat available which was facing the main battery, which meant that she was going to have to sit and suffer looking in that direction. Theros had entered the medical bay to eat his breakfast while he updated Dr. Chakwas on the mission he had undertaken and what medication he would have to take with him. Garrus clearly hadn't bothered about getting any food, and had just stormed off into the battery.

Liara watched as Shepard toyed with her food, she kept glancing in Garrus' direction. Liara hoped that she hadn't made the situation between them worse and couldn't help feel a bit guilty about what was happening. She quickly finished her food and went to get something to break the ice.

Alex poked her sausage around the plate, as a biotic she ate about twice times as much as anyone else, more so when she was in combat, but she didn't seem to have any appetite. She hated going all 'High Command' on her friends, especially Garrus, she didn't need too he always knew what to do. But lately, he had been different.

Sighing she pushed her plate away, she knew she would get told off about not eating but she couldn't face it. She took off her hat and ruffled her hair into life, feeling a little of her anxiety float away as she fluffed. She didn't move when the chair opposite her moved as the crew member finished their own meal, she certainly didn't bat an eyelid when someone else sat down.

She did take notice when a covered plate was shoved under her nose.

'I'm not hungry I'll eat later,' she muttered.

'It's not for you, it's for Garrus,' Liara replied.

Shepard looked at Liara, her face was filled with kindness, not one bit of planning in sight. But she still needed to clarify.

'Garrus? What?'

'It's clear that you wish to speak to him, and he hasn't eaten this morning, now before you refuse, trust me. Garrus is just like any other male, the way to their heart is through their stomach. Goes for any species,' she smiled and nudged the plate further toward her, 'go chat and clear the air.'

Shepard stared then grabbed the plate, stood up and practically ran around the table toward the battery. Liara smiled as she walked past, her heart lifting and the guilt trickling away.

The plate suddenly appeared beside her on the table again. But before she could say anything she felt Shepard's slender arms wrap around her shoulders, Alex dropped a light kiss on the Asari's cheek and whispered 'thank you' in her ear, before snatching up the plate and trotting off.

As she got closer to the door she heard Garrus talking to himself inside. She couldn't make out any words but he sounded angry. Swallowing her fear and summoning up her courage she knocked on the door thinking it would be best.

The talking stopped, she waited a minute, and then opened the door. Garrus stood at his console and merely inclined his head when she entered, shutting the door behind her.

'Commander,' he said quietly.

'I uh, brought you some food. I didn't think you stopped for breakfast,' her heart was hammering in her ribcage, she felt slightly sick and her head was a little woozy. Maybe she shouldn't have been so quick to push away her own meal.

'There was no need but thank you Commander,' he said coldly.

She placed the plate onto a table and watched him, he was working on his calibrations or something but he didn't seem to want to acknowledge her presence. He just stood working on his console. Well she wasn't going to talk to his back for the rest of the conversation.

She clicked on her omni-tool and turned off the power to his computer, not before she backed up the data he was using. The console went dark and the light flickered off, she heard Garrus sigh.

'Was that necessary Commander?' He didn't turn, but lent on the now dead computer.

'Probably not but I wanted no distractions,' she lent on the railing she could at least see he profile this way.

'Very well.'

He seemed so cold toward her.

'So are you going to tell me what that mess down in the cargo hold was about?' She needed to know.

'No.'

'Garrus.' She warned.

'No Commander,' he corrected.

'Stop it. Tell me what it was about.' She folded her arms.

'With all due respect Commander, no,' it sounded like he was clenching his teeth as he spoke.

'What the fuck Garrus? You keep calling me your Commander yet you won't treat me like one? What the fuck is going on? You know this is a military ship and when your commanding officer asks you to clarify a situation where another crew member and yourself could have been hurt, you bloody well button up and say no?' She breathed in deeply, 'well I'm not giving you a choice here Garrus. Tell me what was going on.'

Garrus looked at her defiant as ever.

'That's an order,' she choked.

They stared at each other both crackling with anger and pride but Shepard won. She could stare down a Thresher Maw into surrendering.

'It was about you.'

'And?'

'That's all.' He looked away from her.

'Bullshit. You don't try and beat the shit out of someone because of nothing. This is fucking ridiculous.' She was losing her patience.

Garrus' eyes narrowed. 'Right,' he said.

'Ignore that last bit please Garrus it was a stupid thing to say, I spoke before I thought about what I saying, I'm sorry. I'm just getting frustrated that's all,' she apologized, her say things first, think later attitude was getting her into trouble more often than she'd like.

'Maybe this week away will do you good then,' he commented dryly.

'I'm sorry?'

'Well clearly you like Turians but it doesn't matter which eh?' He smiled as if he was trying to make a joke, but Shepard was horrified.

'What the fuck are you on about Vakarian?'

'Well you were pretty quick to back Liara up, I'm just saying.' Then and only then did he turn to face her, Alex saw the hurt in his eyes, he truly believed that she didn't care, clearly he couldn't read her like she could him. For him to even think that she just wanted... it didn't even bear thinking about.

'It makes sense Garrus! You know it does! It won't work with you!' She shouted, her eyes began to burn. She was fighting back tears.

'Won't it?! Well thanks for letting me know!' He shouted back.

Shepard realised that they were talking about different things. Very different things. And it had just taken a very nasty turn. She went to touch his arm but he shrugged her off. The tears that she had been fighting had risen to the surface and threatened to break.

'Garrus..' she said quietly. 'How can you say things like that? Listen it's not like...'

She tried to explain that she had been talking about the mission but he cut her off.

'I've heard enough Commander,' his voice broke as he said her rank.

'No listen! Garrus! I didn't mean that! I wasn't talking about-'

EDI's speakers crackled into life above them. Shepard desperately tried to ignore her, and try to explain what had just happened but Garrus wasn't listening.

'Commander, Liara has some disturbing news, please meet her in the shuttle. She says you have to leave as soon as possible.' EDI's speakers cut off not giving Alex a chance to refuse.

She went to leave but Garrus had a parting shot.

'I thought you weren't like other humans Alex, maybe I was wrong,' he sounded distraught, but Shepard was too shocked to notice, her heart burst with unhappiness, is that what he truly thought of her? Maybe he didn't care, maybe she was the one reading things wrong.

She didn't look at him but talked to him over her shoulder, she could feel his eyes boring into her back, she said that she would think first before speaking, but not this time. This time it came from her heart.

'I can't believe you just said that Vakarian.' Tears dropped off her chin hitting the floor below, 'maybe I was wrong Garrus... thinking a Turian could care about me,' she heard his shocked intake of breath, but she continued, '…...thinking you cared about me.'

Without another word she ran.

And ran.

…...

Well uh that took a turn for the worst. Didn't really have any control about what I wrote there. I certainly didn't expect for it to be a bad as that. Oh well. Sorry if you didn't like it. I've gone out on a bit of a limb here, hope Vorbarra likes it. :/ so nervous.

Let me know if you liked or hated it both types of reviews are welcome! ta much xx