Looking down at her, his body still shaking from his emotions being thrown back and forth inside of him, he forced himself to pay attention to what she was saying.

''I always come back Garrus. For you, I'll always come back.''

He stared at her, noticing the bruising and swelling on her cheek and how her eye was almost closed up because of it. He took his finger and traced slowly over the wound, wishing he could make it disappear. He leaned towards her and bumped foreheads with her, humming all his sorrow, love and regret for his father actions. He still had no intention of releasing her and held her close. Relishing the way her small frame fit against him.

''Do you not realise how worried I was when I found out you weren't home Shepard?''

He saw and felt how she sucked in a breath as he mentioned the word 'home' and cursed internally. He didn't want to rush this but now that he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt how much she meant to him, 'home' seemed like perfect word to describe his feelings for her. She placed her arms around his neck and leaned up to kiss him.

''I like the sound of that Garrus. It may be too soon to consider it my home but living with you for the past three days has felt like all my dreams had come true.'' She hugged him tighter, pressing her body as close to him as possible.

''I really like the sound of that Garrus.''

Bending down he grasped her legs by the back of her knees and lifted her, giving her no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist. He deepened the kiss and rumbled deep in chest, loving the giggle that escaped her throat and walked back to the couch where she had been sleeping and placed her down with an 'oof' as she landed on her backside.

''Hey, what was that for?'' she said, letting her laughter wash over him as she got over the shock.

Deciding not to answer her, he settled in beside her on the opposite end of the couch, swinging her body around to place her tiny socked feet on his lap. He saw her raise an eyebrow as he slowly pulled her one sock of her foot, pricking each toe as they wiggled with one of his talons, being careful not to hurt her. He started to gently knead the bottom of her foot making her moan in satisfaction and chuckled at her huff when he teasingly pulled his hand away, pretending to stop.

''Tell me Shepard. How are you really? You've had a long day and I… I wish I could have stayed with you.'' He rumbled, giving her foot a squeeze.

The two of them were staring at one another. He was still gently rubbing her foot, applying pressure in the right spots. He looked down at her feet, taking her other sock off and watched her repeat the motion of wiggling her toes.

''I-It's been a long day Garrus. I understand why your father was angry and I would do anything to stop him from being angry with you… But I can't help the way I feel about you.'' She said softly, linking her fingers together in her lap and staring at them, not looking him in the eyes.

''Spirits, don't worry about causing trouble between my father and I… that particular bridge was crossed a long time ago.'' He said, rolling his eyes.

Garrus was avoiding talking about his feelings, purely because, now that he was sitting in front of her he felt like a fledgling all over again. Admitting how he felt made his tongue roll back into his mouth, his palms sweaty and his gizzard clench with nerves. He knew the words that he had to say, he could picture the perfect confession in his mind, from the way he said it all the way through to the look on her face. He was, he decided, a hopeless fool. He wanted it to go right, to be something they could both look upon with fondness.

''Garrus… you ok?'' She asked him.

He realised that he had completely stopped moving he was so lost in his thoughts.

'Mmm, yeah Shepard, I'm just happy you're here.'' He purred, leaning over to her side and placing a kiss on her mouth.

''I'm sorry I worried you. I didn't think you would mind all that much to be honest.'' She shrugged.

''Shepard… I... don't think you know just how important you are to me. Things from here on out are going to be rough. We're going to face a lot of pressure from both species when they find out were together.'' He cleared his throat and braced himself for at least one small confession.

''I want to be with you Shepard.'' He said, sub vocals thrumming his feelings for her and he wished that she could understand them as it would make things so much easier.

Her smile was something that he would never forget no matter how long he lived, her cheeks aflame, as she brought a hand up to her mouth to try and stifle the smile and hide her embarrassment. He chuckled, loving that, as far as he knew, he was the only one could make her turn that lovely shade of red.

''Garrus… I'll try not to go anywhere without telling you first ok.'' She said, sitting up to stroke his mandible, eliciting a purr from him.

''I, uh, I know this might seem a bit… ahem, forward Shepard but… do you want to go to bed? Maybe watch a movie?'' he added hastily as he saw her smirk.

'' We still need to talk Garrus.'' She said seriously, sitting up straighter and turning his head to face hers fully.

He saw her frown, eyebrows down in concentration and he could see how she was struggling to find the right way to phrase whatever question she had for him.

''Are you still going to meet her?'' she asked, voice barely more than a whisper. His heart ached at her question.

''Yes.'' He replied.

He felt her pulse race through the hand he had on her ankle and quickly added on before she mistook his reply as something it wasn't.

''I'm only going to meet her to tell her straight out that I'm not interested in marriage and that I hope she finds a more suitable mate somewhere else… because I'm taken.'' He said.

A smile spread on his face as he felt her racing heart calm slightly beneath her skin.

''So…. You're not interested in marriage, eh?'' she mock sighed, feigning her utter disappointment and gave an over exaggerated sniff from her nose.

''No, Shepard, what I meant was that I'm... not uh…interested in marriage, with her… I mean, not that you and I… ah, Spirits.'' He said holding his head in his hands and groaning.

Shepard threw her head back and laughed loudly, overcome with giggles and let out a loud snort. Suddenly completely humiliated by the sound that she had just made, she clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide and hoped that he would ignore it.

''Shepard, what was that?'' he leaned close to her and asked teasingly.

''Nothing, I don't know what you're talking about.'' She said nonchalantly, eyes lifting to the roof.

''No, I'm pretty certain that was something.'' He drawled, the snicker at the end telling her how much enjoyment he was getting out of making her uncomfortable.

Grabbing a pillow she shoved it into his face and his startled shriek set her off laughing again.

''Oh, Garrus… no more please. My side is aching enough and my ribs feel like they're going to crack if I keep this up.'' She said, swinging her body off him to stand up slowly, giving a slight sway before she steadied herself.

He saw her hold out her hand and even if he knew he weighed almost twice as much as her, he allowed himself to place his hand inside of hers, feeling her warm grip and when she pulled him up she threaded her too many fingers between his that were too few.

''Take me to bed Garrus.''


Finally within reach of a comm buoy, Arcelia muttered as she placed a call through to her husband. It was just after eight pm Citadel time, so her idiot mate should be back at his hotel. Making a loop around the small space of her quarters for the third time she flexed her shoulders impatiently as she waited for the call to connect.

''Arcelia, is something the matter?'' she head her husbands tired voice come through.

''Of course something is spirits-well the bloody matter!'' she yelled, hearing his sub vocals wince at the pitch in her voice.

''I take it you heard about Garrus and Shepard. I assure you I am trying everything in my power to separate them, but that son of yours is incredibly stubborn.'' He said trying to placate her.

''Have you lost your mind Veridian! How dare you try and separate them and not just that but I heard you attacked Shepard?!'' she continued to scream at him, noticing several crew members outside her quarters stop in their tracks to watch her rant.

Dismissing them with a growl, she just caught Veridian's sharp intake of breath on the other line.

''I see news travels fast. No doubt that damn human is making a spectacle of herself telling all who are willing to listen how a Turian attacked her.'' He spat.

''Shut up Veridian. For once you will listen to me or so help me, when I arrive at the Citadel tomorrow afternoon you will wish that you had never agreed to our marriage.'' She snarled at him.

''I didn't hear about your despicable behaviour from Shepard, I heard it from Solana. Your daughter had to console your son because he was steadily losing control of himself. How you think it's acceptable to cause such pain, to not only someone else child, but to your own is something I will never understand.'' She huffed out a breath angrily.

''I have given Garrus and Shepard my blessing; I will not allow him to mate with someone who will make him unhappy. Do you want him to end up like you and me?'' she asked, her tone pleading with him to see reason.

''Arcelia, we are Turian. We have rules and clan traditions to uphold. He has to go through with this marriage for the sake of our clan. We will live on in the records of history with this tie to the Primarch's family. Do you not see how this could open doors, not just for Garrus, but for Solana as well?'' He countered his own breath harsh over the line.

''No, I most certainly do not. All I see is an old Turian stuck in his ways, determined to plot out a fate of unhappiness and misery for both of our children.'' Arcelia said not backing down.

''I see we are not going to agree on this matter. I tire of arguing with you. I assume I will see you and Solana tomorrow?'' he asked, his tone matter of fact.

''Yes Dad, we will see you tomorrow and hopefully after a night's sleep, you will be able to see reason.'' Solana said over her mom's shoulder, having listened quietly this entire time.

''Spirits… Alright, fine. I will see you tomorrow.'' With that he cut the line, leaving the two women standing there, staring at the omnitool.

''Fool.''

''Idiot.''

They laughed as they spoke at the same time.

Tomorrow certainly was going to be an interesting day.