Chapter Fourteen: I'm Going To Do It

Here is the next chapter for you all.

Review Replies:

ArchAngel319 I am glad that you like how Garrus and Chief are being with each other. Don't worry I got conversations with Tali and Chief planned. ; )

RedRat8 Amen to that. It is fun writing Chief talking and learning to be friends with Garrus.

Yes, that Arbiter is catching up. That is for sure.

Scarease Yep, Arbiter is not going through a good time right now.

End Replies:

I hope you all enjoy and have a Jesus filled day.

HMHMHMHMHMHMHM

Previously:

"Error, error ships hull is getting breached. Error, error engines critical will not be able to steer. Error, error landing gear destroyed. Error, error activate space breathing mask." The Elite turned it on just as the ship said, "Error, error ships hull is breach." He was beyond happy he put his stuff in the safest part of the ship where he wouldn't lose them when he crash landed.

Now:

Master Chief walked out of the shower drying his head with a towel. Garrus was smiling at him as he dried himself. "I am so glad we decided to shower. Dear goodness we needed it." The Chief avoided looking at the Turian. He was curious if the plating went over their entire body but his mind told him to mind his own business. The Turian on the other hand, having showered near another human before, looked the human over and frowned. 'Holy shit that is a lot of scars. Some look very old. What the hell did those people do to him?'

The Chief did not notice Garrus seeing his scars as he was rubbing his face with the towel and when it was off his face the Turian had already looked away fixing his face to hide his disappointment in the humans that did that to a child. He remembered what Liam and Mordin were hypothesizing that the experiments that were obviously done on Chief had to be done when he was a kid likely his teenage years. Master Chief started putting on his clothes, "I need to get more clothes. Cortana has been complaining about my use of the same outfit when I walk around, despite me cleaning it every time."

Garrus burst out laughing, he was very glad the Chief had said that. He didn't think he could hold back his disappointed look for too long. "Yes, I can just hear her now. 'You need to buy more clothes.' I bet if you let Liam know he will make a trip to the Citadel for you."

The human looked at him with his ice blue eyes, "That is the worst impression."

The Turian smiled at him jokingly, "So." At first he didn't see then when he did he almost bugged out. Those blue eyes looked a bit amused; Garrus could tell Chief was holding back a smile. The mere thought that he, Garrus an alien, had cause that kind of reaction was elating him to no end. Garrus got his clothes on, "Okay, I will call Tali to come join us for lunch. Go find us a table once you have your food. It won't take too long."

The human shook his head, "I will go get her. I need to put my other clothes away in the Cargo Bay."

The Turian nodded, "Okay, I will go get my food. Maybe if I am quick enough I can get a corner table."

Chief walked to the elevator to go down. When it opened Miranda was in there talking with Liam. Shepard looked at him, "Hey." The Chief nodded at him in greeting, "I hope you plan to get lunch soon."

"Yes sir, I just have to put my clothes away and get Tali. Garrus wants her to eat with us."

Liam gave a sigh of relief and walked out with Miranda, "Good, the way that you three work makes me worried at times. Oh Chief, when you get a chance can you let me know when you have free time? I need to ask a quick question that doesn't need answering right now and I promise it isn't personal one."

"Will do sir." Chief answered as the door to the elevator closed. Now that he was alone he thought about what Mordin had offered a few weeks ago. He made a fist, he had always wanted to have children. But what worried him was with it back what would it do to his emotions. He was used how the emotions were easy to control. Back in the bathroom Garrus nearly made him smile, for real smile. He almost let it out but…his instincts held him back. Maybe having this much control over his emotions was a bad thing. Yeah sure it worked on the field but in conversations it was a hindrance. Even Liam reacted with all of his emotions and still kept a level head.

The elevator dinged startling him out of his thoughts. He walked out and went to alert Tali, "Hello Chief, how can I help you?"

"Garrus and I are about to have lunch if you want to join us." The human replied putting an ear piece on.

"Oh, that is an excellent idea. I will meet you in front of the elevator."

The Chief nodded and walked out, "So Chief how was the spar?"

"Good, sparing Garrus is interesting."

He could hear the smile in the A.I.'s voice, "Awe I bet you are looking forward for more. I am so happy for you, I am dancing right now if you can't tell." John chuckled at his A.I. She was just so bubbly, "So was inviting Tali yours or Garrus' idea?"

"Garrus." The human answered, "But as Commander Shepard says, with the way we work he worries about us eating at times."

"Oh, that is good." The Chief winced when he heard a scratching noise from the ear piece. When it stopped he heard her talking angrily, "Damn them, damn them for taking you away from me!"

Master Chief dropped his clothes on the bench in the Cargo Bay worriedly saying, "Cortana?"

"I'm sorry, I…" Cortana sighed, "I will be okay Chief. I'm sorry I startled you."

"How long do you have?" He asked sitting down.

"Chief…"

"Cortana, how long?"

"I estimate at minimum three months before that happens everyday." Cortana said sadly.

The human nodded, "I understand. I will spend time with you as much as I can in the time that I have you." Chief stood up, "Cortana, I'm…thinking about using Mordin's treatment."

"I'm happy for you Chief. You will make such a wonderful father to whatever woman you end up with." Cortana gushed, "Thank you for telling me, my heart is elated."

The Chief nodded and walked out of the Cargo Area, "Chief,…" The Quarian said spotting him, "…are you ready?" The human nodded and followed her on to the elevator. Strangely however his heart was beating faster than normal. This confused him; a racing heart happed after you worked out not out of nowhere. He shook his head; he'd worry about it later."

hmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhm

Liam sat down across from Miranda as she sat down herself behind her desk, "So I heard you went and talked to the Chief."

"I did. I wanted to get to know him and it was clear that my usual methods were not working." The brunet replied truthfully looking at the commander straight in the eye, "You need not worry I didn't take anything from him."

"I see." The red haired man replied with a nod of his head.

"I do have some concerns about Master Chief though." Liam instantly was paying attention, "When I spoke with him I noticed something was…off. I didn't and still have no idea know what it was that was bothering him but he defiantly was…affected by something."

"Do you think it will compromise him or deeply affect him?"

"I honestly don't have any idea to be honest. I just know that whatever it is he's not talking about it. He looked like he was trying not have it noticed in the first place." Miranda said with a small frown.

Liam bit his thumb as he thought to himself, 'Something bothering Chief. It must be super important to him if what I have seen of him has anything to say about Chief.' "Where did you see it?"

"Eyes, his body gave away nothing."

"I see. Not going to lie. I'm not liking what I am hearing."

"That's why I am bringing this matter to you." Miranda stated, "You have a habit poking you nose in peoples business."

Liam chuckled, "You act like that is a bad thing." He started tapping his foot on the ground loosing his smile, 'I really don't like it. This is way too soon. He just got here and the mission has just started. Before my death I didn't have one on the last Normandy show signs this early.' He covered his mouth looking down at his lap, "When I gain more of his trust I will try to ask about it but I'm sure he won't tell me. He doesn't trust me that much yet."

Miranda raised an eyebrow, "You have more of his trust than I have of his."

"Yes, considering how you tried to get information in the first place I can't say I blame him." The brunet gave him a light glare, "Don't blame me for what you tried. I'm just saying." Miranda continued to glare at him causing him to chuckle and look away, "I will see what I can do for him once I get his trust. I won't let him sink into what ever negative feeling he has if I can help it."

hmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhm

Thel 'Vadam pushed the large piece of metal off him. Damn his body hurt like crazy. He looked around, the ship was in pieces and scattered all over where he crash landed. He limped over to the first aid kit and tore it off the wall that was stuck in the ground. He would patch himself up in a safer place. Then he walked over to the metal box that held his things. Opening it he put his video player in a human backpack and put it on. He then went over to a console that was surprisingly still functional. "Computer…" The Elite gasped in pain, "…take down a message."

"What is the message you wish to record."

"There are caves in the west. I am going to hide out there. When this message is found by Master Chief Sierra 117 you will shut down and demolish yourself." The alien gasped again, "The code to open this will be Code Name: MC Cortana. This mess…" He nearly buckled under the pain, "This message is only…to go to…the A.I. known as...Cortana. Send the signal to her…" Thel 'Vadam went to his knees, "...Tell her…tell her to come ASAP if she can. That I am injured and…tell her Code Name: MC Cortana. That it is very important to remember."

"Message recorded. Message will send out and this system will go down into sleep mode."

"Only activate when you feel Master Chief's…rad…radio wave from Cortana." Arbiter grunted out walking away.

"Message sent, going into sleep mode."