Notes by Author: Hello everyone. I know it's been a while. I've been crazy busy. I'm in school part time and my job's trying to get me to work more than 40 hours. Money isn't everything! I'm also working on my second and third book. That is a whole nother adventure. But I haven't forgotten about my roots. I hope this chapter ties up loose ends, and I admit, I've been gone for too long-forgot some of the story-had to skim. But I think I'm back on track-I'll let you be the judge. I hope to wrap up this story soon, so you guys can get on with your lives and not anticipate another chapter. Now don't get me wrong, i love the reviews and the anticipation, but it's not right to have you guys waiting for soooo long for an update! I still have my other stories i will work on when i can, so for now, please enjoy and as always, leave a review.

Also, please forgive the mistakes. But if they're an eyesore, let me know. I can't get better unless i know.


Many hours after Garrus had been shot…

Nyreen was sitting in the seedy nightclub, the VIP section of club Afterlife. She had been there for thirty minutes, slamming back only five drinks, building a barrier between her and her nerves; hands tremulous. The female turian sat, arched over the table, supported by her forearms. Her eyes darted from left to right, briefly sweeping over the sketchy patrons that passed her table. A cancer stick was tucked between her two fingers—she had once given up the habit.

"C'mon… where is she…?" Nyreen could hear herself growling as she continued to scope out the surroundings. Her omni-tool was still active and had been since she arrived at the club; shooting off messages every five to ten minutes.

Suddenly the shadow of another turian crept up on upon her, blotting out the low light that swam the space in her booth. Nyreen shot up from her seat.

"Fuck'n finally!" She growled, boiling eyes glaring at the second turian. "What the hell, Quin! What the hell did you do!?"

The shorter turian said nothing—scales brownish with a bit of yellow—golden eyes unable to look Nyreen in the face. Nyreen had taken a hold of Quinoleya's shoulders, shaking her harshly.

"What the hell, Quin!"

Her mouth went to speak but nothing came out, only quivering mandibles and dying sub-harmonics.

"Do you realize what you've done? Do you realize what you've done?" The shorter turian still held her silence. "If anyone finds out about this, we're fucked. Do you understand me!?"

Still silent, Nyreen suddenly remembered where she was. Releasing Quinoleya's drooping shoulders, Nyren glanced around cautiously for any prying eyes or ears. There were none that she could tell, prompting her to sit down. The other turian remained standing, looking like the pink elephant in the room.

"Sit down." Nyreen rebuked.

Quinoleya reluctantly sat down. She was breathing heavily as was Nyreen. Her eyes still did not meet Nyreen's. They sat in silence for a few minutes, while Nyreen attempted to collect her self—instinctively taking a puff of her cigarette.

Glazed over, yellow eyes settled on Nyreen as she smoked. "I thought you quit." Quinoleya finally spoke.

Nyreen only inhaled more deeply before jerking the cigarette out of her mouth. Turning her head to the side, she released a long stream of smoke. Scoffing as her head turned back to face the smaller turian, Nyreen answered, "Yeah, well…." Smoking was the least of their problems.

Nyreen took another puff, hands and body still shaking. There was a half-drank bottle turian whiskey on the table.

"For spirit's sake, Quin, have drink." Nyreen demanded in a low, bitter voice.

"No… no thank you."

Nyreen's burning eyes suddenly landed on Quinoleya. "I wasn't asking." Nyreen continued to scowl at her until the frail turian gave in.

She grabbed the bottle by the neck, taking the other shot glass that had been sitting near the bottle. She poured the purple liquid into the cup. Then, slamming the bottle down—not out of anger but fear—she took the shot. The liquid burned her tongue and throat.

Nyreen continued with her cigarette. She was still smoking when Quinoleya suddenly broke the suffocating silence. "I didn't… he's not dead is he?"

Nyreen's eyes went back to the other turian with disbelief. She suddenly put the cigarette out before answering her. "What happened?"

"I…." Quinoleya swallowed before continuing. "I saw them… together and… It was supposed to be her, not Garrus." Her mandibles begin to quiver so pathetically, eyes teary.

Nyreen shook her head. "I told you to not to go over there. "

"What was I supposed to do, just let that human make a fool of me?"

Nyreen went to interject but Quinoleya didn't let her. "Garrus is mine! You hear me. If I can't have him, then no one can!" Her eyes were darkened with anger, sub-harmonics screaming. Quinoleya's mandibles were clapped against her face as she boldly stared Nyreen down.

"Quin," Nyreen began, softening her voice. "You're my cousin and I love you, but… you shouldn't have… I think you need help."

"Help!" Quinoleya's voice suddenly spiked, mandibles loosening. She began to cackle. "No, I don't need help!" Her eyes suddenly morphed into one that had a sudden revelation. "You… you're starting to sound like one of them, cousin. Whose side are you one," referencing the councilors and psychiatrists that worked with her?

"I'm on your side, Quin, but…,"

"Then stop, lecturing me!" She practically screamed, slamming her hands down on the table simultaneously. The bottle and shot glasses bounced, causing Nyreen to shift uncomfortably in her seat. "There's no one who loves Garrus as much as I do. No one!"

"You call that love?" Nyreen attempted, still remaining collected.

Quinoleya stared at her cousin as if she needed time to processes the question.

Unexpectedly matching her fury, Nyreen continued. "Quin, you shshsh…," suddenly remembering where they were again, Nyreen calmed herself as best she could, given the circumstances. "You shot an officer, Quin."

The smaller turian smiled, mandibles fluttering, nonchalantly.

"Quin!? Don't you realize what you've done?"

"He made me do it." She said with a shoulder shrug.

Nyreen kept glancing around periodically out of paranoia.

"I told you, I wanted to shoot her, not him."

"Quin…," Nyreen was at a loss, knowing that her cousin was not going to listen to reason—incapable by this point.

"What did you do with the weapon?"

Quinoleya was helping herself to another drink.

"Quin!?"

Nyreen's cousin glanced at her.

"The gun?"

"I still have it." She said with a glint of enthusiasm.

"I'm going to need that."

Quinoleya slapped her purse on the table.

Nyreen's eyes grew wide, barking, "Quinoleya, not hear!"

Her cousin froze with surprise. "Oh." She slowly closed up her purse, sliding it off the table.

"Idiot." Nyreen rebuked before pulling out another cigarette. She lit it up, taking a puff.

"Garrus used to smoke." Quin began.

"Yeah, well he's probably dead now, so what does it matter?"

Quin's eyes moved from her cousin's, suddenly the weight of her actions falling upon her. She began to sob.

"Quin." Nyreen said with less edginess in her voice.

She didn't answer.

"Quin." Nyreen attempted again.

"Why didn't he love me? I did everything for him… everything!" She slammed her fists down on the table again causing a mini earthquake across the marbled surface.

With tears streaking down her cheeks, Quinoleya faced her cousin again.

Nyreen just took a deep breath before turning her head.

After another pause, Quinoleya spoke. "You think Garrus is really dead?"

"You shot him with a shredder round, point-blank range Quin; what do you think?"

Her head dipped as she sobbed again.

Nyreen was reluctant to comfort her because she was upset. Garrus was her brother at arms, a fellow officer. Yes, she had been fancying Garrus for the longest—wanting a piece of that turian goodness—but she wouldn't go so far as to shoot him. She wouldn't hesitate to shoot Rage, but definitely not Garrus. And no she didn't have much hope of him lasting the night.

"We can still salvage this." Nyreen suddenly spoke.

Quin, looked up at her, eyes swimming in tears. "How?"

Nyreen glanced around for prying ears and eyes before speaking. "That Rage bitch is in custody." Quinoleya's face didn't change. "Everyone thinks she did it."

Quinoleya's eyes fell from her sight, processing Nyreen's words.

"As long as the evidence continues to point at her, we're good."

Quinoleya's eyes shifted back to her cousin's. "What do you mean we?"

Nyreen had to suppress the sigh that threatened to break free from her stirred vocals. "Quin, you're my cousin. And you used to be engaged to Garrus…." She paused, leaving room for interpretation, but she could tell by the look on Quinoleya's face that she wasn't getting it. "When C-Sec finds out, they're going to have questions."

"But I thought you said…."

"I know what I said," Nyreen exclaimed, eyes fishing the scene for eavesdroppers. After a quick puff, she continued. "It's just procedure. Now I'll hold them off as long as I can, but I suggest you get a story together—one that they'll believe."

"Why? They already believe that Rage did it…."

BAM! Nyreen slammed her fist down on the table, cutting off her cousin. "Just do as I say. I work for C-Sec. I know how this goes. It's still a murder investigation, and I know who the prowlers are." By prowlers, she meant those who'd want to check every loose end before wrapping up the case; those who were not so easily convinced: Nihlus, Kaidan, and sometimes Pallin.

Her outburst caused Quonaleya to jump. Once her heartbeat was under control, she spoke. "Okay. I'll do whatever you say."

"Damn right you will. I'm not going down for some stupid infatuation."

Quinoleya's face morphed to insult. "Infatuation! Garrus and I were in love. There was no…"

Nyreen didn't give a damn about petty explanations. She knew their history. Quin was always paranoid that Garrus was cheating on her. She became insanely jealous and over protective. They had fights almost every night, to the point that Garrus could no longer take it anymore. When he broke off the engagement she pulled the pregnant card and he believed her. They ended up staying together, and then she would tell him that she lost the baby and the cycle would begin all over again. Garrus did that song and dance for a number of years until he just couldn't do it anymore. He finally broke off the engagement and threw her out of his apartment, but not without a place to stay. She went psycho, pulling a knife on him which led to a restraining order and weeks of therapy for her. By that time, Garrus had already moved on, graduating the C-Sec academy with high honors.

It was there, where he met Jane "Rage" Shepard—given his first major case—Garrus didn't even know how big of a crime lord she was at the time as he brusquely shoved her against the wall. She had just finished knocking some poor asari out for making a racist comment against her. As Garrus slapped on the cuffs, Rage couldn't help but make sly, suggestive remarks to the young, handsome, C-Sec officer.

Garrus let the harassment roll of his shoulder—writing her off as being drunk and belligerent—as he threw her into the squad car. She continued to make comments all the way to the station. A couple of weeks later he bumped into her again, in less than pleasant circumstances. This song and dance continued until that fateful night; the first time she kissed him.

Rage was playing like she was intoxicated—being difficult. Garrus was in between partners by this time. While in the back seat, the human feigned having a seizure. He pulled over to check on her. Rage had already gotten out of her cuffs, and as he hovered over the human, she suddenly locked her legs around him; mashing her lips up against his. And then… CLICK. The arm that had been grasping the head rest of the driver's seat was now bound to it by the wrist. Rage waved her eyebrows, slyly as she made her getaway.

In that same season, Quinoleya attempted to get back in his life, claiming that the old her was dead and buried. Garrus didn't buy it of course. He had been in other relationships that didn't seem to go anywhere, but with Rage; their casual meetings soon turned intoxicating. Next thing Garrus knew, he was taking her in the back of the squad car, in seedy alleyways, in maintenance shafts, the darkest corner of the parking lot, and of course at his apartment. When he started to figure out who she was, he backed off, confused as to whether to bring her in or not. He ended up flushing most of the evidence he had against her—wanting to feel disgusted with himself for dropping his guard, for having feelings for this… criminal. But the more he tried to back away, the harder it became to stay away.

Nhilus knew what was going on. He didn't know all the details, but he knew Garrus and Rage had something. The way he brought her in the station, cuffed but gently taking Rage to his office; offering her food and drink, asking her if the cuffs were too tight, smiling at her periodically.

Now that everything was said and done, Nyreen began to feel… regret. It may not have been the most ideal, turian relationship, but she made him happy. That had to count for something. Garrus had a rough life growing up. His father was abusive only to him after mom died. Garrus became angry and violent himself, turning to drugs and alcohol. He was almost kicked out of every academy he ever attended. Garrus had few friends but eventually he came into his own, still working out the kinks and now this happened. He was shot and hanging on to life by a thread.

Quinoleya was still running off at the mouth, trying to justify the unjustifiable when Nyreen just shook her head, barking, "Quin, shut up."

Taken aback, Quinoleya stopped talking.

"Meet me at my squad car in five okay?"

Quinoleya looked perplexed, and still offended. "Five? Five minutes, why?"

"Because I said so." Nyreen suddenly got up, marching out of the VIP section. She needed to clear her head. She needed that gun as well.