Roarkshop here: Due to the bout of negativity in PM's and anonymous e-mails I got from LAST weeks Authors note, I'm gonna go ahead and stop them for the most part. If you WANT authors notes, I have made a special section for them on my blog... called authors notes...

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Roarkshop

The Battery doors whooshed open, startling Garrus awake. He instinctively armed himself with his pistol and trained it on the unexpected intruder. He could only see her silhouette as the light from the hall lit her from behind in the dark Battery.

"Shepard?" he said tiredly, lowering his gun and rubbing his head. "What's up? Is everything okay?"

"Shit," she said, turning around to leave. "I'm sorry I thought you'd be awake."

"No it…" he cleared his throat and sat up. "It's okay, come in."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, Shepard."

As she stepped out of the light and the doors closed behind her, his eyes focused in the darkness. She was wearing the soft shorts and loose shirt she called 'jammies' and he tried to ignore the fact that he could see her legs. He turned to sit on the edge of the bed and she sat on her knees on the floor in front of him, letting her head fall onto his knee.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she said with an exhale. "I just can't seem to sleep."

"Still?"

"Yeah."

He lifted a hand to stroke the back of her hair.

"Is it Gideon?"

Her sad sigh answered for her, filling his head with doubts. Maybe he shouldn't have killed him. Maybe this wouldn't be haunting her like this if he was still alive.

"I don't want to sound needy or anything," she said. "But can I stay?…I mean just… For a while?"

"It's okay," he said, taking her hand and urging her into his arms. "I don't mind."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He moved to hold her around her waist and laid back down with her against his chest, her face tucked under his chin. As he drifted back into sleep, idly running his hand down her side and across her arm, he could feel her hot breath on the side of his throat. His heart started pounding in his chest… or was it hers? They were so close he couldn't tell the difference, and he tried to command himself to calm down and go back to sleep.

Then something strange pressed against the skin of his neck. Something soft. Something wet.

Was that what he thought it was?

Again he felt the caress of her lips against the soft, tender part of his throat.

He swallowed.

"Uh… Shepard."

"Garrus," she whispered back.

The sound made his hand tighten on her waist unconsciously. He cleared his throat as if that was going to help how it had dried up.

"Shepard, this isn't a good-"

"Shhh," she said, lifting herself up on her elbows and pressing her finger to his lips. Her bright eyes focused on his even through the darkness and her wild hair fell around her shoulders just like it used to. He searched her face for some sign that this was a joke. He swallowed down his instincts, fought the fire in his skin. She moved to lean over him and pressed her lips against his, warm and soft. His eyes closed despite himself, using whatever will power he had to keep the dam from breaking. The feeling was alien, but not bad by any means. He exhaled as he moved his hands up her back to hold her face. Her hands moved down the bare plates of his chest slowly and his body responded under her warm touch as a growl started to rumble up through him.

Her legs moved around his until there was one on either side of him. She linked her arms behind his neck and pulled him until he sat up under her. His hands instinctively moved to her hips and she inhaled sharply through her nose.

He exhaled against her mouth, both of their breathing heavy.

"Jane, I…"

"Garrus…"

Garrus startled awake from the chair in the Med Bay, sweat beading around his throat and brow. He awoke with such force that he almost rocketed himself out of the chair. He panted, listening to his heart humming in his chest as his eyes found Shepard through the darkness.

There she slept, none the wiser.

He leaned forward on his knees and put his head in his hands. He had obviously gotten too comfortable sleeping in this damned chair over the past week.

Garrus rolled his neck to one side and stood, knowing full well he wasn't going back to sleep.

A cold shower might do him some good.

"How's it going up here," Garrus asked, stepping into the Cockpit later that morning.

"We're green across the board and should be entering shuttle distance shortly. You can probably stop checking in on me now," Joker said with a laugh, swiveling around to look at the turian.

"Yeah," Garrus rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not as good at making the rounds as Shepard is."

"Well, that's obvious."

"Screw you, Joker."

He laughed.

"Oh, hey, I meant to ask you. When your dad came back from the Augustine he said you were going back to get Gideon, but I figured Shepard might have interrupted you with her Med Bay outrage."

Garrus sank back into his heel and crossed his arms. "And?"

"Well?" Joker said. "Did you get him?"

Garrus scoffed. "Of course I got him. Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Yeah well, when Daddy-Garrus came back with your rifle I didn't think you'd be able to handle yourself."

"Please, Joker." Garrus said. "Just because I'm always using a rifle, doesn't mean it's my deadliest weapon."

"Well good. Just wanted to make sure the bastard got what was coming to him."

"He got all that and more."

"Yeah? What are we talking? Break each bone in his body first?"

"Remember when I said I lit the Engine Room on fire?"

"You lit him on fire! Nice." Joker held out his fist for a bump and Garrus chuckled as he returned the gesture.

"How do you even know about Gideon, Joker? Did Shepard tell you?"

"No, dude, I'm the pilot. I hear everything except what's in the private quarters. All that talking you did with Tali down in Engineering I listened in on. It's really the only way I can keep up to date on the mission progress without leaving the Cockpit. So I heard you explain 'the guy with the eye patch' to Tali and your dad."

Garrus exhaled an angry breath.

"Just how often do you listen to what's going on down in Engineering?"

Joker gave Garrus a knowing smile and adjusted his hat. "Enough to know that you're not going to tell her; not now, not ever."

Garrus put one hand on his hip and the other rubbed his eyes.

"Now you're going to have to tell me what keeps me from lighting you on fire to ensure your secrecy."

Joker laughed and put his hands up defensively. "Don't worry big guy, your secret's safe with me. If I haven't said anything about it yet, what makes you think I would start now?"

"Wait, you already knew?"

"Hell yes, I knew. Love may be blind, but that doesn't mean the neighbors are."

"Spirits did everyone but me know about it?"

"I doubt it, so relax. Just because I like to eavesdrop doesn't mean I like to interfere."

"Make sure you keep it that way and I won't have to test this 'brittle bone' thing of yours."

"Ooh I'm shivering in my tiny space boots, Garrus," Joker said with a laugh. The pilot tilted his head to the side, observing the distress it caused the sniper. "Though, why you're going to keep it to yourself is beyond me."

"Is this you not interfering?"

Joker put his hands up again. "Alright, alright, I get it you don't want to talk about it. But hey," he leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair. "I know you're not really the type to talk about your personal shit. You never really have been since you've always had Shepard to beat it out of you. But I know you can't exactly talk to her so… You know if… Well whatever, you know?"

Garrus laughed. "You're so sentimental, Joker."

"Fuck you, Garrus," Joker said turning to look back at the Normandy's console. "That'll teach me to try and help."

Garrus turned around to head back down the CIC, but turned his head to the side first. "Thanks, Joker," he said softly.

"No problem, Buddy," Joker returned.

"Three times?" Shepard asked, sitting at the edge of the bed in the Med Bay in her captain's casuals. "From the same tree?"

She had healed at an alarming rate over the course of the week-long trip in the Med Bay. Her bullet wounds were only light scars, hardly visible against the milky color of her skin.

"From the same tree on three separate occasions," Teryk confirmed, sitting across from her with his legs extended and crossed at the ankles. "He loved that damn tree as a pup. He wasn't going to be satisfied until he got to the top. I didn't think he'd stop until he had broken every bone in his body."

"Well, did he make it eventually?"

"Oh yes. Broke his leg on the way down, but he had reached the top so at least he never went up again."

Shepard laughed. "I guess it's comforting to know he's always been this stubborn."

"You have no idea, Shepard," Teryk teased. "I remember when he had just entered the military..."

"Alright that's enough," Garrus said as he came through the doors. "I'm sure Shepard has heard plenty embarrassing stories about my childhood."

"Preposterous," Shepard said with a laugh, kicking her feet in the air. "I'm quite enjoying myself."

"Well, regardless, I thought you'd like to know we're in shuttle distance for the Citadel so Chakwas says you're allowed to leave the Med Bay now."

"WOO!" Shepard shouted with her fists in the air as she proceeded to sprint out of the room. They could hear her shouting 'freeeeeeeeedooooom' as she ran across the Mess Hall.

Garrus put his face in his hand as he laughed.

"I really wish you could at least come to dinner with us," Solana said, wrapping Shepard in a hug. Shepard returned the gesture as they stood in the Normandy's shuttle bay.

"Me too," she said, pulling away. "Trust me I would much rather join you for dinner than put that stupid dress on again for this mission."

Solana chuckled. "I wish I could see that."

"I'll take pictures," Garrus said with a grin.

"Ooh, send them to me."

"Weren't you just leaving?" Shepard said, tapping her foot.

Smiling, Solana took Shepard's hands in hers and held them to her chest.

"I'm counting on you Jane," Solana said. "Bring him home to us."

"You have my word," Jane said, winking at the girl.

Teryk shook Garrus' hand.

"Take out those abominations," he said. "For all of us."

Garrus nodded. "Yes, sir."

Teryk turned to Shepard and she saluted him, wincing against the pain in her shoulder.

"It's been an honor, sir," Shepard said.

Teryk returned the gesture. "Indeed it has, Spectre."

While Teryk had called her that before, this time it felt like it was a compliment. He nodded and turned away. Shepard watched him and Solana load themselves onto the shuttle before she and Garrus backed behind the Bay door to watch them leave.

"He saluted you," Garrus said, nudging her with an elbow. "That's a first for me."

"Seeing him salute a human?"

"Seeing him salute a Spectre."

Shepard tilted her head to the side, thoughtfully; a goofy grin spreading across her face.

Garrus smiled.

Garrus sat in the Mess Hall that night, finishing dinner with the crew. Shepard was up making the rounds for the first time since she'd gotten back, and he took a minute to be thankful that he didn't have to do it anymore. Shepard genuinely enjoyed making the rounds and checking in with the crew members she didn't routinely run into, like Mordin and Joker. Garrus was just happy he wouldn't have to hear another rant on whatever kind of weird experiment Mordin was doing.

Now he just needed to figure out a way to limit how much time he spent around her.

"I'm telling you, guys, it's got to be her assault rifle," Jacob said, leaning his elbows on the table.

"I will bet you fifty creds that not only are you wrong, but it's her pistol," Miranda said.

"Bet?" Kenneth chirped up. "Did someone say bet? I smell a pool forming. Who's in?"

"I don't know," Gabby said. "Didn't we just find out that she knows how to use a sniper rifle, too? There's too many things Shepard knows how to shoot to guess which is her favorite."

"I'm sticking with my gut," Jacob said, putting his creds into the pool. "It's the weapon she uses the most."

"Fuck you guys," Jack said, putting up her own creds. "I've seen her use that missile launcher, that's got to be her favorite. She lit up like a god damn drive core when she blew up that colossus on Haestrom."

"The only reason she used a missile launcher on Haestrom," Tali interject, putting her own chit up onto the table. "Is because she didn't have a flame thrower."

"Oooh," Jack said, nudging Tali in the ribs. "Flame thrower. That's a good one too."

The pool grew to a surprising size in the time it took Garrus to realize they were all wrong. He laughed and sank back in his chair to drink his coffee.

"How about it Garrus?" Kenneth chimed. "You don't want in?"

"You guys don't want me in," Garrus said. "It's like cheating."

"What," Miranda said with a grin. "Has she already told you her favorite gun?"

"Well no, but I know her well enough to be sure of what it is."

"And what is it you'd say?" Jacob asked.

"Shotgun.".

The disagreement was unanimous.

"It can't be, I've never even seen her use a shotgun," Miranda said.

"The cheerleader has a point," Jack offered. "Shit, she doesn't even take a shotgun with her on most missions."

"If you guys really do think I'm wrong, I'll be happy to take all your money."

"Guys, this is Garrus," Chambers offered. "Do you really think it's smart to let him in on it?"

"Just because he and Shepard are BFF's doesn't mean he's right about this," Miranda said.

Garrus laughed as he tossed his credits up on the table. "Fine," he said. "My money is on shotgun."

They all debated for a good twenty more minutes before Shepard came around the corner from the elevator. The congregation came to a quick hush as their eyes fell on her. Shepard quirked a suspicious brow.

"Why do I get the feeling you're all about to mutiny?"

They all laughed.

"We have a little wager going," Kenneth started to say.

"Why is it," Shepard said with a smile, sinking back into her hip. "That every time there's a 'wager' involved, you are also involved?"

Kenneth shrugged his shoulders. "Entrepreneurial spirit?"

"You are such a snake."

"Oh, you flatter me," he said dramatically. "Anyhow, getting to the point; we, all of us, have put in a wager on what your favorite weapon is."

"Well that seems like a stupid thing to put money on."

"Be that as it may," he continued. "Money has been put."

"Hmmmm. My favorite weapon would have to be my rapier sharp wit," she boasted.

Garrus laughed into his mug.

"Not what we meant, Commander," Jacob said with a smile. "We're talking things you kill with."

"Ooh, I guess that's a good one. Trying to guess my favorite gun would be just about as hard as trying to guess Garrus' favorite part about himself."

"Har har," he said from the back.

"Considering how many guns you know how to use, there are quite a few different answers," Chambers said, squirming in her chair, waving the data pad they used to keep track of all the answers.

"If it shoots bullets, I know how to use it," she boasted.

"Well don't keep us in suspense, woman," Kenneth said. "What's your firearm of choice?"

She exhaled through her nose and put her hands on her hips, scanning the room and drawing out the moment.

"A good old fashioned sawed-off shotgun."

"Oooh, that's got to sting." Garrus said to himself. "Better luck next time, everyone."

Everyone groaned as the money was pushed toward the victor.

"What the heck," Shepard said. "How is Garrus the only one who said shotgun?"

"You never even use a shotgun," Miranda protested, standing up. "How would we know it was your favorite?"

"I dunno, I figured someone would at least guess shotgun besides Garrus."

"I didn't guess," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I told you all I knew it."

"I smell a conspiracy," said a pouting Kenneth.

"Garrus and I have never discussed what my favorite gun is," Shepard said, putting her hands up. "Honest. Though it was stupid to even let Garrus play in the first place."

"I do have a PhD in Shepardology," he boasted.

"If you like shotguns so much then why don't you use them more often, hmmm?" Miranda asked.

"Because I always have Garrus with me," she said, gesturing towards him. "Shit never gets close enough to me for a shotgun to ever be useful."

"I will take that as a compliment," Garrus said with a click of his mandibles.

Laughing, Shepard went to get her food just as Garrus finished his. She headed for her usual spot, next to him, just as he stood to leave. He noticed that she tilted her head as if curious why he was in such a rush to leave, and a pang of guilt hit him. He was making this too obvious. He lingered a bit so it didn't look like he was leaving strictly because she had sat down now. Because that was exactly why he was leaving.

"Everyone take your money back," Garrus said as he stepped away. "Regardless that I warned you not to let me bet, I still feel like I have an unfair advantage."

"Yeah," Kenneth said, not hesitating to get his money back. "That's definitely true."

Shepard laughed, looking at the data pad where all the weapons were listed with tally marks under how many people voted for that weapon.

"Wait," she said looking up. "Who's the one who said my bare hands?"

"Me," said Grunt, ungracefully taking his money from the table. "And I only forgive you for giving the wrong answer because I also enjoy a shotgun in my hands."

"Well, how gracious of you," Shepard said.

"So let me get this straight," Garrus said, putting forth a tremendous amount of effort into hiding how angry he was getting by rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. "After, yet another, close call with death you are benching me for our next mission?"

"It's a heist mission, Garrus," Shepard said, trying to pull down the skirt of the little black dress in frustration. "There will be no explosions or brushes with death. Sneak in, sneak out, get it over with. Easy Peasy."

"Don't even start with me," he said, putting a hand up. "I don't know what a 'peasy' is, but you and I both know better than to expect anything to go according to plan."

"I'm not going alone, I'll have back up. It'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?"

"In case you've forgotten; three out of four times you went on a mission without me you ended up hospitalized or dead. It's hard to argue with results like that."

"What do you want me to do? We can't bring you. The invitation is for this…" She pulled up her omni-tool to read it. "Alison Gun and her guest, and I have to bring Kasumi with me or I won't know what I'm looking for, not to mention how to bypass a billion credit security system."

"What about Thane?" Garrus growled, motioning a hand at the Mess Hall. "I saw him leave in one of the shuttles in his formal wear."

She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "It's a gala for the best criminals out there, Garrus. Thane is the most notorious underground assassin in the business, so he warranted his own invitation. He wasn't planning on attending but I thought I could use the extra back up. I thought that would make you feel better."

"No, Shepard. It doesn't. I don't like this. The whole thing rubs me the wrong way."

"What is your deal? I've gone on missions without you before without catastrophic outcomes. In fact, before I met you I had quite a few successful missions that were completely turian-less. I'm starting to wonder whether or not you think I'm incapable of leading the team successfully without you."

"Don't make this about me, Shepard," he snapped. Garrus wasn't mad at her, but he couldn't very well tell her the real reasons behind his disapproval. Guilt surged through him as he realized that this was the first time he flat out contradicted her orders. His emotions had gotten so hard to contain that they flat-out drove him to disrespecting her? Her: The person he respected above all else?

This was wrong. He had to get a grip.

"Sorry to interrupt Commander," Joker chimed over the speakers. "But that white rental shuttle is ready."

"Give me a minute, Joker," she said as she rubbed her forehead with the pads of her fingers. She looked up at Garrus and put a hand on the side of his throat, the way she had the last time she told him he was benched for something; Noveria. "Garrus," she said softly. "I'm not going to leave this ship unless I know that you believe I can get it done and come back in one piece."

He faltered, briefly: The cool touch of her hand, her warm eyes searching his for sincerity. Every time he managed to forget how beautiful he thought she was, she forced him to remember. He laughed good-naturedly and put his palm on the top of her head.

"I'll admit that you doing missions without me makes me nervous, Shepard. But I will never, ever, doubt you."

She smiled and her whole face lit up like a child's. He laughed and tousled her hair before pushing her out the door.

"Just don't make me say 'I told you so', Bug," he called after her.

She turned towards him, arms behind her back, and continued backward toward the elevator.

"Don't worry, Space Lobster," she said. "I won't let you have the satisfaction."

"You'd better not," he said to himself as he watched her walk away, doing a bad job at ignoring how the pointy shoes toned her legs. He sighed and leaned on the Battery Console with one hand, looking at the empty space on his bunk. "And what is it I can do for you, Kasumi?"

The girl came out of her cloaking, sitting on Garrus' bed with surprise on her face.

"Ehh? How did you know?"

"Kasumi, I'm a turian. I can hear your heartbeat. You're lucky I didn't let Shepard know you were there," he said, gesturing a hand in the direction Shepard had left.

"Hai," she said with a slight bow of her head as she stood. "It is appreciated."

"Is there a reason you were eavesdropping?"

"You worry, yes? About Taichou."

Garrus crossed his arms and exhaled through his nose. "What about it?"

Kasumi tapped the side of her head and made the screen across her eyes pop up.

"How do you say…" she pointed at his arm, then back at her head. "Setsuzoku?"

Garrus quirked a brow plate and tilted his head to the side. "Sorry Kasumi, I don't speak ridiculous."

"Baaaaka," she cursed before taking his left hand and holding it out to activate his omni tool. She typed in a few commands and the screen suddenly brought up a visual of whatever Kasumi was looking at. He looked up at her and realized she had connected his omni-tool to her grey box so he could see what she saw. The human gave him a wicked smirk to accentuate her point.

He laughed and held his hand out to her, and she timidly put her hand in his. "Thank you, Kasumi," he said, shaking it.

She winked at him before reactivating her cloaking and sneaking off down to the elevator.