Alex giggled down her comm link, 'I gotta say Vakarian, I've never seen you look so good.' She was high on adrenaline and fear. Her building was taller than his and she could only see his silhouette. Dust and ash severely impaired any sight that she had. She wiped her cheeks smudging the dirt around.

'Back at you Alex,' he chuckled.

'Right Vakarian how do we do this?' She asked.

'Is there any way for you to get over here? We haven't got much time the Normandy was rising when I jumped ship!' He had to shout down his comm simply to hear himself. There was a slim chance that they would even be able to get off the planet, the Normandy would have trouble coming a few miles into the atmosphere now; she would just get dragged down. Garrus looked around searching for anything, anything at all that would help him. He reckoned that she was about thirty metres away. Too much to jump, he growled in frustration.

'Nothing on my end, apart from a satellite. But that's useless. I hate to say it but I think we're fucked.' She held her hair back from her eyes. The wind buffeted her from side to side, the building had also begun to shake violently. At the rate it was going she was just going to have to jump and hope for the best.

'Can you use your biotics?' Garrus thought out loud. 'A shock-wave to propel yourself or something?'

'Not without passing out in the process,' she replied bitterly. 'But that's not going to matter soon, my building is beginning to collapse.'

Garrus thought quickly. 'Good,' he said. Before she could jump to conclusions about what he had just said; he explained his idea. 'Try and get it to fall toward me, then leap, I'll catch you.' He said quickly. 'Come on Alex, you can do this' he encouraged.

The rooftop beneath her began to shudder, she tried somehow to use her weight to force the building to tilt toward him but to no avail. She swore, there was no way she would get enough speed or momentum in order to make the crossing. The wind roared around her, they were running out of time fast. She glanced over at him wanting to see his face, there was too much wind and debris flying. Like before she could only see his shape. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, she never thought that this would be the end. A crackle in her speakers interrupted her internal monologue.

'Oh yeah I should probably mention that I may have punched Ris'ono,' Garrus said calmly. Just as he thought a stream of obscenities echoed across the gap and down his comm line. He had just heard something that made him sure that they were going to be okay. His main priority now was to keep Alex alive and aware. The oxygen level was dropping as the remainder began to burn in the atmosphere, he had a helmet, she didn't. If she realised that her lungs were beginning to deprive her body would go into shock. There would be no way that she could avoid the panic that would set in. He knew that she was terrified of being spaced. Midnight murmurings had revealed as much, he wouldn't let on that he knew though. Alex didn't like being vulnerable.

'Oh for fucks sake we don't have time for this, listen Garrus, my omni-tool just bleeped, I think that means all reality of being rescued is out the window.' She breathed in deeply, 'Garrus I should have told you a long time ago, I lov-'

'Tell me on the Normandy Alex,' Garrus cut off. A shuttle dropped beside him, Liara waved from the cockpit. He had heard her lock onto his position only a few minutes ago. He leapt into the shuttle. Alex gaped from where she was standing. Suddenly the whole building lurched to the left as a large piece of masonry slammed into the side. 'Spirits!' Garrus cursed, 'Liara! We've got to get her now!' Liara nodded going heavy on the thrusters. She swung the shuttle into position. With the high wind force she couldn't land, she could only hover erratically about five metres above Shepard. 'Alex!' He shouted leaning out of the door, 'you've got to jump!' He held out his hand.

'Just like the Collector ship huh,' Alex joked taking a couple of steps back. The building groaned, she wobbled.

'Remember how I saved your arse back then as well,' Garrus smiled. Alex grinned back. She couldn't see his face due to his helmet, but the dual tones of his voice sent ripples of happiness over her body. She breathed in trying to scavenge whatever oxygen was left and began to run. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her ankle she ran as fast and as hard as she physically could. She had to duck as a piece of sheet metal whirred over her head. Liara struggled with the controls swearing in Asari. Garrus leant out as far as possible reaching for her. The edge of the building came closer and closer until she felt the brim of the side under her boots. She pushed off with all her momentum and jumped.

For a moment she felt completely weightless as she rose through the thick air. Liara managed to dip the shuttle as she jumped closing some of the gap between them. Garrus stretched. Her fingertips brushed his before gravity took hold and began to claim her. Garrus threw himself forward his strong hand clamped around her forearm. She held onto him tightly as he lifted himself and Alex into the shuttle. Liara hit the thrusters as soon as she saw that Garrus had caught her. They rose quickly occasionally having to make a quick manoeuvre to avoid oncoming debris. Garrus slid the door shut. Not for one moment had he relinquished his grip on his mate. Alex's chest shuddered as she drew in large gulps of air. The pain in her ankle came back with a vengeance and she could barely move. Slumped against the seats she ran her spare hand through her hair. Garrus sat next to her, he could now see the large streaks of ash and dirt that covered her face, dust had coloured her hair an pale gold colour which dusted the top of her armour.

'Are you hurt?' He asked.

Alex giggled, 'totally fucked.' She motioned with her hand to her feet and head. Garrus smiled, with the gentlest of movements he lifted her so she sat across him, an easy position to lift her when they had to leave, Alex hissed in pain but let him arrange her. Liara spoke to Garrus through his headset. Alex leant against his chest plate trying to clear the spots that were dancing in front of her eyes.

'We're getting good thrust. The Normandy is attempting a dive, if she gets enough speed she'll be able to pull us in and out with her momentum. It should be enough to break the atmosphere and then it's full speed ahead to get out of the shock wave, we'll catch some with no doubt but all the crew are prepared for that. Hold her close Garrus, it's gonna get bumpy.' Liara cut out. Garrus muttered a thanks to which Liara instantly dismissed as not needed.

Alex having taken a few seconds to process everything sat upright. Reaching up she clicked the release locks on Garrus' helmet. A light hissing noise was the only sound she was concerned about, after what seemed like an age his helmet de-pressurised and he slowly took it off with his spare hand. Alex couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes when she was able to to see his face. Before she could do anything he reached up behind his fringe and there was a little clicking noise. Alex's eyebrows furrowed for a moment, then Garrus' visor dropped. She caught it using her reflexes. Her mind was still a few seconds behind. Without prompting she turned it over in her hands. She could see the engraved names inside the rim. There were one which had been burnt off, Sidonis, without a doubt, she thought numbly. But there was another that she didn't know about, it looked the oldest, it hadn't been carved in with a laser it had a more rough look to it, as if it was the first name added. She gasped, it had been worn down, it was at least two years old at a guess, but it looked older. She rubbed it with her gloved finger, it was quite small but she could make out the lettering:

Alex

'When?' She asked unable to say anything else.

'When I found out you had died. I couldn't.. I just.. Well I thought it was about time you knew.' He shrugged. He went to take the visor from her but she held it away from him, he rolled his eyes and let her keep hold of it. Alex looked at it once more before placing it on the seats above them. Then she let her hand trail over his mandible, it was one of the rare times that she had seen him without it. The tears that had been threatening to spill did indeed begin to flow down her cheeks. A rough shake bumped them around but Garrus held her close to his chest as they shook.

Liara clicked into life, 'Normandy's just picked us up. Hold on it's gonna get rough.'

Alex didn't care. At the moment she was the safest that she would ever be. Tilting his head down she touched his forehead to hers. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her. She kissed him lightly. He returned her kisses gently, he couldn't kiss like a normal human but Alex didn't care, just the feel of his mouth on her lips sent tingles down her spine. She moaned feeling alive for the first time in hours. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, he whispered in her ear, his talons stroking her hair.

'I love you,' she whispered her breath catching in her throat. Garrus sighed deeply. Never had he heard words so full of emotion, this was the Alex that only he was allowed to see. And he cherished every moment. He finally had his mate back.

'I love you,' he said back. 'Although now that I've admitted it, I'm desperately trying to think of something witty to cover my awkwardness. The usual.'

'That's my Vakarian,' Alex said sleepily, 'can't have a serious moment,' she sighed. Garrus said nothing but kissed her on the forehead, he could feel her falling asleep. She had been stretched to the limits and it had taken a toll on her body. There would be time for them to talk, he would make time.