***** Author's Note *****

Has anyone else had a terrible week? Just me? Well, even if it is just me, I decided to boost my mood and hopefully yours with a brief bonus chapter of pure filth. Enjoy.

Life on the ship falls into a rhythm, and we get comfortable. There are a lot of unique and weird personalities around here, but it works. There's an easy comradery. We take all our meals as a group, missions are coordinated flawlessly, the ship is running well, and we spend downtime together. My biggest complaint is how often people come in to chat with me in the Main Battery. Sometimes a guy just wants to calibrate in peace.

Most nights, the guys let me clean them out in poker or we play video games. Shepard will play with us sometimes, and other nights she'll drag me to watch a movie with the girls. Not that I have complaints about either; Shepard sitting between my legs and trying to keep up on a virtual race track or snuggled into my side during some dumb movie is about the best way I could imagine spending downtime with the crew. And the crew themselves are pretty great to spend time with, too.

Jacob is growing quickly on me. I still don't totally trust him, not as long as he wears Cerberus insignia, but he's not half bad if I ignore that. He also knows a lot about weapons so we have that in common. Hadley, Matthews, Kenneth, and Hawthorne are easy to spend time with; they're rowdy and goofy and remind me a lot of my friends on Palaven or my crew at C-Sec. Zaeed, once he stops trying to prove that he's some badass merc instead of just another member of the crew, isn't half bad. He's the only member of the crew who can actually challenge me at poker, and I appreciate that. Mordin doesn't spend a lot of time with us, but when he does, the guy has some of the best - and raunchiest - stories I've ever heard. And Joker hasn't changed a bit; we still click on every level and spend most of our time together laughing.

As much as I rejected Kelly Chambers at first, she turns out to be pretty cool. She's smart and funny, and she doesn't try to shrink me all the time. Gabby is a little fireball once you get her going. The two of them together are always laughing, and it puts everyone around them at ease. Miranda gets better after our mission together and last conversation; she even starts coming out of her office and being a person sometimes. Kasumi is a total badass, very cool. She's got a super chill vibe that makes just sitting with her easy, and we hit it off right away. And she's the only one of the girls beside Shepard who can make me blush. Jack attaches herself to me quickly and I don't understand it, but I love her company. She's like the dark version of my baby sister. Besides, I never complain about someone who can give as good as they can get.

It's not perfect. I still struggle with guilt. Spending time with this team is great, but it makes me feel bad that my team from Omega isn't here. But now the guilt just hurts, it doesn't threaten to suffocate me. Talking to Shepard about it helps, and taking my meds does too. That makes continuing to take them a lot easier. We're also both missing people from the first Normandy; they were family just like this crew, and it's a little hollow without Tali and Wrex and Liara. Even Ash. Not Alenko.

Shepard...she's perfect. We feel more solid than ever. After Horizon, I wasn't sure. Especially with the baby bomb. But we recovered, worked our way through it, and came out on the other side. She's feeling better about herself, too. Alenko really threw her off her game but it was learning about the Reaper tech thing that nearly broke her. And I can't say I blame her for that; I don't know how I would have reacted in her shoes, but it wouldn't have been pretty. Shepard trusts me, though, and if I'm sure of anything, it's that woman.

We're good. We're happier than we've ever been, we're kicking ass consistently in the field, and we have a great team. And I really am making a solid amount of credits bleeding part of this team dry during poker games three nights a week.

"OK, would you rather..." Jacob pauses, sipping his energy drink. He needs it because he's going to sneak into Miranda's quarters in the middle of the night and have sex with high pitched noises I can hear in the Battery. "Fight Shepard in a shoot-out, or hand to hand?"

Joker snorts. "Clearly, I could take her hand-to-hand."

"Absolutely," I agree.

"At least with a shoot-out, you get some cover," Hadley notes, weighing out his hands. "Hand-to-hand, you're up front and personal with that living pistol."

The guys laugh, and I certainly don't disagree with any of it. She's a handful, and they don't even know the half of it. All the power Shepard wields in that perfect little package might be the sexiest thing about her. She has made Reapers scared enough that they're drawing her out, trying to goad her into battle and coming for perceived weaknesses. She's put together teams that should never work and made them families.

And I get to feel all that power under me every night.

"Bet she's the same in bed," Jack teases, somehow reading my thoughts. I don't dare answer with more than a grin, but it's enough for the human biotic who cackles and nudges me playfully.

"Have you guys sparred?" Ken asks me. "You and Shepard? You know, with your clothes on."

I throw a chip from Joker's bag at Ken's face; he catches it and pops it in his mouth, a shameless smirk on his face. "Yeah, we spar. Me and Grunt and Jack are the only ones she spars with, actually. Unless you want me to let you jump into the ring with her, Ken?"

"Oh no, no, no!" he protests much to the amusement of the rest of us.

"Who usually wins?" Jacob asks, his grin much more mischievous than playful.

I double my bet and return the grin. "Depends on how you define 'win.'"

Another round of hard laughter greets that, Joker shaking his head at me. We both know I haven't and wouldn't have said anything Shepard wouldn't want me to. Shit, I've heard her say a lot worse about our sex life to the girls. She knows I have no modesty, though, and as much as I like making her blush, I respect the hell out of her.

For the most part, the rest of the guys are fairly respectful, too. They get a little rowdy but it's not as bad as what I heard in C-Sec locker rooms or when I was kid in the military academy on Palaven. And I'm pretty sure they know that if they cross a line about my girl, I'll find a new sparring partner and no one will doubt who wins.

They're cackling about some filthy joke when I hear the elevator ding, and I know before they come into view that Shepard is approaching, cinnamon and citrus wafting toward me. She comes into view with Kasumi, their arms linked and big smiles on their faces. Just the sight of the woman makes my heart leap, and Shepard's face brightens when her eyes fall to me.

"Heya Shep. Kasumi," Joker greets them.

"How's it going up here?" Shepard asks, rounding the table toward me. "You all still paying for my new jewelry?"

"They're gonna pay for our house," I answer. I catch her hand when she reaches the head of the table and tug her closer, Shepard not resisting at all. "Hi, gorgeous."

"Hi, lover." She leans down and kisses me lightly; I swear just that is enough to kill me when she does it in front of people. I wasn't sure we'd ever get here. Jack, of course, makes gagging sounds but Shepard just laughs at her.

"You wanna deal in?" Hawthorne offers, dealing the river. I don't check my hand again, wrapping my arm around Shepard's hips instead.

"Actually..." Shepard runs nimble, strong fingers down my fringe and tugs lightly, the sensation directly attached to my cock. "I was planning on going to bed."

"I'm out," I announce, picking up my cards only to slap them down on the table. I don't waste time getting out of the chair, keeping Shepard close.

"Oh, come on!" Jack protests, throwing up her hands. "You're gonna leave me for some ass?"

Shepard cocks her head at Jack. "No, honey. He's leaving for this ass. And it's worth it."

"Oh, Spirits," I mutter while they laugh, fighting the urge to jump her right here. I do drop my hand to that perfect ass and give it a little swat, which does the trick of getting Shepard moving even if she does scold me with her eyes.

"What the...he had a full house!" I hear Hawthorne announce when we near the elevator. I wave in the air over my head and bring that arm back down again to haul Shepard up into my arms as soon as we round the wall.

"It's not fair to talk about your ass in public," I growl at her, nuzzling her throat and pulling her legs around my waist. Shepard doesn't resist, letting me go long enough to hit the panel for the elevator and then wrapping her arms around my neck. "I would have gone to bed with you hours ago, baby, you know that? I'd stay in bed for the rest of my life."

Shepard laughs. "You'd have to get bored eventually."

"Nope. I'd just lay around with a hard on and wait for you to come ride it whenever you wanted." She gives a sweet little moan, and I nearly lose it while I drive her back into the elevator the moment it opens, right against the wall. "You'd have an orgasm on call, baby. Let's just run away after all this, and I can make it happen for you."

"God, yes. Can we?" She tightens her legs around me, squeezing my waist with her thighs. "Will you take me away?"

"Anything for you. Especially if it involves my dick."

Shepard throws her head back in that free laugh I love so much, and I take advantage of the access to her throat with my tongue. Barely a taste gets my dick roaring to life, and I shift my hips forward, getting a fraction of what I need against her. "I'm hoping you weren't like that during the poker game."

"Nope, all for you. I told you teasing me with that ass was doing things to me." I nip her throat, tightening my hold on her because I'm not sure how she'll react to this. "I wanna play with this ass tonight, baby." Shepard tenses instantly but I'm saved by the elevator door opening, and I shift my grip further under her thighs than I really need to carry her, knowing she'll react to my fingers so close to her core.

She rocks against me even while I can feel her anxiety. "What, uh...what does that mean?" I take her to the office alcove and set her down on the edge of her desk, clearing a space easily since I tidied the desk for this purpose earlier today. "Wait, here?"

"I've always wanted to fuck you on this desk." I step back from her and drop my hand to my groin, gripping my erection through my pants. "You want this?" Her tongue darts out over her lips, green eyes blazing. I sit down in her desk chair and lean back, giving myself a heavy stroke. "Go in the drawer on my side of the bed and get that bottle of lube. I'm sure you remember it."

Shepard is aware that I'm challenging her because she knows me so well. But she knows that I won't push her harder than I think she can handle. And I know she can handle this. She's nervous, but she can do this. And after hesitating for just a moment, Shepard hops down from the desk and heads into the bedroom. I take the opportunity to free my dick and relieve some of the pressure on it. Her steps falter when she returns to see me stroking it.

"Put them down and come over here."

She obeys this one eagerly, climbing onto my lap with her knees on either side of my hips. The woman knows what she's doing, rocking right up against my erection. I grip her ass with my free hand and pull her closer, locking our gazes before I kiss her. Shepard dives in eagerly, taking my face between her hands and moaning, pressing her chest against mine. She's well aware of my weaknesses.

I sneak my hand around her back, grazing her spine on the way up to unhook her bra. That and her shirt come off in a flash, and then she's moaning my name when I find her nipples with my tongue. I let my shirt go when she starts pulling on it, and I don't hesitate when she stands to take my pants and shorts off too. I keep her standing and kneel, dragging my tongue between her hips bones while pulling her pants down. I duck a little lower and flick my tongue over her clit, Shepard quaking hard at the contact.

"Up on the desk." Shepard is beaming when she follows the order, definitely more relaxed now. "Put your hands on that shelf behind you and don't move them again." She does, the position makes her spine arch just a little. The angle is stunning. I direct my eyes between her legs. "Show me."

I hear her breath catch but Shepard doesn't wait to spread her legs, showing me what I want so badly. So pretty, smooth and pink and glistening. She smells incredible and she tastes even better.

Shepard whimpers when I move in front of her, running my teeth and tongue up the inside of her thigh slowly. "Put your feet on my shoulders." She obeys quickly, eagerly. "Don't be afraid to tell me if I'm doing this right."

I tease her, keeping her thighs spread and lightly licking and nibbling along the crease of her thigh and groin, along her soft lips, just outside her sex. I stay away from her clit but get close enough that she quivers. I know this woman; I know how to rile her up, how to get her squirming and begging for me.

"Oh, Garrus," she breathes when I spread her folds gently with my fingers. "That feels incredible. So good."

I reward her for it, slipping my tongue just barely inside her. I can't help the growl that escapes me when her sweet taste explodes over my tastebuds. She shivers at the sound. Her little noises are very obviously begging; she's breathing heavily, and I know a desperate need is building inside her. And she knows that I'm a sniper; I can be patient.

I circle her clit with my tongue slowly, so close to where she needs me without ever touching it, and she rocks her hips to try and convince me silently. I can hear the shelf creak under the pressure from her hands, and I know she wants to grab my head or maybe even touch herself. But she also wants to obey. She wants to submit to me. Perfect woman.

I drag my tongue all the way up her slit and to her clit. Shepard gasps and arches further, using her feet on my shoulders for leverage to lift her hips.

"Did I say you could move, Elle?" I ask, pulling back only enough to look at her and my fingers playing on either side of her throbbing clit.

"N-no," she stammers.

I narrow my eyes at her. "No what, Elle?" I spread her and blow gently against her clit, aware that this is torture and enjoying it.

She moans, knowing exactly what I want. "No, sir."

"Good girl." I slip one finger slowly inside her, curling it toward the front of her body and massaging the spot that drives her wild. I lean in and lick my tongue over her clit once and then again. She gasps out my name, legs straining so I know she's trying her hardest to stay still.

I pull my finger out and graze it softly over her before slipping lower, teasing the tight ring of her ass. I can't help pulling back to watch her when I increase the pressure just a little. "Garrus," she gasps, white knuckling the shelf when my finger slips just barely inside her.

"Talk to me," I breathe, hearing my own voice rough with arousal. "Tell me this is okay, baby."

"Garrus, I..." Her face explodes with a blush when she trails off, and I watch her squeeze her eyes closed. She's exposed, vulnerable. I get it, and while that's part of my goal, I don't want her to suffer through submission.

"Shepard, look at me." She does, eyes wide and bright. "I only ever want to make you feel good, you know that. Relax. Trust me. Okay?"

She licks her lips and nods once, her eyes falling closed again when I press my finger deeper inside her. The inside of her ass is scorching hot, unbearably tight. I've never felt anything like it before and I have to struggle for restraint. I talk her through it for both of our sake. "It's a lot of pressure, I know. A little odd too, right?"

"Uh-huh," she mutters, breathing hard and fast. I can feel her heartbeat around my finger, and it's pounding. "But it's good," she whispers. "Really good."

"That's my girl." I want her to relax and enjoy this, but I know how hard it is to not focus on it. I get back to work with my mouth, still teasing and not giving her enough pressure or friction but more than enough to keep her focused on the sensations building.

I can feel the muscles in her core tightening, her thighs quivering. Her hips start to rock against my mouth, and my finger slips completely inside her ass. I fuck her slowly with it, lashing at her clit with my tongue.

"Garrus!" The sound is somewhere between a gasp and a moan. "Oh, God. Oh, fuck, Garrus!"

It's the sexiest I have ever seen her, and that's really saying something with this woman. "Like that, do you?"

"Yes!" she cries.

I increase the speed of my finger while my tongue flicks at the same rhythm. I growl, insanely aroused, and Shepard explodes. She screams my name, one hand slapping down hard on the desk to brace while she erupts, a flood of her sweet juices covering my tongue.

I never, ever want to stop but she's given me the perfect opportunity, and I can't pass on it. I lap slowly while she comes back down from the high, panting and sweaty. I keep my voice in the deep register she likes so much when I ask, "Did I tell you that you could take your hand off the shelf?"

She blinks and looks down at her hand, clearly realizing only then that she moved at all. I watch her throat work on a swallow before she answers, "No, sir."

I stand, staying close to force her to tilt her head back to look up at me. Now I can't stop growling. "You know you need to be punished, right? If I didn't know better, I'd say you want it."

Shepard's eyes scan me from head to toe, her cheeks flushing again when she meets my eyes. "I do."

I have to close my eyes to deal with the rush from that confession and the look in her eyes, anticipation and maybe a little fear. I dive down and take her face in between my hands, kissing her hard and fast. "I'm crazy about you." Shepard smiles and I take a step back, giving myself a second to get control, and then command, "Stand up." She does quickly. "Turn around and bend over the desk, palms flat.

Again, she obeys. I can tell she's eager, and it makes me smile. Almost as much as the view of her ass does.

"Good girl. You know the rules."

I lift my hand and bring it down for rapid, firm contact with her bare ass. Her gasp tells me that it stings. Her voice rings out clear. "One!"

Perfect woman. The scent of a new wave of her arousal reaches me and it relieves any lingering concerns I have about this. She likes this.

And so I give it to her, ringing down another slap, a little harder than the last. "Two," she gasps.

I caress her ass lightly between the next four slaps and don't miss an opportunity to tease her perfect cunt with gentle touches, keeping it at odds with the stinging heat ringing down on her ass. She's squirming and glistening wet after six. It's for the best since I'm going to explode if I don't get inside her soon.

I lean over her back and place my mouth near her ear, noticing my voice has gotten huskier. "Spread your legs."

She whimpers and obeys, letting me take position behind her. I can only hope she understands how insanely arousing I find her submission. She is an incredibly strong and brave woman with a willpower like a mountain standing up to the wind, but when we're alone, Commander Shepard - the Commander Shepard - is all mine. And knowing that this woman belongs to me is enough to drive me wild.

I take my almost painfully erect cock in my hand and drag it over her slit, avoiding where I know she wants me. Shepard rises up onto her toes so I don't have to crouch so far, and I know she's thinking about just slamming her hips back into me, so I press her firmly to the desk with one hand between her shoulder blades.

The beautiful woman in front of me arches her back and moans, her legs trembling while I drag the head of my cock and up and down the wet lips of her body. It still amazes me that she can take me, all of me, considering our size difference. Nothing this woman manages to handle should surprise me anymore, though.

I press lightly against her, never entering, before circling her already swollen clit. I ache for her in exactly the same way her body is craving me.

"Tell me what you want, Elle."

I hear her teeth grind together. "You know what I want," she groans while I slide over her clit again. She's so soft. I want nothing more than to drill her for hours, but I know she's enjoying this when she remembers to add, "Sir."

"Hmm, I'm not a mind reader, my love." I move my hips away just enough so the threat of leaving her is there.

"I want you to fuck me."

Somehow, I find the strength not to collapse at those words. "You'll have to be a little louder, I didn't catch that."

"I want you to fuck me!" she snaps.

"Elle…"

Shepard slams her fist down on the table, trying to get me inside her with just her hips. She growls again when she realizes I'm not letting her go. I don't have complaints; I like when she fights being submissive as much as I enjoy the actual submission.

"I want you to fuck me, Sir!"

I give her just a little, rocking my hips forward so that the crest of my cock slips between her folds. Her tight little body grabs and pulls at me, the muscles inside her trying to get the rest of me in. "You have such a greedy little cunt, Shepard," I growl, giving her only a gentle rock of my hips. "I love fucking you."

"So do it," she pleads.

I chuckle even as I slide my hand up her spine to curve around her throat. "I love fucking that damn mouth of yours, too."

It takes immense restraint to keep from fucking her - hard - now. Instead, I leave her whimpering when I pull out, only to make her breath catch when I rub the slick head against her ass. I give her just enough pressure to make her think I might do it before sliding back down and slipping just the tip into her pussy. Her groan of dismay makes me smile.

"Thinking about it, baby?" I tease, rocking shallowly so that I bump her clit with every move. "Thinking about how it felt to have my finger inside you and imagining what it would be like to have my thick cock buried in your ass?"

"Garrus...Jesus," she breathes, her hands in fists on the desk. I know she's overwhelmed, and I know it confuses her to crave something she never thought she wanted. And I know that I have her exactly where I want her.

I run my tongue up her spine until my mouth is at her ear and murmur, "I'm gonna have you begging me to fuck your ass, Elle."

I slam home inside her with one quick thrust, making her scream out while I stretch her wide. I take a moment for composure before pulling back and then thrusting inside her again slowly. Her body grips me like it missed me, and I keep going slowly to keep her focus while squirting a little of the lube on my fingers.

She groans and arches her back when my now slick finger presses against her ass, seeking entrance again. I continue to fuck her steadily while working into her, but there's a lot of resistance. "Relax, baby, you have to let me in. Tell me what feels good."

"Garrus...I want it." She finally gets enough leverage to roll her hips back against me.

"I know, baby, I know. I have you." I wrap my hand around her hip and dig my talons in a little, just enough to sink in a bit without making her bleed. I know the bite of pain will ground her, and I combine it with picking up the pace of my stokes to distract her.

Instantly, her body obeys me, and she relaxes. My finger slides into the intense heat of her ass, and this time, I'm the one who groans. I feel my cock swell with need for her.

"Garrus, yes, please," she moans, arching her spine into the sexiest curve I've ever seen.

"Oh, Shepard. Spirits. You drive me wild," I confess, bowing my head and praying for control while her body clamps down around my cock in response to the intrusion. I leave my hand still for a moment so she can adjust before I start fucking her in contrast to my hips, picking up the pace enough to make her moans carry through the room.

"Oh, please. Please!" she cries. I don't make her beg for it anymore, too eager to feel her climax. I snap my hips harder and faster, only needing a few strokes before Shepard absolutely shatters, her head falling back and her mouth open on a silent scream before she whispers my name.

I slow and pull my hand out carefully, holding my dick still inside her and wrapping my arms around her. "That's my girl," I breathe, running my hands slowly over her back and thighs to guide her back down. I want to pound away at her until I find my release too but this one needed to be solely about her.

I stroke my tongue lazily up her spine and nibble her shoulder while pulling out with more than a little reluctance. Her legs shake as they lower so I keep her stable until her heels reach the ground and then I pull her up to stand, letting her collapse back against me.

After a moment, Shepard turns around slowly and looks up at me with blazing green eyes, her skin flushed and damp with sweat. I'm not short on pride, knowing that I did this to her.

I tuck a curl back from her ear and she leans into the touch. "You okay?" I check.

"Fantastic," she answers, slumping heavily into my chest. "How do you know my body better than I do? It really seems like an unfair advantage."

"I promise only to use my powers for good." I lean down to catch her lips for a gentle kiss, slipping my tongue against her bottom lip. She's still shaking and takes a deep, rough breath. I remember the way Shepard crashed last time, so I was prepared for this, and I scoop her up into my arms quickly. I take her to the couch where I put a water bottle on the table earlier and grab it along with the blanket from the back of the couch, wrapping it around her while she sits on my lap. "Little sips," I tell her, opening the bottle and pressing it into her hands.

Shepard nods and obeys, letting me rub her spine slowly. "I'm sorry," she breathes, hands shaking. "I swear, I liked it, I just - "

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I told you a crash might happen, baby." I nuzzle my forehead against the side of her head and hold her close. "You're alright, Shepard. Whatever you're feeling is normal. Just breathe for me. Drink the water, try and tell me what you need."

Shepard takes another sip and replaces the lid before leaning against me, tucking her head under my chin. "I...don't know. I kinda wanna cry again. Is that stupid?"

"Not at all. Cry if you want to, baby, it's okay." She nods and barely a second later, she's sniffling. It's soft this time, not the bawling of before, and I hope that's not because she's holding back. "When I crash, I need a warm drink, and I like something sweet. Usually chocolate."

"Food sounds terrible. Warm drink might be good, though." She hiccups around the tears. "But I don't want you to go. Your hands are helping more than anything."

"I can do that, too. Come here." I grab a pillow and set it down on the couch cushion, then roll and situate Shepard between me and the back of the couch so that she's surrounded and has pressure on both sides. She sobs, but this time it comes with a wave of relief I can feel from here. "That's my girl. I have you. You wanna talk, distract yourself?"

"Maybe. I...I wanted to tell you something anyway," she manages, speech a little broken but getting better. "The Illusive Man sent me the rest of the dossiers for the team. One of them is Tali."

"Our Tali?" I confirm, surprised and happy immediately.

Shepard nods. "Yeah, she's, uh...leading a mission in Geth space? I don't know, it's weird. But yeah, we're gonna go...tomorrow. Or today, I don't know which one it is." I keep rubbing her back, feeling her start to ease and settle. The tears slow, too. "I think it'll be good to see her. After Kaidan...oh, he emailed me today." She barks out a harsh laugh that keeps me from getting tense. "He went on this ramble about some doctor he went out with and how maybe someday he'll forgive me. And you know what I realized?" She looks up at me. "Fuck that guy."

This time we laugh together, smoothing out the rest of Shepard's post-high comedown. "I really appreciate Alenko stepping in it himself, you know. Saves me having to remind you that I'm vastly superior." She rolls her eyes at me but laughs. "I can't wait to see Tali, though. It's been a long time. She, uh...I know she tried really hard to reach me after I left the Citadel. Means alot to me. I want to apologize to her."

"Something tells me Tali will get it. She's kind of the best."

"Can't argue with that." Laughing together feels great, especially now, but I want to get her in bed since we have a mission in the morning...which is in just a few hours from now. "You wanna get a shower before bed, or just crash?" In response, Shepard yawns. "Good answer. Come on."

I get up and then guide Shepard up, making sure she's steadier on her legs now. Once I'm convinced, I head for the closet to get shorts for myself, a shirt - one of mine - for her, and panties for her. We both dress minimally before climbing into bed on opposite sides and meeting in the middle. Shepard's head lands on my chest and I hold her closer.

"I'm so proud of you," I whisper to her. "You did amazing. Now sleep."

"You...are amazing," she mutters, yawning again. "I love you." In moments, she's passed out.

I follow her over the edge, falling asleep certain that I'm the luckiest man in the world.