So the other day when I was thinking about this fic, I realized: it's a fanfic… of a fanfic.

Thank you all for bearing with me on this silly little thing, lmao.

Stardust, dATa CoRRuPtEd

Part II: Volante

"We can't use it."

Garrus gaped at Chellick, standing at the front of his desk as the older turian stared up at him blankly from his chair. He offered little more than a shrug.

The younger turian was beside himself, "What? How?! She's right there!" He conjured his omni-tool, showing the vid once again. He tapped a talon against the progress bar, moving the image of Shae's biotic blast of energy frame-by-frame. "She's in possession of a military-grade implant. You can clearly see how strong it is in the vid. Frankly, I don't see the problem, sir."

Chellick snorted pointing at the woman frozen on the omni-tool's screen, "That could be anyone. Your vid only shows the back of her, and since this is clearly filmed on a personal omni-tool and not an authorized security camera, a lawyer could claim the image was altered. I have seen many a case be thrown out over this issue, and many more by that volus, Neltan.

"Further," he went on, standing, and locking his eyes on the screen, "that's the alleyway near Chora's Den. That red lighting distorts the image even more, and the footage wouldn't be allowed in court."

"Then the audio—"

"Is also useless," Chellick said firmly. "None of the men say her name. Shae has no official aliases of 'lucky bird,' either, so there's no way for anyone to reasonably assume they'd be speaking specifically to her. She also never says anything that would incriminate her in any way."

Garrus fell silent, sighing as he looked back at his precious evidence. His eyes flicked over every detail, trying to find something, anything they might have missed. "I really thought I had her," he muttered earnestly at the frozen image of Shae and her lovely backsi—

"Those men were interesting, though," Chellick was saying as he folded his arms, bringing a hand to his mouth, deep in thought. "She called one of them 'Richter.' I wonder if that's a real name."

Garrus shook his head, "I wouldn't think so. Probably a nickname."

"We'll take stills of the men from your footage and circulate them to the Wards Sector officers. They'll be on the lookout for anyone that resembles them in the area. I have a contact in Chora's Den. I'll tell them to do the same. There's a better chance for those men to spend time at that place, and my contact and I stay in communication," Chellick decided with a nod. He looked back at Garrus, "Good work, Vakarian."

The younger turian straightened and nodded politely. "Thank you, sir," he said, less enthusiastically.

Chellick stared at him for a moment, "Don't beat yourself up, kid. What you did is quite impressive. That's the closest any of us have ever gotten to having something solid on her."

Garrus looked at the still of Shae again, sighing, "I wish I'd been standing somewhere else. Gotten a different angle. Something."

"Even if you got just the right angle, it wouldn't have mattered," his partner told him. "Like I said, the lighting in that alley distorts the image, and the audio doesn't reveal much. Any lawyer worthy of his field would get that evidence thrown out faster than you could blink. But you showed great initiative, Vakarian. I'm glad you're here."

"Thank you, sir," Garrus said again, more warmly this time. "We'll nail her down somehow."

SS SS SS SS SS SS SS

"Goddamnit, Francine, get me through to Neltan! I've been trying to reach him for hours now!" Shae shouted into her omni-tool as she paced around her apartment, fuming. She was still wearing her bodysuit from last night, unable to let herself relax.

Neltan's sweet human secretary was terrified of Shae, and it was clear in her voice as it squeaked through her omni-tool. "M-Miss Shae, as I've s-said before, he's with a c-client—"

"I don't care, Francine! I pay him a ludicrous amount of credits to have him at my disposal! This is unacceptable!" she growled hotly.

"I c-can leave w-word—"

"Please!" Shae said sarcastically. "Just add it to the dozen other messages I've sent him in the last ten hours!"

Francine sounded on the verge of tears. "Can-Can he still reach you at t-this num—"

"USELESS!" she roared, ending the call.

Shae stormed across the room, angrily plopping herself at the foot of her massive bed. She decided to finally take off her boots, yanking the hidden zippers down and kicking them off her feet. Then she started at her catsuit, peeling it away from her skin. I'm just going to take a long, hot bubble bath, she told herself with a firm sigh.

Once she was naked, she donned her favorite floor-length robe—a garment made of sheer black netting with ivory lace on the trim of the sleeves and hemline. Her bathroom was large, luxurious, with a marble bathtub built right into the floor. It was her favorite thing about her home on the Citadel, something she treasured. She poured her scented oils and bubbles into the steaming water, letting herself be hypnotized by the rising water and curling puffs of steam.

In her wine cabinet, she pulled a bottle of a rare Thessian red and poured a glass for herself, a ritual she was well-familiar with by now, especially when she was stressed.

Shae didn't often get stressed. She took things in stride. She let her problems roll off her shoulders, like water off a duck's back. But this? This situation called for the biggest, most expensive bottle of wine she had in her arsenal.

She set the bottle on the floor with her glass and untied her robe, letting it pool to the floor. She didn't care. When she lowered herself into the tub, the water was so hot, it stung her skin and turned it red. But she didn't care.

Then her omni-tool pinged, and her hand shot out of the bubbles to answer its call.

"Neltan!" Shae shouted. "Fucking finally!"

"I was with—hccck—the turian councilor, Shae. You know—hccck—I can't just send him—hccck—away," the lawyer wheezed at her.

"I don't care!" she told him, lifting her leg out of the water and glaring at the bubbles sliding down her leg. "What the fuck do I pay you for? I'm supposed to be at the top of your list—"

"You are!"

Shae scoffed, "We'll see…"

There was silence on his end for a long moment, then, "You made—hccck—Francine cry. Again."

"You really need a tougher secretary, considering your clientele," she told him, rolling her eyes.

Neltan sighed. "So what—hccck—is this emergency?"

"Those guys Barla Von saw? They're definitely from my former gang," Shae said, getting right to the point. "They tried to jump me last night, but I held them off."

"Oh dear—hccck—that's not good."

"No," she agreed. "Not only that, but they seemed to think they were setting up a new chapter here on the Citadel. And I don't know if they were looking for me specifically here, or if we ran into each other by accident, but they were happy to see me, in a manner of speaking, more to get their hands on me. They looked out for revenge, so it's fairly likely they tracked me here, damnit."

"The Citadel—hccck—is a common place, Shae. Big—hccck—but common."

"That's why I thought I was safe here," she told him. "There's so many people, all from different places. Plus, I thought they'd be in prison for a long time." She bit her lip, "What's worse… they hinted at Theo getting out, that they've been in contact with him."

"Your former leader, I presume?" Neltan asked.

"Yes. And it would be bad if he found me again," she said. "Very bad. He thinks… He thinks I set him up, that I set the whole gang up."

"And did you?"

"No," Shae answered with a frustrated sigh. "I bailed after Theo killed one of his own guys—a guy that had always been kind to me when I was growing up. There was this whole plan involving an organ harvester and a family with a sick five year old daughter, one that I wasn't on board with—and neither was the guy Theo killed. When he said as much, Theo shot him without a second thought. The score he was about to get from this organ deal was huge. Big enough for him to start shooting his own men."

"Zada Ban, be cruel," Neltan murmured disdainfully. "What happened—hccck—afterward?"

She let out a breath, "Turns out, the family and the daughter were made up. It was a sting operation to arrest us all. I was long gone by the time the trap went off, though, so…"

"So, you look—hccck—like you set them up."

"Precisely," Shae said. "Fake-outs were a specialty of mine for heists. Mistress of Distraction was what some of the guys used to call me."

"What—hccck—would you have me do, Shae?" he asked her earnestly. "You are my—hccck—best client. My—hccck—favorite client. Name it."

"Right now, I'm not sure," she told him honestly. "I just wanted to let you know what was happening, just in case."

"Good, thank you," Neltan said. "Will you—hccck—be cancelling your performance?"

Shae thought for a moment, not having considered that. She shook her head to herself, "Pfft, no. I'm not letting those fuckers get the best of me."

"That's my Shae," the volus cheered quietly.

"And if I did, I wouldn't get to see my lovely turian officer again, would I?" she said with a sultry smile, sinking down into the bubbles. At that thought, another thing occurred to her. "Oh, Neltan? There's something else."

"Gods and goods, what is it?" Neltan asked regretfully, sighing.

"That turian, Garrus Vakarian? He was there last night when those guys jumped me," Shae confessed. "And… he may have seen me use my implant."

The noise Neltan made could only be described as a snotty, boar-ish snarl, "What have I told you—hccck—about that damned implant?! It's bad enough—hccck—you use it in your performances—hccck—but as defense—"

"It's for defense, Nellie."

"Don't you—hccck—'Nellie' me! It's—hccck—wildly irresponsible, Shae," he told her. "He saw you?"

"I'm pretty sure of it, yeah," she told him. "But the security cameras were scrubbed, so no harm, no foul."

Neltan growled, "What if he filmed you? Had you—hccck—considered that?"

"No," Shae said lightly. "But I doubt he got anything useable. Besides, I know for a fact you could get personal footage thrown out of evidence. You've done it before. It's one of the reasons I chose you as my lawyer, Nellie. You're dedicated to your craft."

He gave yet another sigh, "Flattery—hccck—will get you everywhere, Shae."

"It isn't flattery if it's true, Nellie dear," she cooed at him.

That seemed to placate him, and after a pause, he said, "I'll give you some—hccck—bodyguards to watch over you—hccck—in the meantime, Shae. Before you—hccck—protest, I know you're—hccck—capable. I just would prefer—hccck—someone be there at the theater—hccck—when you perform."

"You take such good care of me, Nellie," Shae purred.

"I try," he told her. "You make it—hccck—difficult for me." Neltan paused again, sighing, "Will you—hccck—send Francine some flowers—hccck—or something?"

She groaned, leaning her head on the back of the tub, "Fine. Do you know what she likes?"

"I believe—hccck—she's fond of tulips."

"Cute n' classic," Shae assessed with a slight laugh. "Alright. It'll be done. But you gotta toughen her up, Neltan. Honestly."

"I like her," Neltan insisted. "She gives my office that—hccck—unassuming quality I like. Besides—hccck—she'll eventually figure out—hccck—you're just full of hot air." He chuckled.

"That's big talk coming from a guy in a fart suit," Shae teased.

"Trace amounts, Shae!" Neltan cried indignantly. "There's—hccck—trace amounts of methane—hccck—in Irune's air!"

"Trace amounts of fart."

"I never should have—hccck—told you that."

"No," Shae grinned. "You really shouldn't have."

GV GV GV GV GV GV GV

"Cheerful Greeting: Welcome to the Eleganza Theatre, the house of fine arts here on the Presidium," the elcor droned at the box office desk, his gray, slow-blinking eyes regarding Garrus impassively. "Regretfully Informative: If you are here to purchase tickets for the human ballet showcase tonight, I'm afraid it's been sold out."

Garrus straightened, "I believe I should have a ticket reserved for me under the name Garrus Vakarian."

The elcor's head tilted, "Questioning: On whose behalf were the tickets reserved, sir?"

"Shae Shepard," he answered. "She's performing tonight, I understand."

The alien nodded slowly, the triangular folds on each side of his face quivering as his dull voice rumbled out, "With Great Enthusiasm: Indeed. Miss Shepard is the final dance of the night, as usual. Many come to the Eleganza just to see her perform, out of all the other dancers."

"Oh really?" Garrus asked, surprised.

The elcor slowly blinked and nodded again, "Earnestly: It's true. She is the premiere practitioner of biotic ballet in council space. The other dancers in tonight's showcase hardly use biotics in the same manner as Miss Shepard."

"I see… So, is there a ticket reserved for me? She said she would." Garrus folded his arms, wondering if she was just kidding him before.

"Pleasant Embarrassment: Ah, forgive me, sir. Give me just a moment…" The elcor began to type away at an omni-board, the screen of his computer hidden from Garrus' view. "Professional: Yes, there is one ticket reserved for a Garrus Vakarian here. May I see your identification?"

After exchanging his official identification with the elcor, Garrus was led by an asari usher through the theatre. Apparently, Shae had reserved the best seat for him, one that was a few rows back from the stage, where the sound converged in the center. He adjusted his black and gold tunic, somewhat nervously, looking around at the other attendees. All manner of the galaxy's species were present, finely-dressed and chatting amiably with each other before the show. Garrus didn't see anyone he recognized thankfully—and he wasn't surprised, either.

Entering the theatre, Garrus saw that the row he was to be seated in already had a few people in it, and he'd have to shimmy his way to the center. The asari usher handed him a program and cheerfully gestured for him to enter the row. The few people already sparsely seated in the row stood for him to pass by, giving him looks that were mixed with curiosity and envy as he made his way to the center. Once seated, he began looking at his holo-printed program. Linked with his omni-tool, the language on the program adjusted to one he could read:

Welcome to The Extravaganza's Ballet Showcase,

an evening of interpretations of the human artform by multiple species.

We invite you to turn your translators off for certain performances, as some of the accompanying music contains lyrics from various human languages, and the translator technology would interfere with the integrity of the music known as 'opera' to humans.

"Oho!" an older turian man behind him called. "How did a kid like you get such a good seat for tonight's show?"

Garrus turned around, seeing the elder dark-skinned turian sitting there with his beautiful asari date. The turian had serious golden eyes and stark white markings across his face, dignified and professional. The asari bore no markings as one of her species usually did, but her lips were dabbed with a kind of silvery paint that Garrus found striking. Both looked at him inquisitively. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "I, ah, sort of know one of the dancers."

"Do you?" the asari asked with a grin. "My cousins are in the fourth performance and they gifted us with these seats. Who do you know?"

"Shae Shepard," Garrus answered. "The grand finale."

"Oh my," she said with a glance to her date. "She's very gifted. I've seen her dance once before—have you?"

He shook his head, "This will be my first time."

"Well, you are certainly in for quite a show, Mister…?" she trailed off, waiting for him to answer the implied question.

"Vakarian," Garrus supplied, reaching forward with his hand. "Garrus Vakarian. I work in C-Sec, though I'm rather new."

The asari took his hand gracefully, giving him a warm smile, "I am Sha'ira, also known as the Consort here on the Citadel." Her other hand touched the shoulder of her turian date, "And my escort for this evening is General Septimus Oraka."

Garrus' eyes widened in horror, "S-Sir, forgive me—" He made to stand and salute, but the older turian chuckled.

"At ease, son. We're off-duty. I appreciate the gesture, though," the general said with a polite nod. "I look forward to seeing what your girl can do."

"Oh," Garrus started with an awkward laugh, "she's-she's not my girl."

"I see. Perhaps soon, then, yes?"

His neck flushed in embarrassment, "I—"

"Oh, Septimus, leave the poor boy alone," Sha'ira chided with a pat to the general's arm.

More people started filing in at that point, and the couple bid him goodbye for the moment. The seats around him filled and the lights in the room darkened, save for the ones around the edge of the stage, highlighting the shimmering blue velvet curtains.

There were a dozen performances in the program, with Shae's being the twelfth and final one, and each one preceding it was unique, to say the least.

It was mainly humans and asari, but in the middle there was a performance by three elcor and a hanar that was fascinating and might have been Garrus' favorite for the sheer ingenuity of it all, but then…

Shae.

When the curtains drew back for the final time, Shae the Thief was center stage. In the little research Garrus had done on ballet prior to coming, he knew what she was wearing was called a tutu. The bodice and skirt overlay were made of a cerulean velvet with silvery vines and jewels spindling down the pleats, along the trim, and around the waist. More silver vines decorated down her arms and over her hands, even running down her fingers.

The flouncy tutu underneath was layers of a white fluffy material, and she wore opaque stockings on her long, toned legs. The ballet shoes she wore on her feet were a shining silver, with ribbons weaving up her calves.

Shae started in a somewhat seated position, with one leg tucked under her and the other elongated out in front, her toe pointed. Her back was bowed, arms outstretched past her knee. When the music started, Shae raised herself gracefully in surprise, looking around her as if she was being watched. A silver tiara was placed at the top of her head, framing the sleek bun her dark hair was pulled into. More silver glittered on her cheeks and lips, caught in the stage lights as she rose to her feet, impressively balancing herself on her dainty toes.

Garrus was transfixed, watching her glide and pitter across the vast stage, her motions fluid and precise and elegant. Her eyes were worried, fearful as she played the part of an innocent woman being chased by an invisible foe, darting and dodging with silent steps.

The music changed, and suddenly she was angry. Shae spun and spun and spun, her face scowling in frustration, fire burning behind her frosty blue eyes. With a great leap, she jumped into the air, and there was a collective gasp—Garrus included—as the blue light of eezo shrouded her body, floating her high above the stage and out into the audience. The spotlight of the stage followed her form.

Shae flew, and it took Garrus' breath away.

When her eyes found his, the ghost of a smile appeared across her silver lips, and she floated down towards him and him alone, dreamlike. Her fingertips grazed his cheek, tracing his markings, affection and warmth radiating from her in gentle waves.

"Soft," Garrus heard himself whisper to her, awed.

Shae shot back into the air, back towards the stage, and he felt his mind, body, and soul cry out in protest, just wanting her near him once again. It was hopeless, he was hopeless: she had him. Her spell was strong and beguiling, and Garrus was entirely besotted with her.

She floated back down onto the tips of her silver toes, the music calming around her, and she wilted gracefully onto the stage floor, the lights fading until Shae disappeared into the black.

The crowd roared, and everyone stood. Garrus shakily got to his feet, joining the raucous praises. Thrill wrought him to his bones, chilled and hot and prickly. He needed to see her.

When the lights of the theatre came on again and people began to file out of their seats, Garrus followed the people in his row, ignoring the comments behind him from the asari and general. He vaguely could hear the older turian chuckling, making some kind of knowing joke about his motivations, and when Garrus reached the end of the row—finally at the aisle—he found himself face-to-face with a krogan.

The krogan didn't look to be dressed for a night at the theatre, donning the armor of a mercenary. He was an old krogan, with many scars across his red frontal plate, and glaring eyes that told Garrus he wouldn't take no for an answer to whatever question he was about to ask.

"You're Garrus Vakarian? The turian?" the krogan asked gruffly, impatient.

"Yes," he answered at once. Something told him he didn't want to upset this particular mercenary.

"You've been invited backstage to visit with Shae in her dressing room," he said, jerking his head to the lower doors beside the bottom of the stage. "I'm supposed to escort you."

Eagerly, Garrus nodded, "Please, lead the way."

Without another word, the krogan took off and Garrus weaved through people walking in the opposite direction to keep up with him. Flowers had been thrown at the closed curtains in appreciation of the final performance, and Garrus picked up a single one that had lush, blue petals. It was an unfamiliar breed of flower to him, but one he thought she might like. He brought it with him, continuing to follow the krogan.

Beyond the doors to backstage, it was a madhouse. Aliens of all manner of species were flitting from end to end of the narrow hall. Clothing racks of costumes were lined up next to dressing rooms, their contents spilling onto the floor and hung up haphazardly. It felt incredibly warm back there too, but it didn't bother Garrus. As a turian, he preferred heat to cold any day.

He kept up with the krogan, nearly a step behind him with every stride, until they stopped at a door with an elcor waiting outside. The door had a holo-placard installed on it, and it read S. Shepard.

The krogan mercenary grunted, "Why are you out here, Wenlon? You're supposed to be with her."

The elcor blinked boredly, his bland tone rumbling in the chaos around them, "Annoyed: She is changing, Wrex. She instructed me to stand guard out here."

"That volus of hers told us to stay by her no matter what," the krogan (Wrex, apparently) told him. "That's what we're paid to do tonight."

Wenlon blinked again, his expression neutral as it ever would be for an elcor, "Increasingly Annoyed: That is exactly what I told her. She insisted on privacy."

Wrex growled.

Wenlon blinked yet again. "Growl Of Frustration," he muttered boredly.

"Move aside," Wrex commanded, knocking on the door. "Miss Shepard? I have Garrus Vakarian here for you."

"Come in," Shae's voice called, barely audible through all the noise happening around them.

Wrex led everyone inside, Garrus following with Wenlon bringing up the rear. "Miss Shepard, we're supposed to watch over you at all times," the mercenary said. "Neltan is paying us to do just that, and I don't do anything less than instructed. Ma'am."

Shae stepped out from behind a privacy partition, wearing a floor-length robe of white. Garrus didn't know if she had anything on underneath, but he tried to keep his gaze from drifting to find out. She smiled at the interspecies trio before her, "And you've done a wonderful job, Wrex. I think I can take it from here."

But Wrex was apparently having none of that, shaking his head, "I can't let you dismiss us. We're paid for the whole night."

She seemed to find that amusing, chuckling to herself, "Credits talk, hm? Very well." She conjured her omni-tool and typed a few things on it, resulting in the two bodyguards' own omni-tools pinging a moment later. "Will this amount suffice, gentlemen?"

Both Wrex and Wenlon took a second to examine their respective devices. It was the krogan who spoke first, raising his head to meet Shae's waiting glance.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Miss Shepard," Wrex told her with a nod.

"Shae, please," she insisted, stepping over to him. She kissed his cheek, and then did the same with the elcor. "Don't be a stranger."

Wrex nodded and left, and then Wenlon slightly inclined his head as well before dully replying. "Bashfully: Thank-you very much, Shae. Call either of us again if you need anything."

"I'd be delighted," Shae told them warmly.

They left, and then it was just the two of them, Garrus awkwardly holding his unfamiliar flower in one hand. She tilted her head at him, "So, what did you think, officer?"

He cleared his throat, hoping his voice didn't crack or stammer, "It was wonderful. Every performance was so unique."

Shae shook her head, stepping to press herself against him. Her fingers danced along the collar of his tunic. "I meant… what did you think of me?"

"You," Garrus began, flustered by her closeness, "you were… sublime. A goddess."

Her cheeks, still donning the silver glitter, turned slightly pink, and her frosty eyes widened a fraction, "A goddess? My, my…" She clearly hadn't been expecting him to go that far.

Garrus flushed as well—around his neck—and looked away sheepishly, "I… I'm no poet, Miss Shae, but… yes. You looked—You looked like an asari goddess come to life."

When he looked back at her, her face was still pink, but she was smiling up at him. Her eyes stole a glance to the flower he'd aloofly been holding in his hand. "Is that for me?" she asked.

"Oh! Uh, yeah," Garrus said awkwardly. He offered it to her. "I don't know what kind of flower it is, but I thought it was pretty."

Shae took it and smiled, "It's a rose. A blue one. They're rare."

"As are you," he told her, feeling his confidence come back to him.

"Flirt," she accused, grinning. She smelled it, dipping her pointed nose into the soft petals and breathing deep. When she parted, she looked up at him again, "Walk me home, Garrus Vakarian." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Garrus told her, right away.

SS SS SS SS SS SS SS

After she changed and cleaned herself of the stage makeup, Shae led Garrus to her home in the lower wards, her arm looped in his. They walked along the permanent night strip, stopping at her building. "Come inside," she said to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Okay," Garrus agreed.

She led him inside, up the lift, and to her door. When she opened it, she let him step through first to see. "Your place is a lot nicer than mine," he commented with a soft laugh, looking around.

Shae let the door hiss shut behind her, stepping to look with him. Her bed was on a raised platform against the eastern wall, neatly made with silk sheets the color of champagne. A long, wall-length window spanned the northern wall of her apartment, letting in the light and action of the lower wards. The floor plan was open, but two backless shelves—full of knick knacks and decorations able to be seen from either side—acted as a partition on the northern and southern sides of the apartment, creating an open gateway separating the living space from her sleeping space. To the right of the bed and through an archway was her fully-equipped bathroom. To the right of the archway was her vast closet of clothes she'd collected over the years.

"Believe me," Shae said, "it's nowhere near as nice as some of the places on the Presidium. I wanted to be comfortable, but not excessive."

Garrus chuckled, "Fair enough."

She bit her lip, "I'm afraid I don't have much food or drink to offer you. I don't really entertain, nor do I make food here. I tend to either go out to eat or bring home takeout."

"Ah, don't worry about me," he reassured her. "I appreciate the thought, though." She watched him eye the shelves containing her various curiosities, "May I?" He gestured one of his taloned hands towards them.

"Please!" Shae said, nodding. "Look all you like, officer."

"Garrus," he told her. "Just Garrus for tonight."

She smiled at him, nodding again, "Alright then. Just Garrus."

He walked over and began looking at the shelves as Shae observed him warmly. She couldn't get the look on his face from earlier out of her mind, the way he'd looked at her when she floated above him. So much wonder, so much desire. Soft, he'd said. Something about it made her shiver.

"What's this?" he asked suddenly, pointing to the comic book in a display case on one of the shelves.

"Ahh," Shae said, joining him there. "That's a famous comic book from Earth. Very old, very rare. Do turians have comic books?"

"Of a sort," Garrus told her nodding. "What's this one about?"

"It's called Batman," she explained. "He's a vigilante hero—a billionaire—who dedicates his life to fighting crime after his parents are killed when he was a kid."

"Dreary."

"Yeah. But it's not really him that drew me to the comic, it's Catwoman."

"Batman and Catwoman," Garrus chuckled. He looked down at Shae as she stood next to him, "So, why her?"

"Well, she's cool, sexy, and smart—all the things I wanted to be when I was younger," Shae told him, smiling fondly at the comic. "And even though she's not exactly a hero, she still helps him from time to time."

"So then she's a kind of villain?"

"No, she's just… her," she said. "She doesn't let anyone's expectations measure her worth, she just gets to be."

"I see," Garrus murmured. "She values her freedom."

"Yeah, exactly."

"So what role does she play in Batman's life, then?" he asked curiously.

Shae gave a half-shrug, folding her arms as she grinned, "She likes him, and she helps ground him and keep his head out of the clouds. She reminds him that he's free of expectations, too."

"Or maybe," Garrus started, turning to her, "he reminds her that she could be more, do more. Maybe he's helping her while she thinks she's helping him."

She chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck again, "Maybe… you're full of shit."

"Perhaps that," Garrus agreed, joining her. His arms wrapped around her waist.

Shae's fingers danced on his cheek gently, tracing his markings. "Kiss me," she whispered.

He leaned in close, but he looked uncertain, "I… I'm not sure I—"

"Like this," she said softly, brushing her lips against his mouth.

Garrus purred and it tickled her. His arms tightened around her, pulling her flush against him, and Shae raised herself on the balls of her feet to get closer to his mouth, deepening their kiss to tangle their tongues together. When they parted, they were breathless.

"You've never been with a human?" Shae asked him, seeing his electric blue eyes sparkle down at her.

Garrus shook his head, "No." His mouth pecked against hers once more, briefly, "Teach me."

She didn't need to be told twice.

Their clothes came off slowly, deliberately, with Shae practically doing a strip show for him, delighting in the way his serious eyes drank in every part exposed to them. When she was naked, she landed on the bed—on her back—looking up at him. "Touch me," she commanded softly, reaching for him.

Garrus climbed onto the bed and raked his rough, foreign hands down her body gently. "I don't want to hurt you," he murmured. "You're so… different."

"You won't," Shae assured him. "Come here, I'll show you."

She guided his hands over her breasts, sighing when he squeezed them experimentally. She showed him how her nipples were sensitive, told him to use his tongue on them. Shae had to bite her lip to stifle the moan he drew from her once he gained confidence, lapping at the hardened buds. Shae had never been with anyone outside of humans either—oh, but she had watched plenty of human-turian vids on the extranet, and she planned on experiencing everything they had to offer.

When his hand suddenly came to her center, she gasped at his boldness, but widened her legs for him to have better access. She was already so wet for him, her clit already exposed. One of his talons brushed over it and she gasped. Garrus paused, worried, but she bucked her hips encouragingly. "More," she begged, and he nodded.

She felt her folds quivering and dripping and winking, and part of her wanted to be embarrassed, but she wasn't. That warm, inquisitive look in the turian's eyes was all the encouragement she needed, and she let herself get lost in it.

His talon slipped inside her and she cried out, bucking her hips again. "Yes, fuck," she breathed. "Just like that." Garrus worked his finger inside her, the curve of his alien talon finding that spot inside her almost immediately, and Shae rutted herself against it. "Right there," she told him, her voice going ragged. "Work it right there."

Garrus took instruction well. Probably a testament to his turian nature, she guessed. Either way, he was a quick study. His talon flexed and pumped her slick folds with an eagerness that quickly brought her to the peak. She came in a sudden rush of euphoria, feeling herself spasm and soak around his finger.

"Oh, Spirits," she heard him breathe. "You're so beautiful…"

When she relaxed, he took it out of her, bringing the glistening appendage to his mouth, but Shae stopped him, "No, don't. You might have a reaction to it." Garrus nodded and let his hand fall away. She saw how her pleasure had affected him, smiling at the emerged, blue-gray cock between them. It was large, with four distinct ripples that were sure to feel incredible inside her. She felt her core tighten in anticipation, in desire. "Come here," she panted, going to meet his length with her mouth.

A strangled gasp escaped Garrus, and his talons laced their way into her hair, "S-Shae… Ohh, Sp-Spirits abound, I've n-never felt…"

She sucked him lovingly, bobbing her head down onto him until the tip of his cock stuffed its way down her throat. She moaned on him, loving the strange, foreign taste of his skin. Shae brought her hands to his hip plates, where she knew turian men were sensitive, and massaged them. Garrus cried out, the sound echoing in her apartment.

"You need… You need to stop," he warned. "I c-can't last like this…"

Shae relented, with a final kiss to the tip of him, smiling when she met his eyes once more, "Am I too much for you, darling?"

"Never," he promised breathlessly.

She gave him a smile. A challenge. "Show me."

She laid back onto her pillows, and Garrus climbed up her body once again, settling between her legs. Shae pulled him down to her again, kissing him as she rolled her hips, whetting his cock with her slick. Garrus shuddered.

"You're sure… You're sure I won't hurt you?" he asked when their mouths parted.

Shae nodded, "I'm sure. Come on, Garrus—I want to feel you."

A breathy moan left him as he brought his mouth down to hers, and with a jut of his hips, his cock slipped inside her. The sheer size and texture of him made Shae break away with a wanton cry, rutting herself against his hips. "Oh, my god," she breathed. "Oh my fucking god…"

"Yeah," Garrus agreed, moving inside her. "Fuck, Shae…"

"Harder—god, just fuck me harder," she begged him.

He obliged, grunting with every deep thrust of his rippled cock. The ridges hit that spot inside her, brushing and stroking it on every motion, making her mewl and claw at the hard skin of his back. Her legs wrapped around him, pulling him deeper, holding him close. The sound of their bodies coming together filled her apartment, echoing off the walls, joining their grunts, sighs, and moans of passion—the music of their sex.

Garrus' hands suddenly came to the back of her thighs, pushing them back towards the bed as he drove his hips into her. Shae screamed, throwing her head back into the pillows.

"Yes, Shae!" he growled. "Fuck, let me hear you!"

He went even harder, and Shae could feel herself dripping all over the bed, the lewd sound of his cock repeatedly slipping into her wet folds so loud in her ears. She screamed for him. She moaned for him. She whimpered and mewled and begged—he just felt so fucking good.

"G-Garrus, I'm—"

"Me too!" he snarled, burying his face in her neck. "Come for me, goddess!"

As if responding to his demand, Shae's body came hard, and her hips bucked and jerked with so much voracity that she nearly dislodged him from her cunt. Her lungs burned from the strain of the pleasured scream that left her, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as the orgasm fissured from her core, up her spine, to her brain, and out her fingertips. The sheer force of it left her a shuddering, whimpering mess underneath him.

"Cum all over me," Shae panted to him. "Come on, Garrus, just let me have it."

Garrus hissed at that and pulled out right as his cock began to squirt his release. He took hold of himself with a groan, letting his cum splash all over her stomach and breasts, all the way up to her neck. His hips stuttered, and he used his other hand to brace himself as he continued to pump his release out all over her body. When he finally slowed and stilled, he collapsed next to her with a tired sigh.

"Okay," Garrus panted, nodding as he closed his eyes. "Yeah, I think I'm a softy."

Shae grinned, confusedly, turning on her side to face him, "A what?"

Garrus just chuckled, shaking his head as he stared up at the ceiling, "Nothing."

She put an arm over his chest, kissing his cheek, "Whatever you say." She jutted her chin at him, "Rest up, officer. We're doing that again."

"Yes, ma'am."

o0o

Garrus left her in the early hours of the morning, but not before saying goodbye. They kissed, long and slow and sweet, and she was sorry to part from him. She had no idea what this relationship would bring her, but if anything, she liked how she felt with him.

And god almighty, was the sex good.

Great.

Explosive.

No, it was volcanic.

She grinned as she dried herself off from her bath and got dressed, pleasantly sore from her night's activities. Once she was finally ready for the day, she emerged from her closet and spied the blue rose Garrus had given her, sitting neatly on the shelf by the Batman comic. Shae smiled at it, and raised it to her nose to breath its scent, if just one more time.

She had a meeting with Neltan in an hour, but if she didn't leave now, she'd be late. After all the trouble she'd caused with Francine, Shae thought it would be bad form if she was, so she set the rose down and headed for the lift.

When she opened her apartment door to leave, however, some familiar faces were standing before her. But it wasn't Richter, Leon, or Vincent that caused her to chill to the bone…

...it was Theo, standing there uncuffed, fully-armored, and stinking of his signature cheap cologne. He'd shaved the sides of his head, but the brown hair was longer at the top, unkempt and unwashed. His mismatched green and gold eyes held a sickening kind of glee in them, and it made Shae nauseous just to have them settled on her.

His lips curled back into a sinister grin, decked out with gold teeth and reeking of black coffee.

"Hey there, lucky bird," Theo rasped. "Ya miss me?"

o0o

Oh noes!

I hope you guys liked this installment of this story. I've been thinking up a CoRRuPtEd version of the Sunlight universe, too! Plus, a whole new version of FemShep! Those may not come out that soon, though. I'm trying out a new kind of work/update schedule, and we'll see how that works out before those stories get added to the rotation.

Let me know what you think, though! I'm always happy to hear from y'all!

And as always, stay healthy, happy, and warm!

Glacier