5.1 Normandy SR-2 Main Battery

"If we can find a way to make it work then, yeah. Definitely." Garrus said.

Shepard walked out of the main battery, the door closed behind her.

Did that just happen? Garrus asked himself. Perhaps he was dreaming or hallucinating or had taken one too many painkillers. It wasn't like he hadn't been propositioned before. He had on various occasions. Turians have no social prohibitions on casual sex. If two people want to do that together that is their business. During required military service, those kinds of hookups or casual relationships happened a lot. Most turinas don't start getting serious about anything long term till their mid to late thirties, which is how old he was now.

Of course, he'd never been propositioned by a human before. A few times by asari, but despite the fact that they looked like blue turians, well, at least they do to turians, he hadn't been interested. What had the krogan on the Citadel said. They were too soft. It'd be like screwing a hanar, not an interesting proposition. He didn't find humans attractive and they were softer than asari. So why had he agreed to this? And why had he agreed so quickly? He didn't even know if it was possible.

He started to type into the terminal and then stopped. He needed to get something to eat first and probably a drink or two.

5.2 Normandy SR-2 Crew Level

Tali got her out a dextro meal from the cabinet. Since there were only two dextros on board and the cook didn't know anything about preparing dextro food, they had bought a supply of prepackaged meals. She had to give Cerberus credit, these may not be the best meals she'd ever had but they were a lot better than the ones from the Alliance.

As she was preparing her meal, she saw Garrus come out of the main battery. She got out another meal and handed it to him.

"Thanks." he said but seemed distracted. He had been almost anti-social when she first came on board but had been more like his old self recently. She sat down at the table and after he had finished fixing his meal he sat down across from her.

He looked around to see if there was anyone close by. There wasn't.

"Had any trouble?" He asked.

"No, everyone has been very polite. In fact, I had a very good talk with one of the girls in navigation who was curious about quarians." Tali said. "And Ken and Gabby are great. They used to be Alliance, so they really know what they are doing and are very nice."

"Yeah, they play poker with us in Zaeed's room." He said.

"I didn't know you played there," She said.

"Yeah, me, Thane, Kasumi, Jack, she keeps saying she's going to teach Grunt." He said. "Not sure how he'll take to it, though there is as much talking and drinking as there is poker."

"I know. I thought quarians liked to gossip, but humans put them to shame." She said. "There is even a rumor about you and Shepard."

"Really?" he said.

"Ridiculous, I know." She said. "Ken and Gabby even asked me about it. I told them that you were just friends. I mean, you two can't even eat the same foods and besides, she's obviously in love with Kaidan."

"Right." He said as he finished up his meal. "I should go. I have some… calibrations I need to get done."

"Talk to you later." She said. He walked back to the main battery. She hoped that he was okay.

5.3 Normandy SR-2 Lounge

Garrus finished up calibrating every weapon the ship had and then headed to the lounge. He walked in. It appeared empty. He walked over to the bar and started to pour himself a drink.

"You want anything, while I'm here?" He said.

Kasumi appeared on the couch. "Thessia white wine, on the second shelf. It's not a great year but drinkable." He poured the drink and then handed it to her. "How do you always know I'm here? Wait, I get it. You ask every time you come in here, don't you?"

"EDI, how many times have I asked if Ms. Goto wants a drink when she hasn't been in the lounge?" He said.

"None." EDI said. "Mr. Vakarian has been in the lounge an equal number of times when you are present and when you are not and he has only asked you a question if you are in the room."

"So how do you do it?" she said.

"That'd be telling." He said as he went to stand by the window. He knew that Kasumi knew all the gossip on the ship. "Tali said there is a rumor about me and Shepard."

"I wouldn't go that far." She said. "I'd say more like speculation. I don't think anyone thinks anything is actually going on with you two, more like something could or even should happen between you."

"I can't imagine they'd approve." He said.

"Actually they do." She said. "Everyone thinks it's a good idea, even the Cerberus crew, or at least if they don't, they haven't said it out loud."

Garrus nodded and continued to look out the window. "Probably think I've got some childish crush on her." Wouldn't be the first time he'd been accused of that.

"No, people have just noticed how you go on more missions than anyone else, how upset she was when you got hurt, and apparently she was really upset, how much she listens to you and then her standing in your shot was pretty telling. I mean, no offense, but I sure as hell wouldn't stand in your crosshairs especially with someone you wanted dead on the other side."

"None taken." He said. He finished his drink and set the glass back on the bar. As he started to walk out the door, he stopped.

"My visor has thermal imaging." He said.

"No fair." She said. "That's cheating!"

5.4 Normandy SR-2 Main Battery

By the time he had gotten back to the main battery, he understood the problem. He had feelings for her. Casual sex was fine as long as both parties felt the same way about it. If one person was more emotionally invested than the other, it never ended well.

Had that been why he had been so angry at Kaidan on Horizon? He was jealous? That the only reason he was interested in being with a human was because it was her? He cared about her, but if she was just in it for the sex, that wasn't going to work.

So now he had to figure a way to get out of it and that wasn't going to be easy.

5.5 Normandy SR-2 Crew Level

That had been too easy. Shepard thought. She had wanted an opening, a way to bring up the subject without being obvious, and damn if he didn't do it for her. Still, she thought that he'd refuse. Then she could just say it was just a thought and that would be that. Even say that she hadn't really thought it out, and yeah that would be a bad idea, etc. But he had said yes.

It wasn't perfect, not exactly what she wanted but then again talking about the future before a suicide mission was the surest way to get killed. This way they could see how it went, if it went well then after the mission they could talk about what, if anything, came next, if not then it was just a fling and if one of them didn't survive, then at least they had that time together. If she had learned anything it was that there may not be a next time.

She caught herself smiling as she headed towards the main battery and maybe just perhaps there was a butterfly in her stomach, just one but still.

5.6 Normandy SR-2 Main Battery

"Shepard, I'm sure you can find something a little closer to home," Garrus said. It was awkward, sure but he knew it was the right thing to do. Hopefully, she agreed.

"I don't want something closer to home. I want you. I want someone I can trust." She said.

Wow. He wasn't expecting that but if that was the case, that changed everything. "I can do that." He said. "I'll do some research and figure out how this thing should work. It will either be a night to treasure or a horrible interspecies awkwardness thing. In which case fighting the collectors will be a welcome distraction. So a win either way."

She took a step toward him and put her hand on his shoulder. "If you're uncomfortable with this, it's okay. I'm not trying to pressure you."

She had put her head on his shoulder before Illos, they had touched foreheads and held hands when she had left the Citadel and she had held his hand after he was shot on Omega. But somehow this was different. He could feel the weight of her hand on his shoulder, her arm against his chest.

"Shepard, you're about the only friend I've got left in this screwed up galaxy." He said. "I'm not going to pretend I've got a fetish for humans, but this isn't about that. This is about us. You don't have to worry about making me uncomfortable, nervous maybe, but never uncomfortable."

"So when should I book the room?" She said.

"I'd wait. If you're okay with it. Disrupt the crew as much as possible and take that last chance to find some calm just before the storm" He said. "You know me, I like to savor that last shot before popping in the heat sink." She smiled even wider. Spirits! Did he really just say that? "Wait that analogy just went someplace horrible." What did humans call that when you say something wrong because you're thinking of something else, a frodon slip. I guess it was obvious where his mind was.

"I'll let you get back to work." She said.

"Right, because I'm in a great place to maximize firing algorithms right now." She stepped back out of the main battery.

He turned back to the terminal. To hell with the calibrations, he needed to do some research.

5.7 Normandy SR-2 to Cerberus HQ

Something unexpected has happened. Shepard appears to be interested in Garrus. They have engaged in flirting behavior and vital signs and hormone levels all indicate a romantic attraction. I have checked and there is nothing in either of their files that would indicate that this was a possibility. In fact, both had only shown interest in their own species. This seems to be a result of their close friendship.

The squad and even the crew all seem to be in favor of this due to their obvious trust and respect for each other. Since this happened long after it was established how much Shepard trusts him, there have been no thoughts of favoritism. In addition, not only does this reinforced his position as second in command, but has reassured the team that while Shepard is willing to work with a pro-human group she obviously harbors no prejudice against aliens. I will update as the situation progresses.

5.8 Migrant Fleet

Tali had gotten word that she needed to return to the fleet as soon as possible. They wouldn't say what had happened but it sounded bad. They arrived and met Admiral Ra'an who told Tali that something had happened to the ship her father was on. It had gone dark. They had sent a team to investigate but they were killed by geth. They couldn't risk more marines but if she wished could go and see if anyone was still alive and hopefully find evidence as to what had happened.

They went to the ship and found a lot of dead quarians, a lot of geth, and evidence that her father was running horrible experiments. Tali begged her not to reveal this to the Admiralty Board.

When they returned, they asked Tali what had happened. She said she didn't know, that they hadn't found any evidence. They questioned how the geth could have activated. It seemed clear that either she sent back something dangerous or that they had activated the geth. Tali refused to say. They took that as an admission.

Shepard then stepped in saying that you can't convict her without evidence. Tali knows more about the geth than anyone. She talked about what she had done for the fleet and how she would never put the fleet in danger. On Earth, we go by innocent until proven guilty. Whatever happened, you can't say that it wasn't an accident without evidence and there might not be any evidence as it might have been destroyed by the geth. How can you convict her of treason without any evidence that she did anything wrong? This isn't about Tali but about the geth and the Admiralty Boards infighting. The Admiralty Board elected to say that the incident on the ship had been an accident.

5.9 Migrant Fleet

Afterward, Shepard went to speak to the Admirals.

"What was so important about the data you got on Heastrom that it was worth risking that entire team?" Shepard said.

"Shepard, you can't…" Tali started.

"No, Shepard saved you, Kal Reegar, and the data. She has a right to know." the Admiral said. "The truth is that the quarians are dying. Birth rates are down, infant mortality is up, life expectancy has dropped by over ten years. Epidemics that used to one or two percent of the population, now kill as many as ten percent. All indications of the health of a population are declining. But worse is that our immune systems are weakening to the point that within another two generations, they will be ruined beyond repair."

"It's that bad." Shepard said.

"It could hardly be worse. " He said. "We need a homeworld. The problem is that there aren't that many dextro worlds out there, less with the resources to support our population that aren't already inhabited. We have done studies on the few viable options but the results aren't encouraging. According to our simulations, the average attrition rates for those worlds are between fifty and seventy percent. Our best bet for survival would be to return to our homeworld or one of our colonies, and of those Haestron seemed the best option as the geth don't inhabit or guard it. We have known about the problems with the sun for centuries now but we didn't have any recent data on it."

"The mission had two goals, one was to find out the status of the sun, how quickly it was changing and if it was a viable alternative. The second was to see if we could get a small team there and out without being spotted by the geth. As you know it was a disaster on both fronts." He said.

"Many think that if we are going to lose the majority of our population anyway, it would be best to try to take back our homeworld, for if we are successful it would give the survivors the best chance." He said. "Many sympathize with the geth but soon the issue will be our survival. The geth now guard a world they can't use and the only place we have any real hope of surviving. Most do not want to go to war with the geth but they do not wish to die either."

"Sympathy for the geth?" Tali said. "No, they drove us from our homeworld."

"Because we tried to kill them! What were they supposed to do? Stand there and die? Accept our determination that they had no right to live? We created them and then attacked them for existing. They didn't deserve that." He said. "If the Citadel Council said that all quarians were a risk, would you lay down and accept that judgment or would you fight?"

"That's not the same." Tali said.

"It is exactly the same. In fact, it's worse." He said. "We had a responsibility to them. We should have embraced them as our children, helped them but instead we betrayed them. All that the geth have done, Eden Prime, the attack on the Citadel, is our fault. No wonder the galaxy looks down on us. We have shown ourselves to be irresponsible."

"Can't you talk to the geth? Work out some peaceful solution?" Shepard said.

"Every time we have tried to contact them, they have attacked us," Tali said. "They don't want to talk."

"Or more likely they do not believe we do." He said. "I don't blame them but it limits our options."

"What will you do?" Shepard said.

"I don't know." He said. "But we must do something soon or the geth will be all that is left of us."

5.10 Normandy SR-2 Main Battery

Garrus started calibrating the main gun. It had just been installed and he needed to make sure that when they needed it, it'd be ready. But as he went about his work there was something else there on the edge of his mind.

Shepard had sniped a rocket launcher, perfect shot, but the problem with scopes is that you can't see anything else. Another one had entered the room. She was hit. It took her shields down and knocked her off balance. She was standing there, exposed when he saw them fire another rocket at her. He could yell, tell her to get down, he was close enough to push her out of the way or grab her arm and pull her to the side but he didn't.

He put his arm around her waist pulling her to him and out of the line of fire. He never would have done that, wouldn't have even thought about doing that a few days ago. He remembered her hand on his shoulder, her arm on his chest. He had expected her to step away once it was clear, but she didn't. She just stood there, up against him, until her head cleared and her shield regenerated. It was only a few seconds but long enough for that moment to be burned into his mind.

He had of course been interested and even excited by the idea of being with her but there hadn't been a desire, a physical longing. But now the memory of her body against his, despite the kilos of armor between them, that closeness had sparked something. Now, he wanted this with her, he wanted to be with her, he wanted her, he wanted some time that was just for them.

He had done a lot of research, what they were planning was possible with just a few precautions. But this wasn't all about facts and research. He ordered a set of clothing and then researched human wines and then searched for ones that were dextro compatible. He found a store and after some reading and a chat with an expert picked out a decent bottle of what humans called sparkling wine to be delivered to the Normandy. Now he just needed some music.

5.11 Normandy SR-2 Captain's Cabin

Cerberus had sent her intel regarding the Shadow Broker to give to Liara and they were heading to Illium now. Shepard had been upset when Liara had told her that she was the one who had given Cerberus Shepard's body. She couldn't have known it would turn out as well as it did. Given everything they knew about Cerberus, she knew and admitted she knew that they would use Shepard for their own purposes and she did it anyway. Shepherds simply couldn't believe Liara or anyone would do that to her and then she had lied to her about it. She had known that Liara had been interested in her when they were hunting Saren but this… to give her body to the enemy because they said they could bring her back, because she couldn't let go? Liara had betrayed her. She was glad to be alive but Liara couldn't have known this would be the outcome. Given what they knew of Cerberus, it could have been terrible, worse than death. Then there was the fact that the collectors were after her body. Why? She wasn't sure she wanted to know but it was a chilling thought.

There was another thought rolling around in her head. During the last mission, she had gotten hit with a rocket, nothing her shields and armor couldn't handle but she had been knocked back and with the flash from the explosion, she couldn't see. Garrus had grabbed her, spun her around like a dancer, out of the way. She had to have known it was him, even though recoiling from a shot from a heavy weapon, she let him lead her out of the line of fire. Then she just stood there, leaning up against him, letting her eyes refocus and her shield regenerate. Normally she'd be getting back into the fight whether she was ready or not but she just stood there. She was helpless, stunned, and blind, but oddly she felt… safe. She had forgotten what that felt like. And to find it there… with him… but they were arriving at Illium, she'd have to think on this later.

5.12 Illium Azure Hotel

"Don't you dare judge me." Vasir said.

"Judge you? Of course, I can judge you."Shepard said. "You took the broker's money or intel or whatever and then did what he asked. Killed people for him and any innocent people who got in your way. That's not what being a spectre is about. Sure, I took Cerberus's money, their ship, their crew, But I'm doing it to save lives and I've never compromised my principles, not for them, not for anyone. So, yeah, I get to judge you, and you're pathetic." Shepard turned and walked away as Vasir took her last breath.

5.13 Normandy SR-2 Captain's Cabin

Shepard poured the wine as Liara stepped into the cabin.

"Did you enjoy the tour?" She asked.

"Yes, it's a beautiful ship." She said and mentioned that she had run into Dr. Chakwas and Joker. "I have something for you." She said as she handed Shepard her dog tags in a frame.

"I didn't think I'd ever see these again." She said as she looked them over and then set them on the desk. They walked to the couches. Shepard handed Liara a glass of wine. They sat down and talked for some time about the past, the present but staying away from any mention of the future.

"So what are you fighting for?" Liara asked her. "The chance to give Garrus some peace."

"Now how did you know about that?" Shepard said.

"I'm a very good information broker," she said. "I hear things, even about the Normandy."

"He's been hurt and betrayed. He deserves better." She said.

"As I recall, you didn't even want him to join us." Liara said.

"True," Shepard said. "I would never have thought I'd find something like this with a turian."

"Well, I wish you both the best." Liara said. "I should get back."

"Take care Liara, and come back anytime." She said.

"I will." She said and left the cabin.

5.14 Normandy SR-2 XO's Office

"This is a distraction!" Shepard said. "You both know what we're up against. So save it for the collectors." After some parting shots, Jack left.

"Thanks, Shepard." Miranda said.

"We have to stay focused on the mission but, Miranda, you can't honestly defend Cerberus in this case," Shepard said. "They took children, bought them, stole them, and then ran experiments on them."

"He didn't know…."

"He knew children were being experimented on. What else did he need to know? Shepard said. "He allowed it to happen. Maybe he didn't know how bad it was, but he should have. We're talking about torturing children! What if that had been you or your sister, Miranda. You're too smart to be blinded to what Cerberus is by your gratitude." Shepard walked out of the office.

5.15 Normandy SR-2 Captain's Cabin

Shepard was at her terminal, when Tali walked in. "You activated a geth! And then let them join the team!" Shepard, how could you do that?"

"He wants to help fight the reapers and we need all the help we can get." Shepard said without looking up. "Not all geth allied themselves with the reapers and the reapers are a threat to them too."

"And you believe it?" Tali said.

"He saved our lives on the reaper." Shepard said.

"Shepard you can't allow…"

"I already did." Shepard said. "If you have a problem with it, then you can leave but that's the end of it."

Tali walked out.

5.16 Normandy SR-2 Lab

Garrus walked into the lab. "Mordin, do you have a minute?"

"Yes, of course, been expecting you, in fact,." Mordin said.

"Expecting me?" Garrus said.

"Yes, sexual activity normal stress release for humans and turians but advise caution. Should take steps to minimize cross-species fluid contact, as can result in allergic reaction. Can provide oils and ointments, will send erogenous zone overview, diagrams for position comfortable for both species and relationship vids to main battery."

"No, I wasn't..."

"Oh, Shepard said that…"

"I mean, yes, we are… but that's not why I'm here," Garrus said. "What were you going to do with the collector samples?"

"Unsure, had not considered," Mordin said. "Must have suggestion, why else mention it."

Garrus handed Mordin a datapad. "There's a salarian clinic, they are willing to pay for samples from the collectors."

"Was unaware needed more money to fund mission." Mordina said.

"We don't," Garrus said. "They are running trials for new treatments for some neurological diseases but they're expensive. I was thinking that if we could donate some of the samples we don't need, it would be enough to pay for the treatments for the trial group."

"Heard of work," Mordin looked over the datapad. "diseases rare, unlikely to know about salarian clinic, must have personal connection,"

Garrus looked down.

"Didn't mean to pry," Mordin said. "Cerberus has plenty of samples, can send extras to clinic, nice if something good comes from collectors."

"Thanks," Garrus said. "My… mom, she has corpalis syndrome and isn't responding to the standard treatments anymore.."

"Sorry to hear that, saw case on Omega, horrible disease... horrible," Mordin looked at the datapad. "Will send samples right away, can also call STG, see if get corporate status upgraded, well help with costs."

"Thank you, Mordin," Garrus said.

"Glad to help." Mordin said.

Garrus turned to leave and stopped. "Oh, and about those oils…"