Running Silent:

Interlude

…

An alternate ME3. Commander Shepard and her team are on the run from Cerberus and trying to make alliances before it's too late. In a galaxy with no reaper kill switch, how can they hope to defeat something so ancient and powerful? Their last hope is a desperate plan that may cost them everything. Shepard/Garrus, other side pairings.

…

Disclaimer: This author in no way profits from the writing of this story. All characters, dialogue, or other referenced material from the Mass Effect trilogy belong to Bioware.

…

It was all Garrus could do to stop himself from taking Shepard into his arms as soon as he saw her step off the shuttle. He didn't know if he wanted to hug her or shake her for worrying him so much. Miranda, standing beside him, eyed him as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.

He was grateful to see that Shepard looked largely uninjured, only dirty and tired. Miranda was the one to speak. "We're glad to see you back in one piece, Commander. I'll show Maelon his bunk and the lab. Shall we debrief in the conference room in half an hour?"

"That sounds perfect, Miranda. Make sure everyone who needs to be there is there." Shepard began cleaning and stowing her weapons as Miranda led the two Salarians to the elevator. Garrus remained, waiting for Shepard.

"I'm sorry I didn't call," she said as soon as the elevator doors closed. She glanced up from cleaning her SMG. "Outside comms were blocked in the Blood Pack base."

"I was worried about you," Garrus said, stepping closer.

"I know," she said. "I'm sorry." She set down her gun and opened her arms. Garrus stepped into them.

The tension seemed to ease out of him the longer he had his arms around her. He buried his face in her messy red hair and inhaled her familiar scent. It was frightening how lost he felt without her by his side.

"You look tired," he said, when he loosened the hug enough to look at her.

"So do you," she replied. "Did you sleep at all while I was gone?"

"Enough," he said.

"Hmm," was her doubtful reply. She pulled loose of his hug to finish putting her weapons away. "Want to come upstairs with me? We can shower together." Her eyes twinkled.

Garrus let out a small laugh. "I'm not sure there's time for everything I want to do to you in there," he admitted as they got into the elevator.

"Either way," she said, her eyes softening. "I'd like it if you joined me."

Somehow Shepard had known it was exactly what Garrus needed. To see her peel away the armor and reveal herself unharmed from head to toe seemed to loosen the last bit of tightness in his chest. She scrubbed off the Omega grime from her body and he helped wash her silky red hair, tangling it in his fingers as she laughed.

"Maybe I should chop it all off," she teased.

"No, don't," Garrus said, serious. "I love your hair."

She smiled up at him, her eyes thoughtful. "Maybe after the war I'll grow it out. I bet you'd like that."

They made it down just in time for debrief, Shepard's still-wet hair slicked back from her face.

…

The Normandy crew wanted to hear from Shepard and Mordin first. They walked the group through their experience on Omega, focusing mainly on the fact that they'd accomplished their goal. Miranda was displeased that they'd cause such a stir on their way out. "You used your real names, showed your face, and shot down several shuttles. Aria—and Cerberus—will know you were there. You can't ever go back to Omega, Shepard."

"It's generally not a place I go by choice," she reminded her XO. "But maybe if there's another mission there, I'll delegate."

Miranda looked relieved at this concession, if a bit doubtful.

Shepard then wanted to hear from Maelon about how he ended up working with the Blood Pack, now that there was time to talk. He didn't seem to have a problem sharing his story.

"I opened a clinic on Omega, like you suggested, Mordin. I wasn't there long before I got an invitation to see the leader of the Blood Pack." He glanced at Shepard. "No doubt you know that a Blood Pack 'invitation' comes with armed guards. So I didn't have much choice. I went with them." He began pacing. "Krag had heard about me from some other krogan back on Tuchanka. He knew what I'd done there. He wanted me to finish my work, and kindly provided room and board and a lab. It was the sort of offer I couldn't refuse. Not if I wanted to live. I gave it my honest effort, not that I had much choice in the matter. The rest is history."

"Maybe Omega was a bad suggestion," Mordin volunteered. Maelon rolled his eyes.

Next, Garrus explained what happened during the Normandy's meeting with the STG. Despite the summit's decision, STG had no interest in contributing to this genophage cure. After all, they'd been trying to stop the krogan from overcoming it for years. Their leadership refused to help or pass on any data, so Tali and EDI had hacked them.

"We got what we could without getting caught," she said, seemingly embarrassed. "It's not much."

"More than expected," Mordin replied, glancing through the data. "Assumed STG would protest plan."

"And they did," Garrus said. "But they weren't ready for our expert hackers."

"Very good," Mordin said, now distracted by the data. "Maelon and I will work with this. Come, Maelon." He left for the lab, the other salarian trailing behind.

Shepard laughed. "I suppose now is a good time to say 'dismissed'! We'll reconvene with a new mission shortly. It will take some time before the cure is ready to go." At that, everyone filtered out of the room.

…

When everyone else seemed busy, Shepard headed to the observation room. She'd had little time to talk to the female krogan since the summit.

"Bakara, how are you?" she asked, entering the room.

"Very well, Commander. Certainly well now that we are on our way to curing the genophage." She stood up to give the commander a small bow before motioning to a chair across from where she had been sitting. "Thank you for fighting for us."

"It was my pleasure," Shepard assured her as she sat down. "I'm just righting a wrong."

Bakara gave a sedate nod. "My people have suffered enough. I am eager to see what we could become without the genophage casting this shadow over us."

"You sound like you're familiar with that suffering," Shepard said softly.

Bakara let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Every female is. There is no krogan woman who has not suffered loss. I mourn my stillborn children every day, Commander, and those of my sisters. Every living child is treasured beyond what you can imagine and yet we fear for them. We can't give our children the life they deserve. We can only give them a dying planet and a galaxy that doesn't want them. We have nothing to offer them. No hope. Until now." Her eyes shone with intensity as she locked gazes with Shepard. "I don't think you can comprehend what you've given us, Commander."

No, Shepard hadn't understood, not truly. From Wrex she'd only had half the story. "And if we have to destroy Tuchanka anyway?" she ventured to ask.

"Then we still live in hope," Bakara said. "There are other planets. So long as we have our children, we can make our own future."

"Thank you for speaking with me," Shepard said, standing to go. "I appreciate the talk."

"You are welcome, Commander." The krogan's eyes followed her out of the room.

…

While the salarians spent the next several weeks synthesizing their cure, Shepard kept the Normandy busy with a variety of missions, mostly bolstering troops in key locations or gathering needed supplies and intel for the Scythe project. Considering what their back-up plan was, she was fully motivated to help in any way she could.

Today they had a stop planned at the Citadel—the council wanted an update and the Normandy needed some supplies. The length of their stay gave Shepard a bit of down time, and she knew already what her first stop would be.

Shepard looked around as she stepped off the elevator and into Huerta Memorial Hospital. She moved towards the receptionist before hearing a raspy voice call her name. "Shepard."

She turned, smiling immediately. "Thane! It's great to see you." She crossed the room quickly, pulling him into a hug. "How are you doing?"

The drell motioned to a pair of chairs overlooking the presidium. "I am as well as can be expected," he said. "Or better, really. By all accounts, I should not have lived this long."

Shepard shifted in her seat, her brow creasing. "Have the doctors said…"

Thane gave a dry chuckle. "I have surpassed all their expectations thus far. I have, perhaps, half a year remaining at most. But it is impossible to know."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shepard said softly. She'd lost many friends, but none this way. She wasn't used to having time to say goodbye.

"Do not weep for me, Shepard," Thane said. "It's freeing to find no requirements placed on me. No responsibilities, no fears. It is a good end to a life."

"You're not afraid to die?" Shepard asked cautiously.

He gave her an amused look. "Should I be? You've died once already. Perhaps you can give me some advice."

Shepard looked out over the presidium, her frown deepening. "I don't remember. I mean, I do remember dying. The panic, the burning in my chest…" She reached up, subconsciously rubbing her sternum. "But in between… there's nothing. I suppose one could call it peace." Her hand fell to her lap as she returned her gaze to Thane.

"If so," Thane said, "I look forward to it. The waiting, however, is somewhat dull. Though I do have Kolyat, thanks to you."

Shepard smiled. "It was the least I could do, after you'd promised your aid on the suicide mission."

"Which turned out not so suicidal," Thane said dryly.

"And I'm sure that's such a disappointment."

When Thane let out a small chuckle, Shepard took it as a victory.

…

After her visit with Thane, Shepard stopped back at the ship, intent on finding her quarian friend. She had a small mission in mind for this Citadel visit, and there was no way she could do it without some back up… no matter how embarrassing it might end up being.

"Are you busy?" asked Shepard, popping into the engine room. She looked around, relieved to find Ken and Gabby gone. "I need your help with something."

"No problem," Tali said, typing a few commands into the console in front of her before shutting it down. "What do you need?"

"It's a small… procurement mission on the Citadel," Shepard said, sounding a bit nervous.

The quarian tilted her head curiously. "What about this makes you so nervous, Shepard? Maybe we should grab more people—"

"No," Shepard said, cutting her off. "It's nothing like that. It's just… I need to buy some lingerie," she said in a rush.

Tali blinked behind her mask. "Your mission is… buying lingerie? And you want my help?"

"Yeah, because you love fashion! And you have that awesome waist-to-hip ratio that turians love."

Tali crossed her arms. "Try again, Shepard."

"Because you're one of my best friends and I don't trust anyone else to not blab about it?"

Tali shook her head. "New omni-tool."

"What?"

"That's my price," Tali said firmly.

Shepard sighed. "You're a damn space pirate."

The quarian patted her on the arm. "Love you too, Shepard."

…

"I have no clue what I'm doing," Shepard muttered, flipping through a rack of lace covered bras.

Tali held one up, shaking her head at the bows and ruffles before putting it back. "Neither do I," she said helpfully. She held up another bra, tilting her head curiously at the completely-sheer cups. "Is there even a point to wearing one of these?" she asked, shaking the hanger. "I didn't think turians even cared about breasts."

"Garrus likes mine," Shepard protested.

Tali put the bra back on the rack. "Too much information, Shepard."

Shepard felt a little less out of her depth when they got to a rack of corsets. Surely Garrus would like one of those. She pulled out a couple for a closer look, holding them up against the light of the plate glass window. Suddenly, Shepard ducked behind Tali, letting the lingerie she was holding fall to the floor. "Shit!" she hissed. "You can't let her see us!"

Tali craned her neck around the rack to see Solana Vakarian strolling past the window. Shepard yanked her back. "Why can't she see you?" Tali asked, confused.

"Because I'm buying lingerie to seduce her brother!" Her grip on Tali's arm tightened. "It doesn't get much more awkward than that!"

"Everyone on the ship knows you seduce her brother regularly, Shepard. How is this any different?"

Shepard shot her a look. "You don't want details and you're not even related to either of us, Tali."

"Good point," Tali conceded, leaning to peek out again. "I think she's gone?"

Shepard stepped out from behind her hesitantly, looking in all directions for any sign of Solana. With a cry, she ducked behind Tali once again. "Oh god, Tali, she's not gone, she's inside the damn store! What do I do?"

The quarian huffed. "I don't know! It's not like I've ever been in this situation before!" She threw up her hands. "Keelah, quarians don't even wear lingerie!"

"You don't?"

"If we've gone to all the trouble of getting out of our suits, the last thing we want to do is cover anything up!"

Despite her nerves, Shepard huffed a laugh. "Sometimes I like the way your people think, Tali." She prodded her friend. "Take a look and tell me what she's doing."

Tali cautiously poked her head out from between the racks, looking around for a few long moments before turning back to her friend. "She's across the store in the turian section."

"Lingerie?" Shepard asked, puzzled. "She's never mentioned having a partner."

"No idea." Tali shrugged. She stuck her head out again for a few minutes while Shepard waited impatiently.

"Well?" Shepard asked, anxious in her hiding spot.

"She's already grabbed what she wanted and is at the checkout," Tali whispered back to her.

Shepard's forehead creased. "Buying what?" Her curiosity was getting the better of her.

"Some kind of lingerie—no idea what, turian stuff is weird—and it looks like… condoms?"

Shepard pulled Tali back, getting a mischievous grin on her face. "We should follow her."

"Shepard!" she groaned. "We were in here to buy something for you, not spy on your boyfriend's sister. Isn't that a bit weird?"

The commander ignored her protests, already yanking on Tali's arm. "Come on, she's getting away!"

Suddenly, a hooded figure fizzled into existence next to Shepard and pressed a corset and matching thong into her hands. "I've got a better plan. You go buy this," she instructed, "and I'll follow her."

Shepard stared at Kasumi and then at the garment in her hands. The thief put her hands on her hips. "You went lingerie shopping without me, Shepard! What did you think I was going to do?" She stopped Shepard as she turned toward the dressing rooms. "Don't worry. It's your size," she said. Shepard knew better than to ask her how she knew.

"Go on," Kasumi prodded and turned on her tactical cloak. "I'll keep in radio contact and make sure you catch up."

…

Shepard couldn't lie—sneaking around when it wasn't life or death was fun. She and Tali were trying to keep their laughter to a minimum, but the odd looks they were getting from the other visitors to the Citadel kept making it bubble over. This was more like a game than a mission.

"She's just gone into an apartment building," Kasumi's voice came over the comm. "I'm following her inside. You should come too, if you can stop that ridiculous giggling."

At her words, Shepard and Tali looked at each other and started laughing again. Trying to hush each other, they approached the building Kasumi had seen Solana go inside. They followed Kasumi's directions up to the third floor. Peeking around the corner, they arrived just in time to see Solana standing in front of a door as it opened.

Shepard stifled a gasp as another turian came into view. "That's Chellick! He's in C-Sec… used to work with Garrus," she whispered.

Kasumi materialized beside them, watching the pair greet each other warmly. "This is no first date situation," she added. "They've hooked up before."

The three of them watched Chellick wrap an arm around Solana and lead her inside, the door closing behind them.

"Do you think Garrus knows?" Tali asked in a loud whisper.

Kasumi smirked at Shepard's wide-eyed expression before the commander turned to leave the building.

"I sure as hell won't be the one to tell him," Shepard muttered on her way out.

…

Shepard was nervous as she waited for Garrus to come up to bed. Usually they began their encounters fully clothed, removing pieces as they went. This time she was waiting for him in the lingerie she hoped he'd appreciate. The lights were dimmed, soft music played through the speakers. She had wine chilling in a bucket, but she hoped he would be more interested in her than the wine. They could drink the wine afterwards. She'd wanted to pose on the bed for him, but found herself too anxious to stay still. She paced the narrow space in front of the bed until she heard the door.

She didn't have time to get to the bed, so she leaned against the railing leading down to the bedroom, trying to look casual.

"Hey, Shepard," he said as he came in. "I got caught up in—" He stopped mid-sentence when he caught sight of her. His mandibles fluttered as he looked up and down, eyes lingering on her corseted waist. "Wow," he uttered.

He came down the stairs in an almost trancelike state, stretching an arm out to touch her as soon as she was within reach. "What is this?" he asked, his hands glancing down the lace that encased her body.

"It's called lingerie," she said. "More specifically, a corset."

"I like it," he said, voice low and flanging.

"That's good," she said. "Since I bought it for you."

Before another moment had passed, he was kissing her and holding her by the waist, his large hands nearly spanning it. He lifted her up and she hooked her legs over his hips, deepening the kiss. Shepard began reaching for the clasps of his armor, trying to get him out of it, trying to get inside. She craved the touch of him, warm plates rather than cool armor.

She gasped as he scraped his tongue from her collarbone down to the dip between her breasts, tracing the skin just above the line of her corset. Her nipples, just hidden beneath the lace, hardened in anticipation of his touch. Her fingers still scrambled at his armor, trying to remove whatever pieces hadn't already fallen to the floor. Garrus, still carrying her, strode to the bed and set her down, before quickly removing the rest. She helped him peel away his undersuit, revealing the sharp angles of his body. His plates were widening, revealing his pulsing shaft ready for her.

His subvocals vibrated louder as she reached out and stroked him. When she began to guide him to her mouth, he stopped her. "No," he rasped. "Inside you."

She pulled back, scooting out of her thong and reaching back for the laces of the corset. His hand stopped hers. "Leave it on." Meeting his intense gaze, all she could do was nod.

He pressed her back onto the bed, hands caressing over her corseted body. He dipped his head to her chest, licking his rough tongue over her breasts. He coaxed a nipple out of hiding and into his mouth, making Shepard writhe in pleasure. His fingers found her opening, already dripping for him. After rubbing a few circles around her clit, he slipped himself inside. Both moaned at the contact.

Garrus released her breast and stroked his tongue up Shepard's chest and neck to nibble at her ear. She squirmed at the touch, tightening her grip on his waist. Garrus let out a small cry, and she knew he was barely holding on. He reached a hand between them, teasing her clit as he resumed attention to her breasts.

The feel of everything was building, beginning to overwhelm her. "Let go," Shepard whispered. "Garrus, let go."

Above her, he cried out and stiffened, squeezing her corseted waist. She closed her eyes as she followed him, riding out the wave of pleasure together. After a few moments, he flopped bonelessly to the side, hand resting limply over her stomach.

"You're amazing," Garrus said, once he caught his breath. "And so is that contraption." Shepard laughed as he eyed the corset. "Do you have more of these things?"

"Not yet," Shepard admitted. "But I can pick up another next time we visit the Citadel. Would you like that?"

Garrus groaned. "Spirits, yes!"

…