Sorry, short chapter tonight. I only got one review. That makes me sad.

I need a morale boost! You know, like how Joker needs EDI in the cockpit!

That was a bad joke.

Please R&R!

xoxo

THR

Chapter 31

Your name was Garrus Vakarian and it wasn't often that you thought of Major Kaiden Alenko. You had never known the man on a personal level, nor did you wish to. He seemed nice enough for a crewmate. He was cordial, stiffer than the average person and rather good looking by Shepard's standards. During your service on the Normandy SR-1, you recalled her leaning against the Mako while you repaired it. A smuggled cigarette would be between her lips each time she graced you with her presence. While she observed your careful handiwork, she would tell you all about her life, which, at the time, included Kaiden. Each detail of their relationship was exposed to you over a gradual period of time. She didn't think that you listened to her, let alone comprehended all of the miniscule niceties that she exposed. The relationship hadn't reached the level of commitment that the two of you had now, but you still struggled with the same thought over and over again.

What if she still had feelings for him? She had been smitten before; it was possible that it could happen again.

Going back to the now Spectre was still a feasible option for her. He was the same species as her and had been the stereotypical good boy for his entire life. Humans told each other that opposites attracted, and it had proved true for the pair for at least a brief period of time. Having a mild, well mannered man in her life had balanced her out. She had conveyed to you that their spark had been extinguished after the Saren mission. Her false death had struck a chord in the fellow marine, and it wasn't one that was in tune. When the two of you encountered him on Horizon, he had been distant. Kaiden had turned up his nose at the mention of Cerberus. He later came to regret bringing such criticism onto the Commander; despite who she was with, she managed to save the galaxy again. No matter how many apologies he issued, Shepard still said that he wouldn't look at him with lust in her eyes again.

How a Turian renegade could beat a handsome good boy flabbergasted you. In no way did you want to protest her romantic choices, but you wanted to figure out what made her make such a bold decision.

Your question was soon answered by the best source herself. You didn't even have to ask, either.

"I've never seen him so happy to see me before." the former commander mumbled while walking down a less crowded hallway. Her tone wasn't one that sounded rather thrilled; if anything, she appeared sad or disturbed. Your mandibles twitched up into something that was intended to be a smile. Shepard's body curved against the third examination room door in a catlike manner when you reached it. Her hands worked gingerly at her bun, which had turned loose for the third time that day. The outfit that was slung over her thin frame was inappropriate for an appointment. Instead of looking like a professional, her garb made you reminiscent of your own childhood days. It wasn't like her to not care about her appearance. The only perk coming out of it was that it made her look almost ten years younger than she was. Her stretches made her let out unnoticeable moans that she tried to keep to herself.

"Why wouldn't he be happy? You were practically his favorite person on the Normandy."

She was well aware of the emotions that you were trying to convey. In return, she flashed you a grin and snatched your wrist.

"You know who my favorite person on the Normandy was? He's a Turian bad boy who could get a girl turned on with nothing more than a kiss. The things he can do with a gun will drive anyone wild. It's just a rumor, of course."

You wanted to laugh off the comment and sweep her off her feet for one of those kisses that she was aching for. The last time she had spoken to you like that and meant it was before the war. Whatever had gotten into her today was something that you could get used to. The tempting things that she would be willing to do with you almost distracted you from the main problem at hand.

Shepard was masking the issue right in front of you. She had never denied Kaiden or his feelings. That is, if he even had any. Turning to seduction was a tactic she employed a lot when she was off duty. If anything, it was a damn good defense mechanism and loved to fall for it.

You were well aware that paranoia could be getting to you again. No matter how long you were together, the inter-species conflict would come up time and time again.

There would always be someone better than you that she could relate to more, let alone just eat the same types of food as she did.

"I'm flattered, Shepard, but I was being serious. You don't think he's still—"

You noticed her hands fluttering in the air. Her entire body was shaking and had a sickly characteristic. She had been in that state since entering Huerta; you just didn't want to address it.

"In love with me?" she interjected, her hand sitting on the knob of the door. Her inactive hand stabilized on her own, leaving the rest of her body to quiver in nervousness. "You know better than to bring that up. But to whoever's asking, he damn well better be. Didn't you see the look in his eyes? I haven't seen him look at me like that since…"

Her pause wasn't intended for dramatic purposes. There were thoughts on her mind that had to be collected and there was no way she was about to misuse her words when it came to a subject like this.

"…a long time ago."

The conversation ceased when she opened the door to face her fate head on. She had no trouble breaking off the exchange and you figured that asking about it later was the sole option that you had left. Pushing her to answer now wouldn't end well.

Your name was Garrus Vakarian and your girlfriend's response was stressing you out much more than it should have.

Your name was Liz Shepard and you were mentally kicking yourself again.

If you found yourself in a state of panic that didn't relate to anything having to do with your now ex-occupation, you would retaliate in a few ways.

If the situation or person you were dealing with was something or someone you hated, you tended to lean towards physical violence.

If the antagonist was indirect and you could do nothing to stop it, you turned to the few men that you could trust: Jack, Jim and Jose.

A better name for these men would be hard imported liquor.

When it came to romantic relationships, though, there was one thing that you did best whether you were stressed, angry, confused or genuinely in love.

That one thing was flirting.

You made romantic advances towards your partners as a distraction from the bigger picture. You didn't have the best charm due to your questionable demeanor. This didn't mean that people fell for it.

A touch of the shoulder and a come hither smirk was a technique you had employed since your teenage years. Some called it a defense mechanism while you dubbed it as "tactical flirtation". You recalled sharing this with Joker and he almost broke a bone from laughing so hard. Sometimes your advances were subconscious. Other times you were set out to avoid something socially and there was no way you were going to face it.

This time, you had been avoiding a certain subject that you didn't want to bring up again for a long time: Kaiden Alenko.

You didn't comment on your romantic involvement with the man. If you did, it was limited and lacked proper details. A few years back before you had gotten with Garrus, he had asked you a question about the bond with the man.

"Why did you leave him?" he had asked in a haphazard manner. You were on duty at the time and had taken some shore leave on the Citadel to check in with Anderson, who was long gone now.

You didn't give him an answer until that evening. It had taken you that long to analyze your separation from the man who had tried to pick up all of the pieces that you dropped for six months. Before Garrus, Kaiden had been your longest relationship to date.

As you stepped back onto the Normandy and waited in the decontamination chamber, you turned to the Turian and gave him an answer.

"He was too perfect for me." you said. "He plays by the rules and he deserves a woman who can appreciate that. He told me that I taught him to be more human when all I did was take him onto the beaten path instead of the paved one."

Those were the only words that you could use to convey how you felt about Major Alenko.

Your name was Liz Shepard, and until further notice, you did not want to comment on Mr. Alenko's involvement in your scandal.

Your name was Doctor Karin Chakwas and you were waiting for your patient while sitting in an office chair. The examination room you were in was the most private one in all of Huerta Memorial. There was not one window or security camera in sight. The seclusion had been eerie at first, but soon you began to enjoy it. It made rereading Shepard's medical files for the fifth time a little easier as long as you could ignore the noises coming from outside and the bizarre noises that the building made.

"It's just the building settling. Doesn't that happen on spaceships, too?" you asked yourself.

The watch on your wrist ticked with vigor and you noticed that the time had come. Shepard's abruptly scheduled appointment time was approaching fast.

You thought you had a five minute period of freedom to finalize your notes until the door opened. You were half expecting to see a member of the Council coming to sit in on the examination. You had not heard a word from them since the incident with Quentius, which you were thankful for. Their political opinions held no medical value, anyway.

The people that entered were just as shocked as you were upon finding out each other's identities.

"Shepard! And Mr. Vakarian too!"

"Doctor!"

Liz Shepard's entrance hit you like a brick wall. Although she had a disdainful expression on her face at first, it twisted into a neutral one that was shot with awe and elatedness.

"The Council really hired you to do this?" she inquired.

Your arms were crossed across your chest as you gestured towards a bare looking examination table. With reluctance, she sat down, leaving Garrus to lean on a free space on the wall. You silently cursed the hospital for not providing you with an extra chair that would fit the complicated tendencies of Turian anatomy.

"I believe they thought that you would be more comfortable with a familiar doctor. I'm recognizable enough, aren't I?"

She took the sarcasm lightly and put her arms in an identical position to yours.

From a medical standpoint, Shepard did not appear to be alright. Her entire body looked frailer than ever before. Something else was not right, and until you were able to give her an entire examination there would be no way to prove your hunch. You wanted to say that it was just her outward appearance that made you well aware of the problems that this woman was facing. This statement lacked proper validity, though. You would have to prove it with concrete facts.

Your name was Doctor Karin Chakwas, and you stood up to walk towards your patient.

"Let's have a look, shall we?"