Title: Artemisia Shepard, War Hero
By: Midnight Unicorn
Disclaimer: Main character semi-mine, others and places are not

Panting, Garrus dropped back against a pillar, expelling a thermal clip and waiting for the Thresher Maw to reemerge, taking stock as quickly as he could. Risking exposure, he stooped to snag a discarded clip, spying Grunt also taking advantage of a moment to breath, one hand on the ground, alert to vibrations.

He couldn't see Shepard in his first scan. Rifle ready, he hurried out, gaze darting around till he spotted her crouching behind a column and clearly searching for something in her hip pouch. "Shepard, what are you doing?" he demanded, moving to cover, and was alarmed to see her rifle on the ground.

She looked up sharply, eyes narrowed and pale purple, and then looked over at Grunt. "Fuck this." Leaving her rifle, she reached behind and seized the Collector Particle Beam. Alerted, Garrus also swung around to face the renewed threat.

Although he had a personal dislike of the salvaged weapon, he couldn't' deny its effectiveness when the Thresher Maw fell to the ground less than a minute later. "That was a risk, Commander," he remarked lightly.

She still had an angered expression but before she could retort, they were confronted by Uvenk and his followers, and wasn't he glad he was still armed? Not that he really needed it, something had clearly enraged Shepard and she charged forward, pulling out her pistol which she was as accurate and deadly with as any sniper with an eye to the scope.

Catching up to her, he found her leaning against the truck to get back to the Urdnot Camp, one hand in her hip pouch, the other rubbing her forehead. He hesitated and then went to her and gingerly touched her shoulder. "Commander, are you alright?"

"Got any pain meds?" she asked in a low voice. "My head is killing me."

He blinked at the aggression still rolling off her and carefully withdrew his hand. "Are you injured?"

Instinctively, he fell back a step out of striking range when she shot him a glare with blood-shot eyes. "Go head butt a krogan and see how you feel after!"

Wisely, Garrus said nothing, but for some reason, just as when she had interrupted Uvenk, his heart beat a little faster.

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Thank you to Scorcese for the fav. I'd really love comments/reviews/suggestions/ every once in a while :(