A/N: This one is back! I was reading through other FFs the other day and I found a really excellent one that gave me ideas for this! I am planning an especially lovely chapter for this coming Valentine's day, and I hope you all will enjoy it. At least another two are planned after this.

Once they finally started letting visitors in, the Normandy crew trickled in to see her, bringing a contingent of get-well cards and trinkets with them. Tali offered a dried flower from Rannoch, and Joker, an especially crude card that named, in no uncertain terms, twenty different ways to annoy her doctors while she was on the mend. But Garrus was the only one who came back every day, spending as much time as he could with her. Some days he talked with her about the events going on outside hospital walls while she was stuck in bed, other days he just told jokes and stories to amuse her. When she let slip she was bored, he obliged with a brand new omni-tool and about a thousand different books in digital format, and February 14, he brought a box of chocolates that stood almost up to his knees. She stared at him in shock when he carried it through the door.

"What did you do, Garrus? Buy the biggest box you could find?"

"Yes. It is big enough, isn't it? I read on the extranet giving chocolates is traditional for Val…Val" He stalled at the pronunciation and scowled. "…February 14th ."

"Valentine's Day. If I didn't know better," she responded, slightly annoyed, "I'd say you were trying to make me fat, Vakarian."

He smirked at her and promptly left again, returning with a large varren stuffed animal. Then he'd insisted they watch Fleet and Flotilla together. She had protested, but he'd responded that it was a classic romance flick and that they needed to see it. She had consented and at the end she concluded that the movie wasn't all that bad. Garrus had just responded with "I told you so", acting smugger than ever that he'd been right. She didn't know whether to slap him or kiss him at this, and compromised by grabbing his mandibles, pulling him down, and planting a kiss right on his nose. He had nipped her jaw lightly in return, and then pulled away, rubbing his mandibles as the doctor barged in, ordering him out because he'd been in Shepard's room too long.

Between these visits from him, however, she was desperately bored, and even reading books on her omni got old after a while. She generally didn't like hospitals, having spent far too much time in them in her life. All she had to occupy her time was physical therapy, and Shepard was very bad at being bored. On the Normandy, between missions, she always found ways to occupy her time: research or maintenance or talking with the crew over a couple card games. So when she was finally told she could leave in a few days, she was thoroughly relieved. Garrus too, was thrilled, and told Shepard that he'd get the hospital to keep quiet about her release or else.

At long last, one of the nurses brought a wheelchair and detached her from the machines. She changed into street clothes with Garrus' help, and he draped what appeared to be an extra-long traveling cloak around her shoulders.

"It's raining outside," he told her, helping her pull the overlarge sleeves on her bare forearms. "And the hood will hide your face."

She surreptitiously sniffed the fabric. The clothing item undoubtedly belonged to Garrus; his scent lingered all over it like pleasant campfire smoke. He helped her sit down. Maybe she'd gotten used to people fussing over her, but she didn't object to the treatment. Or maybe it was just Garrus she didn't mind fussing over her. She didn't know, and frankly she didn't care. She was finally getting back to normality.

Garrus dropped her toy varren in her lap and started pushing the wheelchair towards the door. She huddled back into the thick turian cloak, enjoying its warmth.

"Hey Garrus." She called up to him.

"Hm?"

"Where can I get one of these?"

Garrus chuckled, and she felt her insides shiver in pleasure. She loved to hear him laugh. His voice was like music, and she'd often dreamed of him singing. He wouldn't, of course, but the fantasy remained with her.

"Tell you what: if you're a good patient, I'll get one made for you."

"Do I have to be good?"

He laughed. "We'll see, though I don't think the doctors will take too kindly if you have to come back because you've hurt yourself again."

At the hospital doors, she said a thank-you to her doctors.

"Thank You, Commander." One of them returned. "Without you, we wouldn't be here."

She flushed at this honesty, and Garrus leaned down to her.

"Ready to go, love?"

Embarrassed, she murmured a soft "yeah". He pulled the hood over her head. It fell past her nose, and she grinned as he kissed her on the cheek. She kept her head down as the doors opened, ready for the resultant rush of shouts and questioning. Instead she heard just one voice.

"Mr. Vakarian, may I speak with-"

Garrus growled, deep and threatening, and the woman gave a tiny squeak and went silent. They made it to the aircar without further incident and Garrus helped her into her seat, telling her not to take the hood off until the doors were closed. She heard him get in beside her, and then he pulled the hood back.

"Spirits, why can't they just leave you alone?"

"Because they're vultures. They'll do anything to get a good story."

"Including throttle their own mothers, I bet." Garrus said darkly.

"But there weren't as many as I expected. How did you manage that?"

"I don't think it was me so much as the doctors. They wouldn't let you fall prey to those rabid varren. Not after what you've done."

"Hey, Garrus." She had just noticed something peculiar. "Is this waterproof too?" She asked, picking at a sleeve of the cloak and sending water droplets flying.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "It rains a lot on Palaven, and you're in trouble if you get stuck or lost out in the elements."

"So are you going to tell me where you're taking me?"

"My apartment. We'll get settled there, and when you're feeling up to it, then we can go out to the-"

"Don't tell me you picked out a vacation home!" she interrupted.

"I did, as a matter of fact. Somewhere far away from nosy reporters."

"Where?"

"That's a surprise. You'll find out soon." He told her smoothly.

She punched his shoulder and shook out her hand. He glanced at her, barely concealing a smirk.

"I think that hurt you more than me."

"Jerk."

"Hey, I'm not the one who goes around punching people. Just saying."

She laughed, and when it had subsided, she leaned against his hard, strong shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and put his nose against her head.

"I missed you." He murmured, his mandibles catching slightly on her hair.

"Missed you too, Scars."

The aircar settled, and Garrus got out. She opened the door on her side and stood. Garrus offered a hand to her, and she took it. An instant later, she found herself wrapped in his arms as he swept her off her feet.

"Uh…what are you doing?"

"I saw this in a human vid. The knight carries the princess home in his arms." He told her confidently, letting himself into his apartment.

She laughed. "Very funny, big guy," she said. "But you can put me down now. We're here and I can walk by myself."

"Nope." They had entered his bedroom. "Doctor says you need rest. I know you. If someone doesn't make you stay, you won't stay."

"Garrus!" she protested. "I was on bed rest for over a month! At least let me help you unpack!"

"No." He laid her on the bed, his fingers curling around her shoulders and holding her to the mattress. She could break his hold, but she really didn't want to hurt him, and the look in his eyes was predatory. He would fight back if she resisted, and she would only wind up severely hurt. "You are not going back to the hospital. You stay in this bed and get some rest. That's an order."

"You're going to regret this later, you big lizard." She grumbled, relaxing into the mattress.

"Sure, but now's not later. I'll call you for dinner in a few hours. You can make me regret this then." He straightened. "You'd better be here when I come back, or I'll tie you to the bed."

She snorted, crossing her arms as she stared up at him. "You wouldn't."

"I would if it means you get better faster." He made for the door. "Go to sleep, Shepard. I'll see you soon."

Scowling, she pulled off his cloak, which was making her sweat, and balled it up. She was about to push it to the floor when she once more caught the scent of him embedded in the fabric. She buried her face in it and sniffed. Spirits, she loved the smell of him. She wrapped her arms around the bundle and closed her eyes. She must have been more tired than she thought, because within minutes, she felt herself drifting off to sleep.