Sorry for being late with this chapter. I had a hard time to finish it. Somehow I did it. . yay. But seriously, when I got some good vibes and I also wrote almost whole chapter 9.

:D

Big thanks to Razzberry31 for editing and correcting :)

oOo

Jane was standing on the CIC deck on the Hashir with Primarch Victus and Kasumi. In half an hour they would be on the shuttle, which would take them to Cipritine. She was a bit nervous. After a moment Doctors Shakria and Solus came to them. They checked over Shepard making sure she was fine and that her skin had adjusted to treatment. When they cleared her to leave, all of them went to the elevator, down to shuttle bay. Reaching Palaven would take them only 20 minutes. While flying toward the capital, Shakria and her bondmate, a tall, brown turian named Thanos Shakria, were holding their hands firmly together. It was clear they were nervous. Primarch Victus was silent. What would they find on Palaven? The grim atmosphere on board reached Shepard. Her fingers tugged nervously at the zipper on her N7 hoodie. Once they landed and shuttle doors opened, Victus offered Shepard his arm. She took it gratefully. Small gestures of support seemed enormous in her eyes. "Shall we, Shepard?" Jane smiled at the Primarch and they left the vehicle. The first glimpse at Cipritine made her speechless. Turians were much more efficient in rebuilding than humans. The city was alive. Those turians who stayed and fought were now busy with rebuilding. Skycars were flying in different directions, their amount not as great as that on the Citadel, but still. Building drones were working on the most damaged buildings. In the distance she saw silver mountains with silver woods. The view was simply... breathtaking. She had been on so many planets up till that point, never having had her breath taken. Except Virmire maybe, but those were memories of loss. Kaidan dead... now, here on Palaven, her mind was overloaded with its beauty and she was at peace.

"Silver mountains..." She said to herself, the Primarch laughed at that cheerfully. The view was really amazing. Trees adjusted to radiation making their silver leaves shine in the sun. "But those trees have a green tint. So it's like their silver-green."

"Yes. Palaven isn't as green as Earth. Metallic green? I suppose. I missed that view, Shepard. Ever since I left." The turian regarded the whole capital city with a curious gaze. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Very." Jane couldn't find the right words to describe it. Maybe none were necessary."How is it? Better or worse than you expected?"

"To be honest I feared it would be much worse... I thought the whole of Cipritine will be devastated. But seeing it now makes me feel better. Let's go, Commander. I will go with you to my villa. You will stay there till I'll find a suitable home for you. I'll leave you and Miss Kasumi there, because I need to reach Agoreum..." Primarch Victus saw the question in the woman's eyes. "It's like the Council for Turians. Hierarchy and Primarch offices are located there."

"I see." She turned around to see Doctor Solus and Doctor Shakria come closer.

"We're going to Cipritine Grand Hospital, Commander, I bet there is a lot of work there for us. Once a week we're going to be checking up on you. Please try to be calm and watch over yourself, Commander." Jane rolled her eyes. "Commander?" Shakria asked again, her voice harsh.

"Yes, doctor. I will." Meanwhile a turian soldier approached Victus.

"Primarch, sir. We are ready to escort you whenever you wish to go. Cars are ready, sir." Soldier saluting in the turian way then led them toward a dozen of skycars, all ready to take them.

"Please, Commander, Miss Kasumi." Victus gestured toward one of the cars. "You will go with me. Soldier, you will drive us to my home." The turian saluted again and opened the vehicle for them. Soon they were in front of the Primarch's home. "Stay here, soldier. Wait for me." Adrien guided the two women towards his house. "Spirits... it's still standing." The three of them walked by a small garden with fancy flowers and bushes. Garden seemed abandoned. Shepard could guess no one had tended it since the Reapers invaded Palaven. The house wasn't damaged at all. Maybe because it was located away from Cipritine's central districts but on the silver hills surrounding the Turian's largest city. Primarch Victus stopped in front of the doors and pressed the lock to open them. Inside Shepard felt overwhelmed. Vitcus' house... It was big, with lots of wide windows, spacious, furnished with taste. Although they were covered in dust, still one could feel comfy and happy inside. Victus went to a control panel and played with it for a moment. "I turned on everything. Soon automatic cleaning and the water heater will be ready. I also synchronised your omni-tools with the house VI. Now... Come with me, I'll show you your rooms." They went upstairs as the Primarch led the two woman through a corridor toward two doors. "These are the rooms, please choose whichever you like. Lieutenant Mackrix will come shortly with you baggage. He will stay with you till I return. Now excuse me, I have much work to do." Both women checked the room on the right then on the left.

"So, Kas, which one do you want?"

"One on the left seems nice..."

"Kay. I'll go to the other one and call Garrus. Notify me when Mackrix arrives." Kasumi waved her hand and entered her room. Shepard also went inside hers and sat on the nice, big bed. Asari design, huh? She regarded the furniture with question. Nevermind. Jane typed on her omni-tool commands and soon Garrus showed up on the holo-screen above her arm. "Hey."

"Hi. What's up? Where are you?" Vakarian asked, not recognizing Shepard's surrounding.

"Cipritine, Palaven." She grinned widely. "I'm in the Primarch's house. Palaven is beautiful, Garrus."

"Of course it is, I was born there." He started with a joke but truth was he was curious and nervous at the same time. "How is it?"

"Victus said it's better than he anticipated. And those who stayed are already rebuilding. I'll know more when he returns from... um... Agorum?"

"Agoreum, I see. Good. How is the house?"

"Nice. I got used to turian design during my flight on the Hashir. Though the guest rooms look more asari than turian. I don't know… Anyway. One more month huh?" Jane graced him with a warm smile. Only a few weeks more.

"Waiting is killing me." Garrus frowned when Shepard started to turn her head around. "What's going on there?"

"I think Mackrix came with our stuff. Talk to you later?" She was certain when Kasumi stuck her head round the door and nodded.

"That turian cook, huh? I don't like him." Shepard giggled at Garrus' talk. His jealousy always made her laugh.

"You haven't even met him, idiot. Now stop it and go! Do something smart for a change. I need to unpack my things. And eat something good." She winked at the turian, in exchange he growled deeply, not amused at all. "Don't be such a grumpy bear, Garrus. We'll talk later. See ya!" With that she severed their connection. She giggled once more to herself. What a guy... I adore him. Jane stood up and went downstairs. In the spacious living room she found Kasumi and Mackrix sorting all the baggage.

"Commander." The cook dipped his head. "I've brought everything from the Hashir. Primarch ordered me to stay here with you for the time being." Jane sent a long gaze at the turian, considering what he just said.

"You don't want to return home, Mackrix? Better go and check what happened there." The turian shook his head in negation. He also shrugged his shoulders. That human gesture spread across the whole universe.

"No need, Commander. My family is flying back to Palaven... without them... going to an empty house isn't my favourite thing to do right now. Besides, I got my orders. Now please tell me where you want me to take these." He pointed at Shepard and Kasumi's stuff. In 15 minutes everything was taken to the respective rooms and the cook went to the kitchen. "Give me a moment, I'll prepare something delicious for you." When the meal was ready all three of them sat by the table and started to eat. The human women were in awe as always by the turian's cooking.

"You said about family. Parents? Wife? Kids?" Shepard asked, curious about Mackrix's family.

"My parents, two younger brothers and my wife, yes." After a moment of silence he added. "My wife is asari." He stiffened, showing he was nervous about the subject.

"Oh? Is that a bad thing? I though it's common for turians nowadays." Kasumi asked, puzzled.

"Maybe on the Citadel but not here. My parents didn't approve... and they are still rather... displeased with my choice. I wanted to move to the Citadel because of that. Take her from Palaven, but she refused. She wanted to stay on her home planet." Both Shepard and Kasumi regarded the turian, shocked.

"So she's from Palaven, yes?"

"Yes, she's half turian... or even more. Don't really know about... anyway her grandfather was turian, her father was turian and now she's with a turian. Since her grandfather, they lived on Palaven." Jane considered what Mackrix said then pointed at him with her fork.

"You know what? Fuck this shit!" Shepard was angry. She hit table with her fist, hard and then pointed at the shocked turian. "She was born here on Palaven! She's one of yours! She was educated here, I bet she had military training just like every turian. Her skin color or the fact she's levo doesn't change a thing. You love her, she loves you. Everything is fine." Kasumi and Mackrix regarded Jane with wide opened eyes. "What?" The turian coughed, clearing his throat.

"Thank you, Commander." Then he turned toward the Japanese woman, whispering. "She always like that?"

"Pretty much the whole time." Kasumi replied, laughing madly.

"Kasumi, I'll kick you out the airlock first chance I get." Jane stated, watching the thief laughing. Then she turned to the turian again. "I just hate this bullshit. I hate every type of bullshit to be precise. For example: dealing with the Council shit for almost 5 years was a nightmare. That was like dealing with dipshits the whole time… Only Sparatus somehow got his shit together… after all those years… because Palaven was attacked." After dinner Kasumi and Shepard went to their rooms to sort out their stuff. After an hour the master thief came to Shepard's room. "You already done, Kas?"

"Yeah." The tiny woman jumped on Jane's bed. "So, tell me. You got so angry about Mackrix's situation because of some bullshit or because you are in a similar situation?" Shepard stopped assembling her Mantis and looked up at Kasumi.

"Am I that easy to read? Fuck." Goto shook her head in amusement.

"Shepard. I can read almost anyone. I'm a master thief after all. Besides we talked about it already. I just put it together and et' voila! Just stop worrying. You don't know what it will be like yet. In two weeks everything will be clear."

oOo

Only few weeks kept Garrus away from Palaven and from Shepard. He was restless for a few last days. Thoughts of Shepard meeting Akteon Vakarian and Solana the next day drilled his mind almost to bleeding point. Ashley, Liara and Tali tried to persuade him, that he was of overthinking it. They were sitting in the Port Observation, drinking and trying to calm the turian a little. To his surprise James and Javik came in the meantime. "This is loco, Scars. Stop it."

"In my cycle..." Javik started but after seeing the threat in Liara's eyes he shut up.

"Garrus, please... everything will be fine." She said and stood up to get another drink. "Will it help if we all get drunk with you? For I need to get drunk. No work for the Shadow Broker, and this cabin fever is killing me." The prothean went after her. Brushing her arm occasionally with his. The crew was just hoping the two of them would just get laid at last and stop with that thing they were doing. "Besides what could possibly go wrong?" The turian snorted, feeling the irony of the whole situation reached its new peak again, when he thought it can't get any worse.

"You don't know my dad, Liara. Shadow Broker intel or not, you just don't know." He sighed and turned toward the window. Leaning on it with an elbow. "And you also know damn well, how Shepard can change a normal meeting into a galaxy-wide crisis in less than 5 minutes." Tali started to laugh, straw or rather 'emergency induction port' still connected to her suite. "Tali knows best. I was at your trial Tali. Remember that one?"

"Yup. That *hic* was badass. And *hic* embarrassing so to speak *hic*."

"It's not that I doubt her. But! When two strong personalities like those collide... it can either be good or turn out to be... Spirits know what." Garrus hung his head in defeat. He couldn't do anything at all. It was eating him the most. Being here, not there. Not watching Shepard's six. Not guarding her.

"Skipper may be a crazy idiot sometimes but when she needs it, she can be a professional to the core. I bet she won't jeopardize your relationship and that with your family." Ashley stood up to Garrus and smacked him on the arm. "Just stop it, Vakarian. You have only... EDI how long till we get to Palaven?" The speaker cracked and EDI replied.

"3 weeks and 22 hours, Lieutenant Commander."

"See. Now think that those 3 weeks are a vacation from her. EDI bring that brittle-boned idiot here, tonight we party. Hard." Ashley smiled at everyone then was pinging Traynor, Chakwas, Cortez, the engineers and others to come for a drink.

"When we reach Palaven *hic* Shepard will ride you till your *hic* turian manhood falls off *hic*. Hehe." With Tali's, joke everyone looked at her shocked. Then at themselves, agreeing the quarian was more drunk that they had initially assumed.

"This is even more loco than I thought. Where is Esteban?" Soon the party grew bigger with more crew members coming along. Garrus, after few more drinks, started to feel he had had enough. Luck was smiling at him, he could slip away unnoticed. Or so he thought. Liara caught him before he could enter the elevator.

"Garrus. Please. You won't be any good to her if you self loath in your cabin. Or... maybe you want me to call Shepard, hmm?" The turian keened in panic. He desperately tried to assure Jane earlier that day that everything will be fine. Now T'Soni was almost blackmailing him.

"That was so low, Liara. She will already be asleep." Vakarian hung his head, feelings of a lost battle wrecking his nerves. "What do you want from me? You know how Turians act without their bondmates."

"Yes. But she's alive, healthy and waiting for you. Stop that and come with me. Relax." He wasn't in the mood for festivities. The feeling of doing something against his will just boiled his blood.

"Give me a break, Liara. Just get Javik to your room and leave me to my business, okay?" The asari frowned angrily at Vakarian and hissed, losing her nerves as well.

"And who is low now, Vakarian? You're right, turians without their mates are just rude assholes." She turned on her heel, cocking her head to say one last thing. "None of your business who I do by the way." Then she left him. At last he could lose some of the tension, being a jackass or not. Guilt would catch up with him later. Luckily Liara wasn't the type to hold a grudge. He went up to Shepard and his cabin. He sat heavily on the bed next to Shepard's nightstand and took a small box from it. Garrus opened the box, an engagement ring shone at him. He felt the small object mocked him, saying 'I shouldn't be here'. No, it should be on her finger, but Shepard never wore it on the missions. Her gloves got in the way. Three more weeks and the ring would be on its rightful place again. That thought was brightening his mood. Yet he was still nervous. He knew his father. Old man was strict, he loved the law and rules. He despised Specters. Most of the time, the two turians never saw eye to eye, with a few exceptions. Shepard may be a hero, saviour of the galaxy, but she was also ruthless, denying law or rules just to get the job done, to execute her way of justice like a hammer. Akteon Vakarian would rather die than let his son kill Saleon or Sidonis. Shepard on the other hand knew that there was no other way to bring justice on those two, beside killing them when they had the chance. He would be lying if he said it wasn't satisfying. It was. C-Sec should change, that was his opinion. Whole bullshit called the Citadel should change. Those stupid rules and regulations, never ending red tape everywhere. No! Garrus shook his head. Don't think about this crap. He put the box on the nightstand again then took off his clothes. With only the turian equivalent of boxers on he tugged himself to bed. His mind wandered to time he bonded with Shepard. A pleasant memory. And that date on top of the Presidium.

oO Flashback Oo

Garrus helped Shepard into the skycar then sat behind the steering wheel. After a moment of silence she decided to ask where they were headed. He smirked to himself. That was his Shepard, couldn't sit her ass longer than 30 seconds. "Somewhere we're not supposed to." She just grinned at him.

"Now you're talking."

"Ever have that one thing you always wanted to do before you died, Shepard?" He studied her for a moment. She laid back on the seat, warm smile gracing her lips. Smile reserved just for him.

"I've woken up with a turian next to me." He knew the game.

"Still trying to make me blush, huh?" His mandibles clicked in amusement. This game of hers will never end.

"Until it works. So what's your one thing?"

"The whole time I worked at C-Sec, I'd stare up at the top of the Presidium and say to myself: I want to go up there." Mandibles flicking, the memory of that time was so distant. "But I never did. There were 137 regulations telling me I couldn't." Jane smirked. She was just as amused as he was.

"So you got them changed?"

"No. Now I just don't give a damn." He heard her saying "bad boy" under her breath. "I heard that. And I know you like it." She just stuck her tongue out at him in reply. A few minutes later he parked the skycar at their destination. Garrus left, looking around stunned. "Figured it's time to do something stupid just for the hell of it. Might be the last chance we ever get." Shepard got out just after him, her eyes round from amazement.

"It's incredible." He just smirked to himself. And that's reaction I was looking for.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope it would inspire a certain… mood." Garrus said. His voice low. Spirits knew he was just this close from purring. Jane sensed it maybe, because her reply was also in a low and seductive voice, which she rarely used.

"Something on your mind?" That minx, going all innocent on me. He could barely control himself. All he wanted was to ravish that woman. But no. There was something important to say now. Time for goofing in the sheets would wait.

"It seemed like you needed time to... figure us out." Garrus made a step closer to Shepard. Inhaling her unique scent. "Are you ready to be a one-turian kind of woman?" Her features saddened a bit, but not her eyes. Eyes that always looked at him with trust, respect and in the end with love.

"The only thing that made leaving Earth bearable was knowing you were out there somewhere."

"I felt the same way. The worst part about the galaxy going to hell would've been never getting to see you again." She became more serious, watching him intently.

"Well, here I am. Exactly where I want to be." Her hands reached his chest. He would give anything to be out of his armor right at this moment. "I love you, Garrus Vakarian." He panicked a bit about her sincere words. He wasn't exactly ready to say those three words right now.

"Wow. The vids Joker gave me… well, they never got this far." He joked, scolding himself internally. But continued on it. "There was the part sleeping together, but this… I don't exactly know what to do." Shepard laughed at his idiotic joke. She was really emollient in terms of his behaviour. Partially due to being an idiot like him.

"You grab the girl and kiss her like you mean it." A challenge in her eye he easily accepted. That was simple. He grabbed her arching her to the back. She wasn't scared, she didn't make any noise, just regarded him with a smile on her lips. Trusting him completely.

"That I can do." And he did kiss her like he meant it. Because he did. At this point he just loved to kiss her. Jane at least once a day sneaked to the Main Battery just to steal a kiss or two… or ten. So he had a lot of practice in that field. He could literally say he was expert in human-turian kissing.

"And rather well." She said when their passionate kiss ended for a second, to catch their breath. Then Garrus made them compete over who was a better sniper. Both of them knew that she missed on purpose. But fact she did it for him was enough. So he played along like he was unaware of her little cheat.

"So… Can you explain to me why you took porn from Joker?" Garrus' eyes widened. Crap, I said that?

"Uh…"

"Don't go all dinosaur on me, space T-Rex. Stop grunting, start talking." He keened in panic. "God, Garrus! We both watched porn, you could have just ask to change to the human one!" Shepard started to laugh. They gazed at the calm Presidium till Shepard turned to him, her hands moving slowly up on his armored chestpiece to lock them behind his neck. "Take me home, Garrus." She didn't have to explain where home was. He guided her to the skycar and they swiftly returned to the docking bay where the Normandy was docked. They entered the ship, five-fingered hand entwined with a three-fingered like it was natural. Like they were shaped for each other. The turian guided the human female up to her cabin. Just in front of the doors leading there he picked her up in his arms. He had read that it was, bridal style.

"For luck." He explained when she looked at him puzzled.

"You know it's after the marriage not before, right?" She giggled and let him take her right to the bed.

"With what I'm planning for you tonight we'll be really close to that." Garrus said and laid her on the bed, positioning himself above. She stopped smiling, her face serious.

"You mean... bonding?" He nodded to Jane and lowered his head, nuzzling her neck.

"Yes… and if you agree." Garrus' head snapped up to look into her eyes, waiting patiently for her answer. His eyes showed a bit of fear. She again smiled, moving her head so their foreheads touched.

"I've dreamt about it for some time, big guy. I was just... I thought you wouldn't want to bond with me." He frowned. Why had she thought that? Vakarian wanted to say something about it but she interrupted him. "No, it's not like that. I just thought... that turians only bond with other turians, is all. My answer is Yes. How is it done?"

"To bond is to mark one. On the neck where it is visible. Turians don't hide their necks. So if someone is covering it, it means he wants to cheat on his bondmate." Garrus stroked her neck, on the left side. "Here. I bite you, you bite me."

"Here?" Her fingers brushed the corresponding side of his neck. He nodded. "Ok. But don't go all soft on me, Garrus. I want a nice mark that will tell every fucking idiot in this screwed up galaxy that I belong to Garrus Vakarian. Understood?" He nodded once more, eagerly. "Beside its meaning… is there something more I should know? Some hidden knowledge?"

"When a pair bond… something happens to them. I can't really explain it, but they start to sense each other. Of course there are times when the bond starts to fade, thus the cheating. But it's because one forgot about his duty." Garrus watched her reaction but she mulled this information with a stoic face.

"Oh… Okay, I can live with that. It's not like we're really ever apart most of the time. We can't forget each other." She grinned at him and he grinned back. Then Vakarian lowered his head to kiss her on the lips, their tongues mingled. He broked the kiss and travelled with his tongue down her cheeks to her neck on the left side.

"Ready?" Jane nodded slowly, watching him in anticipation. Garrus didn't want to have any second thoughts, with one swift move he bit down her neck. He felt her whimper and tense, only for a moment. Her hands clutched to his cowl, embracing him like her life depended on it. His teeth sunk a bit further, the taste of her sweet, delicious blood flushed his mouth. His tongue moved to lick her while he was still biting. Shepard's reaction surprised him… she moaned. He retracted his bite and licked the wound, it bleed but nothing critical. It took a moment to stop the blood, then he took a towel to wipe it. She took off the towel and touched the mark.

"How is it?" Her fingertips brushed every hole made by his teeth. Garrus started to feel panicked a bit.

"Spirits, Jane… I think I got too rough on you…" The woman winced at him. His hand reached her neck. "But on other hand you look… great. From a turian point of view." Shepard nodded approvingly.

"Lay down, Vakarian." She pushed him on the bed. "My turn." Jane leaned to him. Her nose brushed by the left side of his head. She blew lightly to his ear, which made him tremble. Low tones reverberated from his chest. She trailed a path of kisses down to his neck, and without any word she bit it as hard as she could muster. Garrus felt that bite. It was deep. Surprised as she was a human with her blunt, little teeth. Her tongue licked his blood. And something happened, he felt her presence more than before.

"Did you… feel it?" He asked when Jane's face appeared above him, her lips covered in his blue blood. The sight was so sexy. "Or is it just turians that sense it?"

"Now when I bit you… I felt your presence. Differently. I can describe it because I'm an idiot who served in the military. So I'll spare you the philosophical bullshit. But I felt it. I… feel it." She corrected herself at the end, her fiery gaze pierced him. "Now I want to feel even more. Such a greedy person I am. But first we should wipe your blood." Shepard took the towel and cleaned his neck. When she was done he inspected his mark. Another surprise, the cuts from her teeth weren't that shallow. She bit deeper than he could give her credits for. Garrus stood up and pulled Jane by her hand.

"Come, I want to check it." They went to the bathroom, Jane stood in front while Garrus embraced her from the back. Both regarded their markings with smiles, his mandibles flicked with pride. "I feel so good now, Shepard." He purred to her ear. The woman moaned in response so he licked it tentatively.

"Bed, Vakarian?"

"Shower, Shepard." Jane turned to him as started to take his clothes off. He waited patiently, till he was naked. He did the same for her. Then entered the shower, turning on water, kissing and stroking each other. His plates shifted so fast and his cock was already hard, just from the sight of her, her kisses and hands caressing every sensitive spot on his body. Garrus lowered to her breasts, licking them, nibbling them, playing with her nipples. At this point in their relationship he could honestly say that breasts were great. Just like every human male, he was mesmerised by them. That they were so sensitive, warm, soft… he literally could make a list of every positive aspect of them for hours. While he was occupied with her nipples, he felt her hand starting to stroke his cock. He loved those five skilled fingers that could do wonders to him. Garrus' hand reached spots between her legs that made her cry out. He played with her clit, circling it with his middle finger, then he moved further down, inserting it inside of her. She arched her back, not stopping pumping her hand on his shaft. "I want you, Jane. Those sounds make me crazy." Indeed her moans, cries and growls sent jolts through his carapace. He took his hand off her and pushed her against the wall, with a feral growl he took a step, like he had caught his prey in the corner. With no effort Vakarian pulled her up and impaled her on him, moving up and down so his shaft hit the depth of her wet core. "Spirits, every time we do it, it's like my brain reboots so I forgot how tight and wet you can be." Shepard laughed, her red hair stuck to her head, her arms locked on his cowl. With one she reached his fringe and stroked it at the most sensitive place. "Jane, you're such a freakin' tease."

"You love it, Garrus. Now move! I want you, faster and deeper. Pleaaase." She moaned her plea, when he pushed into her harder. After a while she ordered him to take her from behind. She slid from him, then she turned around, leaning on the wall. Water streamed down her back, on her ass. The view made his heart skip a beat. The turian grabbed her firmly, his claws locked her in place. With one swift move he was inside her again, feeling relief. Those seconds away from her damp, inviting core was pure torment. He began slowly, then he increased his pace till he hammered her till their release. They slowly came down from their high, breathing fast and shallow, Jane's face red from exhaustion.

"I love you so much, big guy." She said when she was able to form something coherent. Yet Garrus wasn't prepared to say it back, so he just embraced her firmly. His own way to reply. "Come, space lobster. We used too much water already."

"Who cares? We're on the Citadel anyway. They will just refill it."

"When did you become such a douchebag? It's a mystery to me." Jane giggled and slapped his ass.

"I had a great teacher. Believe it or not. You should see her in action. She met a stoned volus and yelled to him 'Charge!'. True story." He replied to her mockingly. His mandibles clicked in amusement.

"Ha-ha! To the brig, now! I won't allow such insubordination on my ship." Shepard poked him on the carapace. They left the bathroom still wet and laid on the bed.

"Technically… I'm on shore leave. You can't order me around now. Besides, I'm your bondmate." She smiled at him and nuzzled his chest.

"It sounds wonderful. My bondmate."

oOo

Jane was pacing in her apartment. She had asked Victus to organize her something a few days after staying in his house. It's not like his home was bad, no, she just wanted to be somewhere in the center of Cipritine. So now she was here, in an apartment in the freshly restored Cipritine Tower, with high class apartments for important guests of the Hierarchy. The Primarch provided her with levo food and snacks so she could eat with Kasumi. Mackrix would come from time to time, cooking something good for both women. Shepard, each day, went outside to walk around the city center to watch the turians rebuild. To her surprise there were a lot of asari there too, a few salarians and humans as well. She talked with a pair from Earth that came to Palaven a few years back and stayed here for work. In the embassy as she learned. After that she went to the human embassy, opened and working, though few humans were actually there. She connected with Earth from there and talked with Admiral Hackett, getting news about the human homeworld. Now she was waiting for the Primarch. He commed her in the morning letting her know that the ships with Palaven's refugees, were in orbit. Soon shuttles carrying everyone, began landing at the Palaven spaceport where, she had landed, two weeks prior. In one of the first shuttles, the Primarch had ordered that the Vakarians be aboard. So now they would come to her apartment at any minute. Kasumi left her room and saw Shepard pacing nervously, unfinished banana in her hand. "Jane, eat that or it will get black." Jane snapped out of her thoughts, looking at Kasumi.

"What?"

"Banana, it will get black. Seriously." The Japanese thief pointed at the fruit.

"Ah, yes." Shepard stuffed part of it in her mouth. She sat heavily on the couch and munched slowly. "'m nefous." Jane said while still eating.

"I can see that. Don't worry. Just try not to go all Shepard on them, please." Kasumi giggled and sat next to her. She patted Shepard on the lap. "I got a message from Liara saying that Garrus had gone all idiotic because of you and the meeting."

"You shitting me!" Jane laughed at the news. She could imagine Garrus all nervous and saying crap to people. I really changed him into a complete asshole. No… maybe not complete. A bit of an asshole. She giggled to her thoughts.

"I'm not. Really. He said to her that she can go fuck Javik. Seriously. She did by the way." Jane nodded, contented.

"At last. I thought I would have to lock them in a room and tell them to fuck each other or I'll personally kick them out of the airlock. At the end I was tired of their shit. Really." Shepard rolled her eyes, remembering how the asari and prothean sexual tension affected everyone around them. "They will produce interesting asari, I can bet all my money on that."

"Be careful, you are a freakin' millionaire. Don't lose it too quickly." Kasumi warned her half heartedly, giggling.

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you." Jane sighed and looked at the clock. "How long it will take?"

"Soon, Shep. Don't worry." Kasumi was right. Fifteen minutes later they heard the doorbell, Shepard unlocked the doors with her omni-tool and stood in front of them. Victus was first to enter.

"Shepard, good day to you."

"Hello Adrien, it's good to see you." Jane greeted the Primarch, exchanging the turian equivalent of a handshake, instead gripping his wrist. She looked beside him, and saw Akteon Vakarian. Garrus' dad was just like him, only an older version, his skin and plates a bit darker than his son's. And next Solana Vakarian. She was something between Garrus and his mom. She had seen photos of her that Garrus had. Late mum Vakarian looked warm and motherly, that were the first things that came to Shepard's mind. Solana's face was warm, her skin and plates were between grey and red, with a short fringe like every turian female. Her mandibles flicked in agitation. Senior Vakarian on the other hand was all tense, his mandibles stuck to his face. Suddenly both Vakarians stopped, sniffing then regarded Shepard in disbelief. Jane watched them tense, her hand protectively on her abdomen. She didn't know what would come next.

oOo

I already have chapter 9… something nice will happen :D