A/N: I wasn't expecting such a nice response! Thank you so much for your reviews, alerts, and favorites! I don't always have time to respond individually, but I appreciate your responses immensely! Thank you!

My net has been flaky, which is why the update took a little bit. Updates might end up being weekly if I can't resolve the problem; alas, I start work this Tuesday and will be working, for the foreseeable future, Mondays through Fridays, so if I cannot find time to update during that time, updates will most likely start being posted on the weekends.

Sorry about the massive Author's Note. Important info for the readers. :)

Background: Shepard did not romance anyone in Mass Effect, or Mass Effect 2.

Disclaimer: Owned by Bioware and make no profit from this, but enjoy writing it regardless.

Under My Skin

Part Two

A week passed since their last sparring session. Shepard didn't think it was such a good idea to go back so soon after what had happened last time; the attraction was there, and after the way she'd felt his response to her close proximity, she was sure the feeling was mutual. Attraction was one thing, but she certainly didn't want to lead him on, or herself either. There were reasons for fraternization regulations, she kept trying to remind herself of that, even if there was a chance for more than a physical relationship; Kaidan had been an example of how she could be hurt, should she let anyone past her barriers. She'd never dated or slept with him, but she had trusted in him, believed in him, in their friendship, only to be let down time and time again.

James had been friendly with her since becoming her personal guard on Earth when she'd been under house arrest and relieved of duty, but she hadn't let him. It was getting harder and harder to keep him out; she didn't want to feel that anger, that betrayal, again.

"Commander?" Garrus' voice brought her out of her thoughts and she turned her cool blue eyes on him. His mandibles spread wide in a grin when he saw the perplexed expression on her features. "You kind of drifted off there."

"Sorry, Garrus," she sighed though a slight wry smile curved her lips. "Got a lot on my mind."

"Understatement." He shook his head, talons clacking against his terminal as he calibrated the Normandy's guns; vaguely it occurred to her that he did that, a lot. Not that she didn't have her own vices, so she couldn't judge. "You're free to unload on me, though I hear that our good old Jimmy Vega has been helping you with that."

Shepard almost had the good grace to flush, but instead managed to scowl in mock annoyance. "What have you heard?"

Garrus chuckled. "Defensive much, Shepard? I was just talking about how often you seem to be in the shuttle bay sparring with him."

He was right. She had gotten a touch defensive. "Oh, right."

He turned toward her, leaning against the counsel as he folded his arms over his armored chest. "What did you think I meant?"

"Ah – nothing?" She posed the question hopefully, silently praying he wouldn't pry though she knew she wouldn't be that lucky. Garrus, besides Joker, she considered one of her best friends(Kaidan had once fallen into that category, but after their last spectacular clash, he might as well thanked the gods that he was still breathing), so she knew he was unlikely to drop it. Not when she had slipped up so damned perfectly.

"You're not getting off that easy."

Damn it.

"Me and my big mouth," she grumbled. With a sigh she rolled her shoulders in a half shrug. "I figured you might have been hinting at a different method of relieving stress. You know – like when you told me about how you and that...recon scout, ah, resolved your tie breaker?"

The ridge over his eye rose as his mandibles fluttered in amusement. Shepard did her damnedest not to let the look get to her, and yet, she could feel her cheeks heating in embarrassment under his scrutinizing gaze. The silence stretched on, leaving her feeling awkward and much like she was a subject being studied in some lab somewhere.

Finally she couldn't take it anymore. "What?" She snapped.

"I didn't say anything," he chuckled.

"You didn't have to." She narrowed her eyes on him, her lips pressed together in a mulish pout. "We've been friends long enough that I can tell how amused you are by this."

He scoffed. "Would I do that – okay maybe I would, but in my defense, this doesn't happen very often."

"What doesn't – you amusement or my predicament, or your amusement at my predicament?"

He chuckled softly. "All of the above?"

"Very funny," she mumbled mockingly. Silence fell over them again for a few moments as she debated whether or not to continue on with this – she could let it drop, but then again, the topic had already been broached, so she could ask him for his advise. In the end she went with the latter(what could it hurt?). "So...what do you think?"

He'd turned back to his counsel during her inner turmoil, but he turned his head to peer at her for a moment. "About?"

She scowled. "About me and Vega, what else?"

"Oh right," he chuckled, turning back to his calibrations(could the Normandy's guns really need so many calibrations?). "Hell, we got the Reapers to deal with, and there are going to be losses all around. What could a little happiness hurt? We have a lot riding on this mission. If anybody deserve a bit of happiness in the midst of this war, it's you."

His words weren't what she expected. In reality, they were much better than anything she could have expected. His words touched her and she had to swallow the lump that crept into her throat with the swell of emotion. "Thanks Garrus."

He turned to face her again as he folded his arms, one mandible spreading in that cocky smirk she'd grown to recognize. "I'm not saying Jimmy Vega is the best choice, after all I'm here, but to each their own."

She nearly choked on a laugh. "Careful there Garrus, or else I might start to think you're getting an ego."

"Noted Commander," he chuckled.

He was doing chin ups when she found him which didn't surprise her. As Cortez had said before, the only tool Vega cared to maintain was himself. Not that she minded. Or rather, not that her eyes minded. Even when she tried to curb herself, they were reluctant to listen and instead liked to roam the length of his muscular frame with interest. A marine was usually so much more disciplined, but around him, she just couldn't seem to help herself.

"Enjoying the show?" He chuckled as he hefted himself up, before easing back down, the muscles bunching in his arms with the strain it took to lift and lower his body.

Shepard leaned back against the crates and folded her arms under her breasts, choosing not to answer him for the moment. It didn't seem to bother him and in the silence, she just watched his work out with appreciation. For the life of her she couldn't see why the other female members of the crew weren't caught eying him; Allers especially. She definitely seemed the type to, ah, get around. Whether that was true or not she didn't know, but that was the impression Shepard got. It could have been because the woman walked the ship with a dress so short that often times Shepard swore she could see her underwear. Mentally she shook herself; it was a waste to think of Allers while she had an eyeful of Vega in front of her.

"You gonna say anything or just stare?" He prompted again, this time dropping onto the ground and rolling his shoulders.

"I thought I'd just stare," she chuckled, "but if you aren't okay with that - "

"Oh I'm okay with it." He turned toward her and crossed his arms. Now it almost felt as if they were staring each down, waiting for the other to slip or make the first move. Her traitorous heart fluttered in her chest and she bit the inside of her cheek, the little bit of pain steadying her nerves.

"Thought so."

"So, Lola, what's brought you down here?" He rubbed a hand along his jaw with a slight smirk. "You come back for a rematch?"

"Rematch?" One of her thin dark brows arched up. "I do believe I won that last round."

He shook his head, his smirk widening. "You called it quits. I won by default."

Shepard wanted to vehemently deny his words, but the marine in her knew them to be true. In all technicality, she'd tapped out, forfeited, and willingly gave him the win in doing so. And Shepard didn't like to lose, but with the turn the match had taken between them the last time, she had thought it better to stop lest things progress in a similar fashion. Damn him, he was hitting her right where it stung. She wanted to take him on right then, consequences be damned. Garrus' words came to mind and she suddenly wondered if the the consequences would really be so bad; if the match took a similar turn as it had last time, would it really be so bad?

She had to wonder. On the Citadel, when he'd gotten his N7 tattoo, she'd asked him if he would ever make good on all their flirting. He'd blushed and floundered over his words, making it clear that he had never intended for it to go beyond that – flirting. Although, the flirting hadn't stopped after that. In fact, it had escalated. Perhaps his intentions had changed.

"Don't let it go to your head," she finally said, in her best commanding tone though it felt weak.

"Too late."

She rolled her eyes. Decision made, she unfolded her arms and pushed up off the crates. She would propose a rematch, but in the hours when the hangar would be empty, hours that screamed personal time; if he took her up on it, given what had occurred between them last time, then she would take that as a sign that he may want more between them as she did.

"Alright, Vega. You'll get your rematch."

He grinned, his amber eyes suddenly excited. "When and where Lola? Or would you rather just go at it now?"

The double meaning of his words didn't go over her head. That traitorous flush threatened to return to her cheeks, but she managed to stomp it down with sheer determination. She wasn't a force to be reckoned with for no reason, after all. Her determination had allowed her to do what the galaxy's inhabitants had considered impossible.

"Tonight. After lights out."

His grin faltered ever so slightly as his eyes roamed over her face, searching for something. Perhaps the true intention of her words. He must have found what he was looking for because he nodded. "After lights out it is then."

She winked and chuckled as she strolled past him. "I'll see you then, Vega. Make sure you're ready for me."

She missed the way he swallowed, missed the way his eyes followed her every movement, and missed the way his fatigues were suddenly too tight; she may have missed all that, but she caught his eye as she moved into the lift and there was no way she could miss or misread the desire burning there.

The doors slid shut and she swallowed; it was a hell of a thing she'd gotten herself into, but that determination of her's was going to make sure she saw it through.