Chapter 6: Are we there yet?

Vega had moved his…Well Anderson's/Shepard's punch bag into the back end of the dock bay. It was ideal for him after all his pull up's and bicep curls were done in the same spot, why not make it a gym? Placing his arms upon his hips he stared with pride at the set up. Cortez looked on, bemused. Vega made a 'photo frame' with his hands and admired his new baby.

"I think I'll call it 'Vegalicious'" he nodded like this was the greatest thing to ever happen to anyone.

"Err. Well." Cortez started.

"D'you have a problem Esteban?" Vega almost pouted.

"Not so much a problem. Ok, who am I kidding?" He shook his head with a grin. "Firstly your name sounds like some vegan microwave meal" Vega looked almost shocked and offended "Secondly, you think three sets of weights, a bar that actually isn't intended for exercise use and a punch bag classifies this as a gym?"

"Well, I, Err" Cortez didn't stop there.

"And as for the mess, look at it all, gun barrels all over the shop, heat sinks practically propping up your chair, do you even *know* how dangerous that is?" Vega threw his arms out to the sides

"Jesus man you're such a killjoy! Stop ruining the moment!"

"Moment? There was a moment?" Cortez quipped

"Bah!" Vega wafted his hand towards Cortez's face "Forget you" Cortez was about to bite back when he realised the extra crew load the Normandy had suddenly inherited were all sat watching this exchange of bitching. The Batarian in particular looking like he enjoyed the idea that these two humans could end up in an exchange of fists. Suddenly the elevator doors opened and Garrus stepped out, his eyes locked on Vega. Garrus failed to notice that Sheena had suddenly perked up upon him entering the bay and pouted.

"Hey Vega!" Garrus spoke with a hint of a favour wanting in his voice.

"Scars" Vega nodded, with that Garrus added a laugh, and he didn't think that would stick.

"I could do with some extra parts to help fine tune my mantis"

"Have you just found a new way of saying 'Calibrations'" Cortez joked folding his arms

"No? No!" Garrus realised what he had said "What is it with everyone thinking I say that all the time?"

"Because you do" Vega confirmed grinning.

"Do you have any spare bits or not?" Garrus bit sarcastically feigning that he was slightly pissed off.

"Sure just, gimmie a sec" Vega went to rummage through his pile. Cortez meandered off to the Kodiak, it was still a bit off since crashing on Earth and he wanted it ready to take the Normandy crew down as Earth wasn't fully accommodating for the Normandy to just 'touch down'.

Sheena made her way over to the now alone Garrus.

"So, what's it take around here for you to realise a female Turian is stood right in front of you?" She spoke with some seduction in her voice. Soleet watched on shaking his head.

"Sorry?" Garrus turned to Sheena, his height still managing to over tower a fellow Turian, albeit a female. She leant towards him, trying to entice her scent to him.

"I don't get it" she shrugged, sniffing him out "What's not to like?"

"What? That's pretty big headed of you" Garrus looked aghast thinking what a horrid trait to have.

"Well you aren't mated, you aren't scented with another female" She sniffed again as Vega came back from behind Sheena holding a pile of tools, zoom scopes and damage barrels.

"That's because his mate isn't a Turian" Vega spoke without thinking. Sheena's mouth opened wide, her eyes meeting Garrus' with disgust.

"It's that disgusting Quarian isn't it? I knew that bitch was giving me filthy looks" Garrus started shaking his head putting his hands in front of him, the situation escalating over nothing. Soleet grabbed Sheena gently.

"Just drop it Sheena" Soleet asked quietly

"No!" Barked Sheena "We lose so many guys to those disgusting Quarians, and how do they even know they're good looking with those stupid goldfish bowl suits they wear? And don't get me started on their voices ugh!" she sounded venomous and Garrus got angry.

"It isn't the Quarian" he snapped about to continue himself when Vega blurted more out.

"Haha! No Tali isn't his mate, Commander Shepard is!" Sheena's face went deadpan, Garrus looked back at Vega shrugging his arms trying to ask him telepathically 'what gives?' before looking at Sheena again.

"The Human Commander Shepard?" She asked in high rise terminals. He looked at her dead in the eye, his body screaming 'just drop it' but knew this wouldn't end, she was female after all. Wrex flashed in his head for a mere moment before coughing out a slight laugh. "Why are you laughing?" Sheena got a bit defensive.

"Yes Commander Shepard, and while we're at it, what is it of your business to confront me on my relationship decisions just because you couldn't get what you wanted?" he snapped

"Who's being big headed now?" She snapped. Vega pulled up a seat, Cortez nudged to get half a cheek on the said seat with him.

"This is ridiculous" Garrus sighed turning away.

"No you're ridiculous, why is it more of our own people are turning to different species other than their own?"

"Are you being…?" Garrus cocked his head "Racist?" Sheena panicked

"No! No!" she flapped somewhat.

"Sounded like it to me" Cortez threw in making the now hot headed Turian look like a headless chicken, she grunted with anger before snapping right in Garrus' face.

"You could have had something good here, and you went for a stupid moronic Human! Squishy body, ugly face, FIVE FINGERS!"

"Actually 4 and a thumb!" Vega snuck in, she cut her eyes toward him.

"Urgh look at them! They're disgusting and you're an idiot!"

"That's your opinion I guess" Garrus calmly replied "but if all Turian women are like you it's not a wonder we're going to other races." Sheena stomped off fuming. "Oh, and by the way. Squishy boobs? Waaaaaay better than Turian ones" he nodded his head almost childlike and she screeched and threw herself into her bunk bed that had been put up for them. Vega high-fived Garrus.

"Gar-rus my man! Ha-ha! Amazing I thought you were going to buckle then…oh and to add, human tits kick ass" Garrus let out a hearty laugh.

Cortez looked slightly miffed, if popcorn had been available he would have been halfway through his carton.

"All over? She's just giving up like that? I wanted to start chanting some 21st century style trash TV name"

"What?" Garrus looked bemused, he hadn't a clue on certain human cultural things, if it was deemed cultural that is.

"Oh y'know there have been chat shows, surely you guys have them? Jerry Springer? Jeremy Kyle?" Cortez didn't have to bat an eyelid of thought whilst the names flew from his mouth, he was guilty of watching this kinda thing

"You watch that shit?" Vega asked jerking his head back

"Er! No of course not!" Cortez started flushing.

"Well to add guys, I haven't a clue what you're on about" Garrus chipped, he gestured towards Vega's hands, "so Erm…Can I take these bad boys?' Vega blinked away from Cortez and looked at his hand before releasing grip on the numerous articles.

"Oh yea sure, knock yourself out amigo" Garrus took the lot and nodded his appreciation finally walking away from the hum of Cortez and Vega bickering over watching trash TV.

The elevator doors hissed shut and the hum of the belt became faintly audible as Garrus travelled alone up to Shepard's cabin, he entered her quarters in a pace slower than his usual one and quickly started to fumble as the damage barrel rolled from his hand God-damnit I see why humans evolved 5 fin- I mean 4 fingers and a thumb he cursed to himself as he bent to pick it up what's that? He looked under Shepard's bed, something caught his eye aside from the dirt underneath it. He reached his arm under and pulled out…a bottle. The bottle that Shepard and he shared on their first night together. Together. He flumped onto the bed staring at it, His head racing with a million thoughts of Shepard, Amy and how he longed to breathe her scent in, feel her warmth, feel that feeling that he found always so hard to pinpoint with words. He looked at the window, stars just going by, a faint blue hue edging the mirror from the back of the Normandy present too –

Garrus, yo, you up?

He frowned and tapped his comm chat.

Joker? Yea I am why?

Dude, look outside now

I am he frowned

No Garrus, get off your arse and look outside seriously.

He stood up and pressed his face against the window. Was that…

Is that Earth? He said almost excitedly

If it isn't ive been doing my job so fucking badly… Joker added dryly. Garrus now pressed his hands onto the window, like he could somehow get that little bit closer to it if he pressed hard enough. Signs of battle were evident even from how far away they were, the once lush green and blue contrasts of land and sea had become more blackened. Lighting sporadic. It had been hit, hard.

Crap man. Joker you did it, you deserve a medal

Or fucking twenty he added sarcastically y'know not like ive gotten us to and from some pretty sticky situations.

Ok you can shut it now I haven't got a medal either Garrus sarcastically bit back

Ok fair point, anyway, I reckon we're about 6 hours away dude He could almost see the smile from Joker's face, knowing he liked to show bragging rights and pride.

Thanks for the heads up Joker

No probz G.

Garrus shook his head, his mandibles had yet to close shut.