Aboard the Normandy:
Shia'va couldn't believe what happened. The Collectors had taken her crew save for Joker and the whole team. Miranda, Jacob, Jack, and the others. Joker was more shaken than anyone. He blamed himself for what happened. Shepard stood next to Joker in the Debriefing room. Garrus was standing behind and to the left of her.
"How could you have let them take the crew?" Miranda scolded Joker.
"And what the hell was I supposed to do? Break my arm at them?" Joker shot back. He lowered his head.
"There was nothing you could have done, Jeff." EDI chimed in.
"Yeah, thanks mom." Joker couldn't even look Shepard in the eye.
"Miranda, back off. This is no one's fault. There's no way any of could have seen this coming." Shia'va placed her hand on Joker's shoulder. "Joker, head back up to the cockpit."
"Aye, aye, Commander." Joker slowly hopped off the table and headed back up to his seat.
The rest of the crew dispersed. Shia'va knew whose fault this was. They were set up. The Illusive Man knew that the Reaper IFF would attract the Collectors. But's what done was done. The only thing that mattered was getting her people back and saving whatever colonists were beyond the Omega-4 Relay.
It was time.
Shia'va looked at the galaxy map, eyeing the Omega-4 Relay. She took in a deep breath. "Joker, set course for the Omega-4 Relay." Her heart was pounding in her chest as she gave the order. There was a chance this would be the last time she would ever speak to her family again. She lowered her head as she heard Joker's reply.
"12 hours till we hit the Relay, Commander." Joker sounded as nervous as her. Shepard turned and headed to her quarters.
Shia'va looked at the letter she typed to her family. She folded her hands in front of her mouth as she reread it.
"Mom. Brad, Marc. I'm sorry I never got the chance to come home to speak with you. I miss you all so much. But with the Collectors attacking our colonies, I had to stay focused in stopping them. But know I never stopped loving you guys. Brad, Marc, back on Omega, I didn't want you to go. But I couldn't risk losing you to anyone. Not with the Reapers knowing who I am. I'm writing this to all of you as we're headed towards the Omega-4 Relay. There is a chance this will be the last time we talk. And I didn't want to go into this without letting you know how much I love all of you. If it's God's will, then I will be with daddy soon enough. I love you all.
-Shia'va"
Shia'va wiped the tears from her eyes as she sent the message. She had to clear her mind. She couldn't lead the assault on the Collector Base in this state of mind. She stood up and got undressed, heading into her private bathroom to take a hot shower. After twenty minutes, she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off, putting on a fresh pair of clothes. As she did, her door chimed. She opened the door to see Garrus standing there holding what looked like a wine bottle. She smiled seeing him. "Garrus. I'm glad you came up."
Garrus seemed nervous. "Shepard. I…wasn't sure of human courting customs so I did some research…and…" He walked over and placed the wine bottle down on the table. He then walked over and turned some music on. Shia'va smiled. He was trying so hard and he was fumbling more than he was succeeding. But seeing him try so hard was adorable.
Shia'va walked over and turned the music off. She took Garrus' talons in her hand. "Garrus, there no need to try so hard. I'm tired of guessing how I feel."
Garrus pulled Shia'va close and touched his forehead to hers. "I don't want to hurt you, Shepard. You've been hurt enough. I want you to be happy."
Shia'va looked up at Garrus. "I am happy when I'm with you. It just took me too long to realize that."
"You and me both, Shepard." Garrus placed one talon under her chin and lifted it, pulling her even closer and kissing her deeply, longingly.
Shia'va moved her hand around the back of his head, returning the deep kiss. God she wanted this. After a few minutes, she gently broke the kiss, looking into the Turian's eyes. She ran her hands over Garrus' chest as he kept his hands at her waist. Her form to him was fragile, but very beautiful. Tonight she wasn't Commander Shepard. Tonight she was just Shia'va. A woman who needed the male she fell in love with. She slowly started to unbutton her top, letting it fall open as she unfastened the last button. She watched as Garrus helped her remove her blazer. She soon after removed her bra. Garrus traced one talon along the soft skin of her chest. She moaned softly as he ran the talon along her breast, smiling at the sensation. Shia'va helped Garrus remove his tunic. Her hands running over the thick plating of his chest, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on his chest. As she looked up, Garrus ran his talons through her raven black hair.
He picked her up and carried her over to the bed, setting her down gently. Shia'va sat up, unfastened Garrus' waistband, allowing his pants to fall to the floor. She was a bit surprised at the erection Garrus had, but the 'Oh my…' was not missed by Garrus. She was not put off by what she saw, but quite the contrary. She noticed the bumps and remembered what Mordin had said to her when she asked about Turian male physiology. 'Be cautious of chafing.' She now knew why. The other thing she remembered was to not ingest. She didn't bother asking why. He was a professor after all.
Garrus had unfastened her own waistband. His talon tracing her soft body to her naval, and then following down to just below the waistband of her panties. His touch was gentle. She smiled as he pulled her pants off and dropped them to the floor. He resumed his tracing as his talon had finally reached her sex. Shia'va gasped quietly. She was already a bit wet from the foreplay. Garrus slid his talon inside of her and she arched her back slightly, moaning softly. He pulled down her panties and began to kiss down her leg, and back up her inner thigh. Parting her legs, he began to run his cylindrical tongue inside of her. She moaned louder. A warm feeling filling her body. Shia'va ran her hands over his fringe and Garrus let out a low growl of contentment.
Shia'va hadn't felt this way in a long time. She thought that Kaiden was the one for her. But it became clear that it was Garrus. She lifted Garrus' head and looked at him lovingly. "Please Garrus, take me." She pleaded.
Garrus nodded slowly, pulling her to the edge of the bed. He slowly entered her. A feeling of ecstasy washed over the two lovers. Shia'va arched her back at the feeling of Garrus being inside of her. The rhythm started out slow. But the pace quickened rapidly. She was reaching her climax at FTL speeds. Garrus could feel it as she tightened down on him and he quickened his pace to climax with her. Though Garrus was trying to be gentle, his talon did happen to dig in a little into her thigh. Shia'va screamed as she climaxed and grabbed tight onto Garrus. Garrus grunted satisfactorily as he too held Shia'va tightly as he released into her. Both lovers collapsing onto the bed. Sweaty and tired.
Shepard laid her head on Garrus' chest, running her hand along his soft underbelly while he was running his talons through her hair. "Shepard." Garrus started to say.
"Shia'va. Please, just call me Shia." She said.
"Alright, Shia." He smiled. Her name was so beautiful. "I have something I want to tell you but I have a question first."
She looked up at him curiously. "What is it?"
"Shia'va is an Asari name. I didn't think you had an Asari in your family." The question was so honest that Shia'va had to laugh.
"My father liked Asari names. And being I was his only daughter, he wanted me to have one. He and my mother liked the way Shia'va sounded. And I found out that my name means angel of the stars." She looked up to see Garrus smiling. Well, as only a Turian could smile. But she seemed to know when he was. "What did you want to tell me?" She scooted up so she was looking at his face. She rested her head on his arm.
Garrus' mandibles flared a bit. "I've always had strong feelings for you, Shia. Even when we were fighting Saren. But I wasn't sure if it was real or not. And I knew you and…" He stopped. He didn't want to ruin the moment by saying the name of the human that hurt her. "Well, I knew your heart was elsewhere." He looked over to see Shepard watching and listening intently. "It wasn't until Omega that I knew what I was feeling wasn't just a passing fancy. I was ready to face a good death when you came in and rescued me. Like the angel you are. I could feel your hand on my side…" He took her hand and placed it on the scar where Tarek's rocket exploded when it hit inside of Garrus' complex. The explosion tore a hole in his armor and shrapnel from the rocket had penetrated deep into the side his abdomen. "I could just hear the words you spoke as I slipped away. I think it hurt worse to hear the strain in your voice as you begged me to stay with you. It hurt to hear you so upset." He touched her cheek with his talon. "Shia, you humans all look alike. But your face is different than the rest. And I can see that difference. On Horizon, when we were fighting the Collectors, the smile on your face when we took on thousands of those husks. You really do love that incendiary ammo, you know that?"
Shia'va laughed. "Well, maybe hundreds of husks. And hey, incendiary bullets are a girl's best friend. A few grenades doesn't hurt either."
Garrus laughed at that. "True." His expression softened a bit. "And when Alenko..." Again, his mandibles flared. "I couldn't stand by and let him say those things to you. He was wrong. It was then that I knew that…" He pulled Shepard close. "I knew that I was in love with you, Shia. I love you."
Shia'va ran her hand over his left mandible. Her smile melted his heart. "And I love you, Garrus. You've always been the one who's been there with me. Through everything. I don't want anyone else but you." She rolled over on top of him and kissed him deeply. Shia'va knew this was right. She was worried what his father might say. But Garrus seemed to not get along with his father that much. Or even his clan for that matter. Her only real concern was that if they survived this, what her brothers would say. But these were thoughts for another time.
"Shia, I know you're human, but why is it there are times I hear you speak something that isn't even human?" Garrus asked as he pulled the sheets around them.
She smiled. "It's because I'm speaking Japanese." She laughed a bit seeing his confusion. "I'll tell you about it after the mission."
Shia'va and Garrus held each other as sleep grabbed hold of them. The mission ahead could very well be their last together in this universe. But for now, the universe only contained them.
A/N: The story might start off a little slow but it will pick up. Trust me. *grins.* The next chapter will take place just after the assault on the Collector Base and possible continue after the Arrival DLC.