Again, a big thank you to icyfreezerpop for her beta'ing skills!

Garrus caught up with Tali somewhere in one of the retail districts and grabbed her arm, bringing her to a stop.

"Tali! Let me explain…"

She didn't even bring her face up to look at him, her voice ringing low and hollow, "Explain what? That you didn't bother to tell me that Aeryn was alive? That you didn't tell me that you were going to meet her? How is this even possible?"

He knew she had a right to know and he should have told her before she found out like this. Hell, he should have told her when he found out. He had been so sure that when - and if - he saw Aeryn again that he wouldn't stop himself from reuniting with her.

But he had stopped himself; to chase Tali. Why had he left Aeryn? He was already considering getting back to her, so he knew it wasn't because he loved Tali. He cared for Tali but he didn't love her, not like he loved Aeryn.

So why had he left her?

"John and I found out that she was possibly alive before we went to the Citadel… We had pretty solid evidence that she was still alive before we docked here. I… I didn't want to tell you in case it wasn't true. If I told you it would make it too real and if it had ended up not being true… I couldn't go through that again."

Garrus hung his head as he spoke, anticipating an eruption of fury from her. It would be no less than he deserved. He hadn't told her because he didn't want to hurt again and had paid very little mind to the fact that she would be hurt by his actions.

He would be lying if he said he wasn't aware of her feelings for him. Aeryn had pointed out the resentment from her shortly after Tali's return to the Normandy and when he and Tali… He knew better than to think that she would be able to casually brush this off.

The fact that he couldn't casually break it off as easily as he had imagined spoke volumes for his own feelings.

"Oh Garrus… I know it's got to be hard on you, finding out she was alive all of this time, but you came after me, don't you think that means something? You left Aeryn there after just reuniting with her… She's probably not even there anymore." She stepped closer to him and put her hand on his arm, "I'm here. I know you'll be going through a lot of strange feelings, but I'll stand by your side through it. I'll be here."

Garrus couldn't help but notice the hope in her voice and what she said made sense to a point, but he couldn't lead her on with a false hope for a future.

"Tali, I can't do that to you. I can't be with you while I'm trying to fix things with her." Garrus removed her hand from his arm as he spoke. He was letting her down as gently as he could at this point and although it was too late, he hoped that he wouldn't have to hurt her further.

"Garrus, I'm not going to pressure you, but I'm going to be here for you. Besides, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't support you in something so important to you? I'm sorry I may have muddled things for you two, but I'll help you fix it."

He couldn't deny that the thought of a friend right now sounded like just what he needed. When John eventually found out what happened, Garrus was certain that he would not be happy. Garrus needed to think of a way to fix this mess. Aeryn was certain to be unreceptive for a bit, but he was certain he could get back on her good side.

He needed to succeed with every fiber of his being.

"Thank you Tali, I can't say what this means to me."

Tali returned to her room on the Normandy and immediately started throwing her belongings all over in a fit of uncontrolled rage.

The bosh'tet was back!

Of course she was, the moment Tali had started to make real progress with Garrus. Tali had enough time to think of a plan as she interrupted Garrus and Aeryn and lead Garrus away from the woman. She would just have to be there for him. Be there in ways that Aeryn couldn't. She would be the whispering in Garrus' ear the entire time he was on his quest to get her back and she would firmly plant herself in his heart.

She had been so damn close! She was meant to be his bondmate, not the blasted human bitch. The bitch had her chance and she disappeared. It was Tali's turn now.

Tali wasted no time hacking in to Omega's surveillance protocols and began tracking where Aeryn went after her little coup. She doubted someone like Aeryn didn't have other friends she could go and cry to and Tali wanted to make sure she knew of all of the players in this game.

Darius woke to an unfamiliar warmth on his side. It took him a minute to come to his senses and remember exactly why he would have someone in his bed.

Not just someone; Aeryn.

Spirits, it wasn't a dream. She was really curled up against his side, her forehead pressed against his plates as her head was ducked under his arm and resting softly on one of his pillows.

He smelled her everywhere and his chest swelled with pride and happiness. The night came back to him in a rush. It was probably the most passionate night he'd had in years, and it certainly was one of the best. They had moved all over his apartment and he didn't think there was a spot on either of them that hadn't been explored.

He reached over himself and brushed her hair out of her face. She wasn't his first human, but she was the most memorable.

Darius was supposed to be a cold blooded killer, head of the Talon Gang of Omega, leader of Omega's security force, but this little human next to him made him feel like an idiot kid. He never saw himself being considerate or affectionate with a bed partner before; he had never desired to be tied to someone. He wanted to be tied to her.

Sure, she had her issues and in the grand scheme of things she was pretty broken emotionally. But she had been improving by leaps and bounds recently. She had a quick wit and a dry, morbid sense of humor. She wasn't afraid to stare people like him and Aria in the face and tell them to fuck themselves.
And she had the ability to back up any threats with real force. Things were never boring around her and he found himself wanting to be with her more than occasionally. He had even thought of asking her to move in with him instead of staying with Aria.

He was getting ahead of himself. They had just slept together once and it didn't mean shit. She was emotionally distraught and he was more than willing. He would just have to make himself irresistible to her.

He would need to get under her skin as much as she had gotten under his.

Aeryn woke up in slow increments. She was sore in places she had forgotten about and the delicious feeling of small cuts from talons was tingling over her back and hips.

She knew where she was and who she was with and for the first time in weeks, she felt peaceful.
She stared at Darius for a few moments, he was lost in thought so she took the opportunity to just stare. His plates were a lovely dark black-brown and his stark white and red clan markings made him look dashing and dangerous.

She had always noticed that Darius was an attractive turian. He was tall and stockier than most turians she had seen, still in the right proportions, just bigger. He certainly never had a lack of possible partners. She counted once that he was propositioned no less than four times a day depending on where they were patrolling.

Absently she raised her hand to his face and traced the marking on his mandible, soliciting his immediate attention. Emerald green eyes met her brilliant blue and a soft smile was shared between them.

This was what she needed. Camaraderie, friendship, companionship. She was not meant to travel alone though she was perfectly capable of doing so. She desired this closeness too much to make a habit of it for long.

Without words she moved to straddle his waist. She ran her fingers over his unplated neck and in the rim of his cowl, her lips sucking on his mandibles. She managed to wring a few groans out of him before he grabbed her by her waist and forcefully switched their positions.

He was inside of her less than a heartbeat later and they rode the crescendo of their mutual desires well in to the late morning.

John was waiting for Aeryn at the café they had agreed on. Well, to call it a café was entire too kind. It was a bar with stools with which one ate food upon. John hadn't seen Garrus this morning and EDI had confirmed that he hadn't returned to the ship so he almost expected to see Garrus come to the eatery with Aeryn.

When she showed up decidedly alone he was more than a little surprise.

"Where's Garrus?" He asked after giving her another long hug and a kiss on top of her hooded head.
She seemed to tense for a minute before sliding on to the stool next to his. She signaled to the bartender to bring her a shot of some bright pink liquor.

"Tali apparently followed you guys. He left with her."

She didn't need to elaborate on what that meant, John knew too well how that must have ripped at her. He silently reclaimed his seat next to her and followed her lead, ordering himself a shot.

"Aeryn… I'm sorry. I had ordered everyone to stay on the Normandy when we were gone…"

She shook her head and laughed humorlessly, "You know very well that half of that crew could sneak out if they truly wanted to. Besides, I can't say that I blame her. If I were in her position I wouldn't just sit around and twiddle my thumbs."

John cursed inwardly. He was going to ask her to come back to the Normandy with him. He had figured with Garrus by her side the issues with Tali would work themselves out.

Not that John had a lot of experience in these types of situations. He had been with Liara for, technically, nearly five years now. He had never had to deal with another person in his love life.

He doubt she'd want to come back now if Garrus and Tali were still together. She certainly wouldn't want to deal with that kind of adversity so soon after escaping another difficult situation.

The whole situation pissed him off. His sister was one badass chick, but she was still his little sister. He hated to see her hurt and he could tell by the slight puff and tinge of red to her eyes that she had cried a good deal the night before. She was putting on a strong front but she was still hurting.

"I guess asking you to come back to the Normandy is out now, huh? Damnit, I was so certain you and Garrus would be back in force! Why are you being so calm about this? I can't be angrier than you about your love life?"

She looked up at him and blinked a few times before smiling the most pathetically sad smile he had ever witnessed.

"No, I'm not angry John. I'm hurt. But I'll live, I have to. This situation, well, weird. I was supposed to be dead, my fiancé moved on. I can't really begrudge him for that, no matter how much it hurts. Besides it's not so bad. I'm now free to explore the single life, something I had been decidedly not doing before. And no, I don't think I'll be returning to the Normandy just yet. I'm not saying no permanently… But just not right now."

He was relieved that she wasn't going to avoid the ship forever and he understood her need to lick her wounds. He was impressed with her ability to be somewhat objective about the entire situation and more than a little surprised.

Aria had made it seem like Aeryn was an emotional wreck and maybe she still was, but this was the old Aeryn he was talking to. The reasonable, calm and calculating Aeryn. She was hurt and had she been talking to anyone else he doubted she would be this rational about it.

They had always been close siblings when they were alone. Their parents had died when they were young and they were used to relying on one another. She wouldn't bother to hide behind anger or false happiness with him. She would tell him like it was, like she saw it, unfiltered and raw.

He ordered them both another round of shots and knocked glasses with her. It was nice just to be able to sit next to her again and talk.

He had lost his sister once and he would be damned if it was going to happen again.