Hey guys, thanks again for all the reviews and pm's about this story. I was planning on doing nothing today except gorging myself on Easter Eggs, but all your comments made me want to do nothing more than sit down and write the next chapter! This is a bit more dialogue based than usual, but I felt it was important before I moved on to the next part of the story, so I hope you enjoy, more to come very soon!

Casey knew it was now or ever. She took a deep breath and entered the Gun Battery. Garrus had his back to her, but turned around as she entered.

"Casey?" He greeted her nervously.

"Look, that thing with James the other night was just a drunken mistake."

Garrus smiled.

"I'm not interested in James…I like you…"

Garrus pulled her closer to him. "I know," he said.

Casey felt warm all over, and leaned in closer. Garrus continued, "but you're a human, and I'm a Turian. The thought of us together is just laughable. I don't even want to think about what you look like naked…"

"Casey?"

Casey snapped out of her daydream at Mordin's voice. She was in the lab today, for the third day in a row since Garrus saw James in her room. Mordin had seemed shocked when she appeared three days ago, as if he'd forgotten that he invited her onto the ship because she was apparently 'invaluable' to him. Casey could see he didn't really know what to do with her, so she'd spent most of her time cleaning and organising (only to watch things be stealthily reorganised by Mordin later). She didn't mind, she wanted to keep out of everyone's way. She was sure they would've found out about her and James by now, and felt eyes on her wherever she went. Joker had told her she looked nice yesterday, and she was sure this was some kind of reference to what had happened. She'd stormed off before he'd even finished what he was saying.

And Garrus, what did Garrus think? Even if he wasn't interested in her, she didn't want him to think she was some tramp who slept her way through the ship. Like Chambers. Casey shuddered. Kelly Chambers was another crew member, a really nice girl who'd do a favour for anyone, but who seemed to have no sexual limitations. Casey wasn't even sure she had a bed of her own on the ship, the amount of times she'd seen her leaving other peoples.

"Sorry Doctor Solus," Casey replied, realising she'd been standing still, holding a container of what looked like green play dough for the last few minutes.

"It's fine, just not good to be in such close proximity to Varren faeces for too long: smell tends to spread."

Ew. Casey quickly put down the container.

"Something wrong?" Mordin continued.

"It's nothing."

"Are you sick? Symptoms suggest some sort of illness."

"Symptoms?"

"Tired, vacant expression, slow moving, long drawn-out sighs…"

"She's love sick, Mordin." Kasumi entered the lab, dropping down onto a stool by one of the tables opposite Casey. "Problem is, she won't tell me who she's pining over."

Mordin shifted nervously. "Ah. I'm afraid matters of the heart are not my expertise. Love related infections are more my specialty, managed to create a wonderful remedy for Krogan itch."

Casey and Kasumi looked at him blankly. Mordin cleared his throat, "When Krogan mate with other species there's a ninety-five percent chance of chafing, commonly referred to as Krogan itch, wrote paper on it. Krogan itch not too bad, Krogan related tearing is much more-"

"Yeah we got it Doc, thanks," Kasumi cut him off. Mordin nodded, and continued to reorganise Casey's filing. Kasumi leaned in closer to Casey and lowered her voice. "Haven't seen you in days. I can make myself invisible, but you're pretty good at it too."

"I'm surprised it took you this long to find me actually," Casey said, sitting down beside her.

"You're clever, this was literally the last place I thought to look."

Casey smiled.

"So, I'm right aren't I? You're love sick."

"No, it's not that." Casey thought desperately of another reason she could give for acting so distant. Krogan itch wasn't looking so bad right now.

"Hmm, you're an awful liar."

"Yeah I get that a lot."

Kasumi got up with a sigh. "Well, if you're not going to tell me, you can at least come and get lunch with me."

"Oh, I can't, I'm needed here." Casey gestured towards Mordin, who, unfortunately, happened to stop humming at that exact moment.

"Don't be ridiculous Casey, need to eat, especially if trying to get over sexual related injury."

"No…Doctor I don't actually have-"

"Yes yes, food is the best thing for you. Out you go," and with that he waved Casey and Kasumi out of the lab.

Kasumi grilled Casey all the way to the mess, and didn't stop even when they were at the table with their food, with James only a few seats away. "It's someone on the ship right?"

"Kasumi, not now," Casey hissed.

"That's a yes," Kasumi replied with a smile. "Is it Edwards from Engineering?"

"The one with the eye patch?"

"I think he's mysterious," Kasumi giggled.

"No. It's not Edwards."

"Harris?"

"The one who calibrates the galaxy map?"

"Yeah."
"The one who walks with a cane and calls me 'Carol'?"

"Yeah."

"…Seriously Kasumi? Those are the kinds of men you think I can get?"

Kasumi was laughing now. "Ok, I'm only teasing, but now I'm certain it's someone on the Normandy."

"What are we talking about?" James asked, moving to a chair next to Casey.

"Trying to work out who Case is crushing on," Kasumi said, stealing a piece of bread from James' plate. Casey felt her face burning, but James kept cool. "Well that's obvious," he replied. "It's totally me. I rocked her world the other night." Casey thought she was going to die, but Kasumi just laughed.

"In your dreams Vega." She got up to go and get a drink, and Casey exhaled.

"A little nervous there Case?" James grinned.

"Sorry, I just don't want to get a reputation…you know…"

"No sweat," James replied.

"So, you haven't told anyone?"

"No, course not. What happened was our business, no one else's." James grinned. "And it'll stay like that if you ever wanna go for round two."

He winked dramatically and Casey laughed, stealing the other piece of bread from his plate, and cramming it into her mouth before he could argue.

"I'm going to get a drink," she said with her mouth full.

"Yeah yeah, get out of here you animal," James laughed.

Casey made her way over to Kasumi, still struggling to swallow the bread. At that precise moment Garrus came in, and almost walked straight into her.

"Oh, sorry," he said with a smile.

Casey, with a mouth full of bread and a burning face just nodded.

"We have to stop doing that," Garrus added.

Casey didn't know what to say, so, instead of saying anything, made a little noise that was halfway between a laugh and a snort. Garrus smiled, grabbed his food, and went to sit next to Shepard. Casey had intended to scuttle back to her room, but she happened to glance at Kasumi, whose eyes had widened. She kept looking from Garrus, to Casey, and back again.

Uh oh.

Before Kasumi could say anything, Casey grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into Miranda's office, which was, mercifully, empty.

"It's Garrus!" Kasumi squealed.

"No it's not," Casey protested, but even she didn't believe herself.

"Puh-lease. You should've seen your face, and your whole body tensed up, and I'm not even going to mention that snort thing. Nice job on that by the way."

Casey dropped down onto the chair. "Alright. Fine."

Kasumi did a little spin on the spot. "This is so exciting, you and Garrus?"

"Oh, no…nothing's happened," Casey replied.

"But you want it to, right?"

Casey nodded, unable to say anything, and Kasumi started hopping about. "I'm going to set you up, it'll be perfect, and then you'll have to invite me to the wedding. I wonder if Turian's have cake we can eat, if not I'll have to smuggle some in, ooh I know the cutest little bakery with really low security-"

"Stop!" Casey said, getting to her feet. "Nothing's ever going to happen because he's not interested."

Kasumi's face fell. "He said that? I'll kick his-"

"No, he didn't say it to me…I overheard him talking to James. He said nothing would ever happen because I'm human. And he likes Tali anyway."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "Tali?"

"Yeah, he said she's special."

"Huh, Tali said you hadn't spoken to her since the night on the Citadel. I assumed it was because you were as mortified as I was at her dancing…There's nothing going on there Case. They're friends."

Casey shook her head. "No, he likes her. Anyway it doesn't matter, I need to go back to the lab."

And she turned and left the room before Kasumi could say anything more. Unfortunately for Casey, it meant that she didn't hear the call Kasumi then made on her omni-tool.

"Come on, it's easy."

"Then why do you need me?" Casey protested.

"I need two pairs of hands, and Shep's counting on us."

Casey sighed, then nodded, following Kasumi out of the Normandy. They'd just docked on Noveria, where Shepard was making a deal with a known crime lord. Unfortunately for the criminal, while Shepard was playing nice, Kasumi was hacking the building security, so that when Shepard told this guy he was going to jail, he couldn't turn every mech in the place on him.

They didn't have to go far, just to a little maintenance room outside the docking area. Kasumi took out the guards while cloaked, and then Casey followed her inside. "What do you need me to do?" Casey asked.

"Nothing right now, but when it's time to punch in the final code, I need both of those wheels turned while I do it."

Casey looked at the metal wheels. "I can't reach both."

"I know," Kasumi said with her back turned. "I told you, I need two pairs of hands."

"Sorry I'm late." Casey turned to see Tali enter the room. That sneaky little thief set this up! Casey thought angrily. She was just wondering how Kasumi might subtly bring up the subject of Garrus, when Tali spoke again.

"So Casey, you've got a thing for Garrus?"

Casey rolled her eyes and looked at Kasumi, who was pointedly keeping her back turned. She sighed, what's the point of lying? "Yes."

"And you're mad at me because you heard him say I'm special?"

"Ok seriously, Kasumi?"

"Sorry," Kasumi replied, still working on the console.

"Casey, let me be honest with you," Tali began. "There is no way that Garrus is attracted to me at all."

Casey didn't want to meet Tali's gaze, which turned out to be easier than she thought, because she could barely tell where her eyes were under that mask anyway.

"Really," Tali persisted. "Garrus is like a brother to me."

"Not that it matters," Casey began, "But you not being attracted to him doesn't mean he's not attracted to you."

"Trust me," Tali began…

Tali was drunk now. She didn't like it. But the Aliens were right, it numbed the hurt. She watched as Shepard danced with Liara. She didn't know when she first realised she was in love with Shepard: maybe right at the start. And now, they'd just defeated Soverign and the Geth, saved the whole Galaxy from a Reaper attack, and all she could think about during their celebrations on Illium was how much she wanted to be the one dancing with him. She'd never felt like this about a human before. She didn't even know much about their species. But Shepard was the one who had saved her life more times than she'd ever be able to repay him for. She guessed somewhere along the line she'd got the idea that he'd fallen for her too, but unfortunately that just wasn't true.

"Bosh-tet" she muttered, watching Liara and Shepard laughing together.

"Something wrong?" She looked up, and could just about make out a blurry Garrus standing next to her.

"No…Wait…yes…My glass is empty."

Garrus smiled, or at least maybe he did. Damn lights were bouncing off her mask and distorting him. That was it. Not the alcohol. Alcohol good.

"Let's get you another one then," Garrus laughed.

Garrus was a good guy. Garrus was kind. Garrus bought drinks. Garrus had saved her life too.

"Garrus…" She muttered.

"Hmm?" He replied, paying the Asari behind the bar.

She wrapped her arms around his waist. He turned, looking slightly shocked.

"We should just do it." She said.

"Do it?...Do what?" He asked.

"You know," Tali giggled. "Sex."

Garrus' mandibles twitched, and he smiled. "Tali, I have a feeling you won't even remember this tomorrow."

"So what? You're a little drunk, I'm a little drunk…"

"You're a lot drunk."

"I'm a lot drunk, whatever. The point is, we'd be great together. At least we can eat the same food…"

Garrus smiled, and gently kissed the top of her head. "Tali, I love you, but you're like my sister. And if there's one thing we learned from the Vorcha, it's that banging your sister is a big mistake."

Tali sighed. "Fine. Then buy your sister a drink."

Casey couldn't believe it. "I guess I wasn't as drunk as I hoped," Tali began, "Because I remember everything. Luckily Garrus never brought it up: he's too much of a gentleman. But that's how I know he's not attracted to me, because I offered myself up to him on a plate and he said no."

"Maybe he didn't want to take advantage?" Casey asked.

"Maybe you're putting barriers in the way because you're scared to go for it," Kasumi said, coming over. "Come on, time to do your thing ladies."

Casey and Tali began to turn the wheels. They were heavy iron things that obviously hadn't moved in years. "You know what you should do? Wear something that shows off your waist, Turian's love that," Tali puffed, struggling to turn the wheel.

"Uh huh…"Casey replied.

"Stroke his fringe, that drives them wild!...Or so I've read," Kasumi added.

"You'd have to kiss or something first," Tali puffed. "That's like going from a handshake to sex…"

"Nothing wrong with that," Kasumi laughed.

"Girls, can we hurry this up?" Casey could barely talk, she was so tired from the effort she was exerting.

"This is good practice," Kasumi called.

"What do you mean?"

"You need to build up your stamina: Turian's are pretty energetic, and they like it rough," Kasumi finished.

"Or so you've read?" Tali laughed.

The mission had been going pretty well, the system had been hacked, and Shepard was going to arrest the crime lord any second. Unfortunately, some guards had stumbled across the bodies of the ones Kasumi had taken out, and were now roaming the area around the maintenance room, each carrying machine guns. The three women had therefore retreated into an air duct to hide. Unluckily for Casey, the conversation had not ended.

"They're pretty dominant," Kasumi whispered. "I think it's a species-wide thing."

"Shhhhh!" Casey breathed, peering through the gap in the vent at the nearest guard, who was stroking his gun affectionately.

"Yeah, Quarian men are similar actually, I think for them it's to do with being able to be in control of their bodies in at least one situation," Tali hissed.

"Seriously!" Casey breathed, "The guards are right outside."

"We'll be fine, I've called James, he'll be here any minute to take them out," Kasumi said. "Ah, now, James, I wonder what he'd be like?!"

"I bet he takes charge," Tali whispered.

"I don't know, all that muscle? Maybe he's trying to make up for something…"Kasumi giggled.

"That's definitely not the case," Casey said, before she even realised.

Kasumi's mouth fell open. Casey was met with a barrage of whispered questions from both women.

"When did this happen?"

"What does he look like, you know?"

"Did he initiate it?"

"What was it like?"

"Is it going to happen again?"

"Shhhhh!" Casey hissed, watching as a guard in the doorway glanced around. "Look," she breathed. "It happened once, it was a drunken mistake and it won't happen again. It was very good, but it was a mistake. A mistake!"

There was no time for any more questions, because at that moment James arrived and took out the guards, before rescuing the girls from the vent. Casey thought she would melt into the floor when the other two started giggling at the mere sight of him.

That night on the ship, everyone had dinner together to celebrate. And, as Casey was starting to notice was becoming a bit of a habit with the Normandy crew, everyone had a few drinks. Casey wasn't drinking, but still had a good time.

Around midnight she decided to go to bed, but as she headed down the corridor towards her room she found Garrus and James. Garrus had him by the throat, and held against the wall. He seemed to be having heated words with him, when he noticed Casey's presence. He dropped James, and stalked away, not looking Casey in the eye. James rubbed his throat, on which a large purple bruise was now flowering.

"What was that?" Casey asked.

"No idea," James spluttered. "I'd had a few drinks, and Ms Chambers asked me if I'd like to see her new tattoo. Well, it was in an intimate place, so we went into my room to look. When we came out Garrus is standing there, he waits till she's out of sight, then grabs me. Starts telling me I'm a worthless snake and that I needed to tell you….and I was like 'Casey? Why?' Which seemed to make him even madder."

Casey put her hand over her mouth. "Garrus saw you in my room, he must think we're together…"

"Ah, shit. And I look like a complete Dog." James rubbed his neck again. "Case you gotta tell him, he's my friend, but he's also on my squad, and we can't afford to be enemies. Or more accurately, I can't afford to be enemies with a Turian who could probably snap me in half."

Casey nodded, "I'll tell him now, I'm so sorry James."

James shook his head, "Hey, don't worry about it. I guess I am a bit of a Dog…I didn't think you'd mind about me…you know…"

"Oh I don't, it's fine," Casey replied honestly. "Us was just a one-time thing."

"That's what I figured, but still, I should've checked." He gave Casey a squeeze of the hand before she set off.

Garrus wasn't in the mess, so she headed for the Gun Battery.

He turned around when she entered. "Hey, I'm sorry you saw that. I just-"

"James and I aren't together," Casey blurted out.

Garrus didn't say anything for a moment, but he looked a bit confused. "Oh, but I saw him in your room, I assumed…"

"No, we just had sex." Great Casey, that makes you look really classy. "I mean, it was a drunken mistake, it should never have happened."

She waited for his reaction, and eventually he smiled. "I'm sorry, I made an assumption and I shouldn't have done. I should apologise to James."

"You don't have to, he's fine, he understands what happened."

Garrus nodded. "Still, it's only right for me to do it personally." He turned to leave.

"Thanks," Casey added. "For defending me."

Garrus smiled, "I guess it's the Turian in me, we're all about honour. Really it was none of my business, what you guys do is your decision."

He turned and left, leaving Casey feeling rather empty.

She didn't see the smile playing on his lips, the way he walked with a lighter stride than he had in three days.