Hi guys, just wanted to say thank you again for all your lovely comments and reviews, it really makes my day to hear from you! While I'm not done with Casey and Garrus just yet, their story will be drawing to a close relatively soon, and I hope you like the next few chapters, as we start to build up to the finale! I've already got another story idea forming, however, so I hope you can stick with me through that too.

But as I say, we're not done with these guys just yet, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter :)

Mel

When Casey woke up the following morning, she wondered for a moment why every bone in her body seemed to ache. At first, Tiberius' face flashed across her mind, and memories of how her skin felt when he struck her with his belt flooded back. But then she remembered Garrus, and that it was in fact him that had made her feel like this, and as visions of last night appeared before her eyes, she couldn't help but grin.

"You shouldn't smile," said Garrus from the other side of the room, as Casey struggled into a sitting position. "You're meant to look like I beat you black and blue last night."

"Well, in a way…" Casey murmured, attempting to spread a nonchalant look on her face.

Garrus looked concerned, "Did I hurt you?"

"A little," Casey replied, "But I enjoyed it."

It was now Garrus' turn to attempt to hide his smile. "I've got some good news for you," he continued after a moment. "Just don't look like I'm telling you anything important, ok?"

Casey nodded, and began to get dressed, but her heart was racing.

"Purgatory have agreed to sell Jack to Shepard."

Casey couldn't help but stop what she was doing and turn to face Garrus, whose raised eyebrows reminded her to try and look casual. "How? Why did they finally agree?" She asked.

"Last night, I managed to send the Normandy some footage of the kind of stuff that goes on here, and Cerberus has used it to negotiate a deal: they promised to keep it to themselves if Purgatory agree to sell Jack."

Casey thought for a moment. "I didn't think people would really care if they found out prisoners were getting abused here…I mean, that's why they get sent to this place, right?"

"Unofficially, yes, but this footage getting out could cause a lot of hassle for the prison. There are enough people already petitioning to have this place shut down, and the Blue Suns don't need any more bad press right now."

"So...when's the deal happening?"

"Today," Garrus replied. "We just need to keep up the charade until it's done, then Shepard tells them he wants to buy a few more prisoners: Kuril's not going to turn down the extra credits he'd get for you, Miranda and Thane."

Casey nodded, though clearly unable to hide her disappointment at having to go through another day, because Garrus added. "We'll be back home soon enough, and then I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

Casey grinned, and Garrus led her to the door. "I mean it, even if it means tying you to your bed." He looked thoughtful for a moment, "Actually, I may just do that anyway."

Breakfast was the same as it always was, although there was a certain tension in the air. At first Casey thought she was imagining it, but then the rumour reached her table that the legendary Commander Shepard was coming to Purgatory to buy some prisoners. "That didn't take long," Miranda muttered as she took a seat next to Casey, who positively beamed at the sight of her. Miranda looked thin and tired, but otherwise none the worse for her time in solitary. Casey could hardly believe that she'd once wished for Miranda to get sucked out of her cabin window and into space: right now she felt like her best friend in the world.

"You look like shit," Miranda said, her eyes resting on Casey's split lip and the cut above her eye.

"Not all of us have had it easy like you," Casey quipped, "Good vacation?"

"Oh yeah," Miranda replied with a grin. "I mean, food wasn't up to much, but then it never is. It was just nice to get some me-time."

Casey smiled, but then said in a much quieter voice, "I didn't get a chance to say, thanks for looking out for me."

Miranda shrugged, "we're friends."

Casey felt her chest swell a little, but tried to look like she had known about their friendship all along, turning back to the bowl of mush in front of her.

Miranda and Casey managed to sit together during work detail, with Thane only a few tables away from the line on the floor. Casey looked at the guards, all of whom looked tense. She supposed having the great Commander Shepard, who had had several run ins with their gang, aboard the ship was making them nervous. She watched Samara, Grunt, and Garrus huddled together at the far end of the room. Grunt seemed to be talking animatedly about something, which was causing Garrus and Samara to look around anxiously, but before Casey could consider the implications of this, an alarm sounded. The lights flashed on and off, and a voice came over the speakers urging all guards to escort prisoners back to their cells immediately. Though this was soon drowned out by a loud crash, and the sound of metal bending and breaking. Casey caught sight of what looked like a woman before she was thrown backwards by a powerful biotic throw.

When Casey came around she found herself on the other side of the room, surrounded by chaos. There were two giant holes in either side of the room, leading into two different corridors. Prisoners were running through either one of these, fighting guards, or still unconscious on the floor. An automated voice was now coming out of the speakers on the wall, naming those cell blocks which had been breached.

Casey climbed slowly to her feet. Other than the soreness she'd woken up with, she felt perfectly fine. She couldn't see Garrus or anyone else she knew anywhere, but the number of prisoners in the room was shrinking, and at this rate it wouldn't take long before she was rounded up by one of the guards. Casey decided then and there that she'd had quite enough of Purgatory, and now was the time to leave. She made her way towards one of the holes in the walls. She guessed that the woman she'd seen had been Jack, and that she'd blown through the walls in an attempt to get out. But where would she go? And why wasn't Shepard with her?

As Casey ran for the gap she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back. She turned, but it wasn't a guard who was holding her, it was a Batarian prisoner. "Come with me, I'll keep you safe," he hissed. But Casey knew from the way he gripped her shoulder and the hungry look in his eyes that the last thing on his mind was her safety. She tried to struggle free, but he held on, his fingertips digging into her skin.

But then he wasn't there anymore, thrown back by a biotic throw. Casey turned, Miranda stood behind her, a small gash on her forehead, but otherwise fine.

"I hate Batarians," she muttered. "Come on." She ran towards the hole in the wall, and Casey followed closely behind.

They ran along the corridors, unimpeded by other prisoners or guards, who all seemed to be following their own agenda. "Someone's opened all the cells," Miranda said as they ran. "The ones along here are extra high security, they don't leave for work detail." Casey nodded, all the cell doors were open, the prisoners long gone.

"Where should we go?" Casey panted, already getting a pain in her side from the running.

"Follow Jack's path," Miranda replied. She hardly seemed to have broken a sweat. "Shepard will follow Jack, and that's our best chance of finding him and getting off this shithole."

"What about the others? Garrus, Thane-"

"If they've got any sense they'll be doing the same thing."

Casey nodded, now too out of breath to reply. She knew Miranda was right, and besides, the others were all much more capable of looking after themselves than she was. As long as she was still moving, they had to be!

Miranda rounded the next corner before Casey, but suddenly came back, stopping Casey in her tracks. "No," she hissed, gesturing to the corner. Casey peered around, noticing a large group of guards, who seemed to be rounding up any prisoner who ran into their path with some of those blue jelly-like beams of light which had held Casey when she first arrived. "They don't have Jack," Miranda whispered. "But there's no way we're getting past them."

Casey looked around anxiously for a way out. "What about over there?" She asked, pointing to another guard office. "There might be weapons, or even another door."

Miranda nodded, and the two of them headed for the office, ignoring the prisoners running past them towards the waiting guards. Miranda opened the door first, then nodded, and Casey followed her inside. They closed the door behind them. "Fuck, no weapons," Miranda groaned, pointing to the empty gun cabinet.

"And no door out either," Casey sighed. The room was small and similar to the last guard office she had been in, just monitors and computers. Miranda moved closer to the monitors, "Can you see Jack?" Casey asked.

"Hang on," Miranda replied, peering at each of the screens in turn.

"Don't move." The gruff voice was behind Casey's ear, and she felt something solid pressing against the back of her head. Miranda turned around, and Casey watched as her biotics made the air around her ripple with blue light.

"I wouldn't do that," the voice continued. "One move and I'll blow her pretty head right off."

Miranda controlled herself, and the light disappeared.

"Good choice," replied the voice that Casey now realised was all too familiar. She attempted to turn her head, but the gun pressed harder against it. "No need to turn around," Tiberius growled. "You know who I am."

Casey's heart was racing, but she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her frightened. "Hi Tiberius," she said casually. "How's your neck?"

She could practically hear him grinding his teeth in anger, and though it made her feel good, the look of panic on Miranda's face reminded her of the very real danger she was in.

"You know," Tiberius began, his voice catching as he clearly tried to control his anger. "I'm going to enjoy blowing your head off. Little whores like you always get what's coming to them."

Casey felt her own face flood red with anger, and couldn't help herself. "I don't blame you, shooting me is the only kind of blow you're going to experience with a dick like yours."

She knew she'd done it then. She felt Tiberius shake with anger.

Then there was a gunshot.

Blood spattered the walls.

But it wasn't Casey's blood. She turned around. Garrus stood behind her, lowering his gun. Tiberius was on the floor. A single shot to the back of his head is what sprayed the walls, and Casey, in blood.

"A trash talker now, are we?" Garrus asked, raising an eyebrow. Casey couldn't figure out if he was annoyed or impressed, all she knew was that he had saved her again. She ran forwards, flinging her arms around his neck. He pulled her close, breathing into her neck. "I didn't know where you were, it was all so crazy," he whispered.

"It's ok, I'm ok," she replied.

Then Casey remembered that they were not alone, and so it seemed, did Garrus, because they quickly separated, and when Garrus next spoke, his voice sounded oddly formal. "It's not safe out there, guards are rounding up prisoners in this sector, but the others are still a free for all. The guards are on edge, they don't seem to know who's a prisoner and who's a guard: they almost tossed me into a cell."

"What should we do?" Casey asked.

"We need to get you off this block, and we need to find Shepard, I'm worried. Apparently Kuril tried to trap Shepard in a cell: some plan to sell him off to Batarians. He got out, and freed Jack and the others, that's what started the riot, but that's all I know."

Casey looked at Miranda, who seemed to be surveying the two of them closely, before finally nodding. "Ok, the plan is to follow Jack's path, Shepard won't be far off. In any case, Jack will be heading for the docking level, probably planning to hijack a ship."

"Let's not let that ship be the Normandy," Garrus added.

Casey, who had been glancing around the room for some inspiration, suddenly found it. "The vent!" She cried, running for the ventilation grate on the wall. "We can crawl through it to get off this level, and then climb out somewhere safer."

Miranda and Garrus joined Casey, and they'd soon managed to pry the grate off the wall. Miranda climbed inside, followed by Casey. Garrus made to follow, when there was a noise outside the room.

"Check every inch of this level, those prisoners will hide anywhere to avoid being caught."

Garrus caught Casey's eye, and she knew what he was going to do. He moved back into the room and secured the grate back onto the wall, just in time. Three guards burst in. "Anything in here Vakarian?"

"No sir," Garrus replied.

"Ok, spread out, Shepard is the priority."

Miranda tugged Casey's arm. "Come on," she breathed. "He can look for Shepard, and we'll find the Normandy. He's safe on this ship, we're not."

Casey watched as Garrus followed the guards out, throwing a quick glance at the grate and nodding, before leaving the room. Casey sighed, following Miranda through the cold ventilation shaft.

They crawled in silence for a long time, before Miranda finally spoke. "So…you and Garrus?"

"I…what?"

"Oh come on Casey, we both know you're a terrible liar. I admit, I thought I noticed something a while ago, but wrote it off as my imagination. How long has it been going on for?"

"We…I don't think…." But Casey gave up, she was too exhausted to argue. "Just, don't tell anyone," Casey whispered.

Miranda turned back and smiled, "of course."

"So where do you think we are?" Casey asked, eager to change the subject.

"Just above the emergency evacuation pods," came a silky voice from the shadowy tunnel to their left. Thane's face came into view. "Hello ladies, I trust you are well?"

Casey smiled, but Miranda sighed, "Christ Krios, always so polite. It's all gone to shit in case you didn't notice."

Thane's expression didn't falter. "I did, but I find an air of civility doesn't hurt."

Casey thought she saw a smile cross Miranda's face, but it could've been a trick of the light.

"I feel it would be a good idea to climb out here," Thane continued. "The Normandy is not far, and I believe we may have beaten Jack here." He kicked the nearest grate out, and jumped to the floor below. Miranda followed, and then Casey, the only one to stumble as she landed. The three of them walked quietly past the escape pods. "There are no prisoners here," Casey noted.

"The corridors are still frantic, the guards are nowhere near rounding everyone up yet, but they've set up perimeters to stop prisoners getting this far," Thane replied.

Casey noticed movement up ahead, and three guards came into view. Thane pulled her and Miranda behind a pile of crates so quickly that she could've sworn they'd teleported there.

"What should we do?" Miranda asked, watching the guards prepping an escape pod.

"Leave it to me," Thane replied, slipping out of sight. Casey turned back to the guards. They looked scruffy: their uniforms didn't seem to fit properly, and they moved nervously around. Then one of them turned and Casey caught sight of her face. It was the Salarian, Dahlian! She looked at the other guards, definitely Emily and Toni. They'd obviously stolen guard uniforms in an attempt to escape. Then Casey's stomach dropped, she caught sight of Thane sneaking closer to the group.

"Wait!" She yelled, jumping up. She saw Thane pause, and slip back into the shadows.

The women turned, all pointing their guns at Casey. "Isla?" Dahlian breathed, lowering her gun. "We thought you were a guard, quickly, come here!"

Casey moved closer, and the other women lowered their guns too, all looking relieved to see her. "How did you get those?" Casey asked.

"Found them, Jack took out a bunch of guards on her way through," Toni replied. "We figured we could use them to get out safely."

"Ok it's ready," Emily said, typing something into the control panel of the pod. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"I can't," Casey whispered. "I have to stay."

"Don't be stupid Isla," Toni shook her head and took Casey's hand. "I know it's scary, but we can't stay here. None of us belong here, and we know you well enough to know you don't either, you're a good person, I can tell." Emily and Dahlian nodded. "So come on, we'll look after each other."

Casey felt her eyes water slightly, and she blinked rapidly. "I'm sorry…my name isn't Isla. I've lied to you."

The women looked confused, but Toni still held onto her hand. "My name is Casey," she continued.

"Casey?" Dahlian asked.

"Casey!" Casey turned, Garrus was moving towards the group, his gun raised. "Let her go!" He growled at the women, who now all pointed their guns at him. Toni dropped her grip on Casey, her eyes moving from her to Garrus, and back.

"Back off guard!" Toni yelled. "Whatever her name is, she's our friend, she's not going anywhere with you."

Casey saw Emily raise her gun, taking aim at Garrus, and she quickly grabbed hold of it. Emily wasn't expecting this, and Casey took the weapon easily.

"What?...You're with them?" Emily asked, understanding spreading across her face. Toni and Dahilan looked shocked.

"Yes…" Casey replied. "I'm undercover, I'm part of Commander Shepard's crew. I came here to find Jack."

"What do you want with Jack?" Dahlian asked, curiosity clearly overcoming all other emotions.

"We want her to help us fight the Collectors."

None of the women said anything for a few moments. Then Toni moved forwards. "If you're with Shepard, then you're not with the guards?"

"No," Casey replied, shaking her head. She turned to Garrus. "Put down your gun." He did, though looking wary.

Toni continued. "We're getting out of here Casey. If you're not coming with us, then I understand. But I won't let you stop us."

Casey shook her head again. "We won't." She handed the gun back to Emily. "Go, now, get far away as quickly as you can."

Toni nodded, then leaned forwards, wrapping her arms around Casey. "Good luck…Casey."

"You too."

The women climbed into the escape pod, and were soon gone.

"They were criminals," Garrus muttered. "You sure that was a good idea?"

"Yes," Casey replied. And she was.

They reached the ship a few minutes later, and Garrus ensured that Miranda and Casey were immediately on board, despite both of them arguing that they were perfectly able to keep watch outside. Their arguments, however, were relatively pointless, as moments later the remaining crew members arrived, including Shepard and Jack. Jack merely glanced at the crew before disappearing to the lower decks, and as Garrus led Miranda, Casey, and Thane to the med lab to get checked over, Casey couldn't help but wonder whether it had really been worth it.