The ground rocked hard enough to throw him from the bed, taking the sheets and tubes with was a rude awakening indeed to have the needles ripped from his body by such harsh means. The pain of is was far down the list of his concerns when the ground shuddered with another volley of loud booming echos. His legs felt like rubber under his weight as he tried to climb up on the bed for support. Sirens sounded alarms throughout the station. To the left he could see people in uniform and armor running by with guns in hand. His attention snapped to the doors ahead of him as someone burst into the room.
"Nihlus! We have go get to the Normandy, Now!"
Garrus stood in the door way, his face was stern and his mandibles were flush along his jaw. He wore black armor with the Cerberus insignia in yellow on his chest. Modern biotics had replaced the white bandage like apparatus that had held his face together in the past. Nihlus glared at him with a rage that had never filled him so violently.
"You!" He growled. "You have taken everything form me! Give me a reason I should not kill you and die with these humans!"
"We don't have time for this! Common!" Garrus shouted back, waving his arm.
"The galaxy is out of time! We failed!" Nihlus retorted.
"We are not dead! We have not failed! Kill me if you have to, but do it on the Normandy!" Garrus shot back.
"Where's Shepard?"
"On the Normandy waiting for us! Move!" Garrus answered and turned to leave.
He wasn't going to stand there and argue. He ran down the hall, his rifle held tightly to his chest. If Nihlus didn't follow, so be it. He would deal with the wrath. The clicking of talons on the polished floor told him the turian was hot on his tail. Whether it was to kill him or not remained to be seen. But if it was on board the ship, it wouldn't matter.
The ground shook. Dust fell from the ceiling with chunks of tile. The boom of weapons fire from the station's main guns vibrated the walls. He didn't look back to see if Nihlus was still behind him. He ran the halls, passing panicked Cerberus employees and lab assists. Finally the air lock came into view. The doors hissed open and he ran inside. Shepard stood behind the cockpit waiting.
"Where's Nihlus?" She asked, the fear evident in her voice.
"He's behind me, but he's intent on killing me. I think I should go hide." Garrus replied.
"What?" Shepard asked.
"Yeah, so if you don't mind..."
Garrus took off to the forward batteries. She was going to need him there in a few minutes anyway when they tried to escape the Reaper attacking the station. The elevator doors closed just as a half naked, angry turian nearly ran Shepard over as he stumbled onto the ship. His legs were unsteady due to atrophy and the sedatives. Not to mention the extensive amount of pain killers in his system from the major reconstructive surgery done to his face. Cerberus was good at the medical stuff. He had to give them that. You could hardly tell where the scars were. The thought made him wonder just how hard the Illusive Man had worked on the cure for the drell. Probably none at all considering Thane's remark on the Collector Base. TIM wasn't one to easily forgive and forget.
"Okay, Joker. Get us outta here!" Captain Shepard ordered.
"Yes, ma'm." Joker replied.
It wouldn't be easy, but if he was quick and they were lucky, the upgrades to the FTL drives wouldn't blow them all to hell when he punched the ignition.
"Hold on to your asses!"
"I do not have an 'ass', Mr. Moreau."
Joker rolled his eyes and hit the ignition sequence. The Normandy pulled away from the docking port and away from the angle of attack. The Reaper didn't seem to notice the newly painted black ship silently move off to a safer distance before jumping into FTL. The Normandy did not explode and Joker released the breath he'd been holding as the stars flew by in streaks of light. Behind him Shepard was helping Nihlus steady himself against the wall. The turian was panting heavily and growling. It was kind of scary.
"Common. Let's get you to a bed. You need to lay down." Shepard soothed.
"I'm not... going... anywhere with you!" Nihlus sneered between pants.
"You've been through a lot, please. Let me help you."
He didn't protest, but he didn't agree. He attempted to take a few steps toward the stairs. His strength faltered and he caught himself against the inner hull. He growled at himself with disappointment and disgust, then nodded and let Shepard loop an arm over her shoulders and help him up.
"Med-bay?" She insisted.
He nodded. They made the long, arduous journey in silence. Not counting the numerous groans and grunts of trying to walk on numb legs with the scent of her in his nose. There was a subtle hint of Garrus, but not the bonding mark on her face that he'd expected. She had not renewed the notion. It gave him bitter hope. She helped him to lie down and saw to his comfort before leaving the med-bay. The last look in her eyes as she gazed down at him with down turned lips was one he knew very well. It hurt him more than it comforted him. He had held such animosity toward her since she braved honesty with him. He should have been more willing to forgive. But it was difficult. He admired her for her ability to forgive him for his misdeeds when she had died. He sighed heavily when she left. The warmth of her fingers against his wrists lingered. He missed her.
"You really should forgive her." Said Dr. Chakwas.
The soothing voice of the elderly doctor floated over to him from the station beside his bed. He turned his face to look up at her gentle smile.
"You don't know what she's gone through. Garrus kept her going after you died. He makes her happy. Hell, he make her laugh! Even with everything that's going on. She still loves you, though. There's nothing saying that's wrong or that you can't still love her. Maybe it's time to set aside ideas like relationships that can only involve two people that love each other. Why can't three people love each other? If the galaxy survives the Reapers attempt to purge it of all life, it may be a step to a new world. We will need the variety and growth such families would provide. If we don't, then their's no time for selfishness. It's true tuians and human can't reproduce, but for now it's the idea that matters. Just think about it. Now, I'm going to go over to the kitchen and get a bite to eat. Do you want anything?"
Nihlus stared at her in disbelief of the words that had just come out of her mouth and shook his head. The very idea was against everything he believed in when it came to a bonded relationship, and he certainly didn't intend on being with another man. He didn't think that's what she meant, but the idea of seeing another male with his mate and willingly sharing her with him was unacceptable. But as the hours rolled by and he slowly regained his strength, he thought about the doctors words and they started to make since. He didn't have to be there. He didn't have to witness it, though he would smell it. Could he deal with that if it was the only way he could be with her? It was a question he would have to find an answer to.