"Sooo...Wrex seems cheerful."

Yeah...that'll work Garrus, brilliant, really.

The three had shared an awkward silence during the descent of the elevator to the cargo hold after they all had gone to check on Michael, the man recovering swiftly in the med-bay, the man one big grin, assuring them of his well-being and unknowing of the fight brewing between those visiting him...

Of course it hadn't been that bad – Ashley and Tali were simply ignoring one another after all – until the three had exited the elevator together and Ashley had confided her surprise to Garrus of Michael sparing the Rachni queen.

Only to stumble in surprise as Tali had suddenly scoffed and coldly said that that wasn't a surprise...

And now they stood by the Mako, Garrus wanting nothing but to grab his tools and disappear under its bulk...as his worried gaze flicked between the two women.

Ashley was standing by the computer checking the Mako's systems, her arms crossed over her chest and brown eyes flashing in barely suppressed anger as they remained fixed upon Tali.

A Tali who was leaning against one of the Mako's wheels, her arms crossed over her chest as well, the silver orbs in her visor narrowed as she coldly regarded the other woman.

How did I get caught in the middle anyway? Michael owes me big...

Garrus wasn't sure why Tali, after her retreat and avoiding of Ashley, had suddenly decided to start their ridiculous bickering again...all he knew was that his own close proximity to it was beginning to make his plates chafe along with the feel of a cold sweat running down his back.

At least they're not armed... Garrus' eyes flicked to the armoury at the other end of the room. ...which could change quickly...

With no real choice in what he could do Garrus continued: "Guess he respects tough calls and such...well I knew that already, I mean everyone does, I mean...erm..." His hand moved back, finding the back of his neck as his gaze flicked from woman to woman. "...that it's a shame he's not around...so...erm...we could talk to him and...erm...stop staring at one another..."

The only reply was Ashley shifting where she stood, back arching as she regarded Tali with a cocked head and a frosty gaze.

Then silence.

Excruciating silence.

Please kill me...

Finally Ashley spoke, voice ice: "So, being so wise you'd like to enlighten me as to why he saved the queen?"

And Tali's warble was as detached as it could be without being the voice of a machine: "Wouldn't you who know him so well know already?"

"At least I kept liking him, I don't change my mind just like that."

Tali flinched, but her voice was one of frost: "Him? Or the hero?"

"Okay..." Garrus clapped his hands together, looking from one to the other as he forced a smile: "...conversation over, no need to keep at this...we're in the same team...remember?"

Neither woman paid him even a glance.

And then Ashley spoke again, as if Garrus hadn't even said anything: "What do you care? It's not like it's any of your business."

Tali snorted, sounding smug: "Defensive aren't we? Worried?"

A scoff escaped Ashley, the woman taking a step back while arching an eyebrow at the Quarian: "Worried? That's a good one, you don't even know what to do with a man..."

Tali flinched, as if struck.

And Ashley's face, often so smirking and friendly...twisted into an ugly grin as she looked down the Quarian's suit-covered body: "...even if you could."

Ouch...

Tali looked down, shoulders shaking...and hands curling into fists, there were tears in her voice...and trembling rage: "Y-you d-dare...!"

"I dare!" Ashley's icy voice shattered as she took a sudden step forward, snarling at the Quarian: "You were the slut who thinks she can-!"

"I didn't!" Tali shouted, the Quarian too stepping forward...

...and suddenly Garrus found himself stepping between them and putting his arms across the collar-bones of the two women as he held them apart. "Okay! Okay! That's it!" He felt the two press against his arms, growling beasts...and raised his voice: "Michael won't like you fighting!" The pressure dropped, if only a little...and Garrus forced himself to sound calm as he looked at Ashley: "This is an Alliance vessel, fighting fellow crewmen is an offence."

Ashley practically growled like an animal as she through clenched teeth spoke: "That thing is not a-"

Garrus' head snapped round to look at Tali, ignoring the way she was glaring at Ashley as he growled: "And you're representing your entire race! Think!"

Instantly the pressure from Tali's body dropped, the woman's shoulders slumping in defeat as she nodded, the fight gone out of her as quickly as it had arrived. Ashley's pressure didn't however...and Garrus looked back to the human, his eyes narrowing in irritation. "Ashley, now."

A defiant glare shot his way...and the human shrugged as she eased back. "Fine, whatever, not like I have anything to worry about anyway."

Tali didn't respond, she only looked up sharply, silver eyes narrowed into slits.

"Good." Garrus let his arms drop, sighing. "Now if you please could go to a side of the ship each and not-"

The door to the elevator hummed...and opened...and all three looked over at it as Michael walked in. The man's shirt was bulky with bandages, but otherwise he looked fine, not the least impaired in his motions as he walked towards them with an oblivious smile on his face.

Oh...dammit... Garrus looked at both women, finding both having dropped their angry stances, Ashley smiling pleasantly while the pair waited. This is disgusting...how can't he see this! Garrus' gaze flicked between the two...and the answer was obvious. Michael knew of Ashley, but not Tali...and as such he couldn't even pick up on the tension present in the room. One of these days I'll have to hit him over the head...

"Good to see you back on your feet." Ashley said, interrupting Garrus' thoughts with her smug tone: "Guess the Rachni's sting wasn't so bad?"

"Well you know me..." Michael shrugged as he came to a stop before the three, his smile not as wide as usual: "...nothing can keep me down."

A chortle...Williams shooting Tali a glance, and then a wink at Michael: "I'm not so sure about that...sir."

The man blinked, then cleared his throat, shifting where he stood: "Err...I..."

"You look like you want something, Michael." Tali spoke before the man could continue hesitating.

"Actually, yes." The Quarian shot Ashley what looked like a smug look before turning back to Michael as the man spoke: "I...erm..." He rubbed the back of his head, grimacing as the smile faded: "...Liara's still a bit upset..."

"Can't say I blame her." Ashley muttered, looking away. "Loosing a parent is rough, and like that...jeez."

"You haven't talked to her?" Garrus asked, knowing the answer, Michael took care of his crew after all.

"Yes...yes I have." Michael replied, the man looking even more awkward as he looked away, grimacing. "But..." Hesitation.

"You shot her mother." Ashley finished, voice soft.

"No." Michael shrugged, looking down at the floor. "Well yes...that too...but it's not why..." He looked up, face unreadable: "...she knows why I'm trying to comfort her."

"No, she doesn't." Tali suddenly spoke up, making Michael blink in surprise and look over at her with the others in the room...and the Quarian looked down at her feet: "I mean the melding can't have told her everything...if that's what you're worried about."

"Who said..." Michael's words faded, the man looking at Tali with a confused look on his face...then he shrugged and turned to Ashley: "Anyway, she's not really listening to me...so...Ashley could you...?" He nodded towards the elevator.

"W-wha? Me?" Ashley blinked, the human startled. "Why me? I mean...I don't know Liara all that well and..." She shuffled back and forth, awkward as she shot Garrus a look. And while you've accepted me as a person Liara is still an alien... Garrus shot her a smirk, knowing Ashley's somewhat worrying behaviour against other species wasn't so difficult to overcome, it was more worry against the unknown than anything else.

"No one knows her all that well besides me." Michael retorted, shooting the others a look that despite its neutrality made Garrus grimace in guilt. She's difficult to get to know, so distant...and daughter of Benezia...and so...dull. He grimaced again as Michael arched an eyebrow at him. Okay so she deserved better given what she's done for us... "But because of her knowing me she doesn't listen to me...and you've comforted your sisters lots of times..."

"Younger sisters." Ashley protested, hesitant, then grimaced: "Not one who is over a hundred..."

"Ashley..." Michael tilted his head to the side and offered a soft smile. "...please?"

"I..."

"You're the best for the job."

"But..."

"Pretty please?"

A snort...and Ashley shook her head as she rolled her eyes, hands over her head: "Fine, fine, can't have the big bad Commander beg now can we?"

"Thank you." Michael nodded, smirking. "You're always so helpful."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ashley moved past Michael with shoulders slumped in defeat...then whirled around as she reached the elevator, teeth bared in a grin as she pointed at Michael: "But you owe me, big time."

"Very well, my lady." Michael offered a curt bow...and the elevator's doors closed.

Silence.

Then a sigh as Michael turned to Garrus, the man looking a little weary: "Great, I'm sure that will bite me in the ass."

You have no idea. Garrus glanced at the quiet Quarian next to him before he shrugged: "Probably, but that's what you get for asking favours." He hesitated, glancing at the Mako, wanting nothing more than to disappear under it and forget about the mess that seemed to surround Michael, but then squared his shoulders: "Was there anything else Michael?"

"Actually...yes." Michael grimaced. "You watched what happened down there with the Rachni right? Well I was just thinking...if it had been some sort of computer which I had to hack I would have been lost..." He shrugged and stepped closer, face friendly: "So I was wondering if perhaps you could teach me a little about hacking and bypassing firewalls. I'm not...all that good at it."

Now it was Garrus' turn to grimace. As part of his work in C-sec he had trained some of the new recruits...and he had hated it. And to teach someone that apparently knew himself to be bad at something quite advanced...it wasn't all that tempting. "I don't know Michael...I'm not the greatest of teachers."

"Oh come on, just some basics." You think anything in hacking is basic! "It won't be more then a few hours..." A few...he has no idea what he's asking! Michael shot Garrus' hesitating form a smirk. "Don't make me order you..."

Garrus grimaced, apprehension making his fingers twitch. Why didn't I just hide under the Mako when I could? "Michael, it's really not that easy, and I have-"

"I could do it."

The two men blinked, then turned their heads to stare at Tali, the Quarian's voice cheerful...and offering to help Michael. What has happened?

Michael too seemed surprised, the man blinking once more, half a smile tugging at his lips: "You...would?"

"Sure." Tali shrugged, voice a pleasant warble as she shrugged: "I'm better at it than Garrus anyway."

Michael hesitated again...then smirked: "And oh so modest about it too?"

A small laugh, and Tali took a step forward, arms crossed over her chest: "Do you want help or not?"

Michael chuckled...and bowed his head: "Very well..." He gestured for the elevator. "To the comm room then oh goddess of the virtual world?"

"That's..." Tali twisted her torso where she stood...a smirk in her voice...before her legs turned with the rest of her body as she moved towards the elevator. "...more like it."

And Michael was right next to him. "Never fear, I won't stop, oh shining light of hacking."

Tali's hand shot out, pushing Michael a step away, voice an amused chuckle: "Now you're mocking me."

They stepped into the elevator. "Mocking? I'd never dare oh-"

The door thumped close...and Garrus shook his head as his shoulders dropped.

That's never going to end well...

8

8

8

Thanks to Abydos Jackson for not killing me over the miss in the last chapter...and for forgiving me by assisting with this one.