A/N: *UPDATE*More changes here as well. I wanted to go into more detail about the pregnancy. After having my own son I realized how much I had skipped over and I want to include more of the exciting discoveries. Enjoy. M for language and sexual content.
Garrus' mind reeled as Mordin explained to him about Shepard's expected transformation. After a few hours of blood work, diagnostics and humming he confirmed his suspicions. Her skin already had a gray pallor.
He was still terrified. There were so many things that could go wrong. So many variables. This was something that shouldn't be possible. First the pregnancy and now she was transforming. There were so many 'what ifs' running through his mind that he couldn't keep track of them all. But what troubled him the most were the survival odds.
Garrus shuddered. If she died he would follow soon after. He'd lost her once and it had torn him apart. And that was before they became mates. Losing her again would mean the end.
His thoughts returned to the baby and his stomach tightened at the thought of losing it. He remembered the Asari on Illium who had lost both her daughters. Then to Vasir and what she'd said about children losing parents. His gaze fell on Shepard and the arm cradling their unborn child. If the baby died she would lose herself in the grief. She would feel like a failure. Garrus doubted she would ever be the same again. There are some wounds time can't heal.
He shook himself and tucked a blanket around his slumbering mate before heading off to the Main Battery for some much needed calibrating.
Shepard was sleeping again. She'd taken to napping two or three times a day for an hour or so. The rest of her time was spent eating some of the most disgusting concoctions of food Garrus had ever witnessed and doing as much physical training as Dr. Chakwas would allow.
Garrus stroked her very prominent cheek bone. He could feel the outline of a mandible if he pressed hard enough. Her skin had turned a darker shade of gray, nearly matching his own, and her teeth had sharpened. She was constantly biting her tongue and cheeks which always rewarded Garrus with a pointed glare and sometimes a growl. She stirred from her nap and a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. This was her favorite way to wake up.
Garrus continued his exploration of her face. He trailed his talons over her temple and into her hair. It had flared back to resemble a fringe in a way that Garrus found extremely sexy. Shepard had been completely repulsed at first. She had even threatened to have Jack shave it all off until she glimpsed the twinkle in Garrus' eyes when he caught sight of it. She had mumbled something about needing excessive amounts of hair gel and then waddled to the Mess Hall for something called nachos, topped with pickles and some type of fruit syrup. Which she accompanied with a dextro drink. Garrus chuckled at the memory. Even Grunt had been revolted by her 'meal'.
Garrus pulled his mate close and let his hand rest on her now swollen belly. The doctors said she only had about two months before the baby would come. Everyone was excited…and anxious.
Shepard grunted as the baby kicked and Garrus felt his heart leap. Every movement was a sign of health and though Shepard might appreciate a little less of it, Garrus' fears were slowly ebbing away.
"He's an active one." Garrus said rubbing her stomach gently.
"How do you know it's a 'he'?" Shepard replied shifting to try and find a more comfortable position on her side.
"I don't, but the idea of something that will wear frills and play with dolls coming out of you is too ridiculous for me to consider." Shepard chuckled lightly.
"Believe it or not, Officer Vakarian, I once wore frills and played with dolls."
"Really? I think I'd pay to see that."
"Bless the gods that those pictures are long gone." Shepard pulled the pillow out from under her head and stuffed it between her knees, letting her head rest on Garrus' arm. "Shit I'm ready for this baby to be here."
"Well...why don't we buy some things for it?" Garrus asked pulling them both up so she was sitting between his legs.
"Really?" Shepard turned to stare at him for a moment. Neither of them were successful shoppers.
"Yea. We can get a crib and a little bathtub and some toys…"
"And adorable little baby clothes and shoes." Garrus gaped at his mate for a moment, completely caught off guard by the tone in her voice. 'Adorable' was a not a word the Commander used often.
"Yes, those too." He finally replied.
"Well let's go!" Shepard jumped off the bed so quick that she had to catch herself or risk tumbling forward.
Garrus and Shepard meandered through the various shops on the Citadel, Shepard doing her best to hide her condition with a bulky jacket and more makeup than Garrus had ever seen. It seemed to be doing the trick. No one stared for too long.
"Let's go in here, Garrus." Shepard said pulling him towards a store with windows full of baby paraphernalia.
"I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favorite store on the Citadel." The intercom chimed when they stepped in.
"Are you clairvoyant as well as a good shot?" Garrus asked smirking as Shepard examined a little white dress with pink flowers on it.
"Shove it, Vakarian."
Garrus held up his hands in surrender before browsing the stores collection of lullabies. He chose a couple of classic turian ones and dropped them in a nearby shopping basket. A familiar voice led him towards to cashier where he found Tali chatting with the Asari about something she had just purchased.
"Oh! Garrus, what are you doing here?" Tali did her best to hide her shopping bag behind her.
"You know how I like dropping into random shops and picking up women. It's the strangest thing; I've always found that the ladies in baby stores are either pregnant or desperate. Which are you?" Garrus said leaning against the counter nonchalantly. He caught sight of Shepard, her basket nearly filled with random bits of baby related items and he smiled.
"You know why I'm here, Garrus." Tali said, her embarrassment at being caught forgotten.
"Indeed." He turned his gaze on the quarian. "Get anything good?"
"Yes and you don't get to see it until the baby shower." He could almost see her sticking her tongue out at him behind her faceplate.
"Fine, fine. But if you don't want to be interrogated you might want to scram before she sees you." Garrus cocked his head toward his approaching mate as he spoke and watched as Tali high tailed it onto the Presidium.
"Was that Tali?" Shepard asked setting her basket of goodies on the counter.
"Yea, but she wouldn't tell me what she got." Garrus picked through the items at random, pausing when he pulled out the dress from earlier. "You know when we find out that it's a boy you're going to have to return all of this right?"
"And when we find out it's a girl you're going to have to accept it." Shepard replied smiling at the cashier as she rang their items up.
Once all of their purchases were finished Garrus and Shepard returned to the Normandy, their arms laden with bags. They'd just made it through the airlock when Kelly approached bouncing on her toes in excitement.
"Commander, Garrus, your presence is requested in the Mess Hall immediately." She said before scampering off towards the elevator.
"The hell is that about?" Shepard asked glancing at him.
"Not sure." They set their bags aside and set off for the elevator as well.
When they arrived on the Crew Deck it was eerily quiet. Shepard glanced at Garrus, noting the smug smile on his face, before following him out and around to the Mess.
"Congratulations!" Multiple voices yelled when Shepard finally managed to waddle her way around the elevator. Her eyes widened and she laughed.
"You knew about this didn't you?" She gave Garrus a pointed look.
"Me? No of course not. I'm not the party type." He replied kissing the back of her hand before releasing her into the clutches of Tali and Kelly.
Garrus spent the majority of his time on the outskirts of the party, watching as Shepard mingled with her crew. The women were naturally more excited than the men, but everyone expressed their delight. Even Thane materialized out of the shadows long enough to congratulate Garrus before disappearing once more.
"Hey babe." Shepard smiled as she slid up beside him holding a paper plate piled high with hors d'oeuvres.
"Having fun?" Garrus asked scooping up a bit of gray jelly with a plastic spoon.
"Loads. You know how much I love crowds, attention and the lack of personal space." Shepard grabbed a chocolate chip brownie off the plate and ate in one bite. Garrus chuckled a little, wiping chocolate from the corners of her mouth. Shepard's tongue snuck out wiping his talon clean.
"Be careful, love. You might go into premature labor if you keep that up." Garrus said his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Maybe that's a chance I'm willing to take." Shepard winked at him before sauntering off to socialize with her guests. Garrus smirked, his eyes following her hips the whole way.
A/N: I hope that makes up for how short the previous chapter was. Reviews are appreciated.