They had set up camp in a mostly intact chamber down in the ruins that stretched out like a labyrinth underground. A small stream of fresh water ran nearby and the sound of it as it trickled past rocks and fallen down stones from the surrounding walls was soothing. A small fire flickered in a shallow pit, spreading light and warmth.
The three humans took the opportunity to try to dry some of their wet clothes and Shepard was a cause of distraction, dressed once again only in the black A-top and panties. She sat close to the fire, eating an Alliance standard military food ration. The label said Boeuf Bourguignon. But like most military food rations it tasted like bland chicken. Not that she was complaining. This was the first hot food she had eaten since the kidnapping and she savoured every bite of the stew.
Shepard's fever had disappeared completely and she had come out of the dazed state she had been in. Kaidan couldn't help to wonder if the sphere had anything to do with it.
The tension made their camp site a quiet one. The air was pregnant with suppressed emotions and unasked questions. And Kaidan for one was determined to get some answers. Garrus had quickly finished his dextro-protein based meat and left to take the first watch. Now Kaidan downed the last of his own meal and rose.
"Kaidan." There was an edge to Shepard's voice that made him straight his back as he turned to her.
"I'm just going to talk to him", he said, meeting her gaze as she came towards him. The golden light coming from the fire played over her bare arms and legs, hiding the marks of the abuse she had suffered. Her hair had dried in tangled tresses, she had a smudge mark on her cheek and soot streaking her nose. But by god, she was so beautiful it made his heart skip a beat.
Shepard crossed her arms in front of her and leaned into her hip, clearly not believing him.
Kaidan put his hands on her shoulders. He had to suppress an urge to simply crush his lips to hers. "Shepard... " His voice that perfect blend of smooth and rough as he met her dark gaze. "This has nothing to do with you-"
Her eyes flashed. "Like hell it does! You are both under my command. I order you to-"
"With all due respect, Commander", he interrupted. "You're not in charge here. This is Garrus' op."
"He's right", James offered, making her turn her angry eyes on him. But the young marine held his ground. "Sit your ass back down, Lola. This is between Scars and Major Alenko." The look she gave him promised punishment and pain to come, but she flopped down on the ground, her back stiffly turned to Kaidan as he left the camp site to find Garrus.
Kaidan made his way back outside. A mist coiled around the statues that lined the avenue and wrapped the ruin in a haze that softened the contours of the broken arches and the pillars. He wasn't surprise to find Garrus standing a few feet away as if he had been waiting for him. The turian's arms were crossed in front of his chest, his face grim. He made a dark, imposing figure wrapped as he was in mist and shadows.
"We need to talk."
"So, talk." Garrus dual voice was low and hard. The animosity in it surprised Kaidan. The Garrus he knew was level headed, unflappable. This furious, volatile creature was a stranger. This was Archangel, the vigilante. The killer.
"What happened wasn't Shepard's fault", he said.
"I know that", Garrus answered. "It was you who took advantage of her."
"Garrus..." Kaidan started but the turian was suddenly towering over him, blue eyes flashing.
"Do you really think there is anything you can say that will make it right again?" Garrus growled.
"I didn't come to apologise." Kaidan's voice became harder as anger rose within him, matching Garrus' temper. "I came to get some answers." Part of him knew that they were both in a stressful situation that pushed them to their limits again and again, that the smartest thing would be to walk away from what was building up to a confrontation that would end with blood. But another part of him wanted this. There were questions that had been grating on his nerves ever since he found out about Shepard and Garrus. He needed to know. "When did you know that you loved her?"
"What?" The question took Garrus aback.
"Was it before or after we thought she had died?" Kaidan pressed.
The former C-Sec officer gave him a hard glare. "Does it matter?"
"Yes", Kaidan replied harshly. "I want to know if you and her... if you two became involved during our hunt for Saren?"
"You're wondering if Shepard cheated on you", Garrus stated flatly. "She didn't." He shifted his stance, some of the anger under control again. "And I didn't steal her from you, Kaidan", he said, meeting the human's stormy gaze. "It was you who pushed her away. Or have you forgotten Horizon?"
Kaidan froze. Their encounter on Horizon was still a raw, bleeding wound. The vision granted him and Shepard via the sphere couldn't change that. Not for him. "No. I haven't."
"You broke her heart", Garrus continued.
"She broke mine when she let me believe she was dead for two years", he retorted harshly, bitterly. "And don't try to pretend she didn't break yours, Garrus. I was there, remember. I saw the state you where in. You might pretend that you left C-Sec because you were frustrated by all the rules and regulations, but I know it was because you couldn't stand being on the Citadel where everything reminded you of her. And I know you went to Omega to lose yourself in the vices and the violence. That you happened to do some good there was beside the point. You came there to die. Tell me I'm not right!"
"Well, we all handle grief differently", Garrus drawled cruelly. "Some of us kill criminals and some of us fuck pretty little doctors-"
"You bastard!" Blue light flared as Kaidan used his biotic powers to slam the turian against the wall. The dangerous spark in Garrus' blue eyes told Kaidan that this was exactly what he wanted.
Garrus' mandibles moved in a bloodthirsty grin. He head butted the human male. Kaidan's head snapped back and he reeled, staggering.
He spat blood where he'd bitten his tongue. Ripples of biotic energy coursed over his body, making it tingle, numbing the pain in his mouth and forehead. "Very mature, Garrus", he said, spitting more blood, not at all sorry when it splattered onto the turian's boots. "Does Shepard know how possessive you are?"
"This isn't about the kiss", Garrus growled.
"No? Then what is it about?" Kaidan asked, he squared his shoulders, anger coming off him like a heatwave.
"This is about you." Garrus closed in on him again. "If you love Shepard", he said, looming over the shorter human. "Then fight for her."
Kaidan stared up at the former C-Sec officer, meeting his smouldering gaze head on. "You want us to fight over Shepard?" he sneered. "Are you saying that if I win you'll back off?"
"You won't win", Garrus promised with a smug twitch of mandibles that only incensed him further.
Before he could come with a retort the turian moved, attacked with the speed of a striking snake. He threw a punch that Kaidan just barely managed to block, the surprise making him clumsy but he regained his composure quickly. It took him only a second to decide that he should hit back. And he did so. His fist impacting with the scarred side of Garrus' face. Not giving the turian time to regain his balance, Kaidan continued lay hits on him.
But Garrus was by no means an easy prey. He allowed the human to drive him back just enough to give him room to manoeuvre. Then he brought his knee up and into the man's stomach. Kaidan doubled over, falling to his knees. And Garrus kicked. Hard.
"You're weak", he snarled, leaning close as Kaidan lay on his back, wheezing, spitting blood. "Shepard need someone who's strong, who won't fail her."
"I'm not weak" Kaidan managed.
Garrus pressed a heavy boot onto the human male's chest, just to make him even more breathless. "Prove it."
I'll be honest with you, it was hard to come up with a way to have Garrus and Kaidan go for a fullblown conflict that includes a fight and have them stay within their respective are both so disiplined and their self-control is supreme so I couldn't just have them snap. I did my best though. I just hope I didn't muck it up too much.
I wish I could stay and continue writing on this chapter but I have to head off to work. At least I ended it with a cliffhanger. Well, sort of :)