SURPRISE CHAPTER! WOO!

Roarkshop Here: Because I got such an ADVERSE reaction to taking a break, I have decided to come back, but only post every OTHER Monday. No it's not my usual regular updates, but it's the best I can do. At least it's not another Hiatus right? Right.

So you can expect regular updates again, but until further notice they will be once every two weeks rather than every week. I know that kind of sucks and it's not what I originally promised, but it's all I can guarantee for now. Unless you want me to start posting unedited crappy chapters...CRAPTERS if you will, then this is the best I can do while still ensuring the chapter quality.

I didn't get to respond to any comments/reviews personally last week, which I hate. So I will try to respond to everyone this week. Again, let me remind you that they are all read, loved, and taken to heart. Thank you very much.

On with the show!

Alright, Shepard told herself, staring through the window on her ceiling. If you fall asleep now, you can sleep for two hours before you have to get up. So just… sleep.

She tossed and turned for another twenty minutes before letting forth a string of curses and flinging the covers off herself. She made her way to her desk, tying her hair into a slap-dash knot and collapsing into her chair.

Come on, Shepard, she said to herself, leaning her elbows on the desk and putting her face in her hands. You're out of time. Get your shit together. Remember what happened last time.

She rested her forehead in one hand and used the other to fondle Garrus' visor around her neck idly. There was nothing else to do; the crew's business had been taken care of, there were no more upgrades she could find, and no more missions to stumble upon. She laughed to herself, finding the irony that she only now started missing Hackett and his constant interruptions now that she was actively avoiding her duty.

But it was time. She knew it was time.

She clicked her way through her messages, absently. They had sat neglected for months. Most of them didn't even warrant replies; colonists thanking her for her assistance, Admiral Xen ranting off some nonsense in regards to Tali's trial, Bailey and some update on Kolyat. That was all her exhausted brain could really find the energy to care about.

Shepard let her head fall onto the desk with a loud 'thud' before exhaling a frustrated breath. She linked her fingers through the back of her hair and squeezed as hard as she could, hoping the small pain would distract her from the impending shit storm that awaited them all.

We're ready, she told herself. We've done all we can. We can do this. We can do this.

She wondered if she said it enough times she would finally believe herself.

"Goddamn, shit, fuck!" Zaeed cursed, tossing his cards onto the table in a huff as Garrus took his money. "You're a goddamn swick or I'm a monkey's uncle."

"Right? I've never seen anything like it!" Kenneth confirmed. "He's either a chanty wrassler or the luckiest slag in the galaxy. His old man was the same way!"

"Alright, holy crap," Garrus said, sinking back in his chair. "You two shouldn't be allowed to talk to each other because I can't understand anything either of you say."

"What are you playing?" Shepard asked as she came around the corner. Garrus noted the dark rings around her eyes and kept his gaze on her as she made her way into the kitchen. She crashed around the cabinet before finally pulling out a mug and pouring herself some coffee.

Coffee.

"We started on Hold 'em," Zaeed exhaled as he leaned back. "Now we're on Skillian Five and he's still taking me to the goddamn cleaners."

Shepard laughed to herself as she filled up a mug and turned to face them all.

"Alright well Kenneth is kind of thick," she said. "But Z, I'm disappointed you haven't figured this out yet."

Zaeed put an arm over his chair and turned to look at her over his shoulder.

"What are you on about now, woman?"

"He's a turian, Z. He can hear your heartbeat."

Zaeed flung around and stood, planting his palms on the table. "Why you numpty, pillock, motherfucker!"

"It makes so much sense," Kenneth said, staring absently in no specific direction, both hands on his head like a hysterical bystander. "It makes so much bloody sense!"

"Ah, revenge," Garrus said, linking his fingers behind his head. "So sweet and yet so brief."

"I should kick your spikey ass into the goddamn trash compactor."

"I'd like to see you try, Captain Depth Perception."

"Alright, children," Shepard said making her way back toward the elevator. "Enough bickering. We'll be at the Citadel in two days and we can all shake off the cabin fever."

"Ah shore leave," Jacob said, sitting at the next table. "It's about time."

"Yeah enjoy it. It may be our last," Shepard said, before disappearing around the corner and loading herself onto the elevator.

"Whoa," Jacob said to himself as he stood to leave. "Touchy subject I guess."

Zaeed stood up straight and crossed his arms, still looking in the direction Shepard had left in.

"Well that was unusually grim," he said.

"She didn't sleep," Garrus said as he stood. "Something's wrong."

"Wrong like 'impending doom' wrong?"

"I don't know," he confirmed. "Honestly, I hope that's all it is." With a sad exhale Garrus turned and walked toward the Battery. He had work to do. "Take your money," he said as he walked away. "I didn't want it in the first place."

Zaeed watched the distance between them grow before exhaling and gathering his money back up from the table.

"Christ," he grumbled to himself. "I think I've had my fill of angsty bullshit for a goddamn lifetime."

"Careful with that," Garrus said, batting Legion's hand away. "This is all very delicate work. I don't need you screwing it up." The entire day and evening had passed with Shepard never having come down from the CIC. It was an understatement that his concern for her was making him a little irritable.

[We do not understand your desire to re-calibrate the weapon systems. We have confirmed that they are running at maximum efficiency.]

"Maximum isn't always good enough," Garrus said, gently tweaking the hinges behind the side panel of the Thanix Canon.

[Maximum is, by definition, the best that can be achieved.]

"Everything can be made better, Legion. You just have to know where the weaknesses are."

The geth was silent for a few moments.

[We doubt the validity of this statement. More data points are required.]

"Well, let me know when you find some."

[Acknowledged. What are aforementioned weaknesses with the Thanix Cannon?]

"Well the power drive is wearing down a spot on this wall here, see?"

The geth leaned in and waggled its brow plate in contemplation.

"But I don't know if there's anything we can do about it for now besides just reinforcing the steel. If we move it, the efficiency will suffer."

[What use is knowing the weaknesses if there is no way to fix them?]

"Sometimes it's just about checking your work. It's a peace of mind, thing. You wouldn't understand."

[That is because geth do not have 'pieces' of minds. We have a collective knowledge base.]

"No not that kind of piece, Legion. I mean I'm making myself feel better by re-checking."

Contemplative silence.

[You will become at ease if you know that you have done all you could.]

Garrus exhaled. "Something like that."

"Hey," Joker said, poking his head in the doorway. "Garrus you in here?"

"Yeah," Garrus said, taking his head out of the side panel and reaching for a cloth, relieved for the distraction. He pointed a finger into Legion's flashlight face. "Don't touch anything."

[Acknowledged.]

"What's up, Joker?" he asked, wiping his hands on the rag and making his way down the Battery to the door.

"I was about to turn in and… well. You got a minute?"

"Sure," he said, tossing the rag to the side and following Joker out of the room.

Garrus followed Joker silently, wondering where they were going as they loaded into the elevator.

"Getting along with the new crew member I see?" Joker teased.

"As well as I can. Shepard seems to have fallen pretty hard for the thing so I'm trying to be patient." He exhaled. "Though we'll see how long that lasts."

"I thought Mordin was bad. This thing wheels into my god damn Cockpit last night, and he and EDI proceed to rattle off systematic bullshit at each other. Shit, man, I thought my ears were going to start bleeding."

Garrus laughed as the elevator doors opened on the CIC and he followed Joker out.

"We confirmed how to fit the IFF into the Normandy systems," Joker continued as he walked through the armory, "and the grave crew and I are going to test it when you're all at the Citadel tomorrow. I had already stayed up a lot later than I had intended so I was going to go to bed until EDI gave me another random update on Shepard."

Joker opened the door to the Comm. Room.

"Considering the circumstances though, I don't think I'm the right man for the job."

Shepard had fallen asleep at the desk: The holo-screen had the ship's systems on it, rotating the three-dimensional model to a less-than-engaged audience. There were data pads scattered all across the desk, a few on the floor, and even one in her hand that was resting over the back of her head like it was shielding her from the florescent lights.

Garrus smiled, leaning a shoulder on the door frame and crossing his arms. Regardless of the location, it was good to see her asleep.

"Well," Garrus rumbled softly. "At least she's sleeping, I guess."

"Hah, yeah. I figured if I woke her up to get her to bed, she would wave me off and say she had work to do. I figured you'd be able to… you know…" Joker flailed his arms. "Relocate her."

Garrus laughed once before patting Joker on the shoulder.

"I'll take care of it," he said. "Thanks, Joker."

"No problem, Buddy," Joker said, lingering just long enough to watch Garrus run his hand down Shepard's hair before limping back down the hallway with a smile.

Garrus exhaled through his nose, moving Shepard's hand that was draped over her head back onto the table, and taking the data pad out of it. He ran his fingers through her curls, just watching her sleep, and trying to figure out how in the hell he was supposed to move her without waking her up, when something caught his eye. He moved the data pad it was hiding under to find his old visor, still on a chain, still around her neck, resting on the table.

Well I'll be damned, he thought, picking the trinket up and thumbing it over in his hand. He wondered idly if she had been wearing it since he put it on her neck those months ago. How had he not seen it? Maybe she was going out of her way to make sure he didn't. Either way, the sight of her wearing it made his chest throb.

They were almost to the Citadel. Maybe shore leave would present him with his chance.

He dropped the necklace and lifted her arm up, bending down to drape it around his neck before working one arm under her legs and the other around her shoulders and lifting her against his chest. She stirred a little in his arms but, thankfully, didn't wake as he made his way back to the elevator and up to her cabin. As he exited the elevator he couldn't stop himself from nuzzling the side of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair as he walked.

She felt good in his arms.

He lowered her onto her bed, with no small amount of reluctance, before standing and looking down at her. The blue light of the fish tank reflected off her skin, making her face almost glow in the light. She murmured something in her sleep that he couldn't quite make out. He laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear before standing to leave. He didn't even take a step before her hand had snatched his. He exhaled and closed his eyes; he needed to get out of here.

"Hey," she groaned. "Did we win?"

Garrus turned over his shoulder to look down at her and blinked. "Win? Win what?"

"The race."

"Uh…" he bit down a laugh. "Sure. Yeah we won."

"Good," she said, letting her head fall back onto her pillow. He tried to pull his hand out of hers so he could leave, but she held onto it. "Stay," she said softly.

"No," he said. "Shepard, I'm going to bed."

"Please?" her eyes opened to slits, but focused on him through the darkness. "Just until I fall back asleep."

His jaw set hard. Her soft fingers squeezed his palm.

"Fine," he said with a frustrated exhale, reaching one arm to pull the reclining chair next to the bed and sitting in it. "But hurry it up will you?"

Her eyes rolled as she closed them again, but a tired, sincere smile tugged at the side of her lips.

Garrus leaned his elbows on his knees, sighing as he looked at her hand in his.

Maybe she was doing it on purpose. Maybe this was her torturing him because of his feeble attempt at it in the Battery the night before. The screen of his old visor glinted in the darkness and he exhaled, running his free hand down over his face.

Spirits, give me strength to get the hell out of this room.

Shepard stretched her arms over her head and pointed her toes in a rather satisfying stretch before realizing that she was in bed.

"…The fuck?" she stammered tiredly, sitting up on her elbows and peering around the room in a drowsy stupor. How in the hell did she get into her cabin? Did she sleep walk here? No wait, the last thing she remembered was going over the upgraded systems analysis for something like the trillionth time. Then it just went blank.

She ran her hand down her face and sat up, hitting her knee on the reclining chair next to her.

"Agh, god damn it," she cursed. "EDI turn the god damn light on."

The lights came up and Shepard noticed the chair was much closer to the bed then it should have been. That's when the foggy images came to her; Garrus trying to leave and her groggily asking him to stay.

"Oi," she said to herself, rubbing her eyes. Sleep deprivation never failed to prove how dangerous it was. She kept trying to tell herself that she had dreamt it but the chair very rudely refused to go back to its normal place, which kind of stomped that theory right down into the shitter. God. Damn it.

Maybe shore leave would help her regain a little bit of her common sense before she did anything else detrimental to her private life.

"Garrus," Jacob said by way of greeting, leaning on the bar beside the turian. "Where's our fearless leader?"

"Meeting with Anderson," he replied, turning to stand shoulder to shoulder with Jacob. "And saying goodbye to Zaeed, I'd wager."

"Goodbye? I thought he was coming with us."

Garrus shook his head as he took a drink of his beer. "No," he said. "I think when he realized just how real the Reaper threat was he decided that he needed to prepare the Alliance."

"Ah," Jacob said with an exhale. "I suppose someone's going to need to carry the banner when we don't come back."

"Knock that off," Garrus growled. "Shepard will bring us home. If you don't believe that by now..."

Jacob laughed. "Well I believe that if anyone can, it's her."

"Maybe that'll be enough."

"One can only hope."

"Jacob," Miranda cooed as she approached. "I believe you still owe me a drink from kicking your sorry ass at cards."

"Thought you would have figured out by now that I lost on purpose," he taunted.

"Maybe I already have," she said, sinking into a hip.

"Well," Jacob said, clinking Garrus' beer with the neck of his own. "In that case I'll ask you to excuse me."

Garrus laughed and gave the soldier a make-shift salute before watching them walk away. He scanned the floor of Purgatory, picking out his squad-mates to make sure nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Shepard had told him to keep them all in line and make sure no one got "shit-housed". But looking around the club, Garrus knew he wasn't going to have to regulate anyone. They all knew what they were up against; they all knew they needed to keep it together.

Hopefully Garrus could follow their example.

"Well holy shit," a vaguely familiar voice lilted from the side. "If it isn't Garrus 'Miles-away' Vakarian."

That was a name he hadn't heard in quite a long time.

"Yillis 'Stretch' Strixen," he rumbled turning to look at the girl. "It's been a long time."

"It certainly has," she said, taking his forearm in her hand in a friendly greeting. "I haven't seen you… hell… since we served on the Artamek."

"What is it, eight years now?" he said with a smile. "You look good."

"Wish I could say the same to you," she said with a laugh. "Spirits, what in the hell happened to your face?"

"Gunship rocket," he said, clearing his throat and shifting his weight. "Not to be taken lightly."

"You always did learn lessons the hard way."

"Understatement of the century, that."

They laughed.

"Last I heard," the girl said, leaning a talon on the bar. "You had disappeared off the map after that shit-storm on the Citadel. Good to see you resurface."

"Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Can't stay underground forever, I suppose." He exhaled a breath. "I thought the Artamek was shot down in the fight against Saren. I'm glad to see you obviously weren't on it."

"Yeah," she said with a scoff, turning to lean both elbows on the bar. "I was out on leave with a broken femur. Had I known that… I mean no one knew it was gonna be so…"

"Hey," he said, regretting having brought it up, but glad the attention was off his scars. "Don't beat yourself up. No one knew what it was going to be."

"You did," she said, motioning her head at him. "You and that Spectre you were following."

"Yeah," he said with an exhale. "Yeah, we knew."

"Even I thought the reports were bullshit. I heard about the crazy human spouting crazy theory's about sentient starships and blah blah blah. But I should have known better. You were following her after all, so she couldn't have been that misinformed."

"Story of our lives, I'm afraid."

"Well if it ever happens again, you say the word. I won't sit the next one out."

"With any luck, there won't be a next one."

"I'll drink to that," she said, gesturing to the bartender. "So," she said, turning to him once she had her drink. "Not gonna lie. The red visor is freaking me out."

"The times have certainly changed," he said with a grin.

"Mid-life crisis?"

"Please," he scoffed. "I'm way too young for a mid-life anything."

"Well what's the deal? Your dad gave you that blue one didn't he?"

"Yeah," he cleared his throat, trying to fight the memories threatening his subconscious. "It broke."

"So why not buy a new blue one?"

"Cuz I was in a pinch, needed a new one quick, and they didn't have blue. Christ, what's with the third degree?"

She laughed, a light, melodic sound. "I have a human friend who says 'Christ' a lot. What does it mean?"

"Oh hell, I don't know," he said with a laugh, only then realizing what he had said. "Shepard says it a lot."

"Shepard, that's that Spectre, right? I thought she died."

"We all did."

"So that's where you've been."

"Possibly," he said with a smile, taking a drink.

"Well, I can see you've been spending too much time with humans."

"She has a way of rubbing off on you," he said. He looked passed Stretch to see Shepard entering the club in her old Alliance casuals, and scanning the club. The turian must have noticed because she turned to look over her shoulder to follow his eye-line.

"As if on queue," she said, raising an entertained brow at him. "She's pretty."

"She's more than pretty."

"Alright, Miles," she said, standing up straight. "I get it. I'm rather surprised, but I get it."

"Glad it didn't turn into an awkward rehash."

"Hey, you know me. Always down for a party, but hard to offend."

"I knew we were friends for a reason."

She laughed and hit him in the shoulder, when a thought occurred to him.

"Hey," he said leaning a little closer. "Do you remember when you had that thing for Burner Derox?"

"Oh jeeze," she said, putting a hand over her face. "How could I forget? I don't think I ever shouted at anyone quite like I shouted at him back in the day. What about him?"

"Well, you remember that little trick I helped you play?"

The recognition dawned in her eyes and she turned to look over her shoulder at Shepard, then turned back around with a wicked grin.

"Yeah," she said. "Yeah, I remember. I suppose you're cashing in that favor finally."

"Yes. Yes I am."