***Author's Note***

Thank you to Gamer072196 :) I couldn't do this without your support :D

This is a fluffy fun chapter and I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 13 - Purgatory

Shepard was excited. Things were looking up.

Two successful missions in one day and more crew members coming forward and asking for help. Closure before the final push into the Omega Relay. Some were simple message drop offs, things he could handle anytime. Some were second chances at seeing family and friends, again simple.

Others were more complicated. After tonight they were due to set out for the quarian fleet and then Tuchanka. Plans were needed, upgrades in armor and weapons. But that could wait until the day cycle. Tonight, he was going to let his hair down (literally) and have some fun that didn't (hopefully) involve shooting somebody.

He walked through the Mess to see the women of his squad and a few of the crew members excitedly talking shop in hushed tones. Tali was gesturing toward Miranda and muttering something about "...look best in blue..." as Samara nodded her head toward the operative.

Jack and Marie had their heads close together as they looked over a datapad in Jack's hands. Their conversation a lot more serious.

"...think you can do it?"

"...Shepard...yeah, I'll need..."

I'll have to ask them about that. His brow furrowed at the options that that conversation could lead too. So buried in his own thoughts he very nearly fell over himself as he bumped into a hard body.

His eyes snapped up to black eyes and green scales and he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit let down.

"Thane!" He clapped the drell on the shoulder. "How is everything after..."

"It is difficult. All things worth keeping are." His obsidian eyes flickered around the full room as he spoke, pausing on certain people before coming to rest on the commander's face. "I had been recording a message for Kolyat, but...I felt the need for a break and...company." He gestured at a seat beside Marie before sitting beside her. Shepard nodded as he watched them greet each other with their eyes and small movements, a slight curve toward each other as Marie carried her conversation with Jack.

He sighed at the easiness between the two, silently he congratulated himself on his foresight with pairing them together but then he didn't think it would work quite like this.

His feet carried him unconsciously toward the Main Battery and he was knocking on the metal before he even thought about it. The door opened and he stepped inside before he even looked up at the turian who resided there.

"Shepard. Need me for something?" Shepard shivered slightly at the dual toned voiced and waited until it became clear that Garrus expected an answer.

Shepard scratched the back of his head and pulled his long blonde hair over one shoulder. "Err, yeah. Have you got a minute?" Garrus looked down at him, his icy blue eyes looking him over as the normally confident commander shifted on his feet and played with his hair.

He let his mandibles flicker against his face in a silent laugh as Shepard looked at the turian's feet.

"Ha, sure. Just killing time, anyway." He shrugged and leaned back against the railing of the Battery. Shepard relaxed visibly and grinned up at him. "I wanted to thank you again for your help with Sidonis. Whatever happens with the Collectors or the Reapers or whoever else comes after us, I know you'll get the job done." And I'll be right beside you.

"Shit, Garrus." Shepard laughed in a deep baritone that made Garrus clench his fists. "You think we'll find something worse than Collectors or Reapers?" He watched idly as his nimble fingers twirled his hair into something similar to what Marie called a "Braid".

"I like to expect the worse. There's a small chance I'll be pleasantly surprised."

Shepard looked down at the metal grating that served as a floor. "I couldn't do this without you, Garrus." His deep voice was softer, more controlled. Garrus sighed and stood up straight, intent on lightening the suddenly heavy atmosphere.

"Sure you could. Not as stylishly, of course." He watched as Shepard sat on his weapons bench and let his long legs swing, the toe of his heavy black boots brushing the floor now and then. "It's strange going into a suicide mission on a human ship. Your people don't prepare for high risk operations the way turians do."

He smiled a turian smile as Shepard laughed again. "How do turian crews get ready for high-risk missions?"

"Hmm, with violence, usually. Turian ships have more operational discipline than your Alliance, but fewer personal restrictions." Shepard's eyebrows quirked upwards and his large brown eyes sparkled in amusement and Garrus was happy that he could make him feel that way. He coughed at his thoughts before carrying on. "Our commanders run us tight, and they know we need to blow off steam." Another deep chuckle. "Turian ships have training rooms for exercise, combat sims, even full-contact sparring. Whatever lets people work off stress."

"You mean turian ships have crewmen fighting each other before a mission?" The Normandy crew did spar with each other but it was mostly light and for fun. He remembered a sparring match he had with the drell and still couldn't get over the control and wicked speed. I'm fast, but damn...

"It's supervised, of course. Nobody is going to risk an injury that interferes with the mission. And it's a good way to settle grudges amicably. I remember right before one mission, we were about to hit a batarian pirate squad. Very risky." Shepard leaned forward on his knees to listen to the story. "This recon scout and I had been at each other's throats. Nerves, mostly. She suggested we settle it in the ring."

Shepard grinned. "I assume you took her down gently?"

"Ha, no." He nudged Shepard's legs to make room for himself beside his commander. "Actually, she and I were the top-ranked hand-to-hand specialists on the ship. I had reach, but she had flexibility." He leaned back against the wall and Shepard copied, finally relaxing into their old routine behind the Mako. "It was brutal. After nine rounds, the judge called it a draw. There were a lot of unhappy betters in the training room. We, ah, ended up holding a tiebreaker in her quarters. I had reach, but she had flexibility. More than one way to work of stress, I guess."

Shepard laughed again and at the closeness of them both Garrus could feel the deep vibrations through his light clothing and plated skin. He shook his head, his hair billowing around him and releasing his scent into the air, soft strands landed on Garrus' uncovered arms and it took a lot of control not to feel it with his talons. Spirits, Vakarian. Control yourself. Shepard's a human...and a male! He probably doesn't even look at other men the same way, and since when did you!? You only seconds ago told a story about fucking some female, he's just laughed and-

"It sounds like you're carrying some tension. Maybe I could help you get rid of it." What? Garrus looked at his commander who had a completely serious look on his face, even with the faint pinkness that rose on his high cheekbones.

"I, err, didn't think you'd feel like sparring, Commander."

"What if we skipped to the tiebreaker? We could test your reach...and my flexibility." Spirits, it just got very warm.

"Oh! I didn't...huh. Never knew you had a weakness for men with scars." He gestured to his damaged mandible but Shepard simply looked into his eyes, all sense of shyness gone from him now. "Well, why the hell not? There's nobody in this Galaxy I respect more than you." He looked his commander up and down. Wait, will this even be...possible? "If we can figure out a way to make it work, then...yeah. Definitely."

Shepard grinned at him and stood before him. He looked down at him and suddenly Garrus felt very conscious but he fought down his need to move. "I'll see you later, Garrus." The commander bent slightly and pressed his lips to Garrus' fringe. The turian froze before relaxing into the strange feel of the softness atop his head, Shepard's hair fell forward and brushed against him and Garrus allowed himself to reach out and twirl some between his talons.

Soft.

Thane wandered from the Mess and into Marie's and his room. She had left a short while ago to bathe so it was a surprise when he walked in to the smell of peppermint tea and...coconuts. That is what she had called it.

He rounded the wall to catch a glimpse of her just lowering her towel to the ground before he quickly turned his back, though the memory of her would be seared into his brain forever. Pale skin and taut muscles, the vertebrae of her spine dipping in and tempting him with the need to run his thumb down it. Her damp hair leaving drips of water than ran down her waist.

"Thane?"

He turned to see her in the black fatigues he had picked out for her a few weeks ago, her hair hastily pulled back and clipped behind her head.

"Sorry, siha."

She waved him of. "It's your room too. Wait..." A small crease formed between her brows. "What did you call me?"

He chose to ignore that question for the moment. "Are you not getting ready?"

"Ah, I have to meet Tali and Kasumi in Tali's room in about half an hour. It's all very hush-hush. 'Need to know' is what Tali said." She grinned. "It's weird, I never really had girlfriends before...too busy looking after..." She lowered her head and turned to the desk where she had a mug of tea.

"Hmm, I have been meaning to thank you for your help with Kolyat."

She bobbed her head. "I like to think I did what anyone would."

"Not just anyone. It is rare for someone to help another without thought for their own benefit. I feel as though the talks we had about my past life took you by surprise." He sat on her cot and she sat beside him, her thigh pressed against his as she handed him her mug and they shared the tea. "I appreciate these chats we have, Marie."

"The way I understand it is that you've spent a lot of your life alone." She smiled at him and took the mug back, sipping from the same spot he had.

"Huh. Work fulfilled me. Reading. I barely spoke to anyone outside my family." She frowned a bit. "It seems there will be no one to mourn me when I die. You're the only friend I've made in ten years."

"Kolyat will mourn." Her thigh pressed tighter against his, he wasn't sure if she was doing it unconsciously or if she was doing it for a source of comfort. "And, hey. You're the first friend I've made...ever. It's a start, I suppose." Her eyes took on a mischievous light and he felt the folds on his neck darken.

"'A start?' That's...intriguing." He laughed lightly. "Nonetheless, I will always be here too talk." She pulled her hair from its binding and pulled it over her shoulder, looking towards the pictures of her family.

"Did you send that message to Kolyat?"

"Ah, yes. I'm still waiting on a reply."

"Tell him I'm sorry...for elbowing him, I mean." The flickering from the drive core made her eyes appear green and they stood out on her pale skin.

"I'm sure he understands." She laughed and took a drink of tea before handing it to him and letting her hands rest at her side, the left hand landed slightly on his leg.

"I'm sorry about Irikah, Thane."

"Laser dot trembles on the targets skull. The smell of spice on the spring wind. Sunset eyes defiant in the scope." He looked at her but she just looked back at him. It amazed him how his solipsism didn't faze her, how she just accepted everything about the new species around her. "That was Irikah. That was how I met her. She saw my targeting laser as she walked by, and threw herself in the way."

"I guess she impressed you, hmm?"

"She woke me up. Her body trembles. Not fear. Indignation. Her mouth moves. "How dare you?" How often does a civilian step in the way of a bullet to protect someone they've never met?" She did, for your son. "I thought she was the goddess Arashu. She met my eyes through the scope, and my purpose faltered."

Marie nodded, eyes wide at his story of his deceased wife. "So, how did she go from blocking your shot to having your children?" She blushed then, a redness rising in her neck and cheeks. "Sorry, that's personal." She looked down at her bare feet swinging of the cot. He pressed his leg against her as she did to him to reassure her.

"I had to meet her. The memory possessed and endowed me. I fell on my knees before her. Begged her pardon." He took a breath and reached for the mug, their fingers brushed for a second. "She introduced me to the world beyond my work. Eventually, she forgave me. Later she loved me."

Marie bit her lip and Thane felt himself wanting to too, but he forced himself to not to. "When you spoke to Kolyat, you said she died." Her hand was between them again and Thane couldn't help but look at it.

"I let myself become complacent. I thought Irikah and Kolyat were safe. I stayed away too long, and my enemies came for her." She nodded and he took that as a sign to continue. "Batarians. A slaver ring that was preying on hanar outer colonies. I'd killed their leaders. They paid the Shadow Broker to find out who I was. But they were afraid of me, so they went after her."

He bowed his head, only to lift it again when he felt her hand slip gently into his. Her small fingers meshing with his and creating a clashing pattern of green on white. His breath hitched and he looked at her face, she seemed completely calm, so sure in her actions. Siha.

"Irikah woke me up. When she passed, I returned to my battle sleep. My body hunted her killers. Murdered them. I was taught to grant death quickly, cleanly. To minimize suffering. Them...I let linger."

She smiled sadly at him; her eyes flickering to the pictures behind his head before her normally warm eyes gained some steel in them, as though she had reached a decision. "I don't blame you. They killed innocents to get to you."

"For people like me...Shepard...Garrus, death is business. For people like them, it is sport." She nodded in agreement. He leant back against the wall, grasping her hand as though it were a life line. "I haven't spoken about my wife in...I don't think I ever have. I didn't have anyone left to tell it too." He smiled at her and she smiled back warmly, the happiness back in her eyes.

She untangled their hands and he felt a pang of loss for a moment. She patted his thigh and stood up to stretch. "I'm here for you, Thane. Whatever you need."

He stood next to her and gathered the mug. "You are very kind. Thank you for listening, siha."

She tapped the side of her head, just below her ear. "I think my translator just glitched. You said 'siha' again." He shook his head at her. "What does it mean?"

"Someday, I'll tell you." Her Omni-tool beeped and she looked down at it.

"Damn, I'm late for Tali and Kasumi. I guess I'll see you at the bar?" He nodded and smiled. Then his mouth fell open as she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. She stood like that for a moment before he laid his hands on her shoulders and relaxed. She hummed slightly and he found himself smiling again before she moved away and to the door and he felt a tinge of loss again.

"I still think this is a bad idea."

"Oh, please. You look amazing! Definitely better than those black fatigues you always wear." Kasumi looked her and Tali's work up and down. For once, the thief had her face on show as it was a special occasion. Her thick black hair fell like a curtain around her tan skin, dark eyes glistening as ever beneath long lashes and dark make up. Marie felt very drab beside her. Tali was, as ever, in an enviro suit. It had various golden chains draped around the hood and along her hips, sparkling with every step she took. The quarian laughed as Marie fidgeted in her dress for the evening as they signaled for a cab to take them to Purgatory.

"Thane will be drooling all over you. You might even get a fuck out of it." Jack grinned slyly at her. She wore tight-fitting black pants with numerous belts strapped around them, a form hugging top adorned with holes and mesh. She reminded Marie of the punks that walked the streets of Manchester before she was so rudely removed from that time.

Miranda tutted. "So crude, Jack." Miranda was wearing a tight blue and white dress, the colour bringing out the steel tones in her eyes that shone from under silver liner and curling hair.

"The drell does seem taken with her." Samara, surprisingly, seemed to be enjoying the gossip as she stood beside Tali in a black asari dress. Not as revealing as some, showing her maturity whilst still being pretty. "This dress will certainly stir something within him." Her wide blue eyes smiled as the group gave her one more look over, tweaking her hair or adding a small dab of black eyeshadow to her lid.

The dress was as tight-fitting as Jack's outfit. A supple leather with scaled detail that reminded Marie of Thane's armor and skin, the black of the material glistened subtly with dark greens and purples. Her hair fell about her bare shoulders in a glossy wave and her make up was dark around her eyes. A simple green pendant on black thin chains fell between her breasts.

"I suppose I look okay." She grinned at the women around her, all magnificent in their own right.

The men downed another drink as they waited for the women of their squad. He sat close beside Garrus who was nursing a large glass of ryncol. He was unused to seeing the men in casual dress. Various favourite colours shone through and the change in the amount of bulk they wore was astonishing. They would have looked almost normal if it wasn't for the assortment of species between them. Four humans, a turian, a drell, a salarian and a krogan? And it would only get more odd when the women showed themselves, adding a quarian and an asari to the mix.

He vaguely heard Joker laugh at something Garrus had said when he felt a faint brush of a talon along his thigh. He shivered at the touch only to blush when he caught Mordin grinning at him and typing something on his Omni-tool. Jacob was sat awkwardly between Grunt (who was in a competition with Zaeed) and Thane (who was watching the door as he casually took a swig from some deep orange drink.)

Then the door opened and he saw Tali through the throng of people, she glittered as she walked and was closely followed by the rest of the women. All laughing amongst themselves as they waved over to the men and wandered to the bar, deftly dodging the offers of a dance from one person or another. They all looked stunning. Well, Jack looks as dangerous as ever, but a nice change all round.

A nudge to his side made him turn to Garrus who nodded his head at Thane. Thane was watching Marie intently, the normally pink of his neck had gone nearly black and his hand clasped at his glass tightly. He looked to Marie and saw why.

The drell dress she wore was stunning and he mentally noted at congratulating Tali and Kasumi in their choice. The greens reflected the lights of the club and the purples added a depth to the black. Her hair flicked back and forth as she walked between Tali and Jack toward the men with a blue drink in hand.

She sat beside Thane who had gathered his wits enough to act normal-ish. The ribbing on his neck was still very dark.

"What?"

The men all jumped at Tali's question, each of them looking away from the various women in their group and coughing awkwardly.

"It's just nice to see the women being pretty for once." Smooth, Garrus.

Miranda's accented voice called over the table as she sat down beside Jacob. "Are you saying we aren't always pretty, Garrus!?" The turian scratched his head before nudging Shepard, signaling it was time to go to the bar.

Shepard stood and let him take the lead. As Garrus walked past, however, he deftly put his arm about Shepard's waist and they walked to the bar together, much to the amusement and cat calls of the crew.

Thane couldn't help but flick a glance at Marie every now and again as she danced and talked with various members of the crew. She even managed to coax Joker up and held him carefully as they swayed together during a slow song. He felt a pang of jealously toward the pilot in those moments, even though rationally, he knew she was doing it to help him join in.

The dress hugged her form in a traditional drell fashion. The dark leather off set by lighter hues. They were often wore this way to signal ones availability, though he doubted she knew this. The green called to him in particular, the shade so close to his own skin. Her shoulders bare and lacking any marital markings. If he were to display his own shoulders, as he would have done before Irikah, very faint irregularities in his scales would be seen, caused by a small ceremonial knife during his wedding. It ran along one of his black markings that flowed from his skull and over his shoulders.

"Hmm, rise in pheromones. Darkening of ribbing, clenching of fists." Thane pulled his gaze away to look at the salarian.

"Dr. Solus. Your point being?"

"Sensing triggers of sexual arousal. Unable to divert attention from Marie. Logical conclusion is that she is the cause."

Thane winced at how obvious he had been. "I am merely watching out for her well-being, as were my orders when I boarded the ship."

"Hmm, indeed. However, orders are moot now that she has integrated in with the group. We would all look out for her as we would anyone else." The salarian smiled. "You are attracted to the human."

The table went very quiet all of a sudden. Kasumi, Joker and Garrus looked up at Thane from their own conversation, their eyes flitting to the human in question who was now attempting to teach Shepard simple dance steps as they were surrounded by the rest of the crew.

"Oh this is good." Joker leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head. "Do go on."

Thane groaned and rested his chin in his palm, the effects of the alcohol making him sloppy and allowing him to drop his guard a fraction.

The thief grinned around her drink which she had bought to her lips when this revelation was announced to the table. Garrus' mandibles fluttered, a turian grin.

"I would appreciate it if we all kept this between ourselves." He stared pointedly at Garrus who didn't seem to take the hint. The turian leapt to his feet and strolled over to Marie, glancing back over his shoulder and smirking at the drell. Kasumi laughed throatily and Joker whooped after Garrus in encouragement. Thane watched impassively, masking his emotions with a well-trained face.

That is until Mordin leaned in close and whispered. "I could send you an informative leaflet if you wish. Comfortable positions for both species, erogenous zones..." He trailed off and Thane turned his head slowly and glared at him. "I'll send them to Marie then."

She watched Shepard grin as Garrus whispered into his ear. Men and their secrets. She shrugged it off and spun to dance with Tali and Jack.

"Thane hasn't stopped watching you." Tali giggled as she sucked her drink through a straw.

"The horny fucker!" Jack was quite a good dancer when she wasn't bumping and grinding up one person or another. Marie swore she had seen the biotic casually snog about five random dancers in the last two hours alone.

"You're one to talk." Marie laughed and spun around the girls so she was on the other side. She could see Thane if she looked between Garrus and Shepard who were causing trouble nearby as they challenged Grunt to an arm wrestle. Sure enough, the drell was idly watching her, his lips moving as he spoke to Joker and Kasumi and pointedly ignored Mordin. She couldn't help but feel warmed by it, a faint flush rising to her cheeks that she was sure she could pass of on the alcohol.

A voice sounded over her shoulder. "You're not actually thinking about a relationship with the drell are you?" She spun and saw Miranda stood behind her, drink in hand and obviously quite drunk. A slight sneer was on her pretty face.

"Why?" Jack and Tali came and stood beside her and all of a sudden the atmosphere grew heavy.

"Well, for starters," She started counting of reasons on her slender fingers, "he's an assassin, he'll probably stab you in the back much sooner than he would rub up against it. And he's a drell." She almost spat the word.

"What the fuck has that got to do with anything, cheerleader." Jack sneered.

"Like you would know, you've probably slept with half the species out there!" She strutted away casually as though she hadn't said anything. Wow, she can not hold her liquor.

"Would it be that big of a deal?" Marie pouted at her friends. "I mean are cross species relationships frowned upon?"

Tali and Jack shook their heads. "Not really, no. Certain mixed species relationships are rare, like turian and human for example, " She gestured over at Garrus and Shepard as they cheered on Zaeed and Grunt, "but not unheard of. Neither are drell and human but I think that's because drell are quite rare themselves. Asari and human are common enough as are quarian and turian. It all depends on who you ask."

"Yeah and cheerleader bitch is a tad racist if you haven't noticed already." She jerked her chin in the direction of Jacob and Miranda.

Marie felt a bit better about it all as she turned to grin at Thane who smirked back and got a playful shove in the shoulder from Kasumi for his efforts.

"Have you enjoyed yourself, siha?"

It was the end of the night and the club was emptying, Shepard and Garrus were in the process of lifting a very drunk Grunt from the floor. Thane was holding on to Marie as she swayed slightly on her feet, she wasn't drunk as some of the crew but drunk enough that it gave him and excuse to escort her back to the ship.

"Hmm?" She was concentrating on walking in a straight line as Thane guided her. "Oh, yeah." She grinned at him as she held onto his arm. "Great fun. You never danced with me though." She pouted then.

"Ah, well you seemed to have enough trouble teaching Joker and Shepard. I figured you wouldn't want to teach me."

He helped her into a skycar and then climbed into the driver's seat.

"I would've enjoyed dancing with you. I love to dance!" She smiled. "I danced with everyone but you!" She looked out at the Presidium as they flew over it toward the docking bays. "It really is amazing here." The lights reflected in her eyes as she smiled at the scene below them.

"Maybe one day we will dance." He grinned at her as he began to slow the skycar into a decent. The looming figure of the Normandy in its bay as they swooped below it.

"I'd like that." She grinned and then seemed to fight to keep her eyes open.

She was asleep by the time he pulled in the skycar. He pulled her out the car and cradled her gently in his arms as he slowly walked to the airlock of the ship. Her hair brushed the bare patches of his skin and he smiled at the feel of it.

As he entered the ship he was met by an irate looking Chakwas. She was shaking her head and her steel grey eyes were screaming abuses at the two of them. She handing over a pill to him with whispered instructions. "Give her this when she wakes, should help with the hangover." She began walking away. "I told Shepard to watch her intake..."

Thane stepped oto the elevator and held her closer to him as she nuzzled into his chest, mumbling as she went. When they eventually made it to their room he was presented with the awkward situation of what to do with her clothes.

He lay her onto her cot and looked down at her, his fingers at his chin as he thought. If I change her she could take offense, if not she could...He shook his head. No, it's best if I leave that to herself. He swayed on his feet and idly wondered what she would do if he had passed out with her. Would I mind if she changed my clothes?

He thought long and hard about the predicament as he climbed onto his own cot. His thoughts began to wander into dangerous territory, involving the slow removal of leather dresses with green hues. Soft touches of pale skin brushing against the silky scales of his torso, dark hair brushing his face as soft as the pink lips on his. The warmth of her mouth as he pushed his tongue to meet hers, the slick, tight warmth of her as he entered her.

It was a while before these thoughts merged into long dreams from which he awoke too early, flustered and needy.

Arashu, grant me strength.

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