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Loyalty and Limerence

Part 3

Chapter 3

The Normandy SR2

Stepping aboard the Normandy was at the same time both warm and nostalgic as well as bizarre and off-putting. As soon as the shuttle pulled into the cargo bay and the door slid open, it was somehow like stepping into a vague reflection of home – it was the same as he remembered, and yet so obviously not. It was as if someone had tried to recreate it from memory, but hadn't gotten all the details quite right.

Clearly changes had been made to the Normandy during its time on Earth, and Garrus vaguely remembered a message from Jane back when they'd first arrived that mentioned the Alliance's intention of retrofitting the entire ship. He followed the group as they made their way to the elevator, dodging out of the way of a small mech traversing the length of the room.

"That's KEI-9." Garrus stopped and turned, his eyes following the mech as it paused before Jane, who knelt down to stroke the thing's head. She smiled fondly as her hand brushed it, almost as though it were some kind of pet.

"I… see." Garrus muttered, and he couldn't help but smile as the thing's butt began to wiggle excitedly at her ministrations. "What is KEI-9, exactly?"

"It belonged to some engineer working on the Normandy back on Earth, but he wasn't aboard when we began the evacuations. He asked John to take care of it, but he's got enough on his plate, so I guess he's kind of mine now?" Jane explained as she scratched the mech under its head. KEI-9's butt dropped to the floor, its leg thumping the ground happily as it soaked up the attention.

"Okay, but… What is it?" Garrus chuckled as he came to squat down nearby, the mech beginning to make a low, contented whining sound.

"It's supposed to be like a dog, just with less mess." Jane patted it one last time before standing up, brushing imaginary dust and fur from her hands and Garrus followed suit.

"Huh." He watched as the mech gazed adoringly up at her for a moment before shaking itself and trotting off again. He felt a pressure on his arm, and looked back to see Jane's hand there as she smiled at him, a warmth in her eyes that instantly took him back to quiet, heartfelt moments and sweet nothings. He swallowed down the sensations of flutterings in his stomach.

"I'm really glad you're here." She murmured quietly, "I couldn't imagine going through this without you." Garrus smiled and took a moment to thank the spirits that he'd managed to find his way back into her orbit. He opened his mouth to reply, but the words died on his tongue as her expression shifted, her lids lowering just enough for her to look up at him through her lashes as her smile became almost feline. "Come find me once you get settled in." She added in a near whisper.

Garrus swallowed and nodded, his mouth dry as heat settled in his belly. Slowly, she released his arm and turned to head toward the elevator. He could have been mistaken, but he was almost positive that as she walked away, her hips swung just a tiny bit more than usual.

"Come on, Garrus!" His eyes snapped up at Shepard's exclamation, "Hurry up, there's lots to do. Let's get you settled in." Coughing to cover his embarrassment, Garrus hurried after the others.

It hadn't been a difficult decision to join the Normandy, just as it hadn't been the last time. The first time really hadn't been a difficult choice either, for that matter. Garrus felt a stab of painful guilt as he left Palaven burning behind him, he was sure Victus did as well, but he knew where he would be most helpful, and that was with Shepard. Even if his actual position on the Normandy was a little unclear as of yet.

They exited the elevator into the CIC, which at first looked exactly as he remembered, until he noticed that it didn't. Some consoles looked the same, while others looked as though they'd been replaced or updated, while still others had been completely dismantled altogether. Wires and pipes trailed along the room and a few temporary dividers had been set up, cordoning off some areas in a way that distinctly spoke of construction interrupted midway.

Shepard was showing Victus around the CIC, getting him acquainted with the general layout of the ship. As he glanced about, Garrus suddenly realized that the door to the armory was just gone. He blinked, truly registering the fact that the Normandy had undergone some serious reconfiguring during his absence.

"Um, can I help you?" Garrus turned to see a human woman in an Alliance uniform standing nearby, a concerned expression on her face.

"Oh, uh, I was just, er-" He stopped himself with a shake and a breath before extending his hand. "Garrus Vakarian, I just came aboard along with Primarch Victus." Her face lit up with recognition and she took his hand in a firm, enthusiastic, shake.

"Ah! Yes, Garrus Vakarian. I've read the reports, it's an honor to meet you." She said in a quick, excited voice. "I'm Comm Specialist Samantha Traynor, with Alliance R&D-" She cut herself off suddenly, her face going slack as something seemed to occur to her. "Or, uh, I suppose I'm part of the Normandy's crew, now. Sorry, I'm still adjusting. It's all a little new. I've never served on a ship before."

"It's nice to meet you, Specialist Traynor. So I gather that the Normandy is officially an Alliance ship now?" It seemed obvious enough, given the few crew members he could see were all dressed similarly in Alliance uniforms, and none of which he recognized.

"Yes, it's all up to Alliance regs now. We're still sort of filling out the crew, we have whoever happened to be aboard when the Reapers arrived, plus a few we picked up during our initial visit to the Citadel. And you, now, I suppose. If you're staying? Not that you have to. And I'm honestly not sure how any of that works, given that you're a turian. Not that you're not welcome!" Traynor seemed to grow more and more flustered as she went, and Garrus tried to stop himself from chuckling as the human idiom 'putting your foot in your mouth' suddenly popped into his head. He schooled his face, forcing down the smile that threatened.

"Relax, Traynor. It's fine. With Shepard at the helm, it'll all work out." He stated confidently, which seemed to help her relax.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. He's really something, isn't he? I'd heard about him, but actually serving on his ship-! And then there's his sister…" Traynor took a breath, her cheeks slightly flushed as her hand came to flutter almost involuntarily. She suddenly seemed to realize what she was doing and where she was, and froze, her eyes going wide. "Oh god, I'm so sorry, I didn't- I'm not-!" Her gaze dropped to the floor, her face horrified, a hand coming up to brush her forehead. "I can't believe I said that out loud." She said in a mortified whisper.

At that, Garrus couldn't keep the laughter contained any longer. It felt rusty from lack of use, this being the first time he'd truly laughed in some time.

"You're not wrong, Jane certainly is something." He chuckled as he raised a brow plate and crossed his arms. "I hear she's already seeing someone, though." Garrus added offhandedly, unsure whether this was something Jane had brought up with any of the new crew.

Long past were the days of insecurity regarding his relationship with Jane, and the last thing he wanted was to come across as possessive or territorial. He knew the stereotypes about turians and he'd seen plenty of pornos that played off them. When all of this got back to Jane, and he knew it eventually would, he really didn't want to give her more ammo to tease him with. He also didn't want to start out on the wrong foot with Traynor, she seemed mortified and jumpy enough as it was. If she found out she'd been lusting over Jane in front of her actual boyfriend, well… Perhaps it was best to be circumspect.

"Oh. I hadn't heard that. But that makes sense, someone like that probably doesn't lack for options." Traynor's panic seemed to cool, her disappointment evident. "Anyway, you must think I'm a complete loony by now. I'm just going to-" Traynor gestured back toward one of the consoles by the galaxy map, "-get back to work."

"Actually," Garrus started slowly, and Traynor turned back to him in question, "I'm realizing the ship has changed a bit since I was last aboard, I was wondering if you could give me a little overview of the biggest changes?" He asked, quickly adding, "If you're not busy, of course." Traynor's expression lit up, evidently eager to assist.

"Of course! I was in charge of the retrofits, actually, so I suppose I might be the most qualified." She hurried to her console and grabbed up a datapad before coming back. "I'd offer to give you a tour in person, but our systems are acting oddly for some reason, so I probably shouldn't stray far." She began with pulling up pictures of a few overhead maps and explained the major layout changes. They all made logical sense, if he were being honest.

As she scrolled through pictures of the different areas, he couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't been arranged thus to begin with. It had never made much sense to him having the armory on the CIC deck instead of down closer to the shuttles where they actually departed for missions. The war room also seemed like a fantastic addition, particularly given Shepard's central role. Chances were that Victus would appreciate that room as well.

He was happy to see that the changes on the crew deck were minimal, it being the area that he had most considered home while last a part of the crew. It seemed as though the main battery had seen some upgrades, which made him nervous. Had they messed with his Thanix Cannons? Probably. He was already anxious to check them over and get them recalibrated to his own exacting specifications.

"And there you have it. It's not really all that different now, still the same ship. Just with a few upgrades, and an Alliance crew." Traynor shut off the datapad and smiled at him. "Do you have any other questions?"

"No, I think that's about it. Thank you for the tour, Traynor."

"Of course! If you need anything, I'll usually be here in the CIC while I'm on duty. Please, just let me know." With that, Traynor returned to her console, and Garrus began exploring.

Due to its proximity, he visited the war room first, and was expectedly impressed by the setup. There were a few crew members about, some of which gave him weighing looks as he entered. But as he'd needed to go through a security checkpoint to enter, and had obviously been cleared, they didn't challenge his right to be there.

He nodded to Victus, who stood by a nearby console, and noted Shepard's voice echoing from a side room, deep in a heated debate with someone. Content with his understanding of the room, he made an excuse to Victus and left, determined to finish off his self-guided tour.

Garrus made his way down to the crew deck and immediately beelined for the main battery. It was so strangely comforting to let his feet carry him across the deck along the familiar routine. He noticed a few changes along the way, but nothing major jumped out at him. Upon stepping into his old domain, however, he drew up in surprise.

"Well now…" He murmured as he glanced about the room, nodding as he took everything in. The room had been remodeled, allowing for much easier access to the Thanix Cannons. Additionally, the main console seemed to have been upgraded, and an additional one added nearby. To top it off, a work bench had been added along one wall, and he could already imagine himself setting up shop to clean, repair, and modify his weapons there.

He paused as the lights flickered, dimming suddenly before returning to usual. He heard a few pairs of boots running through the mess hall nearby, but no alarms went off, so he decided to leave it be. If it was something important, someone would probably let him know.

Moving up toward the main console, he began flicking through the displays and readouts, and his pleasure began to wane. He'd been right to worry that the Alliance engineers would mess around with his cannons, and it was clear that they would need some tender love and care before they were back up to snuff. He'd have time for that later, though.

Stepping back, Garrus nodded in satisfaction. He could work with this. Turning, he left, pausing for a moment as he saw Shepard through the medbay windows hurrying toward the AI core. Two guards stood there, fire extinguishers in hand, and together, they all entered the room.

Moving on, Garrus made his way toward the observation decks but paused again as he noticed the door to the XO's office. He was fairly certain Miranda wasn't the sort to join the Alliance, and she hadn't been part of Shepard's ground team on Menae either. So who was the current XO? Or had the room been repurposed?

There was no signage, no clues displayed, so Garrus hesitantly moved towards the door. He was slightly surprised when it opened unchallenged, but he was doubly surprised by what lay within.

An array of high tech equipment dotted the room, an entire wall taken up by a series of monitors. Machines with no discernible purpose were placed throughout the room, along with a bed situated against the far wall. And before him stood Liara, her fingers flashing across the holo controls as her eyes danced between the many displays.

She looked up as he entered, a slight daze about her features that spoke of having been ripped from a state of deep focus. "Garrus," Liara stated warmly as she seemed to register him, a smile gracing her lips, "Good to see you. Do you like my new office?" She gestured around the space, and he chuckled.

"It's very impressive. What did you do, squeeze your entire headquarters in?" Garrus suggested jokingly, but blinked in surprise as she nodded.

"Yes. I brought what I could when Cerberus came knocking at my hideout. I would be a very quiet Shadow Broker without my data feeds." She said with a half smile as she gestured to her wall of screens and he nodded in agreement. They caught up a little, and Garrus admitted to himself that he was happy to have a familiar face aboard. He couldn't help but remember when he'd rejoined the Normandy after everything on Omega and how unsettled he'd been by the new crew. They'd grown into a close family, and he knew it would eventually happen this time, too. But in the meanwhile, it was good to have a friend from the old days.

After a few more minutes, he said goodbye and turned to leave, only to stop as she caught his attention, "By the way, Garrus. I'm happy for you and Jane, it's really sweet." Turning back to face the asari, he cocked his head.

"How did you…?"

"Besides all the obvious clues? You two weren't as sneaky as you thought you were when you were staying with me on my ship." Liara grinned at him and he rolled his eyes affectionately.

"Ah, well, thanks, I suppose." She waved goodbye, and he turned to leave.

After saying goodbye to Liara, Garrus made his way toward the port observation deck with a small smile on his face. He and Jane had spent quite a lot of time there in the past, and he found himself eager to see the space again. He wasn't sure if he was surprised or not to see that it had been renovated, too, but he certainly was surprised to see that a card table had been added. He grinned, suspecting it would see quite a bit of use.

Leaving, he almost made for the elevator, but paused. Instead, Garrus walked across the deck to the starboard observation deck, wondering if it, too, had been renovated. When he opened the door, however, he realized he was not alone.

"Ashley?"

"Oh, hey, uh… Garrus." Ashley said somewhat awkwardly as she turned and stood from the couch she'd been sitting on. "Glad to see you decided to join the crew."

"I could say the same about you. I was surprised to see you among Shepard's crew, actually. After everything that happened on Horizon…" Garrus trailed off, unsure whether he should have mentioned their last encounter or not. Instead of continuing, he took a few steps into the room, noticing that it seemed largely unchanged.

"Ah, yeah. Well." Ashley looked away uncomfortably. "I got aboard the Normandy during the evacuation along with Vega, and I went along with Shepard and Jane during the mission to help Liara on Mars. After everything that happened with Cerberus there, and after Jane protected me from that… that thing. Eva Coré, or whatever it was. I had a bit of a heart to heart with Shepard about everything, and we came to an understanding of sorts." Ashley explained, fiddling with a lock of her hair as she glanced about the room. He could still hear the stiffness in her voice, as though she didn't quite feel comfortable. He couldn't blame her.

"I see. Well, it's good to fight alongside you again." Garrus stated neutrally, still yet unable to block out the hurt and disappointment on Shepard's face after Horizon. Ashley added her agreement, and there was a lull in the conversation, such as it was. Bbut just as he was about to excuse himself, Ashley spoke up again.

"Look, Garrus… I'm sorry about what I said to you on Horizon." She murmured softly, but then took a deep breath, steeling herself. "But you must understand how it looked from our perspective. He'd been dead, and then you all just showing up alongside Cerberus when the colony was being attacked?"

Garrus felt a flash of anger, but tried to stamp it down, determined not to widen the rift. "Honestly, Ash? No, I can't understand." He replied coolly, "I trust Shepard with my life, I'd follow him to hell in a heartbeat. My first reaction when he showed up out of nowhere on Omega wasn't to question him or hurl accusations at him. He wanted my help against the Collectors, and it would have taken more than Cerberus to stop me. And if we run into Tali, she'll say the same."

He paused, seeing the pained expression on Ashley's face, so he moderated his tone. "But I understand why you were anxious about Cerberus, especially given what you all learned about them on Mars." He'd been shocked at first when Jane had explained what happened during the shuttle ride to the Normandy, but given the Illusive Man's cavalier attitude about Reaper tech, it seemed a logical outcome.

She huffed a dry, unamused laugh and shook her head, "Yeah, well…"

"For what it's worth, I'm glad you're here now, when it matters most. Fighting with us and Shepard against the Reapers." Garrus held out his hand in what he'd heard humans refer to as an 'olive branch'. He was ready to put it behind them if she was. Honestly, they had bigger things to worry about at this point than spats from the past.

Ashley considered his hand for a split second before taking it in a firm grip, a small smile on her face.

"Thanks, Garrus. It's good to be aboard." They caught up for a few more minutes before he took his leave, determined to finish his self-guided tour before he passed out from exhaustion.

His next stop was the engineering deck, but it felt absolutely empty in comparison to their days fighting against the Collectors. There was some sort of reporter holed up in the starboard cargo bay, which seemed beyond bizarre, but he wasn't sure he knew up from down anymore since the Reapers had arrived, so he didn't comment.

Stepping through into Engineering, he was surprised to see only one person tending to the drive core. Even more surprising, he recognized the man – Greg Adams, the Chief Engineer from the Normandy SR1.

Looking up, Adams flashed him a smile, "Garrus Vakarian! I shouldn't be surprised to see you here." Returning the smile, Garrus shook his hand and they spent the next few minutes catching up. The room seemed quiet and empty without Tali, Ken, or Gabby, but it was good to see another familiar face, at least.

As he left Engineering, Garrus paused as he glanced down the steps leading to Jack's old hidey hole. Huffing a laugh, he let his feet take him down the stairs. He almost expected to get cursed out as he stepped into the low, red lit room, but it was mercifully, depressingly quiet. He stood in the middle of the small space and looked around, a weird melancholy overtaking him as he registered that the days of the old SR2 were long past, its crew disbanded and long gone. It would come to feel like home again, but it would take some time.

Turning to leave, something caught his eye. Garrus stepped toward one of the storage crates and knelt down to pick up what appeared to be a toy perched upon it. His mandibles flicked in surprise as he stood up, one of Jane's model ships in his hand.

It was a turian cruiser, the lines of it familiar from his days in the service, and he knew it had been one of her favorites from her collection that had been housed up in Shepard's quarters. Why it was down in the bowels of the ship, he couldn't begin to guess, but he supposed he should return it to its home.

Garrus made his way back upstairs to the elevator and stepped inside as the doors opened. He quickly registered that the damn machine was just as slow as before, somehow managing to completely miss out on the retrofit renovations. The Alliance certainly had some interesting priorities.

As he waited, he took a closer look at the model in his hands. It was a good model, very detailed and accurate. He could see that Jane had taken the time to place each part exactly right and had painted it carefully. He marveled as he considered the time and effort she had put into the work of art he cradled in his palms.

The door opened but the cruiser still held his attention as his feet carried him along the familiar route into the Commander's quarters. The door opened as he neared, but Garrus paused and blinked in surprise as he looked up.

Jane was perched precariously atop Shepard's desk wearing but a tank top and a pair of shorts, clearly fresh out of the shower. She had the glass to one of the display cases open and was carefully arranging one of the models within, but had turned to look at him as he'd entered.

"Jane?" Garrus asked in a stupor at the unexpected sight, the model in his hands suddenly forgotten.

"That didn't take you long," She chuckled as she lept down off the desk, her bare feet landing nimbly on the cold floor, "Though I'm interested to know how you knew I'd be here." She tucked a few damp locks of hair behind one ear as one corner of her lips curled up with amusement.

"Oh, uh," Garrus began before swallowing, suddenly unsure of himself as Jane took one slow step toward him, then another. He was caught between admiration of her soft curves and exposed skin – a sight he'd been longing for for the past six months – and the mortifying realization that, unlike her, he was still covered in the dirt, blood, sweat, and grime of Menae.

He held out the model ship before him in answer, and she took another step closer. Her eyes never leaving his, she took the ship and discarded it onto the nearby desk, continuing her approach. Garrus fought the urge to take a half step backwards, nerves and excitement warring as he recognized the gleam in her eyes.

"I wasn't sure about the, uh-" He coughed, unsure why he felt so nervous in her presence after everything they'd been through together, "-the protocol on reunions." He all but stuttered as Jane came to stand before him, looking up at him with her impossibly huge eyes that caught and reflected the light of the fish tank behind him. "I've been doing some more resea-"

"Shhh." Jane shushed him, and a moment later she brought a hand up to his chest and shoved him backwards. Stumbling, his back hit the fish tank with a clank and he nearly didn't have time to register what was happening before she was on him.

Jane's hands came up to cup his face as her body pressed against his armored one, her lips crashing upon his mouth plates with enough force to send him reeling. His arms came up around her immediately, desperately pulling her closer still as he registered just how badly he needed this, needed her.

Garrus groaned as he opened his mouth to her, reveling in the familiar feeling of her tongue. She pulled away slightly, her tongue darting across the tip of his mandible, "You do realize-" He started, but cut off with a gasp as one of her hands found the sensitive spot beneath his crest, "-how disgusting and grimey I am right now, right?" He finished, his voice hoarse as he fought the urge to pick her up and throw her down onto the bed nearby.

Jane didn't respond, but her arms shifted and a moment later he heard the click of armor coming undone. A breath later, he felt the armor plating over his hands and forearms come away. Carefully, she loosened the gloves of his undersuit one finger at a time, exposing his hands in a way that felt breathtakingly intimate.

Before he could process it, he felt one of her hands venture up to rest just below his crest again, and he growled in response. His hands gripped her waist and he pivoted them both around, shoving her up against the fish tank. Her breath escaped her in a sudden, surprised gasp and he grinned as he pressed himself against her in a way that felt so deliciously, wonderfully familiar.

Garrus had dreamt of her for months, the sight, smells, sounds, and sensations of her haunting him through the dark hours. She'd miraculously appeared before him on Menae in the middle of a warzone, their minds forced to focus on the battle before them. Now they were situated on an Alliance ship that was currently becoming the epicenter of a galactic war summit, the entirety of sentient life hinging on their words and their actions.

But finally, for just a moment there was nothing but the two of them, reuniting after a long and painful separation. Outside that room, the galaxy was burning, their people dying, but right there at that moment, they had a moment of blissful peace, together. They could forget about everything but the feel of their tongues, the brush of their skin, the sounds of their breaths together.

"I missed you so much." Garrus breathed as he shut his eyes, bringing his face down to brush against the curve of her neck. Jane's breath hitched as his hand ventured upwards and he treasured the sound just as much as he did the caress of her silken smooth skin. He could feel the tautness of her muscles just beneath, a testament to both her anticipation and excitement. It was a sensation he'd never thought he'd find as enticing as he did now, but he supposed he could say that about any number of distinctly human traits at this point.

"Garrus-" Jane gasped as the talon of his thumb trailed a light circle around her belly button before venturing upward. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss as his other hand ventured downward, coming to rest on the swell of her bottom. His hand in her shirt inched ever further upwards at just a slow enough pace to drive her to distraction, and he grinned into their kiss at her sound of impatience.

"Hey, Jane, are you done in the sho-" A strangled cry echoed through the small room, "Christ! What the hell, guys!" Garrus' eyes sprang open and he pulled back to see Shepard spinning away from them where he stood in the doorway, his hands thrown up in dismay.

"Right." Jane grumbled as Garrus stepped back in mortification. "I forgot. No such thing as privacy on this goddamn ship."

"What the hell, guys?" Shepard repeated as he turned back around, an angry glare plastered upon his flushed face "Can you pick somewhere other than my bedroom for that shit? I mean, come on!"

"I'm sorry, Shepard, I-" Garrus began, but Jane interrupted with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Cut us a little slack, John." The words leaned more toward a command than a request.

"But of all the places? Really? Ugh, have you done-" Shepard gestured between the two of them as if he couldn't even bring himself to say the words, "-this in here before?" He seemed horrified by the idea, as if his room was somehow tainted by the thought of his sister being intimate there.

"We would never-" Garrus choked out, heat suffusing his neck as he flushed under the mortifying line of questioning, his mind drifting to at least one time in which they almost had.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Jane interrupted, grinning wolfishly as she crossed her arms, but Shepard seemed to see through her mischievous facade.

"Uh huh." Shepard brought both hands up to scrub his face with a sigh as his shoulders relaxed. "Okay, guys. Go canoodle somewhere, anywhere else, please. I need to get some work done." Garrus nodded hurriedly, embarrassment gluing his tongue to the roof of his mouth. He stooped down to pick up his gloves and armoring, slipping them back on even as he beelined for the door. Jane followed behind at a more sedate pace, clearly unbothered by her brother's reaction.

"See you later, John." She waved lazily as she headed toward the elevator, causing Shepard to roll his eyes.

"Garrus," He called out just as Garrus was passing through the door, and he paused, "Have Jane find you a bunk so you can get settled in. When you're refreshed and rested, let me know. We'll work out the details of your position and responsibilities while a part of the crew. I'd also love some time just to catch up." Shepard flashed him a tired half smile, and Garrus nodded as he relaxed a little.

"Sure thing." He smiled at Shepard before following Jane to the elevator door. Shepard's door closed behind them and they waited for the elevator in silence. After a moment, he felt Jane's head lean against his shoulder, and he automatically shifted to wrap his arm around her, pulling her closer.

Her arm snaked around his middle, resting there lightly, and Garrus found himself smiling again. There was a small part of him that was still wondering if this was real, or if perhaps he'd actually died back on Menae. He remembered feeling similarly the last time he'd been recruited to the Normandy, though he supposed he had a bigger reason to suspect himself dead last time.

The elevator door opened, and together they stepped inside. Jane jabbed the button for the crew deck before turning to look up at him. He turned to face her, holding her eyes until she sighed and leaned forward to rest her forehead against his chest. Her arms came up to wrap around his neck again and he pulled her closer.

"I missed you." She murmured against his armor, and Garrus' hand gently stroked up her back as he cherished the feeling of having her so close again.

"After the Reapers arrived, I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again." He whispered, fighting a sudden tightness in his throat. She shifted to look up at him again, his own fear and pain reflected in them. He froze, suddenly remembering. "Hold on."

Garrus pulled back and reached a hand back to root through his belt pouch. "Ahh, here." After a moment, he pulled his hand back out, the sturdy chain of Jane's dog tags dangling from his fist. "I promised I'd give these back. Consider this a promise kept." He held them out to her and an odd expression crossed her face. She didn't reach out to take them, instead looking up at him with a tender smile.

Finally, she reached for them, gingerly plucking the small metal tags from his palm. Garrus felt oddly sad as he watched her inspect them. They'd been his constant companion, his reminder of her, his talisman for the past six months. He'd grown used to having them and he realized he'd miss them now that he'd given them back.

Jane's grip shifted and she grasped the chain in both hands, letting the tags dangle for a moment before looking up at him. "Why don't you keep them a little while longer? They brought you back to me once, maybe they can manage it a few more times." With that, she stepped closer and lifted the chain up over his head. Garrus watched in surprise, standing very still as she carefully maneuvered the chain over his crest. She slowly laid the chain around his neck, and because his cowl made it difficult for them to dangle down onto his chest, she let them rest just within it.

Her hands drifted down to press against his chest as she eased up onto her tiptoes to press a soft, sweet kiss against his mouth plates. Garrus leaned into the kiss, closing his eyes as he returned it as best he could with no lips. His hands came up to rest on her hips, pulling her close as something twisted painfully, wonderfully in his chest.

She hummed contentedly as she stepped back from him, and he let go of her, bringing a hand up to touch the dog tags gently. "If you're sure." He whispered, his emotions a sudden jumble.

"Plus," Jane added, her grin widening, "Now you've got my name on you, everyone will know who you belong to when you wander off and get lost." Garrus blinked in sudden confusion. There was laughter in her voice, but-

"Wait, is that some sort of human custom I missed in my research?" He asked after a breath, deciding he'd be better safe than sorry. Jane burst into laughter, shaking her head as the elevator doors opened and she stepped out, gesturing for him to follow.

"Come on, let's find you a bunk." She led him out onto the crew deck and into the familiar barracks. Garrus was comforted to see that not too much had been changed there, and while he didn't end up with the exact same bunk as last time, they were all identical, and so it didn't really matter much. "Why don't you get settled and cleaned up and then you can come meet me down in the cargo bay? You should see the new weapon modification setup down there."

His interest peaked, Garrus agreed before setting about unpacking his very modest bag of belongings. Besides his armor and weapons, he had a single set of clothes, a toothbrush, a travel weapon mod toolkit, and some rations. It didn't take long to get situated, and he groaned as he peeled himself out of his armor and undersuit. The shower that followed was probably one of the best he'd ever had, even if he'd forgotten about the damn human shower head being a few inches lower than he'd like.

The Garrus Vakarian that stepped out of the elevator into the cargo bay felt like a completely new turian, freshly showered and dressed in his only pair of casual clothes. He'd have to fix that with a shopping trip when they reached the Citadel, he supposed.

"Ah, good timing, Garrus!" Jane called out from across the large space, "We were just about to have a spar. Care to ref?" Standing not too far from her was Vega, no less huge for being without his armor. Jane had found an actual pair of pants and some boots sometime since she'd left him in the barracks, and they both had the sheen of humans mid workout.

"Uh, sure? Not sure why you need a ref for a simple sparring match, though." As much as Garrus would have loved to be the one facing her on the mats, he was still pretty sore and tired after living in the trenches for spirits knew how long he'd been on Menae. He didn't mind a bit of a break.

"She just wants an audience to show off to." Came Vega's jibe, causing Jane to raise an amused eyebrow at him.

"That's funny coming from you, Mr. Vega." Garrus turned to see a darker toned human in an Alliance uniform standing nearby, someone he'd never met before. "These two," The man continued as he turned to address Garrus in a softer voice, "always seem to be trying to one-up each other." With a smile, he held out his hand to Garrus, "Lieutenant Steve Cortez, shuttle pilot."

Garrus smiled back at him, taking his hand in a firm shake, "Garrus Vakarian, nice to meet you." Immediately, he could tell that he would like Cortez. There was something open and honest about the man's face that he couldn't help but trust.

"Pleasure to meet you, as well. Welcome aboard. Or welcome back, I suppose." They shared a laugh, but Jane waved him over, so Garrus made his way toward where they had their old sparring mats laid out. He situated himself leaning back against a supply crate and got comfy as Jane and Vega faced off, their fists raised and ready.

"Ready to dance, Lola?"

"I dunno, Vega, think you can keep up this time?" Jane taunted, already bouncing on the balls of her feet. Vega, however, stood more solidly, seemingly began exchanging blows slowly, ducking, dodging, and blocking hits that seemed more probing tests than actual attacks.

"'Lola'?" Garrus asked after a minute, somewhat bemused, and one corner of Jane's lips quirked up as she ducked Vega's right hook.

"Vega here has a memory like a steel sieve, so he makes up stupid nicknames instead of remembering actual ones."

"Hey, now- Oof!" Vega stumbled back as Jane's fist collided with his chin, her grin smug and self-satisfied. He rubbed his jaw, shook his head, and brought his hands back up before going on the offensive.

"Point to Jane, if I'm not mistaken." Garrus drawled as he crossed his arms, a small amount of pride in his chest for his girlfriend's hand to hand prowess.

"Yeah, yeah." Vega muttered, a small smile still on his face. "Maybe I should tag out and let you beat up Scars here instead, Lola."

"Scars? Really? You can't come up with anything better than that?" Jane asked incredulously, laughter dancing on her face as she blocked an oncoming punch.

"They're starting to fade a little," Garrus mused as he brought a hand up to brush his healed mandible, "Maybe I should go out and get some new ones. I know they used to drive the women wild." He didn't look at Jane, but he heard her chuckle nonetheless. Vega kept her focused on his assault for a moment before she got another good hit in and danced back.

"Speaking of which, what's this I hear about you having a boyfriend already, Lola? I really have been barking up the wrong tree this whole time?" Vega announced with mock disappointment and affront, his relaxed affectation laying to rest any concern Garrus might have harbored.

"Ah, cats out of the bag, huh? Who tattled on me, John?" Jane grinned, wiping the sweat off her brow before glancing at Garrus with a wink. She and Vega closed the gap again, fists flying as they both aimed for the next body blow.

"Traynor, actually." Vega grunted, and Garrus fought the urge to display any surprise, instead looking down at the talons on one hand. He shouldn't be surprised, he knew how gossip was on ships like this. But damn, news did travel fast. "And she heard it from Scars, apparently." He couldn't help but look up momentarily, meeting Jane's eye again as his mandibles flicked in amusement.

"Ahh, I see." Jane chuckled before deflecting a punch and returning one of her own.

"So? Who's the lucky guy?" Vega probed with interest, narrowly missing Jane as she darted backwards, giving ground.

"What, you haven't guessed yet?" She replied, her eyes sparkling as she clearly fought the urge to laugh.

"Should I have been able to?"

"I'm sure a brainy fellow such as yourself can figure it out." Jane took another step back, shifting to a stance that Garrus remembered all too well. Vega stepped forward into her space as he attempted to grab at her.

"You gotta give me some sort of clue." His fist closed on thin air as she flowed around him, getting a hold on his arm and shirt. Jane shifted her weight and Vega went flying through the air, landing hard on his back as his breath escaped his lungs in a grunt of pain. She came to stand over him, looking down as she crossed her arms.

"If you can't figure it out on your own, then I certainly won't be the one to ruin the fun." Jane laughed, but then reached down to offer him a hand, helping him back up to his feet. She looked down at her omni-tool and her eyes quickly skimmed through a message. Whatever she read made her eyebrows jump in interest and she moved toward a nearby crate, picking up her towel. "Okay, boys. Joker wants to show me something in the cockpit. Have fun!" With a friendly salute, she turned on her heel and made her way toward the elevator.

"Like a hurricane, that one…" Vega muttered, turning away to grab his own towel, wincing as he rubbed his jaw again.

"Preeetty sure she won, by the way. Stopped counting after the first few minutes, honestly." Garrus chuckled as he pushed himself off the crate he'd been leaning against. "Suppose I'm not the best referee."

"You're all cozied up with the Shepards, right? Haven't you been tagging along with them from the start of all this?" Vega turned to Garrus, a quizzical expression on his face.

"I guess that's one way to put it, yeah."

"You've gotta know, then, right? Who's Lola seeing?" The situation was so comical, Garrus didn't honestly know what to say. But if Jane was having fun teasing the younger marine, then he wasn't going to rain on her parade.

"Guess you'll just have to figure it out." Garrus said with a shrug, his mandibles flicking with amusement as the other man groaned.

Bidding Vega and Cortez farewell, he made for the elevator. His self-guided tour complete, he needed to sit down and figure out how badly they'd fucked up his Thanix Canons.

"Ah, so this is what you meant by 'calibrations'..." Garrus looked up from the panel he was working on to see Victus standing in the main battery's doors. Stepping back, he wiped his hands on the rag he'd tucked into his pocket, checking the time quickly. He was surprised to see he'd been working for a couple of hours and it was long since past time he should have tracked down dinner and his bunk.

"Primarch Victus, what can I do for you?" Victus' eyes took in the different displays, the rifle and mods laid out on the workbench, and the box of tools at Garrus' feet before replying.

"I'm just acquainting myself with the ship and the crew. It seems as though I'll be remaining here for the time being, at least till we get to the Citadel and can learn more about the situation with the war summit." Victus' hands slipped into his pockets as he stepped further into the room, allowing the door to close behind him.

"Ah, I see."

"I hear that you're going to be joining Shepard's crew."

"Yeah, I hope that won't be a problem." Garrus felt a sudden moment of concern, a little unsure what his official position amongst the Hierarchy even was at this point. Though if he wanted to join the Normandy's crew, he wasn't entirely sure what Victus could really do about it.

"No, of course not. But I was hoping that, while I'm aboard, you might step into something of an advisory role, seeing as you have more experience with the humans than I.'' Victus explained, and Garrus was taken aback by the sudden request. The Primarch, the Primarch, was asking him to be an advisor. Spirits, there was no way he was qualified for something like that.

"Oh, uh, well,-" Garrus coughed, "Yes, of course, sir. I'll do my best."

"Thank you, Vakaraian. When we arrive on the Citadel, I was also hoping to have your assistance in organizing relief for some of the refugees that are reported to be congregating there already."

"Yes, sir. Of course." That seemed like something he could handle. It would also serve the purpose of keeping him busy, which would help keep his mind off worrying about the numerous things he couldn't do anything about, such as what had become of his dad and Sol…

Garrus pushed the thought away.

"Wonderful, thank you." Victus nodded and stepped toward the workbench, looking closer at the sniper rifle laying there. They exchanged a few more thoughts and observations before falling into an increasingly awkward silence. "So," Victus eventually stated offhandedly, "I noticed that you and the younger Shepard are… close."

Garrus nearly choked, his eyes popping at the sudden observation as he felt a flush warming his neck. He turned to look at Victus, whose attention was currently on one of the mods laying on the workbench.

"We… served together on the Normandy before." Garrus stated evenly, his voice and subvocals carefully neutral. He caught himself twisting the oily rag in his hands and forced himself to stuff it back in his pocket.

"Uh huh." Victus turned a raised brow at him with an unidentifiable flick of his mandibles. "I noticed how, hmm… professional your relationship was." Garrus swallowed and looked away. He'd seen them embrace on Menae, of course he'd put two and two together. "Interesting to see a turian wearing Alliance dog tags." Victus remarked, looking pointedly at the chain still draped around Garrus' neck.

"Ah." Garrus knew there was no point in lying. Victus was amongst the sharpest, most observant men in the entire Hierarchy, he hadn't made it to the top by dumb luck. He felt himself stand a little taller, concern growing by the moment as he considered the potential ramifications. He couldn't think of what regs they were possibly breaking. Honestly, it wasn't really any of the Primarch's business, but-

"If you're going to be serving as an advisor, I need to know that your opinions and loyalties are not compromised. The humans are far from our enemies, but we will be negotiating with them for the good of our respective peoples. Whatever is going on between you and Spectre Shepard, will it affect your ability to do your job for the good of the Hierarchy?"

They stood staring each other down, a cold brick wedging itself deep in Garrus belly. Still, he refused to roll over, refused to make promises he knew he wouldn't keep.

"My relationship with Jane won't prevent me from doing my job to the best of my ability, sir." He stated firmly, his voice quiet but earnest. After a pause, his sub vocals hummed with soft amusement and affection, and he added, "I think she'd beat my ass if she thought I was letting her become a distraction."

"I see."

"As a Council Spectre, she works for the good of all species in Council space, not just humanity." Garrus pointed out and Victus seemed to consider his words, his expression becoming thoughtful with a flick of his mandibles.

"Point taken. So long as your work continues to be exemplary, then I can't see it being a problem." Victus' mandibles flicked again, then his face softened and his eyes took on a far off look as though his thoughts were elsewhere. "With everything happening in the galaxy right now, I suppose we should take our happiness as we can."

The two men stood there in silence, their hearts and minds drifting to their burning planet and their dying people. Victus inhaled after a moment, letting it go in a long exhale as he turned to the door.

"Get some rest, Vakarian. The real work begins soon." His shoulders seemed to square as the door opened and he stepped out. "A husk's bloodthirst has nothing on a politician's."

(Note: I hated waiting an extra week to post this, I'm very sorry to make you all wait. I hope it is worth it, however! Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement, particularly over on Ao3. It really helps when life gets a little crazy sometimes! The next update will probably also be a two week wait, so thank you all for your patience and love. You're all the best!

Thank you, as always, to my beta reader thelordofdarkreunion, and congratulations to him for finishing his longfic series! I recommend checking his work out, particularly if you enjoy epic battles!)