Hello everyone. Finally another update, eh? *crickets chirp*. Hmm... Ah well... Anyway, I'm back with another update. Please R&R, I appreciate it a lot! It let's me know if I'm on the right track... or not. For the Ashley-lovers reading this story... Sorry, it's only going to get worse before... and that's really all I can say without spoiling things. Dani is not a Shanxi-child herself but... hmm, can't elaborate here either without spoiling things. You'll just have to keep reading and find out :-)

Falling

"So, Tali suggested a movie to me yesterday," Dani said, perched on top of the Mako's hull, watching Garrus working diligently on it below her.

"Was that before or after you two passed out on her bunk?" Garrus teased.

"Somewhere in between I think. Ever heard of Fleet and Flotilla?"

Garrus' hands stilled momentarily. "Fleet and Flotilla? I might have heard of it," he said carefully before picking up an oily rag to wipe his hands.
"Why do you ask?"

"Well, she suggested it as an option for a sleep-over. But then Liara suggested I should watch it with you instead."

Garrus coughed conspicuously. "Did she now?"

"U-huh, said I could be Sheilah and you could be Bellicus."

"Shalei you mean, crap . . ." Garrus muttered.

"So you do know the movie!" Dani smirked. "So, what do you think. Should we watch it? Together?"

Garrus slowly got up from his crouched position and raised himself full length. In her current position, she was actually eye level with him for once.
She didn't have to crane her neck. He leaned against the Mako, right next to her. He was pretty distractingly close this way. Dani looked down at her legs and found her boots were vastly fascinating.

"You do realize that ah, Shalei is quarian right? And Bellicus is – turian."

She could feel her cheeks sting. "I have no idea what the movie is about." She was quick to answer.

"You're lying through your straight, white little teeth, Dani," Garrus muttered, his breath tickling against her ear. "You're heart rate picking up is giving you away."

"Not fair," she said quietly.

"Hey," he said, nudging her leg, making her look at him.

"I'll ah, I'll watch it – with you. So, um, should we say my quarters? After day shift I mean. If you want."

Dani let her eyes drift over his face. Trying to ignore her heart fluttering wildly in her chest. It was weird. His face, so incredibly alien. He was so basically and fundamentally different from her. There was nothing even remotely humanoid in his appearance, as was the case with Liara. Where her own face was skin stretched over bone, his face consisted of plates shifting over bone. Even his nose was plated.

Her gaze drifted lower, from his mandibles covering a part of his face to the one row of sharp teeth that was visible all the time, even with his mouth plates closed. He didn't even have five fingers! Just, two digits and a thumb. And his feet! She was mad. She had to be. Because every time she looked at him, all their differences and all reason just melted away. And she wondered at how his appearance had the ability to haunt her yet again. Was this then what Liara meant? This feeling of . . . falling?

For most other species, turians all looked the same. Except maybe for the differing colors and tribal markings. But, glancing back up to his eyes, Dani realized that she would have no problem at all picking Garrus out of a crowd of turians.

"Sorry," she stuttered, realizing she had been openly staring at him. He looked amused, though not in a mocking way.

"Counting the many ways in which we differ?" he asked quietly and spot on.

Dani swallowed hard. "It's daunting isn't it?"

"To put it mildly," he dead-panned.

"So, Fleet and Flotilla then?" she asked, looking at his eyes trying to discern his thoughts.

"Sure, just ah – swing by when you feel like it. I'll make sure to look it up on the extra-net."

"Great. So – yesterday, you never told me how it went."

"It went. That's about it. We spent hours driving around in the Mako because Shepard just had to investigate a few anomalies the computer picked up.
Results . . . a crashed probe, a mercenary outpost and two Thresher Maws! I repeat two Thresher Maws! All those hours driving around, not a word was spoken. Well, Shepard tried to crack a few jokes to ease the tension."

Dani smiled at the thought.

"When the negotiations finally started, I learned two things. One, Ashley has one sick, vivid imagination. Trust me, don't ask. Two, Shepard couldn't negotiate to save his own life. Agreed with pretty much anything Darius - no wait, Lord Darius - threw at him. He was so close! Luckily, Darius made one too many demands and Shepard restored my faith in him."

"Lord Darius? You've got to be kidding, right?" Dani laughed.

"Oh it gets worse! He wanted Shepard to address him as your lordship! Also, Shepard had to apologize to Darius in name of the Alliance. Then, he came up with preposterous conditions for the mining treaty. Miners would have to pay a fee to extract and export eezoo from his territory. But that's not all. No, every month they would have to give Darius a quantity of the eezoo they had mined. Plus, refining equipment to produce red sand."

"Oh come on, surely Shepard didn't agree to that?"

"Well, he almost did, I think. Not really sure now whether or not Shepard was just jerking him around. But, at that moment, I really thought Shepard was going along with Darius."

"Then what happened?"

Dani felt a tugging motion at the hem of her tunic. When she stole a peek she noticed that Garrus had a small piece between his fingers and played around with it. She bit her lip to hide a smile.

"Darius took his last request too far. He wanted Shepard to ask him nicely. Say please."

"And, did he?"

"Oh yes. Yes he did." Garrus smirked at her. "He said – and I quote – Stop the raids, get off the asteroid, and I won't waste a bullet on you. Please."

Dani toppled over laughing and nearly fell off the Mako. She heard a ripping sound and found Garrus staring oddly at the small piece of velvet clutched in his fingers.

"Crap. Sorry."

Before she could respond, Garrus' omni-tool flashed. He quickly checked the message and suddenly the atmosphere changed.

"It's from Shepard. Looks like we're headed for Virmire. ETA, early in the next day cycle. We're investigating the status of an infiltration unit tasked with gathering Intel on Saren." Garrus sighed, tucked away the piece of velvet in the folds of his armor and picked up the oily rag again.

"Time to finish up the old girl then," he said quietly.

"Of course, I'll leave you to it. I guess this throws a tool in our plans huh?"

Garrus grimaced. "You're wicked. But no – just, come by – later, okay?"

"I will, good luck," Dani said, not really knowing what else she was supposed to say. They gave each other a quick nod and while Garrus crouched back down in his oil stained fatigues, Dani hopped down the Mako and left. She was about to activate the elevator when she changed her mind and approached Wrex.

"Hey Wrex," she greeted him quietly.

"Pryde."

"Um, I heard you'll be going on a mission again soon. Sounds pretty serious, you know, since it's about Saren this time. So um, Garrus is working on the Mako and I have something . . . Oh hell, could you help me haul his armor to Tali's room?"

The smirk Wrex gave her was terrifying. If that was a krogan smirk. She had no desire to see their smile!

"Medium turian armor too heavy on your own? Don't worry, I'll help out. Just go to Tali's."

"Thanks Wrex!"

"Pryde."

Dani headed for Tali's crate without sparing Ashley a glance. When the front of the crate folded back, Tali took one look at Dani before stepping aside to let her in.

It didn't take long at all before they sat on the floor, surrounded by the various pieces of Garrus' armor. It was clear he had taken painstakingly care in cleaning and maintaining the various bits.

Dani and Tali just examined every part for themselves, worked out some inconspicuous dents and blots and rubbed them with oil until they gleamed.
His helmet, chest plate and shoulder guards were finished. Tali was working on his braces while Dani concentrated on the greaves.

"I'm sorry Tali, I shouldn't be bothering you with this. I just – "

"Dani, if you apologize to me one more time, I will shoot holes in every piece of his armor."

"That's what you said last time. Still, no holes."

"Don't tempt me."

"Am I crazy for doing this?"

"No, not crazy. A bit weird perhaps but, I already knew that so no harm there."

"I wish I could work on your armor as well." Dani sighed sadly.

"I know. But that's something I really need to do alone."

"Yeah, I know. What am I doing Tali?" she asked suddenly.

"Um, could you be a little more specific?"

Dani spread out her arms, gesturing at the various bits of armor.

"This. And tonight. I mean – Fleet and Flotilla? And he said yes! And so did I and we agreed to meet in his quarters and do you have any idea how many reasons there are that say this is a bad idea?"

"It worked for Shalei and Bellicus."

"They are movie characters! And – Garrus and I – we're not Shalei and Bellicus. I don't even know what we are!"

"Would you say you are friends?"

"Well, yes. Of course."

"Then leave it at that. You're going to watch a movie with a friend. Don't over-think things. Just go with the flow and see what happens."

"Tali, you don't understand. That's what scares me the most! That flow? It's one big giant question mark and it scares the hell out of me."

"Dani, it's getting late. Garrus is probably already waiting for you. We'll be gone on a mission tomorrow and I know you'll only waste your time worrying.
Don't waste these few hours worrying as well. Go to him and just, enjoy the movie and the time."

Dani nodded in agreement and stood up on shaky legs.

"Just go, Wrex will put his armor back again. You can rest easy knowing that whatever we'll encounter tomorrow, any foe foolish enough to attack will be blinded by his shiny armor!"


Standing in front of his quarters. Dani realized she'd never been inside. She clenched her hands a couple of times before quickly activating the control panel which was green lit. . . unlocked.

The door swished open and she stepped over the threshold. She quickly spotted Garrus seated behind a desk, his long fingers moving diligently over the control panel of his extra-net access point.

"Hey you," he greeted her, his voice level not betraying anything about his current state of mind. "I was wondering if you'd show up."

"I almost didn't," Dani admitted.

"Right." He stood up from behind his desk and took a step towards her. A long awkward moment of silence stretched out between them and Dani again wondered if she should be here at all. She could pretend this was just a movie all she wanted, but she was too aware that it really wasn't.
And she was wary, insecure, and afraid of what it was.

"Hey look, it's late. We've got a long day ahead of us so, if you just want to turn in early – We can do this some other time."

And here was Garrus, picking up on her diffidence, already offering her a way out.

"Actually," Dani started before her nerve would leave her. "I'd like to see the movie. Oh, but if you want to turn in – " she added quickly, realizing he might actually have meant that bit.

"No! I mean, um, the movie is a good idea. Just ah, settle down and I will start the vid up."

Dani looked around and saw a small vid screen on the wall near the foot end of his bed. She noticed he had an extra locker in his room and that it was generally bigger than Tali's reformed crate. Not much, just enough to be noticeable.

Dani wriggled off her boots, placed her omni-tool on Garrus' desk and settled on the bed.

"Woa!" she called out in surprise when the mattress seemed to form and curve after her body shape.

"Turian mattress. Human mattresses aren't exactly equipped to support a turian carapace."

"Right," she said, glancing at the large protruding cowl covering his back and shoulders.

She wiggled herself upright and leaned against the wall. She wrapped her arms around her knees and kept her eyes trained on the vid screen when she felt him settle on the bed next to her. She was trapped between the wall and the hulk of his frame and she could feel a funny jolt in her stomach.

"So, Fleet and Flotilla," Garrus said. "Quality movie no one should miss."

"Really?"

Garrus snorted. "No, not really. But it's fun. Silly, but fun. Just watch."

It turned out to be a big cheese fest that was able to elicit a few chuckles from them both. It eased the tension between them and Dani was able to relax, releasing the vice like grip she had on her knees. Even though the movie was cheesy as hell and the acting was way over the top, it handled a few issues that struck her core. Before she knew it, her eyes were stinging.

"But Shalei, we can never be together. I have my duty, and you have your people," Bellicus stated with regret during their famous balcony scene.

Dani shifted in her place and she grazed her shoulder against Garrus. She froze but when Garrus showed no reaction she relaxed again, sagging a bit closer to him for support. Garrus just turned a bit and slightly leaned into her.

"Not tonight," Shalei said to Bellicus. "Tonight I'm as free as the dust in the solar wind."

Shalei then broke into the song Dani had heard from Tali.

"Let the moon's shining light hide two lovers with its rays."

Bellicus and Shalei turned towards each other, Bellicus lifted his hand to her and Shalei placed her hand in his. Such a simple gesture yet so full of meaning.

"Though I know that dawn will set us . . . on course for separate ways . . . I will hold this night in memory for all my living days . . ."

Crap, the first tears were slinking from her eyes. Dani turned her face into Garrus' shoulder.

"Now unmasked I feel your skin on mine!"

Bellicus and Shalei stared at each other longingly.

"I want you to see behind this mask. I want you to see who I truly am," Shalei stated solemnly.

More tears trickled down when Shalei raised her hand to remove her mask.

"I already have," Bellicus answered her simply. At those words Dani couldn't repress a quiet sob. It was a sweet moment, to see them embrace but it were Bellicus' words that kept echoing through her mind. "I already have."

She thought how nice it must be to have someone who could see past the mask, past glaringly obvious awkwardness, and really see the person hidden inside. She felt Garrus ease his arm around her waist, pulling her just a bit closer. She took the opportunity to bury her face just a bit deeper to hide those treacherous tears. Even though she knew he was fully aware of her crying. She was grateful he didn't comment on it though.

Thankfully, the rest of the movie was as corny as it had started. Her tears dried up but Dani quite liked the position she was in. Securely tugged against his chest, his arm draped around her, his talons softly grazing her arm.

There were a few times during the movie she had wanted to say something, make a comment, but she found no words and afraid she'd just spoil the moment, she kept her mouth shut.

When the credits started to roll, Garrus shut of the vid screen. Instead of getting up, he wrestled his frame against the wall, shifted a few times and slid down, pulling Dani with him, until they were lying down nestled against each other. No lights were on in his room and the lights in the corridors had dimmed, indicating night cycle had already set in. They just laid there silently in the relative dark and privacy of his quarters.

"You were right," Dani finally dared to say. "Cheesy as hell."

Garrus snorted and she could feel his frame shake with laughter.

"I wonder at Tali's taste in movies," he said dryly.

"Well, in her defense," Dani started. "She was horribly drunk when she brought it up."

He nudged her gently. "So were you, I've heard."

"I deny everything."

"Excuses, excuses."

"So Virmire. . ." Dani changed the subject. "Any idea what you might encounter?"

"No," he said quietly. "But the infiltration unit used a mission critical communications channel to send their garbled message. Whatever they wanted to say, it is important and most certainly involves Saren."

"Business as usual then," she tried to make light of it, but she was very aware how her insides seemed to have decided to scrunch up into one massive ball of nerves.

"The bastard will get what's coming for him," Garrus promised. "We know what he's after. It's just a matter of time."

"Just, come back in one piece. It would be hard to snipe a target with just one arm, or run like hell with one leg missing."

"I will have you know, I could still hit my target blindfolded with both hands tied behind my back."

"Of course, because you are the epitome of sniper prowess."

"Exactly. See, I knew I liked you for a reason."

"I thought that was because with my upgrade, you can now actually hit a target."

"You've been spending too much time with Joker. He's rubbing off on you."

"In a good or in a bad way?"

"Still deciding."

Dani bit her lip, smiling at this new sensation. The ease of flow in conversation. Banter. It felt nice.

She didn't want to leave. His emanating body heat was much warmer than in a human. Snuggled up to a T-Rex and she had never felt more content in her life. Maybe she shouldn't refer to him as a T-Rex in front of him. Or maybe she should, just to tease.

"I can feel you smirking through my clothes. Usually, that means nothing good. Do I dare ask?"

"Just thinking about what Shepard once said to me. When you – you know – still scared me witless."

"You mean I don't anymore? Dang, if my enemies get wind of that, I'm roast. What did he say?"

"Just that you're a sweetheart – with teeth."

"Spirits!" Garrus erupted in low rumbling laughter. "I think I just heard my reputation, shredding itself to pieces."

Dani snickered into his fatigues, feeling her eyes sting with a different sort of tears.

"Don't tell me you agree though!"

"Actually. . ." Dani bit her lip. "Actually, I do."

For a moment, silence fell between them.

"Since when?" he quietly asked her after a while.

Dani shifted her position a little, without breaking contact.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Is it okay?"

Garrus shifted his weight and turned over on his side to face her, his arm still wrapped around her. He lifted his free hand and gently traced her jawline with his talon.

"You know it is."

So there it was. She still had no idea what it was exactly, but it was something. Before, they had treaded the boundaries towards friendship, this was treading the boundaries of that friendship towards an entirely different thing. It was exhilarating, frightening, daunting and amazing all at once.

One moment she desperately wanted things to stay as they were before and the next she couldn't help but wondering what more would be like.
More this, more Garrus, more them.

"I can hear you thinking." Garrus pulled her close enough so he could rest his chin on her head. His mandibles caught in her hair.

"Don't you?"

"Yeah," he admitted after a moment. "All the time."

"How did we get here anyway?"

"Well. . ." Garrus coughed on a chuckle. "Tali was drunk and started singing. Then she decided to drag me into this."

"You're horrible."

"I have my days."

The hide under his chin and his neck was much softer and smoother than the plates covering his face. She let her hand tentatively map a way across his chest and wondered at the alien sensation of his body – sharp and angled – pressed against her.

She should go. She really should go back to her shared quarters and let him catch a nap before setting out to Virmire. The thought of leaving just made her snuggle closer to him. He didn't seem to mind. Her eyes started to feel heavy as did the rest of her limbs. Her hand started to slide from his chest so she looped it around his thin waist instead. A soft hum emitted from his lower vocal cords. It was strange, unlike anything she'd ever heard but oddly comforting and satisfying.

Her drowsy mind just barely discerned her leg twisting around Garrus' outstretched limbs. The thought that she really shouldn't became insignificant when her brain perceived it as just too damn good. She was too tired anyway. Ultimately, her thoughts just scattered and drifted down like feathers on a breath.


Her fuzzy brain protested against conscious thoughts trying to push to the surface. The thoughts weren't nice anyway. Just moaning and complaining about the lack of support, the lack of something solid to lean into. How it seemed colder than before. How the surface she was lying on felt different and just plain wrong now it was missing a presence. She stirred under the covers that oddly seemed much lighter than she was used to.

Dani reluctantly blinked her eyes open, just to squeeze them closed again. She yawned loudly before she finally succeeded in opening her eyes.
The strange surroundings made her bolt upright. She needed a few moments to get her mind going and realize she was in Garrus' private quarters.
It appeared she had stayed the night.

A shuddering breath escaped her and she placed clammy hands against her heated cheeks. Holy crap, she'd stayed the night! The implications!
Dani feverishly tried to piece together the events of the previous evening, leading up to her waking in Garrus' bed. Had they reached some kind of understanding? It was all still blurry and vague. They had watched Fleet and Flotilla. The vid had been mind-reducing cheesy and she had cried.
Crap, Garrus had witnessed her crying during one turd of a movie. Oh, he actually had been really decent about that. What next? He'd shut off the vid when the credits started rolling and he'd pulled her down next to him.

They had talked for a bit, what about again? The movie for one. Saren. They had joked. Shepard . . . Oh wow, she told Garrus about the sweetheart with teeth thing! When she'd so dutifully promised Shepard she wouldn't. Wait, had she called Garrus sweetheart? Yes, yes she had. That was not treading the boundaries, that was leaping right over them. Wasn't it?

Where was he anyway? He was not in the small room, that was for sure.

Dani stumbled out of the bed, pulled on her boots and grabbed her omni-tool, which wasn't exactly where she'd put it down the night before.
She squinted her eyes in suspicion before placing the omni-tool over her arm. When she activated it, it started flashing. A message. She punched in her code and quickly read a short note, it was from Garrus.

We're near Virmire so I need to go, suit up.

Can't bring myself to wake you. You look so . . . peaceful.

I think when I get back, we need to talk.

G.