Happy N7 day! So here is another chapter, which, I know… I know… it takes me too long lately to get these out. I wish I could have more time to write, but alas, I do not. At least this is a long chapter! I know a lot of you are getting tired of Garrus and Jane's relationship being drug out but don't worry! We are getting there, I promise. Sorry if there are any mistakes, I was rushing to get this out today. Thank you all for sticking with me and being patient and thank you for reading/following/favoriting and reviewing.

Chapter 39

He stared at her as she finally slept before him. It had taken her quite a while to calm down enough to close her eyes for more than a few seconds. Garrus studied her features and ran his thumb over her cheekbone, remembering the faint scar that once existed under her right eye, now gone like everything else. Why was it that every time he thought about telling her how he felt, something happened that made it the wrong time?

Jane stared at the sleeping turian's face. Her eyes burned from the tears she had shed hours ago. She pressed fingertips into her eyes, hoping to rid herself of the pain with one she caused herself. Removing her hands, she waited for the stars to fade so she could look at him again. She lightly touched the side of his face, causing him to croon in his sleep. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead against his, letting out a long sigh, "I don't deserve this second chance. And I don't deserve you."

She squirmed, trying to wiggle his arm loose so she could crawl out of bed. He groaned as the bed shifted. As her feet hit the floor, she looked down at him and then at herself; flailing her arms in exasperation, she rolled her eyes as she realized she was still in only her underwear. God damn it… I did take my clothes off in front of him, didn't I? Jane quickly found a pair of leggings and a tank top to throw on as she tried to reason with herself why she did and said some of the things she had.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she threaded her fingers through her hair, rocking her head back. "EDI, where are we?" she whispered.

"We are approaching air space to the Citadel to resupply. Local time 2340 hours," EDI responded just as quietly.

"At 0700 hours, announce that everyone has 48 hours leave."

"Yes, Shepard. And you have urgent messages at your terminal but I suggest caution when reading them. They could be… upsetting."

"Thank you, EDI," she moved to her desk and saw the tiny flashing light signaling a new message. She swallowed hard. There was no telling who they were from but if EDI could pick up on possible upsetting messages, they must be bad. Taking a deep breath, she glanced up at Garrus, still asleep on the bed. She turned the terminal on. She opened the messages and it automatically opened the first new message; it was from the Illusive Man.

In a way, knowing it was business related, it calmed her. She read through the names.

Thane Krios
-Quick-kill biotic specialist
-Expert sniper
Thane Krios is a drell trained from childhood as an elite assassin, proficient in both long-range sniping kills and close infiltration. He has slowed his activities in recent years but is rumored to have a target on Illium.

Jane thought about how he would affect her team. Garrus might get a little offended I have another sniper, but I think the dynamic should be alright. She didn't know how it would be to have an assassin on board but she already had a criminal so what could go wrong?

Justicar Samara
-Biotics strength near that of an asari matriarch
-Extensive weapons training
Samara is a justicar, a rare member of an asari monastic group trained in enhanced combat biotics alongside standard weapons. Samara was recently sighted on Illium, outside of normal asari space.

Another biotic, Jane thought. She didn't quite understand why the Illusive Man had her recruiting so many biotics in addition to herself, she assumed he must know more about the Collectors than he was letting on. Maybe a Justicar can help me control mine. I don't know how long I can keep mine in check anymore.

She reached the last name.

Tali'Zorah vas Neema

Jane stopped. How was Tali a dossier? Why would she ever agree to join her, let alone, Cerberus? She wanted Tali on her team but she wasn't sure if it were even possible. Even though she didn't need to, Jane read the information about her friend.

-Expert in combat tech, systems hacking
-Strong engineering background, familiar with Normandy
Formerly listed as Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, the quarian engineer earned her adult name after helping Shepard defeat Saren two years ago. Tali is currently on a classified assignment for the Migrant Fleet Admiralty Board on Haestrom, deep in geth-controlled space.

She could feel herself starting to stress. She shook her head, fighting against the tears threatening to brim. But as she looked at the next message, she grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut as her frustration started to take hold; Kaidan seemed to be having a way with that.

Jane,

I'm sorry for what I said back on Horizon. I spent two years pulling myself back together after you went down with the Normandy. It took me a long time to get over my guilt for surviving and move on. I'd finally let my friends talk me into going out for drinks with a doctor on the Citadel. Nothing serious, but trying to let myself have a life again, you know?

Then I saw you, and everything pulled hard to port. You were standing in front of me, but you were with Cerberus. I guess I really don't know who either of us are anymore. I know that we had our disagreements, I feel terrible for what was said before Ilos, but I thought we had finally started going in the right direction after Sovereign. I know that I have been holding on to that long lost night when we first met, but I still think that we missed out on something. But, a lot has changed in the last two years and I can't just put that aside.

But please be careful. I've watched too many people close to me die - on Eden Prime, on Virmire, on Horizon, on the Normandy. I couldn't bear it if I lost you again. If you're still the woman I remember I know you'll find a way to stop these Collector attacks. But Cerberus is too dangerous to be trusted. Watch yourself.

When things settle down a little... maybe... I don't know. Just take care.

-Kaidan

She looked away from her screen, as if it would stop her from thinking about his words. How can he say that?! She screamed in her head. There was a part of her that hated herself for reading his message and she thought about ignoring the next one, but she would have to read it eventually; so, it might as well be now.

She immediately regretted her decision.

From: Mom

So I have to find out my child is alive third-hand from the Alliance brass? Where the hell have you been? Why was John in on all of this and neither of you told me? What are you doing with Cerberus? Did your brother encourage you to join them?

I figure whatever you're doing is classified, likely part of your Spectre operations. Just stay safe out there, and keep doing your mom proud. And sneak something through a secure channel next time.

Love,
Your mother, Captain Hannah

Jane pressed her hands to her head, tucking her feet in and rocked slightly, God dammit… Why did she have to find out? The odds of me getting out of this alive are slim at best. I have to talk to John. She clenched and unclenched her fists trying not to slam them down ont h table or throw anything. She couldn't do it anymore. It was all asking too much of her. She had to get off the ship. She needed space. She needed to breathe. Chewing on her lip, she held back the tears as she searched for shoes. Running out of the room, she fought with herself to not look back at the sleeping turian. She couldn't face him right now, even if he was asleep.

Pacing in the elevator, she laced her fingers over her neck, "EDI, are we close to docking?"

"Seven minutes and thirty eight seconds."

John leaned back slightly, standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at the arrival and departure board. He hoped to see a familiar ship and at this point he would be happy with anyone: the Normandy, a quarrian vessel on the off chance it had Tali, hell, even his mother's ship. Every conversation he had with all of them had been a bust, he felt so alone and now he had to go back out to keep tabs on the last recruits. He had tried so many times to call Jane but every message he sent out received no response. It seemed that no one was available on the Normandy; something didn't feel right.

A new ship flashed up on the screen and changed immediately from arriving, boarding, and last call all within a few seconds. And that's my cue, John thought.

Slinging his bag up and over his head, John slid his hand along the strap to readjust it on his chest. Time to leave… again, he thought, and they couldn't leave at a reasonable hour? The ship wasn't clearly labeled as Cerberus, but there were marks he knew to look for. From the outside, it looked just like any other privately owned shuttle. The door opened and security on the vessel was already waving him down.

"Sir! We need to leave as soon as possible."

"Damn, skipper, what's the problem? Not welcome on the Citadel anymore?"

"You could put it that way. But, sir, I insist we leave immediately."

"Jesus, alright, hold onto your britches." That's a little weird. I don't think they have ever been like this. John had barely cleared the door when he felt the rush of air from it closing. "Is this your way of telling me I have a big butt? Because I'm very sensitive."

The man glared at him, "Pleae, go to your quarters."

"Why are you being so pushy?"

"Just doing my job."

"Has word gotten out about me? Are people spreading rumors? Because I can assure you, they're not true. Unless it's that one about… nah, nevermind, you don't want to hear that."

He glared at John and said again, "Please go below deck, sir." He stepped into the cockpit with the pilot.

The door slammed shut in his face. Damn, what the hell was his problem?

The ship jarred, pulling away from the dock at a faster than normal pace. "Son of a bitch," he mumbled. He pounded on the door, "Hey! What the fuck is going on? HEY! Answer me!" He turned, running for the closest window. Everything was moving by so quickly, he was surprised they weren't close to colliding with another ship. "What is their deal?" The ship slowed drastically, jarring John almost off of his feet. He caught himself on the edge of the window, recovering to scope out what had caused the problem. His eyes found what he could only assume they didn't want him to see: The Normandy.

"NOO!" he ran over to the cockpit door, trying with all his might to kick the door down. "Turn around! We need to dock!" He ran back to the window, pounding his fists and forearms against the glass. "Jane! NOO! Turn this fucking ship around! Aaarggh!"

OOOOooooOOOOoooo

She clutched her elbows, keeping her arms crossed and pressing them tightly against her chest. Jane wasn't paying attention to where she was going and was pretty sure she had been walking in circles. No matter what she tried, her thoughts kept coming back to her despite her refusal to deal with her issues. Heading over to a railing, she leaned against it, supporting herself with her arms as she allowed her legs to partially ragdoll. She focused intently on stretching and rolling her joints on one leg and then the other.

Tears started to betray her as they trickled down her cheeks. Sniffling, she looked up to stare out at the lights flickering across the districts. A few more tears escaped as she thought about all of the lives she was looking down on; how complicated and yet simple all of their lives were, and that she would never get to experience any semblance of a life.

"Pretty sight, isn't it?" a woman's voice said next to Jane.

She looked away, wiping her face quickly with the back of her hand. Chancing a look she saw it was an asari standing near her.

"Seems like you've had a rough night, young one." The asari looked her up and down. "Need someone to talk to?"

Jane didn't answer.

"Let me guess, no one to talk to?"

"Can you just stop talking and leave me alone?" Jane muttered.

"But I'm here to give you a solution. All the pain will go away."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Jane saw the asari pull a package out from the inside of her collar. "I'll even give you a discount."

Shepard swallowed hard, "And why would you do that?"

"Maybe I'm feeling generous. Maybe I like the look of you. Or maybe I just like giving new customers a taste of what I have to offer." She smiled at the human and slid a little closer. "Look, sweetheart, I don't know what troubles you, but it can all go away. It doesn't have to bother you anymore."

Her chest heaved with each deep breath. Jane stared at the asari out of the corner of her eye before her gaze began to drift to the packet.

Garrus woke up with a start, immediately aware of the empty space next to him. "Spirits," he said aloud as he got up. "EDI, any idea where Jane went?"

"Unfortunately, I was unable to monitor her activities through surveillance but she did purchase items at a shop."

"Send me the location."

"Already done."

Too many thoughts were going through his head, and the worst was that he didn't know what state she was in. As he made his way to the location, he connected a comm-link to the Normandy. "EDI, what was she was wearing? So I know how to ask for her… without using her name or status."

"She was in black leggings and a gray tank top."

He wasn't exactly sure what leggings were but he assumed it was a human invention meant for relaxing. "Alright… Do you know what set her off?"

"She was reading her messages. The most recent ones she received were from, the Illusive Man concerning the new dossiers, Kaidan Alenko, and Hannah Shepard."

For fuck's sake… No wonder she left in a hurry.

When he reached the shop, Garrus paused taking in his surroundings to better acquaint himself with what was sold so he could try to figure out what Jane might have bought. It appeared to be a human based shop although it did have items for other species, but nothing turian stuck out to him.

A human man stepped out from a back room and began to approach Garrus, his eyes frocused on drying his hands, "Hello, sir, what – " he looked up and saw Garrus standing before him, "can I do for you…?" there was a little too much pause between each of his words.

Xenophobic against turians… great, Garrus thought. "I'm looking for someone. A human female. She came through your shop."

"A lot of people come through here. I can't remember every one."

Garrus stifled a growl, "She has blond fr… hair," he struggled to use the right word, "She is wearing a gray top and black pants. She was in here a couple of hours ago."

"Sorry. Nope. Besides, it's not like I would tell someone like you."

Garrus couldn't waste anymore time with this man. He snapped. Rushing forward, Garrus grabbed the man by the collar, lifting him off the ground and slamming him onto the counter. "Let's cut through the shit. I need to find her and right now you're the only one in my way. Now," Garrus bared his teeth, sharp and flashing in the light. "I know you saw her, so where did she go?"

"L-L-L-Look," he stammered out, "I don't know who you work for but I don't want any trouble. She browsed, saw an ad, bought a few things – I didn't really pay attention – and then she left." At the harsh glare of the turian he shouted out, "I'm telling the truth! I swear!"

"Which ad?"

"Huh?... Um… I think it was the one looking for dancers."

Dancers? He wondered. Why would she be interested in an ad like that? He looked away from the human and realization crept up on him. Slowly, he released the man, becoming lost in his thoughts.

The shop owner rolled away from Garrus, falling off the counter and stumbling, struggling to catch himself. As he studied the turian, he offered more information in the hopes of appeasing him since the alien looked quite unhappy. "It's a newer club that opened. Just on the other side of the district. From what I hear, it's giving Chora's Den a run for its credits despite being more human based with the environment and feel of the club." Silence hung in the air and seemed to drag on as the turian stood, appearing to be deep in thought. The steely blue of the turian's eyes found the shop owner once again, "I wasn't trying ot cause trouble. I just figured I'd give a fellow human a fighting chance to get out of the district when someone like you is chasing them." He realized his mistake immediately and began to sweat from fear. "I just… I mean… she just seemed like a good girl is all. If maybe a little lost in life."

"You've got it wrong…" Garrus said quietly, "I'm trying to keep her safe. She's more important than you know." Especially to me, he wanted to add.

"Well," the human huffed out, "I never know with some of you."

Garrus ignored the last comment thrown his way; he didn't have time for speciest remarks. He made his way towards the club the human talked about, guided by the map on his omni-tool. He was a little nervous about what was in store for him.

She can't be in her right mind for this. Why would she go to a club like that? It was a decent walk, allowing Garrus's mind to wander, churn over what he might say to her. When he reached his destination, he could tell that it was a shadier part of the district but the club seemed to keep pretty good security. Three guards stood outside, all of them krogan, there were also security cameras lining the area.

"Hurry up and make up your mind, turian," one of the krogan called out to him. Garrus hadn't realized he had paused to stare at the façade. "No one cares if you've got a human fetish. Even if you care, you can tell yourself you're here for asari."

Garrus stepped forward, waving his credit chit over the scanner to pay his entry fee. "So, this place is mainly human based?"

"You could say that," a different krogan answered. "The club is based on the old human strip clubs, some of which are still prominent on their homeworld," he grumbled, seeming like he had explained this many times before.

"Hmm," the first muttered, "I wouldn't mind seeing the originals some day. See how they compare."

Garrus didn't say what he was thinking, but he was more curious about what was in store for him inside. The doors opened and he was blasted by the sound from inside. At first glance, it looked like Chora's Den but the longer he looked, the more differences he saw. The room was dark, lighted by red and pink tinted lighting. There was one long bar against a wall, several booths and smaller stages and poles? He looked at the main stage that currently had three females dancing, one human and two asari as what seemed to be back up dancers, each standing at a pole. There was a hallway that had a sign posted above it saying "Private." A woman held the hand of a drell, leading him into the hallway, parting the beaded door, Beads? Garrus questioned in his head.

He scanned the room, becoming blind to other details of the room, looking for Jane's distinctive blond fringe. He couldn't find anyone that had the correct color and length. Spirits, where is she? At that thought he clued into the music. What the… he let his thoughts drift off as he looked up and slowly made his way to the bar.

"Weird music, I know."

Garrus turned to see the human bartender looking at him, "What?"

"The music," he nodded, "it's weird. It's from Earth, a long time ago. Helps the owner avoid any backlash from bands or singers getting upset when their music is used in a place like this."

Garrus just nodded, it sounded like it was from the same time period as Jane's music. It was interesting to him that she would wind up in a place that had it.

"Want anything?" the bartender offered.

He was about to wave the man off as he scanned the room again but thought it might be better to blend in… or at the very least loosen up. "Sure," he mumbled, "turian brandy," he waved his chit over the panel.

"Not a problem, buddy. Som turians feel uncomfortable being in such a heavily human based business. A lot still feel that stigma about having a fondness for humans."

Garrus narrowed his eyes, "You seem awfully open about it."

"Sorry," he chuckled. "Don't mean to step over any lines. But for me, I just see us all as needing someone that makes up happy, no matter what species."

"And it's also your job to keep people feeling comfortable and in here paying."

"Heh, what can I say? I like to stay in a job. But seriously, no judgement."

Garrus took a long swig from his drink, "So, I'm actually looking for someone. From what I've found out, she came in here tonight. Blonde. About," he held up his hand, "this tall."

The man furrowed his brow in thought. "Hmm… nope. Haven't seen any blond ones come in here. The boss did just hire two new girls on the spot. He let them and a couple others audition. The ones who got the cheers stay. Even though we've been open for a bit, it's still hard to find girls that can dance this style and keep up with the demand." The man seemed to ponder Garrus's question a little more. "Look, if you're searching for an ex you may just want to leave now. Security is pretty harsh."

"No. Not an ex. Just someone I need to talk to." He drank down the rest of his brandy and it was promptly filled. "Thanks," he said, grabbing the freshened glass and standing. "And thanks for the info."

"Hope you find her… I think," the human mumbled the second part.

Garrus approached the main stage, drink in hand, attempting to get a good look at the women's faces. He had heard of humans changing their fringe color or even wearing fake fringes. The concept didn't make sense to him but then again, he had a hard time even calling it by the proper name.

After clearing the room of candidates, he found a chair near the stage and scoped out those who did not work there. It was mostly human, but still a diverse group; drell, volus, a few turians and quarians, even some krogan and asari. Turning in his chair, he even saw an elcor off to the side, lurking in the shadows. The lights started to flicker, flash, spin and change color. Garrus hadn't even noticed when the other women had left the stage.

"Welcome one and all to the fastest growing exotic club on the Citadel! Next up on the stage we have Sapphire, Lavender and in her fiery debut, Red!"

Garrus looked around at the sound of (mostly) human men doing what John had once described as 'cat-calling' while most of the other species sat silent and a little confused at the behavior, though a few had tentatively joined in.

A low humming sound with a heavy bass line began to crescendo. The curtains rose as bright white lights flashed on behind the three females, allowing only their silhouettes to be seen. They stood equidistant from each other, all in different poses. The one on the left he could tell was an asari from her pose, her scalp crests visible; her arms posed on either side of her. The one in the middle he was positive was human because her neck was obscured by her fringe; one arm was posed above her head, her hips swayed to the side with the other hand planted on the concave hip. The third, he was pretty sure was human but if she was her fringe was pulled back, her hips were slightly cocked to the side and both arms posed above her head.

At the peak of the crescendo, it switched to the sound of wavering sirens, the lights behind the women cut off and the colored lights flashed. As the beat of the music came on over the sirens, mixing in a weird melody, the women were moving; their hands running along their sides, hips swaying, fringe flipping (the third was a human), all moving in very sensual ways. As another sound introduced itself, so did the women, the two on either side coming forward in languid movement. He assumed the asari was named Lavender with her purplish skin color, leaving the human with black fringe and darker skin as Sapphire. Once the supporting cast had taken their spots, the lights hit half of the walkway and the pole in the center.

Red, the apparent star of this song strutted forward; her hips swaying as her incredibly high heels made harsh contact with the stage, strength emitting with each step. Garrus noticed that her legs seemed incredibly long, he assumed from the angle and ridiculous shoes. Each move she made demanded everyone's attention; even if he tried to look away, he felt as if he was missing something crucial. Unable to resist, Garrus scanned her body: strong legs leading up to shapely hips that seemed too perfect (and too familiar) curving inwards to her waist and making the gradual curve where her breasts gave her the perfect finish to the hourglass figure. Her arms looked strong and more muscular than most of the other women's. A few locks of her wavy red fringe fell perfectly placed over her shoulders as the rest was hidden behind her. His eyes continued up to her face, framed by the scarlet cloak. A piece was over part of her right eye but it couldn't stop the intensity of her gaze as she scanned the crowd with a smirk on her red lips.

Garrus's jaw and mandibles went slack. He leaned forward, struggling to close his mouth. It can't be… He argued with himself but he knew it was true; her fringe was the wrong color, too long, but it was definitely her. It was Jane.

As the lyrics started, her hands flew above her head. The music and her moves may have been quick but it all seemed to go in slow motion for him. She lowered her hands, both staying close to her as they framed her face but one continued down, running between her cleavage to her navel to then plant itself on her hip while the other stayed put on her face, her fingertips pressing against her cheek to give the impression that it was her nails. Her sultry gaze persisted as she took the tip of her small finger in her mouth giving her an even sexier look. She lightly shook her head to one side, removing her hand which now found itself on the free hip. Her hands moved in different routes along her thighs before stopping as she shook her fringe with the music before flipping it backwards, revealing her face once again.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. It felt wrong in a way, but at this point it didn't really matter to him. Looking over her again, he struggled to keep his mouth shut; her outfit was… something. She wore incredibly high black heels, ones that seemed impossible to walk in; he had seen her in other styles but these seemed to tempt fate with a broken ankle. At first, he thought she was just in her undergarments but realized they were much more intricate than anything that would be practical to wear. Black seemed to be the base color but red straps and stones adourned the garment, demanding more attention and flashing in the dim light. The straps holding up the garment weren't the normal straight ones he had seen before, these crossed in overlaying and weaving ways across her front and back of her top. The bottom garment had criss-crossing straps over her hips and there seemed to be ones hanging down from that piece as well, though he wasn't sure if they were meant to connect to something or were just there for looks He was so used to seeing her covered in armor, the few times he had seen her skin it was in sections, never practically all of her at the same time. Well… except for last night, he thought.

The way she moved was hypnotizing. At times it reminded him of the Chora's Den dancers but it was so much more fluid. He watched in stunned silence as she grabbed the pole behind her and seemed to only float off the stage and spin. She made it look so effortless though he knew it took more strength than it looked. During her spin, she reached up and pulled herself up a little higher on the pole before wrapping the inside leg around the pole so she could lean away, her hand still connecting her upperbody to the center. She flipped her fringe, seductively pushing out her chest and exposing her neck.

She changed positions again, now hanging upside down with her leg around the pole. Her hands left the pole and Garrus felt the urge to try to catch her but she didn't fall. She rolled her torso, arching her back as her hands ran along her sides to reach up into her hair and flip it back as she tossed her head back to look at her crowd.

Every movement surprised him, he knew that human skin was different from other species but this didn't seem physically possible. How did she keep herself from crashing to the ground? He was mesmerized. She was able to move with a grace and strength he never knew existed. Although he knew that he had to take her back to the ship, he was secretly enjoywing the wait until he could get her attention.

She reached up to grab the pole again, and kicked her leg away, completing and holding an impressive split. Garrus cocked his head to the side, unsure how the human body was supposed to stretch like that. Kicking her leg out of the split, she brought her knees together as she hung by one arm, slowlying lowering herself down as she spun. He was beginning to feel dizzy himself while watching her do so much spinning, unsure how she hadn't lost control and fallen. As she drew closer to the floor, she tucked her feet up so she could land on her knees, sliding forward towards the audience a few inches. She arched her back before throwing herself forward to smack the stage with her hand, her head down and her red mane covering her. Flipping her head back up, she had a mischievous smirk.

With her closer to the end of the stage, Garrus could get a better look at her face. It was definitely her though the red was throwing him off. Her makeup was darker and heavier than he had ever seen it, but she could still carry it. Her eyes were heavily covered in black with similar sparkling stones decorating parts of her face and a fiery red color on her lips. She sat upright on her knees, stretching up as if she would be able to float upwards. Her hands ran over her neck and up into her fringe, her fingers twining in it, pulling her own head back. She dropped her hands pressing them against her chest and stomach as her knees slid sideways, dropping her body down into another split then back up and down again.

A knee came up slightly and she pushed off completing a spin and putting her hands down to stop herself sideways and she made eye contact with the audience again. She undulated her body down and against the floor, staring into the audience. Finishing the first undulation, she kicked a leg up as if she were going to fold her body in half the wrong way, a heel reaching towards her head. Laying her legs back down, she popped her butt up to bring her weight back on her knees. As she was sliding her body back up, she noticed a familiar face in the crowd.

Her eyes lit up and she stared at him, this dance had become more than what she originally thought. Sitting back on her heels, she rolled a shoulder, sticking out her chest. She shimmied her chest and she was pretty sure that he knew she had seen him. Staring into those steely blue eyes, she licked her lip and finished it off with a wink before popping herself back up to her feet.

Garrus's eyes opened even wider although he thought they had reached their limit. It seemed like she had been looking right at him when she… His mind drifted. No, he thought. How could she pick me out? Granted, the seats aren't that close together, but still… But the more she danced, the more obvious it was that she had seen him. Her eyes kept meeting his and he suddenly felt uncomfortable. How would she feel knowing that he had seen all of this? Was he not supposed to be here? Or was this all just a set up for an invitation? What? He started to scold himself. Of course this isn't for you! Best case scenario, she is just messing with you. Remember, evaluate her emotional state and bring her back to the SR-2.

Every time she moved, even during the spins, she seemed to be looking at him. He was the center of her attention. Garrus felt awkward, as if he had been caught doing something embarrassing. Squirming in his chair, he clamped his mandibles down, forcing himself to look away even though he didn't want to. He couldn't keep his eyes averted for long before he wanted to see what he was missing, and there she was staring back at him with a dangerous smile. She knows that I am here. Is she just that good at hiding her real feelings about me being here or does she actually want me to be here? She couldn't… could she?

She bit the edge of her lip, letting out a moan as she released it, despite the fact that no one would hear it over the music. Her fingers lightly touched along her shoulders to her neck then down her chest to her cleavage. She arched her back, one hand reaching behind her to grab the pole so she could continue her descent. As she went lower she moved her other hand to the pole and completed a supported back flip onto the pole. She tightened her legs around it and lifted her chest to hold her body horizontal. Her arms posed as if she were leaning on a table, one horizontal with her hand holding her elbow with the hand supporting her chin. She gave a wink then blew a kiss.

The crowd went wild, almost every species was cheering for her. Garrus was unsure how this type of dancing was so arousing but he was definitely impressed and really into it.

She had him locked in a trance and when the song drew to a close. Jane was near to the top of the pole, her body twisted in an odd but exciting way. She stopped her spinning and sat motionless for a moment. Her body was almost horizontal with her back to the floor, her face staring up at the ceiling. Suddeny, she plummeted to the ground. Garrus almost jumped out of his seat, worried that she was going to slam into the stage but she stopped just inches above it. On the last few notes, Jane placed her hands on the floor, removed her legs from the pole and posed them up in the air her ankles crossed and lining up with the pole behind them. Finally, she threw her back with an orgasmic gasp on her face as the song ended and the lights faded.

Her audience was going crazy and Jane closed her eyes in the dim lights to revel in it, her chest heaving from the performance. She hadn't felt this alive since… her mind wasn't letting her try to remember, not that it mattered. Lowering herself, she quietly moved to the side and stood up to change positions. They only had a few moments to reset before the next song started.

Once the crew had finished with the reset, Jane stood next to her new spot in the back and took a deep breath. It would be harder to see him this time, but she was determined to get his attention back despite being a support this time around. The lights brightened and she posed. As the song began she started to sway her hips, she found his gaze again. There seemed to be a fire within him, she just wanted it to be for her.

Garrus couldn't help but stare at her again. It took only a split second to find where she had moved on stage. She may not be the feature of their show, but she was the feature to him. It was taking everything he had to keep his mind on his task. There was something about her and her movements that were making an animalistic drive rise in him. He sat motionless; worried his movement might give something away about how he was feeling about her.

Jane's chest heaved from her quick breaths. It wasn't the dancing that was catching up with her; it was the way he was looking at her. She tried to keep her eyes matched with his as much as possible, spotting her turns on him and trying to look over her should at him when her back was turned.

The song was too long and yet not enough, for both parties. Lights began to dim again and in the last moments, Jane blew a kiss to him and made a "come to me" motion with her hand. For now, she would go to the back to freshen up then come back out to find him.

Garrus stayed seated, his talons tapping on the arm rest of the chair. He was unsure how long he had been waiting, but there was still no sign of Jane. How long do I have to wait until she gets out here? he thought. How can I even be sure that she is coming out to the floor? Maybe she is giving me the slip in the back? He tried to remain calm but his nerves were getting the best of him. Getting up, he got a refill of his drink and sat at the bar to wait. He had no idea where she would come out from backstage; he was just hoping she would come find him.

Knocking back one drink, he stared at his cup as the bartender refilled it. The man he had talked to before was gone, Garrus assumed on a break. He clinked his talons on the glass, scanning the room occasionally. There was a small uproar from across the room which grabbed his attention. That's probably her… he looked away. What would he say to her? Would she even want to see him anyway?

Garrus kept his head down. He was losing himself in his thoughts when he felt breath across his neck and the whispered words, "Hey there, big guy." He jumped but as he turned his head, he stopped short, her face hovering over his shoulder. "Enjoy the show?"

"It was…" he cleared his throat in an attempt to help control his subharmonics. "It was quite impressive."

"Impressive?" she quirked up an eyebrow. Jane leaned across him, her fringe fell over her shoulder and her arm brushed against his shoulder as she grabbed his drink. Bringing it to her lips, she smelled it, holding it close to her lips. "Not the word I was looking for, but I'll assume that is turian for 'sexy'. Turian brandy, right?" She finished off his drink and set it down on the bar. "Get another for my friend here."

"Listen, Jane –" he was cut off by her finger touching his mouth plates.

"Shh…" she whispered. She leaned closer, "It's 'Red' here."

As she pulled away, her fringe brushed his mandible. It felt the same as her blond so he assumed it wasn't fake, but he couldn't be sure. He wanted nothing more than to grab the back of her head and pull her back to him. She was intoxicating. "Red…" he cleared his throat, "I think we need to go back."

"Oooh," she gave a dangerous smile, "Go to the back, you say?" She moved closer, her legs touching his, close to stradling him and crawling in his lap. Her hands touched his shoulders, sliding over them until her forearms rested on him and her fingers laced together close to his neck.

He was flustered and as he looked away from her, he realized that they had an audience. They weren't being obvious about it, but they hovered like predators waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Bringing his hands up, he lightly grasped her wrists and brought them down off his shoulders to hold her hands in his. "What is going on with you?" he whispered. "This isn't like you."

She frowned and she closed her eyes as if in pain. Shaking her head, she muttered, "I can't… I don't." Shaking her head, she flipped her hair back and a smile was on her face, "What does it matter? We're here together now."

"J – Red, will you please come back to the ship?"

She leaned back, holding onto his hands. He held on tightly as she had him keep her from falling. Pulling herself back up, she stopped a few inches from his face. "I will… when you get a dance."

This wasn't his first time in an establishment of this variety, but he felt awkward; this was his commander. "Jane – ugh, Red… I don't know if…"

"If it's a good idea?" she purred. Jane took his hands, placing them on her waist. He kept turning his head away, not meeting her gaze. She knew that expression, he was embarrassed. "Okay, then," she gently placed her hands on either side of this face and turned him to her. "How about one bad decision and then I'll go with you," she winked.

He couldn't help but smirk at her, remembering the last time she said something along those lines. It seemed like forever ago on their celebratory night with the team when she conned him into dancing with her. "Fine…"

"Really? Have a little more enthusiasm."

Something was definitely off with her, he just couldn't put a talon on it yet. He figured it would be best to play along with her. At least, if he agreed to whatever she had planned he might be able to speak to her without an audience. Tightening his hands on her waist, he pulled her closer to him, her legs stradling over his, almost sitting in his lap. "Then lead the way, Red."

Her chest heaved a little faster. She bit her lip with excitement. "Let's not waste time," she slid off his lap and in the same motion moved her hand down to his to pull him from his seat.

They walked towards the hallway in the back that Garrus had seen before. He had forgotten about it until now. There were a few groans and swears coming from those around them, in a way, Garrus felt pretty proud he had someone everyone else was wishing for.

What are you talking about? She isn't yours! He swore at himself.

Jane parted the beads turning to watch Garrus glare at them clanging around him. She giggled at him and placed his hand on her shoulder. A lot of the doors were closed but there were still a few doors open near the end. She seemed to choose a specific one and pulled him in after her. Letting go of his hand, she nudged him towards the chair as she shut the door. Keeping her back turned to him, she scrolled through the playlist. Pressing play, she slowly turned around, her fingers lightly running across her chest to draw attention to her breasts.

It worked.

"So, uh… what does this entail and how long before we can start heading back?"

"What's your rush?" her hands pressed into his chest pushing him back to the chair until he started to trip over it and sat down. "That's better."

He tried not to watch as she swayed her hips. Her body undulated in beat with the music. Spreading her legs, she placed her hands on her hips running them down and back up her inner thighs. She turned around, slowly moving her butt in circles as she moved down to her knees. Her hair flipped as she looked over her shoulder at him. Her lips parted as she sat down, parting her legs as she leaned back to rest her head in his lap. Her eyes were closed, making small movements as if she were moaning. When her eyes opened, she smiled as she saw him staring down at her and decided to run her hands up and along his torso down his legs to end back at her own sides.

She went on all fours and bounced herself to her feet, flipping her hair back. Turning to face him, she placed her hands on his legs and leaned forward as if she was going to kiss him. Jane saw him lean his face up to meet her and she smirked moving past him to bare her neck and breasts to him.

"Why are you doing this?" he grumbled.

She moved down, her chest sliding against his as her toes traced a circle on the floor. "Because I want to," her eyes stayed locked on his.

"What's going on with you?"

"Just trying to live a little."

"That's not really an answer."

She pulled herself back up and sat astride him. "My thoughts have never been clearer. I finally feel like I can act on what I want." Her hands traced the edges of his mandibles and fringe. She closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against his mouth.

He couldn't think straight, he was drunk with lust. A hand found its way to her back and pulled her even closer; his other working its way into her hair. She gave a surprised gasp as he pushed his pelvis against hers, unable to stop himself before he knew what he was doing.

"Let's go," she breathed hastily. "I need you." She moved to kissing his mandible then down to his neck.

"Where are your things?" Garrus struggled to say. "Because I doubt this," he tugged on the side of her panties, "are Cerberus issue."

Jane bit her lip, throwing her head back. She wanted nothing more than for him to rip those delicate straps with his talons. "Mmm…" she didn't want to be talking right now, "I got them on my way here. I needed something to impress you. My stuff is in the back."

"Let's get them and go."

She tried to stand, she really did, but her body wasn't letting her. Her mind felt disconnected from the rest of her. There was a part, a very small part, that told her she wasn't thinking straight, that her inhibitions were blurred, but it was as if those words were being whispered in a cheering stadium. Grinding her hips against him, she watched as he rolled his head back, "But then we would have to wait. I don't want to wait."

Garrus looked at her. There was definitely a part, a larger part than he would care to admit, that wanted to agree with her. A part that wanted to tear off what little she was wearing and take her on every surface in that room. He growled and felt her shiver while a moan escaped her. It took everything he had not to lose control right there. "No," he mumbled. He didn't want their first time in this moment to be like this; in a strange (more than likely filthy) place, rushed, and he wanted her to know how he really felt about her. "We need to go back. Then we can…" he looked at her and brushed strands of her fringe out of her face and behind her ear, "resume."

The way his two-toned voice echoed in her ears as he said 'resume' made her shiver again. "Noooo," she whined but Garrus was already lifting her to her feet.

"If we don't separate now, we won't," he stood.

Jane closed the distance and leaned up to kiss him again, "That's the idea."

Garrus made a fist to keep from grabbing her again. It was at that moment how tall she seemed in those shoes. They really were insanely made. "Where's your stuff?"

She sighed, "No, I'll get it. Meet me outside." Jane made it to the door before pausing and running back to plant another kiss on him.

He stood there stunned for a moment. His head was swimming with the quick turn that had come about. In a daze, he walked across the show floor, ignoring any glances from patrons or invitations from dancers. It barely registered that he was outside of the club until the doors shut behind him and it was eerily silent.

"Someone looks a little punch-drunk," a guard said from behind him. Garrus didn't bother to turn around to see which one said it, "Guess the turian enjoyed his time in there." They all laughed.

Turning the corner, he figured it would be better to stay out of sight until she got outside. Now that he stood in the quiet, he was coming down off his drug. If she was in her right mind, she was acting out. Spirits, he wanted to give in, but he knew that he couldn't. He didn't want her to regret anything that she wouldn't normally do coherently. He would have to get her talking.

"Garrus?" she called out. He stepped out so she could see him. "There you are!" She practically skipped up to him and gave him a lingering kiss on the mandible.

As she pulled away, he realized it would be harder than he thought to keep her away. She looked so happy. He noticed she was wearing what he assumed she had left the ship in and had a small bag. At first, he thought it was what she had worn while in the club but he could see the odd lines under her pants. She was in more sensible shoes, he was thankful for seeing that she wouldn't be at risk of breaking a leg but had to admit there was a certain allure to how she looked with them on. He placed his hands on either side of her face and pressed his forehead against hers. Taking a step back, he held his hand out to her which she accepted with another bright smile.

"Let's take a rapid transport back," she purred and sidled up closer to him as they walked.

If she is on something, she will need time to get it out of her system. I'll have to get a better look at her when I can. "You don't want to just enjoy our time out here?"

"I would rather enjoy my time with you in private," she laughed. "We don't get time alone together… Better make the most of it." She started to slow down and tried to reach under his shirt.

He grinned, "I know. But let's save that for when we are alone."

"You afraid to be seen with a human?" she teased.

"Not at all," he stroked a few strands of her fringe.

"There's an alley over there. We can have a quickie before getting back."

"I would prefer to take my time with you."

She stared up at him with a fire in her eyes, biting her lower lip. "Let's go."

They were quiet for the rest of the walk to the elevator though Jane was trying to run. Pulling him into the elevator, she pressed her back against the wall, and tugged on his hand to close the distance. Garrus let go of her hand to place one on her arm and the other on her face. He readjusted them so she was more in the light.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"Can't I just look at you?"

She smiled. He watched her movements. It didn't seem that she was sluggish. Her face was flushed but that could be from something else. He looked into her eyes and he cringed internally.

Her eyes were too dilated, a little red, and the muscles spasmed more than the average. Spirits… "Jane, did you take something tonight?" That would explain some of her behavior.

"What?" she tried to brush it off. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Jane, please... It's okay. I just want to help you. Why did you take off?"

She stepped back from him, holding a hand to her head. "I don't… I don't want to remember."

He realized that she had said something similar earlier, "Do you know what it's called?"

"High on Lyf," she laughed.

"Life?"

"L – Y – F. Lyf." She closed her eyes and swayed back and forth. "It's fantastic. I don't remember what happened and I don't care. I don't want to remember." She put her arms out, "I'm free. I don't have any worries. Nothing is holding me back from what I want." Returning her gaze to him, she added, "Or who I want." The doors opened to the docking area and she strutted out, turning to beckon him with the motion of a hand.

Garrus followed her and took her hand, "What do you mean by that?"

"You. I've always wanted you, Garrus. But how do I say that to a turian? One who seems so turned off by humans? You're my brother's best friend and you seem so against anything more than just being friends. God, I want you so bad."

Garrus's mandibles went slack. "Why… Why didn't you say this before?"

She pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead, "I don't… I don't ever know what to say. I overthink things. I don't know how to tell you all of this. And if I do tell you, you'll probably say no and I will ruin our friendship. I wish I could tell you but I would rather long for you than lose you."

The way she talked made it clear that she was getting confused about what was going on. "Jane? Are you feeling alright?"

"Hmm… yeah…" she leaned on her shoulder against the railing. Her head seemed to roll around as if her neck was getting lazy. "Where are we…?"

Garrus sighed. "We're heading home."

"The Normandy? But… it was destroyed."

He could see the haze crossing her face. She blinked rapidly a few times but she started to sway on her feet. Garrus put an arm around her and she hugged him back. "Let's just get you to sleep." He pulled her away from the railing and scooped her up in his arms.

"Hmm… I can… think… of a few…"

He smiled at her as she dozed in his arms. Peeking into the ship, he saw that it was empty and could hear Joker snoring in his chair. "EDI, can you notify Chakwas that Jane needs to get checked out?"

"Alerting her now."

Garrus stroked her fringe with his talons. They were now up in her cabin, thankfully Jane had checked out with good health though she would be a little lucid. He and Chakwas had managed to wake her up enough so Chakwas could help her change but she was immediately taken up to sleep the rest of the drugs off.

Now that everything had slowed down, he thought about what she had told him. She did want to be with him. He would have to be the one to bring it up and talk to her. If she remembered anything from the night she would probably be too embarrassed to approach him. Finally, after all this time, I won't have to question what we are. That is… as long as she wasn't being manipulated by the drug.

He had just begun to close his eyes to get some rest when his omni-tool began to ring. Swearing quietly, he got out of the bed and answered it as he made his way across the room? "Hello?"

"Archangel, glad I caught you."

It was an asari that he had saved while working on Omega. He had heard she went to the Citadel to start a new life. When he had made it off Omega and started his search for Sidonis, she was one he knew he could trust and asked her to keep an eye out for him. "Emria."

"I found him."