Love, Blood and Tears: Chapter 4

Love, Blood & Tears
Chapter 4:


It didn't take long for Shepard to bring Garrus up to speed.  She died, she was brought back to life, she found him and he's been with her every step of the way since.  Most of Garrus' questions had to do with Cerberus' intentions.  Shepard didn't really have answers – she didn't know what was going on herself and she didn't like working for them.  She was using it to her advantage though and Garrus knew that no matter what, he could always trust Shepard.

"What about you?" she asked.  "How did you end up on Omega?"

Garrus' story was much longer than hers had been.  He talked about her death, her funeral…

"It was hell Shepard.  Without you, there was no one left to take on the Reapers; nobody saw it as a real threat.  It was frustrating! I tried, believe me I tried Shepard! I ended up getting so angry that I just couldn't take being on the Citadel anymore.  I heard about how bad the merc gangs were getting on Omega, thought maybe I could make a difference – do something in this galaxy that mattered. Things started out good enough, I was really putting a kink in their operations."

His eyes turned sad.  Shepard got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What happened?" she inquired.

"One of my teammates, Sidonis, he betrayed me.  He drew me out while the rest of my team was ambushed.  None of them survived."

"Garrus…..I'm so sorry," she said as she placed her hand on his arm.

"Yeah well, after my team was wiped out – there was nothing in the way of my enemies.  I managed to hold out for a couple of days…then you showed up.  Thank you Jane."  

"I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner.  I wish I could have saved you from all of that."

"You did save me, more than you know.  I'm just happy you're alive and that you came back for me at all."

She stared into his eyes, squeezing his arm hard.  She wanted to remove the pain from his eyes. She didn't like seeing him hurt and she was riddled with guilt. If I hadn't got myself spaced, this never would have taken place.

She moved in for a hug, nestling her head on his chest. "I'm happy you're alive too and that you decided to come with me."

"There's no place I would rather be than at your side, defending the galaxy."

"Me too," she said as she pulled away.  She didn't want to but she had to get prepared for their next mission which they were only a couple of hours away from.  "I should go get ready.  Gotta go snatch us another recruit!" she said with a smile.  She turned to leave as Garrus spoke…

"You know I'm not done with Sidonis.  I'm going to track him down and finish this."

"I know," she said without looking back.  She felt herself shudder inside.  The past two years had not been kind to Garrus and it had changed him….hardened his spirit.

*******

"Commander, we're approaching Purgatory," said Joker.  

Purgatory was a prison ship that held a powerful biotic known as Subject Zero, who's release was purchased by Cerberus.  Shepard was to collect them and bring them aboard the Normandy.

"Take us in Joker," said Shepard.

Shepard brought Garrus with her along with Mordin, a salarian scientist she picked up on Omega.  The warden of the prison, a turian named Kuril, greeted Shepard. All the arrangements were together, just waiting for the funds to transfer and they could collect Subject Zero.

Something didn't feel right to Shepard and soon her feelings were confirmed.  The warden locked down the facility, attempting to capture Shepard for a bounty!

"Damn it! If it's not one thing, it's another!" she shouted.  "Can't we ever catch a break?!"

Shepard and her team managed to escape the trap and retrieve Subject Zero, who turned out to be a tattooed woman named Jack.

"Screw Cerberus!" Jack shouted.  She wasn't going anywhere with them.

It didn't take long though for Shepard to convince Jack to join them.  Garrus admired her as she spoke.  The way she talked to people; so persuasive, so genuine.

Soon they were back aboard the Normandy and Shepard could already tell that Jack and Miranda would not be getting along…..at all.  She'd had enough for one day; being lured into a trap and having to fight her way out, getting Jack who was going to be a handful, and the tension between Jack and Miranda that was going to boil over at some point. I need to blow off some steam.

She headed to the training deck to work off her stress and tension.  Shepard started with the basics; push ups, pull ups, sit ups.  Soon she was at the punching bag working on her jabs and upper cuts.  She was getting plenty of shooting in during their missions but not a lot of hand to hand combat, she needed to be prepared – keep herself fresh.  She moved on to the VI training program; a realistic hologram she could practice her tactical moves on.  She set the program to a moderately difficult setting and began.

***
Garrus headed to the training deck.  He was carrying a little tension and thought a little sparring session with the VI would help loosen him up.  He didn't expect to find Shepard there, already engaged in a session, in nothing but a black half top and a tight pair of training pants.   Oh spirits…

She hadn't noticed him walk in and he wasn't about to interrupt her.  He just stood there silently watching her.  The way she moved across the floor, dodging her opponent, weaving in and out, jab here, jab there.  Her hair was falling around her face, most of it had come loose from the ponytail she made. Like always.  She had sweat all across her chest, her neck, her firm stomach…..

"Garrus?....GARRUS!" Shepard barked at him.  He snapped out of it.  "Did you need something?"

"No, I just came down for a little workout.  Didn't expect anyone to be down here."

"I'm almost done.  You're welcome to stay and watch.  Maybe give me some pointers?" she said with a smirk.

He took notice of her eyes; they were brown. But she doesn't look afraid right now.  She looks happy.  Could brown mean more than one thing?.....Ah, she's in combat mode.   He loved all the little things he was picking up about her; things he didn't think anyone else really noticed.  He felt a desire, an urgency, to know her better than anyone.

He watched her practice, calling out with advice here and there.  "No, no, no. Don't do that – counteract that move with this," he said to her as he tried to show her what he meant with his own hands.

She tried to mimic the movements he was showing her but she wasn't quite getting it.

"Here, let's try it this way," he said as he approached her.  "Come at me."

She moved in as instructed and he quickly grabbed her arm, executing the movement he'd been trying to show with fast precision.  Before she knew it, she was against the wall, Garrus behind her, with her arm locked in-between them.

He chuckled.  "I'd like to see you get out of this one."

Shepard was tough but she was no match for the strength of a turian.  He had her pinned and his grip was firm – there'd be no getting out.  His breath was hot on her neck and she felt a shiver go up her spine.  She didn't want to get out – she liked it right where she was.

"Well, well, well….what the hell do we got going on in here?" a voice interrupted.  It was Jack.  Neither of them had noticed her enter the room.

Shepard cleared her throat.  "Thanks for the lesson Garrus, I'll be sure to remember that trick," she said.

"No problem," he replied as he released his grip on her.

"Well, the room is all yours. I'm going to go take a shower.  Have fun!" she shouted to Garrus as she quickly headed towards the elevator.  Shepard looked up at Jack as she walked by.  She wanted to wipe that smug grin from Jack's face so bad!

"Garrus was teaching you some tricks, huh?" Jack asked.  Shepard knew what she was implying and didn't have a response for her.  She just shot Jack a look and continued on her way.  

Jack started going to town on the punching bag.  Garrus selected the VI program he wanted and started his session. It wasn't long before he was thinking about the position he'd just found himself in; Shepard pinned against the wall, his body pressed against her, that scent flooding his senses. They had stayed like that for a few moments. Why didn't she attempt to break my grip? How long would she have let me keep her pinned like that? He stopped the session and restarted it for a longer time – he had more tension to relieve than he thought.