Title: Archangel

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Bioware.

Beta Reader: Marie-Fanwriter

Summary: Commander Shepard meets with the mysterious Archangel in a dark corner of Afterlife. He's clearly turian, but that's all that she can tell as he's kept his helm on throughout the whole meeting. But she can't help but feel like she knows him…

Chapter One

Rebirth

"Don't fuck with Aria," the Queen of Omega states her only rule with a glare before she settles back down onto her couch, backed by pink and red lights of Afterlife.

Commander Shepard wants to laugh. She knows this game. She was dead two years and the universe still plays by the same bullshit rules. Aria is merely flaunting so she won't come off as weak. She's trying to gain the upper hand on Shepard before the commander can do anything to mess with the power and status she has.

Shepard smirks, her eyes meeting the Pirate Queen and, for a half a second, the other woman wavers. Good. Shepard's not here to have a pissing contest with her, but her own ego dictates she'll not tolerate anyone talking to her in such a manner. People die when they disrespect her, and Aria will not be an exception.

How hard would it really be finding this Archangel and Dr. Solus without her info?

"Seems like we live by the same rules," Shepard doesn't bother to sit, she's not here to chit-chat. "I'm looking for Mordin Solus, do you know where I can find him?"

Aria doesn't know much. Just his whereabouts that he's as likely to heal you as he is to shoot you. The plague sounds like trouble, but seeing that she has an all human crew she doesn't worry too much.

Guess there is a perk to being a Cerberus dog after all.

"And Archangel?"

"He tends to… show up when people are looking for him. Right now he's in deep shit with the Ellipse, Blood Pack, and Blue Suns. I heard they're going to make a move on him soon, so if you want him alive you better start looking."

"And you're not out to get him? I thought he's been disrupting everything."

"He's been a good little turian and stayed always from my affairs. I figured he's just waiting until he has more influence before he starts after me. But he's given those three idiotic gangs something to fight instead of each other, so I've let him be. For now."

"I see. I guess I better start looking then." She doesn't bother with a good-bye before leaving. Miranda and Jacob fall in line behind her. Once at the bottom of the staircase Shepard scans the room before turning to head farther into the club.

"Where are we going, Commander?" Lawson asks as they enter a quiet hallway.

"You heard Aria, ask around enough and he shows," Shepard answers as they enter a dark part of the club. The music is thumping loud enough that Shepard can feel it with the beat of her heart. "I'll wait here, in that corner," she gestures at a dark, shadowy booth, "and I want you two at the front and back entrances. We'll give him two hours, after that we'll go get Solus."

Miranda and Jacob both don't look happy with the 'sit and wait' plan, but they do as they're told. Shepard settles into her booth and, for the first time since she's been brought back to life, she lets herself relax.

She lets out a sigh as she sinks into the plush booth and hits the menu on her table. The menu display pops up and she orders herself something fruity and alcoholic to drink and a light, Earth style meal.

Archangel likely won't show. She just needed a damn break from those two.

Shepard was nibbling on a cold French-fry as the gleam of blue and black metal caught her attention. From the corner of her eye she watches as an armored turian walks in the dark room. He's wearing a helmet but she can tell from the way it's scanning from side-to-side he's looking for something.

Her N7 armor blends well enough into the shadows, expect for the bright red and white streak down her arm. His scan catches on it and slowly his helmet meets her gaze. For a long while he just stands there, staring at her. He doesn't move. Doesn't say a word.

"Archangel," she calls loud enough for him to hear and he seems to break him from his stupor. She waves at the seat across from her with a nod of her head. Slowly he walks over and he slides in. For a second it looks like he's going to unlatch his helm but he just settles his hands at his sides.

"I'm surprised you showed. Thought Aria was bullshitting me." She gives a small smile, reminding herself to be pleasant as she is in need his help. "Honestly, if it was me causing all this chaos on Omega, that bitch would have been at the top of the list." She gives a thoughtful hum. "There is still time…" And for a second Shepard really considers heading back up and ripping the asari a new one. But Aria hasn't done anything to her, yet. Shepard blinks and gives a sheepish laugh at the surely confused turian across from her. "Sorry, got carried away for a sec. I'm—"

"Commander Shepard," he finishes for her. His voice is being distorted from the helm but Shepard can hear the familiar duel tones of a turian voice, similar to her old crewmate's.

Shepard finds her smile is real as she grins at the man across from her. "The one and only. Good to know somebody remembers me. You'd think the galaxy has amnesia with how no one seems to notice or remember me."

She drops her smile as she finally gets to the point of her meeting with him. "I need your help. Have you heard about the disappearing human colonies?" He gives a slow nod. "Well, I know this is going to sound… strange but, the Collectors are behind the abductions."

"And that's where you've been for two year? Why you faked your death?" He interrupts again and Shepard is confused by the heat in his words. She freezes and debates about how much she should tell him. Being honest as always gotten her the farthest and working with Cerberus is going to take a lot of trust on a non-humans part.

"I need your help," she repeats. "And that means working with Cerberus." He's had to have seen the logo on her chest. "I'm about to ask a lot of you, so it's only fair to tell it to you straight, Archangel. So ask me anything you want." She holds her chin high and she can almost see blue eyes starting back at her through the dark tint of his helm.

Blue?

He quiet again. Without a proper face to look at Shepard feels at a disadvantage. "Why fake your death?" He finally asks. "Was it to join Cerberus?" He gestures to the logo and she wonders how much influence the once small rogue Alliance sec has now-a-days. His voice still sounds heated and Shepard answers in a calm voice, ready to pull her pistol if need be.

"I didn't fake it."

Archangel tilts his head in a way that reminds her of Garrus Vakarian. She'd always wondered if that gesture was a turian thing or a Garrus thing. "You've been in a coma—"

She shakes her head. If only it was that simple. "I didn't fake it. I owe them my life and working with them to save innocent lives is the least I can do." She looks away. "Trust me, whatever you've heard about them, they are much, much worse. I don't like it, but it has to be done."

She looks back to see him shaking his head. His hands are flexing open and closed on the table top, lightly scraping the metal surface and leaving faint trails. "I don't understand."

Shepard sighs. There is no avoiding it. As much as she doesn't like it, she has to get use to talking about it. This stranger will be the first of many to hear her story. "I was spaced two years ago and I died." She paused, saying it out loud wasn't easy. "Somehow Cerberus recovered my body before the Alliance and they… brought me back." She feels her stomach turn. "How they did it is beyond me. But for now I know they won't stab me in the back, they spent billions on me."

Archangel goes silent again and she hopes this isn't a character trait. She really hates prolonged silences.

"So you got my story, what's yours?" She asks, trying to lighten the mood.

He shakes his head. "One more thing. You had a crew. Why not find them?" He is leaning slightly closer to her and she notices the emblem on his right arm; turian military. In the back of her mind something clicks, but she is too distracted by his question to piece it all together.

"I tried." She admits while looking away again. "It's… it's not that simple. To me it feels like it's only been a week since I… since I last saw any of them. To them it's been two years. How can I just show up out of the blue and risk their lives again? I did see someone, by chance. But she made it clear she doesn't trust me anymore." Man, she only had one drink. Why was she being so… open? It's like he knows all the right questions to ask. It feels like he knows her better than he should. Where are the questions about the mission she's asking him to join? The questions about pay and living accommodations? Her fighting style and what she'll expect from him? Why does he care about these more private details?

Again, her brain clicks and the answer is on the edge of her tongue.

"Who?" He says with real interest and she sees his hand tighten into a fist.

Shepard shakes her head. "It doesn't matter." This a great first impression she's made, huh?

They fall into another silence before he speaks again. "You really are her," he says breathlessly and slides out of the booth. Shepard stiffens as he walks to her side and she readies her gun as he nears her. But she stops as he pops off his helm and sets it on the table.

His eyes are indeed blue, but what she saw was the light of the visor over his left eye. His plates are a dusty gray and his has colonial markings in a shade of deep blue in a strip across his face.

Shepard was going to kill the Illusive Man. She fucking asked about him and she just got some bullshit about him being off the grid. There is no way in hell Cerberus didn't know who Archangel was.

"Garrus?" Shepard gasps in complete shock and happiness. She's partly mad about him not telling her from the start, but she feels like she passed some test of his, as he could have walked away with her none the wiser about his identity. "Garrus!"

Shepard stands to hug him, feeling joy radiate through her, but is stopped as the blue-eyed turian leans in and kisses her. He pushes her back down, onto the soft seat, and she is forced to slide back to the rounded corner of the booth as his body presses down on hers.

She falls farther back and her hands shoot out and grab hold on the table. Her fingers smash into to something wet and thick and she knows it's the ketchup she'd spilled earlier.

Garrus' tongue pushes into her mouth and her eyes widen. Damn, turians can kiss? Since when?

His mouth is hot and eyes piercing as his hands pull at her armor….

No, focus! She orders herself. Garrus is Archangel. Archangel. This warrants a very long talk. Not making out. Definitely not making out. Even if it does feel really good.

And what does he think he's doing? Last time she saw him they were parting ways on the Citadel. They gave friendly good-byes and that was that. No promises to keep in touch or anything. Nothing that would give rise to him jumping her right now.

You were dead, her mind whispers.

So? Does that mean when she sees Kaidan he's going to do the same? What about Liara? Tali already showed she wants nothing to do with her, so why is Garrus kissing her? Why is she letting him?

He's backed her fully into the booth and with skill he flips them in the cramped space so she's in his lap. This breaks the kiss and Shepard gasp for air before he pulls her in for another. This time her body betrays her and she eagerly kisses back, loving the tingling of her lips and the sparks flying up and down her spine. She removes her gloves and her fingers lace into his fringe and he groans as she touches the soft skin underneath. One of his hands has been holding her head to his and she finally notices where his other is as her lower armor falls away.

Whoa, that's a big jump from randomly kissing. It's too big of a jump, in fact.

Shepard pulls always, her lips feeling sore from be smashed to plated ones, and she pushes him with her hands on his chest.

"Garrus, slow down, I mean we need to talk about—" She is cut off as he jerks her forward, his blue eyes ablaze and her breath catches in her throat at the intensity of his stare.

"Later."

"No," she says firmly as she pushes again, trying to keep her mind clear as he runs his tongue along her jaw and—oh shit.

Shepard tries and fails to stop the deep moan that escapes her lips. When did he…?

"No, ah, we can't." She moans again as he pushes deeper inside her. "Garrus…" She falls forward, unable to care about anything but the way he is stretching her. She spreads her legs and pushes him even deeper. "Damn." He's big and she grits her teeth as she takes him all in. There is a bit of pain, as this body of hers is new to this act, but it fades and is replaced by a hot need.

They're in a bar, for fuck's sake. They can be caught any second, but all she wants is him to fuck her. To let her forget she's been brought back from the dead just to risk her life all over again for a galaxy that doesn't give a shit about her. He's someone from her past; someone who she saw only a few weeks ago and hasn't turned away from her.

She knows she's not attracted to him. That if this was Kaidan or Liara she would have let them do the same… maybe. She's always respected Garrus, and she went out of her way to try and mentor him. So maybe there is a deeper reason she's not pushing him away. But those thought are no good right now.

Shepard lifts herself up on her knees and slowly ease back down, setting a tempo her virginal body can handle. Garrus is shaking under her and her heart hammers as his hands grip her hips and he takes control. She presses her forehead to his—as he has lowered his close to hers—and closes her eyes as she lets him do as he pleases.

Her hands grips at his shoulders as he pulls her body a bit too hard to his and she holds back a loud cry. His mouth brushes hers and she can feel his mandibles fluttering on her cheeks.

"Shepard." His voice is strained and raw. She doesn't dare look into his eyes, afraid of what she'll find. "Shepard." He hugs her tight to him and her eyes open to stare at the dark ceiling. His tongue is hot on her neck. "Shepard."

All she can hear is his voice, broken, calling her name in her ear. Like he doesn't believe she's real. All she can feel is him desperately pounding into her, holding her like she'll slip away. She can still taste his tongue in her mouth and the bright blue of his eyes are burned onto her eyes.

A selfish part of her is happy. Happy to know someone actually cares that she was gone. But then she remembers who he is now, what he does, and she knows it's her death that drove him to this. The Garrus she left would have never become a vigilante. He would have never broken the law just to get things done. He may have hated all the red tape and endless hoops, but she taught him they were there for a reason. And now he's Archangel.

She's read his file. He's killed more scum than she knew existed. But just because they're scum doesn't mean it's right. Just because this place is a lawless heap doesn't mean he can act without law.

Her death did this to him. Made him a man he would have hated years ago. A man she is sure his father will never be proud of.

How can she make this right?

"Shepard," Garrus calls and she arches as he fills her, the blast of liquid heat sending her over the edge. He pulls back and his blue eyes look into her, wide and uncertain, and her heart gives a painful twist.

How can she make this right?

They redress and are sitting back in their original places. A mark of red along Garrus' collar catches her eye and she see that ketchup is smeared along it. It's crusted between her fingers on her left hand as well and Shepard takes a moment to wipe her hand before looking at him.

"You have some on your collar…" she hands him a few napkins. He takes them and sits them on the table; his blues never leaving her. "So, uh, I would ask how you've been but… dropping off the grid… Omega… Archangel…" she says the last word with a bit of heat. "I can kinda guess."

"No, you can't." His voice is… different. The type of difference that one wouldn't notice over time, maybe changed from age and experience. But seeing how it's only been a few weeks to her, the change is startling. "It's been hell."

"Well, that was my guess," she shrugs and leans back into her soft seat. "Tell me about it. When I died," Huh, it's already a bit easier saying it. "You were signing up to join the Spectres with my glowing recommendation knocking down walls for you. What happened?"

His eyes narrows at her. "You died." Damn, he's grim now.

She holds his gaze before looking away. "I gotta admit I'm surprised my death hit you so hard. I mean we weren't close and you didn't…" She blushes as she mumbles out, "Ah, have an interest in me like T'Soni and Alenko…" She looks at him. "Or did you?"

He gives a dark laugh and gestures to where they just had sex. "I think that answers that."

Why is she blushing so hard? They're both adults here. "Why not say anything?"

"I… I saw how you rejected them. I didn't see a reason why I would be different." Garrus has not looked away from her once and she hates how exposed she feels under his gaze.

"You were… different from them," she says with all seriousness and honesty. "I enjoyed our talks a lot. I can't say what I would have said, but—"

Garrus cuts her off with a shake of his head. "I don't want to know."

She slowly nods, "Alright." Picking up a clean napkin she reaches out a wipes clean the sliver of his armor. They are quiet as she works and it isn't until she sits back into her seat that they talk again.

"I know working with Cerberus is going to be tough to swallow, but I've seen what the Collectors are doing. It has to be done."

Something in his gaze softens and she knows what he's going to say before he says it. "I can't come. I… have a team. They need me."

Shepard can't help the dumbfounded look she's giving him. Out of everyone she thought he would say yes, if only because of his pure sense of duty. But time changes everything it seems.

He adds, "I'm sorry," as he reaches out and brushes a lock of hair from her face. She pulls away, but regrets it as Garrus flinches back, wounded.

Of course he has commitments. Did she think he was here causing havoc on Omega alone? He has people who must look to him for guidance. People who will die without him to watch their back—their six—like he did hers.

"I'm sorry," he repeats as he hangs his head.

This can't be an easy choice. Not with how he greeted her. Not with how he's been looking at her.

She still wants to lecture him with how reckless he's been, but she just doesn't have the heart. Instead she taps her omni-tool and his pings in response. He looks confused before accepting the connection.

"Here's my current contact info. It's all through Cerberus, but I still check my all my old active accounts too. Aria said the Blue Suns, Blood Pack, and Eclipse are planning to make a move against you. I don't know when, so keep sharp. Aria might try something too. I'm heading to the plague zone soon, so I might be unavailable for a while."

Garrus' breath hitches. "Are you crazy? Why are you going there?"

"I'm recruiting, remember? I need the salarian doctor working at a clinic there."

"Solus? Shepard, I'm coming with you—"

She holds up her hand and gives a light smirk. "Didn't someone just turn me down? And even if you didn't I would still be sending your ass the ship. I'm going in with an all human team and you'll only risk infection."

"I wasn't asking. I know Omega. And Dr. Solus has patched me up quite a bit."

Shepard sits up straight in her chair and stares at Garrus. "No."

Garrus sits back and folds his arms. "And how will you stop me, Commander? Give me a write up? Send me to the brig?"

"No," she repeats. "You're not coming."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that."

Shepard grits her teeth and glares. "Garrus, don't you fucking dare step foot in that quarantine zone. Or so help me…"

Garrus leans forward, his eyes challenging. "What, Shepard? What will you do?"

Shit, where did he get all this backbone from? No one ever challenges her like this. No one. She wants him bad now.

"Whatever I have to, to keep your ass safe. I don't care what type of dare devil, death wish seeking bullshit you've been doing for the last two years, but I'm not about to let you walk into certain death because of me. I didn't come back from the dead just to watch you die."

Garrus sits back, clearly not submitting, and Shepard hits her tool again. "Here's my comm frequency. You can listen in if you want, but you're. Not. Coming."

And because he still has that stubborn set to his face, and it's making her body tingling with the memory of what they just did, Shepard slips from her seat to sit next to him. He meets her half way for a bruising kiss and she's still amazed at how well he can do it. They're both panting when she pulls away and she shivers at the hungry look in his eyes. He pulls her back for another and then another. Shepard's sure he would have fucked her again right there is it wasn't for the shocked gasp from behind her.

Garrus grips her arm and narrows his eyes at the person behind her, daring them to come closer. As sweet as his protectiveness is, she pulls away and turns to face a stunned Miranda and an amused Jacob.

Seeing that the ex-Alliance man looks more interested in Miranda's flabbergasted expression than his commander frenching a turian, she suddenly realizes how little the man cares about her. She's his CO and that's that. She finds she has a bit more respect for him now.

"C-Commander…?" Miranda looks like she doesn't know where to start. "Archangel?"

Shepard laughs just as a tall turian and batarian approach, one from each entrance, and she's sure they've been following her team. They both freeze at the sight of Garrus, looking at his face then at her and her team. She slips free from the booth and Garrus stands behind her. The feeling of him at her back is familiar and comforting; she wishes he was coming with her.

"So you really didn't know who Archangel was when you gave me his file?' Shepard asks as the two new comers hover to the side. Miranda and Jacob notice them and turn so their backs aren't facing them, making a haphazard circle.

Miranda eyes the man at Shepard's back before looking at her. "Seeing how you've only extensively worked with one turian in your life," did she really spend the last two years studying her? How creepy is that? "This must be Garrus Vakarian."

Shepard can feel a slight press at her hips as Garrus drags his hand along her waist as he walks to her side. "You have me at a disadvantage." He crosses his arms as he stands barely an inch from Shepard.

The commander waves a hand at the white clad operative. "This is Miranda Lawson, my XO." Then at the ex-marine. "And this is Jacob Taylor." She looks at the two others standing nearby. "Yours?"

Garrus nods but doesn't give their names. "And these two are going with you to get Solus?"

"Yes, they are." Shepard looks at him and they end up in another face-off.

Thankfully, Garrus finally sees some reason. He lets out a small sigh and mumbles something about her still being stubborn as always.

"I'll send you what I have on Solus and the ward he's in," he says. "He's a good guy, just don't go in with guns blazing."

"Yeah, I heard." And because she can't help it, she asks, "Are you sure about not coming?"

He looks over at the turian, who is now awkwardly fidgeting, and batarian, who is trying his best to look like he's not paying attention, and says, "Yeah, I am."

Unsure of how to part ways she pats his arm, hand lingering as their eyes met, before turning away.

"Stay safe," he calls and she can hear a bit of longing in his voice. Shepard looks back over her shoulder and gives him a reassuring grin.

"You too, Archangel."

Getting Mordin was a breeze. Even with Miranda's endless questions, as the women was sure she knew everything about Shepard and it was impossible that she missed an important detail like her dating a turian. Apparently it was common knowledge Shepard, Kaidan, and Liara had some kind of messed up love triangle going were Shepard couldn't pick between either one. Shepard had patched Garrus through to her comm only and he had given a bark laugh at that detail.

It was nice having Garrus talking in her ear. Once on the Normandy they talked until the ship was out of range. It was amazing how they avoided any serious topics. Shepard promised to return soon and Garrus said he was looking forward to it.

A month later and Shepard is worried. Mordin is telling her about how he'll have everything ready in a week for facing the Collectors, but she isn't paying attention.

"Clearly distracted," Mordin admonishes. "What's troubling you?"

Shepard looks down at her omni-tool. "Garrus, you know Archangel, my—"

"Boyfriend." The doctor smirks.

"Uh," She's made a habit of visiting Omega regularly and both the master thief and brilliant doctor have found time to poke fun at her clear love sickness. She hates to admit that she's fallen quite hard for the sweet, turian bad boy. "He hasn't messaged me in a… day. I know it sounds clingy but the last thing he said was the 'gangs were on the move' and now…."

Mordin nods. "Could be nothing. Don't worry. Should check on him, nonetheless."

"You think so?"

"Yes." He places his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Archangel is tough and so is team."

Shepard leaves and tells Joker to head to Omega.

"So soon? Jonesing for Garrus already?"

"Shut it, Joker."

He laughs. "Aye-aye, Ma'am."

They make it to Omega and—just to be safe—Shepard takes Mordin and Jacob with her as she heads to Garrus' hide out in the Zima District.